[BitP:R] Mortal World 2

[Terry576]

Sora mutters a few things.

Something like "Why oh why did I ever follow that bloody Hollow?"

[Frozen_Feet]

"Follow who, now?"

[Kayne650]

Mayumi's interest perked back up as she noticed one of the women mentioning Hollows. So, it could be inferred that all three of them could see spirits, given that Sora could, and that the inquiring woman wasn't speaking to him. Who were they?

She saw Sora mutter something, and the older woman responded, but she couldn't tell what they were saying. Her bead poked out from beneath the light fixture, trying to see what they were saying.

[KerfuffleMach2]

"Again with that line of thought, eh?", Yui replies nervously, fanning air with her hand as if she suddenly feels very hot. "What are these hollow creatures you talk about so much?"

Silva's about to respond, but Sora yells out. Then Yui scolds him, and Silva suppresses another laugh.

After that moment passes, Silva tries again. Yui, we were talking about Hollows and Shinigami down there, and you were, too. And you had no reaction at all when we mentioned them. So, logical solution is that you know about them. Am I right?

[Frozen_Feet]

"Er, wouldn't it be as logical to assume I didn't know what on earth you were talking about and went along with it so I wouldn't be too much of an interruption?" Yui replies, smiling anxiously. Has some of Hasunaga's paranoia rubbed off on Silva as well? "Even if I did know about whatever it is you're talking about, why does 'how long' matter?"

It's not like you would believe your ears if I told you either way.

[KerfuffleMach2]

"Er, wouldn't it be as logical to assume I didn't know what on earth you were talking about and went along with it so I wouldn't be too much of an interruption?" Yui replies, smiling anxiously. Has some of Hasunaga's paranoia rubbed off on Silva as well?

Actually, the paranoia's been there for a while. At least a little bit.

She shakes her head. I don't think so. It's possible, I guess. But you'd have to be a pretty good actor to pull it off that well.

"Even if I did know about whatever it is you're talking about, why does 'how long' matter?"

It's not like you would believe your ears if I told you either way.

Well, I guess "how long" doesn't really matter. I was just curious about that part.

Okay, you wanna know the main reason I wanna know? Cause then I'd know another person who knows this stuff. And it'd be somebody that I'm okay with talking to about it.

Aw, how touching...

Shut up.

[Frozen_Feet]

"Weeell... what about him?", Yui says, smiling coyly as she points at Sora. "Why don't you ask if he knows something?" Yui glances upwards, putting a finger ponderously on her lips, and Silva can almost see her mind float to the clouds. "Or did you already? I mean, what exactly were you two doing down there...?"

She leaves the question hanging for a moment, before turning to look back at them, grinnig slightly. My, aren't her teeth sharp? "Ah, sorry if I was teasing you. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." She leans forward, putting her elbows on the table crossing her hands before her face.

"Your story is very touching, dear", she says to Silva. "Now, maybe I know, or maybe I don't. But I can't tell you before you tell me what it is you hope I know. And why you don't consider these Shinigami 'persons'."

[KerfuffleMach2]

"Weeell... what about him?", Yui says, smiling coyly as she points at Sora. "Why don't you ask if he knows something?"

Silva falters for a moment. Oops...she got caught...

Yui glances upwards, putting a finger ponderously on her lips, and Silva can almost see her mind float to the clouds. "Or did you already? I mean, what exactly were you two doing down there...?"

Ha ha. Funny.

She leaves the question hanging for a moment, before turning to look back at them, grinnig slightly. My, aren't her teeth sharp? "Ah, sorry if I was teasing you. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." She leans forward, putting her elbows on the table crossing her hands before her face.

She smiles. Ah, don't worry. I probably would've done the same thing.

Hey...she didn't answer the first question...

"Your story is very touching, dear", she says to Silva. "Now, maybe I know, or maybe I don't. But I can't tell you before you tell me what it is you hope I know. And why you don't consider these Shinigami 'persons'."

She shrugs a little. I don't really hope you know anything. I just want to know if you do.

And Shinigami aren't people. At least, not like mortals are.

