“Well well well,” a soft voice called. “Aren’t you two jusst a couple of sscheming little impss.” The tone was jovial and friendly despite the hissing purr that rasped under it. It seemed to be coming from a corner of the room that was darker than the rest; Kal had never left, after all.
Virus listen to Gears as he spoke “yes…maybe after we can finally beat 24….maybe then we be enough….we be seen.” He told him. Then looks hearing the voice “why do you hide?” He ask and turns ” do you work for smiley? The demon?” It was a logical theory.
Gears nodded at his words, looking at him empathetically. He saw him, even if everyone else outside the hive refused to. Gears whipped around, narrowing his eyes at the shadow in the corner of the room.
“We’re hardly hiding,” he scoffed. “We’reright here, plain as day. And you, look at you, magnificent indeed,” he clucked his tongue. “But we liked you better in your dreamss. Mm, had we known it wass your firsst dream, we would have gone in a bit longer. Hourss insstead of minutess. Dayss, even. We have quite the sstamina. You’re -delicioussss-.” The breath drew out long and sinuous as he gave a sigh. “We wonder how your companionss are when they dream. We haven’t given them a tasste yet. But do tell, what -iss- thiss little plot you have brewing? It ssoundss fasscinating.” He was, for the moment, simply ignoring the question of who he worked for. Gears’ quick movement may have caught the suggestion of a shadow; a darker shadow against the natural darkness moving just subtly.
Virus arch a brow “you’re in shadow ” this was logic yes. It was in shadow therefore hiding. He tilt his head at the creatures words. “In dreams? How long have you been in here listening?” He ask. Virus seem unphased, well unfearful as it wasn’t clicking in his head. Virus think a moment longer at his continuous words “dreams taste? You can eat dreams?” He ask, hey look he’s smart but in logic sense. Virus then shook his head “you are not hive. We do not trust you. Not that you and Azazel could stop me.” Virus tried to switch visions to see if he could see heat or thermal.
Gears narrowed his eyes at the creature’s words, “You… you did it to him.” He growled quietly. The threat of a dream that could lastj days made him tense. He looked hard at the shadow, a darker shadow within the shadow when he looked hard enough. Gears didn’t answer the question about their plan, watching the shadow tensely.
“Ssince you sslept. Did you like your dream? We made it esspecially for you. We sshall be fasst friendss, you and us. Eassy to push, you react sso quickly. Your blind hate makess you an eassy read.” The words weren’t exactly friendly, but the voice didn’t -sound- threatening. He sounded as though he were just having a pleasant, matter-of-fact conversation. “Tch, we assk out of curioussity. We don’t care to sstop anything.” the creature spoke on “In a manner, yess, we eat dreamss,” he replied. As Gears stared he could see it – two narrow slits of eyes in the darkness. Whatever it was had glowing amber eyes and was keeping them mostly closed to minimize its visibility. The eyes moved to Gears as he spoke and he chuckled. “We did it to him? If you mean dream, then yess. One little dream, we are practically stuffed from jusst that. Would you like a dream too? You musst ssleep ssometime, hm?”
Virus stared at the shadow as those little Gears clicked “you…..you work for 24.” He say with a mix of sorrow and anger. Virus stood there twitching, the voices screaming in his head, the dream playing back. He could see Bex laughing. Virus just screams and as he does all the lights rurn full bright reacting him. Electricity bouncing off him.
“Leave Virus alone.” Gears grit his teeth as the creature spoke. Anger rising as he glared at the shadow. He wasn’t sure if it even had physical form. Gears wanted to punch the shadow right between the amber eyes he could just make out. “Is it true? Do you work for 24? Did he send you here?” Gears advanced on the shadow as Virus screamed. As angry as he was he was also scared, he hadn’t slept in days, the exhaustion would catch up to him sooner or later.
The eyes actually opened slightly with a confused expression. “What iss a 24?” he asked, sounding honestly perplexed before suddenly the lights went bright and the creature gave a strangled little hiss. It retreated back into the only shadow left – a mere sliver around the side of the counter, sulking in it as only a pair of eyes visible. “You are loud, too loud,” it muttered irritably, it’s ornery tone of voice only exacerbated by the fact that it couldn’t see another shadow to leap into.
