[Hanako] Chapter 6: Birkensen Trading Company

Throndir · December 30, 2018, 09:51:15 PM

When you neared her, she instinctively moved to the far end of the cage. She realized what you were saying however, and seemed to calm a bit slightly.

"I... I told them already! I... I thought humans were... I thought they were accepting!"

"There she goes talking again! Haha, to think she thought she had wormed her way into our company, despite being a demon... I'll have you know your 'coworkers' were all keeping a close eye on you."

The demon girl winced from his words.

Asta · December 30, 2018, 10:07:23 PM

Blanket Sense Motives for the conversation to discern lies

Rolled 1d20+3 : 8 + 3, total 11

Hanako cocked her head to the side, puzzled. "What... what makes you think that? You are aware that your kind currently has this country under occupation and is actively waging war against others right? If anything, most of them fear or hate your kind." She kept her tone pleasant, conversational even. What was the saying? You catch more flies...?

Throndir · December 31, 2018, 12:26:38 AM

"I heard... humans live peacefully with other races... With demihumans too... The rest of the demons said this was a fun place... I thought I had... f-friends among you h-here."

The engineer laughed.

"You should have heard us talking about you whenever you left. But 4%? Hmm..." He triggered it then, and the damage still shocked the demon girl, but she wasn't writing in pain as much, nor was the damage to her neck as gruesome.

"I suppose that works, let me check the readings... Yeah. Didn't take that much juice out either, and it still hurt her fine."

Asta · December 31, 2018, 12:57:43 AM

Hanako ignored the engineer and continued in placid tones. "Yes, for the most part you could say they live peacefully with other races. Let me make this as clear as I can for you; your people have invaded this country and as a result of this they have inflicted a suffering upon the populace that has earned your kind a lot of hatred. I am sorry to tell you that you have no friends in this place, except perhaps me and that is very tenuous depending on how truthful you will be to me."

Hanako closed her eyes and breathed out slowly, then opened them again. "Who are you?"

Throndir · December 31, 2018, 01:23:55 AM

"T-the t-truth?" Her eyes seemed to shift from the two engineers, to you, to Sofia behind you who had been watching intently, then finally back to you.

"I-I... c-can't tell you that... Y-you would hate me more." Her eyes couldn't meet yours, and she looked downwards.

Asta · December 31, 2018, 03:53:50 AM

Hanako leaned in close and lowered her voice to a whisper that only the girl could hear, "I doubt that. Let's trade a truth for a truth. I am not from this world. Though I don't like what I've seen your people do to the citizens of this country, many of them have done things just as awful or worse so I am, at best, impartial. I am only trying to protect the people that have shown me kindness and I expect the same from them in return. Now... Please. Tell me who you are."

It was a serious gamble to reveal her status as a summoned being, the girl could end up breaking under torture or escaping. After assessing the situation though it seemed like there was little choice. Sofia likely already knew so it wasn't as big a deal, and it was unlikely the girl would escape without some serious intervention.

Her identity must be something... interesting. Hanako thought.

Stealth for the whisper, if needed:

Rolled 1d20+9 : 3 + 9, total 12

Throndir · December 31, 2018, 02:08:45 PM

Your honesty seemed to take the demon girl by surprise, and her eyes widened at your proclamation.

"M-my father... is Zehab Basu al Dazhum." She replied back, without meeting your gaze, and trying to whisper it as quietly as possible.

The name you recognized, as it was told to you once before. It was when Trudy was explaining what was happening in her country. That was the name of the Demon General that had subjugated Refedoria and is now acting as the shadow behind the current Refedorian Government.

"But... I'm an outcast."

Asta · December 31, 2018, 10:41:39 PM

Why am I not surprised... Hanako thought, she could have almost called the twist. What flag did I set for this turn of events?

"Is that so?" she asked. "What do you mean you're an outcast?"

Throndir · January 01, 2019, 04:09:07 PM

"It's the color of my skin. The other demons tell me that my mother was a human, and Zehab Basu al Dazhum only tolerates my presence."

