ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ

[formidable]

Androids, psychics, magic, investigations, and finding out how to human. ➢ Cool Mood Music No. 1 ➤ Cool Mood Music No. 2

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[sakaya]

Fufu. What a considerate partner you're showing yourself to be. You're making my horns feel warm and I've barely had anything to drink today.

[So in short, she's pleased.]

Tell me though, Sorcerer Supreme and my very new Master; who are you more afraid of? Me or our enemy?

[Does Shuten Douji ask to tease? Always. Does she ask out of seriousness? There's an undercurrent of it if that gleam in her eyes says anything.]

I say that I will serve and I will. But you do understand, I largely do as I please?

[sorser]

[And so there it is again, that quizzical look of Stephen. That high arch of a pointed brow, though her question is a legimately good one.]

I would say that neither of you have earned anything like fear from me. But I have to admit that I'm wary of you. Not doubtful of your abilities, but rather... I wonder just how reliable you'll be.

[Considering she's just said that she mostly does what she pleases. Still, Stephen flicks a wrist and the book closes on its own. He picks it up, turning his back to return it to the bookshelf.]

You do realize that 'serving' does not equate to doing 'whatever you please'? Maybe you should re-evaluate your priorities.

[sakaya]

I'm not so complicated. In fact, I rather dislike it when people tiptoe around their feelings so the fact that you appear to be straightforward is quite pleasing.

As for my priorities... [She taps her cheek once twice and hums playfully.]

Liquor, flowers, handsome men, elegant drinking vessels, the moon... Anything that makes me feel pleasant.

[sorser]

I see.

[Duly noted, he thinks, as he puts the book away. He turns and steps towards her.]

Well, then. Should we accomplish our task, consider this -- I can reward you with all the liquor you want, in the finest drinking vessels. And you'll be couched in a bevy of flowers under the moonlight. How does that sound?

[sakaya]

[Well now.]

Planning to shower me with the things I love already? You sure know how to spoil a maiden. [Careful Strange, or she'll want to stay in the Sanctum long after they're done.]

Of course, you're just missing onnne thing...

You'll be drinking with me.

[sorser]

[It's not like Strange is a... stranger to drinking. During his most trying times, in his less-than-flattering moments, he often overdid it to ease the pain of both mind and body.

And yet he feels as if even this was nothing compared to what Shuten has in mind.]

Oh? Is it a prerequisite that a Master must drink with his Servant?

[sakaya]

Perhaps. But you also forgot to provide me with a handsome man.

You'll do for now.

[sorser]

[ 8| ]

...Fine. If we see this through to the end, I think you'd deserve that much. I can manage it.

[sakaya]

Such a sour face. There was a time men would fight to have me pour a drink for them and here you are with a grim face as I offer you the same, freely.

[She bobs her head as she shifts her weight from one foot to the other and making a casual gesture with one hand.]

Or are you sour because I dismissed your looks? Worry not, the more you gaze at me, the more I've taken a liking to your type of face. Yes... It's really not that bad at all.

[sorser]

[He gives her a little faux smile, strained at the edges.]

Oh, no, it's nothing like that. Vanity used to be a failing of mine, and maybe it still is -- but not to the same degree as before. I don't particularly care if you think I'm good-looking or otherwise.

[He crosses his arms across his chest; the Eye of Agamotto gleams in the faint light.]

I simply know the dangers of being seduced by a demon. Heroic Spirit or otherwise.

[sakaya]

Mm. I see, I see. You've had to do a great deal of self-reflection by the sound of it.

[Yeah, she's just gonna reach up to poke at the corner of his mouth.]

None of this though. I aim to enjoy myself to the fullest no matter where I'm summoned. This sort of smile won't do.

[sorser]

You have no idea.

[The amount of self-reflection and self-examination was immense. It was like climbing a mountain and coming down on the otherwise as another person, possessing more clarity in his mind and spirit.

Ah, but when she brings up a finger to poke at the edge of his mouth, Stephen reaches up to grasp at her wrist and pull it away.]

And what's wrong with my smile?

