Application
[nick / name]: Nin
[personal LJ name]: nin_tendo
[other characters currently played]: n/a
[e-mail]: seventy.years@gmail.com
[AIM / messenger]: nintendofifteen
[series]: Baccano!
[character]: Ennis
[character history / background]:
In 1711, a group of alchemists on board a ship on route to America summoned a demon in order to create the Cure-All Elixir. Their efforts paid off, and they received a liquor granting them immortality, but when the demon taught only one of them how to recreate it and revealed that immortals could kill each other and receive all the others' knowledge and memories in the process, the alchemist decided to seal the recipe, fearing a massacre if it were to ever be released to the public. However, his decision angered one of the others, who immediately went on a killing spree in an attempt to get the recipe for himself. Through the efforts of the surviving alchemists, they managed to throw him off the ship, but fearing his eventual return, they scattered across the globe, hiding within the darkest corners of human society to protect themselves--immortals were made unable to use false names among themselves, so none could safely pursue a career that would bring them fame.
Szilard Quates, the rogue alchemist, continued hunting down his fellow alchemists for over two hundred years before finding Maiza Avaro, the one who knew the recipe, but in the meantime, he used the knowledge he had gathered to create homunculi and attempt to rediscover the elixir himself. Ennis is his latest homunculus, created after the previous ones eventually turned on him. However, as he used his own immortal cells to create them, killing them was as simple as willing them to die. Szilard was unaware of it, but Ennis, whose knowledge of emotion was previously limited only to the fear of death at his hands, had begun to become capable of much more after she'd been ordered to kill an immortal and received knowledge of morality for the first time as a result. She feels immensely guilty about her part in the murders of the past and present, but has no other choices other than obedience or her own death.
Taking a break from alchemist-stalking, the two of them returned to New York City in 1930 when they learned that Szilard's subordinates had completed the liquor of immortality, but due to a certain string of events, the storehouse burned to the ground and the bottles saved from the fire were stolen. Ennis was sent out to recover the elixir from the thieves, but as it continued to change hands, she experienced a few fateful encounters, first by meeting an immediately lovestruck young man named Firo Prochainezo about to be promoted within his Camorra, the Martillo Family, and then by running into a pair of thieves, Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent, who became her very first friends after she saved them from a group of violent street thugs. As the day went on, the elixir ended up being served at Firo's promotion party, creating a whole new generation of immortals, and Maiza was discovered within that same organization. When Szilard appeared to kill him, the entire Camorra was pulled into the struggle along with Isaac and Miria. When the two thieves were put in danger, Ennis betrayed Szilard in order to give them an opportunity to escape, but was easily paralyzed with a single thought. Isaac and Miria, wanting to save her, managed to stall Szilard until Firo and the rest of the Camorra reappeared. In the battle that ensued, Firo followed Ennis's instructions and managed to kill Szilard and acquired all his knowledge and memories in the process. Because of that, he was able to save Ennis by replacing Szilard's immortal cells with his own, which granted new life to her dying body.
Ennis began to live with Firo soon after, grateful to him for saving her life and wanting to thank him by helping him however she could, but due to her slow emotional growth, she did not have much ability to return his affection for quite some time, and, in fact, was not even aware of his feelings for several years. Meanwhile, in 1931, after misinterpreting a letter Ennis sent them, Isaac and Miria assumed that she wanted a kid brother... even though what she actually mentioned was her regret at never being able to meet her homunculus brothers. The two of them ended up bringing her Czeslaw Meyer, a young boy who became immortal on the ship in 1711, as a 'souvenir' when they returned to New York, and he began to live with her and Firo after she adopted him as her younger brother. Along with him, Firo, Isaac, Miria, the Martillo Family and their allies, Ennis was finally able to have something resembling a family to call her own.
[character abilities]:
As an immortal, she will never age and any damage to her body will reverse within a few minutes--even severed body parts will reattach and burned flesh will revert into healthy tissue from smoke and ash. Even though she is a homunculus, Ennis is also subject to the 'rules' of immortal humans; she cannot use pseudonyms among other immortals or in public records [and anything another immortal could have access to, such as newspapers], she is able to transfer knowledge to other immortals by placing her hand upon their head and thinking about the information she wishes to share, and it is possible for her to 'eat' other immortals through her right hand by touching their head and wishing to 'eat' them, effectively ending the other immortal's life and granting her all of the deceased immortal's knowledge and memories.
