Princess Zelda Hylia (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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vatheon2013-04-02 09:13 pm
zelda_hylia) wrote in vatheon2013-04-02 09:13 pm
Entry tags:
Missing the obvious.
Who: Zelda, Maka, Serph
Where: Forest Quadrant, in an area with enough trees that people passing by wouldn't have to see
When: April 2nd, after dark, before dinner (hurrhurr)
Status: Closed
[It's been awhile since any significant progress has been made on the matter of discovering what magnetite is, but after hearing the results of Tech's test, Zelda's got another idea in her head. With the curse that took many people's abilities not all that long ago implementing said idea has been delayed, but not shelved entirely. After contacting Maka and Serph earlier in the day Zelda's requested for both of them to come to a somewhat private spot in the Forest Quadrant so that the research can continue. For her and Maka, all they needed to do was not eat beforehand.
Serph has to bring a body.
She's early as usual, waiting with a tense expression on her face. She hasn't directly participated in any of the research, but it has to be done. Things can't keep going like this forever, Embryon should at least have a choice on whether they're going to be eating people or not.]
Where: Forest Quadrant, in an area with enough trees that people passing by wouldn't have to see
When: April 2nd, after dark, before dinner (hurrhurr)
Status: Closed
[It's been awhile since any significant progress has been made on the matter of discovering what magnetite is, but after hearing the results of Tech's test, Zelda's got another idea in her head. With the curse that took many people's abilities not all that long ago implementing said idea has been delayed, but not shelved entirely. After contacting Maka and Serph earlier in the day Zelda's requested for both of them to come to a somewhat private spot in the Forest Quadrant so that the research can continue. For her and Maka, all they needed to do was not eat beforehand.
Serph has to bring a body.
She's early as usual, waiting with a tense expression on her face. She hasn't directly participated in any of the research, but it has to be done. Things can't keep going like this forever, Embryon should at least have a choice on whether they're going to be eating people or not.]
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[Truth be told, Maka was on pins and needles ever since her conversation with Zelda. This had been the first time she had ever asked to use her Soul Perception, let alone for a purpose other than silly little games she'd play with Kid.
Speaking of, admittedly she didn't tell him or Rin about her meeting with Zelda and apparent cannibals, but she trusted that Zelda wouldn't be leading her into danger.
She stops just short of the princess and looks back into the trees--weird how there were no animals in this forest, as far as she could see.]
...I guess I came a little early.
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He doesn't immediately greet them, though, crouching and gently placing the local on the ground first, taking care not to use his left hand, which is still a bit red and raw, even after healing. That done, he silently greets both of them with a nod.]
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[She trails off as she hears Serph's approach, sensitive ears picking up the sound easily.]
Hello, Serph. Serph, this is Maka - Maka, this is Serph.
[Zelda glances down at the local, dipping her head in a momentary prayer. It's good to see that Serph doesn't just toss the bodies around.]
Maka has an ability called "soul perception". I'm hoping she can tell us a little about you and your demon as well as what this body may lose once cooked. From what I understand, this ability may teach her some things about you. Is that all right?
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It's nice to meet you. I can't make any promises about how much information this will give, but I'll do my best.
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Serph nods. It's fine by him. He hopes Maka can shed some light on things.]
I appreciate the help.
[Regardless of whether Maka finds anything new or not. After all, his existence is odd by his world's standards. An empty shell of an AI whose emotions and the ability to function outside his original programming originates from his demon, given physical form in the world outside his virtual reality. And although the demon was a 'virus' that infected his AI, it's become a part of him, marked by the tattoo on his cheek.]
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[She puts a handkerchief over the local's face, unable to continue and be impersonal if she can see their face.]
Would you use your perception on Serph now and after his transformation to see if there is any difference?
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[She feels a bit bad for Zelda, she seems way more affected by the body than she's letting on.
Regardless, Maka rolls her shoulders and faces Serph head on, concentrating on seeing his soul. Nothing changes in her outer appearance to a bystander's view, there's no dramatic flash, rumbling or glowing. The only thing that changes is Maka's eyes and--well--only anyone directly facing her would see that. That, and the distinct feeling of being stared at, really stared at. One of those unsettling looks where you feel abruptly exposed.
For Maka, looking at Serph's soul hits her with nostalgia--there are two energies that one could consider a "soul" closely intertwined in a helix. She hasn't seen a being with two souls since a certain someone she hasn't seen in a long time.
She presses a hand to her forehead and shuts her eyes to break the contact.]
Two.
[It comes out in a breath, barely perceptible, so she clears her throat and tries again:]
He has two souls. One seems bigger than the other.
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Serph meets Maka's gaze calmly, expression never changing, even though the stare makes his skin crawl. Although Serph keeps few secrets, it almost feels like Maka can see into the part of him that he knows has done terrible things beyond the killing and eating people. Even if he can't recall exactly what it was he's done in the past, it still feels like she can see it. It's small relief when Maka stops.
Serph silently listens to her assessment, but doesn't say anything.
He waits for a moment for Maka to gather herself before he decides to transform into his demon; he figures it's better to transform before waiting for explicit instructions to do so, eliminating the need to wait for him to transform once Maka is ready to look at him again. Raising his left hand, the tattoo on his cheek glows blue, similarly glowing lines spreading across his body as data swirls around him. It doesn't take long for an eyeless demon that's a foot taller to stand in Serph's place, blades still hidden within Serph's arms. The hunger is more prominent in this form, especially since he can smell the body right there, but Serph has become more than accustomed to ignoring the voice that tells him to KILL THEM ALL.]
