Dangerous Future IC: Young Blood

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu

Miharu wakes up to find himself not in his bed on a lazy Sunday morning, but instead he's standing in a small valley created by two dirt hills. He's dressed up in his school uniform, and he can feel the heavy weight of his revolver at his hip. The sun blasts the ground from above, beating the earth down with its oppressive heat and overbearing nature. The dirt hills to either side of Miharu seem more like plateaus, and the cracked and dry earth looks like something from a stupid post apocalyptic movie set. The small valley leads deeper into the earth, winding down in a shady area that emits an aura more dangerous than safe. The hills themselves, bathed in the light of the burning sun, hold no secrets like the valley. Before Miharu has the opportunity to decide a course of action he's bombarded with an annoying noise.

"yo fucboi u not popo right. i aint wana bury anotha losa so say u not popo so i aint gota pop u." What does that even mean? When Miharu looks for the source of the noise he finds a pure white and utterly flat looking triangle standing atop two stick thin and flat legs. It's positioned atop the dirt plateau, staring down at the young man with a very real golden Colt Python pointing at his head. The pure white triangle holds the weapon in two stick hands that jut out from its edges at brain-defying angles. A single grotesque blood-shot eye, bulging out from the center of its flat triangular body, stares at the Japanese boy before it.

"say somethin biyatch be4 i pop u" It raises its golden weapon to aim clear at Miharu's forehead.

Kiri

Sunday means no school, and that means lots of work for a hero in training. Especially at night, when the forces of evil and darkness fester beneath the light of the moon. Kiri finds himself on the roof of a small two story department store, staring down at the mists meandering through the streets. It's 5 a.m so only a few people are wake and active this late, or perhaps this early, in the night. Those that are active are obscured by the mists made by the rain the day before. Kiri had already busted up a couple of muggers earlier, but now it seems evil has decided to slink into its beds with its tail between its legs. Or, perhaps, he's simply unable to find any other dangerous criminals. The sky has already lightened up considerably, and the sun will rise in a few more minutes. Now would be the time to return to the Iga compound, but he'll have to sneak past whoever is handling the gate.

Izumo

Izumo rouses from slumber in a vaguely familiar room, with a vaguely familiar feeling of deja vu. He's laying on the floor with a blanket over him, and an oddly soft one at that. Looking around reveals that the room is Izumi's living room, replete with the lack of t.v. and shockingly spartan furnishings. A table rests nearby, and its owner sits in front of it noisily crunching away at a bowl of something. Cereal most likely, given its loud crunches each time she bites down. Izumi's headphones are up and on, so she doesn't hear the young boy move or wake. She seems to be lost in her thoughts, as she doesn't move even if Izumo stands up and simply eats in the most mechanical manner possible. Yet Izumo can see in muscles the tenseness of her body, in her movement the lack of wasted energy, and in her unfocused gaze the sense of her being elsewhere. Some form of mental training perhaps, or perhaps she's high on something.

Anoko

Anoko's body, and ingrained training, forces the young samurai into full awareness at 4 a.m like always. Despite having not seen her master in nearly a week his teachings remain with her, and she finds herself staring at her ceiling in the early morning. Heading downstairs reveals her mother happily cooking breakfast, and the question of whether Ayaka wakes because Anoko does, or whether she's simply a natural early bird comes to mind. The wheelchair bound woman works quickly, peeling potatoes over a towel lain across her lap, and all of her ingredients are in arms reach. It looks like some form of miso potato soup, and the smell of peanuts and chicken roasting speaks of the potential of a hearty homemade lunch later as well.

However, before Anoko can pester her mother about her trip to the Hakurei Shrine the day before, a firm and harsh knock draws the girl's attention to the door. Opening it reveals a chilly and misty day, along with an oddly green-haired woman (http://i.imgur.com/5Yv70b2.jpg) at the door. She's wearing a shiny red leather skirt, an equally shiny red leather jacket, and stares at Anoko with the disdainful look of some kind of anime villain. Anoko's ghostly half immediately recognizes some kinship with the woman, not as a fellow spirit but as a fellow monstrous youkai. Fortunately she isn't bathed in blood, so she doesn't seem to have forced her way into the compound. She looks over the girl's body, frowning as she does so, then shakes her head. "You aren't much, but I suppose that old bat is scrapping the bottom of the barrel. May I come in?" The woman speaks in a surprisingly polite tone, and asks to enter the house in an equally polite manner.

Kimiko

Kimiko wakes up to find her room much as she left it. Sunday meant Sunday mass, and that meant Mom would be taking the terrible twosome with her to church. She'd tried to convince Kimiko's father to join them, but Dad flatly rejected the idea. Perhaps a sense that he could not be redeemed? Or, perhaps, he simply did not believe. Whether Kimiko is willing to join her mother or not, it seems like she woke too late to go. Or perhaps Kimiko's mother assumed like father like daughter, because when the young girl finally gets dressed and heads downstairs she finds her father sitting on the floor alone. The T.V. is on, and he's watching some stupid comedy routine. His leg is stretched out in front of him in a style Kimiko recognized. The injuries he sustained often required him to stretch his muscles regularly, or else his body would tense up constantly and destroy itself. When the pain got particularly bad he found it impossible to move, but he never complained. At least, he never complained to Kimiko. He also never talked about how those injuries came about, but given his nature as a ninja there's not exactly a lot of mystery. The dark-haired and very Japanese man looks at his daughter when she comes down, smiles, and motions for her to come sit with him without saying anything.

[Cespenar]

Izumo gets up yawning and briefly thinks about the circumstances that led to him waking up in this manner, but soon gives up. This was tamer than the average, after all. He almost goes to greet Izumi before realizing her strange behavior and stopping. Chalking it up to some kind of training, he nevertheless notices the cereal in her hand, which in turn reminds him of his own hunger. Almost comically, his stomach growls in response, demanding its tax for the huge mass it's trying to maintain.

"Let's see if there is anything in this prison cell," he mumbles to himself and goes on to check (or raid, more likely) the kitchen for anything edible.

[Overlord Rion]

"I....I....what?" Miharu had no words, and strangeness of what he was looking at was stealing what few thoughts he was having. "What in the ever loving hell is a popo?" Finally his senses returned. The...thing already had a gun trained on him, so there wasn't much point in reaching for his. That was also odd, as he usually kept the thing stored in a seal. A moment passes, and Miharu had nothing on a course of action, he did the only thing he could do: be confused on a level he had never been confused before.

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

Looking in the kitchen reveals very little to eat: A half empty box of boring bran cereal, a gallon of milk in the fridge that's down to nothing left but a cup, and a half-eaten Subway sandwich stuck in the fridge. Surprisingly Izumi doesn't even keep condiments in her fridge, and absolutely no food she'd have to cook. Perhaps an inability to cook, or simply a refusal to do so? Regardless, Izumo is on his own for food. Regardless of what the young man elects to make he returns to the living room to find Izumi has finished eating and whatever she was doing stuck inside her own mind. She turns to look at the young man, and shoots him a dumb smile.

"Good morning. I hope you're planning to reimburse me for the meal you're stealing."

Miharu

The triangle waves off the question with a flick of its gun, as if it were just bad air he was fanning away. "yo fucboi i ask da questionz. u'z not popo but u got papa right? fiddy geez n i wo'n pop u. u can truz m. i'z god afta al." A stick-shaped limb extends toward Miharu, and motions for him to come forward. But it's still brandishing the gun, and there is no telling what it actually wants from him.

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko groans, just once she would like to sleep in on Sunday like a normal girl her age - get up past noon and watch cartoons. A little longer in the dark quiet of unconsciousness... but she's pretty restless for a lazy person, and finds it almost impossible to get herself back to bed whenever she's already awake. Maybe it was sensei's training. Or maybe in this case it was the little ball of white gas circling around above her head impatiently. "Niku-chan. The day is getting old, like your mortal shell." Anoko groans as she's scolded by her other self. If that Yukari hadn't elaborated on the situation with ghosts and stuff, she's pretty sure the others would call her crazy if she related any of it to them. The spirit explained herself as the other half of Anoko, whatever on earth that meant. Anoko didn't know much about the other world that she hadn't gleamed from pop culture, and for once wasn't quick to jump to conclusions. She just had to write it off as 'well, stranger things happen to ninja' and move on. "Yeah yeah..." She yawns, crawling out of bed and pulling a pink, bunny-logo hoody on over her PJs. "Don't have anywhere else to be other than watching me sleep?" "I'm bound to your form - I can just about get to the front door." "What, you've tried getting away from me before?" The spirit doesn't answer. For how long Anoko had spent 'ignoring' her and unable to hear, the spirit had gotten quite used to it in its own way.

She heads into the kitchen, drawn in by the allure of cooking. It had been a crazy week that just kept getting wackier, she would be glad to spend a day with mother. Kiko, ghosts, yakuza, assassins, dad, it was too much really - she envied the other freshmen right about now whose biggest life strategy was too much homework and docked allowance. "Hey, momma!" is all she gets out before there's a chap at the door. She hadn't figured out what to tell Ayaka of yesterday yet and so had said nothing. She goes to the door, answering it as she was, raising an eyebrow at the stranger's appearance where she might have expected anyone else from around the compound. The spirit joins her at her side as ever, once-ing up the youkai. "Niku-chan, act natural. This is a youkai." Anoko gulps at that. The last youkai she met was pretty powerful but seemed to be on her side, but who knew about this one? "Um... hey Ayaka-chan, there's a lady-guest here, do you mind if she joins us?" she shouts towards the kitchen nonchalantly. Meanwhile the spirit locks eyes with the woman in its own phantom way. "And you are?" she interrogates. If Ayaka has no objection, Anoko sees no reason not to just invite the woman in for breakfast and does so.

[Cespenar]

Disappointed but not still not overly picky, Izumo sniffs the milk before pouring into the nearest container he can find, and peers into the section of the sandwich to figure out what it is. With a shrug, he picks his meager findings and returns to the living room.

"Morning to you too, but if you mean these as a meal, well, I'm just doing you a favor by finishing them."

Taking a bite from the sandwich thoughtfully and gulping it down with a cold mouthful of milk, he waves his glass hand.

"Eh, don't worry. I'll get some real food for you... if only to not live through this another morning."

"So, what was that a moment ago? You devised a new and sensational mind-training routine? Or did you open your fourth eye?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

The sandwich has a bed of turkey, bacon, swiss cheese, and ranch on toasted white bread. While it would have been fine to eat when it was warm, the cold bread and dressing makes it taste a bit bitter. The milk is, fortunately, still good. When Izumo returns with the sandwich and drink Izumi just looks at him. "Eating after me? Something you're trying to say, little man?" The Ishimaru teases Izumo about the indirect kisses, but moves on when he asks about what she was doing.

"Image training. Fighting people you remember. Very effective to build counter strategies against particular people, but useless for advancing your skills." Imaginary battles. Is there even a peaceful place in her mind?

Anoko

Ayaka hears her daughter shout, and responds in turn. "Good morning Ano-chan! Who's at the door?" When Anoko shouts back her mother seems a bit confused. "Oh, sure! You should have told me you expecting someone, Ano-chan! Come in here and help me. I didn't prepare enough for three people."

The youkai enters, and politely removes her shoes at the door. Once she's inside the youkai waves Anoko away, as if dismissing her to go speak with her mother, and goes about looking at the various things in the front room. Anoko's ghostly form sees the youkai casually pick up, examine, and then put down the things Ayaka has gathered through the years. She moves through the room like a cat, quickly and quietly investigating what catches her eye then dismissing the object as she loses interest nearly instantly. When the ghostly sphere asks its question the youkai looks at it for the first time. Her bright red eyes betray her monstrous nature immediately, but she smiles politely all the same. "We have a mutual annoying acquaintance. She meddled in my affairs, and then asked that I meddle in yours to get her to leave me be. So here I am."

[Overlord Rion]

I'm still blanking on what you're talking about? A god? Which one? And what's 'fiddy geez?'" The thing motioned for him to come, so he did. After all, it had the gun.

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu

"wat? don't u rap trashtalk? ar u stupid or somethin? fiddy geez is fiddy kay papa ya get m?" The triangle laughs, its flat body rotating on an invisible axis as it flips up and down. It then suddenly opens its arms and the intense sound of an airhorn shatters the concept of severity surrounding the two-dimensional creature and his three-dimensional hostage. "i'm da god of gunz shootin n kilin: Y.V. bow losa or i'l kil u lik da punk biyatch u ar." That causes the triangle man to point his gun at the sky, and he casually unloads twelve rounds into the air, from a six-chambered revolver, in just six shots.

[Princess Tracy]

"Um, dunno who she is so much, she's a friend of a friend I guess. But food's a good way to introduce someone!" Anoko declares to Ayaka adamantly. She turns back to the woman as she leads her in, and before heading to the kitchen just asks "Er, got a name? I'm Anoko. The puffball is also Anoko. Apparently." She waits a moment for an answer, but either way heads into the kitchen and does her best to help her mother prepare food, trying not to worry about the youkai in the living room. She seemed friendly, and it was too early in the morning to start freaking out. "Don't tell sensei, I'm not actually supposed to prepare food. For some reason," Anoko says, winking at her mother. Even first thing in the morning and wearing a ridiculously pink bunny top over monkey-pattern PJs, Anoko's already got her sword strapped to her side, apparently just as one with it as her sensei intended.

The 'puffball' herself continues to hover after the woman, observing her closely. Her form is illusory all the same, but takes on a more definite shape when bearing strong will. The glowing ball of gas beyond human perceptions casts a shadow of sorts, a faint outline of a humanoid surrounding her core as she's more on guard, though doubts her ability to effectively repel a physical opponent, even a youkai if they started anything. Not without her Meat around anyway. So she just watches the youkai impatiently. "Hm. Yukari sent you. My skin would crawl around that woman if I had any... so I take it you're here to help with that task she gave us? To find some wandering ghost and retrieve a seed." Unlike her other self, the ghost of Anoko gives no quarter to false pleasantries or illusions of friendship and is to the point.

[Overlord Rion]

This gets some raised eyebrows from Miharu. Did he actually just shoot as many bullets as he thought he did? "Oh, you mean fifty thousand of something. I don't have fifty thousand of anything, actually, so I think you're out of luck there. But...the god of guns? Is that even a thing?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Ayaka looks at her daughter with obvious surprise, but it passes quickly. "Well, a friend of Ano-chan is trustworthy, and their friends are probably fine too. Still! Be more careful." When Anoko points out that she technically wasn't allowed to prepare food Ayaka counters plainly. "Has that ever stopped you before? Honestly, this thing is just for fun. You shouldn't get too caught up in that boy's silliness." Could she be referring to Seta, or perhaps Seiji? Either way, she clearly doesn't understand the gravity of Anoko's choices. Anoko is easily able to help her mother prepare an extra helping of breakfast, and Ayaka scavenges some of the chicken from lunch to serve to their surprise guest.

The youkai takes no note of the ghost's form, and seems to ignore her. Or, perhaps, she simply lacks the capacity to see ghosts. Regardless, she does respond to questions, though undoubtedly not in any satisfying way given that she's busy perusing the collection of DVDs that Ayaka had collected over the years. "No one sent me. That old bat simply hounded me until I agreed to a favor. But its rather rude to carry on a conversation while you're helping someone else."

Miharu

The little triangle creature laughs, spinning in place once more, and sounds its invisible earth-shattering airhorn. "u huztl'n m? u understand wat u'r doin huztl m, u sucka? u do'n go without papa in plac lik diz. papa = lov papa = lif papa = everythin. ya feel m yung blud? gunz n papa. get paid get gunz n di hapy!" The little triangle whirls it's gun around its finger, spinning the revolver like it was a cowboy in an old western. The gun god closes its central eye, then pulls the trigger once more. Without reloading, without even the illusion of caring for the laws of physics, the six-chambered weapon goes off and fires two rounds into the sky. Three more squeezes of the trigger produce six more rounds that all divert skyward. Finally, the gun stops spinning and points directly at Miharu once more. Twenty rounds fired from six chambers certainly means he has no more ammunition left, right? "if u got no papa then u doin m no favorz. adioz nerd."

The loud bang that follows catapults two rounds into Miharu's chest. The bullets strike the young man straight between the eyebrows and dead center of his heart simultaneously, and the young man jolts awake to find himself in his bed once more. He has no wounds, but he does feel a weight on his chest all the same. There, balanced meticulously on his chest, rests a single golden shell casing to a .44 Colt Python.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu wipes his face with his bedsheets, soaked in sweat was just not a great way to wake up. The gold casing falls to the side to the edge of his bed. Miharu grabs it and sticks it in the pocket of his cloak. He thinks aloud, since it was Sunday his family was likely all off doing their own thing. "A dream, or not? Either way, this is some really weird stuff going on in my head." There wasn't really a god of guns, was there? Either way, he would have to investigate this mystery. Were there gods of other weapons too? Swords, bows, spears? Miharu throws his clothes on and heads downstairs to see if his family had left without him.

[Princess Tracy]

The ghost humphs, her fledgling form growing that more faint as she evaluated the no-name woman to be more irritating than threatening. "Are all youkai obtuse?" she wonders out loud - used to being ignored rather than having to hold her tongue.

Anoko chuckles nervously. "She just kinda showed up and said she'd help me with a favour a new friend of mine asked, or something like that." She quietly flinches as her mother describes her samurai activities as silly. Maybe that would have been true a while ago... she's thankful she thought of it that way though, and that her slash from the other day at the hands of the Konpaku girl had gone undetected. She didn't want her mother worrying. She has little trouble pushing the whole worrying mess from her mind though, and just relishes a calm moment spent with Ayaka as she goes about doing her best to just copy whatever Ayaka was doing, being at best a mediocre cook herself. "I met this lady at the shrine, er, she lost something in this city actually, said she'd be thankful if I could find it for her." It occurs to her Yukari's knowledge of her mother... did Ayaka know Yukari? She was dad's lover once it seemed... she wasn't in the mood to get into all that.

[Eurus]

Kimiko's mood wavers, as usual, between relieved comfort at getting to sleep in and embarrassment that she wasn't with the others this morning. Church was a burden she endured for her mother's sake when asked, but felt vaguely guilty about when she managed to escape it. Her mood improves after she gets dressed and goes downstairs to see her dad.

Detouring only to pull some leftover noodles from the fridge, she goes over to sit with him and smiles.

"Good morning, dad. Enjoying the weekend?"

[Bad Situation]

Kiri stands perched atop the building with his arms crossed, imagining the striking and imposing figure he must cut under the light of the moon. He still wasn't finished putting together his costume but a lack of heroic attire struck him was a ridiculous excuse when there was evil afoot so instead, he opted for a silver domino mask and turned his gakuran inside-out in order to hide the school's emblem from the meddling policemen who might call the school about his exploits. No, being a hero wasn't easy but if not him, then who? Sure, it was just run of the mill thugs tonight but who knew what kinds of malice a city home to ninja clans could give birth to? He would strive to remain ever-vigilant, lest some youkai or villainous shinobi catch him and the town he stood guard over unawares.

He gazes up at the silvery moon and is struck by the urge to compose a haiku,

"My resolve burns bright,"

"Yet this arduous fire"

"Must needs be..kin..dled..."

It was a work in progress.

At any rate, it was about time he got back to the compound anyway. How did Kiko sneak on and off the compound without anybody noticing anyway? Maybe she would tell him if he asked nicely about it. Though, if even he knew about her sneaking off, maybe she wasn't as good at it as she thought she was? Without much in his head besides potential one-liners and cool sword technique names, he roof hops back home before the sun rises in full.

Knowledge (Tactics): [roll0] - What are some good approaches to entering the compound, and why should he avoid them because of course the most obvious access points will be under strict watch.

[Cespenar]

The sandwich turning out to be better than he expected (seeing how he had eaten somebody else's olive paste, honey and tomato sandwich before), Izumo returns the innuendo with a wink.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be that indirect if that were the case."

At her explanation of image training, he raises an eyebrow, and his fight with Vivienne comes to his mind. Building counter strategies against someone without them doing the same on you was strategically a great asset, and though Izumo realizes that, he also realizes that the method is probably too paranoid for someone like him... besides being probably over his head as well.

"Cool, so is it a genjutsu or like... just a memory trick without any chakra shenanigans, like those guys at tv shows reciting things from encyclopedias and stuff."

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu

Naturally Miharu finds himself alone, and his family is likely already off doing their own things. His brother is probably up in his room, and the middle sibling likely left to hang out with his girlfriend. Mother and father were likely talking to friends, shopping, or simply out of the house for their own weird hobbies. Sometimes it seems like the young boy isn't even part of the family. A breakfast of cold scrambled eggs on top of a bed of rice and soy sauce remains tucked into the fridge and covered in tinfoil, so at least he was still remembered at breakfast time.

Anoko

Ayaka simply smiles. "If you're going to help your friends today, then be careful. I'm off, so I'll be here if you need me." Whether Ayaka knew about the youkai or not she focuses on cooking for her daughter and her friend. Soon enough the duo have finished a decent meal, and Ayaka goes to set the table while Anoko is left to her own devices.

If the samurai goes looking she finds the green-haired woman where she left her, reading one of Ayaka's books: The Castle, by Franz Kafka. She seems rather engrossed in the novel, and doesn't take note of Anoko in the slightest until the samurai speaks up. She closes the book, smiling, and sets it aside. "An interesting comedy. I would like to finish it sometime." How she could find a book about the oppressive and alienating nature of bureaucracy a comedy remains to be seen.

Izumo

Izumi shakes her head. "No, nothing as fancy as genjutsu. It's just a memorization technique. People like you and me, fighters with trained styles, we have ruts in our brain that our thoughts follow without our input. The way you throw your punches, the way your feet are stationed, how you react: That makes up your style--the Ishimaru style--and that can be exploited. By memorizing that movement, and ruminating over how to exploit your opponent, you can surprise them in battle." Izumi pushes her empty bowl of cereal away. "And that surprise can be the difference between life and death." Izumi gives Izumo a surreal forlorn look, and for a moment a memory comes unbidden: The Ishimaru seems like someone the Iga-nin doesn't recognize. An older woman who struggled, fought, and ultimately sacrificed everything. But then Izumi smiles her stupid smile and the memory vanishes.

"So, what's your ugly ass off to do today?"

