[BitP:R] Mortal World 3

[nothingclever]

Mihail too is alerted by Kina's scream. It's deeply unsettling - it makes him think of the odd thoughts that had passed through his head when he'd stumbled towards the Hollow. He limps next to Ken. "Do you want help?"

"It's alright." His words were directed at both the girl in his arms and the man nearby. Ken thought it best to calm her down on his own since Cassandra had ignored him. Unless this other stranger also had some special way to ease pain, his presence might be more detrimental to her condition than beneficial.

[Terry576]

[City Streets]

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The Medium nods, pulling out the box for Aura. "Enjoy your package, miss." With that, he walks off, blending into the crowds and vanishing.

Which is code for 'open it in privacy'. There have been stories of Agent 00 sending packages that combusted when their contents were revealed in direct sunlight, or within spitting distance of large crowds via sensors that reacted on UV light or sound.

Surely it is never a good idea to provoke your boss by wasting his time.

Aura's nods as she accepts the package, her grin widening. She quickly runs to her hideout before opening the package, which contains...

glasses. Lots and lots of glasses. As well as a note.

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04,

Use these sunglasses to... 'negotiate' with Klossner.

00.

Aura's smile widens even more.

"Finally, something interesting."

Outside, those with keen ears here the sound of a click, then the crackling of burning paper. Inside, Aura coolly watches the note burn to a crisp.

"Hey Zero?"

Yes.

A flash of a grin, a quick change of clothes, a girl in a suit exits the building.

"Shall we?"

[Streets, After School]

Sora walks along the streets, shading his face as he looks up.

"Damn. Looks like rain."

The rain starts to fall.

"Never really been fond of rain."

He quickly goes to Venti Buon to avoid the rain.

[strawberryman]

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[Izanagi Aso, Freelance Photographer, Unknowingly Spiritually Aware Human] (Outside the school, but not especially close. Within eyeshot of a woman (Viatrix) on her phone)

Izanagi looks through his professional camera towards the School, his baseball cap turned backwards. A jacket covered him with some fingerless gloves on his hands, jeans on his legs and a messenger style bag slung diagonally across his chest affixed tightly to his back with a cross strap. He was moving back and forth with his steps trying to frame up a shot of the building with a nice foreground for a preparation shot in anticipation of the class pictures he has on his docket. He hated shooting in the rain, but he had his equipment covered and the scouting needed to be done.

Izanagi scouted his settings often with his portrait work, and while most of the shots for the school were going to be bland indoors portraits, he did have some planned "club" group shots, the teachers group shot, and some more expensive individual portraits for the more wealthy students in his agreement, so that led him to find some nice areas to shoot them in.

Izanagi snapped a shot or two turning his camera vertical and horizontal a few times before taking it away from his face and looking at the scene in front of him, and sighing thinking back on how he wouldnt have been caught dead doing school photos back in Tokyo, but here in Phoenix Town he had to keep the money rolling in, and portraits were always easy cash for a couple days of work, and while he didnt really need the money, he loved to work and take photographs, so loafing and waiting for work to come to him wasnt gonna work for Izanagi.

Izanagi looked around a bit, seeing a woman (Viatrix) on a phone and some nice trees against an old wall past her, then away from her down the road a nice shot of the clouds against the buildings, across from the school a wet dog ran sniffing at the ground toward something. Following running behind it was a middle aged man with a broken leash trying to catch the dog.

As Izanagi scanned around, in the direction of the young woman, but past her he saw the reason he was spending time in this town.

Just beyond her but out of her eyesight an elderly man fumbled his way down the street. But this was no ordinary old man, it was something different, he had a chain sticking out of his chest and as the dog ran by him, the dog paid no notice, and as the middle aged man came by he practically ran right "through" the soul without paying heed.

This was why he was here, these "invisible people".

He brought his camera up to his face quickly, and began to move towards the old man past the young woman on the phone. To her it would seem like he was taking a photo of her, but he was focusing on the old man spirit. His camera up to his face he moved forward unaware that he was getting closer and closer to the young woman on the phone. He wasnt trying to get the old man's attention either, so he crept slowly.

