اهريمن

That Avenger guy, the way in which he had embraced his darkness was almost delightful. A young man that cursed the world that had cursed him, a creature whose sole existence was aberrant to destiny itself. Like an ink stain in a perfectly clean parchment. So similar to him.

“Oh, these…, they aren’t from home, there they use frilly kimonos and all that garish stuff. These are from another kingdom’s style, they look great on me.” Both hands now rested at the sides of his hips, confident, too confident. 

“A sad sobstory? Oh, I have one too.” Though his face shadowed suddenly, his gaze down and unreadable. 

“I never chose this life. My family was killed together with everyone in the village. I was taken and risen in a cult–organization as one of their own. They made me. This…” he insisted, pointing at something seemingly invisible, the fluttering darkness around him. 

“They took away my freedom and my life. And everyone blamed me for it!”

But then the pained voice quivered and cracked. Judar was incapable to keep with his little act as his shoulders bounced in laughter. He bent clutching his sides, a hand to his face as he kept laughing with fresh tears in his eyes. 

“And I fucking love this life you see! Don’t you love yours, Avenger? We’re so ruined!” 

“Kimonos, eh? Well, any trace of a clue I had was destroyed, damn.”

The moment Judar began his own miserable and tragic backstoy, the smile of the Avenger faded at the mention of his family and the miserable fate that had befallen them. He felt a knot on his chest, was this some sort of twisted joke? It was like looking like a damn mirror to his own life. The smile that faded was slowly making its way back to his face, was it mocking Judar or... was it at himself?

A complete nobody taken as scapegoat, tortured, burdened with evil and curses until whatever it was, was broken, and made into what they were. People, if they could be called like that, who were shunned from the pages of fate itself, one completely erased and the other as a ink stain on it.

 “Aw, please. You’re gonna make me cry if you continue like this.” And then Judar broke up in laughter, and he followed. He was laughing not only at Judar’s misery but his own as well.

Out of seemingly nowhere, there was a touch upon her shoulder. And then another. While rounding her head to observe the second touch’s site, his shape formed before her, lighting up the girl’s face. Who knew, when they first encountered one another, that his presence might elicit such a reaction? She certainly wouldn’t have. “Angra, you came back!” Fists tight with exhilaration and relief rose before her chest.

“I’m doing well. For the most part, everything has remained the same. The frequency with which strange, big events happen appears to have dropped as well, so you could say the city is much more peaceful nowadays”. Other than that attack recently, but she wasn’t about to open that can of worms within the first moments of meeting him again. “What about you? Are you settling in alright? I don’t know what it’s like to leave and return, but I’d imagine it can be disorientating to a good number who experience it. Maybe even like arriving for the first time all over again”

 “It’s nice-ish...? To come back, yeah.” Sure it wasn’t the void of the Throne of Heroes or Chaldea, but coming back to this place was like a extended vacation with some danger here and there. No pressure of saving the world or anything, which was... pretty good for him, the guy who wished a second chance in life. Although seeing the girl smiling at him, even though the first time they met it was literally dagger and shield clashing was sorta ironic, but he didn’t mind it.

An ‘Avenger’ between others who had such boring and common names. This one probably had a reason to ‘avenge’. Just as something as dumb as a basic as a spear defined the Lancers, this—was probably defined by hatred, pain, betrayal?

His red gaze lit up as his intuition had been proven right. Again. 

“You’re so cursed. Hated by all.” He gestured, both hands reaching outwards. 

“I knew one day I’d end up meeting something like a demon or something worse. Though,” his head tilted, staring at Angra Mainyu in a way that could perhaps be considered rude. 

“You look too human, is that a vessel or a disguise? Those glyphs,” the hand pointed at them, a language he didn’t understand, certainly not Torran.

“Looking at them makes me giddy”.

 You get used to it, just give it a few millenia and you’ll eat said hatred for breakfast, lunch and dinner.” He says with a bored tone, shrugging, it sounds easy but guess that’s what losing your sanity is at the end of the day. 

“I look too human you say? Why, of course I have to! Humans are the true Angra Mainyu, after all. And to be Angra Mainyu, you have to be human. Though, you aren’t exactly wrong on this being a sort of vessel.” Having no real human body was bad, but at least the guy he was possessing fit the needs to a T.

