Onigokko (IC Thread)

[Bloble]

Sakaki Tetsuro
Mosscreep Ruins- Necks' Manse
Time Unknown (Morning)

The man could only nod and give a bemused smile. "Lesson learned, Ms. Inihara. Lesson learned. As untrained newcomers, we aren't fit to survive alone. I'll consider the idea again in ten years. Perhaps by then I'll have approached your level, that of a Snack who can run around without fear." It was easy to assume he could go by himself as she had, but it was even easier to forget that she was someone who had spent more time in this world than he could imagine. Mai's argument had been logical, so the only thing he could do was agree and go with the group. After all, he'd learned more than enough from failure for several lifetimes.

...it didn't help that the girl's challenging grin was all too familiar. Almost made him feel like a delinquent again, being told off for trying to do something stupid. He actually wanted to make another dumb suggestion just so she'd yell at him.

And then there was the frustration. She'd said it herself. The option was fit only for those with a Death Wish. Had he picked it on purpose, knowing that? Was he falling into old habits again as this world pulled out parts of himself he didn't want to look at? The man didn't know. He just knew that his body itched to go, to do something, and perhaps to throw itself into a horrible situation and make it out against all odds. It wouldn't have been the first time.

Diving right in? Sakaki Tetsuro had done that. Despite all of his appearance to the contrary, he was the kind of person who, when the going got tough, would throw himself into the deep end without knowing how to swim and hope he learned how to before he ran out of air.

In this situation, though, he couldn't exactly say no.

"Yet even without splitting up, I think that stash of yours is what we should pursue," the man said. "From what you've told me this world has ghouls and ghosts aplenty, but less in the way of beneficial items, so I'd place a higher importance on them. Still, if the vote is against me, I'll heed the advice of my students, and yours."

[Sei]

Masahiro and Mark
Station 13- Twisted Tunnels
Time Unknown (Night)

"I think that no matter what you do, you're not gonna stop someone who really wants to get in."

Another pause. Another moment of silence.

Having opened the air for further discussion, a voice which none of you are familiar with suddenly answers. With the way they speak and the way things have been going for the group lately, you can't help but immediately be cautious... If not outright terrified. Because just as soon as the voice appears, it vanishes and looking around warrants no clue as to its origin. No matter how hard you try or how hard you look, the fact of the matter is that you three are the only ones here.

"W-what was that-!?"

Clearly scared, Kinue can't help but ask the question that's on everyone's mind.

Even back in the real world, the two of you understand that there are supernatural forces at work. So naturally, you're better prepared for something like this. On the other hand, as opposed to the two of you, this whole deal is new to Kinue and her mental state is far more vulnerable to things she can't readily perceive. And it's not just that, but because she's not familiar with the mystical and the occult, she's easily the weakest out of the three of you. If neither of you does anything, she could very well become a target.

"Boo!!!"

The voice suddenly reemerges, mere inches away from your ear. Like some kind of childish ghost, the voice easily startles you and causes you to turn around and look some more. Naturally, when you do, you quickly find that there is nothing to be seen or felt; however, that doesn't stop you from trying. Though you're worn and beaten, the sudden anxiety filling the air is steadily heightening your senses- making it easier to get a hold on your surroundings. Even still...

"Yoink~!"

It doesn't stop you from losing the only can of food you have.

Now, with the can on peaches scurrying through the air over to the other side of the platform, the nature of your visitor is revealed... An invisible body- well suited for sneaking around and invading different spaces without being revealed. If such a being were to end up an adversary, there's no doubt that the three of you would be in trouble. And, judging by how things are going now, you'd have to say that your odds aren't very good.

"Honestly... As worn and pathetic as you guy are right now, I could easily slit your throats and still go unnoticed!"

The apparition mocks you. Then, like a mirage coming into form, the darkness blurs and the shape of a person comes into light. There, standing on the opposite end of the platform wearing a uniform you don't recognize, is another girl, smiling mockingly, while looking over her shoulder at the rest of you. Taunting you by tossing the can in the air a few times, she turns to fully face the three of you once her form has fully been revealed.

"To be honest, I was just gonna wait until you dweebs went to sleep or something. Buuuut after listening to you all for a bit, I figured even if I acted now, there's just not a damn thing you'd all be able to do about it~"

Your luck simply continues to improve...

If looks alone could kill, then this girl's gaze is comparable to six inch knife poised at your gut. And as if to mock your very thoughts themselves, the instant you think this, the girl pulls a knife out of her pocket and spins it into a reverse grip.

"Mmmmhhmmmhmm~~" Plunging the blade into the can, she uses it as a makeshift can opener, then as an eating utensil to fish out one of the morsels inside, "It's been awhile since I've had anything as good as peaches~"

Encountered ????

---

NPC Ability Revealed

Invisibility
The mysterious girl seems to have the power to turn herself invisible. Whether or not this is the work of ESP, magecraft, or a demonic ability is yet unknown. Further details cannot be grasped at this moment.

[I3uster]

Kisaragi Maiko
Tortuga-Lost Man's Shore
Time Unknown (Morning)

"Heh... You're a bit of a pessimist, aren't you?"

"I-I didn't choose t-to be one."

This world had not been easy on her. Her life had its ups and downs, but from all of that, or at least the parts she acknwoledged, nothing had been as bad as what she had done until the day she left her friends. A simple action with an intention completely misread by those it was meant to protect, who probably did not have the luck she did.

Probably.

Maybe that was what she had to focus on for now. Maybe they gave up and turned their backs on her. Maybe they safely found a way back to the station. Maybe another friendly dweller like Yukio picked them up, and told them that looking for her was useless.

Maybe she would be able to meet Masahiro again.

She blushed and hoped Yukio wouldn't recognize it. With him carrying her like that it would lead to unfortunate implications. The more she thought about it the redder her face became.

"Even if you were a burden, there's nothing wrong with that. 'Cus the longer you lug something like that around, the stronger your arms and legs get. Right?"

"I-it's not...n-not that easy." said Maiko, regretting it immediatly. Why would she want this person to think like her anyways. He was an uplifting presence in a world that did its best to crush that same kind of spirit.

"Though I guess I can see where you're coming from. ...Seems like you've been through a lot and this place has probably put you through it. Sure there are lot of nasty things out there that can hurt you or worse... And it probably would be easier to just look out for yourself...But you know what? Nothing can kill you quite like loneliness can, right? So burden or not, you're still a person. You've at least got that much going for ya."

There was a certain truth to his words. Even so she asked herself if her company was really all that valuable. What she did wasn't the right choice, certainly. But was it even justifiable under this point of view, in any way?

