Big Eyes, Small Mouth (BESM): In the Shadows of the City - Chapter 3: ______ Festivities

[AceWildcard]

Kohaku was worried. He did not want them to know his past, as well as he did not know if the item itself had power or if he was the cause of it. So he remain quite. He did not want to bring false hope or dread. They already had enought to worry about now. It won't be till later that he will find out for himself. For now he listens in.

[Fiona Warner]

Anne sighs. Worried that things are just too disorganized with her classmates right now.

"Guys, Just... this is going to be a long night... just make the most of it. I refuse to have these... beasts have the benefit of seeing us running like chickens with their heads cut off. Nor have us weak. If you can, sleep, otherwise... energy drinks... and if there is fruit and vegetables, use those for healthy energy."

She looks everyone over. "If you must, it would be helpful to keep the unconscious party goers in a single spot, and ensure there are a lot of walls between us and them. Try to make them comfortable."

"Sayoko, please fill in those that aren't fully aware of themselves... I know I and Gali can stand guard for everyone and keep watch in here."

[AceWildcard]

"Anything I can do to help?" Kohaku asked.

[Fiona Warner]

"Yeah, start moving the unconscious to more comfortable sleeping arrangements that we can easily protect if the wards for some reason drop. That would be a good start."

Finally... this might start things moving. Anne thinks as she brushes her skirt off.

[SalmonMax]

Sachiko finally looked over at Anne, a little annoyed that she kept distracting her from the only one present who actually knew what she was talking about.

"I don't know how they do things where you're from," she said, "But this is my house, and my party, and you're not in charge. Stop trying to put yourself over everyone else and just sit and listen because it's really hard to hear what she..." she nodded at Sayoko, "...is saying with you talking at the same time."

[Fiona Warner]

Anne crossed her arms, actually putting her nose up in the air. "you're not helping matters."

"I'm not trying to talk over her, Sachiko. I'm trying to make her job easier, alright?"

She shook her head in frustration.

[AceWildcard]

"Let just work together." Kohaku said trying to calm everyone down. "If we don't do that then we are going to be in trouble. Isn't that what the lady been trying to tell us from the start?" he asked.

[z-Galiana]

The guttural, barking roar seemed to shake the house. All of the students turned to Galiana, various expressions of shock and fear crossing their faces as she closed her mouth. Most of them noted the long canines on brief display.

“No fighting.” Her tail was twitching slightly. “The one called Sayoko has told us what she wants: for us to rest here tonight and train tomorrow, so that we may go hunting.” Fire and ice eyes leveled themselves on Sachiko. “She has said that at least twice. You must listen.” Her gaze moved to Anne. “Leadership is earned, not taken. You cannot lead those who will not follow, even if you are right. Leaders lead they do not push or pull.”

A feline sigh whistled through parted lips as she glanced at their hostess again. “Sachiko, do you have any sleeping medicine in the house? Or alcohol? We need to rest, but many of us are too worked up to sleep. Yet we must rest. If you have something to aid with sleep, that might be well.”

“I don’t know if you should be knocking them out,” Sayoko observed.

“Half the pill, or a swallow of alcohol, to start. Enough to aid, not lock into slumber.” Gali’s eyes narrowed slightly at the mysterious human-shaped being. “Unless you would care to use that magic again? That would certainly be more… effective. It might be illuminating to see that in action again, actually.”

[SalmonMax]

"Rest? But it's only...it's barely even dark outside," Sachiko complains. "But yeah, I think dad has some pills he takes sometimes." She gives Galiana a skeptical look.

"Dunno if it's good for cats though. We have some milk. Hang on."

She turned and darted back through the living room into the kitchen, where the noises of rummaging around could be heard. A minute later she came back with a carton of milk, a bowl and...something else. The something else turned out to be a wadded up ball of tin foil; revealed when she threw it suddenly past Galiana's nose and then watched attentively, grinning as she waited to see what happened.

[AceWildcard]

"Not really interested in getting myself drugged or drunk." Kohaku said. "Thanks for the offer but no." He had other things on his mind and did could not rest now. Plus he needed to get them out of his system before he could.

[Fiona Warner]

"I've had times where I've stayed up for long periods of time. Not pleasant times then either but it's no time for stories." Anne said. "I will skip the medication. It may dull my reflexes more than staying awake overnight will."

