|
|
Post by Mini on Mar 3, 2019 16:10:19 GMT -6
--1/28 6:10 PM--
Body of a 20 year old woman found near Kanojo River, close to Sakurajima Village. Her stomach had been sliced open. Victim died of blood loss. No sign of a struggle or any other injuries detected. The only other item found was a water jug next to her body. Victim had just moved to the village several weeks ago. No known family. No witnesses.
So why was she killed?
--1/29 2:30 PM--
Body of a 40 year old man found on the steps of the temple in Sakurajima Village. He had been stabbed clean through his throat, slicing through his windpipe and neckbone. Victim appears to have died instantly. Victim lived in Sakurajima for the past ten years. Had no known family, but was well-liked and a member of the city council. No sign of a struggle. No witnesses.
Was this just a random killing?
--1/31 7:03 AM--
Body of a 32 year old man found on the outskirts of Sakurajima Village. He had been stabbed in the chest right through the heart. Victim died of blood loss. No sign of a struggle detected. Victim's money bag and sake jug were still on his person. Victim lived in Sakurajima his whole life, but was not married nor did he have any children. No witnesses.
Whoever killed him left the gold and alcohol, so this wasn't a robbery. Why was he killed?
--2/2 3:47 PM--
Body of a 57 year old peddler found on the path leading of Mori Woods, just east of Komakai Village. His neck had been slit. Victim died of blood loss. No sign of a struggle detected. His pack contained an inventory list. Everything on list was accounted for. Nothing missing. Victim did not have a known home, but simply roamed the countryside, selling various things for a living. Was a well-known and well-liked man by many. No witnesses.
Another one. This wasn't a robbery or botched theft attempt, either. Why was this man killed?
--2/3 9:36 PM--
Body of 23 year old woman found behind chicken coop in Komakai Village. Victim was found with multiple slices to her arms. Her neck had been slashed open. Died of blood loss. Definite sign of a struggle detected. It would appear that she was first attacked behind the storage shed. Followed a blood trail to the chicken coop, which is where her body was found. Victim recently became a widow. Her husband was a soldier who had been killed several months ago in battle. Nothing appears to have been taken from her home or her person. Nothing in the storage shed was reported missing. No witnesses.
And another one. Why did this happen? Why was she attacked? Why was she killed?
--2/5 12:15 PM--
Body of a 28 year old woman found behind the inn in Sakurajima Village this morning. She had been stabbed in her lower torso and abdomen area. The blow looks to have been quick and struck something vital. No signs of a struggle or fight detected. Victim died of blood loss. Victim worked as a maid in the inn. Her tips and hotel keys were still on her person. Nobody suspicious reported staying at the inn. No witnesses.
Another random killing. Something bigger is at work here.
--2/6 4:45 PM--
Body of a 19 year old male discovered on the road halfway between Komakai and Sakurajima by a group of travelers. The boy was wearing light armor of some sort. He had been stabbed in the back and then sliced clean in two. There was some sign of a struggle, but nothing that would give any hint to who or what attacked the boy. The boy's belongings were found on his person. Nobody in either village can identify the boy. A man who had passed through a little after high noon reported seeing nothing out of the ordinary. Another man reported passing by a traveler wearing a hooded cloak heading towards Komakai in the afternoon, but that was the only description available. No witnesses to the actual attack.
Could this all be the work of the same person? Or maybe... it's not the work of a person at all.
Devoe sat in the tavern, pouring over the papers he had in front of him. Long, bushy brown bangs cast dark shadows over his dark brown eyes. His hands were clasped tightly together, resting just below his chin. His yellow bushy hat, which he seldom ever took off, was pushed down low on his head. In the time span of almost two weeks, there had been six-- no, last night's made seven-- completely random and out of the blue killings occur in the villages of Sakurajima and Komakai. There was nothing of interest in either one of the villages, in Devoe's opinion. Komakai was a quiet farming village. There was a small shrine by the woods, but other than that, it was just small huts and farmland all the way down to the river. Sakurajima was a bit bigger - they had an inn and a small temple. Mori Woods ran halfway between the two, and there was a forest path that ran through the entirety of the woods, but few people traveled it for fear of demons and wild animals. The main road took longer but was safer.
