Welcome to The Duality of Man, an original animanga role-play that features numerous supernatural creatures. Unfortunately, these various species have distanced themselves because of the war that occurred thousands of years ago, plaguing some with eyes that only see their dualism. While others meddle themself with their differences, two groups fight, each attempting to eliminate the other in for their definition of worldly peace. These two groups of the Terror Response Syndicate (TRS) and the Assembly of Phantoms (AP). With individuals fighting merely over their differences, it brings uncertainty to the outcome of this war.
We happily accept all role-players as long as they obey the rules and are capable of meeting our word count of 50. This does include those who are unfamiliar with this style of role-playing. The staff of The Duality of Man are willing to happily help those who are new to the role-playing world so they feel comfortable on site. Feel free to message the staff if you need help, they can be found here or in the site Discord and will gladly answer questions alongside calm concerns. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them; guests may use the support board as a suggestion area as well. Should you decide to join, may I say welcome to the site and we all hope you enjoy your time here.
Yours Truely,
The Staff
season
Summer 2024
Heat has broken through into a glorious summer. The snow has entirely dried through the spring, leaving to the brilliance of the warmer months. Terror activity has risen as people are brought out of their homes, leaving the TRS in a position of consistent work. Each are attempting to maintain victory in the endless struggle for power.
Since the wonderful members of TDOM enjoy the site enough to play around on it, this thread is to assist with the site's tidying! Functionality is important and we want to make the site functional even if its activity will be minimal at best!
Penelope Grey rarely let herself slack off. Maybe it was because she had such a grand future to build towards. Maybe it was because she wanted to be the best. Maybe it was because she didn’t want to let down the father who’d abandoned her so long ago. But most likely it was because when she relaxed she fell asleep and her greatest fear was made up of those harmless images that flashed through her sleeping mind. [break][break] The nightmares weren’t all the same. Sometimes they were memories from her past, engraved into her mind in fine detail. Those ones left her shaken but they were nothing compared to the seemingly innocent flashes of unconnected scenes that left her exhausted with a pounding headache. The latter was the type that tormented her late one October night. [break][break] Over and over, the images played in her mind as she struggled to get back to sleep. The sound of leaves rustling followed by a flash of red and gold eyes. Someone bumping into her at a party. The familiar cool steel of a knife against her palm. There were more but she was already losing track of them, even as her mind replayed every moment. On their own, there was nothing scary about them. There was no rhyme or reason to which images stuck up with her, but they were all laced with the same ominous feeling that sent her blood racing through her veins. She absolutely hated it. [break][break] She wasn’t sure how much time passed before she finally gave up on returning to sleep. Holding a memory of the exact details would have been like catching water with nothing but her own two hands, but after years of this, she knew the dreadful feeling wouldn’t go away on its own. Between that and the headache steadily hammering away at her skull she almost couldn’t bear the thought of staying trapped inside her own head. [break][break] No one from polite society would be out this time of night, so she didn't bother changing from her makeshift pajamas: a pair of shorts and a black tank top that clung to her skin. She did pull on a jacket to account for the weather and stuck a knife into a sheath secured inside. She pulled on a pair of black tennis shoes and hopped out the window, trained steps making a hazardous path to the ground flawlessly. She could have used the door but she didn't want to risk interaction with any neighbors. She could barely suffer through a conversation with them in a normal mindset. [break][break] As soon as she hit the ground, her feet took off into a paced run. She hated wasting medicine on a false hope that headaches might go away and the best alternative was distracting herself with some other pain. Already, she could feel the soreness that constantly lived in her muscles groaning to life, welcome in its familiarity. [break][break] Soon enough, the ground changed beneath her feet, from the safety of paved streets to the unsteady rocks and leaves of a forest. The Ivory Woods, something in the back of her mind said but she didn't really care. She wasn't afraid of some woods, nor was she afraid of the dangers lurking within. She didn't feel she had the energy to be afraid of anything at that moment. [break][break] She came to a stop as a thin fog began to cling to the trees around her. The clear waters of the Crystal Lake sparkled in the corner of her vision, but she paid them no mind. Her hands were shaking but whether that was from the cool air around her or the lingering effects of her dreams she couldn't tell. [break][break] Even in her frazzled state, Penny could tell that something was off. Something in her chest tightened, as though someone was watching just over her shoulder. She glanced back only to find the still woods she'd left behind. Of course not. Her hunches were never as cut and dry as that. "Hello," she asked, her low voice echoing back at her from the endless array of trees like a distant melody.
Dolores leaned against the trunk of a dimly lit lone tree, twirling her custom made firearm freely in her right hand. She was waiting for a very late informant to give her more information on a certain local that often visits the lake in the afternoon. She heard rumors that they possess an amazing swimming ability, and believed it to be tied to her in some way. If that did hold true, their lives wouldn’t remain their own for too long.
While waiting, she couldn’t help but think about the past, more specifically her daughter, the one that got away. Smiling falsely at the thought, Dolores began to get uneasy. Taeth was unexpectedly powerful, possibly psychic, and did serious damage to her during their last confrontation, so hearing the local with a possible water-based ability was all she needed to hear to spend time outside at a rather unholy time.
