It has been pointed out to me that perhaps I have not treated your host fairly.
[There was no "perhaps" about it. Usagi had told flat-out he'd treated Peter the same way that Palpatine had treated him, which had been like a mallet hitting Maul on the head in terms of realization.]
( This....is very strange. Hasn't Luna told Maul the same sort of thing? Paimon knows that a huge part of her upset has been Maul's treatment of Peter. What's suddenly changed his mind now...?
The demon isn't at all sure how to handle this, and it takes a while for him to respond. He knows he has to be... very careful, here. He has to protect Peter and Luna, both of whom he knows Maul would be just fine to see gone forever. And through all of that is the respect for Maul that the demon still possesses. It's all... very complicated. )
i do not think he should talk right now but i can talk if that is okaye
.
( ....Though texting with Paimon is... a chore, to say the very least. )
Alright. But there is not much to speak of. I merely wanted it to be known that I will not be actively malicious towards the boy any longer.
[Whether or not he is believed is irrelevant to Maul. Heβs putting forth the effort and thatβs all that he really cares about. Maulβs attempts to rectify his bad behavior tends to be ham-handed and awkward even at the best of times but they are genuine no matter what anyone else thinks.]
I know he is terrified of me and rightfully so. But I will not be trying to harm him. My protection extends towards you both now.
( After a few more long minutes of deliberation and making sure Peter is fully subconscious, Paimon turns Peter's Omni-thing to video, instead. It's easier for him to talk than write, which is sometimes still strange, considering he once could barely speak at all. )
Hello, Maul. It has been a while.
( Since they last spoke, or saw each other. Paimon doesn't remember that odd meeting back on the beach when he and Peter had first washed up and Maul was rendered mute. He'd been.... tangled up within his host's spirit, to the point neither of them really understood what was going on. )
You would like to protect my vessel? ( This concept is so new and unexpected. Something Paimon had once thought unthinkable, back when he'd been actively targeting Peter himself. But.... things change, he knows that very well. And even now, Paimon doesn't protect Peter because he likes him; it's for Luna's sake. There must be a deeper reason for Maul wishing such a thing, too. )
[There is genuine warmth in Maul's voice. Far from when he'd started with the main goal of just manipulating Paimon for his own ends, there is something about the demon that Maul has grown genuinely fond of. Of course that doesn't mean he won't still try to use him for his own ends but that's not all that makes up the relationship between them now.
Maul pauses a long while as he thinks of how to word this. He doesn't want either of them to know all that much about his past and how it made him vulnerable in so many ways.]
I was.....treated very badly by someone in my youth. Someone who held a great deal of power over me. It was pointed out to me how much I was acting like him around your host. And I never want to be like him in that way.
[There is no altruism in what Maul wants to do with Peter now, merely just the desire to do the opposite of whatever Palpatine would have done in his situation.]
( The connection he has with Maul is still very important to Paimon, even if there have been complications as of late. What happened to Luna as a result of everything.... and the strife between her and Maul, has opened up the demon's eyes to understanding certain things he wasn't able to, before. Maul can be a threat to what he strives to protect. To Luna, his most important person.
But he also knows how Deerington affected people, affected himself, and he knows Maul faced his own strife there. None of it is simple, but as it stands now, Paimon is both cautious of the Sith Lord and glad to see him again. Losing Lucifer has been...... extremely hard, and Paimon still seeks that particular brand of guidance. He'll be more careful about it now, and he won't allow Luna to be harmed, but there is a part of him that does still lean on Maul in a particular way. He's.... missed him.
And he listens, giving the man all of his intense focus, as usual. He was..... mistreated? The concept is familiar to Paimon in a way, and it would be very familiar to Peter too, if he were awake right now. But the demon thinks it's still best his vessel remains asleep through this conversation. Peter... isn't ready to talk about things like that with Maul. He wouldn't be able to handle it. )
My vessel.... was also treated badly. In his youth. ( Paimon's learned more about Peter's circumstances over time of living inside of him. He's seen what he fears... seen who hurt him, and in what ways. It was Mom, mostly. Mom who scared him and blamed him and tried to hurt him.)
