More Than Meets The Eye

[Vyn]

Akinoju hopped through the gravestones without the faintest sound. As miserable as ever the Lapine sought a place where he could be by himself, where he wouldn't have to worry about running into another human or even another Euclides.

He was sick of their feelings, sick of the guilt he tasted every night to feed himself.

Shuddering with anger, and a hunt of self-pity, the Lapine collapsed beneath a tombstone and allowed the wretched anger to drain from him. He hated feeling like this, vulnerable to himself...to the violent thing brewing beneath his dappled blue and pink coat.

Akin was not defined by what others saw, for the others saw only what he allowed himself to show: a compassionate Soul type Lapine. Yet, that was not all that he was, he was a monster beneath his facade of meekness and he hated himself for it.

[Rhayeqasr]

Kaera'Bina had been stalking the graveyards, giggling to herself as humans stand and remorse on their loss. Several of their losses caused by her or others like her. Oh, how she loved to cause misery. It gave her that feeling in the pit of her stomach, similar to the warm, fuzzy feeling one would get after doing good deeds, only very, very different. For she loved to cause misery, it came with being a Tragedy.

She had spotted another, it's coat colorful. But he did not seem to want company of others, it would be best to leave him alone. Bina smiled to herself, and approached the lapine. "What's with you?" She muttered, getting the creatures attention.

[Vyn]

The words of another were like an electric shock to Akinoju. Someone else was here? A small shudder, a despairing sigh. Why now? Without even lifting his head he had a sense of the creature's feelings, could probably even assume its type. Eye's opened, staring at the recently stirred earth.

A new grave.

Blank eyes turned to the stone, yes...recent indeed. Another sigh and this time his eyes fell on the little Mustildae. A Tragedy, he was correct after all.

"What does it matter to you?"

Akinoju really didn't have to ask: misery always did love company.

[Rhayeqasr]

"Hmph, just thought I'd make conversation. I'll leave you alone if thats all you want," She smiled, that was a lie. She was already enjoying his company. She looked the creature over, why is he here in a graveyard of all places? For he was a Soul, was he not? She shook her head, as if dismissing this question.

"I'm Kaera'Bina," She was eager to learn his name, but she was certain that he'd be reluctant to give it. Why is he so miserable, why so depressed? She searched the depths of her mind or the perfect something to say, but she had nothing. She awaited the Lapine's responce.

[Vyn]

Shifting so that he could sit and watched the Tragedy more closely, Akinoju nodded.

"Do as you please. I know the tricks of Tragedy."

Intelligence was a curse, but so was loneliness. Of course, he would not tell his secrets...surrender his burden. Torture wouldn't even be able to wrench it from him.

"Nice to meet you...Kaera." His mind drifted away again, eying the tombstones around him. The dead and dying were all that made this world. "I am Akinoju, Script Writer."

There was no hesitancy in his speech, though the misery remained. He was still grieving his early dinner, though he worked silently to let the guilt slide away. One must eat to survive, Humans were their prey...regardless of the emotional war he had to sustain in order to keep his strength up.

[Rhayeqasr]

Keara cocked her head. She was curious about him, his intelligence surpassed her own, which is expected of a Soul. She could learn a lot from him, given the chance.

Her lips formed a half smile. "Nice to meet you as well, Akin." No one had ever called her 'Kaera,' it was always Kaera'Bina, or just Bina. She smiled at the name, but did not dwell on it, there was more to be discussed.

"Tricks, eh?" She made a mental note of Akin's feelings towards death. It seemed to disturb him, sadden him in a way. "Well, you seem miserable already, I find no need for 'The Tricks of Tragedy,'" She didn't expect for him to be willing for open conversation, but she thought that he was interesting, being the first Soul she had met.

[Vyn]

The Lapine tilted a white eye onto Kaera, vaguely fascinated by the Mustildae. So much curiosity dancing off of her, almost more of curiosity than animosity...but could he trust that? Emotions were hard to judge even to one so sensitive to them as he.

"I believe that could be considered true. Though I do not see why it would stop a Tragedy from trying."

A low sigh. It was not death that he hated. In fact, death could be a very beautiful, fascinating thing. An inspiration even.

It was himself he hated. The potential for cruelty basking beneath his hide, held by such thin bounds and given sacrifices at the first shades of twilight.

"Misery can always be deepened. Though, the best dealer will always be yourself."

[Rhayeqasr]

She smiled, he was wise. Wise, and miserable. "Misery only affects those who let it," she was talking to herself, just as much as she was Akinoju. "And, what, may I ask, causes such misery?" She was lost in thought, and in memories. She silently whispered something, 'self pitty.' She knew that was what caused her own misery.

She hated feeling inferior, but was used to it. "Misery may be deepened, but why deepen such an emotion when I could inflict it upon those with higher esteem?" She wondered if this even made sense. She had a nasty habit of speaking without thinking.

[Vyn]

Akinoju's own smile echoed Kaera's. For a Tragedy she wasn't half as annoying as he'd expected. From all he had read on those Types, he had to remember that not all was exactly as it seemed. There were always variations, always mutations to what should not be mutated.

"That it does. Emotions can be held on a tight leash if one so wishes to conquer them."

His mind flashed to Kujien. Charismatic leader of the Cast of Blood and Gold, he was a true example of one's ability to control their emotion. Nary a leak of what he truly felt could ever be picked up by the empathic Lapine. A surprising feat, but it fascinated Akinoju endlessly.

That is, when he wasn't in one of these moods.

"My misery? I am the beginning and end of my Misery. I create it, and control it. It is my private form of punishment."

Akinoju smiled again.

"True... There's little left to destroy in a Lapine like me. I've been the object of my own demise for years now."

The Lapine almost laughed. How ever had he survived for so long?

[Rhayeqasr]

Kaera'bina's smiling expression transformed into that of confussion. How interesting, this Lapine. "You're form of punishment?" She though about this, why would one wish to punish themselves? If he could get away, unharmed with his wrong doings, wouldn't he wish to do so? Why punish yourself, punishment was... harmful and unpleasent, why inflict it upon yourself? A word came to her mind, conscience. She had often heard the word used, but never truly understood it's meaning. Something to do with guilt.

She differed from the Soul Type, that was for sure. Akinoju seemed kind and compassionate, wishing to help others, and she was given pleasure from harming and causing pain. How strange, two of the same race could differ in such ways.

It occured to her, quie suddenly, that she had been thinking an awful lot, and she felt the need to end the silence, but could think of nothing to say.

[Vyn]

Akinoju wasn't sure if he should clarify his explanation any further. Doing so would risk betraying himself further, it would risk breaking his secret.

"Yes..." He trailed off momentarily, debating his words. "There's no easier way to put it."

A low sigh, bleak eyes. Grief was passing, but the loathing remained. At times he hated his compassion, his empathy, wished he could rid himself of it and be the vicious creature that lurked under the surface of his mind. However, losing one's empathy toward others was a hard skill, harder still turning it off.

The differences in Euclides had been a passing fancy for Akinoju at one time...but it was a subject easily conquered for an intelligent Lapine. Fascinating nonetheless, and it had been his main teacher in his curiosity about the various Types experienced in his species as well.

[Rhayeqasr]

"I...see." She said. She wanted to learn more, compassion was something foreign to her. This Soul Lapine made her desire to inflict pain subside for her curiosity. She hadn't met many other Euclide at all, and this Euclides was certainly something. So had so many questions, but she didn't want to offend or overwhelm the creature.

"What, exactly, do you punish yourself for?" She felt like a student, learning and absorbing information from the Lapine. She hoped Akin wouldn't be offended or anything by such a personal question, she was sure that if she thought about what she had asked, she would not have asked it. Just another flaw in her personality that often shows.

