Staring into the Abyss [reserved, sonya]

[Sonya]

"Convenience is waking up there after escaping from Plegia and nearly dying in the process," Sonya said, laughing. Despite the unpleasant memories associated with that, Sonya didn't mind going back to it. That cabin was the place where her life started to turn around. She wasn't really sure how much progress she'd actually made, but she'd learned to enjoy life from that point on. To her, that was a huge step from where she'd started out.

She listened to Trinity's story as she led her along the trail, noting that once it got past the Fell blood and fanatical cultists, her beginnings weren't too far different from Sonya's. Forced out of home, then living on the streets for awhile through whatever means were necessary. Even resorting to killing. And she, too, had become a wanted criminal. It was almost like she was meeting Ama all over again. But if Trinity turned out to have been taken in by the same organization as well, Sonya would have to kill her on the spot, no matter how well this was going. The risk was far too great to take it again.

"I think...I can sympathize," Sonya said once Trinity stopped for a bit. "My early life went much the same way. Nothing about fell blood or being tied to some legendary dragon of destruction's resurrection, but...I was forced out of home as well. I was never disowned, but my parents made it perfectly clear after awhile that I was unwanted. So I took to the streets and started living through whatever means I could. And...if my guess is right, that man you were talking to in town showed you how that ended up."

[Trinity]

"It figures," Trinity said, sighing. "Sometimes, we all have to do what's necessary for survival. I became a private contractor, I avoided working in large groups, because I prefer to work out the terms of agreement myself. I don't like being bound by obligations and the terms of 'higher ups'. My work is high quality, and stylish, of course, so I have the prerogative to provide my clients with my desired terms. They take it or leave it." Trinity explained, shrugging as she realized that Sonya's life was not much unlike her own. But the way Sonya carried herself... That's probably where the differences really lie.

Trinity realized that the moment she saw that there were survivors at the town she visited. That made a question pop up in her mind. "Forgive me for my intrusion though, but you spared a good chunk of the villagers at the town. That was intentional, wasn't it?" Trinity asked, wanting to ask about something. It seemed as if Sonya didn't want to involve the blood of innocents and such on her hands anymore. Only slaying those who truly 'deserved it,' for whatever righteous notions that entailed. At least, that was how Trinity interpreted it.

"I'm simply curious. You're a very interesting individual."

[Sonya]

"Mm...sometimes I wish I could have kept working on my own. Instead I ended up getting involved with a group working out of Plegia that...well, it ended disastrously." Sonya looked downcast for a second. She didn't really want to say that she'd lost two lovers, several more friends, and nearly lost her life, twice, to that group. Hopefully what she did say would convey enough meaning to that effect.

And, while it was true that there were quite a few similarities between the two of them, it was clear that there were plenty of differences as well. Trinity, it seemed, was insistent on doing things her own way, something that Sonya didn't have the luxury of at the moment. As for style...well, that was something she only recently came to embrace as well. At its core, murder was nothing to take pride in, but if she was going to do it, she was going to do it right.

Then Trinity asked a question that Sonya hadn't expecting. She should have been, with how the other woman had figured out that she'd attacked the village under orders. But it still caught her off-guard. "Oh, um...well, yes, it was," Sonya said. "It's as you said earlier. We were...hired, to cause trouble in this area. But raiding towns isn't my style, and I don't think it's theirs either. They've been doing this for longer than I've been in charge, all under orders. Before that, they were just small time, raiding small and easy targets. Stragglers on mountain paths, fringe settlements, other bandit groups, Plegian fishermen who got too close to this side of the lake...I don't know when things changed. Probably while I was gone for a few months. But they're not bad people. Most of them turned to this life out of necessity. But...well, I did start out the same way, but to my knowledge none of them were ever as bad as me.

"So, that's how I do things. I'll stage enough of an attack to send a message, and pull out. I won't pretend there's anything morally 'right' or 'just' about it. But I'm trying to get away from the mindless killer I used to be, and I want to keep the rest of them away from that path as well.

