[IC] Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

[TheMinorFall]

For a long time, it was only whispers. Unsolved deaths, bodies that were never found near the base of Mount Fuji, places were people strangely disappeared. These things were accepted as mysterious normalcy for a long time..

.. But you can't keep anything secret for long. In America, a man was said to have been crazed by drugs. Bath salts was their claim, at least I think it was. He ate a person's face and was detained, never to be heard of again. The story of Hannibal the Cannibal in movies and books was a big hit. It was all here and there. Then, all at once, the secret broke out. Rumors of a group of people who are other people. At first, people called it a cult. Some didn't believe in their existence at all. You know how it gets. Social media is the world's parliament, but they couldn't ignore Tokyo.

They called these people "Ghouls".

I was ten years old when the largest known group of ghouls was exposed, as well as a worldwide organization that had been combating them for many years. The Aogiri Tree was what the ghoul coven called themselves. They were forever hunted by the Commision of Counter Ghoul. I know, sounds like a bad translation. It's Japanese. Literally translated, it reads "Ghoul Countermeasure Bureau". The ghouls called them "Doves". I'm not sure why. I guess it was easier for them to say.

The CCG infiltrated Aogiri headquarters and battled the legendary ghoul known as "Centipede" for the shape of his ghoul organ, his Kagune. See, ghouls have these... tails I guess you would call them. They all look different and come from different parts of their backs, but they are all deadly in their own way and every single one takes on a different form. Thus ghouls are given nicknames since they have made a point to always wear masks to hide their identities. See, most ghouls look just like anyone else. In the movies, a vampire or werewolf are easy to spot. Remember Twilight? She basically knew right away. It's not that easy. Your best friend could be a ghoul. Mine was....

.. Anyway, after that, ghoul covens started popping up in every country. Here in the states, we have the Hive, and they have proven the strongest group of ghouls the world has ever seen. They don't attack and raid like covens in Japan or Germany. They play the political game. Their anonymous leader, known as Queen, has been making movements in the government and social media. They attack if threatened, but mostly keep to themselves, but the American branch of the CCG is not so calm. Armed with the American military standard, they have raided many ghoul hideouts, but the Queen and her lieutenants have never been found.

Surprisingly, there aren't that many more deaths than usual. It's known that ghouls can survive about a month on one feeding, but people are still antsy. Me? Oh, I'm just telling the story. Look, a while back, the ghouls were overcome by something no one expected. Internal conflict. The tumors tell of a small group of people who showed up out of the blue and began to combat them, and the CCG alike. Hey said the fighting was "unbalancing natural order" and that they sought to fix it all. Yeah, see! I knew you'd want to hear about it. And I have all the details. Ready? 'Kay, listen....

Fire and Ice: The Ghoul Wars

@shylarah sorry, I couldn't wait xD

[shylarah]

The young man sat on one of the benches near the path to the dorms. An even younger woman sat beside him, though there was enough space between the pair that it was clear they were not a couple. The man had ruddy brown hair with a natural wave hanging in front of his even browner eyes, and his faintly tanned skin was sprinkled with freckles. He sat in a slouch, leaning his elbows on his thighs and letting his hands dangle between them.

"So you had the dream again," the young lady commented, watching him with pale grey eyes. Her face was neatly framed by light brown hair cut in an angled bob to just past her jaw. "Tell me how it goes again, Jareth?"

Jareth sighed and rubbed his face with one hand. There were circles under his eyes, and he looked like he'd rather be napping. "Right, well, it starts out innocuous enough. I'm walking to class, and there's people around and it's sunny. Then suddenly the sky grows clouded, and I get a bad feeling. I turn around and there's this...thing behind me. I don't even know what it looks like, just that it's bad news. So I start running." He paused, but the woman just waited patiently for him to continue. "I run toward the arts building, because that's closest, only suddenly there's nobody in sight. The doors are locked, and I can tell that thing is closing in, so I go to ESH, but the door there's locked too, so I turn around. The thing chases me lunges, or leaps, or whatever, and I lift my arms to protect myself as I turn away, expecting it to strike. Only instead, rocks burst up from the ground, and knock it away. The ground under my feet shakes. And then I wake up. Amuné, I've had this dream before, but never so often in such a short time. I can barely sleep. Do you have any idea what it means? Have you...y'know, seen anything?" Jareth dropped his voice for the last few words.

