Oh, Hello [Predis]

[Nothingness]

August 11^th

Something was very comforting about nighttime in Agrabah. Yes, much of the bad happened at that time, but it was peaceful almost everywhere else in the city. The air was cool, the winds were calm, and all was silent. Clive wasn't sure what time it was, but it was most likely a little after midnight. After their escapades in the Cave, Clive got Katherine and himself two rooms at a nice place in the center of the city. The rooms were simple--a bed, mirror, table and chairs, and a window with thin curtains, meant to stop the breeze more than anything.

Clive was leaning out the window, letting the cool air wash over him, enjoying the gentle moonlight. He looked over his shoulder at the katara lying on his bed, the blades glinting in the moonlight. "How ironic," he thought, "It all comes full circle." He had come here as a killer, left as a killer, and despite everything, returned ready to become a killer again. It was foolish of him to try and escape the cycle, but at least he learned his mistake. However, he was at an impasse now. Mostly because he was with Katherine. It was probably a sense of camaraderie, but he really didn't want to leave her for the moment.

It wasn't often that he was completely lost as to what to do, but at the moment he was. Still, for the moment, he could enjoy the simplicity of the wind and moonlight.

[Administrator]

Found someone. That's new.

He was back. He had never thought he would return here, but his master and mistress were gone, possibly never to return. Skittering around the city, Predisrruel was truly lost. He had started here, as a normal spider, or close to it. Jericho gave him more than that, and he was indebted to him for that. But now Predis was back, and he didn't know what to do except go back to what once was, even with his heightened mental status.

Suddenly, the spider extended his mental abilities, trying to find a familiar mind to connect to. Unexpectedly--Predis had never thought he would truly find anyone--he found one. A man he had met...Jericho had called him Clive. This man was somewhere near here. Above him. Where? He was not entirely certain. Skittering through the cracks of Agrabah, he moved from building to building. Then, he found him. Straight up.

The spider moved towards the man, or his impression of him at least. Stopping on the wall to the side of the window, Predis shrunk to a smaller form, as small as he could get. Creating a message with the man, he hesitated for a moment before sending his thoughts through. "Hello, Clive. I am Predis. I believe we have met before."

[Nothingness]

Aren't you an unexpected guest

Clive had almost drifted off to sleep when a strange, almost timid voice broke into his mind. "Predis?" He thought, looking around. When at last he saw the spider, he remembered where he had seen the arachnid before: Jericho's shoulder. "Are you acting of your own will, or as some harbinger of your master?" He didn't think that with any sort of animosity--just curiosity.

In fact, he hadn't thought about Jericho for quite some time. And he hadn't heard anything about him, either. Although one never heard much of other worlds in Agrabah. Truth be told, now that his mind was on the subject, he was wondering what havoc and carnage Jericho had wrought lately.

[Administrator]

Unexpected for both, yet perhaps a boon.

Clive was not confrontational. Good. Perhaps he could be useful to the spider. "I am here of my own volition. Jericho seems to have disappeared. Perhaps permanently." No matter. Though it was a somewhat negative event to have lost he who gave him greater sentience, it mattered not. In any event, it was actually more beneficial to the spider; now his debtor was gone. He lacked any outstanding debts now.

"May I enter your premises? I would not wish to intrude." Truthfully, Predis would not wish to intrude; however, he would if it were ever necessary. And he would not hesitate either. That would be a sign of weakness that he could not afford. Not now that he had nothing. No, the spider needed someone to defend him. Though he was powerful on his own, he needed more than that.

Someone human, someone to work through. Perhaps he could learn more about humanity as whole, and how they thought. Clive might be able to help with that. Or he may be able to point to one who can. And Predis could be useful to him as well. The spider just needed to present himself in a manner that made him appear to be a beneficial ally.

[Nothingness]

The gracious host

"Please, it is no trouble." Clive stepped back from the window and gestured to its entirety. It was odd actually having to allow something like a spider his room, but he figured that since this one was so much more intelligent that others it wasn't as strange. Besides, at least he wouldn't be alone with his thoughts, for better or for worse.

