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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 20, 2019 12:06:37 GMT -5
Amidst her thoughts, Kujo's question startled Alice perhaps a bit more than it should've. Turning to face him, noticing how quick he'd closed distance between them, Alice looked away. M'Lyn, still sitting down, couldn't help but raise a frow in curiosity, her ears easily allowing her to listen in case she had to jump up.
"...It's nothing" she replied, "At least... Not something you should worry about. I'm okay, though" Alice drew a faint smile, "There's been a lot of things I've had to focus on lately... I guess I'm trying to space out, instead of avoiding it... If... It makes any sense."
She didn't move from her spot, however, looking towards the ground. In a sense, she was a bit taken aback by the question, and worry behind his tone. Overall, Kujo's attitude really took her by surprise.
"...Though... I appreciate it" she finished, looking back up, "I guess that, in the end... You really are softer than what you look!" she said, albeit with a slight tease behind her honest comment.
While Alice began to pick her pace back up, M'Lyn simply watched calmly, with a faint smirk. Seeing those two socialize and open up was quite warming, really.
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 24, 2019 1:29:39 GMT -5
[[Sorry! I thought I had replied to this one already and hadn’t ]]
”There’s been a lot of things I’ve had to focus on lately…I guess I’m trying to space out,” Hearing this, Kujo nodded silently, his hands in his pockets as he looked down at Alice. ”Yeah—it makes sense.” Regarding his curiosity, Kujo had no qualms with not digging into it. She must be under a lotta stress lately… He supposed he shouldn’t be surprised, given her profession and past experiences. ”I guess that, in the end…you really are softer than you look!” Immediately the man’s demeanor faltered. Blinking in surprise, Kujo found himself slightly agape. He hadn’t expected such witty retorts after such solemn exchanges. It seemed Alice was full of surprises.
The teasing in her tone didn’t bother him—odd, considering how he’d behave if certain others he could think of mentioned something like that. ”Tch—gimme a break…you just looked depressed.” With an almost sullen look, Kujo glanced away for a moment, turning his nose up a bit as his lips soured. It only lasted a moment, as a faint smirk returned to his lips as he turned away from Alice, waving a hand as he walked back towards the path where M’Lyn still sat on a bench. ”C’mon—you can get distracted on the walk.” Reaching the well groomed dirt path, Kujo paused in front of the bench by M’Lyn, a light humor in his tone. ”I know you heard that—“ With a lazy gesture he pointed towards her ears—camouflaged as part of a hoodie.
"Oi!? Is that Tanaka?!" A sudden shout through the park caused Kujo to straighten, his head jolting as he turned in its direction. Further in the park was a tall and muscular man with dyed green hair, wearing a rather worn and ragged leather jacket and a blue hoodie. A long scar ran across his nose horizontally, spreading just beneath the eyes. A wicked grin was plastered across the man's harsh face. "I heard a rumor you were 'round this part o' the city, now..." The direction the man was coming from would cause him to pass Alice, though he would pay the girl no mind. This stranger was walking directly towards Kujo, a mischievous spark in his blue eyes. "Rein." Composed and stoic as ever, Kujo's face showed no emotion as his hands remained in his pockets. Looking back to M'Lyn, Kujo kept his voice low—it was more gruff, almost as though he were annoyed.
"I'll catch up with you at the exit." With a hand, Kujo pointed down the pathway that continued to sprawl through the park. "Follow this path and it'll lead you straight there." Without another word, Kujo walked towards this 'Rein' character, his emerald eyes watching and waiting. There was no hint of his Akogare, though there was some sort of presence surmounting around Kujo.
It was simply rage.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 26, 2019 11:59:34 GMT -5
A bit more cheerfully, Alice smiled. The comment Kujo made afterwards did make some sense, although not entirely. In the end, the girl was just caught in some troublesome moments, but it was nice to have support on the way. Following as Kujo made his way to M'Lyn, she had a slight bounce to her step.
For once, she felt as if she had someone who could relate.
Seeing the man walk towards her, M'Lyn simply shook her head, and said nothing at his remark. Not that she could've, as a shout caught the group's entire attention. Alice even turned slightly towards the voice, and feeling nothing but a breeze as the man walked right past her made Alice uncomfortable.
Both her and M'Lyn knew that feeling all too well. A threat.
"I'll catch up with you at the exit". Kujo's order gave both girls a chill down their spine, although they would hardly back away. Well, Alice might. M'Lyn, on the other hand, would definitely not allow someone to waltz in and threaten the peace they had aquired. Sure, she would fight fair handed, but if things got rough, she wouldn't hesitate to use the arsenal at her disposal.
"How absurd" the Miqo'te sighed with annoyance, "Why, exactly, should we leave? I think we've been through worse so far..." regardless of Kujo's answer, M'Lyn was adamant to stay there and act as back-up. Raising her chin and with a cold glare, she directed her eyes towards the man called Rein, "I don't care about you or what your intentions are, but I won't allow you to disrupt this quiet so easily. Even if I'm to stay back, do make me a favor and leave, before we resort to a fight" she said firmly, with her arms crossed.
Alice took a few steps back as precaution. Still, she was just as bitter -although in much lesser levels- as M'Lyn. While, sure, she wasn't able to fight or do anything to help, she didn't want to abandon either of them.
She wouldn't, as a matter of fact.