Resources and cold calculation about the same weren't on her friends mind when they followed her into the tunnels. It was her as a person.

In the light of almost certainly dead companions it was time for Maiko Kisaragi to develop just a tiny bit of self worth.

She was an unusual girl after all.

"Just try not to worry about it so much. If you stress about it too much, you'll get sick or something."

"I-it's true. B-bottling emotions l-leads to terrible t-things..."

Maiko gains 2 Sanity.

"Truth be told, I'm not exactly too helpful myself. Doing stuff like this is about the best I can do. But still, I've got some cool friends that'll be happy to help you out. They'll have you fixed up in no time."

"D-don't say that. Y-you saved m-my life. If t-there is anything I c-can do to help..." It was just a gesture at this point. There was nothing she could do, one armed and exhausted, that could actually make a difference. Regardless, she felt obligated to do so. It was the least she could do.

Two times she had escaped death against all odds during her escape. To somebody who believed in the supernatural a sign like this couldn't be ignored.

Terrible things happen to people she kept close to her, yes. But there had to be a reason why she made it through that night of horror. She didn't believe in pointless suffering, and neither did she in pointless survival.

"F-friends?"

It was a subtle change in her attitude. Maybe Yukio didn't even pick it up.

"W-where are we g-going?"

But Maiko was concerned for the future. For her own as much as the boy's.

[hero]

Fukuda Masahiro
Station 13- Twisted Tunnels
Time Unknown (Night)


There is just no rest for the wicked, huh?

Seeing the only source of energy we have in someone else's hands, my heart can't help but to skip a beat. I don't need to look at this person in the eye to understand what her intentions are... The moment she snatched the can away from me, I instinctively foresaw the situation I would be dealing with a few moments later. It's as simple as making a choice... Either we let this girl eat our food... Or we don't. Regardless, the consequences we'll have to face in the immediate future will be drastic... To make matter worse, if we don't reach a decision quick, time will reach one for us.

Personally, I do not fear her weapon. Not only have I fought people armed with knives before, I've also seen all kind of monsters since I've got here. While lethal on its own right, a knife is a small threat when you compare it with the claws and the brutal strength of a monster. The real danger here comes with the girl that wields it... Not only does she seem to be capable of hiding her presence completely, the way she holds the weapon denotes experience, and her choice of words only serves to strengthen the theory that she's a veteran like Katsu and Yuma instead of another newcomer like us. She might look and act like a bully, but her attitude is justified... We would be the ones in trouble if we choose to stand against her. As we are now, even if we outnumber her, we don't stand much of a chance against an opponent we cannot perceive. I don't even want to think of the possibility of Mark or Kinue getting hurt during the struggle...

On the other hand, it's our food what she is eating. We're complete newcomers to this place and we're not conditioned to survive in this world. Food is not easy to come up by around these parts, that fact has been made painfully apparent from the events that so far transcurred and the words of the survivors we've encountered through our small journey. If we let this go... We will have to find our own food somewhere else. I've never done animal or monster hunting previously in my life, but from our experiences so far, I can tell I am not very skilled at the task. I doubt apple trees grow in here so our only other option would be to look for the leftovers other people have left behind. As small as it looks, losing this can will prove to be considerable blow to our morale... Not only we'll be starving through the night... We'll also be scared and won't be able to sleep much, seeing as there might be other criminals waiting for us to close our eyes before taking away or belongings or doing something worse. That is, if the person we are dealing with now chooses to spare us after she's done with the meal...

"Who are you? Why are you doing this...?!" Those are questions that come natural to a person like me, so I can voice them with truthfulness. However, this time I already know the answer to those questions. Moving ahead a few steps, I pause to clench my fist and lift it up above shoulder level, showing it to the girl. A moment afterwards, I wave the same arm from one side to the other in order to emphasize my point. "We're all survivors, we're all in the same boat! You don't have to steal... We would have shared with you anyways."

I am telling the truth... Had she approached us in a different way, I know that at least I would have accepted her and allowed her to have a share of our already limited food. However, right now my intentions aren't as noble as my words... I need to neutralize the threat in front of me and, if possible, recover what we lost. So my speech is nothing but a distraction... Since a good part of my body is facing to the side due to my current pose, it's not hard to hide my right hand behind my leg and signal Mark without looking suspicious. A thumbs down gesture is all I need to get the point across...

This girl might be able to turn invisible, but I doubt she's ethereal. She's mocking us to the point where she thinks that there is no need for her to hide her presence at this distance. Although she probably overheard our earlier conversation, our powers must still be a mystery to her for the most part... And we'll use that to our advantage and execute a coordinated attack.

One chance is all we get... If she goes invisible after this we are done for.

I wait for a reaction... An opening. Be it the blink of her eyes or the response my words inspired. Anything. With it, the plan is set into motion... And the fate of our lives with it.

I press forward and open the gate.

I don't even bother looking for something useful. I take the first piece of junk I can find and bring it to this world without hesitation. I am not fast... Not fast enough to cover the distance between me and the girl with a charge before she gets a chance to react. That's why I won't be the one to do so... With how my right arm is currently positioned, I barely need to prepare before executing a throw. Betting it all in this surprise attack, I swing it with all the strength I can muster before letting go of what my hand only held for less than a moment... A folding chair. The light, metallic piece of furniture is fired straight at my foe, just like an ordinary projectile.

But I don't even wait to confirm whether my ridiculous idea worked or not. I can't afford to stop, not now... As soon as I recover from my previous movement, I spring forward with all the speed I can muster. It is right before doing so that someone else speeds past me...

-------

Wise Up!

-Slightly Exhausted-

Name: Fukuda Masahiro
Alignment: Good
Character Type: Magus

HP: 113
MP: 26 => 24

Stats:
Strength: 15 => 16
Defense: 15 => 16
Magic: 19
M. Defense: 4
Agility: 11
Evasion: 14
Will: 19
Sanity: 7

Perks

Offensive Support
Cost: 10 AP
When coordinating an attack with another, the damage dealt by the attack is increased to 1.2x normal damage. Does not stack with other damage multipliers such as Sneak Attacks and Precision Strikes.

Status Resist (Exhaustion)
Cost: 10 AP
Your body possesses a natural resistance which is higher than normal. As a result, it is possible to resist the effects of a chosen status effect (except Stagger and Insanity) up to Tier 2. Can be purchased multiple times to further improve resilience.

Sorcery Trait: Mundane (Raw)
Masahiro possesses a special magical trait all his own which grants him affinity with "mundane" materials. As a result of this, the cost of creating these kinds of materials with his Dream Gate is reduced significantly. MP cost for creating a single mundane object is treated as 2 Additionally, the durability of the objects created is increased somewhat above average.

