Shantanu Damon

Name: Shantanu Damon (shahn-tahn-oo dah-mon)

Nicknames: Shan, Sakura (the latter is more of an insult than an actual nickname)

Age: 7 (looks about 27)

Race: Lilim

Race Explanation: In 1484 N.E., humans came upon two twin planets that shared an orbit, Erebus and Tartarus. Millions of light-years from the nearest star, human scientists thought life wouldn’t be able to exist on either. This held true for Tartarus; however, it did hold an abundance of the radioactive element known as Ichor, which caused the planet to be turned into a mine. Erebus, on the other hand, was abundant with life. In fact, the entire ecosystem actually grew around a colony of amoebae that enveloped the planet. While the colony itself was named Legion, the central intelligence became known as Lilith. Lilim are human-like beings created by Lilith to learn more about humans. After the colony devoured two scientists sent to study the amoebae, Lilith was able to create the Lilim. In fact, her name derives from the fact that the Lilim refer to her as “Mother.” Lilim are almost impossible to tell apart from normal humans. The individual cells of the colony that make them up have the ability to change into specialized cells (i.e. muscle cells, blood cells). Therefore, their physiological appearance is almost identical to humans. The easiest way to identify a Lilim is with a blood test as their blood is none of the four humans types but has been named, obviously, Type L blood. Another way, which take much more time, is to starve them. Since their metabolism is practically identical to humans, Lilims can survive up to the three days without food or water. After that point, the Legion cells begin to shift from their specialized form to their normal one. Then they can survive seven more days before death; interestingly enough, the amoeboid cells won’t turn on each other for sustenance but die as a whole. Lilims can also voluntarily have Legions turn back to their true state. Because of this, Lilims have a strong immune system and can heal much faster than humans as cell reproduction is increased. Finally, the life span of a Lilim is not predictable. With their make-up, they could easily live for thousands of years. However, they are eventually called back to Lilith to become one again and give the Legion their acquired knowledge. The longest a Lilim has ever lasted is 50 years while the shortest span was only five.

Sex: Male

Hair: It is down to his chin and usually oily, giving it a shiny and slick look. Two strands hang in front of his eyes, one on each side. It’s color is pastel pink (yeah, I said pink )

Eyes: Gray

Weight: 115 lbs.

Height: 5' 7"

Song: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Daft Punk

Weapon: M.F.G. (Multi-Functional Gauntlets) - These gauntlets were developed by the C.S.D. military. They start at Shan’s wrist and reach about three-fours up his lower arm. They are cylinder-shaped with a radius of three-fours of an inch with a raised part, about one-fourth of an inch high, that is above the top of his wrist. The gauntlets are made of black titanium and another metal, Hytlux, known for its ability to channel higher amounts of energy than most metals. The main functions of these gauntlets are the claws that can extend over Shantanu’s own hands. The claws are plated and have the measurements of one foot for the index finger, one foot three inches for the middle, one foot one inch for the ring, seven inches for the pinkie, and six inches for the thumb. The fingers come to a razor-sharp point of titanium that can rip through almost any metal while taking multiple hits without a scratch. The raised part on each gauntlet also houses a projectile weapon that can fire bolts of red lasers at an opponent for long-range combat. These shots are infinite in supply but aren’t terribly powerful. They don’t penetrate but rather burn whatever the shots come in contact with. So, if an opponent was adequately covered, they might not hurt at all. The M.F.G. also continually create nanobots that have a couple different functions. The reason they are continually produced is because they can be destroyed easily.

Lastly, because of the usual closeness of his main weapon, Shan has great hand-to-hand combat. Even without his gauntlets, though he is usually never without them, he can devastate an opponent with a combination of hand and foot attacks.

Armor: One of the M.F.G.’s nanobots’ function is the ability to create a full-body force field. The force-field is invisible to the naked eye, though it can be seen by ultraviolet detectors because of its high wavelength. It is raised only a few centimeters off of Shan’s body so it almost appears as though whatever attack connected with the force field connected with Shan. However, the force field can only take a few blows, depending on the attack’s strength, before the nanobots are overloaded and destroyed. At this point, it takes about five minutes for a new force field to be raised.

Strengths: Speed is Shantanu’s greatest asset. He can pratically run circles around an opponent that has the speed of a normal human being. His speed also allows him to dodge attacks and conserve the power of his force field. The gauntlets allow him to be powerful in close-range combat and also gives him limited capabilities in long-range. In battle, Shan’s attacks are usually unpredictable and never the same, leading him to get an edge on any opponent that tried to find a pattern to counter-attack. Due to him being a Lilim, he also heals much faster than a human, minor wounds taking only a second to heal while even major ones can take only a few seconds and even regenerating whole limbs in an hour or two. His light, flora, and karma abilities give him the versatility he needs to take down almost any opponent.