In his viewfinder he started to frame up the old man looking down at the chain in his chest. He stopped, and had no idea he was only a few feet from the young woman looking almost at her, but in actuality PAST her. Izanagi had never gotten one of these shots to turn out, but nevertheless he was going to try every time he could, in hopes one would eventually come out.

He hadnt clicked the shutter button yet, but was just about to.

Viatrix, meanwhile, puts her phone back with a smirk. It was good being the queen. Now, who she could ask about the dagger... that might be a toughie. At least she'd have something to do. The bount girl looks up to the gathering clouds.

"Hey, look, Fuchs. Rain. You know what that means."

You are insufferable, witch.

Vi hefts the umbrella over her head, smiling innocently... and not noticing the approaching cameraman.

Who she bumps into. Violently.

"Motherf-"

[HirokatsuGoto]

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Viatrix, meanwhile, puts her phone back with a smirk. It was good being the queen. Now, who she could ask about the dagger... that might be a toughie. At least she'd have something to do. The bount girl looks up to the gathering clouds.

"Hey, look, Fuchs. Rain. You know what that means."

You are insufferable, witch.

Vi hefts the umbrella over her head, smiling innocently... and not noticing the approaching cameraman.

Who she bumps into. Violently.

"Motherf-"

[Izanagi Aso, Freelance Photographer, Unknowingly Spiritually Aware Human] (Outside the school,being knocked over by Viatrix)

As she knocks into him, he depresses the shutter on his camera...it clicks multiple times... "whoa!!..sh-t!!!" he yells having no idea what just happened and having no idea he was as close to the young girl he saw earlier.

Instinctively he falls to the ground holding his camera in the air as to not damage it, as his body bangs to the ground, his head hits it hard and his hat falls off into the light rain soaked ground. He immediately looks over to the high school looking girl he just was pummeled to the ground by.

He tried to catch her eyes in his to see if she is ok..."are you alri----" he begins to say, but as soon as he does his eyes go very wide and he scrambles to his feet looking over to where the "invisible old man" with the chain in his chest is still there. Instead he sees the old man running off from the disturbance just happening... "sh-t..sh-t..sh-t..." he says quickly as he quickly looks to the back of his camera and to the view screen on it checking the shots he got as he was knocked into...flipping back through them he sees nothing on the screen except blurs of the scene... in a huff, he lets the camera fall on its strap around his neck... looking off in the direction of the "invisible old man" scampering away down the road.

"I can't believe i let that old man get away...dam-it" he says to himself softly though the girl would undoubtedly hear him.

He then goes red in the face, as he looks back to the girl who bumped into him, feeling unbelievably ashamed... "and it was pretty girl too...dam-it" he thought to himself as he looked on to her...and got even redder

"Are you ok?"...sorry..i was just tryin to get a shot of that old ma-.....ugh..." Was all he managed to get out of his mouth before stopping...

Izanagi looked onto her, his black hair hanging messily over his brow, as his hat lay in an accumulating puddle near her feet.

[strawberryman]

[Outside School]

Viatrix picks herself up first.

...And belays helping the photographer up. Looks kinda like a loser. "It's fine. Just watch where you're wal-" She stops. Huh? Old man? She looks, and sniffs. ...Spirit, eh? Well, isn't this interesting. She immediately turns around, and offers a helping hand.

"What old man?" She has a smirk on her face. Like she knows what he's talking about.

[HirokatsuGoto]

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[Outside School]

Viatrix picks herself up first.

...And belays helping the photographer up. Looks kinda like a loser. "It's fine. Just watch where you're wal-" She stops. Huh? Old man? She looks, and sniffs. ...Spirit, eh? Well, isn't this interesting. She immediately turns around, and offers a helping hand.

"What old man?" She has a smirk on her face. Like she knows what he's talking about.

[Izanagi Aso, Freelance Photographer, Unknowingly Spiritually Aware Human] (Outside the school, in front of Viatrix)

Izanagi looked onto the girl, the red in his cheeks lightening slightly as he nods in thanks at her offer of a helping hand. Then his cheeks gets red again as he heard her words... he then looks up to her quickly, his eyes locking with hers for a moment... "old man?....wait...what..?" Optimism raced through his brain...