Personal Skills & Abilities

Street Fighting
He has became strong the hard way, and many times in the past did he stand on the loser's side, so it is something that comes not from talent, but experience and trained instinct. Combat where he is being outnumbered is not much of a disadvantage for him anymore. More like the polar opposite.
Effect 1:
[+1 Strength and Defense for each enemy present in combat, for a maximum gain of +5.]
Effect 2:
[When combating an opponent with a lesser form of combat ability, their combat perk(s) is negated and beneficial modifiers are applied to battle calculation.]

Dream Gate - First Access
The ability to bring space, objects and beings to life from the World of Dreams. Or that's what the ability is supposed to do, when its full potential is unleashed. So far, Fukuda Masahiro has demonstrated the ability to summon common objects, like for example a bench or a chair, things like that. He is capable of creating them for quite a low cost and at a moderate range, with just as much quality as an original. He hasn't tried it yet, but he probably can summon mundane fantasy weapons like swords and shields or sets of armor with similar results.
[Special Ability. Can summon mundane objects (chairs, apples, books, etc.) for a nominal fee of 5 MP per object summoned. Items such as swords and shields can be summoned for 7 MP and boost Attack and/or Defense by 1.]

[Optimus]

Mark Walker
Station 13- Twisted Tunnels
Time Unknown (Night)

So that's how it was, right? How everything ended? Masahiro wasn't even trying to battle anymore, wasn't he? Mark was about to throw up his arms and give up when he noticed this was... very unlike of him. He'd been known as a justice-maker. A person bullies across Fuyuki feared, wasn't it?

Depression gave way to a faster thought process, still far from clear of emotion but good enough to cleanly analyze the situation presented before him. She was taunting them. The instant she went invisible, both their food and possibly their lives would be endangered. Masahiro would not give up like that. That is, unless...

He was planning something.

That talk was way too strange, even for someone as idiotic as Masahiro, he wouldn't be as dense as to attempt to talk to a person who just stole their food right in front of them...? She had supernatural abilities, so she could probably sense Masahiro's extraordinary power.

Then, in a single instant he understood all what he needed to know.

The only one who stood a chance of finishing the battle with one strike was him. He could be right, and Masahiro had formed a battle plan, and would give some sort of signal anytime... Or, would he? here was only a split second to make his decision.

Masahiro was an idiot.

He was a colossal moron.

But, still, he chose to trust him. Simply because he did not want to live without being able to place his trust into others, or something like that.

Let's do this. We'll show this woman... No, this monster right here the mistake of underestimating us. Remember what you've studied, and apply it.

The switch inside his mind was ready to be pulled down. The instant Masahiro's thumb moved, Mark's circuits, which up to then had remained hidden like a cat's claws flared, pouring what little prana he had left inside his leg and waist muscular packs, and into the nerves inside the sacral plexus. The instant his muscle fibers had their explosive strength enhanced and their reflexes heightened so that they could keep up, and-!

The skin, vomit covered magus took off right after Masahiro's chair at the highest speed he could muster, in an all or nothing action with what little strength he had left. His plan was simple. His eyes focused on the enemy ahead of him, he would observe the direction she'd attempt to dodge the projectile. He would bet it all on the single chance of being able to pin her down momentarily before she could turn invisible, and in return allow Masahiro to strike her down, or at least be able to get a hold of her so Masahiro would know where to hit-!

In other words, win the battle with a single decisive strike, betting everything in the chance Masahiro created for him.

***

Mark Walker's status

Status

-Moderately exhausted

HP - 34
MP - 11 -> 1
STR - 9
DEF - 12
MAG - 12
MDEF - 15
AGI - 13 + 6 -> 19
EVA - 13

Perks used

Prana Supression
Magus only. By skillfully controlling the magical energy within ones own body, it is possible to hide one’s presence as a magus from others. As such, the likelihood of being detected by monsters goes down. Additionally, when engaging a target unaware of magical potency, the first spell receives beneficial modifiers. Depending on the amount of AP invested in this perk, the Magic stat is considered as lower in terms of being detected by others.

Battle Meditation
When attacking an opponent, you are better able to read the enemy’s movements and thus accuracy is improved. During battle calculation, the window between Evasion and Agility in which an opponent can dodge your attack is reduced; essentially making it easier to hit harder with partial damage.

Offensive Support
When coordinating an attack with another, the damage dealt by the attack is increased to 1.2x normal damage. Does not stack with other damage multipliers such as Sneak Attacks and Precision Strikes.

True Aim
When executing offensive support, it becomes possible to hit a target within a 7 point difference between your AGI and the target's EVA.

Dirty Fighting
Use 2: When fighting someone or something with a fighting-style based perk, once per battle certain bonuses can be ignored and Mark can gain positive battle modifiers. Single-target.

___

Spells used

High Reinforcement
Cost: 10 MP
Increases one of Mark's physical combat stat by 6 for two turns. Can be used up to three times in a turn to increase different stats, but the costs are combined.

[Sei]

Mark and Masahiro
Station 13- Twisted Tunnels
Time Unknown (Night)

In a single moment, action is taken on your side. Without deep thought... without the need for communication... A plan is made on the spot to combat the enigmatic intruder. Using nothing more than a throwing chair as a projectile, the idea here is to create an opening so that- even if exhausted- the two of you could safely close in and deliver a decisive blow. Understanding the current conditions of your abilities, you've thought two steps ahead and acted. However, that being said, something happens that you don't quite count on...

"A chair-!?"

The target doesn't move.

Caught off guard by the irregular nature of the projectile aimed at her, there's a brief moment of hesitation on her part. Her face twisting in confusion, she can do nothing but stare at the chair and, through this, the person moving from behind it is also brought to her attention. He moves faster than the object before him, so the nature of this little plan is easily grasped, as evidenced by the redhead's sudden shift in expression. Nevertheless, as this distance, even if she does understand, there's no way she has proper time to react. Dodge or not, the plan will succeed.

"Shit!"

The intruder's body tenses up and, in a last ditch effort at defense, moves to brace herself. The attacker quickly moves into position and the fist is brought down like a hammer.

No contact is made...

Despite only being only a few centimeters away from the girl's face, Mark Walker's fist does not make contact with its target. Even if this girl could turn invisible, there's no way he could be so careless as to miss something right in front of him. It's simply impossible. Regardless, there's no doubt that all he's able to hit shake with his attack is the air. At the same time...

Masahiro has suffered 5 damage.