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When he transforms, does the dominant soul change?
[She imagines that it must. It's interesting to hear that he has two souls, though. Zelda had thought that the demon might function as a soul and that Serph and his friends might lack them entirely. Their emotions must be based on something else, then...
Well, she'd best not get sidetracked. Zelda takes out her notebook and makes a note of that, then looks to Maka to hear her answer.]
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[She doesn't even have to actively perceive again, the killing intent hits her--enough to make her step backward before she corrects herself.]
It's very strong, it becomes even stronger like this. I said before that he has two souls, this is something that's happened in my world before--someone having two souls, I mean, but they actually had separate souls. For him, they're tied very tightly together, like a helix. What "feels" like Serph isn't exactly what I'd call a "soul" in the traditional sense...but it's still there.
[Maka is any of that even making sense. She doesn't seem to think so as she looks sheepish.]
Sorry...I know it's not very clear.
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A helix... something stirs in the recesses of his mind.
He tilts his head before he speaks in a voice that's slightly more guttural, but unmistakeably him.]
Do they look like the double helix structure of DNA?
[He's not sure if Maka or Zelda are familiar with it, but it's worth a shot. Hell, he's not even sure how he's familiar with it. But he can draw it, if need be.]
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Like this?
[She holds up her notebook for them both to look at, though Serph can't exactly see right now.]
This would resemble DNA, if I recall the picture I saw correctly.
[As much as she'd like to study it further, Zelda has to focus her efforts or she'll never get anywhere. Molecular science was a subject she had to leave be.]
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That's right, like DNA. Which is a little unusual, if I'm being honest here, but the first thing we're taught in Soul Theory is it's not the shape or the form that matters.
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Really, the main question on Serph's mind after Maka's words is "then what does matter?" with regards to souls. But, perhaps, that is a question for a conversation another day; it would distract from the task at hand, in his opinion. Because he's certain Maka would tell them the important parts anyway.
He nods, indicating that he understands, but stays silent to allow Zelda to give the direction in the tests this night.]
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[Zelda glances down to the body again. This is the part she knows she really won't enjoy.]
Serph, do you think you could control the hunger enough to only eat part of the body? I would like to see if consuming it does anything to your souls.
[At least she didn't eat before coming here.]
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[And she'll wait. To be honest, even though she's seen kishin eggs eat souls of innocent humans about 200+ times, the idea of someone eating a person right in front of her is a little scary.]
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It's much more difficult to slice a person to pieces with his blades when they're no longer standing, unfortunately. So he does the next best thing.
Serph sharply bring his foot down onto the local's right arm, the force breaking it and splattering blood on and around his foot. Crouching, Serph grabs the upper arm and pulls, tearing the arm free from torso. He eats quickly and (mostly) cleanly, sharp teeth tearing through flesh and crunching bone. It doesn't take long for him to finish the arm, skin, flesh and bone. Even though the arm was hardly a full meal, Serph can feel some of the burnt flesh on his left hand renew itself as the demon takes some of the energy and uses it for mending.
He takes two steps back once he's done, leaving a single bloody footprint near the body.]
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Do you see any changes?
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Ah, no, there's no change in his soul's wavelength or the demon's.
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Just because he doesn't like that he has to eat people doesn't mean he doesn't like the taste.]
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She's not going to eat meat for weeks.]
...you're certain? Well, Serph, would you try this arm now?
[There has to be a difference. What else could it be?]
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[Okay Maka, don't mumble about it, just because you started at Zelda using a spell doesn't mean you have to cover it up by being pouty.]
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He steps back when he's done, waiting for the outcome.]
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[There is something of a soul left in that body. There has to be! It just doesn't make any sense otherwise. It's not like cooking it alone would make it useless. Sure, there are enzymes that are broken down by the cooking process, but Serph certainly would have tried raw meat...
...except he may not have. She's seen the Junkyard, and she's seen Serph's tendency to sometimes utterly lack common sense. It's so easy to forget since he's highly intelligent otherwise, but what seems "common" to her may not have even been an option in his world. She waits silently for Maka to reply, stiff.]
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Bluntly as possible or else she'll never put it, of course.]
There's...no soul in that body, Zelda...it's dead. And even then, nothing's changed about either of Serph's wavelengths.
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Can he eat the rest now?]no subject
...
[She turns suddenly, pulling out a bow of light and shooting it into the bushes. The rabbit screams, then falls silent. She moves to retrieve it, easily visible with the light of her arrow guiding the way. The princess holds it out to Serph with an emotionless expression on her face.]
Would you try eating this and telling me what it does for your hunger, Serph?
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Zelda's reached that realm of "sugoi but frighteningly so" in Maka's brain. She's just watching this, completely gobsmacked by the speed at which it's happening, that rabbit's soul a brief and fluttering light as it escapes into the air.
I wonder where it's going? Maybe there's an afterlife in this world...]
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He silently takes the offered animal and eats it.
... Ah ...
Serph flexes his injured hand, almost completely healed, and licks his lips.]
Not as filling as I would like, but I'd consider it an alternative.
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[The bow vanishes. Zelda tucks her notes away, still holding that strangely calm expression.]
Serph, have you ever tried uncooked meat before this? Not human meat, just an animal like that one.