Memory Cave

[voidtreckermods]

After the passengers see a glimpse of a life that is not their own they appear in a cave. It is light, a strange moss glowing on the walls and ceiling illuminates the cave nicely and it is large enough for them to pace around in without trouble.

They are not alone. In the cave with them is another voidtrecker. Maybe someone they know well, maybe someone they have only seen in the aisles of the train. But they are together in this cave together.

The cave has no exit, at least not yet. They know that it will, eventually. When the time is right.

But for that time to come, they first must talk...

(OOC: For reference: memories!)

Comments

[les_magique]

Samata's heart was pounding. The knowledge that Uta could probably hear it, and that it probably sounded appetizing to him, was not comforting. He clearly put a lot of effort into keeping this a secret, and now his cover was blown. But only if he left a witness...

Or maybe he wouldn't attack. She didn't KNOW was the problem. But she did know that she would have ONE CHANCE to defend herself, if it came up. If he could grab her that would be it. She wouldn't last a second against that kind of overwhelming strength.

She braced herself to unleash some kind of spell, waiting to see what he would do next.

"Y...yes, here we are again."

[cannibalartist]

He definitely could hear it, and it definitely did sound appetizing to him, but not for the reason she thought. While it's true it was getting to a time where he could eat, he wasn't really hungry, but he was quite bored. He couldn't remember the last time he'd fought someone a bit closer to human or ghoul, the last time he'd actually killed. The thought of ripping off her arm - the other one - and biting into her, making a mess of it... It did excite him. The fact that if she missed one movement and she was...

Stop. Stop, stop, stop. His heart rate had started to accelerate and he could tell he was starting to breathe a bit heavier with the anticipation of it, and he had to stop. People from the train who died didn't stay dead, the girl told him that, so killing Samata would be quite a bit more trouble than it was worth. He could only imagine how angry she would be, and how much more inclined she'd be to tell everyone.

He swallowed.

"Now, now, fighting one another is fun and all, but let's try to get along." His tone had taken that same sort of playfulness from the second memory, when he said almost the same to Renji. His face was unusually calm through all of this, but the glint in his eyes were quite keen and betrayed his mental struggle.

"Besides: killing you will do me no good. People on the train who are killed don't stay dead." He paused. "I would certainly make sure whoever killed me regretted it, whether that was making sure everyone on the train hated them or subjecting them to a punishment worth than death."

For once he made no threats. He was voicing an understanding.

[les_magique]

"I'm SO comforted to know the only reason I'm still alive is that it would be inconvenient for you."

Later, she would have a minor panic attack about mouthing off at the horrible killing machine. Right now, her body was doing what it always did, and reacting to fear with anger.

"What ARE you?"

[cannibalartist]

He couldn't even begrudge her the statement because, well, it was true. At least he was honest with her. Eventually, too, she may realize that if he wanted anyone dead on the train they already would be.

"I am what's called a ghoul."

[les_magique]

Samata had heard about ghouls, of course. In children's fairy tales. Most people didn't seriously believed in them just like most people didn't seriously believed in ghosts or vampires.

Of course, none of the rules from home necessarily followed, here. Uta was a ghoul, a terrible monster that looked like a human, capable of ripping people to pieces with his bare hands.

"And you eat people?"

[cannibalartist]

It had been quite a while since he'd had to have this conversation. He was already pretty over it, but he also understood how scary this situation would be in her shoes so patience prevailed.

"That is my lot in life, yes."

Humans, other humanoids (he found out), other ghouls. The cannibalism was always a bit of fun and part of what his ward was known for, part of why he killed so many of his own kind to keep them in line.

[les_magique]

"And you've been...eating people, on the worlds we went to."

He hadn't actually SAID that, but it only made sense. Where else would he get his fix? The train? People would find out RIGHT away. Samata's finger twitched slightly, ready to cast a shield spell as fast as she ever had in her LIFE, as she asked the only question left to ask.

"So what are we going to do, now that I know your secret?"

[cannibalartist]

Uta would laugh at her assumption if this wasn't such a tense moment between them. Instead, he shook his head.

"Unlike humans and most human-like creatures, ghouls only need to eat once a month or once every couple months. To eat more often than that is gluttonous and selfish." It also put the ghouls of that ward into quite a bit of danger because it increased investigator activity.

