Ga Rei: Exodus Nine (IC)

**Mormarth** · May 13th, 2014, 05:55 PM

Watanabe Tomoya
Outside 'For Pete's Sake', New Aoyama
Night

I paused for a moment after the assault, gazing at the skeleton's aura, as it crouched in pain from the assault...

And the aura seemed to change, grow more... potent.

Son of a bitch, it was drawing in spirits to buff itself! I grunted, glancing at my companion for the moment, "Yo, I'm thinkin we should try and cut off the source of his power before he shifts into [Maximum Overdrive]."

I say this casually, as if I fought multi-story skeletons which are actually a vast congealed essence of angry ghosts every other day.

Meh.

I scrutinize my opponent from a distance, it glaring at me sullenly, was that the soft light of desperation in its eyelights? Maybe. It didn't matter, after all; First rule of Business: Never leave a job half-finished.

Unless it's quitting time. But that's beside the point.

Hm, girl seems to like striking from high places, maybe I'll do her a solid.

"Alright, got a bit of a plan lined up here, and it's crazy enough it'll obviously work. I'm going to pick you up, and throw you in a[Fastball Special], then, we attack simultaneously, cutting off the flow of power he's got going on there."

I stretched my arm slightly, closing my eyes in concentration, my spiritual power is normally used to destroy, to overwhelm, to crush with sheer force, an exorcism was slightly more complicated then that. And I had to adjust it accordingly.

I open my eyes to a light hue of red, almost orange, covering my arm. It wasn't quite as potent as my normal ESP, but it'd have to do for now.

He's probably going to be quite upset about us charging again, so I'd better get ready to [Evade] once more.

I crouched down, offering my shoulder to the soon-to-be impromptu missile.

"Alright, I got a bone to pick with this guy, so let's go ahead and really get under his skin."

**Airen** · May 15th, 2014, 06:30 PM

Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

An absolute flame.

The charging wraith in your sight, your target is not the beast, but the storm the beast's existence brought to this city. It was an attack of the highest ambition, seeking to intervene with phenomena great enough to change the nature of the world with nothing more than brute force. As the powers of ESPers were not those of exorcists, they possessed no real affinity against spirits, instead resembling the powers of vengeful spirits themselves.

They were not holy words, nor were they the powers granted by holy weapons or spirit armaments.

It was nothing more than "Power," shaped by the soul of a human into something else.

In the case of Saki Ryuumonbochi, that power took the shape of a graceful fire. A storm of petals, a field of flowers made out of a relentless flame, moves to consume the frozen city at the behest of it's master. Mastered to the point of obsession, it was a flame that could latch onto the "souls," of others, burning body and spirit alike with no mercy.

It was a fitting power, granted by the greatest spirit of destruction.

But alone, it was not enough to do what you desired.

This was a world created by many wills.

The sight of your flames reflected in the beast's eyes, the world around you changes. The temperature drops impossibly fast, the ground beneath your feet cracks, frozen water tearing through the damaged concrete even as the cold pierces through to your bones.

Suzume takes 20 HP damage.
Saki takes 20 HP damage.
Megumi takes 20 HP damage.
Michio takes 20 HP damage. (-33. -100 is death.)

Yes.

On it's own, the storm you had summoned would not be enough, but-

"Tch... Kids these days..."

Talking more to herself than you, the older woman sighs, but her eyes do not leave the storm of flame.

Blinking, the red flame suddenly burns gold.

Like adding fuel to a flame, Megumi's spirit pulses, her "soul," adding onto the already impossible fire, and the storm of flame becomes something capable of changing the world, detonations, sounds like fireworks, streaking through the air and banishing "winter," itself.

Even a monster wouldn't be able to escape.

Screeching into the night, the spirit, as well as it's storm, is consumed by fire.

Wendigo takes 90 HP Damage.
Wendigo takes 27 SP Damage
Burn severity increases!
Wendigo takes 30 affliction Damage.

---

Suzume Oshino
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

The man does not stir immediately.

While his breathing is okay, the gash on his chest is quite deep, and the burns on his arms and legs, a testament to what seemed to be Saki's work, have burned parts of his clothing onto his flesh.

Unlike you, he didn't seem capable of regenerating from his wounds.

It's a tad disappointing, but in a way, the fact that he wasn't going to just get up and walk it off made him much more human than you.

"...Run..."

Eyes opened into slits, the man talks to you in a hushed voice.

"Monster... Get out of here..."

Delirious, or perhaps just on the verge of unconsciousness, the man's eyes close once more, and it becomes clear that, without some form of medical supplies, he isn't going to survive for much longer out here. Even though he seemed to be an exorcist, there was only so much the soul could do for a body as wounded as this, in many ways, he was already on his own form of life support.

Perhaps... Liane's shop would have something? The monster seemed to be dead, burned to death by Saki's flame, so you should be able to-

A shriek cuts through the night again.

---

Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

Looked like it was over.

The buildings that had been frozen over were burning in places, and even the ground in front of you was barred by a thick wall of fire. Next to you, Megumi had dropped to one knee, holding her head as if in pain, but other than that, it seemed like the incident had been resolved by your impossible will!

It was a time of celebration, in which praise should be bestowed onto you, but-

-Ba-Dump-

Something wasn't right.

Even though you had seen the monster be consumed by the flames....

Something was wrong-!

Gaze turning up, at the buildings...

Green eyes.

Coated in flame.

The monster you could finally see descends upon you.

"...!"

The target is Saki.

Mouth stretched wide into a gaping maw, the black fog is merging with the creature as it descends. Your body moves, as does the body of the woman next to you, but it's not going to be enough.

It will catch you.

Understanding that...

The blue haired woman shoves you out of it's range with inhuman force. It wasn't a planned move, the calculated mind of Nakamura Megumi should not allow an action that would only lead to harm to her own body. As the creature's parameters had been above her calculations, now was the time to get a grasp on it's style, it's habits, and from there, finish the plan that would end in it's defeat...

But...

As a mother, the woman simply couldn't watch a kid get hurt.

Fangs pierce completely through the older woman's shoulder, blood-stained teeth emerging from her back as blood splatters, and with nothing more than it's head, the blue haired woman is tossed back, over the wall of fire, and hits the ground beyond your sight with an audible smash.

Nakamura Megumi takes 60 HP damage.
Affliction: ???
Affliction: Bleeding. (ESPer trait. Affliction will resolve itself in two turns.)

Turning to you, it's true target, the beast roars once more.

And, against the burning concrete, the last struggle commences.

Wendigo

Megumi

**I3uster** · May 15th, 2014, 08:19 PM

Suzume Oshino
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

Saki's power created a heat swell just long enough to make the following cold snap agonizing. It was uncomfortable to me, but that was nothing compared to our unconscious friend. He can't afford to lose much temperature.

I stand up. A bit more space has to be created between me and her, but before I can move my hands under his shoulders I raise them to my face instinctively.

Too late.

What I see is only fire.

Saki is an engine of destruction by herself. Spirits of lower classes are only fuel to her flames. I have seen her turn major threats to ashes in mere seconds. But this is excessive even for her.

It seems like the sun itself rises from the cracks of the asphalt, utterly obliterating the false snowstorm.

The boy talks, and I am startled out of my awe.

"Monster... Get out of here..."

"Shh...lie down. It's over." He's not scared. Pretty brave in his current state. This is no longer his fight. In fact it was no longer a fight at all.

Saki has vanquished the beast.

Right as I am about to calm down, an ear-piercing shriek proves me a liar.

I feel its presence. My head turns too slow to track its movements.

It's angry.

It lunges. There's just too much of a distance between me and Saki. There is nothing I can do here. Like a flash it appears.

