Interrogation... And A festival I Guess [ Social | Altan | Team Black Rukh ]

“Dalia please dear at least consider it.”
“Nooooope.” The young dalia turned her nose up to the sky hugging her doll to her chest before smiling down to her doll “I don’t need friends my age when I got Dolly Gal here!” Dalia declared sticking out her tongue to her mother who sighed but chuckled.
“One day you may not have her dear… so just consider-”

---

“Dalia” The boy's voice woke up Dalia from her mid afternoon nap out on her usual hill she relaxed on. She raised a brow widening one of her eyes while keeping the other one closed and its brow frowned looking up to him with a huff.

“What is it butt face?” She asked Daichi her newest follower who walked up to her and crouched down perching over her looking down at her.

“So that one girl is leaving the mansion for your group, If you run you could easily catch up with her.” He said simply letting dalia sit up and ruffle her hair to scratch her head.

“Any results on figuring out why 8 likes her more?” She asked with a grumble.

“Yes, much progress actually.” He said with a nod looking to Dalia who looked back to him.

“And?”

“Well she didn't call people butt face, she's pleasant, respectful, courageous- should I go on?” He asked with a smirk.

“I dislike you greatly.” She said flatly getting up.

“And I you boss” He said with a smirk letting her leave sitting down in the grass chuckling as he shook his head.

---

Dalia walked up behind Altan as she would be making her way likely towards the festival going on and boredly stated. “I’m going with you to wherever stupid thing yorue going to. I want to interrogate you peacefully before eventually getting violent as you refuse to tell me what I want to know.” She said flatly. Moving to walk beside her.

With the festival still going on the street, Altan thought it might be good to get herself some more refreshing time. She would think about a lot of stuffs if she stayed in her room for too long, just laying down with nothing to do beside polishing her arrows. All of those time she spent to actually overthinking about a lot of stuff was not healthy and she noticed it as well. She wouldn't want it to hinder her from proving her capabilities for the Kogatas... so it would be better to distract herself with another thing at the moment. Altan asked to herself though, how long has it been since the last time she actually had fun, be happy about a small thing... and actually not thinking about silly things? Well, she did feel that when she had that sweets the other day. The takoyaki that Eight shared with her was also good... she kind of wanting that savory thread for today instead of the sweets, she wondered why... she would usually be head over the heels towards sweets. Oh well, she should just go straight to the stall soon... there was no use to think too much into it.

Just as Altan went out from the exit of the manor, she noticed that the little girl, Dalia, was walking behind her. As usual this girl had a little bit of temper towards Altan and the way Dalia spoke was... a typical rude behavior of a little kid. Well, the redhead guessed that this girl was still a little girl after all. "Alright, Dalia. Do what you wish, however, stay close to me." The Fanalis let out her hand, reaching out to the girl to see if Dalia would take her hand. "You don't want to not be able to stay close with me and ended up not being able to ask what you want to know, don't you?"

Dalia rolled her eyes when she said to stay close and held out her hand to her. “You know if you were so afraid to go alone that you really would need me to stay close to you you really shouldn’t be going out alone in the first place you weirdo.” She grumbled out deciding that was the reason she wanted her to stay close and no other reason at all. She reached over and grabbed her hand like it was a chore before following after her. She walked with her for a bit before finally speaking up, frowning her brows.

“Why does 8 like you better than me…? From the first moment he saw you after firign just some stupid arrows beign stupid and stuff… he just talks to you like a gentleman, kisses your hands like a stupid danty girl, and just gives me nasty looks the whole time.he just lets you join us without you having to work for it at all. It took me days to join him even after I didn’t attack or bite him during my time in the cage. I even stuck to our agreement and didn’t leave him to go back to my family or anything…” She said in a huff looking up to her annoyed.

“But you? You just shot a stupid arrow acting like some sort of princess and he just lets you do what you want with nothing earned! It’s not fair, what are you like his secret daughter or something? Cause I won’t let just some random weirdo replace me just for nothing.” She said flatly letting everything roll off her shoulders that she's been holding up all this time. She just needed to know why she seemed to be his new favorite. After everything she felt like she deserved at least that.

As Dalia grabbed Altan’s hand, the archer would give a soft smile, amused by the fact that this little girl could act cute. The redhead remembered the time when she spent a lot of time with the children back at the clan, teaching them a lot of things and playing with them as well. She wondered if they were okay and if they were still having fun with the others… she was certain that they would be okay without her being around for a while, but she admitted that she missed them a lot.

“Alright, Dalia.” Altan replied to the little girl before listening more to what Dalia had to say. Perhaps for her… Eight was more like a father figure? Well, she was not sure, it was not her business to pry more into their past. But Altan wanted the girl to stop being jealous… it felt unpleasant because the archer didn’t even know how to fix it, especially when she didn’t really do anything that would make anyone jealous. Moreover, she had been keeping her distance from Eight and everyone else, although she made sure she was cooperative in every mission.

