บท 48: 48 Corruption is Easy
"P-please don't eat us" Mairon whimpers under my right arm as the embers of Redemptions fires, that only touched me in an impressive display of control, dissipate into nothingness.
"My my Little Red~ what have you been telling your friends about me?~" I tease, utterly ignoring the growing fear I can smell on the pair, "shouldn't you be introducing your friend and I?~ I don't believe we've met~"
From the way both of them twitch, I figure that someone in their ears just told them something. Obviously I don't know 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 they were told, but just going by the PRT's modus operandi when it comes to the Wards, I would assume it's something along the lines of.
Don't piss off the cannibal serial killer cape that may or may not have purposefully caused a mini war in the middle of the day.
In other words, play along.
"U-uhm, this is Mairon. H-he's a Ward like me. Uhm, Mairon, this is Tear. We've met." Red introduces, only slightly nervous, though I get the feeling that she isn't actually all too scared of me hurting her.
I may not have been a cape for long, but I have certainly been 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 in my time, and I have come to know the tone of someone fearing for their life very intimately.
It sounds to me that she is scared of something less imminent, which rules out it being a fear of her companions death and or bodily harm.
Hmm, what a conundrum.
Still, I am in the middle of a conversation, can't just space out now, can I?
"Now Red~ I thought we were closer than that, especially after having such a heartfelt debate.~" I say, referring to what I belatedly realise is actually the only conversation we have had, if you don't count the brief exchange of words we had when I punched her shit in.
Then again, I can't actually remember if she said anything that time or if it was just the other one.
Fuck, am I getting worse with names and faces?
A moments thought tells me that no, that is not the case. It's simply that this city no longer interests me, thus those bound to the city no longer interest me, such as the heroes here.
And frankly, I don't really see the point in bothering to remember things that don't interest me anymore.
Ah well, there will be plenty of interest in the Big Apple, even if I don't plan on staying for all too long.
I still have to actually 𝘨𝘦𝘵 there though.
Anyway, the conversation goes on thanks to Red, who finally speaks up after shuffling uncomfortably for a few steps as I guide them to keep walking.
Idly, I see a civilian walking across stop to stare at us, I just give him a quick wave, but he ignores me in favour of taking his phone out to record us.
Man, people really have no self preservation instincts these days. It almost makes me want to kill him on principle.
"...How are you still immune to my power?" Red asks, her voice barely above a whisper, shaking with an edge of desperation.
I feel Mairon tense up even more and watch with amusement as he gives Red a look that even through his mask I can tell is a 'what the fuck are you doing' kind of face.
I ignore him in favour of nodding to Red with a hum, gesturing for her to elaborate, something she does, no doubt in spite of the person in her ear telling her to do the exact opposite.
I wonder if she's going to get in much trouble for this?
Though to be fair, she could pretty easily get out of said trouble if she plays her cards right.
You know what? If what she says is fun enough, I'll give her a little hint on how to avoid said trouble. It's not like it's complicated after all.
"You set up that hole thing, didn't you?" She says, not afraid of me in the slightest, something I take mild offence to but find too amusing to do anything about, still managing to sound like she is lost in her head as she continues.
"We don't know for sure, but you suddenly showing up and surrendering yourself, and the attack that we knew was coming, only we expected half the force and they seemed to also be expecting much less resistance. Then you did what you did at the end. You killed those people. Worse, I heard that you even 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 them."
After finishing her mini rant, her words getting more frantic the longer she spoke, she slows to a stop which I allow and turns to face me properly.
At this point, I actually 𝘤𝘢𝘯 hear her earpiece as she gets shouted at, though I can't pick out the words, I'm sure they aren't too hard to guess.
"So 𝘸𝘩𝘺. Why won't my fire burn you? 𝘞𝘩𝘺." She all but pleads, the desperation in her voice becoming clearer by the second.
Well, not that I think it's really much of an accomplishment here, but I think I've made the expert deduction of what she is so afraid of.
She is afraid that her ideals are falling to pieces by meeting me, because she doesn't seem to understand that her power doesn't understand morals and only seems to actually burn based on how much one views oneself to have sinned.
So naturally, against someone insane like me, it hardly works. After all, I have done nothing wrong, except for mom, but I didn't do that consciously so it doesn't even count.
Everyone who I've killed, indirectly or directly? They don't matter. Nothing matters.
Not me, not them.
Everything is meaningless, and I'm just trying to enjoy my meaningless life while it lasts.
But saying that will probably actually help her come to terms with her power and be an overall healthier individual after the fact and that sounds boring, so instead of any of that, I say what she doesn't want to hear.
"Because your fire burns the wicked, the 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭, and I am simply not evil. Now don't get me wrong, I am no saint, but I am not evil either. So I've killed a few people? So what? Death is a part of life and ending life early is a part of nature. You have to kill to live. It has been that way since life first began. It's coded into our very DNA."
Even though the only emotion I can actually sense is fear and it's subsets, nervousness, shyness et cetera, I feel like I know exactly what the pair before me are feeling anyway.
Mairon still hasn't said a word, not knowing what to do but clearly wanting me to shut the fuck up, fearing for the effects my words will have on Red, but too scared to actually speak up and say anything about it.