Kimiko

Kimiko's father smiles at his daughter, and then looks back to the T.V. "Your mom would want you eating a real breakfast, but what she doesn't know won't hurt her."

Her father casually reaches over for the remote, and flips the channel over to a cartoon channel. Some stupid magical girl anime, about love and friendship or something to that effect, takes up the T.V. screen. "I'm always enjoying myself. How about you? You're a high schooler now, so you're almost an adult. Gotta be a lot of stress involved in that."

Kiri

While Kiri is fulling around on the roof the people meander about on the street below. Thinking about approaches into the compound proves fruitless, as the young man has literally been in the compound for two entire days, and neither of those days he spent exploring the compound. Naturally the front gate is the easiest way into the compound, and also the one with a twenty-four hour guard. He could try scaling the wall, but the odds of being spotted are fairly high even if there's no high tech security system. Whatever method Kiko uses to sneak into the compound doesn't come to mind, but then again he wasn't the heiress so he wouldn't know how she moved around. While roof-hopping back to the compound Kiri spots a strange pair standing on top of a roof. The duo, a long-haired man (http://i.imgur.com/yNElw1J.jpg) and his short-haired friend (http://i.imgur.com/PELZXKO.jpg), stand on top of a building across the street from the compound's wall. The long-haired part of the pair looks at the front gate with a pair of binoculars, while the short-haired one sits on the roof's edge smoking. Neither of them seem to have noticed Kiri, as he's approaching from behind them.

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko returns to her ghostly self's side, the little ball seeming to insist on keeping watch, however useless, over the youkai in her absence. She eyes the book over as the mysterious lady comments on it, somewhat confused. She wasn't the most learned, and her knowledge of formal literature was strictly limited to what the school demanded she learn of it. She gets the feeling though, that her mother didn't pack many intentional comedies on her bookshelf. "Well... make yourself at home, I guess? I'd let you borrow the book, but that's momma's. So, um... what's up?" She sits across from the youkai. The ghost seems to find a way to shrug dismissively, having little to report. "What should I call you then? My mother doesn't know about what I've been up to yet, ghost business and all that. Even I'm not entirely sure... so I guess it's a secret? Kinda. Er, how can I help you?" She laughs good-naturedly while the ghost just shakes her 'head' at her other self's ludicrous trust of strangers. "How'd you get in here, if you don't mind me asking? This kind of isn't a general public compound, if you couldn't tell." "Don't ask a question you don't want answered, Meat." "What? If she broke in and hurt anyone, she wouldn't be so calm and friendly." "Hmph, friendly... are you just oblivious to gestures of dominance or are you so submissive to not care and enjoy being at the call of others." Anoko isn't entirely sure what she meant by that, but 'submissive' brings a blush to her face as she misinterprets. "What the hell is that supposed to-" "Would you calm down, your mother can't hear me. You'll look insane arguing with me with your voice raised, if that matters to you." From the bickering among herself, Anoko makes no secret of her lack of inner peace, and likely leaves the impression of a very undisciplined fledgling youkai indeed.

[Cespenar]

Izumo scratches his chin a bit. "Funny you should say that. A week ago(?) or something, I've got my ass handed to me by that assassin slash bodyguard girl, Soma Vivienne. And I mean handed hard. Her style almost was designed purely to counter buff guys like me, y'know, and I had literally no chance. Since then I've been working on a couple other basic styles, just in case. You do all that just in your mind, though? I'd say show me sometime, but can I really get it?"

He carefully misses seeing the moment of weakness the Ishimaru shows, doing various overblown poses to underline the different styles he mentioned a moment ago. A ridiculous Hulk Hogan/bear hug stance, followed by a bad imitation of a Snake Style out of some kung fu flick.

At the mention of his Sunday plans, however, he returns to normal.

"My awesome ass is probably going to work on the old bike a little, or maybe check what the others have been doing. Talking about the others, though, uh, is Kiko, you know, still mad at me?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

The green-haired youkai narrows her eyes at Anoko while the young girl's mother gives her a concerned look. Ayaka reaches out to her daughter during her outburst, but the green-haired youkai interrupts her mother before she can speak. "I am afraid your daughter will not be introducing us, so I shall take the plunge." The youkai nods slightly at Ayaka. "Kazami Yuuka."

That causes Ayaka to stumble a bit, and she nods in return. "Uh, yes, Yukimotou Ayaka." That gets a raised eyebrow from the youkai, and she marks on Anoko's father in an attempt to divert attention away from Anoko's insanity.

"Not Konpaku? I'm surprised." That causes Ayaka to adopt a surprisingly forlorn look, and she brushes her hair out of her face.

"Right, the shrine. You must have known him before. No, um... Anoko's father and I never married. He died before we could." Unfortunately for Ayaka, there exists no compassion within the green-haired youkai, but she repeats the meaningless words all the same.

"My condolences." The green-haired youkai and Ayaka both look to Anoko, one undoubtedly hoping that the half-ghost has finally settled her insanity and the other undoubtedly worried about her daughter. Ayaka is the first to speak, and she reaches out to her daughter with worry in her eyes.

"If you're having any problems dear... Well, you know you can talk to me about anything, right?" Meanwhile the green-haired youkai stares at the half-ghost with the plain look of someone fed up with crazy people. She raises an eyebrow at the half-ghost, as if to question whether she's finished looking like a fool or not.

Izumo

Izumi smiles at that. "Wing Chun. It's very useful against people like you and I, who know nothing but how to attack." Surprising how Izumi knew the name of that style with nothing but a scant description of it. "You just need to start using soft styles to counter attack, but Wing Chun practitioners often pair their style with more direct styles like Bajiquan or Tajiquan."

When Izumo mentions the bike his mentor sighs. "Still working on that deathtrap, huh? I mean, it is a chick magnet, but it'll just get you killed..." She shrugs, but doesn't speak until Izumo asks his question. "Why do you think I would know? The little lady and I aren't exactly friends either."

Izumi and Kiko got along more in the vague sense of two animals who happened to live in the same area. They operated with the same instincts, but didn't intrude on one another's territory. In fact, now that Izumi brings it up, Izumo doesn't recall how exactly the gate guard met Kiko.

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko bites her tongue for a second, god how was she this clumsy. She'd met this ghost less than a day ago and she was already forgetting other people couldn't see or hear it. She didn't want her mother concerned over her like that - the look she's giving her makes her heart sink guiltily. Which excuse to use? That she was on her phone, maybe? But why would she be on her phone? Really suave ninjas could think fast and lie on their feet with buttery smooth deceptions - for once she wishes she was like that rather than some armed mook she currently felt like. "You're a damn fool. You should just spell out my existence to your mother rather than letting her draw her own conclusions, since you clearly can't maintain a secret." Anoko at least disciplines herself not to react to that. She gives an exaggerated yawn, smacking her lips and wiping sleep from her eyes as she shifts in her seat. "Oh, its nothing. I was trying to add dramatics to my speech, but got my tenses mixed up. I'm just kinda sleepy still I guess, need food..." She stuffs something in her mouth, giggling awkwardly and waving away her mother's concern. "I'm okay mom, really," she says, not looking her in the eyes at first, but ultimately bracing and beaming at her.

She takes a second and computes what the guest, well Yuuka, had said. Ah, Konpaku. This was her dad's stuff, Konpaku, ghosts... she wonders if dad had a ghost thing he ever told her about, that would make this a lot easier to explain. Ghost!Anoko sighs. "Do you see what I have to work with...?" she mutters, to no one in particular.

Anoko clears her throat and looks to Yuuka, putting on a more business face as she tries to convey she would indeed do her best to cease the insanity, if only for her mother's sake. "Um... so you're here early, did you have a nice trip in?" she comments, making nonchalant smalltalk as best she can, not really sure what to do with or say to the youkai.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu throws the food in the microwave after taking off the tinfoil. He places a napkin over it to avoid food splattering everywhere. While it heats up he pulls the golden shell casing out of his pocket and examines it more closely. A few seconds before the microwave dings he opens the door and clears the remaining time, using the minute or so it needed to cool off to send a text to Seiji asking him if he had any plans for the day. He thinks briefly about sending one to Kiko and decides against it. Come to think of it, did he even want to hang out with the others? Anoko was probably off doing sword stuff, Izumo would likely be working on his deathtrap, Kiri....No, just no. He wasn't that desperate. He'd rather summon a racoon and have a one sided conversation. Which didn't seem like a bad idea while he waited for someone to respond to his text.

Oh, he nearly forgot Kimiko! She might not be doing anything today, so Miharu sends off a text before summoning a playmate.


Spending 3 chakra to summon a level 2 soldier. Using the Ring of Conjuration special power

[roll0] Hopefully it's above a 50.

Damn

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu

After a few moments of waiting Miharu's phone dings with a return message. It's from Seiji, and reads simply: "Good morning, Momotami-kun. How are you doing? I will be busy with father today, and will be unable to enjoy a lazy sunday. orz"

The overly formal nature of it, and the weird defeated emoji, clash greatly. Then again: That was Seiji.

Miharu's summoning provides him with one totally normal Raccoon soldier. The furry beast stares up at him with confusion on its face, and awaits its orders.

Anoko

Ayaka looks at her daughter for a moment longer, searching for some kind of answer in her daughter's eyes beyond the words she spoke, but when the young woman finds nothing she smiles and nods. "Well, you should keep your theatrics to a minimum around guests. What would your friend think?" Surprisingly, Yuuka has an answer without even breaking a sweat.

"It's fine. There is little else to be expected from a Konpaku." She says that insane statement as if it were the most natural response in the world. That gets a nervous laugh from the maid, and Ayaka looks at her daughter with a smile covering up all the questions she wants to ask. When Anoko tries to make small talk she finds herself faced with a look from Yuuka that speaks volumes. The green-haired youkai gives her an implacable gaze, as if stonewalling the very concept of small talk entirely.

She turns toward Ayaka. "Thank you for the hospitality, Yukimotou-sama." She hasn't touched her food at all. "But I am afraid we must go. I need to make use of your daughter's body." What does that even mean?

Ayaka looks to object. "Hold on, what does that even mean? Anoko. What's going on?"

"Don't be concerned. It's simply repaying a debt that was owed." That gets Ayaka to look at her daughter, imploring her for some sort of answer.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu looks at the soldier. "Yeah, sorry to bother you, I'm trying to get a hold of someone higher up on the chain. I don't know much about you guys and haven't really tried to understand the best way to utilize you yet. Have a nice day." With a wave of his hand he dismisses the soldier and looks at the text from Seiji. Guess Seiji is out. Too bad, I was hoping to ask his opinion of my weird dream. Time to try again. He tried to clear his mind before he summoned. As far as he knew, there was really no way to get a higher ranking racoon without it being almost completely by accident.


Using the power of the ring again. And spending 3 chakra.

[roll0] Come on above 50!


....


Really? I'm going to keep trying anyway.

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu

Miharu gets yet another totally normal raccoon.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu is visibly frustrated at this and dismisses the racoon. He rubs his temples and closes his eyes. Maybe he was going about this the wrong way. He always concealed his emotions, usually going more for a shrug and fading into the background than anything else. He had problems with Kiko, with school, with his friends, Seiji. It was all too much for a 15-year-old to reasonably be expected to deal with. "All I want is one damn discussion with one of the higher ups, is that so much to ask for!?" His eyes pop open and he sighs. "All right, I'm going to be persistent, so you might as well heed my call."


Another 3 chakra and burning that last charge on the ring

[roll0]

If it works [roll1]

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu

The young man receives yet another totally normal raccoon.

[Overlord Rion]

"Right, well, I don't expect a fight today, so I guess now is as good a time as any to just summon until something happens or I'm exhausted.

Don't why I didn't think of this earlier, I'm just going to roll several attempts at once, spending 3 chakra each time until I'm down to 9 chakra. If any of the others succeed then ignore the rolls after it.

First: [roll0]
Second: [roll1]
Third: [roll2]
Fourth: [roll3]

Of course the very last one does it.

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu

Miharu finally calls upon a raccoon that is clearly different from the others. It's looks up at its summoner with tiny adorable eyes, pulls its up to stand on its delightful little paws, and throws a tiny salute. "Taichou Tanurin, repawting for duty!"

Miharu learns how to summon Tanurin, Elite Level 1 Raccoon Soldiers.
Captain Tanurin (http://i.imgur.com/w4Gr3Gu.jpg)
Elite Level 1 Raccoon Soldier: CR 1; Tiny magical beast; HD 2d8; hp 9; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.;
Defense 17, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +1 natural); BAB +1; Grap –8; Atk
+7 melee (1d2-1, claw); Full Atk +7 melee (1d2-1, 2 claws) and +2 melee (1d3-1, bite);
FS 2 1/2 ft. by 2 1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.; SQ low-light vision, darkvision 60 ft., scent; AL
summoner; SV Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +1; CP 6; Rep +0; Str 8, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 9, Wis
12, Cha 6.
Skills: Climb +7, Escape Artist +8, Hide +14, Move Silently +10, Diplmacy -1.
Feats: Simple Weapons Proficiency[b], Weapon Finesse[b], Spoken Word.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu looks at his summon, then down at his hands. He looks back at the adorable little creature he just summoned and only one thought stuck out. I think I should consider a change in career. He snaps out of it and coughs into his hand. "Welcome, Captain! I am Momotami Miharu, and it is a pleasure to meet you! Unfortunately I have nothing for you to fight today, for I require information about your clans. I have had a pact with your kind for years, yet never really knew much about them. If you would be so kind, walk with me around the compound, and enlighten me!"

[Bad Situation]

Kiri considers sneaking up on the two but discards the thought immediately, choosing instead to continue on his path toward them. He knew a thing or two about stealth, courtesy of his seniors at the Munich branch, but the idea didn't really appeal to him here. The two men weren't really doing anything wrong so to speak, their creeping around notwithstanding, but if there was one thing he'd learned from tokusatsu it was that you shouldn't judge people by their immediate circumstances. How many times were the heroes framed by the villains for crimes? How often did public opinion turn against the squadron simply because citizens wouldn't take the time to hear their masked protectors out?

Too often. And the very thought rankled at what he supposed was the justice in his blood yearning for resolution.

In a rare flash of foresight however, he stops a distance away from the two men and snaps a series of photos of them on his smartphone before continuing along. He touches down on their building, a short distance behind them, and rests his shinai across his shoulders. He flashes them an easygoing grin for good measure. "Ya know, you two ain't bein' all that subtle creepin' aroun' like this. Now, I'm not really the type ta' beat fellas senseless for no reason but 'yer lookin' a mite suspicious from where I'm standin'. Which is ta' say, 'yer scopin' out a private residence like. Any reason for this?"

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko glares at the woman for a moment, why does she feel the need to antagonise her mum. All of a sudden the ghost speaks her mind where she would hesitate. "You're a guest in this house on the condition you don't disturb its peace. If I'd known you would upset Ayaka, I'd have left you outside in the cold until I was ready to come." Anoko holds back a blush on her other self's forwardness and just shrugs, looking calmly to Ayaka. "Mum, its okay, really. I mean, look." Anoko pulls at her sleeve, pulling it up her arm before flexing a bicep, in fairness to her flashing a tone of muscle worthy of Olympic competition. "I'm in peak physical condition and she needs my help, that's what she means." She doesn't convey any worry, and honestly wasn't too scared. She resolutely wasn't letting this woman intimidate her, and had decided youkai weren't as scary as they seemed to think they were. She was some kinda youkai too, right? So how scary could anyone else be.

Anoko quickly scarfs down the rest of breakfast and gets up. "I'll go get changed and we can get down to finding this thing." In truth, the 'make use of her body' line did creep her out internally to no end, but she does her best to bury that until she gets this creepy Yuuka away from her poor mother. Anoko goes and gets changed lightning fast, putting on her armoured vest and over it a short sleeved top black top, cargo shorts, trainers, and wraps her hoodie around her waist for good measure, before coming back down to put on some trainers and head out the door. If Yuuka insists they rush, Anoko can just grab her shoes, though Ghost!Anoko explains she's off to get her armour.

[Cespenar]

Not really surprised by Izumi's vast taijutsu knowledge, Izumo nods sagely. As much as she dubbed the two similar in tactics, even a cursory glance would reveal the Ishimaru's blatant superiority in both power and versatility. Well, that's why he learned from her, after all. And still do.

"Hah. It would kill a lesser man, perhaps, but not me."

Rebuffing the bit about the bike, he nonetheless grows somber at the thought of Kiko. He couldn't let her stay mad at him. So, he wouldn't. Simple as that.

"I'm out. Gotta fix some stuff. And work on that bike, if it comes to that. You want anything specific in your fridge?"

Unless something stops him, he doubles back to the main house and looks (and asks, if need be) for Kiko.

[Eurus]

Kimiko chuckles at the comment about the food, eating a few noodles with a knowing look at her co-conspirator. Despite herself, she actually recognizes the show he turns on. It's not terrible, if a little silly. At his comment about the stress of high school, she wrinkles her nose and frowns for a second.

"I guess you could say that."

For a second, she thinks about whether to tell her dad about the insanity of the last few days. Being jumped by thugs in the baseball field still had her a little shaken. But something -- maybe fear of disappointing him, of letting him think that she couldn't handle something as simple as high school -- holds her tongue.

"...What was it like when you were in school, dad?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu

The tiny raccoon nods. "Yes sir! We are araiguma, empowered by the pact created by the great human god the First Sage! We are charged with protecting the final secret of the First Sage, the last line of defense for humanity!" His fuzzy little chest puffs out in pride as he explains the role of his people, and their purpose in life. "We defend against corruption, against greed, and protect the innocent from those who would destroy them in their ambitions!"

But what did any of that even mean?

Kiri

The duo turn around when Kiri announces himself, the short-haired one standing up properly. The long-haired man looks to his partner, and then sticks his thumb out at him. He says something Kiri only vaguely understands, something about pots? Regardless, Kiri does recognize some Chinese. His short-haired friend shakes his head and shrugs. "Don't worry about it. He's just a kid. A foreign kid at that, or a delinquent." The short-haired man casually remarks on Kiri's hair style, but then finally addresses the iga-nin directly. "Beating up innocent people is bad, so good on you for not doing that. My name is Shirane. This fellow is Lee-Jun. We're part of the Criminal Investigation Bureau, real elite policemen, the good guys ya know? We're investigating the death of some gangsters. Crazy, ain't it? Sending two guys like us out to hunt down whoever killed some filthy criminals..." The short-haired man closes his eyes, raises his arms up, sighs and shrugs, as if lamenting his place in this world, but then looks at Kiri once more.

"Do you know anything about that gated community over there?" He sticks his thumb out over his shoulder, pointing in the general direction of the Iga compound. Whatever connection Kiri had to the Iga likely wasn't know at the moment.

Izumo

Izumi looks at Izumo with an indecipherable gaze. As if she were looking past him, at a future he couldn't guess at, then she responds plainly. "I suppose idiots can't die, so you'll live." When Izumo talks about her fridge Izumi stonewalls his concern by simply not addressing it. "I'd avoid asking about the little lady today. It's not a good day for that. But if you want to know she's okay then come see me at noon." With that decidedly cryptic statement Izumi allows her student to leave without further comment.

When Izumo heads outside he finds the sun shining down on him in the early April morning. The rain the day before likely filled the early morning with mists, but by the time Izumo wakes up it's all gone. Heading up to the main house reveals that Seiji and Kinzo aren't home, and both have already left on some sort of trip. Likely clan business, since Seiji was gone as well. Did that mean they still didn't know that Kiko was gone? Just how little did she matter to these people? Izumo could ask the maids, but doing so would undoubtedly get back to Kinzo.

Anoko

The youkai utterly ignores Anoko's ghostly half, treating it as little more than an annoyance she didn't need to address. Or, perhaps, she had the wherewithal to not look like a madwoman in front of Ayaka. Nonetheless, Anoko's mother looks at her daughter with worry painted across her features. "Ano-chan, if anything is wrong, we can go to Kinzo-sama." Yuuka smiles at that, as if sarcastically dismissing the idea in her head already, but she says nothing. Ayaka continues onward. "You have a lot of people who are willing to help you."

When Anoko leaves to get her things she's allowed to do so, and when she returns she finds Yuuka reading the same book and Ayaka watching the youkai the whole time. Ayaka looks at her daughter with obvious worry, but unless Anoko says something her mother allows her to leave without comment. Yuuka returns Ayaka's book, then heads outside without even looking at Anoko, as if expecting her to follow without being told to do so.

Outside the sky's still dark, and the green-haired youkai stares up at the setting moon with a dispassionate gaze. "Half-ghost. I am ready to put an end to this foolishness. I will use my abilities to track down the seed. As long as it is within this city, then I can find it without fail. Are you prepared to slay the monster when we find it?"

Kimiko

Kimiko's father simply laughs. "Well, I won't tell your mother if you don't."

When Kimiko asks about school, her father raises an eyebrow. She can see the unasked question painted plainly on his face: Was she okay? Even so, his words stand opposite to what his face asks. "I was home-schooled. People like you and I are rarely allowed to mingle. It's only because Kinzo-sama wants his son to have a normal childhood that you are even going to that school."

He narrows his eyes and starts to mutter something under his breath, but catches himself. Instead, Kimiko's father looks at her with a frown. "Is something wrong at school?"

[Overlord Rion]

As they walk Miharu can only nod his head as the captain speaks. "Okay, so you guys protect a big secret given to you by the first sage, and defend against all that stuff on the side?" He frowns a little, not sure what to make of it. "What does that even mean? You sound like super heroes as is, but I've never actually summoned an exceptionally powerful one. Hell, you're the first one I've summoned that can even talk to me. Could you elaborate a bit more?"

[Cespenar]

Izumo somehow gets that as a compliment, and huffs out a little haughty breath as if to say 'Of course I can't die'. He looks skeptically at her comment about Kiko, though. Seems she knew some stuff after all. But perhaps uncharacteristically, Izumo takes her advice after failing to find Kiko in the compound, and avoids asking the maids.

Not entirely convinced, but wanting to believe Izumi, Izumo makes his way for his would-be-workshop, and tries to make some headway on the bike until quarter to noon, upon when he makes a small trip to the nearest grocery shop, gets some random foodstuff (not to mention fresh milk), and returns to Izumi's place to hear any of her news about Kiko.