Yet there have been killings in both locations now...
Sakurajima was where the young man was presently located. He had originally come here several weeks ago on his way to other business, but... well, things had changed. Devoe was once a part of a small organization known simply as "Clan Chaos." He and his comrades had taken on all sorts of work (not all of it was nice and clean, but work was work), but there had been a terrible incident several weeks ago. The whole clan had been lured into a deadly trap.
The group had been hired to steal some sort of scroll and a mysterious gemstone from two separate locations, then bring both to a third location to receive their payment. The pay was just too great to pass up, and they had also heard that the man they had stolen the gem from was getting ready to wage war on a nearby land. They felt that their theft was for a noble cause, as the money the man would have gotten from selling the gem on the black market would likely hire a lot of mercenaries and soldiers. The deeds done, they received the third location from a messenger. One of them was to arrive alone with both the scroll and the gemstone.
Labinya, a mysterious and quiet female assassin who served as the clan's second in command, volunteered to take their spoils to the meeting place, but the rest of the clan followed stealthily behind, just in case. The man she was supposed to meet melted into the shadows. Labinya was attached by a hoard of demonic looking creatures. Javet, their leader, had gone racing in to try and save her. There was a horrible noise, a shout of strange sounding words, then a giant explosion. By the time that Devoe and Shirudo, his paladin companion, had gotten there, the only thing left was a giant crater. There was no sign of Javet or Labinya. There was also no sign of the demons or the man who had tricked them.
It had been a long walk back to the hut they had left Tomoshibi, their healer, waiting in. When she heard the news, she cried for a good hour. The three of them had no idea what to do. Devoe wanted to hunt down the man who had tricked them and likely killed their friends, but Tomo begged him not to. She should never had gotten involved in Clan Chaos... she was simply too soft and kind-hearted. Shirudo and Devoe had a long talk after she had fallen asleep, and it was decided that Shirudo would stay with Tomo to keep her safe. They both agreed that it was very possible something was after the rest of them, for Clan Chaos had made quite a few enemies over the years. Devoe would set out on his own to try and unearth any clues as to what was so important about that scroll and gemstone, and more importantly, to try and find out what had happened to his friends.
Devoe had come to Sakurajima originally to follow a lead he had heard on the gemstone. That's when the first killing had happened. The following day, there was another one. And then another, and another, and another... it was crazy. Devoe might be a lot of things, but he certainly wasn't one to up and leave in the middle of what looked like a string of serial killings going on right beneath his nose. He had started to compile notes on everything that happened. Reconnaissance had never been his strong suite (Tomo and Labinya were much better at it than he was), but there was little else to do at this point. Besides, he couldn't help but feel like maybe, just maybe, these killings were connected to what he was looking for.
"I just don't get it," he muttered to himself, running through his papers for the sixty-seventh time that night. "There has to be some kind of common denominator here. It's not gender - both males and females have been killed. It's not age, either. It seems like the young and the old are both at risk. Mmm, but no children... that's a relief, at least. Come on, Devoe. Think! What do all of these things have in common?" He stared down at everything he had written and frowned. "No witnesses... it seems like almost all of them were caught by surprise. Front and back attacks were both used... but each person was... killed by a sword. A sword... no, not just any sword. Had to be a katana. So whoever this was... if it is just one person... uses a katana. Had to be someone who is fast and agile, too. They haven't left a single shred of evidence, either. No discernible footprints or anything. Argh, this just doesn't make any sense," he groaned, resting his head against the table.
Without much warning, the door came crashing open. It was a cold, blustery night out, and it had started to snow. Two men in cloaks came walking in. Devoe tried to ignore them, but they were talking too loud for him to ignore.
"... and that's the sixth one, I've heard. I'm thinking about leaving town, myself."
"You and everyone else. Did I tell you that I was the inn the day they found poor Mai?"
"No! Oh, Hojo, no! Did you see anything?"
"Well..."