...Something heavy smashes against the back of the dream mage's head. There is no warning, no resistance, and practically no time to respond. Attacked by something unknown, the boy can only stumble forward onto his knees, planting both hands on the ground, and propping his body so that he may deal with the sudden dizziness. While the world shifts in and out of focus, a few drops of blood drip down onto the pavement to communicate the severity of his wound. And while it doesn't take much to figure out exactly who attacked him, it isn't until the sound of metal crashing on concrete fills the air... that the nature of the weapon used is revealed. And attack carried out with the same weapon he created...

"Are you ok!?" The next thing you hear is Kinue... Followed by a set of quick footsteps rushing over towards her, "No, sto-!"

He voice is soon stifled...

Fearing the worst, the two of you quickly turn to face the girl. Fortunately, it doesn't look like she's been severely injured... However, it would seem that the red-haired ghost has managed to grab a firm hold of her. With one arm wrapped around Kinue's neck and the other hand holding a knife to her face, the assailant grins.

"Okay... So maybe I might have gotten a little ahead of myself there. That was a little too close for comfort..." She offers half a shrug, "Doesn't look like the two of you can pull something like that off again, buuuut... Just to be sure..." The redhead presses the tip of her knife into Kinue's cheek, receiving a sharp whimper in return, "You've entertained me a bit, so I'm gonna make you an offer here. Drop anything of value you've got on you and back off. Food, medicine, weapons, tools... Gimme all that and I'll let your little friend here go. I might even let the two of you live as well~"

This is how things seem to go here. Moving from one unfortunate event to the next, there isn't even the slightest opportunity to drop your guard before something else is pushing you to the edge.

"Clock's ticking~"

This girl is easily one of those people...

"Or... If you don't feel like sharing..."

A vile sheen is emitted from her golden eyes. Obviously up to something, the redhead slowly moves her arm from around Kinue's neck and brings it to the bottom of Kinue's blazer. The knife is brought from the brunettes cheek down to her jugular and, at the same time, the buttons on Kinue's blazer are slowly undone... Tears quickly well up in her eyes soon after.

"If you don't feel like sharing, then just walk away and leave this girl with me," The snake-tongued girl suddenly brings a hand up and aggressively gropes Kinue's breasts, "You'd be surprised just how good of a bartering tool a little piece of ass can be~"

And with those words, the girl's hand drifts down... And slips underneath the top of Kinue's skirt.

"....!"

The desire to scream within Kinue is painfully apparent... But with that blade pressed dangerously up against her neck, even she understands that the slightest bit of movement could be fatal... So, in the end, there's nothing the hapless girl can do but endure it all. The fear, the pain, the threat of death, and even the embarrassment... Completely powerless to do anything, all Kinue can do is plead silently with her tears.

[RacingeR]

Aki Fumi – “Crimson”
Purgatory- Makoto’s Safehouse
Time Unknown (Morning)

There is not much concern from Aki’s part towards the boy who just disrupted her power. Rather, Barky (which was how she started calling him in her mind) does not interest her in the slightest. You have seen one dude grandstanding, you’ve seen them all, and in all honestly, this guy was not very different from others she had seen. Just more psychotic about it of course, but he seemed to share the same weirdness as Makoto.

If you are going to rant and rant about killing and how big your dick is, then just kill already. Don’t waste your breath trying to sound big, because it makes you look weak. Aki’s training as an assassin couldn’t help but make these thoughts flash in her head.

Once the enemies unveiled their bloodlust, there was not much else to say. The very moment their bloodlust was directed to them, Aki’s own bloodlust flared up, and she prepared herself for the battle ahead. She actually preferred it this way… it was much more entertaining. And she had warned them, didn’t she? So if things did end bad for them, they had no one to blame but themselves.

As she prepared herself to strike first… something unexpected occurred. Aki’s gaze shifted with surprise as the first girl also started to move. She had planned to spare her if she did not join the battle, but it seemed that she also wanted to get into the action….

And then, the next events left Aki completely and utterly flabbergasted.

“Eh…?”

All of her hostility and bloodlust vanished in a flash, as she struggled to understand what had just happened. Meanwhile, Miyu continued surprising her, making Barky leave the room, and finally, she just couldn’t take anymore.

More or less at the point Miyu started to address them, Aki just had to walk off towards a corner of the room, struggling with all her might to contain her laughter, barely succeeding. This… this was actually much more entertaining than what would have happened otherwise. She remembered a saying of one of his cousins: ‘A good pair of tits can solve all conflicts’, and nearly burst out laughing again.

After having finally contained her sudden explosion of merriment, Aki returned back to where Merry was. Her red eyes did not abandon Tsubaki for a moment, keeping track of her with clear distrust. However, there was no hostility towards Miyu, and Aki regarded her with slight interest. What was the history behind all this… it was a question that would probably have to wait other day, or go forever unanswered.

“It is just as Merry said. Although, all things considered, it’d be helpful if you could give us some directions.”

[hero]

Fukuda Masahiro
Station 13- Twisted Tunnels
Time Unknown (Night)


"..."

The moment I see her... The moment I see what she's doing to Tomori... The pain, the dizziness, the exhaustion... Everything disappears, with just one exception... Rage. Pure, destructive rage that silently extends not just towards this mysterious girl, but to every single person who, up to this day, has dared to disturb the peace of the gentle kingdom I imagine in my dreams.

If looks alone could kill, the 'monster' hiding behind Tomori Kinue would have been dead by now.

I am used to this emotion... It emerges without consent whenever I face this type of situation. I guess nothing has changed... It has been like this ever since my days at the orphanage. Back then, I was too weak to save others from the bullies, so all I could do was to take the punishment for someone else. Some kids praised me for my bravery and followed me around, others didn't even want to talk to me because, in the end, my act hardly accomplished anything... Sometimes it even made things worse. The truth is... When you think about it, I was just another victim of physical and verbal abuse. I know what it is to be pushed to the limits of your patience, to feel hopeless and unable to do a thing... To feel that one day you're just going to snap if you don't do anything about it. It's the reason why I've managed to carry this hatred for so long...

And even though this person is one of my sworn enemies, I am about to bow my head and do as she asks, being completely aware that she will not just take full advantage of it, but that she will also take pleasure in watching me do it.

"Mark." After glancing briefly at the hostage, I close my eyes and exhale, before announcing my decision. "Show her everything we got."

There is no secret signal, no trick, no plan b. I am going to take the bandit on her offer and hand her what little provisions we have left... As slim as it is, this is the only scenario where Tomori has a chance to survive... There are things we do because we need to, or because we want to, or simply because we feel that we have to... And there are other things that we only resort to when we are desperate and have no other choice. Usually, those involve the chance of us dying, but that's a story best saved for another time. Right now all we can do is admit defeat... And cut our losses. I certainly do not want Kinue to endure through this humiliation any further.