I believe you had put 5 wealth and craft checks in place to show Izumo's progression on his bike, the fifth one being a little higher than the rest. Can't find the actual checks right now, but I believe he had completed the first one. So he's probably gonna work on the second one for about 4 hours.

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu

The tiny captain looks at Miharu, staring at him much as a predator judging how much its next meal will fight back, then suddenly looks away. "No. We simply can not give that information to any human." A surprisingly somber statement coming from such a tiny and adorable creature.

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko can barely stand to see her mother so worried. She springs forth, wrapping her arms around her in a hug. "It's okay, momma. This isn't any concern of Kinzo-sama. This isn't anything I can't handle myself." "Not that it would matter. This mission requires us specifically, or else the youkai here would do it herself. Though, I suppose Ayaka-san's concern is a fear of the youkai herself, ha." "One of dad's old friends asked a favour of me at the shrine yesterday, so that's all I'm doing. I'll explain later, okay?"

Once outside, Anoko bites her lip in thought at the explanation of her role. Before she can respond though, there's a chuckling in the air. Some youkai blood seems to flare at the idea of a fight, and the ghost's usually formal monotone gives way to something that border's on a witch's cackle, before she clears her nonexistent throat and regains her composure. "That won't be a problem." Anoko's eyes widen, what was this ghost's deal all of a sudden? She turns back to Yuuka, stroking her chin in thought. "I guess I can, but walk me through it 'cause I've only ever fought humans before. So, you need a ghost to kill a ghost, I guess I get that... but can you actually, like, KILL a ghost? What on earth happens when a ghost dies, they're already dead? Do they... just stop existing?" "It hardly matters, does it? Are we going to stand around here talking or are we going to go deal with this thing?" The fought of a ghost, an opponent she could finally cut and fight, brought no end of excitement to the normally stoic ghost, and no end of disturbance to her fleshy counterpart. "I... I guess, just lead the way."

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

Working on the Blastmobile proves fruitful, but expensive, and soon Izumi has more parts piled up and fitted together. It'll be just a few more days before he can finally assemble the mess and have, hopefully, a fully working motorcycle. The trip the grocery proves easy enough, and Izumo is able to buy several minor items without any problems, but when he returns to Izumi's house he finds the Ishimaru standing outside. She's wearing the same bikini as always, with her headphones on and her MP3 player blaring music into her ears, but this time she's got a jacket over the top of her outfit. The threadbare black jacket has clearly seen better days, but its long sleeves cover her arms effectively. Naturally she's wearing it unbuttoned and open, but whether that's because of Izumi's natural tendency to show off or because the jacket's buttons have all fallen off remains to be seen. The high collar vaguely resembles Izumo's gakuren, but its lack of buttons and obvious age say otherwise.

The Ishimaru looks at her student, then to the food in his arms, and raises an eyebrow. "Did you become a mother while I was asleep? Hope you're not planning on carrying those the whole time. We got a lot of walking to do." With that said Izumi simply starts walking toward the gate, without any concern for what her student chooses to do.

Anoko

When Anoko reveals her lack of confidence in her abilities, the green-haired youkai simply narrows her eyes and glares at the samurai. "Ah, you're clearly very knowledgeable about youkai, so you should know everything about ghosts. After all, you are a half-ghost yourself are you not?" She shakes her head and waves off her own question as if clearing away a bad scent. "Well, no matter, you're here as a thug and little else. Your robust body will pull you through, but if all else fails you can just use that head of yours to bludgeon them to death." Somehow that compliment seemed like an insult, but rather than continue or elaborate Yuuka simply walks to the south. Her path takes her away from the Iga compound's gates, and toward the ten foot wall surrounding the compound that kept out intruders and paparazzi. Once the duo are a decent distance away from any nearby buildings Yuuka stops. Suddenly the green-haired youkai crouches down, and jumps up much like a ninja performing a ninja hop, but the force of her leap cracks the ground beneath her. It's obvious that she's not using chakra to ninja hop, but rather her brute strength alone.

Yuuka leaps the fence easily, heading south for a short distance until she lands in a small children's playground. Anoko recognizes the playground from her childhood: A small slide, a sandbox, some monkey bars, and a merry-go-round decorate the park. But Yuuka ignores all those and instead walks toward a small clump of weeds growing from cracks in the pavement. She crouches down, looks at the weeds, and starts having an oddly silent conversation with them. The only noise the green-haired youkai makes is the sound of wind blowing through tree limbs. In response the weeds grow, shake, and respond with the sound of fallen leaves being crunched underfoot. Satisfied, the youkai stands up and nods at the weeds, then turns her attention upon Anoko. "The seed is in a warehouse near the docks: 13A. Do you know of a way to get there faster than jumping?"

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu raises an eyebrow. "Any human, or just any unworthy human? Wonder what the qualities are...maybe being like the raccoon themselves, or maybe being like the First Sage? Miharu realized he had started murmuring to himself after his question and tried to act a little more excited. He wasn't getting as much information as he wanted, but it was more than he had before. "So, Captain, what would you say if I was trying to acquire more power to protect a few people that are important to me?"

[Cespenar]

Izumo shrugs, stepping into the house briefly enough to dump the bags on the entrance floor. He jogs back quickly to catch the Ishimaru on her way. That wasn't the same school uniform as his, though, was it? Izumo wonders if it's really hers or just a memento from one of her boyfriends.

"Motherhood is tough business. I would be honored," he replies, again nodding sagely. Did he take the jab seriously, or was he simply perpetuating?

[Princess Tracy]

"Well the sarcasm is just mean," Anoko remarks, pouting at her knowledge of youkai. "I didn't even know youkai were a thing until yesterday. Ninjas and summons, I know some about that, though not as much as my friends, but no one said anything about youkai until I met Yukari yesterday," she explains, apparently undeterred by any silence-bidding glare to explain herself. "But fine, whatever, I'm a slab of muscle and I'll just do what you say I guess. You wouldn't deceive me after all, would ya?" She shrugs, she would be on her toes anyway. The ghost stays silent as she follows Yuuka's lead. As she jumps over the fence, she folds her arms. "The gate's like right over there, hang on." She could perhaps climb the fence if she was so inclined, but unless yelled at otherwise, she circles around to exit properly. That's some impressive leg strength though, it didn't look like a technique. Hmm... that's about my jumping height, with a run and some chakra boosting me up. Better save my energy though.

Once she reaches the playground, she smiles as she surveys it, though the ghost just studies the youkai before Anoko thinks to too. "What's that technique?" she asks curiously. "Is it a ninjutsu? Can I learn it? My sensei doesn't teach me ninjutsu, but I've been learning some theory from my friends," she rambles on, some excitement in her eyes at seeing cool youkai powers.

"Power over plantlife... weeds like these crop up all over this town, don't they..." the ghost muses in examination, hoping her flesh will listen to her guidance for once.

When asked about transportation, Anoko shrugs. "Um, dunno, I've not been to the docks before, I'm not even sure how far away they are. But I'm sure there'll be a train out there."

If its a big delay to exit the compound properly, Anoko uses speed rank 1 and takes 10 on a jump check - with the speed boost that should bring her Jump check to 22, which is enough for a 10 feet vertical leap in Naruto (I think, don't have book here right now, but I'm sure it was a +2DC/1 foot of height formulae). Unless I could Ninja hop or whatever but I forgot how.

[Eurus]

Every now and then, Kimiko remembers how painfully unsubtle she really is. She's quiet for a minute, fiddling with a noodle. She doesn't want to lie, but if she told him that they were jumped on their first day of school, would they pull Seiji out? Would their chances to have a normal life be ruined? In the end, though, she can't bring herself to lie to her dad right now -- and the pause has gone on too long for her to brush it off anyway.

"I don't know. Some kids tried to jump Seiji-kun at school. Just normal guys from the baseball club, I mean, he probably would have been fine even if we weren't there to protect him, but... it's not exactly how I imagined high school going, you know?"

She gives a faint little "heh", trying to downplay it, like she's not still freaked out by the whole thing. She half-expects her dad to just chide her for being so skittish, like a bunch of thugs with baseball bats shouldn't faze her at all.

She feels her phone buzz in her pocket with an incoming text, but given the circumstances, she ignores it for now.

[ZeroNumerous]

Kimiko

Kimiko's father narrows his eyes as his daughter tells him about what happened a week ago, and after a few moments he frowns and sighs. "Well, I suppose thugs are thugs. You did good helping out your cousin, Kimi."

Kimiko's father doesn't ask any further, giving her the opportunity to explain if she wanted to.

Anoko

Anoko's nonsensical rambling receives nothing but ice from the green-haired youkai. She plainly, and obviously ignores the samurai as the two walk toward the wall and doesn't even pay Anoko the courtesy of looking at her or dismissing her complaints. When Anoko points out the gate she gets a confused look from Yuuka, almost as if the youkai couldn't comprehend why Anoko would suggest just walking out. She doesn't bother to explain herself, and simply jumps over the wall. Anoko would have to follow her over the wall, or else risk losing the youkai. Anoko's speed ranks and strong body gets her over the wall with some difficulty.

When Anoko asks whether Yuuka is using ninjutsu or not the youkai frowns deeply. "I am a flower youkai, not a human mage." She doesn't bother to explain more than that, and simply asks her question concerning transportation. When Anoko proves useless the green-haired youkai raises an eyebrow.

"You don't know where they are? The weeds don't know the shape of the city. Would a human at this "train" of yours know where to find the target?"

Izumo

Izumo finds Izumi's house locked, and Izumi makes no effort whatsoever to open the door. Fortunately he can easily open it with the key Izumi keeps under the welcome mat. Izumo deposits the milk alongside the other food on the floor without any problems. Following Izumi proves easy enough, and the Ishimaru heads outside the compound and waves to the young man at the front. Izumi starts heading toward the subway. "So let me guess: You're in this to win the little lady's heart, right? Can't believe you're stalking her for fun, or out of the goodness of your heart."

Miharu

The tiny raccoon shakes its head. "We cannot share that information with humans. It is for the best."

When Miharu talks about gathering power for others, the raccoon looks at him questioningly. "Is that not what all humans do? Even your god chose what was important to him, rather than what mattered to the world."

[Cespenar]

Izumo refrains from answering for several seconds and when he does, his voice has a melancholic tinge in it.

"I just want her to be free. Gods know she deserves it. Cheesy but, yeah. But... she wants her freedom all the way, and she doesn't realize that her actions will lead to her getting her leash bound even tighter.

"That's where I come in. She needs me to protect her from the consequences of her actions. So that she's, y'know, alive and well and can be freer in the long run."

He scratches his short-cropped hair, glancing at Izumi in a way that is unembarrassed but curious about what she's going to say. She was probably the only person to have Izumo open up to, among everyone else.

"Does that make any sense?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

The Ishimaru doesn't say anything in response for a long time, and doesn't respond to Izumo's question until they're standing in front of the subway station. "Total loyalty is its own failing, I suppose." With that cryptic statement Izumo's mentor heads inside. She refuses to elaborate, and and buys two tickets in the practiced movements of someone who's lived in the city for her whole life. Then, standing in front of the same subway platform Kiko had boarded three days ago, Izumi turns upon her student with a surprisingly mischievous look on her face.

"You are a loyal dog Izumo, and that's why I'll give you a choice. If we get on this train, then I'll be sharing a secret with you that the little lady kept to herself. It may take you to an early grave." Izumi extends a train ticket toward Izumo. "Or, you could go home, and I'll tear up these tickets, forget we ever had this conversation, and will never answer a question about her again." The Ishimaru extends her other empty hand toward Izumo.

"What's more important to you then: Your loyalty, or your life?"

[Princess Tracy]

At Yuuka's answer, Anoko sighs. She wasn't a great conversationalist, this one. "Oh wait, I'm a youkai, right? So maybe I could learn youkai magic? Oh, never mind," she remarks, not feeling like pressing the rather rude flower youkai much more. She has to fight back a guffaw when Yuuka awkwardly quotes back 'train' at her like an entirely new concept, not sure if she actually didn't know what a train was or if she just revelled in screwing with her. "You know, trains. They're machines that move you places. Like... the bus, kinda. Except there's no ghosts on there. Well maybe there is." She clears her throat. "Anyway, this city's kinda big If we've got docks, we must have sea industry, and if we have industry, there must be public transportation out there. So we can just go to the train station and look up the board and it'll tell us which train to ride to the docks." She nods at that, it seemed logical enough. "Or... hang on, I have a phone now." Anoko pulls out her phone and just googles a map of the city, looking for the address of the 13A warehouse that Yuuka had specified, hoping she can actually get a signal instead of standing around awkwardly as the youkai stares.

Anoko looks up a route to the warehouse and goes there. Take 10 for whatever check.

[Cespenar]

Izumo looks oddly at Izumi's response, the cryptic message probably flying over his head. When she presents him the choice, however, the muscle-bound Iga-nin crosses his arms and looks sideways at the smaller woman in an incredulous manner.

After a moment, with a similar smile, he reaches out with his head, and.. gently bites on the ticket.

"Woof," he says, through clenched teeth.

[Eurus]

Kimiko just nods silently. She focuses on her noodles, finishing off the leftovers. Eventually, she decides not to get into it any further. Better to just move on and enjoy the weekend.

Checking her phone, she sees a text from Miharu asking if she's doing anything today. She responds with a quick [No plans, why? Anything in mind?] as she gets up and washes the few dishes she'd dirtied.

[Overlord Rion]

That's pretty much what I was expecting. "Well then, what about if I was doing it because I believe they can change the world for the better, and I think it's my job to make sure they get to do so?"

After receiving his answer, whatever it may be, Miharu thanks the captain and dismisses him. His phone vibrated during the conversation, so he looks at Kimiko's text. Oh, good, at least somebody isn't busy. He thinks for a moment about how to respond. He hadn't actually thought about what to do if somebody responded. How about a date?

Kidding.


But seriously, I didn't actually have any ideas for today, I was kind of hoping you would.

[Eurus]

[You know you couldn't afford to take me out anyway, dude. I am a classy lady.

I can't really think of anything productive to do today. Could go slack off at the bookstore or something.]

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

Izumi shakes her head at Izumo's antics. "Even now you're still you." Regardless of what that statement actually meant, the Ishimaru turns around and heads to the platform. Moments later a train arrives, and Izumi boards it without a second thought. Just one stop is all it takes before the duo step off a train station that Izumo recognizes. It's the same platform and the same train that Kiko had taken, and he even recognizes the women's only car that she hid herself on. Naturally his mentor doesn't take that car, but she does pick the car that Izumo had rode on in a vain attempt to keep an eye on the heiress. One, two, and finally three stops roll by before Izumi gets up as the train announces its arrival at the fourth stop: Sannomiya Station, right in front of the big shopping mall MINT FUYUKI.

The duo step off the train and find themselves surrounded by tall buildings, with the huge shopping mall looming directly overhead. The crowd shoots weird looks at Izumo, and even weirder ones at his mentor, but that was to be expected. Neither of them particularly fit in with the crowd of shoppers, housewives, and teenagers roaming around in front of the mall. Izumi doesn't give the crowd a second glance, and simply pushes her way off the platform and toward the giant mall. She's making a beeline toward the mall, but plainly ignores the main entrance. Rather, she's walking toward one of the large loading docks for truck deliveries.

"A few rules you need to know about this place: First of all, no matter what we see: You can't interfere. This kind of place doesn't have space for the morals of normal people, and only the strong decide what is right and what is wrong. Second of all, if you get challenged just tell them you belong to Akatsuchi." Red Earth? What did that mean? She doesn't bother to explain, and simply continues speaking without a break. "They'll back off, and if they don't then come find me." It sounds like she's describing some kind of warzone, but the swarms of people milling about in front of the mall certainly meant there was some kind of law and order in this place.

Anoko

Yuuka simply shakes her head at Anoko's crazy "bus" idea, and ignores any further discussion of trains. When Anoko searches for a warehouse she finds several warehouses, but they're all named. Nothing as simple as "13A", and certainly no images of a warehouse with "13A" written on it. They'd have to search the area manually, and that would involve looking up every warehouse. Of course, Anoko can freely discard all of the warehouses not near the port. Unfortunately, Fuyuki is a port city and that meant quite a few places to look. Fuyuki Harborland, the Kawanishi Warehouse Company, and the Sumitomo Warehouse branch office for Fuyuki all have warehouses on the main docks. Of course, there's still the smaller private docks, and the naval base for the JDF.

The green-haired Yuuka stares at Anoko as she fiddles with her phone, and impatiently taps her foot. "Well?"

Miharu

The tiny raccoon shakes his little head. "Better for who? For humanity, for your friends, or for yourself? I do not believe you are any different; as human as all the others. Always hunting after things you don't have without regard for what you've already got." When dismissed the raccoon nods, and then de-summons himself.

[Princess Tracy]

"I can't... really find a warehouse marked 13A. How did you know it was 13A? I don't even know what docks to look in, or even if its one of the big company one's. We could be out all day doing this... Hang on, I know some people, I'll see if I can get someone more in the know to help. I hope he's awake..." Anoko bites her lip and sends a text in the direction of someone more dependable.

[To: Miharu
Hey, Mi-kun! There's a youkai lady here helping me look for the seed like Yukari wanted. She says its in a 'Warehouse 13A', but I don't even know which docks that's in. Can you help us out? I'm at the playground outside the compound. Yuuka seems pretty impatient.]

Ghost Anoko sighs, seeming about as done with her fleshy counterpart as Yuuka was. "So... flower youkai. What's that like? It must be better than being a ghost youkai bound to a boringly peaceful teenage girl."

"Shush, you. I don't see you helping. Talkin' like I'm the dumb one when you don't know any better. Anyway, Yuuka-san, any more details you could tell me about this place where the seed is?"

[Cespenar]

Izumo just shrugs before giving an easy grin. "Hey, it was you who called me a dog."

As they arrive at the mall, Izumo puts his hands into his pants pockets and follows Izumi, returning the occasional look from an onlooker. He lets out an involuntary chuckle when his teacher starts with her directives, however. What is this, an underground fight club inside a mall building? Actually, wait, that was a valid question.

"What is this," he reiterates himself out loud this time, "an underground fight club inside a mall building? In the middle of the city?"

Even if he recognizes the severity of the fact that Izumi herself was being all serious about it, he doesn't show it yet.

"Oh, also," he adds as an afterthought, "I'm not really good when it comes to not interfering. So, is there any backup plan?"

[Overlord Rion]

It's at this point Miharu finally notices Anoko's text from a little past 4 AM. He would have been supremely ticked off if it had woken him. He starts typing a response to Kimiko. Yeah, I've got this text from Anoko saying she was looking for the seed, but it's from like three hours ago. I'm not sure if she still needs help or not finding it. She said the youkai was impatient, so don't be surprised if the next time you see Anoko she's battered and bloody. I sent a text making sure if she still needed my help, but who knows what she's doing now. Assuming she doesn't, bookstore and philosophy discussion sound good?

Miharu sends his rather lengthy text and slips his phone into his pocket. He switches from one foot to the other waiting for a response, then remembers he didn't actually send Anoko a text.

Yo, ghost-faced killer, still need my help with directions?

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Naturally Miharu doesn't wake up for three more hours, and Anoko doesn't receive his return text until he does. When Anoko asks for more details Yuuka simply looks at the half-ghost with a disappointed expression, but the youkai doesn't explain herself. "No, I don't have any more details. There is a warehouse with the numbers painted on it near some docks without a boat. I would recognize which warehouse immediately, but the grass can only show me a small picture so I don't see more than its immediate location." With that well of information dry, Anoko is left with a simple choice: Go investigate manually, or just go home. Of course, if the half-ghost decides to investigate manually then she'd need to figure out where she starts investigating first: The commercial port, the JDF's docks, or the private citizen docks.

Izumi

When Izumo questions what, exactly, they're walking into Izumi simply shrugs. "Did you think we were going to Disney World?"

However, when the young Iga-nin suggests that he'd get involved otherwise the Ishimaru stops immediately, pivots on her heel, and glares straight at the young man. Her face is an expressionless mask that Izumo has seen Kiko adopt many times: The face of someone who has killed their emotions, and adopted the persona of the emotionless ninja. "If you intend to break the rules in this place, then the back up plan is to watch you die, go home, and eat junk food while watching the Quiz Grand Prix. There are a lot of people in there that are as strong as I am, a few that are even stronger, and none of them take kindly to breaking the rules. And that means no interfering in fights, no matter what happens and no matter what you see. Strength determines the morals of this place, and the strong are free to do whatever they wish with the weak. Those are the rules of the tiger's den, and those are the rules you must abide by. Live by them, and you can make a lot of money. Break them, and you will die."

Izumi stares at her student, directly gazing at his eyes as she judges his trustworthiness, and asks: "Are you going to listen to your senior and be a good dog, or should I save myself the trouble and just go home while you throw yourself into the jaws of the tiger?"

[Cespenar]

Izumo raises his arms in defense, almost as a reaction to seeing the Kiko-like expression.

With open palms, he says, "Look, I get it, and I probably will 'obey' your words anyway, but if I see Kiko's life being threatened, like, really threatened, you know I can't do anything else. That's why I was asking."

"At least tell me how wide this gig reaches, and how it works. I gotta figure out something, if it comes to that."

[Eurus]

[Yeah, that works. Hope Anoko-chan is okay.]

Kimiko gives her dad a quick hug before she grabs her jacket. "I'm going to meet with Miharu-kun, I guess."

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

His mentor frowns. She sighs, closes her eyes, and shakes her head. "Then I'll have to keep you alive." Izumi shrugs. "I don't care if the little lady dies. She doesn't matter to me like you do, so if you intervene then I'll get you, and only you, out alive. And even then I might fail." Izumi casually remarks on her willingness to throw Kiko away, but her overly logical reasoning is sound. What does the little lady matter to a woman who has given up everything? The Ishimaru starts walking again, faster than normal this time, and pushes through the crowd like an icebreaker through a glacier. She doesn't bother to turn around, or even acknowledge any of Izumo's potential complaints. It's easy to verify Izumi's statement from before: She and Kiko are simply too similar to get along.

The duo walk to one of the loading docks, and Izumi hops up on top of it. She guides Izumo to the door, then knocks twice on it. After a few seconds the door slides up and a burly looking man with black-hair and a scar over his left eye appears in the doorway. He looks at Izumo first, then notices the smaller woman at his side. "Coming to fight, Akatsuchi?"