Devoe's ears perked up. The men had sat down right across from him and had lowered their voices considerably.
"Keep this between the two of us. I don't know if it means much, but I did see something... strange."
"What did you see?"
"Earlier that day, I had been out walking. I had an errand to run at the temple. On my way back into town, as I was passing by the inn, I saw somebody standing on the other side of the road in the shadows of a tall building. They were just standing there, staring across the street. It was just for half a second. I'm not even sure that I really saw what I saw."
"Just tell me, Hojo!"
The other man took a deep breath. "I saw a girl. A young girl, from the looks of her. She was wearing a cloak, but her hood had been blown off by the wind. Yukiteru, I swear to you, this girl had pink hair! Pink!"
"What??"
"Yes!"
"Pink... Oh! So then you think you saw some sorta demon?! Only demons have hair in such strange colors!"
"I don't know. But I do know this - she had pink hair. And... she had a sword."
"What?!" Devoe roared, startling both the men so much that Hojo nearly fell out of his chair. "Did you just say you saw some sort of pink haired demon girl with a sword close to where one of those people was murdered, and you didn't think to tell anybody about this?!"
"What-- now hold on a minute, son, I just--"
"No, YOU hold on! Why wouldn't you tell somebody this, you idiot?!" Devoe yelled loudly, ignoring the fact that others in the tavern were staring at the group of them. "Tell me, what kind of sword was it?!"
"Wha-- I-I don't know! I didn't get a good look at it! But... But, wait, wait, let me think. It was a small sheath. Long and skinny. Maybe some kinda katana?" Hojo replied, staring up at Devoe. "But I don't see what that's got to do with anything. I mean, I only caught a glimpse of her. Doesn't mean anything!"
Devoe gritted his teeth together and bit back a rather flippant remark he was about to say. "It means everything. All of the killings so far? In every single one of them, the victim has been killed by a katana. You said you saw this girl standing looking at the inn? What else do you remember about her? What color cloak was she wearing? What did she look like? Is there anything else you can tell me about her? Or anyone else, for that matter?" Devoe asked loudly, turning to address everyone in the tavern. "This is your home, people! Don't you want to get to the bottom of this?! Is there anyone else here, anyone at all, who might be able to tell me anything the least bit helpful?!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Cydonia921 on Mar 3, 2019 18:12:30 GMT -6
The ruckus that exploded within the inn had been something that caught everyone’s ears. People began to lean in, mostly out of morbid curiosity for any description of this killer running around. After all, it was human nature to pay attention to any scrap of information when lives were at stake.
At least, to the rest of them.
Seated at one of the tables, the cup of tea sitting in front of them, this individual sipped it carefully. Their eyes kept a careful gaze towards the men who had entered into the inn. Their lips kept flapping with more information with each passing moment, some of which had struck them as curious.
Pink hair. A katana.
At least that’s what they said. They set the cup down onto the plate, withdrawing their hands as they folded them inside of the long, billowing sleeves. Closing their eyes, they couldn’t help but feel their thoughts drifting steadily.
A katana… It wasn’t hers, that’s for certain. Or at the very least, she hoped that it wasn’t another one of Namiko’s subjects running around completely rogue. No regard for human life… Bah, who was she to judge? Tucking her hair back behind her ears, making certain that it had been tied back by that sleeve she had taken, no one would, or at the very least should, make the connection between her and some incidents across the regions. She had to kill a priestess for this outfit, and scrub out the blood, alongside a proper burial. At least she had her sanity with her-
“Kozakura, I sense you’re uneasy.”
Shifting uncomfortably in her chair, the voice rang through her mind. She knew that only she could hear it, but it still unnerved her from time to time. When she thought she was alone, Namiko would pipe up, if only to catch her off guard. Huffing to herself, she kept quiet, but allowed her… companion to speak up.
“Ah, this is about that killer, isn’t it? You do realize I only bind myself to one human at a time, correct?” - Kozakura could almost see that Kitsune’s face right now with that smug expression on their face - “Therefore, I did not give away a free weapon. Besides, you really think I would be dumb enough to have two? I did before, and they ended up murdering each other because I got bored.” A cackle escaped the voice as it echoed in her mind, and it seemingly disappeared.