Being 'eaten' is the only way an immortal can die permanently, though Ennis can also be killed if her 'master' (Originally Szilard before he was replaced by Firo) wills her to die. In addition, Ennis also has extensive knowledge of armed and unarmed fighting techniques, languages, cooking, driving, law, and money transactions among other skills useful in serving Szilard Quates and aiding in his quest to hunt down the remaining immortals.
[character personality]:
Ennis used to be a blindly obedient slave to Szilard Quates until the day she killed an immortal, taking all of his knowledge and memories into herself and learning of sin and morality for the very first time. Though she was plagued with guilt due to her part in the murder of all sorts of people before and since, Ennis had no other option than to continue to obey or die, and Szilard had ensured early on that she feared the permanent death that he could deliver at any time. She envied the people who complained that there was no meaning in their existence, because she knew her purpose all too well--she was the tool and weapon of a man she could never hope to escape, and was expected to fulfill her orders without thought or hesitation. Ennis is able to do this for the most part, as Szilard tended to prefer killing people rather than having her do it (mostly so he could have their knowledge for himself), but when it came to killing one of Szilard's underlings for failing to keep the elixir safe, she instead brought him back to Szilard so that he could explain himself properly. Unfortunately, the man was killed anyway and she was berated for making excuses.
Ennis managed to survive by clinging onto and savoring the moments of silence in-between orders, causing her to become a quiet and withdrawn individual, only speaking when necessary, and even then, usually only in formal and clipped speech. Outside of her comfort zone, though, such as when interacting with loud and nonsensical people, Ennis can be very hesitant and shy. In order to protect herself, she had no choice but to hide her new emotional capabilities from Szilard, and so became skilled in tucking her feelings away so she could maintain a neutral expression in his presence and while fulfilling orders--in fact, doing so likely made it much easier for her to accomplish the worst of her tasks, and it was also helpful that she could set aside all personal thoughts in order to fully focus on things such as following a very detailed map of Manhattan stored in her memories in order to reach various destinations. However, when she made friends for the first time, she became honestly and fiercely loyal to them to the point where she would literally throw her life away to keep them safe. Additionally, remembering what her life was like when she was limited only to the knowledge Szilard would entrust to her, Ennis was very sympathetic toward Firo once she understood that he had no idea what was going on or even why Szilard was attacking Maiza and was very willing to fully explain the situation to him--even going so far as to use smaller words upon his request when she got a little too technical for him.
After Szilard is killed and Ennis is free, she settled into a more carefree existence and slowly began to express herself, most apparent in her wish to have people she could call family in her life. Due to her unique creation and life, Ennis is mentally and physically mature, but slow to grow emotionally. Despite her lack of experience with emotions, though, Ennis is extremely smart and observant, noticing things that easily slip by another's attention. While she tends to keep to herself if she can get away with it rather than approaching others on her own, she can be easily pulled into excitable people's shenanigans with minimal effort.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: Soon after Ennis discovered Maiza within the Martillo Family and informed Szilard of his whereabouts.
[journal post]:
//VOICE POST//
[A few clicks sound for a few moments before a female voice cautiously begins, growing in confidence over time.]
...It appears as though my knowledge of the city is not sufficiently up to date. When I turned the corner I did not expect to find a city square decorated with a carousel and a fountain, and when I turned to go back the way I came, I could not locate the alley entrance.
As I appear to be lost, I am seeking directions from anyone knowledgeable of this area of Manhattan.
[A short, uncomfortable pause.]
My presence is required at a very important function, so I am hoping for a swift reply.
In addition, I am unaware of how this device arrived in my pocket, but if the owner would like to reclaim it, I will be leaving it by the fountain once I have been directed to a more familiar area.
Thank you.
