Accepted at Tower of Animus

[chaos_that_crawls]

Out of the many humans I've met, I think you're one of the few that summoned me the most. Fourth time's the charm, then? Fine.

I'll be happy to indulge myself in yet another game.

Comments

[doudemoe]

That's "third time's the charm".

[chaos_that_crawls]

Confuto Ordinatio. Velvet Mall. Mayfield. And now, the Tower of Animus. No. I think "fourth time's the charm" is right.

[thousand_curses]

Good luck. That place seems full of people who already dislike you...in principle and in person.

[chaos_that_crawls]

There are very few who could admit that they're fond of the shadow. Whether or not they like me isn't important.

[thousand_curses]

They do keep finding ways to deal with us existing. Usually it involves getting hit in the face, I notice. Humans.

[chaos_that_crawls]

Faces in my case. It's amazing how quick to conflict they can be while spouting words of peace and non-conflict. Contradictory behavior.

[thousand_curses]

I think the contradiction is in their survival instinct while acknowledging their eventual end. It's most perplexing.

Hm...it's too bad Nyx is never around. Perhaps she could give some insight.

[chaos_that_crawls]

Certainly. Out of us, she, the Mother of the Night, was born to personify death itself. Bringing death is simply a consequence of our aspects.

[viditlibertas]

Even if you are truly a natural facet of mankind...I cannot allow you to spread, Crawling One.

Man's freedom comes first.

[chaos_that_crawls]

Yes. With that freedom, man chooses to die and to let die. I'm the result of thoughts like those, "Anguished One", because man is allowed to be free.

[thousand_curses]

We're all aspects most mortals ignore outright, though. All but the interesting ones, I should say...

[chaos_that_crawls]

Ignore, true, but that doesn't mean they aren't aware of us. They're so desperate to forget about us, but that won't happen anytime soon. Our being here is all too natural as long as humans live.

[thousand_curses]

Exactly. Maybe I don't need to wish you luck, then.

Human journeys end with an answer - good or bad, they end. Ours are a little bit less finite.

[viditlibertas]

...

[Welp, there goes most of his argument.]

Are you the result of mankind's free will...? Can their listlessness lead to such things?

[This power couldn't be completely born from man, could it?]

[chaos_that_crawls]

I can assure you that nothing otherworldly has ever motivated humans to crave for their own destruction. Their innate emotions that lets them hate and crave another's extinction have allowed me to be. In other words, I am their shadow, the true self.

You must have seen it too. The ignorance of humans that drives them to kill, I mean.

[viditlibertas]

...yes, I have sensed it, and I have seen it. Many times. They are capable of horrible things.

But stronger still is their will to live and prosper, and that power far succeeds the doubt that clouds them. Mankind is ever changing, but their hearts do not give up.

I will always believe in their future, Chaos.

[chaos_that_crawls]

No. We have the leisure of staying in the world a little while longer. Everything is up to the Great Will on whether or not we are necessary. And in time, we tend to be.

[chaos_that_crawls]

Do you believe that every single last human can achieve prosperity? Humans, like animals, survive by preying on the weak. As they crave more, the correlation between their selfishness and the need for greater sacrifices becomes more apparent.

... Ah. Take for example your quest to confront Polaris and create a new world. How many humans have died for prosperity?

[doudemoe]

I wonder if you even deserve that many.

[pitythefool]

You actually think this is gonna be fun?

[chaos_that_crawls]

Of course. These games have always been something of a vacation for me if I had to be honest. You sound less than enthusiastic.

[pitythefool]

Oh. You noticed.

[He sighs, shoulders sagging lazily.]

It's the same old story every time. Right as I finally get myself settled somewhere, the ones in charge decide that they just can't have that anymore. Then it's only a matter of time before I get shipped off somewhere else.

Man... First Inaba. Now this Animus place.

[chaos_that_crawls]

I see. Hm... If I'm not mistaken, you're an officer of the law. That's a very respectable position. And I understand that you were transferred from a larger city to Inaba, a smaller town. As stressing as that can be, you found ways to adapt. Ways to make yourself comfortable. To keep you entertained.

Now, consider Animus... it's neither a city nor a town. It's a single structure. ... So, officer, it's almost as if you're being detained than being transferred. Don't you think?

[pitythefool]

Detained...?

[Adachi bristles just a bit; he doesn't like how much you know about him when he knows next to nothing about you.]

D-Do you really think that little analogy's gonna make me feel any better about this?

[chaos_that_crawls]

Strange. Did you think I was trying to cheer you up? Actually, I'm not sure how anybody could make light of the situation you're in.

[Why would you ever assume something like that? Silly Adachi.]

[chaos_that_crawls]

Maybe not, but fate has a certain taste for drama that little can appreciate.

[pitythefool]

Yeah?

[Gnashing his teeth.]

Thanks for that.

[chaos_that_crawls]

You have nothing to lose anymore because you've lost everything beyond anything belonging to you in that briefcase. Inside that tower, everything resembling conventional society has disappeared. You no longer have obligations to follow, rules or laws to enforce or abide beyond a few annual exercises.

... In the end, you are indeed detained, but... it almost sounds liberating, doesn't it?

[pitythefool]

Well...

[He gives the matter some thought. Then, after a while? He grins. Eerily.]

All right. When you put it that way, I guess it doesn't sound so bad.

[chaos_that_crawls]

Most people would be afraid of what I just described. Are you sure?

[pitythefool]

Positive. In fact...

[Well, he was initially a little wary of you at first, Nyarly. But now...?]

There's something you should know about me, if we wind up crossing paths again. I'm not most people.