damned if i live in the debt of a thief

[faceplate]

Who: faceplate & unhappyreason
When: IC: 5/12. OOC: 1/24.
Where: VIVID!
What: Here, small child, let this tall, mysterious being teach you about efficient murder.
Rating/Warning: Violence, talk about violence.

---

Violence is always in Zero's interest. Hearing a kid talking about it and acting on it isn't out of the ordinary for them, after Pandora, but hearing such undirected and inefficient rage is.

At least on Pandora kids knew how to handle a grenade.

Zero has been listening in from the top of a tree, and once they've made a decision, they drop down, landing silently. They move forward, steps quiet.

"Hello."

Just a greeting for now, as they circle slightly and judge.

Comments

[unhappyreason]

It's not like it hadn't been for entirely no reason.

Okay, maybe a little, but then thing had just sat there, crying, with its floppy ears and its big eyes and its weird hands and--well. Undirected rage is probably a fine term for why Chara's staring at the creature they could have shown some MERCY to but didn't just because they might've had a little leftover rage from thinking about their best friend, again, and how much this thing reminded them of him.

They don't react as quickly as they should when they hear a voice--they raise their ViViD-given knife up, not actually completely sure how to use it but willing as fuck to learn right here, right now if necessary, but don't move. They watch their new company with a guarded look, debating if they really want to talk, but suspicion wins out.

"How long were you there?"

They hadn't been followed, had they? Not that it matters--who cares what anyone does in what's basically a video game--but they're on edge. Being snuck up on isn't their idea of a good time by far.

[faceplate]

Zero doesn't wave a hand or anything of the sort. Instead, they stand by (well over the creature and the child, gangly arms dangling at their sides for now) and cock their head slightly—then to the other side, and raises their hands in a shrug. Not long. Or maybe, A while, but you didn't notice.

[unhappyreason]

Not a talker, huh. That's fine--Chara can fill the space for them as they take careful steps back.

"Whatever. I don't care, just--" Another step back! A long one, why aren't their legs longer. "--don't sneak up on me. It's creepy and rude."

...they're one to talk about creepy and rude, considering they were just murdering something they could've avoided and they're ordinarily rude to pretty much everyone.

"What do you want, anyway? Unless you just get your kicks scaring kids by jumping out of nowhere."

[faceplate]

Zero's legs are plenty long, and with a slow step forward they cut the distance between them once more.

"I'm just wondering if that's your usual choice when you're killing things." A slight head tilt. "Ineffective."

[unhappyreason]

Fuck tall people, seriously, and fuck tall people more when they call your technique ineffective.

"I don't know, buddy. That thing looks plenty dead to me. I wouldn't say that's ineffective at all."

[faceplate]

"There are better ways. Bringing death can be an art, depicted in blood."

Zero really and truly believes this, because they are just that kind of being. And killing is a way of life for them, so much so that they take enjoyment in a beautiful kill.

So really, Zero's trying to help.

[unhappyreason]

"Why would I want to waste time making it an art when I could be, I don't know, clearing a level?"

Zero's got a hard customer to sell, but there's a spark of curiosity in their eyes. How do you make it an art--is there a cleaner, faster way? Becoming more efficient wouldn't be a bad thing by far, not with this whole game thing, so there's at least that on their mind.

"If they're quicker and easier, then fine. I'll hear you out. If it's drawn out," and their face pinches a little, mostly because they had a long and painful death pretty freakin' recently, "then I've gotta say no thanks, buddy."

[faceplate]

"Torture's a subset of my violent skills. Bloodshed brings satisfaction." To demonstrate that, Zero draws their sword—not their digistruct one, but one provided by the game. The edge is sharp, though, and they look at another NPC in the near distance.

[unhappyreason]

They look over too, frowning... then sigh, shoulders dropping as they give it a dismissive wave with their not-knife hand.

"Go show me how you'd do it, then."

[faceplate]

Zero smiles—or, does what passes for it, displaying a :). They walk away from the kid, gait even but fast as they go toward to the other NPC.

Even if the sword isn't as good as their own, Zero uses it easily. They turn their grip as they approach. The NPC doesn't stand a chance when they disappear in a slight haze of digital glitch. The blade reappears first, the tip sticking out the other side of the NPC's chest. Only then does Zero become visible once more, pulling the blade back with a surprisingly realistic wet sound as the adorable little creature, now dead, falls to the ground.

[unhappyreason]

Jeez, that's quick. That's efficient.

That gets something rolling in their stomach that's between disgust and excitement. A weird mix. Chara jogs to catch up, staring down at the dead creature, and kneels down to give it a few experimental pokes with their knife. No, perfectly killed, and a lot less mess than what they did.

...no wonder this guy called theirs ineffective. It pains them to admit it, but man. This guy knows what's up.

They'll stand back up, scooting a foot or so away from Zero before they look at them again.

"Teach me how to do that."

[faceplate]

Zero puts the blade away—if only at their side, and not actually sheathed.

"Why?"