She grabs the most caffinated thing she could get that she brought for the party. She never thought Mountain Dew would help save her life tonight.... "If anyone wants, in a few hours I brought some energy "shots"... small little bottles of I guess it's a energy drink... 5 hours they're usually good for." She says pointing to a bag. "On a trip to the states they're called '5 hour energy', Here they'ere called Morning Rescue... well labeled for tonight I wager..."

She smacks her forehead. "How are we gonna explain this? All... this..."

[AceWildcard]

"Agree, it is going to be difficult to say what happened here. Unless our foes were stupid and reveal themselves to the word which I doubt it. Then we will have some trouble indeed." Kohaku said annoyed. He hated keeping secrets. He was the one to reveal such things, not keep them. He had already some things in his closet he did not really want to be open.

[Justin OOC]

Sayoko frowned. "I can't use that attack again. Keeping the barrier up here, and keeping tabs on what's going on is using significant portions of my power. It's not easy to hide all of you, and the artifacts you're all using."

She looked at Anne. "They left the party early, and they never made it home. Amidst all the other deaths that are surely occurring tonight, it's sad to say they will be missed by all of you, and their families, and that is all. I will need to alter the memories of those who are sleeping as it is so they don't remember the killings, Or Anne's little light show."

She looked around. "Anyone who knows the truth becomes a weak point for us, as their memories can be extracted, and show our enemies who you all are. At the moment, they don't know. That will make them cautious at first, but once they find your identities, they will hunt you, and everyone close to you down."

"Now I suggest each of you find sleep in a manner that seems best to you, as I have a number of people I must excise memories from to keep them relatively safe." She moved off from the group, moving towards the unsconscious classmates, laying them out more comfortably, before beginning her mnemonic alterations.

[Fiona Warner]

Anne grunted... something that didn't seem in her character. The thought of altering memories was... a bit repugnant to her though... but the greater good had to be served. "Just... don't remove anything more than the memories that need to be removed."

Anne had a conscience, and right now she was pushing it down hard back under the water even though it was as buoyant as oil. Then her mind snapped to a realization... Taro... He knew of her! Anne turned pale and slipped down against a wall cradling her head between her legs. Was all this... her fault? Were they... hunting her?

[AceWildcard]

Kohaku was mad. He try not to show it. It sicken him. The turth had to be shown. The world must know what was going on. If people did not how could they protect themselves. He knew he had no power to stop her.

Plus what good would it do them? How could people defend themselves if known? He could barely defend himself against these things if at all. He knew that Sayoko was right but he did not like it. He did not like hiding things form people. Nothing good came from it. He knew from experience.

He despise himself. Again he play the role of the hypocrite, then agian everyone view him as such to start with. He wanted to go somewhere and just beat himself up in rage. He could do nothing to help anyone. He hated being powerless.

[Karren Gaunt]

Amara gave a little snort and withdrew from the circle of her classmates back to her corner. She didn't know what to be more pissed at. The demons were obvious and would pay for everything, everyone, they had taken from her. But Sayoko's masters had plenty to answer for, too. Knowing about a problem and not bringing people into the loop about it made it your responsibility. So add 'the kami' to her list of people to pay back. But these powers she was supposed to have, an 'artifact'? She had no idea. No idea at all. Maybe one of her classmates with the ability to see the supernatural? How did that even...

Oh, Mother.

The Yakuza Heiress gave up and hugged her knees in the corner, waiting for the dawn and the chance to go home.

[Fiona Warner]

"Tonight I will rest..." Anne whispered, grabbing her vest and activating it to use like a pillow to lay on, sleeping on the floor. "...tomorrow I will avenge my grave error... I will avenge Taro and those that died today... Sayoko... I will be more careful..."

Anne's expression was troubled. Suddenly the gravity of the situation and what she may have brought upon her classmates and those she cared about was clear as crystal.

Closing her eyes she thought of what she saw in the mirror. "Can I truly be what I saw? Can I be that? No... I cant question that... I must stand against the night... doubt could kill my friends... could kill me."

[AceWildcard]

Kohkau went to an good area where he could see the others. He did not trust them, even if they were allies. He figured thad though the same of him. He goes to an area where he could keep an good eye on them while making sure he could either run or fight if he had to. He knew he wasn't going to sleep well tonight. He just hoped that other things did not bother him while trying to go to sleep.

[z004]

Ayami quietly crawled over next to Amara and put her arms around the other girl. If Sayoko was to be believed - and why not, with all the other insanity of tonight? - then Amara had lost her mother and Ayami had lost the closest person to a father she'd ever had. They were trapped in this house for the night and tomorrow they were supposed to start training to fight demons worse than the ones that had torn apart two of her classmates just outside the front door while Ayami did nothing but watch and scream. It was insane. All of it.