[Trinity]

Trinity observed how Sonya looked a bit more sullen and downcast as she responded, it seemed to be that Sonya wanted to enjoy the same perks as Trinity did working alone, but because of how she worked with others, there were some bad memories that came to light. It was none of Trinity's business though, so she opted just to solemnly nod and make no comment to it in response. She seemed to have lost a lot, in stark contrast to Trinity who did not do much but gain and gain, such that she imbibed some greedy vices. Regardless, Trinity tried to ultimately be level-headed and to never be too confident. As they continued along the way, Sonya explained her answer to Trinity's query. It was a long answer, but it told Trinity everything she wanted to know, and a bit more.

"I see. That's really interesting. I've never heard of that kind of operation before... Someone must really have some screws loose higher up, eh? Regardless, it's curious that you're trying to move away from that mindset of being a cold-blooded killer. I can admire that. I'm not like that, though. I may share a similar remorseful instinct in some cases, but at the end of the day, I'll try my best to earn my pay. Of course, there are exceptions, as you may have already noticed, and I am very much aware I could be punished for having these exceptions, but people have called me a bit of a gambler."

Trinity smiled.

"I'm not wrong in thinking I'm taking a gamble with this, aren't I? It's what makes these escapades fun, after all."

[Sonya]

Sonya shook her head. "It's not remorse. Even if I want to, I can't feel a damned thing for what I've done in the past. I guess I do care for people, but I only regret anything when someone close to me gets hurt. Otherwise, sure, it's unfortunate, but it's just business as usual. That said, I made a promise a few years ago that I'd at least try to be...better. And even seeing this as a job is a step up from where I was some ten years ago."

She let out another prolonged sigh. "I like to choose my jobs, though. And being 'encouraged' to cause trouble like I have been lately doesn't sit well with me at all." Her tone took a sour turn, just for a moment. Sure, she wasn't actually being ordered, per se, but it might as well have been. Sure, the Steward was paying for her services, but Sonya knew full well that he could easily have her dealt with if she backed out of the agreement. Even if he was unable to bring the force of the army down on her, the Steward was a cunning man who could pull on any number of resources to deal with her. As for motivation? If she backed out now, she was a threat to him. Simple as that.

"Seems like everything I do lately is a gamble," she said after a moment of silence. "Which would be much more fun, if more of them were by choice. I guess this will just have to make up for some of them. And, you're not wrong, so I guess we're both taking a gamble here."

[Trinity]

"Sounds about right," Trinity said in response to Sonya mentioning that even if she wanted to feel remorse for her past actions, she could not really do so - and that most of what she cared for lay within those who were close to her. Not that Trinity was capable of understanding, she never had any form of companionship for the longest time. In fact, Trinity talking to Sonya right now was the most proper human interaction she's had in a very long time, in the strictest sense of actual interaction. "I guess it must suck to be bound to a superior who keeps you alive and has the capacity to get rid of you when you bare fangs in defiance." Trinity simply sighed, looking up at the sky as the two of them continued along.

"Well, don't worry. I don't plan on laying any harm on you. Unless of course I fail to call a bluff you spring on me and end up taking my head. Then things will be a tad different. But of course, I guess we can agree that both of us have led rather tumultuous lives. Albeit in different ways." Trinity said, sighing.

"I apologize for my behavior - it's been a long time since I last had a heart-to-heart talk with... pretty much anyone, really. I've been on business since I was young, so..." Trinity flashed a sudden, uncharacteristic look of sorrow, as if she had finally acknowledged that perhaps the presence of another person was actually healthy to have at some point.

[Sonya]

Sonya nodded solemnly. It seemed that Trinity understood the situation she was currently in without her having to go into any more detail about it. That was good. Sonya didn't like having to put words to the frying pan/fire situation she was currently in. She chuckled darkly at what Trinity said next. She seemed to have an idea, or at least a suspicion, of what Sonya planned to do as well, but was phrasing it as a possibility. Sonya was no amateur at this, though. She didn't plan on letting Trinity to see it coming. But more and more, she was starting to wonder if this was a good idea. Trinity was easy to talk to. Sonya hadn't been able to speak directly about herself in a long time. Not since Aria. Anyone else would either see her as a dangerous monster, or becoming too soft for the murderous life she was bound to.