Her right hand quietly scratched her left arm, the terrible sensation coursing through it.
When Devoe had raised their voice, Kozakura opened her dark-brown eyes of hers, staring at him from the back of the room. Scooting out of her chair, composing herself with an expressionless face, she slipped her sandals back on as her hand adjusted the katana she had on her strap. Once she had made sure to clear her mind, taking in a deep breath, Kozakura steadily walked towards the man. Sword clattering against her side, hair flowing back, arm burning, a strange symphony of feelings flowed through her. Like it was any different on any other day.
“Someone with pink-hair and a sword, running around killing people. Young girl, possibly bonded with a demon.”
Kozakura flashed her eyes in the direction of Hojo, her lips curled into a frown. “Is this information correct? If it is, then state so.”
“Ah, always so blunt. You never did have a sound way with words, Kozakura.”
|
|
|
|
Post by Nitari Windrider on Mar 3, 2019 19:05:25 GMT -6
Satoshi Nakamura had come to Sakuraijima on his way elsewhere. As what one might call an itinerant businessman, he found himself traveling rather frequently in search of the next thing that would put food in his belly for a while. Sakuraijima and its neighboring village Komakai were so quiet and peaceful that someone like him could only possibly have come on his way somewhere. It also so happened, it was time for him to finish traveling for the day. As such, here he was, in a small tavern in a small village where small people were taking a brief respite from their small lives. It was almost too boring, but Satoshi didn't mind. Life was a funny thing, particularly when you couldn't see. He'd been born with his sight, so at least he'd had a relatively normal youth, but not so very long ago his sight had dimmed until it had vanished entirely. These days he made his way around using only old training and a trusty staff which now leaned just out of the way next to him. He was enjoying a quiet drink by himself when the usual subtle din of the tavern was interrupted by a man's raised voice.
"What?!" he roared suddenly, apparently having heard something that displeased him, "Did you just say you saw some sort of pink haired demon girl with a sword close to where one of those people was murdered, and you didn't think to tell anybody about this?!"
The reply wasn't quite understandable from where Satoshi was sitting.
"No, YOU hold on! Why wouldn't you tell somebody this, you idiot?!" the man yelled loudly, ignoring the fact that others in the tavern were most likely staring at the group of them. "Tell me, what kind of sword was it?!"
This time the reply was clear enough to understand, but only because Satoshi had very good hearing.
"Wha-- I-I don't know! I didn't get a good look at it! But... But, wait, wait, let me think. It was a small sheath. Long and skinny. Maybe some kinda katana? But I don't see what that's got to do with anything. I mean, I only caught a glimpse of her. Doesn't mean anything!"
"It means everything," the first man replied finally, "All of the killings so far? In every single one of them, the victim has been killed by a katana. You said you saw this girl standing looking at the inn? What else do you remember about her? What color cloak was she wearing? What did she look like? Is there anything else you can tell me about her? Or anyone else, for that matter?"
The man raised his voice further for his next statement, addressing the tavern as a whole.
"This is your home, people! Don't you want to get to the bottom of this?! Is there anyone else here, anyone at all, who might be able to tell me anything the least bit helpful?!"
The snatch of conversation was enough to jog Satoshi's memory. He'd heard that there had been a rash of killings in the area, but had dismissed it out of hand. It had nothing to do with him, save to reinforce the idea that there was most likely nothing for him here except for a rest from his travels. He was beginning to revise that opinion, however, in light of this new information. Apparently all the killings had been done the same way and in a manner that puzzled even a mind like that of the loud man, apparently some kind of investigator. He smiled, feeling suddenly like spending a little time around these quiet villages. His last enterprise had been a little more lucrative than usual, and he could spare some coins for a delay if pressed.
