Bedroom Visits [Sentenza]

[War]

War walked through the streets in her black uniform. Rebecca did not know she was gone. Rebecca still had to sleep, unlike War. She planned to give herself four hours for Rebecca to be asleep. Of course she expected Rebecca to wake much later then that, but it was possible that her body did not have to make up for the sleep it missed.

She walked through the streets of Hollow Bastion, and began to ask around about a young man named Sentenza. She was cheerful and she was greeted by the same from the humans she talked to. It was strange to be able to act human again. She hadn't done it in so long.

She eventually found herself in front of a Gummi repair shop. She scanned the building and compared it to what she would expect. She noticed the skylight, and even without familiarity with modern architecture, knew it would be a perfect entrance.

Once in the yard she searched for something to jump off. She eyed the perfect thing, a large Gummi block. She ran and jumped to it. She turned in a pirouette upon landing and jumped up to the roof, using all of her strength to push her off.

She alighted on the roof with barely a sound. She crept over to the window and studied the latch It was a simple device. Once she had worked it open she dropped to the floor in a crouch, keeping her landing silent.

She moved over to Sentenza's bed and leaned over Sentenza's face She smiled. "Wake up Sentenza."

In the mirror it could be seen that War's black uniform had ridden up, showing he pale skin. There also seemed to be part of a red tattoo that looked like it matched what Chaos had on his Forehead. Oddly she looked to be unarmed.

[Sentenza Hoshizuki]

Sentenza bolted awake and found himself looking directly at War's face. "You couldn't simply knock, could you have?" Sentenza asked. He made no move to attack, as War was unarmed. On top of that, his right arm was still in a sling after Chaos had dislocated it. "If you want a fight, I'm in no condition at the moment." Sentenza said, gesturing to his shoulder. The other wounds had healed surprisingly well, the shoulder wasn't exactly coming along as pleasantly. "You can thank Chaos for that." Sentenza said. Sentenza slid himself out from under War's face, then got off his bed and headed over to the closet.

"We're supposed to be enemies, I know," Sentenza said, somewhat awkwardly managing to pull a shirt on one handed, "but I could fix some coffee if you'd like. You strike me as more of a tea drinker though." Sentenza seemed to strain himself a little getting his right arm through the sleeve, then putting the sling back on. "You're still my guest." Sentenza said as he looked over his should at War. Sentenza noticed the tattoo. It obviously meant something since both Chaos and War had one, Sentenza wasn't about to inquire its exact meaning though.

[War]

"If Chaos got ahold of you and that's as bad as you look, you should count yourself lucky. Chaos isn't exactly big in the letting survivors get away." She smiled as she straightened. "That can only mean you've been practicing, good you took me serious."

She turned to face him, with one hand on her hip. "Co.ffee is fine, I was a soldier, not a high brow noble.." She smiled as she sat on Sentenza's bed and leaned back, resting on her hands. "It is a good thing today, that I bring an alternative to a fight. Chaos has tasked me to collect some information."

"Instead of the tussle I had planned," She said bluffing. "I figured I would give you the chance to give me that information, so that I may enjoy my time otherwise." She said with a grin. She was already defying Chaos for Rebecca, but they had only just met, and as long as she got the info it counted. "So how about it, I'll let you use your words today, and save your cast from having to be reset. I am sure I know which one you would prefer."

[Sentenza Hoshizuki]

"I haven't been practicing so much as I had some sympathy for you when we thought." Sentenza said, "You can tell a lot about a person just by how they fight." Sentenza finally managed the sling back onto his arm after positioning his shoulder to the right area. "You should probably know this better than most people." Sentenza said, "While I still detest your view of fighting, you had playfulness when you fought, it meant you still had enough good in you not to simply rip someone apart for fun. Chaos obviously had no regard for human life, while you may fight for fun, he kills for fun. I find Chaos far less worthy of mercy. I did take his hand after all."

"For the record, I prefer tea, and I'm far from a stuck up noble." Sentenza said as he left the room to prepare coffee for War and some tea from himself. Once the kettle and pot were both going. "If the choice is between answering questions and fighting, I think I'll answer the questions." Sentenza said, "Just don't expect straight answers, we're far from allies." Sentenza stood there and looked at the sitting War, wondering how someone so beautiful could have a name that had such an ugly implication to it.