My eyes were unreliable, but my other sense informed me of what is happening.

Radio silence from Megumi for just a second. Then pain. Adrenaline. Fear.

Two injured. Enraged beast. And Saki only slightly startled.

I have seen similar things before. But there is no way I can ever get used to a person being gravely injured near me.

In big part because of the pain I have to share in such a moment.

I can't stay back now.

There was no point in nursing the boy with the Wendigo right next to us. We have to make absolutely sure that this spirit is slain, right here, right now. We have to press the attack.

"SAKI! MEGUMI!"

I shout. Megumi is weakened. I hope we don't have to rely on her for this. She has done enough for us as it is, but we can't risk letting this thing live for any longer than it had to.

I pull out a rectangular sheet of paper from my jacket.

"ON MY MARK!"

I pull off the cap of a sharpie in my other hand with my mouth. My hand glides over the piece, making it seem as if the sign on it just appeared out of nowhere.

"NOW!"

Spoiler:

**Airen** · May 17th, 2014, 11:50 AM

William Levilius
New Aoyama, Entertainment District
Night

(BGM On)

It didn't make sense.

Despite being faced with death itself, William Levilius, the boy who was nothing more than a stranger to her, had decided that he was not going to move. The magic in her hand was something dark, an attack that severed fate and cast it's victim into the darkness of the void, and still, even though his body was instinctively yelling at him to flee, the boy continued towards her, his arms outstretched.

"Stop it... You'll die-!"

Acceptance instead of rejection.

Even the demon, the one who shared the girl's name, was surprised at your actions. This world, Naraku, was the same place that had appeared eight years ago. It was not a merciful world, most of the things that appeared here existed simply to punish humans, the darkness left behind in the circle of reincarnation returning as the last wave of karma.

It was not a world someone like you would survive in.

Going around, making so many promises, trying to protect people that you didn't even know...

You were a foolish human.

But still-

"...Stupid, stupid, stupidstupid-!"

Her host, the one who had called her into this world, wanted to believe in you.

"Just go!"

Those who came close to her would simply die.

Even though she was just a child, she had come to accept that.

So perhaps it was for your sake that, tears streaming down her face, she moved to drive you away.

It was a void that pulled light into itself.

Consuming everything, it was an attack that didn't belong in this world, fueled by a being that didn't belong in this world. The air distorts, the ground beneath your feet shakes, and the fog itself seems to retreat, those who made it up not wanting to get caught in the blast.

Pouring all of her spiritual power into this blast, it seems that this is her heart's last rejection. Having been touched by the Kyuubi, there is a large possibility that you will survive the assault, but even still, the premonition of incoming pain, of reaching a state close to death, cannot be denied.

Yes.

The attack that leaves Alice's palm is enough to bring even a god to it's knees, wiping away consciousness, it is the harbinger of a forced darkness, carrying all of the pain the girl held in her heart.

It is not fair to ask someone to bear all of someone else's pain.

William Levilius will not stand back up if he is hit.

Even still, you do not move.

Behind you, a building explodes.

The girl's palm, the thing that had directed the blast, had turned to the side at the last moment.

It was not a decision made by the Demon Alice, who had pulled the trigger, but by the human Alice, who in the end, simply didn't want to be left by herself.

It was the hasty decision of a child, and as strong as the girl was, falling to her knees and crying while calling you a moron was also something expected of a child. She didn't belong in this place, was far too young to deal with the hand life had dealt her, and yet she had managed, somehow, to draw a guardian from the void. Protecting the people she had woken up in this place with, and then being abandoned by them later on... She was a strong kid, but something like this shouldn't be her responsibility.

Understanding that, you took a step closer, and without so much as a warning, found your waist seized, the girl sobbing into your stomach, arms gripping you with reckless abandon and surprising strength.

"..."

Behind you, a newly awoken Kensuke found himself wondering if he should have just gone ahead and beaten you up after all, while Izumi, who was still swaying slightly, simply thought the scene was cute, in a corny sort of way.

However-

(BGM off)
*CRASH*

-Their opinions weren't the ones that mattered the most here.

"Traitor..."

The black fog slowly began to seep back into the area.

In places like this, it was important to remember that you were not alone. Even if they had yet to take a real shape, and simply existed as miasma or fog, there were many people watching your actions at all times. The people who had died here recently, as well as those who had lingered here for eight years, had been watching the exchange since it had begun.

A lot of them did not approve.

Eight years ago, beings like the one inside of that girl had come to this world, bringing only despair.

As a human, and one that held some power, they believed it was your duty to destroy her completely.

That was one of the main reasons for the existence of ESPers. To prevent the "Calamity," of eight years ago from happening again, you were to destroy everything that entered this world, be it God or Devil, Angel or Demon... Anything that threatened this place was to be eliminated, if humans were to be destroyed, it would be by humans, not by anything else.

In their eyes, you were not doing what they perceived to be your duty.

While she was there, clinging to your body, and the chance to destroy her completely was as great as it could possibly be, you were attempting to comfort her instead of kill her.

The spirits who were the furthest gone, the ones who had witnessed the tragedy of eight years ago, and were drenched in their own hate, didn't even see the little girl that was housing the demon.

They simply saw the demon.

One who had just wasted all of her power on a shot that didn't connect.

If you weren't willing to do it...

----

WARNING

A considerable threat is approaching here now.

It's your killer.

Do not die.

----

(BGM On)

"What-?!"

It looked almost like mud.

Condensing into a liquid, the fog that had been so prevalent before begins to taint the ground instead of the air. The smell is like that of acid, and as it approaches you slowly, forming a circle around the positions of you and your friends, you realize that if there had been anything living on the ground, like grass or or other types of plant-life, it would be very dead now, a spirit power so dense it had become a liquid, it was a manifestation of "hate," and you found yourself jumping back out of instinct to avoid it, taking Alice with you as you went.

While it was shallow enough that you weren't entirely convinced it would be fatal to touch, you weren't too willing to test it.

"..."

It didn't even have a real shape.

The thing that appeared in the distance was a hastily mashed together amalgamation of spirit bodies. It wasn't refined in any way, there was none of the grace, none of the dark cunning that made spirits take the forms of things they remembered humans fearing in life.

It was simply something that had come to take the life of the girl that was still clinging to you.

A hastily made monster, but one that allowed itself to be consumed by it's emotions completely. The mud it had sent after you had stopped, lingering about ten feet away from your group, in the shape of a circle.

A lone island in a shallow sea of darkness, accompanied only by the ruins of cars and other platform-able debris.

"Tch, looks like we can't run..."

Sword in hand for the first time, Kensuke had once again pushed Izumi behind him, facing away from the main body so that Alice and Izumi were sheltered between the both of you.

However...

While it seemed like the mud wanted to go further...

Something was stopping it from doing so....

"Hatred of Eight Years," power reduced by an outside force.

A feeling like a white wind, the spirits that disagreed with those attacking you, the ones who had died here only recently, aren't as numerous or as powerful as those who sought to strike you down. But moved by your words, by the girl that had tried to help others, by the genuine desire to accept someone else you had shown...

They find the strength to help you in a small way.

??? restores William's HP to max.
Negative afflictions healed.

Silently, the tall being made of hatred starts towards you, and out of the corner of your eye, you can see smaller, more fog-like shapes forming above the mud...

**Spinach** · May 18th, 2014, 04:08 AM

Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night
HP: 335 SP: 410 RP: 100

Amidst the inferno, her face lit up by flames burning brightly at all sides, the Queen of this Kingdom of Flame smiled. The flickering, dancing blaze reflected in a pair of viciously gleeful crimson eyes. Arms crossed, head held high, Saki beheld her might. The smile on her face was wider, more vivid and sincere than any smile she had worn previously. The sheer joy, the absolute satisfaction and unquestionable happiness that beamed from that smile was brighter, warmer and more intense than even the scorched earth she stood upon.