The seer calmly holstered her pistol at her side, underneath her dress, taking care to remove all twelve bullets and hide them as well in a concealed pocket inside the chest area of her clothes. Walking closer towards the shore of the lake, She mentally contorted some nearby tree branches to form a place for her to sit down, crossing her legs in the process. Resting her head in her hands, she looked out at the lake once more. It was quite obvious why it was called the Crystal Lake, the surface was void of imperfections, and her active golden iris reflected that surface back with a more sinister gleam.
It was then when she had a brief vision that told her only one thing: someone was coming, but it wasn’t the informant she was waiting on. Annoyed, but intrigued, she remained where she was, waiting on the either foolish or brave soul to encounter her. She wasn’t worried about it being the authorities, as she found it rather cute that they wanted her, and she could quite easily implode them. The visual thought sent a shiver of anticipation and desire down Dolores’s spine. She couldn’t deny that she oh so wanted it to be someone wearing a uniform, it didn’t matter the gender or age.
Finally, her guest appeared from the flora around her, skidding to a stop from seemingly out of nowhere. She remained silent, staring at them. It was a young small girl with poor taste in clothing… definitely not an officer or guard of any sort, she believed. Interesting. She boasted a dark top and shorts, with simple running shoes donning her feet. Compared to Dolores, she looked like a commoner, but that wasn’t what made her feel concerned in a hating way.
Being the psychic powerhouse she was, she easily realized that this girl was of the same race she was. But if that was true, then why was she looking back where she ran from? Dolores assumed the girl sensed her presence, but if she was a seer, she should have noticed her sitting clear in the moonlight on the twisted branches.
Very interesting. The girl called out in a low voice that rang through the wilderness, but Dolores was still staring, now with an ever-growing smile. It was obvious the girl wasn’t adept at her abilities. She could use that.
If Dolores was able, she would use her telekinesis to gently turn the girl’s body until she was facing the direction she was sitting. “Hello,” she replied back in an endearing tone, her two colored, piercing eyes seemingly staring right into her soul, only enhanced by the moonlight. “You seem to have stumbled upon an area you do not belong… what is a pretty little thing like you doing past curfew all alone?” Her words, elegant, simple, and unwavering, made her seem to hail from a time older than modern civilization, not using a single cut in her speech.
Dolores was rather confident. While sitting as she was, she was essentially at her most strongest, and in no danger to a presumed seer with weak mental prowess, all things that put her at ease just a tad bit. She wanted to see what she could do with the young girl, and escape was out of the question.
After a moment of silence, Penny was pretty sure she should just move on. There was probably just something about the woods getting under her skin. The setting was the perfect battleground for assassins, and she should know. But that didn't mean anyone would be hunting here tonight. After all, there was a curfew in the nearby sleeping town. Any targets would be safe in their homes, making stalking these woods a waste of time. [break][break] Before she could actually get back to her unguided running path, something tugged at her. She resisted for a moment before letting the mysterious force turn her. She'd been right. Not too far away there was a woman sitting in a too-perfect perch of tree branches. Was she some sort of plant manipulator? No. Penny knew the signs of telekinesis well enough to know that that's what she was seeing. The woman was a seer. Like her mother had been. Distaste swelled within her. Penny didn't have many biases, but she considered seers to have a unity in their arrogant, reckless behaviour. They saw what was coming so they deflected the consequences of their actions into others, blind to what harm they truly did. Or maybe they did know. Maybe they just didn't care. [break][break] A ready mind pushed aside the deep-rooted anger and took in every necessary detail of the situation before she wasted words by saying anything. Besides her and the woman, there was no one else obviously nearby. The woman looked far from innocent. She wore a broad smile that didn't sit well with Penny. There was something else going on here she should be ready for. As in any potentially dangerous situation, her mind raced to form an escape plan. They were surrounded by trees and based on the woman's seat Penny doubted she'd have any trouble bending them to her will. Everyone had a limit, though, and people couldn't control what they couldn't see. Fast, evasive maneuvers would be the only way to get out. Assuming she had to, of course. For now, she settled into an unwanted conversation with a practiced false smile. [break][break] "I could ask you the same, ma'am." The polite, respectful term held a different purpose when it was used by Penny. She didn't think it was necessary, but it was the fastest way to twist their situation to her preferred position. Others could struggle to hold power all they wanted, but she got a much better view from the seat of a subordinate. Plus, people let their guards down much more when they thought their opponent had already given up. [break][break] Penny had no real intention of telling the woman anything about herself, so the simple statement left her to start on her own list of curiosities. "We've met before." It wasn't a question, but it felt like one the way it fell from her lips. Her memory, usually near flawless, failed her as her stabbing headache resisted her attempts to scroll through her past. She'd seen the woman before, she knew she had, but she had no idea where and trying to figure out was too much of a strain in her current state.