Weaknesses: Unfortunately, Shan’s strength is his lowest attribute. While stronger than a normal human, he can easily lose in a power match. If his force field is destroyed, he has no defense other than his gauntlets and what he can dodge. However, endurance is what can really catch him. Even though Shantanu’s wounds can close in seconds, the increased cell production wears on him. Thus, if he takes quite a few hits in battle, he can feel it even if it doesn’t show. If caught in a battle that wears on for more than an hour without winning, there are good chances that he won’t win at all. Also, the gauntlets themselves have a few inherent weaknesses. If the titanium was breached, unlikely but possible, even a small electrical current could cause them to be useless and dead weight. The M.F.G. also take a five minutes to completely replenish the nanobot supply should they all be destroyed. Finally, even with his abilities and the projectile shots of the gauntlets, Shan is at a disadvantage if a battle turns long-range.

Skills:

Light Abilities
Note: These abilities are usable by the nanobots produced by the M.F.G. While most keep the force field up, several hundred remain on the gauntlets themselves. By drawing in energy from the air, these nanobots can turn that energy into light for combat use. For stronger attacks, Shan can use the nanobots raising the shield to form light. However, doing so would drop the force field. Also, any attack that would cover his gauntlets once the force field was down would destroy the nanobots, rendering these abilities useless.

Sunburst - This attack utilizes an orb of light that is fired at the opponent. Once it comes in contact with something, hopefully the foe, it will explode in a brilliant, multi-colored flash. While the blast can blow an opponent back, depending on its strength, it’s main damage is burning the opponent. What it can burn through also depends on its strength. Shan’s most common ability.

Heat - A most passive ability, this one covers the claws of the gauntlets in bright, white light. This allows the claws to burn whatever they touch, increasing the damage they can do to a foe. However, this ability’s strength cannot go beyond a certain point. Doing so would cause the light to burn through the gauntlets’ titanium.

Flash - By storing up light in the nanobots, this ability releases all that light in a blinding flash that can render an opponent unable to see for several seconds to minutes, depending on the strength and how close the opponent was. Unfortunately, caught up in the heat of battle, Shantanu can sometimes forget to close his eyes before unleashing this, causing him to go blind for a short time as well. Also, this ability can keep light shining at a low power, giving Shan a light to see in dark places.

Flora Abilities
Note: With his fascination for plant-life, Shan developed these special skills. These use Shantanu’s Legion cells to manipulate and mutate nearby plants. Once the Legion cells have infected a plant, they cannot be destroyed unless the flora itself is. However, using these abilities wears on Shan’s endurance because of the need for cell production. Therefore, he can’t use these skills as often as the Light Abilities. It is also useless if there are no plants around.

Constriction - A simple skill that causes plants to curl around an opponent’s limbs, mostly the legs. This hopefully holds the opponent long enough for Shan to get in at least one attack if not multiple ones. However, the plants would be easy enough to cut through or, if the foe is strong enough, to just yank them away.

Snare - An enhanced version of the Constriction skill. These plants not only become thicker to hold a person better but also grow thorns to injure them, as well. It is harder to hack through or pull these plants off and, if Shan has used enough Legion cells, any injuring inflicted on the vegetation could be regenerated which would leave an opponent almost helpless.

Breath - This skill can only be performed when there are flowers around, the more the better. This mutates the pollen inside the flowers which is then sprayed into the air of the battlefield. Inhalation of this pollen can cause maladies such as mild paralysis, sleepiness, or mild poison. However, Shan can inhale the pollen with no ill effects because of his increased immune system.

Karma Abilities
Note: These are perhaps Shan’s strongest and most unpredictable abilities. Like the Flora Abilities, these skills center around the Legion cells. However, to activate these, Shan needs to absorb the opponent’s DNA. This can be done by just having the Legion cells absorb a spot of blood left by the foe somewhere on the battlefield; it doesn’t matter what method he uses. Absorbing the opponent’s DNA allows Shan to root around in the person’s memory up to the point he gained the DNA for emotions that will trigger his own abilities.