He brings his hand up to and through his hair wiping it back over his head, before scratching the back of his head... "...wait..." he then looks back down the road towards the direction of where the old man came from...pointing down the street and looking back at her he thinks to himself... "Izanagi you fool, she was only responding to your wordsa bout that old man...she didnt see anything, stop fooling yourself..." he then says... " uhh...well...i saw..well..uhh..i mean i thought i saw an old......wait...ugh..." then sighs deeply...he initially thought maybe she knew what he was talking about...but his internal pessimism all but eliminated that thought alsmot as quick as he thought it.

Stopping and composing himself a bit before turning back to her..."Sorry...i guess i was just babbling..." He then walked forward and bent down and grabbed his wet cap from the ground near her feet. Looking up to her as he stood back up he nodded slightly.

"I really am sorry..."

Pessimism and lonliness to anyone sharing his ability to see these "invisible" people raced through his mind as the pretty girl looked onto him. Unthinking he put his hat on his head as if it werent sopping wet and filled with water. It splashed slightly on his head and the water poured down his face and back of his neck... he thought to himself.. "perfect"

[strawberryman]

[Outside School]

"You mean the old man with the chain in his chest?" Viatrix smirks. This response would certainly throw him for a loop.

[tgva8889]

Kina Yoshimoto - At the scene of the Hollow attack

Kina provides no resistance as Ken pulls her hands away. His hug, however, stops her completely. Kina looks at him, stunned and confused. "...K-Ken...? Her face goes through several different emotions at once; surprise, fear, anger, caring, sadness, pain. They flash on her face for moments each, only moments. His words seem to reach Kina, as she seems to make slight motions in response to them, but she says nothing herself. The longer he holds her and talks to her, the more her gaze moves downwards, pulled towards the ground. Kina seems to struggle against slightly, but slowly it becomes more natural. After just a minute, her nodding at his words seems to cease. Her eyes seem distant, blank.

Then Kina starts shaking. First her arms push against him. At first the pushing is only slight, like a flexing of her muscles. Then it repeats, a pulsing movement. Then suddenly her arms are shivering, vibrating like a plucked string. After a few minutes her whole body is rattling against Ken's hold. She is screaming again, her eyes closed extremely tightly. Her left hand opens and closes rapidly, fighting between the fist or the open palm. "No! No! St-Stop it! Get...out!"

[nothingclever]

"Kina! You know me and I know you. We're friends. You said so yourself. I'm here for you. I'll help you get it out. What you need to do is calm down so you can focus and fight it. I'll help you do that. I'm not going anywhere. Take your time and concentrate. Cry if you want to. Or you can scream some more if you want. I won't mind. Just let it all out and then focus on what you need to do. I'll help you. We can do it together." Unlike Kina, the entire time Ken spoke his face remained largely blank and his voice monotone. He slowly rubbed her back hoping to soothe her. Were she to open her eyes he would stare straight into them in an attempt to show his sincerity.

[Frozen_Feet]

It's like she's asleep, Mihail ponders. He'd seen some sleepwalkers act in similar, odd manner. But what should he do? Is the girl's condition because of the Hollow, or is it some other illness? She needs to wake up. How...?

Well, it's raining. There's a puddle forming nearby. "Douse her in cold water?" Mihail suggests.

[Kasanip]

Sayaka
[Way to Houheiden]

Supported by mr. Hasunaga, Sayaka was standing. She didn't know what was wrong with Kina- had she been attacked too? Had the hollow taken these memories from Sayaka? She frowned.

No, she was alone when the attack happened. It was raining now. Strange and very humid in this kind of weather. Raining season should be finished a long time ago.

It's a strange incident, but so is everything today. Sayaka touches her head with a hand. Sayaka wanted to help, but wet paper talisman cannot do anything. She can only look, being supported by mr. Hasunaga.

Please let Kina be alright. Was a silent player of Sayaka.