The young girl’s words seemed respectful enough as she spoke, seemingly careful, yet not wavering. It was good this emerging seer already knew her place, making Dolores’ smile grow into a cocky smirk. “Yes, you could ask me the same,” Dolores pointed out, “And you may. I am waiting for something rather important, however I think I stumbled upon something even more valuable...” she proclaimed, softly, still sitting motionless on top of the branches. At this point, even if her informant came rushing up from behind her, her interest was elsewhere, and there was a high chance said informant wouldn’t make it out of the lake shore alive.
Dolores purred softly, her eyes narrowing. They’ve met before, have they? Now, she had an unmatched memory, as all of her race did, but she didn’t recognize the person standing before her at all apart from the brief vision she received earlier. “How very bold of you to assume you have seen the likes of me before,” she began, intrigued. If it was true she met her before, it must have been in a way that wasn’t physical. She went through all the possible ways that could hold true quickly in her head… a magical spell of some sort? A vision or astral experience? A dream, perhaps? “Considering our rather interesting race, there is a plethora of ways we could have met, or rather, you meet me.” The thought that this young one’s ability to peer into the future was stronger than hers slightly annoyed Dolores, but nevertheless, she did her best to ignore the thought.
Using the branches she was sitting on to hoist herself up without much noise, she stood, brushing off her dress with a single hand. Her wicked smile never disappeared as she began to walk towards the seer girl. “My oh my, where are my manners. My name is Madame Dolores Esmeree.” She said her name with hints of great confidence, reveling in the fact that eventually, that name will be burned into people’s minds, and if not her name, the sight of her face.
She continued walking, the sound of light metal pressing on elegant and old fabric filling the emptiness of the air, until she was a few feet away from where the girl stood, a hand on her hip… a trait that seemed to be genetic in her family. “What, do tell, does the world call you, my little seer? And why has that pesky mind of yours led you here?”
She was waiting for something important in the middle of the woods shortly before dawn? It may have been her particular experiences biasing her, but Penny didn't think the woman could be waiting for something legal. The information had been given up a bit too freely. Penny didn't know where this conversation was going, but she already didn't like it. Couldn't the universe have waited for her to be able to think straight before throwing her into something like this? At least she was starting to get over her shakiness. [break][break] Penny frowned as the seer denied her statement. "I assume nothing, ma'am." she assured the woman. She was pretty sure it was true. Assumptions were one of those things that could get her in messy situations, and she didn't like messy situations. Still, as the woman denied a fact that Penny was so sure of she had to push through her headache to see where she'd met the woman. [break][break] A pair of eyes, red and gold, flashed in her mind. She brushed aside the misplaced memory. That particular image was from a dream, and it wasn't even a dream she could remember clearly anymore. Information from dreams like that could easily be twisted and confused in her mind, especially with the influence of a creature who excelled in mental arts. Dolores had picked up on her weakness and was manipulating her mind. It was just the kind of trickery she'd expect from a seer, too. [break][break] "There are more ways to meet than personally. I-I suppose I should have clarified. I know you in the way you carry yourself and the way you speak. You're a lot like a few others I knew." Her voice wasn't nearly as confident as she put words to a lie. She didn't like lying, but she hated the idea of Dolores continuing her examination more. This was the shortest way to explain away what she'd said. It had merely been an overeager slip of her tongue she usually wouldn't be so foolish to make. [break][break] In a change of tone, the woman stood from her perch and approached. Penny tensed, forcing any remaining shakiness from her limbs. She wouldn't show that weakness so close to a potential snake. [break][break] "I'm sorry, but you're confused Madame Dolores Esmeree." The full name rolled off her tongue as smoothly as if she'd spoken it a million times. It was a lot to refer to a person by, but she wouldn't make the assumption that they were on any closer terms than the woman allowed. It was all a part of the respectful routine she'd play through for anyone, of course. "I'm not like you. I'm not one of you." There was a new insistent sharpness to her tone, but she didn't raise her voice. She'd never be accused of yelling, no matter how short her temper may get.
The dark seer began to laugh, first softly, then rather audibly, giving no care to who may be listening. The young girl in front of her seemed to be very sure they did indeed meet in the past. "Oh my, you assume nothing do you?" Dolores said, her vile smirk creeping back onto her face. "Then please do tell me where exactly it happened. In that little mind of yours, perhaps?" It was a simple question to the crime lady, one that could be answered easily.
She only watched as her subject of interest seemed to be in some sort of discomfort, and waited patiently for her to speak again. As she waited, Dolores remembered all the times she would spend practicing her own psychic abilities, each time becoming stronger than the last. She wondered if the girl facing her could learn at the same pace... she of course just had to coerce her under her wing first under the perfect guise...
At last she resumed speaking... but this time Dolores could feel and hear the uneasiness in her voice, the concern and lack of bravery in her tone... the weakness that oozed from every word she spoke. The way she carried herself? Nothing but elegant perfection. The way she spoke. Only in excellent mannerism. To her, she was simply great. A powerful individual that didn't accept failure. Dolores purred, walking closer to the girl.