Rage - This ability is caused if an opponents memories are filled with the delight of killing and causing chaos. Shantanu’s personality turns slightly sadistic as he gains strength and speed. Using this, his attacks become even quicker and more unpredictable, hopefully leaving an opponent in a state of bewilderment. However, it also become somewhat difficult for Shan for form a good plan in this state. If the foe is a good planner, they could easily create that plan to ensnare him.

Pity - This skill is activated when the memories are full of sorrow and despair. Shan becomes melancholy and some of his usual cheeriness disappears. In place of this comes the ability to easily plan out strategies to defeat the foe. However, he can be tricked by words; if an opponent asks for mercy, Shantanu will give it to him. He lets his guard down when in this ability.

Joy - This one is caused by having memories that are mostly joyful and cheery. He becomes even more lighthearted than usual, though not often noticed since Shan is considered unusually happy all the time. His flora abilities become easier to use and don’t affect his stamina as much and he can use his light abilities to greater effect. However, he tries not to have too much physical contact with this form. If an opponent presses on him with physical attacks, they could easily overpower him and cause damage.

Appearance: First off, Shantanu wears baggy black pants that almost look ridiculously big and are held up by a wide but thin black belt strung through three belt loops, one on each side and one in the back. His shirt is white and sleeveless and, unlike the pants, holds closely to his body, showing defined muscles underneath. Over this he wears a light jacket that is mostly black with white edging around the zipper, collar, and hand-holes. The jacket has a small collar that is usually folded down and the jacket’s bottom reaches about a third down his leg, right about where his behind ends. However, hardly anyone sees the end of the jackets sleeves since he almost always wears the M.F.G. Finally, he has boots that are also completely black and with tops that reach up about an inch from his ankle. Shan skin is darkly tanned. His muscles aren’t huge but nicely defined and toned. As said before, his hair is an interesting shade of light pink that can definitely make him stand out in a crowd. It is slick and shinny looking due to the fact that it’s rather oily and usually lays flat against his head. Near the ends, the hair tapers off into chunks which makes his hair look similar to flat spikes. Shan usually has a smile on his face which some people have described as a sarcastic one. However, his gray eyes have been known to make opponent feel uneasy as they seem to be devoid of emotion, simple gray pools that watch a foe.

Personality: Shantanu has an extremely happy-go-lucky personality. He pretty much doesn’t worry about a thing and is almost perpetually happy. However, he’s doesn’t have a reckless or annoying joy but a constant smile and optimistic view about things. It’s extremely hard to anger him though it can be accomplished, usually by insulting his Mother, Lilith; though most people don’t know about her or his true nature unless he tells them. Speaking of his race, Shan won’t tell people he’s a Lilim. He wouldn’t lie about it, or anything else for that matter, but tells half-truths when faced with a question he doesn’t exactly want to answer. Usually, when asked if he’s a human, he’d answer, “Mostly.” Any more drilling questions along the same line would most likely be answered with a smile and a shrug.

In battle, Shan carries over his laid-back traits. He doesn’t fret when pushed into a corner and would even accept a death blow with his usual smile. One of the main reasons he keeps his smile is that it can sometimes frustrate an opponent, especially if they try to play mind games or make him nervous. The Lilim also enjoys battling and thinks of it almost as a game to win at. He loves creating new moves to try to confuse an opponent and just for the fun of it. Shan is incredibly intelligent and studies a foe’s moves during battle and tries to think of the best way to counter them. Since he has a habit of coming up with things in the middle of a battle, he has misjudged and been injured from a failed attempt.

Shan could be considered a sponge when it comes to learning. He absolutely loves learning about anything he can, whether or not it has any relevance. This has led him to be rather random in conversations. He can also be somewhat naive and tends to take most of what people say at face value. Shantanu has been punished for this a few times but still hasn’t seemed to learn a lesson. Though, he states he takes everything for the truth so he can learn what is truth and lies from a certain person. For an odd reason, this Lilim finds lying to be cowardly and low. He never does so but has mastered telling half-truths, enough to answer the question but not enough to reveal anything he doesn’t want to.

When it comes to being around other people, he is well-mannered and kind. Shan is somewhat of a flirt around and woman and enjoys conversing with that gender the most. He always treats women with respect and would never insult one, even if she insulted him. If another person insults a woman, he usually will make them apologize, even if it comes to a fight. His calm yet happy demeanor causes people to be comfortable around him most of the time though his constant attitude has also turned people away.

