Long time... ((Kamikaze))

[CharlotteC]

Charlie had remained quiet as she had waited on Kami's reply, wondering what bit of crazy would come out of the small girl's mouth. And she hadn't been disappointed. She spoke of the place being a sanctuary, but then she spoke of the shadow realm, and how that place was 'cozy'. Cozy? What the ****? She thought to herself as she looked at Kam with wide eyes, seriously? She once again was thinking to herself. From what she remembered of that place, she would never called it 'cozy'. Creepy, yes. Terrifying? Definitely. She never, ever, ever wanted to go there again. However, with the opinions she had about the Masq, with her inability to lie, with her hanging around a lot of humans daily, she was sure to end up back there again. She knew it, but she was prepared this time. Nearly, 3 years after they had sent her to that place, if the bullies came knocking, she would knock them through a few rounds as well.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when Kam mentioned Elliot, suddenly the girl came into sharp focus, the way she spoke, the way she looked. Charlie didn't miss anything in that moment when she heard her sire's name. There was a past there? He hated her? That part she found very hard to believe, very hard. He didn't hate anything, well, he disliked the Ty, but hate? Charlie didn't even think that the word 'hate' was in Elliot's dictionary. She hated the Ty, with a fiery passion. She distrusted anyone and everyone that was currently in the group. To her, they were nothing more than bullies with ideals from the dark ages.

Her question of if he had ever spoke about her had Charlie blinking for a moment. She never really got into things that personal with Elliot, in fact, she had seen just how much he was in love with Pi that she had never even had the thought that he might have been with someone before her. As if she had sired him and he had suddenly falling for the french woman hook, line, and sinker. So she had started to open her mouth to speak but was stopped before she could make a sound by Kam continuing to speak about Elliot. He hated? He loathed? She had never heard him ever use those words in general let alone with Kam being mentioned, or any other person for that matter. She focused on the last to words out of her mouth, 'betrayal'? 'Betrayer'? Never, in the time that she had known Elliot had she ever seen him betray anyone.

Hell, she herself had divulged a lot of things that would have been prime info for the bullies, and yet, she had felt completely at ease when she had spilled her secrets to Elliot, and nothing had ever happened after. She closed her eyes, she just couldn't see it, and she hadn't even noticed that she had been shaking her head with the disbelief that Elliot could not only betray someone, but that he could hate anyone. He disliked a fair few people, but he was the kind of guy that never used the word hate. At least, she had never heard him utter the words.

Charlie had been so wrapped up id disbelief and her own thoughts, that she hadn't even noticed the changes going on with Kam until the woman spoke. And not only did she speak, but she used whole sentences, she spoke in such a way as that Charlie could fully understand the woman. Charlie blinked once, then again, and again, and again, her eyes were open with the clear shock that came from hearing this girl before her who had spent the entire night speaking in broken English, speaking well. She shook her head to clear the shock and then nodded to her. It was then that Charlie picked up on something. 'she'? 'We all are'? That's when it hit Charlie like a wreaking ball. Kami was certifiably insane, clearly with multiple personalities. And the personality she had been speaking to the whole time had just be one. But now, here is the other.

"Excuse me, this is all just a bit shocking. Just how many of you does 'we' mean? Or is that too personal of a question to ask? I'm sorry if it is. You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. I was just really, really, really shocked."

[Kamikaze]

Shizuka tilted her head, a curious look on her face as she studied Charlie. Perhaps she should have been more subtle, or perhaps she should have warned the woman before this happened. Regardless, what was done was done. There was no going back, nor would there be anything to fix. Nothing needed to be fixed. Well, except for the wall, maybe, but Shizuka would do that another time. Right now, she had to deal with a rather confused Allurist who had ties with her ex-boyfriend.