Clive walked over to one of the chairs and sat down, resting his elbows on the table. "Jericho has vanished, you say? I am not sure whether to call that unfortunate for the 'balance', or fortunate for the lives that will no longer be lost." He thought with humorous inflection. Naturally, he believed Jericho's disappearance was for the greater good of the worlds--no longer could he terrorize them. However, that knowledge was quite sobering for Clive. For the last couple of months he'd been specifically aiming to attempt to kill Jericho, but now that his target was gone he found it hard to decide what to do next.

[Administrator]

Let's do this. LEEEEEEEROY JEEEEEENKIINS!!!

Things were going well, or so it seemed for now. Clive invited him in, and was still not confrontational. He seemed to not hold Predis accountable for any atrocities committed by Jericho and company, even while the spider had been an accomplice in some of those very crimes. Strangely enough, Predisrruel found he felt some small bit of remorse. It must be the close proximity with humans; he was acting as though he had some sense of morality.

The other possibility, that he was somehow learning morality, was simply beyond comprehension. Never before had a spider shown morals, and Predis was certainly not going to be the first. And now he was hesitating on the threshold. That was most definitely not a display of confidence. Predis very nearly dashed through, leaping into the room and reverting to his normal size. He skittered over to the bed where his legs seemed to fall out from beneath him as he rested.

"I will not pretend that I am in the least bit concerned about the loss of human life. However, I, too, am benefiting from the lack of my former master." What had caused him to say that? Not compassion, surely, or any genuine feeling or anything of the sort. Predis certainly couldn't care less about how Clive saw him; he merely thought it would help earn some trust from the man, which might be crucial at this point.

As he thought of trust, Predis checked his inner power, searching for something. And the spider found it. Suddenly, his spidery body transformed, and, where once a spider lay, now a man sat, cross-legged. "I have not tried this before, but it pleases me that it was a success," the spider in a man's flesh said, a note of pride entering his voice. The mental channel closed, then; it was no longer necessary. It would be better to become accustomed to this form anyhow, as he would be making more use of it as time went by.

Predis stretched his arms, flexing the hands, testing his new body. So many things were different. But that would make no difference, in time. He would blend in among humans, and from within them, he would watch, and form around him those who could protect him from harm. After all, that was what Jericho and Nadia had been for before, and now that they were gone, he needed someone for that.

He most definitely did not feel anything towards Clive, not trust, not compassion, nothing. The need to remind himself was irritating the spider, though. Of course Predis felt nothing; how could he? He was a spider, cruel, calculating, and vicious. Feelings were for humans, and despite his current form, that would never be attributed to him. Never.

[Nothingness]

Strangely, this makes me uncomfortable

Clive nodded his head when Predis spoke of his feelings on the matter. "Interesting, isn't it?" Though I wonder how you are benefiting, he thought, but didn't think to Predis. However, that quickly became the last thing on his mind as the spider began to change.

Where Predis had been, now lay a man--a rather strange looking one at that. Clive looked suspiciously at the new form the spider assumed, almost feeling something akin to awkwardness. It was uncomfortable for him to be looking at such a mockery of humanity, though he himself could be considered just as much of one. A killer that reformed, and then turned back.

Still, he needed to break the silence. "So, how does it feel? To no longer feel like yourself?"

[Administrator]

Humans are just uncomfortable creatures.
The body is strangely comfortable, though...

Feeling? Yes, he could feel, could he not, now? This was an unexpected turn of events. The human shell he wore felt, as if it believed him to truly be human. Predis was certain that was not what he meant by that, though. Feeling? He felt... After a moment of thought, the spider realized that he felt good in this form. His strength was slightly reduced, but the idea that he could walk amongst the humans as if he were one of them...it was enticing.

But physically, he felt weakness. Was he...tired? Already? It seemed he had exerted himself much over the day. Predis realized he was trying to send these feelings through a channel that was not there any longer. He was not used to this speaking thing. "I feel...well, truly. Human flesh feels excellent. And do not doubt that it is human flesh. Transmogrification is a wondrous thing."