"I'm not sure," she replied, leaning back and tilting her face toward the sky. "I know is something's coming, but I can't get a clear idea of what." Amuné Ris had the gift of Sight, but it was just as often a curse. She saw things she didn't wish to, and couldn't always See what she wanted. Not to mention the times when her visions were just plain wrong. "I think...some kind of change. I've tried to get a better look but...." She spread her hands in a "what can you do?" gesture and sighed. "Sorry." She paused, and glanced at her friend. "Actually, you're not the only one who had an odd dream last night."

"Oh really?" Jareth sat a little straighter, interested in hearing the story. "What was it? Any idea why?"
"I don't know why. It was...strange. Very detailed, though I've lost most of them. I know they were there, but I can't remember them properly. There was...a city in the water, I think, and a space station. But there was also some calling me...and a man made entirely of flames." She shook her head. "I suppose everyone has a weird dream now and again, right? I'm just so used to Seeing things that...well, it's nice to have some images that aren't visions. I don't usually remember my dreams."

[TheMinorFall]

Tsitua took a deep, nostalgic breath. There was nothing quite like the air in this place. It was so sweet and clean, and reminded him of easier times. All the students scurrying about their daily tasks, completely oblivious of anything else, gave him both a sense of hope and of worry. What would they do if things got out of control. There was enough ambient energy that anything could happen. At least, for the time being, he was there.

He sauntered down a path of concrete to a bench. There were already people there, but there was enough room for one more. He sat on the opposite side of the girl to the boy. They were so young, it was almost comical to him.
She was pretty too, in a sort of reserved way, but there was something deeper. He hoped he was correct this time. The last three people he had spoken to didn't make the cut, and time was running out.

Tsitua was easy on the eyes, not just for women, by in general. He had heroic features and was muscled in figure, but his demeanor was soft and inviting. There were three scars on his face in a diagonal line, showing some kind of experience, and monochromia in his eyes. One was sapphire, and the other was hazel.

He was dressed appropriately, but it was uncomfortable. He liked his suit. He tried to adjust his graphic tank and tan joggers, but they simply didn't feel right. He gave up on them, smoothing his long, light brown hair back. And tying it loosely. The sides of his head were shaved. Apparently, the hairstyle that signified his position with his subordinates was a bit of a fad around the area.

Suddenly, as if it had just come to mind, which it had not, he looked to the girl and spoke, "What's a good place to eat around here?" He asked.

@shylarah

[shylarah]

Amuné started to answer, turning to look at the newcomer as she did. "There's a Subway near the corner of Main and..." Her words trailed off as her shock flickered across her face, but she quickly hid it. "Ah, I'm sorry. For a moment I thought you were someone else. It's near the corner of Main and University. There's a cafe on that street too. Or if you're looking for something a bit different, you could try Cypress. It's a nice place, serves Mediterranean, and isn't too pricey. That's over on Park." The young lady had recovered admirably, but her thoughts were whirling. She saw the man, and he was vaguely familiar, as if she'd run into him before. But what had her so off-balance was the second form she saw overlaying his, a figure wreathed in fire. The one from her dream -- had it been a vision after all?

"Man, Amuné, why you gotta send him halfway across campus when there's a perfectly good chicken place by the dining room?" Jareth asked, shaking his head. "Or what about Tossed? Not everyone wants to walk that far for a bite."

"Tossed tastes like their salad has been sitting for a week, and I've never trusted school food anyhow," she retorted, her amused expression intended for her friend even though she couldn't look away from the man that had just joined them. Somehow, she doubted he was there just for the food.

@TheMinorFall ((I love the shading on the hair))

[TheMinorFall]

Tsitua smiled warmly and chuckled at their companionship. "I have to admit, I don't know the area at all." He gave her a meaningful look. That was the only way it could be described. He could tell she knew something, even if neither of them had a clue what it was. With that look, it was like he was saying we are on the same page.

After the moment passed, he stood and stretched almost dramatically. "I suppose I'll figure it out though." He took out a single cigarrette from his pocket, and stuck it between his teeth with a smile still on his face. With his hand relaxed at he side, he snapped his fingers. A blue spark lit the end of the stoag and he took the first draw.

He let the smoke out, asking, "You guys hungry? I'll buy." He gave the girl another meaningful look, and awaited an answer. @shylarah

[shylarah]

@TheMinorFall

Amuné saw the look. There was something the man wasn't saying. He knew...what, exactly? Something, for sure. About her? About her power? One didn't just walk up to people and invite them to lunch. He'd used magic -- had made a point of it, in fact. Her focus shifted to the flames around him for a moment. Was he trying to say that he knew she could see the...person there? But as friendly as he seemed, the teen was still wary. She'd been targeted too many times to trust a sly new face with something to hide, powers or otherwise. Particularly if he'd been in a vision. She couldn't remember enough details to make a sound judgment.