[War]

War smiled. There was a playfulness about her at this time as well. She still had an edge about her, but no one who had killed as many as her could lose that edge. It marked her as a warrior, a soldier, and a leader. Now it also showed the predator she had become. "I do hope you didn't show sympathy to Chaos, that man has always hated you humans." She paused. "You actually took his hand, impressive. I doubt it hindered him much in the long run. I remember him once arrogantly charging a cannon. They took his arm off before he managed to jump the wall and slaughter the cannon crew. He didn't care about the wound, didn't seem to phase him. But what he to those humans was grisly."

"Oh no." She said with a chuckle. "He didn't mention anything about you living because he wished it? You didn't manage to impress him? I assure you, his favor can often be as bad ad his wrath for mortals."

"Oh calm down, it's not like I am going to ask you state secrets." War said. "I just need to know what modern military are capable of and fight with."

[Sentenza Hoshizuki]

"Of course he gloated about letting me live. I believe him. However, I intend to make that the worst mistake of his life." Sentenza said, "Want to know how much physical damage I took by the end of the fight? Still moving?" Sentenza didn't really want to recount, but he would if War insisted. "But I digress." Sentenza said. He leaned back against his door, and put some thought into War's question.

"I can tell you know, if you're hoping to find a uniform set of weaponry, you're going to be very disappointed." Sentenza said, "Especially if you're planning on conquering worlds. Every world has their own technology. Some have no technology, but have devastating magic. Some even have both." Sentenza flicked Kuroki Kemono into his hand, and created it's giant blade form. "Don't expect this to be the last weapon that actually caused you and chaos pain." Sentenza said, before sending it away. "I guarantee you that you won't find a blanket defense to every weapon."

"Just give up while you can." Sentenza said, "You can't keep winning forever, and you certainly can't destroy every world if you only go one by one."

[War]

"Just like a man to need to show off their scars/" She said with a light smile. "I can tell already that your wounds are sever. What weapon did he use? It doesn't look like all of that was done with a fist. However, unless you need to, I don't need a count of all your wounds, you still live, and that means something. It means you can still pose a challenge to me."

"There are hundreds of worlds untold, I don't expect a simple set of rules. I just need sweeping generalities to be prepared." War said as she sat up and crossed her legs under her. "For instance on my world they use these small metal rods with handles that fire lumps of metal at high speeds at the target. He seemed genuinely surprised when I caught it. That is what I refer to, it is far more advanced then I am used to."

She chuckled slightly at Sentenza. "I could say the same thing to you. Every hero knows they will die at the hands of the evil they fight. It is understood, as every soldier knows the next battle could easily prove to be the last one. Would you stop? Even knowing this won't you continue forward? Some one must be the villain to make you heroes have a point. Besides Chaos isn't wrong, the vast majority of humans are capricious, treacherous, and dishonorable, only caring for more power and crushing everyone else under heel." War said with a shrug. "Maybe I don't want to wipe every world clean, but I do like the constant war, gives me purpose, and allows me to take vengeance for my death each and every time."

"As to pain, sure it hurt, but you dealt me what would be a mortal blow to a mortal, hell to most immortals I've seen. It only hindered me slightly. Don't think this is the first time I have felt pain since my rebirth." She said with a shrug. "Alchemy hurt too, but it didn't stop us."

[Sentenza Hoshizuki]

"Unlike you, I don't need to win forever, I need to win long enough." Sentenza said. "For every world you destroy, at least another is created. All you're doing is force yourself to fight because at some point you were named War, and decided to take that as having actual meaning. I'm named after a sharp shooter. My name means 'verdict' or 'sentence.' Tell me how either of those apply to me. You'd be right where you started if you were named after one of the seven deadly sins, or named Mara, or Baphomet. Each time, you'd choose your purpose based only on your name. Or did you just let Chaos tell you what your purpose was?"

Sentenza almost chuckled at War's comment on guns, but his face remained as emotionless as ever. Sentenza once again summoned Kuroki Kemono. "Remember this?" Sentenza asked, "Bullets were harder to dodge than a musket weren't they? Now think about going up against 100 or more. I'm not sure that even your regeneration can hold up against that. Fire Power only goes up from there." Sentenza cracked his neck. "As for melee weapons, your swords going to end up broken, your going to be crushed under something twice your size, and people will be wondering why you were boasting before the fight." Sentenza said.

"You certainly acted like it was the first time." Sentenza replied. "Oh, and Chaos was using a knife."

[War]

"Oh my dear, I do not wage war eternal merely because it is my current name." War said. "I do it because it is what I want. The challenge against fate to topple me, it is exhilarating. I have stood against entire armies and triumphed. That risk and excitement are what I live for. I fight because it is who I am. I have always been a soldier."

"As to my weapon, it was forged with Alchemy, it's nearly indestructible, much like myself." War said with a chuckle. "I have been impaled, beheaded, and even struck by a cannon. I have been beaten, cut, set on fire. Buildings have fallen on me, I have lost limbs, I can not tell you everything that has happened to this body, I had weights tied to my legs and I was drowned, and it did hinder me.I don't understand how your weapon hurt me, but it is the exception, not the rule. Hundreds of soldiers could line up with those weapons and fire at me until they have no more ammunition, and unless they have whatever it is that let you hurt me, it will accomplish nothing. You don't seem to understand Sentenza, I am not on the same level as you. I am a Horsemen of the Apocalypse. I am older then you, and I will live after your bones have turned to dust. I have watched empires rise and fall." She said shaking her head. "I am a force of nature. I was called from the afterlife to perform this duty, how can I stop. Much like you, you know I won't. You know I will keep fighting until I manage to die, if I even can." she smiled wistfully.

"Oh it's cause I've never felt pain from a weapon." She said with a shrug. "It was rather unexpected."

She looked up. "A knife? That means he had intended to kill you. You are very lucky to still be breathing."

[Sentenza Hoshizuki]

"Please, there are other ways to get exhilarated. So what is it about fighting?" Sentenza asked, approaching War. "What is it? The Domination? Watching people crushed under a single swing of your sword?" Sentenza summoned his weapon in a single claymore form, then jamming it into the wall, dangerously close to impaling War through the throat. "Maybe you're just so completely empty that you fight eternally, hoping that maybe, just maybe someone can defeat you and end it." Sentenza said. That he could relate to. Deep down, the only reason he tended to be so reckless with how he defended other people was the guilt about his sister's death.

Sentenza ripped his sword away. "You have your information, leave." Sentenza said, just as the tea pot he had set on earlier whistled. Sentenza left the room, and came back with War's coffee in a styrofoam cup. Sentenza held the coffee out to her. "Out of my sight." Sentenza said, his words themselves being the only message of how he felt. "And look for a new fencing partner, because next time I see you, whether I have one arm or two, you'll be the first, and only, person I try to kill." Sentenza sighed at War. "I realize he was trying to kill me without you stating it every 5 seconds, you know." Sentenza said.

[War]

"All of the above." War said with a slight shrug. She watched the weapon dispassionately. She could tell from his angle where he would strike. The display was amusing to her. He was so full of optimism, the world hadn't crushed him yet. She remembered what that was like. The soldier who wished to martyr herself to give the rest peace. Only she had survived, and the nobles decided to correct her oversight.

She watched him leave with a smirk and when he returned she was leaning against the wall. "How rude, and here I am being civil." She said as she took the coffee. "And as a note, you haven't actually answered a single one of my questions. You haven't told me how many worlds have those strange projectiles, the changes to armor, and artillery. Are there worlds that blend use o magic and steel? All you have told me is you want me to stop."

"Also there is a difference between Chaos trying to kill you, and Chaos trying to kill you. It means that he considered your death important enough to kill you outright rather then play with you." War said with a shrug. "Looks like he changed his mind."

"It's funny that you threaten me, and yet you actually care about my well being. It's rather cute. You honestly think I can become a good person again." She said with a wistful smirk. "You remind me of my girlfriend."She stopped suddenly after saying, realizing that at once it was both a mistake to have said, and that she actually saw Rebecca and her in a relationship.

[Sentenza Hoshizuki]

"You can change. You aren't, Chaos. I'm far younger than you, but I can tell you're far different from him. Having a girlfriend is definitely evidence of that. Chaos has hated everything from the day he was born. You're hurt. You feel betrayed. You say you fight for the exhilaration, but that exhilaration is to cover up the pain." Sentenza said calmly. He gave War a glance, then sat down next to her. "I'll make you a deal." Sentenza said. "A deal which you can either take or bugger off. Tell me about yourself, and about who you used to be before you were War, and I'll tell you what you want to know."

Sentenza seemed to have calmed down considerably just by getting his small outburst out. "You don't have to side with Chaos, you know. Besides, if you're both immortal, wouldn't it be more in your favor to fight him?" Sentenza asked. "Neither of you would ever win, and the exhilaration of battle that you seek would go on forever. Or am I right in that you only do what you do because he tells you to?" Sentenza glanced at war and waited for a response.