Hmm...odd that she said "mortals" instead of "we", or even "I".

[Frozen_Feet]

"Know what?", Yui asks, dark eyes staring intently at Silva. "That's what I've been asking from you. All this time you've been talking about Hollows and Shinigami, you've been using those words like their meaning was self-evident. It's no wonder you've not found your kin - if I didn't know what you're talking about, I'd be very confused right now and might think you crazy."

She casually checks her clock while letting the words sink in. "Oh my, it's getting quite late, isn't it? I need to get moving. What if we meet again tomorrow - same place, same time? I can give you my phone number - you have a phone, right?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

"Know what?", Yui asks, dark eyes staring intently at Silva. "That's what I've been asking from you. All this time you've been talking about Hollows and Shinigami, you've been using those words like their meaning was self-evident. It's no wonder you've not found your kin - if I didn't know what you're talking about, I'd be very confused right now and might think you crazy."

Silva is about to respond, but then she processes all of what was said.

My kin? Does she already know what I am?

I'd say that's a safe bet.

She casually checks her clock while letting the words sink in. "Oh my, it's getting quite late, isn't it? I need to get moving. What if we meet again tomorrow - same place, same time? I can give you my phone number - you have a phone, right?"

Um...yeah. Yeah, here. She writes her number down on a napkin and gives it to Yui.

[Frozen_Feet]

Yui, in turn, digs out her purse and gives Silva a business card, at a glance from some sort of a building company. She tosses one to Sora as well as she stands up. "In the case you have trouble finding a proper place to stay in, boy." She snatches the napkin and stuffs it in her pocket.

"Well, I guess that settles this. See you around, people!", she chimes, waving to Silva and Sora as she leaves Venti Buon.

The streets are surprisingly crowded as she walks towards her hotel. A lot of people are returning home from work, it seems. Or maybe there's an event nearby?

Yui's thoughts are cut short by a sudden yell. "Hey! My purse!", a woman cries in the distance. "Thief! Get back!" She turns to look at the direction of the commotion. Through the mass of people, she catches a glimpse of a short, dark haired boy running away from her position.

All just a random occasion of city life, hardly worth memorizing - if not for the fact that Yui feels she's seen the boy, or man, before.

She doesn't really stop to think before she's already running after him, wading through the crowd with practiced ease. She doesn't know if the pick-pocket has noticed her, but he sure seems to pick up speed. Soon, his slight form disappears to a nearby alleyway.

Yui slows down to a jog and hesitates for a moment. Wait. This didn't turn out so well last time. But there aren't many options, all in all.

Her prey is getting away.

Oooh! Don't think someone will save ou this time!

[Inagawa-kai residence, evening of the same day]

Michiko has already spend a long while typing her experiences down on a computer, when her work is interrupted with the familiar sound of phone ringing.

The call's from Soshi Koan...

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Venti Buon]

Silva leaves shortly after. She slowly walks to her apartment by the graveyard, thoughts running through her head.

She knows I'm a Bount. She has to. Why else would she say that stuff about my kin?

Could just be trying to psyche you out or something.

Why would she do that?

I don't know. People are strange.

Silva nods a little. Finally, she reaches her building. She stares up at it for a moment before entering.

When she gets into her apartment, she locks the door behind her, as usual. She sighs a little. Then she makes her way to the bathroom to take a shower.

[Terry576]

[Sora's Hideout]

Sora had managed to remain quiet throughout most of the meeting. He had said a few things, but nothing that would incriminate him.

That was good. He returned to the Graveyard, and entered his hideout. It had a distinctly... unlived in look. Yes, it appeared that someone had slept in the bed, and read the books countless times, but it didn't look like a home. A place where this person laughed, joked, and enjoyed themselves. It looked less like a home, and more like a prison of sorts. A way to cut off the recipient from the outside world.

He lay down on the bed, and began to sleep, albeit in a way that didn't appear to be sleeping, so much as closing his eyes.