Virus screamed untill all the lights busted. Then the room was pitch black. Virus went silent as he twitch, still hearing the voice “shut up……shut up.” He say. And looks around “where are you?” He walk around “you know 24…..Bex. his real name is 24.” He told him.
Gears stared at the creature as it retreated to the slim shadow at the side of the counter while the lights went haywire. What manner of creature was this that could compress itself into such small shadows. He tried to assess, then the bulbs in the room burst, throwing them into darkness.
“Ahh, much better,” he purred as the darkness took over. The eyes were very visible as he was able to fully come into the room, and as Virus shifted through the different spectrums of light he would find that the creature was fully visible in ultraviolet. He stood tall, his head close to the ceiling and all four arms relaxed at his sides as all four eyes opened to show off their glow. “Bex, the one who followss the Lord of The Manor around. He doess not command uss, nobody doess.”
“They are only dreamss, and when you wake, they’re gone. What harm iss it?” He asked, before eyes turning to Gears in query. “thiss place is delightful, but we feel there were probably more people in it before. The little sshapeshifter, not Bex, the other one with the appetite, our pet told uss we could feed here as much as we like.”
Virus saw the creature as he changed his sights. He would march up to Kal, no fear. His malice was still aimed at bex, not really Kal. “You know him…..you…put him in the dream….why?” He ask trying to find logic. Virus shook his head “we do not like dreams at all. We don’t…can’t…decipher…..we don’t like them.” Virus looked so confused “are sure it wasn’t 24. He is a lying, backstabbing, cruel thing. What if he shifted to pretend to be another and srnt you here in hopes of being caught and tortured?” Looking up. God the thing was tall, but Virus was unbothered by their look.
Gears gathered what information he could from the give, watching the four golden eyes in the darkness. He watched Virus carefully as the energy vampire spoke to the unusual creature. He’d never seen anything like it.
Since Virus showed no fear he assumed height wasn’t an intimidation factor. Of course, he had no idea that the creature could actually see him rather clearly. Slinking back down towards the floor, he reclined and propped up on his arms in a sort of mermaid fashion. Quite comfortable really, it brought him closer to the creatures face level. “We know him, yess. He is the pet of the Manor Lord who allows uss to sstay there. We put many thingss in the dream, but you reacted so quickly and sstrongly to him that it wass and obvious choice. From there, it was merely reading you. Your blind hatred makess you eassy to read. This is how we live.” The creature’s head shook as he chuckled. “My pet is a sstrange creature but iss a good one. He is alsso from this laboratory. But he is not Bex, we know our pet. Jusst as you know your pet,” he added, looking to Gears. “Protective. Helpful. Good. But no, nobody ssent us here.” He was moving closer to Gears now, as though to inspect him. “We could give you good dreams,” can use, clearly speaking to Virus still. “Dreams beyond anything you could imagine. We don’t know why we would, however. Nightmaress are far more delectable, and we have heard that everything in this lab is cruel.”
Virus looked kal over though, to take in to memory what this creature look like. He look back up to him and watched him sink. Tilting his head, frowning and seething at his words. ” you based on my reaction and we stupidly allowed this. This is a mistake we must fix.” He said. “We will take your assessment and correct mistakes.” He then repeats ” you sure its not 24.” He then furrow his brow “we have no pet…” looks at Gears then Kal ” that is lover. Not pet.” He corrects. Virus watched him reaching to touch his back tail. “We do not wish for dreams. We do not like them.” He state.
Gears moved closer to Virus as the glowing eyes seemed to come nearer to inspect him. He didn’t make a move to attack but watched Kal’s eyes warily. He nodded at Virus’ words about being a lover and not a pet. “That is lies, probably from that traitor 24. They are broken. We are not cruel. We are good.” Gears tilted his head.
