Steel looks at the old man who always sits in the chilly white sunlight of the boneyard outside of a well maintained building.
This is the place where he lives in one of the apartments.
The place was chosen by him as it is ordinary, that's all. He really doesn't have much thoughts process behind it.
He just wanted a small place for himself in the past. So he got this and never moved out of it. There was no reason for him to buy himself a better and more expensive. What is the point?
Steel is a greedy demon and doesn't like spending much. So if he can save money by living in a cheap apartment. Then what's so bad?
He also worries that one day he would have to run away from his house cause of some circumstance. Like finding out that he is a demon. He is paranoid.
Steel greets the old man and that's where his interactions with the human usually ends. However, this time he asks him about something.
"Steel, are you keeping a stray cat or dog in your room. I heard noises coming from your apartment. You are not allowed to have pets."
Stray animals aren't really common in these parts. Human have brought them from West world. But few of these animals ran away or some owners just discard them.
Later, there are few stray dogs or cats are found in the boneyard.
He never come across one. But even if he did there is no reason for him to keep a useless creature like that. His opinion on these creatures is that they are just pest brought here by humans.
'These noises are definitely cause of River. I didn't know she can move enough to make sounds so loud? Maybe I should've tied her up too.'
Steel thinks of a lie.
"I'm really sorry. I will release that cat by tomorrow. It was hungry so I felt pity for the little thing."
The old man listens to him and replies with a sigh.
"Just leave leftovers on the sides. They can eat on their own. You don't have to keep them in my building."
Steel nods and leaves.
'What does he mean by leftovers? I don't waste my food. What a weird think to say.'
He fails to understand what that old man meant.
Steel always thought of that human as a deranged and old husk. There is nothing even known about him by Steel. He didn't even bothered to ask about the old man's name.
The relation between the old man and steel is just of a Landlord and tenant. He is friendly and polite with the old husk and that's all. He has no interest in knowing about a old cranky husk.
While walking through the corridor. Steel tries to act just like a human. How does a human even act? Well, it is simple. Just don't act out of place. Greet people if they talk to you, try to be polite, never act nervous and don't be suspicious.
He just plays this role of a human who is an overworked government employee. That human is tired of all the stress of such a terrible job so he just lives privately all alone in peace.
Steel doesn't want it any other way.
As he finally is outside his apartment. He looks at the neighbor's door. It is locked, the people must be out. So he stays outside of his room for few seconds to hear.
He can hear noises coming out of his room. More specifically, noise of something pushing and knocking very softly.
He sighs and enters his room.
[River, please stop making these noises. You are attracting attention of humans]
River replies instantly.
[You are back in your home.]
He gets greeting from River. Her enthusiasm is as high as a corpse and it is the highest he can expect form someone like her.
He looks at the cupboard and sigh.
[Okay. Time to get you out then. Just don't move until I say so…]
So Steel takes his time to take her out of the tight cupboard. The space wasn't cramped but it would surely be claustrophobic. She can't really see or feel much of it. So she probably doesn't even care that she is stuffed inside of a tiny box. Steel isn't cruel. He is logical and his logic says that keep her outside would've been a disaster. So he doesn't wanna hear people calling him a bad home host or something.
Not that anyone even knows about him doing such a thing. So it doesn't really matter.
Soon she is outside the little cupboard. Free to stretch her limbs if she wants. But she isn't really moving right now.
Steel has carried her around the East world in the past. For three times, this is the fourth. In those times, she never made any talk about being able to move or do anything of that sort.
River doesn't even remember her past travels with him. She forgets everything after each flesh storm.
At first, that fact really disturbed him. But he got used to it and got insensitive with it. His relationship with River is just another job. She is just a package that he has to carry to another place. He has no other attachment to her.
But this time, she hasn't used her flesh storm for a long time. it has been almost two mouths or something. So it is possible that she always had the ability to move her move. He had just assumed that she is just a living corpse or something creepy like that.
[So what? can you walk now?]
River answers.
[I can move my a fingers.]
So she moves her fingers. Steel feels…disgusted…it is hard to explain but it looks so wrong to see something like her to move.
He wouldn't say that it is fearsome. She couldn't just pick up a sword and start fighting but it still quite creepy. He watches River's body as her limbs starts to vibrate like a machinery.
What even is that human body?
That shell of hers doesn't have horns or anything that could be considered a demon. So is that body is like a human vessel? He had asked it to River and gotten no meaningful reply.
While he is watch this odd scenario. River said.
[Now watch me closely.]
The voice sounded like usual but he felt a little excitement in her voice. Then body moves in a flawed or unnatural motion.
Limbs forces the whole body to move like a four limbed spider. The limbs bends like they've no bones or blood. The head moves separated form the whole body. Staring at Steel with that creepy shut eyes.
'This is some good horror movie scene…'
Just in a few minutes of struggle, her body is able to sit straight. Almost straight. It still looks like she can fall with the slightest of wind.
Steel looks at the result and says.
[That's all?]
River replies.
[yes, that's all]
Steel looks at her with disappointment. But she seem to be really proud of herself. He can see that how impressive it is from her perspective to do something that she never been able to do before. But to him, who can already move. It is a bit underwhelming.
[Do you know. When you said that you can move. I hoped to see you walk or something.]
River moved her head. It isn't like can see with that head. So why did she do that? That isn't impossible for him to understand.
[If I practice. Then I will be walking too.]
Steel wonder if this would count as improving oneself. Demon never do that so it would be interesting. But maybe it isn't that big of a deal.
Steel says "okay" and start looking for her Soul tablet. He needs to check the stats of the Soul weapon he got.
As he is going towards the drawers. He heard a thud behind. He turns around and see River fallen backwards. Again laying on the floor like a corpse.
'She isn't going to be walking anything soon..'
With that, time to look at his Demon stats.