[Kayne650]

When the three had started leaving, Mayumi had been torn. She had only activated two beads, and one was still watching Viatrix's store; who would she follow? The red-haired one obviously was more than she appeared, and she wasn't sure what Sora was doing there, but one thing was certain: the man who had run out of the cafe had been looking at the older woman right before he left. And that made her the one that most interested Mayumi.

As Yui left the cafe, the small bead moved away from the light and, moving with extreme care and stealth, followed her down the street. At one point, the bead lost her, but thankfully she found her again when she broke away from the crowd to follow a young man, who by all accounts was fleeing her. Mayumi had no idea what was going on, but she intended to find out.

The bead hung above Yui, hidden behind a windowsill, watching her. Mayumi was going to figure out who this woman was.

[Dorizzit]

Houheiden Shrine
Exterior

As the conversation dies off, Nakahiro looks around at the others, than at Valeria.

"Do you have anything else to show us?"

[strawberryman]

Kaito gives a faint nod.

"That suggests some level of "mimicry" to what you can do. That mask seems tied to the mimicry somehow. Obviously, you don't just mimic via proximity. Perhaps you can "attune" yourself to the unique energies of Hollows, but not all spiritual beings? Thus allowing you to mimic their powers, though at a somewhat reduced rate."

"I think all of us will need to look towards practice and experimentation with our powers in the near future."

Kaito started pacing a bit, hands behind his back, rocks still orbiting his body.

"Perhaps you've been developing your powers for a longer period? I mean...well, you've had health issues. Perhaps manifesting these abilities helps your body compensate more fully for the aftereffects of your condition? Hence feeling stronger and "more whole"?"

He shrugged helplessly.

"I'm honestly guessing and inferring here."

Valeria seems conflicted. "I'm... not sure. But... I'll try to find out. I don't know if my parents are involved or not, so it's no point to ask them and get them worried if not..."

She then turns to Nakahiro. "...no. I'm done..." She gestures to her mask, pulling it off in a swift motion, which causes it to instantly dissipate.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Michiko

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

Already her eyes were starting to hurt after the long haul of typing down information. But it was important to commit this down before her memory distorted events. So when the phone rings she gives it a disgruntled look, deciding to ignore it at first as it buzzes away on her desk.

When it only persists in doing so she finally snaps it up and opens it, her voice strained to keep cordial.

"What is it Soshi?"

[Frozen_Feet]

"Mi- Michiko-san?", a shaken voice comes from the voice. "Th - thank god. She - she f- found me! I... I wa- was j-just... walking the street and... she's coming! I know she's coming! You got to help me!"

[Callos_DeTerran]

Michiko

She?

In a flash Michiko is on her feet, storming about her room in search of the baseball bat she had grabbed the previous night.

"Stay calm! Just tell me where you are and I'll be there as fast as I can!" She says fiercely, even as a kernel of doubt begins to blossom in her chest. Could she actually get there in time? If they could already see each other then it could all be over by the time that she got there.

And if it ended like last time...

No! Can't think like that!

[Frozen_Feet]

A sigh of relief comes from the phone. "I'm in the warehouse now. I locked the doors and..."

"Hey!"

What was that sound? Michiko can hear the phone slip from Soshi's fingers and fall to the floor - however, the connection doesn't break.

"I was wondering where you went", the new voice speaks again. "My, you just couldn't keep yourself on the straight and narrow, couldn't you? And here I already hoped I could let you live..."

"N- no..."

"Tell, me how many have you killed after our last meeting? One? Two?" It's clear now it's a woman speaking. Footsteps echo through the phone to Michiko, seemingly coming closer. "Ten? Twenty?"

"Stay the hell away from me!" Soshi's voice is getting further from the phone, but his despairing scream is still so loud it almost hurts Michiko's ears.

"Hmmm? What's this? Oh, were you talking to someone?" There's a slight clack and the voice of the strange person becomes more audible. "Hello? Is there still someone th-"

There's a loud crash, and the connection cuts.

Spoiler

Show

Again, the lyrics are a part of the story.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Michiko

Soshi's scream forces the girl to wince, dropping her phone to stare at it in mute horror at what she's hearing from it. A chill begins to creep up her spine, stilling the mass of worry that had settled in her stomach.