Kal paused in his assessment of gears, looking back over his shoulder at the energy vampire. “You cannot correct thiss misstake. Correcting thiss misstake would involve letting go of a hatred that conssumes everything that you are. You are not capable of thiss. Resspectfully.” After all, he wasn’t here to sling insults, he was merely making an observation. Looking back to Gears once more, he gave a nod. “A pet that you fuck. Ssame thing,” he shrugged. “We honesstly don’t undersstand why people are sso hung up on the disstinction.” “Not Bex,” he repeated. “Our pet came from this laboratory. Our pet endured unsspeakable torment. Our pet was ssent to attack the manor, but the manor took him in. We are not a fool, do not take us for – ” He cut off quickly when Virus’s hand touched his tail. Of course he could not actually touch it, his hand went through the shadow completely, however something in the energy vampire’s touch sent a shock of cold electricity down his line. He looks startled by that, eyes narrowing as he very, very calmly shifted his tail around to be out of his reach. The touch alone had rattled him, innocent as it may have been. He said nothing, but it was clear by his posture that he was confused.
Virus furrow his brow “we merely think we should be better at hiding our emotions of hatred.” He correct. Though he didn’t seem mad, nor did he deny his inability to let the hatred go. Virus did admite assessments. Virus then grab Gears “that is not all. Gears sees me…Gears understands me. We are same. Gears accepts me. I him. We are hived and lovers. ” he told Kal. “He is not my pet. Pet is something tou keep to muse you. Then toss when bored. We been many beings pet, but not anymore.” He explains Virus thought “those shapeshifters….i never met them. We just arrived when doctor sent them off. Didn’t have a chance to hive.” He then watched the way kal reacted to his touch. He lowered his hand “you do not like to be touched?” He noted how his hand went through.
“The distinction is important.” Gears said, nodding at Virus’ words about the two of them as he was grabbed by him. “Yes. There is a difference. We are one in the same.” He agreed. He liked the word pet even less with Azazel’s penchant for calling things that. Gears noted the reaction when Virus had reached for what he could sense through the hive was a tail.
“You may hide them but they are sstill there, sstill making you vulnerable,” he murmured, though he sounded distracted as he gazed at his tail. “We….” He looked back at the two, Virus now grabbing onto Gears, and cocked his head curiously. “Iss it? Hm. Thiss musst be why that vampire iss so up in armss about it. We have no other terminology for thosse that aid us, bessides willing petss and unwilling sslaves. We do not have loverss, that iss not possible.” He gave Gears a strange look at the mention of being one and the same, clearly confused by whatever this hive notion is that they keep talking about. He was staring intently at Gears now, though his mind was clearly elsewhere. Eventually he answered Virus without ever taking his eyes off of Gears. “You assk the sshadow if it doess not like to be touched. The shadow cannot be touched. We find it confussing that you are able to.” He leaned back then, folding both pairs of arms across his chest and abdomen. “And your p…lover? What manor of creature iss it, then, if it iss not another shapeshifter and clearly not whatever…you are?”
Virus listen to kal as he spoke “but our hatred is valid. He hurt us…..we did nothing and he hurt us.” He told him. He then listen still as kal spoke “we did not understand lover either or thought possible. Especially since everyone just uses us and tries to kill us.” He move from Gears and held his hand out, moving towards Kal to try and touch probably his chest. “Yes but…you moved, did you feel us, we felt…something strange…..hungry.” he murmurs the last part. “He is shapeshifter.” Thats all he knew. It was so hard not to hate 24, but they had to at least have control over it. He nodded in confirmation, turning his hand into a mass of wires to demonstrate.
“Yes… 24 is the one who harmed us. Took from us. He attacked first, we are only defending ourselves.” Gears nodded. At least that was how he justified it. He watched Virus try to touch him again curiously.