"Me? Mistaken?" she inquired. Simply not possible. Upon hearing the last of her words, she noticed how strongly she believed them, how powerful her tone was... she was steadfast, but not overly loud, and a curious washed over her body. She wasn't like her, nor was she a seer? Surely she was either misinformed, or she really wasn't a seer. "As you wish dear," said Dolores, brushing her hair away from her face to reveal her red and gold eyes, the golden iris glowing brightly on the moon lit shore. She rolled her shoulders back as she felt her strength return to her. "Now is that not an absolute shame... if you are not a Seer, then you have reached the end of your little night adventure." If she was able, she'd continue moving closer towards her until she was mere inches away.
Kneeling down a little so she was at least at the girl's height, Dolores attempted to grab her chin, lifting it up. She stared directly into her eyes as she continued speaking with absolute sincerity. "I, my dear, am going to kill you now, okay?" She made sure to emphasize the word 'okay', almost singing it to her in a motherly voice. Of course this was only another manipulation tactic, but her acting made it seam too surreal. "But... I believe you to be misguided, and want to help you. Now then, unnamed child, allow me to redirect that confusion and turn it into truth. All you need to do is say yes."
Something about the woman was starting to set Penny on edge. Of course, nothing about stumbling across a random woman hanging out in a foggy forest well past curfew seemed safe, but Penny was getting the feeling that this particular lady could snap into insanity at any moment. It was something in the way she smiled and the predatory stillness she maintained. If Penny wasn’t a wolf herself she’d worry about being eaten alive.
[break][break]
Hair was brushed aside to reveal a glowing golden eye, once again sending Penny back to the crushing embrace of that night’s dreams. It was a cruel thing the seer was doing, messing with her mind so she was primed to slip into a trap.
[break][break]
The snake of a woman approached like a false queen greeting her people, weaving Penny a threat wrapped in something that resembled motherly affection. Her face was held in a firm grip and she resisted every impulse she had to cringe away. Instead, she schooled her face into its usual impassive canvas.
[break][break]
'I have worse things to fear.' The words nuzzled into her thoughts, slowly echoing louder and louder until they were undeniable. She'd been threatened with far worse than a quick death. The knife of those threats had hung over her head since she was a little girl, another aspect of the Black Order's plan to turn her into a perfect tool.
[break][break]
Within their ranks there was no room for denial and any instinct towards betrayal had to be crushed. Bloody images were stamped in her mind of what happened to traitors, what happened to her own father. Yet, for all the pain she risked suffering she'd never been afraid. She had no reason to betray the Order, and if she did she'd happily pay the price, for even in pain there was something to learn. What would it be like to have your life dripped out of you, each bite of agony bringing you closer to the edge until you thought you'd fall over only to be brought back for another go at punishment? It was a morbid curiosity, but one that stuck with her nonetheless.
[break][break]
Being threatened now was meaningless. She had her cause and she would fight for them until she breathed her last breath, even if that final, closing breath happened to be taken tonight. If she could do such a thing her very thoughts would be projecting the message. 'Yes Ms. Esmeree, you may be haunting with your threats and dark pageantry, but I have worse things to fear.' The message was spoken on the tip of her tongue, shared through a blasphemous power she had no knowledge of, and real enough to be traitorous.
[break][break]
As soon as the thought solidified, Penny pushed it away. She couldn't say that. It was a touch too disrespectful for her act and revealed a bit too much. At this angle she could reach her hidden blade, stab the woman in the stomach, and be done with it in a matter of seconds. There were so many ways to kill the woman who’d risk getting so close just to threaten her. They flashed through Penny’s mind, too numerous to bother counting. It would be a stupid thing to do. There was no hit on Dolores. As far as she knew there would be no reward for such actions and she'd get blood on her favorite jacket. The challenge remained in her eyes, but she chose a better approach, unaware that it was too late to take back the errant thought that had escaped the trusted barriers of her own mind.
[break][break]
"I cannot change what's in my blood for you, ma'am." she said, finally breaking from the supposed silence. She took a sharp step back to pull out of Dolores’s grasp. She was willing to bet she could fend off an attack but not from so close. "I am Penny. Nothing more, nothing less. I am no one to anyone that matters. I am not gifted like you." The words, a mix of self depreciation and respect for her threatener, were cool and collected, as though the threat had never come. Strictly speaking they were all true. Few enough people knew she existed. Anyone important she interacted with was slated to end up dead. Dolores was gifted with a life Penny would never have. Even if she despised the ability, there was no denying it was a gift to fall back on.
A lack of any hint of fear in the girl's face sent a chill down her spine. This girl was either masking her true power, and indeed was as strong if not stronger than herself, or she truly didn't care about Dolores's false threat. Either way, her desire to have her only grew. She could only imagine the possibilities that would open up with another seer by her side... and this one seemed to be zero danger to her authoritative position. Dolores wished she could peer into her mind to see what unique and strange thoughts her mind had to offer... but she neither had the ability nor the power to do so over another of her kind. What a cruel tease from the goddess, she believed.
