Candidate Habits. (Mia the DOOM Rabbit)

[Anonymous]

"You need to go see her." Roland's voice, pestering...again. Danica rolled her eyes to the ceiling. She was sitting at the desk in her room going through papers and checking files. Being a Seeker kept her busy so much of the time, always more information to go over, triple checking things, trying to keep things organized. Roland seemed to think she had plenty of free time, at least when it came to former candidates that seemed to be having some problems.

"I'm aware I do, but I do not know what to tell her. She needs to find a candidate that will not somehow abandon her, that's completely unacceptable." Danica started to slide papers back into files putting them in order again. Opening one of the drawer's she set the stack in it and pushed it shut. She was left staring at the thin computer screen in front of her. It was like a sheet of glass with the programs dancing across it. Not as fragile though. She remembered when everything was less high tech. Thank the Gods for the incurable hunt for better.

She stretched her arms in the air as she moved the programs, closing some opening other with her mind. A couple bones popped then she crossed her arms over her chest. Latona's file.

"Maybe Latona just needs some guidance from an old Mentor." Danica's eye twitched slightly. Roland had brought that file up all on his own. She could not help but smile after a moment though. Roland was trying to help and keep an eye on the Pilots, it was her job too. Though, for either of them it didn't really come from a place of love. It came from a hungering, to know things, to know where the Gospels were. To keep an eye and make sure no more were born.

"As you wish Roland."

"And an added little detail," files moving on screen and other moving into place as she leaned forward watching. Curious. "One of her closer friends, Alei..." The name made Danica twitch. One of the few Gospels found out...Lune. She had forgotten that Latona had any connection to him. So this was more than just a mere house call. Roland pulled from her mind leaving the empty space he always did. She sighed missing him for a moment.

She rose off of her chair and went to the bathroom getting ready quickly. She had preparing to leave down to a science. Except clothes, she always got a hitch in her system at clothes. There were just so many choices. Opening her closet doors she leafed through them, her fingers moving quickly. A black dress caught her eyes. She normally didn't wear just solid black. Though considering the situation it might be appropriate.  She slid into the dress and slipped some black stilettos on. A small jacket over the dress and she was ready.

As she walked to Latona's apartment she couldn't help but entertain the idea that Latona might be a Gospel as well. It made Danica almost actually itch from the idea. She had fallen out of Latona's life, not able to monitor her as she once had. In a way she almost hoped for it, because if she was and she caught her. Mercy wouldn't really be in Danica's vocabulary. It barely was to begin with.

She stopped in front of Latona's door and knocked on it, she toyed with the idea of walking right inside but changed her mind. Some manner might be merited.

[Anonymous]

“Game Over.”

     With a quick flick of her telekinesis, Latona pushed the ‘Start’ button on the ZBox controller. Even something as easy as video games had become a probably recently, she just couldn’t help being distracted. And for once she had plenty to think about.

    For one she was definitely not allowed candidates, failing with three was definitely not a good sign. Setrul had been killed by some psychic killer in one of the worst ways imaginable, Calico had just disappeared into thin air and Nika…well he wasn’t her’s anymore. Not that she cared; mentoring was more trouble than it was worth.      

     If this wasn’t enough, there were whisperings that Alei had killed himself and had turned out to be one of the Gospels. This has thrown her quite a bit, Alei was one of the few people she would have said was definitely not a Gospel. It just couldn’t be possible; he was always so…not-there, away with the fairies. He just didn’t seem like the type of person who would be a spy, he didn’t seem together enough.

     Shifting her position on the couch, she selected a different character and pressed start once again. However she was interrupted from her game by a knocking at her door. She rose and started heading towards the door, turning off the console as she went.

     Hopefully they wouldn’t want to come in, her apartment was not very tidy, in fact it almost looked as though a bomb had hit it. Around the area of her t.v. games and cyan-rays were just pilled in unordered mounds and books and paperwork were strewn on the coffee table and on the floor around it. In her kitchen, crockery both clean and not were just left out and her bedroom was even worse…

      Latona opened the door, and was met by the unwelcome sight, of her former mentor. Hastily, she used some telekinesis to at least make her living room a bit more habitable. But it didn’t really accomplish much except to force more of the paperwork onto the floor. If Danica came in, she would probably lecture her about keeping up the virtues of her candidacy and all that. Damn.

