---

Katashi smiled and stayed silent for the most part, wanting to get more of a feel for this Grant. He knew that he had to just stick with the program, at least for Mika's sake. It was just something about Grant, it rubbed the ghoul the wrong way. This Grant was mysterious, and seemed like a guy who knew how to wear many faces. Not that Katashi wasn't use to some grisly features but he sure wouldn't want to wear his own face if he had the same scars as that guy. His mask would be on permanently. Thank god Ghouls can heal. Regardless, it wasn't that big of a deal in the long run.

Then it was the sweet talk. Katashi wasn't gonna get mad or anything, but this guy had some balls to be flirting with Mika while he was right there. Katashi didn't look pissed off and he of course trusted Mika, but still. It was a surprise when Grant turned to Katashi and invited him to have a smoke with him. The Red Tiger saw this as an opportunity to delve a little deeper into this guy's mind. Although, hindsight would say that he would most likely regret that. Figuring each and every intricacy of a person wasn't Katashi's thing. He just wanted people to get along, regardless of whether you were a human or a ghoul. Hell, if this guy was anti-ghoul it would provide an opportunity to maybe change his mind, if it comes up in conversation.

"Yeah, that sounds great." Katashi smiled. The pair walked outside and the Ghoul proceeded to light his own cigarette. Before Grant could say anything, Katashi offered a cigarette and his lighter. "You smoke?" Katashi asked with a smile. It would be good to offer a gesture of good will. Again, Katashi wanted to make a point that he was trying to be hostile or territorial towards Grant, he just wanted people to get along. "I'm Katashi, by the way."

@BCTheEntity@Gardevoiran

Mika watched as Katashi followed Grant, it was good for him to understand the perspective of others. She never wanted to brandish one person as more evil than another. This world could really change if people allowed it to, if people were willing to.

She stared at the notebook, but decided something was far more interesting to her at this current time. Walking up to the counter Mizuki-san paused staring at her. She was a very beautiful woman, about twenty-five, black hair and blue eyes. Was she mixed she wondered?

Mika was sort of jealous of her mature beauty. Not because she was more beautiful or for the beautiful aspect in itself. It’s just sometimes she thought she looked like a kid.

“Mizuki-san, was it?” Mika asked.

Mizuki nodded.

“Mizuki is fine, Sasaki-san,” Mizuki replied with a brief smile.

“It’s fine, Mika,” she said with a bright brimming smile.

Mizuki now blushed a little out of embarrassment.

“Mika,” Mizuki replied with a slight stutter.

It was probably the whole idol thing again. As if she couldn’t have friends who didn’t live in the wealthy district like her.

“My boyfriend Katashi went out with Wesley-san,” she said, “So, what’s Wesley-san like? You like him?”

Mizuki fumbled with a glass she had been cleaning.

“Yes,” Mizuki replied, she paused a little, “Honest don’t know him much beside when he comes in. But he’s polite. Respectful. Doesn’t try to necessarily flirt with me when other men would dare. He really seems to be a generous man and I can look past his face. Because the other side is so handsome.”

Mika squealed and Mizuki stared at her.

“Sorry hearing such sweet things makes me so excited,” Mika said.

She was glad love hadn’t died in this city. That people could easily share sentiment with one another. She enjoyed the idea of matchmaking. To say such things. Maybe Katashi really could see there was no difference between Wesley and himself at some point. She looked past the fact Katashi is a Ghoul and Mizuki could look past Grant’s face. They probably had something in common with something they rather not discuss or couldn’t discuss.

It's out of the corner of her eye she noticed the other cute guy get up. Her heart began to race.

"Our charms?" Yuno asked with a bit of nervousness riding her voice. He wasn't serious, was he...? Oh my goodness, he actually got up to go and talk to her. This was actually happening... which means... oh boy, this will be fun.

Yuno stood up and carried her mug of hot chocolate with her as she followed Ketsu. Hell, maybe she'd be able to work her own charm on Mika, or at least be there to provide support for Ketsu as he went through his endeavors of seduction on an idol. An idol that had a shifty-looking boyfriend, nonetheless. Ah well, he was outside smoking a cigarette with Grant, maybe everything would stay okay for that moment. If Yuno needed to intervene, she would. Right now, though, the more pressing matter was helping Ketsu out by being his wingman.

Keh, being a wingman for this guy she barely knew. That had to get her some karma points, right?

@Alias
Grant took out his pack and casually waved Katashi off and gave a simple, “Thank you for the offer, but I only smoke menthols.” He gave a nice enough smile on the side of the face that didn’t look like a horror scene. It still probably wasn’t what people would consider genuine either though.