“You sspeak to uss quite calmly, and from your point of view, you alsso did nothing and we hurt you.” He laughed softly, but then shook his head. “Eventually we all find ssomeone that doess not try to kill uss, and we make usse of them. We can call them a pet. Ssometimes physical pleassure iss involved, and you may call them a lover. We have no physsical form, thuss thiss does not apply to uss. We are ssolitary creaturess. This iss as it sshould be.” As he saw the shifting arms he cocked his head curiously and blinked several times. He had no idea what that was but it was impressive; Kal wasn’t the most technologically advanced critter around. “Bex….24….we do not know him. They are ussually ssilent, though he is pleassant enough in dreamss. He likess the beach. Hm.” Honestly he didn’t know Bex enough to agree or disagree, and merely gave a shrug. “It iss not my bussiness who you hate, but do not be ssurprised when it becomess an eassy tool. If you -are- good, then thiss iss not fair, hm?” He went still as the hand came towards him, not entirely sure he was comfortable with it. Virus was able to make contact though, and it felt like placing his hand in cool water with a slight electrical current running through it; he was a creature of magic and energy, after all. There was a long pause before he stated, “We are uncertain if thiss contact iss wisse,” though it wasn’t clear if he were saying it to them or himself.
Virus shrugs “you fed….you do what is nature. You also didn’t assure us safety or beg us to go home with you, claim we belong, that we were safe and then sick a psycho on us to kill us and leave us with a scar.” He told him. He understood instincts. Virus listens some and says “interesting.” Virus made a facevat kal words of Bex makes pleasant enough dreams. Virus huffed “everyone likes him” he grumbled. Virus nods to him “it isn’t fair…he is evil but gets away with everything. He almost killed the life form.” Holding his stomach with one hand. Virus stared at kal running his hand up “what are you, can we have a sample of your dna…id love to see how your dna with mine be like…would I grow four arms? Or four eyes…or the slit on your stomach…ooo would we be like half snake.” He nods. He looks to Kals eyes “why? You are the one who initiated it by attacking us in dreams. Then talking to us.”
Gears nodded in agreement as he returned his hands to normal. “Yes, feeding is different. I might not like the nightmare that was induced for you to do so, but we understand.” He nodded at Kal’s assement, looking to Virus’ as he spoke and held his stomach. “Oooo… is it possible to extract dna?” Gears was curious now.
He quirked an eyebrow at the list of Bex’s offenses. “Quite a passt you have with that one,” he chuckled. “We cannot ssay that we like him. When we gave him free reign over his dreamss we rather thought he and hiss …lover would be rather more violent, given the temperament we’d met them under. Insstead it wass….pleassant. Exhaussting to maintain, but a ssmall price to pay for the comfort they allowed uss.” His gaze flitted down to Virus’ stomach and he snickered at the memory of the nightmare before licking his lips. “What iss…a DNA?” he asked, looking concerned. “We are dreameaterss, and we mean contact as in….thiss,” he sstated. He hadn’t taken his eyes off of the hand contacting him. It was unnerving to be touched by something when he was quite used to being untouchable, however intangible the contact. “You kept sspeaking of thiss DNA. Do you mean sseed? We do not have partss with which to breed, we cannot assisst you with that.” It was unlikely the creature had DNA in the strictest sense of the word; after all, he was barely even there to begin with.
Virus nods to his words “he manipulates people.” He told him. “He pretends to be a victim, but really he causes pain.” Virus was so far delusional at this point with rage. He then nods “yes dna, what makes you, you. I would love to have your dna….your powers” he told him. Virus would then attempt to feed to try and drain energy. To see if it was possible. “No not seeds, we dont seek breeding..although you look pretty superior to breed with…we want dna to put with our own.” He was kinda getting obsessed. Gears would feel it to, that hyper focus Virus was getting.
Gears nodded at Virus words about Bex, at least put at ease that this creature didn’t exactly like 24. Gears could feel the obsession start to kick in. He could understand why. The creature was fascinating. “A shame it does not have seed..” Gears tilted his head.
He gave a thoughtful ‘Hm’ at the words and gestures from the two of them, but then he felt that pull and his entire body went rigid as he jolted. It was one thing to pull energy from a being made of flesh, but to pull energy from a being made entirely of energy and magic? There was no spigot on that tap; it was either on or off, and when Virus started to pull it was like a knife of ice in his spine. He immediately jolted back with a feral shriek, more startled at the feeling than actually damaged. Even the mouth on his stomach opened with a gutteral sound, the long tongue lolling from between the toothy maw as he reeled back. He was back in the corner once more, a pair of amber eyes watching them from the darkest point of the room he could find, even in the blackness that already surrounded them. He didn’t seem angry or hurt, just scared. Grumbling a little, he muttered, “We shall requesst that you in particular keep your handss to yoursself.” Despite the brief contact it had been quite a jolt of power that Virus had received, and with it came some knowledge of his anatomy – in particular the structure of his body that allowed for the easy function and maneuverability of the extra set of arms.
Virus watched kal and was just amazed and saw his stomach open with a mouth ” you are beautiful.” He tell Kal. Watching him as Kal was in the corner and he walk to him. As he leans over “why…I’m doing my insinct like you when you fed on my dream.” He told him. Virus smiled at Kal “i want you….you would be so wonderful for my hive. You could help us beat Azazel and 24.” He told him, his eyes glowing bright from that jolt.
Gears gathered what details Virus could see of the startled creature through the hive. Fascinated as that tongue lolled out of the mouth on his stomach. He followed Virus as he drew nearer to Kal, he knew he couldn’t interface with it, but if Virus could feed he wondered if the creature could be added to the hive. “Yes, you could help us be stronger. Could torment them in their dreams while we do so in their waking hours.” Gears nodded, caught up in Virus’ excitement and fixation.
“We are well aware that we are beautiful,” he replied in his usual haughty tone. He was fucking gorgeous. Others found him terrifying, but there’s no accounting for poor taste. “A hive,” he stated, brow furrowed. “As inssectss? We are not ssocial creaturess. Dreameaterss exxist alone except for the help they employ when necesssary.” He relaxed a little, but remained tucked into that darkness as the tongue lathed at the air briefly before curling back into his abdomen when the maw slid shut. “We cannot help you. We cannot make you sstronger. We are not here; we do not exisst in the waking world. We have been given ssanctuary there, we cannot break promisses and harm thosse within.” There was a small pause, before he added, “Bessides. That placce is ourhome for now, and our pet iss in it. We would not ssee it or him damaged. It wass…a mmisstake to come here, and more of one to make contact. Curioussity has gotten the besst of uss, perhapss.” Already he was moving, moving through the darkness at the edges of the room.
Virus grinned “mhmmm you are beautiful and wonderful.” He then arch a brow ” another said this too, but no. Hive as in linked in brain…well actually ya kinda like insects. We can be connected feel each other. Help each other, never be alone. You are so promusing I’d even let you keep your will.” He told him. Virus tilt his head “oh I think you can. That taste it told me so much. So so much. You are wonderful and delicious.” He then frowns ” but we are better. You belong here. Not with them. They could never understand you. We can.you could feed on so many nightmares here.” He told him. Virus thought more “we could bring your pet back here.” He grins.
But when Kal went to move Virus wasn’t happy “no! Dont leave. Dont leave us….stay please….please stay. Don’t go back to 24 and them. Please….we can care for you better then them.”
Gears nodded eagerly, “It would be good. I was not social before either, but being in the hive is wonderful.” He said encouragingly. “Yes, stay with us. They cannot protect your pet. The demon is sending people to destroy the manor. We can keep your pet safe here.” Gears nodded. “Please stay, we can provide you much more food here. They will bring more here to be fed on. The demon must have very delicious nightmares if he sleeps.” Gears pleaded.
Kal sighed, pausing his retreat to stretch out along the counter as though it were a giant lounge chair. It was still too small for him, and his tail looped on the floor at the end of it. “Facetious creatures. But we are not facetious. The Lord of The Manor offered us sanctuary in exchange for the sweet dreams of himself and his pet. We gave this promise, and we do not lie. Our pet has been good to us, and we accepted his gift in exchange for a sweet dreams and what protection we could give. Our pet does not wish to be here, bringing him here would not be a gift as you try to make me think it is.”