At this time, we only count three, though there may be more when we lay dormant, but we cannot tell. The one you have spoken with in general, who I am afraid is rather terrible at stringing sentences together, is as you have noted, Kamikaze. We prefer to label her as the more destructive force, when it is deemed neccessary. And it is quite fine, to be shocked. I would be as well, if I had found out the person I was conversing with had multiple personalities, among other things. We are all fractures, you see, of one main entity, after what we believe to be nearly an entire year, possibly longer, within the Shadow Realm. Perhaps that is why she finds it so comforting. It is.. mm.. rather alluring to linger, and to continue lingering, when you have been there as many times as I, due to the consequences I had brought upon myself.

Smiling, the woman fixed her hair, pulling it from her face, then slipping them into her pockets. As the personality had changed, so had her attitude, as well as body language. Kamikaze had mostly been tense or agitated in some way, but Shizuka seemed rather calm, collected, her body relaxed. She seemed a woman who had accepted what she was, and the issues that she had, and that would not break her spirit, no matter how maddening her mind could be at times, or how insufferable the other personalities were. The white noise of her mind was perhaps a bit thicker than others, though she could not tell, nor would she state that she was the most insane woman in the city. It was not something she would be proud of, although Kamikaze seemed the type to do just that, seek comfort in insanity. Back to reality, Shizuka smiled, then went to the crafting bench, to dust off a few parts of a low quality pistol she had been so kindly donated, by a thug wandering in the wrong area of the city, and she decided to slip the parts into a drawer for safe keeping.

A thought occurred to Shizuka, as she went over what Kamikaze had talked about, and it seemed that the woman's words could have been misinterpreted, for better or for worse, and that might have been something troubling, or something that would cause ill will. Leaning against the bench, she looked up at the ceiling a moment, before giving a sigh, shaking her head in thought. The past was the past, with Elliot, and she had made no effort into fixing feelings, as she did not feel comfortable with trying to do so. Perhaps he had forgiven her, but the wound had still been given, and she did not feel she had the right to talk to him.

I would also like to.. clarify something that she said to you, before things got a bit too stressful for her, concerning Elliot. She may have said things in a way to... make it seem like he was the guilty party, which is not the case. I am. But what's done is done, and perhaps the two of us have gotten over the actions, and moved on with our lives, in different paths with different partners.

Dallas came to mind, which caused Shizuka to smile wide. The Allurist childe was the best thing that had happened to her, and Kamikaze was to blame for that, for her turning. Luckily, this had been soon after the purchase of her Sanctuary apartment, so she had a rather furnished place to rush the young woman to, after the initial bite, after nearly killing her. To Shizuka, Dallas was a sign that things were going to improve, and this made her very excited for the future. No more would she need to search for something to do on a daily basis, but instead, she would be a companion. That is, for as long as this bond lasted, but she was going to fight for this, as she had attempted with Elliot.

Perhaps it was better for the two of us to split. I was.. mm.. at the time, dealing with the blood thieves as best I could, and the situation with Elliot was only complicated due to one of his.. siblings of sorts. Pratt seemed to have been the final nail in the coffin, so to speak, when the faction I was with had sent him to the Shadows. I don't know if Elliot ever forgave me for that. I do not blame him if he hasn't... but at the time, I had thought by killing Pratt, it was for the betterment of the city.

[CharlotteC]

There was one thing to say about the current personality that was in control of the girl in front of her, she spoke well and that was a good thing to Charlie. She didn't have to worry about decrypting what the girl was saying first before trying how best to answer her. The fact that there was three was interesting, but what really drew her attention was the fact that she said that there was the possibility of more. Though, from what little Charlie knew of Psychology, there was always a chance that there could be more personalities within someone with multiple personalities. And anything could bring them to the surface. She smiled to Kam, or well, she knew her as Kam, and watched the way she was. She was more relaxed, and calm and Charlie knew that she would be keeping an eye on her to see if and when her personalities changed if she could spot the differences. Considering she had photographic memory, that would probably be the easy part.

