01-15-2010, 07:54 PM
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359.
She smiled at him once he had called for the leadership, but he did not respond in kind—though, for him, it was more like a could not. Snake’s smiles were far and few between, and usually out of irony rather than mirth. He also did not move a centimeter when she reached out; the touch of her hand against his, however brief and grateful, was completely alien to him. He remained as motionless as a statue, his stoic expression taking on a shade of embarrassment. Everywhere in life there were reminders littered about, telling him that he simply wasn’t like the rest of these creatures. These emotional creatures.
It didn’t take long for Gabriel to arrive, and when he did, Snake dipped his head out of respect and touched his right fist to his left shoulder—a salute that he remembered seeing before and which seemed correct to use while greeting a superior. The Aquila did not speak, and Snake did not think he needed to. The Hydra was not used to the etiquette of these things; was he supposed to introduce the newcomer, or was she supposed to make her own case? Snake tried to remember how things had gone for him when he had first come to Inferni, but it was not a particularly important memory, so he didn’t remember the details. He thought that Hezekiah had introduced him, but he wasn’t sure.
Eventually it didn’t matter—a flicker of motion came from where Niir had been standing, and he looked to see that the strange woman was kneeling in an odd fashion, her head bent and her hands supporting her. The way she spoke, the words she used, they all seemed to indicate that she was from a place that Snake had probably never even heard about. Perhaps one day he would ask. Now he listened to her make her case. Not knowing if he should contribute anything, he looked to Gabriel. “She is willing to stay here and help Inferni, despite the war. That stands for something.” But then he receded into silence and stillness again. He knew that the Aquila’s word was law.
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359.
She smiled at him once he had called for the leadership, but he did not respond in kind—though, for him, it was more like a could not. Snake’s smiles were far and few between, and usually out of irony rather than mirth. He also did not move a centimeter when she reached out; the touch of her hand against his, however brief and grateful, was completely alien to him. He remained as motionless as a statue, his stoic expression taking on a shade of embarrassment. Everywhere in life there were reminders littered about, telling him that he simply wasn’t like the rest of these creatures. These emotional creatures.
It didn’t take long for Gabriel to arrive, and when he did, Snake dipped his head out of respect and touched his right fist to his left shoulder—a salute that he remembered seeing before and which seemed correct to use while greeting a superior. The Aquila did not speak, and Snake did not think he needed to. The Hydra was not used to the etiquette of these things; was he supposed to introduce the newcomer, or was she supposed to make her own case? Snake tried to remember how things had gone for him when he had first come to Inferni, but it was not a particularly important memory, so he didn’t remember the details. He thought that Hezekiah had introduced him, but he wasn’t sure.
Eventually it didn’t matter—a flicker of motion came from where Niir had been standing, and he looked to see that the strange woman was kneeling in an odd fashion, her head bent and her hands supporting her. The way she spoke, the words she used, they all seemed to indicate that she was from a place that Snake had probably never even heard about. Perhaps one day he would ask. Now he listened to her make her case. Not knowing if he should contribute anything, he looked to Gabriel. “She is willing to stay here and help Inferni, despite the war. That stands for something.” But then he receded into silence and stillness again. He knew that the Aquila’s word was law.