"No. Introducing an idiot to the ring." The burly man looks to Izumo and raises an eyebrow, as if to ask if he was the idiot. Izumi explains. "This one is mine. Is Kurotsuchi still alive?"

The guard nods. "Fighting right now. You sure know how to pick them. Little girl's gotten a lot stronger recently. Come on in." He motions for Izumi and Izumo to enter, then closes the door behind them. He leans against the wall, and seems to be some kind of door guard.

Izumi heads inside, escorting the iga-nin down a long corridor that turns into steps leading into the bowels of the mall. Izumo can hear shouts in the distance echoing up from the darkness beneath them. Izumi speaks, but doesn't turn to her student. "No real names in this place. It's a fight club for ninja who're bored with daily life. Some people die, others have their pride bruised, and so lots of grudges are born here. No names keeps it from getting back to the clans."

Izumi looks at her student. "You'll need to work out what you're called here. I'm Red Earth, and the little lady is Black Earth."

Kimiko & Miharu

Kimiko's father hugs his daughter tightly, then points to the closet. "Weather said it would rain later today, so take an umbrella if you plan to be out after noon." Whether Kimiko gets an umbrella or not she's able to meet up with Miharu without any problems. The two of them are free to pursue their own goals, without the pressure of the clan or Anoko's crazy ghosts.

[Cespenar]

Izumo ponders upon that remark silently. A lot of feelings and consequences balanced on those couple sentences, and he slowly picks at the threads to unravel them. Normally he wouldn't think to trifle with a promise like Izumi's, but as he had said, this was Kiko's life at stake. Even if she didn't care for Kiko directly, caring for Izumo meant that she could end up saving Kiko's life in an indirect manner. Probably. If these things worked that way. Argh, never mind.

Following Izumi to the door, Izumo smirks sourly when introduced to the door guard. "Yep, idiot here."

The guard's words draws his interest hugely, however, and he hardly waits to clear the burly man to ask Izumi about it.

"So she's been fighting here for how long? And haven't been killed yet? That would mean the fights aren't to the death?"

When asked about a nickname, Izumo blurts immediately, getting the tiniest bit embarrassed afterwards. "Blast Hardcheese." A second thought reveals, why not? Only Kiko could connect that name to him anyway, so it was as good as a 'cool' one like Akatsuchi.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu stands around waiting for Kimiko to show up, but quickly grows bored meandering around in his own thoughts. Instead he starts heading towards the nearest place outside the compound with internet. He didn't have a computer of his own since he had spent all his money on equipment to better protect Seiji, but that was right up there on his list alongside a vehicle. He sends Kimiko a text saying where to meet him, and wastes no time throwing his head into full-on research mode. At first he just looks up any occult occurrences around the city. A few moments go by and he takes off his cloak. The golden bullet falls out of his pocket, and he quickly hides it again.

Well...it couldn't hurt, could it?

I can't believe I'm actually doing this, but then again I was just dealing with demons the other day...

So yeah, while waiting for Kimiko to show up, Miharu is going to do some research on the Gun God and particularly weird occult occurrences around the city, taking 10 on his research for a 19, though I recall some bonus for the internet.

[Eurus]

Kimiko obediently picks up an umbrella on her way out, and heads down to the bookstore to meet up with Miharu. She arrives several minutes after he does, and waves cheerfully in greeting while she walks up.

"What's up?"

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko deflates a little, dejected at having no clear idea of where to direct her energy. "Hmm... we don't have much to go on... but I don't intend to be empty handed by the end of the day." She gives a stretch and cracks her neck. "You know this can't possibly work. You'd be better waiting until your allies rouse so you can pool your resources - both for information and combat." "Maybe, but in the meantime maybe we'll get lucky." Also Anoko didn't want to linger around the compound with a down-to-business youkai, she didn't want to accidentally sic Yuuka on her unsuspecting friends. "We'll try the commercial docks. Those seem more likely to have numbers on them than private docks, and get us in less trouble for aimless snooping around than the military docks," Anoko declares as she decides to head in the commercial dock's general direction immediately. "At the very least a quick tour around should show if the buildings have a pattern like that - '13-A', so we'll see. I'm sure there'll be a foreman or something we can ask."

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu looks up from his computer. "Ah, Kimiko, great, you're here. I'm doing some research on all sorts of neat stuff. For example, I woke up this morning from a dream involving a god of guns with a golden bullet on my chest." He waves his hand dismissively. "That part doesn't matter though. What I really wanted to ask you is what does it mean to accept the things you have in life? One of the raccoons posed that question to me today."

[Eurus]

Kimiko pauses for a second, processing Miharu's odd choice of topic. She ends up responding to the first part, while she mulls over the second. "...A god of guns, huh? Sounds pretty silly. Wouldn't it be really young?"

She's briefly tempted to lean against a wall or something, but fear of looking like a hoodlum stops her.

"To accept the things that you have in life, huh? Weird question. Why were you talking to a raccoon about that?"

Her tone isn't mocking, just thoughtful.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu shrugs. "Probably. Didn't make the golden bullet any less weird. I'm afraid to fire the damn thing, just in case it makes the thing explode in my hands." He leans back in his chair and puts his hands behind his head. "As for the raccons...I finally met one that can talk, so I asked him a few questions and one subject led to the next." He swivels around in his chair and looks Kimiko dead in the eye. "You know how I can get about secrets. I just HAVE to know, and the best way to do that is to gain their trust. But I don't know any summoners in the area so I'm kind of screwed on the whole getting advice idea. Hell, I have no friends besides Seiji, Anoko and you."

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

His mentor ignores questions about Kiko, but does answer his last question. "The victor does whatever he or she wants with the loser. Some kill them, some maim them, others let them go, and a scant few take the losers to a blackmarket chopshop. Anyone with a bloodline is basically dead in this place, so watch how much you use that stupid body of yours." Izumi doesn't bother to elaborate what "chopshop" meant, but her statement about bloodlines leads anyone to the logical conclusion: Harvesting the eyes and other organs of special ninja.

When Blast Hardcheese announces his name Akatsuchi just looks at him with a plainly disappointed look on her face. She shakes her head, but says nothing. Akatsuchi leads the way as the stairs empty out into a wide room the size of a warehouse. The nearly sixty-by-sixty meter room has granite walls, and exposed bulbs hanging from cables dangling down from the ceiling. The lights, over thirty meters above the room, shed a shadowy light down on the floor. Blast can barely make out Akatsuchi's features in the darkness, and anyone further than arms reach is just an indistinguishable shadow. At the center of the giant room stands a massive steel cube illuminated by two flood lights pointed at it. The cube's made up of chain link fences welded together, and Blast can barely make out an entrance. Above the cage, basking in the bright light, sits a woman in a tiger-stripe jacket (http://i.imgur.com/QspKuW8.jpg). She's reclining on a lawnchair, and at the foot of her chair lays a man dripping blood from a multitude of bite marks across his body. Her feet rest on the man's head as if he were nothing more than a living ottoman. He doesn't seem to be moving at all.

But aside from the tiger-clad woman the cage itself has the main attraction: The Iga's young heiress (http://i.imgur.com/r1vJOM9.jpg) fighting a young girl (http://i.imgur.com/m4qILpH.jpg) with disturbingly white eyes and grotesque veins bulging from her temples. The heiress holds her body loosely with her left arm, and is breathing as if she were a normal human who had just run a 4km marathon. The white-eyed girl is visibly more injured, bleeding from her left side and arm, and the appendage dangles uselessly at her side. Blast can just barely spot the bone jutting out of her elbow, and it's plain that she's fighting severely handicapped. Yet, with Kiko's injuries who can rightly determine the winner?

Akatsuchi offers her insight. "Hyuuga Hanako, third heir to the remains of the Hyuuga Clan. They use a soft style that's more like kisses than punches." She speaks clinically, as if the girl standing in the ring wasn't half-dead. "It looks like she's sealed a few of the little lady's chakra points."

Anoko

Traveling to the docks proves easy enough, but the trains won't be running for another hour. As a result the two are forced to walk 1.1 km across the city toward the largest commercial dock at Shinkocho. Yuuka makes no small talk on the way over, and moves at a surprisingly slow pace. Even when her pace is pointed out the youkai makes no effort to speed up, and simply stonewalls any comments about her speed with a glare and a curt frown. It seems her physical strength carries a price to it, as even when moving at a casual walking speed Anoko effortlessly puts distance between herself and the flower youkai. Eventually, two hours later, the duo arrive at Shinkocho as the sun rises and dispels all the mist from the rainy night before. Surprisingly Anoko neither meets nor sees any normal people on the route to Shinkocho, and the few people she does see plainly stare at both the blond ninja and her green-haired companion. Their stances between their nature as ninja, but none of them attack the duo. Hopefully none of them followed the two either.

Shinkocho reveals itself as a trio of large docks designed to accommodate massive container ships housing hundreds of shipping containers. When the duo arrive, following Anoko's plan of finding a foreman or something takes the pair to the port authority. A rised four-story tower, with the words "port authority" written on it in big official print, proves easy enough to find. However, it looks dark and no movement of humans are visible through the windows from the ground. When Anoko arrives in front of the tower her ghostly half immediately feels the presence of a third youkai. The newcomer stands in stark contrast to Yuuka's aura; the flower youkai's presence tasting of grass and sunflower seeds. The new youkai tastes of iron, meat, suffering, blood, and the stomach-churning taste of living flesh. That last taste brings forth memories of Sena's own youkai nature, that of blood and violence marinated in the revolting rot of human flesh, but its steeped in more pain and suffering than that young child could have ever experienced.

Yuuka spends a scant few moments scanning the warehouses, but finds no sight of 13-A. She does point out a "Warehouse 8", marked by a large stenciled 8, and looks to her companion. "I remember that style. It's not here, but we're on the right track."

Miharu

Miharu discovers little on the internet, and it should come to no surprise to the young ninja. After all, what kind of irresponsible ninja would leave information about blood pacts and chakra just laying around on the internet? He would need a more dedicated library rather than the impressive powers of Google to discover what he's looking for concerning the araiguma. However, his search is not utterly fruitless. A creepypasta thread on 2chan's idle chat board describes the dreamscape Miharu found himself on earlier that morning: The sunblasted wasteland, the odd ever bright sky, the crumbling sands and the blasting winds are all depicted in intense detail. Oddly, each post comes from a different poster ID, and each one affirms the prior post's descriptions. One of the posters even goes on to describe the flat, pure white being with the single eye, and talks about its alien dialect.

...Of course the thread quickly devolves into claims of trolling, stupid memes, and a few people wondering when the creepypasta gets scary, but the few posters talking about their dreams seem rather genuine. Or, at least, all of them stick to the story.

[Cespenar]

Izumo maintains his stolid expression, but his stomach turn a little at the mention of the chopshops. Fortunately his bloodline wasn't connected to any definitive or visible organ, but that wasn't really much of a source of relief, seeing how the other options contain getting killed or maimed. His eyes automatically search the most obvious 'threat' in the room and find the stripe-jacketed woman, who was probably in charge of the place or something close to that, given the lighting. The tiger stripes plus the bite marks reflexively associate in his mind, and he whispers down to Izumi in a careful tone.

"Hey. Is that... the Tiger Sage?" He didn't really know much about the Sage concept beyond them being pretty badass and more or less reflect the aspects of the animal in question, but he asks nonetheless.

When he finally spots Kiko he doesn't really lash out in an attempt to get onto the stage or anything, but he does forget to breathe for a second or two. He quickly evaluates the battle, giving (perhaps with bias) the advantage to Kiko but with a blatant risk. If the heiress wouldn't conserve her chakra, she could easily give up her position. Then again, she was always more clever than him (or so he liked to believe) so she probably must have figured that out as well. And what was that about having grown stronger? Did she really survive enough of these... matches to actually grow up in power? Sheesh...

At "Akatsuchi's" explanation of Kiko's opposition, he raises a thick eyebrow. Weren't they supposed to be incognito? Then again, it was hard to hide your identity if you were the heir or a clan or someone similarly easy to recognize. That meant agents of other clans could know Kiko's identity as well. Hmm.

Feeling a need to reply to Izumi, he says, "If she conserves her chakra, she should be okay. Maintain her stance, just slug it out."

He tries to gauge how strong her taijutsu have become, and how strong her opposition is -- after watching them for a round or two, of course. Take 10 for 25 in Taijutsu.

[Eurus]

Kimiko snorts with laughter. "So you want to know their secrets for no other reason than because they know something you don't. Isn't that, like, exactly the opposite of accepting what you have in life? Not that I'm blaming you. I'd be pretty curious too. But maybe you'd have better luck with some other animal. Cats, maybe? Foxes?"

[Overlord Rion]

While Kimiko was speaking, Miharu had read through the threads and attempted to send a few messages to some of the posters talking about the figure. He needed more information about their experiences before he could make any conclusions about his own predicament. By the time Kimiko is done, so is he. "We both know I'm nosy as hell. It's what makes me even passable at investigation and analyzing evidence. I would have been a decent detective, had I not been picked as a bodyguard. I've accepted the idea that I'm nosy and a know-it-all. I wake up each morning and it's like I'm a different person." He was about to continue, then stopped himself. There was no point in dropping all his insecurities on Kimiko. Too damned nice of a person. "Anyway, have you had a cat before? They're awful little things. No way I'd deal with the cats. And foxes? You know all the myths are basically talking about the summoned ones, right? They'd be even worse."

He stands from the chair and grabs his jacket. "Either way, thanks for listening. With Seiji and Anoko off doing their own thing I thought I was going to have to talk to the raccoons the whole day. The raccoons have a secret, and they call themselves the defenders from greed and ambition. Their secret probably has to do with that. It's...well, it's a goal, and I don't really have any of those now do I? Think your dad would know anything about summoners?"

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko tries to make small talk for a while on some of the way there before giving up (almost) entirely, her sunny disposition no match for the older youkai woman's what-could-charitably-be-described-as attitude. Seeing her slow pace annoys the samurai at first as it forces her to slow down herself - usually a welcome thing when she's in a lazy mood, but without conversation to pass the time she wished to get there as soon as possible. Hm. I should sign up for Track. Maybe its too late though? Just as well maybe, I've got a lot going on. Still, maybe it'd be fun. This and other little thoughts occur to her on the way.

Anoko puts her hand on her hop as she stands outside the office - sure it looked absent, but if nothing else Yuuka recognised the font so they must be on the right track. "Cool, let's have a feel around then. I'll go give the foreman's door a knock just to check if we can get a point in the right direction, otherwise we'll just have a walk about and try to figure out the pattern," she says levelly.

"Flesh, don't you feel that?" the spirit speaks up with some urgency. "It seems you were right, flower youkai. There's a manifestation of something nearby, somewhat like myself but coated in suffering... I can't pinpoint its direction or location by myself though. Perhaps its moved from that specific warehouse by now, but its certainly in the area. I can smell it."

"Huh? Feel what? I - " "Extend your senses. Sniff at the scent of the blood of the fleshless." "Um, I'll try." Anoko takes a deep breath, closing her eyes as she tries to do just that, not really sure what she was doing but trusting her instincts.

Anoko concentrates on Sensing Chakra.

Anoko knocks on the dude's door and asks for directions to 13-A, saying she's meeting someone. If there's no response, she simply picks a direction on the warehouse row's side and starts pacing along in search of 13-A.

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

Blast's question draws Akatsuchi's attention upward. She sighs loudly. "Toramaru. I don't know her real name. Avoid her. She's not someone you can beat right now." Akatsuchi points at the dead man. "That's what happens if you try to get in the cage. The one law in this lawless hole: Duels are one-on-one fights only. No one interferes, under pain of the tiger's fangs."

When Blast looks at his childhood friend he finds her devoid of a stance. Whether that means she willfully abandoned it or simply ran out of energy remains to be seen. She looks stronger, but it's impossible to gauge the true difference between her old self and her current. Of course, when Blast offers his insight Akatsuchi simply looks at him. The dim light makes the small bikini-clad girl seem a lot more menacing. "Do you think the little lady is that boring?"

Just then a voice, sounding energetic and happy, yells into the shadowy group gathered to watch the bloodsport. "And now our two combatants are down to their last reserves! The Shirousenkou(White Glint) has lost her left arm, but Kurotsuchi(Black Earth) has run out of steam! Will white finally prevail over black, or is this the end for our girlish hero? Come on everyone, give Shiro your power!"

The crowd remains silent, and simply observes the fight instead. If Blast searches the crowd for the speaker, then he finds a thin and scrawny man in a glittering purple jacket, bright purple pants, and wielding the most ridiculously oversized pompadour imaginable. The black and well-oiled unicorn's horn slices through the darkness like a blade, gleaming in the powerful lights, as the man energetically gestures toward the cage. Yet, the entire crowd ignores him, all of them except Toramaru. The tiger-clad girl laughs and giggles at his antics.

And then the atmosphere in the ring suddenly changes. Kiko crouches low, draws in a deep breath, closes her eyes and assumes an odd stance. She grimaces, plainly having difficulty moving her chakra, while the pompadour shouts out to the void. "Oh no! It's Red Earth's inheritance technique! The patented Soul-Crushing AT-Field Crusher! How does Shiro intend to survive this?!" Akatsuchi grimaces at the name the crazy pompadour yells, and shakes her head.

"You don't just give dumb names to things when you feel like it..."

The Hyuuga prepares to defend herself, raising her one useful arm up to intercept the heiress, but it's obviously a pointless gesture when her opponent is nearly five meters away. Kiko suddenly twists her body low, then instantly thrusts her leg skyward. Blast recognizes the movement as the same style of attack that Kiko had used plenty of times before: The Shadow Dance. But Kiko was simply attacking air. The Hyuuga braces herself for impact against some unseen attack, but it proves for naught when the ground beneath the white-eyed girl suddenly launches upward. A boot of pure concrete slams into the Hyuuga's tiny body and launches her into the air. The Hyuuga flies through the air from the impact, her tiny body limper than a doll, and reaches a ridiculous height for such an attack. Blast recognizes that Kiko had performed Shadow Dance, but she launched that attack from nearly five meters away, and her body doesn't follow the girl's arc through the air. Instead, the heiress reaches upward toward some invisible object, and closes her fist softly. In response the concrete of the arena leaps upward, pilling together into a massive pillar shaped like a hand, and deftly catches the young Hyuuga's body in its palm.

The heiress gently lowers her hand, and the Hyuuga girl comes down slowly. Two red-and-white clad men, medics based on the crosses on their chests, enter the cage and head straight for the two combatants: One to the downed Hyuuga, and the other to Kiko. The pompadour shouts out her victory.

"It's OVER! White Glint has been destroyed by the power of Black Earth! Truly this little girl has become Red Earth's successor! Will she continue to climb, or will she retire like her mentor? I hope we can continue to watch this rising star shed blood!" The crowd ignores the pompadour as he starts to announce the next series of matches.

Akatsuchi grimaces at that, but continues to watch. "Kurotsuchi will come out when the medics are done, then the next match will start."

Anoko

Anoko knocks on the port authority door, and after a few moments she hears nothing. No one comes to answer the door, so it's safe to assume that no one's inside at the moment. Yuuka looks at Anoko's ghostly half and nods. "Very well. Track it down then. This is as much help as I can be. I lack the capacity to see into the realm of the dead." So that was why Yukari was specific about recruiting Anoko: Only the dead, or half-dead in case of the half-ghost youkai, could see the dead.

Anoko's chakra sensing abilities prove simultaneously effective and useless. On one hand, there is nothing stopping the young ninja from sensing chakra. On the other hand, the only thing she's able to sense is an intensely powerful mass of chakra all around her. The bottomless morass of energy, deeper and more alien than anything the young girl had ever been exposed to, swallows up all the tiny auras around it. She can't sense anything else: Her chakra, Yuuka's chakra, or even the chakra of humans nearby. The only thing the ninja's extrasensory perception picks up is the utterly incomprehensible nature of an impenetrable darkness surrounding her. Her human brain fails to make any sense of the chakra's nature, and Anoko senses an alien feeling of malice, love, and indifference intertwined into a new emotion entirely. Its aura is a color that uses neither red, blue, nor green in its creation, and it smells like burning argon. It feels simultaneously close, and yet seems as far away as the moon.

With her chakra senses so utterly overwhelmed Anoko is left with her physical senses. Unfortunately, no warehouse 13-A is visible from the port authority. She could walk northeast down the rows of warehouses, or head southwest down the other row of warehouses. The warehouse closest to Anoko to the northeast is marked "8", and on the opposite side is "7".

[Eurus]

Kimiko gives Miharu a concerned look, head tilting to one side. "No problem, we're friends, right? If you ever want to talk, I'm here, and I promise to only smack you upside the head if you really deserve it."

"As for the raccoons, it sounds like whatever secret they have must be dangerous, or powerful. Enough that they're concerned that someone might try to use it selfishly, I guess. So, you know, be careful with that. I think my dad did more taijutsu, but I can ask, I guess? He might know someone who knows more, anyway. But don't dismiss the idea of asking some of the other summons. No matter how much you might hate cats -- which are adorable and awesome, by the way -- the other tribes would probably be most likely to know of all, right?"

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko stumbles about as she sniffs out the chakra, her hand immediately going to her nose to grip then her temple, eyes squinting. "Ow, what the... what the hell is that?" she groans. "You're used to passively observing regular chakras, though its only I that seems to notice. But this is something more alien than that." "Alien...?" There was something familiar in that desscription at least. "Well... it isn't human, but that was already obvious. But its... pretty strong, I can't even feel your chakra over it, Yuuka." Anoko bites her lip. "Urgh... if I'm biting off more than I can chew, do me a favour and at least help me retreat will ya? But then the only reason you're not doing this yourself is I guess you can't do much against a ghost. Whatever." "Don't turn coward now. We're about to have perhaps the second real fight of our entire lives." "Yeah and it could be the last." "You're a samurai, shape up."

"Tch. Well the northeast direction seems to have an ascending number. We'll start with that." With that she goes past 8 and keeps walking, occasionally stopping to sense chakra to see if she can still feel that chakra.

[Cespenar]

Izumo nods at Izumi's warning about the tiger lady, if the dead guy wasn't any clue. Though would it really matter, if it really would come to that?

Being unable to fully gauge Kiko's newfound strength, he gives the fight his full attention, looking like a soccer fan watching his favorite team's match. When his teacher calls his tactics 'boring', though, he spares her an odd glance. Was she really promoting recklessness, or just being overly sarcastic as usual?