Not out of bloodlust, or relief that her attack had worked. There was no thought of ‘battle’ behind the innocent, pure smile that the girl wore. For her, battle was never the goal. She had immersed herself in combat, time and time again she had strained herself with the birth of flame, pushing her ESP further and further, but it was never to amass strength.

There was one simple, unclouded, pure motivation behind each and every one of those fights. Every step Saki took was toward this feeling of elation, this bliss.

Saki Ryuumonbuchi, plain and simply, loved displaying her power.

For entertainment, to crush her enemies, to protect Suzume, to prove herself. No matter the place, no matter the time, no matter the reason. There was always one goal, with many paths to reach it, and they all ended here.

But tonight that goal, that display of strength, that fire Saki adored and was so familiar with, was stronger than ever.

That smile, that happiness, was directed at the source of that strength. A person that Saki previously held little opinion of, yet now felt something as close to “love” as she could get.

The source of that strength who now held her head in pain, knee to the ground as if kneeling.

Were it anyone else the raw emotion worn on her face would suffice, words being merely an unneeded formality to express the level of happiness that Megumi had allowed her to feel, but Saki was always one who put feelings that needed no words into words.

Yet, for a moment the Saki who spoke so quickly and so thoughtlessly, hesitated. Not to find the words of gratitude she wanted to express, but out of concern for Megumi, as well as curiosity.

But before Saki could break down that hesitation-

-Ba-Dump-

Red eyes met green. Wreathed in fire, from atop a nearby building, the wendigo comes crashing down. A cloak of shadow struggles to entrench itself into the beast’s form and uproot the coat of fire wrapped around its body.

Shock. Impact. The sound of pierced flesh.

A smash.

Saki spared only a glimpse beyond the wall of fire after the wendigo hurled the older woman away. To waste time focusing on Megumi and allowing herself to get hit while her attention is divided would mean that Megumi had taken the wendigo’s attack in Saki’s stead for nothing.

For once, anger took root beneath that pure smile. It wasn’t a logical anger. The girl understood that Megumi was like her, an individual that had surpassed “normal” human ability. The wound she had would heal in time, yet…

“To stand and face me again, man-eater, you have no sense.” The wall of flame fell and rose in tune with Saki’s voice. “Taken out of your pathetic blizzard you resort to taking in and accommodating stray, puny spirits full of malice like yourself.”

"SAKI! MEGUMI!"

In the distance a familiar voice rose up above the flame.

Saki rose her arm, bringing it back as if to throw a punch but keeping her fingers extended straight out, as if to make a spear from her own arm with her hand as the spearhead. The inferno, burning brighter with every word she spoke, rapidly gravitated toward the girl. Surrounding the girl’s feet in a rotating ring of fire the blaze rose, wrapping around her form and traveling to her raised arm.

“I will allow it, but only for so long as you can stand, cretin.”

"ON MY MARK!"

“Try to endure, whelp.”

"NOW!"

Glowing with the intensity and heat of a miniature, ring shaped sun the ring shot forward down the length of Megumi’s arm as she thrust it toward the coming wendigo.

“Lashing-“

Reaching the tip of her fingers the ring shot out and expanded, covering Saki’s arm and the air in front of her in a massive spike of scorching, vicious fire. Burning through the night air with a sizzling heat the fiery spear blasted off of Saki’s arm, intent on impaling the wendigo through the heart as a true, physical spear would.

“Longinus-“

A scorching trail of ember red lingered behind the fire-rocket-spear’s flight. The air itself combust into tiny, pure white flame petals, falling to the earth as the snow before had, as Saki fully released her attack.

“Lily-!”

**Airen** · May 18th, 2014, 07:34 PM

Amamiya Mashiro (Ziodyne)
New Aoyoma, Mashiro's House
Evening

"Yeah... It's been far too long, hasn't it?"

Vague words, but a clear intention.

Someone who had avoided the both of you for eight years had finally shown his existence again, and the man in front of you had no intention of allowing him to escape this time. For you, it was a matter of blood, because that person had been so close to you, it was impossible for you to let the memories go, even though, with your condition being what it was, they should have faded into nothing a long time ago.

But for him, this so called Miyamoto Shuu....

For some reason, you got the vibe that this was incredibly personal for him as well. He had said he was interested in the case simply because he had been unable to solve it, but if everything he said was true, then he had been constantly checking up on you over the years. Checking up on a kid with your sort of affliction would be quite the exhausting task to carry out for eight years, a task that would take far too much time and patience then simple curiosity should instill in a person...

While your family assured you what he said was the truth, that simply made the man's stance on this matter even stranger.

Why did he care so much...?

"Alright, let's take care of this then."

In the end, you supposed it didn't matter.

You had waited long enough already.

----

Seemed it was later in the day than you had first thought.

The setting sun in the distance, the drive so far had been a silent, but smooth one. Shuu's car was clean to the point where it seemed new, the only sign that he had used it before your entrance being the used Styrofoam cup he had sitting in the holder.

"So... You ever think about what you're gonna do when you find him?"

Breaking the somewhat silence, the man asks the question you had often asked yourself.

"I mean... This is all you have going for you right now, right? There anything you want to do after all of this?"

There was something odd about this question, or rather, there were many odd things about this question.

For one, he was acting like the two of you were friends when really, he was just a really suspicious guy who knew way too much about you and-

"Hmmm? Rain?"

-It had gotten dark all of a sudden.

"Weird..." adjusting his mirror slightly, the man broke off of his questioning in time to address the sudden realization that weather forecasts were apparently very inaccurate, "It wasn't even supposed to rain today, let alone storm... That was why the meeting was today, not to mention there was a concert scheduled for later tonight..."

Grumbling about unimportant things, Shuu reached down to turn on the radio, the thin crackle of static humming in unison with the rain pattering against the windshield.

"Good Evening Tokyo! Here is tonight's news~"

A voice cuts through the static. High-pitched and energetic, it seems like a young girl, maybe a teenager...

"Tamamo's here everyone! It's been eight years and she's pretty pissed, but she's back~"

Could they even talk like that on the air? What news channel was this?

999.9...?

"Power is down in all sections of the city, and a black fog has been knocking Aoyoma's civilians unconscious! This will continue until around 4:00 tomorrow morning, where everyone will begin to awaken. Those who disappear before 4:00 will remain officially unaccounted for, and rumors of being "spirited away," will abound amongst the remaining. Tune in later on tonight for an interesting report on a snowman~"

"...What-?"

Before you could question the rather interesting report-

The screech of metal.

Lightning jarring the car.

A black fog pouring in through the windows...

And a darkness that took you completely.

----

When you awoke, it was to the smell of something burning.

There was a hole in the roof of the car, and it seems the vehicle had come to a stop against the wall of a nearby building... The burning smell seemed to be coming from the engine.

Outside there was a thick black mist, almost like fog, and a disturbing lack of people walking along the sidewalks. In a place as busy as this, if you got in a car crash, someone should have shown up to help you by now...

"Guhhh..."

And next to you, still in the driver seat, Shuu was unconscious with his head against the steering wheel...

**Airen** · May 18th, 2014, 09:17 PM

Watanabe Tomoya
Outside 'For Pete's Sake', New Aoyama
Night

"...You do know that puns aren't funny, right?"

Laughing softly in spite of her words, the girl, to both your surprise and her own, jumps up onto your shoulder with the full intent of doing as you asked. To those who in the bar, who could barely see the outline of the skeleton, if they saw anything at all, it wasn't a move that made any real sense, and to be fair, it was the sort of thing that wouldn't seem likely to work under the laws of common sense.