[third person / log sample]:
It was perfectly logical human behavior to flee in the face of danger if you were unable to overcome it yourself and an opportunity to escape had presented itself. In fact, when Ennis chose to enter the alley to collect the four men she had been ordered to find, it was something she counted on. If the couple they were currently assaulting ran away immediately, she would not have to worry about them remembering her face or the problems that would result if the police attempted to track her down later for what she was about to do. If it were not these four men attacking them, the couple would have had to rely on another person to come across the scene of this crime, but if the authorities were to be brought here now, it would be a daunting task to bring a gang of incarcerated thugs back to Szilard within a reasonable time and without being caught.
The reason these four men were so important was because they were the ones who had stolen the liquor from Barnes. Szilard had taken this knowledge from their now deceased associate himself as Ennis watched, helpless, knowing that she would share a similar fate if she were to ever disobey or try to run away. She only had a few moments to steel herself before she was called forward to receive the memory of those four faces... and a fifth. The young man wearing a green suit and fedora seemed familiar somehow, but she could not recall where she had seen him before even though he seemed to be looking for her. Why would someone be looking for her...?
She would have to worry about that later, though, as her highest priority was to bring back the thieves. Stray thoughts were cast aside as she focused upon the current situation with single-minded, emotionally-detached calculation. The male victim had already fallen to the ground while three of the assailants continued to kick him, and the fourth, having captured the woman, was holding her still a small distance away while he watched the others. He noticed her approach, but not nearly fast enough to do anything about the shoe smashing his head against the alley wall. The man fell unconscious, dragging the woman down with him as he fell, and Ennis continued on with silent efficiency.
Shortly thereafter, the next two were also motionless against the pavement, and the last target, apparently the leader of the gang, attempted to surrender and let the couple go without a fight. Unfortunately for him, Ennis was not here as a vigilante. Though she had happened to save the man and woman with her actions, it was only a lucky coincidence for them. Soon enough, he was slumped against the alley wall, and Ennis looked over the four unconscious men, already planning on how to carry them to her car without being noticed--only to look up in surprise as the couple began shouting their gratitude. They had not run away.
Perhaps it was a mistake to assume this couple was capable of logical human behavior. Ennis remembered meeting them previously; she had accidentally hit them with her car earlier when they had suddenly danced out into the street and dressed very strangely. She had been ordered to keep driving, and though they were irate and shouting loudly at the time, they did not appear to have sustained any major injuries. Even so, a hit and run was yet another addition to her list of crimes. Thus, their loud and gratuitous proclamations of heroism and inquiries on how they could repay her only increased her guilty conscience and their odd behavior left her bewildered and confused. This was the very first time someone had thanked her, and she lacked the knowledge of how to appropriately respond.
It took her a moment to consider what she could ask of them--if it was right to even ask anything of them--before she finally, hesitantly, requested their help in bringing the unconscious men to her car.
~~~~~~~~~~
The job was done without much difficulty, though Ennis grew apprehensive when they mentioned that her car was very similar to the one that had struck them down earlier that day. As they went on to speak of locating that car so they could spit on it and scratch marks into the paint, she wouldn't have minded allowing them to do so if it meant she could be forgiven, but as things were, Ennis could not even bring herself to confess.
And, even when they asked what she planned to do with the four men, she could not be honest with the couple and informed them that she would be bringing their attackers to the police. Much too late, she realized with dread that they would want to accompany her to report the crime... but Ennis was surprised by them once again when they regretfully replied that they would have to part ways here. They claimed that the police would arrest them if they went along, and since Ennis could not believe the two of them could possibly be criminals, she could only assume that they were runaways.
They told her that they had caused many children to starve to death because they had taken all their chocolate. It had to be a joke, but Ennis could only silently stare at the strange, incomprehensible duo that had completely captured her attention as they continued to explain that, since they had done such terrible things, it was time for them to do some good in order to repent.
While their supposed crime was simply too absurd to believe, their proclaimed journey to right their wrongs affected Ennis deeply. After committing so many awful crimes since the day she had been created, the burden of guilt weighing on her shoulders was unbearable, yet she lacked the courage to do anything about it because it would undoubtedly result in her death. Her ill-gotten memories were filled with stories of noble and courageous men and women risking and sacrificing their lives for others, and her weakness when compared to them--or even the people before her now--was staggering. From where she stood, there was absolutely no way she could ever hope to be that brave.