He fears.... many things. Because of it. Because of Mom.
( The demon falls quiet for a moment, wide, unblinking eyes gazing downwards as he thinks. )
The person who hurt you.... did you have love for him?
[Maul feels a very small pang of something close to guilt or regret when Paimon explains what happened to Peter before he'd come to Deerington. He's been hurting the boy the same way Palpatine had hurt him and it turns out he's already experienced one parent terrorizing him before. Suddenly, the skittish terror makes much more sense. Abuse tends to make people turn either hard and angry or timid and fearful to survive. He'd gone one way and it looks like Peter went the other.
His voice is soft and he looks away from the screen when he speaks again. If it was Peter asking, he might have lied, but with Paimon he has enough trust in the demon to give him a direct answer.]
.........Yes. I did. I killed for him and did far worse in a quest to gain his love. I would have loved him the way a son should love a father if he'd only let me. But he was incapable of loving me back or anyone else for that matter.
[He looks back up at the Omni.]
It took me a long, long time to learn that lesson. There is not much I fear but he is one of the few things I still do. The scars he left me with are still upon my mind and I am not sure I will ever truly overcome them.
cw: more abuse things, scrambled identity confusion, fun times
( "Abuse" is a term the demon is.... still learning about, himself. Others have used that word over time, around him. Paimon's been told that those who were last handling him had abused him, abused his powers. He still doesn't entirely understand, but he does at least grasp that the concept means to be mistreated in some form, and that it's because of this mistreatment that he himself is so... broken, now.
He has been made broken, and his vessel has been made broken, and even Luna was made broken β Paimon had seen it for himself in her memory, how the young witch was tortured by others of her kind.... and now he's learned that Maul was made broken as well.
He's very quiet as he watches Maul, listening to the man. "Love" is also something that the demon doesn't quite understand, and perhaps isn't quite capable of experiencing himself. ....But perhaps he's known the shape of it, once. There was certainly affection for Mom, and Dad, and Grandma, and even Peter. Was it "love"....? Could the botched thing that was Charlie (he, she, they) feel love...?
Perhaps. After all, they knew happiness, and sadness, and what it was to miss someone so badly that it ached, left a deep dark hole inside. )
Do you.... miss him? ( The question comes quietly, and he sounds a little unsure as he asks it, but then addsβ )
βMy vessel misses Mom. Even though he fears her, too. ....We miss her, especially at night.
( He's able to make sense of what Maul's telling him through relating it to Peter, and he truly is seeking to understand. )
No. [Maul answers with no hesitation.] I used to very much. But when it appeared I was killed, he didn't even care or bother look for me. He just replaced me with a few more subordinates instead, showing I had never been anything more than a tool to him. After thirteen years, it wasn't my master that came for me. It was my brother and that showed to me who really loved me.
[Maul's voice is hard with contained anger. It wasn't fair. To the rest of the galaxy, he showed such a loving, kin face. Only Maul had truly seen what the monster was under the mask, only ever seeing the faux kindness when Sidious wanted to keep him off-balance.]
I'm sure he does. She likely wasn't a monster all the time. She probably did love him in a fashion even though it was hard to see. It makes the relationship between people complicated because with few exceptions, no one is a horrible person all the time. They can show love and affection in a limited capacity even if at other times they are vicious and cruel.
( It's clear that this person was especially cruel to Maul, that he abandoned him. And though emotion is still a strange thing for Paimon to try to work with, there is a genuine sympathy for the other being. He's capable of that, in his way: he was always meant to be sensitive to others' energies, after all. To help assist them. )
I... am sorry. ( He gazes solemnly at the screen, practically feeling that tension in the other man, pressed so tightly within him. ) I know what it is to have a Master you trust, and learn from, and though mine has not willingly abandoned me, I.... It is the most important Bond, and to have it broken is... a horrific thought.