But wait, she just heard something that she had to confirm… “He… put you in the cage?” The redhead would pause for a second, trying to digest all of these facts, “...and he made you leave your family to follow him?”

Altan would brush off the comments coming from Dalia about her though, it was not important at the moment… if perhaps that man was planning something dangerous towards this girl, then the redhead might have to...do something. But she was not sure… should she interfere? It was not her business and this girl, Dalia… seemed very clingy to that man.

A sigh would escape Altan’s lips as she closed her eyes, knitting her eyebrows together before she finally ready to lift her sight from darkness. “Do you want to go back to your family…? Or will you follow him until the end of time…?” She would halt her step before staring towards Dalia, her hand still holding the girl’s hand. “If you want to be free from him, I don't know how to help you, but I will try to find a way. However if you still want to be with him, then I wouldn't interfere. It was not my intention to steal your spot, Dalia, trust me.” She would put her other hand to her chest, “I am here to work for Kogata and once all of this is done… I don't intend to stay in the group.”

Dalia saw the smile and huffed a little looking off again as they walked. Man this girl was weird… She then asked about what she just said rolling her eyes. “I know I’m not quiet so I’m not sure why you didn’t hear me but yes he did after killing my uncles and cripplign my parents, he was trying to turn me into a slave like an butt face until he realized  I don’t break after days without food and a long time of mental and physical torture. He’s not the first person to capture me after all.” She said with a huff holding up her arm that normally was mostly covered with the purple silk form her shoulder pad flashing how it looked like there were gouged out strpips of flesh all over her hand going all the way up her arm of scars where it looked like it was carved alive.

She lowered it, tipping her nose to the air with a scoff. “It’s hard to hurt someone who's always in pain after all… the moron…” She said looking over to Altan “And yeah that was the deal, leave with him and he wouldn’t kill my parents… their legs likely had to be cut off from the damage to them but I’m certain they are alive… we’re tough. And mom’s smart, she knows if they couldn't survive on their own they would turn themselves in to the local authorities to put them in jail to get medical assistance until they can break out. Were traveling ban… they are traveling bandits so they’re likely wanted to some degree anywhere."

"Same with me but after 8 gave me the chance to leave him and I said no cause I promised to go with him that night and he made me his apprentice, I’m not really a bandit anymore. It gets boring a lot honestly. I used to play things every night, and fight every night. Hit people,” She smiled brightly “Got hit as flames of the tribes would roar on in our glory from our expertly executed plans…Then we would sit around the fires and eat and rest and move on to the next location when the resources ran dry. Before I would have screamed and thrown a fit for staying in one place for longer than 3 days… but I’m following 8 now so I’m finding other ways to entertain myself…"

"I just wish he would see me with more pride. It feels like he likes you more then me…” She said she was a bit displeased. “I proved I wouldn't kill him… fight for him.. And follow orders… but all he sees me as is a savage it seems. My mom taught me so much on the tactical side of things and I prefer to use that to be an effective killer as I can be but I can do more than that… he just never asks. Heck I survived days without food in that cage through my tactical skills and prior experience but noooo Dalia is just the local savage just tossing her at something and saying go do violence then get weird when she does violence.”

She said with a grumble at the end. When she asked if she wanted to go back to her family the little psycho actually got a bit teary eyed thinking back to that night… how her parents were forced to see their worst fears of her dying… to where they likely from what she remembered it was like for her never even got to hear her say her goodbye to them. “Sometimes…” She looked down “But they are better off without me… we weren’t supposed to be in the main city that night… when we met 8… but I complained and wanted to go to the city so they decided to join me as a family outing…. We got in major trouble because of me… and this wasn’t the first time.” She closed her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“But I made a promise to 8 either way… I don’t break promises. No matter how big of a butt face the person I made them with is…." She slowed her walking to a stop with her. “It wasn’t my intention to be with him either but if he wants you he’ll take you Altan… And if he has you he won’t need me… he’ll cast me away… and I’ll be all alone” More tears streamed down her face as her hands trembled. She’d never admit it but behind the man who had her for years, her only biggest fear was to be completely and totally alone…. That and knives… fuck knives. “I… I don’t hate you… not really… just that I don’t know how to breathe the thing that makes him seem to like you more…"

"SO I need to know why he likes you so much, so I can at least pretend to be that to make him like me more instead and be proud of me.” She said trying to hold back further tears. She Hated crying, it made her feel stupid. Weak… defeated.

The little girl’s situation turned out to be pretty tough… This girl had experienced a lot of hardships. Dalia was kind of lucky that she was able to act so mature about a lot of things that was happening to her despite her young age. At least she was not whining and made a fuss, Altan would applaud for that. The archer would let out a sigh and kneel down in front of Dalia, trying to get to her eye level. There was a hint of worry and empathy within Altan’s gaze as she stayed still, listening to the girl’s story quietly.