The couple was shocked to hear Ennis admit that she was not nearly strong enough to face her crimes--they couldn't believe that their new friend was a villain. As for Ennis, she was confused as to why she had even mentioned it, but realized that it was because this would likely be the only opportunity she would ever have to talk like this with other people. Her only chance to grasp for any sort of meaningful connection with another person. And for them to consider her their friend... Ennis would have liked to stay as such, but maintaining a friendship with them would only ultimately endanger their lives, not to mention that a person like her simply did not deserve such kind people in her life. She could only sadly accept that as truth.
They had to have noticed how sullen she had become, because the two of them immediately began attempting to cheer her up with all sorts of jumbled and hastily thought out arguments that seemed to boil down to their belief that she was a good person simply because they believed she was a good person. Honestly, their words completely baffled her, but Ennis knew enough to understand it was all for her benefit. She was still uncomfortable with the knowledge of the hit and run, so she tried to humor them with a forced smile as she thanked them and mentioned that she ought to be going. She was about to get in the car when the couple suddenly introduced themselves as Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent, and Ennis quickly memorized their names before hesitantly offering her own.
They found it strange that she had no surname, but pledged to remember her. Isaac and Miria grinned at her like children as they parted ways, and Ennis could not help but to watch them a little longer from her rear-view mirror, her eyes drawn to them. She heard them calling out to her, hoping to see her later, and even though she knew it was unlikely, Ennis found herself wishing to meet them again as well. Though she knew it would be dangerous for them, she wanted to meet them again and again. They completely confused her, dominated conversations with strange and outlandish ideas, seemed to have an endless source of energy, and most of the time appeared to be making everything up as they went along. They were so alien to everything she had ever known... and perhaps that was why she was so fond of them.
Just the thought of being able to see them again brought a smile to her face. A real smile rather than a forced one. A smile that rose from the depths of her heart.
It was the very first time she had ever smiled naturally, and with that realization, her eyes began to overflow with tears. It felt as though something buried deep inside was now exposed, battered, but ready to grow.
[personal LJ name]: nin_tendo
[other characters currently played]: n/a
[e-mail]: seventy.years@gmail.com
[AIM / messenger]: nintendofifteen
[series]: Baccano!
[character]: Ennis
[character history / background]:
In 1711, a group of alchemists on board a ship on route to America summoned a demon in order to create the Cure-All Elixir. Their efforts paid off, and they received a liquor granting them immortality, but when the demon taught only one of them how to recreate it and revealed that immortals could kill each other and receive all the others' knowledge and memories in the process, the alchemist decided to seal the recipe, fearing a massacre if it were to ever be released to the public. However, his decision angered one of the others, who immediately went on a killing spree in an attempt to get the recipe for himself. Through the efforts of the surviving alchemists, they managed to throw him off the ship, but fearing his eventual return, they scattered across the globe, hiding within the darkest corners of human society to protect themselves--immortals were made unable to use false names among themselves, so none could safely pursue a career that would bring them fame.
Szilard Quates, the rogue alchemist, continued hunting down his fellow alchemists for over two hundred years before finding Maiza Avaro, the one who knew the recipe, but in the meantime, he used the knowledge he had gathered to create homunculi and attempt to rediscover the elixir himself. Ennis is his latest homunculus, created after the previous ones eventually turned on him. However, as he used his own immortal cells to create them, killing them was as simple as willing them to die. Szilard was unaware of it, but Ennis, whose knowledge of emotion was previously limited only to the fear of death at his hands, had begun to become capable of much more after she'd been ordered to kill an immortal and received knowledge of morality for the first time as a result. She feels immensely guilty about her part in the murders of the past and present, but has no other choices other than obedience or her own death.