( Paimon's degree of eloquence shifts and wavers, and talking about things like this helps push him towards being capable of speaking a bit better. An actual train of thought rather than his usual clipped, awkward manner of speaking. )
It does seem... complicated. ( Paimon agrees, softly. ) I believe that is partially why my vessel obeys you so willingly. You remind him, at times, of Mom.
...If you wish to protect him now, does that mean you also wish to protect my witch?
( He's not sure exactly what Maul's change of heart entails, but he has to ask about Luna, too. )
Indeed. The bond between master and apprentice is a strong one. [Even with all Sidious had done to him, the minute he'd landed on Mandalore, Maul had been immediately able to sense the presence of his old master. When the balance of the Force had shifted so greatly when Anakin Skywalker fell, Maul had sensed exactly what was happening through his connection with his master.]
I have found I have some talent with teaching others here. While the bond you and I have is not that of a master and their servant, I would still like to continue teaching you... [He pauses and corrects himself.] ...teaching you both if you will let me. [He's doing what Usagi had told him to. Give Paimon and Peter a choice in the matter instead of running roughshod over them.]
Yes, that is something I was recently made to see. [And it horrified Maul to realize that he'd been treating Paimon and Peter the same way that Sidious had treated him. It was a wake-up call that he had most desperately needed. Maul wasn't going to go down that path again. He wouldn't let himself turn into his master and he'd kill himself before ever letting that truly happen.
But when Paimon asks if Maul will protect Luna, his answer is immediate, and the words sound like the large doors that would lead to a church or castle closing shut with a loud slam.]
No. Your witch is more than capable of protecting herself.
[Of that Maul has no doubt. If she can handle him, she can handle whatever else comes her way without the need of his assistance.]
( The subject of his master, Lucifer, is a very complicated one. Paimon knows by now that there are different versions of his beloved lord β and that apparently in some universes, Lucifer is not his master at all.
The Lucifer who was possessing Sam Winchester... perhaps wasn't his true master, or the correct version of him. But he had behaved as such, and Paimon had latched onto that bond too quickly. The loss of him is a deep emptiness, and some part of the demon king does still search for things to fill that emptiness up with. And so, Maul's offer is met with a quiet stare, wide-eyed and solemn. After a few momentsβ )
I would like that. Very much. ( There are still many things he knows Maul could possibly teach him, and perhaps things that Paimon could teach Maul in return. For as much as he's meant to be guided, the demon king of knowledge and treasures is also meant to guide and teach others. Maintaining a connection of such exchange with the other being is a certain great importance; Paimon's spirit brightens up at the idea. But now.... there's also a new idea to consider. Peter being taught, too. )
I believe that would be... good for him. To learn. ( Paimon agrees. His vessel could be shaped to be a man of great knowledge and wisdom: a host properly suiting the demon king within. If Peter worked better with him, perhaps they could even reach the true extent of his abilities.... But it's a concept he'll certainly need to discuss with Luna, first. Speaking ofβ
The change in Maul's tone is painfully clear, and the demon regards this a bit warily, with an uneasiness. He doesn't know how vicious Maul may remain towards the girl. )
She is very powerful. But... she is my vessel's most precious treasure. And she understands how to take care of him. I will have to consult with her about him being taught by you. ( Before he even thinks about asking Peter, he has to see what Luna thinks, first.
And... he has to ask this, too. )
Much time has passed. Things are... different here. Do you... still wish to harm her?
[When the demon confirms he would like to continue to be taught, Maul smiles. Not one of his smirks or the harsh ones filled with lots of teeth, but a genuine expression of happiness. He honestly enjoys Paimon's company, strange as the being is, and has liked teaching him the knowledge that he possesses.
At the mention of Peter, Maul grows thoughtful. The two of them are intertwined now, and unless he can get Peter up to speed and on board with this, his efforts with Paimon will eventually stagnate. Time to get him up to speed then.]
His fear is an innate part of his being and one of his strongest emotions. The Dark Side I am a part of sees fear as a powerful ally in the way we use the Force. If he can learn to harness that part of himself, it will be all the easier for the two of you to work together.