All this pleasantry bullshit because people wanted the world to be rainbows and sunshine. They lie straight to anyone’s face with a smile on their face and would justify it with some kind of sound reasonable excuse that made them feel better about their guilt ridden conscious.

He lit his cigarette and inhaled before exhaling slowly. Grant stared at the man in red. Certainly a lot of red. Suppose he could probe into this man, Katashi-san.

“You two just recently started dating or things not going well?” he didn’t have the patient nor the care to make this a long drawn out game. So he’d go straight to it.

He would get into Katashi’s mind either way. Drawn out or not. Now he was stuck in a situation. He should at least pretend to like them. Yet, something like the winds change and he cared little to use the same charm he did on the girl. Which had clearly upset Katashi-san.



@Old Amsterdam@LemonZest1337
Kristian narrowed his gaze only a little. Sure she was pretty and she made him feel things he didn’t know what they were. These feelings that made him stutter. But he was not an idiot either. Anyone who took him as a fool was sorely mistaken. He knew something was up when he had just about done the same thing to Travis earlier today.

He grabbed Travis cuff of his sleeve, hopefully he would understand his intentions and not trying to fucking argue.

“Sorry Anko,” Kristian told her, “But we have a very important place to go very soon. We can’t help you. There’s a tram station not too far from here, it has a map. You can look there.”

He tried to drag Travis off in the opposite direction. Do not say anything. Do not look back Travis. Do not argue with me.

@AngelofOctober@lemonzest1337

---

Anko's smile faltered sightly at the sudden change in tone and behavior.

"Ah. O-okay. I'm sorry for keeping you two. I didn't mean to be a bother. My apologies again for running into you," she said softly. "I'll figure things out. Somehow."

With that said, she dusted off her clothes and gave a small wave. "I wish you two the best of luck with your important engagement."

She looked around with a twinge of concern. He hadn't said which way the tram with the map was. With a bit of a fluttering movement she glanced back at the two before moving towards a bench nearby and sitting.

"Way to go, Anko. Creep out the nice boy while you're lost," she muttered with her head in her hands. "Oh well... You'll figure things out. You always do."

---

'Yeah, both of us at once,' Ketsu elaborated, 'let's see what we can do to her if we work together.' Apparently, Mika had chosen to chat with the woman running the counter whilst her boyfriend was out with Grant... and from the look she had on her face as he approached, Himehana was already getting excited. Or, maybe it was left over from her conversation with the shopkeeper. Either way.

'Why, hello there, Miss Himehana-san,' Ketsu greeted her cordially, bowing politely as he mixed the prefixes and suffixes of two different languages together. Multiculturalism or something, his mother was always interested in that. 'Or should I say Mrs. Himehana-san, if you're lucky enough to have married your partner already? I couldn't help but notice you chatting to my associate and superior officer, a Mr. Grant... Wesley.' Bugger, he'd nearly forgotten the guy's surname. He hoped his mental slipup wasn't too obvious.

'And, well,' he continued, putting a bit more surety and suaveness into his voice to cover his hesitation, 'I supposed that if he is willing to engage in conversation with a... well, they don't call you "Flower Princess" for nothing, beauteous as you evidently are - then reasonably, I ought to talk to you as well, to see what caught his interest so - though I say again, that is perhaps as obvious as your great fame.' And yet he had no idea what any of her songs were about. T'was never his interest to listen to music save in passing, let alone J-pop.

'If you don't mind me introducing myself, I am Bisuto Ketsu. I'm sure my friend here is more than able to take credit for herself, if she so wishes,' he concluded, glancing over to Yuno to confirm his words. Or, if not, then whatever worked for her. It hardly mattered either way; the goal wasn't to make friends, but to see just how intensely the idol reacted to flirtatious behaviour when simple conversation apparently got her going rapidly. If nothing else, it'd perhaps give him an idea of how well his facade of humanity was holding up.

Travis looked down at Kristian as his sleeve was tugged on. He got the message Kristian just wanted to be out of public, or something like that. The girl seemed a little down but Kristian was feeling uncomfortable so he decided to go with the person who he knew a better, besides someone was for sure going to help out the girl, hopefully. Travis then gave the girl a wave as she walked off, he smiled when she returned the wave "Good luck!" he said before he looked back down at Kristian. "So Kristian, you ready to see my 'crib'?" Travis asked with a slight smile, if Travis were being honest with himself he was kind of nervous. He thought his place was clean but his standards of clean might no match up with Kristian's. They still had a little ways to go before they got back to Travis' so he thought he might as well try and figure out more about Kristian, first thing on that list would be to figure out what kind of housing he liked.

