Big Eyes, Small Mouth (BESM): In the Shadows of the City - Chapter 5: Home

[Justin OOC]

The remaining two weeks proved to be a real test of the group as they began facing demons that took three sometimes four of them together to defeat. People were hurt but never too seriously, beyond Anne. She had no memories of her training, or her powers. Her wounds had healed, and by all appearances, she was simply a normal human again. Sayoko didn't answer when asked what happened, and she returned them to the school, around five am. "Alright each of you, today is a new day. go to class, or go home, it's your choice. Tonight we begin hunting the demons for real."

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(OOC okay post what your character does for the day, once we have something from everyone we will continue. Your post should be for the entire day, until about ten minutes to sundown, where you meet again at the school.

[z004]

Ayami went to the school gym lockers, taking out an extra change of her school uniform and quickly changing into it, stuffing her clothes from the party into the locker to deal with later. She knew Takaido-san would be up by now and probably worried sick; she sighed at the phone and finally dialed home.

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"Kuchiki-chan! Where have you been? I've been calling Sachiko-san's house all night. Are you alright?" Ayami's housekeeper and governess was speaking almost too fast to understand; she could hear tears in her voice. "There's been....there's been an accident....Hanashiro-san, he was killed last night in a car crash."

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For a moment, Ayami just couldn't speak. What could she say? She had to lie - Takaido-san would never believe the truth. "I'm...I'm so sorry, Takaido-san. I guess I lost track of time at the party and fell asleep. When I woke up, I went to school to finish up some homework before classes began."

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"Went to school? How did you get there?" There wasn't suspicion in the older woman's voice, just confusion.

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"I came with Sachiko-san," she answered truthfully.

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"Oh. Well," they were both quiet for a moment. "Kuchiki-chan, do you want to-"

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"I should get ready for classes, Takaido-san," Ayami interrupted before the governess could offer for her to skip classes for the day. "Does...did Hanashiro-san have family?"

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"An aunt," Takaido-san admitted reluctantly. "She's already making arrangements."

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"Please let me know when the funeral will be. If she needs anything-"

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"I'll make sure everything is taken care of, Kuchiki-san," there was a formal distance to her tone now, her way of being both hurt and disapproving.

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Ayami closed her eyes and steeled herself to hear that tone often in the coming weeks. "Thank you, Takaido-san. I really should get my homework done."

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"I'll arrange for a service to pick you up after school, then. Until a new driver can be hired."

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"Yes, thank you." Ayami shut off the phone after another awkward beat of silence, ending the stumbling conversation.

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The entire day was full of stumbling conversations and quiet whispers. Word of the odd deaths from the night before spread like wildfire through the school; there were always some explanation for what had happened, but not for why so many people had died in the night. Nor why so many of them were connected to the school, as students or family of students. Beyond gossip from the other students, Ayami was left oddly untouched by it. Her driver had died, but no one at the school really knew him or his connection to her. Classes came and went in a sort of grey haze, the words of her teachers blurring together as her body followed the habits of years, taking notes and walking her from classroom to classroom without much actual direction from her. Eventually the school day ended, and the the after-school clubs that met that day. A black towncar was waiting outside, a stranger dressed in a smart suit and smelling slightly of tobacco and smoke waiting to take her home. Takaido-san had dinner waiting for her, the house feeling large and empty as the two spoke only a few hushed words to each other. Ayami retreated to her room, finishing her homework as quickly as she could, then set out one of the sets of clothes Sayoko had sent them home with for the night. She curled up on her bed, trying to nap in the few hours before night. Mostly she stared at the ceiling and wondered if the world would ever go back to being normal.

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An hour before sunset she pulled herself off her bed and changed clothes, slipping her purse with her mirror, flashlight, and wallet tucked safely inside, over her shoulder. She snuck through the house, slipping past Takaido-san's room and thankful for the prime-time dramas that kept her caretaker attention for most of the evening. The month of training let her set a quick pace to the nearest subway station where she purchased her first passcard and nervously stepped onto the train. To her relief, it was mostly empty at this time of day and she only had to change trains once to get to the station near the school. She almost had to run to get there on time, but she managed, reaching their agreed-on meeting place and looking around for the others.

[SalmonMax]

The morning after everyone returned to the real world was weirdly normal for Sachiko. She made herself breakfast and got ready for school. Her parents returned shortly before she left, and spent a few minutes nervously looking around the house...clearly expecting to have to clean up after a mess worthy of a series of well-placed explosives having gone off, and somehow even more worried when the mess was absent.

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"How was the party, Sachi-chan?" asked her mother; sitting down at the table while Sachiko finished her breakfast.

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She gulped down her orange juice and beamed. "It was really great! We had a lot of people, and I think everyone had fun. People started getting sleepy though, so everyone left not too long after dark. Me and a few friends from school cleaned everything up, and...here we are!"

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It was a completely true, yet incomplete, version of what had happened.

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Her parents gave each other a look, then allowed relief to start to sink in, ever so cautiously.

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Sachiko popped up from the table and gave them each a kiss on the cheek. "Gotta go to school now, bye!"

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There was a moment of silence. Blessed, blessed silence.

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"Well," her father said, "I'll just take a look out back." He paused, then added, "Do you think she's growing up?"

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"Of course she is," said her mother defensively. "Children each have their own pace. It had to happen eventually."

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Her dad 'mmphed' noncommittally and went to check the backyard. Things were easier to deal with when Sachiko wasn't around. It wasn't that they were -afraid- of her, because that would be silly...she didn't have a malicious bone in her body...but living with her was like living with a tornado filled with monkeys riding on kittens. It took all their energy to deal with her. There wasn't a babysitter left in all of Japan that would set foot within sight of their house anymore. The idea that Sachiko could now be left alone without serious repercussions was like...discovering cold fusion, or the Higgs Boson.

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There was litter in the backyard. Cups and plates and napkins...things Sachiko hadn't been able to get to and still be ready for school on time.

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No body parts though. No weird glowing things. No unidentifiable, foul-smelling fluids. No boxes taped shut that something was moving around inside. Nothing was plugged into a wall outlet, and sparking ominously.

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Her father wept tears of joy.

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---

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At school, Sachiko was as bright as ever. She greeted everyone she saw who had been at her party, congratulating them on having attended...as if it had been an award ceremony in their honor or something. She returned a few things that she'd found while picking up around the house to their rightful owners. She tried to cheer up some of the mopier students as she passed them in the halls.

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Truth was, she felt great. Better than usual even, and that was saying something. The fight with the demon had left her...energized. Like adrenalin was still moving through her. Stories of missing people only solidified that further instead of bringing her down. She assured people that whatever was responsible for disappearances was going to get caught, and stopped, no matter what! Though no one had any reason to believe what she said, her earnestness was oddly comforting...and occasionally infuriating.

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By the end of the day, she'd written a composition that went into some detail about the training they'd had in Sayoko's otherworld, which garnered her praise from her teacher for her creativity, though admonishments for some grammatical errors. She'd told everyone who'd listen not to be too scared, but not to go out after dark as that was when the evil spirits would get them...until she stopped them once and for all, of course. She showed off her watch to an impressed crowd...even only trotting out its basic functions, no shapeshifting, was pretty amazing for a high school student. While giving credit to her 'genius uncle' for having given it to her, she basked in the admiration of her peers as if she'd made the thing with her own hands.