Focusing on what she was talking about, Charlie gave a shudder. A full year? In that horrid place? And she found it a comfort? Charlie had been there a little over a month when she had been 'younger' and even now, she had no will nor want to return to that hell hole. Calling it comforting was just, not going to fit into Charlie's description of the place. Nope, never happening. Yet, there was one thing that perhaps she could understand, the first personality had a social problem, seemed even more agitated in the elevator and around the entrance of the building. Perhaps that is what was the draw for the first personality about that horrible place. There was hardly a soul around in there, at least that she remembered. It wasn't a busy city with people walking around, taking, brushing up against people. It was one of those things that made Charlie want to watch out for Kam all the more. Though right now, she seemed well in hand.

Charlie found her focus coming into sharp clarity once again at the mention of Elliot. Her chocolate eyes returned to Kam and she nodded a bit, understanding that the girl wanted to clarify things that she had said under her other personality. And Charlie had to wonder, just how well all the personalities, knew about what the others did when they weren't the ones in control. Guess she would find out soon enough. Hearing what Kam had to say, as she was saying it now, was still a bit confusing, but then, it wasn't really her place to question things like that, it was something she believed belonged between Kam and Elliot, though she was glad to hear that Elliot wasn't to blame. Or at least, this personality didn't see it that way. She smiled to Kam and then nodded again before she finally decided to say something about it.

"To tell you the truth - because I really can not tell a lie - I didn't take it so much as Elliot being the one to blame with your other personality. I see him as someone who cares about anyone and everyone, I just found it very hard that he could hate or even despise anyone. Or that those words were even in his mental dictionary. I know there are a few he dislikes, but I don't think I have ever heard him use the word 'hate'. That was the only thing I found unbelievable. As for the rest of it. He has never told me about other people he had been with, and I had never thought to ask because he and Pi have been so close and I see how much they love each other." She stopped for a moment, wondering if she should have said that and then remembered that she said that she was feeling like it was a good thing for them both. "So just know that he has never said anything, at least to me, about you or really anyone in any form."

She glanced around for a moment before she looked back at Kam "As for Pratt, he is another that I didn't know was close to Elliot. I guess he and I need to talk more." She laughed a little and shook her head. "The only thing he and I ever talked about at length was how we both disagree with the Ty." The bullies of the city and race. "But I find that Pratt was a good guy, at least to me. When those creeps sent me to the Shadow Realm, Pratt was there to help me heal. But I believe one thing..." She stopped for a moment and made sure that Kam was looking at her, "I believe that if you think you were doing it for the good of the city, no matter how right or wrong it might have been, you did it for your belief and no one can fault you for that. Hell, I am mildly close to a woman that was part of the attack on me that sent me there, though that's only because she's no longer part of that group."

She sighed for a moment and shook her head. "I can understand people wanting to keep their loved ones safe, I can. But what I will never understand is how killing our own kind will ever be a good thing. We have so many other enemies out there trying to get rid of us, we don't need our own kind getting together and killing us off. All that does is help the other enemies. With us fighting against each other, we are not paying attention to the real enemies. Plus, I will never agree with forcing someone to believe something they don't want to and killing them if they don't. I want to have the freedom to tell my parents or anyone else I trust about myself without the fear of getting my head chopped off by my own kind. It's like a teen forced to hide their sexual preference because if they tell their parents they will be kicked out and forced to live on the streets. It's just not right. Not to me. I don't know what you think about it, or what your other personalities think about it, but that is what I think about it." She said, and then sighed, feeling like she had been rambling on and on.

Then something else came to her, "Do you prefer to be called something else, or are you all Kamikaze?"