He himself had doubted originally that he was truly in human flesh, but it was more and more apparent that this was truly a human body, not only a form he was taking on for appearance. What was this power that Jericho had incidentally granted him, the leavings of his humanity? That line of thinking was dangerous. Predis moved his thoughts away from it.

"I am also tired. It has become late, after all. I have felt worse, and can easily continue functioning for hours yet without adverse effects." That led his thinking back to humanity. Predisrruel was not a normal human name. He would need a new name, one that he could go by among humans and not be given an odd look for. What could he go by, though? "I would not wish to trouble you, but would you help me with something? I need a name, one that is better befitting a member of humanity. Predisrruel is rather...strange among your kind." At that, he gave a decidedly human expression; Predis yawned.

[Nothingness]

I was never good at picking names

Clive nodded his head at Predis' response. "That's good to hear." He had absolutely no idea what "transmogrification' was, but he could figure it out pretty easily. The thought actually made him feel at ease a little more; he didn't have to worry about extra limbs sprouting from Predis like with Jericho. Clive actually stopped himself from laughing at the thought: Predis had more humanity in him than Jericho.

Tilting his head at Predis' comment on being tired Clive shook his head and said, "You're in a body you're not used to, and it will probably take time to adjust to how it behaves. We humans probably burn through more energy moving than spiders, I'd assume."

What Predis said next surprised Clive. A name? He didn't see much of a reason for the spider to want to change his name just because he was a human. There were bound to be other people with names just as strange as 'Predis.' "You should keep the name. It may be strange, but it is in fact an identity. We can never truly leave behind who we were. Trust me."

[Administrator]

More than what you once were.

As he had expected, Clive reacted favorably to his first few comments. They had not been calculated to do so, which was surprising for the spider, as he was used to calculating whatever he decided to express. It was simply facts of what he felt. Was that what gave humans their inexplicable bond? The bond of mutual feeling? How extraordinarily odd.

What Clive nest said made a good deal of sense. Spiders, being smaller, used much less energy than a human. The human body was much larger, and thus used much more energy. Since he still only had the energy reserves necessary for a spider, he was having difficulties with energy in the human form. Predis nodded to this.

Clive still made sense, and yet...keep the name? It was something he had considered the man would respond, but yet... Why should he not? There were bound to be humans with odd names, though his may yet prove much more so than any that another may have. His name was his identity, as a spider set above all others, and he could not shed that. In fact, he was nearly embodying his name even now, though he did not exhibit all of the traits of the spider he had once been.

Once been? Where had that thought come from? Though it did fit. How could the mere term 'spider' be used to attribute to him, when he had come so far beyond that point? Spiders did not change form. Spiders did not converse with humans. He was beyond spiderdom. So what was he? Not spider, but yet, not human. Something between the two? An accursed cross of them? A spider that was almost human? He would have thought it absurd if it did not carry as much truth as it did.

He would never truly leave behind his spidery ways, nor would he ever be a spider again. He would be something between; not truly cursed by it, just different, a variation on what has been and one of the many things that could be. Spiders accepted the way things were, and worked with it, not against it. It was futile to wish for things to be another way; they were not, and that was that.

"Though you may not leave who you were behind, truly, as it incorporates itself into who you now are, you can incorporate other elements into yourself, and become something different. A paid killer can become a vigilante, setting out to right his wrongs by killing murderers. And if he then becomes more just and law-abiding, seeking to bring them to justice in other ways, he could become a member of law enforcement.

"In this way, you truly do not change who you are, but what actions come of your self." Predis nodded to himself, a satisfied look on his face. Then, all of a sudden, his facial expression became startled, as if he hadn't realized that was him speaking. "In my case, I have become more than a spider. I have not left it behind, but I am more than what that entitles." His face changed back to a semblance of neutrality, though shock underlay the expression.

[Nothingness]

You've got an interesting perspective

Clive was rather impressed by how silent Predis was being. So few words usually would make a person reply fairly quickly. Then again, Predis wasn't exactly a person, so his own thought process was most likely different. When Predis did speak, however, he managed to surprise Clive--he had never quite thought of things that way.