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After classes Sachiko just hung around the campus, poking her nose into the activities of various clubs and making a pest of herself until it was finally time to meet the others. She was first on the scene, fidgeting impatiently and looking around to wave happily at Ayami as she came up.

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"Hey, Ayami-chan!" she greeted...excessively familiar as always. "You made it! How was your first day as a badass monster killing machine?" She made little 'martial arts movements' as she said it.

[Shosuro Toshi]

Under normal circumstances, Shinji would have gone to school. Of course, the past... period of time... was decidedly not normal. He needed his energy and wasn't sure if he could focus that way. The trick was simple. Get home, briefly mention the party to his parents, then plop into bed. Then, in the morning he used the old thermometer up to the right trick and his mother bought it.

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Naturally, Shinji was confined to bed, but was miraculously better. And then he sneaked out, and was at the school by sundown. The deceptions concerned him, but Shinji supposed that he could get around the groundings that might occur, and the demonic threat was worse than his parents. Tezara agreed, naturally.

[Karren Gaunt]

Amara had two thoughts in mind the second she told they'd be heading back to the 'real' world.

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One: find out how the search for her Mother was going. It had been a month to her and her new allies, but outside? Less than a few hours would have passed, and with Mother gone only a day and no body found... She wasn't prepared to give up that hope until she had wrung an answer or two from these monsters.

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Two: pass on everythign she had learned to her Father. Knowledge was power, and with these things proven able to strip memories and abilties from their victims... If she went down, one way or the other, the Yakuza heiress was determined to prepare her Father and his resources to be more than sacrifical fodder in the coming war.

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Of course, she had to get home and *talk to her Father* first to accomplish that, and after a month away in a hellish training bubble straight out of a childish anime... It felt weird calling for a ride home and looking at bustling crowds and skyscrapers. Still, the call was made and she wound up back at home without incident, giving her a chance to decompress by the time she was sitting down across from her Father.

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"You said you wanted to tell me something when you got home, Amara-Chan," he simply intoned, sounding weary.

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"I... Yes. Ask something actually. Did... Have you found Mother yet?" she opened, breath hitching on the 10 million yen question, dreading a yes as much as a no.

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"No. They're still looking much as there were more problems last night," he answered, holding a far better poker face than she could hope to pierce, the hope hurting as much as it helped.

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Amara swallowed, "I... I'm supposed to go out tonight again. Meet at the school to help solve this problem, but before then, I want... I need to tell you everything I've learned, and it's going to sound... fantastic. Impossible. But it will all be true. We've been lied to. Kept coddled in the dark by those above us. Made... helpless against the things that are attacking this city in the dark until it's so desperate only a handful of teenagers can stop it before the end of everything we know. Or so I've been told."

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She sucked in a breath, gaze locked on her Father's eyes, and ignited her aura, the iredesant field dancing inches above her skin and clothing, "I can do things, Father. Me and the training bokken you bought so long ago and a handful of others to hurt the monsters attacking us. But it can't be only us. There has to be a away for all of us to fight back. Protect who and what's ours from harm. To prevent... no, save people like Mother and the Clan from dying like animals. Beat them. Bleed them. Force them back at sword point into the shadows so they never hurt us again!"

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Amara sharply inhaled and existinguished the light of her soul, knuckles white, eyes narrowed to slits, emotions ragged. Her Father watched this, outwardly calm. "All right. I'm listening, Amara-Chan. But why are you telling me this?"

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The Yakuza heiress relaxed, hearing the note of belief in his voice, "Because I'm not sure i'll be coming back from whatever might happen tonight whole in mind and body. And I don't want to die without having done everything I can to help you and Mother and the Clan you lead. It's everything I've always wanted no matter what you've said about me getting involved. Recent events mean we may not have time to wait and I want you to listen and use what I've learned to help and not lock me..."

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"Amara," her Father interjected with the sharp exactitude of a break slowing a runaway train, stopping her from unraveling entirely, "I'm listening. Begin at the beginning and I will judge your story on it's merits. I have nowhere else I'd rather be."

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The girl took another deep breath and did just that. Sitting. Speaking. Confessing. For hours and hours until the tale of a month in a bloody wonderland was told, interupted only by the arrival of tea to wet her throat.

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And when sunset was nigh, she arrived on time for the meeting with an afternoon of sleep under her belt and her Father's blessing steadying her swordhand. She coudl do this. "Good evening," she offered to the three others who beat her there.

[z-Galiana]

Galiana went home, feeling a bit out of place and sad. She didn’t like the city and its noises, smells or ugliness. She missed the trees, the fresh air and the pure joy of the hunt in her preferred element. How he walls of this place pressed in close to her, stifling her and leaving her feeling short of breath. How was she supposed to hunt in this place?

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She would manage, she knew, even as she whined to herself about it. She cleaned and prepared for school, acting as if there were any other day. In a way it was, but she knew that it wasn’t. It hadn’t been since the demons had arrived.

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Her three-room home was empty, the small apartment echoing emptily due to the lack of belongings. Galiana stripped down and hopped into the shower, scrubbing at her hair and skin. She’d tanned, she realized with a start; her skin was a darker brown color, and there were no lines given her tendency to nap naked in the sun in the pocket dimension. Gali finished her shower, dressed and gathered her school books.

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Her homework wasn’t done. She’d had weeks to finish it and it still wasn’t done. Gali stared at the blank assignment before laughing softly to herself. “Of course,” she murmured, tucking the homework back into her folder. She would fight demons and forget to finish schoolwork. It wasn’t like the homework or even her grades were important anymore. What mattered was their fight together against the demons.

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Humming to herself, she took the train to school, finishing the assignment as best she could. It was still poorly done, but perhaps she would pass. Perhaps.

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In class, Galiana found she was beyond bored. This stuff was pointless. She didn’t want to be in class. She wanted to hunting, or sleeping, or anything other than classwork. The day dragged on, with her only respite being lunch.

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After school, she dared to slip out into a nearby park. Stripping down to nothing, she had a quick stretch and run as a cat. Feeling warmed up and ready for the night, she headed to the meeting spot. “Hi, guys,” she called as she approached, looking relaxed and calm. “Where’s everyone else?”

[AceWildcard]

Prologue to today events:

Kohaku was stun at what happen to Anne. It made him wonder what if something like that was to happen to him. In his view it was worse then death. To forget your past, to not know it. Even if Anne was okay for the most part he could not care to see her. It was gnawing at him hard.

Anne was not the only other thing on Kohaku mind as of late. He was thinking about the others. He had spent some time with them and had his own options on them. Some good, some bad. Yet he wonder what others though of him. Yet he did not press anyone. To be honest he did not think he was well liked among the group.

Kohaku could not tell them that. Whenever they went hunting and the job was over Kohaku stay outdoors if he could. He found that it was better to do that. There was so much inside of him at that time he did not want to show them. Also he fear he might snap and harm them. So much he wanted to let out. He has so much doubts and fears in him.

These doubts and fear rush into Kohaku nightmares. At first he was seeing Sakura, as well as several others. Ghost from an night he wish he forgot. They stared at me, as if disappointed in him. He wonder if he fail his vow to avenge them? Also he kept on seeing him. Daichi Katsu a person he once tried to befriend. He killed several people in his time. He wonder if he really killed him, even in self defense. The bastard was doing some sort of dark magic using human sacrifices, but what type he could not tell.