“These bad boys, catched your attention, eh?” He makes a motion to show the tribal markings on his body, surely they mean nothing now, but they still do the work to showcase him as the Demon God. 

“Consider ‘em a curse, y’see, I was not allowed to die, this is part of my oh so sad sobstory, but they used to keep me alive after endless hours of beatings and many other awful stuff. Now? They just represent what I am.”

The fact Avengar actually compare himself to Watson actually got a shudder from Holmes as  Holmes resist the urge to say anything else foul that going in his mind at that moment. Next…The Professor was here but now gone brings almost ALMOST smile to Holmes face. The two men will always fundamentally oppose each other no matter the time period or place. Who knows what that man will try if he’s in the city?

The fact he’s not here means there a weight off Holmes back.

“That all I ever will ask of you. You can have your mischief and your pranks. To retrict to much is only going to get you wanting more right? To expect you to be a better person be is as ridiculous as expecting you to fight in the front lines in a lost belt Avenger. No I just ask you to keep your shenanigans to a minimum if possible and you pur her life above all. After all we can always be resummon. Everybody else tend to died when they are killed. “

Hey to Holmes. Long as the spirit of evil here keep thing safe then he fine. Is Holmes expecting Angra to fully change? Heck no. Even if it’s possile (which is not). There always a untouch copy of Avengar in the grail. No all he ask of him is to do his evil in moderation and keep the most important piece of man kind safe.

“I say what i need to say. I be taking my leave now. Any final snarky last insult Ahriman?”

The night is apporaching and Holmes not in the mood to chat with Angra all day. He said what he need to said and got his message across. Everything else is gonna be up to the future.

Humanity Future. That thing Holmes willing to sacrifice so much to perserve. He give anything for it.

Got’em. Thought Avenger as he saw the Detective shudder at the mention of Wattson, of course didn’t even like the idea of even working with Holmes, let alone being his partner like that guy was. Just getting a reaction out of him was enough to keep Angra Mainyu entertained.

Putting ever so a slight of interest on the detective words with a smile denoting achievement, he only nodded every time the Ruler said he wasn’t expecting anything good out of him. “Oi oi, The fact you don’t remember I can be useful in fights against Beasts hurts my ego, buuuut, yeah. That’s as hard as me being useful outside niche scenarios.”

In part it was truth, in part it was not, but he wouldn’t expect people to ask him about his time with the Saint Servants. If it keeps people out of his ass asking stupid shit.

‘Friends’ was a dangerously broad concept. It could be anything between a partner in crime to someone he’d often bully, to even the favourite practice dummy when he had nothing to do. That twisted understanding  

And for some reason, he had the strange feeling the young man in tattered clothes could perfectly fit all of them depending on the day.

That grin, Judar was familiar with that mirthless expression, he had seen it countless times in his own reflection. 

“So you’re the Avenger, huh? I’ve seen two calling themselves Lancer and another Assassin around. Friends of yours?” the voice mocked, given what he had learned of them, that was likely the opposite.

“And,” dark eyelids lowered in that smirk. “I guess it was easy to understand, felt like home. Call it depravity or evils, isn’t your fate cursed after all?” Both hands rested on his hips as he stared at the boy. 

“The name’s Judar. If the magi can do miracles and save fate, I’m kinda totally the opposite.” 

“Tthere’s a damn lot of Lancers and Assassins it’s hard to get them all right. Much like I’m not exactly The Avenger, originally was but,” a small laugh. “That’s a thing for another day alright.” And he exactly didn’t care for any of them save a very few exceptions and even then it was a really small niche.

His smile remained friendly in appearance but was quite the contrary, morals be damned and he was sure as hell this guy felt the same way. It just felt somehow irresistible to get to know more about him for some reason. Birds of a feather? Same gut wrenching sensation he felt towards himself? Who knows, and certainly he didn’t exactly care.

“My fate? Like dust on the wind. Or something around these lines if you want something poetic, if you feel what you’re feeling ‘bout me then you can get an idea of what happened.”

So Avengar here up to date to event like Holmes does also huh? Intersting. Holmes make note to ask the other just what point in the timeline are they in as of right now later.