Taking a break from alchemist-stalking, the two of them returned to New York City in 1930 when they learned that Szilard's subordinates had completed the liquor of immortality, but due to a certain string of events, the storehouse burned to the ground and the bottles saved from the fire were stolen. Ennis was sent out to recover the elixir from the thieves, but as it continued to change hands, she experienced a few fateful encounters, first by meeting an immediately lovestruck young man named Firo Prochainezo about to be promoted within his Camorra, the Martillo Family, and then by running into a pair of thieves, Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent, who became her very first friends after she saved them from a group of violent street thugs. As the day went on, the elixir ended up being served at Firo's promotion party, creating a whole new generation of immortals, and Maiza was discovered within that same organization. When Szilard appeared to kill him, the entire Camorra was pulled into the struggle along with Isaac and Miria. When the two thieves were put in danger, Ennis betrayed Szilard in order to give them an opportunity to escape, but was easily paralyzed with a single thought. Isaac and Miria, wanting to save her, managed to stall Szilard until Firo and the rest of the Camorra reappeared. In the battle that ensued, Firo followed Ennis's instructions and managed to kill Szilard and acquired all his knowledge and memories in the process. Because of that, he was able to save Ennis by replacing Szilard's immortal cells with his own, which granted new life to her dying body.
Ennis began to live with Firo soon after, grateful to him for saving her life and wanting to thank him by helping him however she could, but due to her slow emotional growth, she did not have much ability to return his affection for quite some time, and, in fact, was not even aware of his feelings for several years. Meanwhile, in 1931, after misinterpreting a letter Ennis sent them, Isaac and Miria assumed that she wanted a kid brother... even though what she actually mentioned was her regret at never being able to meet her homunculus brothers. The two of them ended up bringing her Czeslaw Meyer, a young boy who became immortal on the ship in 1711, as a 'souvenir' when they returned to New York, and he began to live with her and Firo after she adopted him as her younger brother. Along with him, Firo, Isaac, Miria, the Martillo Family and their allies, Ennis was finally able to have something resembling a family to call her own.
[character abilities]:
As an immortal, she will never age and any damage to her body will reverse within a few minutes--even severed body parts will reattach and burned flesh will revert into healthy tissue from smoke and ash. Even though she is a homunculus, Ennis is also subject to the 'rules' of immortal humans; she cannot use pseudonyms among other immortals or in public records [and anything another immortal could have access to, such as newspapers], she is able to transfer knowledge to other immortals by placing her hand upon their head and thinking about the information she wishes to share, and it is possible for her to 'eat' other immortals through her right hand by touching their head and wishing to 'eat' them, effectively ending the other immortal's life and granting her all of the deceased immortal's knowledge and memories.
Being 'eaten' is the only way an immortal can die permanently, though Ennis can also be killed if her 'master' (Originally Szilard before he was replaced by Firo) wills her to die. In addition, Ennis also has extensive knowledge of armed and unarmed fighting techniques, languages, cooking, driving, law, and money transactions among other skills useful in serving Szilard Quates and aiding in his quest to hunt down the remaining immortals.
[character personality]:
Ennis used to be a blindly obedient slave to Szilard Quates until the day she killed an immortal, taking all of his knowledge and memories into herself and learning of sin and morality for the very first time. Though she was plagued with guilt due to her part in the murder of all sorts of people before and since, Ennis had no other option than to continue to obey or die, and Szilard had ensured early on that she feared the permanent death that he could deliver at any time. She envied the people who complained that there was no meaning in their existence, because she knew her purpose all too well--she was the tool and weapon of a man she could never hope to escape, and was expected to fulfill her orders without thought or hesitation. Ennis is able to do this for the most part, as Szilard tended to prefer killing people rather than having her do it (mostly so he could have their knowledge for himself), but when it came to killing one of Szilard's underlings for failing to keep the elixir safe, she instead brought him back to Szilard so that he could explain himself properly. Unfortunately, the man was killed anyway and she was berated for making excuses.
Ennis managed to survive by clinging onto and savoring the moments of silence in-between orders, causing her to become a quiet and withdrawn individual, only speaking when necessary, and even then, usually only in formal and clipped speech. Outside of her comfort zone, though, such as when interacting with loud and nonsensical people, Ennis can be very hesitant and shy. In order to protect herself, she had no choice but to hide her new emotional capabilities from Szilard, and so became skilled in tucking her feelings away so she could maintain a neutral expression in his presence and while fulfilling orders--in fact, doing so likely made it much easier for her to accomplish the worst of her tasks, and it was also helpful that she could set aside all personal thoughts in order to fully focus on things such as following a very detailed map of Manhattan stored in her memories in order to reach various destinations. However, when she made friends for the first time, she became honestly and fiercely loyal to them to the point where she would literally throw her life away to keep them safe. Additionally, remembering what her life was like when she was limited only to the knowledge Szilard would entrust to her, Ennis was very sympathetic toward Firo once she understood that he had no idea what was going on or even why Szilard was attacking Maiza and was very willing to fully explain the situation to him--even going so far as to use smaller words upon his request when she got a little too technical for him.