Because of the fact that he isn’t human, the Lilim doesn’t actually experience a full range of emotions. In fact, he’s only ever really felt happiness, anger, and anxiety. He considers emotions such as sadness, regret, and depression as worthless emotions that do nothing but make a person feel even worse. Fear is an emotion that doesn’t do any good because he believes eventually a person will have to face it; however, he has been known to become hesitant around fire though not enough to really have it considered a fear of his. He is extremely practical and logical. Also, Shan has only an ambiguous concept of friendship and love. While he can be friendly and kind to others, he feels no really connections with them. If a ‘friend’ were to interfere with a mission, Shantanu would not hesitate to kill them to complete his assignment. The only love he feels is for his mother, Lilith.

Finally, he undergoes some personality changes if he starts to loose his ability to keep his human form. This is most noticeable by the fact that he will start to use the pronouns I and we interchangeably because he is made of hundreds of single beings working as one. It also becomes hard for him to focus and think clearly. He will show a shortened attention span and an inability to remember new things for very long. Shan will also say random things that might not have anything to do with his current situation. Lastly, his will sometimes say things that are suppose to be kept secret and doesn’t have any qualms about revealing his true nature; becoming sarcastic and cynical as well.

Biography:
(The following events are taken from Dr. Shinji’s personal diary, leading scientist of the Freya, head battleship of the 2nd fleet.)
April 4, 1654 N.E.
Here I am again on the planet Erebus, standing before Lilith herself. Unlike my predecessor, Dr. Callahan, I hold no pleasure in being around the Legion. Indeed, its existence is fascinating but I also find it appalling. After all, scientific methods are the only way to discern a human from a Lilim. Speaking of which, it is a Lilim that is the reason I am even here. For the benefit of the military, and the Legion, another Lilim is being sent aboard the Freya. I can understand the C.S.D.’s interest in the potential of these aliens but... perhaps it is the fact that they can mimic humans that I find no love for them.

“This is a great day,” Lilith states with a beautiful voice, “That another of my children can join you.” Among the gray mass that makes the bulk of Legion, the upper body of a woman can be seen protruding. Her arms open wide in a sign of peace and happiness. However, there is nothing human about the gesture. Her lower torso melts into the constantly shifting mass as does her blond hair. Her green eyes show nothing that resemble the emotions of a homo saipan. A bubble forms at the base of the mass and something can be shown quivering inside. The bubble bursts and a fully grown man, a Lilim in disguise, is curled up in a fetal position. “My dear child,” Lilith says again, “Take care and come back to your Mother.” Immediately, the half-formed woman melts back into the pulsing Legion.

The Lilim’s eyes open suddenly; they are a dead, gray color. An interesting contrast to the strange hair color. He stands up and, with an emerging smile, he bows before me and my companions, “I am ready for my duty.” Duty? I doubt Lilith or the Lilim really know what that word means. But that’s not really for me to decide.

“Come along,” I motion to him, “We’ll get you the proper papers and some clothing.” He follows without question.

April 5, 1654 N.E.
Back aboard the Freya. The C.S.D. has given the Lilim the name Shantanu Damon and all the legal papers needed for him to be a citizen of the democracy and to be a soldier in the military. Included in that was his military uniform, a blue outfit with polished, black boots. He seemed a tad overenthusiastic about the whole thing. Then again, I suppose he was only born a day ago.

April 7, 1654 N.E.
After getting orientated to the Freya itself, such as his quarters and the mess hall, he was introduced to other three members of the experimental team: Fredrick Rosenberg, John Gustav, and Tahiko Aramaki. However, we didn’t tell any of them that Shan was a Lilim. Not long after Lilim were let into human society did word about them get out. Like myself, the general human population wasn’t thrilled about an alien species that could mimic them so easily. Unlike myself, they resorted to violence whenever a Lilim was discovered. No one was killed but... well, the government definitely had a low approval rating for several years. While the general search for Lilim has abated, the hatred has not. It’s not much of a problem, though. They will only think that Shan has a quirky personality.

April15, 1654 N.E.
Combat training for the four has begun today. While Fred, John, and Tahiko have already gone through basic, they need additional training for the special program they’ve been assigned to. Despite having never being in training or combat before, Shantanu barely missed a step with the others. He learns quickly which isn’t surprising. They also started advanced schooling. These classes will cover a variety of different subjects such as biology, physics, and history. It was here that Shan leaped ahead of the other three. Not only did he start with a broader scope of knowledge but he also memorized the lessons extremely quickly. Afterwards, he wouldn’t stop asking me questions about what he had learned and trying to expand on it. I answered a few but finally had to tell him that he will eventually learn those things in the class. I must say, his thirst for knowledge is surprising. I’ve only worked long periods with only two other Lilim and I, while they were interested in everything, didn’t see this kind of hunger in them. Curious, perhaps Lilim personalities do differ from one to the other even though Lilith basically gives them the same mission: to gather knowledge about the universe outside Erebus.

