Conversation 8: Daisy and the family

Our last one!

Green: Daisy

GM: Black

Simon’s family

Leknaat teleports you without question to the City of Delon, where Simon's family is said to reside. Xander gave you an address, and you find the Rune shop where Fiona, Simon’s widow, works. They have an apartment over the shop.

Daisy casually entered the shop, trying to remember if she had already met the woman Xander had described. Unfortunately, one shopkeeper seemed to blend with any other in her mind. She shook her head to clear it and called out for assistance as she strolled in, hoping it would be the widow who responded.

"Hi there!" a woman responds. "I'm Fiona, the owner. Did you need something today? A rune attached, perhaps?" she asks.

"Uh..." Daisy scratched her head, wondering how to begin. "Actually, runes aren't really my thing. I've never been able to use active ones. But I wanted to talk with you about something. Do you mind if we sit down somewhere?"

"Hm? Sure, why not? It's almost closing time anyway. Penelope!" The woman calls, and down the stairs in the back, a young woman comes down.

"What's up?" she asks.

"My daughter, Penelope," Fiona explains. "I have a guest. Could you watch the shop for a little bit, and close up tonight?"

"Me?! Sure, I can handle that!" she practically yells.

"Thank you. Now, my dear... I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?" Fiona turns to you.

"Oh, right. My name's Daisy. Daisy Saint-Anicet. I'm 100 percent sure that he never would have mentioned me, but I'm Simon's niece," she said slowly.

"Oh!" Fiona and Penelope both exclaim. "This is wonderful!" Fiona says, grabbing you in a hug. "I never knew Simon had siblings. His parents are quite judgmental of us, so I wouldn't put it past them to keep something like that secret. They can be real demons at times, don't you think?"

"You don't know the half of it," Daisy said grimly. "But I might as well tell you a little more about me first. My mom, Simon's sister Rose, died giving birth to me in Highland. I never met Simon, but I hired a detective to find out if I had any relatives on my mom's side. My dad's no nobleman, so those bastards who happen to be my grandparents shunned us, too." She tried to stay calm, but being faced with yet another family who had suffered greatly at her grandparents' hands made her whole body shake.

"Oh, you poor thing. I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. I'm sure I would have loved meeting her, and Simon would too. I doubt you'll get anywhere with my in laws, but you are welcome here at least. I'm sorry to say my husband isn't in right now. He went to go check in on his grandparents a while ago, and he's not come back. To be honest, I'm starting to get a bit worried about what might have happened."

She starts to lead you upstairs to where you can sit, and as you go, Penelope yells out.

"See you later, cousin!" and gives you a wink when you turn.

Daisy waved mutely to her new cousin and followed her aunt up the stairs. "I wish Simon could have been here today," she sighed. "He and his parents must have had nothing in common, to have married someone like you. I guess crazy skips a generation."

"I say that all the time!" Fiona laughs. "Simon will be so thrilled to see you when he comes home. Honestly, I don't know what to do about that man. His parents are probably making him work for them again, and he's too timid to stand up to them."

"I wish that were true," Daisy murmured, directing her aunt to the first chair she saw. "He was a braver man than most to even speak to his parents ever again once he'd managed to get away from them. Fiona, Simon... Simon is dead."

"Huh?" Fiona says, clearly taken aback. "What did you say? I mean...that can't possibly be true... I'm sure he's just late, is all..." she says, her face going white. You don't know who she's trying to convince, herself or you.

"I'm sorry, Fiona," Daisy said, pained. "I never did get to meet him. I've had it confirmed from several sources to find out what happened, and I'm sure now. I have his... I have the culprits in the dungeon at Liberty Castle." Daisy looked away, suddenly finding it difficult to tell her the truth.

"Oh god, no, this can't be happening....this can't be happening...." she starts muttering, as she sits down. "You...you're sure then? There's no doubt? I mean, how could he be...? It just doesn't make sense. He was just visiting his parents!"

Daisy bit her lip, coming to a snap decision. "It's this war that caused it. You've surely heard about the hordes of demons that have been sweeping Harmonia, especially the Crystal Valley. We've been wiping them out as best we can, but it wasn't safe to return to Crystal Valley yet. Simon's parents are dead as well. I'm so sorry, Fiona."

Fiona nods, amid tears. "Well, it couldn't have happened to better people. But poor Simon. God, how am I going to tell the kids? This... is just too much to take in right now. I know we just met Daisy, but would you mind coming back later? I think I just need to be alone for a while. I'm sorry."