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Post by hoodwink on Nov 29, 2019 11:41:30 GMT -5
”Why, exactly, should we leave? I think we’ve been through worse so far…” M’Lyn’s voice was somehow expected—though the three hadn’t known each other too long, Kujo had already picked up on the Miqo’te’s fiery will. A smirk widened across Kujo’s lips as Rein finally made his way across the grass to the path the two were standing at. ”Oh—I didn’t think it’d be dangerous.” The smirk on his face changed into a deep scowl as his eyes shimmered with anger at Rein’s mischievous look. ”I just didn’t want you to waste your time with a cockroach.” Despite the acid in Kujo’s tone, Rein hardly seem phased. Feigning a pose of shocked hurt, the man was quick to guffaw and shake his head. ”You were always too cocky, Tanaka.” Just as the green haired man went to make a retort, M’Lyn stepped forward, cutting him off.
Squaring off against the man caused him to blink for a second in confusion. Being the same size as Kujo, Rein was able to look well past M’Lyn’s head. Unaware of the woman’s combat prowess, the sight of a girl in a cat-hoodie threatening him caused Rein to laugh once more. ”Ha! You’ve got spunk, lady—I’ll give ya that.” Amused by Rein’s cluelessness, Kujo reached a hand out of his pocket and onto M’Lyn’s shoulder. ”Rein—looks like you're the one being too cocky.” Despite the hint of humor, there was still enough weight in Kujo’s tone that betrayed his anger. ”Let me guess—with me gone, you actually started winning, huh? Now it's goin' to your head?” It was a tactless comment, a shameless goad. It seemed the Tanaka family had fallen far from grace and class.
Clenching both fists at his sides, Rein’s face was overcome by a look of fury as his face began to go red. ”What would you know?! You're just a coward who ran away!” Immediately the black leather jacket flew through the air towards Kujo, who instinctively ducked to let it fly across the dirt path onto the park bench behind them. Rein was already diving through the air, lunging at him with full force as his large hands balled into mighty fists. Within the blink of an eye, Rein was lying on his back, a dazed look overcoming him and fogging his eyes. ”W-wha?” Kujo straightened himself, a look of pure disappointment on his face. ”Tch—I didn’t even put my back into it…” It had been a simple maneuver, though with his newfound speed and accuracy, it appeared to be much more affective. ”You idiot. Stop starting fights you can't win.” Shaking his head a bit, Kujo slid both hands back into his pockets, turning to leave.
”C’mon, M’Lyn—Alice. Seems this wasn’t even worth the time I was gonna spend on it.” A scream suddenly shattered the air, one of fury and frustration. ”WHY WON’T IT WORK?!” Rein was standing once more, his fists clenched so hard veins were popping on his hands. He stood in an odd stance, almost as though it were a battle stance or a pose one would take when trying to focus hard. A wild look had come into his eyes. ”WHERE DID ALL THAT POWER GO?!” For a moment, he paused, his crazed eyes finding Kujo ahead. ”ONCE I GET THAT POWER BACK—YOU’RE DEAD, TANAKA!” Despite his better judgement, Kujo’s pace had halted, his body rigid and frozen as he heard what Rein was shouting at him. Power? What power? Turning to look over his shoulder, Kujo’s eyes narrowed as he turned to fully face Rein once more. Walking towards the man, Rein suddenly seemed to realize he had said too much, the look of anger washing away as his face whitened.
”What ‘power’, Rein?” Already, Kujo had closed most of the distance he had made. In the past, he wouldn’t have listen to such rubbish—but ever since awakening to the power of his Akogare, Kujo had been a more ‘open’ person. ”Sh-shut up! Get outta my face, Tanaka!” Already Rein had begun to back away, stumbling into the park bench with a surprised yell as he nearly fell backwards. It was odd, seeing such a tall and otherwise powerful looking man in such a rush to avoid a fight. ”Just wait! I'm—I'm not feeling too hot today, y'know?” With that, Rein was off, running with an impressive speed towards where the trio had entered the park. ”Grrrr—give me a break!” Clearly annoyed, Kujo was quick to follow. He didn’t have time to wait to see if Alice and M’Lyn would join in on the chase or simply meet up with him at the end of the park.
For some reason, he had a bad feeling about that ‘power’ Rein had mentioned.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Nov 29, 2019 12:09:03 GMT -5
It didn't take long before M'Lyn's frown deepened. Had it not been for Kujo, she would've smashed Rein aside, not exactly willing to cope with his arrogance. Alice, still in the refuge behind them, tried to look a bit closer.
Then, it all went to fast. In the blink of an eye, Rein was laying on the ground, his back facing the dirt paths. M'Lyn had barely seen the movement of their partner, but for Alice, it was almost like magic. Knowing things were a bit safer, she relaxed a bit.
”C’mon, M’Lyn—Alice. Seems this wasn’t even worth the time I was gonna spend on it.” "And how much did you plan on spending?" the Miqo'te asked with sass, already much into the back-and-forth teasing game they'd kept for a while. "Hmm..." fidgetting away with her devices, Alice was looking at the moment she managed to record, "Yep -that wasn't just you, was it? The reading spikes here, see?" she showed to M'Lyn. "Regardless of that, which I, by the way, do not considering cheating... One less problem taken care of. Let's get---"
The sudden shout caused both of them to focus on the origin, both on edge. A shout like that would've definitely caught anyone's attention, but for someone who's been in the battlefield, it was an alert to be weary off. Whatever the issue was, it seemed that Rein had spoken out of mind, quickly taking back what he said... At least, tried.