---

Katashi shrugged and placed his cigarette back in it's carton, shoving it into his pocket. "Suit yourself." He said. Part of him appreciated Grant's attempt of a smile, but still. Yeesh, he felt sorry if anyone had woken up in his bed after a wild night out. Ah, who was he to judge? Although, the Ghoul was rather curious where the scars came from. They certainly weren't your everyday cat scratches. Ghoul perhaps? He couldn't accuse Grant of being a dove for merely hanging out with them, but regardless, he couldn't rule it out either.

No, Katashi.

Stop thinking this way. Who cares if this man was a Dove or not? He's not going to attack you with no evidence. There can be reason. However, Grant's own question had threw him off guard a little. He's got some nerve after flirting with Mika in front of him. Whatever. He was over it by this point.

"Actually, yeah. Very recently, in fact. Why do you ask?" The Red Tiger responded. Let's see just what kind of a man you are, Grant Wesley.

@Alias
Figured as much. Grant took another second, taking in a long drag before turning his attention to Katashi. It wasn’t much turned his attention to him, it was more like a study of him. Red hair, red suit, nervous. Was Katashi nervous? Something is on your mind isn’t it? What? Wasn’t the same as nervousness. What were you thinking right now?

On one hand he didn’t care too much for this social facade, on another hand he understood the strength of a good poker face.

“Generally speaking,” Grant began, “I am old.” he tries to laugh, “Well older than you or the young lady. When a young man takes a woman aside because of something an old person said it can mean one of two things. They are a young couple. Or they are having issues. I know because surprisingly I have dated quite a number of people in my life.”

Generally he was paired with someone incompatible with him. Clement Reinhold there was a name he had thought he had forgotten. Yet, in this particular situation he was reminded of Reinhold’s matchmaking skills. He believed if he set him with the right woman he would be less, well less what he was to them he supposed.

“I meant nothing by it, just a matter of being a gentleman,” Grant continued, which was honesty on his part. It isn’t like he always lied, just was what people wanted then they complained when they got it. Sometimes people’s twisted bodies fascinated him as much as his own job did. He didn’t know which he prefered understanding the mentality or the death that came with it.


@LemonZest1337
Kristian looked at Travis. Crib? He didn’t know what that meant. He assumed it was some kind of colloquialism for Travis’ house. He wasn’t so sure if he were ready. Considering he was use to living on his alone. And before that. He didn’t want to think of that. There wasn’t much to see in that past.

He didn’t really feel bad for Anko. He was on alert after she basically did exactly as he did at the park and that’s how he got into this situation with Travis.

“I di..” Kristian muttered, “....never….had a home.”

Yuno sat her mug down on a nearby table. "I'm Yuno Jericho. Big fan of your music, by the by," the investigator chirped as she took a seat herself, looking at Ketsu and Mika with a face that seemed to hide incredible excitement behind a simply happy facade. Yuno couldn't believe this was actually happening, more or less she was being directly involved with it, and it made her feel a bit jittery. This was a dream come true to her, and she wouldn't let this opportunity be passed up so easily, no way, no how.

Yuno bent over onto the table she sat at, putting her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands as she squinted just barely towards Mika. "Soo... how's the new boyfriend workin' out so far, Mika-san? Gotta say, he's definitely found the most beautiful flower in the field~." As childish as it might be, Yuno saw this as a competition now. Who could suit Mika better? Yuno, or Ketsu?

@Gardevoiran@BCTheEntity
Her attention was pulled from Mizuki when the young man at the table got up, she turned her attention to him. Her brown hair flowing behind her, when he smiled at her and introduced himself as Bisotu Ketsu. He smiled and was very polite.

Mika-Cam:

“I notice you talking to those two suitors over there,” Bisotu told her grabbing her hand and kissing it, “But I tell you they would not treat you like the delight you are.”
She had a perfectly cute boyfriend outside. She really liked Katashi, but all these distractions were trying to steal her heart. She found them kind of arousing too. Like Katashi walks in, sensing that they are trying to speak with her. Just like how he got jealous with Grant. Then fend them off. She really was in her own harem anime as they tried to fight for her hand.

She blushed.

“Sasaki Mika,” she said, “You...may call me Mika.” She didn’t want honorifics, she just wanted to be treated like an ordinary individual. She enjoyed people calling her princess or treating her with such kind words. But she also didn’t want them calling her sama and bowing on the floor kissing her feet.

