Multiple Settings Anima Studies

[November Witch]

Mariana Mirror - Marianne Montgomery - Valerie Vu
~{Deliberation}~​

Location: Park
Collab: Juju Verite
Interaction(s): Solirus

Once the three had signed up, surprisingly, it was Mariana who took the lead. Or perhaps, more accurately, Crimson. Though with her in front of the group, her eyes weren’t visible. The other two would only be able to tell them apart by the difference in body language now.

“A plan would be prudent to ensure this goes as smoothly as possible.” Crimson’s voice would come from Mariana’s mouth. “First thing’s first, we need a plan for civilians. So will anyone volunteer to keep them in check? Or are we gonna have to draw straws?”

Crimson would see anima on the ground with a corresponding signature, matching what the scout had described before. She turned to the left slightly and began to follow it.

“As much as I would love to tear this demon apart, I’ll keep the people at bay if it comes up, as much as I hate the idea.” Crimson muttered, annoyed and frustrated. She really didn’t want to have to leave the fun to the other two. But considering her curse, she could be tracked, and how scared Mariana got last time, playing more of a supportive role seemed like the safest option at the moment.

“If the demon is as intelligent as the report claims, it will surely be aware of the importance of civilians and the advantage they bring.” Marianne chimed in, following behind Crimson. She lowered her hand over her bag, feeling the small spray bottle she had tucked away there. “Fighting it in a crowded area is not only dangerous for all Nulls present, but also risks drawing unwanted attention from them. Still, there is something else I am worried about.”

Her tired eyes scanned the park, observing how the demon threaded through the groups of people. “Notice how it ignores our presence? It benefits from hiding in this mass of Nulls, confident in its safety. If we were to begin evacuations directly, I suspect Deerhead would not stand idly by. In removing them we would possibly force it to use more aggressive means of defense. For now, it is docile, and I suggest we use this moment of peace to get a better understanding of the situation and this demon. Perhaps we could lure it away from the park? Or find a means to naturally draw the Nulls away. Evacuation will only be a last resort.”

Marianne took a moment to adjust Annamarie's “human” disguise. Despite the, by now, common knowledge that the other Montgomery twin was a demon, Marianne took great care to cover Annamarie's red eyes with shades.

“It's talkative and prideful, yes?” Marianne said, taking her twin’s hand and preparing to approach the hulking deer, “Then let's get it talking…”

“Ohh, hmm…” Valerie only nodded along at Crimson’s words, followed by Marianne’s explanation for what the optimal way to deal with Deerhead was, crossing her arms in deep thought. “Wow… You guys call normal people Nulls?”

She was mentally a bit behind in the conversation. Still, it was a point she was stuck on. To think she used to count as one of them until recently, just before she stumbled into Anima Studies.

Clearing her throat, Val eventually caught up with the rest of them. “Right, okay. Have a nice talk with it. Sounds like you’d be pretty compatible with it, so we may as well,” she said to Marianne with a cheeky grin, wide enough to indicate she was just teasing. Unfortunately, the recipient didn’t seem keen on jokes and simply gave her an unamused scowl in return.

“And if it doesn’t work out and he tries to vamoose or get even closer to the people… Well, I can ground it in place, if need be, or at least try to. I’ve… got some new tricks up my sleeve, after all,” she continued with a wink, raising a finger to her lips as if confiding in them all a deep secret.

“Now then… Shall we, girls?”

“Thanks Ms. Obvious.” Crimson rolled her eyes as Marianne laid out what anyone with two brain cells would know. “Well, if it tries hiding among humans, we can simply fight it and devote one of us to the people. So, what if they see something? It won’t matter with this liquid here.”

Crimson shook the spray bottle she’d gotten with a smile. They would just need to have someone play defense while the other two actually fought the demon. It would certainly be a straightforward plan. Maybe one so straightforward it would catch the demon off guard. Though it would be alot of work… But she did see the benefits in talking to it first. It couldn’t hurt, at the very least. Valerie didn’t add much to the conversation, but she was certainly energetic and ready to go. As much as Crimson hated to admit it, the confidence was infectious.

“Nulls, insects, humans, pathetic. It’s all the same to me.” Crimson smiled maliciously as she responded to Valerie’s questioning of the words they used. “I suppose we shall. Marianne can be manipulative and cunning when she speaks, and I’m a demon, so I’ll be indispensable here. Why don’t you keep an eye on the people, and be on the lookout for other demons. I wouldn’t put it past them to be working together.”