"I did not eat anyone on Terra, and if there were people here I had no intention on eating them either. I now have the ability to make my own food so that I don't have to kill anyone. So I will not be eating people on the worlds we visit." ...Though the thought had crossed his mind.

He shrugs at her last question. "I would prefer you not go around spreading this information to everyone because I have been working very hard to create trust with people on board and I would hate to see that ruined, but I ultimately cannot stop you from doing anything." This was a position he very much hated to be in, but it didn't really matter how he felt about it. He sounded incredibly resigned to the situation now that he'd had a chance to calm himself down.

Uta sat down on the rock he sat on in their previous meeting. It was clear that she wasn't going to attack him unless he attacked her, and he really didn't need that kind of drama in his life. He let the tension from his body go as he looked up to her.

"So do whatever you wish, but keep in mind I mean no harm to the people on this train, nor do I mean harm to those on the worlds."

[les_magique]

"That's a big secret to ask me to keep." Samata folded her arms and remained standing, looking worried. If he could handle his own food source somehow, that was good, but if he lost control and attacked someone, and they weren't prepared because she hadn't told anyone, that attack was now partly her responsibility.

So, when in doubt, seek out more information. Maybe there would be some aspect here she could find out about that would set her mind at ease. "How do you handle your own food? I haven't noticed piles of corpses in the pantry."

[cannibalartist]

Uta was aware that asking her to keep his secret was unfair, and he could just about imagine the logic she had in her head. And, honestly, he couldn't fault her for the thought. He disagreed - it was ultimately his own choice and she was not responsible for his actions, nor would it particularly matter if others knew about him because that wouldn't necessarily stop him, but he understood the idea.

"The beings that hosted me in liminal space gave us powers for good performance. One of those powers is the ability to conjure items, with the further enhancement to conjure food and water. These were the powers I took first so that I would not have to worry about going hungry." He had no desire to enlighten her what a starving ghoul was like.

[les_magique]

She probably would have had trouble appreciating JUST how much it sucks to be a starving ghoul, but she wouldn't have imagined it was very pleasant.

But if he could magically generate his, er...food, that was something. A bit of tension left her stance.

"...Show me."

She was honestly more curious than anything. Generating food out of thin air was a hell of a claim.

[cannibalartist]

Didn't he do this before?
Oh, right, Tidus. But for human food.

Before he did anything he pushed the sleeves of his shirt up to his elbows, exposing even more tattoos than those on his hands and fingers. He seemed to do nothing more but in his hands appeared something that seemed to be wrapped in a white paper. He carefully unwrapped the white butcher paper and inside was, indeed, a piece of meat. If it weren't for the context of the situation it could just as easily pass as a cut of beef.

"I procured my 'drink' in the first memory you saw in a way similar to this. I didn't bleed someone for it." Lord knows, though, there were a few who would have willingly if he asked.

[les_magique]

"Wow."

It was a neat trick, but she couldn't help take a step back once she thought about what the meat was.

"...Okay, I'll trust you, for now. But if people start to disappear, I will not protect you for a minute."

That seemed more than fair, to her.

[cannibalartist]

Uta bowed his head at her statement. He recognized that she was being generous and he would take whatever form of a win he could earn here. He didn't want to always have to be watching his back like he did in his original home and while he was reluctant to trust Samata it was better than the alternative.

Ultimately, he was just as alone as he had been since he left home and this just made him painfully aware of it.

"I wouldn't expect you to." He was very well aware that the fact she was willing to do that much was rather generous. "...But I quite appreciate that you are willing to lend me your trust." Not many in her position would, even with his powers.

He wrapped the meat up and stowed it in his hammer space, his hand disappearing for a second as he placed the package into a small portal. Another little trick of his.

"I am sorry for what happened to your arm."

[les_magique]

Samata unconsciously rubber her metal shoulder. She wasn't sure she had just made a good decision, but she was stuck with it, now.

The night, though, at the tavern, had changed the course of her life wildly. She could imagine a different Samata who had been sitting six inches to the right. She still had both arms and would probably be writing a paper about something only a tiny circle of academics cared about right now. She would read stories about heroes who change the world and wonder what that would feel like.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda.

"Thank you. It didn't make me feel as good as I thought it would when, later, the man responsible had his home burned down by an angry mob."