Dredging Change (Inami/Sing)

Eras of peace and chaos were like a constant stream of back and forths. It's something that is common knowledge to anyone with a drop of common sense, so knowing this mundane fact of reality brought a sense of direction in the mind of the Iramasha when the meeting with this Demon Queen came on her schedule. A being of such chaos seeking to join a faction of order? It was insanity to most, but it made sense to Sing because even beings that scream to life with such maddening power desire a period of rest from the madness.

Thus, the golden-haired Princess of this realm allowed the demonic vessel entrance and domain and for all her soldiers to stand-down. As when the caped royalty arrived, her gold eyes locked with Inami and she was met with a ginger smile. At this moment, the honey rays of the twilight sun washed down on the ruler before she spoke these words to her guest:

"I didn't expect you, but the universe did. Welcome home."

With that introduction out of the way, the milky smooth palm of the Iramasha's right hand met with the left hand of Inami to give her a firm handshake to solidify their meeting.

"But do tell me: how do you plan to change the world by joining us? Really, it is rather odd from an outsider's point of view as to why as a demon queen filled with chaos would join us. How can you assure us that this is beneficial and an asset to us?"

Leaving room for her guest to talk, Sing let her hand go and merely observed. She'd learn far more by just shutting up and allowing the demon to now sell herself.

”I didn’t expect you, but the universe did. Welcome home. “

The words that left sing’s mouth at first brought a flash of wariness and pain within the queen's gaze for a moment. A momentary darkening of her gaze came with the pain that she had come to expect with that word--home. How long had it been since the home of her heart had turned from one of peace, to a nightmare of pain, betrayal and misery? ” I don't want you, or anyone, to have to suffer alone; to feel such pain without some relief. It's the worst pain in the world to be alone, dear sister” Inami remembered the kind words spoken by Arianda that day that she had lost so much, and drew strength from the kindness that lay behind them. She had decided then and there that day that she was going to live for more than others--she was going to live true to her ideals, and for her people.

The pain in her eyes did not disappear, but it lessened as the small smile that had adorned her lips had faded, instead a look of difficulty, and frustration crossed the queens feature, inevitably shifting to contemplation as Sing had asked her rather directly.

"But do tell me: how do you plan to change the world by joining us? Really, it is rather odd from an outsider's point of view as to why as a demon queen filled with chaos would join us. How can you assure us that this is beneficial and an asset to us?"

As if an afterthought, the queen shifted her hand, a chair moving next to sing so she could sit if she so chose. Inami herself though just simply sat down upon the air itself, tiny motes of darkness gently dissipating from the dark, inky cloud that had formed beneath her.

” I’ve always tried for change.”

Inami parted her lips and started to speak. Sure she could give Sing a perfunctory answer, but the rightness of the candidacy, and honesty, the sharing of her experiences and emotions, and the answer she had come to--all of it, drove her to forge this connection of honesty and truth with this.. Perpetual stranger in front of her.

”Even when it wasn’t the best option. Even if the intent behind it shifted and turned astray. “

Inami crossed her legs as her eyes wandered for a moment, as if caught in her own memories, before they shifted back to sing and a tired, sad, smile blessed her ruby-red lips.

”I’ve never liked all the senseless fighting, the conflict and destruction. Despite my nature in itself being that of chaos, After Australia when I awoke to another era of chaos and violence, in many ways I was saved by one of my kin. Once i had regained my clarity, it was my drive to see a better future that drove me to take up the mantle as Queen of brutes. “

Inami’s smile brightened slightly as the amusing thought of her nation having been one of the most war-like places in all of the demon world.

”I brought order, and quelled the fighting, and built a society for them where they did not simply have to use their fists. I erected a city that was supposed to be welcoming to any that sought it’s harbor. I tried to bridge a connection between my nation and the races that had fought us for so long, to that end when tsubasa.”

Inami swallowed faintly, pain once more shifting across her gaze, before she let the hurt wash over her, and she blinked back the tears.

” When tsubasa was captain commander, I managed to forge a tentative connection between my nation and the gotei. To show that fighting didn’t simply have to be the answer we sought. “

Inami sighed softly.

”When the war was at its climax between shadow fall and earth, It was I that councilled my eldest sister to leave. To stop fighting and start recovering. “

Inami absent-mindedly reached up to grasp her hair, coiling it upon her pointer finger as she bit her lip faintly. The hurt in her eyes and in her posturing spoke volumes of how hard she had tried, over and over, to bring things on the right path, alone.

”For so long I’ve tried, again and again on my own to bring about change. I’ve finally realized though.”

Inami paused and swallowed faintly, the emotions prickling in her bosom like shards of glass.

” --That my problem was I was alone. I had brought it all upon myself to try to change something that has gone on for millenia. I’m tired of being alone Sing.”

Her smile was ragged, vulnerable and yet so full of emotion as she reached up to gently wipe away a tear that had beaded upon the corner of her eye.

” What kind of world I want might sound Naive and Idealistic but…”

Inami giggled faintly, the furthest thing from mirth and joy coloring her tone.

” I want to create a world where these savage cycles of fighting and peace stop. The senseless death and destruction, and the pain and misery that comes from it. A world where my people, no, where everyone can live their lives without the fear of some mighty being coming forth from the shadows, wiping away everything that they hold dear upon something as weak as whimsy or fancy. “

Inami’s self-mocking snicker was an ugly, but heart-felt thing as she said.

”Ironic right? A being of such immense destruction as I simply wishing for something as mundane and naive as a world without war and bloodshed. To remake it to be better”

Inami shifted her eyes to look side-long out a window as she brought her left hand up to grasp her right bicep, the queen looking nothing of a mighty warrior that could bring the very fabric of reality together, and fight the world on her own, Instead in that moment she looked desolate and alone, as she spoke in a soft, husky, cracked tone.

”A very dear person once told me: I don't want you, or anyone, to have to suffer alone; to feel such pain without some relief. It's the worst pain in the world to be alone”

Inami took a moment to collect herself, steadying her breathing before she chuckled softly.

”Sorry, it's hard, speaking about everything so openly but, I am tired Sing, and in my heart I want a home that supports that same Ideal that I strive for-- to make a better world than this one.”

Inami exhaled softly and she said gently.

”As for what I can bring to the table, well, I am charismatic, I will always put those under my charge before all else. I doubt I need to talk about my strength. The connections I have in this world are many and vast, and the resources I have at my disposal to dedicate towards this cause are vaster than anything this world has to offer. and.”

Inami paused unsure, of the words that left her lips, but she’d speak them all the same, for the rightness in her heart urged her to do so.

”I know far too intimately the pain of betrayal, lies, and false promises Sing. You would atleast have another person who would never leave your side. A new member of your family and hopefully and example and pillar to lean on, to seek comfort from if need be as well. “

Inami bit her lips, the vulnerability in her expression far more than the queen would normally ever allow to be shown to another person. It was clear that this wasn’t some facade of lunacy or drab whimsical amusement that she was putting on, but instead that this was her--Inami. The her that she was past all those titles of Demon Queen, Ashtavon, etc. She had put herself out there, when her greatest fear was letting people in-- for the fear of being rejected.

”So… what do you think..? What more do you wish to know? “