Altan would give a nod sometimes, her way to tell Dalia that she understood what she was saying and to tell her to go on with her story. When she got into the reason behind her stern attitude towards Altan, the archer would not say anything, she would respond to all of this later after Dalia finished with her words, it was not her turn to speak yet.

Dalia just wanted to be recognized more by Eight… and Altan honestly didn’t notice that the man likes her more than his apprentice… it didn’t really make sense for the redhead actually. Those things were just the defensive thoughts she created inside her head because she wanted to get validation from her own master and since she was young, she kind of lashed out to Altan just like a child jealous of her own siblings.Although in this case, the archer was just a stranger that just happened to stumbled upon their happy group.

These certain words that Dalia spoke next was a little bit concerning for Altan if she could be honest. If Eight wanted her, he would take her? The redhead frowned, wondering about it, couldn't help but to feel a little bit cautious at the moment.

A sigh escaped Altan’s lips, she would carefully lift her hand before putting it on Dalia’s head, giving her pats. “Do you know how silly you sound right now?” She said before pulling her hands away from the girl’s head, “From what I see, we both are equally useful for him. But if you look at it more, you are more useful to him because you are his apprentice. Besides…” Altan would cup her cheek with her hand, “If it was true that he likes me, i am sure that he has something in his mind. There was no guarantee he would still ‘like’ me after he got what he wanted from me. Perhaps he would like you more if you become more obedient to him, although I am not sure about that, I don't know anything about that...kind of relationship both of you have.”

Dalia watched her kneel down sniffling as she tried to not yell at her for kneeling down to her like she was some sort of child. She just kept going on with her explanation. She saw her worry when the news of 8 would take her if he wanted her and her face softened a bit… she really didn’t like the idea… then again from what Daichi said his suspicions were on the girl and her goals… It made sense she wouldn’t want 8 to take her away from it all… hell she didn’t before she found a new path in life under 8’s… well she couldn't say guidance given how little he gave, lagi gave more guidance at this point than him. But still. She jerked a bit at her hand raising though when she felt the pats she relaxed a bit and looked down a bit with a slight blush as she told her she sounded silly.

She though slightly pouted as she pulled her hands away from her head, a silent protest for more head pats. She then called her more useful to 8 making her face totally soften as she nodded a bit she though squinted her eyes a bit at her last part. “That also means… there's a chance he wont like me after he gets what he wanted from me…” she said sadly and quietly then when she said she wasn't sure what kind of relationship they both had and she sadly smiled. “I’m not too sure either… sometimes…” she wiped the tears from her face with her good hand letting the other dangle. “... If… if you ever need out…” She said gently looking to her “but can’t find a way… just ask you big weirdo…”

She said wiping her tear soaked hand on her own top. “You made me feel better… so if you need help with that too I’ll help… that and for now I promise to stop having people spy on you.” She gently touched two fingers to Altan’s forehead. “I’m sorry someone like you got stuck with us… I think Lagi is a good man but we all have something evil to us Altan… 8… he’s more evil then not in my opinion… but I don’t see that as bad for me… You on the other hand….” She gently slid her hand onto the top of Altan’s head gently caressing it.

“You’re a good person.... Good people don’t last long with people like us… so please… don’t drown while you're with us… run if you must… because if you drown all your hopes and desires will drown with you as something else comes out on top. I’ll accept whoever climbs out of the murky water if you drown… but if you don't wish to drown I will feel regret for you at that point.” She gently pulled her hand away looking to her calmly and seriously. “So just watch how deep you tread the waters and ask for help if you need it to get out of the water…. Enjoy the festival Altan… I should get going now that we’ve talked…” She said, turning to leave.

"I understand." Altan nodded with a gentle smile, appreciating the fact that Dalia would offer her some help in the future. She would giggle when she heard that Dalia asked someone to follow her, didn't really care about that because she didn't really do anything important anyways, so probably most of the reports that Dalia received was only about Altan's journey to eat all the sweets in Kina.

The moment Dalia touched her forehead, Altan would let it be, she would feel the warmth emitting from the girl's touch as she listened again to her. She mentioned about how Lagi was a good man...but then saying that Eight was evil, making Altan wonder about that. She was not entirely wrong,  even the archer thought that Lagi wasn't evil, perhaps not entirely 3evil. But there was something else with Eight, like you will be trapped into an endless void if you kept staring into his soul, a pure nothingness filled with a malice coated by a sugary treats.

She was a little bit surprised that Dalia returned the gesture back, patting Altan's head as she said that the archer was a good person and that she didn't wish for her to drown. "Dont worry, I know what I am doing." Altan said with a smile,  before nodding towards the girl, waving to her as she took her leave. A sigh escaped the redhead's lips as she turned her back, still planning to go to the festival. Although she frowned, sadness was apparent inside her eyes.  "But I am not a good person…"

[Exit]