"That's all we have." Moving aside to the right, I let the assailtant see the only few things I was carrying besides the can of peaches: A cellphone and a lighter. "... Now let her go."

-------

Peana Recovery 24 =>34

[Optimus]

Mark Walker
Station 13- Twisted Tunnels
Time Unknown (Night)

Mark Walker was about to lose it. He felt a mix of rage, anger, and helplesness no human being should ever be subjected to. How? How had she? Why were they so helpless, why was there no rest for the wicked?

Shiiiiiiit. Shit. Shit. SHIT.


No. They couldn't give up. Otherwise...

-Akira. Tooru. Keigo. Your deaths haven't been in vain.

Let's do this.

There was something definitely off about the situation. First of all, she had stated she could have slit their throats without them noticing, yet... Why hadn't she done so already? If she was able to teleport behind their backs, why didn't she just use her ability to kill both of them off, and then sell Kinue? He felt a new emotion fill his body.

Hope.

This was strange. As far as he knew, no, as far as even the most basic of magi would know, things like teleportation were far, far off what any normal magus could accomplish with ease. Someone as powerful as that... Wouldn't have the need to take hostages, wouldn't he?

The fact that she took Kinue meant there was something she wanted out of them.

Walking up to Masahiro's position, he took Kinue out of his sight, and stared right into the eyes of the read haired girl, with his hands empty and open, but seemingly without giving the slightest importance to the knife pointed towards Kinue's neck.

And then, planted his foot firmly on the lighter Masa tossed to the ground.

-"Hey. I know first hand this world is a pain to deal with, but there was no need to go and steal that can and cause this massive ruckus, was there? All you had to do was ask. Do understand we're all a little tense, expecting some sort of goddamn giant fly, lizard, or god knows what kind of monstrosity to pop and try to eat us, and we might not be really up for jokes.

So, why not put that knife back into your pocket, and introduce ourselves properly? Look, if you have any wounds, we can treat them. If you guys are hungry, we'll share whatever we have. There isn't any need to resort to violence here. We're all in the same boat, aren't we? If we combine our powers, we can increase our odds of survival, can't we?

I don't really think you're a bad person. I mean, you said you could slice our throats if you wanted to, but thus far no one has been wounded. If you wanted to steal anything, well, you'd been able to steal whatever without being seen.

So, what do you really want from us? I... No, I'm sure I speak in behalf of all of us, that as long as we all introduce ourselves properly and discuss this calmly, it'll be better for us all than whatever is happening right now, don't you agree? I'll begin myself. My full name is Mark Walker, exchange student at Fuyuki's Homurahara Gakuen.

Who might I have the pleasure of talking with?"

***

Prana Recovery 1 => 11

[Vritra]

Yuuta Tsukino
Abandoned School- Lab
Time Unknown (Morning)

So seem like my response put her off, which I suppose that’s to be expected she was probably hoping for someone who shared her tastes but I just can’t. On the plus side she isn’t making an issue of it which is nice I suppose.

Heading back to my stuff I close my eyes and clap my hands together in preparation and begin my exercises.

Wash yourself of the grime of yesterday; cleanse yourself of your doubts, hesitations and insecurities. Use the past as a foundation that you can stand firm upon and turn to face tomorrow, and so once you have set yourself upon your foundation facing your destination do you draw your blade; the blade that is an extension of your body, the blade that your will and when swung will have your full strength behind each swing.

No hesitations as I step forward to bring my goal closer to realization I draw my bokken and with that I switch from my mental focusing into my physical training, Stab, slash, block, feint, counterattack and dodge I go through my routines facing the memory that has been ingrained into me of my father’s beautiful and crushing swordsmanship.

One day I will match you blow for blow dad just you wait.

As I go through my training I can’t help but occasionally take a break and glance at Adelle and notice something rather odd. Not her steady gaze which while somewhat unnerving is natural I suppose considering we just met and I’m training but the fact that she isn’t finished yet and more importantly I don’t see her eating.

After several glances I finally figure out what she’s doing, she’s seems to be trying to take me into consideration and only eating when my back is turned.

…Really, I'm not sure what to say to her action on one hand I find it rather nice that she seems to be trying to take my feelings into consideration. I can only see this as the sort of thing that causes problems when left like this. Besides I’ve already seen what she’s like trying to ignore it now would only be running away.

This world may be ugly and full of ugly people no good will come from turning away and trying to hide from that fact. A somewhat funny though considering my love for fiction but I have decided I will not run away from the world, I will take it and change it so that my dreams become reality.

“Thank you for the suggestion Adelle that really sounds great but first I want to talk to you.” Looking her in the eyes I prepare, have no hesitations and put your full being behind your actions now is the time to follow this teaching.

"Adelle I’m sorry if this bothers you but please don’t hide your actions like that from me. If we’re to work as a team we need to be able to trust each other and I don’t want to be second guessing you, I want to believe in you. So please let’s not hide things from each other like just now."

I hope I didn’t anger her or make it awkward but I don’t want to find out that she’s been killing and eating people behind my back I just want a friend I can trust even if she is weird and has such …tastes.

Grabbing my stuff and getting ready I head back over “Ok I’m ready so let’s get those apples I’m sure they’re delicious and thanks again for the thought.” And so getting all my stuff ready I follow after her as we head out, eyes peeled and ready for anything that may jump us.

[MssrNeko]

Ethan Kane
Mosscreep Ruins- Necks' Manse
Time Unknown (Morning)

"How about this, sensei? After we get some training with Mai and these monsters, we tackle the stash later?" I say. I have a feeling that while Sakaki-sensei means well, he would just sneak off later to go off on his own for the stored items.

"That way we get some experience before we go headfirst into the dark." I look at our group with a smile, trying to put on my best leader face. I can only hope that everyone agrees with my offer. I'm not a good leader but I will try my best to help my group out of this mess. "Although maybe we should have some rest after the crash course with the monsters. That way we don't run into that building tired."

My thoughts were in a jumble as I tried to think of ways to proceed.

"Okay. First we learn more about monsters, rest a little bit, and then maybe try to find that stash you talked about, Mai."

[Bloble]

Sakaki Tetsuro
Mosscreep Ruins- Necks' Manse
Time Unknown (Morning)

The man nodded. "I have no objections to Mr. Kane's proposal, if Mr. Kuboiha agrees."

Well, he did, but he knew well enough that they were irrational ones born of emotions that didn't need to exist. Besides, there was always later...