The second dream Kohaku was having he was in a dark gothic place. The light was dim if there was any at all, and reminding Kohaku of twilight since he could not tell if it was dawn or dusk in this dream. He would guess dusk due to the dark tone of the dream. The area looked like an forest had taken over an modern day city.

The place had a foul smell to it that Kohaku could not place. Even worse he could taste it as well. It made him want to vomit, yet he would not. At times he had to press down on the wall or an tree to get his grip. He did not want to lose control of himself at an time like this. Each time in his dreams he gain control of himself and moved on.

Eventually he made it to an cross way. He saw people walking as if doing their everyday business. Kohaku wanted to talk to one to figure out what was going on. When he did try to talk to someone they did not listen to them. He then try to touch one of the shoulder, but saw that his hand went through it. This startle him and made him back up. Kohaku had seen ghost before but not this many.

When Kohaku back up he felt something. He turns around to see a hooded figure. He could not see his face, but he knew that the person was familiar. He then heard the person laugh. “What’s so funny?” Kohaku asked. “They all dead, thanks to you. You are so weak, so pathetic. You always cause pain and suffering to others. Now it’s time for you to suffer.” The figure said in a voice that sounded just like his own.

Then the person summon something that was something from an horror movie in Kohaku view. They were large, wolf like creatures. They had dark black fur. Their eyes and mouths gave off a glowing light like that of dying coals in a figure. What Kohaku could not stand was the stench which he recognized as what was making him sick before. The hooded person pointed at him and the wolves went after him.

Every dream was different in the chase. Each time he avoided them. They did not give him a chance to attack back. Even if he wanted to try there were too many of them. They over ran him and killed him before he could do any attack.

During this twisted hunt Kohaku saw them. His allies and people he cared for dead in various ways and poses. Each time he dream they were different but the same. Each one looked at him disappointedly. As if accusing him of one thing or another. He felt guilty for various reasons. The most that he felt he could not connect with them. He did not know to be honest if he really did.

Each time Kohaku work up in a sweat. He did not scream as far as he knew. Also he tried his best to try and be a better member of the group. He train hard or as best he could. He did not want to fail them.

Today Events:

When he discovered that he was going back to the real world he was lost. He did not know what to think. He felt more at ease here then at home. Things were more simple, black and white. The world was not so. He used to love trying to figure things out. To know the truth. Yet now he wonder if it’s worth it. So many times his life could have been much simpler if he just kept his nose out of things. Yet his desires for the truth to know cause much pain for him as well as others. He wonder if she.... no, if not her then someone else.

8:00 a.m.

When Sayoko gave her marching orders Kohaku first desire was to check in on his parents. The door was unlocked. The place was cold, more so then usual. His parents like it warm. He notice that his breath was showing. The outside was much warmer then this.

Kohaku explore the house. The place was clean, more so then usual. It was also silent. He rarely found the place quiet. He knew something was wrong. Yet he could not tell what was wrong presides the obvious.

What Kohaku saw when he open the door reminded him of a horror story. His name was written several times in what Kohaku presume was blood. Smiley faces were also on the wall, which Kohaku did not get why someone would do that. What worry him the worse was an familiar address that was on there. It belong to an old rival of his. He normally did not give a shit about him, but he notices something else was missing. An old letter he was writing was missing. He needed to know if he did it or someone else. So he went there.

9:00 a.m.

It takes Kohaku awhile to get to the place. He does not have the money to buy much far to get to and from places via public transportation. He mostly works to get his money by various means. One or two unsavory. Yet he prefers to walk due to it helps him stay healthy.

Kohaku did not like this. It stink of a trap to him. Yet he had to go. Why was he doing this? Some sense of guilt over what happen to Tori and his family? Memories of a past partnership that turn sour? To do something noble even if it’s foolish? When he got there he still did not know.

Kohaku goes to open the door to the house. Right off the bat he smell something foul. It smell like a corpse. Kohaku fear the worst. When he came in he saw several dead bodies. None belong to Tori or his family. They look like teenagers. Several he saw from the missing members of the paranormal club. “That solves one thing.” Kohaku said.

“You always seem to state the obvious.” Said a familiar voice. A voice that sent a shiver down Kohaku spine. It was his own. “Who are you?” Kohaku asked. “Does it matter. You are still going to die? Where you been Kohaku, you been missing. I couldn’t find you. I hope my calling cards got to you. Did you have sweet dreams Kohaku?” The voice said. “What does it matter to you? What happen to them and to Tori and his family?” Kohaku demanded.

“You are not in the power to demand anything.” The voice said. “I doubt that.” Kohaku said. “You really are dense. I have more power over you then what you think.” The voice said as he reveals the camera Kohaku had lost so long ago. How did he get it and who is he. “That’s mine.” Kohaku yelled at the fiend. “Maybe, but it’s mine now.” The voice said.

“Then I am..." Kohaku said as he goes to rush at the mysterious hooded figure. Before Kohaku could do or say anything the figure points the camera without looking at it and snap a photo at Kohaku. The flash blinks him momentary. Also Kohaku felt weaker because of it. During that time Daichi mutter something Kohaku could not comprehend.

He did not have to know what he said to understood why he did so. Soon the bodies of the fallen students started to rise. “Great, more problems to deal with.” Kohaku said. Soon the photo snap again. This time he felt himself getting hit by something. Kohaku wonder if the camera true function was to harm people or spirits. If that’s the case then he was in trouble. He could not take care of all these foes at once.

The camera is blocking him from doing anything else and the zombies are coming much quicker then what Kohaku figured. He had to make an choice he did not like to do but had no choice. It was the only choice he had at he time. He used his power to blow up the camera. He heard the figure scream. He could hear him cursing in another voice. A voice he fear he would not hear again.

Before Kohaku eyes snapped into focus, he could hear a loud crunching noise. Before his eyes were clear from the daze from the camera light he felt someone grab his hand and lead him out of the place. When his eyes were better he saw another mysterious figure. “Who are you?” Kohaku asked but received no answer. Kohaku and the figure ran for quite awhile before he stopped at an back ally.

“That was a foolish thing for you to do.” An old man’s voice said. It was an voice that Kohaku recognize on the spot. “Maybe, but I had to try. I did not know if they were alive or not. Would you not done the same if you were in my shoes?” Kohaku asked. “Yes, but I would have been more prepared. You just went in without a second thought. That could get you killed.” The old man replied.

“What about you, why were you following me? Also what going on with my parents house?” Kohaku asked. “There was a murder there. You remember the lady who made sure you were there when your parents were away?” The old man asked. “Yes, and how did she die if you mind me asking?” Kohaku asked wanting to know how much the man knew.

“From what I heard it was rather brutal. Your parents heard from the cops. It was rather violent. The cops are looking for you. Someone wants you dead.” The old man replied. “I know that, why did not the cops inspect the address?” Kohaku asked. “Because they can not see it. A spell covers it.” The old man replied. “Then....” Kohaku asked. “We do not have time for idle chat. We do not know how far our foes can see. We should not stay out in the open for long.” The old man said. Kohaku agreed.

11:00 a.m.

