Big Eyes, Small Mouth (BESM): In the Shadows of the City - Chapter 2: Strange Rumors

[z004]

Ayami's efforts had been fruitless, until one day she felt an aura that she'd been trained to believe in, yet had never really experienced. It was the feel of a demon, and led her to a pile of items, one that reeked of the coppery scent of blood. Some she could tell belonged to students here, but others couldn't have.

She paled at the smell of blood and pulled out her notebooks and other items she carried with her. It took a few minutes to arrange everything so that she could carry her school supplies in her arms and leave the bag empty. Then she used the hem of her shirt to begin carefully picking up each item and setting it in her satchel. She should take the items to the police, that's why she was being careful not to get her own fingerprints on them and to touch them as little as necessary, but....but there was just something wrong here. More than a simple thief. That aura had led her here. How was she supposed to explain that to the police? They wouldn't believe her and even if they did it wouldn't be enough to keep them from investigating her as the thief.

It was selfish, to think that way, but she had to be careful. She didn't have anyone to look out for her, to protect her from the rumors that would start and the suspicion that could absolutely ruin everything she'd spent her school years building for herself. All she had was her name, how could she ever face her parents if she shamed the name they'd given her?

Her body kept moving even as her mind whirled with what to do once she had everything packed up. She didn't want to stay here any longer than she had to, but she'd felt that aura and found this place for a reason. She knew that deep in her bones, no matter what came from all this strangeness, and these items might hold the clue to why it was happening.

[Shosuro Toshi]

Shinji hung up the phone after placing a message to Ryoto's parents. He'd heard whispers of other things, but nothing had struck him as concrete or anything more than gossip. But things felt oppressively serious now. Ryoto was the only one he knew reasonably, but he had a list of names in his head, and the numbers were significant enough.

Three days straight, the teachers would have noticed. The lack of any symmetry or rhyme or reason defied rationality- though one would not assume something like black magic or anything like that. And that thought, the connection concerned Shinji. He, if no one else, knew there were beings and things not explainable by the modern mindset. The small necklace of wooden swords by now was a perpetual reminder of that.

Throwing on a coat, he went out for a walk. He needed to think, and wait. If the situation continued though? Perhaps he'd have to speak to the only other person with a necklace like his, for his Guardian would understand far better.

[Karren Gaunt]

"After class this Friday, I am inviting anyone who wants to come over to my house for a start of the fall party! Music and food and friends, and absolutely nothing depressing or boring allowed! It'll be a hugely successful way to beat back all the problems that are weighing you down now that school's back!"

She produced a sheet of paper that had 'SIGGN UP' on it in hurried, scribbled kanji. "If you want to come, just put your name here so I can have someone plan what we'll need to have."

Amara jerked her head up out of a mechanical inspection of her notes, the faintest of interest in her eyes as she considered the announcement and dismissed it almost as quickly. A party? Now? Her Father would never permit it, not after his stony outrage at the grissly message she had shared with him the night before and the all-out sweep of his men who had searched for signs of the killers who had dared insult his family so. He had nearly forgotten to order her back to her room and post guards outside her door he was so besides himself.

That scared her. Her Father never forgot details. Scared her even more than the fact three more of the searchers had vanished by morning. This was serious, and it showed by the bloodless way her lips pressed together, the way her perfect composure betrayed itself in a faint shaking of her hands as she turned the pages of her notes.

[z004]

Ayami quickly finished up, all of the small items dropped into her seal-able pencil case and that tucked back into her satchel. At least the case should keep the satchel from smelling until she could get somewhere where she could get the blood off of the items she might be able to identify. She carefully filled the satchel back up with her other books and made her way back to class. She was late for the first time in her school career (that didn't have a note from a teacher or club director); the halls were just a touch eerie as she hurried down them.

She nearly ran into Sachiko in the doorway and only caught the last bit of the energetic girl's plan. "A...a party?" she asked quietly from the hallway. "Do...do you think that's a good idea?" Curious eyes peered at her from inside the classroom and Ayami colored under the scrutiny. "I mean..." she took a breath and stood a little straighter. "That actually sounds wonderful, Sachiko. Thank you for trying to uplift the spirits of your fellow students. May I borrow a pen?"

She held her hand out for something to write with as whispers broke out across the room. "Kutchki Ayami? Late for class and going to a party? Thrown by Sachiko? Next the sun would go out and Mt. Fuji would release all the oni trapped there!"

After Ayami signed her name, several other students scrambled over to the sheet, glad for the excuse to sign up or just curious to see what the famously reserved Student Council VIce President would do at a non-school sponsored party.

[Fiona Warner]

Anne couldn't be moved at Sachiko's hijinks, but reading the experession of Ayami, and the sudden signing thereof piqued her interest.

Anne was tired. Her "Morning Rescue" energy drinks she had been downing from her late-night hobby of investigating the neighborhood wasn't exactly the extracurricular activity she expected. Hell, it was probably going to cause her a ulcer at some point.

She had gotten permission from the school to carry her stuff in a large duffel bag, to keep a better eye on her things. It was slipped against the wall, and it looked like it would probably weigh 75 pounds. She got up, almost looking like a zombie in how she shuffled, and signed, in English, her name. Seeing in her fatigue that it was funny her name was sitting next to Japanese ones amused her. She shuffled back and straightened her uniform. It wasn't as well pressed or taken care of than she appeared when she started the first day of autumn classes.

She put her head on her desk, wondering if she would ever see more than a desperate few of hours of sleep.

[AceWildcard]

Kohaku did not know what to do. He felt people stare at him, more so then usual. He felt like he was being watched and not why. What had he deserved to be so much ostracise by people. He may have done some bad things, but those he inflicted it on were far worse then he. He wanted to learn more of his mysterious foes and those he could not tell were foes or victims. Yet how to do so without getting into trouble. He knew they were watching and had to do things discretely. He saw the party flier and figure it would be a good chance to find out more if it was a large group. So he sign on.

[z-Galiana]

Galiana went actively hunting the second week. The lack of sleep wouldn’t bother her, so she forewent a few nights of sleep. And she wasn’t content to be human for this hunt. She was ready to use every weapon in her arsenal, and that included her nose, teeth and claws.

It wasn’t hard for that black shadow that she’d become to snake into the school. Fences were meaningless against something that could jump like a big cat, and she dodged the random pools of light with haughty ease.

That feeling of being watched wasn’t fading, and Gali could hear a growl rumbling in her throat. She restrained it with difficulty and began to nose her way around the school. That didn’t help much, and near midnight, she paused in the center of the school. For a moment, her tail twitched; then the great cat lifted her head, drew a deep breath and released it in a roar of challenge.

[Justin OOC]

There would be little headway made searching for whatever was behind all the mystery, and in the end everyone signed for the party, either through cajoling by classmates, or genuine desire to go.

Galiana heard nothing but pure silence answer her challenge, and in many ways this was far more disconcerting. If anything this would only serve to set her more on edge.

From far above, a crow looked down on her, and it's eyes flashed a brilliant crimson. "It's time." A dark voice whispered on the wind, a promise of things to come.

End chapter 2

[Justin OOC]

Those who posteted once get 5 cp

twice 8 cp

more than that 10 cp.

[SalmonMax]

lol...whatever...