Asta · January 01, 2019, 09:12:34 PM

"Do you think that's true?" Hanako asked, wondering if it was merely a ploy to win her sympathies. Was it working if it was?

Before the girl could answer, Hanako was already asking another question. "Let me ask you this, even if you did come here under the idea that people would accept you... what do you think of them now? After all this?" It was an important question to ask. If she had begun to harbor any sort of animosity it might be too dangerous to continue with the line of thinking that had been running through the back of Hanako's mind. Though, admittedly it was slim that anyone would be so forgiving of their torturer.

Throndir · January 02, 2019, 08:53:54 PM

At your words, the demon girl visibly shrank back.

"I've heard of other demons with skin similar to mine... But everyone here have skin that are red, or blue, or grey. I'm not sure... These humans betrayed me." She continued to whisper as a hint of both sadness and anger lit behind her eyes. You also couldn't help but notice that she called them 'humans'.

Asta · January 02, 2019, 09:00:58 PM

Hanako's eyes narrowed. "Mmmm... Let me ask you, why did you call out to me for help when I came down here? Wouldn't it stand to reason that if I'm here with her, I would be hostile to you as well?" She gestured to Sofia as she spoke. "If you were free, knowing what these people are doing and what they've done to you... how would you react?"

Hanako would have to stop talking with the girl soon, she was here for a reason and everything else was secondary. She needed to wrap this up.

Throndir · January 02, 2019, 09:31:29 PM

The demon girl shook her head.

"I've seen your people as slaves here... I thought you were from... that human country... with dark-haired people. If you're not one of the yellow-haired ones, then you are a slave. And... these humans who I thought were my friends are treating me like one too."

"If I show any kind of aggression, they continue to keep activating my collar. I-if I was free..." Her eyes grew angry again.

"If this collar was off... I'd... I'd... I don't know. But please, don't leave me here."

Asta · January 02, 2019, 09:50:17 PM

Lot of anger in this one. Hanako thought, but wasn't surprised. If the situation was reversed, and in a way it had been, she would be just as angry. I wonder if Trudy hadn't, would I have been angry enough to kill Klein? she turned the thought away, it was irrelevant now.

"Yes, I suppose I do look like an Isikawan don't I? Let me lay it to you straight, I'm not a slave and neither are the other two that came with me. I don't believe people are property and regardless of who you might be, or what your people have done here it doesn't make it right to treat you this way. An eye for an eye, makes the world blind so to speak. Earlier, when I told them how they should set the collar, it was so they'd stop testing on you." She breathed deep preparing to commit to what was surely the path of most resistance, not usually one she traveled. "I don't know you, I only know the reputation of your people and it's not a good one. However, it is... unsavory for me to see someone treated like this. I make no promises, but I'll see about having you released. Into my custody. Where I can only assure you of one thing, that you won't be subject to torture. I cannot guarantee you friendship, I cannot guarantee you happiness, and with what you know of whats going on here... well, I can't guarantee you can ever go back to your people.

Hanako looked hard into the girls eyes. "Expect nothing, and be pleasantly surprised if things work out in your favor."

Throndir · January 03, 2019, 12:23:53 AM

"I..." The demon girl's eyes started to waiver a bit. But she understood the conditions of your words.

"It's okay... I don't think I want to see my father or the other demons anyways. I just... I just want my own place in the world."

The two engineers had already left earlier, were now coming back.

"Hey, Isikawan girl, thanks for the help with the collar by the way. There's some other things we're going to be testing though... Plus I think the boss is waiting for you." He then whispered quietly as he played with a device that looked strangely like a gun in his hands. "The boss is kinda a big deal around here?"

"You can probably tell her what that is. After all, our boss allowed them to come down here..."

"Yeah, well..." He proceeded to show you the item in his hands. "It's based off the hand-cannons we've been developing... But instead of miniature cannon balls, this one is packed full of light magic. See the crystals here? They have the same issue with needing to be recharged... So after it's depleted we have to either recharge the whole thing, or throw it away... Wish we can replace it easier."

Behind you Sofia decided to sit down on a nearby chair, her legs folded. She eyed you, but then eyed both Minette, Trudy, and your other soldiers. She started speaking to them.