It was something Crimson was genuinely a little worried about. She didn’t expect them to, but she also didn’t expect to be cursed during their first exam. Anything was possible. Plus, Crimson didn’t think Valerie would be very helpful when it came to negotiations or talking with a demon. She had a frustratingly easy way with humans, but Crimson felt as if that’s exactly what would make it so difficult for her to say anything helpful to a demon. Though, there was still a genuine worry there may be something more to this all, and Crimson wanted someone’s full focus on their surroundings.

“Aye, aye, Cap’n Crimson!” Valerie exclaimed with a diligent salute. No one needed to say it aloud, but it seemed even Val was aware that she’d probably be of little help in regard to talking to Deerhead. There just wasn’t a better way of putting it, but demons simply seemed to be on another wavelength than humans, a wavelength that Val needed more practice understanding.

All in good time though. She just needed to start small.

With that, she wasted little time getting to work on their plan, hopping off to the side, standing between the blissfully oblivious civilians nearby and Deerhead, all the while looking around to make sure it was indeed the only demon within sight. She tried her best to remain within earshot too, just to make sure the coming conversation would go well, and to be prepared if it didn’t.

“Manipulative?” Marianne hissed indignantly, her sour mood curdling at the accusations. It seemed Crimson’s words had struck a nerve, putting her on the defensive almost immediately.

Between the teasing and not-so-teasing comments made by her ‘teammates’, Marianne was absolutely fuming. Manipulative and prideful? Is that what they thought she was? Idiots. What did they know? Her thoughts began to drift back to yesterday's events, which she kept at bay by digging her fingernails into the flesh of her palms. What did they know?

Her gray, tired eyes glared at the canister Crimson held, “Any arcanist with class would know that relying upon spray canisters is poor form. They were designed to be an alternative to killing witnesses, minimizing the consequences of an arcanist’s mistakes. Still, erasing a null’s memory does not erase the negative anima produced by hysteria and near-death experiences.”

She paused, her frown deepening. “Why am I even saying this? It doesn’t matter. We’re wasting time.”

The typically meticulous Marianne seemed eager to begin, or perhaps eager to be free of this discussion. Regardless, she stepped out from the path and walked across the grass in the direction of the demon. She let go of Annamarie’s hand, opting to walk side by side with her twin instead.

Crimson cringed a little bit as Valerie gave her a nickname. She didn’t understand how Mariana could stand this girl. She was much too much. In many ways. Thankfully, Marianne’s venomous hiss brought her back to what she was used to. Hostility. Not cringiness or overtly sweet niceness.

“Hey, that’s a compliment between demons! You should feel honored that I said that about you.” The demon crossed her arms and looked away from Marianne. As for Marianne’s other words… “A tool is meant to be used! Why would we be given these if we weren't expected to use them? Besides, I’m not an arcanist, so that doesn’t apply to me.”

Crimson said in a smug tone now. But as they approached the demon, she knew it was time to be serious.

“I’m not exactly sure if that in itself should be taken as a compliment…” Marianne muttered, her dimming annoyance belying the gnawing dread in the back of her mind. She didn’t look back at the others, keeping her strides steady and free of exhaustion thanks to her amplification. “It really doesn’t matter if we complete the mission. Let’s focus on that...”

Well within earshot of Deerhead, and making no efforts to mask her presence, Marianne led the approach. She stood in an open space between the gathered families, close enough that they could speak without raised voices, but far enough that there were a few meters between them. A respectful distance.

“Good morning, sir.” Marianne began in a cordial tone, dipping her head as if to greet someone of import, attempting to appeal to its sense of pride. “Perhaps it comes as no surprise, but we have been searching for you. What may surprise you, is that I seek an opportunity to speak. It would seem you have made a name for yourself, and that is perhaps where we shall begin.”

She placed a hand on her chest, “My name is Marianne Montgomery, and the demon beside me is Annamarie. “

Marianne paused for a moment, giving just enough time for Crimson to say her name if she desired, but continuing onward regardless. “Do you call yourself by a name? Our reports have granted you the moniker of Deerhead, for ease of separating you from the others here. If this name displeases you, perhaps we could use another?”

It was at this point, Crimson was almost laughing, just barely managing to keep it in. She was really talking to the demon as if it was some high class arcanist. What was she attempting to accomplish anyways? Getting it to a more isolated area was going to be the only thing they could possibly talk it into doing. She doubted that would happen honestly. Their objective was to eliminate the demon. It’s not like they could just tell it to kill itself. It was gonna be a fight either way. It was simply a question of if they would get an easy fight or a hard one. Civilians were the deciding factor in that.

But Marianne was being far too entertaining at the moment, so she let the girl go on.