     Latona then noticed that Danica was dressed entirely in black; that was unusual.

     “…Did someone else die?”

[Anonymous]

The Seeker pushed passed Latona with a sort of flourish going into the room. Her eyes were closed as she walked in, her psychic tendrils reaching out feeling the apartment and Latona's aura. Testing her mood. Especially as she said her next words.

"No, just the same welcome dead. I still felt it appropriate yes?" She grinned to herself not facing Latona, then she opened her eyes. Her face fell dramatically. Piles of...stuff, just everywhere. Even her paperwork was all over the floor. The space just under Danica's eye twitched. Could this really be the lair of a Gospel, it barely looked like a Pilot's room. It was obvious that Latona didn't remember much at all from being a Candidate. Danica did not just have them keep their rooms spotless for her own enjoyment, well partially.

"Latty," Normally when someone said your full name that's when you knew you were in trouble. Danica had a tendency to do the opposite, when she got her patronizing voice on and gave you a nickname that's when your time was running out. "What is this? It seems nothing I taught sunk in did it?" Her fingers came together on the bridge of her nose and she continued to walk around the apartment.

Shaking her head she turned back to Latona from standing next to her computer desk. Her fingers rested on the desk splayed out balancing her.

"I came by to check on you." Danica was checking her nail looking down her nose. "To see how you were getting by." She looked up from her nails to make eye contact. "I know you've had a tough...last however long it's been. Lots of things seem to have been happening to you." Danica pulled her hand off of the desk and crossed her arms. "And sadly, only more may happen."

[Anonymous]

Latona was not in the least bit surprised when her former mentor just pushed past her and entered without asking. She had a habit of that; at least she had when Latona had been a candidate. That had only been three years ago, so why should Danica bother to stop now? Because Latona was a pilot now that’s why. However, she bit her tongue, figuratively anyway. She knew better than most that you did not get on Danica’s bad side. Which was partly why she really didn’t want Danica in her apartment…

     She didn’t like Danica’s tone as she said ‘welcome dead’, but Danica was a seeker and Alei…Lune had been a Gospel. Latona wasn’t sure black was that appropriate really, Danica was more than likely happy there was one less Gospel. Latona was as well…she just wished the one less hadn’t been…well not really a friend…but not someone she didn’t hate.

     Wait did she just say ‘Latty’?...Uh-oh, that was not good….Not that she minded the nickname, it just foretold bad things.

     “Hey, it’s organised chaos, I know where everything is.”

    Well mostly anyway. If she was looking for something she knew roughly what pile it would be in. Besides it wasn’t like people ever visited her. And now Danica had showed up randomly wanting to check on her, after nearly three years of them barely saying a word to each other.

     Latona was not as stupid as people thought, not by a long shot. A seeker turns up at your door, a seeker who used to be your mentor. And this shortly after the death of a confirmed Gospel who happened to be a close acquaintance of her’s. It did not take a genius to see where this was going.

     Latona met Danica eyes with a frown, “I’m not stupid, you didn’t come to check up on me. You think I’m one of them don’t you?”

[Anonymous]

"If you want to get serious," Danica smoothed down the front of her dress even though it was fine. "Then I think everyone could be one. And I think you know better than to take that tone with me Latty." She gave a wicked sort of smile at her. She looked around the room and felt out Latona's reaction still her her psychic lines. She walked away from her turning her back on her and looking around the apartment still.

"Roland, if you could upload all her files for me that would be fantastic." Danica spoke aloud even though she could just as easily say it inside her mind. She did it to make Latona sweat, she wanted her to know what she was up to. There was nothing better than finding someone's weak spot. Danica moved and sat down in the chair in front of the computer and clicked a couple buttons and hooked something to the back of the computer. It would suck out everything Latona had on her computer. Even files and reports, leaving nothing behind.

Danica knew how angry she would get, having to redo so many things. It was a warning in a way for Danica. Better than some people might have gotten. She stood up and and took the little machine off the back of the computer. Excellent. She walked over to Latona again looking down at her. She put a hand on her shoulder. Her connection psychically becoming stronger.