But exorcists, and those like them, lived lives that defied common sense in the first place.

"Just don't miss, alright barkeep?"

Her eyes alight with excitement, the girl who was standing on your shoulders didn't look back down at you.

There was no need.

It would end with this.

"Go-!"

It was like something you'd see on an anime. A young woman, flying through the air with a force her legs could not match, and the one who had launched her in the first place, sprinting after her at an impossible pace. A pseudo-simultaneous attack where the goal was not to defeat the opponent, but simply to cut it from the source of it's power.

The ability to exorcise individuals with willpower alone was something unique to those touched by the Kyuubi eight years ago. Despite the term of exorcist, in the field, cases of possession in humans ended in fatality more than anything else. A spirit that managed to get ahold of a human's body, something malevolent enough to steal control of someone else's life, often had no qualms with simply forcing the person to kill themselves the instant it seemed like they might lose control of the body. Victims had to be restrained, and put through long, time consuming rituals in order to force the unwanted souls out, and more often than not, doing such a thing was quite simply not practical or even possible on the field.

For ESPers however, the matter of freeing others was as simple as demanding that the spirit's leave.

It wasn't known how or even why they were able to do this, but from the perspective of the SDCD, they were simply humans that were naturally "dominant," over the spirits of other humans. It was an unexplainable trait, but one that had convinced the SDCD that they didn't need to be completely eradicated as threats to the human world, while cementing their place as something "above humans."

This monster too, was something that could be overcome by that impossible "Willpower."

It's eyes were like flames.

This time, it was unable to designate one of the approaching humans as the most dangerous target.

The man hit hard, but the girl's sword tore through it with ease.

Both of them were giving off fountains of spirit power.

The man was fast, but the girl was moving faster-!

Confusion, hesitation, and the final, hasty decision to swat at the boy at it's feet rather than the girl going for it's head.

The moment you dodge it's gargantuan fist and move in to strike alongside Maiya...

Gashadokuro takes 130 damage.

Fate is decided.

Slamming into the head of the skeleton with the momentum you had given her, as well as the strength in her own body, the body of the monster shakes, mist eroding off of it's form as it's very existence is violated by a force beyond itself. It's mind rejects reality, as something that consumes and invades others, it is not something that should be able to be invaded by others, but-!

Your fists like spears for your soul's command, together, you demand a single thing not from the monster, but from those who had been trying to become a part of it's body.

Get out.

Shadow Rampage nulled. Gashadokuro's Spiritual State stabilized.
Gashadokuro is stunned.

The thing isn't moving.

Your fist winds back for a finishing blow, and above you, you hear your imprompt partner say something, apparently talking to the spirit you were about to finish off.

"Try to live a nicer life next time, alright guys?"

Once more, a simultaneous attack.

One takes off the head of the skeleton, the other crushes it's ribs and scatters them to the wind.

"..."

Falling down to the ground the instant the spirit loses it's means of existing in this world, the girl lands in front of you, sword in hand. Her gaze is serious at first, the kind of look a warrior shows an ally, but after awhile, it softens.

"...Are your ribs okay?"

**Airen** · May 18th, 2014, 10:52 PM

Intermission
Nakamura Megumi
'Nightmare'

She was hallucinating, and she knew it.

Screams in her ears, the sound of wind where there wasn't any, and the feeling of ice from a storm that no longer existed, tormented the bleeding form of Nakamura Megumi. It was the curse of the Wendigo, the powerful mark left behind in those it bit, a poison of the mind that it used to lower any defenses its victim had to nothing, even driving some to attack their allies, seeing them as the "Wendigo."

Strength of the body would not help against the symptoms, although her existence as an ESPer meant that it would fade with time.

The only defense against something like this is a defense of the mind, emotional barriers, separating oneself from oneself, and simply enduring until the curse faded away.

That was why Nakamura Megumi never heard Suzume call out for her, and it was also why she did not rise immediately to their aid.

To fight in this state would do more harm to the team then good; she could take a chance on her knowledge of her condition, try to fight through the hallucinations with logic and reason in order to help the others, but the chances of being able to spot the real monster through not only the hallucinations, but also the blurred haze that was now her vision was slim at best.

Even still... She did try to stand...

After all... They were just kids... Couldn't leave them alone...

Megumi takes 15 Affliction Damage.

Intermission End

---

Suzume Oshino & Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

For the first time in the fight, a negative emotion flared within you.

Anger.

The woman who had taken the hit for you hadn't known you for very long... To be honest, the two of you were still strangers, but...

The spear in your hand, constructed from fire, and made with the complete intent of taking the heart of the monster, it's spiritual core, was perhaps the most brutal thing you had made so far in the fight. It was a weapon, not a graceful storm, or a flashy show of fireworks... It was something you had made with the intent of avenging the pain of the person who had taken the hit for you, who even now, was staggering to her feet in a pained, sickly manner that made her condition clear.

Your eyes narrowed as you called out the name of your strike.

The beast roared at your words, and came, charging on all fours to your position.

But that was fine.

It could come to you, and you would burn out it's nonexistent heart.

The moment before the clash, an ofuda, Suzume's contribution, bursts through the fire and tags the monster in the back. The paper, a simple charm, sinking deep into the spiritual body with a power paper should not possess, rejecting it's very existence as it latches onto the creature.

Wendigo takes 40 HP damage.
Wendigo resists Spirit Debuff.

It reaches you.

A powerful fist, beyond human comprehension, is launched at your skull, but-!

You take a step forward, unconcerned.

Wendigo takes 68 HP Damage.
Wendigo takes 30 Affliction Damage.
Wendigo takes 27 SP Damage.
Wendigo is slain.
Saki nulls the damage?

While the fist does reach you, it is nothing more than mist tapping your head, the fading limb of a dying being that you had killed long before it began it's strike.

This time... It was over for real...

Disgusted, you shove the remains of the snarling beast away, and like dust, it disappears on the wind...

...So what now?

Two wounded...

Empty neighborhood...

Temporary Safety...

Perhaps you should rest before doing anything else?

-----

Wendigo

**I3uster** · May 18th, 2014, 11:54 PM

Suzume Oshino
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

It's dead.

Saki really is scary.

Nothing but ashes that scatter in the wind remain of the spirit, but that doesn't mean this fight is over. Now we have to take care of our wounded. Megumi has been hit badly, and our new friend over here is even worse off.

No use in standing around here any longer. We're out in the open, exposed to the elements and god knows whatever else is roaming this area.

We have to get back inside. Even ignoring the cold we might find a first aid kit or at least tap water for the burns and the blood loss.

"I'm going to take this guy. Saki, try to help Megumi, alright?"

-----

Dragging him into the coffee shop hasn't been too easy on me. Even as ESPer it has been a chore to drag this guy through the snow, and the rush of almost being killed before certainly doesn't help.

After I turn him on the side (guy better not choke on his own vomit after we saved him from a freaking Wendigo) I fumble a bit with the thermostat. The heaters feel cold to the touch, telling me that my efforts are useless.

"Saki, we might need a fire here."

Looking around, I try to see if I can find a first aid kit.

**Mormarth** · May 19th, 2014, 12:23 AM

Watanabe Tomoya
Outside 'For Pete's Sake', New Aoyama
Night

"...You do know that puns aren't funny, right?"

The girl laughed as she mounted my shoulders in an easy leap, I should've shoved her off for that, but I was a kind, gentle soul, and so I ignored it with lordly disdain.

"Just don't miss, alright Barkeep?"

"Feh, with as much heat as I'm packing, I'm more likely to throw you through the damn thing. No pressure."