He returns to the fight just about time, catching Kiko's weird stance as the speaker announces the ludicrous name of her 'inheritance' technique. Wait, Red Earth's, not Black's?

He watches in awe as Kiko uses her doton/taijutsu (or so he thinks) move, launching the Hyuuga into the air; and finally lets out his breath when she spares her opposition for the medics to take care. At least she hasn't stepped over that line, he thinks elatedly.

He thinks about storming off to meet her at first, but then stops himself, realizing the time she'd need for her medical care. He turns to Izumi in the meantime.

"So, you taught her that? It was pretty good. She really has grown stronger, hasn't she?" he says, not certain what to feel.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu shrugs. See, the problem is I don't know if I can actually summon anything other than the raccoons. I kinda figured out a lot of the summoning stuff on my own and ended up in a pact with raccoons as a result. I don't know if the other summons would listen even if I could call upon them." As he speaks, Miharu grab his phone and sends Izumo a text:

Yo, you working on the bike? I have a few questions for you involving mechanics.

He slips it back into his pocket as he finishes his sentence. "So anyway, is there anything in particular you wanted to do today?"

[Cespenar]

Izumo replies to Miharu's message.

Yeah. What's up Casanova-kun? Gonna jump start a car or something?

[Overlord Rion]

While waiting on Kimiko's answer, Miharu takes some time to respond to Izumo.

No, I was thinking of buying a bike and could use some advice.

[Cespenar]

You have a license? Or you mean a normal bicycle? :)

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Seeing Anoko's internal struggle, and hearing both sides of her argument with herself, the green-haired youkai simply raises an eyebrow in response. But then Anoko displays her fear, and Yuuka smiles and opts to make a sarcastic remark at the girl. "So you're really only good for your body then? No spirit, no thoughts, just your meat." The youkai seems to get more aggressive as Anoko argues with herself, and like a dog chasing down its prey she leaps on the young samurai's insecurities. "What's wrong Meat-chan? Are you afraid of a meaningless thing like death? Where is your warrior spirit?"

Yuuka chuckles. "You're about to slay a ghost. Why be afraid of death when you know there's another side, and another chance? Or perhaps you don't believe." Yuuka's devilish smile spreads across her whole face, and for a moment she loses the mask of humanity and reminds the half-ghost that she's dealing with a monster rather than a woman. "Perhaps you'd prefer I eat you instead of letting the ghost destroy your soul?" That gets a deep laugh from the youkai, but she suddenly waves away such a cruel idea.

"Meat-chan should focus on acting, rather than thinking. You are a killer, born to a long line of killers, and you need to recognize that. Your grandfather even drew his sword on me once. Wanted to kill me. I was proud of him. But I was a different person (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=15025790&postcount=1347) then."

Blast

Akatuschi simply looks at her student. "There is a reason I'm called Red Earth, and it's not because I chose that name for myself." Akatsuchi turns her attention back on Kurotsuchi, and casually critiques her style.

"She's still using it poorly. It's not a style that requires taijutsu, but she's only able to think with her body. She should be able to use tenchi naturally, without her taijutsu as a medium. If she doesn't overcome this limitation, then she'll never be able to use tenchi to its utmost." When Blast talks about how much stronger the heiress has become, then Akatsuchi simply shrugs. "She's about as strong as you are currently, but no more. Surprisingly quick on the uptake though. A few more days like this, and she might sharpen up enough to grasp tenchi properly."

After several minutes the medics leave, and Kurotsuchi is the first to walk out of the cage. She's nursing her torso, rubbing her sides and breathing a little more harshly than most. The pompadour is waiting for the young heiress at the entrance to the cage, and immediately engages in a conversation with her as soon as she's out of the cage. Akatsuchi raises her arm to block Blast from running forward as soon as the heiress leaves the cage. "There's still the award ceremony. Lets wait a little longer to see what she does."

The pompadour shouts loudly. "I'm here with the winner, Black Earth. You've been on a rampage against our new blood. What do you owe your success to? Are you truly the Red Earth's second coming?" Kurotsuchi says something, but it's impossible to hear her over the ambient noise of the crowd and the fact that she doesn't have a loudspeaker or anything. The pompadour shouts out her response. "Red Earth is retired forever? Truly? But certainly she taught you her trademark Soul-Crusher, did she not?" Again, the heiress responds, and again the pompadour shouts out her response. "She did not? Then, ladies and gentlemen, we have found a true miracle: Someone who developed Red Earth's Soul-Crusher on her own! So, tell me Black Earth, what do you plan to do with your defeated opponent?"

Kurotsuchi's mouth doesn't move for a long time, then she suddenly says something. Obvious shock plays across the pompadour's features, and he learns in and whispers something to the young heiress. She nods her head, then says something. The pompadour swallows, then looks to Toramaru. For once, he seems unsure of himself as he shouts to the entire room. "I-It seems that Black Earth has decided to... to keep White Glint. W-will our lady consent to this strange request?" Did the heiress intend to take the Hyuuga to one of those chopshops Akatsuchi mentioned? The tiger-clad woman simply stands up with her eyes closed. She looks to the bright lights above, clears her throat, and nods her head.

"Gaoooo!" The stupid sounding "roar" is the only response, yet the crowd recognizes it immediately. Akatsuchi shakes her head and sighs, while the rest of the ninja gathered cheer. The pompadour rubs the back of his neck nervously.

"I-It seems the Lady has spoken. Kurotsuchi... will be granted the loser, White Glint, as her prize." The pompadour goes to talk to the medics, and Kurotsuchi starts heading out of the room and into the shadowy crowd. If Blast and Akatsuchi don't act immediately, then they may risk losing the heiress. When Kiko starts to move Akatsuchi looks at Blast, and then lowers her arm.

"Perhaps she's changed more than I think."

Miharu and Kimiko

Miharu's cell goes off as he receives a text. When the two head outside they find themselves face-to-face with a rather large crowd. A group of men, ranging from teen youths to older bent-backed men, have gathered in a circle around something. The sound of a young girl comes from within their midst. "U-uh. E-excuse me", the voice says in English rather than Japanese, "I am looking for the Sunaki Residence? Su-na-ki." The girl sounds out the name slowly, but the group don't seem to be paying attention to her. Naturally, both Kimiko and Miharu recognize the name as belonging to the captain of the Archery Club: Sunaki Kara. If the two go to investigate the speaker, then they find the crowd of men has gathered around an eccentrically dressed woman (http://i.imgur.com/ptmk1Eu.png) with dark skin and... pointed ears? She wears an obvious look of humiliation, and it's no doubt due to her pale white "clothes". Her glossy-white hair seems inhuman, almost alien, and it's compounded by a pair of ears poking out of her bunched up bangs. The girl looks at the crowd with obvious discomfort, but none of them move back. "P-Please, I-I am trying to find S-Sunaki. Does a-anyone know them?"

[Princess Tracy]

Already shaken, Anoko actually lets the youkai's intimidation get to her, resting on her back leg as she shivers and stares. At the question of where her warrior spirit was, the ghostly half makes a sound somewhere between a cough and a laugh, right here. She bites her lip and turns away at last when told to focus on acting rather than thinking. Maybe there was some truth to the monster in that much at least. She couldn't really plan her way around whatever was about to happen. It was either run away now or go see what this thing was. She doesn't have a solid response for anything Yuuka says to her, and was increasingly less than amused by speaking with her.

"My grandfather? Never heard about him," she comments obliviously, trying to brush off the youkai's comments. "Let's just... get this over with," she comments, gulping.

"She's yet to claim a life, this one. Perhaps her bloodline as a youkai and a killer are just too diluted. We shall see." Truthfully, the ghost rather openly hopes for a life or death fight, so that her other half might at last learn the ways of bloodshed from herself, that desperation would drive her. "In fact, if you've no interest in helping you may as well run off before you get yourself hurt in the crossfire," the ball of light comments, waving about a gaseous tail like a hand dismissing the youkai. "Er, no, what if I need help finding this thing..."

Can one really have their soul destroyed? They must do, that's what Anoko was supposed to do here. But then the same could be said of her own soul. Her hand goes to the key in her pocket her father left her, wondering if she could make use of that to flee... but then a truly wrathful ghost would surely be able to follow her to that weird plane of limbo.

She takes a deep breath, and heads on her way past warehouse 8 as planned, intermittently Sensing Chakra to see if that presence was still in range.

[Eurus]

"I dunno, I was thinking we'd check the bookstore, there's a new series I heard about..."

Kimiko trails off as they step outside and see the crowd, and the bizarrely-dressed woman in the middle.

"...What on earth?"

Once she hears the name Sunaki, Kimiko's mind immediately starts spinning increasingly unlikely explanations for the situation, ranging from "summon-tribe rabbit somehow stranded in Japan" to "Sunaki's long-lost American sister fresh from the Playboy Mansion".

"She's looking for Sunaki-san? I don't know where her house is, but we can probably look it up. We should help her, right?"

Without waiting for an answer, Kimiko walks up to the crowd and tries to wave over it, calling out in English.

"Um, excuse me! Do you need some help, ma'am? I know a Sunaki."

[Cespenar]

Blast looks intrigued. "Tenchi? How come you never told me about it? Y'think I'm too thick for that?"

Watching the award ceremony beside Akatsuchi, Blast squints hard, trying to understand the expression he's seeing on Kurotsuchi's face. When the pompadour announces her wish, he doesn't flinch. He merely waits for the ceremony to end without any reaction, to finally be able to go talk with her himself.

He launches into a brisk walk the moment Akatsuchi's arm drops, using his bulk to carve a path towards the heiress. He throws a straight look at his mentor in place of a reply, projecting that he isn't buying what she's trying to say. Or what everyone is trying to say. Kiko wasn't like that, and no amount of illegal cagefighting could change it. She must have another thing in mind.

[ZeroNumerous]

Kimiko and Miharu

The crowd around the bunny-suited girl doesn't move apart, and Kimiko is forced to wave over the men's head and shout to make herself known. Hearing the English the girl looks around, and finally spots Kimiko's waving hand. She steps into the crowd, and they part to allow her to move toward the two Iga-nin. She looks at Kimiko first, and beyond her weird ears, strange hair, and disturbing outfit are her hours: Two orbs of molten gold filled with concern and worry. "Ah", she says in English, "Sunaki? Can you show me to her?" The girl looks expectantly at Kimiko and Miharu, since they don't seem interested in just staring at her.

Blast

Akatsuchi simply shakes her head. "It's not something you would understand. It only works for people excluded from tenchi." Excluded from heaven and earth? It would certainly fit an outcast, but there couldn't possibly be a technique that requires you to kill all your connections could there? Or, worse, connect to some abstract concept outside of reality (http://naruto.wikia.com/wiki/Jashin).

Eventually Akatsuchi and Blast find themselves near the cage, and can easily follow in the wake left behind by Kurotsuchi's departure. The duo follow behind her until she comes to a door on the far north side of the room. It's hard to make out what's written on the door, but it's obvious from the giant red cross on its front that it's a medical area of some sort. Kurotsuchi heads inside, and Akatsuchi follows up to the door. She stops, turns around, and leans against the wall. "Have fun kiddo."

If Izumo follows Kiko inside, then he finds a room that looks like it belongs to a high school nurse. Three beds, little curtains for privacy, and a a man with a bloodstained lab coat (http://i.imgur.com/K8wKi9U.jpg). The doctor stands over the pale white-eyed girl from before, and seems to be setting the bones in her arm and preparing her for a splint. The heiress stands behind him, watching the girl's face with that same weirdly inhuman look on her face. "Will she be okay?"

"In time", the doctor says, "her bones I can't do anything for, but her body is robust. It'll be a few hours until the medication wears off and she can walk. Or... would you rather carry her?" The doctor looks at Kiko, and Izumo can see his hand drifting downward. But it stops when the heiress responds.

"No, I want to talk to her." The doctor turns around fully, and now he notices Izumo. That causes the heiress to turn to see what he was looking at, and when she notices Izumo she just sighs and smiles before turning around again. "Don't mind him. Just keep working."

Anoko

When Anoko senses chakra she finds that range seems to mean nothing as far as that presence is concerned: It neither moves away nor toward the samurai, and its intensity never fades in the slightest. The constant inhuman nature of it is so pervasive that nothing exists beneath its weight. Anoko can't even feel herself or her ghost as she gets lost amid the whirlwind of darkness. The more Anoko watches it the more she realizes that its not simply inactive. The morass of energy seems to be flowing forward, as far as forward meant anything to the samurai's ESP, and Anoko finds herself drifting along its course. Every time she stops to sense chakra she ends up walking toward the port authority rather than toward whichever direction she wanted to go. If Anoko finally stops sensing chakra, then she quickly finds Warehouse 13. However, it holds no "A" or "B" after it, and the next warehouse is 14 rather than 13B. Yuuka frowns deeply when she notices that there's no A or B after the 13, and looks toward Anoko.

"It seems like there's nothing here, but I'm certain this writing is the same. Is there anything else near here?"

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko looks the warehouse over, then to Yuuka. ]"Well, um... we could try another yard." [/COLOR]"Don't start that. You know where to look." Anoko bits her lip at the ghost outing her. "No one asked your opinion..." There was a truth there though. She was being drawn to the foreman's office when she tried to feel out the aura, and even if it didn't pan out she could dig out a map of the facilities at least. "Okay... I'm gonna break down a door I guess. 'Follow my instincts' and all that."

Just to make sure one last time, though mostly in denial, Anoko tries sensing chakra again and walks, seeing where her feet take her. If she's brought to the office once more, she takes a deep breath, walks up to the door and readies her hand on her sword in a quickdraw stance. She shivers awkwardly, drawing this out. "For heavens' sake. Yuuka, break down the door, I can't wait here for my cowardly flesh to do it. She suspects either the target is on the other side, or a hint to its location is. Once she's in mortal danger, she'll have no choice but to fight." Anoko would cringe and scold the spirit, but dare not break her stance. If Yuuka refuses, Anoko rears back and puts her shoulder into it to break the lock on the door. Flesh, why don't you use the key? And fight this thing on its home turf, are you crazy?

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Anoko's attempt to sense chakra once again sees her drifting back to the port authority once more. It's plain that she has one particular place to go, and when she hesitates to kick open the door. Yuuka laughs at her. Hearing Anoko's ghostly half complain about "heaven" gets yet another laugh from Yuuka. "You don't want those bastards to get involved. Masochists, the lot of them, so I suppose you'd get along that way." When Anoko's ghost demand's Yuuka's intervention the youkai bristles. She was nothing if not independent, but eventually she agrees. In one swift kick Yuuka's intense physicality shatters the door like glass hit with a brick, and the splinters clatter to the ground sound like rain on the roof.

The blow reveals a dark room decorated by blood on the floor, stairs, and walls. Several broken objects and four corpses dominate the room. One is a very young man, likely an intern or high school student, and the other three are adults between 25 and 40. Their corpses are stacked together in a small pile, with the youngest corpse on top, and a bloody hole is scooped out of his stomach. Looking around reveals nothing about the ghost, but rather: The only thing around is a tiny sapling, young and fragile, growing from the young boy's corpse. It drinks deeply of his spilled blood with its roots, and grows instinctively to the concrete sky. Yuuka frowns deeply when she sees that, but looks around the room all the same. "You'll have to burn them later. Where is the ghost?"

[Princess Tracy]

The ghost hovers in the room without a second thought, like an animal gliding along the scent of blood. "I don't see a ghost. What is that sapling? The seed we were looking for?"

"AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Anoko's scream is shrill and sudden like a damsel in distress, drowning out her collected side's response. A primal fear whose expression was hardly voluntary, it just welled up and exploded out in the blink of an eye as she took in the scene, as suddenly she knows she's in mortal danger. Her eyes wide as saucers, she abandons her quick-draw ready crouch and instead draws her sword outright, putting it out in front of her like a shield against the contents of the room. Surprise and horror mixed together, the ineffable truth of her own eventual death and the murder her station would require hitting her like a tonne of bricks with the sudden lethality of her present state. She knew such scenes would await her one day, but she wasn't ready for it today. She had hoped, that by the time such blood was spilled out before her, that she would be capable of killing herself. Dragged ineffably towards her ultimate fate one way or another, she retreats to battered nerves.

"CALM," the ghost commands. Suddenly Anoko feels a third hand cradle the handle of her blade with her as her panting does calm a little. "Your strength is beyond mortal. I am here. We shall fight and we shall win and we shall return home. Together." While still shell shocked, Anoko does not run away at least, as she looks wildly around the room.

"There's something we've not been told here," the ghost intones, becoming a calm and almost humanoid figure of smoke as Anoko's stress leaves her other half to take charge. "What do you know of this seed and this ghost? What do they want? And what do they want with these bodies?"

"Meat-ch - ...Anoko. In a moment, we'll use the key and look around, understood? It'll be better than being blind."

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Yuuka looks at Anoko as she screams. "Were you a virgin? More's the pity."

Anoko's ghostly half gets much the same treatment. "Youkai eat humans and as a result humans consider youkai to be monsters. Some youkai agree, and some of those monsters don't deserve to live. Yet, not all youkai speak." With that cryptic statement Yuuka looks back to Anoko's flesh.

"Where is the ghost?"

[Cespenar]

Izumo scratches his head against that explanation, but trusts his mentor and drops the subject. She knew him better than anyone, after all, especially regarding his limits and strengths. But did that mean Kiko eschewed her connections willingly to achieve this kind of power? It was kind of a freedom, he admits, but too much of a thing...

Following her inside, Izumo smiles back when coming in eye contact with her, but doesn't speak at first. Only after the doctor resumes his work does he open his mouth.

"Finally found ya."

[Princess Tracy]

"We'll have a look on the other side. Look around the room for a map of the facilities while we do that, if this '13-A' warehouse is around this yard it should be plainly obvious from the records here." The ghost tuts at Yuuka's answer, still left wondering what this seed meant. Anoko takes a deep breath, her hands ceasing their shaking. She needed to know where this youkai was, at least. She readies her stance again and her eyes half lid as she tries to feel it again, perhaps now at this range she would detect it. The ghostly Anoko had plainly seen the ghosts on the bus yesterday so assumed there wasn't anything in particular to detecting a ghost for her - either it was there and she saw it, or it was absent or well hidden and she didn't. At least as she understood it. If Anoko is unable to unveil the ghost clearly through her effort to Sense Chakra, she then reaches into her pocket, producing it from her pocket. She puts it out at waist-height and gives it a turn as she had the previous day when in limbo, miming the opening of some invisible door to reach the other world and look there.

"We are a Samurai." "And... whatever this thing is, it's a murderer to be stopped."

Concentrate on sense chakra, then if that pans out as well as I predict it to, magic key.

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Yuuka looks at Anoko's ghostly half when given orders. "No. There's no point in searching for the seed any longer. Where is the ghost?"

When Anoko reaches out with her ESP once more she finds herself immediately overwhelmed. Just as before Anoko is unable to determine where the source is, as its monstrous existence seems to envelope everything around it. However, this time it's different, and immediately Anoko's sixth sense is assaulted by its brilliance, as if she had stared into the sun.

Sensing Chakra forces Anoko to make a DC 18 Will Save or be dazed, which stops her from performing any actions.

Blast

The doctor stares at the newcomer for some time, then goes back to work. The heiress doesn't bother to turn around, but her words are surprisingly sharp. "You found me. I hope you don't intend to force me to go back."

[Princess Tracy]

"So that stalk sprouting out of that corpse over there IS of the seed then? Well I don't SEE the ghost, Meat-chan sense for - OW." "Argh, damn...!" Anoko and her ghostly half recoil in a dizzy sort of pain as one as she tries to feel out the forces around her. "What IS that, its HUGE..." is all Anoko can babble out as she sways onto her back foot.

If her moment of vertigo at the great energy passes without her being attacked, she looks to Yuuka, panting, her mind more in the game now at least. "If... if that's the presence of the thing you want me to fight, I can't beat THAT," she says honestly, yet grips her sword all the tighter. "I have a key for reaching other world that Yukari 'taught' me how to use... but shouldn't I see it on this plane too? My ghost is on this plane and I can see her... It must have been to do... this." A ghost that can move from this plane to the next. If she were more educated on the ways of the youkai and the nature of the plains, she might formulate a more accurate guess of what she's up against. She does her best to keep her breathing under control but all the focus in the world wouldn't summon knowledge she was without education on.

[Cespenar]

Izumo looks genuinely surprised.

"Force you to come back? When have I ever forced you to do anything? I just wanted to find you so I could watch your back." He makes a show to look around the place as if he is going to buy it. "If this is where you wanna hang out, then I can watch your back around here, no biggies."

He adds after a while. "That was a pretty cool move, though, back there. I thought it was some kind of doton, but Iz- ah, Akatsuchi called it something else..."

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Yuuka simply watches the youkai girl in pain, and frowns when she suggests her "plan". "That grandma should have told you: The ghost is on this side. It's why she needs a priest or a half-ghost to find it. If you pass the barrier, then you'll be useless to me. Ninja magic isn't what's necessary either. We need you, the half-ghost, not you, the human mage."

Blast

The heiress bristles when Blast mentions Akatsuchi, and the doctor raises his head. "I thought she retired..."

"She did. Is the girl going to be awake soon?" Kurotsuchi's response is a lot more aggressive than Blast remembers her being. The prizefighter turns to Blast. "I'll tell you about it later."

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko stays silent a moment. Whatever she was doing wasn't working then. She wasn't quite sure what to do form there except quiet down as she steadies her breathing some more. "Well... I don't see anything here," she repeats. She looks over to the dead bodies, holding back a wretch. "We should... do something about those..." "As a 'human mage' I sense something, but as a 'half-ghost', I see nothing." There's a sigh as suddenly the girl tries to focus her 'other' senses, gripping her sword as she tries her instincts. "I would leave and scour out to look elsewhere, but there is SOMETHING here." The ghost and the flesh squint their eyes as one as they look.

Take a move action to make 2 spot checks thanks to phantom sight. [roll0] [roll1]

[Cespenar]

Ascribing Kiko's sudden aggressiveness to some kind of secret she and Izumi seem to be keeping, Izumo again drops the subject and just nods at Kiko, crosses his bulky arms in front of him and stays silent.

