The Path of Vengeance / Walking the darker path

[noliesnohero.livejournal.com]

[Anyone looking for Mad would find her in an empty work-room in the Chalice - digging information out of Maria's Black Box. For those who were on the mission, some of the voices heard would be gratingly familiar.]

"Why the fuck should we?!? These places are like a dime a dozen. If this one goes to hell we'll just go to another!"

[Scrambled warbling as Mad searches through the logs.]

"HOW ABOUT NO! AND WE FUCK YOUR STUPID BITCHBOT!"
"FUCK THIS TOWN, FUCK YOU, FUCK EVERYONE! THERE'S A MILLION OTHER SUCKERVILLES OUT THERE LIKE THIS ONE! AND IF WE WANT TO SHIT OVER EVERY ONE WE SET FOOT IN, NOBODY'S GONNA STOP US!"

[Mad's own voice is now screaming in terror before she cuts off the feed. But... there's a smile on her face... she's laughing now... and it is NOT a good thing.]



Assholes... you're gonna get what you fucking deserve... one way or another..

[She's tracing her hand along the slide of her pistol. That look in her eyes is terrifying to say the least.]

Comments

[ikilledthemoon.livejournal.com]

[ Casshern was finally released from his cell when the tests came back. Though, now Dan has to keep a constant watch over him through the ship's surveillance systems to make sure nothing happens that would accidentally trigger his Berserker Mode.

And now, he's looking at Mad. ]

... What happened?

[noliesnohero.livejournal.com]

Getting back at the people who wronged me...

[She gives Casshern a cold look... the general warning was out about him.]

I'd appreciate it if you left. The last thing I need for you to do is to bring up more bad memories.

[She turns her back to him to get back to work on ruining lives.]

[ikilledthemoon.livejournal.com]

Bad memories?

[ Wait... of course, Casshern blacks out every time his Berserker Mode activates, so he's not sure what she's talking about. But Casshern logic says she knows if he killed Luna or not, because what else could she be talking about? ]

Do you... do you know what I did? I don't remember...

[noliesnohero.livejournal.com]

I saw you slaughter things out there like a wild animal. Brought up some bad memories of my own...

[She gives Casshern a bitter smile.]

Memories that made me who I am now.

[ikilledthemoon.livejournal.com]

You... you did?

[ His eyes lower. He... had a feeling that might have been what happened. It was true, then. What the ship's technicians said was true. They couldn't access that locked subroutine in his AI, but they were almost certain that's what it was. ]

I was worried about that. Everyone has been going out of their way to be kind to me, but I can tell there's a bit of caution to it. It's... a little surreal.

[noliesnohero.livejournal.com]

You want to know the truth? They're lying to you. They're pretending to be kind so you don't tear them limb from limb. They don't want to die for saying the wrong word. That's why.

[Mad's expression was completely empty.]

Me?... For the most part... I just don't give a damn anymore whether I live or die...

If I want to be an asshole to you, its my problem. That doesn't mean I'm stupid enough to threaten you.

[ikilledthemoon.livejournal.com]

They're... lying?

[ Ah, finally, Casshern's first interraction with some of the more unsavory parts of human nature. He never met Rigger and Finch; as a certain person said earlier, it's a damn good thing they didn't, for their sakes. One wrong word that would have almost certainly came from either of them, and ironically enough, this entire thing would have been avoided. ]

What do you mean? I wouldn't hurt you.

[ Technically true. Casshern wouldn't. But... that other guy living in his AI would. ]

[noliesnohero.livejournal.com]

All humans lie... to hide pain... to avoid it... or to later cause it in others.

[Mad seems to slump a little at this before straightening up.]

And maybe you won't... but what's to keep you from freaking out about something and tearing me limb from limb? People can't control themselves that well when they're angry.... or afraid...

It probably works that way for you too... its just easier since you can't remember it

[ikilledthemoon.livejournal.com]

Why would they do that? It's... it sounds cruel.

[ He listens to her, looking her over. His expression seems to sadden, rather than get angry. ]

Is that... is that what happens when I get angry?

[ ... not exactly. But what's to stop her from lying and saying 'yes?' ]

[noliesnohero.livejournal.com]

People are cruel... its easier to break something than to build or mend something... its easier for people to be cruel...

[She leans back in her seat a little... she looks at Casshern calmly, maybe she could say yes... she could lie... but that would make her as bad as the people she despised.]

You do what you can to survive... that's the most of what I heard. You have something in you that won't let you die.

[ikilledthemoon.livejournal.com]

Is that why other robots want to eat me?

[ He's assuming she's referencing the 'immortality' bit by the way she phrased that. He still hasn't quite put two and two together. ]

[noliesnohero.livejournal.com]

Maybe? I wouldn't know... I'm not an expert in stuff like this...

[She shrugs, clearly she's in the dark as much as he was.]

[ikilledthemoon.livejournal.com]

[ He's clearly disappointed by that. ]

I see. Well... I don't know what I did to scare you so badly, but... I'm sorry. I just wanted to apologize.

[noliesnohero.livejournal.com]

... Thanks.

[Mad takes the apology at face value... somehow..she got the feeling he was a little too dense to lie.]

[ikilledthemoon.livejournal.com]

[ Well, 'dense' might be a little too harsh of a word, but... it was indeed genuine. ]

You're welcome. I... I hope you feel better soon.

[ And with that, Casshern turns, and heads for the door. ]