pullmeoutalive | General voice-testing

[It's frustrating, Kazama thinks, that he has to deal with so many humans in order to enjoy the few good things their wits have to offer. Sake is one of those things, and though he really doesn't care to deal with the women who are there on most occasions (after all, a human woman was useless to him in every regard), there are exceptions.]

[Maybe that's because of the certain other demons who could be found there, at times. This is one of them, he notes to himself as he sees the elusive demon princess on his way out of Sumiya.]

Che... [He looks down at her, brow arching slightly.] Keeping an eye on those dogs again?

[ it's not unusual for Sen to check on her servant's progress, or to make sure Chizuru hasn't been dragged into some sort of unsavory situation. And sometimes, she's just there to observe. She's interacted with enough humans to know better than to treat them all with distaste.

Kazama, however, would probably never reach that level of tolerance. Not with many.

She looks up at him, gaze level, but tone disapproving. ]

Is that any of your business? You could at least refrain from referring to them so crudely.

[There's a certain level of disdain in his expression, meeting the harsh gaze with one of his own. Regardless of the words she speaks, he doesn't agree with her methods. Humans -- they were weak, cruel creatures. Fond of war, fond of destroying the things they built and what good they did manage over petty differences.]

[They were short lived creatures who seemed to found their existence on betrayal.]

It's just what they are. [He shrugs, his own tone laced with a certain disinterested in their well-being. The only flaw in this is that they harbor the one thing he does need, and for his next point, that means he needs to retrieve her before it happens.] They'll destroy themselves soon enough. Self-destructive humans is all they are. They're not of any worth to either of us.

Then leave them be, Kazama.

[ she disagrees - of course she does - but she knows better than to stand there and argue over the good points of humanity with him. Her voice rings with authority. Not that Sen expects him to listen, but she's slowly shifting from cheerful and spunky girl to imperious princess. If she has to rely on that, so be it. ]

You're overestimating how much interest I have in those foolish men. They're the ones who'll bring themselves to their own ends, fighting wars they aren't mean to win.

[He can see her shift, but he's not backing down. All he's doing is making an observation and pointing out obvious truths. How much can she really fault him for that? -- Well, he knows the answer to it, but that doesn't really stop him.]

[ she dislikes him, honestly. He seems amused, smugly bored in his conviction that humanity's doomed themselves. They're no demons, she knows, and she owes a responsibility to her race, but she can't bring herself to condone the destruction of humans. Not even the insult. ]

And you underestimate their resilience and their own brand of strength. Have you quite finished spouting the same empty words?

[ enough to leave, maybe. Unless he's off for Chizuru harassment, which she definitely won't allow. ]

I wouldn't call it underestimating when I've seen first hand just how they are. They're fools, reckless and too willing to throw their lives away for a outdated ideal. You give them too much credit to think they're much more than that, or that they wouldn't betray her in order to satiate their own selfish desires.

[Listen, at least he technically wants what is for the greater good of their race. His approach may be a bit tactless, but his interests are technically rooted in the right place.]

Maybe it would do you some good to look at the full picture instead of giving them the benefit of the doubt. Do you want her to get hurt or -- [He scoffs. This would be no easy feat, but knowing those Bakufu dogs?] killed, because she was allowed to be kept on their leash?

[ her eyes narrow, sharpening as she just barely manages to keep from clenching her hands into fists. Every word is punctuated now.

Humans and demons are different, in terms of strength. If Kazama gets serious, there will most certainly be casualties. And Chizuru would be safer with Sen and Kimigiku; that had been what had spurred her to appear, to make the offer. In a sense, she and Kazama were similar, in that they each sought to protect Chizuru, knowing where she'd be safest. But happiest...? ]

I would rather Chizuru-chan be given the right to choose. I will not hurt my friend by denying her that right, and I will not allow you to seize her away from her happiness!

I will do what I must to protect that. Even if I must involve myself in this conflict.

Perhaps you're more foolish than I'd realized.

[He scoffs once again. A right to choose? To choose between life or death, between being where she belongs and where she's being used as a tool for the sake of a human's asinine pet project?]

[He knows that they keep here there due to Koudou, and maybe that's what angers him the most. Should something happen to that crazy bastard, or if things get too heated in light of the political unrest, they'd toss Chizuru to the side like trash. She's a demon, and a pure-blooded one at that; it means she should be treated with the respect she deserves.]

[....Never mind the fact that he's been forcibly trying to remove her and infringe on all her basic freedoms and rights, but things would be different once pulled away from the grasp of the humans.]

Keeping her at risk and putting yourself there too. That's disappointing. [And also means he'll just have to work twice as hard to get those idiots out of the way and bring Chizuru to her senses.]

Edited 2012-09-03 02:07 (UTC)

[ were it not or the fact that there are still people walking by and her own self-restraint at the moment (rather admirable, she'd have to say), she would slap him. He has no right to insult her, and because of how insignificant she'd like to say he was, she shouldn't feel any need to get indignant over his comments. Disappointing? If he'd had expectations of her, she saw no need to fulfill them. If he thought Sen was going to be hurt in the process, then he needed to realize just who he was talking to.

She says none of this, mainly because she's still sorely tempted to lose her civility and/or smack him good. ]

If you've finished, I'll be on my way.

[ maybe to see Chizuru, if she's not busy with the object of her affections. It's a good mood lifter. ]

Do as you please.

[He shrugs, because the truth of the matter is that he doesn't really care that much. She is not the one he's after. Kazama can't say he has any interest in where Sen goes from here, and it's less time wasted, he figures.]

[Totally got that respect for royalty thing going, right? Oh, wait.]

It won't change what's been said, though. [Or how true it is.]

You will live a lonely existence, Kazama Chikage. [ quietly. She would almost feel pity for him, if she was the type to experience such an emotion. But she's not. Sympathy and pity are two different things entirely. ] Your mindset is piteous, at best.

Piteous? Hah. [It's almost a scoff that comes from his mouth, as if to completely disregard the words of the demon princess.] It's not I who needlessly involves themselves in the human's lives and concerns myself with their well-being.

[The only reason any of those dogs caught his interest is because of Chizuru -- though they do have their own merits to hold his interest further, he wouldn't pursue it without reason. They weren't that intriguing.] We have far more important things to worry about than their sad little wars, or how they will try to destroy us in the process of destroying themselves. That's much more piteous, Princess.

General voice-testing

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject