Stumble, Hurt, and Cry [WW4 Event]

She had a good stride through the maelstrom, eyes constantly opening up on her back to watch Chifuyu as they made it through the wails of combat, the random assortment of eyes seeming noticeably pained whenever she cut down any demons attempting to interfere, until they came to a field far away from the combat. Calypso was able to sense the woman's emotions far more clearly, away from the collage of bloodlust, fear, pain, and other emotions that were stoked by the roars of war and combat.

Calypso wanted to make sure she was as far from the combat as large as possible, as even if she wasn't very active as a combative, she knew very well her attacks would hurt those she didn't intend to hurt, so she fled to the fields with the pale Yuudeshi following her. Even if those intended to be enemies were caught in the fire, Caly would feel guilt, they didn't need to be caught up in her attack, only Chifuyu wanted to directly kill her, as she sensed the woman's bloodlust, only increased by something, probably her mentioning of being an Asthavon. The weight of her family's sins were only deeper as she stood still, watching the woman, as she quietly indicated they were at a favorable spot. The clouds rolled by, casting gentle dark shadows over the field, as if nature itself felt the weight upon her back cast by circumstances she couldn't possibly have had a hand in preventing.

Calypso knew she couldn't be as soft and jovial with this woman as she would any stranger; She wanted her to be dead meat, not a friend. The young demon quietly contemplated what kind of attitude to even adopt for this scenario, she never really thought about it, how she should act towards an opponent on unfriendly terms.

But then, Chifuyu spoke, of how her methoding to protect her kind was inefficient, that to betray and rip her mother from her stance, that she had such a close tie, and her current methoding of protecting them was a waste... Just caused Calypso's golden gaze to darken.

She knew exactly what attitude to adopt, to speak to this woman, as her head tipped down, to any bystander looking as if she sank into some form of despair from the woman's words alone.

"..Do you think I like this?"

The girl quietly wondered, did this woman expect her to snap so easily, as she softly spoke, a gentle laugh escaping her lips. It wasn't a scary laugh, or a madness-filled one.

It was a sad laugh, like she'd be crying profusely if she couldn't keep it together. She slowly lifted her head, her suddenly imposing golden treasures for eyes boring into Chifuyu's own, even from a distance away it was like she was staring at her soul.

"Useless, worthless? Saving them is a waste of time? Oh, oh of course it's selfish, miss. But aren't all actions in some way selfish? For this war to commence, for that battle to exist, for you to wish me dead? No matter what you do, it involves taking something. This war will involve taking lives, taking power.. Taking innocence, taking safety, taking happiness... But even if there's taking, there's also giving in selfishness, like here; Killing me will just give you some form of satisfaction, yes? For cleansing the Earth of the demonic scum, maybe. Or maybe you just want to leave me a skid mark just for the shits and giggles."

She spoke softly, smoothly, sadly, hardly showing any signs of body language as she continued, a small laugh erupting from her, "But, 'Close ties to the problem'? Are you kidding me? Are you thinking me as some spoiled child rubbing against their mother's chest? Who just came out here to win some favor points from my people? I'm as far from the problem as you are, miss. Just because I came out of Mama, doesn't mean she loves me and holds me as one of the dearest things in her life. I'm nothing to her, miss, nothing. From the day I separated from her to now, I haven't even been able to hold a substantial conversation with Mama."

She took a deep breath, as she had a small pooling of golden tears in her eyes, but she tried to swallow her emotions, as she was only mentioning this to make a point of sorts, "Do you truly think I can just saunder up to her, and ask her to stop being a terrible person? Or do you want me to kill her, miss? Those are two things I cannot do, I love Mama too much to do the second even if she hurts me, so I have to make a third option, but that takes time, miss. So much time. But, to even dream i'm even a blip in her mind, is laughable. I'm only doing what I can, miss, and that's showing my kind that i'm the one who cares. I'm the one who cares about the future of them, and Demon World. I'm the one who cares about their prosperity, without the need of building it out of the blood and flesh of the slaughtered."

She released a cool sigh, as her hands tightened into fists, "I'm the Asthavon who belongs nowhere, not even to my own family. Even if Sis loves me, I have no home. Your attempt to rattle me wasn't very nice, though. Are you here to kill me or have a civil dispute to get under my skin? Regardless of how pretty you look miss, i'm prepared for either."

Once she arrived Chifuyu watched the demon begin her little break-down, if it could really be called that. It was a long winded speech though to justify herself which in a way was exactly what Chifuyu wanted. Even if this didn't shake her stance on the matter at hand she had played right into an ideal situation that the Yuudeshi could make use of. This civil dispute of ideology wasn't the intention, it was the perfect stall tactic. By doing this she had been provided all the time she needed to slide her plans into motion that had already been developing in her mind since she Calypso asked her to come somewhere else. She had given up environmental advantage. Regardless while she began carefully coordinating herself to give nothing away, not even a grin at this woman's thoughtless actions.

"Such an idealist betrayed by her own narrow-mindedness. I am hearing excuses from you, that's all. Everything is selfish though yes, but you're so far from understanding me Asthavon. Killing you brings me no satisfaction, being here brings me no enjoyment. I'm simply dealing with you to save someone else the trouble, if anything you're a distraction towards bigger problems like the actions of your mother right now in Karakura."

Speaking a little harsh Chifuyu wasn't necessarily renown for being the nicest of people, especially to anyone that wasn't immediately related to her or in relation to Azure Iramasha.

"You complain that this is all you can do, that anything else would be to kill or ask. No. Has the thought never crossed your mind to usurp her? Stripping away her power by taking away the faith of the population? Not by the sounds of it. Even though you speak like a usurper, being out here to show them who cares. Already you're sounding like your actions are to undermine her authority and gain support from the demons."

Her next action would be a simple one she held her hand out with various gems on it of various colours as if they illustrated a point she was going to make.

"You seek the admiration, the trust, the well-being and the safety of your race but do only drops in the ocean to help them. So it's simple as a solution, become their Queen Calypso. Your race embodies the very darkness of this world. Your energy is toxic, your race is impulsive and violent my nature like humans. You chase a dream but dreams can take shape. So let me ask you once again, why you waste your time?"

As she spoke the various traits that she supposedly sought from her kind Chifuyu threw the gemstones in various directions using a bit of her energy to transform into kinetic energy and give them an extra reach. A symbol action of her throwing all that away so she was left eventually empty-handed and resumed her original and relaxed stance.

"Even though you seek this dream though you are the anomaly of your kind, you lack violent impulses, you seek peace and order to an otherwise chaotic race. If it weren't for your body you don't even seem remotely like them, whether you see that as insult or compliment is up to you but your dreams oppose the very existence of Mana Asthavon, this makes it a simple conundrum... you'll never be accepted by your mother for how you are now."

Her tone shifted to have a bit of pity directed in the last sentence about her cruel fate. Chifuyu wondered just how much it would be before her opponent broke, faintly curious to see if she was really an anomaly of a demon or if she could be led by those base instincts that was so common for demons.

Karakura? What could Mama be doing there?

That curiosity in her mind was quickly deflated as she came up with about 56 possible scenarios of what she could be doing there, about 13 of them involving being dressed as a cowgirl, but death and insanity being made abundant by her presence alone was synonymous with all them. The sad part is that odd little 13 scenarios were totally serious possibilities in her mind and not some ridiculous joke her childish mind concocted.

She kept herself quiet and still as she kept her eyes on her opponent, unsure of if she was going to make a move. Calypso was too unsure and unwilling to make the first move, but she tried to keep her stance neutral, to swallow the nervous tinges in her mind. She didn't want to show this woman any feelings of insecurity. She kept track of the woman's emotions, trying to get a read on the situation in silence; she doubted that the woman could tell she had empathetic abilities, but so far she didn't catch any emotions that related to bloodlust or violence, but she kept solid on this action as she was trying to catch her when the first rise of viciousness would happen.

Even if she tried to keep herself strong, she seemed to physically falter at the idea of usurping, but she kept her mouth shut, even if the woman's words did begin to prick and prod at her. She was kind of right, but.. Usurping? She just... Wanted to help her kind, they were already having a rough enough time under her mother's thumb, but, she had never dreamed of taking the throne from her. She wasn't even close to the third option, ripping the throne from under her was unthinkable, especially from her current stance in other demon's eyes, which was none at all. She always felt that Sis was the most likely to take the throne if anything happened to Mama, she was formally recognized as a princess to begin with, unlike Calypso.

She watched the precious stones representing the qualities the Yuudeshi had listed, her gaze hardened at her additional mentioning of usurping, but mostly towards the things she said about her actions, and her race. Her hands curled into fists as she has a rather strong frown on her face, and the most sticking part of that on top of it all was the supposition that she wouldn't get her mother's acceptance because of how contrarian her dreams were to her mother's goals, of simply how she was..

She had a hard stare at Chifuyu as she finally opened her mouth to speak, "Well you know what? I'm me. I'm happy to be me! This was how I was born, and it doesn't matter if Mama doesn't even give me the time of day because of how kind and gentle I try to be!"

It wasn't quite yelling, but Calypso's voice did gain a sudden impact to it's tone, she was fairly serious about what she spoke of,

"Even if nobody in the world laid even a thought of my existence i'd still be happy to be myself! All I want to do is bring happiness to everyone, I don't think that's useless or pathetic of a desire at all! I don't have the power to do any of that usurping stuff you're talking about, so.. So..! Even if I did have it, I wouldn't be sure... I don't want my Mama to die or disappear or anything, it's a dumb pipe dream but I want to help her not be a terrible person but... Usurp and force myself to the top? I... I can't do that. I don't think I can."

She took a deep breath, finally, getting these thoughts out, "Those demons you thoughtlessly tore to pieces, even if they didn't make the best of moves, they were trying to protect me, even if they didn't listen to my word to just run. I couldn't call a person violent by nature, human, demon, beast, or anything in between or beyond. Everyone just wants to live, they just want to feel safe, they didn't ask to be born into a harsh world! But this world makes everyone scared, everyone angry, and a lot of people just don't know how to cope with their unstable surroundings... Do you think most of them are just out here for the thrill of battle?"

She gestured heavily to the battlefield in the distance, "Do you? Do you think anyone here at heart actually likes this? No matter who they are, on some level they hate this just as much as you and I. I can't tear down the one calling for this, but the least I can do is show the ones pushed into this that their lives matter to me, that I care unlike most of my family, unlike most others. Because you know what, somebody fucking has to, here. They do deserve better leadership... It is my dream to see that they don't have to suffer under such a shitty set of circumstances.."

She maintained her frown, "..But why are you trying so hard to get at me like this? I thought you just wanted to kill me, here. Are you just trying to upset me or something?"

Watching with a bemused expression while she was only partially paying attention to the danava, not that dividing her thoughts made her miss any of those details. It just didn't require that much thought to have this conversation for her while the majority of the thoughts zooming through her head were directed at various fronts of war and other situations as well as preparations.

While she was unaware of the empathetic feeling perception Calypso really wouldn't benefit from it. Chifuyu was pretty emotionally bland in the sense that she rarely showed strong emotions and were usually limited to interest and disinterest in subjects, even in this case it was a killing intent but pretty neutral emotionally, there was no immediate blood lust nor anger.

"So you're happy to remain the same? Unwilling to adapt and change with your environment? To live in this fantasy that you're unable to do things, those are the words of a coward. Someone unwilling to change and go through life, change isn't bad, change is good but you run from it and justify to yourself how perfect you are."

Her words held a level of disgust in their tone, evolution, progression and development. None of it happened when someone was so adamant about being stagnant and sitting in their pool of self-pity like she thought of this girl. Progression and pushing forward was something that she dedicated herself too and this woman who held herself back from the potential of what she could be was a bit of a disappointment.

"No violence is a core part of nature, no one likes it but that's just the way things are. Although the only thing that's changed is that your kind so happily break their way into this world, devastate it and conqueror it. You really think this land is your own? From the moment your kind invaded this world you created this situation, the violence will never end and my only solace is that one day your kind will remain in your own realm meanwhile humans can have their own world back."

Tapping her finger to her lip idly while looking up at the sky as she received information from Chiron that he had an idea that Yuel could handle the Karakura situation and so she wouldn't need to worry she silently accepted this, if he felt that way then she felt that way too and faith in the young Suika was pretty strong compared to the others. Still she kept him there to assist in the situation should he be required but to stay out of her way - with that sorted out it was back to Calypso.

"Those demons did in fact try to protect you, but I have no doubt many of your comrades in this battle are here to enjoy a slaughter however are disappointed their prey can fight back. Even so your weakness towards taking action is a little disappointing, you're unwillingness to change, you almost appeared human. Your inability to take action for the good of your kind is pitiful. I love my father but should he change himself to become a threat, god or not, I don't care. I'll dedicate myself to tearing him down and ending what he became."