Before, he had always tried to adapt, leave behind what he didn't need and assume what he believed to be the proper evolution. However, more often than not he had stumbled in that. So for Predis to tell him that what could be done was an incorporation of his previous endeavors, that seriously impressed him.

A faint smile formed on Clive's face as he stared at Predis in his new form. "Evolution." Standing up he walked over to the window and looked outside, watching a small bird fly through the moonlit sky. "We trim away what becomes unnecessary and assume what makes us stronger. It's not that we forget the past or try to leave it behind, but actually impress it more upon ourselves with each revision. That way we can remember our weaknesses and fight with our strengths." Turning around to Predis, he saw the spider in a new light. "You have simply evolved from a simpler form. The means aren't so important as that it has happened, and what you will do now that you have done so."

[Administrator]

I would enjoy sharing it more often.

Predis smiled. An interesting feeling, that one was. Pleasure. He was pleased that Clive followed his logic, and so easily continued it. "Precisely. The past is at our core." It seemed Clive was intelligent, very much so. This was a very good thing. After all, how could he bear to be around one who would not be comprehensive of him, and all he was? That would not be possible, simply put.

He shook his head slightly. "It is still important how the transformative event occurs. To the self, it can be even more important than what comes of it. A murderer who realizes how wrong his actions and wishes to change will do so, and the how is more important to him than the actions he will make in the future." Standing up, he wobbled slightly. He was not used to having only two legs. Observation of humans aided him in the end, however, and he managed it.

Walking over to stand next to Clive, Predis stared out the window. He understood why humans did this so often now; it was calming, somehow. The sight was...beautiful. The word came to him from the depths of his mind. Why was it chosen? It was true, surely, but why? Predis could not answer that. It just was.

"In my own case, your words speak truly. I have evolved from a simpler form into one much more complex, something even I do not understand. As for what I will do," he said, drawing out the last word for a second longer than necessary and turning his head to look at Clive. He had no mastery of facial expressions and masking them, so the worry and hope battling each other showed. "I wish to journey with you, were you to allow me to accompany you. I need to learn more about humans, and you are one of the few who I can be sure will accept my form."

[Nothingness]

A possible addition

Although the two had different ways of seeing the changes within themselves, Clive couldn't refute Predis' way of thinking. Both were right in their own ways, and that was something he could respect. As for what Predis asked of Clive next, he wasn't sure. He was made even less sure by the apparent conflict within Predis. "I would certainly enjoy your company, but I will have to ask my current companion what she thinks. It would be rude, after all, to have a third tag along without her knowing." He added to himself, "Especially since she's the one with the ship."

[Administrator]

Shall we meet again tomorrow?

He had expected no more than that. In fact, Predis had assumed he would be shunned, mostly because of his difference from...traditional humans. He was a spider, though in a man's body, and he had things about him that set him apart from humanity. Why should any agree to accompany him lest they have grave differences from humanity themselves?

But it seemed that one was. Clive would not mind his company, even knowing his true nature. Giving a small bow, as he had seen humans do, Predis said, "That is all I could ask for." And, in a way, it was. It seemed humanity was already having an impact on him. Looking out the window again, the spider wondered exactly how much of an impact humanity was going to have on him when all was said and done.

Turning to look back at Clive, Predis couldn't hide the relief on his face. "I thank you for your time; perhaps we can meet again tomorrow, after a rest, with your companion?" After the response, Predis was going to revert to his spidery form and head somewhere to sleep. He'd need energy to get used to the human body.

[Nothingness]

No problem

One thing Clive noticed was how little control Predis seemed to have over his emotions, although if anything that was for the best. It made it at least somewhat easier to trust a man who wore their emotions on their sleeves.

"It sounds like a plan." Clive walked over to his bed and laid down on his back. He had been up far too late--the sun was probably coming up in a good five hours. "We'll meet up tomorrow, then. Goodnight, Predis" He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to take him. Predis could show himself out. Or crawl out. Or whatever he would do.