Kohaku was surprised it took this long to get there. Then again making sure you were not follow and trying not to be suspicious can take up a good bit of time. Even so the place was sore eyes to him. Yet he could tell it was different. It was subtile almost ignorable if you did not know it. No, Kohaku doubted if a person without the gift to see in between the worlds could see it. Various runes and symbols were on the building. It was a shop that also double as the resting place for the person who work there. They were protection spells that protected the place form spirits, especially demons.

The old man unlocks the door to the place. They both go into the place, the old man first then Kohaku. After Kohaku enter the house the old man closed and locked the door. They go deep into the house where no prying eye could look at them. Before Kohaku could realize it he got punch in the face. “You bastard! You knew!” A voice from someone he though was dead. “Tori.” Kohaku said surprised.

Kohaku was surprised at his appearance. Tori had a large bandage covered half his face and several bandages covered his chest. Kohaku also noticed a cast on his right arm. He noticed it was also the same arm whom fist punch him. If Kohaku knew better he could have swore that Tori’s eye have pierce into his soul. He still wonders if it was the case. So much has change for Kohaku that he did not doubt anything any more.

Yet Kohaku was curious how Tori and his grandfather meet. “First how did you and my grandfather meet? Also what are you referring to?” Kohaku asked. The second part he had a good guest as to what it was.

“Simple he saved me from some sort of demon from what he says. Seems the things are up and about these days.” Tori replied. “It was yesterday night when the event occur at my parents house. Some freaks broke in and bloodied up the place. I notice a note that had your writing in it, but also seem a bit unlike you in some parts. You explain what happen last summer and about what happen to Sakura.You also mention to go to your house if I though you were lying.”

”Well where is the letter now?” Kohaku asked. ”Do not interrupt me, let me finish my story.”Tori said harshly. “Where was I? Oh yes, when I was headed towards your house to investigate I was attack by something I could not see. Your grandfather came in and rescue me. I was not harmed seriously by the whole ordeal. When we got there the place was also under investigation by the police. By then it was rather late and my parents were in a motel that was too far for me to go to alone as well as things were going on that I did not know. So I asked your grandfather if I could spend the night at his place. He did not mind. We talked a lot. We also inspected the letter more closely. We figured soon enough what was your witting and what was another. So is it true what you are wrote down?” Tori asked. Tori hands Kohaku the letter.

It was indeed as he fear. Yet he also felt a relief that a burden of sorts was lifted, even if it was just a little bit. There was much burdening him and it would be awhile if at all if he could be lifted from him. It was the letter that he try to write about the events of last summer during the club yearly project they did. He had wrote the letter several times, but each time dispose of it. He did not know what Tori would do or say. “Yes, I did wrote some of this. Also I did know of Sakura death, but only after the fact. I was in the dark as much as you till I discover her body. Trust me you do not want to know what I saw of it. What they did....” Kohaku replied in a soft sadden voice. It was not guilty sounding, but was remorseful.

“You knew she was dead. You also knew her killer. Why didn’t you tell me anything?” Tori said as he cut Kohaku off. He was enrage and sounded it. “Last I recall we were not on speaking terms. Even so I tried to, but every time I try to I came to the same conclusion. That you would not believe me. If I told the cops, they would have sent me to the loony bin. Maybe even look out there to see if there was a corpse if they believe it. You know my history Tori more so then others. Tell me what would you have done in my place?” Kohaku said.

“Simple I would have told you the truth. No matter how insane.” Tori said. Kohaku stared at him in disbelief. Kohaku did not belive he would do so. This enrage Tori which made him punch Kohaku again. Kohaku defended himself this time. Soon the two were in a fist fight. Tori easily defeated Kohaku. Before Tori could do anything real serious the old man stopped him. He order tori to stand watch while he patch Kohaku up.

Kohaku was in the bathroom. The old man removed his hood. He was similar to Kohaku in his eyes. The old man had short grey hair. Even for his age he was still healthy and athletic looking. The old man was patching Kohaku wounds from the fight with Tori. “Tell me why did you not tell me that you had powers like me?” Kohaku asked. “Because we both would probably be in the loony bin if that was the case. Also unlike you I take care of that side on my own terms. Ironic though that camera is as much a part of our powers as much as it is history.” The old man said. “I agree to that grandfather that is undeniable.” Kohaku said.

Kohaku waited a few seconds before asking. “So what is the link. I knew that the camera was a part of our family history. Yet not on who was the first to work on it nor why. What do you know of it? Also how did you get your powers?” Kohaku asked. He figured his grandfather had some knowledge of it. He just did not know how much.

His grandfather pause for a moment. “Both are linked to the same answer. The first ancestor who created the camera was a photographer in 1837 while working with an rangefinder camera. He travel the country doing his profession. One day he saw an event that he should not. He never stated what he saw which is always been a interest in our family. He nearly got killed over it if not for a mysterious maiden saving him. In return she place what depending on your view a blessing or a curse.” Kohaku said.

“So what was it she gave?” Kohaku asked. “I think you already know to some point. Every odd generation a child of our family is given the power to manipulate the spirit world. Yet at the same time those within the spirit world can affect you any way they can. Most are often harmless and will not do anything. It’s those who do want to do harm which are dangerous. With what’s going on lately you are more likely to see the more harmful ones.” His grandfather replied.

“Well what do you view it as, an blessing or a curse?” Kohaku asked. “I will not tell you since I do not view it as a blessing or a curse just a tool that is unique to us. I will also not pry on what your views on the matter.” His grandfather replied. Kohaku wonders if his grandfather was trying to calm him down. If he was it was not working.

Kohaku wonders if his power was a curse to him. He had much sorrow due to it. Yet those times he used it to help people who needed it he view it as a blessing. So in a sense it was just an tool for him. Even if he did not like certain aspects of it.

“What did you do to those corpses?” Kohaku asked. “I destroy them. We have the power to destroy that which binds things to their master or even destroy the thing itself. We can do quite a lot Kohaku if you just know what all the power can do.” His grandfather reply. “Yet the power is destructive in nature nothing else.” Kohaku said. “Yes, but how that power is used determines who you are. I know this due to the writings of our ancestors. Many left large amounts of details of their lives for better or worse. Tell me what have you wrote about yourself if any at all?” His grandfather asked.

Kohaku looked stung. He could not say anything. To be honest he had not wrote anything at all of his own past with the power. He could not let people use it as leverage against him or to prove he was insane. He knew he was not. Yet how could he say that to his grandfather. Kohaku felt like all his life people were looking at him as if he was under a microscope. He still does feel this way even with current events.

“I should ask you the same Grandfather? What do have you wrote down of yourself in this manner?” Kohaku asked trying to figure out his grandfather and to give him more time to respond. “You are stalling. Even so I will answer. I have wrote a lot of my life as you know it. The same could be said of my experimentation of my powers. Like others I had recorded a log of my experience with our gift.” His grandfather replied. Kohaku did not want to admit that he did not have his own records of such. The sad guilty look on Kohaku face gave his grandfather the answer he needed. “If you want I can show you them in case you want to read them.” His grandfather said. “Not right now I have some question to ask.” Kohaku said.