A hypothetical situation but Chifuyu's attachment to Shadin was probably one of her few genuine ones that had concern, an emotion that could probably be felt by her opponent but she didn't wait long for it. She ignored the same bit at the end like she had done so before, it was better to let her own mind interpret it. Whatever conclusion she came to in the end it wouldn't be given to her by the Yuudeshi opposite her.

"No! I meant I was happy that I was myself! I love everything, I try to be kind and nurturing, I try to make others happy, if people think that just trying to be a good damn person to people is a shitty commitment then that's their own problem!"

Golden tears were really rolling down her face now, as Chifuyu's statements came rolling out like a gut punch. Calypso didn't feel impulse, she just felt sad, this whole thing was making her feel sad, and she was having difficulties keeping her sadness down, "..No, i'm not happy staying the same. Staying the same is just asking for yourself to rot... Being able to do action is what i've been trying to do.."

She looked with more sadness as she brought up the subject of the demon invasion upon Earth, not regret, just sadness. She didn't have any regrets, she didn't instigate it or participate, hell she wasnt even conceived during it, she was just sad it ever happened, even if the only eye she had on it was through history documents and records.

"It's terrible that happened, it really is, but, a lot of demons weren't even around back then, including myself. It's something in the past, that already happened, so all we really can do at this point is make it better. We can't change the past, even if I was in any sort of power, I couldn't change the past, but I would try to make it better for everyone who got hurt. But please, don't blame my race at large for this mess...! That just isn't fair..."

She was a little confused when the woman peered to the sky, and even if her emotions were quite muted, she could tell her attention was pulled away for a small interval, which only made the girl tilt her head a bit as she rubbed golden sweetness from her cheeks. It was strange but the woman was back to talking rather soon after. Her words make her chest burn, however, feeling the well of emotions once more.

"And your comrades aren't? Don't tell me you actually think all of them are here for righteous reasons. Nothing's that simple, it's way more nuanced than that. But then again, you're probably one of those people who're under the assumption that demons are innately evil or just all evil, or something stupid like that... That isn't true at all." A gentle sniff came from her, despite nothing being in the construct of nostrils, it was a typical human action to having cried, the sharp familiar noise coming from her despite the incorrect anatomy,

"..But, I'm... Just not sure.. You're right, the inaction is useless, everyone's going to suffer if nothing's done, but.. I don't think I can even stand against Mama in the state I am... But.. I even told her that i'd find a way to show her, even if it meant I was just a puddle afterwards.. I..."

Calypso seemed heavily saddened, a soft murmur in her voice as she made quiet apologies to Algos for not asserting herself, here or with their mother.

"You say that so easily.. Is that what you'd really do?"

"You can't change the past but you can change the present. You still follow Mana, still follow your leaders that do these things. The people that allow themselves to be lead so mindlessly without any consideration for whether what they are doing is right or wrong are as guilty as the person leading them."

Keeping her gaze firm with the distraction gone, Chifuyu's thoughts were completely back on the current situation while she kept up with having alternate egos going about plans to handle the situation while she was busy here with Calypso. Valentine had given her a bit of understanding towards the situation of the Asthavon, their conflicts that occurred between them. She hoped those waves were not still and that this could leave Calypso with food for thought.

"Of course. It's natural to want to fight, the kill and feel a sense of power. It's in a fight that you feel better and everything fades away except the immediate situation. Evil's such a basic description for it though, humans nor demons are good or evil. This is a clash of two groups, it's relative and in that sense the opposing side is evil to the other one. You just don't belong here and so consider this a helping hand in going back to your much larger realm instead of encroaching on this one."

For her next comment Chifuyu had to resist to say of course she was correct, while she cared more about practical sciences and studies rather than ones of philosophy she felt nothing she had said was unreasonable or wrong thus far. Like good and evil it was subjective though.

"Then stop wasting your time and get stronger or find strong friends and allies. Stop looking at a task as being impossible and too daunting to tackle. Just keep putting one foot after another... Yes. I'd do everything in my power to handle it, even if it meant having to kill him and he'd never come back Calypso or I died in the process. I'd rather die than follow along blindly just because of attachment while others suffered for his choices."

"I don't follow my Mama, or any of Shadow Fall. Even if the demons there, or anyone else fighting, are making me sad with their actions, I can't hate them or wish death upon them for making a really crappy choice. Even the humans fighting, I can't hate. I just feel sad for them, but my own I feel obligation towards. I want to make a better future for them, or well, whoever manages to survive this crap."