“ I for one pray the Professor never make it here. You are a bother at best. That man on the other hand is insufferable. You are correct i don’t have interst in you as a servant. But you do provide a source of information i lack. There are things you know about this city i don’t. A great of a detective i am. I can’t operate without suffieant information. To make assumptions without suffeiant proof would make me a laughing stock.”

Holmes be lying if he said he invest in Avengar personal life. But the fact Avengar been here longer means he knows the city WAY better then Holmes who just came here a few months ago. They might not see eye to eye. But Holmes do think of Avenger here as a potential asset.

Also the Saintly Trio huh?  So Holmes can assume at least a notable Ruler should also be in this city. Which one?

“ I wouldn’t tell you to be on your best beaviour. That as pointless as telling a Berserker to not be angry. But do try to get Chaldea master out of trouble more then you get her into trouble. If you could do that in the very least then i don’t think we have much trouble with each other. I’m not idealistic enough to think we can get rid of you or change who you are.”

Avengar here DOES have QUITE a rep. Holmes don’t mind TO much though. He seen how some of the OTHER Avengar were great asset to Master of Chaldea. All he ask of Angra to look out for her a little. Less devil adovcate and more taking a page out of a certain Count book.

After all…she is the most important piece to saving the human order.

“I do remember seeing the professor here for some time, so just don’t get used to not seeing people you don’t like, Detective. They’ll bring ‘em here if they show sufficient interest for them, and you know how interesting a Servant can be.” A pause, followed by a laugh. “Oh? Source of information, then does that make me your current, what’s his face, Wattson? Gave me a good laugh, not gonna lie.”

He relaxed his posture, putting both of his arms behind his back. Letting the Detective to process whatever he was thinking before continuing, if this guy tried to be helpful to the Master then sure, let’s help him out. The moment he turns his back on them, however, a dagger will be well received there.

“Oi oi, the fact you compare me to a numbnut like a Berserker hurts me. I may seem like a stray but this dog can be helpful.” Angra Mainyu sighs, looks to the sky for a moment and looks at Sherlock. 

“I’ll keep it in mind, I have the decency to keep people off of my bullshit when needed, are small pranks good on your book or do I take that out as well?” He says with an unenthusiastic voice tone, at least he could be assured that Angra Mainyu would keep Ritsuka Fujimaru outside of any mortal danger. 

 Am I allowed to jump into this bandwagon? It’s been ages since I’ve ever done one of these but considering I’ve just jumped back in after some hiatuses (many because I am lame).

I go by Tetsu! I’m a 22 year old IT college student, with many flunctuating jobs because sometimes life be like that. I’ve actually been rping since I was 9-10 on forums holy shit but actually bothered with it more around my 14s. I’ve been here and there on indie and back on citta alveare. With many muses to booth but Angra Mainyu has been one of the few that actually sticked in. Currently I’m only on Avenger and Nu-13 from Blazblue.

Hey! You’re in pain!

angra i miss your sweet… sweet…. something

There was something with that boy, that skin covered in strange symbols, were those curses? But his pose was deceitfully friendly, smiling, and all. What a coincidence. 

The magi grinned back, like a mirror. That mask of careless, child-like freedom.

“Oh, so I was right, you don’t know. What’s wrong with that? I don’t know either!” Hands reached extended to the sides of his body, gesturing, exaggerating as if this was the most thrilling thing he had seen in a while.

“I have no idea what you are but I agree. Once you become something twisted, the rest falls naturally. Y’know, where I come from, people fall to depravity. But when I look at you…” Judar rose his chin, that superficial smile widening.

“Feels like you’re everything that’s wrong with this world. “

“ We must be friends.”

Hm? He didn’t think much of the answer he gave to the brat, just something half-assed to make him get away from him from stupid questions. Yet the moment he grinned back at him, he knew something was up, and part of him felt compelled to go further.

   “That so?” Seems like this guy knew something, or at least pretended to know. He remained quiet, letting him finish. Angra Mainyu was really patient, thounsands of years being alive yet not so much on that mountain gave him that.

The moment he called him that, Avenger let a smirk form on his lips, yeah, this guy figured him out, no need to namedrop, or to even give unnecessary details.