"Power...?" M'Lyn mumbled to herself. "Hmm? But, the only one whose readings spiked were... Kujo's" Alice mentioned back, "And, honestly, they're quite easy to---" "Right now, that's the least of my concerns" the Miqo'te stopped the Navi in her words, "There's something here that might be useful for us to know..."
Sure enough, as Rein began to run off, and Kujo chasing after him, something in M'Lyn's mind clicked. Hushing Alice to follow, the two tried to keep a good enough pace, Alice lagging a bit but still able to follow. M'Lyn managed to cut distance between her and Kujo, Alice capable of keeping up with only a few meters of distance.
"Seems like there's something we have yet to solve..." she said with a smirk, "And considering the timing of it all, I can only think of one possibility... Can you, I wonder?" she taunted Kujo into thought. "Ah... Hey!" Alice said at a bit, "Don't discuss things without me~!"
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 1, 2019 17:59:46 GMT -5
Rein sprinted through the park entrance, exiting into the city around them. Once more rushing sounds of cars and trains passing above and around would resume, chattering crowds of people and other conversations mingling into a dull din. Pushing and shoving any in his path, Rein ran to the left, the opposite direction from where the trio had come from earlier. Kujo’s gaze never left Rein’s back as the man’s speed was aided by the swift feet of his Akogare. Weaving through the crowded sidewalk with an almost supernatural precision, the tall man was quick to avoid contact with any civilians walking—though many would stop in place, whipping their heads to watch the chase. ”Get back here, Rein!” Kujo’s shout had no effect as Rein finally managed to make his way to the next intersection.
”Seems like there’s something we have yet to solve…” M’Lyn’s voice over his shoulder caused Kujo to look over his shoulder, seeing the Miqo’te and Alice closing the distance behind him. Hearing her goad, Kujo smirked a bit while looking forward once more. He too had grown rather accustomed to the dynamic they had built. ”Are you asking if I'm more clever than a cat?” If what he and M’Lyn were thinking was true, Rein had been relying on a power they may not be unfamiliar with. That night… An image flashed in his mind of a blinding white light, right as Jack had first attacked with his new and odd weapon. I heard something, that time… What had it been? It had almost seemed like a clicking of some sort. Coincidentally, they also hadn't run into any Heartless since that time. Kujo didn't believe in coincidences, though, instead a sinking hunch continued to weigh on him.
Rein ran across the busy street without even looking both directions. As countless honks and screeching of tires filled the air, the man leaped and bounded over any cars in his path, denting the metal and plastic hoods with ease. It seemed his physical prowess was no joke—despite Kujo’s earlier move. Already a pile-up had occurred, blocking most of the intersection as well as the sidewalks, massing with worried citizens. Weeooh! Weeooh! Weeooh! In the distance, sirens could already be heard from the oncoming Ambulance and Fire Trucks. ”Shit! That bastard!” Coming to an abrupt halt at the edge of the sidewalk, Kujo pushed and shoved his way through the thick crowd to make his way towards the intersection.
”Damn it!” Balling his hands into fists at his sides, Kujo glanced around the intersection, his height allowing him to see over most in the crowd. The green blotch flashing around a corner was enough for Kujo. ”C’mon, we don’t got time for this!” Turning around, Kujo was quick to grab out for M’Lyn and Alice. So long as the two wouldn’t avoid him, the tall man would hold onto both as a shimmering light began to emerge around his legs. ”Fly, Akogare!” Pushing off of the sidewalk as though he were jumping, Kujo and the others were launched from the earth at a surprising speed. CRACK! A small crater had formed on the pavement where Kujo’s feet had been, cracks splaying out over the cement slab that formed that small section of sidewalk.
Hurtling through the air, Kujo and the others leapt over the intersection, soaring past the traffic lights, high level floors of glass buildings (some of which office workers would jolt in surprise and stare out the window) and festive red lanterns unlit during the day. CRASH! Landing with a violent sound, the trio stood on the opposite side of the intersection, a small crater having formed where they landed, though Kujo and the others would be unharmed and perfectly fine. Looking around wildly, Kujo’s teeth grit as he searched for Rein, ignoring the gaping civilians around them who had rushed out of their landing zone. ”Where is he?!” As a trolley passed by them on the street, bells lining the roof jingling merrily as many civilians leaned over the railings to gaze at the pile-up they had managed to avoid, Kujo’s sight was finally cut off of the end of the street ahead of them.
”Shit! He could be anywhere by now!” Turning back to Alice and M’Lyn, who hopefully weren’t too shuffled up from the jump, Kujo’s face showed clearly his annoyance and frustration. ”Either of you got a way to track ‘im?”
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 2, 2019 15:58:32 GMT -5
Feigning bitternes, M'Lyn was quick to retort back, although Alice couldn't help but laugh despite the sittuation they were currently in.
"I'm not a cat -I'm a Miqo'te!" "Hey, you never know!" Alice chimed in with a laugh, "Cats might be smarter than humans for a change!" "That does not help at this point in time."
The two didn't say much after, quickly focusing back on the task at hand. After all, they weren't exactly military-like if they couldn't shift gear quickly enough. However, it didn't help much, as they were quick to be obstructed by traffic, quite literally. It wasn't much of an issue, however, as Kujo grabbed both girls quite abruptly, although it was made quick. It wasn't exactly what they'd expected for a smooth start and landing, but it would do.
”Either of you got a way to track ‘im?” Kujo's annoyed tone only made the issue much more important, although Alice wasn't exactly sure on what to do. M'Lyn, on the other hand, was focused onto something, her ears twitching every so often in reaction to the sounds around them.
