Leading Blackbird away from the Kindred, he led her to the Lounge area of Court. He sat her down at a couch. He took off his sweater, his undershirt covering his torso. The Haunt offered the young Succubus the sweater for her to dry her tears.
"Let it flow freely," his voice attempted to sooth her, "Let everything out. We will work through this."
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New IdentityOnce away from the group, Blackbird wept freely following the counsel of the Hierophant, her face buried in the offered sweater as her sobs turned to cries of her inner anguish.
Sure, the family was cattle, but their end came at the time in which they were helpless. Blackbird had been propelled by duty, but she still fervently believed their deaths could have been avoided.
"This didn't need to happen, Krieg," she said, her voice muffled by the fabric and still heavy with sorrow as she fought between the tears to speak, "I had it! She was talked down... and then..."
Blackbird stopped, raising her head, blood smeared across her face. "God, what am I saying," she said, tone grasping for levity, "You were there. You know."
A pause followed as a pleading expression began to overtake the neonate's visage, "What else could I have done?" she asked, "What angle did I not see?"
The little bird's eyes begged for some answer and it was clear her heart was heavy. Blackbird's Humanity was more weathered than some, but tonight her slaughter of innocents had prompted it to come on full display. Her usual cool grace was nowhere to be seen.
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The Hierophant sits in silence, allowing the Neonate to expel her anguish. A deep breath swelled in his chest. "You did the very best that you were capable of doing," he replied to her inquiries. "No plan ever survives the first contact." He purposefully left off the ending words, 'with the enemy.'
"The First Tradition is a necessary evil." The giant examined her crimson tear-stained face. "We have a saying, among the Circle, 'tribulation brings enlightenment.'" He paused, considering his words.
"You did what was absolutely necessary. You tried to open communications to avoid confrontation. You apologized beforehand. That takes empathy, something many Kindred and Kine alike do not have. You are not a monster. You are a young woman who was forced into a situation that was entirely outside of your control. This tribulation proves that you have held onto your humanity."
Again, the large man fell quiet to give thought to his words. "You cannot bring them back. However, you can honor their memory. You might arrange an anonymous donation to pay for the funerals. Regardless of what you do, when they are buried, just you and I, we will go and visit them, and say our good byes. We will give them freshly cut lilies."
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New IdentityBlackbird's sobs began to lessen.
Krieg was right. She knew his words were correct. Blackbird had done all she can, but that didn't change the fact that the deaths were needless. A deep sigh came as she begun to reel her emotion in, though her eyes remained wet with her stolen blood. Wiping away some of the stains from her cheeks she looked back to the Giant.
"I know you're right," she offers quietly, "In my mind, I accept the reality. I knew the risks when I became a deputy, but... the weight on my soul tells me this could of been different. If there had only been restraint on Davis' part. Just this once."
A pause as her expression turns apologetic.
"I'm sorry, I don't mean to demean his ability or character," she offers hanging her head low. "I know he is well loved by Mable and he counts you as a friend, but I can't help but feel he is responsible. That's why I wanted us to bring him here. If I had acted on my urges, another would have met Final Death tonight."
Then she raises her head again. "What scares me the most is if I'll go down his path," she said, "So cold. So eager to pull the trigger."
And that was the truth. Blackbird was well aware of her relative youth among the Kindred, but she had spent much of her Requiem in the company of Ancillae and Elders, some who bore the Man less time than they probably should. She knew well that some of the feelings of Man fade in time, but what she was worried she would delve down a darker path. Degradation. It is what Blackbird feared the most.
Krieg was right, the bird was not a monster, no more than a Kindred must be anyway, but part of her wondered if it her path to ruination was merely an eventuality. Perhaps it's what drove her to the Dragons. To study the Coils as a means of halting such deviation through discipline... and some small amount of faith, in herself if nothing else.
"Davis is..." he struggled to find words. "Davis is not your future," Krieg attempted to reassure Blackbird. "As painful as this is going to sound, his downward spiral was his own doing. Many among the Court have tried their damnedest to get him on the right track. His Humanity was waning before then." That much was true. "His gun barrel diplomacy is what put him into Torpor."
"This guilt you are feeling right now, it is a positive aspect. You know what he is, and that is what you never want to become like. You were not eager to pull the trigger. You did so because, if you hadn't the problem would have escalated that much higher."
"All of us have done terrible things in order to survive. It is the nature of the world around us. For you, it is a question of, will you allow yourself to succumb to that savagery, or will you rise above it."
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New IdentityA meek smile crossed the Daeva's lips. The Heirophant had a way with words and it was clear they were having an effect. Though her expression remained saddened, the sniveling had died out and the blood had ceased its flow. Nonetheless, Krieg's fellow Deputy was quiet for many long moments, soaking in his guidance. Finally, her lips parted and the little bird spoke.
"I will rise," she offers softly, her voice tinged with quiet resolution, "I must. My only regret is that you and the Others had to see me at my worst."
A pause, the Daeva would look back to those she had murdered to maintain the first a final time.
"It'll be painful," she said, "but I think I'd like to visit them. Once their families have mourned, of course. And I will see about donating. I owe them that much."
She could afford it, at least a partial donation.
"They didn't deserve this, kine or no, but... I just want you to know I did it as quick as I could. I only wish their last moments were less... terrifying."
Turning her mind from her guilt, Blackbird began to focus on what Krieg had said regarding Davis. It seemed the pair boasted common ground regarding his behavior, but Blackbird did not seek to disparage the gunslinger further. It would accomplish nothing and his fate was out of their hands. However, what would become of Davis remained a curiosity.
Looking in the distance, Blackbird drew in a long breath, letting it go in a sigh as a pale hand reached up to rub her temple. After a moment, the motion ceased with the neonate's hand joining the other as she hugged herself.
"What do you think is going to happen?" she asked, turning her head back to Krieg after a long moment.
"Keep that mercy in mind as you continue onward. We will pay what they are due."
He extended a hand to Blackbird, "Let's get back to the others. You may need to provide your perspective." He looked to the blood soaked sweater. "Hold onto that, just in case. I can get another one later."
From the meeting room beside them, the tumult of grunts of rage and various furniture items being smashed can be heard...
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New Identity"I will, Heirophant," Blackbird offered with a pause, "And... thank you."
Accepting his hand, Blackbird rose to her feet and offered a nod.
"I think I'm rea-"
Then the crashing... and the rage.
"Shit!" the neonate exclaimed as her fingers realized the Giant's hand and retrieved her pistol, "We're needed. Let's go!"
With that Blackbird, burst out, heading for the sounds. The Prince was in there and, even though she was confident Alessandra didn't need her help in defending herself, Blackbird felt she had a duty to the sovereign.
Blackbird, shaken, but not broken, returns to the main thread.
Krieg quickly follows suit.
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