Practicing his social skills (Sorreessa)

[Inu]

Inu-Aku sat back, sloucing in the farthest corner of the Bar and Grill. He sought a certain person, one who had been the brunt of his abrasive personality for a while now. His comrades at his Order thought he was arrogant, and rude, and certainly disliked him. He needed to learn respect, they said. He'd learn, all right. Lesson one started with Sorreessa.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa yawned as she entered the bar, she had spent another night typing in specs for the KAR. She scanned the bar briefly as she always did before she spotted a familar set of ears. Wandering over, she then sat down in a nearby chair before ordering a drink, she couldn't tell by looking at Inu if he wanted company or not.

[Inu]

He looked to Sorreessa, a disinterested look. He sat up, gathering his willpower to overcome his pride and lone wolf nature.

"Sorreessa, over here."

Now that wasn't so difficult, was it? Actually yes, he was already regretting his plan as she turned to look at him. Too late though. He pushed out the chair across from him with his foot.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa turned to look at him before she got up and sat down in the chair he had pushed out. Her tail swished back and forth a bit, he was one of those types she couldn't quite figure out. She still stayed quiet for the moment but she looked at him curiously while she occationally sipped her drink.

[Inu]

He noted the drink in her hand.

"Would you like something to eat as well?"

He took a deep breath. So far so good...

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa's ears went up, wondering what was up but other than that she made no movement.

"jI guess but most of the food arrround herrre jis prrrekjilled..."

It was a well known fact that Cizerack preferred to hunt if possible but Sorreessa wasn't too picky about that, it wasn't always appropriate to go hunting.

[Inu]

A droid rolled up to take his order. He'd done a little background on Cizeracks, and hoped what he knew was true.

"A bowl of sajoi."

The droid skittered away. Inu-Aku slouched again, hands behind his head as usual, but behind his head both hands were counting, thumbs moving to his other four fingers, counting idly, endlessly.

"How are you feeling?"

A lame, cliche method of starting conversation, but one that usually worked, at least from what he had seen.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

One of Sorreessa's ears went up again, wondering how he knew about sajoi but she sipped her drink again before she spoke.

"Tjirrred but otherrrwjise fjine, you?"

She was still confused by how Inu was acting, small talk didn't seem like something he'd do.

[Inu]

"Feh. I am well, thanks."

By now she had to know he had some kind of angle, had to know something was up. But he continued doggedly on. He had yet to make a friend of her. The droid came back with the bowl and he shoved it across the table at her.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

*Sorreessa picked up a sajoi and started to eat but stopped, the little creature wiggling in an attempt to get away.

"Surrre that you don't want one?"

She asked, curious if he was more dog than human now. Sorreessa looked at him for a few seconds before putting the whole little creature in her mouth then chomping down, crushing the fragile bones.

[Inu]

Inu-Aku's claws counted faster. His pride welled up; to refuse them would brand him a coward, but his stomach turned at the thought. His eyes narrowed, and he hit the table with a fist. A sajoi bounced out of the bowl. He snatched it from the air, flicked it higher with his thumb, and ate the creature. His eyes widened with surprise. They weren't half bad.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa smiled somewhat, hmm, more dog than I thought, before she took another and ate it.

"Not bad, huh?"

Other than a large fresh killed animal, sajoi were Sorr's favorite food as she took another.

[Inu]

"Not at all."

He smirked, and the counting slowed.

"Heh, I've had worse."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa toyed with one briefly, letting it run a little before she caught it and ate it.

"So what brrrjings you herrre thjis tjime?"

Sorreessa asked, deciding that he had stalled long enough, she wanted to know what was up.

[Inu]

He frowned, and sighed. Time to let the cat out of the bag.

"My order demands that I show respect to all of its members. I am unaccustomed to working with others, and it brings me trouble. I am here to learn social skill and at least make neutralities of people. It is necessary that I learn so I can find allies to help wreak my vengeance."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

One of Sorreessa's ears went up again, she understood but why her she wondered.

"Hmmm, and what orrrderrr would that be?"

[Inu]

"Sith."

He pounded the table and another sajoi popped out of the bowl. It skittered toward him, and he pinned it with a claw, then flicked it into his mouth and ate it.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Hmm, jI don't see why the Sjith would want rrrespect, they seem ljike a prrretty djisrrrespectful grrroup...at least the ones jI've been arrround."

She said quietly as she picked up another Sajoi then ate it.

[Inu]

"Feh. It is no concern of yours."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa bit one in half before eating both halves of it.