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Anoko's phantom sight reveals nothing in this room, which is odd. The corpses in front of her lack any spirits, yet she sees no shinigami around to reap them--or at least, she sees nothing like she imagines a shinigami would look. Shouldn't these men have souls, or at least loose spirits or something? Oddly, Anoko's phantom sight does reveal that the tree has some sort of spirit to it. Perhaps that is what Yuuka meant when she said not all youkai can speak? Regardless, when Anoko's ghostly half points out that she sees nothing Yuuka shrugs. "I suppose there is nothing here then. We should burn the tree, and keep searching for the ghost."

Blast

When the doctor goes back to work on the Hyuuga, then Kurotsuchi backs off a bit. She moves toward the door, and motions for Blast to follow her, but she stops just before leaving. Instead, the girl turns her back on the wall and watches the doctor work while conveniently blocking the exit. Perhaps stopping anyone from entering, or perhaps she's simply preventing the doctor from leaving? Regardless, she turns her attention on Blast. She whispers to him quietly, straining to keep her voice as low as possible. "What are you doing here? It's not safe to be in this place. Did Izumi send you here?"

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko rubs her temples as she tries to take in her perceptions along with everything else, the ghost floating around the room to look around for some matches. "My flesh is a fire-type, but her instructor hasn't taught us to use our inner flame. A tree youkai..." The ghost wonders at what the tree would mature into if left to its own devices and why it had been 'planted' so. "I don't suppose the tree here fed on these humans' souls? I don't see those either, despite being recent murder victims. Unless someone else has claimed their spirits already..."

"Meat-chan," the ghost goes back to her usual, bored tone once it appears a fight is not imminent, leaving Anoko to jump out of her thoughts for a moment. "As Yuuka-kun said, the bodies wouldn't do well to be left here." Anoko gags shortly but nods, going about looking for such a thing. "Its either we light the fire here or move the bodies elsewhere in plain daylight. Leaving them here to look for supplies is worst of all, with the door blasted open and the room in the shape it is. There are some ninjas that have been tailing us, though I doubt they mean to attack. WAIT. Meat-chan, your gloves." Anoko nods at her levelheaded side's advice, producing her special storage gloves from her pocket and snapping them on to not leave fingerprints. She was deep in the ninja world now. Now... this was not the affairs of ninja. But it was one of meaningless violence all the same.

[Overlord Rion]

"What are you loo-...oh. Oh man, she looks like an elf." Miharu does a double take when he sees her coming towards them. Speaking of staring, Miharu was looking in every direction except the girl in front of him. "Yeah, I suppose we should. Why, exactly, are you looking for Sunaki?" Why does weird stuff keep happening to me? He pulls his hat down over his eyes so can at least look like he's not staring. While we're at it, what's your name?"

[Eurus]

Kimiko frowns in thought.

"I know a Sunaki-san, she goes to my school. I don't know where she lives, but I might be able to look it up. Let me give it a shot."

Pulling out her phone, Kimiko experimentally tries a web search.

[Cespenar]

Izumo looks unfazed by Kiko's aggressive advance.

"Nah, I kinda asked her until she budged. And besides, those questions would better suit me than you," he replies, looking inquisitively at her.

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

"Smart girl. Yes. This tree would be the end of your world. It draws humans to it, and drinks deep of their souls. Certainly a half-human like yourself has felt its siren call." Yuuka makes no effort to help the ninja gather her materials for a fire. Instead, the flower youkai heads outside, perhaps a fear of flame drives her away? Fortunately one of the men was a smoker, and had a lighter on his person. Unfortunately the only kindling around are the dead men's clothes. The man's lighter makes it easy to start a fire, and soon the four corpses and the tree are ablaze. The wood burns a sickly green, and its heat is intense. So much so that no trace of flesh or scrap of cloth remains of the four dead men. Once the green flame dies down there is nothing but a black stain on the floor showing that any men were ever there. When Anoko leaves the building she finds Yuuka outside basking in the warmth of the rising sun like a flower.

Kimiko & Miharu

Unfortunately Kimiko's search brings up nothing, but then again that's to be expected. They'd need a physical phone book to find someone easily. When Miharu asks the girl her ears dip and she rubs her head. "Ah, uh", she still uses English rather than Japanese, "I'm a relative from Amelica." Her accent doesn't sound American. "My name is Amy?" She's lying so poorly that it's obvious even to a simpleton. But why she's lying, and why she's lying so badly, remain a mystery.

Izumo

Kiko simply stonewalls any question about herself, proving Izumi right once more. "Don't get involved in this place. Someone like you won't survive long in the tiger's den."

The doctor suddenly breaks into the conversation then. "I think she's ready to be moved. She won't be awake for another few hours, but it should be safe to move her. Just keep her head elevated." The heiress looks over her shoulder at the doctor, then looks back to Izumo.

"Meet me outside the den in five minutes. I've got to take care of my new investment."

[Princess Tracy]

"My flesh did feel drawn to it when sensing for its 'chakra', or whatever essence composes youkai," the ghost admits.

Anoko silently cringes as she feels around for the lighter, giving it an experimental flick and staring into the budding flame it produces after a few attempts. With Yuuka gone, she just stands there for a long moment before the bodies before her become unbearable by themselves. "I'm sorry..." she mutters earnestly the deaf ears of the innocent deceased. With another few clumsy flicks through her gloved hand, she catches the light again and goes about making kindling of the tree and men, watching as they turn to ash. The smoke and heat stab at her face more as unwitting tears streak her cheek, as she almost unblinkingly watches the fires break down everything into a beautiful and disgusting oblivion. Death and fire... this was her world. As a youkai, and a samurai. She expected the whole office to go up, but no, just this, just the evidence... How 'fortunate'.

She stares at the dark mark on the floor, then slowly walks backwards away from it before swivelling around to hovel out into the daylight. She stumbles forward a little further before reaching a wall near Yuuka to support herself. Facing away from the flower youkai, she dry wretches. The ghost sighs, but voices no criticism as Anoko composes herself, wiping her tears once the feeling of dizzy nausea passes. She gives a look to Yuuka's composure, then to the sky, frowning quietly. Her hand still shakes until she tucks it over her blade's handle, some associated comfort in feeling armed, a reminder that she had strength enough to protect herself, or perhaps that she should maintain composure on the battlefield, and that this was her battlefield.

"... This ghost. Any ideas where they could be?" she asks, quietly as she extends her senses to Sense Chakra once again, exerting what skill she had as a 'human mage' once more.

[Cespenar]

Izumo shrugs when warned against the place.

"I don't care for the place anyway. I came to find you."

When Kiko asks him to meet outside, Izumo gazes at her silently for a while, glances once at the Hyuuga, and then just nods. He promptly exits the room and heads for outside of the "tiger's den", gesturing at Izumi on the way.

He had to trust her. What was the point otherwise?

Five minutes isn't enough time for a surgery anyway.

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Anoko's attempt to sense chakra does little to help. The only thing she can sense is herself and Yuuka. The flower youkai's chakra leaves the sense of fresh rain, plowed fields, and hard work. She lacks the alien nature of the tree youkai, but perhaps that's because she comes from the same world as humans--a flower, rather than a demon. No other chakra signatures are within the samurai's range, except the lingering inhuman nature of the demonic tree. When Anoko asks her question Yuuka shakes her head.

"If I had all the answers what use would you be? It planted the seed, so it likely possessed a human body. Who knows where it could be, or if your ghostly half could even spot it?"

Izumo

The heiress doesn't respond, but instead turns her attention to the doctor. Izumo is left to freely leave whenever he likes.

When the bodyguard heads outside he finds himself struggling to penetrate the shadows of the main arena. Unlike the doctor's office, which had been well lit, the area around the arena remained in perpetual twilight. He finds Izumi where she'd stayed behind, but she's not alone. A young man (http://i.imgur.com/wmF1On2.jpg) with intense eyes stares at the Ishimaru. Whatever discussion they were having seems to have ended, and the young man is simply staring at her with an unreadable look on his face. Izumi is, as always, utterly indifferent to the complaints of those below her. Her look mimics the young heiress' own mask of indifference, and she looks toward Izumo when he appears.

"Did you get to talk to that idiot girl, Blast?" She doesn't even flinch when using Izumo's pseudonym.

[Cespenar]

Izumo sighs as he gets out, and he gives the young man a perfunctory nod as he approaches Izumi, or rather, Akatsuchi.

"Yeah, I did," he answers after a while, not really wanting to elaborate. He gives a look to the other man, and unsure if he's interrupting anything, he adds.

"I'm heading out. She's gonna meet me outside."

[ZeroNumerous]

Blast

The young man, really more of a boy than a man, doesn't respond to Blast's gaze or nod. Instead, he simply stares at Akatsuchi without any thought or presence to his stance. Meanwhile Akatsuchi just looks at Blast, but doesn't say anything for awhile once he starts to speak. At least, until Blast starts to walk away. "You might not like what she has to say. When the time comes, then my friend here would like you to keep the new girl alive." Akatsuchi turns to look at the intense young man, but doesn't she say anything to him. Instead, she simply shrugs. "Or kill her, whatever you wanna do. You'll be fine regardless of what you choose: Kurotsuchi couldn't use tenshi against you anyway."

[Princess Tracy]

"Possessed a human body?" Anoko repeats quietly, wondering grimly at the implications. Her eyes widen as she recalls fighting Konpaku-san, how she seemed like a different person when she drew her blade. The ghost's memories reach her of seeing the other girl's ghostly half overlap her physical form to become one. She makes a mental note, wondering if her ghost could do the same. "I... I don't know. Though... I wonder if I'm not the only one that could fight this ghost. That girl, with white hair like dad..." she trails off, it wasn't right to drag her into this mess, was it? Still, perhaps she could ask her about all of this later.

"Perhaps we should take a break, if none of us know how to track this ghost or what they are after. It is an enemy who is invisible in the truest sense."

"And... and do what? Wait for it to strike again?" "Perhaps - an assassin must take some action, must reveal themselves in some way, to take a life." "But how many more people will die before we catch them? And why will it be any different from this time? It's not like we'll be any more ready than we are now! There's a whole CITY out there!" Anoko stands up her full height, actually finding some courage at the thought of defending innocents. "We'll bring Miharu-kun next time, find a trail to follow." "Miharu..." "He may be useless in combat, but he can keep us from wandering in the dark."

Anoko brings up her phone, wandering what time it was, if her friends were even awake yet. Some help wouldn't be so bad, maybe...

[Cespenar]

Blast looks at Akatsuchi as if she said something inconceivable.

"She doesn't need me to stop herself from killing her," he replies, the words sounding dumb to him even as he speaks. "She'll be fine."

He thinks about her last phrase on his way to outside. So, she cast away her links but no him? He finds that hard to swallow, really.

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

It's already well into the morning, so it's reasonable that Miharu would be awake. But Yuuka, having heard both sides of Anoko's conversation, questions the samurai's plan. "Can your friend track a ghost? Though, if he's another half-ghost like yourself, then he may be useful to us." The flower youkai looks toward the sky. "But it is likely that our enemy will not attack without first crossing the barrier to get another seed. There is little reason to kill humans without exterminating them all. Otherwise, it's no different than stepping on ants while leaving the ant hill untouched: A meaningless gesture."

Izumo

His mentor touches her face absentmindedly, and simply mutters her response. "So you say."

The Iga-niin is able to make his way through the crowd with little effort, but Akatsuchi doesn't follow. He finds the crowd parts a lot less easily without the small young girl at his side, his physicality affording him no respect in a place full of ninja and killers on edge, but eventually he pushes his way through the shadowed masses to the door once more. The burly man at the front gate watches Izumo come up, and notes that his mentor isn't with him. He becomes visibly distraught. "Oh come on. Is Akatsuchi fighting and I don't get to see it?"

Whether Izumo assuages the man's concerns or not the door guard doesn't stop him from leaving. Five minutes pass outside the underground fighting arena, but Kiko makes no appearance. That time stretches on to six minutes, seven, and finally the door opens and the black-haired heiress comes out. She has a black-haired girl on her back, her arms draped over the heiress' shoulders, and looking every bit like the younger sister sleeping on her older sister's back. Of course Izumo recognizes the black-haired younger girl Kiko is carrying as the Hyuuga from before. The heiress beelines toward Izumo, and the Iga-nin spots two ink-like tattoos on the Hyuuga girl's wrists.

The heiress looks at Izumo, but says nothing. She then starts walking toward the train, as if expecting the big bodyguard to follow without her needing to ask.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu almost sighs, but holds it back. No point in getting annoyed. Weird things were starting to get to be the norm for him. "All right, there's probably a phone book in my house. Kimiko, tell her that and follow me." Miharu switched back to japanese and planned on staying that way. He didn't trust for a second that she was American, but he was going to attempt to keep up the normal kid appearance as long as he could. Hopefully his dad hadn't thrown away their phone book.

He checks his phone to see if Anoko replied to his text about help. Seeing no response yet, and thus no excuse to throw this event on Kimiko, he frowns. Damn, for once I WANTED to go and do something crazy dangerous.

[Eurus]

Kimiko nods.

"Good plan. Okay, miss... Amy. We'll help you find Sunaki-san's house. I don't know her address, but if you want to come with us, we can probably find a phone book at home. Sorry, but it's better than just asking random people, right? And we can, um, get you some clothes? If you want. I don't know if you're my size, but we can find something for you to borrow..."

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu and Kimiko

Once Kimiko explains what's happening, then "Amy" follows the duo wherever they'd like to go. However, when the question of clothes comes up "Amy" gets a bit more guarded. "U-uh, um, I h-have to wear this. I, uh, I lost a bet?" Her lies are as easily seen-through as air, so it seems she's telling the truth about being forced to wear it. Yet obviously a bet is not the reason why. When the duo return to the compound they find the gate manned, and the guard raises an eyebrow at the dark-skinned girl. However, once either Kimiko or Miharu vouches for her the gate's opened, albeit not without some open ogling from the guard.

Unfortunately for the duo, as soon as Miharu opens the door he can see that his family has guests. Twelve sets of shoes are neatly arrayed in the entrance way, and Miharu only recognizes his brother Jun's and Ayaka's. The laughter of girls comes from the living room further into the house, which meant that Ayaka and friends from her art club at school were having a get-together. The duo could burst into the room, but explaining the dark-skinned bunny-suited foreigner would require some exceptionally fast thinking. Especially considering they'd have to explain to Miharu's 12 year old "normal" sister, and her normal non-ninja non-weirdo friends.

[Overlord Rion]

Just my luck. "You two stay here and uh..." He looks over to Amy "Try not to be conspicuous, as much as you can in that getup." He heads inside and starts looking for the phone book.

[Eurus]

Kimiko chuckles, looking back at "Amy".

"That's probably a good idea. Let's take a little walk, miss Amy. We wouldn't want Mi-kun's little sister asking awkward questions."

If Amy follows her, she walks a little bit away from the house, just enough that they probably won't be spotted from a window or something. Eventually, she decides to try and make some conversation.

"Did I ever introduce myself? My name is Iga Kimiko, and my friend there is Momotami Miharu. We go to school with Sunaki Kara, who I really hope is the person you're looking for, or at least related to them. Not to pry, or anything, but... how did you end up lost in the city like that?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu and Kimiko

When Kimiko leads her away the foreigner demurely follows. However, when the iga-nin questions her "Amy" finds a surprisingly resilient backbone. "Oh, I-I came on the boat. From Amelica." She sticks to the terribly obvious lie. "It was, um, a long trip. We came from... Um. N-New York?" That kind of trip would require going through the Panama Canal. She likely picked the one American city she knew.

Miharu, fortunately, was getting a lot more luck. The girls were busy in the kitchen, eating something, and didn't notice the young boy enter the living room. Or, at least, most of them were. A small dark-haired girl (http://i.imgur.com/cJXbL1B.jpg) who looks vaguely like someone Miharu knew sat at the table. She's quietly reading when Miharu comes in, but looks up when he enters. She blushes, and then buries her head in her book trying to disappear from view.

Miharu could make a Search check to find the phone book.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu takes note of the girl, mostly because of her attempt to hide herself in her book. He smiles, not used to that kind of reaction at his presence. Instead, he takes his time trying to find where his dad had put the phone book. After all, his father was the only one who used the thing in the first place.


Miharu is just going to take 10 for a 20.

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu and Kimiko

Miharu's able to find the phone book after a good deal of digging and hunting. Now he just needs a place of peace and quiet where he can look through it. While the boy is searching the girl watches him. Of course, she does it while peeking over her book and hiding her face whenever Miharu searches in her direction, but she watches him all the same.

[Princess Tracy]

"He... isn't a half-ghost, no. But he's a ninja, and he's smarter than me. If this ghost is taking physical form, I figured he would be useful then. The other half-ghost I know is someone else, though I don't have her phone number..." Anoko folds her arms, actually she lived with sensei on the school grounds, didn't she? She could go find her there, right. "We could go meet her if you think that would help." She didn't want to drag anyone into this, but maybe Sena at least had some answers. And maybe she was in over her head alone... still, she wouldn't let Yuuka bully the Konpaku into fighting if she didn't want to. "This thing really seeks... human extinction? Why? Something like that is... unfathomable." The ghost interjects from its contemplation. "Perhaps we won't need to look too far. If this ghost becomes aware that we foiled its first attempt at growing the tree, perhaps it will seek to eliminate us personally. Yuuka, I have some ability to cross the barrier - would it be productive to try and look around there? Though I've only been once, when Yukari 'pushed' me there, so some direction to a place of interest would be useful. I recall seeing trees of some sort in limbo..."

"Why do youkai want to kill humans so bad?" Anoko asks earnestly. "Is it out of vengeance? Or agenda? Or... or fun?"

When Anoko receives Miharu's text she mulls it over a moment before replying. [I found what I was looking for. Half of it anyway. And a pile of bodies. Still need to find the culprit though - Yuuka says its a ghost that wants to kill many humans. I'm not sure what to do from here... We're at the docks, might be about to go to the school and find the other half-ghost.] She was going to make the message more coherent, maybe even lighthearted and deflect any help from him to keep her friends out of it. But the truth of her fear and confusion can't be contained, she could really do with her friends by her side.

If Yuuka thinks it's a good idea, Anoko goes to the school grounds to look for Sena at that little dojo home she and Kotoba share.

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

When asked about traversing the barrier Yuuka simply shrugs. "You would be at great risk facing the dead on their own terms. But if you feel like you can handle it, then be my guest." When questioned about the realm of the dead the flower youkai has nothing to say. "As I am not dead, I cannot tell you what the realm of the dead looks like. I only know of this tree because it caused so much trouble once before. The demon of Saigyou is a youkai tree with the power to manipulate humans subconsciously, and it seeks to draw all of humanity to it and use their flesh, blood, and souls as fertilizer. You would do well to destroy its saplings whenever you find them."

Anoko's question about why youkai wish to kill simply gets a raised eyebrow from the flower youkai. She shrugs once more, and explains the matter as if Anoko was a child. "Why does a storm rage? Why does a wildfire burn? Why does the rain fall? Because they must. Youkai are no different. Calamity is in our name, after all." She speaks of the murderous intent of youkai as if she were speaking of elementary events, as if the extermination of humanity was simply the end goal of all youkai.

"But make no mistake: I may be a youkai, but I am your ally in this. Until someone makes me a better offer, at least." Yuuka delivers her joke with a little smile that makes it hard to tell whether she's truly joking or simply boldly lying.

When Anoko suggests going to see the half-ghost Sena Yuuka simply shrugs. "If you wish. But I suspect the ghost has fled for today. There is no hope to pursue it in our situation, unless it attacks one of us first. To that end I think it would be best to wait and see if it attempts to steal another seed of the Saigyou demon."

Anoko and Miharu

Anoko's texts go through without a hitch, and Miharu receives her reply immediately.

[Cespenar]

Izumo finds himself smiling amiably at the door man. "Nah, man, she didn't, you're good. I think she's retired or something."

After several minutes, however, he's back at his if not dark, then indeterminate, grayish mood. His eyes quickly search the Hyuuga for anything wrong as Kiko comes out, but only find the weird tattoos. Some kind of seal?

When they come into eye contact, he responds similarly, with just a look and silence. Then he falls after her on the way to the train.

[Princess Tracy]

"Demon of Saigyou...?" The ghost makes a sound like clicking her non-existent tongue at the thought of not getting into a fight today. "Fine then. Without direction there's no point stumbling about that world. I suppose I'm not going to get in a fight today after all."

"Youkai 'must' bring hard to humans?" Anoko repeats quietly, with every bit of childish 'ignorance' of the cruel ways of her race that Yuuka had assigned her. She looks to her feet, then to her sword hilt. "Hmph. The blood of youkai in my flesh must be particularly weak then. She's yet to kill, even in self defence."

"Well... if we're waiting to see what happens or if we'll be attacked, it can't help to wait somewhere safe, right? We could hole up at the compound and..." Anoko trails off, if she WAS going to be attacked, she certainly didn't want Ayaka around in the crossfire. The ghost clears her 'throat'. "It wouldn't do much good anyway if humans cannot confront this threat, though the ninja of the Iga compound are doubtless strong - provided they did have some way to engage it. Still, I would offer you my personal protection if we're just to retire for the day; we may as well wait it out together," the ghost offers to watch Yuuka's back.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu flips through the phone book attempting to find Sunaki's number. It's a phone book, so it's slow going. He feels his phone buzz and absent mindedly glances at the message. Then he does a double take. Unsure of what he read, he does a triple take. Bodies? Man, what has she gotten herself into? He thinks for a moment and starts tapping away:

I've got to deal with a dark skinned bunny girl at the moment, but in the meantime give me all the information you've got and I'll see if I can come up with anything on my end. We'll just say you owe me one. He glances up after the message sends. If the girl is still looking at him he flashes a quick smile before going back through the phone book.

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Yuuka simply motions to Anoko's sword. "Even you, the quarter-blooded spawn of a half-breed and a human, are a warrior, a killer, without the desire to fight. It is our nature as youkai. We fight because we must, and our desires do not enter into it. Eventually you'll draw your blade to kill. I simply hope you do not fall to the euphoria of human death, lest the shrine maiden needs to put you down." The flower youkai talks of death so casually it's hard to guess just how much of it she had seen. When Anoko offers her protection Yuuka simply shakes her head.