[Kamikaze]

You may call me Shizuka, if you wish. It is the name I was born with. Kamikaze is the moniker I had taken on, when I was first turned in years past. As far as the masquerade goes, I understand what you are coming from. At the time, when Robert was dealt with, blood thieves were an issue in the city, and a rather nasty one. Quite a lot of us still believe that the masquerade should be upheld, to keep us safe as well as those that do not share our... peculiar state. I have found, in my past, dealing with many people, that people can be jealous by nature, as well as power hungry. With this hunger for power comes envy. With envy comes strife. With strife comes war. Such was the way with the Broussards. You say that you would tell your family about the truth of what happened. I am not going to say that they would spread this information to others, but what sort of reaction would they have? How would they feel, to know that when they will wither and die, you will be there, the same as you were before your mortal coil was stripped from you? I do not have the luxury of a family, to be able to send this information off to, after altercations with the triads back home. I was weaker, before, and still am. Perhaps it is easier for me to uphold this privacy, this reverence for what we are, because I hold no earthly connections with family. But here I am, rambling on. I do apologize. You were not brought here for me to preach to you from my imaginary pulpit.

The Shadow gave a bit of a sigh, the cinders floating briefly from her lips as the air passed through needlessly, as if it were trying to kickstart a process that had not worked for years. Shifting a bit, she relaxed a bit more, then shook her head, waving her hand a bit, as if to signal for Charlie not to mind her talkative nature. She hadn't had a chance to talk with another being in ages, and she could finally just decompress and release some thoughts.

Having been with Tytonidae for some time, I can say that I have seen both good and bad. While duty drives some, malice drives others, so perhaps it is appropriate that Kamikaze was the one that had been more interested in continuing service, until we respectfully split ways. Perhaps I did not truly belong in their ranks, being of a nature that prefers mediation over being judge and jury as well as executioner.

Shaking her head once more, Shizuka shrugged. The city was becoming a cesspool of violence, especially with the military still being in the city and locking down the mausoleum. Where was the possibility of mediation there? Was it possible? Could the vampiric community suck it up, behave, work together, and deal with this issue? Or were they too busy fighting over petty reasons, causing such deadly rifts. She'd seen a lot more people awake and aware, before the violence. When it started, Kamikaze and Shizuka both began to see the change. Less and less people roaming the city, the missing numbers most likely sick of it all. None of the personalities could blame them, as it would become rather taxing after a while, but if people would have accepted some sort of compromise, then there may have been a better chance for the city. What's worse, was that even now, she thought, the paladins roamed, no matter the order. She had seen them in the sewers, she had seen them in buildings that had been raided from time to time. Of course, they were dealt with when the time came, but Shizuka could not remember if the city ever came to a general consensus on them, and to get rid of them altogether.

With the supposed banishment of the Crow, due to others' distrust in the bounty system, mostly due to their pettiness toward Tytonidae, nothing beneficial came. In fact, one could have argued that it was a huge mistake, but what was done was done. No going back now. Shizuka figured that Tytonidae would make due, though, dealing with those that others had reported for their negative actions. It never made sense to the Shadow, as to why one would blatantly do something to put the society in danger.

But that is a conversation for another time, I suppose. I've most likely bored you with my incessant banter, mm? Tell me, Charlie, what have you been doing with yourself these days between meetings?

It was almost like a clean slate, this topic, as Shizuka did not overhear the conversations that Kamikaze was having with Charlie, though she did monitor the moods that the other personality was dealing with.

[CharlotteC]

Shizuka, Charlie converted that name to memory, and promised herself that if she came across Kamikazi again, she would see if she could call out Shizuka, if for no other reason that so that she could understand what the girl was saying. Though, if she were at all serious, the other reason she preferred Shizuka to Kami was the fact that the woman was so much calmer, and she seemed to have this knowledge to her that seemed beyond her young years. Shizuka spoke about Pratt, what was going on. When she got to the part about people getting jealous and power hungry, it was almost as if she didn't want to believe that humans were just as capable of being power hungry and jealous. That is, until she asked about her parents. The idea had her glancing down for a moment. She missed her parents greatly, she missed her mother and her father and it was something that hurt her to the core. That said, she knew that her parents were practically saints.

