tampered | Log [ongoing]

Current Mood: amused
Current Location: Apt building #8, top floor, penthouse suite #3.

Entry tags:

aion,
solomon

Log [ongoing]

When; Sept 15; noon
Rating; PG-13?
Characters; Aion

jiyuna_togabito and Solomon Goldsmith

favoritetraitor
Summary; Having a pleasant lunch to discuss interesting matters.
Log;

Could things have gone worse than it already has? That's what it seemed like to the sinner and plagued his mind for the past few days. Chrno returning with the knowledge he had was more than he needed. Those damn deities seemed to always come up with more ways to piss him off, placing more obstacles in his way than there already was. The curses weren't making things any easier either. He had to gather more resources. And with the world this abundant of talented individuals, he smirked, there was bound to be someone useful for his purpose.

Aion made his way towards the apartment building that he was designated to go to at his leisurely pace. Approaching the top floor, it wasn't long before he firmly knocked on the door. Solomon Goldsmith. His meeting with him at the hospital party was interesting enough. Now without Lilith to watch over him like a hawk, it was time to push the envelope more and see who he really was.

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It'd been a difficult time for the Chevalier lately, his body still hadn't recovered from the unknown chemicals that were injected into him, although things did look to be improving... slightly. Sitting on the couch, he stared down at his hand, wondering just what they had put in him that could so drastically slow down his metabolism.

Sure, his wounds had healed. Although it took hours instead of the typical seconds. But he still felt weak, unable to achieve the same level of celerity that he was used to...

To this end, he'd taken time off from his heavy workload to recover. Instead, preferring to spend his time at home, trying to cope with the false imagery they'd fed him, and to unlock just what they'd used on him. It shouldn't have been difficult considering his decades of working in the pharmaceutical industry, and his knowledge of chiropteran anatomy and biological functions. But still... it eluded him.

Work would have to wait until his body had recovered to it's full capacity. And perhaps by then, even the visions of Saya's torture would have faded enough to focus on other things...

Aion's knock broke him out of his thoughts, and a moment later he opened the door, stepping back to allow his guest room to enter.

"Mr. Aion, thank you for coming. I do hope this isn't inconvenient... meeting here instead...”

With the opening of the door, Aion greeted with a grin and a slight bow of his head out of courtesy. "Not in the least, doctor. I'm pleased to see that you were still willing to meet despite having gone through such a tragic event."

He walked through the door and observed the place with much interest though his eye traveled back towards the man. He did seem quite worn compared to the first day they met. The deities must have done a number on him, he thought though...

Aion faced him and waited to be guided to another room as he decided to ask, in hopes to get a conversation rolling about it. "How are you faring in your recovery?"

It would be a mistake to admit to weakness, even if he was still better off than being human. Aion was an observant one though, having taken note of the discomfort that he was trying to conceal. Or perhaps he was merely making that assumption based on the extreme nature of the happenings at the prison. Even so, it was something to take note of and correct. Aion was not someone that Solomon knew well enough to speak candidly to... yet.

"Come now, you make it sound as if I was the victim of the Inquisition~." He smiled, and led his guest towards the dining area where lunch was waiting. "Please, there's no need to be overly concerned. I'm certain that there are others who fared far worse..."

"With the event that took place, it might as well be called as such." The demon remarked, recalling history itself from a book. The history that was fabricated all because of the damn system. From what he had heard, the prison incident was no different. It was a way for the deities to show who held the upper hand and to bind all those who opposed; at least that's what he believed it to be.

Aion took a seat when he snickers to the doctor's words out of shear amusement. All doctors seemed to say the same thing. Solomon. Lilith. So selfless yet pitiful to say the least. Something that he began to feel and say. It was irritating. He adjusted the glasses on his face using his index and middle finger while throwing another prying question. His lips curled deviously. "Those deities have some sense of humor. I'm curious to know what particularly broke you, doctor."

Solomon froze with hand poised on the back of his chair, startled by Aion's question, It was a momentary lapse to be taken by surprise in such a way, but then, he still wasn't quite feeling himself. But 'broken'? It was unexpected, blunt and just a bit rude to say the least, but it's directness showed a certain eager hunger for knowledge that the Chevalier could well appreciate.

His mouth curved into the slightest smile as he took his seat, "At least allow me to pour the drinks before I answer your question." Reaching out for a bottle on the table, he glanced up at his guest. "Would you like some wine with your meal, Mr. Aion?"