"I would worry more about the people living in the area if the ghost truly tried to attack me. Besides, I fulfilled my end of the bargain for now. The seed was found and destroyed, so I will be returning home. However", the youkai looks at Anoko, "I hope you do not die." That's probably the best she'll ever get out of the flower youkai. With that said the youkai looks to the sky. "Did you hear that you old bat? I want to go home." A few seconds later a human-sized tear in space and time, filled with a hundred-thousand bloodshot red eyes gazing out, opens up beneath the flower youkai. She vanishes into the hole, looking more annoyed than surprised at the method of her retrieval.

"Such a petulant child." Anoko hears the familiar voice of Yukari, but doesn't see her. "Youth are allowed to be impertinent, but there are limits." Looking around reveals nothing, until the youkai in question (http://i.imgur.com/E4GcVpW.jpg) casually places her hand on Anoko's shoulder. "Good work destroying that Saigyou sapling. You saved a lot of lives, even if they don't know it yet. So, as a reward, would you like some ice cream?"

Izumo

Izumo notices that the two are being followed by his mentor, who leaves the fighting ring a minute after Kiko did. Izumi stays some distance away, but tracks the heiress and her student unerringly.

The two get on the train easily enough, and Kiko doesn't bother saying where she's buying a ticket to. Izumo notes she gets one heading to Suma Ward. Izumo recognizes that as the same district with the Yasoshima hospital Izumo had spent some time at when his arm was broken. The Yasoshima Clan were small and independent doctors, but they there a ninja clan in the end. It isn't hard to guess what would happen to the Hyuuga at that place. If Izumo speaks up about the hospital or asks questions the heiress simply stonewalls him, responding to any words with her disinterested gaze and total silence.

At least, until ten minutes into the train ride. "That annoying woman said you wanted to know if I was mad at you. I'm not. You're just caught in the crossfire between me and father. I'm sorry, but it's necessary that I remain on my own."

[Cespenar]

If Izumo recognizes the destination, he doesn't say anything -- not yet.

He does reply to Kiko's sudden explanation, though. He takes a deep breath. It was high time to say what needed to be said.

"Look. Uh, how to put this." He stares into his clasped hands for a while. When he finally speaks, he does so carefully. "Okay, think I got it. The issue is, for some time now, I think you think that I'm loyal to the clan first, and as my job, I have to babysit/bodyguard you or whatever. If this is really what you think, it's a good time to dump that thought and flush it for good. I'm your friend first. Hell, brother even, or at least I feel like that. The clan can crash down for all I care, and I would still stand by you."

He unclasps his hands and looks at her directly.

"Now, what are we doin'?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

The heiress smiles at that, a weight lifting off her shoulders with the appearance of her smile, and for a scant few seconds she looks like the little girl she once was: Happy and carefree. "Brother? Please. Burden, maybe, mother hen, perhaps, but a brother? Never." Perhaps Izumi was right. "But that doesn't matter. I have to cut ties anyway, or at least as best as I can. That power doesn't come for people with friends and family, you know?" When Izumo asks his question Kiko looks at the young black haired girl in the seat beside her. The heiress sighs, and her good mood goes up in smoke. The young Hyuuga is still unconscious, and her thin body looks more like a middle schooler than a teenager. Kiko shakes her head, then turns to look at Izumo.

"I need her eyes. I've been having... trouble, lately, with old blood. I've been staying with the Shizuma. Things are worse than father realizes, and he's being dragged into a mess. They're being bullied by the Ishimaru. Something about vassalage and other old blood ties. I argued that they were being unreasonable, got in a fight, and now the Ishimaru are trying to kill me. So I want her power, then I can kill them."

[Princess Tracy]

The ghost turns silent for once as it contemplates Yuuka's words. Perhaps Anoko's youkai presence was felt most strongly through her spiritual half, as the spirit itself had never known much in the way of hesitation to battle, and being confined away without the ability to strike as her body witnessed injustice and violence had only riled her up more. The body ignores these thoughts for now, mustering a last defiant "That won't happen," to Yuuka's proposal she would be consumed by such things. Still, she's visibly shaken at the idea that she would lose control of herself and leave more bodies like the ones back there...

As Yuuka actually shows some consideration at saying she hopes Anoko doesn't die, in the context of that morning even such a bare minimum touches her, and the young samurai blushes. "Um... I hope you don't die, too," she stammers out. She shivers as the portal, or whatever it was appears. "Goodbye Yuuka-san! Come again..." Why did she invite her to come again? It seemed like the right thing to say as she jumped up into oblivion, she guessed.

"Yukari...? Wah!" With at least some instincts driven into her against assassins by her sensei, being touched from behind prompts her to jump forward a bit, spinning around with some distance, blinking as she recognises Yukari all dolled up to hit the town. "Um, thanks. I don't feel like I did much good though..." At the proposal to get ice cream, she raises an eyebrow, but blurts out "Yeah, okay."

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Yukari shrugs. "You couldn't find the thief, no, but I suspect it'll be easier to find him the second time. As for how much good you did... You felt the pull of that sapling. It was young, but already guiding you--a half-youkai--to it. How many people would have died if it were allowed to grow? How many more if it flowered?" Yukari reaches out to pat the ninja on the head, and if Anoko doesn't pull away she gives the young half-human a pat on the head like she was some sort of dog. "You did good."

Yukari continues to pet Anoko's head for as long as she's allowed to, but once Anoko's done with being patronized the enigmatic youkai moves away. "Alright then. Ice cream time. Unfortunately I haven't been to this city in... well, a very long time. I didn't even know it had grown so much until your father told me about it. So, you'll have to lead the way. But don't worry, the ice cream will be my treat."

[Princess Tracy]

"Well... I'm glad I stopped it then. Just wish I'd gotten here sooner,maybe I'd have saved them and caught whatever monster did this..." Anoko's still quite startled by Yukari's sudden appearance, her petting catches her quite off guard as the samurai just lets her do it, blushing a little deeper as the older youkai's actions continue to confound her. Contemplating the current situation becomes somewhat impossible as she's treated like some sort of dog. At a certain point she's let the petting go on too long and feels too thoroughly embarrassed to even speak. "By the gods, have you no pride? She isn't even your master." the ghost interrupts again to criticise the flesh - the humiliation finally knocking her from her contemplation of Yuuka's words. "Um, okay, thank you..." Anoko says, stepping back as the taunting by her other half just makes her cheeks redder, and unable to look Yukari in the eyes for a long moment. "Don't thank her, she'll think you're into it..." the ghost sighs, turning silent again.

Anoko nods at Yukari's offer. "Yeah okay... I know a place closer to the compound, let's head back there, then. So... were you watching the whole time?" Anoko questions. She conjured a portal to let Yuuka retreat just when she was called for and seemed to know the details of the mission's results before being told, so she must have been watching. She continues the discussion as they walk to go find the promised ice cream place. "You seem really powerful, I hardly know why you need me or Yuuka. Is that the sort of thing I could learn or does it just come naturally to youkai?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Yukari is silent when Anoko admonishes herself. When Anoko's ghostly half complains the youkai simply smiles, but doesn't laugh or mock the half-ghost like Yuuka would have. When Anoko questions her the enigmatic youkai is surprisingly forward with her response. "I was." She points to the key Yukari had given Anoko's father, accurately aiming a finger straight toward it through Anoko's clothes and bags. "I'm always watching you. I wanted to be certain you succeeded, and to protect you. Your father meant a lot to me, and I owe his daughter the same loyalty. Even if she isn't mine."

When Anoko talks about Yukari's power the youkai simply shakes her head. "Power is a shadow on a wall. Certainly, in my domain there is no hope for some ghost or human who wishes to attack me. But I cannot freely act outside of my domain. Your human god was quite thorough in his rules, and even a youkai of boundaries cannot slip the bonds placed upon her." Yukari looks at Anoko. "Of course, half-humans and shrine maidens are not restricted. So I have to act through them when youkai mingle in the human world. As for Yuuka... Well, he was... Hm, how to put this in a way you can understand. Clipped? Like a bird unable to fly, Yuuka is unable to actively kill humans. To make him useful to humanity, of course. Even so there is little doubt he could defeat me as he is, clipped wings and all."

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko looks down at herself, to the key in her pocket, sure enough that's where it was. She feels a bit awkward knowing she was being watched, but at least with that came protection. Anoko doesn't spend long mulling it over before smiling at Yukari. "Thanks. I'm sure dad's happy with that. He's not around to help me out after all," she says with warm understanding. "Hm, a youkai with a sense of maternity. We really do come in all shapes and sizes." "I liked it better when you didn't talk - " "I always talked, you just didn't hear." "- lay off Yukari-san, I think she's alright." The ghost sulks quietly as the flesh actually shows some authority to quiet her other half, and her habit for spouting out thoughts at the back of her mind.

Anoko's eyes unfocused momentarily and her pace slows a bit as she tries to take in a lot of what Yukari says, her allusions to a 'human god' and other such things confounding her, but with some contemplation she gets the basic gist. There were 'rules' placed upon Yukari, she got that much, and she had to work around them with helpers. "'He'?" she questions the reference to Yuuka, though shrugs - the pronouns of a youkai hardly seeming the oddest thing about them, in fact it's almost weird that such otherworldly beings would perform much in the way of human social gender at all. "Yuuka can't hurt humans? How come not? If that restriction was lifted, would he?" She folds her arms, picking up the pace again as she remembers to banish her sword into her gloves before they hit the street paths home. "You've got restrictions, huh? That domain... is it that big eyeball place? It looks scary. Who's this god then? This like a Shinto thing?" It was Shinto that Hakurei shrine had, didn't it? She wasn't very religiously literate. She guess there wasn't much in the way of faith in her little world of ninjas for her to absorb. She wonders if she's asking too many questions, though guesses Yukari just won't answer what she doesn't want to answer - her usual lack of social grace showing itself.

She hums to herself. "Well if your usual missions are protecting humanity from disaster, I don't mind helping out. I've got a lot on my plate, between my friends, and school, and... well I am the samurai protector of a ninja clan heir, gotta attend school with him and all that to keep 'im safe. But I can always make time for it when lives are on the line, y'know? I just wish I could be more prepared." She sulks a bit at the last statement. "I don't know much about ghosts and youkai, it feels like I kinda got thrown in the deep end here. Sink or swim though, right? It could have gone worse, I guess. I survived." "Pfft. Only because our opponent had fled before we could engage. It's hardly the deep end when we didn't even see this ghost."

[Cespenar]

Izumo doesn't bother commenting on Kiko's description of their relation. Words alone couldn't render something real or unreal, after all, by themselves.

He looks incredulously at her justifications of newfound (and aspired-to) powers.

"What are you talking about? Cutting ties? Stealing people's eyes? The way to more 'power', if you really mean it, shouldn't have to be that... dark, y'know? Your ties could be power too. You accept the troubles coming to you because you're Iga Kiko, but you refuse to use power the same station offers. Which is, in my books, being pretty unreasonable to yourself. Beat whoever you face one-on-one on that cage, fair and square, but when it comes to political bulls***, just call for help. At least one chump will stand by you."

[ZeroNumerous]

Anoko

Yukari takes the ghost's complaints in stride. When Anoko snaps at herself the mysterious youkai simply shrugs. "She is right. It is rare for youkai to care for humans. We are, after all, still calamities." When Anoko questions Yukari's use of "he", then the enigmatic youkai laughs. "Ah, yes. Yuuka is a flower youkai. Much like a flower he is both male and female, though he goes through periods of change. Some years he's more male than female, some years he's more female than male. I simply enjoy his masculine form a bit more than the pretty girl he becomes. Though, it's not like I'm jealous or anything, mind you."

With the youkai's odd jealousy aside, Yukari explains her fellow youkai's place. "Yuuka was trimmed by the human god. The only thing he can harm are other youkai, or humans with dangerous powers. You, for example, could be killed. Your ninja friends fall under the rather wide net he can cast, but your mother would not. I would fall under that as well, but that's neither here nor there."

Anoko's other questions are met with a cheery laugh from the youkai. "Ah, no, Yuuka was not a dangerous youkai. An annoying youkai, certainly, but respectfulness would be enough to get by without being annoyed too greatly. My domain is myself, just as I am myself, and as much as your ghost is yourself. As for your god: It's not important. He's long dead of a broken heart. The poor thing lost his beloved daughter, and once he got his revenge he had nothing left to live for. The poor man." Yukari tells the sad tale of the human god as if she were speaking of a close friend, her voice quivering near the end, but she pushes it aside when Anoko speaks of her missions.

"I'm sorry for using you this way, but it's necessary. Normally, the Hakurei family deals with such problems in this area, but..." Yukari shrugs, brushing away the darkness left behind in the Hakurei's refusal of the call to action. With that said Yukari leads the samurai down the street, turns into a surprisingly dark alleyway. Moments later both Yukari and Anoko step out around the corner onto the busy street of main street. In just one trip through an alleyway the pair have moved from the docks to the busy skyscraper-lined streets of downtown; traveling nearly two kilometers in seconds. Yukari looks around at the buildings. "Now where is an ice cream shop?"

Izumo

Kiko shakes her head. "And if I did speak as Iga Kiko, then I'll be faced with two possibilities: Either I will drag the Iga into a shadow war with the Ishimaru, or I will be faced with being abandoned--truly abandoned--and come to terms with that. I cannot be faced with either reality. I'm a coward." The young heiress simply looks at the Hyuuga, unconscious and weak, then she sighs and looks at Izumo again.

"I must fight my enemies. I cannot let them do as they please and freely bully the weak. But to fight my enemies then I need power. I need to steal her power, I need to steal Izumi's power, and I cannot let it go." The young heiress stares at Izumo as she proverbially draws her line in the sand. The heiress' natural sense of justice left an obvious blind spot for the Hyuuga, where she was bullying the weak to gain "power".

[Princess Tracy]

"Both male and female..." Anoko repeats, blushing a little. Being a teenager, her comprehension of gender wasn't wholly comprehensive, and the idea of such a fluid form took a minute to process. So if you dated Yuuka she'd be your girlfriend AND your boyfriend? Or maybe one at a time. Can you... can you DO that? Or maybe it doesn't matter so much...? Well, it doesn't matter for Yuuka specifically, she seems a bit too old and mysterious for me. Apparently the samurai was too focussed on training or pop culture to have figured out her orientation yet. Dating wasn't much of a priority when you've got awesome ninjas to fight with. "God, the thoughts that go through the back of your head, if you're not going to dedicate to battle, would you please at least keep your mind in the moment a little." Anoko ignores her ghost. "Hm. I think I've heard of some ninjas like that, who can change themselves with techniques, but I don't know any that live lives between genders. Youkai are pretty interesting. It's a pity if most are dangerous to humans like you say, it'd be cool seeing more people like you and Yuuka around," she remarks, smiling. "You don't have to just come around for missions you know. If you're keeping an eye on me with the key anyway, you might as well drop in and say hi."

"Humans with dangerous powers is a wide net. What about, say, political powers. Someone who commanded ninja but lacked ninjutsu themselves?" the ghost asks, expecting to be ignored as it seeks to understand the powerful potential-opponents and allies around it. "Hm... our domain is myself then. From what I can tell, I am a manifestation of what this girl lacks or buries, including intent to kill. Damned if I know why we're so out of sync, unless it is common to our bloodline. Perhaps the thinness of our blood is to blame."

Anoko almost takes Yukari's hand comfortingly when she sees her crack a little describing the 'god', but seeing her brush it aside, she decides its best not to linger on it. "That's sad..." is all she says, knowing whatever had happened was well out of he comprehension. "Like I said, I don't mind helping out when I'm helping other people. I work for a ninja clan so... its not like I'm always gonna be guaranteed to be helping people - other than my friends." "That, and I so wish for an opponent." "It's a shame about the Hakurei though, they seem a lot more qualified to deal with this. From what Yuuka said, it sounded like she couldn't help me much in a fight against... whatever that was back there, and I don't even know if I'd be able to cut it with my current level of technique. Though I think Yuuka was deliberately keeping me off balance for whatever reason... She just likes being scary?"

Anoko blinks as she finds herself suddenly... elsewhere. It seems a bit more familiar, but she isn't quite sure how she's... here. It took her hours to reach the docks and they seemed out of place enough. Now they're downtown, right? "Well, this isn't my usual haunt, but I think I know a place around here. My 'ward' took me up around here a few times last summer - well, I escorted him up here anyway." The humour of the half ghost calling a place her 'haunt' seemed wholly unintentional and even unnoticed. "That was a youkai thing, right? We might have been getting tailed by shinobi, I guess that'll confuse the hell out of 'em, ha. You know, I'm not really sure how common knowledge youkai are - I... don't read enough theory of ninjutsu and stuff, at first I assumed y'all are relatively common knowledge among super secret ninjas, but it seemed like all my friends didn't know anything. Oh, right, ice cream." She clears her throat, looking around for some kind of food court or ice cream parlour. Feeling a bit cocky but not too exploitative of Yukari's offer, she finds somewhere a little reputable but not too fancy to order one scoop of chocolate and one scoop of strawberry in a cone, with a flake, or failing that a waifer. Sprinkles and maple syrup, natch. She had her routine down to a science when it came to ice cream. If it's a sit-in place, she instead orders it in a bowl and sits down across from Yukari to enjoy. "What's the plan now?" Now aware her flesh can hear her, the ghost is more careful about speaking to her in public, knowing Anoko's reputation for reacting to her even when it makes her a lunatic to mortals, would better be left unprovoked, holding her tongue until an emergency.

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu

Miharu finds a Sunaki in the phonebook, and he could easily call the number if not for the audience watching his every move. He hears a yelp and a laugh from the kitchen, and the girls seem to be finishing up whatever they're doing in there. Now would likely be the best time to leave, but the question remains whether he takes the phone book or not.

Anoko

When Anoko talks about youkai Yukari simply shakes her head. "Monsters are monsters, dear. Nothing more, nothing less, and make no mistake: We are all monsters." The question of political power gets a smile and a laugh from Yukari. "Politics has never been brought up, but that's mostly because humans with these powers don't follow people weaker than themselves. Even you follow a master with strength, and that is true of many such humans. Certainly most leaders of your kind are of your kind, so there is little doubt they would be as much a target as their obedient dogs."

When the topic turns back to Yuuka the mysterious youkai nods. "He can't go all out against a creature like that here, in the city. Too many humans would be killed, so he must remain on the defensive and no more. Youkai are rather secretive. I require that of them, in exchange for keeping most of them safe. There is little doubt the ninja would be quite interested in using us for their battles, and I do not wish to see our kind stuck in a war we have no stake in."

Anoko finds a small ice cream stall named Dondurmaci in a mall food court. It's run by a swarthy man with a smile as white as the pale moon. He greets the two with a laugh and a wave. "Welcome, and hello!" When Anoko places her order the man goes through a variety of theatrics: Offering an empty cone, handing the ninja a scoop without a cone, spinning her ice cream around (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYNhiv5FJ9Q), before ultimately giving the young girl what she wants. Yukari doesn't get anything herself, but does pay the man in a single gold coin. He looks at it rather incredulously, but the duo are already walking away by the time he recovers his wits to say anything.

When Anoko asks about the plan the youkai simply shakes her head. "For now, the plan is to watch you eat your ice cream. Then I'll be returning home to search for our thief. We'll worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes."

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu sticks a piece of paper on the page where he sees the name. He closes the book and takes it with him outside.

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu & Kimiko

Miharu finds Kimiko and the dark-skinned girl outside.

[Cespenar]

Izumo tries to capitalize on that obvious fallacy first.

"But, you are bullying the weak right now," he says, gesturing to the unconscious Hyuuga, feeling bad at her just as he points. He then continues on with his original point.

"Besides, Iga would be coming into this battle anyway, the way I see it. With your eventual... thing with the Shizuma kid, weren't the two clans going to be allies? Then whatever beef the Ishimaru has with Shizuma would have to be through the Iga as well, and I doubt any one clan would want that. So they'd probably back off or something. It's politics. We both hate it but you used to at least understand it better than me. So why this now?"

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu waves. "Got the phone book and got the number for the name Sunaki. Not sure if it's the right one, but I'll give it a shot now." Miharu dials the number.

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

Kiko tactically ignores Izumo's statement concerning her obvious double standard, and instead focuses on his own argument so as to avoid showing the weakness in her own ideas. "You're right, the Iga would eventually learn of it. But they would not support the Shizuma. Like you said: No clan wants to be caught up in a battle unless they have an overwhelming advantage, and while the Iga are more populous the Ishimaru have spent their lifetimes fighting. Izumi is proof of that: One of their defectors is one of our most powerful agents. I'm sure that, if Father trusted her more, she'd be out in the field rather than guarding our front door. If we go to war, then it'll be like the Yato war all over again. Except this time we won't have the element of surprise."

When the bulky bodyguard asks why the heiress simply shrugs at him. "I can't leave them to--I won't leave them to die. If I call upon the Iga then at best, I'll cause a war. At worst, the Shizuma will be alone. So I've chosen to destroy the Ishimaru myself, with all of the power I can muster. I owe them that much at least."

Finally, the heiress looks at the Hyuuga once more. "She's a necessary sacrifice", the young girl speaks low and almost to herself, "I'll make it right for her too."

Miharu & Kimiko

When Miharu returns with the phonebook Kimiko's friend remains skeptical, however once he reveals he has the name and number the young man finds himself smothered in flesh as the white-clad "Amelican" leaps onto him for a tight hug. Once "Amy" is convinced to let Miharu go then dialing the number is as easy as punching in digits and hitting "Call". The phone rings twice before an elderly gentlemen picks up, and he speaks in an accent so snooty and a voice so dry you'd think he were from the Meiji Era. "Sunaki Residence, may I as who is calling?"

[Cespenar]

Izumo strains himself to see through the twisted logic Kiko is laying before him.

"But, if the Ishimaru are that strong, how can you defeat them all by yourself? Even with this tenshi and Byakugan, I can't picture you defeating even Izumi. How then, will you beat a whole clan of Izumis? This doesn't make any sense."

When it comes to make right by the Hyuuga, he comes an inch closer as he lowers his voice too.

"At least, and I can't believe we're talking about this, but you won't leave her blind, will you? At least give her your eyes? I'll try to pay whatever extra cost that would mean."