She stood, hand still cradling head, waiting for her answer. Would she say yes? Would she say no, and try to run? She quickly glanced behind the girl, noticing just how thick the woods were. If she remained stationary again, she'd easily be able to block her path, and the branches she was previously sitting on was thick enough to act as spears... how would the little seer girl's face contort to the pain when the wood cut through flesh and wrapped around internal bone, would she remain diligent in her act? However, this close, she was very open, but she knew this. Manipulation was a fickle thing, and allowing yourself to be open to the most obvious of offenses was something that isn't glazed over. Whatever the outcome, her mind still raced with every possible painful and drawn out way to rename the Crystal Lake the Blood Lake.
She was just crawling with anticipation... but her goal didn't change. If possible, Dolores would avoid an all out fight and suppress her desires to do everything she could to reel her in. After all, she had a lot to offer, and the chance to have another of your kin as a guide and guardian didn't come often. The silence was metaphorically killing her: her headache grew as she drew upon more and more of her prowess for literally no reason other than to ease her tensed up body, her gold eye beginning to glow as bright as the moon in the sky. As last silence was broken...
...change what's in her blood, for Dolores? No one to anyone that mattered, and not gifted like herself? She almost wanted to laugh in victory, the girl, Penny, might as well laid out a red carpet for the Madam to tread on. Was it going to be this easy? Penny took a quick step back, and Dolores returned her hand to her hip in a rather confident stride. To her, Penny only needed to know that none of that was true when with the likes of a seer such as herself. Once she re-affirmed that, the night would have turned out wonderful.
"Oh my dear, it is worse than I thought," Dolores began, her facial expression changing from one of sadistic happiness to a gaze of sorrow. It was her namesake, after all, and thus she could portray the emotion scarily well. "Penny, it is clear you are confused in far more ways than one. The moment I saw you, I simply knew the opposite was true: you are a young girl of extraordinary gifts. Do tell how else you knew to come here and ease your mind?" Dolores, going off the information she was given, attempted to play on the fact that Penny saw her before, but was careful as to not overdo it, and so she moved on. "To I, Dolores Esmeree, you are growing to be very important to me. Nothing less, and everything more. I may seem... rather dangerous, however it comes from a place of love."
Her words held truth somewhere in them, but her twisted mind was blind to it, as it always is. Regaining her smile, she began to set up for her final act of swaying Penny to her side for now. Slowly reaching to grab her custom pistol as to not entirely alarm Penny, she twirled it in her hand before using her other to reach into her bra, pulling out one bullet. She paused for a moment, thinking what she was about to do over... this was very risky, and if it failed... She brushed the thought to the side immediately. She didn't have time to think about it, but she did have a backup plan. Loading the pistol, she used her psychic power to influence the firearm, it levitating and slowly traveling towards Penny handle-first. It would drop right in front of her as Dolores adjusted her dress to sit down on the ground, hands in her lap, looking up at Penny.
"Now then, I assure you I am very much so someone that matters to dark people in ways that you cannot yet see... at least not with your psychical eyes..." She spoke in her usual elegant tone, seemingly callous to the fact that she just armed a stranger with something that could very much so end her. "I offer you a place with myself, to grow and be safe and do anything your heart desires for as long as you need." Again her words were a mix of truth and lie, but she continued on, "To prove my sincerity, you may do anything you would like with my gun," the seer concluded.
"Ah, if you do intend to kill me and so happen to meet another stranger here, give the weapon to him and he will dispose of it for you, dear."
Dolores’s expression, like that of a mother scared for it’s child, caused an uneasy disgust to roll through Penny’s stomach. She was no fool and the woman’s air of superiority was becoming patronizing. As she began on a string of compliments meant to raise Penny’s confidence, she was reminded of the snake in the story of Adam and Eve. Unfortunately for this particular snake, she’d targeted the wrong weakness. [break][break]
To grow and be safe and do anything your heart desires. What did her heart desire that the Black Order couldn’t offer her? The answer was nothing. There was nothing she desired but a place to belong and a clear way to live the life path her father had wanted for her. Within the Order she had very defined directions. As long as she could point to the head of the Order and blame him for all her sins and wrong doings she’d be content. [break][break]
Dolores may have a hidden goal, but at that moment Penny was assured that it wouldn’t be achieved. Her gameplan had to do with intimidation more than action, otherwise the younger and more vulnerable girl would be dead by now. No threats the woman made could be taken seriously now, not that she would have put much weight in them before. There was very little left that could truly shake Penny. [break][break]
Whatever Dolores was doing now had to be some sort of trap. What, exactly, that was remained unclear to her. How to avoid it, on the other hand, was a far easier matter. She simply had to do something unexpected. A passive person would throw the gun in the lake or refuse to pick it up. That would leave her with one less arm and give Dolores any confidence she was lacking, assuming that was any at all, to make a move. The obvious choice would be to shoot Dolores. The bullet was probably meaningless with the seer’s telekinetic abilities, but it would be a ringing declaration of war. There was a third option Penny found much more appealing, though. It would tell her whether she really had some sort of value to Dolores or if the woman was simply bored and playing with her like a cat might it’s prey. [break][break]
In a shakey act that came naturally with her headache, she picked up the gun. The weight of the thing was familiar in her hand. Guns and blades were the only friends that had been there for her from the very beginning. There was no way one would fail her now. "What a waste it is to give a potential investment a self destruct button." she said, not bothering to raise her voice louder than she had to for the sound to carry. [break][break]
She twirled the gun in her hand and let it’s aim rest on Dolores for a moment before continuing to its true target: the side of her head. She could feel the cool steel of the gun against her temple and imagined her old mentor rolling in his grave. Never put your finger on the trigger unless you’re ready to shoot. Well, she was ready. Or, at least, she had to seem ready. In a decisive movement she positioned her finger over the trigger, one small squeeze away from death. It wasn’t the first time she’d stared death in the face and this time she was far more in control of the situation. "But then I’m sure you’d know that, ma’am. If you can see the future you must have seen this coming." [break][break] Normally she was no good at acting, but this was not an act. It was a question posed in the form of an action. Would the mysterious woman who seemed so attached to a fantasy she’d created around Penny let her kill it? Because the question was so clear in her mind, there wasn’t a trace of doubt in her actions. In the hypothetical situation she was playing out she would pull the trigger. The question wouldn’t bleed into her future, but it was real enough in the present.
