Sacrifice Theory [Daniel/Open]

[Aerith]

Such strange pictures I've never seen.
--------
[August 24th]

A few days of Ms. Crawford's cooking had made Nadia far more lethargic than she would have liked to be. But the lovely woman insisted that she eat everything set before her. Nadia would have considered her a second mother could she have been able to truly put her real mother on that pedestal. Not that Nadia harbored any ill will toward her family, but they could be difficult sometimes. It had been good so far for her to live separate from them. The new experiences were eye-opening.

Ms. Crawford had not only preserved Nadia's room, but her personal belongings, as well. There was very little to her name--a few books, for the most part. One of these, Nadia took with her as she left the house, promising her elderly caretaker that she would return well in time for dinner.

Station Heights was her destination. It afforded a very nice view of the rest of the city without having to go all the way up the clock tower, as some people were wont to do. Perhaps one day she would work up the courage to climb all the way up there, but today was not that day. Instead, she was content to take up her perch on the low concrete wall that kept people from tumbling off the Heights.

Stretching out on her back, she balanced her book comfortably in her hands, right above her face. Images of imaginary places ran rampant through this particular volume. Some of the descriptions tugged at something in her mind, but she paid them no mind. With a contemplative look on her face, she turned another page.

[Slash]

O brother, where art thou?

[/center]

Daniel walked up quietly to the train station and stared at the clock tower for a long time. His face was obscured by the shade of his trilby hat, and he had left his lab coat behind for a more regular-looking set of clothes. It wouldn't do to attract attention around here.

You've been missing a long time, brother. Too long for you. Have you died? Did the darkness consume you? Did that girl kill you?[/color]

He had sent Gabriel to search for Jericho with the order to not return until some information was obtained, and hadn't seen him since.

I worded that far too vaguely. At this range, I can't communicate with him, and he could have easily just decided to search strictly in places where brother wouldn't be, freeing himself from me. I don't know whether I should be angry at my failure in programming him or proud of his own will. Well, maybe he'll come back someday.[/color]

He'd learned a few things in his search. No matter how hard he tried to be friendly, no one would bother reciprocating. His position as Jericho's brother had placed him forever as an outcast, his face being a good enough reason to despise him. It was because of such pointless quests that he'd been hindered and had lost sight of his brother. And his goal.

Reasoning with other people was pointless. Logic had no place in anyone's mind, it seemed. Besides, bringing people into his own fight just gave Jericho more ammo.

Brother will exploit whatever weakness I have and kill me, so I'll simply eliminate all weaknesses. I'll learn how to give myself the mentality one of my own experiments, I think. What does it matter what I am, in the end? I have no one who depends on me, no one who would be hurt. All I need to do is kill him, and whoever follows him, and then I can sink back into obscurity and live the rest of my days as a hermit. That's honestly the best option I have.[/color]

Daniel turned away from the clock tower and stared out onto the landscape of Station Heights- and got a nasty shock when he did so.

She was there, and without Jericho. If he was going to be one of his experiments, he had better learn how to fight, because he had no weapon-types on hand and no skill in fighting.

That doesn't matter. I have some defensive abilities that will help me retreat if things get too bad. Besides, if I feel pain Gabriel will feel it, too, and will come back lest he die with me. If I feel fear, then brother or his followers will rip it out and strangle me with it. I have no choice but to eliminate that feeling completely.

Daniel walked up to her, pushing back the apprehension in his voice and trying to sound as emotionless as possible. "Interesting to see you alone, Nadia. Tell me where my brother is. I know that you know. He's disappeared, and if there's anyone who knows it's his favorite pet."

Self-disgust rose up in him when he said that, but he pushed it down. He wouldn't extend any sort of politeness to murderers.

[Aerith]

...What?
--------

Nadia was just about to turn another page when she was interrupted by someone speaking to her. She might not have paid too much attention at first, but when she heard her name, she immediately sat up and looked at the speaker.

"How do you know my name?" She paused, searching his face intently but finding him unrecognizable. Or was he? For a moment, she felt something, like a brief flirtation with deja vu.

"I...don't think I've ever seen you before. And if I don't know you, I don't think I can be expected to know who your brother is, much less where he is. So, tell me. Why do you know my name? And what are you talking about?" She was bothered a bit by what he had said about her. It sounded derogatory, but it was difficult to get angry over something that confused her more than anything else.

[Slash]

Is this some sort of joke?