"Umm..." Alice checked on her little device, "I could try, but... The readings are so similar, I can't tell exactly where he'd be..." "...Do you have a tracker on you, Alice?" M'Lyn asked suddenly. "Huh...? ...What kind?" "The ones you can control. Do you have one, or not?" "Uhh... I... Yeah... But... It's not gonna help much with all these people around..." "Just hand it over -I'll take it from there."
Albeit somewhat uneasy, Alice handed a small, robot-like device to M'Lyn. She took a few steps forward, taking a deep breath, before calling out a bow and an arrow. She then attached the robot to the arrow, and shot it upwards. As soon as she did, her ears tensed.
"Can you start controlling it now?" M'Lyn demanded. "Y-Yeah..." "..." M'Lyn closed her eyes, her ears once more twitching, and then making her move, "Start moving it moving south-east. Kujo, is there any way we can make it through here without trouble?" the Miqo'te asked, calm yet demanding.
It seemed as if she had a plan in mind.
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 5, 2019 22:21:19 GMT -5
While M’Lyn and Alice began to form a plan, Kujo continued scanning the area for Rein. Damn it! If only Akogare had more range! Though a mighty power, it was limited to close quarters. His Akogare couldn’t go far on its own, making it useless for things out of sight or reach. Clenching his teeth in frustration, Kujo closed the distance between him and the pair just as Alice handed M’Lyn a small robotic device. Brandishing her bow and arrow, M’Lyn made quick work of firing the device high into the sky. Kujo wouldn’t complain, as he had thrown caution to the wind in the heat of the moment as well. With a contemplative sigh, he shoved his hands in his pockets as his eyes followed the arrow.
”Kujo, is there a way we can make it through here without trouble?” The sudden question made him more curious about the plan the Miqo’te was concocting. Nodding his head, Kujo pointed further down the street, where yet another busy intersection awaited them. ”There shouldn’t be a problem. I saw him go left.” A sudden light began to shimmer around the man as the slightly translucent form of Akogare appeared behind him, floating in place silently. Its galaxy eyes never seemed to blink. ”I’ll be able to take care of any obstacles.” Still visibly annoyed, Kujo began rushing towards the end of the street ahead. Shouting over his shoulder so M’Lyn could hear him, Kujo ignored all of the onlooking civilians (at this point, almost every citizens within radius of the packed intersection were gazing at the woman with an arrow and the tall man who had leapt higher than street lights) as he used his Akogare to maintain a clear path.
”I hope whatever you’re planning works!” There was no way he’d be able to spot Rein without the help of whatever M’Lyn had fired into the air. Rein had a long head start on them by now. Not being too rough with his Akogare, Kujo would use his mighty specter to move any citizens in the way of the trio to the side, though some would be jostled or fall over, none would be harmed in any real way. Despite it’s limited range, Akogare’s sight far surpassed his own—for a moment, Kujo’s eyes shimmered with light as the familiar galaxy hues began to wash over his eyes. Everything within eyesight was enhanced, almost appearing to move slow. Definitely didn’t go through the intersection…
Coming up was the other busy intersection that marked the left Rein had taken. Cars were still moving through (albeit slowly) with no pile ups in sight. Shaking his head a bit and blinking his eyes, Kujo's familiar emerald gaze returned to him. He couldn't gaze through Akogare for too long yet. While running, Kujo reflected on what Rein had mentioned earlier. Get it back…but how long did he have it? It had been some time since their paths had crossed. While Kujo had been busy the past two years trying to keep SanFransokyo safe from the brimming Heartless threat, what had Rein been up to? A sinking feeling in his gut told him he knew the answer already.
Did Jack really make it go away?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 7, 2019 17:03:07 GMT -5
Nodding with confidence, M'Lyn was quickly to follow behind Kujo, Alice not too far off. The Navi was starting off her connection, finished in a second, and began to look through the device's camera from up above the skyscrapers and action, akin a spectator from up high. Her role was to try and spot Rein as quickly as possible, while they followed the Miqo'te's high senses in the meantime. Albeit sharp, they still had their margin of error.
Running through the path made by Kujo's Akogare was a smooth as anyone could guess. Ignoring the crowd's glances and rumors, M'Lyn kept on with her ears held high, listening to even the most quiet of sounds, trying to keep track on the runner they were chasing after. However, that soon became unnecessary.
"Ah- I see him!" Alice shouted, "He's still heading south-east! Here!" "..." M'Lyn simply nodded as Alice showed Kujo the screen, and then glanced his way, "You go on ahead, Kujo. Let's corner him."
Alice nodded in agreement, having already a way to keep in touch while also showing Kujo the way. M'Lyn also seemed confident, her senses in top shape and able to keep up.
"Hurry! We'll lose him otherwise!" "We'll be right behind you!"
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 16, 2019 13:28:18 GMT -5
[[YIKES! Sorry for how long this took ]]
Taking the left on the busy sidewalk, Kujo continued to keep the path clear with his Akogare while Alice and M’Lyn began to hone in on Rein’s location. ”Ah—I see him!” Alice’s shout immediately made Kujo straighten and halt his pace, turning to look on the screen Alice held. ”He’s still heading south-east! Here!” Kujo’s eyes narrowed at the screen as his teeth grit. Tch—that bastard was always slippery! Even in the ring, Rein’s main strategy had always been based around maneuvering. He wasn’t as stupid as he came off.