September 15, 1654 N.E.
After six months, additional training is finally over for the four. Shan came out on top in both combat and studies, something we did not reveal to anybody but our science team. Suspicious of Shantanu’s true nature would surely increase from what had already been suspected. John and Tahiko have been friendly towards him, though they have not been without their moments. Tahiko, in one bout of teasing, started calling Shan ‘Sakura.’ He stated this was an ancient word for a tree with light pink blossoms and also a name for girls. Amusingly, it fits Shan quite well. It is Fredrick I am most worried about. Most of the suspicious of the Lilim arise from him. I can understand competitiveness may be getting the better of him but he cannot learn the truth. It may jeopardize this whole study.

September 20, 1654 N.E.
Once given a few days of rest and relaxation, we showed the four the real reason they were chosen to come aboard the Freya, the Multi-Functional Gauntlets. The newest pride and joy of the military, these weapons could have a significant effect on ground combat. Of course, no one outside of the military’s head officers and a few on the Freya are to know about it. Everyone marveled at the sight of them, including myself. A great technological achievement. Immediately, the four equipped them and did some basic maneuvers with them just for a feel. All four wanted to test the M.F.G.s more but we didn’t want to strain the testers or the equipment. True testing will start tomorrow.

October 28, 1654 N.E.
These past few weeks have been fruitful indeed. Testing with the M.F.G.s has gone well. No major problems have occurred with either the testers or the gauntlets. This day marked the first test of the individual nanomachines of the M.F.G.s. Fredrick’s allowed him to send sound waves through the ground to create miniature earthquakes, John’s combusted air into fire, Tahiko’s froze water vapor into ice, while Shan’s turned energy from the air into light. All tests of the individual abilities were completely successful to both the science team’s and the testers’ enthusiasm.

November 3, 1654 N.E.
It seems Shan is always full of surprises. On his own time, the Lilim has taken a liking to studying plant life. He even started a miniature garden in one of the labs comprised of three different flower species. However, I didn’t realize how far his fascination captured him until today when he showed me his manipulation of the flowers. By combining Legion cells with the flowers, he was able to mutate them into... something. While this development in intriguing, no other Lilim has shown this quality, it is also frightening. After manipulating plants, how long would it take him to start with animal life? Humans? He shall have to be monitored much more closely with this recent development.

April 10, 1655 N.E.
Very little has stood out during this break. Training with the M.F.G.s has been going as planned with outstanding results. Each member has increased his skill with the gauntlets overall and they have extended the individual abilities fast than expected. I have also been working personally with the development of Shan’s floral abilities. We have honed them mostly for combat use and have found restrictions on just what he can do. Prior concerns about this abilities may have been exaggerated; I was ill equipped to deal with the new knowledge. The testers have now started unit training with the M.F.G.s, learning how to use their abilities in conjunction with each other. They may be able to go into active combat soon than expected.

September 15, 1655 N.E.
After almost a year of training, the four soldiers had their first mission. They were to stop an insurrection within the capital city of the planet Taurus. It was a completely success. Even though the insurrectionists were heavily armed, they were poorly organized and easy to wipe out. The leaders were also successfully captured and handed over to the police for questioning and imprisonment. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. In wake of this achievement, I suspect they shall be receiving even more missions to test the range of the M.F.G.s... and the Lilim.

July 7, 1657 N.E.
What a disaster! I never believed anything like this could happen. The Freya, while docked on the planet of Aries, was attacked. The faction of Abbadon, anarchists, claimed fame for this attack. But the worst of it was how they were aided. Fredrick allowed them to come aboard and even planted a few of the explosions himself. I didn’t imagine he would do something like this. Apparently, he was part of the Abbadon faction before joining the army. Having been in the military for ten years, whatever suspicions about his motives were weakened to the point on non-existence. It seems the M.F.G.s provided him with the opportunity to return with a trump card. We have commissioned the other three to go after him and bring back the stolen M.F.G. at all cost. While neither John nor Tahiko looked forward to this assignment, Shan took it with his normal smile. The only other emotion he exerted was confusion in trying to understand Fred’s motives for the attack. Alas, I wish we had understood earlier. Maybe this catastrophe could’ve been avoided.

July 9, 1657 N.E.
Well, John, Tahiko, and Shan managed to recover the M.F.G. so suppose the mission was a success. However, I could count it as a disaster as well. From all three testimonies, I managed to pull together a good idea of what happened.