[War]

War sighed. She hated speaking about her past. She hadn't even told Rebecca much about it. However here she would have little choice, and she had never been a good liar so Sentenza would likely see through it. She shook her head and prepared herself. "Once upon a time, a long time ago there was a village in the mountains. One day a bandit army came upon the town and killed everyone except a ten year old girl. It seems she was the age favored by the bandit's leader. It was two years before I finally had the courage, means, and time to kill him. I expected swift retribution from his followers. I expected my life to end that day, but I couldn't stand living as I had anymore."

She took a sip of the coffee, using it to push back the memories that were threatening to overwhelm her. "It turns out the army had been hunting the group and it seems my act of desperation was well timed, they found me and rescued me. I stayed with them, they were attached to a frontier base, so they were cut off from most recent news. I learned to fight there, to make myself strong. I learned alot from the officers." She said with a sly smile that hinted that combat was not all she had learned from them. "I was even allowed to join when I was old enough, highly irregular of course, and slightly illegal, but they didn't care, they knew I was a soldier."

"Of course as all good things must, it came to an end when a noble came to to the base and saw me in uniform. I thought I was going to be put in jail, but something else happened, a war started. I was sent to the front lines with my men and it was found I have real talent for tactics and survival." She said with a fond smile. "I was heralded as the savior of the kingdom. I had even won against the foreign king's son in a personal duel, single-handedly forcing a retreat that day. I was granted rank and privilege by the king. He knighted me and gave me land. I was declared nobility. Of course the other nobles saw this as a threat, not only was I lowborn, but a women to boot. The fact that I was a soldier in personality only made me that much more uncouth. So they plotted against me and in the end had me beheaded."

The next thing I remember, after staring at the cold face my ex-lover gave me as my head lay on the floor slowly dying, was waking on a cold steel table, with my brother Chaos telling me we were destined to end the world." She looked over to Sentenza, to see his reaction. "Her name was Seraph, by the way. My mother used to call me her little angel."

She shook her head and took another deep gulp of the coffee. "I don't fight Chaos because he would win. Chaos isn't like you and me, Chaos doesn't just fight with a blade, he fights with everything he can. You and me are like knights clashing with sword and shield. Chaos is like a sewer rat caught in a corner, he doesn't look like much, but he'll surprise you. He's underhanded, tricky, and manipulative. He can find your every weakness and exploit it. I have seen him make heroes self destruct for years." She frowned. "I don't fight Chaos because while the wounds he causes would not hurt, if he wanted too, he would find a way to hurt me."

[Sentenza Hoshizuki]

Sentenza nodded as he heard the story. He wasn't one to interrupt with questions. When War was done, Sentenza gave her a hug. "You don't have to be War, you could be Seraph." Sentenza said, actually showing genuine concern and caring in his face and on his face for once. "You don't have to piss your life away for whatever reason . . . War, no Seraph, I believe that part of you still has a heart, part of you doesn't want to be a monster." Sentenza stood up, and was back to his emotionless facade, voice and all. "I'll tell you what you want to know, but only because you don't have to use your love of the fight for destruction." Sentenza said. "I can tell you know, I've probably seen more of who you are, or were, in these few minutes than Chaos has in centuries. I know his type, he only sees whatever information he can get as turning everything else into a tool."

Sentenza went and got himself a cup of green tea, then walked back into the room. "So, from when do you want the advancement of technology to start. I'm assuming you don't want me to go all the way back to the stone age." Sentenza said.

[War]

War smirked. The naivete of the child was amusing to her. "Sentenza, you do know I don't have a soul. Also, the Heartless have proved I don't have a Heart. Are you so sure I can be saved now. I am every bit the monster you would expect. I don't you can come back from what I've done."

She bit her lip slightly. That was the rub, no matter what she had for Rebecca, it couldn't be love. For how could a soulless being have love? How could a women with no Heart, expect to share hers with another. These were the thoughts that circled inside War's head.

She knew a being with a Heart would regret all of the killing, but War regretted nothing. She had reveled in the slaughter of others. She had killed thousands of people, kingdoms to a man. No souled creature could be capable of that. The thought should break her heart, instead she only felt numb. She had never regretted a single action since becoming a Homunculus, nor did she now. She had no desire to redeem herself. What did any of it mean.

She looked up to see Sentenza leave and sighed to herself. Maybe she should leave now. She could likely make the jump up and be gone before Sentenza eve returned. She decided against it. She did need that information in the end, so that she could return to Rebecca.

When Sentenza returned she looked up. She considered his question, unsure how to answer at first. "In my time the most advanced weapon we had was cannons. The weapon of choice had moved to sabers and cutlass, and armor was less restrictive, focusing on the torso."