The young man beside her caught very little of what passed between the other two. Lunch and new to town, that was the extent of what he picked up. But as he opened his mouth to reply, the girl nudged him discreetly, and he took a closer look at her posture. She was tense. He wasn't getting any bad vibes, but then he didn't have any actual magic, just a knack for picking up on things. Amuné was the one with the power, and if she was on edge and keeping her hand close to her knife, he'd be cautious. He stayed quiet for the moment, and shifted forward on the bench a bit.

"It's kind of you to offer." The Seer kept her tone cordial. "But I think if you want to talk to me, I'd rather do it here." Where there's other people around, and room to run if we need to.

[TheMinorFall]

Tense. Posture. Probable weapon. Small? Definitely hand size. She was a teenager, so likely not a small gun. She was clearly detached for the most part from society. It was a knife. The boy was clueless though. Definitely the weaker one... No, he was unsure. Full of self doubt. His position and demeanor made that clear, but he was defensive now. Was he a brother? He would have to be adopted, either in family or by choice. Either way he trusted her. Tsitua liked that. Leadership qualities were useful.

Amidst his half-second deductive session, Tsitua's entire body language changed. The show was over. He went from relaxed, to standing tall. His brow furrowed just slightly and his smile straightened to a hard line. He tongued his lip ring as he thought to himself. How was he going to win over a reclusive, defensive Seer? He mentally sighed. Now emitting his usual air of authority, Tsitua pinged his team. They all pinged back green lights, except one.

Tsitua expanded his sensory chakras. He felt it, and it was drawing near.

"Draw your knife if it makes you feel better." He said. As he spoke, the area seemed eerily clear of people, and footsteps of heavy boots were approaching from be hind him. He already knew this one. It's name was Raza, a shifter demon. Very tricky, but low in class. Child's play, "But your safety is my main concern."

Raza was right behind Tsitua, it looked like a normal, goth student with long, black hair and everything. As it stood there, it's naturally char-black skin began to show, as well as its hellish, yellow eyes. It shifted its hand into a blade-like bone formation and impaled Tsitua from behind. The man showed no sign of pain or distress. He simply said one word without breaking eye contact with the girl.

"Orion." He said.

There was a blur of speed. The demon was firmly in the grasp of a Rinkaku Kagune: red, tentacular appendages, almost crystalline, yet organic and liquid-like. Orion, the white-haired ghoul stood to the side of the demon, glaring at it and baring his teeth like an animal. Tsitua stepped forward, off the blade, then fell into a pile of ash. The real Tsitua, who looked identical to his ash clone, was standing behind the girl, he leaned forward, resting his hands on the backing of the bench on either side of the girl.

"So, Amuné. Want to get lunch, or watch a ghoul have his?"

Orion was salivating, but managed a quick glance at the Amuné. The demon tried to struggle, but Orion's attention returned. @shylarah

[shylarah]

The man's manner shifted. No longer a friendly equal -- this was someone who was used to being in charge. Something about him made her think military, or possibly law enforcement. At the very least martial arts; he gave off a sense of discipline that indicated some sort of training. The changed confused the young man beside her, and he fidgeted uncomfortably. Something seemed wrong to him, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

Amuné felt it too, but it wasn't just the one that had approached her. When his manner shifted, she'd tapped into her Sight and he wasn't alone. There were more -- and he was a decoy. She pulled out her knife even as the man said she might arm herself, her other hand hauling Jareth up and shoving him back so she could protect him. "Get away from us," she snapped.

The freckled man beside her moved without protest, but he cringed as the creature covered with charcoal scales impaled the guy that had just offered them lunch. "Holy crud, what the -- yipes!" Something swept by them, the wind of its passing blowing his hair into his face, and he brushed it out of his eyes. "Watch behind us, Jareth," his younger friend cautioned, and he gulped and started to turn, only to stop dead with a spluttered curse as the impaled man crumbled into ash. "Jareth!"

"R-right!" By all that was holy, he'd had no idea the darker world Amuné sometimes spoke of was quite this bad -- nor quite this close! He turned so he could watch the other direction, as the girl behind him squared herself to the /real/ man with blue flames inside. "If you have something to say, say it," she told him. Was he with the Ring? Or some other group that thought a Seer would be a valuable commodity? Those who had rescued her as a child had done everything they could, but the fear that it wasn't enough never entirely left. And people had come, but nothing particularly organized -- until now. "But you better make it fast. I don't like games."