Of course, they were also pretty heavy into the Christian faith, they may see her as a slight against nature. At the same time though, she could remember all those articles and videos of her parents begging her to come home, that no matter what she did, they would always love her. And then the fear that she had done something stupid or the idea that someone might have harmed her in her chance to flee. She could hear the sorrow in her mother's voice, see it in the way her father looked so dead to the world now. It hurt her. And deep down, she knew that if her parents found out about her, knew that she was the same girl that was their daughter, that they would welcome her. Yeah, they may be curious, they may even fear some of her powers at first or always, but those are the things she would risk if it meant that she could have them back in her life. If she could live free of the tyranny of the Ty.

Charlie was pulled out of her thoughts by Shizuka apologizing for her rambling on and about her preaching. Everyone, she thought was allowed to do that from time to time. Hell, she always seemed to go off on a tangent from time to time, especially if it was about something like how the Ty. She shook herself of her thoughts before she once again zoned out on the conversation, instead choosing to watch as the girl walked about her apartment for a moment. If what it was true what Shizuka was saying about her preferring meditation to the ways of the Ty, than it was another reason that Charlie would chose to speak more to her than Kami, though Kami had shown at least thus far that she wasn't going to harm Charlie.

She sighed a little at her thoughts, she would have to trust her instincts in this case. Then she glanced over to Shizuka and smiled at the question. "I wouldn't say you bored me, more just made me think about things. But in truth, I haven't been up to much, working when I can, and mostly building weapons or hacking systems. Every so often i go and visit the caverns, and get some battle practice in. Mostly though, I'm a home body, I stay where I am and I end up making some alright stuff. I'm pretty sure I could arm a small army." She said with a bit of a laugh before she looked at Shizuka "How about you? I feel as if I know more about you now, but not really at the same time. I mean I guess I could hack some systems if I wanted, but it's more polite to just ask." She teased with a small wink.

[Kamikaze]

The thought of systems being hacked to gain knowledge of her, it made Shizuka chuckle a bit, then shook her head. She knew better than to have talked much online, especially on the CrowNet. It didn't stop the trio of personalities from posting, on occasion, though, and the most she knew that was dealing with her was lost to the past, perhaps filed away. In truth, the small figure did not spend much time on computers, nor were there any records in detail as to her life. It was how the family worked, since she could ever remember. Perhaps it was the fact that her father never trusted them, but it helped them in the long run, especially with the shady dealings the man had dealt with. With little information given, other than the name Shizuka or the title 'Kamikaze', the Shadow was comfortable in her near anonymity. In truth, Shizuka may have been the woman's real first name, though little to go by otherwise. She sought comfort in this.

I am similar, in that I have not been up to much. Working for the winery, dealing with online sales, but I tend to linger more towards crafting tools of destruction. I do know that some may feel that I could be of better use, using my own experience in warfare, to use, with the current blight that our city has been stricken with, but I feel as if they just want to see me dance along the battlefield once more. Perhaps a merchant of death is better suited to know how to adequately use their tools, as well as sell them, though I would not care to be labelled as such. The wares that I do make are of a modest quality, neither good nor bad, though they serve their purpose, and eventually give me some sort of return in profit, be it negative or if I even out.

Truth rang in the Shadow's words, as she spoke, her tone somewhat self-deprecating yet still soft. She was not going to lie to the woman, though she wouldn't be able to, even if it were attempted. For better or for worse, this was another part of her world that Shizuka and the others had to deal with, since both Kamikaze and Shizuka knew the third personality detested when either of them lied, going as far as preventing them from doing so. Luckily enough, they had never come into situations where they would need to lie, at least since they had crawled from the Shadows after their last death. In general, the Shadow had been quite an awful liar, others having called her out on it in many occasions, and it may or may not have ruffled feathers along the way.

A thought passed on what Charlie had said, again, and it made the Shadow think. With the bounty workings having been disrupted due to those that cowered from the Crow and banished them instead, it seemed that others had been finding evidence of the vampires' existence when hacking. Hacking. Kamikaze had attempted to dabble in this, early on in her life in the city, but found that she was never very good with it. If she had been, perhaps she could have assisted in making sure that the Crow continued their duties in safety, and lingered. Instead, the bounties now were a perverted form of what they had once been, which the Shadow seemed rather on the fence about.