It did not take long for Kohaku to be patched up. Once he did, Kohaku asked to talk with both his grandfather and to Tori. They both went to an safe place to talk. The three talked of what happen to them from the night before. Both were surprised about the information Kohaku gave them. Even so they all figure the events that were ailing them currently were of Human origin and not demonic. If there was a demonic tie, as to what it was and the length of it.

Kohaku gather much information on the matter. As to whom he knew was still alive and such. For now all the people he knew were alive. His parents were out of town. Tori parents were in a motel due to the incident in their house while the cops were investigating. Same with mine. Kohaku wonder if that was the case, why was there no signs of a police investigation. Something was not right. He might thing it was the hooded person who is after him, but he did not know if he was alone or not. Also if he is really responsible for the nightmares.

12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Kohaku had gotten something to eat and needed to relax. He decided to take an offer and read one of his family history books his grandfather mention. It was rather interesting. The first person whom had this power in our family had quite an interesting life. Born in a peasant family he did not want to live that life like his family before him did. He decided to became a photographer after helping out another photographer with his work one day. As such he did various odd jobs for various people till he could afford his own.

Eventually he gain a respectful amount of money from his job. Nothing real big, but enough to pay the bills and then some. He worked for various people in the various classes and had an adventurous even before the event that gave him the family power. Yet what makes Kohaku curious is little is written on what the event was or what occur there. Only that he was headed towards an old friend of his who was a priest due to the fact he had not seen him in awhile.

Once he gotten his power he help both the living and the dead alike, as well as various other spirits. He eventually settle down and had a family. He even was old enough to help the next generation that had the power in how to control it. He lived till the ripe old age of 100 which surprised Kohaku. He notices another person hand writing stated he died in his sleep.

Yet in the end Kohaku found the most impressive was the various techniques that were used. Each one was different with an different effect. Yet he was still lost on how to do them. The concepts he used to describe them he never heard of. So he could not do much with them at the moment.

4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Kohau was hungry and grabbed him something to eat. Of course he asked his grandfather if he could get something out of his kitchen to eat. Once his grandfather agree he went to get something to eat. It was nothing big. Just an sandwich, and a few fruits to go with it. He had water to drink it down with. Once he got done with that. He prepares himself mentally for the challenge ahead of him this night.

Kohaku knew that he had to get to the destination before sundown. He did not know when he would be able to get back here or somewhere safe. He also needed to gather more information from the books his grandfather mention. Before he left he told his grandfather where he was going and why. Tori was listening in on the conversation and asked if he could help. Kohaku was blunt in saying he did not know how due to his current situation. Yet he could help him figure out who is after them both. Kohaku needed back up, and sadly for Tori he is going to have to be that for this. He felt sorry for Tori and felt responsible for pulling him into this. He wish both a good day and luck on their en devours.

4:15p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Kohaku was walking down a street as he was headed towards the meeting place. He felt a strange nostalgia in doing so. It was like he was doing something familiar. Yet he been past this street before and never felt this way. A sudden sense of dread fills him. He then hears a faint sound. He soon recognize it as akin to an dogs barking. Yet it was no dog he ever heard before except in his dreams.

Then in the corner of his eyes he saw him. The damn hooded punk who was trying to kill him. He saw to his surprised that his hands and arms had regenerated. His clothing was soaked in blood. Then he saw them. Creatures that were indeed otherworldly. They were the wolves he saw in his dreams. There were three of them each one a mirror image of the first. Now Kohaku knew at least somehow the bastard was tapping into him. If so how and why?

Kohaku knew he could win if he was was running and doing everything he could in his power to get away from them. He knew or at least though no one would help him. He knew most people would not see this thing. It was himself against them. He had to think of a way to defeat them. At least in the dreams he had he knew they could be weaken but he could not defeat them. Yet was that even true? He did not want to gamble on it. He knew he would have to escape their detection before he could get to the meeting point.

He had went into the side streets thinking he might at least gain an advantage. That was not true. He was surrounded at both sides by the hounds. Kohaku had one chance or at least he hoped that he did. He took careful aim. Both hounds went after him. Kohaku unleash his attack directly at the head. The attack hit and kill the beast shattering it into some sort of ash.

Kohaku got slash by one of the two remaining ones in the waist, but it was a mere flesh wound. Kohaku aim and fired at the other two taking them out in the same way. He got out with a few minor cuts. Still he did not like the fact some hooded asshole was play with his head. At least he knew that his dreams were different from reality. Yet he wonder how much more he could take. He wanted to sleep, but could not. He decided to continue walking towards the mission point while keeping watch for him.

Kohaku made it to the meeting point ahead of everyone else. He felt something else was there. It was not malevolent like the hooded man. He decided to think over todays events trying to figure out how to over come this new foe. So far he was stalking him and him alone. Yet he fear soon that the others would be pulled into this situation. He try to figure out a way to hit the bastard harm and fast so the wolves would not be a problem or at least take them out quickly. As he was thinking he did not notice the area around him till he heard a familiar voice.

[Justin OOC]

(Ace you post last, you get there last, don't undercut the posts of others.)

,,

Once everyone had gathered, Sayoko appeared, seemingly from nowhere. "Alright, it's nearly sundown." She scowled slightly. "There's a park six blocks from here, we're going there tonight. I have it on good authority that the demons will come out and make a beeline there tonight."

,,

As far as everyone knew, there were no festivals, no reason for the park to be that crowded tonight, certainly not enough to draw the demons they expected. "We'll start there, and sweep north, if we are able."

,,

"I want you to know I'm very proud of you all, now let's go." There was a flash as everyone found themselves in the park, amidst the trees so they weren't seen. There were some regular people about, and even a picnic table set with food. "Eat quickly if you are hungry. We won't be breaking up tonight, It will be all of you versus whatever comes. When they arrive, I will have to leave you.."

[z-Galiana]

None of what Sayoko said engendered any confidence in Gali. The young werecat scowled at her before grabbed two handfuls of meat and ate them. The set-up—Sayoko leading them to the demons, the food, the premeditation of it—made Galiana suspicious of their ‘host’. Still, if demons were coming, it was time to fight.

,,

As she finished chewing, Gali stripped her clothing off and changed into her cat-form. Smells and sounds from around the park and city poured into her senses, and the cat slipped into the shadows without conscious thought. “I don’t smell them yet,” she murmured from her cover, before slipping into a new shadow.

[AceWildcard]

Kohaku was still stress from today's adventure. He did not eat much today and decided to eat something as well in order to gain some more strength. He did not know what was going to happen tonight or when the demons would attack. As such he was going to relax a little bit and wait for them to come to him. At least then he knew what was what.

[Karren Gaunt]

"Then leave now. We wouldn't want to blow your cover," commented the Yakuza heiress with more than a hint of sarcasim, not giving the picnic table a second look, "We've learned well enough how to find these things on our own."

,,

She kept an eye everything around them, hair blowing in the faint evening breeze and one hand on the hilt of her bokken. This was it. No more catch and release demons, just whatever these things threw at them. *If* they weren't being deceived by their 'patron' which was far from certain in Amara's mind...

[Justin OOC]

It took only an hour before the first signs of demonic presence were felt, over a dozen small demons Bristling with blade like protrusions and appendages came up, they were about the size of large dogs, a scout class of demons that looked like bipedal saurian cockroaches.

,,

(Kill them as you will, these are easy, about 50 hp each, attacks do little real damage.)