It didn’t take long for the three to find where the Abbadon members had run off to. They practically had a sign up displaying where they were. The testers easily defeated the guards, I believe only John was injured and it was only a marginal wound. They forced their way into the compound, which was rather easy as well. Inside, though, Fredrick had been waiting for them. It’s unknown if he was simply holding back in training or received something when he rejoined the Abbadon faction but he was able to hold off all three of them in battle. Perhaps it was just the fact that he knew their abilities and tactics. At this point, John was given a large wound on his arm that but him out of the battle. Shan decided to go toe-to-toe with Fred now, for some reason. During the battle, Fredrick actually managed to slice Shantanu’s left arm completely off. Tahiko was sure Shan would die.

At this point during the interview with both Tahiko and John, they became disgusted at what happened next. The blood running out of Shan arm suddenly stopped and turned into a sludgy, gray mass. He picked up his amputated arm and the gray mass grabbed where it had cut and, within at most a minute, his arm was reattached like nothing happened. I suppose an event like that would’ve made it impossible for Shan to not reveal the fact that he was a Lilim but I do wish it could have been avoided. Fredrick was disgusted by this turn of events as well and howled at Shan. The battle between these two turned even fiercer and both managed to get a few good hits on each other; though, one couldn’t tell with Shantanu since his body heals extremely quickly. Finally, both John and Tahiko state that the Lilim became somewhat berserk at the end and, overpowering Fredrick, pierced Fred’s heart with one of the gauntlet’s claws. Shan then removed the M.F.G.s from the traitor. Untrusting of the Lilim, Tahiko demanded the M.F.G.s. Shan handed them over without hesitation.

Upon hearing these testimonies, I simply had to question Shantanu myself. “Sorry I let find out I was a Lilim, Doctor,” he apologizes.

“Nothing can be done about that now,” I wave his question away. That should probably be the least of his concerns. “But, I must ask, how did you kill Fredrick so easily? Wasn’t he a friend?” With both John and Tahiko being reluctant, I did somewhat expect Shan to not want to fight a former comrade, either.

“A friend?” The Lilim thinks for a moment, “Yes, I suppose he was. But then he became the enemy and we had no choice. I did warn him to stop this.”

Sometimes I can’t help but think of Shan as a child. “I was also told you went berserk at the end. What was that about?”

“Oh yes,” he brightens up at this question, “It was strange. I absorbed some of his blood that fell from a wound of his. I suppose it was his memories that changed by personality slightly.”

“Memories?” I didn’t like where this was going.

He nods, “Mm-hmm. You know, Fred had a very interesting life. Especially when he joined that Abbadon faction. I had no idea what they were about until now.”

“You mean you just went through his memories? You used his own memories to kill him?!” I was horrified by the thought. What happens inside a person’s mind is completely private unless they wish to share it. I knew that Legion, Lilith and Lilim on a small scale, have the ability to absorb the knowledge of whatever they consume but I, we, had always suspected they had to absorb brain cells. But to learn it could be accomplished simply through blood... What else might this Lilim know? “Shan, you can’t simply go through a person’s memories whenever you want. It’s... simply... they're private.”

He shrugs, “But using them allowed me to defeat him, which was the purpose of our mission. Besides, even though he is dead, his memories will now live on with us.”

July 12, 1657 N.E.
Sometimes the stupidity of the government astounds me. Understandably enough, they have kept us “confined,” though locked-up would be more appropriate, after the fiasco with Fredrick. However, what angers me is that they are questioning everybody. Doing full background checks on everybody. They’re acting like we’re ready to take our work to anyone who will pay for them. Worst of all are John, Tahiko, and Shan. Those three have been kept in solitary confinement for the past few days. I’m allowed to see them for 15 minutes a day, under surveillance, of course. Who knows when this investigation will end.

(From here on, all entries have been made by Shantanu Damon.)
July 13, 1657 N.E.
It seems Doctor Shinji has some interesting opinion about me. Some are understandable enough; others can only be contributed to the strange way humans conduct thought. I was surprised when he handed me his diary. He stated that he had never found someone who was so fascinated by the idea of one. Fascinated might be an over-exaggeration but I was intrigued. The idea was writing down thoughts seemed rather tedious to me. Doctor explained that it helps people remember what happened and what they could’ve done different along with allowing people to sort out thoughts. I have an excellent memory so I am not worried about forgetting nor do I believe in dwelling over the past. Humans do that enough for all races. But I have found that writing does, if not sort out, make thoughts more lucid. I am also surprised that he gave me his personal diary to use. Did he just say that looking through memories was not a good thing to do?