Our weapons are possibly akin to yours, there to help those in my lineage, though only for my personal, as those above me in lineage have better, or methods of gaining better. Noelle has Ripper and his kin, who seem to be fine at crafting weapons or collecting parts. We do not pride ourselves in crafting legendary pieces, though they do get the job done. Perhaps eventually, I will make something of a significant quality.

[CharlotteC]

Charlie smiled softly as she listened to what Shizuka had to say about what she or rather, they, had been up to and nodded to what she was saying. Working for the winery, she had been much the same in that respect, only instead of the winery, Charlie worked for Elliot, for his backpackers business. Though given how Kami had reacted to Elliot's name, and because of Shizuka's helpful information about what had been the trigger for the melt down, she thought it best to leave that part out, at least, leave the names out. She sighed a little and relaxed, it was easy when Shizuka herself was relaxed as well and continued to listen to what the girl had to said about what they were doing. Building guns that were basically for their line, and their line alone.

She could understand about the fact that she didn't need to help out the rest of the upper parts of the line because like Shizuka, she didn't exactly build the best, and there was Pi who did. Building such strong guns that she felt as if she didn't actually need to worry about the d'Artois line. She would just worry about those that she wished to mentor and take under her wing, one way or another. She tend to help fledglings out, even if there was no more fledgling foundation anymore. Her chocolate gaze lifted to Shizuka and she smiled to the girl, "Well, from what I can see of your work, I can see that soon enough you will probably be making better things that myself. Plus you are able to work both gun and steel, so yes, I believe soon enough I may need to be coming to you for help in those departments." She said with a playful wink before she relaxed in a little more.

"Really though, I do what I do, it depends on what mood I am in. And my moods can sway from one side to the other on the drop of a hat. Perhaps I have taken an interest in too many things of this city, but all of it pays, one way or another, and that helps in all things." She said with a soft smirk, "Do you have many in your line?" She asked, curious as to how many they considered to be family to them, she had sired some, but had little to do with them, mostly because they had vanished almost as soon as she had brought them into the fold, it was sort of sad to her. Charlie was getting a feel for being a mentor but those she had tried to mentor had vanished, disappeared, and she feared would be gone from her line like others had been. Like her 'daughter' that she had, she missed that little one, even if it had been her greatest mistake.

[Kamikaze]

Thinking on her own past, of the collective's line, Shizuka shook her head. She tried to think about the past, but it had been muddled by the Shadow Realm, as well as the white noise that was deeply routed within the psyche. She had fond memories of her past, of those that she had embraced before the fracturing of the mind. She had the three girls now, though there were others in the past, others that were ripped from her by the Shadows, and it troubled her, having shaken her to the core when the sweet and innocent Laila was taken from her. Of course, she had mourned, having even taken months to search within the Shadows for the girl, to no avail. She had given up after it became clear that she would not be found, would not return, and it still stung to this day. It was that pain that drove her to keep Aurora and Isadora as active as possible, and to stay alive.

No, our line, Ueda, is small. It is but us as well as the few progeny that remain. The two newest have been a treat, in their peculiarities, though we have embraced them for who they are and who they altered into. Dallas, though, the eldest in the way of progeny, has been off and on with her slumber in one of our other apartments. Aurora seems to be following in her footsteps, though I suspect it cannot be helped in all cases. I have given them armaments to train with, as well as to protect themselves, and I have given warning to consequences, both short term and long term. A place to rest themselves is also something I have provided, and they seemed to be ever grateful. What of yours? Do you have progeny, so to speak?

This felt peculiar, being so social, especially about their personal information. The third personality was continuing to monitor Kamikaze, as she was still silent. Shizuka, still fully in control, smiled, then rubbed at her shoulder, looking around a bit. She really did feel as if the apartment needed a bit of renovation, or at least furniture. She understood why Kamikaze kept it so empty, in case she needed to make a rush for the door, and furniture would just hinder the escape. Perhaps when she could convince Ariadne to either give her a raise, or perhaps move her from Sales to a crafting position once more, she would have the funds to get a few things for the place. Maybe a table and chairs, and a real bed. It was hard to tell. She was no oracle.

