The Things We Whisper In The Dark

"Hsss..."

The alabaster serpent slithers on by- the very same Serpent that could be recognized as Fidi to most, but now, significantly larger. Surely, it seems that he ascended along the way.

Despite the relative youth of the demon.

"Interesting.."

"So this 'young master' has been defeated after all. Not the first time it happens, of course."

Is it bold for the demonkind to slither up so close? No doubt it is, yet strangely enough, Fidi doesn't seem to display hostile intent just yet.

There's always something about this Serpent in particular that makes it strange.

But the gaze of snake-eyes turn to Walter.

Of all people.

"Tell me, Vigilant commander."

"How fares the woman I battled? Her essence was most... sating. Enough to feed me into the form I possess."

"It is rude to leave her without a thanks, yes?"
(Fidi)

Tut manages to pull up an ad-libbed escape. Yet, for the life of him, Walter cannot bring himself to pursue the overzealous apprentice of darkness. Instead, he takes a moment to bask in his recently harvested batch of securities and thoughts. An ability he had initially thought lost on him, now made vacantly possible via virtue of debauchery.

His breathing pace turns sluggish, heavy. Walter sneers to himself in arrogance, self realization. Self infatuation is permeable. Could anyone stop him?

Yet, the distant echo of allies and potential associates overtakes his attention. A pair of desaturated, youthful and vibrant hues bolt off to the side, addressing the serpent in wake of its subtle, seductive taunt hauled over.

"Mn." A simper curls at the side of his mouth. "She's completely unscathed. Apparently, your poison is hardly something that could kill an adolescent woman."

A lethargically long, indifferent drag of his tobacco stick allows for time to be bought out.

Walter is visibly scathed, though not in a significant manner.

"You've changed a bit since last time, have you not?" Crooked words, as he languidly treads towards the group of transmundane. Seemingly showing no signs of threatening behavior, nor defensiveness alike.

Yet, it is only vaguely provoking. Were it intentional, Walter would've driven the point home much harder.

Smoke erupts - the kitsune is nearly a chimney, burning through cancer rods one by one. Alas, an order.

"You shan't feed on Osronan citizens." Condescendingly, as if this were some sort of shady negotiation going on. "But the cavalry...?" Meaning the Nysean troupe approaching from upnorth. "Be my guest."

He begins to tread away, seemingly indifferent to the exchange.
(Walter Docro)

Powerful monsters.

Beasts of war.

Bad guys.

So many stereotypical names. So many requests out of Demons- be it a confession to harming someone, or be it a confrontation that they seek... but Fidi does not pay attention. The yelps and cries of humankind often concern him very little, the parasites that he's grown to loathe save for several particular specimen.

When the pig squeals..
Does the butcher care?

"Ahaha..."

"Hahahaha!"

The provokations of Walter certainly do not go unnoticed. The insults to his venom do not put down the dignity and pride of the Serpent, because he knows better. Is it truly a way to reduce someone's worth, when they live unchained, free life?

Entirely independent of what others think?

"Walter, Walter..."

"Do not be like them. You're not."

"Even if you try to."

The Serpent's posture remains so ever still. Eerily still, even. The snake-eyes trace the commander as he walks; a complete disregard to surroundings, to the speeches of people and their companions otherwise.

"Yes. I changed."

"I haven't come here to feed either. Nor I've done so previously.. but your companion seemed to insist on feeding me regardless."

"To which I thank her, of course."

There is conniving, subtle smile. Curled upon the maw of a demon. And yet, where Walter intends to walk away, he remarks.

"Leaving already? So soon?"

"How disappointing.."

But..

The air seems to vibrate just a slight bit. Whether the commander wants it or not..

The mind is another way for Serpent to bring the point across.
(Fidi)

Fidi's voice (to Walter Docro): You're in much bigger danger than you can think of, commander...

Fidi's voice (to Walter Docro): They will discard you, eventually. It'd be a pity to see you die.. a fine specimen that drowns out the unsavory squelch of boring masses.

Fidi's voice (to Walter Docro): Trust this or not... you choose. Find me later, if you wish to know.

Walter's aloof treading comes to a decisive halt, not in reaction to the adverse thirds, them desperately attempting to pick a fight they would not come out on top from, but the most observant serpent of the bizarre bunch.

"Ah-ha..." The lethargic, fry textured baritone lets out a small, forced laugh in response. And though his demeanor is by all means still as arrogant as ever, there's a clear disconnect between he and the adversity the flying rodent-like monster just ahead is attempting to project. Instead, his heel pivots him back to meet his rear. Fidi's cold, soulless, hypnotic gaze meets his own overbearing pair of jades.