The vile seer watched with careful, wanting eyes as the young girl picked up the firearm. As if her demeanor could get anymore sinister, Dolores smiled. She may have to use plan B after all… not that it was much of a plan, to begin with. The chances of that bullet even touching a hair on her skin was slim to absolutely zero, so long as she sat there, still as gargoyle skin. Keeping her smile, she responded to Penny’s remark. “Oh that would just be simply foolish indeed, but warranted in this case,” Clear, precise, strict, and meaningful were all words one could use to describe the tone of her voice, but only a trained ear could see the absolute dismay in every syllable.
Holding back the urge to lick her lips as Penny twirled the firearm in her hand, she admired her technique. It certainly wasn’t the first time she was holding a weapon, and that presumption made her all the more desirable in the leading Esmeree’s eyes. As the barrel of the gun rested on her, the seer waited, never altering her warm smile. She averted her eyes, instead now looking just behind her to the tree line; it was always easier killing someone when they weren’t staring you down as you did it.
“Oh my, oh no,” Dolores replied, laughing lightly, “My future sight does not work in that way. I have absolutely no idea what you will do next until the very moment you do it. That alone should say wonders about the words I speak, nada más que la verdad. Nothing but truth.” Very few knew just how powerful her precognition actually was, and the ones that did know knew all too well the level of control she has over it. Dolores was determined to have Penny, however, that was something she’d dangle over the girl’s head, a demonstration of power one could say, that could never be reached.
“I gave you permission to do what you would like, Penny. I still wish to shelter and take you under my metaphorical dark wing, and if you insist on continuing to doubt that truth, pull the trigger, dear. Allow me to show you exactly the things I can show you…” With her psychic prowess, she tapped on Penny’s trigger finger, attempting to coerce her into making the motion that would confirm her decision. “Of course, if you wish me dead, I, Dolores, will die. I will do nothing to stop that. Now then, do hurry. I imagine that petite form of yours must be dying to get back inside."
With those words, Dolores Esmeree had no further plans on saying anything else to Penny, instead, waiting for the moment she either wimped out and dropped the gun, or embraced her beliefs and doubts, and attempted assassination. Either outcome, Dolores was ready. She wasn’t lying when she said she would die if the girl wished it. What Penny didn’t know was that behind them there was a settlement full of people, more specifically, there was a woman named Dolores there. She’d simply redirect the projectile right into her skull, and Dolores would be dead. Either way… Dolores would succeed with the first part of her manipulative persuasion.