[Airen]

Kurogane Akira
Park, Office Building- Top Floor
Time Unknown (Morning)

"She's right."

In the end, the words of the girl are what snap me out of my little reverie.

Much of our supplies had been stolen, we were missing a member, and everyone's nerves seemed to be more or less shot, but staying here any longer wouldn't accomplish anything.

"Might as well get on our way," brushing the hair from my eyes, I slip the note Alina gave me into the pocket of my school jacket, before starting towards the door, "While I was exploring this building last night with Eva, we ran into a girl who went by the name of Puffy. Nice girl at first glance, but she seemed to be suffering from some sort of sleep disorder, and owned quite a few handmade weapons. Keep an eye on her if we find her though, just to be safe, and don't put your weapons away... Our little guide just proved you can't trust too lightly in this place."

Damn.... I really want my morning coffee, but it looks like that's not gonna happen anytime soon.

Might as well get used to it now.

Forcing a smile, I turn to look back at the others as I reach the doorway, hat in hand.

"She mentioned she wanted to take us to a city. A place like that should have people in it, for better or for worse, so finding her could prove beneficial to us for the near future, although I suppose acting without her is also possible so long as we're all together." Speaking aloud, I unconsciously mess with my hair again as I continue, "As for Liam... The building seemed monster free when we checked it, so as long as he didn't do something foolish... Like leave, we shouldn't have any trouble finding him on our way out. Any thoughts? If the vague plan seems alright, we should move out pretty soon. Don't wanna run out of time and get caught outside when the sun goes down."

There were many things I needed to do today.

No time to mess around here.

[Blackdeath6031]

Kuboiha Shizuka
Mosscreep Ruins - Neck's Manse
Time Unknown (Morning)


Shizuka shrugged, a contented smile lingering on his face.

"Its a much better idea than what I had in mind at least."

Shizuka was thinking that the others were not willing to do too many things just yet, especially after all the things that happened yesterday. But he has been proven that he was wrong to have thought that way.

"But," Shizuka frowned as he turned toward Mai. "I'm guessing we've something we're killing time for?"

[Sei]

Mark and Masahiro
Station 13- Twisted Tunnels
Time Unknown (Night)

The two of you have made up your minds and, more or less, come to a conclusion as well. Though your opinions on the matter may be different, whatever the stance, they're both decisions made upon considering the situation. On one side is the admittance of defeat. On the other, an appeal to reason. Both are natural responses considering the individuals involved; however, whether or not either will lead to salvation... That remains to be seen.

Standing on the opposite end of the conflict lies the assailant. Having fallen silent in order to listen to your words, her golden eyes pierce the hazy light like daggers in the night. At first it seems as though she's carefully examining the items presented, but they don't seem to hold her interest for long. Instead, her eyes narrow- as if angered- before returning to your individual persons. Then, rather meticulously, she begins to pick each of you apart. Her eyes moving across every inch of your being, you feel as though no detail escapes her. From the dirt on your clothes to the smallest of cuts on your face, you know that she catches it all.

"Tsch, don't give me that crap," Finally breaking the silence, she draws her knife close to Kinue's neck, "In case you forgot, you're the ones who attacked me first. So any kind of diplomacy you've got for me is already outta the question, at this point."

And just like that, you can feel your hopes sinking.

"It's like you said, right? 'This world's a pain in the ass'? People are all tensed up and even more of 'em are walking around on egg shells... If you think that just pointing out the obvious is enough to get me to hold your hand and join you for a round of campfire songs, you're dead wrong. So what if I stole from you? That's certainly not the worst thing that could happen in this place, am I wrong? Like you said, I could've just killed you if I wanted."

She scowls.

"Fortunately for you, a live diversion works better than a dead one..."

Putting on a rather disinterested look, the redheaded girl turns her face closer to Kinue's while her hand makes a sudden, violent movement. In response, Kinue lets out a quick, sharp yelp... but is deterred just as quickly by the cold sting of the blade pressed against her neck.

"But I guess I kind of am at fault here..." The girl's eyes dart back over towards the two of you, "After all, if I'd have just asked, everything would be honky-dory. Surely you saints would have just parted with your only can of food so that little ol' me could just gobble it up. Oh whatever was I thinking?"

She continues to taunt the two of you until, suddenly, the scorn and malice in her face simply vanishes. As if it is all just flushed away by her own will, the girl's eyes dull- growing emotionless and uncaring.

"Oh yeah... I was thinking about myself."

And then she just snaps back, as if using the cold expression to further illustrate her point.

"I was thinking about how empty my stomach is... And how if I didn't find something to eat... Well, who knows? ...It's not like you guys matter to me, so why should I care if the three of you starve? ...If you ask me, it's a worse crime to split such a small amount of food among three people, rather than just feed one. ...Watching the three of you trying to decide what to do with it... It was absolutely disgusting..."

The girl pauses and smiles... before chuckling to herself like something about all this is funny.

"But... I guess all of this is just nonsensical rambling for all of you. ...Neither of you really seem like you know what real hunger or desperation is all about," She laughs again, "Hell, if you did, I'd be dead by now," And then she sighs, "...But I'm not... Instead I get some half-assed lecture about how we're all in the same boat and how if we band together we can 'increase our chances of survival'. Even got some lame profile to top it all off. ...Jeez, I swear..."

The red assailant breaks off again, honing her gaze on the two of you once more. However, this time it's different. This time, there's a certain malicious glare in her eye...

"It's almost like you guys are new to this whole thing..."

And then, her intent starts to make itself known. Having to have stumbled upon something she hadn't known before, you can practically feel the devious plot brewing inside her head. And the minute she realizes you're starting to catch on, she shoots the two of you a rather sadistic grin.

"Seeing how as what you've got on you is total garbage... How about a new proposal? I'll let your friend go if you... become my lackies for a bit. If you behave, I might even set you up with a few points that'll extend your life expectancies by a day or two."

It's a simple proposal, but all the same one that seems rather unfair.

"Of course, if that's still no good... We could always cut the bullshit, put an end to this dumb shit stalling, and I could just end the all of you here and now~"

It's unfair because it boils down to a simple ultimatum.

"Oh," Playing as though she just remembered something, the girl exaggerates surprise,"And it's Gekkou Ageha, to answer your earlier question. Nice to meet you~"

Mark and Masahiro has regained 10 MP.

[SeiKeo]

Евгения Иванов
Park, Office Building - Top Floor

"Out or in. Commitment is important, right Akira? Think about it. Out or in; both lead off into only God knows where. Can't plan, can't predict. Don't know where the city might be, don't know when Liam might be. It risks being caught between in the cold."