That was a good reaction. The sinner wasn't the type to waste time beating around the bush per se though it wasn't to say he didn't enjoy watching the other dance either.

"If you would." Aion playfully tilted his head forward in an agreement to the wine. He allowed the man to buy some time. Now the question was whether he'd speak frankly or if there was something worth hiding. A doctor's past seemed so complex, but really, who doesn't have a past they want to seal away? This City did hold interesting citizens unlike his world. Much interesting than any Satanist with unimaginable benefits. He patiently waited for his answer with hungry eyes.

Watching the red liquid pool into the wine glasses, the Chevalier considered what to tell his guest. There were of course, things that he wished to keep to himself... the visions of his intended lying strapped to the table and being experimented on. Saya didn't have the advantage that others of her kind had, and witnessing her screams of pain were enough to give him nightmares for the rest of his life. Assuming he was ever given the ability to sleep again.

No, that was a private matter.

But the rest of it... what did it matter if Aion knew what he himself experienced? Especially when no one knew what he was capable of on a normal day.

"I hope you find it to your liking... the variety is quite limited from what I'm used to."

Holding out one of the glasses for his guest, he continued. "Now, let's see... what was the question again?" He lifted his own glass to his lips, savoring its delicate bouquet for a moment.

"Well, I hardly think I was 'broken' as you said... but it is true that I'm still feeling some lasting effects from their attention to me."

His hand flexed in front of his vision, once again playing out the list of chemicals that they could have used. It shouldn't have been so difficult to discover what had been injected into him, but for some reason it escaped him. "How much do you know about what happened to me while I was their 'guest'?"

An innocent enough question. But it would tell him just how much attention he was garnering from this new potential ally.

"I've really only heard stories." Aion began, gratefully taking the glass and holds it up to gesture his gratitude. What he saw was interesting but unclear to the demon's eyes. Those lifeless captors surrounding the man on that day, not to forget the condition he was in; battered and bloody. Clearly a sign of struggle. The question was how or more specifically who actually took care of those men and what exactly he went through. He played it vague for now.

"Seeing as you've been targeted, there must have been something you had to atone for, am I wrong?" A knowing grin playfully danced across his lips as he continued. "An eye for an eye. Quite the sense of justice I must say." The Sinner lightly chuckled and took a sip, releasing a satisfied sigh afterward.

Aion was a clever man to have put the pieces together like that, but there was little that Solomon felt he had to atone for...

"Perhaps. But that would be based solely upon another's perspective of right and wrong. As for myself, I carry no guilt over the things I've done in my past. ~~At least, not my life with Diva. The rest is irrelevant...~~"

Everything had done, was for Diva, following his brothers directives with no complaints. It had all been for Diva, their mother, their lover, their everything. What was there to regret when he was no longer a part of the human race? Humanity was flawed, ugly, foolish. Administering Delta 67 to people merely gave them the chance to ascend to something greater, wasn't that a gift?

"I hardly think it's the deity's place to pronounce judgment on myself or anyone else. But I suspect it was not meant as punishment, but more as another experiment to see what the results would be..."

Edited 2009-10-10 08:46 (UTC)

It didn't matter what it was meant to be. The fact that it did happen and what it had done was more than enough to peak his interest. He knew it wasn't any light curse on the deities part seeing as he's struggled to keep himself out of it to say the least. But the thought of it as an experiment was yet again, amusing.

"That's one way to put it. And what results do you suppose they were looking for?"

No regrets. The sinner saw that as a good quality. A man set on what he wants. Aion recalled further of the video feed he saw; chained, his speech pattern, his arms. He was no doctor but it was enough to make well educated guesses.

"That... I'm uncertain of..." He sat back in his seat, musing over the possibilities for the hundredth time. "At times, I wonder if there is any rationality to what the deities do. I know that one in particular, doesn't seem very sane... perhaps it was his doing."

The Chevalier shrugged. At least the conversation had turned to more general things. "Still, what reason was there for any of it? And to simply blow the prison up at the end?" He shook his head, "Death here has no meaning when people simply come back as City dead. So why even bother doing it at all?"

Edited 2009-10-11 00:00 (UTC)

Not very sane? He's met one of them in the past during an exchange. Not the most direct group of people but it wasn't anything close to labeling them as that. It was definitely something to consider. If there were only more ways to find out exactly who they are, things wouldn't be as difficult as they were.