Penny frowned, unable to stop the obvious tell that she hadn't been given the reaction she wanted. So, what was she to do now? Killing Dolores was still at the bottom of her list, even if she had the means to do it quickly. [break][break] "I have no will for you to die, ma'am." The woman had no intention of dying, either. Penny didn't know what her plan was, but she clearly thought she could escape a bullet. Did telekinesis act that fast? It didn't really matter. There was a silent urge to pull a trigger, and she set about making a new plan. [break][break]
What were her goals? If Dolores wanted to kill her Penny was already a mouse in a trap. Perhaps the only thing the woman had overlooked was the noise a gunshot would make. No one should be wandering the forest this time of night, but the woman had been here, waiting, for a reason. If her intended target was wandering these woods it might be beneficial to give them a warning. She didn't know exactly how, but things like owing people tended to come back in the long run. If anyone else was in the woods, they'd be Dolores' people or her own. She didn't specifically know of anyone with plans to be out 'hunting' tonight, but that didn't mean there wasn't some planned assassination in progress. [break][break]
Beyond that false hope, Penny couldn't reasonably deny Dolores' offer as long as that sympathetic, motherly charade went on. She didn't want to reveal her true allegiances if she didn't have to. Something told her she could meet both of those goals at the same time, she just had to find the right target. [break][break]
Were there animals out she could have shot to injure one of them then pretended to really care and see what the woman would do. Unfortunately, the night was far stiller than usual. [break][break]
Relenting to the fact that there was no easy out, she acted quickly. It would be an odd angle, but a bullet at this distance was a bullet, there was nothing more to it. In a smooth movement, she twisted the gun toward herself and pulled the trigger, allowing the bullet to break through the flesh of her left shoulder. [break][break]
She'd taken bullets before, but there was no preparing for the hot shock of pain that ripped through her. She relented to the short yelp that broke from her throat. At the twisted angle, the rebound had caused her to drop the gun and it now lay innocently on the forest floor. There were healers with the Black Order that would think nothing of a bullet wound and she had no doubt a non-dominant arm would save her if this woman decided to turn malicious. If anything this injury could get her out of this situation, assuming she played her cards right. As far as she knew, Dolores would have no healing skills of her own. If she actually cared they'd have to go back to town and once out of the forest Penny would have a much better shot at surviving an escape. Other than that she couldn't think of a reaction to this action she couldn't bend to her will. It was the easiest out. [break][break]
First, she had to go a bit deeper into the pain. Though it went against her instinct, she let her eyes water and tenderly poked at the wound, pulling away with a sharp gasp at the new, not entirely unexpected wave of pain. Cringing, she cupped her hand over the entirety of the wound. She didn't want to seem experienced with injuries like this, but if she didn't put pressure on it she'd risk passing out from blood loss and that wasn't something she could risk here and now. Now she just had to deflect the blame. "Shit! Why would you give me a real gun!" she burst out in a meaningless blubber of panicked words meant to imitate other airheaded teens her age. "You're not supposed to actually give a kid a gun that fires! That's like... Like... Like giving a knife to a baby or something! What the hell?!"
Dolores pondered on Penny’s words… everyone had a secret will for another’s death, and while that was true in the dark seer’s world, it clearly wasn’t true for the far younger seer hovering over her. Giving a barely audible grunt in response, she watched in awe as Penny turned the gun on herself, and fired away… time for the contingency plans.
“This is the most intriguing,” she said, reaching out with a psychic hand to guide the grounded firearm back into her possession. The handle smoothly rested into her palm, smoke still seeping out of the barrel. Standing up quickly and dusting herself off, even now her smile refused to fade, her odd eyes glowing impatiently in the moonlight. This was something she didn’t quite expect. Who would have known that the girl would injure herself over the choices of no one and the Esmeree? “Truly intriguing, indeed… you continue not to disappoint with your wits and gifts!” Dolores said with glee. First, she claims to have seen Dolores before, no doubt with her prowess, and now, she demonstrates the ability to take rather drastic and seemingly unnecessary measures… this only cemented the desire Dolores had for the girl.
She knew Penny had a plan of some sort, why else would she injure herself after wielding a deadly weapon so precisely, so carefully? The young girl’s demeanor didn’t fool Dolores, not for a moment. “Of course it is a real gun, dear. Did you think even for a moment I was one to bluff, or perhaps, you thought I was less dangerous than I appeared to be?” Dolores then began to raise her hand up, as if she was grabbing for something, and used her telekinesis to call the fired bullet back to her hands. If it was buried in the shoulder of Penny, she’d simply attempt to rip it out, looking down at the injured teen as she did so.
“Babies can kill their mothers during birth, and that is without a knife. I see no harm in giving you something similar… now, do tell…” she began, playing with the small marked projectile between her thin fingers, “If you had suspicions of the gun being fake, why not fire it at the ground or near the shore first, before turning it on yourself? I know you are smarter than that, after all, you wield that firearm as if it was an additional extension of that petite body of yours.” As she finished her words, she crushed the bloodied bullet in her hand using a mixture of psych and physical strength, but not before licking the blood off the shell.
Gun still in hand, she then outstretched both arms, offering to embrace Penny, a cruel, yet somehow loving expression written all over her face. “It matters not, little Penny. Come here to Madame Dolores, and I’ll fix you riiight up…” Unknown to most, Dolores didn’t appreciate those with talents that mimicked her own, ergo other Seers, but not because she was afraid of them, no. It was due to the absolute threat they posed if they were against her. Amongst these threats, was the ability to dominate all things in a seer’s area of psychic effect, she called it, and as far as Dolores knew, none had a greater effect than herself.
“Well? We would not want you passing out, now do we? Time is wasting, and it is such a fickle thing.” It was true Dolores could easily close up the wound from where she stood, but it was important that she offered a hug of some sort: another ploy to win Penny over. "Please, come. Your well being means a lot to me, as I have said before."