”You go on ahead, Kujo. Let’s corner him.” Kujo and Alice nodded in agreement to M’Lyn’s plan. Kujo reached into a pocket of his lavender pants, pulling out the small com device Alice had given him earlier. Placing it over his ear in order to stay in touch, Kujo’s gaze rose to the noisy highway ramp that led to the overlapping roads higher in the sky. With his Akogare shimmering beside him, Kujo ran at an inhumanely fast pace towards the highway ramp, weaving through the pedestrians on the sidewalk with ease.
Rushing to the guardrail of the ramp, Kujo leapt through the air as his Akogare disappeared, a radiant light instead consuming the man’s feet as he made contact with the metal. Skkkkkkkkkk! Already he was rushing along at the speed of the cars on the road, sliding on the guardrail of the highway with the mystical powers of his specter. Kujo’s eyes flashed with the galaxy hue of his Akogare as he peered down at the streets below, heading south-east in the direction Alice had pointed out to him. It was then that he spotted the dot of green.
Pressing the comm device on his ear, Kujo leapt from the highway guardrail, easily over five stories or more from the ground below. ”Got 'im!” Flying from the metal rail, the man was like a bullet firing from a barrel. Hurtling towards the concrete sidewalk below, Kujo's Akogare returned, appearing in front of him just as the man landed. CRACK! A crater was pummeled into the sidewalk, shattering the entire section as Kujo landed in front of Rein. Civilians and other pedestrians shouted out as they ran from the sudden chaos, some falling over themselves or others. Kujo paid none of this any mind, of course—he had accomplished his goal. That's what mattered.
The impact alone had caused Rein to leap backwards, flipping before landing on the rubble he had once ran on. With a face of complete shock and scrutiny, Rein gazed from Kujo to the sidewalk below his feet. "Quit running, Rein." Kujo's voice was more of a growl than anything. Clenching his fists at his sides, Kujo stood only a few feet from the man with dyed hair, his Akogare having disappeared. It seemed he didn't feel the need for it. "W-what th-the f&%$?!" It seemed Rein was far more concerned with Kujo's landing. "H-how did you do that?!" There was more than just bewilderment across the man's face—envy and hatred lurked there, too. As Kujo began to walk towards him, Rein looked down at his own hands in frustration, clenching them into fists.
"Damn it, Tanaka! You've gotten some sorta power, too, ain't ya?" A scowl welcomed Kujo as he finally stood only a meter or so from the man, remaining silent. For a moment, Kujo's emerald gaze betrayed no sign of anything—until he finally seemed to make up his mind. "I don't think mine're the same..." Sliding his hands into his pockets, he relaxed his stance as he spoke. "The kind you're talking about, Rein—what are they? These...'powers'?" There was no need to be defensive. Rein had already proved to Kujo he lacked any supernatural power, if his talk of having any was credible. With his Akogare dormant, Kujo wouldn't have to worry about any surprise attacks. Tch—you always had bad luck, Rein... Annoyance flickered over his face as he shook the sentimental thought out. Rein had fallen oddly silent, looking away and down towards the ground. Channeling his annoyance in a more offensive manner, Kujo finally lost his patience as he reached out and grabbed the man, gripping the collar of the blue hoodie he wore, pulling him closer.
"Damn it, Rein! I'm not asking again!" Pulling back a fist, Kujo stood glaring at Rein, coiling to strike. A look of defiance flashed across Rein's face before he looked away again. Something on his face made him seem...conflicted. At this point, civilians were pretty scarce. Most had ran in terror or been flung from the impact of Kujo's landing. In the distance, a faint siren could be heard echoing. Wee-ooh! Wee-ooh! Wee-ooh! Surprisingly, the traffic on the road next to the ruined sidewalk continued on as though everything were normal. Sure, some passerby's would gaze from the safety of their windows—but none would actually stop or get out or do anything that would impede their daily lives.
Cities were full of sheep flocking, after all.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 16, 2019 20:14:51 GMT -5
After seeing Kujo take off -quite literally, at that-, M'Lyn and Alice kept on chasing after Rein. With his location now pinned down, there was no way they'd lose track of him now. Senses sharpened, M'Lyn now focused more on getting there fast rather than focusing on finding their target, and most of the time, she'd just grab Alice to get her out of the way of some passerby or even just to make things quicker.
"Got 'im!". As things began to look a bit grim, Kujo's confident shout perked the two girls up, almost forcing them to speed up and catch up to them. Although it was somewhat tough, with how surprisingly crowded the streets were. In the end, with a bit of M'Lyn's agility in hand, they managed to catch up.
And at quite the proper timing, really.
Holding Rein by the collar of his shirt, it seemed at if Kujo was about to lose it with him. Although he did have a reason for being angry, M'Lyn wasn't exactly pleased with the approach in the slightest. Alice, oblivious as usual, simply tilted her head in curiosity.
"I understand you're angry, but... Can't you cut it some slack?" M'Lyn asked, walking towards him for support, "Or is this the only way you know how to press someone?"
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 19, 2019 21:25:28 GMT -5
Rein glared silently in defiance as Kujo’s jaw clenched tighter. The knuckles of the fist he had raised were white from being clenched so hard—a strain Kujo hardly noticed. Just as Kujo was about to finally lose his temper—Alice and M’Lyn came up on the sidewalk next to them. ”I understand you’re angry, but…can’t you cut ‘im some slack?” The Miqo’te’s demeanor remained calm, even when annoyed. ”Or is this the only way you know how to press someone?” Despite himself, Kujo found a faint smirk twitching upon his lips. ”Can’t I catch a break?”