@TheMinorFall

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarahOrion couldn't hold it in anymore, he bit into the demon's neck, swallowing the flesh whole before, darting away with his carcass.

Tsitua never wavered, gazing seriously into Amune's eyes. This was obviously not the first time someone had come for her, and probably wouldn't be the last.

"Fair enough. I'm interested to know why exactly Kabuto's sect is after you." He said simply. His face was insistent. Unamused, as if what had just happened was nothing more than an obstacle to be simply pushed aside. It was clear that he was uninterested in her concerns and demands. He was all business. "

"Demon killing is my business, and with the Kabuto Sect flocking to you like they are, I need to know why." He insisted. His primary objective was to find the source of the demonic gathering. Gathering Amuné as a possible recruit was secondary at best. Still, there was something about her he liked, not just her curse. He would allow her to decide or prove herself. "Quickly, before more of them show up and make a mess of your school."

[shylarah]

The sound of the ghoul biting into his victim drew Jareth's attention, and he swore again, taking a few steps away. Amuné didn't even glance at the grisly scene. "Kabuto...that's a new name." Her eyes narrowed and she gave the man a quick, scrutinizing look, starting at his feet and working her way up. "It would explain why I've had to deal with more than usual, the past few weeks." Her posture went from battle-ready to merely wary, and she put the knife away, though it was still in easy reach. Apparently she made some sort of decision, because she spoke over her shoulder to her friend. "C'mon, Jareth, he's buying us lunch." To the man, she said simply, "Follow me."

It was several minutes' walk, and the young woman lead them off campus and into the downtown area. "Where we're going, it's neutral ground," Amuné said, pausing by a florist's sandwiched between a post office and a small cell phone shop. Faint magic surrounded the place that spanned the second story of all three stores. "Pick a fight here, and you'll regret it." She flashed him a cold smile, and headed to the staircase that lead upwards. There was a faint tingle as they entered the magic's field of effect, and Jareth shivered, rubbing his arms. The Seer acted like it was nothing, opening the door and holding it for the two behind her.

They stepped into a restaurant with only a handful of other diners present. One part of the room seemed like it might be a dance floor, but at the moment it was set up more like a coffee shop, with small tables and even a few cushioned chairs. The main area had the sort of booths and tables one would expect of a restaurant, and a bar ran the length of the side wall. The host was a muscular man, with a mop of tightly-coiled ringlets that hung in front of his eyes and a bushy beard. "Don't usually see you at this hour on a Friday," he said, reaching for the menus. "Those two with you?"

"Yes, they are. Something came up, Curly, and I figured a meal off-campus would be nice."
"Right this way, then. ...You know about Mond'y, right?" The hirsute man turned to lead them to a booth.
"I do...Curly, meet Jareth. He's the one I keep mentioning. He knows -- and I trust him. It won't be an issue."
"Ah! It's a pleasure, man." He clapped Jareth on the back, making the considerably smaller man stumble. "Ah...Likewise, Curly." The poor boy was clearly out of his depth, but he slid into the booth before his friend, and opened the menu. Privately, he wondered what the heck he Amuné was getting them into, and why she'd never mentioned the place before. And...had that guy really taken a bite out of the goth with the scales? No...he must have been seeing things. Yeah, that was it.

Curly took drink orders -- water for Amuné, diet Coke for Jareth, as well as whatever Tsitua wanted -- and then left. The Seer, though still far more cheerful after greeting a friend, dropped her smile and turned her focus back to the stranger across from her. "So. A demon organization, and relatively new to town, or stepping up their activities. Targetting me, or so you claim." She wouldn't be surprised if he was correct, though she hoped otherwise. If word of her had somehow leaked to where serious organizations were finding it, she might be in real trouble. "And you're a demon hunter. But who are you working for? I know your type. I doubt you came in blind, and you certainly aren't working alone."

((@TheMinorFall that took longer than I intended. ^.^;; But there was the puzzle for today, and some Shadowrun complications. Also a politics debate I didn't want to have. X.x The Upstairs is now the local hangout for non-mundanes, and I'm amused that it sorta parallels Anteiku, though I'd had the idea for it and the Daily Grind -- probably a generic coffee shop in this iteration -- before I saw it. ^.^;; ))

[TheMinorFall]

Interesting, a neutral zone? Perhaps the humanoids had come farther than anticipated. He followed the girl and her friend with purpose. All the while being tailed by his team, who was out of sight and range of an average perceptive chakra user.

