"I killed someone." Aria frowned. She didn't want to know, not really. That was really the reason they hunted him. Not because he was a monster, because he had accidentally killed with this power. If he'd just had the control he possessed now he'd not be in the mess. Aria remember so many times she had made a mess of things because of who she was and what she was. Her mistakes lead to deaths of innocents, but still they let her work. Aria wondered if that was the reason she was under lock and key most of her life. But why now? Why push her out into the world unaided and alone. She sighed. She definitely didn't have the answer he was really looking for.
Aria smiled at the enthusiasm he offered when talking about healing with the power. She knew it wasn't all bad, and that it could have a very good impact on the world at large if only it could be accepted. But sadly with power comes responsibility and some people don't handle it well. Aria could only think what someone who could heal could do with that knowledge. It was a fine line to cross from healing to killing. She supposed it was no different than putting your life in the hands of a doctor.
"Your's is not the first cult..." Cult? Aria's anger flared. She tried to walk it off but the fact that he though her part of a cult. Some religious freak who practiced things out of the ordinary was insulting and her very limited control was already on it's last legs. He continued speaking . Aria didn't catch most of it. Her anger boiling on top of what was left of his. She could hardly feel anything else, much less hear what he had to say. By the time he asked her about her questions there was nothing left of her control. Her own anger enveloped her and she collapsed into a sitting position on the ground and held her head to her knees with her arms. His emotions pounded at her head, her own swirled in faster than she could manage, the people in the building surrounding the little garden were a buzz with their own things. Everything was smashing her senses all at once. Aria dug her fingernails into the palm of her hand. She focused on the pain. She wish she had brought a blade. She focused on the pain and nothing else.
Something was wrong.
At first, Michael had not noticed, he thought the woman had simply sat down. He was so immersed in his own thoughts he did not see the pain in her face until he had finished.
His first thought was that it was some kind of method of control used by the Atharim, and he seized the power, although the gesture was pointless. He would not be able to heal whatever was wrong even if he knew - but still, he could not sit idle.
The power brought him calm and he recalled the dim memory of...strangeness. She had said some strange things. She knew when he was channelling somehow, and had said something about 'people like her'.
After a moment's hesitation, he extended a probing thread towards the woman. He almost instantly recoiled, but his control was iron. There was something...different about her. He did not know what, or why, but it was as if she had an extra limb - not physically of course.
He watched as her fingernails dug into her palms, drawing blood, unable to do anything, unwilling to risk any kind of further examination or attempt at healing.
So he did the only thing he could to ease the pain. He spun a thread of Spirit around her head, pinpointing the exact spot he needed. Once he found it, he extended the thread and the woman slumped immediately in deep sleep.
It was something that he had learned fairly early. It was the most effective way of dealing with unwanted attention. The target would simply fall to sleep, waking a few minutes later - giving him time to leave.
Michael sat down beside the sleeping woman feeling even more exhausted than he had before. He doubted she would be pleased when she awoke, but was losing control of herself - he didn't know why or how, but he knew the look of someone who was about to lose control; far too well - and he did not want to see her harm herself.
As he sat waiting for the woman to wake up, he reflected on the absurdity of the situation. He had set out to hunt his hunters, yet here he was watching over this tiny woman. He shook his head, spinning threads of Fire and Air to warm himself, the cold weather had started to grate while he did not hold the power.
After a few moments, she stirred, and Michael stood up, giving her space. "How are you feeling?"
he asked. "I did what I could."
He did not bother explaining, he doubted it would matter, he hardly understood it himself. Besides, there was something else much more pressing to ask. "What was that? You are not just an ordinary person, are you?"
"How are you feeling? I did what I could." He asked, Aria blinked blearily up at him. What the hell had happened? Her head hurt less and she couldn't feel anything coming from him, nothing. She sighed, it was probably for the best. She sat up trying to avoid any contact. "What was that? You are not just an ordinary person, are you?"
Aria laughed. That was an understatement. She held up a finger asking him to wait a moment. She closed her eyes and pushed every emotion into the single flame in her mind. Her solitude was the only place she was safe, and he had burst the bubble at a mere comment, she hadn't realized how much tracking someone in the same vicinity paid on her control. She knew better next time.
The emotions slipped away and she felt better, the palm of her hands stung, but it could have been worse. She wasn't exactly sure what he had done to her. Her head didn't hurt like she'd been hit over the head, or even if she'd just passed out of her own accord. It wasn't quite like waking up after a good nights rest but it felt natural. He had used his power on her and it made Aria shudder.