[If they cannot be separated and are bound to be together, than the best thing to do is prepare Peter for what lies ahead. He's too weak right now to serve Paimon as best he can. But with Maul's guidance, he can become so much more than just a scared teenager who cringes at every sight and skitters away at the slightest of noises. The two of them can work better in tandem instead of scraping up against one another like sandpaper being brushed along skin.
The Sith Lord's eyes flicker in surprise at Paimon's words. 'She is my vessel's most precious treasure. And she understands how to take care of him.' Oh. Oh. So that's what has been going on between them. And just like that a big whopping piece of the puzzle falls into place as to how Peter, Paimon, and Luna all connect to one another. No wonder Luna brushed aside his questions when he had asked her what Peter meant to her, why she was so upset when Maul had unleashed Paimon during his rampage in Deerington. No wonder she had made a pact with the demon to begin with. People did many things for those they loved. Just look at Maul and what he'd done here when Reaper had died. There was still an entire street of Prufrock which hadn't been repaired thanks to his rage and grief.
Well, well, well. That is a very interesting piece of information. Maul's just going file that away for later use.
Maul thinks of how best to put his words, thinking them over carefully so that he doesn't mess up what he's trying to explain. He uses the demon's name to show how serious he is about trying to make himself clear. While he speaks, his voice is full of hot, burning anger, the kind that he's held for months as he nurses his grudges against the three witches who had cursed him.]
Paimon, she and the other witches put a chain on me deliberately. It is the same way my master used to do in my mind. I had no say then and had no say now when they did it to me. They sought to control my actions. It has been eight months and I have been unable to break their magic. I do not forget and I do not forgive. I am angry with her, yes, but causing her harm is out of the realm of possibility for me right now. I doubt I will be able to do so in the future either. Her magic...it is far too much for me.
[He would admit that to few but Paimon is so close to Luna he knows lying or underplaying how he fares against the witch each time they face one another won't do any good.]
( As Maul mentions the Force, Paimon seems to brighten up a bit; he's always been very intrigued by this presence and power, right from the very first time he'd ever met Maul. And while many things have changed since then β the biggest really being that his goal is no longer to be rid of Peter's spirit β it's very meaningful to hear that Maul's experience with the Force and knowledge of such things could still assist him... them.
Peter has a very long way to go, but there is hope in the demon. )
This place... has changed us. Opened some things. I feel I can be... stronger here. ( Deerington still kept a certain thumb on the demon's head, making access to his powers strange and warped. But not here. However, there are still some obstacles. )
My vessel is still incapable of... handling my power, very well. I must be careful with him. If I use my power too much, it overwhelms him. But I believe he can be... taught, trained. To become stronger, so that I can become stronger.
With your help, perhaps he can learn to harness his fear. I will help you with this task.
( It's an exciting prospect....! Something to work towards. Paimon is very enthused for this. Getting Peter on board won't be so easy, but there's time for that. His host isn't the same as he used to be, either. He's...changing, inside; they can both feel it.
But there are other complications as well, namely Maul's relationship with Luna. The demon is listening as intently as ever, absorbing that anger that burns from Maul, giving soft little shudders. And it's... uncomfortable, the thought of Maul being chained, controlled. It resonates uncomfortably in Paimon; there's an awful familiarity of the concept. Back home, the witches there kept him leashed, suppressed. He's able to see that, now.
But Luna is not like those witches, not at all. He trusts her wholeheartedly, his loyalty to the girl a powerful force. So this matter is very... complicated. The way he feels an empathy for Maul's plight, and the way he feels a loyalty to Luna's decisions, the Bond he has with her. )
I am... sorry. I know what it is to be... controlled. She will do anything to protect my vessel, and that also means keeping me.... secure. She fears something like that happening to me again.
( It took... a very long time for things to sort themselves out after that incident; there are still some parts that are healing even now. It's only recently that he and Luna have even really begun to re-form their relationship after he damaged her trust. )
Perhaps when I speak to her, I can also speak of this. If I tell her of our plans to help Peter β that you wish to help him become stronger. Perhaps things can be... different.