The tingle was interesting, he could feel his chakras being suppressed. Someone powerful had to have cast the ward. He accepted it, for the time being.

The comment about picking a fight.. It actually made him smile, as if he couldn't handle anything these humanoids could dish out. He was respectful, though. Nodding back to her. She was clearly at an age where she felt the need to be the one in control. He would allow that too. Experience taught him that an angry woman was always a bad day, especially a teenage one.

He gave the comical man his order, Jim Beam Maple, and listened to Amuné. "That is correct, and I work for you. I work for Curly. I work for every living being that advocates peace. Peace that is disturbed by an unusual interest that Kabuto has for you. I'll tell you who I report, when and if you cooperate. You see, demons like old Raza back there are just pawns. There will be more, and those will be more powerful. You might see them coming, but you aren't the only one with sight. And even you can't see everything clearly." With the last bit, a little concern managed to escape its way from his mind to his face.

Inside his mind was another story. Why don't we just make her go? Why give her a choice? She is young she is stubborn sheisarrogantshewillnotlistensheseesNOTHING

Mentally, Tsitua replied to the fire that was growing within his chakra heart, Silence Coodaudu, I will handle this.

The fire remained heightened, but Tsitua was totally common. Being angry and yet completely calm. Thus was the curse of being a shell for two souls.

@shylarah

[shylarah]

The girl's eyes widened at his final words, before narrowing again in suspicion, and her lips compressed into a thin line. So he did know. And he was being coy, saying he worked for everyone that wanted peace. But at least for the moment, that was a secondary concern. They were targeting her. They were organized. And they wouldn't give up easily.

Jareth tried to keep from looking shocked that the man knew her closely-guarded secret, but he wasn't very good at maintaining any sort of composure. He glanced at Amuné, but she'd closed her eyes, and her hands, clasped together and resting lightly on the table in front of her, had gone pale at the knuckles. "Let's back up a minute here," he said, trying to give her time to process whatever had upset her so. "I will admit I'm just a plain old human, but I'd think introductions are normal for everyone if they're trying to have a friendly conversation. So let's start over. I'm Jareth, and this is Amuné." He held out a hand with a grin that was only a little forced. His desire to put them in a more friendly atmosphere was sincere, at least.

The Seer was not paying attention to either of them at the moment. She didn't want to abandon the life she'd built here, her friends, her adopted parents. But she was old enough to live on her own, and she could hardly drag her family with her. They had lives and friends and jobs too. She'd stay in touch, and that would have to be enough. They had loose ties to some people in an organization that helped protect people from such things. If worse came to worse, they would seek aid there. Amuné felt like she'd been punched in the gut, but she'd known, always, it might come to this.

Still, best not to jump to conclusions. The possibility was there, yes, but no need to get wound up over something that might not be needed. Still, she couldn't entirely hide the shadows in her eyes when she opened them again. Regardless of whether the stranger introduced himself, her reply is the same. "Well. You know what I am, so I assume you know why groups like this Kabuto might wish to...acquire my services for themselves." She made a face that was somewhere between a wry smile and a grimace. "I can't exactly keep them from coming, though I do try to keep them from knowing there's something to come after." Amuné sighed, and gave the waitress a grateful smile when she turned up with her drinks. The woman appeared mostly human, but at the Upstairs there was no need to hide the longer teeth, or the pale, nearly white color of her skin. She took their orders and departed, and Amuné returned her attention to the matter at hand. "So demons are coming after me," she said. "And it's causing trouble. You must have something to say on the matter, since you approached me." She took a sip of her water and played with the straw, moving the ice around the glass. "So? I'll listen. Tell me, what do you think I should do?"

((@TheMinorFall and now I'm mostly yours for the remainder of my time tonight, however long I end up staying up. ^.^))

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarah

Tsitua furrowed his brow at the boy's gesture. There was something vaguely familiar about it, but he didn't understand it. He didn't react to it, other than his introduction. "Tsitukaiza Sealious." He replied quickly, seeing it as a waist of time, before returning his attention to the matter at hand. She looked worried. It was likely she was beginning to understand the weight of her situation. Good.

It seemed like a long time before she answered, though she didn't have the augmented mind that Tsitua and his team did. Her chakra pattern had shifted to something... different. Interesting. This entire encounter was one big intrigue. Tsitua made a note to spend more time with humans.