"Keen eyes, reptile." He observes, crooning in his dismal, dissonant gamut of tonality. "Are you the one a cut above your bunch? Your perceptiveness seems to hint towards it."

One, two, three nicotine specters fly upwards. A second cigarette plucked between his lackadaisically parted lips sits and lights up on its own.

"That is up to you two to solve on your own. I shan't take a fight that I haven't earned. I won't avenge something she can compete with on her own accord."

He almost sounds... bored. As if there was no genuine conflict to address. Would the rest of the standby gallery see that? Walter feels and moves more like an apparition than the creatures themselves. Something bizarre subliminally builds with every flicker of his hues.

He's present, absent and above. All at the same time.

The commander stares the serpent down for an instance. And whilst tension builds in the eyes of thirds, it happens naught to the both of them.

Finally, a short nod of his head. Had they just communicated, somehow?

"I am, indeed, leaving." Monotonally. The youthful countenance shifts back to the bat demon.

"Would you mind?"
(Walter Docro)

Strange.

A demon stood before him, and yet he planned to leave all the same. Was it out of some sort of sense of superiority; did the commander feel he were above dealing with the creatures born from nightmares?

Regardless - Ulciél appeared to be unfazed by such a demeanor, as mundane as the bat thought it to be.

"I do mind, yes." A simple response given to a simple question - before it's emerald hues were prey, that of what it assumed to be the highest caliber. Nothing short of an excellent test to the bat's abilities.

"You have two options: run, and hope that you're able to out-speed me, or fight." Those massive wings of it's would begin to beat in an almost rhythmic motion as the creature took to the skies, irises looming down on it's prey.

Before long, Ulciél dived down to strike.
(Ulciél)

Such words are bizarre.

In all truth, the Serpent enjoys the image of being this 'young, inept Demon'. Why? Because most never expect Fidi to actually do something, or perform something extraordinary- some could call it a curse of negligence, the curse that could very well jeopardize everything that he's worked for - but too much proverbial 'heat' can do just that as well.

And he wants only one thing..
Results.

"Ah.."

"What is a cut above the rest anyway, commander?" Does he stay vague on purpose, swaying the perceptions of the Kitsune to something else? "A curse, to perform to your peaks... and be admonished for it."

"Be judged for it... your image, your reputation tarnished, because the blind masses do not understand."

"You know that well, do you not?"

Just how much the Serpent knows about Walter already? This could suggest that there are eyes and ears among the public that Kitsune is not aware about - or perhaps, he is, but he chooses not to do anything about it.

"But this is why I warn you..."

If Walter had realized even a single hint behind the words of the Serpent, there's an awful lot of dots to be connected between various warnings, words and foreshadowing events. Although..

Seeing that Ulciel desired to battle?

There seems to be.. a hint of amusement in Serpent's gaze. Not because of the fact that he would enjoy this wholeheartedly alone, but because he knows.

Walter isn't a simple challenge. To take on him is to risk everything and more.

"Good luck, kin.."

"You will need it."

One could say it's a mockery..

But it's not. It's almost genuine - because the Serpent feels as if the bat has done a very, very..

Big mistake.
(Fidi)

Though the remainder of Fidi's recollections are heeded to, and regarded in cold, stoic light? Walter makes no verbal observation on it. Instead, his expressive range is relegated to a few sparse blinks and tugs of his lip's edge. Not frowns, but interrogations to himself.

A master of ears within walls, being spied on?

He's concerned, but not enough so to finish off this conversation in the open. Only then, does he regard Ulciél's bravado more formally. That narrow, disgusted curl mutates into a sarcastic simper - Walter's stare regains its vibrant glimmer, it's viridescence.

"Ah - such a hulking silhouette..."

The abrasive, imperiously radiant halo perks up once more, taking over the entire dragonforged arcanium length of Walter's mechanical weapon, as the bat ascends forebodingly, ready to make his dive.

"... carrying such a small brain."

No fear whatsoever, Walter warns him before the fight ensues.

"I'll bring this up later."

(Walter Docro)

How curious.

All of this interrupted for the sake of battle. And although Fidi knew all too well that a lot of his kin were interested in hunting, or even seeking out various prey all to themselves.. is it any surprise that he finds this mere short-term again something to be situational?

It is true, demonkind is very much capable of feasting on essence, of boosting their growth.. but in many cases, it's hardly worth it; especially against a target such as the Vigilant commander.

"Hssss..."

There's only a quiet, contemplating hiss given to this. The Serpent has said and done what exactly he wanted..

Now, only time could tell what would come out of it.
(Fidi)