1/2

[sakaya]

[She lets her wrist be held although she wiggles her fingers playfully.]

You looked like you were in pain or you swallowed something unpleasant. This is why you need a drink with me.

Ahhh, your grasp is so...

[Shuten was about to continue with her teasing and flirtation as always, but...]

[sakaya]

... Your grasp is not that strong.

[The demon senses it, feels the weakened joints and limbs that have been damaged and distorted and bones that have been shattered and painfully put back together.

She easily slips out of his hold.]

From your work in sorcery or...?

[sorser]

[…Ah.

Stephen looks at her for a lingering moment, as if he’s not inclined to reply. And yet this is not something about himself that he feels the need to hide — nothing that he should be ashamed of, not any longer. Again, he’s climbed that mountain and has the strength (and the cognizance to know of his faults) to accept the past as something… defining.

And so, he slowly drops his hand back to his side.]

Car accident. My hands were severely injured — the sort of injuries you’d expect from them quite literally being crushed. Bones, ligaments, nerves.

[He remembers waking up in the hospital that day, memory emblazoned in his mind. He’ll never forget the sight of his hands set before him, wrought with metal pins. His chart, the results glaring up at him, officially beheading his career.]

It's sorcery, actually, that aids me in regaining the use of them. But they’ll never be the same as they once were.

[sakaya]

So one of those iron steeds... Ah, makes sense.

[She looks oddly thoughtful compared to her usual drowsy and lush expressions as she regards the Sorcerer Supreme. It takes her a few seconds to speak up again casually again.]

Why don't we take a breather now? I've only had one cup of sake and that just won't do before we head into battle.

[that's usually the opposite, but for Shuten, she prefers to have a respectable amount of alcohol in her system for any occasion okay (and also the conversation was starting to get too serious)]

[sorser]

[Iron steeds. Close enough.

He has no issue with the digression of the subject into something else. Though the fact that it's drinking doesn't surprise him in the least. Stephen flexes his fingers a little, before bringing his hands up to adjust his cloak.]

You want to drink more before going into battle? I don't think that's a very good idea, generally speaking.

[sakaya]

[Did her blue sake gourd appear out of thin air, yes it did. It's straddled to her side and she pats it expectantly.]

Geeenerally speaking, for humans that's not a good idea yes. For me, it's just the norm.

And I also drink during battle. Just so you know.

[She means it when oni drink HARD.]

Of course, while it's mostly for my own pleasure, do understand that the liquor I provide for myself does come with some useful side-effects.

[sorser]

[He looks down at the sake gourd that has magically -- probably quite literally -- appeared at her side. Stephen can't help but sigh.]

And would this drinking spree be for business or pleasure?

[sakaya]

Both.

You do the business of tracking down our enemies, I'll be giving myself the pleasure of warming myself up.

[that's not what he means but okay]

[sorser]

[That's not what he means!]

That isn't what I mean, and you know it.

I want to know whether or not your constant drinking will cause us undue problems; I'm going to trust you if you say that it will not, maybe unwisely.

[sakaya]

[well one time, it set off a raid event, i mean what]

Not at all.

Mm. Although the only time that it caused me a problem was... [She smiles glibly.]

Well, read one of your pretty books that may have my legend. You can fill in the blanks yourself.

[sorser]

[As if Stephen hasn't read so. many. books. He isn't ignorant of the subject at hand; it's a prerequisite of being a Master of the Mystic Arts, after all.]

You mean the one time when you died? Not exactly a minor problem.

[Vices are a terrible thing...]

[sakaya]

[Oh, he does know, good. She wags her index finger at him.]

Context, Master, context. Unless our enemies catch me while I'm sleeping and weakened with poison, you've nooothing to worry about.

[And it does kind of speak volumes that she had to be taken out sneakily in the first place and even after being beheaded, she still survived long enough to try for a final blow.

Or so the story goes.]

[sorser]

Then we'll make sure that you don't fall asleep on the job, hm?

[There's that facetious smile again.]

You have an hour before we leave. Make sure you're ready to go when I call for you.