"That's not helpjing yourrr case......jI was merrrely statjing my obserrrvatjion on the ones jI've seen."

[Inu]

"No, its not helping, but it is also the truth. You are not allowed to speak of the workings of the Cizerack Intelligence, am I correct?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Depends on what and how classjifjied jit jis, why?"

[Inu]

"It is the same with my Order."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"jI see."

Sorreessa's tail twitched back and forth as she thought about all that.

[Inu]

The Jackel's claws began to count idly once more.

"You once tried to explain Cizerack society..." he started, trying to begin the conversation again.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"jI djid but you walked out beforrre jI could fjinjish, what do you want to know?"

[Inu]

"Tell me all that you can."

His idle counting ceased.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"well jI would have to know what you want to know, jI wouldn't know wherrre to starrrt otherrrwjissse."

[Inu]

"Explain why men in your society are treated as slaves."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"That jI've neverrr rrreally underrrstood myself but jit's been that way for most of ourrr hjistorrry so jI can't gjive a defjinate answerrr to that."

Sorr's tail swished back and forth again, it was just how things always were, it was just accepted and she had never really thought about it.

[Inu]

"For most of your history, eh? Then answer me this: What purpose does such a system serve?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"jit just the system we use, jit was set up by the Prrrjide motherrr long ago and has been used as far back as ourrr hjistorrry goes, we accepted jit because we had to."

Sorr's tail twitched some more, it was always hard for non-Cizerack to understand but the Cizeracks had no problem with it since they had never thought to question it.

[Inu]

"Pride mother? She is a dictator that rules the Cizeracks?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr nodded.

"The closest thjing jI would rrrelate herrr to jis a queen, she rrrules overrr us as one."

[Inu]

"Monarchy. But judging from your treatment of men, I assume there is no king."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa nods again.

"Correct, she has a favorjite male but he doesn't hold the same type of power that she does."

[Inu]

"And of what importance is the title of favorite male?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"He acts as the emjissarrry, he acts jin herrr place forrr some of the morrre mjinor dutjies or thjings that arrre too dangerrrous forrr the Prrrjide Motherrr to take carrre of."

[Inu]

"Too dangerous?" The Jackel laughed. "And here the women were supposed to be the ultimate elite of Cizeracks!"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"We arrre but therrre's certajin thjings the Prrrjide Motherrr would rrratherrr let otherrrs do sjince they may be below herrr status or sjimply just not safe forrr ourrr rrrulerrr to be dojing."

[Inu]

"Understandable."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Well jif therrre's nothjing else that you want to know about, jI am a ljittle currrjious about what happened wjith you, you werrre vague about jit before."

[Inu]

"I was a human, once..." he said. His claws started counting again. "I was abducted. A scientist, a leader in gene-splicing, decided to...experiment...illegally."

He hesitated. Did he really want to tell her his life story? He'd told no one, but perhaps her intelligence organization may know something based on his story? He hesitated longer, claws counting rapidly.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa watched him, noticing that he was getting nervous though she didn't understand why.

"jI don't see why someone would do such a thjing."

She shuddered briefly thinking about what that entailed.

"jIt's just wrrrong."

[Inu]

"Wrong is not the word, halfling!" he snapped.

His eyes took a distant quality. Coupled with the wild, almost evil grin he wore, it was quite unsettling.

"This scientist did not believe in any form of pain killer. The process was painful, nothing you have ever seen or heard of comes close. It was like having my soul shattered and reformed into what you see before you. For this injustice he has wrought on me, I will have vengeance. I will make him SUFFER"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr's ears went down and back, thinking about it.

"Well anyone who does that, deserrrves the worrrst vengeance taken out on them."

She growled lowly, she just couldn't see why someone would be so cruel and thoughtless enough to do such a thing.

[Inu]

The madness in his eyes passed, and he tilted his chair back on its two rear legs.

"Feh. You should've seen his face when I attacked him last..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Hmmm, jI bet he was terrrrrrjifjied but he deserrrves any pain he gets."

Sorr's tail still swished back and forth a bit while she tried to remember if she had ever seen any information about all this.

[Inu]

"He finally realized what he had created. He was ecstatic, until I cut him. He escaped by pure, dumb luck."

The idle counting slowed, but did not stop. Now that they'd traded background on each other, what happened? Should he end the conversation or continue?

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Well jI have a feeljing you'll have anotherrr chance to take out yourrr vengeance."

Her tail swished back and forth slowly, it seemed she didn't know what to do next either. The information seemed vaguely familiar but she didn't know why or what she had heard before.