"You'll still go through an Axis point questioning." She said the words slowly dragging them out. "You could also submit to one now if you wish. It wouldn't hurt your chances that the Axis point one would be...less painful." She was lying of course, right through her teeth. The Axis point would rip her apart. That's what Danica wanted, what the Seekers wanted. She moved her hand off of Latona's shoulder and put the little machine into the little suitcase she was carrying.

Staring at Latona she realized that it was so easy to turn everything she knew about someone into something dark. That she could with a wave of her mind turn every single thing they'd share into something that she could use, prod the subject with. They became nothing but a target. She lifted her head up slightly ignoring a prickling of shame that quickly dissolved into nothing. It was her job, nothing more, people were just resources.

[Anonymous]

She thought everyone could be one? Definitely the reasoning of a Seeker. Of course, Latona knew that it was possible that any of the pilots could be a Gospel. She just didn’t like to think about it. And considering current events, the fact that anyone could be one was true. However she knew one person who was not a Gospel, and that was herself. She was loyal to Aedolis, it was her home.

     Danica however, didn’t seem convinced and was smiling at her like how a wolf would smile at a sheep before it attacked. This was unnerving and that smile had haunted her candidacy. Now it was all the more frightening because this was Danica the Seeker, not Danica her mentor. She was more than willing to betray Latona, even though she had trained her since before she could even shield her thoughts properly. So she should know there was no traitorous intent…At least in theory. It made her wonder how many years had Alei managed to hide his traitorous thoughts?

     Latona sat on her couch as Danica took the files off her computer. She couldn’t argue, even though she wanted to. And doing so now was pointless, though she knew how angry she would get later, having to do all her reports again as well as re-doing all her game progress. But getting angry now would just make her look guiltier. She was a little worried about some of the things on her computer however, because some of them mentioned Alei. Mostly emails, with him telling her something about the stars, or the ‘cosmic balance’…Stuff she didn’t really care about or pay any attention to.

     She didn’t notice Danica standing over her until she put her hand on her shoulder and increased her psychic connection. Even at a time like this, she was getting distracted? That was not helping. Focus.

     And then it came, what she had feared. Axis Point. She hated the mere mention of that word, as did many other pilots. Last time she along with many others had been barely able to move…Was less painful even possible? She decided to take a risk on it being true.

     She looked up at Danica, her face now expressionless, “I’m okay to go now. I have nothing to hide…I’m not a traitor.”

[Anonymous]

A traitor.
I certainly hope not Latona.

Danica spoke into her own mind not broadcasting it. She could almost feel Roland peeking over her shoulder, he knew how important this was to Danica how much hung in the balance. For Danica finding that one of her candidates was a Gospel would be something horrible to endure, for Latona. It would be a betrayal of the deepest kind for her. One of her own? Just the idea made her ill. If it was true she would make Latona suffer, and so so happily.

She took her hand from Latona's shoulder and slid the computer chair over across from Latona. She sat down crossing her legs, her hands folded over each other on her lap. She prepared herself mentally the slightest bit for the interrogation, flipping switches and things in her brain. It almost appeared on her face as she got more serious. Her tendrils reached out further into the room and touching Latona's surface thoughts.

The Seeker let the silence pull in around them tight, like darkness closing in. There was nothing more terrifying than the calm before the storm. She stared straight at Latona in the eyes as well. The seconds ticking by without a word said. Then Danica cracked her fingers and gave a sort of hollow smile that had darkness behind it. And she spoke.

"Lower your shields Latty." Once again she used the former Candidates nickname to inspire anything but comfort. She wanted Latona to know she had her number, that she knew her mind, and would know it more now. Not that any of that was in question but she still had to assert herself as the Alpha Pilot in the room. She reached out further picking up the surface feelings and thoughts in the Pilot's mind.

Anger was the most outright, as it normally was with Latona. Danica's eyebrows came together. In some ways Latona had never changed. She needed to get her emotions under better control. She had slipped back into some bad habits since she had graduated. Then underneath that was sadness. Not as pronounced as the anger but still very, very real. Latona was lonely, she was worried. People around her kept dying anyone would be worried by that. Danica's eyebrows came closer together and she let out a breath. Perhaps if Latona survived the interrogation and Axis Danica would recommend her seeing Ife.

"Tell me, how did your relationship with Alei begin?"