Aion had to snicker to that question. "Why else do you think, doctor?" He intertwined his fingers in front of himself as he began. It was obvious. He couldn't think of any system that wouldn't. "In order to bind the citizens to this world. Those who are City dead aren't permitted to leave from my understanding. Gather and destroy. A simple tactic to be rid of numerous citizens at once. A way to keep a close eye on their 'children' so to speak."

That's how one of the deities had described them to the demon. All the citizens of this City were their children. Twisted and senseless was all it was.

"I find that hard to believe that all the Deities wish to do is to destroy us... I would expect that if that was the case, then there wouldn't even be a Hall of the Missing."

Information could come from interesting sources, especially here in this City. The Chevalier tilted his head, considering his companion's words. "But is that true? The City Dead can't leave?"

He disregarded Aion's other comments as unimportant, but the topic of the City Dead was one that fascinated him, and one that he'd spent extensive time studying since arriving. "Surely, they disappear just as any other 'citizen' does... "

"Of course, nothing is absolute but that's what I've heard. Perhaps they are nothing more than rules to the game." He mused. "One thing that's for certain is that the deities possess the power to decide. I suppose you could say there's a bastard in every family or an unwanted toy in the stash. The only reason they'd be rid of anyone despite being City dead or not would be because they've become unappealing. The Hall of Missing could simply be a means to keep tab of who has been here and who hasn't."

Aion reasoned as he deeply exasperated. It was more credit than he would have liked to give those bastards but it was true. The power that he aimed to claim.

"Hm, now that is an interesting theory. It is possible that the Hall isn't really for us. Although I'd always entertained that it was a way to observe our reactions, just as lab rats are observed in their behavior. But perhaps, that's just the doctor in me..."

He shrugged, and took a deep drink of his wine, musing over all the varied mysteries that made up this virtual prison. Although the curses were an annoyance, they also made life here a lot more interesting for the near immortal.

There was only one thing that could make it all worth it. And that was if the one object of his desire were to be brought back to him...

Coming back out of his reverie, he glanced over at his lunch companion. "I hadn't been aware that you'd taken an interest in this particular topic. What else are you interested in?"

Bingo. They were on the same page. Why wouldn't the deities take it as an opportunity to watch those emotionally driven break down from shear shock that their loved ones had left? Aion was right. He was someone to possibly reason with for his own cause.

For the moment Solomon took his drink, the sinner noted his behavior but he wasn't quite sure what to get out of it. All he knew was something in particular was on the doctor's mind.

He leaned his cheek against the back of his hand as the other went to reach for his meal. "Ha ha, truly who wouldn't be if one were determined enough to want to regain his freedom?" Aion questioned back. "What do you think of this world, doctor? To be manipulated, played to the key, hindered? I'm certain there are things that you've wished to accomplish that you can't since you are here." He widened his grin. "At the mercy of this system."

The Chevalier tilted his head, remembering all that he'd been through since he'd arrived. "To be honest, there was a time when I didn't mind at all. This world has a lot to offer if one knows where to look... and clearly I've profited in many ways." His claim wasn't one said with any arrogant intention, but merely making note of the possibilities that were available to be taken.

"But, lately... lately." The smile slid from his features, remembering the flippant response to his request that Saya be brought back. Without her, this place was Hell.

"Well. Let's just say that I feel far more motivated to do something about it."

"I suppose I'd have to agree but really I'm curious as to just how you've profited and this motivation. A doctor, who has dedicated his life to healing his fellow people. I can't help but see the irony in that." This man wasn't only meaning to play doctor. Observant and intuitive. Perhaps a doctor's trait but there was definitely something more.

Aion was more than willing to give him his reason if he simply opened up. Give and take. That's what he had said to Rip as well. In a world such as this, certain 'allies' were necessary after all to destroy and conquer.

"You give my motivations too much credit, Mr. Aion." The Doctor paused momentarily to help himself to some of the food on the table. Of course, it was all for show. As a Chevalier, he didn't require any substanance other than blood. But, it was good to keep up appearances, and Solomon often preferred to hold business over lunch or dinner. The atmosphere was nicer there, and it was good to escape the confines of the office as much as possible.

"It's true that that used to be my goal... to help ease the suffering of my fellow humans ~~long ago, when I was one of them~~. But, my situation changed greatly, and I found I had far more of an interest in business."

Aion was an fascinating man, clearly possessing a sharp mind, and an insatiable curiosity. Solomon liked that. It meant the man had potential. But until his intentions were clear, he couldn't be defined as either an ally or a threat to the Chevalier's interests.