I suppose I’m also to write about what happens, aren’t I? I still in solitary for some reason and subjected to long questioning. I wonder if the humans treat me like this simply because I am not human or if John and Tahiko are also pushed because we were friends with Fredrick. Perhaps I will ask when this stops.

July 18, 1657 N.E.
Finally I have been let out of that small prison. Being by one’s self is not the greatest fun nor educational. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to met with either John or Tahiko to see how they endured the confinement. I did, however, go to Lab Eight to check on the flowers I have been taking care of. Even without water for several days, they survived wonderfully. The Legion cells I gave them deserve thanks. I’m not sure if I can observe them naturally now that I have done that but they are fascinating nonetheless. Plants can be much more interesting than animals. All their life is dedicated to one thing: living. I wonder what humans, and even us Lilim, would be like if we did that. I suppose the life of a plant can’t be terribly interesting. Still, it’s relaxing just to watch a flower grow.

July 19, 1657 N.E.
Today was... definitely not a good day. I did manage to get together with Tahiko and John to ask them about their confinement. They didn’t receive me warmly.

“What do you want, Shan?” Tahiko asks rather cooly. It’s easy to tell they aren’t liking me at the moment.

“I was wondering how both of yours’ confinement went? Were you questioned as well?” I question, hoping nothing too bad happens.

John gives me a sideways look, “Of course we were. What, were you too? Did you expect to receive special treatment?” Spite was clearly evident.

“Well, different, anyway,” I say. An awkward silence ensues. I don’t really want to say anything to anger them more so I start to leave.

“Shan,” Tahiko calls and I stop, “Why did you kill Fred? I mean, why was it so damn easy for you?”

I smile slightly at the question. Why have several people asked me that? The answer’s so simple. “He was the enemy. We were suppose to retrieve the M.F.G. at any cost.”

“But wasn’t he a friend?” John blurts out, “I mean, didn’t you have at least one reservation against killing him?” Betrayal, I have found out, is a hard thing for a human to take.

“Let him be,” Tahiko replies, “Sakura only has one allegiance and that’s to the disgusting blob he was born from.”

I felt a large amount of emotion well up inside my chest. It is strange feeling an emotion for the first time. Anger. I don’t experience it often, thankfully. I glare at Tahiko, “Don’t talk about Mother like that.”

He takes a step towards me, “Well, isn’t it true, Sakura? You’re only faithful to that thing.”

“She is not a ‘thing.’ And stop calling me Sakura. My name is Shantanu.”

“Your name? Your name? Hah! That was only given to you so we could call you something other than Lilim. If you wanted a name, you should have had that pile of **** give you one!” At that point, I lost control and attacked Tahiko. It was something I shouldn’t have done but he should have never insulted my Mother. I am not sorry for attacking him. Luckily, before either of us could hurt each other, soldier came along and broke us up. We were are now both in solitary for the night.

July 30, 1657 N.E.
We have been given a group mission. It seems the military trust us enough to allow us to continue what we were doing before Fredrick betrayed us. I suspect our old habits will return soon enough. John and Tahiko have both calmed down over the past two weeks. Tahiko somewhat apologized for insulting Mother. He never truly came out and said it but I understand that humans sometimes have a hard time about apologizing. I told him not to worry. It was out of my mind the day after it happened.

November 15, 1657 N.E.
It’s been awhile, diary. Life returned to almost complete normalcy about a month after we receive that new mission. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened so I haven’t really had any desire to write my thoughts down. But today was awesome. We were each given a single mission for the first time. Easy ones, of course, just to get us used to working alone. Mine was to assassinate a leader of an extremist group, The Great Liberators. Honestly, humans have a tendency to think of strange names. It was easy enough. He has two guards but they were quickly dispatched with a Sunburst and I slit the throat of the leader. Battle is the most entertaining thing I do. It’s much better than sitting in a classroom and learning. One has to think on the spot or get a head chopped off. I’ve been trying to hone my flora abilities so they are useful in a fight. My karma abilities, the name I gave to the event with Fredrick’s blood, have been coming along very slowly. There aren’t very many places to break it out. The battles are usually over too soon.