And it was still happening.

She hugged Amara, trying to both give and take comfort from the simple human contact, and suddenly she was completely and utterly exhausted. Her whole body felt like a lead weight and her eyes would barely hold open as the last of the adrenaline faded from her system. She curled up on the floor next to Amara, not caring at the lack of a mattress or blanket, and was deeply, if uneasily, asleep within minutes.

[Justin OOC]

The morning came as it always did, and with it, a new hope. The news reported many deaths the night before, but not as many as would have been expected. The agreement was to meet up at Sachiko's house at 10am, to get back to train. It was hoped that within three hours those who left would find what they needed, and Sayoko would be able to sleep herself, to regain her lost power. "Find your artifacts, and return here with them. We have much to do before the sun sets."

[SalmonMax]

Sachiko had hardly been able to sleep that night. Every time she'd tried, something else had popped into her head, sending her stalking in her pajamas to the kitchen, or the bathroom, or pacing around on the little tiny balcony outside her parent's room.

She fiddled with her watch, and discovered it had a radio. She listened to it for awhile, then discovered that it popped up little images of people she pointed it at, and attached numbers. Sayoko showed up as 100. She herself was merely 40. That irked her.

Still irked, she finally got to bed.

The next morning she hurried downstairs feeling like it was Christmas. FINALLY she'd get in on all this weirdness!

[AceWildcard]

Kohaku did not find much of this pleasing. He did not know what to really do to find his. He figured he once had his. If so then what happen to it? He wonder if someone had taken it and was using it to play games on him. If so then things could get bad if the person figured what it did before he did. Still Kohaku did not know where to look or at whom.

[Justin OOC]

For Sayoko, there was one further piece to bring to the table. She laid down in a quiet room of the house, hoping the others could handle dispersing the students who'd be waking up soon, as she reached out mentally to student who'd not attended, and seen a far worse night than the others. "Kaori, come to Sachiko's if you wish to know about what occurred last night." It was a short message, one she hoped the headstrong swordmaiden would heed.

Elsewhere, Kaori discovered that cleanup of the creatures was easy enough.as the sun touched their remains, they turned to ash and disappeared. Still the human blood from their attack. half a dozen students had been slain, and her father had been wounded, though not fatally. She emerged without a scratch, With a knowledge that Onimaru was truly her weapon against the darkness, and she learned that for he the secret techniques had real and abiding power.

Still now she distinctly heard in her head... "Kaori, come to Sachiko's if you wish to know about what occurred last night." She'd been cajoled into attending but had run late, and fortuitiously had been present to fend off the demonic attack. Of nearly 40 students, only six had perished.

[Fiona Warner]

Anne wasted no time when she had awoken. Summoning her ride to pick her up she got her belongings she felt she would need, particularly if she was going to be getting into a fight in the air. Putting on her flight gear, vest and all the gear it had into her travel bag. She hid her parachute, a gas mask, and her rain poncho in her dufflebag from before with a couple days of MREs for good measure. For all she knew, she was going away for a long while.

Perhaps not to come back.

"You seem in a hurry, Anne."

"Yeah, dad... I and Sachiko are meeting up soon. Going to get her into the club but some crazy stuff is going down at the school and..."

"I heard about Taro..."

Anne paused as she covertly looked into her dufflebag to see how well she packed her raft and collapsible oars. Who knows where their journey would go. "Training" in of itself was open ended. She grabbed her first aid kit.

"Everyone is getting in gear for him... I was called a few minutes ago."

"I'm... so sorry, Anne."

"I know."

Anne slinged her bag over her shoulder and nodded. "We... we gotta get through this on our own. I'll let you know if I need anything."

She knew she was lying, but the secret of the monsters... her powers... she had to bottle it all away and because of what she knew and could do Taro paid for it. She won't expose her father and mother to the same fate.

Her father nodded as she went back out to the family limo. Straightening her school uniform she had changed into after arriving earlier in the morning, just in case a trip back to the school was to happen. "Back to Sachiko's... I will call if I need a further ride."

Well within the time allotted, Anne returned to Sachiko's home... She waved her driver off to head home and she walked up to the door the smell of blood was still near the front door when she knocked.

"Sachiko! It's your favorite pain in the ass! Open up!"

She actually looked forward to hearing from Sachiko. Her attitude reminded her of better days. All the while her armbands hummed with warmth.

[Kaori Aoyama]

Her night had been anarchy but Onimaru had served her well and in turn she had served Onimaru well. She shamelessly moved through the streets in her kendo-gi and hakama with Onimaru wrapped tightly at her side. Indeed she appeared to be a modern day samurai of some sort. With effortless swiftness and a practiced grace she sprung up between two home in an alley way and literally bounced from wall to wall in a zig zag pattern until she was high enough up to spring from the wall and over the fence of Sachiko's yard. Her black hair shimmered a dark blueish hue in the morning sunlight as she approached the porch the wind fluttered it's delicate strands, making them dance to an unheard hymn. She knocked.

When the door opened, she let herself in before a greeting could be spoken. Indeed her etiquette didn't require her to wait for one, she'd been summoned and thus was expected. She made it in about five paces and stood still in the entrance way, not turning to face the one who opened the door for her. "I have been summoned. I would have the answers promised to me."

Her eerie monotone was devoid of more emotion than usual. She was tired and hadn't slept, hungry, and still coping with the loss that six of her classmates lie dead. Kaori was bound by honor to find those responsible for this.

[SalmonMax]

Sachiko heard a knock and left her bowl of cereal on the counter to go get the door. On her way there there was another knock and she rolled her eyes. "I'm coming!"

No sooner than the door was open than Kaori swept in with her ominous declaration of being summoned.

Sachiko blinked, taken aback. Summoned? Was that her power? What answers?

She had no answers for anyone...but the summoning thing bore more exploration. She closed her eyes and concentrated.

"Aaaahhhh...I summon...uh...an elephant trainer...who can shoot fire from his eyes...hnnnnnnn..."

And that's when Anne walked in behind Kaori.

Sachiko opened her eyes and saw Anne...immediately prompting her to note, somewhat confusedly, "I didn't know you trained elephants."

With that observation duly recorded, Sachiko motioned to both Kaori and Anne to follow her. "C'mon, everyone's in the living room. You can watch TV while we wait if you want, or there's cereal or you can make some eggs or something. Sayoko's got some kind of big deal she wants to tell everyone, but she won't say anything until we're all together."

And with that she headed back to the kitchen where she started a new bowl of cereal.

[Karren Gaunt]

Amara had woken up at the first ray of errant sunlight to slit through the windows and onto her face, expression going from the daze of sleep to naked angry-angry pain at what had come to come to a head last night. This was... unacceptable, the demons killing people with no defense, the 'kami' who supposedly loved them leaving them with no defense. There would be words. Soon as she found something to back those words up with deeds, that is.

She drew in a breath and smiled darkly as her gaze fell across Ayami asleep not too far from her. That could work.

One phone call home, her Father's announcement her Mother was missing but not known dead yet, a car coming to take her home, and a sleepy Ayami's agreement to come and help her find her 'relic' later, she was waiting outside in the sunlight for a ride home with her classmate, bracing inside for what they would find when they got there.

[AceWildcard]

Kohaku sigh as he stares out the window. He knew he was going to have to eat soon. He just did not feel like it. Part of him felt like he failed people. He just did not know how to tell him his problems. He knew he was going to be a bit of a handicap for them in his view. He just hopped not too much. Still how was he going to look for his item. He knew it would be difficult, but hopefully he could find it. Plus he was cautious of going home. He did not really know what to talk to his parents about last night. Hell could he even talk to anyone about this! He never liked keeping secrets. Yet it seems he always has to keep some. Even so he just hopped that things pan out in the end.

[Justin OOC]

Thankfully when Kaori had arrived the other students were gone (only the PC's would be there, if they've already returned) So there was far, far less to explain. Still, with Sayoko sleeping behind a locked door, that didn't normally have a lock, Answers were going to be largely not forthcoming unless one of the others filled Kaori in.

The drive to Amara's home was quiet, though once through the gates, the home looked like a warzone. Both of them could feel a powerful presence, there that wasn't her father. He seemed a man in a trance, as if the loss of the night before had numbed him, a man simply going through the motions.

(Soul checks from both of you to sense the artifact.)

[Karren Gaunt]

Amara had known it was going to be bad going in. Normally, she had two of her Father's men to pick her up, the more dangerous looking ones cool and in control and ready to put down anyone or anything that looked at her wrong. Today? One man who had only recently drunk sake with her Father and taken up his tattoos. The arrival at the house only made it worse, violence having toucher here of all places, her stronghold and prison ravaged by... something. The sound of the shishi-odoshi making it's regular 'doink' despite the chaos was surreal.