[Inu]

"What of your director?" he asked, suddenly remembering Kajeela.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorr's tail stopped swishing briefly at that question.

"Hmm? What about herrr?"

[Inu]

"One, she molested that male Cizerack. 2, she's your incompetent boss. 3, she considers me an enemy."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa fluttered her ears, she didn't see what he was getting at.

"She consjiderrrs most to be an enemy but jI don't see yourrr pojint."

[Inu]

Inu-Aku sighed. Subtlety never was his strong suit.

"Tell me about that godforsaken wench you call boss."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Well we gatherrr the jinforrrmatjion and she does wjith jit what she wjills. She takes what we gjive herrr then may trrry to use jit agajinst the subjects jinvolved."

Sorreessa was careful in what she said, she knew anything could get back to the director.

[Inu]

"Its her job to give hell to random people."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Prrretty much, forrr the good of the Prrrjide jis how jit's usually put though."

[Inu]

"The good of the Pride!" he mocked. "This is nothing more than a sadistic child's game to your director."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"That jit jis and one jI'm stuck playjing a parrrt jin just because the djirrrectorrr ljiked somethjing about me."

[Inu]

"Perhaps you share her thirst for the destruction of innocents? Or is it that you are capable of doing more than she herself can, and she uses you to do her dirty work?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"jI do not wjish to harrrm the jinnocent, jI am good at gettjing jinforrrmatjion that's all, honestly jI hate telljing herrr some thjings."

[Inu]

"You are skilled. She sees your ability, and lacking it for herself, puts it to use doing her will. You are wronged, my friend."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"And stuck jin a job that at tjimes jI hate dojing."

Sorreessa sighed, her tail moving only at the tip as she thought.

[Inu]

"You will not always be burdened by this, that I promise you."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa's ears went up again.

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

She didn't understand how she could ever get away from what the KAR required her to do.

[Inu]

"You will one day succeed your Director, you will someday resign, or..." and here he grinned maliciously "The KAR will be destroyed."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"jI don't see any of those happenjing, jI won't be allowed to succeed the djirrrectorrr wjith my blood, jI am not allowed to rrresjign.....and jI don't see how the KAR could be destrrroyed."

Sorr's ears drooped a little, she was stuck there for life and she knew it.

[Inu]

"And what foolery is this? Giving up before you've made the attempt? Surely you are not so weak as to fail before you've begun!"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"The KAR wjill not let me go wjilljingly, jI know too much to be left alone and jI was not gjiven a chojice jin jojinjing....jI am not gjivjing up, jI just don't see the path ahead of me rrrjight now."

[Inu]

"You are a member of a race of tyrants, hypocrites, and slave drivers. You yourself however seem to be an exception."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Trrrue, jit may be my otherrr blood but jI don't know rrreally.....jI've was neverrr ljike them to starrrt wjith though."

[Inu]

"I am sorry to hear that."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

One of Sorreessa's ears rose again, had he just said something nice?

"Currrsed frrrom the begjinjing by my own blood, lucky me huh?"

Sorreessa's tail only twitched at the very tip again.

[Inu]

"We both share similar predicaments, cursed to be that which we hate."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Currrsed by the fates forrreverrr....."

Sorreessa trailed off somewhat, her thoughts wandering a bit.

[Inu]

Inu-Aku averted his eyes as a sudden thought struck him. He was having a good conversation. And he was enjoying it. She thought he was a nice guy, and her tone suggested...

Inu-Aku shuddered.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa's tail twitched back and forth, thinking a few things over in her mind. She looked up at him briefly, not sure of what to say or do next, she was somewhat confused at the difference in his manner. She knew he was still a dangerous person normally so she was stuck on what to do now. Hastily she picked up her drink for something to do, sipping it as she thought.

[Inu]

Inu-Aku stood, suddenly tired from keeping up the conversation.

"It was nice talking to you," he said with a forced smile. "Goodbye."

He walked to the entrance, took his katana, and left.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa watched him go again, yet another time that he left when he started to get uncomfortable. At any rate, she wouldn't try to stop him, she felt that it wasn't needed and she couldn't probably stop him if she tried. She wondered about other things of course but instead took out her data pad, typing in random facts about other Cizerack but not anything he had told her.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa then as she thought about it a bit more decided to follow him. He wasn't hard to track as she grabbed him and slammed him into a nearby wall.

"Just tell me one thjing, why can't you everrrr just stay untjil the converrrsatjion jis overrr! What jis yourrr problem?"