"So," he began, "it's clear to me that, being that you take such provisions, you have been targeted before. This is different. Demons can do terrible things to you. Break you down. Destroy you. Make you want to join them. You need protection. It's also clear that you aren't too keen on being... recruited, shall we say. That being said, I can't lie, you interest me."

He leaned back and relaxed, only to scowl at the nosferatu that waited on them. Filthy supercilious creatures he thought. He took his drink and knocked it back. "My treatment for this situation is simple. Allow one of my operatives to stay with you. Your routine shouldn't change much, and you'll find the person in question more... tolerable than myself. We'll be watching, and you will be safe. When Kabuto sends the real muscle, we can evacuate you and deal with the problem." He pitched.

The moment he finished his pitch, the entire room went cold. There was a shift in the ambient chakra, and an individual entered the room. Tsitua shifted his eyes to the man.

He was average height, dressed in a regal, Victorian gothic suit. His hair was cut exactly as Tsitua's, but jet black and much longer. It was slicked back and reached his lower back. He had a perpetual grin, flashing three gold-capped sets of fangs. His eyes were like gold coins with cat-slit pupils against his paper-white skin. There was an animalistic grumbling growl that seemed to come from everywhere. The man locked eyes with Tsitua and licked his fangs hungrily. It was Earth's Blood Warrior: Ziika Te Sha.

He sat at one of the tables after breaking eye contact with Tsitua. This was either very good, or even worse than the hybrid had anticipated. Those fangs were capped as such so that he could bite into Celestials. It wouldn't be surprising if they were laced with silver too, for demons.

Orion, one of your brothers is here. Tsitua said over his thought channel.

Yes, I can smell him... Ziik. was the ghoul's reply.

Orion was fast too. He walked in not a second later, surprisingly clean. He popped one finger under his thumb as he glared at his brother.

Assured he had cover, Tsitua looked back at Amuné for a reply.

[shylarah]

The girl was unable to stop the shudder than ran through her at Tsitukaiza's mention of what demons could do. She'd had her own brush with forcible persuasion as a child, though of a more mundane nature. It was used more on those valued for their potential, instead of the information they could access, but in the end it didn't matter. Amuné had no desire for a more complete experience. "Not so different as you might think," she murmered, too softly to interrupt the man.

Jareth shifted next to her, and put a hand over hers. She'd never gone into much detail about her life before she'd moved in down the street from him, but he knew that she'd been through something traumatic. She unlaced her fingers and gave her friend's hand a squeeze, grateful for a familiar presence at her side. It seemed the stranger had a similar thought to her own considered solution. Running -- but not until the heavy hitters showed up? No, unacceptable. "As you pointed out, I'm not the only one here," the young lady began, but she trailed off as a shift in magic swept through the room. Her gaze darted over to the newcomer, though she didn't turn her head. Beside her, even Jareth seemed to notice the change in atmosphere.

"...If the one with white hair is your man, tell him not to attack. This is neutral ground -- if he tries to fight here, he will have half the town's inhumans after him before evening. If someone starts something, he may defend, but he should not go on the offensive. And if he can, let staff handle it." The Seer kept her voice quiet, and she might have been discussing her afternoon plans, given her casual tone. She wouldn't have been nearly so composed if she believed second newcomer was there as a threat to her, but the timing and the look Tsitukaiza had exchanged with the gold-fanged man made her think otherwise.

Amuné turned her attention back to the discussion. "When you say evacuated," she said slowly, pulling her hands free to once again reach for her water. "For how long would this be? Where to?"

@TheMinorFall

[TheMinorFall]

Tsitua scoffed, "Don't worry, he's much more tame when he's fed." The hybrid cracked a small smile, reminiscent of old times. It quickly faded as he got back to business.

"You would only need to be with us until we're sure the threat has passed... That is, unless you decide to stay. We have a safe, secluded space that you can stay in. I would have you treated as a guest, and accommodated as such." Tsitua shifted in his seat, ready to throw down his secret bargaining weapon, "And you might even get to meet our own Seer, the one that led us to you." Tsitua said, as if it were of no significance at all. He set his glass on the side of the table, looking around as he wondered where the nosferatu had gone. How could they be as fast as they were and provide bad service.

His gaze fell on Ziika, who's eyes were locked on Amuné. "Curious, isn't it?" The demon said, "such power bestowed to such an unworthy vessel." That growl seemed to background his words as if he was speaking another language of lion-like growls, and some one had dubbed him. He stood, unwaveringly staring at the girl, and began to saunter over to them. "She works so hard to hide it, but who could miss such distinctive energy?" Through his eyes, he could see the chakra imprint on her forehead. The telltale sign of a perception chakra user. Tsitua couldn't see those things, only Angels and Demons could. Thankfully, it was Coodaudu who had confirmed it.