( Certain upsets of the past could be resolved, maybe. He's not sure, but... he's willing to communicate it. Both Luna and Maul are important to him. )
Yes. He is weak right now. [There's no other way to put it. Peter is like a faulty circuit that Paimon's power is conducted through. Anytime too much is put through it, the fuse gets blown and the pair are back to square one. What Maul needs to do is rewire him so to speak.] But just because one is weak doesn't mean there isn't a way to grow stronger. If we start simple with something such as meditation, it can help strengthen his mind to your presence and allow you two to work more cohesively.
[This might be the turning point for the two of them to finally start coming into the demon's own power and Maul would love to be a part of it. He's always been fascinated by power and he's very curious to see what could happen if the two of them were able to start working together, able to harness Paimon's vast power correctly.]
Indeed. I think now I understand why she did what she did with those other witches in placing a curse on me.
[He assumes now this was partially a revenge scheme on her part for what he'd done to Paimon and by extension Peter back in Deerington. Maul has always suspected her reasons for cursing him weren't entirely altruistic and for the "greater good" of the Sleepers. He wonders if the other two witches even knew that was why she'd done it. The young witch did seem to play things very close to the vest. Just look at how long it has taken Maul to realize she was involved with Paimon's host.]
I am not optimistic she will like what I have to offer very much. But I leave that up to between you two to discuss.
[Maul's offer, even if done in selfishness and for his own reasons, is sincere. Usagi had made him promise to stop messing with the teen for his own agenda and reveling in terrorizing him, and while Maul won't be pushing either of those actively anymore, he can still gently try to direct the pair towards in a way that helps benefit him.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[There was no "perhaps" about it. Usagi had told flat-out he'd treated Peter the same way that Palpatine had treated him, which had been like a mallet hitting Maul on the head in terms of realization.]
So I am attempting to rectify that situation.
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The demon isn't at all sure how to handle this, and it takes a while for him to respond. He knows he has to be... very careful, here. He has to protect Peter and Luna, both of whom he knows Maul would be just fine to see gone forever. And through all of that is the respect for Maul that the demon still possesses. It's all... very complicated. )
i do not think he should talk right
now but i
can talk if that is okaye
.
( ....Though texting with Paimon is... a chore, to say the very least. )
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[Whether or not he is believed is irrelevant to Maul. Heβs putting forth the effort and thatβs all that he really cares about. Maulβs attempts to rectify his bad behavior tends to be ham-handed and awkward even at the best of times but they are genuine no matter what anyone else thinks.]
I know he is terrified of me and rightfully so. But I will not be trying to harm him. My protection extends towards you both now.
[Surprisingly, he was being completely genuine.]
text β video
Hello, Maul. It has been a while.
( Since they last spoke, or saw each other. Paimon doesn't remember that odd meeting back on the beach when he and Peter had first washed up and Maul was rendered mute. He'd been.... tangled up within his host's spirit, to the point neither of them really understood what was going on. )
You would like to protect my vessel? ( This concept is so new and unexpected. Something Paimon had once thought unthinkable, back when he'd been actively targeting Peter himself. But.... things change, he knows that very well. And even now, Paimon doesn't protect Peter because he likes him; it's for Luna's sake. There must be a deeper reason for Maul wishing such a thing, too. )
Why?
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[There is genuine warmth in Maul's voice. Far from when he'd started with the main goal of just manipulating Paimon for his own ends, there is something about the demon that Maul has grown genuinely fond of. Of course that doesn't mean he won't still try to use him for his own ends but that's not all that makes up the relationship between them now.
Maul pauses a long while as he thinks of how to word this. He doesn't want either of them to know all that much about his past and how it made him vulnerable in so many ways.]
I was.....treated very badly by someone in my youth. Someone who held a great deal of power over me. It was pointed out to me how much I was acting like him around your host. And I never want to be like him in that way.