[CharlotteC]

Charlie listened as Shizuka spoke of her line, spoke of those under her, and she could see that they did have a bit in common when it came to such things. That they both had small lines, and that those under them usually chose slumber to anything else. Though Shizuka had lucked out in some regard, those under her were giving the girl a brighter outlook on the world, were there to let her teach them. Where as in Charlie's case, they just slept. There was one that had seemed to be ready for this world, but she had not heard or seen hide nor hair of him since his creation. The rest, slept. One used to wake once in a while, but now he slept continuously.

A soft sigh left her as she glanced up to the woman. Finally willing herself to speak. "My line, for the most part, is just me and those that wish nothing more than to slumber. There had been one, I thought I could sink my teeth into - metaphorically speaking - that is the newest, but I have not heard from him or seen him. There had been one, long ago, my daughter, I had perhaps turned her too early, but I wanted to protect her, she was dying and I could not in good consciousness let her suffer and die the way she was. However, a few months later, she ran off, I looked everywhere for her, but she was gone. Now I believe she is dead, I don't feel her with me anymore. Just the two that sleep and one that does not wish to be with me." She said softly and then glanced around, sighing again she moved towards one of the walls and leaned against it, letting her chocolate eyes rest on Shizuka.

"Perhaps one day, I shall find a progeny that actually allows me to teach them about this world. But for now. I see myself as a lone person." She said, and that really was how she saw it. There may be those under her line, those she had turned, but they did not wish to be part of this life. This much she could tell. This much she could see. This much she knew from the fact that she had not found that one person that she felt she could mentor, raise, impart her knowledge on and watch them grow. It was a sad day for her... at least that's how she saw it currently.

[Kamikaze]

Both Shizuka and the third personality felt for the woman, knowing how damaging it could be. It reminded them of Laila. The poor girl hadn't been ready for this life. Perhaps if she had given the woman time, then she may have still been around, though Shizuka knew better than to dwell on the what-if situations. None of the personalities were physical people, so to speak, so they did not walk over to embrace the other in a hug, much as they figured the situation warrented. Shizuka felt as if this woman had gotten the **** end of the stick, especially with progeny that had either disappeared, abandoned her, or slept eternal. If they had trusted this woman enough to turn them, then why did they cast her aside so easily? Perhaps it was her nurturing nature that wished the best of this girl, and that she never have to deal with those feelings.

You are never alone. You have those you call family and friends. How I look at the situation we share, is that maybe they were not ready for this life just yet. Maybe it was too soon, or perhaps they expected something quite differently. I know with Laila, she was angry at me, for what I had done. I had betrayed such an innocent woman's trust, stripping her of her mortal coil. I understand that, and I have accepted it as a kick in the teeth from karma, so to speak. I cannot say that your own situation was warranted from karma, though I do suspect that it was not your fault for them doing this. A hand was drawn, and unfortunately it was not in your favor, though you were not the dealer.

Withdrawing into her mind, Shizuka began to discuss things with the other personality, seeing as Kamikaze was still resetting, weak and in a sleep of sorts. Did this stem from Killian not being around for Charlie? They weren't sure, and they weren't going to psychoanalyze her. They hadn't the credentials nor the knowledge to do so. Whatever the case, perhaps Charlie was as damaged as they were, though perhaps not in the same manner. She seemed troubled, emotionally scarred, something Shizuka knew. She wore her scars still, from her past, and she did not enjoy the knowledge she kept along with it.

What I suspect, though, is that you have great strength, even with this. To those you are able to mentor, to teach, you show great pride, a joy in what you do, yes? Tell me, do you mentor just those in your line? Or perhaps others that seek knowledge and the ways? When one door closes, remember that another door always opens, mm?