[/center]

Daniel scowled in anger. "Don't play games with me! You're much worse than he is. If you think you can pretend that you've forgotten about him since he disappeared-"

Her power is the ability to suppress memories.

Daniel stopped and took a step back. He remembered her saying something like that, yes, but how could she do it to herself? And why would she do so?

That's simple. Jericho left her like he does all the time, and she suppressed the memories to save herself. Or he died. I wish I could tell...but if I brought up those memories, she'd kill me. Or would she? Am I even right about this? God, I wish Gabriel was here...

"You don't...remember? You actually don't?"[/color]

Daniel took a deep, shaky breath. He should have made her remember. He should have done everything in his power...

...but he couldn't. Not like this. He couldn't turn an innocent woman back into the dangerous, pathetic monster Nadia had been. Not when he wasn't in any danger, not when Jericho might simply just be dead. He could find the man Clive and ask for his help, if he had to- but he couldn't do this.

"Oh! You look a little like her, and you answer to the name Nadia, so I thought...I've been looking for my brother. He got into a lot of trouble, and it wasn't his fault, but now he's been doing a lot of horrible things. He has a bunch of accomplices, and one of them looks like you. I'm sorry for seeming so rude, but if you see him...please tell someone. He looks a lot like me, so you should be able to pick him out."

[Aerith]

Oh, no.
--------

"Someone who looks like me? And who is also named Nadia?" She looked off to the side for a long, silent moment.

For anyone to look like her, that person would have to have been from Agrabah. But she couldn't recall ever knowing anyone else who resembled herself outside of her own family, of course. But none of them had shared her name. And none of them, as far as she knew, were involved in "horrible things" with a man who looked a good bit like this man.

Why did it feel like there was something she was missing?

With a shake of her head, she looked back at the stranger. "I don't remember seeing anyone like that at home, but I've been away for a while, so something might have happened."

Now, worry was gnawing at her. "Maybe... Maybe I need to go home..." The piece of paper she had found had told her not to go back, but there could be something serious going on. If there was someone from Agrabah helping someone commit terrible atrocities, her family could be in danger.

A thought struck her. Did she have a way to get home? Perhaps she could find a ride. "Is there any way you could take me to Agrabah?" She suddenly put her fingers to her lips and shook her head again. "Oh, I'm sorry. We just met. I don't even know your name, and here I am asking things of you."

[Slash]

Um, actually...

[/center]

Daniel paused, pretending to be deep in thought. "It might be someone who simply took your name for their own use..."

She wanted to go back.

She wanted to go back to the place she had destroyed but didn't remember destroying. Daniel knew that there were two possible outcomes to that- either she'd get killed or remember everything and destroy whoever tried to kill her. Either way, not good.

He couldn't just say no, though, or she'd get a ride from someone else eventually.

"My name's Daniel Carter. And...It's a bad idea for you to go there. J-My brother already has." He sighed. "I don't know what its exact state is, but I do know it descended into anarchy for a short time after some of the royal family was killed. He did, and then a good number of civilians. I'm sorry, but it's probably not the best time for me to take you there."

[Aerith]

Please tell me this is just a rumor.
--------

Nadia gasped and stood up. Was it true? Had Agrabah been attacked? People had been killed, probably more than a few if anarchy had briefly taken over.

"Do...do you know how bad it was?" Someone would have gotten her word somehow if tragedy had struck. Wouldn't they have? They couldn't have, though, if they were all dead. Her hand went to her cheek, and for a moment, she forgot anyone else was standing there. Despite the note's warning and now Daniel's, she felt herself torn between remaining here and immediately going back home.

For some reason, something in the back of her mind kept insisting that she didn't need anyone to give her a ride, but she couldn't imagine why that was. But if she needed no one, she could go back home right now. If only she could figure out what she was missing.

"I don't need to stay there for very long. I just need to know what happened. I need to know if anyone in my family survived."

[Slash]

It can't be done.

[/center]

Daniel knew how horrible she must have felt- but under no circumstances could she return there. He simply couldn't let her.

"If there's someone who looks like you and has your name, then it's likely that whoever is traveling with Jericho is pretending to be you. If that's the case, you'll be killed as soon as you step out of the ship."

He sighed. "I can help you out and figure out more specifics, but it's probably too dangerous for you to go many places, with a killer pretending to be you."