[HirokatsuGoto]

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[Outside School]

"You mean the old man with the chain in his chest?" Viatrix smirks. This response would certainly throw him for a loop.

[Izanagi Aso, Freelance Photographer, Unknowingly Spiritually Aware Human] (Outside the school, in front of Viatrix)

It was almost like she said something different, something that was more akin to "you are a weirdo...or just watch yourself" ...or something like that... as Izanagi nodded slightly and turned to go towards the direction of the old man, rain water still trickling down his back under his shirt.

He only took about one step when he realized what she had said and stopped in his tracks, his jaw dropped and he then turned around to face the young woman again, his jaw still wide open, and his eyes perplexingly fixed on the young woman smirking at him. If any others around would see him looking it would almost look like he was in awe of her.

He stood for a moment, which felt like an hour before he could close his mouth and muster up a response.

"...wait...wha-...wait...i mean, yes..wait...i mean...you saw that old man?...the one with the chain hanging out of his chest?..." pointing and looking back over his shoulder...

The look on his face was not just one of perplex now, it was deeper...older. No one had ever seen or acknowledged what Izanagi had seen in his WHOLE life, in fact he had every reason to believe he was crazy for seeing these people....and now this young girl whom he so shamefully bumped into is the first person in his life to have this utterly profound connection with him?

After another moment which felt like an hour, he stepped closer to her, his eyes painfully serious, his heart and mind almost laid bare in front of this child.
He spoke succinctly... "...please my dear, i pray you are not toying with me..."

He stood looking at her, his wet jacket and jeans hung closer to him, his old hat soaked through on his head. his protected camera and bag hung still over his shoulder and neck.

[strawberryman]

[Outside School]

Viatrix pulls out a business card. "I'm in the business of that sort of thing, I'm plenty serious. Viatrix Klossner." Foreign. Probably more than a bit odd. "If you ever want to stop playing hide and seek with the spirits, stop by sometime." This guy had to be gold.

Assuming no further questioning, Viatrix departs, whistling as the rain drips over the edge of her umbrella.

[Kuroimaken]

Hasunaga was at a loss of what to do. He couldn't even be sure what was happening to poor Kina right now.

"Kondo-san, do you think your father may be able to tell us what's happening to her?"

[HirokatsuGoto]

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[Outside School]

Viatrix pulls out a business card. "I'm in the business of that sort of thing, I'm plenty serious. Viatrix Klossner." Foreign. Probably more than a bit odd. "If you ever want to stop playing hide and seek with the spirits, stop by sometime." This guy had to be gold.

Assuming no further questioning, Viatrix departs, whistling as the rain drips over the edge of her umbrella.

[Izanagi Aso, Freelance Photographer, Unknowingly Spiritually Aware Human] (Outside the school, in front of Viatrix)

He heard her words though for some reason they didnt register in his head, as if the whole world had been turned upside down with utter ease. "the business of that sort of thing?" he thought, after he shook his head a bit.

He took the card instinctively in his hand, looked at it for brief moment as the girl started to walk away...He then looked up to the departing girl...

He spoke to her open umbrella... "wait!...i have so many questions...i mean..wait...how do you know all of....spirits????..wait..wuh... " he took a few steps towards her then stopped... "...my name is Izanagi...Izanagi Aso...." he said a bit loud so she could hear before trailing off as he look down at the business card again... a few rain drops fell on it...

Izanagi thought to himself... "Izanagi...you fool why dont you go find out more now..."...but all the years of being laughed at for saying what he saw and regardless of his belief in his eyes..

He straightened his hat a bit as a few more trickles of rain bled down his face from it being squeezed over his hair. He looked back at where the old man had been..then back down the road towards the departing girl...

"at least she is cute...and what do i have to lose right?..." he thought to himself...just as his mind flooded with the possibilities of answers by the girl... he instantly remembered he had a portrait of some family on the other side of town...

"sh-t!" he said out loud before looking at his phone as he pulled it out of his pocket to check the time... "crap, i need a taxi" he thought to himself as he brought the phone up to his face to call for a cab while pocketing the business card from the girl...