She blinked when Trinity suddenly apologized. "Huh? You've got nothing to apologize for. Sure, you've ended up bringing up some painful memories, but I don't mind too much. It's good to get some of this stuff off my chest. Especially since I haven't had anyone I could talk freely with in...has to be five years now."

[Trinity]

Trinity nodded as Sonya ultimately said that it was alright. The blonde young lady still entertained the idea that all was not as it seemed but the more she talked to Sonya the more she felt that perhaps things could turn out differently after all. She was usually alright with talking about herself casually, but Trinity would never have imagined somebody taking some vague form of interest in her, let alone someone who was doing the same thing she was doing. "Very well. I'm relieved that I could serve as someone to talk to freely; truth to be told, I hadn't expected anyone to have that sort of interest in me as a person, rather than as a target to be hunted," Trinity said, smiling faintly. Soon, Trinity looked ahead and briefly wondered just how big the cabin was.

"Hmm, just out of curiosity, just how big is this cottage you've managed to get a hold of?" she asked. She figured that if the cabin was bigger than the usual size, then she could have a bit more mobility inside if she had to make an escape. But Trinity secretly hoped things wouldn't have to get to that stage.

[Sonya]

"I don't like seeing people as nothing but targets. As strange as it probably seems, I do like people," Sonya said, looking almost wistful. "I couldn't explain how I can like people but kill them so easily, though. Hopefully one day I'll figure it out. I'll say this much, though." She turned and winked at Trinity again. "It's not often that someone really catches my interest. You've managed that. I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes."

Soon, Trinity asked about the size of the cabin. Sonya had a sneaking suspicion that she knew where the other woman was going with that. A larger cabin would be easier to move around or hide in if necessary. A smaller one would present a challenge for both, especially if there wasn't anything to allow someone to hide. The real question was, who was doing the hiding in the scenario Trinity was thinking of? Sonya couldn't tell, but there was no particular reason not to answer honestly. Not at this point. "Not too big. Just four rooms. Even if a noble owned it, it seemed like was mostly used for hunting trips. Nothing he'd need another full-sized estate for."

[Trinity]

Trinity nodded as Sonya explained that she saw people as... well, people. It was a bit surprising to Trinity but ultimately, she didn't mind so much. It was a pleasant change to see a killer who had something resembling a heart. A murky, tainted heart, but one nonetheless. Smiling when Trinity was told she managed to catch the other lady's interest, she nodded again. "I'm glad I've caught your interest. I too, look forward to seeing where this goes." Trinity said, now really hoping that something tonight makes Sonya change her mind about the whole exchange, because Trinity now had her mind set that she would not be doing anything to Sonya, even if she made the first move.

Then, Sonya answered the question about the size of the house. "So not too big? I see. That's interesting. It figures that a retreat house like that would most likely be used casually, such as for hunting trips. Yes, very well. I look forward to spending a bit more quality time with you there." Trinity said, smiling and now her mannerisms should tip Sonya to the fact that she had let herself down completely.

[Sonya]

"So do I," Sonya said. "I get the feeling that this is going to be a lot of fun." She noted as they continued that Trinity had completely let her guard down by this point. It was as though she had completely accepted that nothing bad was going to happen, despite admissions that this was a gamble and asking about the size of the cabin. For any other assassin, this would be the perfect time to strike. But Sonya was still intent on doing this job her way. Or, if things kept going in the direction they had been, maybe putting it off entirely. Would it be possible to claim that Trinity had managed to evade her, or proved to be too much to take down right away and made her escape once an opportunity arose?

...No, probably not.

