"Not what I'm here for. This time. I'll ask again later." She's nothing if not straightforward, our Daisy, which is why the next thing out of her mouth is: "Just wanted to talk. Wondering how similar your deal is to mine. Didn't exactly chat much before or after. But I know you saw the game I was playing. You were doing it right back. That made me interested before you actually showed your teeth."
"Ahh, I see." Dahlia takes a seat on one of the couches in the study, having this to be a "sit down and hang out" kind of visit rather than an "I have something to ask or tell you real quick" sort of thing. She doesn't bother offering Daisy tea, knowing it's no good to her anyway.
"It's a bit complicated. In this world, there are beings called tieflings, who are people born of other humanoid species but have demons in their lineage somewhere. Other worlds apparently have them too--- that girl named Music is one, and she looks similar to the average tiefling here. And being one can often be recessive--- you might see six or seven generations of nothing but humans and then boom, tiefling. But there are some... special caveats for those of us born to a demon parent directly."
"Tieflings who are the direct descendant of one demon and one humanoid are shapeshifters, and we each have three forms. One that appears fully human, one typical tiefling form, and one monstrous form. With me so far?"
Daisy doesn't sit, but she does lean against one of the taller-backed chairs as she listens. It's a tendency you'll come to notice after a while of knowing her, preferring to stay on her feet. That she'll eventually sit if she relaxes enough is something you learn a little later.
There's a subtle raise of her eyebrows as the fact Dahlia is quite literally the child of a demon settles in, but that's the peak of her reaction. Different, then, from... well, most Avatars. Hard to say all of them when someone like that Montague woman can exist.
"My father is not Japhet Leeds," she continues bluntly. "My real father is Prince Aster, a major demon representing... consumption. Stripping others of their assets, both mental and physical, for one's own gain. Consuming that which is not yours. It can manifest as a lot of things. Corporate greed is a big one on the more abstract end of things. But on the literal side it tends to just be outright predation and then eating. So as part of my father's domain being exerted upon me, I'm obligated to hunt, kill, and eat another person on a semi-regular basis."
She says it so matter of fact, like it isn't a big deal or particularly surprising. Despite the fact that she's only talked about it to two other people.
It reminds Daisy of how bluntly she's come to start explaining her situation to people, once she had no choice but to do so. Better to lay it out like it's nothing special than let everyone see whatever mess of complications lie beneath.
For all her many faults, Daisy does listen well to people when she wants to. There's never the sense Daisy's tuning out or absorbing only parts of what Dahlia's saying. When she stops talking, there's a heavy breath of someone processing and gearing up to actually say something.
"Yeah. Alright. Sure see why that's a big secret." She drags her tongue over her teeth, thinking. "Mm. Can't say none of it's familiar. In some ways. Lot different in others, but— the thing that made me like this? Not a demon, but it's close enough to throw a stone at if you've got good aim."
Dahlia laughs at that, ducking her head as she does--- an indicator that it's genuine. "Yeah, that makes sense. Still, despite the differences, it's... nice. To have someone I can relate to about all this. So thank you."
Daisy huffs a faint laugh. "Oh, yeah. Know that feeling."
Jon, first. People like Erin later. Still never quite the same story, not even as close as Dahlia's in many ways, but... valuable all the same. She remembers what it was like without that. Can't imagine going on without it.
"So, you know. Don't mention it. Ever need a hand with it you can hit me up any time. Me, what I need's the fear? Makes it both easier and harder." She shrugs loosely. "It's not a big secret but people still don't exactly like being Hunted."
Daisy finally circles around the chair she's been leaning against to actually sit down. "Mm. Yeah. All sounds good until they're still as freaked out as they'd be if they hadn't volunteered. Only time it hasn't felt. Unfair? Weird? Was predator vs predator."
Which means with good ol' Siffleur back on the ship and then Dahlia herself, mostly. She's entertained making a game of it with others, since all she needs is the fear, but... that puts a lot of faith in her self-control.
Dahlia nods. "It definitely felt... better. In a strange way. My father's influence over me gives me a sort of sick enjoyment of the fear, the power, but the part of me that's actually me always finds that disgusting." The way Aster forces her to devotion... there is something decidedly grimy about that. "I don't really get many opportunities, though."
Daisy makes a low hum of agreement, then there's a pause before she decides to offer up a bit more honesty. "I don't know what's me and what's the Hunt. Not really. I mean. My self-control, that's me. I know I don't want to hurt most people. But. Still crave it. Still enjoy it when I do. Have for as long as I can remember. Dunno if the Hunt made me like that. Or if it picked me 'cause I was already like that."
Not that she doesn't have an inkling. Her view of her younger self is complicated but uncharitable. Alice could've been better. Alice could've chosen another path. But the Hunt found something in her. Something that had been there ever since she was enough of a person to be or want anything at all.
That growing up with an unknowable eldritch being whispering in your skull might shape a person even before the deal is sealed has never been a grace she's given herself, and it never will be. She refuses to toe so close to excusing herself.
She chose this. Unlike Dahlia, being what she is was always a choice.