Morning in the same light as evening, exit red. It's funny. Did you sleep? You did, didn't you. But how do you know? It all looks the same. Maybe the fire is down, maybe you feel rested or sore.

But prove it to yourself. I guess you're wearing a watch, so different time, different date. Maybe you changed it on accident, maybe someone else did. Maybe the spring is off and you never noticed and it ran fast. Let's say it's right. Who do you trust? You're the machine now. The world is what it tells you what it is.

Let's say you want to be human. Is it even morning? I don't know, you tell me. It feels the same down here. Still cold, still dark. Where'd the time go? It sure doesn't look like it went to anything to me.

I sighed, picking up my remaining things and standing. Time to go; we're here. If she was going to leave, she would.

[Mellon]

Troph
Park, Office Building- Top Floor
Time Unknown (Morning)

"She mentioned she wanted to take us to a city. A place like that should have people in it, for better or for worse, so finding her could prove beneficial to us for the near future, although I suppose acting without her is also possible so long as we're all together."

"As for Liam... The building seemed monster free when we checked it, so as long as he didn't do something foolish... Like leave, we shouldn't have any trouble finding him on our way out. Any thoughts? If the vague plan seems alright, we should move out pretty soon. Don't wanna run out of time and get caught outside when the sun goes down."

Trophs eyes narrowed in mock exasperation.

“So, Akira. Tell me again why we should we trust the person, who you just said two seconds ago we shouldn’t have trusted?”

“There seems to be something of a… incoherency in what you say, ya know?”

Troph scratched his head and let out a large yawn of his own. Really, following the words of the woman who had just robbed them blind didn’t seem the best of ideas in all honesty. What if that just led them to a bunch of more thieves? One of them could steal his jacket! Or his boots, the bastards! He could definitely see them stealing his boots! That is what happened in all these kind of movies right? The evil guys always had a fascination with boots of the heroes, for some peculiar reason.

Troph shook his fist at the invisible boot thieves that no doubt existed somewhere in this world.

“I’ll die before they take my… ahem... I agree with finding our lost lambs though, that makes good sense. Mr Sourpuss and your NEET friend should be somewhere in this building after all.”

“And even if they are dead, it would make sense to at least confirm it. When we are all together of course. Splitting up would be bad for our health.”

“As for the future… hmm.” Troph fell into thought for a brief moment. “Maybe actually establish a base of our own and try to strike out from there? Or pick out a star and head out in that direction!”

“Its not like there seems to be much of a difference in this dreary locale of ours.”

[Verg Avesta]

Rolanda A. Knox
Park, Office Building- Top Floor
Time Unknown (Morning)

As the others continued to mill about and discuss their current predicament and loss of equipment, Rolanda used the chance to calm herself down. The fire of justice that burned within her made her feel almost nauseous, the back of her throat almost akin to scorched badlands in its nature. For a moment she had to focus her breathing to simply not throw up, going as far as swallowing multiple times to keep the gastric juices down.

That's... strange. Almost uncanny. Rolanda though, narrowing her eyes. Not a weakness but an automated reaction. Why? Why was there...

"It's likely not much will come of staying here for much longer. Even though it would seem we've lost our only guide, it's still important that we keep moving. So as soon as we're ready, we should find Liam and head out from here. Though we're going in blind, I'm sure we'll be able to find our way eventually."

Rolanda smirked mirthfully, wanting to comment that Nao had hardly been their "guide." It was more akin to following a rapid dog from a distance in order to find a place to sleep, and when deeming it safe, putting down that dog so that it could no longer do harm. She hadn't gotten to the "putting down" part yet, but Rolanda had to simply remind herself that only patience was required. Nao had already revealed her crimes. The time of judgment could wait.

And when it came to execution, Rolanda was more than eager to step up to the stage with an axe. Or a gun.

"Might as well get on our way. While I was exploring this building last night with Eva, we ran into a girl who went by the name of Puffy. Nice girl at first glance, but she seemed to be suffering from some sort of sleep disorder, and owned quite a few handmade weapons. Keep an eye on her if we find her though, just to be safe, and don't put your weapons away... Our little guide just proved you can't trust too lightly in this place. She mentioned she wanted to take us to a city. A place like that should have people in it, for better or for worse, so finding her could prove beneficial to us for the near future, although I suppose acting without her is also possible so long as we're all together. As for Liam... The building seemed monster free when we checked it, so as long as he didn't do something foolish... Like leave, we shouldn't have any trouble finding him on our way out. Any thoughts? If the vague plan seems alright, we should move out pretty soon. Don't wanna run out of time and get caught outside when the sun goes down."

"Another one? Kakaka, this time, why won't we act more rationally?" Rolanda spoke as she started to dress up once more, quickly securing her equipment on her persona and pulling on her dry uniform. "If we find see this little rat with weapons you speak of, how about incapacitating her and putting her on a leash? Even the mangy, crazed dogs of this pitiful place may turn out to be useful when shown whom they should obey. There is no issue of trust if we simply break those we need to use for our advantage, right?"

Letting out a malicious cackle, Rolanda pulled on her skirt, the last bit of clothing she was missing. After making sure she had all of her stuff, she took out a single cigarette and put it on her lips, lighting it up. Taking a deep drag from it, she enjoyed the small buzz in her brains that she could feel, a calming sensation that jump-started the rest of her brain, the parts not focused on exacting her justice on the criminal who was the cause of their current predicament.

“I’ll die before they take my… ahem... I agree with finding our lost lambs though, that makes good sense. Mr Sourpuss and your NEET friend should be somewhere in this building after all. And even if they are dead, it would make sense to at least confirm it. When we are all together of course. Splitting up would be bad for our health. As for the future… hmm. Maybe actually establish a base of our own and try to strike out from there? Or pick out a star and head out in that direction! Its not like there seems to be much of a difference in this dreary locale of ours.”

"Huuuuuh? If those two have gotten themselves lost, it's their own fault," Rolanda said, shooting a glare full of arrogance towards Troph. "We have no need to find them. If they wanted to be found, they can just crawl back to us with their tails between their legs. I mean, sure, unless they suddenly vanished into thin air or started flying, following their footprints and gait would be an easy feat. This isn't Hollow Man, after all. But why would we want to add more dead weight to our group?"

Rolanda cackled and puffed out a cloud of smoke in the air, allowing it to frame her lithe face, making her look even more sinister than she already did, as if she was a little blue-haired devil rising from the ashes.

"Unless we simply want to get our belongings back and execute the criminal, in which case I suppose we could look for the two at the same time," Rolanda continued, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Of course, we could chase could-be-phantoms and hope to find Warehouse 9, or something as silly as that."