[Overlord Rion]

Still recovering from Amy's hug, Miharu does his best to compose himself quickly before speaking. "Hell sir, this is Momotami Miharu calling. Is this the residence of Sunaki Kara?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

Kiko shakes her head. "What choice do I have but to try? Lets say I call on the Iga, and lets pretend they actually join in. So how many of them die? A hundred? Two? Do you know of anyone who could defeat Izumi in our clan? My father? Anoko-chan's master? So many will die, and that's if they actually accept. Most likely they won't. And you'll help me? You'll die too. And I'll own that. I'll be the one who gets to say "I got you killed". No. I refuse. I won't survive, but I'll try my best. I won't leave anyone else's blood on my hands, and I won't let the Shizuma die."

When the discussion turns to the Hyuuga, Kiko shakes her head. "I don't know. I need to worry about myself first."

Miharu and Kimiko

The stuffy gentleman sniffs loudly. "I am afraid I do not recognize the name. Could you explain why you are calling, young man?"

[Overlord Rion]

This stuffy old man was already starting to grate on Miharu's nerves, but he did his best to keep it hidden from his voice. "Ah, I'm sorry to hear that. A friend of hers, Amy is looking to get in contact with her and I'm doing what I can to help."

[Cespenar]

The finality and desperation in Kiko's words seemingly take their toll on Izumo, and his words take on a hot edge that would probably equal to tears of frustration in a normal person.

"But... you will die this way. And you will have let the Shizuma die. And end up having damaged... this girl to gods know what end, at best."

"And about not letting me die? What do you guess I will think the rest of my life if you go and kill yourself this way? You're horrified to live with something like that, but you'll easily inflict that on me? I... really don't get you."

"No, I refuse as well. Either we both live and think another solution, or we both die."

[Princess Tracy]

"Hmph. The flower's excuse for not participating is that he's TOO powerful to go unnoticed then. Oh, how I long to have such problems."

Anoko watches with amusement and wonder at the ice cream tricks that are essentially that of some dairy magician, though after a minute or so purses her lips as her lust for her cone treat grows insatiable and she finds herself just wishing he'd hand over the damn treat. She smirks a little when Yukari grants him the strange coin, and follows her cue to scurry along at her side before it can be questioned, giggling a little mischievously as she goes.

"You should have ordered something, Yukari, I feel a bit rude eating by myself. Youkai do eat, right...?" she wonders. The young samurai finds a bench or some quiet spot for them to lean against a wall as she happily eats her ice cream, though the facade of being calm melts away as the silence drags on. "Today was... something, all right. And it's not even noon yet. I wonder how everyone else's day is going. Kiko's up to something, but I hope she's doing better than me." She sighs a bit.

"Hm, sounds like a plan at least. I would ask you to not spy on me all the time, but I'm a ninja, having someone looking over my shoulder's kinda handy." "Pfft. We're a sensory type anyway. Just put down the key if you don't want to be spied on." "We're a sensory type?" "Do you not notice how you see things other's don't? How can we be so perceptive but so dense. Anyway, Yukari seems quite bound in some way. If someone snuck up on us, we'd probably have to deal with them ourselves." "You're just trying to gauge Yukari's skills again. She's not an enemy, you know." The ghost scoffs. "Vigilance. I never said we were enemies, but its important to know something of the power of all combatants on a battlefield. The opponents we deal with now are youkai, so we should know youkai, both those we can call on and those we will fight. It is not as if we are wholly unaware of our ally's abilities within the domain of ninjas, after all." "Hm. Anyway, we shouldn't drag Yukari into things that don't involve youkai." "And why not, when she drags us into her affairs. We have a Lord to answer to, we must have something to show for his service in everything we do." "Helping people is the right thing to do, and Seiji-kun would agree," Anoko says dismissively, growing nervous of her ghost spouting such inflammatory things.

Anoko makes short of the cone before standing and starting to make her way back home, as best she can gather taking the most direct route from her current surroundings. "Though, if you could hook me up with some cool youkai training methods that'd be pretty cool. I do need to expand my skills, whether I'm a samurai or a youkai hunter. It'd be irresponsible if I didn't learn some ghost technique stuff, probably. Actually, I think I know a girl like me. Konpaku-san. Maybe she'd know." Anoko shrugs at that. "Have you met Ayaka-san? I'd invite you over for lunch, but I think Yuuka gave her enough of a scare to make her worry about me. Then again, I am gonna have to explain some of this to her and I amen't sure what I'm gonna say. At best, she probably thinks I'm involved with a gang or something." Anoko pouts, trying to form words to dispel her mother's worry over her. It was time to be getting back anyway. Maybe Kiko was home.

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu and Kimiko

The old man on the other end takes a second to respond. "I am sorry young man, but I do not recognize that name. I'm afraid you have the wrong number. Good luck, young man." With that the old man hangs up, and Miharu is left hanging. The weirdly clothed foreigner looks at Miharu, as if searching for some kind of reason. Miharu and Kimiko both spot Anoko entering the gate just as the old man hangs up.

Izumo

Kiko throws Izumo's accusations back at him. "Who pursued me? I didn't ask for your help, and I don't want it. You chose to pursue me, you wanted to be here, and you wanted to follow along like a sick puppy! I kept you away from this, but now that you've got what you wanted you have the gall to be indignant? Are my choices too inconvenient for you? Well too damn bad!"

The train makes a loud bong, and starts to slow down. The heiress gets up, picks up the Hyuuga in her arms like a sleeping princess, and looks back at Izumo. "Go home. I won't hesitate to use my power on you if you're going to try and tell me what I can and cannot do."

The dark-haired ninja starts to walk toward the exit just as the train rolls to the end, the doors open, and a cheery female voice announces that they've arrived at Yasoshima Station.

Anoko

Anoko's question about youkai consumption habits meets nothing but a smile and a shrug. Her ghostly half's rambling gets a nod from Yukari, and when her ghostly half points out that they would be on their own Yukari responds. "Indeed. I could not interfere, so do not get complacent."

When Anoko offers to introduce Yukari to her mother, the youkai shakes her head. "No, little one. I have no place in that home of yours."

The requests for training also meet deaf ears. "There is nothing I could teach you. My abilities are unique to my nature, and are not connected to your human magic. I apologize. I do know of a human mage who lives in the youkai world, but you would not like her. She's a rude child who needs to be reprimanded often."

Anoko is able to get home without trouble, and the gate opens for the young half-ghost without complaint. At some point during the trip Anoko finds herself alone, or at least without the physical presence of her youkai patron. The weight of her key reminds the half-ghost that she's never truly alone, until she gets rid of it at least. Once Anoko is within the compound she spots Miharu, Kimiko, and a tall dark-skinned woman in a... a bunnysuit. The three of them stand in front of Miharu's house, huddled together talking about something or talking to something.

[Cespenar]

Izumo stays adamant, and her antagonizing rebuttals slide off of him without finding purchase. He stops accusing her as well, though. Apparently she is in no position to address them with a cool head. Well, no matter.

"Keeping me away is a fool's errand. You can't erase us that easily. If you won't listen to me, I won't try to force you from doing anything, but I will be there, for good or bad."

With that, he simply follows her as she gets out of the train to wherever she's going.

[Princess Tracy]

"Bye bye Yukari," Anoko says out loud when she notices the older Youkai has abandoned her.

Reaching the compound again, she re-summons her sword, strapping it to her side as usual, one hand resting on it's handle (some instinct at the back of her head readying her for a reversed off-hand quickdraw, though she considered herself ambidextrous), while the other fixes to her hip as she catches sight of her friends.. "Hey did you guys know that you can jump over the fence? Just straight up clear it in one leap if you try hard enough. I always figured there was some super secret ninja sealing jutsu up there, or at least a camera. But naw, apparently you can just jump over and not get in trouble. Makes me wonder why Izumi's so important when the gate only makes up a tiny bit of the perimeter, speaking of which I didn't see her coming in but maybe I just spaced out," Anoko rambles at the others as she approaches, not even saying hello or even noticing their guest for a long minute. She blinks as the presence of the bunnysuit suddenly dawns on her tunnel-vision self. Her whole face lights up in a blush as she tries not to stare. "Well, looks like someone's staffing an adult party. I hope we're invited." "H-hey there. Who's this? I've not, er, seen you before, what's she doing here?" "Perhaps she's an enemy ninja in disguise and she's exploited Miharu's teenage maleness with basic seduction to get herself in. Not that such cunning is needed, according to Yuuka." Not that anyone could hear the ghost's snarky monotone, of course, so Anoko ignored it herself.

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu turns towards the new voice and fights the urge to fall into the stereotypical trope of becoming embarrassed. "Sup, Anoko? We're helping Amy here find one of her friends. How'd your thing go? I trust you don't need any help still or else you would have come back beaten and bruised. Wouldn't want to mar that pretty face of yours, Seiji would be sad."

At Amy's expectant look, Miharu shakes his head. "Not the right one, but I'll keep trying numbers if I have to." I mean, what else was he going to do when there was someone in front of him obviously in need? "Are you sure you don't have anything else you can tell us? A part of town? Maybe, dare I say, an address? Name of her parents, possibly? Seriously, anything else you have would be useful." At the end there was a slight note of hopefulness. He was not looking forward to the prospect of the phone book.

He wondered briefly if anyone from school would have her...

Number...

Miharu pulls out his phone again and checks if the school had a website he could access. He knew some universities hosted websites for their clubs with information on contacting the officers.

[Princess Tracy]

"Um, okay. Who...?" Anoko's finding trouble finding her words, though she takes a second to clear her throat. "Um, well. Yukari-san said I should be proud for what I managed, but I wasn't able to confront the... person, directly." She holds her tongue in case the girl here wasn't a ninja at the very least, she didn't want to leak information on her activities. "Apparently I weeded out a deadly plant though. I'll tell you later." When Miharu alludes to Seiji's attraction to her and Anoko's looks in general, the samurai tilts her head in confusion, apparently oblivious (or wilfully ignorant) of the whole thing. It was never really clear to the pthers whether she was deliberately ignoring Seiji's affections due to to unprofessional nature such a relationship would bring, or if she really was that wrapped up in her own little world. "Huh? I just woke up like this. Did I finally grow into Ayaka-san's looks without noticing? Scars are cool though. I think Sena left one the other day when we sparred, did I tell you about that? I would show you, but I would have to strip my top off. And speaking of showing off skin..." she turns her attention back to the bunnysuit, finally looking at the woman, though still blushing. She can at least stand to keep her cool

When Anoko notices her companion addressing 'Amy' in English, it clicks that she probably doesn't understand Japanese. She conjures what English she'd been able to learn recently. She'd been doing well with it since she bought a stack of comic books to read as practice, but English was just such a cumbersome language with so many weird little rules. "Um... how goes you? I Anoko. No, that isn't right, um... I AM Anoko. Are you cold? Like that? Are you a... civilian?" She wonders if that's the right word. "Sense out her chakra. It's possible that Kimiko forgot to. She's charitable that way." Anoko nods to herself, her eyes half lidding as she 'sniffs' at the nearby chakra, her method of detection more animistic than the more practised hand-seal and discipline most ninjas would use.

I Sense chakra, yo

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu, Kimiko, and Anoko

The girl in the bunnysuit shakes her head at Miharu's question. "I-I only have hel name. Well, and I know she lives in this city." When the young boy searches up his school he finds its website, but it's a website run by the school. The extracurricular clubs aren't listed, and certainly not any private student information. With the website a bust the young man's only recourse is turning back to the phone book, and searching its pages reveals nothing. It seems he'll need to ask for her number at school directly, but then he'll have to contend with the obvious lie from the girl called "Amy".

Anoko's poor English gets a surprised and confused look from the dark-skinned girl in the bunnysuit. "No? Um, I mean, yes? I'm solly, I don't undelstand." When Anoko senses Amy's chakra she finds... nothing. She doesn't find the weak signal of a child, or the characteristic emptiness of someone hiding their chakra, but rather the half-youkai finds herself on an edge. On one side stands the world, and all the things she knows of it: The scents of dirt, of fresh air, of ozone after lightning storms, of rain on the wind, and the smell of ashes. But the girl holds a chakra Anoko had never experience: A black void, as thin as a razor's edge slicing through every concept of the world Anoko knew, that stood independent from its surroundings.

Izumo

When Izumo follows the heiress he notes that she does not head toward the hospital, but rather she walks in between alleyways and turns corners quickly as if she were trying to lose him. Nonetheless he's able to keep up with her easily, due to the girl in her arms slowing her down. However, when he rounds a corner she'd last turned the bodyguard finds himself standing in a small basketball court ringed by apartment buildings. The street isn't visible, due to the small alleyways that lead to this court, and no one is around. Anyone could be watching from the apartments, but being watched from up high was hardly something an urban ninja could avoid. The heiress stands in the center of the basketball court, facing Izumo instead of moving away from him.

"I hope this place will suffice. You won't leave, and I won't have you follow me. So we'll bet it on a match. I win and you go home and we're done. I live my life, you live yours. You win, and I'll let you in on this madness. No holding back, and no handicaps." The heiress gradually lowers the Hyuuga to the ground, then steps over her body to stand between her and Izumo. "Even if you refuse, then I'll simply beat you here and move on, so be prepared."

Izumo needs an Initiative check. He and Kiko start 15ft apart, but since they're both fist-fighters I won't bother with a map.

Kiko's Initiative: [roll0]

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko's eyes widen, something was very wrong here. Something even stranger than the presence of a ghost youkai, as far as she could tell it was just as otherworldly. Could it really be unrelated? For a moment, her mind is as one as she brings her grip tightens at her sword. Why hadn't Kimiko detected the girl's presence, she had more experience as a sensor-nin? Had she and Miharu, the supposed detective, really brought this suspicious girl in here without giving her a once over? Whatever 'Amy' was, it wasn't a civilian. She wasn't even sure she was human. And as far as she knew, she was some kind of youkai, perhaps even possessed of the ghost as Yuuka had said. "Miharu. A phone isn't what should be in your hand right now," she says in Japanese, a tension in her voice, hoping he would catch her cue to ready his gun. "And Kimiko, you should pay closer attention." She wasn't sure if this girl was really so clueless about the Japanese language as she portrayed herself, so tries not to let on with her words themselves. She gives her team mates a second or two to get it out, before...

If either are closer to the bunnygirl than herself, Anoko grabs Miharu and Kimiko by the shoulder and pulls hard, meaning to throw her friends behind her as she flashes some of her actual strength, though mostly trusts they'll follow her lead as she interjects herself between them and whoeevr this was. They were not melee types like herself, it was up to her to handle the front line. "Who the hell are you?" Anoko demands, her voice suddenly cold as her right hand reaches to her sword too, ready to perform a quick draw. "You're a bad liar. If you don't explain yourself or leave right now, I'll assume you're an enemy." A ninja would have simply hidden or disguised their presence. This was something more. Had Kimiko not detected it because she was human, or had she just not bothered to use her senses. ""I'm not human, so don't count on pulling the wool over my eyes, the ghost adds, unsure and not caring if she was heard.

Intimidate check [roll0] to get her to talk. (I don't expect to force her to talk if she actually is a powerful Oni in disguise or something, but this is what Anoko's trying to do some it seemed to fit)
Bluff check to convey that Miharu should get his gun and Kimiko should sense chakra or otherwise ready herself [roll1], would be nice if there was some bonus from us being a team but maybe we're not taht well coordinated.

That's right, I'm stepping into teh arena of untrained charisma checks with a charisma penalty, I'm hardcore that way.

[Eurus]

Kimiko is utterly perplexed by Anoko's response, glancing back and forth from Amy to Anoko for a second. Catching on, she sighs and focuses her senses on the bunny-girl's chakra. The unusual sensation makes her flinch, but she still just shrugs at Anoko.

"Why are you freaking out? She's obviously not human, what with the wandering around downtown in a leotard and bunny ears, but it doesn't feel like demon chakra. Besides, she was lost and she needed help. If she means us harm, she's like the best actor I've ever met."

[Overlord Rion]

Miharu raises an eyebrow at Anoko. "I already assessed her threat level and got nothing. She's either too weak to be of any consequence or way too strong for us to matter. Besides, she's just asking directions. There are far less embarrassing ways to get into the compound."

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko doesn't drop her stance at her companions' calmness. Any other day she wouldn't have been so adamant, but with the horror and cruelty of youkia she'd witnessed not an hour ago she wasn't about to drop her guard. "[Well then she's come at a bad time, because I'm expecting an attack from someone who 'isn't human'.] Yuuka-san said it herself... ghosts can possess humans, and all youkai lust to bring death - it doesn't matter if she looks weak herself. That, and any kunoichi worth her salt should be able to make a boy drop his guard about her abilities. If this one's innocent then she has no reason not to tell us the truth now. [Who are you]?" She hadn't been quite so focussed or determined in some time, the events on the week having taken their toll on her innocence away from her friends' eyes. The possibility that the bunnygirl might be strong enough that resistance meant nothing was pure nonsense - whether she was weak or strong, she wouldn't cower away from a possible threat. For once her spirit and body seemed as one. "[If you come in peace, prove it with honesty, and you won't be harmed]." Killing intent was still lacking - if this girl was possessed as she suspected (with her limited understanding of otherworld beings) she didn't want to harm her body. "If she isn't a youkai, what do you think she is? How can you be so trusting to give her this benefit of the doubt?"

Writing in implied 2 languages was a drag, so marked things said in English with "[square brackets]"

[Cespenar]

Izumo puffs loudly like a bull, though his was because of frustration rather than mere blind anger. This was getting ridiculous.

"You know I'd take that action with anyone else, but nah, not with you. I'll not sell you out on a bet. I'll fight you if that's what you want, but even if you do beat me, I'll get better, track your sorry ass to whatever **** you're in, and stand by your side against whatever you're facing."

Punctuating his speech with several finger jabs, Izumo stops talking and slides into his familiar Ishimaru stance, ready to weather whatever storm Kiko is going to throw.

"Are you even fully healed?"

Activating Str 2, Spd 2, Ishimaru Stance 2, and Fortify.

HP: 55/55
AC: 26
Pool: 27/37
Reserve: 10/10

[roll0]

[ZeroNumerous]

Miharu, Kimiko, and Anoko

The flurry of action, the shouting, and Anoko going for her sword totally surprise the pointy-eared non-human. When Anoko starts yelling at her she covers her head with her arms, ducks, and yelps in equal parts surprise and fear. The poor girl cowers in the face of Anoko's anger, and doesn't respond to questions or threats except to yelp and shake. Naturally Anoko herself feels no kinship to the monster before her, but whether that meant she was a youkai who ate humans or not a youkai at all remains to be seen. Anoko's anger alone, with neither the threat of violence nor bloodlust behind it, has transformed the oddly dressed inhuman into a shivering cowering blob of fear and incoherent mumbling punctuated only by the occasional yelp when someone raises their voice.

Izumo

"Then I'll simply send you away every time." Kiko assumes the same Ishimaru stance as Izumo, then charges toward him. She doesn't seem to be using her earth-based techniques or her chakra-enhanced speed and strength. The heiress launches into a flying kick like something out of a super sentai show.

Charge attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1] nonlethal

[Princess Tracy]

Seeing the blubbering girl throws off Anoko's determination as her and her fighting spirit part. Was it some kind of bluff? Her stance softens all the same as the samurai feels guilt at inflicting terror on the apparently defenceless thing in front of her. "Oh god, would you just... show some backbone? Who cares if you hurt her feelings or whatever, your duty to protecting this place is more important." Anoko sighs, lifting her right hand from the sword, letting the left hang over it casually still. "I really don't get what's going on here." "Take a swing at her, see how well she dodges - or what spills out of her." Anoko grimaces before slowly taking a step back, hoping the girl will cool off. "You will be the death of us, you know that." "Kimiko-chan, Miharu-chan, you two are smarter than me, but... I've had one hell of a morning. Maybe she isn't a youkai, she doesn't quite 'smell' like one, but I can't just trust her if she's concealing who or what she really is, right? If she were an assassin, I don't know why she'd be hiding herself so poorly though..." Anoko hesitantly gives the girl some space in the hopes she will calm down at some point enough to speak.

"[Are you human]?"

[Cespenar]

The kick sliding past his reinforced skin, Izumo tries a roundhouse to catch her in the air.

Whether it connects or not, he hisses exasperatedly.

"Dammit girl, you don't have anything left after that fight!"



[roll0]
[roll1] nonlethal

HP: 55/55
AC: 26
Pool: 27/37
Reserve: 10/10

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

Izumo's kick catches the heiress in the stomach, sending her backward and throwing off her balance. She grimaces, but holds on tightly. Instead, she proceeds to shift her weight into a boxer's stance, and throws out a super-speed punch.

Kiko burns 4 chakra to use Undodgable Fist, granting her a +2 to hit and an extra 2d4 points of damage on a hit. She automatically performs it even with the -4 penalty.

Kiko's Attack Roll: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Anoko

Anoko's aggression seems to have made its mark, and the young girl cowers pitifully even after the samurai lowers her guard and steps away. She proves incapable of answering Anoko's question once more, simply whimpering like she had been struck in response to the samurai's English.

[Cespenar]

Izumo steps into the punch, deflecting it with his meaty guard hand before it develops much momentum. He responds with a basic uppercut right to the chin.

[roll0]
[roll1] nonlethal

Fortify eats 3 more chakra.

HP: 55/55
AC: 26
Pool: 24/37
Reserve: 10/10

[ZeroNumerous]

Izumo

Izumo's punch finds nothing as Kiko twists her body out of the way, and the heiress uses the movement to start an axe kick.

Attack roll: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Cespenar]

Izumo blocks the axe kick and pushes Kiko's leg back, hoping to catch her unbalanced for a moment for his high kick to land.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Princess Tracy]

Anoko scratches her head, not quite believing that anyone could be that scared of her. But most the people she knew were ninjas, who were used to intimidation - she wonders vaguely how her own sense of violence compares to a normal teenager's, if she hadn't absorbed some of that natural edge. "I guess... even otherworldly people come in civilian varieties?" She blushes, feeling something to the effect of shame in herself. It certainly seemed like the appropriate response a minute ago. She takes another step back. "Would... someone else talk to her, please?"

"What manner of coward is this? Yukari, are you seeing this?" the ghost scoffs to itself in disbelief. "Even my human self evokes an earnest fear in her, and that half of me lacks anything approaching killing intent. What is she afraid of, a broken nose? Weak! Or is she?"