MF the demon hunter

...Why?

As Tank, Wraith and Watcher laid down next to the fire to sleep, MF sat against a tree and looked at the stars, unable to sleep. Alice was next to Tank, she'd start to wake up from being knocked out, looking around and spotting MF, "...Why?" She'd say weakly.

^What?^ He'd look at her, sounding confused.

"...Why?"

^Why what?^

"Why are you like this?" She'd start to get up, her head throbbing in pain.

^Like what?^ He started to sound annoyed.

"Why are you so mean...so violent...?"

^...I have to be, otherwise I might as well be as good as dead in this world.^

"No..."

^'No'?^

"You don't have to always be so mean and violent...you can just talk it out without anyone having to get hurt or killed..."

^That's for if you're a royal, now we're out in the world, we're just about anything BUT a royal at this point.^

"But a murderer? A threat? A thief?" She sounded saddened by the thought.

^A cheat, a fighter, a hunter, whatever...we're basically all of the above."

"..." She looked almost destroyed, "...Why?"

^'Why'? Why what?^

"Why are we considered those things now?"

^Because in the world, you're either a royal, a guard, a civilian, thief, gangster, gambler, hunter, or...me really, I guess you could say.^

"...What does that mean? 'Me'?"

^Yes...me, the one who's wanted by just about everything and everyone but the royals at this point, who trades illegally, and tries to fend for himself every minute of the day; not to mention just about every demon hunting me down.^

"..." She looked concerned and saddened, going over slowly to him, and sitting next to him.

He'd look at her, ^...I thought you liked Tank, not me.^

"I do...but seeing and hearing what happens outside of the castle is just...horrible."

^Welcome to the world...^ He'd seemingly sigh.

"...Why?"

^Hmm?^

"Why is the world like this, and not like the castle? Where everyone's nice, caring, and even friendly."

^Because they get paid to do all of that, they're paid to be nice to you, they're paid to take care of you, they're paid to be friendly and to always smile just for you.^

"...No, that...that can't be true..."

^You ever stop to ask how they really feel?^

"...No...?"

^Then you'll never know if I'm right or not.^

"..." She'd sit there, looking at the night sky and seeing all the stars. "...I've never seen this many stars..."

^Really? I'd figure they'd have a room with no roof just for that.^

"No...the most we have to look out is balconies and the front gate."

^Well that's one of the few good things about not being a royal, we have freedom, we can move as much as we fucking want around the world.^

"Ah..." She'd look up at all the stars, slightly in awe.

He'd look over at her, shaking his head a bit, then looking at the sky himself.

"...What're more good things about not being a royal?"

^...Well...there's being able to talk to whoever, I guess; being able to wear whatever the fuck you want, even if it's shit quality, it's better than nothing; and I guess...you feel like you're actually living.^

"...Why?"

^What?^ He'd look over at her.

"Why does it feel like you're living?"

^...^ He'd look at the sky, thinking, ^...I guess it's because you actually have struggles, you have problems that NEED to be solved...you can make enemies and friends, you don't HAVE to meet with anyone, you don't HAVE to do this, or that, you can just do whatever...you're free.^

"...Free?" She sounded somewhat surprised, and confused.

^Yes...free.^

"I was told I was free when I was in the castle."

^No...that isn't freedom, that's imprisonment disguised as freedom, just because you can roam a garden doesn't mean you can roam the world.^

"..." She'd sit there for a long while, seeming like an eternity, thinking over her own life and what she's been told. MF would sit and look at the stars, unable to sleep still. "...Have you ever heard of constellations?"

^What?^ He'd look over slightly at her.

"Constellations, star arrangements?"

^...Not really.^

"You see that star there?" She'd point to an arrangement of three stars side by side by side in the sky.

He'd look to where she was pointing, ^...Three stars?^

"Yes, that's Orion's, the Hunter's belt."

^...What?^

"That's Orion's belt, if you look around the stars slightly you can see his knees, his sword, and his shield." She'd point around the stars.

^...How the hell do you see any of those in some stars?^

"You just do." She'd say, laughing a bit.

^All I see is a fucked up hourglass.^

Alice would laugh a bit, "That's his body, the top two corners are his shoulders and the bottom two are his knees."

^He's got a skinny ass waist then.^ He'd joke, scoffing.

She'd laugh, "That's not how it works, you gotta imagine it."

^You're telling me to imagine a man out of a bunch of dots.^ He'd say while chuckling.

She'd laugh, MF laughing a bit with her, "But yeah, that's Orion...if you want I can show you more."

^No, I'm good.^

"Alright." She'd say, chuckling a tad bit more, then calming down, starting to doze off, smiling.