With this last, bland comment, I sprinted forwards, my arms coming down in front of me, cupping my hands together as the missile stepped off of my back, into my hands, and then I heaved her forwards and into the air.

I poured on the speed afterwards, less like a falcon and more like a runaway train, not as blindingly fast, but it'd squash you flat just the same.

The enormous skeleton seemed confused, hesitating between two seperate targets, hurriedly swipping at my charging form as it panicked.

Too late.

I swerved aside, ready for the blow, ducking aside easily, its entire form shakes, briefly, the first part of the two-pronged assault having landed, I swung back my fists, slamming them into its trunk like axes, forcing my message into the very fabric of its being, the message simple and concise.

The writing spirits that made up the essence of the Gashadokuro known as "All-Bones Jones" stilled, a condemned soul awaiting execution.

A voice came from atop the mass, my partner in the matter, my fist swung back one more time:

"Try to live a nicer life next time, alright guys?"

The guillotine came down, it's head cracking like an egg and its ribs crushed like a tin can, the condensed mass of spirits in the shape of a monster dissipating. I grunted in disappointment, now there'd be nothing for the wall.

The swordswoman lands gracefully on the ground in front of me, eyes serious, then they softened.

"Are your ribs okay?"

I considered her query gravely, then turned to her, expression serious, "No, he appears to have broken," I paused, "My funny bone."

Alright, I'm pushing it a little hard. But I had to get one last one out before it was over.

"But in all seriousness, I'm fine. Probably a nasty bruise in the morning, but nothing serious. Still got things to do, anyway."

I nodded and turned towards the bar, walking briskly, there were more important things to worry about then my ribs, like the bargoers, now awake and murmuring worriedly, a thick layer of anxiety hung like a cloud.

I whistled loudly as I carefully made my way through the now open front of the bar, I could make that patio I was thinking about making now.

The skittish crowd turned to me.

"Alright people, there was a bit of a problem earlier, but it's been taken care of, the cause of the black-out and the strange goings-on around it are currently unknown to me, and if anyone here wishes to take shelter and wait for sunrise, you are more than welcome, discounts until morning."

I paused briefly, "If anyone wishes to make their way to their homes and families, I will assist you as best as I can, any help anyone can give to assist would be greatly appreciated."

I felt tired, and more than a little drained, but there were a lot of scared people that needed help. And this wasn't the time to go and have a lie-down and a stiff drink.

**Spinach** · May 19th, 2014, 04:40 AM

Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, Outside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night
HP: 335 SP: 410 RP: 100

“So that’s your limit.”

A spark lights up amidst the scattered dust, incinerating the wendigo’s fading remains as they spread to the wind. As the final traces of the wendigo’s existence disappear Saki steps forward, wearing a triumphant, scornful smirk. Staring at the empty air that the wendigo had occupied mere seconds ago, now replaced by the lingering flames from her last attack, the young girl extends her opened palm as if to offer a gift to the still burning remnants of her spear.

“Discover what lies beyond.”

Tightening her hand into a clenched fist the last sparks extinguish themselves, allowing the darkness of night to reign once more in the absence of fire’s light.

"I'm going to take this guy. Saki, try to help Megumi, alright?"

“Of course.” Saki answered curtly, forgetting to add her standard ‘my lord’ that she usually referred to Suzume with, a sign that her thoughts were elsewhere.

Sparing a last glance out into the night, into the vast dark, Saki scanned the surroundings. Though the fight was clearly over Saki felt the need to stay on guard. The wendigo was dead, and the forecast was avoided, but…

The words of the radio broadcast from earlier ran through Saki’s memory.

"At 2:00, a localized blizzard will occur in the outskirts of Aoyoma. And sometime after 4:00, four people, Liane Cross, Nakamura Megumi, Ryuumonbuchi Saki and Oshino Suzume will be murdered by a snowman! That's it for today! Have a great day!"

Not only was Liane not there for the fight, but the forecast never mentioned the man the three had saved. Nor was it guaranteed that the wendigo they slew was the “snowman” from the prediction.

If it was, wouldn’t the forecast have said snowmonster?

Too easy.

Deciding to save such thoughts for later Saki turned to Megumi, helping her up and making sure that the older woman was steady.

-----

New Aoyoma, 'Brewed Awakenings'

"Saki, we might need a fire here."

“At once, my lord.”

Snapping her fingers at a lone, capsized stool Saki brought forth a stray flame, setting the wooden chair alight. Though normally the need for a fuel, such as wood, was unnecessary for Saki’s pyrokinesis, normally using the ESPer’s own power as fuel instead, the purpose of returning to the café was to rest and conserve strength, and so Saki deigned to use the minimum amount of her strength to maintain the flame.

Dragging another, relatively intact stool toward the flame Saki seated herself. Though the wood was cracked in places and seemed ready to fall apart like the majority of the chairs and tables the young girl thoughtlessly rocked the stool back and forth as she situated herself, completely unconcerned with the chair’s fragility. With a less than concerned glance Saki turned down to the injured man, giving his burns hardly a cursory look before deciding that he was ‘fine,’ or would at least recover sooner or later, then turned to Megumi.

“I’ll return the favor. For what you did for me. Ten times over.” Facing the older woman with her standard, confident smile Saki spoke in an unusually serious tone. All smiles. All the time. If there wasn’t a specific reason not to smile, Saki would. And now, when declaring her intent to take ten attacks in Megumi’s stead, was not a time when it would be inappropriate to smile. So, Saki smiled.

After all, tonight had been a wonderful night for her. Why not smile?

**Sei** · May 19th, 2014, 12:10 PM

Fushigi Sayara
New Aoyama- Residential District

Having made it this far, I can definitely tell that something's up with all this. There's just too much going on and too little to explain it. It's unlike anything that I've ever encountered before and, quite honestly, it's enough to tick me off. And now, on top of having to tag along with this shifty priest, I've gotta come home to an open door? This day just can't get any better if it tried...

My eyes briefly shifting over to our favorite little cult leader, I practically give him the stink eye. No matter what kind of crap he tries to sell me, I can't shake this feeling that he knows more about this than he's trying to let on. Call it something about his stupid face, but there's just something about that smug look of his that irritates me. He's way too calm... and definitely too organized. Hell, if I didn't know any better, I'd say he's behind this "Beast of Revelations" or whatever. But I can't call him out on it... I've got no grounds on which to blame him on except for my own dislike for the guy. And right about now, it feels like he's toying with me because of it.

"Oh yeah, I definitely checking this one out," Looking back at my home, I answer reporter girl, "This is my damn house, after all..."

Seeing how as most of the houses we've found so far have been empty- like some damn thing just came and ripped people outta them- to say I'm a little wary of what's inside would be an understatement. If I step into that house and find out that my old man isn't there, Hell is gonna be a lot closer to New Aoyama than it is now... But knowing that dusty old man, he's probably out doing the same thing that we are. Heh... In fact, knowing him, he's probably the reason why all these houses are empty. ...At least, that better be the reason why.

"Not that I'm worried or anything," I hold confidence in my tone, "but I've gotta check in on my old man, ya see. Make sure he hasn't killed over from all the excitement and all."

But by joking around, I only serve to make myself feel worse.

"He's actually a priest though... So knowing that dusty old fart, he's probably running around saving people or something..."

That's what exorcists like him do, anyway.

"Anyway, I don't mind you tagging along, just so long as you don't get in my way," I point and shoot a lazy look at Johanna, "If something were to jump out at us, I'd hate it if you got hurt because of something stupid. So just stick close to my back and don't wonder off too far, okay?"