If it was a foolish move to let Dolores retrieve the gun, Penny didn't care. A gun in the hands of a madwoman was a dangerous thing, but something told her there was a method to the woman's madness. She wanted something, so as long as Penny didn't piss her off she should be fine. [break][break] Babies can kill their mothers during birth. Despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins, or perhaps because of it, her mind caught on those words. There was no way to know how her own mother had died, but she wouldn't be surprised if her birth had something to do with it, either directly or indirectly. After all, having a child with an assassin couldn't make you very many friends. Her gaze fell back on those crimson eyes as she considered the best way to continue her act. The woman clearly knew she wasn't a stranger to firearms, so there was no reason to act like she didn't know how to tend one. [break][break] "I-I didn’t want to accidentally shoot an animal or something!" The level of naivety in that statement was laughable, and Penny wasn’t entirely sure she could keep herself from laughing. Her, worried about harming some insignificant animal when she certainly wouldn’t hesitate to take human life. In a movement that allowed her to hide her traitorous smile, she took off her jacket and twisted it around her shoulder, gripping the sleeve in her mouth so she could tie it in a knot with her single available hand. [break][break] Dolores was beckoning but she wasn't interested in diving quite do deep into the snake's trap. "If you don’t mind… I mean no offense but I'd prefer to lick my own wounds." The denial went against most of her usual tactics, but it shouldn't do much harm when paired with an alternate option. Dissuade and deflect. "If you wouldn't mind walking me home, madame, I'd be grateful. We could talk on the way." [break][break] Penny didn’t love the idea of letting a crazy woman know where she lived, but it wasn't like she'd be staying there all too much longer. She was only in Aria Village on a training assignment - one she was sure would be done within the next day or two. The morsel of false information was the best she had to bait her escape.
The sadistic seer put a finger to her lip, her warm smile momentarily fading. Penny's words of concern for the animal life around the area bewildered her, it certainly wasn't something she was expecting... From a contemplating stare to a wide smile, Dolores's mind was racing with questions, and with each question she had, her smile grew until eventually she herself was laughing.
"My dear, you did not want to accidently fire at some poor, inferior animal? I find that absolutely hilarious! You truly have much to learn." With those words, the Esmeree pointed to some nearby trees, with a cruel smirk, and in a matter of moments a small deer was levitating towards her, its body twitching and contorting, clearly in pain. "You who spoke with words so confident earlier now speak as if you do not know what a gun can do..." She began to open her hand, her palm facing the uncomfortable deer, "...how long will you attempt to influence my view of you, naïve girl?"
Closing her hand into a fist with a quick motion, there was a loud whine before Dolores was splattered with red; an easy, painful execution. Tossing the deceased animal aside with a wrist flick, she observed Penny's reaction, it would tell her all she needed to know about the younger girl... would she be surprised and fearful, or would she act as if this wasn't something she's seeing for the first time? A wave of cold anticipation overtook the tall woman as she pondered.
"If you don’t mind… I mean no offense but I'd prefer to lick my own wounds." Dolores, while removing the blood from her fit with her mental power, remained silent before answering. "Hmm." While she didn't care for the independent, they were infinitely more difficult to woo to her side or influence in any way, Roami was proof enough of that. With unsurity in her voice, she asked Penny a simple question, "Where do you live, and with whom, exactly?" A very simple question that would shape her next move. While Dolores was a very daring person, she was also very patient, and seldom rushed things such as this.
One wrong move could spell the end for her. Such is the life of powerful glass... Her golden eye began to glow and hiss as a tremendous wave a pain washed over her. Cursing to herself, she adjusted her hair so her eye was covered partially by it. It would have to do for now while she waited for the answer she was looking for.
As Dolores closed her fist a sort of instinct kicked in and Penny jumped back, the motion taking her out of the range of most of the carnage. It was lucky, too. She could replace her clothes easily enough but getting the smell off her boots would have been far too much work. Cool eyes took in the gore spattered across the forest floor. Training kicked in, forcing her to consider what someone finding this scene in the morning might think. It wasn't her mess to cover, but it didn't do any harm to consider how she might go about cleaning up if it was. She'd have to find a way to make it look like an animal attack. It wouldn't be too hard, just messy. [break][break] Her gaze returned to Madame Esmeree, hard as marble. If an act wouldn’t fool her, there was no reason to bother trying anymore. In fact, there was no reason to put any words into answering the question. Silence would do just as good of a job as anything she could think to say. She was done playing games; they had never been her strong suit and she just felt like she was making a fool of herself, especially after being called out like that. [break][break] Dolores’ questioning gave Penny reason to pause. If there was any reason to doubt the woman’s involvement in illicit activity, that line of thinking had wiped it away. It led Penny to wonder who, exactly, she was hiding from. They were also the wrong questions. The who and where were important, sure, but any safety nets around Penny were kept further away. Her neighbors and who she reported back to were what really mattered. [break][break] With no interest of pointing the madwoman towards those questions, she spit out the cover that had been given to her. No one seemed to believe she was old enough to live on her own, despite the fact that that was her true living situation. She hadn’t been under anyone’s direct care for a while now. "I live with my uncle but he's traveling on business right now. The apartment's on the outskirts of the village, that's how I snuck out so easily."
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