,,

Yup, Zerglings

[AceWildcard]

Kohaku knew he could not harm several of them at once with his power. At least not in the typical way he used his power. He looks around for any means to hinder them or corral them so others who could defeat these things quickly could do the job better.

,,

(what would I need to roll in order to do so.)

[z-Galiana]

Galiana, had her classmates been able to see her in the shadows, resembled nothing more than a house cat getting ready to pounce as soon as the cockroach demons came into view. Her paws were drawn up tightly under her body and every muscle was taut beneath her shadowed fur. As the monsters swarmed them, Gali struck.

,,

A dark blur shot out of the shadows, intercepting the demons. There was a brief tussle and the demon’s head went one direction while its body went another. Gali wasn’t stopping to watch; instead, she was moving onto the next target with feline fury, dismembering that target on her way to the next.

,,

I could have gone on, but I’m saving some for you guys.

[SalmonMax]

Sachiko frowned in concentration as she fumbled with her watch, which reconfigured and announced, "Heavy combat mode: Gravity Hammer."

,,

And Sachiko saw that it was good. "That's what I'm talking about."

,,

She charged headlong into a pack of the bounding demonic creatures, a good distance from the others, jumped up and came back down with the pale violet energy field of the 'Hammer' leading the way. There was a pulse of something that looked like light but somehow wasn't, and the earth shook, and suddenly the spot where she'd hit was a knot of shrieking dying monsters being pulled around and into a livid hole in the universe...and pulling them apart as they went.

,,

Standing within the area of the gravitational flux, shielded by the Hammer's field, was Sachiko who looked like a six year old watching fireworks for the first time.

,,

"This is the best night EVER!"

,,

Then she ran out to do it some more.

,,

(OOC note - The area of effect on gravity hammer is now selective, so her shenanigans pose no threat to allies.)

[Karren Gaunt]

Seeing Kohaku looking lost, the Yakuza heiress planted herself between him and the swarm as their teammates went to town. She smiled wryly, suddenly blazing with coruscating light as she ignited her shield and drew her sword. Weapon in a two-handed grip, she whispered a request that had overtones of a prayer.

,,

"Please help me drown our enemies, Twilight's Edge."

,,

Wooden weapon suddenly engulfed and replaced by animate water soon as the words escaped her lips, Amara held her weapon in a low-guard, inviting the demons who survived whatever her allies dished out to try her. There'd be worse tonight than these if the monsters Sayoko had been tossing at them meant anything. No need to get sloppy any letting anyone get hurt who didn't need to.

,,

Force field up, weapon in water mode, and keeping Amara in a position to help out anyone who gets in trouble

[Shosuro Toshi]

Shinji took a breath, and decided. No need to call Tezara yet, he didn't need the drain on his energy yet. There was one charging demon-lite pouncing towards his face, with rancid breath that made him disgustedly wonder what went into that maw. But Shinji swept his blue-light sword upward, and bisected it.

,,

These were just small fry. Something more dangerous had to be around.

[Justin OOC]

The first wave went down with little effort. What followed were about the same number of larger demons, these were more serpentine, moving quickly, along long thick serpent bodies, with twin scythes, and launched a storm of spines at them, luckily they were too far off when they did so.

,,

(Yup, Hydralisks, have some fun, these guys have 125 hp, and 30-40 damage attacks, They're not hard foes, but if you get more than one on you, you might get hit a couple times...)

[AceWildcard]

Kohaku was surprised at the speed of their ability to take down the first wave. He saw that the tactics he had hopped to do would not be able to do so. So he focus on doing only what he could do in his view right now. He attacked with his power to take down each of the foes one by one letting the others take out the groups if they could.

,, ,,

dice roll

*rolls* 2d6: 3+2+5: 10

[Karren Gaunt]

Amara wasn't about to let these things get close enough to score a hit on her allies and took a deep breath, the light of her soul blooming outward into a curving wall of prismatic defense between the hybrid monsters and those of her teammates she could enclose, herself at the tip of the protected area. Airborne spikes sizzled and deflected off the field without so much as a tingle, allowing the yakuza heiress to relax for a heartbeat and check on them.

,,

"Everyone okay?" she offered, spiking a portion of the wall outward to send the closest of the monsters flying with a screech. Down but not out as she saw it start to rise again. Definitely tougher...

,,

Action one, reshape forcefield. Action two, hit one away for 60 damage

[z-Galiana]

Galiana burst from the shadows, streaking toward the nearest monster. Her mismatched eyes nearly glowed with her delighted savagery as she pounced on the snake monster. It barely had time to react to her before she ripped open its side. Then she leapt back, to avoid the return strike, growling at her prey.

,,

Attack #1:

Carver *rolls* 2d6: 1+1+7: 9

[Carver] 3:17 pm: Divine Relationship....

Carver *rolls* 2d6: 1+4+7: 12

Creature’s defense:

Carver *rolls* 2d6: 2+6+7: 15, Miss

,,

Attack #2:

Carver *rolls* 2d6: 3+3+7: 13, 14 with EP

Creature’s defense:

Carver *rolls* 2d6: 3+3+7: 13, Miss again, spending 10 EP to hit

,,

Total of 38 damage to one.

,,

Creature’s attack:

Carver *rolls* 2d6: 3+3+7: 13

Gali’s Defense:

Carver *rolls* 2d6: 3+3+7: 13

[SalmonMax]

Sachiko's charge was stopped short when terrible bony spikes peppered the ground all around her. With a startled squeak she scampered back behind Amara's protective field.

,,

"That's not FAIR!" she shouts at the oncoming monsters. Then she looks at her watch, vaguely remembering a time when she'd been practicing with it. Hadn't it turned into a laser once? Yes! It had! She'd blown up a small tree with it!

,,

Quickly, Sachiko starts messing with the watch, trying to remember how she got the laser before. The watch calmly announced it was reconfiguring, and became the shock prods. She looked up at the monsters and muttered irritably as she tried again, working faster and harder. This went on several times, each time Sachiko getting more and more angry, and the monsters getting closer and closer. Finally Sachiko lost all patience and shouted at the watch, "JUST GIVE ME THE LASER GUN!" It announced that its mode had been reset, and Sachiko screamed at it in fury and started banging it against a rock. "LASERLASERLASERLASER!"

,,

There was a 'ping,' and the watch shifted around to create a kind of weaponized gauntlet...a plate along the back of her hand, and a large weapon barrel that lay along her forearm.

,,

'Mass sufficiently critical, plasma cannon mode set,' it informed her primly. Its casing wasn't even scratched.

,,

Sachiko was instantly appeased, though her face was red from the effort, and she was breathing in huffs and puffs, like she'd just finished running a mile. "Sweet!"

,,

Blasts of rippling crimson fire started cascading towards the demonic things as Sachiko threw caution and aim out the window, opting for exuberance and victory through sheer number of shots. Expensively-maintained turf erupted in gouts of sod and smoke. Chitin vaporized where the bolts struck their targets...but these demons were tough stuff. It took at least four hits for one to fall. Without the protection of Amara's shield, Sachiko would have been riddled with spines long before she took down more than a couple.

,,

From her protected nook though, she was starting to do some actual damage...especially as she realized how EASY the weapon was to aim and fire, and started picking her shots more carefully.