Not even waiting for her response, I break off from the rest of the group and make my way towards the open door. Whether or not I'm prepared for what comes next, I'm not sure. But if there's one thing I do know, it's that once I grab my sword, I'll be ready to raise all kinds of hell in this black night.

**hero** · May 20th, 2014, 12:57 PM

Koga Ran
New Aoyoma, Streets
Night

The fact that this rider can still move after receiving one of my blows is impressive to say the least. As much as I want to shout it a compliment, I really should not praise the skills of a creature who feeds on other people's suffering, so I stop myself from doing so. This spirit must be B-class or higher. Anticipating its next charge as it makes a wide turn, I adjust my stance slightly. It is then that Fujiwara-san joins me, suggesting we face this foe together. I must admit that she has point; however, my lack of experience makes me hesitate for a moment. I've gotten used to getting rid of problems on my own or letting someone else handle them entirely... Through I've come to accept my power as something more than just a curse; it does not change the fact that I still fear hurting others with it. If I go ahead with this and tag along Fujiwara-san... It'll have to be with a handicap.

"Then, please, do as I tell you." No matter how skilled we are individually, this is our first time fighting as a team. If the enemy takes advantage of our lack of coordination, the consequences could be severe. That's why I must make sure that, despite our lack of knowledge on our respective abilities, Fujiwara-san and I possess the same timing. And the only way I can think of to achieve that is... Leading her movements myself. "Here..."

I've never been a conventional fighter. Though I am an ESPer, I rely more on my martial arts than on my actual 'power'. Though I am a martial artist, my style can hardly be compared to those in the modern era. To Fujiwara-san, my suggestion must look ridiculous. When there are other options that could yield a higher chance of success, I go with something that the average exorcist would never come up with. Though I've never done such a thing before, I believe I can do my part just fine. A big part of my defense is my timing... If that's the case, I should be able to handle this just fine. I can just pray that Fujiwara-san can blindly place that much trust in me.

My role has been defined from the start. I am guardian, a defender. No matter what, I'll remain on this spot, protecting Tachibana-san and the stone she carries. If my foe is a flaming rocket, then I'll be an unmoving wall. Even if my body were to perish in this exchange, I'll make sure to put a stop to its hellish destruction. However, should the biker attempt to endanger my client without going through me first... I will not hold back my wrath. My fist will be fired faster than a bullet from a gun, and will hit harder than a swung hammer...

My hands together; I have offered Fujiwara-san a boost. If all goes according to my plan, her body should rise into the air and descend just in time to crush the skeleton before it runs over me. It doesn't matter if my partner owns a ranged or a melee oriented ESP, this opening adapts to both styles. At the same time, should something go wrong, it will probably be me the one to get hurt.

"..."

Preparing myself for what is to come, I look at Fujiwara-san for confirmation one final time...

-------

[Defending]

**Airen** · May 20th, 2014, 02:34 PM

Fushigi Sayara
New Aoyoma - Residential District

"Gotcha boss~"

Having followed after you with the innate relentlessness of the media, the girl continues her usual ramblings as you start off towards the door without her. She doesn't seem to mind the fact that you're not really listening, and just keeps talking anyway, a habit of hers that you're starting to think is her way of coping with things...

"But you don't have to worry about me. I'm actually pretty strong, you know~?"

Right.

Knowing that it was best to be cautious, you pause for a moment in the doorway, looking to see if anything would jump out at you from the shadows of the powerless house. Of course, there's nothing, even spirits are aware of the fact that traps like that are easy to see coming, but even still, it doesn't hurt to check.

Stepping inside carefully, nothing moves, and as you start down the hallway Johanna grows quiet, looking around at the furniture with curious eyes. Nothing inside of the house was scattered or broken, so the reason the door was open was most likely your father just being careless, but at the same time, he hadn't left you any signs of his departure. He was the excitable type, and you figured it was pretty possible he had just left on a heroic impulse to save others, or perhaps find you, so you weren't too worried about it.

"So... Is that your sword?"

Peering over your shoulder as you stand before Kagetsu, Johanna asks the obvious, and you decide to answer her with your actions, picking up the blade without hesitation.

Obtained Kagetsu.

The sword was warm.

As a blade made to combat vengeful spirits, it was also a blade that was sensitive to their presence, and one that they would gather around in an attempt to keep people from using it. The fact that it felt warm could simply be a consequence of whatever the hell was going on in this city, and the fact that you were able to reacquire it without resistance could just be luck... Or-

*shing*

The sound of a sword being drawn.

"...Hey... Boss..."

-Perhaps there was something in here with you, after all.

Turning around at Johanna's call, your mind goes blank for a moment.

There is a person standing in the doorway now.

It's not your father, nor is it one of the cultists coming to collect the two of you. It's someone that, if looked at in a normal situation, would not be too out of place here, in fact, the person in the doorway had actually been in the doorway mere moments ago, and actually belonged in this house.

But it was impossible for that person to be there now, you knew this for a fact.

After all...

"..."

The only Fushigi Sayara in this world was you.

Silently, as if doing it now only because you had noticed her, the other you closes the door with her foot.

**Airen** · May 20th, 2014, 02:57 PM

Suzume Oshino
New Aoyoma, Inside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

Now that you were looking at it again, it seemed Liane's fight with that shrine maiden had really torn this place apart.

Leaving the boy behind with the others, you make your way through the moonlit room to the back of the coffee shop, looking for a first aid kit, or something of a similar nature. In the back of the store, the place where you had seen the spirits cleaning diligently when you had first walked in hours before, you could see broken glasses and plates, as well as broken table legs and what seemed to be a busted fire extinguisher, clear foam scattered across the wooden floors.

Nothing of worth in here.

Looking back at the others once more, you steel yourself and continue on, moving through a door in the back of the kitchen, into what seemed to be the manager's office. While the door itself seemed to have been busted from some sort of impact, the actual room itself seemed untouched by the signs of violence that had been so present in the kitchen and dining room. There were a few charms hanging on the walls, which was a common enough sight for an exorcists home, however, on the opposite end of the spiritual scale, there was also a computer in the corner of the room, as well as stacks of paper and a few framed photos, lying undisturbed on top of the desk.

And on the far wall, attached to it via some sort of hook, was a large white container marked "First Aid."

Bingo.

There didn't seem to be anything hostile in the room, and so you just walked over and took it off the wall, the sight of a nearby calendar drawing your attention for a brief moment. It was a generic item, the usual picture of a cat on the top half of it, but there were a few notes etched onto three of the days, and despite the weak lighting, as well as the fact that it was somewhat of a violation of Liane's personal space, you couldn't help but skim it a little bit.

Spoiler:

Seemed she was actually a pretty well organized woman.

Turning back to the desk, first aid kit in hand, you look a bit closer at some of the photos she has framed on her desk. They're mostly teenage pictures of Liane herself and a dark-haired, smiling girl you recognized as the shrine maiden from before... What was her name... Aya?

She looked a lot less psychopathic in the pictures, actually seeming more inherently gentle than anything else, and even if you hadn't heard the 'lover,' comment before, you would have gotten the feeling that these two had been pretty close. Out of the four frames, the only one that wasn't of the two of them, was a much larger photo, framed almost like class picture. There were about a dozen people in it, all dressed in suits, although only two of them were people you recognized immediately; a teenage Aya and Liane, who were once again next to each other in the shot. Curious, you pick it up and look at the back, searching for names...

Spoiler:

Counter measures department?

Sounded like a military thing... And it was taken a couple of days before that incident...

Putting down the photo, you also shove your curiosity aside.

While their may be things like spirit armaments, or usable charms in here (there seemed to be a paper shikigami in the corner), there was also a chance you'd trigger some sort of supernatural trap... After all, there seemed to be some personal things of hers in here...