Another person had stood up and walked over toward the noisy bunch as Satoshi mused. This one wore a sword. Interesting. They'd commented on the information laid out so far, asking if they'd heard correctly. They'd also raised the possibility that the person wasn't themselves a demon but could be bonded with one. More interesting still. Also they were impatient, but in fairness the people to which that one spoke were being really quite noisy. It's a wonder anyone responded at all, really. In Satoshi's experience small town folk tended not to respond to loud declarations of any kind unless those declarations were extremely offensive.
"Might as well say it loudly, seeing as you've decided to involve us all in your conversation anyway."
He was being antagonistic, of course, but he didn't much feel like standing up and trying to navigate the inn and the conversation simultaneously. Moving about required a degree of focus that would distract him from the subject at hand and that simply wouldn't do.
|
|
|
|
Post by yooom on Mar 3, 2019 20:58:32 GMT -6
The rain was almost blindingly intense. Even underneath a thick cloak, Hikaru Narita was soaked. He kept his gaze low, trying to keep the rain out of his green eyes, and stared down at the pebbled, winding streets of Sakurajima, his own black shoes, and the white fan clutched in his left hand. He moved it slightly, trying to cover it a little under the cloak, but, the moment he tried, a voice echoed in his head.
Hikaru, I keep telling you, I can’t breath if you stuff me into your cloak.
Hikaru scowled down at the fan, but kept it out. “I look ridiculous, in the pouring rain with a fan.”
Be that as it may, I’d rather not be smothered to death.
Hikaru sighed, but said nothing. The fan continued speaking, inside his mind.
And be a bit more careful, I’m getting wet here!
“Another word out of you and I’ll use you as an umbrella,” Hikaru snapped, perhaps a bit too loudly. He heard a startled gasp, and looked up, to see a rather affronted looking woman who stared at him for another moment. He gave her a small, apologetic smile, and she nodded, turning from him to run up a narrow street. Hikaru watched her go, and, when he was quite sure she was out of earshot, began to speak again, in a quieter mumble. “We just need to find a place we can stay the night, an inn, or the home of some generous local...” Hikaru sighed, looking up and down the street, squinting in the downpour. “At this point, I’d be satisfied with a tree with dense enough branches to keep the rain from- there!” At last, he spotted this town’s tavern. He sprinted over to the door, sighing in relief as he passed under its protruding roof, at last sheltered from the elements. Excited to finally get some place warm, he grabbed the doorknob with his left hand, inadvertently pressing the fan tightly against the faded metal of the knob.
Owww! Watch it Hikaru!
“Shut up already!” Hikaru said, this time definitely too loudly. He looked up, at the crowded tavern, and was pleasantly surprised to see that there was already something of a commotion ongoing. Hopefully his words had gone unnoticed. Two men sat by a table covered by long sheets of paper, gazing out at the rest of the tavern. From a table near Hikaru, a woman was staring over at them, a sinister looking katana sheathed at her side. Further off, another man spoke, in a very hostile tone.
"Might as well say it loudly, seeing as you've decided to involve us all in your conversation anyway."
Looks like a fight’s about to break out, best keep a low profile.
Hikaru tried to keep his scowl from showing as he turned quickly, taking a seat at a table behind the woman with the katana, close to a corner of the room. He kept his back to the wall, watching the man who had shouted from the corner of his eyes, hoping not to be called out for staring expectantly at him. Hikaru gently shrugged the cloak off, leaning forward, setting his elbows on the table. As the hood of the cloak fell away, the burst of curly, black hair sprang up dripping with rain. Beneath the soggy brown robe he was dressed in a rather loose fitting green robe. He gently opened the fan, and turned it over in his hands looking carefully at it. He scoffed, peering down at a drop of water on it, and set it down, still open, onto the table.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mini on Mar 3, 2019 21:53:44 GMT -6
His outburst had drawn the attention of just about everybody in the tavern, as he had been secretly hoping that it would. All around him, people were now casting shifty glances across the room and leaning over to whisper to their comrades. But what was it that everyone was now thinking and talking about?
The murders.