"My objectives here are to build my resources as much as possible, and to acquaint myself with people that can assist me in my projects. My returning to my past profession merely affords me with the resources I need for my research, and if I can provide assistance to others, then it's simply a side bonus."

The sinner carefully listened to each word. Business. Another human who had fallen prey to their own vice. Of course, who wouldn't? Everyone was out for their own interest after all.

As soon as Solomon mentioned his goals, Aion couldn't help but offer a satisfied grin. Now he was talking. The demon couldn't have agreed more. Two men with similar goals. This could work. The doctor was no fool and he respected him for that. He wasn't corrupt by the illusions that painted this damn world. He was a man who knew what needed to be done to obtain what he needs. What he wants.

Aion flicked his wrist up in a small gesture as he lightly began to laugh. "Well said! Bravo, doctor. You've hit the jackpot. I'm pleased to hear that you're such a determined man. As a matter of fact, I couldn't agree more to your objectives myself. Though mine will be a bit of a reach, but a reach well worth striving for." His own determined eyes met with Solomon's.

The Chevalier smiled pleasantly at his lunch companion. It did seem as if the two of them would fare very well with each other's company at least as friends. But it remained to be seen exactly what the other man's intentions were in all of this.

"I'm glad that you feel so, Mr. Aion. And naturally, I'm quite interested in hearing more about you and your own goals in the City."

He shrugged as he returned his focus to his meal. "Very well. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to share." Aion began to cut a piece of meat. "As I've mentioned, your goals coincide with mine. Gathering resources are much a necessity for anything but especially for a pending war. My objectives consist of twofold. For my world is simply." The expression on his face gradually grew more stern and his hands made a halt as he continued. "To destroy the demon society, Pandemonium." The annihilation of his homeland was one but of course, there was another that he didn't feel the need to reveal, especially if by any chance their worlds were connected.

"And for here," He grinned and pointed to the ceiling with his fork. "Them. The High and Mighty themselves." Those damn deities. If he were to take possession of their ability to travel between worlds and different time periods, he'd surely be able to change the fate he had been told of; the future where he fails his mission.

An impending war? Solomon paused, his food halfway to his mouth to stare at the man sitting across from him. It was often the case with men of high intellect and drive to be involved in less than stellar activities. But to destroy an entire society...? It wasn't the first time that the Chevalier had heard such dark ambitions.

Setting his fork down, he managed his trademark smile to mask his thoughts. Aion was right about some of their ambitions coinciding, even if he mistook the Chevaliers general acceptance of violence. Solomon did put a great emphasis on being able to gather resources. It was what made him so successful as a businessman, and ensured his continued prosperity even here.

And he did wish to see the downfall of the deities...

But it was just as well that this war of Aion's was in his own world. Somewhere far away that Solomon would never see.

"I see. Well, we do have enough in common to do business, and I'm quite eager to hear what your intentions are with our captors. Have you had any encounters with the City deities?"

"I'm pleased to hear that. Playing with all your cards laid out isn't always a bad move after all. As a matter of fact, it keeps things entertaining. Anticipation keeping one at the edge of his seat to see the next one flipped." He snickered and eats the next.

"As I mentioned before, I've only personally dealt with one. A female deity. Though I've seen another in the City during a curse. How about yourself?" He asked curiously. If they could combine information about them, the faster things can be planned out for a strike against them.

"Ah yes. So far I've managed to speak with two of them, although I by far preferred my interactions with Sabine. She seems to be an amazing woman." Even now he still felt a sense of awe when he thought of Sabine. Like Diva, or even his beloved Saya, she possessed a quality that was capable of capturing his complete and utter attention.

Sabine was a commanding figure of a woman. Beautiful, powerful... intriguing.

Breaking out of his thoughts, he shrugged, focusing on the conversation at hand. "But as much as Sabine professed to care about our well being, I wonder about the others. There was one other that I've spoken to briefly. A male who calls himself Professor Doctor Laszlo Jamf..."

The humor slowly faded from his features, remembering the rather unpleasant exchange he'd had with the madman. The conversation that he'd had with the professor had been unproductive at best, but had left the chevalier with a driving determination to see to the downfall of his 'captors'.

"Anyway, there are a few people in my organization that have been assigned the task of gathering information about the deities. Knowledge is power, as they say."

Edited 2009-11-25 06:37 (UTC)

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