Suddenly, Ziika was breaths away from Amune's nose.

"Do.Not.Move." Tsitua commanded Amuné, his voice laden with concern and authority at the same time.

"I can see why they want you.." Ziika said, taking a wiff of her hair and flashing that smile again. The razor-sharp caps on his fangs glinted in the artificial light.

"Lord Ziika, if you have information I need, you are bound by the Nine to tell me." Tsitua informed him, as if reminding a child to do his chores.

"Even more intriguing, that you sit with Coodaudu. A demon, protecting you from demons?" He let out what could only be his version of a chuckle. "Comical, but I suppose he's not all demon." He returned to his regal, upright stance and straightened his tie. A waiter handed him a wine glass, half full of a thick, red substance. He sipped it neatly before continuing. "Believe me, child, if there's a side to be on when this gets ugly, it's Coodaudu's. He said, pointing at Tsitua.

The Blood Warrior, leaned toward the girl and kissed her affectionately on top of her head as if she were his own child. With that he returned to his table, and Tsitua let out the Brest he had been holding. Suddenly, he wanted to get out. He could tell Orion did too. The look he was giving Tsitua was very uncomfortable. The ghoul popped his middle finger loudly. He may have even broken the finger. It would heal, but that was his mannerism for 'let's get the hell out of here'. @shylarah

[shylarah]

At "secluded", the young woman snorted. As if she wanted to be kept shut away from the world. As a child, she'd have trouble with crowds, but even then she'd preferred to be in a city instead of somewhere remote. It was easier now that she knew how to control her visions, and though the presence of others was still a faint pressure in her mind it no longer bothered her as it once had. Her eyes widened at the mention of another Seer, brows lifting in interest.

They were interrupted by the golden fanged man, who now approached their booth. The teen dropped one hand below the level of the table, to wrap around the hilt of her knife, but even if it cost her life she would not make the first move. Amuné would not violate the pact of the Upstairs. When the demon got up in her face, she couldn't help pulling back in surprise, but her demeanor remained calm. Jareth, on the other hand, tried to throw himself backwards. If he'd been in a chair he would have toppled over, but as it was, he merely shoved the table and slammed himself into the wall.

Amuné met Ziika's golden eyes without backing down. His words made her angry. It wasn't like she'd asked for her power, after all. When he kissed her head, her jaw clenched, but she remained motionless save for turning her head to wach him walk off. Several additional Upstairs staff had appeared nearby, in uniform but ready in case of trouble. They found assorted tasks to do in the main area, now that the demon had returned to his seat, and moments later the vampire turned up with lunch. "Well, you do attract interesting people, don't you, Amuné," she said, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "Don't worry, though. Zoe's on duty right now, and she'll be keeping an eye on him." She gave the young Seer a fanged smile and a wink. "Enjoy your meal, folks, and let me know if you need anything else."

The young lady had managed to relax by the time the waitress departed, but Jareth was still recovering from the scare. "What the heck was that?!" He asked, the first word coming out too loud before he quickly dropped his voice.

"I'm not sure," she admitted, fixing her gray eyes on Tsitua once more. "But you two seem to know each other. That's certainly interesting." Amuné picked up her fork and started on her salad, considering her reply to Tsitua's proposal. "You know others have had interest in me in the past. You claim you want to help, but tell me, why should I trust you?"

@TheMinorFall

[TheMinorFall]

The stinking nosferatu set plates down in front of them. He hadn't ordered much more than appetizers. He took a bite out of an egg roll, chewed, and swallowed it before noticing his empty glass still sitting on the end of the table.

"Chül Máktö, Nösferatu." He said loud enough for vampiric ears. He wasn't even sure the young vampire knew how to speak the ancient Vampiric language, but surely she wasn't so deluded that she wouldn't recognize its existence.

Returning to the conversation, he looked to Amuné, unamused, "My intention was to let you decide that." He said simply. He knew there was nothing he could say that would make her trust him. This was some kind of test from a teenage girl. A game he was not interested in playing. He was growing increasingly impatient, although he didn't outwardly express it. He popped the remainder of the egg roll into his mouth and chewed, waiting with even less patience for the nosferatu to replenish his drink.
@shylarah

[shylarah]

The waitress arched an eyebrow at him, but didn't visibly react. She merely asked him if he'd like a refill on his drink, or perhaps something else.