This is impossible..No, Soshi's too strong to be taken out without giving up a fight. But what if it's one of those Hollow things?

"Michiko, it's dinner time!"

Slam!

By the time she's on her bike and speeding out unto the street, she's already sent a text message to all of her gang's members to meet at the warehouse as quickly as they could. Michiko herself was driving recklessly, entirely too fast though she had managed to cram her helmet on before dashing off into the city like a bat out of hell. And still that cold sensation sits heavily in her stomach.

No, I'm the boss! I can't let something like this happen to him! Just hold on Soshi!

[Frozen_Feet]

[Warehouse District]

Michiko is the first one to get to her hideout. Fire alarm sirens can be heard from the distance before the warehouse comes to view, but there's no smoke to be seen anywhere - instead, one of the building walls has a gaping hole in it, looking like a truck smashed though it, from the inside...

However, peculiarities of the ordinary world pale in comparison to the scene playing out sixty feet up in the air, plain in Michiko's view like some eerie kite or hologram floating in the sky.

A pale, humanoid form is grasping a black, trashing beast from its throat. The beast is black, expect for the head which is white, and it looks like shadow of a fox with eight tails lashing madly around it.

"So this is what you've become", a voice emerges from the pale form, sounding like it's coming from deep under water. It tightens it's grip, and the sound of sirens stop - untill Michiko realizes the sound wasn't a siren in the first place, but desperate cry of the struggling monster.

"You still hide behind that mask? You think it makes me afraid fo you? Poor boy. It only tells me you have a death wish." With its free hand, the humanoid reaches towards the fox's face, and Michiko can hear a sickening crack - at the same moment, the picture becomes clearer to her, and she can see black claws digging into the bone-white face of the fox. "Here. If you aren't going to take it off yourself, let me help..."

The fox's scream becomes akin to that of a crying baby, and Michiko sees how the humanoid form tears away its skull, throwing it to the distance - but them, something sanity-defying happens. The darkness making up the fox's body abates like a dark cloud, leaving behind battered, blood-dripping body of Soshi Koan. He dangles from the pale form's hand limply, like a broken puppet.

"You shouldn't have given in to your hunger, boy. This is the end of the road for you." Michiko can now see the pale creature's face clearly - at first, it looked like it smiling, or grinning vaguely, but now she can clearly see there's no skin on its lower face, leaving behind the rictus grin of a skull. "Farewell, child." It pulls Soshi closer and... kisses him?

At the same moment, Michiko feels a horribly cold wind pick up around her. The breeze bites to her like fangs of ice, almost as if it's trying to tear away her heart...

[Callos_DeTerran]

Michiko

A sense of wrongness continues to grow as she approaches the warehouse, hearing the fire alarms the entire time but no sign of smoke. Even if Soshi was going to be alright, there would be too many questions about what had happened here from the authorities and from her own father. The hide-out was sunk no matter what happened. However such mundane concerns are driven out of her head as she sees the hazy shapes hanging up in the sky.

Not this again! How could a hollow have found Soshi?

The motor-bike skids to a stop as Michiko kicks out the stand, quickly grabbing hold of her bat as she watches the seeming stale-mate between the two monsters in the sky above. Where was Soshi though?

The delinquent girl's eyes widen when the two shapes abruptly come into focus as the skull-like mask is ripped off. Icy blue eyes widen in shock and horror at what she sees then, the bat trembling in her grip as her mouth falls open in dumbfounded amazement at what she sees.

That thing is Soshi? Wait...does that mean the other one is that woman!?

"SOSHI!" She screams when the monster pulls him in for a 'kiss', feeling the tearing at her heart. Already she knew what had happened, could feel it in the pit of her stomach. The bat falls limp in Michiko's hand as despair threatens to over-whelm her.

I...I got here too...NO!