[There is no altruism in what Maul wants to do with Peter now, merely just the desire to do the opposite of whatever Palpatine would have done in his situation.]
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But he also knows how Deerington affected people, affected himself, and he knows Maul faced his own strife there. None of it is simple, but as it stands now, Paimon is both cautious of the Sith Lord and glad to see him again. Losing Lucifer has been...... extremely hard, and Paimon still seeks that particular brand of guidance. He'll be more careful about it now, and he won't allow Luna to be harmed, but there is a part of him that does still lean on Maul in a particular way. He's.... missed him.
And he listens, giving the man all of his intense focus, as usual. He was..... mistreated? The concept is familiar to Paimon in a way, and it would be very familiar to Peter too, if he were awake right now. But the demon thinks it's still best his vessel remains asleep through this conversation. Peter... isn't ready to talk about things like that with Maul. He wouldn't be able to handle it. )
My vessel.... was also treated badly. In his youth. ( Paimon's learned more about Peter's circumstances over time of living inside of him. He's seen what he fears... seen who hurt him, and in what ways. It was Mom, mostly. Mom who scared him and blamed him and tried to hurt him. )
He fears.... many things. Because of it. Because of Mom.
( The demon falls quiet for a moment, wide, unblinking eyes gazing downwards as he thinks. )
The person who hurt you.... did you have love for him?
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His voice is soft and he looks away from the screen when he speaks again. If it was Peter asking, he might have lied, but with Paimon he has enough trust in the demon to give him a direct answer.]
.........Yes. I did. I killed for him and did far worse in a quest to gain his love. I would have loved him the way a son should love a father if he'd only let me. But he was incapable of loving me back or anyone else for that matter.
[He looks back up at the Omni.]
It took me a long, long time to learn that lesson. There is not much I fear but he is one of the few things I still do. The scars he left me with are still upon my mind and I am not sure I will ever truly overcome them.
cw: more abuse things, scrambled identity confusion, fun times
He has been made broken, and his vessel has been made broken, and even Luna was made broken β Paimon had seen it for himself in her memory, how the young witch was tortured by others of her kind.... and now he's learned that Maul was made broken as well.
He's very quiet as he watches Maul, listening to the man. "Love" is also something that the demon doesn't quite understand, and perhaps isn't quite capable of experiencing himself. ....But perhaps he's known the shape of it, once. There was certainly affection for Mom, and Dad, and Grandma, and even Peter. Was it "love"....? Could the botched thing that was Charlie (he, she, they) feel love...?
Perhaps. After all, they knew happiness, and sadness, and what it was to miss someone so badly that it ached, left a deep dark hole inside. )
Do you.... miss him? ( The question comes quietly, and he sounds a little unsure as he asks it, but then addsβ )
βMy vessel misses Mom. Even though he fears her, too. ....We miss her, especially at night.
( He's able to make sense of what Maul's telling him through relating it to Peter, and he truly is seeking to understand. )
no subject
[Maul's voice is hard with contained anger. It wasn't fair. To the rest of the galaxy, he showed such a loving, kin face. Only Maul had truly seen what the monster was under the mask, only ever seeing the faux kindness when Sidious wanted to keep him off-balance.]
I'm sure he does. She likely wasn't a monster all the time. She probably did love him in a fashion even though it was hard to see. It makes the relationship between people complicated because with few exceptions, no one is a horrible person all the time. They can show love and affection in a limited capacity even if at other times they are vicious and cruel.
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I... am sorry. ( He gazes solemnly at the screen, practically feeling that tension in the other man, pressed so tightly within him. ) I know what it is to have a Master you trust, and learn from, and though mine has not willingly abandoned me, I.... It is the most important Bond, and to have it broken is... a horrific thought.
( Paimon's degree of eloquence shifts and wavers, and talking about things like this helps push him towards being capable of speaking a bit better. An actual train of thought rather than his usual clipped, awkward manner of speaking. )
It does seem... complicated. ( Paimon agrees, softly. ) I believe that is partially why my vessel obeys you so willingly. You remind him, at times, of Mom.