[Justin OOC]

Their attacks seemed to anger the demons, who renewed their assault. Thankfully their anger made them less accurate, as they rushed in trying to kill the humans who dared to fight back.

,,

Somewhere, in the midst of it all, Sayoko herself vanished.

,,

Shinji could feel a burning sensation on his chest, Tezara wanted out, NOW. It was odd for her to be so insistent, and yet not say anything. However, he could actually feel her hunger and battlelust through their link.

,,

Several demons were hurt, but none had been put down yet.

[Karren Gaunt]

Bong!

,,

A great ringing boom echoed as a battering ram of prismatic light hit a previously-injured demon and sent it crackling into a tree with enough force to have him drop without moving. A second protrusion arched downward into a second target, extracting a second hiss of pain as surging energy did it's work. At the center of the lightshow, the keystone of the inviolable barrier between those of her teamates she could reach and the demons, Amara stood, a hissing blade of water in her hands and a frown of concentration on her lips.

[Shosuro Toshi]

"Grah..." Shinji gasped, ducking a claw strike, acknowledging he had to release the tension. "Tezara, come!" Immediately, the pressure went off him, and he immediately thrust into the abdomen of his assailant demon.

[AceWildcard]

"At least we got there attention. Hopefully the innocent got out of this before all this shit went down." Kohaku mutter to himself. He looked around for a second to see the biggest threat to the group or if nothing like that existed he focus on helping out his team mates using his powers to make sure they did not gang up on them.

[Kaori Aoyama]

She could have helped a long time ago, but honestly, they'd never get any better if she did. The weaker demons were dispatched by her colleagues easily enough and these newer, stronger ones weren't much of a challenge but they were lasting longer. Bully for them. Silently she watched from the shadows. These enemies were hardly worth her time and barely would prove a testament to her prowess.

She walked among the battlefield as calm as could be. No fear, no hesitation. She monitored the battle with a critical eye, her arrogance (as usual) actually made a few of her companions fight harder (only so they live through it to bitch at her later).

"A well placed strike, Amara. Don't lose focus." She said calmly and simply walked past while to 'poor' demon was being mutilated by prismatic light.

"Feel free to jump in anytime..." Shinji grimaced in her direction.

One of the demons, as if on cue, slithered forward with lightning speed. One of it's scythe-like claws lashed forward and Kaori simply side stepped wit ha sway of her body. It tilled the earth and lunged with it's other claw, again, she side stepped. She was expressionless, and silently cursing Shinji for drawing attention to her; she had better things to do that waste her energy on these... these... energy waster demons.

She drew Onimaru with the same grace and calmness that she walked he battlefield. "I will give you a single chance to reconsider this course of action, demon. Go accost one of the others, I'm in no mood." The monster thrust down with both claws and she leapt back to avoid being sliced in half. She sighed, still calm. "Very well. You made your choice and your fate is sealed. Farewell, beast. Die, and be silent."

Onimaru shimmered with an unearthly blueish radiance. "Summon Four Gods!" She plunged the blade into the ground and immediately four spikes launched from the earth around the demon at a forty five degree angle and caged it by impaling the monster in place. What followed was a crystal pillar of ice in the shape a sword blade erupting from the middle of the cage and impaling the beast through its center. A bolt of lightning descended from the heavens and struck the ice blade like a spire and coursed electricity through the area sending smaller bolts slither through the grass like electric snakes. The whole scene melted, literally as fiery magma erupted from the center and oozed up like molted death before everything simply melted back into the earth from whence it erupted.

She sheathed Onimaru. "Pathetic." Was all she offered before she continued her ever-irritating appraisal of her comrades.

[SalmonMax]

"Kaori!" Sachiko shouted joyously, "That was awesome! You should do that ALL THE TIME!"

,,

She paused in her blasting, mainly because the safety cutoff triggered as the weapon's barrel started glowing yellowish instead of just dull cherry red.

,,

"You know, I wonder where these things were hiding. It seems like there's a LOT of them, but you don't see them moving around during the day. There must be a cave or something somewhere, where they all wait. If we find them there, we can just take them all out at once...and maybe they have a queen demon, or like some kind of...thought...controller...thing. Like a mind that's over them. A high brain, or...overlooking mind...or something like that."

,,

The plasma cannon expelled steam in a plume, and the indicator lights on it turned green.

,,

Sachiko grinned and returned to her blasting!

[AceWildcard]

"Oh, great more things to worry about. A horde of demons under our feet. That's going to be annoying to root out. Even more so their lord if that's the case." Kohaku said as he kills more demons. "Say what are you guys doing tomorrow?"

[SalmonMax]

Sachiko shrugged. "The usual. School. I was thinking about checking out a couple of clubs, even though it's kind of late in the year. Killing demons. Maybe see a movie."

,,

She capped the list off with another salvo of plasma blasts, and flinched back a bit as one of the demons plastered itself against Amara's shield, trying to get at her. it's persistence was rewarded with a plasma decapitation.

,,

"You?"

[Karren Gaunt]

"Trying to not die here, so less chatter, more killing please," Amara ground out as she recalled old extensions of her shield and one-two slammed another demon into death with a new one. The bursts of light and noise punctuated her sentence, wafts of ozone rising from the ground around her target. The Yakuza heiress was feeling on edge. There had to be something bigger out here, something actually dangerous like the things they had been thrown into combat against in training. And they couldn't afford to get sloppy.

[Justin OOC]

With Everyone fighting, plus the addition of Tezara and Kaori to active combat, the serpent demons died quickly, falling before the group of students and servant without much further effort.

,,

Tezara scowled. Her eyes were glowing bright red. "This is VERY bad."

,,

She looked around, almost frantic, and Drew near to where Shini stood with the others.

,,

"Sayoko baited them. Most of you probably can't feel it, but there's an abnormal amount of spiritual power being radiated in this area, which is essentially like she chummed the waters for sharks, for Demons. We're the actual bait."

,,

She had both her swords out, and scowled. "A good tactic, but not one I like."

,,

The ground began to shake, and they could all hear the beating of wings. Only the streetlights gave much light and so far, nothing could be seen. "It's too late to leave..."

,,

The ground at the other end of the park erupted, and two forty feet tall quadrupedal demons showed up. They had four legs, and two arms, each of which ended in an eight meter blade. (Yup Ultralisks)

,,

The moon came out from behind the buildings, a blood red moon, Illuminating two dozen batlike creatures in the skies, circling like vultures.

,,

(Roll init, and your first actions please The big demons are about 100m away. The fliers are roughly that high in the air.)

[AceWildcard]

"If I get out of this alive I am definitely going to make those human elements that mess with my life pay dearly for ruining it." Kohaku said plainly and bluntly. "When will these things end?" He said annoyed. He did not want to do this all night. That would be too dangerous and dull to him. He did not even speak of their employers distasteful actions. He figured that it would do something like this. So far the old thing was ruthless in it's task. Also it seems their foes were just as determine in their goals.

,,

initiative

AceWildcard *rolls* 2d6: 4+4+3: 11

[SalmonMax]

Sachiko dropped her aim, mouth agape at the behemoths now facing them. She didn't seem to take note of Tezra's revelation, and barely registered the flying ones.