There could be other ways to help her, though. Perhaps he could perform an experiment to keep her suppressed memories from ever surfacing. Then he could change her appearance, so Jericho would never recognize her if he came back. She could even be weaponized, her formidable yet dormant powers utilized for a better purpose. She wouldn't be as perfect as his lost Gabriel, since she hadn't been bred for it, but given time he could-

His mind kept racing with ideas until he realized what exactly he was thinking of. Gabriel would have stopped him before he could get as far as he was- he was almost considering offering to help her in such a way.

[Aerith]

I feel so lost.
--------

She hadn't thought of that. That must have been why the note had told her not to go back. Who knew what people would think if she returned now? She knew. They would think she had been responsible. They would kill her, and she wouldn't be able to do anything to stop them.

Another thought occurred to her. "What if this person pretending to be me shows up here? I won't have anywhere to go." Oddly familiar feelings of displacement began to well up, even though she had never felt this way before. Why were her fingers suddenly trembling? She softly clenched her hands to make them stop.

For a moment, she was paralyzed with indecision. Waiting here would only result in a growing sense of paranoia, but going anywhere else ran the risk of running into people who would think she was some horrible killer.

"What should I do?" she asked quietly. "I don't know."

[Slash]

I'll try not to go too far.

[/center]

"I could help..."

He paused. He could keep from going too far, he was sure. But he wished Gabriel was here.

"I need to look for a friend of mine as well as my brother. I can help you. I am a scientist,and I think I know a way to help you temporarily change your appearance enough to make you seem like a completely different person. Of course, I could understand why you would refuse that. So if you want me to, I'll get as much information as I can and try to come back."

He took a deep breath. Yes, he had been able to offer her a way out. He hadn't forced her to accept his offer, so he could still control himself. Good.

[Aerith]

I'm not sure.
--------

She considered this option carefully. On the surface, it seemed the best way for her to go right now, but she wasn't sure if she liked the sound of completely changing her appearance. The way he had said "scientist" didn't resonate well with her.

"...How different?" She looked straight at him. "It really would be temporary? Just until all of this is settled?"

[Slash]

I'm sure it'll be fine.

[/center]

"Well, there would be some changes to the facial structure at the very least. It would really be a question of how far you wanted to go with it. And yes, temporary. There are alternative methods to surgery." He considered the methods available to him, and decided that nanomachines that could respond to her brain waves would be useful.

"With the method I've devised, you'd be able to change your own appearance at will- to a certain extent. I understand, however, if you do not want to take that risk."

[Aerith]

Why do you look so familiar?
--------

Nadia deliberated. She deliberated for a while.

I do not trust him, Nadia. We do not. You know it.

Rushing into something without giving it due thought could end up creating an even worse situation. She had, after all, only just met Daniel, and while he might have had good intentions in mind, she had no way to be certain of that.

That strange feeling of familiarity suddenly welled up again but with greater force. She had always been here in Twilight Town, hadn't she? She would remember if she had ever left before. Such a critical junction would not be so easily brushed aside.

"Have I...?" she said softly to herself more so than to Daniel. "Have I done this before?" Her eyes went back to Daniel. "Do I know you?"

There was something that kept slipping through her fingers, some face that floated just beyond the realm of recognition. A part of her insisted this was important. In fact, it almost demanded that she know what it was.

"I'm sorry, I..." She dug her fingers into her hair and tried to smile apologetically. "I think I'm a little tired. Maybe I shouldn't go anywhere for right now."

[Slash]

I am not.

[/center]

"No, I don't think we've ever met." And with luck, she would never find out otherwise.

Daniel nodded. "I understand. I'll come back with more information as soon as I find it." He began to walk away.

It's sort of a shame that I couldn't get anything from her...but it's all for the best. Even if I brought her memory back, she probably wouldn't know. Jericho must have simply abandoned her, like he always did. But if he did, then that means...[/color]

That meant that he was doing what he had always done- shedding his old life, including anyone involved in it, and taking another. But why would he do that? He had possessed power beyond comprehension. Had he grown bored with even that?

Daniel didn't understand. Perhaps he never would.

[Aerith]

No, you're not.
--------

Of course. Daniel was right. She would remember if she had met him before, and while something in her head kept trying to break free, it was probably her imagination. He had a very distinct appearance, after all, and it was not clearly ringing any bells.

"Thank you," she murmured more for herself than for him. Hopefully, he really would come back with something to tell her. Until then, she would have to try her best to keep anxiety from taking over. Her family was fine. They had to be.

Clutching her book to her chest, she sat back down on the wall and looked out over the town. She couldn't wait. Maybe it was time to find a way off this world.