White teeth grind together as her grip tightens on the bat, making the grip tape creak, fighting off the welling pit of hopelessness as she dashes into the warehouse.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" she shouts, everything seeming to pass in a blur as Michiko's sneakers slam off the metal steps leading up to the catwalk and the ladder leading to the roof. In only seconds she's scrambling out unto the roof, pulling her arm back to launch the baseball bat at the creature holding unto her subordinate.

"GET AWAY FROM HIM YOU B**CH!" she roars, icy eyes intent on the other monster even as her heart hammers in her chest.

What the hell am I doing?!

[Frozen_Feet]

The pale figure looks down at Michiko, still holding Soshi's limp body in its hands. For a moment it just stands there, on thin air - then it... vanishes. Michiko gets a distinct sense of movement and direction, but following the form is beyond her.

It's the tapping sound of two feet that tell her the creature is now standing on the roof with her, two dozen feet behind him. "What did you call me, little girl?", the creature asks without opening its skeletal mouth, kneeling as it lowers Soshi's body down. Its dark eyes cast pitying looks at the Yakuza princess.

[tgva8889]

Ken gradually laid out his thoughts in a calming tone. "Well it's not like you have to have anything to offer. In a way, you actually do have something pretty significant though. You can offer your friendship to these people. It looks like at least Valeria could use some extra emotional support after what she's gone through. Besides, maybe you'll develop powers of your own at some point later on. Then again, maybe that's not what you want."

Kina Yoshimoto - Houheiden Shrine

Kina looks up at Ken in response. "I've...never really had friends." She smiles slightly, sort of joking and amused, hiding her sadness at the situation. "I don't...really know what's going on. I wish...I wish I could help a bit more."

Watching Valeria work through her powers, Kina shakes her head. "I...don't think I'd really want powers. No...they'd be too much." She smiles slightly, this time in a completely natural way. "I don't think I could use them very well, anyways."

[Kuroimaken]

It had been a long, uneventful night for the most part. It seemed even criminals had days whence they would stay home and activities would cease. All things considered, it was just as well.

A certain black-and-white figure slowly scoured the neighborhood. But none that looked up at the sky would see it. The Ghost's Mask flew atop a construct of light that kept him from being seen. The sound of a bike tearing through the otherwise uneventful night, however, quickly caught his attention.

A young man, no older than perhaps his mid-twenties, now floated at his side.

"Haru. Who is that?"

"Can't tell for sure, chief. I think she's coming from the Inakawa-kai household."

Far too young to be one of his lieutenants. But there's no one after her either.

"Haru. See if you and the others can find out who that girl is. I'm going to follow her."

Making good on his word, Hakusai chased after the girl's haphazard path. Every so often he was sure she'd meet certain disaster, what with the way she drove. But that desperation meant that whatever was amiss, it was grave - and for once, it was not a terror that he inspired.

He arrived just in time to witness the same scene Michiko did. As the mysterious creature lowered Soshi Koan's body down, he made his approach. Hakusai knew he would do the poor girl no good if he stopped her, even if it meant he saved her life.

Instead, he awaited until the creature made its escape, and revealed himself in its path.

"Halt."

The winds howled viciously around the tallish man.

"I know not who you are. Normally I wouldn't make the affairs of the spirit world my business. But I do not condone murder. State your name and intent."

At this point, he raised what looked like an oversized revolver.

"Now."

[Frozen_Feet]

The creature gives a midly bemused look at the newcomer as it sits there on the roof, and snorts. "There's no meaningful name I could give you, and my intent is none of your concern. Go away. I'm talking to her." It tilts it's head towards Michiko.

[Kuroimaken]

"Talking does not preclude harming another individual. You won't touch anyone else." He did not lower the weapon.

[Frozen_Feet]

The creature sits on the roof, crossing its legs and placing its hands on its lap, Soshi's dead body lying silently beside it. "What makes you think I was going to?", it speaks to the strange man, despite turning to look back at Michiko. "You have no personal investment in this. Please, go away."

[Kuroimaken]

A deadly laser shoots out of the gun, aimed at grazing the creature's skin. "I'm not leaving this girl alone with you. If you wish to talk, do it. But the second you move to harm her, I will kill you."