,,

"Banzai," the schoolgirl said softly, and reached into her blazer pocket to get a little individually-wrapped chocolate ball out. She wasn't really supposed to have that. Allergies. Probably a bit late to worry about that now though. Death by anaphylactic shock, or by getting cut in half by a monomolecular chitin blade bigger than she was...maybe it was the right choice.

,,

The candy practically popped out of its wrapper and into her mouth, and for a second Sachiko just stood there, eyes closed in an expression of pure and absolute bliss. Invisible to anyone lacking an electron microscope implanted in her brain, chemicals reeled in a complicated jig; endorphins and proteins and neurotransmitters finding new configurations like the tumblers in a lock as the key turned.

,,

Bum-bump.

,,

A mark appeared on Sachiko's forehead; one Galiana had seen before. A circle of strange emblems, not kanji or even Chinese, but similar to both, around a single rune. The mark changed then, the circle breaking as its characters moved around. The mark flared with sudden red light, and a pressure like wind pulsed out of her, bowing the grass outward in a ring.

,,

Sachiko opened her eyes, and they flicked from demon to demon to classmate with an intensity and focus that was alien to her.

,,

"Oh em gee," she said in a mocking tone. "Demon rush!"

,,

With a glance at her watch she nodded with some satisfaction. "At least that much is right. Okay, guys, lets get to work! Accelerate!"

,,

She clapped her hands together, and a white oval haloed around her. Within that oblong wall of light, she seemed to move at a vastly increased speed, jittering and twitching unnaturally like the visual representation of a skipping record or CD.

,,

She raised the plasma cannon, and sighted carefully...doing so took less than a second outside her isolated reference frame, of course. After that first aimed shot, she simply fired as fast as the mechanism would let her, walking the blasts over the demon's massive armored shell!

,,

(Init 16. Activating special power, then firing four times for 31 damage each (crit on first shot), 3 ranks of Penetrating on each.)

,,

SalmonMax *rolls* 2d6: 6+6+6: 18

SalmonMax *rolls* 2d6: 5+1+6: 12
SalmonMax *rolls* 2d6: 3+2+6: 11
SalmonMax *rolls* 2d6: 2+1+6: 9
[Long6] 3:36 pm: Rofl
[salmonMax] 3:36 pm: A clear linear progression there.
[salmonMax] 3:36 pm: Some ultralisk just got plasma blasted in the FACE
Long6 *rolls* 2d6: 2+5: 7
[Long6] 3:37 pm: not the face
[Long6] 3:37 pm: better in a way
[Revenant] 3:37 pm: Yeah, I'm not sure what to Kaori do. Roll initiative then as her first actions... "Moves up 100m")
[salmonMax] 3:37 pm: The tusk!
[salmonMax] 3:37 pm: Oh yeah, init
SalmonMax *rolls* 2d6: 5+2+9: 16

[z004]

Ayami had drifted through the previous fight next to Kaori; her mirror was formed into a sword, but the haunting images of her failures during training kept her from joining in the fray like the others. She told herself that she was holding her power back to heal, since that seemed to be her 'special' power, and it was probably the best use for her, but it was also cowardice and she knew it. Tezra's revelation that Sayoko had lured the demons here with all of them as a bait sent a renewed bolt of fear through her.

,,

Then she saw the moon hanging bloody in the sky as if the demons had killed Him first before come after them. That wasn't right. She hated the night and the dark; the moon had always been her comforting companion, shining down her in the night to light a path through the darkness. It wasn't fair, to take Him away from her. Not when there really were demons hiding in the dark.

,,

She couldn't reach the flying demons, not with a sword or any other power she'd learned during the training; the demons on the ground were another matter. A new flush of adrenaline, this one back by seething anger, rushed through her as she set her sword at a defensive angle in front of her and sprinted forward.

,,

Mechanics

Initiative: Malachite *rolls* 2d6: 3+3+5: 11 ,,

She'll move 12 meters this round. Hopefully the demons are moving a bit quicker so she can stabbity them quickly.

[Kaori Aoyama]

"Flee to where ever it is you've come from, if you like." Kaori said calmly to Tezara as she 'cowered' by her... 'man'. She used that word loosely. She walked past the sword wielding cohort with little concern. "And when you arrive there, please stay. We've no use for cowards here and your whining isn't killing any demons. Be useful, or do us all a courtesy and die. Quietly, if you can manage it."

,,

She took a defensive stance, Onimaru at the ready held up behind her like she was at bat on a diamond, her blade perfectly perpendicular to her body. Slowly she swept her foot out wide as if giving the demons a line in the sand they were not permitted to cross. A moment later Onimaru swept out wide in a horizontal arc then back the other way. "Hundred Razored Wind!" She shouted and the enchanted blade sliced through the air with nothing more than a harmonic whistle. Streaking towards the demons were two crescent arcs of pure Ki. Sliced from the air itself they streaked from the sword maiden and howled towards the demons in shimmering blueish arcs.

,,

Initiative: Revenant *rolls* 2d6: 1+2+9: 12

Hundred Razored Wind Technique (Range +2, Penetrating +6) 1: Revenant *rolls* 2d6: 4+1+9: 14
Hundred Razored Wind Technique (Range +2, Penetrating +6) 2: Revenant *rolls* 2d6: 5+2+9: 16

[Shosuro Toshi]

"She's just letting us know." Shinji snapped, "and if you prefer to walk into ambushes or be unaware of anything else beyond slice and dice, be my guest!" The demons were out of range, so he waited for them to come right in.

,,

OOC

Initiative: Jeremy *rolls* 2d6: 6+1+3: 10 ,,

Total defense for Shinji, they're out of range.

[Justin OOC]

(Posting order will be Max, Kaori, Ace and Ayami, and then Shinji (and Tezara), and Galiana and Amara.)

,,

Sachiko's attacks found weakpoints in the armor on one of the large demons, and with a terrify roar of pain one of it's blade arms fell away. Kaori's attacks tore into the second one garnering a roar, it was hurt but now the two of them were stampeding towards the assembled group.

,,

Ayam's move took her beyond Amara's protection, but she was roughly equal to where Kaori was. Tezara hung back lashing out, dropping two of the flying demons with her Starlight Cutter attacks.

,,

(Sachiko is up, You have 48 hours to post.)

[SalmonMax]

"No!" Sachiko barked as she let the weapon on her wrist cool down. "Focus your fire! Everyone focus on the one missing an arm! We won't bring them both down before they get to us, but we sure as HELL better bring one down!"

,,

She braced her weapon arm with her other hand and started squeezing off more blasts, still at a prodigiously accelerated rate!

,,

SalmonMax *rolls* 2d6: 5+4+9: 18

SalmonMax *rolls* 2d6: 5+3+9: 17
SalmonMax *rolls* 2d6: 3+4+9: 16
SalmonMax *rolls* 2d6: 2+4+9: 15
[salmonMax] 12:49 pm: Fairly solid...nothing spectactular. Ah well. 31 damage each hit, with penetrating 3.

[Justin OOC]

Each of Sachiko's attacks hit home but mostly just hitting across the body of the first one she hit. It was hurt but hadn't stopped moving at all having easily covered thirty meters since she last fired at it, as the second one moved in as well. There was a growing ringing in her ears, and looking up, many of the bats were preparing to dive.

,,

(Kaori is up, you have 48 hours)