Her head was tipped down, as her heart was indeed swelled with sadness, a sigh leaving her lips. For someone stating in such a casual manner that she wanted her dead, she was awful chatty. It was hard to tell what she wanted to do, here. Her emotions were so muted she couldn't really think of any possible intentions. She just spoke strongly and confidently towards her, which increasingly became more digging into her, despite her initially trying to not have her get under her skin. Her eyes had become rounded as her attempted facade of confidence had long dropped, filled with sadness.

"..Our realm hasn't been much better, honestly. It's no excuse to rob you of yours, but... There's so much conflict going on there, riots and stuff. All that's done in response to it is more violence to quell it. It's gross as fuck, and I just want it to stop already.. But... I personally don't feel like I belong there, or here, or anywhere, honestly, on the subject of belonging. I just feel really aimless, like where ever I go i'm not going to feel settled."

She shook her head softly, looking at the fighting in the distance. She wished that wasn't reality, she wished she could just wish for the fighting to stop. But she didn't have to try using her ability to know that it wouldn't be so easy to do. She wasn't interested in giving up, simply disappointed it couldn't be that easy.

"...I try to, but when it comes to Mama, I just.. Feel weighed down. Powerless. Scared. I don't want to kill her, but at the same time she does so much horrible shit, she lets all this crap happen and rolls through it with a smile on her face. I've... Always been afraid of facing her."

She hugged herself, as if a cold chill went through the air, her stance lowered slightly, as if she physically were weighed by the unearthed despair in regards to her mother. She swallowed, biting her lip.

"But... If usurping her is what's gonna make this crap stop, then I guess that's what I gotta do. And I can't usurp her if i'm dead."

Her gaze was rather dark as she stared towards Chifuyu, though still chilled with sadness, there was some determination behind them, along with slight hesitance, "So, you going to make good on that casually put statement? Are you gonna try to kill me?"

With what appeared to be Calypso coming to the intended conclusions, in her long-winded speech that showed her understanding of Chifuyu's points she was finally posed the question of whether or not she would die since she needed to live to usurp Mana. Of course the Yuudeshi just gave a smirk towards the little Asthavon, in a sense Chifuyu had already "killed" her. These thoughts that plagued her mind and messed with loyalties and affiliations were more than enough to satisfy Chifuyu, even though the violent aspects of her heritage told her to.

But those instincts weren't practical and were better left ignored in this situation unless her foe wanted to make a bold move but by this point she felt confident enough that she could win with her preparations even though she had very little knowledge of Calypso's skills.

"I don't really have any intention of killing you anymore. I'd rather see what you do with everything I've told you and your worldview."

With that resolved she stood there patiently, more or less waiting to see if there was anything else that the danava demon wanted from her, if she didn't need to kill her anymore but instead made her question her loyalties then this meeting was now becoming a waste of her time if it drew on for any amount of time longer than what it needed to. This was a war after all and fighting everywhere. She wasn't going to play babysitter.

Calypso felt a lump in her throat as Chifuyu smirked at her. Trying to get a good read on her emotions was difficult, they were very muted the entire time she tried to grasp onto them. Even if she tried feeling them herself she was certain it wouldn't help much than trying to read them like words from a textbook. It was troubling, like her senses got stuffed with cotton with this woman, but it was just the icing on this shit cake of having to wholeheartedly contemplate overthrowing her own mother. Her gaze momentarily betrayed to the battlefield they had walked away from, her breath paced as she finally admitted to herself; Her actions of healing them today wouldn't impact much, it wouldn't save them from this violence. All it would aid in is her being seen favorably, but that wouldn't be enough.

But, when Chifuyu spoke, her attention was quickly torn back to the woman, but if anything could lift a weight off her, it was the woman's words in this moment. She didn't show any signs of relief, but she felt some weight being generously pulled off of her, but it was on the basis that she would actually, truly abide by the woman's words and put forth actions based on such. She swallowed what she was sure was either her heart, or a huge wad of fear, releasing a deep sigh.

"I'll take what was said today to mind..." Her voice showed some weakness and submission in her tone, but the young demon was serious, "..I'll remember your name, face, and what you've had to say today, miss Chifuyu.."

She turned, but gave one last look to the pale Yuudeshi, and then to the battlefield, and then softly sighed once more, whispering a small, "...Good luck." as she opened a portal before her, stepping into the dimensional rift, which rapidly closed behind her.