Sighing heavily, Kujo released his grip on Rein, lowering his raised fist as he shoved the man away from him in irritation. There was no sign Kujo was worried about Rein running again. A faint shimmering light flickered around his form—invisible to most unaware of different energies. Lying in wait, Kujo’s Akogare enhanced his physical capabilities—giving him sharper reflexes and senses. Confidence oozed from him (something he knew would annoy Rein) as he slid his hands into his pockets, gesturing towards Rein as he rolled his eyes at M’Lyn. ”By all means—if you’ve gotta better method, give it a shot.”
With a final glance at Rein, Kujo nearly spit out his next words. ”This bastard’s tight lipped. Only way to solve that’s with fists.” M’Lyn and Alice didn't know Rein—but Kujo did. Despite their difference in strength, Rein was a practiced fighter. Not just any fighter, but a member to one of the many Underground Ring’s that took place. Whether winning or losing, Kujo couldn’t imagine Rein confessing anything easily. Rein didn’t make a move to run, his gaze piercing Kujo with an open scrutiny. Whatever powers Kujo had been gifted, Rein was well aware of their difference in strength.
There was no hope for him to get away—yet.
Wee-ooh! Wee-ooh! Wee-ooh! The sirens were growing closer. He only had to bide his time. Glaring between the three, Rein glared silently, not responding to any of Kujo’s words or threats. Obviously irritated, Kujo watched and waited to see what ‘other methods’ M’Lyn had up her sleeve. Tch—what’s the point? Against scum—violence was the only way to solutions. He knew that better than anyone—
Didn’t he?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 20, 2019 17:47:12 GMT -5
M'Lyn and Alice both knew. They knew exactly what was going on, but they could only do so much in open field, where their equipment was limited. Knowing this, M'Lyn began to bite her fingernails in frustration, while Alice began to work her cards mentally.
It wasn't an easy desicion, to say the least. It was almost as if violence was the only way to make Rein talk. But, what if it didn't work? Kujo did mention he was tight lipped. A couple hits wouldn't make a man like Rein talk -not in a million years. And M'Lyn had seen more than enough to know that.
"I know that..." M'Lyn said, frowning, "Guh.... Rendering him unconscious would only be for naught... We can't say for certain how fast we can go back to the ship..." she began to mumble, bitterly, "Thaumaturgy and Arcane magiks are all useless... Urgh..." snapping a bit, she raised her voice, her comment aimed clearly at Rein, "Truly, do you enjoy making things difficult for others?! Hmph... For a child, you're quite special." "..." Alice began to tinker yet again with her toys, trying to find anything of use, "Hmm... Maybe..." "...Do you have something in mind?" "Well..." Alice's face lit a bit, and nudged M'Lyn to get closer.
A bit taken aback, the Miqo'te listened carefully, nodding every so often to Alice's whispers. Once the girl stopped, M'LYn smirked calmly, now knowing what to do. As Alice began to set her things up, M'Lyn walked towards Kujo, calmly and her arms crossed.
"Say... Do you know how to knock someone out without drawing blood? If you do, I'll leave that part to you. Just don't do it too fiercely, please -it'll save us some hassle, trust me."
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 21, 2019 1:18:55 GMT -5
Narrowing his eyes as Alice whispered to M’Lyn, Kujo crossed his arms while returning his gaze to Rein. Silent as ever with his gaze averted to the floor and his hands in his pockets, Rein seemed to be sweating a bit. How does it feel…being cornered? Kujo had never felt such a way in his life. No matter the odds, he was always able to handle himself. ”Say…do you how to knock someone out without drawing blood?” M’Lyn’s sudden question caught him off-guard. Rein seemed to start, glancing at the woman with the cat-eared hood with some sense of malice. Curious as to what she was planning, Kujo nodded along as he listened to the rest of her question.
”Hm…I think I could try something…” A wicked smirk appeared across Kujo’s face as his fists crunched as they gripped the air. Walking over to Rein, who visibly flinched after having M’Lyn’s plan, Kujo’s fists began to radiate with a familiar light as he closed the distance. ”H-Hey! Wa-wait, Tanaka!” Taking a few steps back, Rein raised his arms into a defensive stance. Kujo didn’t seem to mind, walking right up to Rein as he raised a shimmering fist into the air. ”Shut up! I gave you a chance ta talk!”
Lashing out with an impossible speed, Kujo’s hand SMACKED! into Rein’s forehead. Not formed into a fist, his open palm seemed to connect with something as the light surrounding his hand burst in radiance. Within the blink of an eye, Rein’s guard had been obliterated and the large man had crumpled to the ground. Wee-ooh! Wee-ooh! WEE-OOH! Sirens began to wail, only a couple streets down by now. Thankfully the sidewalk was deserted at this point, a countless civilians had chosen another route to continue on their way.
Turning to M’Lyn, calm and stoic as ever, Kujo slid his hands into his pockets as he walked away from the fallen Rein. ”Whatever you’re planning’—be quick about it.” Glancing over his shoulder, Kujo’s teeth grit with irritation as he pulled out the cellphone in his pocket. Glancing at the time, the man grimaced visibly. ”We don’t have much time…” It seemed he was more worried about their scheduled meeting, rather than the oncoming firetrucks, ambulances, or police.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 21, 2019 7:14:57 GMT -5
"Oka~y!"
Alice smiled cheerfully, raising one of her hands with glee. Still with arms crossed, M'Lyn nodded calmly, leaving the rest to the Navi. In the end, neither of them felt bad for Rein's last words before falling out cold -he wasn't willing to talk, after all. Familiar with that as they were, it was normal for them to keep calm after an event like that.