"For a long. Long. Fucking time. I didn't question it. At all. Just followed the blood. Kept running away from anything that'd make me think. Then— something happened. Long story—got buried alive, thought a lot. Decided to start. Saying no." She shrugs, loosely. "Didn't go great. Ended up dying for it. But here I am. And I never. In my wildest dreams. Thought I'd be living the way I am now."
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thethirteenthchild
no subject
Date: 2024-06-15 06:50 pm (UTC)"Not what I'm here for. This time. I'll ask again later." She's nothing if not straightforward, our Daisy, which is why the next thing out of her mouth is: "Just wanted to talk. Wondering how similar your deal is to mine. Didn't exactly chat much before or after. But I know you saw the game I was playing. You were doing it right back. That made me interested before you actually showed your teeth."
She shrugs. "So. Call it a social call?"
no subject
Date: 2024-06-15 09:03 pm (UTC)"It's a bit complicated. In this world, there are beings called tieflings, who are people born of other humanoid species but have demons in their lineage somewhere. Other worlds apparently have them too--- that girl named Music is one, and she looks similar to the average tiefling here. And being one can often be recessive--- you might see six or seven generations of nothing but humans and then boom, tiefling. But there are some... special caveats for those of us born to a demon parent directly."
"Tieflings who are the direct descendant of one demon and one humanoid are shapeshifters, and we each have three forms. One that appears fully human, one typical tiefling form, and one monstrous form. With me so far?"
no subject
Date: 2024-06-22 08:41 pm (UTC)Daisy doesn't sit, but she does lean against one of the taller-backed chairs as she listens. It's a tendency you'll come to notice after a while of knowing her, preferring to stay on her feet. That she'll eventually sit if she relaxes enough is something you learn a little later.
There's a subtle raise of her eyebrows as the fact Dahlia is quite literally the child of a demon settles in, but that's the peak of her reaction. Different, then, from... well, most Avatars. Hard to say all of them when someone like that Montague woman can exist.
"I'm with you, yeah."
no subject
Date: 2024-06-23 06:34 pm (UTC)She says it so matter of fact, like it isn't a big deal or particularly surprising. Despite the fact that she's only talked about it to two other people.
no subject
Date: 2024-06-23 07:11 pm (UTC)It reminds Daisy of how bluntly she's come to start explaining her situation to people, once she had no choice but to do so. Better to lay it out like it's nothing special than let everyone see whatever mess of complications lie beneath.
For all her many faults, Daisy does listen well to people when she wants to. There's never the sense Daisy's tuning out or absorbing only parts of what Dahlia's saying. When she stops talking, there's a heavy breath of someone processing and gearing up to actually say something.
"Yeah. Alright. Sure see why that's a big secret." She drags her tongue over her teeth, thinking. "Mm. Can't say none of it's familiar. In some ways. Lot different in others, but— the thing that made me like this? Not a demon, but it's close enough to throw a stone at if you've got good aim."
no subject
Date: 2024-06-28 09:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-28 10:12 pm (UTC)Daisy huffs a faint laugh. "Oh, yeah. Know that feeling."
Jon, first. People like Erin later. Still never quite the same story, not even as close as Dahlia's in many ways, but... valuable all the same. She remembers what it was like without that. Can't imagine going on without it.
"So, you know. Don't mention it. Ever need a hand with it you can hit me up any time. Me, what I need's the fear? Makes it both easier and harder." She shrugs loosely. "It's not a big secret but people still don't exactly like being Hunted."
no subject
Date: 2024-06-30 02:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-06-30 05:27 pm (UTC)Daisy finally circles around the chair she's been leaning against to actually sit down. "Mm. Yeah. All sounds good until they're still as freaked out as they'd be if they hadn't volunteered. Only time it hasn't felt. Unfair? Weird? Was predator vs predator."
Which means with good ol' Siffleur back on the ship and then Dahlia herself, mostly. She's entertained making a game of it with others, since all she needs is the fear, but... that puts a lot of faith in her self-control.
no subject
Date: 2024-07-08 12:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2024-07-08 03:32 pm (UTC)Daisy makes a low hum of agreement, then there's a pause before she decides to offer up a bit more honesty. "I don't know what's me and what's the Hunt. Not really. I mean. My self-control, that's me. I know I don't want to hurt most people. But. Still crave it. Still enjoy it when I do. Have for as long as I can remember. Dunno if the Hunt made me like that. Or if it picked me 'cause I was already like that."
Not that she doesn't have an inkling. Her view of her younger self is complicated but uncharitable. Alice could've been better. Alice could've chosen another path. But the Hunt found something in her. Something that had been there ever since she was enough of a person to be or want anything at all.
That growing up with an unknowable eldritch being whispering in your skull might shape a person even before the deal is sealed has never been a grace she's given herself, and it never will be. She refuses to toe so close to excusing herself.
She chose this. Unlike Dahlia, being what she is was always a choice.
"For a long. Long. Fucking time. I didn't question it. At all. Just followed the blood. Kept running away from anything that'd make me think. Then— something happened. Long story—got buried alive, thought a lot. Decided to start. Saying no." She shrugs, loosely. "Didn't go great. Ended up dying for it. But here I am. And I never. In my wildest dreams. Thought I'd be living the way I am now."