Some of the talk had started when the two older men had come in from the blustering rain outside, loudly talking about speculating about what they had or hadn't seen, but that alone hadn't been enough. If one of these old men had maybe seen something, then surely someone else had, too. The tavern was crowded, though. It was just too many people for just one man to handle. This was a situation when he sorely missed his clanmates - it was far easier to sweep a room and sort through the ruffians, thugs, peasants, maids, ladies of the night, and whatever other mishmash of humanity wound up in a tavern with a small team of friendly faces, more than happy to buy someone a drink and listen to their troubles.
What else worked well to draw out those who might be useful? A loud, boisterous display of emotion. People couldn't help but stick their nebby noses into other people's business, especially when it had nothing to do with them. Loud outbursts in populated taverns could be anything: a lover's spat, a disagreement between businessmen, a firm opinion about the way food was prepared, an insult to one's family honor. Whatever it was quickly became the fuel for the following day's gossip, especially in small villages like this.
The average Joseki wouldn't want to be bothered getting involved in what might wind up turning into any sort of really loud scene that had the potential to escalate. They would just bury themselves in their food and drink and try very hard to ignore what was happening around them. Devoe wasn't interested in those types. He was looking for two very specific types of reactions: Those Who Engaged and Those Who Slunk. The Engagers had the potential to share knowledge and manpower, maybe even to the point where they could be talked into teaming up to work together to find a solution to whatever problem presented itself. The Slunkers were those who knew things they had no business knowing and made it their life's goal to slink away and flee the scene as quickly and quietly as humanly possible.
In this particular situation, Devoe saw nobody Slunking, but as luck would have it, multiple Engagers had presented themselves to him.
A young girl with a stony face had gotten up from her table, where she had been eating all alone, and approached Devoe and the other two men. She was quick, blunt, and straight to the point as she summed up the information she had overheard. It was certainly a gutsy statement, especially coming from a girl who looked so young. Her stoic stance seemed to especially bother Hojo and Yukiteru. Their long pause drew a snarky remark to make sure they stated their answer loudly out of a man seated a few tables away. Nothing in particular stood out about the man at first glance, so Devoe simply grumbled quietly at the annoyance. "Oh, forgive me for being concerned about NOT having my belly sliced open like a fish," he scoffed to the grumbly man.
Hojo had apparently remembered how to use his mouth again, for he turned and frowned down at the young girl who was standing before him. "Listen here, young miss, I already told you what I saw. This ain't nothin' for no young'in such as yourself to get involved in, especially if there might be demons involved. You know demons are dangerous, right?" Hojo quipped, shaking his head disapprovingly at Kozakura.
Yukiteru jumped up and began lecturing her on the dangers of being in a tavern all alone so late at night, but Devoe's attention shifted as the door swung open. A figure in a black coat had just burst in! His hand automatically reached down to where he kept a dagger hidden on his person at all times, but before he could even grasp the hilt, the person removed the hood and revealed a mop of curly black hair. He sighed, slightly annoyed at allowing himself to believe that the possible pink-haired murderer would just waltz into the tavern like that.
"... and another thing--" Hojo had just been about to say when Devoe cleared his throat very loudly.
"Fine. If you all feel safe enough to go crawl into your nice, warm beds tonight, be my guest. Just know that somewhere out there is a psychopath waiting to slice all of your throats open, and apparently I'm one of the very few people who would like that to not be a problem," he shouted, waving his hand dismissively towards the tavern before turning back to Kozakura. He felt eyes on the back of his head as he did so. Someone was watching him.
"There's definitely been someone with a katana going around killing people, yes. The thing is, there aren't really any credible witnesses who can say for sure what they may have seen. The best lead I have to go on is that someone 'in a dark cloak' was seen around the same area as one of the victims. The fact of the matter is, though, that there are a lot of bodies stacking up. They've all been killed more or less the same way and the same manner. Nothing has been taken from any of the victims, though, so it hasn't been petty theft or robberies. As far as I can tell, there's really not much connecting the victims. There might not even be a connection, besides the fact that they were all killed by a katana... some more grisly and gruesome deaths than others," he admitted, his voice a bit quieter.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cydonia921 on Mar 4, 2019 19:33:49 GMT -6
A shout across the room. A lecture from this old geezer. Someone entering the inn door, seating themselves in the corner. Hushed voices all around. Perhaps even a shadow flashing across the counter as the door opened and closed, the candlelight flickering but keeping itself strong. So many people in this inn; they were afraid for their lives from some individual with a thirst for blood. If Namiko had deemed it so, she could wipe out the general public in this building. But alas, the last thing she wanted was to be ran out of town again.
