There's a Shadow Hanging Over Me (Open)

[purplesocks]

Brook tried to suppress it but her curiosity was too great and before she knew it her questions flew from her mouth. "Wait that means you were around for the beginning of rock and roll! Did you see the Beatles in concert? Have you ever met any famous artists? Were you in the United States during the civil rights movement? Had you ever seen Dr. King speak? What about WWI and II? Did you fight in them? What about authors? Did you get to meet any of them? Oh what about Stalin and all them? Cold War?" she slapped her hand over her mouth.

"Sorry sometimes my mouth runs away with me" she blushed lightly as she realized how forward and rude she was being. She bowed her head. "I apologize. I just, wow, some major philosophical and revolutionary periods were in that time span I just, I've always wondered what it'd be like to live through them. Besides all that, I mean look at the mentality of the generation before me for the baby boomer age and the one before that for my grandparents, I mean that generation gap is hard to bridge I can't even imagine growing through all of them and adapting. It's just...well honestly, I'm impressed."

[Urjasz Volkova]

When I am seen.
I am feared.
_______________________

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Greeted with an overdose of questions and queries, Urjasz decided to stop walking and return to her, taking the short distance to think over his many answers. Taking a dramatic breath, he paused before speaking. "I have seen music change from the popular classical to the rebel rock and roll. I have seen music go from the taste of classes to the tastes of groups. I have worked as a bodyguard for the Beatles. It was only a week but it was when they were passing through Europe, my main residence for the last century. I've met one or two famous people. I'm afraid to say I've not been in this country that long. Whilst I have been here many times before, it had been mere visits. But as you refer to Dr. King, I have seen the world's view of colour change, which I'll bring back up in a moment. I kept my head down in both wars, as did most immortals. It was the human's war and we would not reveal ourselves because of it. Stalin was a bastard and he killed many of my home country. The Russian immortals got to him in the end. And Hitler, he did not die in the bunker as many would believe. I do believe they just realised his "skull" has actually been confirmed to be that of a female. I wonder how that happened."

Taking a moment to breath, he continued to speak, trying to cover all her questions. "Authors, perhaps. I've met more people than I could ever imagine. But I've also killed more people than you'll ever meet. In my world I am a good man to have your side. I am not the enemy that humans would have me made out to be. Whilst I have seen humans learn to accept one another, even if it's still in the process, I have to still see the prejudice your kind puts upon my kind every day. There's two types of humans when they discover us - there's those with questions like yourself who accept us as part of nature. And then there's those who won't listen to our answers and will try to kill us. Man always fears the unknown. We are hunted by some with such prejudice that if we had been human, they would be breaking many human rights. Indeed the world has changed around us. The world I grew up in is now a mere memory. You spoke of your home town being a place where everyone knew you. That was my old world, but instead of the towns, it was cities. Now it's all about greed and power."

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[purplesocks]

Brook steadily listened to his words. Her eyes widening at certain moments as the idea of what this man had truly seen sunk in. It was amazing and something that many historical societies would kill for. Eventually though she got a bit sad, knowing that the world of the supernatural was not the same as the human in any way. Granted the human world wasn't perfect by any means, but at least there was ethical standards set into place.

"I'm sorry that you guys get treated differently, but, and I may be playing devil's advocate here, but well how can you expect to get to the point of equal rights if the world doesn't know of your existence? I mean, okay and I hope you take this the right way because I don't mean it in any offense, but well you guys are the ones with more experience and the ability to look at the situation from all angles, isn't it your responsibility to accommodate those that you meet that can't see it your way? Like, by doing this your able to guide them to think in the right way? Am I making any sense?" she asked a little curious if what she was saying was getting through to him as Brook was often misunderstood.

[Urjasz Volkova]

When I am seen.
I am feared.
_______________________

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Taking a break from giving the main speech, he relaxed into listening to her, curious himself as to how she would react to his answer. The amazement in her eyes gave him a good feeling inside and made him feel like an old man speaking of the highlights of his life. Which in a respect, he was. So not to confuse the situation, he once more thought about his answer as the way she spoke could be taken in more ways than one. "I understand what you mean. And believe me, there's plenty of immortals that would like to make the world aware of our existence. And in the past, some have done. Every century or so, someone comes along who won't do as the elders say and rally others who believe the same. It always ends the same way. The humans hunt them down out of fear. The elders always turn their backs on them. And in time, they are all killed."