Even more so was seeing her Father looking so drained, the indomitable pillar of her life held up only by the shell of duty to the organization. It hurt and the tired sincere joy as he embraced her despite never being the physically affectionate kind of man in all her years growing up made her bite her lip and squeeze him back, not knowing how to help but desperate to do so.

"This is your friend, Amara-Chan? The one who will help you find the thing you say you need to help fix this?" he softly exhaled at her without any of the borderline rumble of strength she was used to.

She nodded back into his shoulder, not trusting her voice.

"Good. Then go find it," he finished, releasing the hug and returning his duty, his chains.

The Yakuza heiress stood there, wanting to say something, drag him back into the embrace and never let him go, anything but follow her duty, but... Fighting back tears, she finally allowed herself to focus on the feeling of static that had buzzed at the back of her head ever since arriving home, buried beneath love and fear.

[envoy] 12:52 pm: alright. time to roll amara's soul to find her trinket.

[Long6] 12:53 pm: heh

envoy *rolls* 2d6: 3+1+4: 8

[envoy] 12:53 pm: good thing she has help.

[Fiona Warner]

Anne... was struck silent by Kaori... "I... wasn't the one who summoned you I..."

Seeing Kaori's emotional state was disconcerting, but understandable at this point. She nodded. "I am sure we will get those answers soon enough... for our classmates and those we lost."

Seeing Sachiko was a relief, taking seat at a table near where Sachiko was eating. She sets her bags first on the table with a thump.

"Well Sachiko... I see sugar fuels you... if we could figure out how to make a power source out of that... we'd solve all our energy needs." She says, trying to lighten things. Her expression showing some strained levity in a otherwise serious situation.

[SalmonMax]

Sachiko gave Anne an owlish look, then showed her the box. It proclaimed in big letters, 'SUGAR FREE.'

"My parents won't buy me cereal with sugar," she grumped. "I hardly ever even get candy. Even on holidays."

She sighed theatrically. "I'm supposed to have some kind of allergy or something. Figures, right?"

The spoon descended into the milky depths and dredged up a rich yield of whole grains and granola and perhaps something oaty as well...the payload was delivered into Sachiko's mouth; mercifully requiring that it stop talking as she chewed and swallowed.

[Fiona Warner]

Anne blinked... was she so focused on the crisis at hand that she missed the obvious? Again? "Bloody hell I'm getting dense... Then again I had eggs and toast for breakfast with some chips on the side from last night... pretty quick but decent eating... Has everyone else here eaten yet? I see the Kitchen is pretty much set up for cooking and such... unless my help in cooking isn't required?"

"Yeah... that's what we need... some good cooking... perhaps that would help morale here." She thinks.

"I can whip up some decent pancakes at least... Or Eggs... or... aww bloody hell, I know alot about it."

She scratched her head in frustration.

"I'll stay quiet now..."

[SalmonMax]

"You can cook if you want," Sachiko said between mouthfuls. "Stuff's in the cabinets."

Which stuff she meant, or even which of the many, many cabinets, was left to wiser minds than ours to discern.

[z-Galiana]

Gali had headed home at first light. Despite the insanity of the last night, she’d slept easily, curled up on Sachiko’s couch in cat-form. She loved the feeling of sleeping like that, curled in a soft ball with her tail wrapped around her feet. Returning to human-shape and donning clothing had been almost painful.

She knew what the artifact was; had known from the moment Sayoko had named them. When she got home, she went straight to their hiding place, up in the vents. After removing the grate, she pulled out the box inside and sat down on her toilet. The box was settled on her knees, and she paused, running her fingers over the carvings on the outside.

Lifting the lid revealed the silver armbands inside. Galiana slipped them over her upper arms, under her sleeves. Then she hid the box again and left, heading back to Sachiko’s.

[z004]

Ayami watched father and daughter interact, keeping her head down as she tried not to think on the knowledge that Hanashiro-san was dead. She knew he'd had a girlfriend - Takaido-san was always after him to propose to her since they'd been dating for years. She wondered if she knew yet, or if she still thought everything was fine and she would see him soon. I wonder if they would have had children?