...If you wish to protect him now, does that mean you also wish to protect my witch?
( He's not sure exactly what Maul's change of heart entails, but he has to ask about Luna, too. )
cw: suicidal thoughts
I have found I have some talent with teaching others here. While the bond you and I have is not that of a master and their servant, I would still like to continue teaching you... [He pauses and corrects himself.] ...teaching you both if you will let me. [He's doing what Usagi had told him to. Give Paimon and Peter a choice in the matter instead of running roughshod over them.]
Yes, that is something I was recently made to see. [And it horrified Maul to realize that he'd been treating Paimon and Peter the same way that Sidious had treated him. It was a wake-up call that he had most desperately needed. Maul wasn't going to go down that path again. He wouldn't let himself turn into his master and he'd kill himself before ever letting that truly happen.
But when Paimon asks if Maul will protect Luna, his answer is immediate, and the words sound like the large doors that would lead to a church or castle closing shut with a loud slam.]
No. Your witch is more than capable of protecting herself.
[Of that Maul has no doubt. If she can handle him, she can handle whatever else comes her way without the need of his assistance.]
no subject
The Lucifer who was possessing Sam Winchester... perhaps wasn't his true master, or the correct version of him. But he had behaved as such, and Paimon had latched onto that bond too quickly. The loss of him is a deep emptiness, and some part of the demon king does still search for things to fill that emptiness up with. And so, Maul's offer is met with a quiet stare, wide-eyed and solemn. After a few momentsβ )
I would like that. Very much. ( There are still many things he knows Maul could possibly teach him, and perhaps things that Paimon could teach Maul in return. For as much as he's meant to be guided, the demon king of knowledge and treasures is also meant to guide and teach others. Maintaining a connection of such exchange with the other being is a certain great importance; Paimon's spirit brightens up at the idea. But now.... there's also a new idea to consider. Peter being taught, too. )
I believe that would be... good for him. To learn. ( Paimon agrees. His vessel could be shaped to be a man of great knowledge and wisdom: a host properly suiting the demon king within. If Peter worked better with him, perhaps they could even reach the true extent of his abilities.... But it's a concept he'll certainly need to discuss with Luna, first. Speaking ofβ
The change in Maul's tone is painfully clear, and the demon regards this a bit warily, with an uneasiness. He doesn't know how vicious Maul may remain towards the girl. )
She is very powerful. But... she is my vessel's most precious treasure. And she understands how to take care of him. I will have to consult with her about him being taught by you. ( Before he even thinks about asking Peter, he has to see what Luna thinks, first.
And... he has to ask this, too. )
Much time has passed. Things are... different here. Do you... still wish to harm her?
no subject
At the mention of Peter, Maul grows thoughtful. The two of them are intertwined now, and unless he can get Peter up to speed and on board with this, his efforts with Paimon will eventually stagnate. Time to get him up to speed then.]
His fear is an innate part of his being and one of his strongest emotions. The Dark Side I am a part of sees fear as a powerful ally in the way we use the Force. If he can learn to harness that part of himself, it will be all the easier for the two of you to work together.
[If they cannot be separated and are bound to be together, than the best thing to do is prepare Peter for what lies ahead. He's too weak right now to serve Paimon as best he can. But with Maul's guidance, he can become so much more than just a scared teenager who cringes at every sight and skitters away at the slightest of noises. The two of them can work better in tandem instead of scraping up against one another like sandpaper being brushed along skin.
The Sith Lord's eyes flicker in surprise at Paimon's words. 'She is my vessel's most precious treasure. And she understands how to take care of him.' Oh. Oh. So that's what has been going on between them. And just like that a big whopping piece of the puzzle falls into place as to how Peter, Paimon, and Luna all connect to one another. No wonder Luna brushed aside his questions when he had asked her what Peter meant to her, why she was so upset when Maul had unleashed Paimon during his rampage in Deerington. No wonder she had made a pact with the demon to begin with. People did many things for those they loved. Just look at Maul and what he'd done here when Reaper had died. There was still an entire street of Prufrock which hadn't been repaired thanks to his rage and grief.