"Truly, this has been a rather eventful day..." the Miqo'te said with a bit of sass, shaking her head, "Although partially to blame is this meathead..." she finished, glancing over at an unconscious Rein.
Alice poked Rein's forehead once she was beside him, as if to test that he wasn't conscious or wouldn't wake up anytime soon. Once that was secure, she poked a sticker-like circle right in the middle of it, a wire connecting it to her little phone she had in hand... Or similar in shape, at least.
"I never thought I'd have to do this out in field... Usually Jack's the one that does this" she mentioned aloud, while focusing on getting what she wanted, "Then again... Most of the time, I'm inside somewhere..." "Alice..." M'Lyn said with worry. "I know, I know -we're short on time. This'll be quick, though!"
If Kujo were to look in Alice's device, he'd see a bunch of meanigless waves going across the screen. Although M'Lyn didn't exactly know what they meant, surely Alice did. Humming along a tune, the Navi was focusing on what the waves were telling her, until she jumped childishly after getting the one she wanted. Once that was done, she removed the sticker off Rein's head, leaving just a faint suction mark, and stood back up.
"Got what we wanted!" she cheered, smiling, "Most of it is recent, but his mind was off-guard. Got everything 'till the last bit!" "So, then? What exactly was he hiding?" "Fufufu... I think we know that all too well~" the Navi replied cheekily, "Just in case, though... I'll translate the currents to words. Shouldn't take a minute!"
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 22, 2019 1:00:20 GMT -5
Glancing in curiosity at the odd device Alice produced, Kujo stood near the girl, looking over her shoulder. The waves on the screen meant nothing to him—but the way Alice was reacting seemed to say she understood these ‘signals’ all too well. WEE-OOH! WEE-OOH! WEE-OOH! Sirens blared through the city, the sidewalk remaining deserted as the traffic continued to flow. It seemed that whatever authorities were coming, they were only a few blocks away now. ”Got what we wanted!” Just as Kujo had begun to grow wary, Alice finished the task.
Sighing in relief, the man grit his teeth as he glared down at the unconscious Rein. Idiot…always making shit difficult. As M’Lyn asked Alice about the information, Kujo could make out the faint lights of blue and red in the distance. ”I’ll translate the currents to words. Shouldn’t take a minute!” Already Kujo was rushing forward, grabbing onto Alice (though making sure not to damage her device) as he began to run down the sidewalk. ”Whatever you’ve gotta do—do it while you run!” The last thing Kujo needed was to stick around for ambulances and police reports. Surely passerbys and drivers would describe their group, but ideally they’d be long gone by then.
”Let's go, M’Lyn!” Knowing the Miqo’te was much faster on her own, Kujo hadn’t bothered to grab her arm with Alice’s. As the man’s feet began to shimmer in light, he lifted Alice off the ground as his Akogare’s superhuman speed began to enact. Blurring away from the cracked and ruined sidewalk and the unconscious Rein, Kujo hoped to flee the scene while Alice worked out a translation. Not that we need it… He knew in his gut what kind of ‘powers’ Rein had been talking about. Jack… Something about the odd weapon Jack had produced had done more then make the Heartless disappear.
Whatever darkness Rein had surely been abusing had seemed to vanish, too. But why? That weapon… It was the only connecting factor. Kujo’s pace somehow quickened as he dashed through the more busy intersections and sidewalks. Due to the inhuman speed and precision of his Akogare, Kujo and Alice made it safely through the crowds without so much as bumping into anyone’s shoulder. Glancing over his shoulder, Kujo made sure to keep M’Lyn in eyesight.
It’d be no good fleeing the scene without everyone.
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 22, 2019 15:45:01 GMT -5
Alice shrieked silently as Kujo grabbed her arm out of the blue, but M'Lyn remained serene. Since it was clear they had to flee to avoid any sort of trouble, none of them offered any resistance to the plan at hand.
”Whatever you’ve gotta do—do it while you run!” "Ah... Ah-R-Right..." Alice nodded, clearly flustered as she was forced to run.
Giving Kujo no worried, M'Lyn was quick to follow, keeping up with them quite easily. In the end, the information they had was a bit redundant, already having an idea or two about what Rein was hiding. Still, confirmation was needed, and, all things considered, M'Lyn had planned to bail after Alice had translated the information, leaving Rein behind to make it seem as if it had been some bad dream of sorts... If their luck helped to that fact, that was.
"Haa..." the Miqo'te sighed after landing from a jump near Kujo, her hood slightly falling off but still being kept by her ears, "So, where to next? I doubt we'd need any unnecessary trouble and, all things considered..." she glanced back, "Without proof, that child has no means to drag us down. So long as we manage to play it off, we'll be fine." "Umm... Uhh..." Alice fidgeted a bit, uneasy, "K-Kujo...? Can you... L-Let go now...?" "Heh... Flustered now, are we?" M'Lyn asked teasingly. "A-Am not!"
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 23, 2019 15:05:11 GMT -5
The trio’s swift exit had managed to make the sirens a distant memory. Safe from having been involved at the scene of the crime, Kujo had led M’Lyn and carried Alice to a familiar part of town. Around them were countless apartment buildings, small homes with fences and backyards, with the occasional small shop or cafe. It seemed they had fled into the Residential District. ”Haa…” M’Lyn’s sigh mingled with Kujo’s own, as they stood on a rather empty street. The shimmering around Kujo’s form disappeared as he dismissed the mysterious powers of his Akogare. "So, where to next? I doubt we'd need any unnecessary trouble, all things considered..." Kujo found himself nodding along with M'Lyn's train of thought, having mulled it over briefly himself.