After awhile of walking, Sonya finally spotted the cabin through the trees. "Ahh, here we are!" she said. True to what she had said before, it wasn't particularly large. It didn't look like it would be too cramped, at least, but neither was it too big or ostentatious. As they got closer, one could see the shore of a lake in the distance on the far side, and few other trappings around the cabin that seemed to serve little purpose. Sonya approached one of them, a large stake made from what looked like scrap metal and lying flat on the ground, picked it up, and set it in the ground upright. From that angle, it was easy to see that the top was decorated by a metal sculpture of a bird. "As I said, when the right signs are up my boys know when to leave me alone," Sonya explained.

[Trinity]

Trinity smiled as Sonya mentioned that she got the feeling that this was going to be a lot of fun. She hoped that this would be a lot of fun for sure, and she certainly hoped that she was not making a mistake in putting some modicum of trust and stock into the beautiful Sonya's words. Trinity admitted out loud about her predicament, so it should be obvious to the fellow assassin at this point that she was probably not going to fight back violently either. Maybe there was a way to settle this properly? It was hard to think about. Eventually, they arrived at the cabin after Sonya saw it through the trees. Upon further inspection, it appeared that the cabin was right by the shore of a lake a ways away, and there were some metal trinkets and other objects laying about.

Sonya propped up a large stake and set it in the ground upright. A metal sculpture of a bird adorned the top of the stake. "I see. You're certainly something, alright." Trinity said, smiling and looking more intently at Sonya, though it was a gaze of interest. "This cabin doesn't look so bad after all! Looks like we can get to know each other better here, eh?" Trinity giggled.

[Sonya]

"I do try, love," Sonya said, leading Trinity to the front door and pushing it open. 'Cozy' was certainly a word for what awaited on the inside. As Sonya had said, it had three main rooms. One was a kitchen area, with a table that could easily accommodate a nobleman and small entourage, a cooking range, ice box, storage cabinets for plates and utensils, and even what looked like a few kegs of alcohol. Another was a living room, with a few simple but comfortable-looking chairs around a table, a few tools and decorations that were most likely leftover from when it was used for hunting trips, and a fireplace built into the outside wall. And finally there was the bedroom, which could be lit by several candles arranged around the room and had furnishings that could have been taken from a nobleman's estate. And, in fact, probably were.

"What do you think"?" Sonya asked, smiling.

[Trinity]

Trinity observed how the cabin's insides seemed to be quite quaint; three main rooms aside from the one they just entered, just as Sonya described. A kitchen area that seemed functional enough for one or two people to cook while the table seemed to be able to accommodate a small entourage of people. The living room looked plain despite the leftover decor from the previous owner of the place, complete with a fireplace. Lastly, the bedroom which had some candles arranged around it. Trinity smiled. "This place looks cozy enough alright. It's really neat that you managed to find this place. It must be quite comfortable to stay here when you want to be left alone, huh?" Trinity responded, smiling back and subconsciously giving the other woman a bit of an affectionate, cat-like nuzzle.

"So, what do we do now?"

Trinity asked softly as she still continued to look around the room, but for the most part wasn't sure how things would now play out from here. They could spend some time in the living room, or they could go straight to the bedroom, or they could make something to eat, or... Something. Trinity was just wondering what Sonya would prefer to do.

[Sonya]

Sonya giggled as Trinity answered positively, then gently nuzzled her. She definitely seemed to like the looks of it. Then, she asked what they did now, prompting Sonya to give her a small, sly smile. "Whatever you like, love," Sonya answered. "Today's just as much for you as it is for me. We could relax in here for a bit." She gestured around the living room. "Or I should still have enough good ingredients to make us something to eat. The lake's pretty close by, too, if you want to go for a dip or something. Or, we could get straight to the fun part." Sonya winked. "I get the feeling we'll be getting that far soon enough anyway, so I don't have a preference. I'll leave it up to you."

At this point, Sonya didn't want to try and force anything on Trinity. She had already managed to get the other woman here, so now it was time to work on making the experience perfect for her. For that, she would follow Trinity's preferences, wherever they happened to lead. This day would be for her. If it ended up being her last, then Sonya wanted to make sure it was one of the happiest she ever experienced.