After getting a cab sent immediately, he hung up the phone putting it in his pocket. He felt the business card there too...then looked down to where she had exited...he looked down that road for quite a bit...thinking to himself on what the future held...

Then after a few minutes which only felt like seconds to the daydreaming Izanagi he was startled, by the honk of the car horn of the taxi cab making him jump up in the air at least a foot off the ground... "come on buddy!" the cabbie said out his slightly cracked window in a gruff voice...

Izanagi shook off some rain from him and hopped in the cab and sped off to his portrait... He would go visit that girl soon...

[Kasanip]

Hasunaga was at a loss of what to do. He couldn't even be sure what was happening to poor Kina right now.

"Kondo-san, do you think your father may be able to tell us what's happening to her?"

Sayaka
[Way to Houheiden]

Sayaka hesitated. She didn't know. She didn't know what was happening to herself!

"I don't know Mr. Hasunaga." She answered. "I don't know what happened to me. However, if something is attacking her, then we should go to the shrine quickly."

[Kuroimaken]

"No time for being subtle.

Ken, I can carry them both if need be, but either way we have to hurry. I don't think we can tend to Yoshimoto over here, and if she keeps screaming, we're bound to attract unwarranted attention."

He turned back to Sayaka. "It might get a little uncomfortable for a while, but hang in there."

With that said, Hasunaga formed the gauntlets of his armor, using one to carry Sayaka, and getting ready to pick up Kina as well.

His wrinkles visibly recede a bit as he does so.

[Kasanip]

Sayaka
[Way to Houheiden]

Sayaka looks very surprised as Mr. Hasunaga picks up her.

H-he can use spiritual power! She thinks in surprise.

Sayaka's headache is still bothering her but she nods.

"I will do my best." She agrees.

[KnightDisciple]

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"Of course. Just keep the purpose of the device between yourself and Agent 02, and make sure it is not compromised. That is of great importance. This machine may well be the lynchpin in my plans. So do indeed take great care." There is a long pause.

"And keep up the good work. I may have more work for you in the near future."

With that, the line goes dead. The Medium stands, and takes the phone back... then takes out the sim card and crushes it, then the phone with his hand. Probably a burn cell. Such lengths of secrecy were nothing new. He disposes of it in Josiah's waste bin before bowing silently, and leaving.

After all, Josiah had work to do.

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"Understood, sir. I'll do some solo brainstorming, then get together with 02 to work on things further."

Josiah calmly hands the phone over, looking almost bored as the Medium goes through the normal process with one of these phones. He tagged the waste bin to be emptied ASAP into the incinerator.

He then waits for the medium to leave before locking down his terminal from outside access. This was sensitive work, but he was already brimming with ideas.

His hands began to dance over his 3-D holographic interface, nudging bits and pieces here and there, slowly making the design better, one bit at a time...

[Terry576]

[Outside School]

Viatrix pulls out a business card. "I'm in the business of that sort of thing, I'm plenty serious. Viatrix Klossner." Foreign. Probably more than a bit odd. "If you ever want to stop playing hide and seek with the spirits, stop by sometime." This guy had to be gold.

Assuming no further questioning, Viatrix departs, whistling as the rain drips over the edge of her umbrella.

Aura shivers outside of Viatrix's store. After all, it's cold and chilly out, and she's been waiting with those glasses for ages. Half an hour was a long time to be out in the rain.

She calls Viatrix, agitated. Of course, Viatrix is busy, and doesn't answer. Her eye twitches a bit, as she mutters,

"Just who the hell does she think she is..."

[strawberryman]

[Furousha Shop - Outside]

Viatrix most certainly thinks herself some kind of smooth entrance-maker, as she descends from the sky holding her gray-silver umbrella. Mass manipulation really is quite convenient. The girl almost absentmindedly passes Aura, taking out her keys to unlock the door.

Then she turns. "...Oh. Who're you?"

[Terry576]

Aura glares at Vi, sizing her up.

"Oh nobody. I'm soooo glad you answered your phone so readily! It's like you almost knew what I wanted! It's not like I stood here for half a hour before you showed up! Noooo that didn't happen!"