[Inu]

The Jackel found himself suddenly pressed to the wall by Sorr.

"This is more like it. So you're not a weakling after all. I leave because your lack of confidence and willingness to give up annoys me. It shows weakness, and I despise those who are weak."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa growled before she slammed him into the wall a bit harder.

"How darrre you call me weak! You harrrdly even know me enough to make judgements!"

She didn't know why but that irked her, she didn't think herself as being weak by any means.

[Inu]

"You act as if your fate is unchangable, as if your suffering at the hands of KAR is permanent!"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

By now, Sorreessa's father's Tano warrior blood was getting the better of her as she drew her katana blade up to his neck.

"And just what would you do jin my posjitjion gjiven what jI have told you?"

[Inu]

"Anything! During the experimentation many subjects gave up hope and died or worse, were driven mad! I alone was the only survivor to maintain his sanity, because I was always, ALWAYS trying! I succeeded eventually in escaping, and now I will not cease in my quest for vengeance! I will have it, because I do not quit!"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"They won't let me just go, jI know farrr too much forrr them to let me just leave! jI don't have the ljiberrrty of just actjing how jI please ljike you."

[Inu]

Inu-Aku moved swiftly, removing her blade from his throat and pinning her to the wall, arms crossed tightly over her chest to prevent her from swinging her blade.

"They wouldn't let me go either. I broke out of a transparisteel cage, stole this rusted blade, and then I fought and killed a hundred men before I escaped."

He looked her in the eye, coming almost nose to nose with her.

"Do you still believe that your situation is impossible?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa growled, her ears going back as she tried to think of a way to attack.

"They won't let me go, the djirrrectorrr knows that jI know farrr too much, jI don't want to end up ljike those mjindless drrrones she's made the otherrrs jinto!"

She then headbutted Inu, knocking him away before she kneed him in the gut.

[Inu]

The headbutt was unexpected and he reeled back, but moved swiftly aside from her kneestrike. He faced her, drawing his katana.

"And you cannot think of any method to prevent this?"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Consjiderrrjing that she would send out a lot of Cjizerrrack afterrr me no!"

She then charged again and clashed with his katana but again connected with a hit to his neck with her elbow as he blocked her blade.

[Inu]

He gagged as she struck him, and parried hard. Both of them lost their blades and Inu grabbed her wrists, pushing her against the wall.

"If you cannot succeed alone, then find allies! I have been forced to take this course of action, though I myself hate it!"

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa growled lowly but he had her too pinned to move and react but that didn't stop her from bitting down hard on one of his ears.

"No one arrround herrre wjill help me, they know what the djirrrectorrr wjill do them!"

[Inu]

"Then I will help you!"

He paused, taken aback by his own words.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa ears fluttered, not believing what she heard, had he just said what she thought he had.

"You wjill?"

Before she knew what she was doing, Sorr leaned in and kissed him, something about him wanting to help her did it or maybe it was pent up hormones but she did it anyway all the while, knowing he would probably attack her for doing so.

[Inu]

Sorr drew back from the kiss, and Inu-Aku glared at her. She shrank back, no doubt expecting an attack.

"Yes, Sorr, I will help you."

He leaned in and returned the kiss, and for the first time, vengeance escaped his focus.

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa purred softly as she kissed him back.

"Good to know that someone gjives a damn, thank you...."

She said quietly as she nibbled lightly on the ear she had bitten before.

[Inu]

He released her wrists and held her around the waist.

"It is, I suppose..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa pulled back slightly to look at him.

"Hmm?"

She said while purring before she kissed him again, hoping that he wasn't going to add on conditions.

[Inu]

As the two parted, he picked her up, and carried her over to where their weapons lay. He set her on his knee as he crouched, and sheathing the weapons, picked her up again.

"Come, let us find a place to stay. For once I don't feel like spending the night in a tree alone..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

Sorreessa still purred softly before she made a nip at his ear.

"Wherrreverrr you want to go jis fjine wjith me besjidess jI don't thjink we could stay jin the tree...."

Sorreessa smirked.

[Inu]

"Heh. Of course not. I believe there is an inn nearby..."

He walked off down the alleyway, then turned onto another street. He soon found the Inn he sought and carried Sorr inside.

"We'll stay here..."

[Sorreessa Tarrineezi]

"Fjine by me"

She said quietly, smiled at the Inn keeper as he handed them a key. Once in the room, she kissed Inu deeply then shut the door behind them with her tail.