Well, well, well. That is a very interesting piece of information. Maul's just going file that away for later use.
Maul thinks of how best to put his words, thinking them over carefully so that he doesn't mess up what he's trying to explain. He uses the demon's name to show how serious he is about trying to make himself clear. While he speaks, his voice is full of hot, burning anger, the kind that he's held for months as he nurses his grudges against the three witches who had cursed him.]
Paimon, she and the other witches put a chain on me deliberately. It is the same way my master used to do in my mind. I had no say then and had no say now when they did it to me. They sought to control my actions. It has been eight months and I have been unable to break their magic. I do not forget and I do not forgive. I am angry with her, yes, but causing her harm is out of the realm of possibility for me right now. I doubt I will be able to do so in the future either. Her magic...it is far too much for me.
[He would admit that to few but Paimon is so close to Luna he knows lying or underplaying how he fares against the witch each time they face one another won't do any good.]
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Peter has a very long way to go, but there is hope in the demon. )
This place... has changed us. Opened some things. I feel I can be... stronger here. ( Deerington still kept a certain thumb on the demon's head, making access to his powers strange and warped. But not here. However, there are still some obstacles. )
My vessel is still incapable of... handling my power, very well. I must be careful with him. If I use my power too much, it overwhelms him. But I believe he can be... taught, trained. To become stronger, so that I can become stronger.
With your help, perhaps he can learn to harness his fear. I will help you with this task.
( It's an exciting prospect....! Something to work towards. Paimon is very enthused for this. Getting Peter on board won't be so easy, but there's time for that. His host isn't the same as he used to be, either. He's...changing, inside; they can both feel it.
But there are other complications as well, namely Maul's relationship with Luna. The demon is listening as intently as ever, absorbing that anger that burns from Maul, giving soft little shudders. And it's... uncomfortable, the thought of Maul being chained, controlled. It resonates uncomfortably in Paimon; there's an awful familiarity of the concept. Back home, the witches there kept him leashed, suppressed. He's able to see that, now.
But Luna is not like those witches, not at all. He trusts her wholeheartedly, his loyalty to the girl a powerful force. So this matter is very... complicated. The way he feels an empathy for Maul's plight, and the way he feels a loyalty to Luna's decisions, the Bond he has with her. )
I am... sorry. I know what it is to be... controlled. She will do anything to protect my vessel, and that also means keeping me.... secure. She fears something like that happening to me again.
( It took... a very long time for things to sort themselves out after that incident; there are still some parts that are healing even now. It's only recently that he and Luna have even really begun to re-form their relationship after he damaged her trust. )
Perhaps when I speak to her, I can also speak of this. If I tell her of our plans to help Peter β that you wish to help him become stronger. Perhaps things can be... different.
( Certain upsets of the past could be resolved, maybe. He's not sure, but... he's willing to communicate it. Both Luna and Maul are important to him. )
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[This might be the turning point for the two of them to finally start coming into the demon's own power and Maul would love to be a part of it. He's always been fascinated by power and he's very curious to see what could happen if the two of them were able to start working together, able to harness Paimon's vast power correctly.]
Indeed. I think now I understand why she did what she did with those other witches in placing a curse on me.
[He assumes now this was partially a revenge scheme on her part for what he'd done to Paimon and by extension Peter back in Deerington. Maul has always suspected her reasons for cursing him weren't entirely altruistic and for the "greater good" of the Sleepers. He wonders if the other two witches even knew that was why she'd done it. The young witch did seem to play things very close to the vest. Just look at how long it has taken Maul to realize she was involved with Paimon's host.]
I am not optimistic she will like what I have to offer very much. But I leave that up to between you two to discuss.
[Maul's offer, even if done in selfishness and for his own reasons, is sincere. Usagi had made him promise to stop messing with the teen for his own agenda and reveling in terrorizing him, and while Maul won't be pushing either of those actively anymore, he can still gently try to direct the pair towards in a way that helps benefit him.]