And so, first aid kit in hand, you made your way back to the main room.

---

Saki Ryuumonbochi
Inside 'Brewed Awakenings'

The older woman chuckled at your remark.

"That... Probably won't be necessary..."

Smiling at you despite the fact she felt like she was spinning, Megumi had placed herself against the wall, body turned towards the main door as if she wanted to keep an eye on it.

"You kinda remind me of my niece... I moved without really thinking about it," shuffling her body around a bit, the woman winced, "These wounds will heal anyway... It's not the first time I was stabbed tonight. The shrine maiden got me pretty good earlier..."

Maybe it was just because she was hurt and had nothing else to do, but it seemed like the woman was more willing to talk now.

Nakamura Megumi ~ Spirit Engineer
A Faint Link forms...
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

"And I guess I can say I was bitten by a Wendigo now... That'll be a story to tell the kids-"

The sound of footsteps outside the shop cuts the woman's statement short, and you turn naturally, eyes narrowed as you prepare to face the intruder.

Heavy Breathing...

An intense presence...

A pale hand, reaching through the broken doorway into the shop...

"You guys... Still in here...?"

And the tired looking, bleeding form of Liane Cross, standing in the doorway with torn clothing and her hands on her knees, a testament to the fact she was barely keeping herself up.

**Sei** · May 20th, 2014, 04:05 PM

Fushigi Sayara
New Aoyama- Residential District

It only takes a moment, but the minute I turn my back, something manages to sneak up behind us. I've never been good at being careful, but, in a way, that's just plain pathetic. Now, as for exactly what this thing is escapes me at the moment... But it's not like I can really bring myself to care. The devil's in the details, or some biblical crap like that. Who or whatever this stranger is, it's got my face, and that's all I need to know that it doesn't belong in this world. After all, there can only be one Saya and it sure as hell isn't going to be some second-string ripoff.

"Hahahaha!"

Staring at this weird mirror image of myself, I can't help but laugh honestly. I mean, I know I can be a little too cool at times, but when I'm actually looking at myself trying to be all badass, I can't help it. It's too much.

"Oh man, I don't know who you are or what you want, but that's a great parlor trick you've got going there. You even copied my sword and everything," I point while doing my best to hold back the laughter, "And that face? Man, you nailed it! ...Unfortunately, I don't think you quite nailed my sexiness."

Twirling my sword around for a bit, I take a deep breath and finally manage to calm myself down. All jokes aside, I should probably get serious here. I mean, I may not be the smartest person of all, but something about that sword tells me she didn't come here to kill me with laughter. Just call it a hunch.

Feeling that things are about to get ugly, I switch my sword over to my left hand.

"Hey, Jojo, mind doing me a favor?" Looking over my shoulder, I motion over towards the girl that followed me in here, "You mind finding a nice little corner and sitting tight for a bit? Me and my associate here need to talk about copyright infringement and other boring stuff like that."

Reaching into my inside pocket, I pull out a box of pockie sticks I was snacking on earlier and hand them over to Johanna.

"Here. It might take a bit, but it shouldn't take too long."

Not even giving her the time to open up that big mouth of hers, I force the box of cookies onto her before gently pushing her back and turning back to face our little imposter. Handing already thumbing the hilt of my sword, I can feel the blood in my veins already starting to boil. Having held back all day already, I guess it's about that time for me to cut loose.

"Oh... And one more thing," Remembering something, I talk to Johanna one more time, "Personally, I don't care if you observe our little business meeting. I closed the door already and what not..." Flicking the lock on Kagetsu's sheathe, my grin broadens, "But just so you know, there's a bunch of people who'd probably get upset if they found out you overheard anything 'confidential'. But I trust you have good sense... You understand?"

Leaving it at that, I set the matter of Johanna aside for later. Right now, more than anything, I'm more interested in the little copycat that's been waiting on us ever so patiently. I mean, she's not that shithead priest, but when it comes down to it, I've just been itching to hit something all day. The fact that it's me just makes it even better~

"Now then... Down to business, right?"

Bringing Kagetsu forward, I firmly grasp the hilt with my right hand and draw the blade- just as my clone has. With a blinding shimmer, the impossibly long sword emerges from its steel coffin and fills the air with its otherworldly presence. The bloodlust of the sword crafted into a tool to protect the weak through the honor of the samurai... Regardless of the intent, the blade I wield is a tool made for combat... as well as one I wield with the utmost content.

"'Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire- he is God'."

There's a certain irony in reciting a verse from a book I've never picked up in my life, but it's a necessary step in using this blade. Because without it, the Blade of Exorcisms cannot be shaken from its slumber.

With my sword fully at the ready, I get into a stance...

"Ladies first~"

And get ready to finally have some fun.

**Airen** · May 20th, 2014, 07:11 PM

Watanabe Tomoya
Outside 'For Pete's Sake', New Aoyama
Night

(BGM On)

"Funny Bone..." laughing with a pained smile, the girl shrugged her shoulders in a way that screamed she had given up on stopping the pun thing, "Well, if you can make jokes like that with a straight face, you're definitely not hurt that bad..."

While those who use puns often find themselves on the receiving end of groans at best, and outright violence at worst, it seemed that the girl was okay with tolerating it from you.

Tsukino Maiya ~ Miracle Blade
A Faint Link forms...
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

....................8 9 10

A light sense of camaraderie. Sheathing her blade once more in some odd sheath beneath her jacket, the young woman follows after you as you enter the bar and address your fidgeting customers. At your words, the crowd starts talking amongst themselves about the best course of action to take, with loud voices debating points and making counterarguments in a general rumble that made it rather difficult to tell which side was winning. Some were talking about monsters in the fog, while others were saying there was no such thing, and that people were simply hallucinating from the stress of the situation.

You, wisely, decided to just let the crowd argue it out for now, just watching to make sure no fights broke out, and in the end...

"We'll stay."

It seemed everyone had come to a miracle consensus.

"I don't think it's really safe to stay here..." speaking to you alone after the consensus was reached, you noticed that Maiya's foot was pressed on Kenji's back, slightly annoyed that the boy was still asleep on the floor, "Of course walking through all of that fog isn't much better... I'll try to give my bosses a call, once this moron wakes up... His phone should still work... They might be able to send a van or chopper or something..."

Her bosses?

Van?

...Helicopter?

Who the hell was she working for...?

When you asked, she said "PDCH," but what the hell was that?

An acronym didn't really explain much.

"Paranormal Disaster Countermeasure Headquarters."

While that was a bit better... It still didn't explain much... And before you could prod her any further, you noticed a man, one of your customers from earlier, carving symbols into the ground outside of the shop with what seemed to be a spear. And with the way he was looking at the building... It seemed like he really wanted to be putting them on the building itself...

...Weirdo's everywhere. But since there didn't seem to be any spirits around, and you had decided to stay here for now, it seemed like you had a bit of time to kill until anything happened... Be it a good thing or a bad thing...

**Spinach** · May 25th, 2014, 02:54 AM

Saki Ryuumonbochi
New Aoyoma, 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night
HP: 335 SP: 410 RP: 100

"That... Probably won't be necessary..."

“Nonsense.” Smiling, Saki leaned back in her stool. Crossing her arms over her chest Saki gave her signature chuckle. A mischievous glint lit up in the enthusiastic red eyes that Saki shot toward Megumi, playful and jovial, without concern for the danger that she predicted. “Chosen ones like us, Children of the Kyuubi, will always draw spirits and conflict to us. The time will come for me to repay you. Make no mistake.”