August 1, 1659 N.E.
I don’t believe I’ve been keeping up my diary as much as I should. Then again, nothing too interesting has happened over the past years. But today was completely different. I am now allowed to be off the Freya and live on a planet. I’m still apart of the military and will have to do missions when they are given to me but now I can live separately. Instead of the military uniform, I have been given civilian clothing which is much more comfortable. I am now living in... I suppose a medium-sized apartment on the planet of Taurus in its capital of Heracles. I’m not much of a cook but I made a fair-tasting meal for myself. And the bed is much more fluffy than the one aboard that ship. I believe I will enjoy myself here.

August 6, 1659 N.E.
Ah, I’m back. In search of work for me to do, I came upon a mercenary group known as Pandemonium. Despite the bad connotations the name inevitably gives off, they are actually mostly known for working for the C.S.D., which makes sure that I mostly likely won’t be doing anything illegal, other than existing. Yes, I joined up with them. Or, should I rather say, they recruited me after I beat the crap out of two of their men. The leader, Greg Dauson, is a burly man who has the brains to back up his incredible brawn. He must be at least two feet taller than me and 100 pounds heavier. Going head-to-head with him probably wouldn’t be too good for my health. And the job is perfect for me. After all, a soldier only knows how to fight.

August 18, 1659 N.E.
My first job with Pandemonium. I actually went with Greg and a few other men, mainly so Greg could keep an eye on me. It’s easy to tell I’m not completely trusted. Then again, with the betrayal humans have shown, it’s understandable. Not that I’m human but I figured I should keep that information to myself. We simply took out a ring of drug traffickers that were meeting tonight. They barely put up a fight before we killed them all. Far too easy in my opinion. But, I suppose, until fully earn Pandemonium’s trust and respect, I’ll probably keep having little jobs like this. Oh well, I can handle it.

January 1, 1660 N.E.
Apologies for the wait, diary. I feel I must write today because... I have never seen human so drunk as I did tonight. I knew New Year’s was a time of celebration but it was never like this on the Freya. Then again, several things have been different that what happened on the Freya. But some people became so drunk they couldn’t even stand up. I can see the enjoyment alcohol can bring but that just seems rather stupid. Only Greg and I weren’t completely smashed. He can hold his liquor very well and, as for me, liquor doesn’t really affect the system of a Lilim. But my time with Pandemonium has been excellent. I believe I’ve earned most of their trust, if not all. They treat as though we were part of a family. I wonder if the same treatment would be given if I told them I was a Lilim. They have said things about my behavior, especially my happiness, are strange but nothing to make them guess what I am. Then again, I see happiness as the only emotion needed. All the others only add trouble to life. I suppose I should get to bed even though I know I won’t be needed tomorrow. I know the others aren’t going to be up for anything.

February 4, 1660 N.E.
I saw Tahiko today for the first time since we were able to leave the Freya. We were given a cooperative mission to completely that went as well as expected. Then we had a small meal to catch up with each other. Tahiko has been stationed on Scorpio, a desert planet that he isn’t enjoying too much. He became a teacher at one of the universities there. Although it wasn’t nice of me, I couldn’t help but laugh when he told me. It’s rather hard seeing him as a teacher. But what I liked most about the conversation was that there were no undertones in his voice. I suspected that he would always hold my race against me, if only subconsciously. But he talked to me like he would talk to any human. Maybe he’s changed his mind. Or forgotten. I would like to think it’s the former, however.

March 8, 1661 N.E.
Time passes a little too quickly for me to write regularly, diary. But I don’t really have anything new to report. My jobs for Pandemonium and my missions with the military have all gone well. Being with the other mercenaries is a fun as ever, even if they do things that are even stupid by humans standards. Everyone on the Freya is doing well, also, though I’m really only interested in Doctor Shinji. Which reminds me, he kept the flowers I was taking care of. He said he wanted to study them since I had mutated them with Legion cells. Doctor also mentioned that the plants might have a calming effect on him as well; he needed it he said. Tahiko and John are also well, even though I haven’t seen John at all. Nothing utterly fascinating than daily life.

I wonder when Mother will call me back. As much as I would like to be with Her, I am having fun where I am now. Perhaps She’ll let me have fun a bit longer. I think it would help Her and the rest of Legion to know.

Battle Rank
Player: Ranarath
Character: Shantanu Damon
Innate: N/A
Overall Rank: VII
Strength: IV
Speed: VIII
Elemental: VII
Skill: VII

Battle Arena:
Lousy Luck - Finished
What Was Coming to Them - Dropped
The Escaped Subject - Currently Active

Battle School:
Shan's Training under Aura Master Zorlo - Currently Active


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Approvedeth*
2000th post. Hells yeah.