She closed her eyes tightly, trying to squeeze out the thoughts and images of might-have-beens from her mind before she started crying. Amara-chan was having a hard enough time, she didn't need Ayami falling apart on her again. Slowly, she made herself focus on her breathing, slowing her heartbeat back to a proper steady pace and forcing her body to relax. It worked - it always did - but this time there was more to her when she was done, a feeling feeling of something elsewhere in the house calling her attention.

As Amara stepped back from her father, Ayami tentatively asked, "Could we go over there?" She gestured towards the back part of the house where Amara knew there was a small private dojo.

Mechanics

[Malachite] 7:40 pm: Ayami's Soul roll:

Malachite *rolls* 2d6: 1+3+7: 11

[Kaori Aoyama]

"Lost?" Kaori looked to Anne, pivoting on her heel like she was following some military doctrine. "Collectively, you came under attack as well? Onimaru and I," she placed her hand on the hilt of her prized artifact and they didn't miss that she spoke of it as if it were a person with a soul. "Fended off an attack last evening. I failed several of our classmates, I couldn't save them." Her grip on Onimaru tightened despite her tone displaying no emotional identifiers as to whether or not she was explaining because she cared, or was simply being informative.

Kaori glanced about the home, her eyes narrowing on Sachiko's 'breakfast'. "Since we know not whence the answers will arrive, and our hostess has offered, I will prepare," She walked by and slid the bowl of cereal away from Sachiko, confiscating it. Sachiko's spoon spoon clanked into counter top. "A proper breakfast. Sugar free as this might be, it is by no means healthy for you."

She gave Sachiko a matronly glare that dared her to question Kaori's 'kind' offer not to mention the four foot blade resting at her hip did wonders for the negotiations.

Within moments the raven-haired beauty had on an apron over her kendo-gi and was gathering the ingredients for a proper breakfast. Diligantly she went about her task, not caring to speak much (not that she did, anyway). She didn't deny any help Anne offered, and it seemed quite a shock to find that "Creepy Kaori" was a genius in the culinary arts, almost like she was trained to be some sort of 'house wife' or something.

[[it typical Anime fashion I'm time lapsing the cooking process. For some strange reason all dialog stops until the food is magically served already prepared in the next frame...]]

They expected omelets... or maybe pancakes... something quick and easy. Instead Kaori slid trays in front of them with a bowl of hot, freshly boiled rice, miso soup, toasted seaweed sheets (nori), pickled vegetables, a broiled fish dish, and a Japanese omelet roll (tamagoyaki). It smelled delicious. Respectfully she served Sachiko first, halting the others until she had had the first bite and gave her approval. "Much better than cereal, if I say so myself." She said with the first measure of pride anyone had heard in her voice in... well, forever. "Thank you for allowing me the honor of preparing for you a proper breakfast."

"Someone explain to me what happened here last night, if you would be so kind." She chewed daintily, almost revealing that there may be an actual teenage girl under all the hakama and kendo-gi, and seriousness. "If I am to fend of this evil and keep all of you protected, I must know my enemy."

[Fiona Warner]

Anne washed her hands in the sink.

"Simple... party-crashers from hell. Literally."

She sighed. "I don't have a number but I know at least two got some of the students and gave Gali over here a good hurt. Although it looks like she's better now."

Anne takes on a serious nature like Kaori. Seems her discipline snaps Anne into shape quickly. "I am more than willing to assist you in your efforts. It seems there is too many to work against alone."

Anne's posture straightens. With the well taken care of and pressed uniform she was wearing it almost seemed like she was in some sort of ROTC in her past and the habit stayed. Then again with the discipline Anne demanded from her aviation club, suspending 2 members just for slipping to a B grade, it wasn't so much a surprise.

"If there is anything I can do, Kaori, I'm willing to listen."

For the first time, Anne knew her place in the group. With Sayoko as the teacher and Kaori as a potential commander. She was feeling more comfortable now that a semblance of order was forming.

[Kaori Aoyama]

You, battled them?" She inquired with some measure of monotoned surprised. "And lived? How is that possible? They are creatures of shadow and only shadow may claim them. Mortals like us are not supposed to be able to affect them."

She looked around for Gali, here eyes scanning the area with measure purpose. "Where is, Galiana?"

[Fiona Warner]

"I personally did not, but Gali had an encounter. I believe she is either in route or about to arrive." Anne said. "She is... quite resilient. And unique."

She straightened her clothes. And quite curious. "To be honest... I have a question... what allows you to battle these things with just your sword and dicipline? Being only human just cannot be enough?"