Scratching his cheek, he continued with an extra point just to make himself clear. "Ever here the phrase "witch hunt"? That's pretty much what happens every time one of us decides to tell the world. Now, you may be wondering why I'm telling you, someone who has only found out through someone telling you everything. There's a difference between telling one person at a time to a mass crowd. We will always tell humans one at a time. But there's too many of you to tell enough to stop the mass panics. Plus, for some, the secrecy and select knowledge is good for business. Given the choice, it benefits us more to let select few know. Should someone panic and try to kill us when we tell them, then unfortunate events shall follow. We're sure to be the ones who don't raise the sword first. It makes us feel more righteous or some shit like that."

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[purplesocks]

At his words Brook cringed a bit. "I'm going to pretend that you don't kill anyone if you don't mind, because ethically I don't know if it would be right to let you walk away knowing that you're breaking the law constantly and I'm an officer" she paused looking quizzical. Though in pure statement, what she said sounding harsh, but in her tone you could hear the slight amusement in her voice. Here she was, standing in front of a criminal who admits freely that he's killed people and will kill them if they freak out about finding out his secret and in all honesty she should take him in, but she wouldn't dream of it. 'How ironic' she thought to herself.

She walked closer to him standing up on her tip toes in front of him, examining his face. "You look just like a human like this, it's crazy" she continued her examination walking around him. "So have you always been a...well...this way or were you turned?" she asked circling back around to stand in front of him. She was amazed more at the advancement in his species. Was he considered more evolved or was the cross a de-evolution considering his animalistic qualities? Then again that brought a whole barrage of questions about what was considered the top of evolution anyways.

[Urjasz Volkova]

When I am seen.
I am feared.
_______________________

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"Pretend what you like. In a world where you can't die naturally the only way to keep the numbers down is to kill off the weak through other means. Sure I've killed lots of people, human, immortal, other, but they've always had it coming. Ok that's kind of a lie. There's been innocents, I can't deny that. I'm not saying I'm a good man here. Perhaps in your world I'll never be a good man. However in my world I'm considered one of the good ones." Pointing his finger at her slightly as he spoke, he knew she hadn't been completely harsh with him but he was fairly defensive about humans looking down on their way of life, even if it was a joke. She changed the topic slightly to the way he looked and he couldn't help but smile. "I'm glad I do a convincing human. Should hope so. Yes I was once human. I lived 43 years as a human. Longest years of my life."

Looking around, he could see it was fairly quiet and there was near a collection of bushes. "Look, I can show you something you've never seen before. Just don't panic when I do. I have control of the beast. It's got no reason to go against me. Respect the beast and it'll play nicely." Gesturing for her to follow, he walked through the bushes and into a small clearly in the centre. "Hope you're not a prude. I want you to see the difference between us. The real one. Watch how easy it is to become like me. And watch how easy it is to be human." Taking off his clothes, he quickly added "I like my clothes. Pain to keep replacing." As if he was stretching, he flung himself upright arms out stretched and he shifted into his wolf form, landing on all fours.

Larger than his human form, he had to look down to look her in the eyes. For the wolf, it was a chance to show off its form to her, for Urjasz it was a way for her to truly understand the situation. It was all very well changing his face. Although effective, going all wolf never failed. Circling her quickly, he came around in front of her and shifted back to his human form, his arms back in their original position. "And behold. Human once more." Picking up his clothes, he quickly put them back on, years of experience helping get them on faster than most could. "I was once like you and then I became the wolf. Now I'm closer to being human than I was moments after I had been turned. And one day, when I'm as close as can be, I can choose my own death. We've all got to sleep one day. I'm just happy I can decide when. Anyone that tries to tell me otherwise will sleep well before me."

See bio for picture of his wolf form
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[purplesocks]

Brook followed obediently, mostly because she was incredibly curious about this world that was just unveiled to her. When he stripped of his clothes though she couldn't help but slightly avert her eyes. Her face heated slightly and she tried to cover the blush. She was never really comfortable around men with no clothes on. But within seconds her eyes reopened and the creature in front of her caused her breath to slip from her mouth. It was like a vacuum had sucked the air from all around, being sucked into the freakish wolf form in front of her.

He circled her and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. He wasn't entirely animal, it was very apparent and that's what chilled her more than anything. When his form slid once more she found herself gazing upon a man before she even knew it. She turned her head as he dawned his clothes once more. The blush returned and she looked at the ground. "It has to be fascinating to decide your own death" she finally spoke softly as she stared towards the ground.

"I don't really fear death, nor does it bother me when it will happen, its inevitable of humans anyways, so I've just accepted that when it happens it will happen. I only hope I get to do the things I want before that time comes" she paused her eyes fuzzing over as she dazed off. Her mind was reeling and she wasn't quite sure how to handle it. It seemed that the information was more to process than she had calculated and she felt a bit dizzy. "Well the mind is a powerful thing" she mumbled under her breath.