Sure, Zero knows they're damn good at killing. But they want to hear the reasons behind why the kid is listening now.

[unhappyreason]

"I don't like wasting time, and your way obviously didn't waste any." Very clear, very firm. That's really it. "And the disappearing thing you did was pretty cool."

...look, they're fourteen, give them a break. "The quicker I can get through dumb stuff like this," Chara continues, crossing their arms carefully, "the happier I am. Are those good enough reasons?"

[faceplate]

The disappearing thing isn't really going to happen, because that's pretty unique to being... whatever Zero is. But a clean kill—that's teachable.

"Find satisfaction in a skill. A fine reward for education."

That's all Zero asks, really.

[unhappyreason]

Too bad--but Zero's stipulation is good enough for them, especially since they'll be very satisfied to get through things quicker, and they give them a real nice smile.

"Deal. When do we start?"

[faceplate]

"Now."

Zero looks around briefly to see if there's anything to start on. Ah—there's another NPC enemy, not too far away. They tilt their head at it and start walking, keeping the pace slow.

[unhappyreason]

Ooh, exciting. They follow, trying not to move too fast either. A little hard, given the excitement bouncing in their feet, but Chara's trying their best. Criticism not appreciated on this matter. (Doesn't mean it's not allowed, however.)

They ready their knife, glancing at Zero. ...maybe they should look into a sword too? It might be handier than just a plain dagger sort of thing....

[faceplate]

Zero comes to a stop, then looks back at the... excited youngster. Being seen is a bad idea when trying to stealth kill. They raise a hand and make downward patting motions. Quiet down.

[unhappyreason]

They scowl--they're being plenty quiet, thank-you-very-much, but, uh... attempt to curb their excitement by firmly planting their feet on the ground. No more moving--it's time to focus. Breathe in, breathe out...

Okay.

"I just need to sneak up on it, right?" Whisper, whisper. The softest whisper ever.

[faceplate]

Zero may be fighting the urge to roll their eyes. Or to display a slightly-animated eyeroll emoji on their helmet, anyway.

"If you can," they reply after a moment, voice crackling slightly through the modulator. Despite the distortion, there's still an edge of sarcasm to it.

[unhappyreason]

Just for that, they're gonna do it.

No one sarcasms at them for no good reason. Chara takes a deep breath slowly and sneaks up to their prey, knuckles white around the knife's handle. They just need a quick, clean cut, just like their new friend over there did. That's all they need. Quiet and a clean cut, quiet and a

tick snapping under their foot. They swear, look up jut in time to watch the hapless NPC look up, and decides well, fuck it. They already fucked up.

So they lunge for it, jab their knife into the ground instead of into some flesh, and snarls as it bolts. Well.



Shit. Just let them stay on the ground for a bit, buddy. They need it.

[faceplate]

Zero is watching from a distance, like they're supervising. It's not really supervising when they're not saying anything or offering advice, though... and also laughing a little under their breath when the NPC runs away.

They walk over and look down at the child, hands hanging by their sides and offer just a ?

[unhappyreason]

They'll sit up after another long moment, brushing digital dirt off their clothes (that's how this works, right? ...video games so weren't their thing) with the most impassive face ever. Are they upset they totally screwed up? Nope. Not at all. It's whatever. Happens to the best of us. Yep.

(They're so pissed.)

"That thing got lucky," is all they say, getting up properly. Brushing off their knees now too, idly. Yep. "It won't be so lucky next time. Which way did it go?"

[faceplate]

Zero has their doubts about that being luck. More like misfortune for them, or a lack of skill.

They look into the distance, where the NPC is running, but tripping over its own feet.

"Go on." Zero cants their head slightly. "Make the chase."

[unhappyreason]

All the initiative they need. It's not going to be as clean of a kill as their friend's here, no, but it's going to be killed. Chara takes off after it, driving their knee into it when it makes the mistake of tripping again (tripping is only good when it isn't happening to them) and

considers this. It'd be easier to just stab it again like last time, just get out their frustrations like that, but this is supposed to be quick. A hard swallow, and they pull the NPC's head up, press their knife to its neck, and slices it open.

Technically, a very messy ordeal, but it's a single jagged cut and that's better than what they had going on before. Chara raises their knife quietly, thinking, then scoots off the NPC with a huff. That's all, right? That's all.

It's going to be satisfying on a real human, one who really deserves it, instead of someone who's just in the way of the final boss of this level.

[faceplate]

It is better. By Zero's standards, that is, which are based on efficiency and aesthetics. A simple kill is a beautiful kill.

"That's an improvement. Better, I mean, but not much." Zero nods once. "Keep working on it."

[unhappyreason]

"I will." It felt nicer than just blinding stabbing too--sure, yeah, that helps with venting their anger, but...

it doesn't really get you places. Clench fist, unclench fist. "Unless you really like watching people eat dirt, you can leave. I'll be perfectly a-okay."

(Probably.)

[faceplate]

Zero waits for a moment longer, but nods.

They step back, and back again before disappearing in a digital haze. But they'll be watching from a distance.