Clasping her hand over the katana’s sheath, Kozakura kept her gaze steady on Devoe. Boldly stepping forward, she could feel a flash of darkness cross her. An impulse came across her, one that wasn’t her own.
"Kill them. Show them who to really fear."
Shutting her eyes, Kozakura turned along the counter, and leaned against it, crossing her arms into her sleeves. She grumbled to herself, muttering something under her breath.
“Ah, well I suppose next time could be most opportune. Perhaps when we find this pink-haired little brat?”
Flashing her eyes open towards Devoe, Kozakura sounded irritated as she spoke up again. “Well how am I supposed to tell who it is, huh? All we have to go off on, according to this old fart, is that she has pink hair and has a katana!”
“You can’t ignore me-”
"Try me!"
Gritting her teeth, Kozakura wished that Namiko would just shut up for once. Clasping the edge of the counter, her fingernails digging into it, Kozakura had also started clenching her sheath tighter. Everything suggested hostility, yet her eyes and expression had softened. After the moment passed, and Namiko had fallen quiet, she curled her arms back up into her sleeves. Anxiety flashed through her as she realized that they had probably caused an unusual scene with this.
Lowering her head into a bow, Kozakura spoke calmly, making sure she was audible. “I apologize, it’s just the news of this murderer has gotten me a bit flustered. I probably came off as harsh with my information, but as a-” She paused, sighed, and continued. “-Priestess, I’ve had to deal with demons in the past. Where I come from, it’s a small village, and my father was a painter of ink. The first time I had to slay a demon was when one slew my father and younger sister. But it was a human bonded with one, so that’s why I made the assumption.”
As she raised herself, all she could hear was that maniacal laughter echoing in her mind. The madness coursing through her. Her hands gently scratched at her arms underneath the sleeves, but she did her best to make it appear natural.
Steadily glancing in the general direction of Satoshi, there had been something far more interesting that met her eye the more that she had looked at him. Glazed over eyes, but very perceptive of who stood up and who spoke. Fascinating-
“There’s another couple in here. Ones like us.”
Freezing in her spot, Kozakura listened intently to what Namiko had to say. ‘Another one? No, that can’t be right. She said that she can only bind with one person at a time. Another kitsune around, or is it something else?’ A moment later, she took in a steady breath as Namiko answered with a casual, “No, must be mistaken.”
“Anyway, what is your name?” she directed her full attention back to Devoe, staring at him as a soft smile spread across her face. “Mine is Akiko Amane, and I feel that a proper introduction should be in place, now that our paths have crossed here in Sakurajima.”
|
|
|
|
Post by Nitari Windrider on Mar 6, 2019 18:50:44 GMT -6
The reply to his statement had been largely either expected or nonexistent. He'd been noticed, sure, but no one seemed to really pay Satoshi any mind. Fair enough, he supposed, as he hadn't really contributed anything as yet. He decided to let all the immediate replies go unanswered in favor of paying attention to the sounds coming from the one with the sword who had stepped forward earlier. They leaned against the counter, a brush of fabric probably the result of them fiddling with their sleeves. Muttering. Then the storm broke and the irritation poured forth.
"Well how am I supposed to tell who it is, huh? All we have to go off on, according to this old fart, is that she has pink hair and has a katana!”
A second passed and a louder shout followed.
"Try me!"
The tavern was unnaturally silent in the seconds that followed, everyone coming to their own conclusions about the person who had just responded a tad disproportionately to an admittedly irritating conversation. The more fair minded were probably admitting that everyone was on edge lately, with a dangerous killer on the loose and all. Satoshi couldn't possibly have cared less about any of them. The person bowed quickly and spoke calmly. They knew they'd made a scene and hadn't meant to. Fascinating. Oh yes, this person was of great interest to him. No sign as yet, but interesting nonetheless. He'd have to keep tabs on when they left and with whom.