"Haa..." The Seer let out a long breath, the corners of her mouth turning upwards. "So you won't try to convince me." She was actually pleased by that development. It was possible he intended ill, but his words and actions were consistently indicative of sincerity. If he'd been too insistent, she would have doubted him far more.

Jareth watched the other two as his friend fell silent to think, looking back and forth between them. He'd known the girl beside him since grade school, but sometimes it felt like they were a world apart and this was one of those times. "Who was that?" the young man ventured into the lengthening silence. "He mentioned another name...Coodaudu? Is that you?"

Amuné's focus came back to Tsitua. It was a good question, though she'd known enough to recognize who was being talked about. Still, she waited to see if the man would elaborate before giving her own reply. "If the danger is as severe as you believe...I have no intention of waiting to leave. I can be ready to go by nightfall. I won't endanger the people here, not in this sort of circumstances." But the question was, did she trust him enough to voluntarily put herself at his mercy? She too had somewhere remote to hide, or she could simply vanish, though that would mean she couldn't return. "From what you've said, this organization is sizable. 'Until the threat has passed' might be years, or even permanently." She paused again as Cera came by with Tsitua's fresh drink, and when she asked how they were doing Amuné answered with a distracted smile. It fell to Jareth to give a more substantial reply. With the waitress once again moving off, the young lady sighed. "I am simply not sure I should rely on you and your people to protect me." She gave him half a smile. She didn't mean anything unkind by the statement, but experience had made her wary.

((@TheMinorFall Cera's delay in asking about the drink is my fault; I didn't realize it was empty. Amuné is probably going to request to delay making her final decision of where she goes until she's actually leaving. She's probably going to trust her instincts and go with him.))

[TheMinorFall]

@shylarahTsitua glared at the nosferatu the entire time she was nearby, shifting his gaze back to Amuné once they were alone. "Coodaudu is a part of me." He said, "But I'm not sure I can trust you with that information just yet, so that's all you get for now."

When Amuné mentioned not being sure if he and his team could protect her. Tsitua then experienced something he didn't often experience. He was dumbfounded. A moment later, Orion bursted into laughter. A glare from his leader shut him up quickly, but Tsitua could only hope that Amuné wasn't offended. He took a sip from his glass, intent on making it last since the waitress was incompetent, and sighed. "Excuse him, he had no manner about him. You will be free to size us up when you meet the rest of us."

He took a moment to gather his thoughts. Seriousness painted his face for his next statement. "Days, months, years, it doesn't matter. If Kabuto gets his hands on someone... like you, it may spell the end for everyone you ever have, and ever will care about." He stole a glance at the boy with her, remembering his own loss as his seriousness became tinged with pain. He lowered his voice for emphasis. "Don't make the wrong choice here, you'll regret it."

[shylarah]

"Oh, I know." She ignored the ghoul's laughter and kept her gaze on Tsitua, noting the way he glanced at her friend, and the change in his expression. "Believe me, I know." A shadow in Amuné's eyes echoed the one in the eyes of the man across from her. Perhaps it wasn't quite the same, but she knew the pain of loss and how it felt to think it was your own fault. It was enough. She dropped her eyes and focused on getting a grape tomato with her fork. "That's...why I can't just throw my lot in with someone who just turned up, with no clear motive and no clear proof." The young woman glanced at him through her eyelashes before returning her attention to the stubborn vegetable. "I'll be leaving here, at least, to somewhere better. And I'll make a decision as to where by tonight. But I can't just make that choice without really thinking it through, not when I have the luxury of doing so." Tomato captured, she looked back up. "I hope you understand," she finished quietly. She paused long enough to eat that bite before speaking again. "I don't expect you'll be letting me slip away on my own, so you and your friends are welcome to come, even if I choose my retreat, and not yours. That much I can agree on." Her smile was resigned.

Jareth poked at his fries, his brow knit and his expression troubled. He was having a little trouble taking in all the new things -- he was quite certain the waitress had fangs, and that she wasn't remotely human. He couldn't remember not knowing Amuné was a Seer. Ever since she'd moved in, she was the girl down the street with the sad eyes and the shy smile, and the magic that made her special. The first two had gone away as she'd grown older. Someone who hadn't watched the change might not recognize her at first, but she was the same girl that had watched him from her window and hidden when he caught her looking. And he wanted her to be alright, but what could he do?

((@TheMinorFall Think I figured out a reason for him to come with. ^.^))