After Szilard is killed and Ennis is free, she settled into a more carefree existence and slowly began to express herself, most apparent in her wish to have people she could call family in her life. Due to her unique creation and life, Ennis is mentally and physically mature, but slow to grow emotionally. Despite her lack of experience with emotions, though, Ennis is extremely smart and observant, noticing things that easily slip by another's attention. While she tends to keep to herself if she can get away with it rather than approaching others on her own, she can be easily pulled into excitable people's shenanigans with minimal effort.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: Soon after Ennis discovered Maiza within the Martillo Family and informed Szilard of his whereabouts.
[journal post]:
//VOICE POST//
[A few clicks sound for a few moments before a female voice cautiously begins, growing in confidence over time.]
...It appears as though my knowledge of the city is not sufficiently up to date. When I turned the corner I did not expect to find a city square decorated with a carousel and a fountain, and when I turned to go back the way I came, I could not locate the alley entrance.
As I appear to be lost, I am seeking directions from anyone knowledgeable of this area of Manhattan.
[A short, uncomfortable pause.]
My presence is required at a very important function, so I am hoping for a swift reply.
In addition, I am unaware of how this device arrived in my pocket, but if the owner would like to reclaim it, I will be leaving it by the fountain once I have been directed to a more familiar area.
Thank you.
[third person / log sample]:
It was perfectly logical human behavior to flee in the face of danger if you were unable to overcome it yourself and an opportunity to escape had presented itself. In fact, when Ennis chose to enter the alley to collect the four men she had been ordered to find, it was something she counted on. If the couple they were currently assaulting ran away immediately, she would not have to worry about them remembering her face or the problems that would result if the police attempted to track her down later for what she was about to do. If it were not these four men attacking them, the couple would have had to rely on another person to come across the scene of this crime, but if the authorities were to be brought here now, it would be a daunting task to bring a gang of incarcerated thugs back to Szilard within a reasonable time and without being caught.
The reason these four men were so important was because they were the ones who had stolen the liquor from Barnes. Szilard had taken this knowledge from their now deceased associate himself as Ennis watched, helpless, knowing that she would share a similar fate if she were to ever disobey or try to run away. She only had a few moments to steel herself before she was called forward to receive the memory of those four faces... and a fifth. The young man wearing a green suit and fedora seemed familiar somehow, but she could not recall where she had seen him before even though he seemed to be looking for her. Why would someone be looking for her...?
She would have to worry about that later, though, as her highest priority was to bring back the thieves. Stray thoughts were cast aside as she focused upon the current situation with single-minded, emotionally-detached calculation. The male victim had already fallen to the ground while three of the assailants continued to kick him, and the fourth, having captured the woman, was holding her still a small distance away while he watched the others. He noticed her approach, but not nearly fast enough to do anything about the shoe smashing his head against the alley wall. The man fell unconscious, dragging the woman down with him as he fell, and Ennis continued on with silent efficiency.
Shortly thereafter, the next two were also motionless against the pavement, and the last target, apparently the leader of the gang, attempted to surrender and let the couple go without a fight. Unfortunately for him, Ennis was not here as a vigilante. Though she had happened to save the man and woman with her actions, it was only a lucky coincidence for them. Soon enough, he was slumped against the alley wall, and Ennis looked over the four unconscious men, already planning on how to carry them to her car without being noticed--only to look up in surprise as the couple began shouting their gratitude. They had not run away.