Daisy stepped back at once. "Of course. You'll need time. I live at Liberty Castle if you want to find me, or I'll... I'll come back in a couple of days. See you." Daisy left the shop without waiting for an answer and used the blinking mirror. Back at the castle, she headed straight for the dungeons. Daisy returned to her grandparents' cell and folded her arms. "I've just told Fiona and their children about Simon. Just out of curiosity, have you caused any other atrocities that I need to take responsibility for?" she said coldly.

"Fiona? That human bitch? Why would you give a damn about her? Her bloodline isn't impressive, as I told Simon time and time again. Dumb boy just wouldn't listen. He learned the price of that, didn't he though?" the woman cackles.

"You keep saying human as though it's something separate from yourself... And you know, you're completely right. It's disgusting that you'd even pretend to be as good as human. Those bodies are nothing but a mask. Why don't I rip some of that skin off for you and help you see what's underneath?" Daisy growled, going bear as she finished her threat. If nothing prevents her, Daisy will slaughter both of them then and there and rip them to pieces.

((Well, there would be a guard on duty, but he's nowhere near strong enough to stop you. And neither are they. So if you like, we can say that the guard yells at you to stop, but you don't. You can barge in and rip them to shreds without a problem. They fight back and might hurt you - I had the odd idea of one giving you a scar somewhere to remind you of them - but unless you want it to be, it won't be anything serious. The only question now is, what do you do now that you're covered in their blood and have a guard to witness what you did?))

Daisy shrank back into her human form, standing on the mangled remains of the jail cell... and the Saint-Anicets. She was breathing hard. Daisy had been in countless battles, but this was the first time in her life that she had forgotten to draw her sword and relied only on her teeth and claws, and she had a few wounds to show for it now. Killing someone with her bare hands had been messier, more wild, and more intimate than hacking and slashing, but it wasn't bad. As she wiped the demon blood from her eyes and gave the rest of her body an animal shake, she felt only pleasure at what she had done.

The young berserker looked up from her handiwork and spotted the guard. She'd been half-aware of his protests, but not nearly enough to care. "Hey, do you guys keep any water or towels down here?" she asked, smiling.

((I'd say one of the demons managed to claw at your arm, leaving a scar on your forearm. It will be circular, almost star-shaped.))

The guard nods. "T-there's a fountain for prisoner drinking water, ma'am. That way!" He says, pointing, and getting out of your way. Your inner bear can smell the fear on him.

Daisy glanced at the guard as she passed, blood dripping from her hair. "You're scared. Don't worry; we'll all be better off without a couple of demons locked up in the basement. You don't have anyone left to guard, right? You can take the rest of the day off." She followed his directions to the fountain and dumped a bucket of water over her head, trying to wash off the worst of the blood and gore.

As you wash off, you hear some movement down the hall. As you turn, you see Cassie, Diaz, and a team of security ninja's scramble in.

"Daisy!" Cassie yells out. "What happened in here?! We heard screaming. Are you alright?"

"Screaming? I guess that was them," Daisy shrugged and waved at the ruined cell in an off-handed way. "Those demons weren't going to give us any more information, so I made sure they won't be hurting anyone else. I don't need any help, but since you're here, would you mind getting someone to clean this up? You never know when we'll be needing one of these cells again."

"Oh...ok," Cassie says. "George, Wade, and Jules, work on cleaning the um, mess up, would you?" She directs three of her ninjas, and they head off, grudgingly.

"You sure you're ok Daisy?" Cassie asks. "I heard those....prisoners were once family of yours. And um, I know you're not the most politically minded, but we generally frown upon executing prisoners like this. Did something happen?"

"My grandparents got what they deserved," Daisy said flatly. "And if I could kill them again for every child they've forced to grow up without a parent, I would. This isn't about politics. It's about family, and it's no one's business but mine." She frowned, sensing an objection already. "But if it'll make you happy, I'll tell Kuarjav and the others next time I see them. That work for you, Cassie?"

"There's no need for that," Diaz says, speaking up. "I'm sure we can make up a report of how they were killed trying to escape."

Cassie nods. "As you say, this was your decision to make, but next time, you might want to use some more caution, is all."

Daisy snorted. "Caution. Right. I'll keep that in mind. I don't want you lying about this, though. Kuarjav has the right to know, and if he decides that it's time for me to leave the Union Army, so be it." With that, Daisy went to find a change of clothes and started to think about where she might go looking for her next job.