“You are right in some ways however. The sweet dreams at the Manor do not feed us as well as the nightmares that we find here.” He stilled then, his gaze fixed on Gears. “There is a demon here? Now this intrigues us. If he does sleep, there is much that we can do with the kinds of nightmares that a demon endures, should he sleep.” Kal had on occasion, much like now, convinced people to let him stay nearby. He had never had anyone actually beg him, and that was actually rather nice. “I cannot bring harm to my pet, the lord of the Manor, or Bex. We have made vows, we cannot break vows. Is this acceptable to you?”
Virus moves closer to him, staring at Kal as he laid out. “But 24 lies!” He whined. “We can care for you. Fuck them…well mostly 24. However stay.” He plead. Looks around “this place been nothing but good to me. The doctor found me when I was hurt. He took care of me help me back to health. When I malfunction he never took advantage, he help me.” Mind you Virus version of help was nightmares to others, this poor creature brain was cracked to hell. Virus “yes demon here. He tortures our doctor. We feel his pain, even now.” He state. Virus stood there clenching his jaw “I can agree to everything but 24…..I can’t….I want him to suffer. He’s taken everything from me.” He told Kal. He looks at gears then Kal “24 doesn’t deserve protection. Its not fair ” he screamed, causing sparks to come of him.
Gears frowned softly in thought, trying to figure out how to get Kal to stay. He nodded at the question about the demon and Virus’ words in response. “Yes, were not letting him leave, he wants to take our doctor with him. If he has a brain I could use my nanites to induce an unconscious state if I put some in him next time he touches his toy.” Gears nodded. “We have no quarrel with the lord of the manor or your pet. Only 24.” He nodded. “What if you help us with everything else and let us handle 24? Then you’re not breaking your word?” Gears reasoned.
Kal didn’t move as Virus came closer. He was watching him, much as a snake would watch a mongoose, both waiting to see who would strike first. “Bex hass not lied to uss, but we are not protecting him. We stated that -I- cannot bring harm to him.” And indeed it was rare to hear the creature use the singular I – he always spoke with the royal we like some stuck up aristocrat. One of his hands gestured vaguely. “We are …a type of demon, yess? We are bound to ruless. We may lie and and manipulate, but we cannot break a vow freely given.” He shrugged to Gears. “As we have stated; we may not harm them, but they are not under our protection – only our pet is. The shapeshifter with the sstrange eye wear and appetite mosst recently ssent from your laboratory. We are alsso partial to the loud, quarrelssome vampire who massquerades as a female on occasion…but after our lasst attemptss to play with them, it iss unlikely they are open to any alliance.” Yeah. He wasn’t good at making friends; it came with the territory of being a thing that feeds off nightmares.
“If you can get him unconsscious, we can keep them there….probably,” he mused. It was a wild card with demons, especially the powerful ones who had dominion over their own minds quite solidly. As Virus started to scream and spark, Kal slithered a bit further away to get out of the flashing blips of light, exhaling in an irritated hiss. “Your lover here iss nothing, then? Your hive? Your doctor? Your life form. It sseemss to me that you have a great deal for ssomeone who claimss to have losst it all. In fact…had thiss 24 not chassed you off, would you be where you are now with all that you have? You are ssilly. It iss preciousss.”
Virus watched Kal and just frowns, he twitched a little. Just listening “that is fine….” it bothered him some, he didn’t want any to protect Bex, rather having Bex attack at every turn. Virus listen more, he held his head a moment. Virus step back, he didn’t feel like he had control on anything at the moment. He didn’t know how Bex could swoon people and he is here trying to beg. He heard Kal speak and would look as if he was losing it. He flinch and twitched, “the hive…is everything.” He say. “I….gears….the doctor…” he shook his head. “Shut up….its 24 fault…it is……he came here and now im losing the doctor…..he is a plague.” Started pacing “shut up.” Gripping his head.