Perhaps it was a mistake to assume this couple was capable of logical human behavior. Ennis remembered meeting them previously; she had accidentally hit them with her car earlier when they had suddenly danced out into the street and dressed very strangely. She had been ordered to keep driving, and though they were irate and shouting loudly at the time, they did not appear to have sustained any major injuries. Even so, a hit and run was yet another addition to her list of crimes. Thus, their loud and gratuitous proclamations of heroism and inquiries on how they could repay her only increased her guilty conscience and their odd behavior left her bewildered and confused. This was the very first time someone had thanked her, and she lacked the knowledge of how to appropriately respond.
It took her a moment to consider what she could ask of them--if it was right to even ask anything of them--before she finally, hesitantly, requested their help in bringing the unconscious men to her car.
~~~~~~~~~~
The job was done without much difficulty, though Ennis grew apprehensive when they mentioned that her car was very similar to the one that had struck them down earlier that day. As they went on to speak of locating that car so they could spit on it and scratch marks into the paint, she wouldn't have minded allowing them to do so if it meant she could be forgiven, but as things were, Ennis could not even bring herself to confess.
And, even when they asked what she planned to do with the four men, she could not be honest with the couple and informed them that she would be bringing their attackers to the police. Much too late, she realized with dread that they would want to accompany her to report the crime... but Ennis was surprised by them once again when they regretfully replied that they would have to part ways here. They claimed that the police would arrest them if they went along, and since Ennis could not believe the two of them could possibly be criminals, she could only assume that they were runaways.
They told her that they had caused many children to starve to death because they had taken all their chocolate. It had to be a joke, but Ennis could only silently stare at the strange, incomprehensible duo that had completely captured her attention as they continued to explain that, since they had done such terrible things, it was time for them to do some good in order to repent.
While their supposed crime was simply too absurd to believe, their proclaimed journey to right their wrongs affected Ennis deeply. After committing so many awful crimes since the day she had been created, the burden of guilt weighing on her shoulders was unbearable, yet she lacked the courage to do anything about it because it would undoubtedly result in her death. Her ill-gotten memories were filled with stories of noble and courageous men and women risking and sacrificing their lives for others, and her weakness when compared to them--or even the people before her now--was staggering. From where she stood, there was absolutely no way she could ever hope to be that brave.
The couple was shocked to hear Ennis admit that she was not nearly strong enough to face her crimes--they couldn't believe that their new friend was a villain. As for Ennis, she was confused as to why she had even mentioned it, but realized that it was because this would likely be the only opportunity she would ever have to talk like this with other people. Her only chance to grasp for any sort of meaningful connection with another person. And for them to consider her their friend... Ennis would have liked to stay as such, but maintaining a friendship with them would only ultimately endanger their lives, not to mention that a person like her simply did not deserve such kind people in her life. She could only sadly accept that as truth.
They had to have noticed how sullen she had become, because the two of them immediately began attempting to cheer her up with all sorts of jumbled and hastily thought out arguments that seemed to boil down to their belief that she was a good person simply because they believed she was a good person. Honestly, their words completely baffled her, but Ennis knew enough to understand it was all for her benefit. She was still uncomfortable with the knowledge of the hit and run, so she tried to humor them with a forced smile as she thanked them and mentioned that she ought to be going. She was about to get in the car when the couple suddenly introduced themselves as Isaac Dian and Miria Harvent, and Ennis quickly memorized their names before hesitantly offering her own.
They found it strange that she had no surname, but pledged to remember her. Isaac and Miria grinned at her like children as they parted ways, and Ennis could not help but to watch them a little longer from her rear-view mirror, her eyes drawn to them. She heard them calling out to her, hoping to see her later, and even though she knew it was unlikely, Ennis found herself wishing to meet them again as well. Though she knew it would be dangerous for them, she wanted to meet them again and again. They completely confused her, dominated conversations with strange and outlandish ideas, seemed to have an endless source of energy, and most of the time appeared to be making everything up as they went along. They were so alien to everything she had ever known... and perhaps that was why she was so fond of them.
Just the thought of being able to see them again brought a smile to her face. A real smile rather than a forced one. A smile that rose from the depths of her heart.
It was the very first time she had ever smiled naturally, and with that realization, her eyes began to overflow with tears. It felt as though something buried deep inside was now exposed, battered, but ready to grow.