She knew she owned him an answer, but she wasn't sure what to say. Mr. White seemed to have understood, though they had never discussed it beyond that one night below the safe house and she'd not seen either he nor Rune since. Aria didn't look at him, losing control like that was more than embarrassing. She took a deep breath. "You aren't the only one who's special here."
Aria studied the wall in front of her, the ivy climbing the walls was chipping away at the mortar, she wondered why people let the vine grow. Probably the same reason why the Atharim let her live. "I am Furia." Like Mr. White, Aria didn't expect him to understand or know. No one really believed in the things that were her life. "I can feel and smell your feelings. The Atharim use Furia to track monsters." Aria sighed, "There are different levels. Some can only sense the most violent and the events that have the biggest impact on a person's emotions. Others, like me, feel everything from everyone."
She let it sink in before she added, "I could find you anywhere in the world right now." It was dangerous for him to know her, rather for her to know him. He was being hunted by her brethern. If they found out she could find him, it would end very badly and she wasn't exactly sure it would be worse for. She smiled, "It would be difficult if you hopped a plane, but given enough time I'd find you. It's my job to track things down. I'd be surprised if the CCD didn't have one or two of us floating around. If the Atharim hasn't found them that is." Aria shuddered at the thought of what they do to those who choose not to join them. Aria wondered what would happen if they tried to leave, probably more of the same. Neither thought was pleasant.
Michael was not surprised. He did not really understand how, but her actions made sense now that she had explained. He didn't bother asking questions, he doubted she could explain any more than he could explain how his own power worked.
The implications were interesting to say the least. It was a surprise that she admitted that she could track him. Dangerous. But the fact that she had told him when she did not have to made his mind up. It could very well be a mistake to let it slide, but he would not kill her because she could be dangerous. If he did, he really would be a monster, and he was not about to stoop to their level.
With his decision made, he allowed himself to wonder at what fate lay in store for someone with such a power. It made his own struggle seem petty in comparison. It was no wonder she had lost control in the face of his rage, and it was lucky he had a much firmer grip on it. A month ago when they had first met... He was not sure what exactly happened to her, but it would certainly have been much worse then.
When he spoke, he forced himself to adopt a softer tone, guilt being no small factor in the decision. "We are not so different after all, although I do not know who's fate is worse. I do not blame you for choosing to become Atharim."
He doubted they would let anyone with her power live if they did not cooperate. "Forgive me if I am wrong, but it seems like they have you chained like a dog. To hunt like a dog."
He shook his head. "Yet you have shown more humanity than any of your ilk I have met."
He did not know what powers these Atharim had at their command and he was not going to provoke them any more than he had done. Assassins were one thing - the entire organization, another. Tony may have grand plans, but they were in no position to be reckless. Still, he would not turn a blind eye. "I'm sure you know much better than I, but be wary they do not decide you are useless."
He hesitated only a moment before continuing. "If that day comes, remember you are not alone."
His smile was genuine, although filled with a savage bitterness. "Perhaps you will be able to track something for yourself, if it ever comes to it. We will not be powerless forever."
He left it to her to decide who "we" was, nor would he offer his assistance outright. She was technically still the enemy after all.
"I recall you said you had some questions, have you learned what you wanted?"
"I do not blame you for choosing to become Atharim." Aria laughed. She didn't choose anything. She was born into it. But he was right, sometimes she felt like nothing more than a walking talking bloodhound.
With all the new information she had gathered she assumed her mother had been Furia. One who had tried to escape. And Aria knew all too well the penalty for not joining the Atharim. Which meant leaving it too. She sighed.
Her questions? They were pretty much answered and in reality she already knew them. Against everything that she had ever been taught she knew that these men and women were not monsters. They are not inherently evil. It's all about the choices we make.
Aria shook her head which turned out to be a bad thing. She laid back down in the green lush grass. Such an odd thing to have in the middle of the dark and drab city scape of Moscow. "For the record, I didn't choose to be Atharim. I was born into it. There has been nothing but Atharim since I was an infant. Raised by a man who I thought had been my father." Aria sighed. "But he's just another hunter."