Nodding to herself, Saki turned to the fire she had lit in the center of the room. For once one of the girl’s premonitions wasn’t groundless, nor was it born out of some desire for a self-fulfilling prophecy. It was simply logical. ESPers such as they attracted spirits, just as Saki had said, and more often than not it was up to them to exterminate the spirits that flocked to them.

"You kinda remind me of my niece... I moved without really thinking about it,"

shuffling her body around a bit, the woman winced, "These wounds will heal anyway... It's not the first time I was stabbed tonight. The shrine maiden got me pretty good earlier..."

Saki put her finger to her chin as she directed her eyes upwards. The face of the shrine maiden Megumi mentioned flashed through Saki’s memory, and she dropped her fist down into her open palm with an audible “ah” as she remembered the girl named Aya’s entrance to the coffee shop.

That phantom that emitted death just by being, that miko that had turned the shop into the sorry state it was in. That girl’s voice ran through Saki’s head.

"Hey there, lover,"

“Oooh…” A silent, drawn out expression of realization as Saki remembered what the phantom had called Liane. Something like ‘as expected of my master’ ran through the girl’s mind as the gears in her head finally clicked, realizing that Aya had called Liane her lover. Certainly, it made sense for the Queen of Clarity to have romanced more than a few powerful beings, but for her to have seduced such a dangerous woman, caused Saki to gain a new respect for Liane.

"And I guess I can say I was bitten by a Wendigo now... That'll be a story to tell the kids-"

From outside the shop the sound of footsteps reached Saki’s ear, cutting Megumi off as the two turned to face the ruined entrance. The stray suspicions Saki had from earlier boiled up to the surface of the girl’s mind, and she lowered one of her feet to the floor instinctively in preparation for whatever action the new arrival might force from her.

However.

"You guys... Still in here...?"

“Oooh, Master!” Leaping from her stool Saki shot like a bullet to the destroyed doorway. A pair of excited eyes looked the wounded woman over, followed by a laugh. “No less from my Master. Your timing is perfect, this Saki Ryuumonbuchi was just filling her head with thoughts of your great conquests!”

Turning, Saki looked back to the part of the shop that Suzume had wandered off into in her search for a first aid kit.

“My lord, our Master has returned!”

**I3uster** · May 25th, 2014, 05:12 PM

Suzume Oshino
New Aoyoma, Inside 'Brewed Awakenings'
Night

We're not getting the full picture here it seems. Revenant lover sand exorcist organizations...at least I assume they are exorcists. Not like we have talked a whole lot though. I'm not snooping, right? It was just a glance that has gone a bit astray. I got the kit, that's all that matters. Maybe I'll ask Megumi about this when she's feeling better. Or hell, Liane herself. Might just run into her outside.

But that's for later. For now I should try to keep our company from dying. Or at least from getting a nasty infection.

I help myself to a few dishrags and cleaning cloths in addition to a bucket that I fill with lukewarm tap water. No use disinfecting a dirty wound, and I can't exactly drag an unconscious guy under a tap for his burns.

-----

I'm going to have to improvise a bit here. I know a bit of first aid thanks to my interest in an occupation where such skills will be quite useful, but the young guy's burns were a bit above what I can manage. Not to mention he has been unconscious for a bit now. He definitely needed a hospital or some other sort of medical attention.

I can hear Saki talking a bit to Megumi. I guess it's good that she can still keep calm in such a situation. That's probably where her experience really shines.

"Sorry to interrupt you, but can I see your shoulder for a bit? We're going to rinse and disinfect it." I point at the bucket that I had placed next to her.

After opening the First Aid kit, I put on the gloves inside. First order is stopping her bleeding, then I will be taking care of our reckless male companionship here.

"Saki, you mind trying to, uh..."

I feel kind of bad about doing this. But one of the greatest advantages of having Saki around is that she was able to think differently from me. She felt fear differently from me. In that moment against the Wendigo there was nothing of the sort in her mind. And fear isn't the only thing that she differed in.

Her sense of shame, too, was different.

"...c-can you remove this guys clothes? Get a scissor or something if necessary. We'll have to look at the burns."

The moment these words leave my mouth, I hear a familiar voice.

"You guys... Still in here...?"

My head turns as red as a tomato. But I try to play it off as cool as I can.

She is wounded.

"You should lay down for a bit." I wave at her with my glove-covered hands. "The doctor's in, and it looks like you're in need of her."

**Mormarth** · May 26th, 2014, 06:00 PM

Watanabe Tomoya
Outside 'For Pete's Sake', New Aoyama
Night

The girl gave a weak, pained-looking smile, chuckling softly at my bluster, "Funny bone..." She shrugged with an air of resignation, I inhaled through my nose in response, savoring my victory.

"Well, if you can make jokes like that with a straight face, you're definitely not hurt that bad..."

There was a palpable sense of amused camaraderie in her voice and bearing, we'd apparently formed a bit of a bond, killing a giant-ass skeleton, or the closest thing to killing it.

Defending the innocent, fighting off monsters, s'like some dumb plot out of an RPG or something. But I supposed that was life, stranger than fiction and all that.

----
After my briefing of the crowd, they spoke amongst themselves, some absolutely certain there were monsters lurking in the mist, and there were others, just as adamant that there was no such thing, citing stress and hallucinations.

The things people will do to cling to ordinary life surprise me sometimes, but hey, if some handsome-looking fellow came up to you in the middle of the street and told you, in all seriousness, that he had just fist-fought a giant skeleton with the aid of a swordsgirl with the power of gofast, would you honestly believe him?

So I mostly just shot some glances around the bar, at the more heated-sounding voices, keeping vigilant for a surge of panic or violence, and eventually, the crowd seemed to conclude upon a single course of action:

"We'll stay."

I nodded steadily, it wasn't my decision to force my opinion over theirs, but to me, it seemed as though keeping everyone from wandering off into the same fog All-Bones Jones came out of seemed like a not-great idea.

I skirted along the perimeter of the dining area, murmuring apologies and trying not to step on too many feet, I'd arrived at the bar proper when Maiya sidled up behind me, pressing a foot down upon Kenji's back, the police chief's son was still fast asleep, blissfully unaware of the proceedings, she looked slightly irked.

The bar had subsided into various quiet murmurs in the darkness, I started pouring a few drinks for those who motioned at me, and Maiya spoke in the quiet of the darkened bar, voice low.

"I don't think it's really safe to stay here... Of course, walking through all of that fog isn't much better... I'll try and give my bosses a call, once this moron wakes up." She muttered something about his phone under her breath. "They might be able to send a van or a chopper or something..."

Wait, what?

Vans? Helicopters?

"What, are you working for the freaking MIB here, or something?"

"PCDH." She responded, seeming a bit distracted, "The Paranormal Disaster Countermeasure Headquarters."

Oh. Well.

That explained everything, she was a spook, or something.

This really was turning into something out of a manga.

I shook my head tiredly, I poured a few more drinks, made some noises at the staff that weren't really doing anything to start tiding up the mess, and looked up to see a guy standing outside, he looked like he had some kind of spear in his hand, carving something into the pavement.

He made some glances at the bar, like he really wanted to stick the sigils or whatever up on the building, I called one of the more experienced workers to work the bar for a minute as I vaulted over the bar.

I paced just a bit hurriedly back outside, eyeing the guy, vaguely recognizing his face as one of the regulars, in this side of town, you get all sorts of weirdos and occultists and what have you, just wanted to be sure the building wasn't going to melt or something.

Don't laugh, I saw it once.

I leaned up against a sturdy-looking wall and watched him work for several seconds, walked up to him, making sure to edge around the carvings or any sort of pattern they'd made, and looked over his current carving with interest, "Hey guy, whatcha doing?"

Thread: Ga Rei: Exodus Nine (IC)

Thread Tools

Search Thread

Display

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions