A Hateful Search.

[Lt. hello II]

Hate walked up to the large tree, after a long hike, Eyb perched on her shoulder pad.
Why are we here? I figured you were looking for a certain Virtue master.
"Don't be ridiculous, walk into Virtue territory, and what 'hey, I'm your sworn enemy, but mind helping me find my sister?' She's no longer a part of my life, no I'm here for someone else." Hate turned her back to the tree, listening to the wolf songs on the wind.
Eyb listened to them too. You don't think that-'Yes, I sense something, just this weird feeling...I can't explain it."
Are you sure this isn't a lame excuse to possibly run into you're sister.
Hate ignored the bird's question, deep down she wanted to find her sister, but she knew it likely wouldn't turn out well. But is that what this feeling was guiding her too? "Just fly around and see if you spot anything out of the ordinary". Eyb nodded and took flight. Hate just sat down to relax under the shade of the tree after her trip.
"Maybe this wasn't my best idea ever...but it will definitely be interesting..." She whispered to herself as she looked around trying to think up her next move.

[Seya.]

ooc; Hate's font color looks a lot like Lark's, so for the sake of this thread, I'll use Taint's color. It's also quite fitting, don't you agree?

The wandering girl paced, back and forth, over the place she had stood only a week ago and bid Taint's great summon goodbye. She had sent along that sin and virtue, and her meeting had almost cost her the secret. Oh, the most precious secret. She heard Taint's soft, alluring chuckle inside her mind. She only had to bide time.

"What happens," Lark asked quietly, almost a whisper. She expected no audible reply, waiting for that coiled figure of the true Empress inside her mind to unravel, and step forward in her dark light and glory. "What happens when it's time? How do we get Vengeance and Deception to give you back what is rightfully yours...?" They had been up many a late night discussing such facts; Taint was against returning to Lark's birthplace in the Islands for any reason, it seemed. Apparently she wasn't all too concerned about going north.

Things will fall where they may. Fate, as a concept, is like that --minus its biased friendship towards me-- and I guarantee they will be together before many moons. There was a spark between them, a friendship too loyal to degrade. Taint opened her mind-eyes, Lark's own sight momentarily became sharper, darker. They had practiced this, as well. In the Empress' true vision, ghostly swirls of mist and smoke danced around the clearing, forming faces both familiar and not. They were sins; she knew this from Taint's inner thinking. This was their home, after all.

As the phenomenons faded, the girls' view twisted over to a tree, under which she could see the faint outline of another young female. How curious, Lark thought-- Taint had gone silent. She continued to look on, through her counterpart's view, which slowly but surely formed an aura around the other figure. It wasn't at all what she expected. It was dark-- this girl was a sin. Lark had begun walking to the tree before Taint had replied.

Not one I know, the Empress gasped. ...there's new ones, then. Meet her! We do need a starting point, after all......

[Lt. hello II]

OOC: hahah, that's kinda an epic cowinky-dink.

Hate spotted a girl standing not to far away, who seemed to have noticed the Sin sitting under the tree. Hate stood up quickly, grabbing her shield and holding at the ready, this girl had a strange presence to her, but she seemed to mean no harm. But Hate knew better then to trust a stranger blindly.
She walked over to her cautiously. "Hello? Who are you?". As she got closer she felt oddly at ease, and slowly lowered her shield. She stopped an arm's length away, her shield arm now just hanging casually at her side.
She felt a strange comfort, one she hadn't felt in a while.
"I'm Hate" She lifted her free hand in a hand shake gesture. And a rare sight appeared on the face of this bitter child, a genuine smile.

[Seya.]

Lark backed up slightly at the approach, cautious, but wickedly interested.

"Hate?" The ginger repeated, green eyes twisting in victory. "Then you're a sin.... but..." her voice trailed off; Not right now, Taint commanded. We need her on our side. I can't tell if she's just playing with us at the moment.... introduce yourself.

Lark nodded to nobody in particular, which may have looked a bit odd. "I... am Elarkashaye." That was simple, but wasn't going to do much. Curiosity got the better of her. "Where did you come from? Up in the North? I think some went up there, didn't they? That's where she sent them, she says-"

The girl gasped, covered her mouth with one hand. She could feel Taint's heartbeat in her mind, speeding up in fear. Too much! the lady hissed, but it didn't feel, for whatever reason, that there was any danger.... in telling this girl.

[Lt. hello II]

"She says what? Who is she?" Hate stepped closer, bringing their faces close as her mind jumped to conclusions. She then paused, and turned away and took a few steps back toward the tree, the wolf symbol seeming to almost be looking into the ginger's green eyes.
Hate spun back around. "I'm sorry, yes I'm from up North, and yes, that's were us Sins went, some did...I left in search of someone. The leader up there is, less then impressive."
As Hate rambled her summon landed back on her shoulder pad. Hate, don't you think you're giving away a little too much?
She glared at the bird. "We can trust her, she knows something. Soon you'll learn not to doubt me."
"That's my bit of information, you're turn to share?" She said playfully.

[Seya.]

Lark studied the wolf on the girl's outfit--Taint inhaled sharply--and her focus tightened. She is perfect... so willing. She knows her true leader.

"Hate," the redhead murmured, "What if I was to tell you a secret? One that-- that you can't tell anyone else, until it's properly resolved?" She searched around inside herself for a moment, feeling the lack of power. Even Taint knew how dangerous it could be to say anything so... provocative, without any way to prove it. "You'll have to take my word for it, to begin with. For a little while, that is."

I have some energy, let me out, Taint commanded powerfully. Lark's conscious subsided; they were getting used to this sharing of souls, sleep was becoming unnecessary. The deep green that were Lark's irises became a sharp lime, thickly in contrast with the tan skin and dark red hair.

"Do you feel anything around me?" Taint asked the younger sin.

[Lt. hello II]

"Yes" She replied, "it's you, isn't? The rightful and true leader of the Sin."
'This girl? You think this girl to be Taint?' Eyb said critically of Hate.
"Yes. Now go make sure no one stumbles upon this meeting." Eyb nodded and took flight. "Sorry for his insolence. What brings you here? Why have you come to me?" She questioned humbly.

Ooc: sorry it's short but i got to go back to my cave.

[Seya.]

Taint was taken aback by the latter question, but the answer came fluidly, easy, naturally. "I didn't come to you, my dear, you have a gift within you. It must have led you to me."

She took a breath. "I've been here for a few years now... inside this body, shared with me by the human whose soul I originally claimed. It's more livable now, but... I don't have the power I used to. Not yet. You know Deception," she beckoned towards the north, "...he has half, and I'm going to need it back in order to restore myself. Vengeance, to the far west over the great expanses of water.... she has the rest."

Taint idly strolled over, keeping her eyes locked on Hate's. It wasn't a leering, or terrifying gaze, it was one of contentment and gratitude; she could feel the waves of respect rolling off this girl more focussed than anyone she had met before. Vengeance had always had a shared eye with Mischief; Deception with Vengeance; even Pride had his other thoughts. But Hate, Hate had commitment like no other... and it was directed directly at Taint.

"You know," she began. "I can feel your want." The ex-empress moved in close, still controlling the body of her counter-soul, and picked a lock of dark hair out from the rest, rolling it in her fingers. "You crave reason, or power, or something along the lines of what the two current 'leaders' can't give you."

Taint's lips brushed an inch past the younger sin's ear. "However, Hate; I can."

[Lt. hello II]

Hate found herself lost in her master's eyes. She wanted this moment to come for so long, and now she could hardly believe it was here.
Hate snapped out of her wonder at the promise of power. "I am yours to command." she said, kneeling directly in front of her master. She gently placed her shield at her side, and put both hands on her raised knee. She then looked up into the sharp lime eyes, "How are we to restore your power, and bring the Sins back to glory?" She asked eager awaiting her task, but something about Taint's presence made Hate feel playful, "And, how are we to restore your original body?" her voice and eyes acting almost seductively. Not how she'd expected to act around the ex-empress, but her feelings drove her to, and she couldn't help but follow.

[Seya.]

Taint felt a rush of strength at the girl's primary words; it had been quite some time since she had commanded anyone. "To Vengeance," she whispered warmly, her mind split between her goal and the precious look in this younger female's face. "This body is mine but only in shape; my true form will return to me along with my powers."

She was careful not to dwindle on the thoughts of reclaiming this shell all to herself; Lark would catch on, that was unneeded. Instead, she flicked a strand of the fiery red hair out of her eyes, those burning eyes, sharper and more precise than any blade.

The former empress stood up tall, to her full but meager height. "To Vengeance," she repeated. "Where they are now... is disconnected. They must have little to no way of receiving news from the north. But, we face a problem, Hate, one that I think I'll need help with." She stopped for a second and looked northwest. "Finding sins. Not the ones you've traveled away from; no. I can feel them, there's a gathering of them within the city, but I have no luck finding them on my own. Through these pitiful human eyes--" Lark huffed inside her, "--they stand no further apart from the crowd than any passerby. I can't feel auras to your ability."

Her earlier comment had clearly upset her inner spirit; Lark was protesting. "Forgive me, Hate, but I must mention that for now I have a counter-soul---Lark---and she controls the body when I can't. She can relay things to me, but she can be a bit--" Taint's grip was going topsy-turvy-- "get along with her!"

It was unclear to whom she said the words; perhaps to both. But once again the bright green eyes subsided to a more earthy, dark shade-- Lark looked on at Hate, curious, and slightly skeptical. "So?" she murmured.

[Lt. hello II]

"To town to rally the Sins, then onto Vengeance!" Hate stood proudly, ready to take on the orders of her new master.
'But what of the Virtues, are they not also situated there?' Eyb pointed out as he returned from his scouting flight, landing back on Hate's shoulder pad.
Hate paused in thought. "He's right, we can't have them finding out that the Sins are regrouping before we're ready. But I don't see we have much choice in the matter." She grabbed her shield and looked northwest, "I will find the Sins there," she then looked back at Taint, "would it be best if Eyb and I entered the city alone, sending Sins back here to meet with you, so as not to draw attention to ourselves?"
After Hate's question Eyb spoke up, offering his own advice. 'Yes, we want to keep a low profile, but we may need a guide to get around the city, and the Sins likely won't go somewhere simply because Hate tells them to.'
Hate pondered for a moment, "Well Empress Taint, it's your call of coarse, we're merely giving our strategic advice." Hate smiled awaiting the decision.

[Seya.]

Lark looked for a moment at Hate and Eyb; defy the virtues? And Purity?

Within her, Taint shrugged. We're not defying them. honey, we're simply keeping out of their way. And you do know the city better than most, why not help to reunite the sins? The 'empress' put suggestion behind her words, rather than command; it would be unwise to anger the redhead at a time like this.

"Fine," she muttered, not darkly but without passion towards the job at all. Lust had been thorough, known; this girl was sketchy. Taint, inside, shook her head in annoyance, in disagreement. "We'll go ta Indafell. Startin' in th' port, I guess, 'cause it's th' closest to Vengeance..." She turned, unfeelingly, away from Hate and began walking.

"Also, I'm not Taint," she called over her shoulder with just a very slight dip of bitterness. "Learn th' diff'rence."

[Lt. hello II]

Hate stood with blank expression as Lark walked away...telling the difference was going to prove to be a frustrating head-ache.
She then jogged to catch up, slowing to a walk just slightly behind the red head, "Sorry, Elarkashaye was it?"
Her blue eyes looking forward, things were finally starting to look up for her.

OOC: good enough to wrap this up, who's starting the one in the port?