Then the woman got up. She was unorthodoxly beautiful. Somehow Mika’s mind put her in a prince’s uniform. Hair tied up loosely in a bow, like those European prince’s you see in the vampire shows.

“Beautiful flower in the field,” it echoed in her mind. Yuno also kissed her hand and Mika about died. Her face turned hot. She felt her nosebleed a little. She began to panic and fail her arms around.

“Oh oh, please….please…..I am not that beea….bea...beautiful…...I am sure….sure...sure there are….aammaazing beauutiful flowers,” she began to stammer she looked around, “Mizuki…..is very very…..beauautiful tooo…..hahahahaa!”

Mizuki looked away pretending to be busy with something. She too was sort of blushing after that display.

---

Ohoho. Smooth, Yuno, smooth as anything. Moreso than himself, in fact. He'd have to up his game.

'But Miss Mika-san,' he lamented, taking her hand in his as she flailed it round, 'why would we lie? I'm sure, after all, that the glorious golden orbs that are your eyes would simply see right through us if we did.' And having said that, he gently raised her hand to his mouth and planted a kiss on the back of it, gazing deeply into her eyes as he did so. If that didn't get her blood running hot, nothing would.

@BCTheEntity@Gardevoiran

He actually kissed her hand. He actually kissed her hand! Her heart began to race. She found herself going very very very very hot. Oh my. Why was this happening to her? The sun was shining. The air was clear. She had a boyfriend and now all these fabulous people were coming up to her courting her. It was like a dream come true.

She felt, dizzy. Lightheaded. She lost her balance and began to collapse. Would someone catch her? Or was this another dream?

God dammit Ketsu. You stole the kiss on her hand. Dammit, that caused the situation to go a bit awr-OH SHIT SHE'S ACTUALLY FALLING OVER PhYSICALLY.

This is not kosher. Not at all.

With a quick dive (knocking the table she was sitting at out of the way a bit), Yuno swooped in and caught Mika, holding her neck and back carefully and gingerly, like the male role would hold the woman in a show like "Dancing with the Stars". To accompany this perfect moment, Yuno had to make a suitable pun that would really get the blood pumping in Mika.

"Ah, ah, ah. This flower is too beautiful to wilt just yet."

Nice.

Travis' pace was fairly quick as he practically surfed past oncoming pedestrians. He seemed to be able to just flow through people with relative ease. But his brief display of grace was halted when he heard Kristian's confession, his mind had a mixed reaction. On one had the poor kid had never had a home to call his own, but on the other hand that meant that no if Travis' house was a little cluttered then kristian wouldn't notice. "Wait you've not live in a house. Well I guess I'm going to have to show you why they are so great then." Travis said with an upbeat tone, maybe he'd be able to make this kids life a lot better.

They would be just around the corner from the apartment building. It was ordinary looking but hey Travis was a fairly ordinary himself so the building suited him just fine.

---

Whoops. Shit, maybe he'd gone too far with that. Was her... yep, her nose was bleeding. Bugger, that was going to cause problems in a bit... oh also, Yuno was holding her like a dancer, so that was something she had over him. Alright, he could resolve the nosebleed, and gain points for it.

'Mizuki-san, could I get some napkins, please?' he asked politely, taking the napkins from the napkin holding contraption anyway- he'd never learned whether those had their own name- and bringing them over to Mika, taking her out of Yuno's arms and lowering her gently to ground level, before dabbing just a bit at her bloody face...

...oh, that smelled great... like... sweeter than sugar, even... better not sniff too hard, just in case somebody noticed...

'Are you alright, Mika?' he asked, this time putting some amount of concern into his voice, and likewise doing what Mika had suggested he do earlier and not using full honorifics with her. Honestly, that was much easier on him anyway. And if he happened to get a dab of blood on his thumb as he helped clean her up, well, he could always lick it off to clean his thumb. Not that he'd enjoy it overmuch, her being human and all, but...

---

Kazu found herself turned around fast; she barely had time to blush at the hand brushed across her cheek before Alice had moved out of range. She didn’t even care that she had been totally shown up; she was too busy being amazed.

“That was awesome, oh my god!”

She felt uncomfortable under Natsuya’s gaze, like a bug under a magnifying glass. Despite this, she met it head-on, taking in his critiques. He was right; she wasn’t trained at all. If she hoped to go up against anyone who wasn’t a rough street punk like her, she would have to improve her technique (if she had any to begin with).