“Then you will stay, so long as we do not harm your pet?” Gears asked. It was a step in the right direction. If they could get Kal to stay maybe they could figure out how to add him to the hive. Feeling Virus’ unease he moved to gently place an arm around him as he stepped back, staying close to the twitching vampire. “We wont lose him. We won’t.” Gears repeated.
“If they are your everything and you sstill have them, then thiss Bex creature hass not taken anything from you,” he chuckled, relaxing once more on the counter now that Virus had calmed somewhat. “You sshall have to choosse between what you have now, and the revenge you think you are desserved.” He looked to Gears then as though considering his question, but then gave a nod. “After millennia of exissting, it iss a new thing for our pressence to be dessired. As for your doctor….” He seemed to concentrate for a moment, then made a soft humming sound. “He iss sstill awake. The only one unconssciouss at thiss moment iss ssome sort of celestial being.” He gave a small shudder. “I will sstay, then,” he asked, extending a hand in what he’d always considered to be a metaphorical gesture.
Virus growled “he has to pay…..he has took. Its not right….not right…” he repeat. Feeling gears arms around him, he just sink against him. He frowned and looks to Gears “you’d never leave me right…you’d stay…help me get revenge yes?” He ask. He looks at Kal when he said he stay “yes…then maybe we learn how to get your dna…it be so helpful” he nods.
“He’s taken more than enough.” Gears frowned, puzzling at the creatures words. “Why? Why does he have to choose between happiness and justice? Its not fair.” Gears held him as Virus sank into him, nodding at his words, “Never, I’ll never leave you. Always. We are the same. I would always stay with you, help you get revenge.” He listened, giving a small smile as Kal agreed to stay. “Wonderful, wonderful. The demon plays with his pet a lot. We shouldn’t have to wait too long for a chance to knock him out.” Gears nodded eagerly.
The dreameater shifted onto his back then, streching out as though the counter were the most comfy bed in the world. When you technically weighed nothing, it wasn’t as though you needed a plush feather mattress, after all. “If you are able to find thiss ‘DNA’ and extract it without caussing uss harm, I ssee no reasson why you cannot usse it,” he mused, those eyes sliding comfortably closed. “He sshouldh choosse what iss mosst important. Iss it worth rissking lossing you and your doctor and your life form in the sstruggle for revenge? Iss thiss more important, when you could alwayss jusst walk away?” Of course to an interplanar creature with no ties to any place, ‘walking away’ was always the default option.
Virus frowns and says “24 gets it all but we can’t.” Virus nuzzle gears and wraps his arms around him. Virus merely listen a moment as gears spoke. He look to Kal “we don’t wish harm to you…we find you fascinating.” He told him. He then frowns at Kal words as he looked away “I’m not allowed happiness and justice…but 24 just gets what he wants.” Shaking his head.” Can’t win…Can’t ever win…never good enough.”
Gears nodded, if there was a way to obtain the dna without harming their new acquaintance he would gladly help Virus do so. Gears sighed, thinking on Kal’s words. He knew he would choose Virus and the doctor above all else, but he wanted to give Virus the revenge he deserved as well. Gears held Virus close as he nuzzled against him. Hugging him a little tighter at his words. “You are good enough.” He said softly.
Kal merely watched them quietly for a few moments. There was nothing more to say really, and the demon didn’t exactly have the social skills to keep the conversation going. Instead he laid there, content to relax in the pitch darkness of the room in a lazy, catlike sprawl, the abdominal maw stretching open in a weird semblance of a yawn. Of course he was also pretty used to not being looked at other than the glow of his eyes, so his current posture was akin to someone scratching their butt when nobody was looking. Dark, quiet. Perfect.
Virus held onto Gears and just frowns.” We need to…..I need to modify…..if we are to safe the doctor…have to be better.”
Gears nodded, “We will. We have the heart. That is the first step.” he assured Virus. “Must be careful right now though. Smiley has left him be for now.” Gears cautioned.
Kal’s eyes slid closed – was he even still there? Yeah, he was…though he was used to being ‘invisible’ with his eyes closed. He was content to eavesdrop even though technically they knew he was still there.