She paused and thought about her question again. But there really was nothing more he could say that could answer it any better than he already had. She looked up and smiled. "My question has been answered. While the answer conflicts with everything I've learned in my life. I believe in my heart, that you and your kind are no different than mine. It's all about those choices we make. You are not gods. You are men. You aren't evil, but you are dangerous." She wasn't afraid of him, not right now, he seemed genuniely concerned for her well being but that could change in any instant. How close was the danger? A new question formed in her mind and Aria hoped he would not be offended. "Right now, you smell like just a man. No emotion, nothing is overly present. I feel something deep down. I want to know why you envelope yourself in the bubble." She smiled up at him. "If you could have my ability for only a moment, I'm sure I'd feel and smell just the same. If I don't encapsulate myself from the world around me and myself." She waved her hands above her. "This happens. Why do you do it?"
Taken from her family and raised to kill those like her.
What
were these people?
He had struggled with the possibility that perhaps they were right, but now he had no doubts. He had killed, he was dangerous but the Atharim had no right to judge him. Perhaps he would pay for what he had done, but it would not be at the hands of
these monsters.
His initial hopes had since faded as he learned more about her. She had every reason to question the motives of the Atharim. The 'normal' ones would have less incentive. He hoped she was not an oddity, but feared the worst.
Her question was surprising, as was the revelation that she did something similar. Were the powers connected? He could not say.
It produced another dilemma. It would give her a means of picking out those who could use the power. He did not think she would use it against him or others, but who knew what her 'father' and others would force her to do?
Still, he had decided to trust her, and she would figure it out soon enough. He just hoped cooperation worked. If not - at least he could say he had tried. First though, he replied to something that had bothered him, something Tony had been amazed at.
"Everyone is dangerous. Shooting a gun produces the same results, and is far easier to use than this power. I don't know why I was able to, but most people who develop this...talent...could not hurt a fly. For most, it is something that must be learned, and being hunted is an excellent way to learn."
He shrugged his shoulders, releasing the tension. He had made his point, he did not want to go on about it.
"Sorry, I will answer you. I can't be certain but I suspect it has something to do with concentration. To use use this power, you have to free yourself from all distractions, concentrate on seizing the power with your entire mind. The emotions are still there, just...suppressed. Beyond that, I don't know."
Edited by
Michael Vellas, Sep 18 2013, 08:53 AM.
Made sense Aria supposed. Emotions were a distraction. She hadn't been taught about the emptiness for her emotions, it was a tool she had learned when fighting. It brought clarity, but Aria found the side affect to make her daily life better. And while Father Dimitri had discouraged the use of it she hadn't listened to him.
Aria frowned, "I'm sorry they hunt you." She sat up quickly, she felt a bit off, but it was getting better, at least for now. She still wanted to drown in a tub of water and remove the world from her senses, but she doubted she'd get that chance. She'd already dallied too much today. "Please don't go down Nikolskaya again." She looked down. "I can't tell you why, but don't go there again." So much for building trust, but she couldn't tell someone who could and would have the power to take out the entire Moscow Atharim branch that he's been aimlessly walking past the very place he's been trying to avoid.
It was dangerous for both of them to be seen together. She wasn't sure for whom it was more dangerous. Aria tried to stand up but her head swam with lights. She slumped back down and sighed. It was probably well past time to get back to things. "Is there anything more I can attempt to answer. I'm pretty sure I've been gone too long." She smiled, "I'd hate for them to find you because of me."
Michael nodded in thanks. She was still one of them, after all. The warning was sufficient.
"I'm sorry about what they did to you too. I have hundreds of questions, but I doubt you could answer them."
He watched her struggle to stand, then slumping back to the ground.
"Will you be alright?"
he nearly laughed at the absurdity. She was a hunter, and although she didn't have those blades with her, he doubted she was defenceless.
"I hope we never have to meet again, for both of our sake's."
Edited by
Michael Vellas, Sep 18 2013, 08:41 PM.
Aria smiled, it was touching that he cared, but he was right, they really shouldn't ever meet again.
"I'll be fine. I just need to kick the world out of my head again." She muttered to herself, "Seems I do that a lot lately."
It really was time to go. Someone was bound to be looking for her. But if they really needed her she was only a message away. She pulled out her wallet and looked, nope no messages. It was all probably in her head. She wasn't that important. But who let the dog out for long? Aria sighed.
She tried to stand up again and smiled. "See, I'll be must fine." She bowed slightly, "It's been a pleasure." It was meant to be sarcasm, but she had learned a lot from this mysterious man. She was glad they had not exchanged names, she really didn't want to have to see him again. The next time it might not go so pleasantly. He was hunted by her brethren, and she was supposed to hunt his. Life sucked all around.