She points directly at Vi, and a lens flare appears. Out of nowhere.

"Who am I? Who am I? I am the fire that remains unseen! I'm the Fourth In Line to SWORD, Heir to an Empire, Paragon of Death! I'm the badass secret agent, the amazingly powerful Aura! You have disgraced me in front of my ancestors! We shall engage in COMBAT!"

((OOC: Yes, Straw agreed to this beforehand.))

[strawberryman]

Viatrix eyes Aura, rather unimpressed.

"Never heard of you.", she responds, absolutely deadpan delivery. One can almost hear the crushing notes of piano keys comically adding to the delivery.

Except not.

Because that would be utterly out of touch with reality.

[Terry576]

The unheard piano keys jar as an unheard guitar is played. Badly. With screeching. Lots of screeching in fact. Most of it is delivered in Aura's glare. "Don't you say that! You know me, because everyone knows me! Those who don't know me miss out on the frivolities of life, the powers of luck! I am the incarnation of luck, the Fortuitous Maiden, the Grandmaster of Blackjack, and the owner of a casino near a forest! You shall allow me to engage you in combat, or I shall be forced to acquire your possessions."

Clearly, Aura has forgotten why she went to Viatrix in the first place.

[strawberryman]

"I don't believe in luck. I believe in money. And if you threaten my money, I'm taking you down." Viatrix's eye twitches. Insulting her or threatening her was one thing. But her money? Oh, that was a dangerous road to tread. "Zeige Dich, Schwerkraftfuchs." A fox seemingly made out of silver hooks itself onto Vi's back.

Are you really caving into this child's games because she threatened your trust fund?

Viatrix barks back at Fuchs, "NOBODY TOUCHES MY MONEY, DAMMIT!" With that, she shifts into a fighting stance parallel to Aura. "You won't get a single yen, dime, euro, krone, pound, peso, yuan, franc, or dollar, bitch. 'cause I'm Viatrix motherf****in Klossner, the richest Bount this side of the void. And if you think you've got all my chips in a pile, think again, because I'm about to roulette a beatdown on your scrawny, two-bit suit-wearing ass."

[Terry576]

Aura grins as her mask begins to encase her face.

"Excellent. Let's go!"

As she stood, two large cards began floating around her, facedown. Near her head were two smaller cards, one face up. An ace. She draws out her sword, and begins an attack.

"Well Miss Klossner, I think it's time for you to lose! You don't need your money anymore, you don't need anything now, nothing, ever! Your roulette won't even make a single dime, I won't let it!"

[strawberryman]

Viatrix leaps and... floats away from the slash. "Bust." And, with a mighty axe kick that creates a local quake, the Bount crushes Aura through the ground, landing deep underground in... an oddly bright, rocky, outdoors area?

Viatrix knocks Aura into next week!

But that would be silly, and not so. Because she sees the hole in the otherwise flawless blue sky. And dropping through it, her opponent. Who is falling unusually slow. Behind her, a 5 of diamonds floats. "Hmph, what's with the card?"

[Terry576]

Aura falls, and grins as she does. She notes the 5 of diamonds, and curses.

"Drat! So... How would you feel about a wager Miss Klossner?"

The area darkens, and Aura is in a spotlight. Except she is not, because that would be silly.

"If you win, I'll tell you why I'm here. If I win, I'll give you some luck. Deal?"

[strawberryman]

"I already told you I don't believe in luck. Try again." Viatrix picks up a stone. It looks like a relatively regular stone.

However, as she throws it at Aura, it impacts more like a large boulder.

[tgva8889]

Kina Yoshimoto

Kina, still shaking, tries to move her arms around Ken. "Nononononono! Get out...of my head!" Both her hands slowly move up to his sides, opening and closing from fist to open hand over and over. Tears begin to fall from her eyes, still clenched tight. "Ken...oh god...I...I'm so confused...help...please..." Slowly her arms, shaking, begin to return Ken's hug, moving closer and closer towards his back. "...Ken..."

She seems oblivious to everything else around her.