Kujo wasn’t worried. If Rein did tell anyone about what happened, they’d probably just think he was crazy. Not being much of an ‘upstanding citizen’ to begin with, Rein already would have a difficult time convincing any authorities of anything. Hell…they’ll probably arrest him on the spot—if he’s still the same. It was at this point that Kujo noticed Alice fidgeting. ”K-Kujo…? Can you…L-let go now…?” He had totally spaced it, with everything going on. Alice was also incredibly light—though that may have had more to do with Kujo’s physique than anything.
”Oh—yeah.” Placing Alice back on the sidewalk, Kujo looked between the two for a moment. Pulling out his cellphone, his eyes seemed to narrow at the screen for a moment before he sighed, shoving it back into his pocket. ”Well…it’s about that time anyway.” For some reason, Kujo felt a pang of defeat. ”C’mon. We can talk about the translation on the way. We’re close to her house.” There was a flash of resentment in Kujo’s glance at M’Lyn at this comment, though only for a moment as he sighed once more.
”Let's go meet my mom.” Pulling out his beaten up pack of cigarettes, Kujo lit and inhaled with relish and remorse as he began to walk down the secluded streets of the Residential District. Hopefully the translation Alice would produce aligned with their suspicions...though Kujo admitted that being right in that regard didn't really help them by any means. Inhaling once more, Kujo's head hung a bit as he sighed. Can't I catch a break?
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Post by therunawaygirl on Dec 23, 2019 17:22:48 GMT -5
Alice sighed with inmense relief, still fully flustered at the sudden rush. With the Miqo'te clearly in a teasing mood, the Navi decided to just focus on her end of things while the other two sorted things out.
As they followed Kujo along the District, having heard his rather "upbeat" commentary, M'Lyn couldn't help but find herself in thought despite the (small) excitement she had for finally getting the arrangement dealt with. Just by purely remembering small details such as posture, tone and aura, she began to draw lines in between dots that may as well have no corelation whatsoever.
But her gut was telling her otherwise.
"Hmm... Remind me exactly when the Heartless began to appear...? she said, thinking aloud, "I might be going on a dark alley at this point... But I have a couple thoughts that have been bothering me for a while now..." "...More than 2 years in this world's time..." Alice mumbled somewhat bitterly. "Still mad...?" the Miqo'te sighed with some unease.
Alice pouted, still red as a tomato and flustered. Dealing with her in that state was the same as when she confronted Jack back at the Almira: useless. Knowing that was an imposible battle, M'Lyn resorted to direct her thoughts towards Kujo.
"In any case... Again, I might be drawing the lines blindly here, but... If what we believe is true... Wouldn't it be possible for him to have orchestrated something to sabotage you? You two do fight akin cats and dogs..." she said with worry, "And while the Heartless may be gone for now, we have no means to accurately pinpoint whether they can return or not, as our intel lacks in that department..."
The Miqo'te came to a halt, deep in thought, although Alice didn't seem to pay any attention to it. In the end, for her, it was just not relevant enough to lift her eyes up from the screen she was using, translating each individual wave into words everyone could understand. Sighing in defeat, M'Lyn simply shook her head.
"...I think my thoughts are better discussed elsewhere, if what I'm thinking has even the slightest chance of being true..." she determined, "For now... I think it's best if we take it easy for now, and focus harder later, once we find more tougher things to tackle. Although... I can sense that it won't take long for that..." she said, smirking with a hint of amusement behind her tone as she glanced towards Kujo.
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Post by hoodwink on Dec 27, 2019 14:49:59 GMT -5
Leading the two down the rather empty street, lined with parked cars and well groomed trees and shrubs, Kujo listened to M’Lyn and Alice’s brief back and forth. It seemed that translating the waves took most of the Navi’s focus. Apparently everyone was on the same page, the same underlying suspicion surmounting amongst all of them. ”If what we believe is true…wouldn’t it be possible for him to have orchestrated something to sabotage you? You two do fight akin to cats and dogs…” M’Lyn’s comment caused Kujo to turn in thought. Taking another deep drag from the cigarette in his mouth, the man’s emerald gaze flickered upwards as he pondered the rest of M’Lyn’s theory.
That night… There had been countless Heartless teeming from all over. Could that have really been Rein? Even with the aid of this odd ‘darkness’ infecting SanFransokyo, Kujo didn’t believe Rein would have the strength or the cunning to pull off a trap like that. M’Lyn also came to a halt, Alice’s pace continuing slowly as she tapped away at the screen. ”I think it’s best we take it easy for now, and focus harder later…” Nodding in agreement, Kujo finished his cigarette and flicked the butt onto the sidewalk. Crushing it with his foot, he couldn’t help but remain thinking out loud. ”I wonder how he got that power…” Was it similar to his own? Just showing up in a time of need?
But why would Rein need any power the Heartless could offer? Tch—he’s never been strong. A bitterness flooded his mouth and nearly caused him to gag. Pointing down the street, which led to a rather large culdesac with enormous houses surrounding it, Kujo continued to lead Alice and M’Lyn. ”C’mon, we’re almost there. M’Lyn’s right, though…we shouldn’t dwell too much on Rein for now.” With that the man slid his hands back into his pockets and continued onward. Eyeing Alice over his shoulder, Kujo called out as he continued to walk.
”How’s the translation comin’, Alice?”
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