Meanwhile Red seems to be taking my words like gospel from the mouth of the devil, in that she wants to accept my words, but is refusing to simply because it is me that is saying them.
Really, she should be listening to that part of her telling her not to trust me, because I'm kind of a bitch.
Still, I am sort of on a time limit since I'm sure that there are some hero reinforcements on their way and while I'm not afraid to fight them, I am similarly simply uninterested in doing so and would actually rather like to leave today.
With that in mind, I decide to put the final nail in the coffin of this conversation.
"Do you know what's truly evil?" I say with 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘴, getting Reds full attention immediately, "not death, but 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. Death leads to life. Death gives us food. Death gives us safety, just look at the army, soldiers prepared and taught to kill, all in service of their home. But what does deception lead to? It leads to nothing but corruption, in the home or in the law. It leads to heartbreak and injustice, to judges and juries giving unfair trials. Deception is evil, not death. So your power will not burn me, as I do not make a habit of lying. I am not evil."
Desperate for an answer to her inner turmoil, Redemption happily latches onto my words, my little lecture burning itself into her skull.
I can already see the effects immediately.
Her shoulders loosen, as if some hidden tension just boiled away and her posture becomes more relaxed than before.
Yeah, this has definitely been fun enough to give her another little nudge.
"You're probably gonna get into trouble for talking to me right?~" I ask, already knowing the answer.
The question makes her scowl slightly.
"Yeah, though that's an understatement if I've ever heard one." He says, sounding as annoyed as she looks.
I just smile behind my mask.
"Well, just saying but your bosses will probably Lie to the Youth Guard and tell them we never met today, because they know that if the Youth Guard found out about any Wards being alone with me, that they would make a huge fuss about it. So all you have to do is threaten to spread the word and any punishment you could face from talking to me will be dropped immediately.~"
Her eyes widen slightly, though whether it's from the mere idea of threatening her superiors or the realisation that it is she actually could do or something else entirely, I couldn't say.
Either way, I still haven't said what I actually came here to say, so I quickly speak up so as to end this interaction sooner.
"Well anyway!~ I only came to say goodbye to my favourite little red riding hood.~ See, I've decided I want to travel~ but I wanted you to know not to look for me first~ just in case you know?~" I say, to their apparent surprise.
Deciding not to stick around, I let the both of them go and take a step back, preparing to leave, before Mairon suddenly shouts out, sounding just as surprised as I am about him suddenly finding his voice.
"Wait! Where are you going to go!?" He exclaims, almost immediately clamming up after the fact, as if he expects me to take offence.
Though, by the way he keeps trying to meet my eyes and then looking down immediately after, I get the feeling that he just finds my crimson eyes to be extra intimidating.
Or maybe he just has a foot fetish and keeps looking down since my prison clothes looks better barefoot in my opinion.
"Now now Mairon dear~ being too clingy will just push people away you know? A girls got to keep her secrets after all.~" Is all I say in response before I simply turn around and start to walk away.
Only to inexplicably pause mid step.
Now you wait a damn motherfucking minute.
A thought just occurred to me after saying Mairon's name just then.
But it can't be... right?
No fucking way it's true. That would just be absurd.
...Still, I have to confirm.
Slowly, I put my foot back down and half turn so I can face the boy himself, decked out in modern body armour that is styled to look medieval, with and edgy, spiky theme to it's silver splendour.
"...Mairon." I state, making him stand straighter, "did you actually fucking name yourself after the motherfucking 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘚𝘢𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘯?" I ask with incredulity overwhelming me.
Forgetting his fear for just a moment, he suddenly fist pumps and turns to a suddenly exasperated looking Redemption.
"A-HA! I 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 you guys that someone would get it! I knew I wasn't the only cape who knew Tolkien!" He shouts with jubilance, right up until he turns back to me, likely wishing to talk more about Tolkien's works or something, only to abruptly remember who I am.
That is when he clams up again, gaining a sheepish smile as he scratches the back of his head and takes a step back.
"Aha.. sorry." He mutters, but I just shake my head with a put upon huff.
Without another word, I turn around and simply leave, heading out for greener pastures, looking forward to whatever it is that comes my way.
...Though maybe I do quickly loop back around to kill that guy who recorded us.
Like I said, it's just a matter of principle.
You don't see superpowered serial killers in the street and just record them. You run or you beg. Or at least call the cops or some shit.
With a sigh, I drop all thoughts in my head regarding the city of Columbus. Well and truly ready to move on and find some more toys to play with.
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A/N: He~llo! Dear readers!
....so I am once again writing this after being awake for too long, but the good news is that I just finished reading a good wormfic that was distracting me, so I'll probs do better tomorrow...maybe.
Also, In light of the violent and hateful threats I have received, telling me to sleep of all things, I feel I should remind you of the fact that I am easily bribe-able, and thus, I shall from henceforth be holding myself hostage until I get an adequate amount of power stones! ψ(｀∇´)ψ
(Naturally, this is a joke)
(5+)Advanced chapters with the links below!
pat/reon.com/user?u=41732867 (get rid of the first slash)
or
https://ko-fi.com/bored_works
Also, join the discord!
https://discord.gg/Pj3Dttwses
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