[Vyn]

Akinoju expected a lot from the Tragedy. Foremost being the sinister thoughts of plotted trickery. Curiousity... That was different, unexpected. It proved Akin still had more to learn than he thought, a comforting thought.

Unlike many who found a lack of understanding in a subject daunting, Akin reveled in it. To learn something new was not only both fascinating and stimulating, but distracting.

However, before the fun of learning...or even teaching, the question he dreaded came. Now he would have to judge his readiness to speak. Why shouldn't he tell? Morals... He had too many of them. Yet, this creature would never join forces with Kujien.

In the short time they'd been together Akinoju easily recognized the sheer pickiness of Kujien's tastes. A quiet Requiem Chiroptae was still in his 'pending' decision. She was too dark to suite his tastes, but her misery had a charming beauty to it and she had good chances of pleasing the Puppet Master.

"Usually, I wouldn't say...but I suppose, there's no point in not." The Lapine sighed, resenting himself before the words were even spoken. "My own cruelty I suppose. It's natural in most Euclides, something that one typically displays without caution or second thought...but unlike many others, I have to face the reciprocation of the act. Empathy is both a gift and a curse in many ways, especially when you've got a sadist's heart."

Akinoju was stunned by his confession. It wasn't something that other Euclide was gasp about, but it was the secret terror of his soul. The one part of himself he refused to accept.

[Rhayeqasr]

Morals were something Kaera'Bina did not understand. Why set such strict rules for yourself, only guilt will follow when one break's their own morals. Setting unrealistic morals only leads to such guilt and disappointments. She knew so little, knowledge wasn't something she was usually interesting, but life was different. This Lapine knew so much more about life than this Mustildae would ever dream of learning.

She had never even given joining a cast a thought. Most Tragedies don't, their behavoir was not that of those who belong in casts. Besides, she had a distaste for rejection, who didn't?

"I see," She had used that phrase one to many times. She had decided that it was the Lapine's diction that surpased her own, not entirely intelligence. "The guilty are the only one's who have to face ugly aftermath of their actions." She sighed. This had not made sense. "I mean, if you punish yourself for being cruel... then don't be cruel," She knew it was not as easy as this. But if one truly believes that they are trying to do good, then why go to great lengths to punish themselves when they make a mistake? She shook her head. She never could put her thoughts into words.

[Vyn]

Akinoju smiled faintly.

"True." A low sigh, quiet misery behind pale eyes. "Yet, even harboring such easy control over myself, I am a failure when it comes to the containment of my own beasts."

To any but Akino himself, his feats would've been purely amazing. Day and night he was gnawed upon by a beast full of sharp words and harsh actions, things no one would expect to experience in the presence of such a seemingly serene Lapine.

In fact, it wasn't at all something expected from any Lapine's.

They were meek, harmless creatures. Casts were almost always destined to mutiny when there was a Lapine in control...and yet, Akino didn't fit the true standards.

His life was a game, the shrewd mask of a meek Lapine was all he possessed. The rest was consumed by a burning hatred that frightened even himself and forced him to ponder an Insanity somewhere in his bloodlines. It was, of course, quite possible...then again, this might be a commonly experienced demon in Euclides...and he, being Lapine, was just far more susceptible?

So many possibilities.

Akin closed his eyes, retreating behind his eyelids and into the darkness harbored there. However, the attempt to close off his own thoughts only opened up another line of thought, though this was not the voice he wanted to hear. Scathing words, a low snickering. Eyes flicked open, focusing sharply on the Tragedy before him to better ignore the un-lapine-like growling ringing through his subconscious.

This time he resumed speech.

"Sooner or later I let myself slip...and the terror I absorb from my victims is enough to make me sick."

Another miserable sigh. 'Twas the curse of being a Soul Type...if only he could escape the empathy that laced him, perhaps he'd be able to better accept himself.