[Sei]

Solomon West
Hospital Building- Second Floor
Time Unknown (Night)

Some kind of strange creature unlike anything you've ever seen before steadily makes its way out onto the floor. It's appearance is unpleasant, to say the least, and you're unsure whether or not this thing is what broke through the glass downstairs... However, none of that really matters now. Call it a hunch, but something tells you that- whatever this thing is- it's not here to sing and dance with you. Just as Souhei pointed out, it looks as though it's searching for food. And while you've got no idea what monsters eat, you're willing to bet it'd have no qualms in settling for the three of you. Fortunately, it doesn't seem as though it has noticed any of you yet.

With only a handful of options available to you, you quickly decide on the one that seems the most reasonable. Like it or not, you're going to have to find some way to move around this thing because running straight up on it just doesn't strike you as something you'd care to do. So, placing you're faith in a single tactic you've seen used countless times before, you pick up a nearby pebble and chuck it over towards the far side of the room. Hoping to create some kind of diversion, you strike gold when the stone crashes into an overturned filing cabinet.

You and the others watching quietly as the creature stops in its place and raises its head in the direction of the noise. Its body slowly turning- curiosity clearly piqued- you find yourself steadily edging from behind the corner. In the following instant, an inhuman howl fills the air... and the ground beneath your feet shakes.

Once you're able to recover from this oddity, you're baffled when you find that the pale beast is no longer where you remember. Instead, you find that its body has somehow moved over to the same corner you threw the rock into. The entire area now shrouded in a thick haze of dirt and dust, you can only watch in complete bewilderment as the creature begins to violently toss the rubble beneath its feet out of the way. Then, in only a matter of seconds, the furious digging stops before the white monster pulls something out from underneath- a human body. Holding the decimated corpse between its claws, the beast steadily eases the deceased's head into its jawless maw and... in a rather macabre display... separates everything from the neck up from the rest of the body.

You still aren't very certain about what just went down, but, for this very reason, you find that your body instinctively moves back behind the wall.

"It would seem that there was a body over there..." Commenting on the situation, Reika whispers while keeping an eye on the monster's movements, "I guess we aren't the first people to have passed through here."

Under different circumstances, that might have actually made you feel a little better. But, seeing how as the only other body around here that isn't a monster already died some time ago, it doesn't look like things are looking up for you very much. Step by step, your situation is beginning to get worse. If you're not able to come up with something fast, you've got a sneaking suspicion that you'll end up like a certain chew toy you know.

"Souhei...?"

Suddenly reminding you of the other person in the group, Reika's voice directs you towards your four-eyed companion. When you set your eyes on him, there's no doubt that he's dealing with the situation any better than you are.

"It just jumped..." The school teacher murmurs something to himself before slumping forward, propping himself up with one hand, while covering his mouth with the other, "...Just one step... That's all it took..."

You can't make any sense of what he's trying to say, however...

"You saw that?" Reika responds rather flatly with a whisper.

The girl poses a question to the weary man, but it doesn't seem like Souhei will be answering her anytime soon. Clearly trying to contain the contents of his stomach, Souhei lowers his head even further and dedicates himself to silence.

Understanding that she won't be getting a response, Reika instead turns to you.

"That thing... whatever it is, it's too fast to track with our eyes," Like before, the Japanese girl remains unusually calm about the situation at hand, "...If I had to guess, I'd say it's probably about five times faster than your average person. ...Way too fast to just run past, even with a distraction."

Yeah... You'd already kind of figured out just about as much. Seeing how as that thing zipped on over towards the far corner before you could even get a foot out, there's no way you could just go out there without some solid insurance. All it would take is one slip up, a single ounce of bad luck, ...and that thing would be on you before your heart could even beat.

"...But I have a plan."

Still, the hoodie wearing girl remains steadfast.

"So I want you to take Souhei and move right now. ...Take him and run as fast as you can. Don't even stop to breathe, if you can help it."

A certain chill arises both in Reika's eyes and voice as she looks dead at you and says this. Not even waiting for you to accept or deny her supposed plan, she stands up and turns to face the monster. Her back looming over your crouched person, she raises her hands and adjusts her hood one more time.

"Sixty seconds... That's all you'll get... Got it?"

Still trying to wrap your mind around what the girl before you is saying, your attention is once again called over towards the corner of the room the monster is occupying. Seeming to have just finished munching on its little meal, it's head turns over towards the three of you- its eyes beaming with a ghastly radiance.

[hero]

Fukuda Masahiro
Station 13- Twisted Tunnels
Time Unknown (Night)


"..."

Mark is right... Giving up here is not an option. Gekkou said it herself, she is a person who looks only after herself. While she hasn't murdered any of us yet, I have no doubts that she doesn't really care about what could happen to us. Even if we choose to side with her, we'd be disposable and literally inferior to her. Becoming slaves for Kinue's sake... I can't commit to that, especially when I've got no guarantee that this girl will keep her word in the long run.

"Tch..."

Agreeing to her every demand is only bound to get us all killed (or worse), and rejecting them at the wrong moment can prove to be a terrible mistake, as well. We need a chance to turn the tables or an element of power that would allow us to negotiate, but right now I don't think we have either. If we buy time and recover our strength, an opportunity is bound to present itself sooner or later... After all, super-powers or not, the four of us are human. We must be smart about what we do, though, because this bully already knows we've been stalling until now.

But then, even if I manage to create an opening to exploit... In a world with no rules to follow, how far am I willing to go to stop this person...? A part of me doesn't want to find out.

"Then just go ahead and tell us what we need to do."

If we can't blatantly stall the outcome of this situation, we'll just have to do so subtly. I just need to keep her talking for a few more minutes, and the way to do that is by taking this conversation where she wants it to go. Still, I've gotta show I haven't suddenly become her loyal dog or she might get suspicious... I don't want to push my luck against a desperate survivor like this one.

"The sooner you take your hands off our teammate, the better."

With that said, I carefully make my way back to the items I dropped and kneel down to them. Seeing as she thinks they are total garbage, I don't think she'll have a problem if I pocket them. Though, since I can't really predict what Gekkou will do next, I make sure to move extra slow, keep my hands exposed and my eyes locked on hers so it doesn't look like I am trying to pull anything stupid. A discharged phone and an almost empty lighter might not be of much use now, but who knows if they'll be in the future. Since I don't have anything I could be carrying instead and their weight is nothing that could ever hope to slow me down, I don't lose anything by taking them with me.

With nothing else to say or do at the moment, my attention turns towards Mark, who still has to give an answer to this proposal.

-------

Peana Recovery 44 => 54