She had to think a little on his questions, “Name’s Kujo Kazu, and I’m from… around here, I guess. No one place in particular. And, uh,” she drew a blank. Why was Alice interested in her? She had obviously been in a fight, maybe that was it. She couldn’t say for sure, though.

She simply went with the easiest answer:

“Because I’m awesome.”

@knifeman@Old Amsterdam
Natsuya watched Kujo for a second. She better have a convincing answer for him, it show him the type of individual this street rat was. She was from nowhere. How had she survived? He bit his bottom lip when he heard the immaturity of her answer. How insulting. This was who Alice had brought to him? This is the person Alice was focused on.

Little girl needed a lesson. He was not nice about it, in fact he was quick for the apparent slowness people would assume he would react with his kagune. As four of his tails wrapped each of the girl’s limbs. With control over her limbs he dangled her a little over the edge of the roof.

“You only have one thing impressive going for you,” Natsuya paused, “The fact you have managed to survive this long, with a naive view.” he paused slowly edging her a little more over the edge “But naivety doesn’t convince anyone the value of their life though.” he squeezes his tails tightly around her limbs, “You are currently a waste of space. Convince me that you are not.”

It repulsed him that this girl had the audacity to boast about herself in front of Alice and himself. Alice toyed with this girl like she was worth anything and she had shown nothing. It irritated him. In the Oda family someone like Kujo would have been easily sacrificed to their brothers or sisters. How dare she think she’s worth something without proving it.

You don’t just get to say or declare something about yourself, without the actions or experience to back it up. He had never heard of a Kujo in his life or whatever alias she chose under her name.


@BCTheEntity@Gardevoiran

Coming around Mika felt gentle hands to her face. She looked at Ketsu and blushed a little. This was embarrassing. She never lost control like that. At least these folks didn’t seem like the type to try and publicize her fainting like that. She was in comforting arms, feeling a sense of embrace, she looked up to Yuno who appeared to her like a handsome prince.

“Ye...yes…” Mika replied, “I’m fine. Sorry for….for the worry.”

@TheRedWatcher@Knifeman

---

Alice nodded lightly along as Nat gave his view on the... Test run. He wasn't pulling any punches, which was part of why she was so fond of the pompous bastard. Kazu responded about how Alice had expected, lack of a home and lack of training with a lack of... Well, basic sense. Not that she could really fault the young woman for such, but...

Yeah, there he went. Alice giggled slightly at the rant, raising an eyebrow as he actually dangled Kazu over the ledge. Given a little more time and unsatisfactory responses, he'd end up fully hanging her over the building.

Alice stepped forward, her eye changing, and laid a hand gently on Nat's back.

"Enough." she said quietly. Her nails curled into his exposed skin at the base of his neck, drawing blood ever so slightly.

Just as suddenly she let go, licking the wound playfully as she pulled Kazu back onto the roof properly.

"You have much to learn. There's a martial arts studio across town. The Standing Crane or something. Take some classes, learn the basics. You'll be useless and dead before you turn thirty otherwise" Alice instructed Kazu. "You have potential in there. I like it. Feel free to visit the shop. Without being covered in blood next time, yes?"

She waved the young woman away, irregardless of if Nat had yet to retract his Kagune.

The girl was out of her thoughts now as she crossed her arms while fixing Nat a look.

"Bullshit like that is why the Oda family was eradicated. A little more and any random Dove or bystander would've known there was a Ghoul up here. I expect more from you. Better. I will not let you endanger everything for nothing. Over nothing. Now get suited up, we're leaving. You can put that temper, and body, to better use shortly."

With that Alice reentered the building, grabbing a rather large backpack and adorning her mask before appearing on the roof again.

"Exit through the back, Kazu. Door locks automatically." she said, her voice carrying an edge of excitement and... Was that anger? It was impossible to tell.

Dammit, Ketsu! The good opportunity of affectionate competition was swiped out of her reaches by Ketsu, who began cleaning up the princess with care and haste. Dammit, this wasn't supposed to happen!

Time to turn up the heat. It was getting especially hot in this building, anyway.

"Excuse me for one moment," Yuno said as she removed her jacket, revealing her tanktop and bare arms from underneath the jacket, a set of black straps under her tanktop. Resting the leather jacket on the back of her chair, Yuno sat back down at the table across from Mika, giving a small smile as she did so. "I apologize, Mika-san, but I was getting a bit warm in here. So, what brings the most alluring princess in all of the floral kingdom here?"