The person went on about how the killer had them flustered and they were a priestess whose father had worked with ink and some of what they said even sounded true to Satoshi's extremely carefully trained ear. Perhaps he was being too harsh, drawing too many conclusions, but the sigh in the middle of one of the statements interested him. Maybe it was nothing. Mustn't get too excited and invent phantoms to chase. The situation was becoming more and more delicate and would need to be handled with care. The priestess scratched her arms. Probably nothing important, but Satoshi's ears were excellent and he couldn't help but notice the gesture, especially with the amount of attention he was paying to her in particular.
"Anyway," the priestess said suddenly, "What is your name? Mine is Akiko Amane, and I feel that a proper introduction should be in place, now that our paths have crossed her in Sakurajima."
She was probably talking to the one who'd started this whole mess, the one who grumbled about not wanting his belly sliced open like a fish. He decided not to answer unless addressed, but did stand, grab his staff, and start making his way across the room toward the bar near the conversation but not intruding directly upon it. Yet. If someone talked to him he was ready to respond. If not, he'd listen over the sound of his staff tapping against the ground in a blind fumble that was as much second nature as it was not entirely necessary. No one needed to know that, though. People would do a lot around a blind man they wouldn't do around a sighted one.
|
|
|
|
Post by yooom on Mar 13, 2019 20:38:07 GMT -6
Hikaru.
Hikaru did his best to keep his expression flat, unreadable, but he could hear the emotion in his sister’s voice. Nervousness...no, panic. Something had Yami truly terrified. He leaned backwards in his seat, picking up the open fan again and raising it up, so that its delicate floral pattern blocked his lips from the view of the rest of the tavern.
“What is it?” He murmured quietly, his eyes scanning across the tavern, trying to spot whatever it was that had Yami so terrified.
Demon...and a very powerful one at that.
Hikaru’s blood went cold at the words. Hikaru and Yami didn’t exactly have a great history with demons. “It is...him?” He mumbled, his lips barely moving.
No, I’d know if it was him...but it’s someone just about as dangerous.
Hikaru swallowed at that, his eyes frowning at each individual person in the bar. If the demon was as close as Yami seemed to think, he should be able to see it right now. The people in the bar all looked human enough. If they were the demon Yami had sensed, perhaps they were an adept shapeshifter, hiding in plain sight, or worse still, completely invisible. Hikaru shivered, remembering the old man’s words. It seemed obvious now. A murderer, killing people at random, without any hint of who they might be. Hikaru grit his teeth. He doubted that he and Yami were in much danger, in the inn, at least, but, out there, who could say how dangerous this demon murderer was?
Ouch, watch it Hikaru! Came the voice of Yami, and Hikaru realized that he’d been squeezing the wood of the fan in his hands, his fingertips white from the pressure. He loosened his hold, nearly dropping Yami in the process, but, after a moment’s fumbling, he safely had a hold on her, waving her around slightly about his face, the boy’s cheeks hot as he found himself blushing. It was something of an embarrassing pose, but it was the best way to keep his conversations with Yami secret. Thankfully, it appeared that the rest of the bar had been distracted by the shouting of the woman seated nearby, the priestess.
“Think it might be her?” he asked Yami, his voice barely above a whisper. Yami’s voice was uncertain, but still nervous, as it rang out in Hikaru’s head.
I can’t tell, I just said that.
“I think she might be a safe person, someone to stay close to...she is a priestess after all.”
Well, that’s what SHE says. You think a murderer would just announce themselves. You’ve got to think like a demon.
“Well, why would she draw attention to herself like that, if she was the murderer?” Hikaru mumbled. Yami was silent. Hikaru sighed, and watched as another man slowly, but steadily, approached the priestess Akiko. “What about him? He’s keeping a low profile...but he’s paying her close attention.” Yami said nothing, but Hikaru could sense her paying him close attention, scrutinizing him for a few moments, before a sigh echoed across Hikaru’s mind.
We need to spend more time with them, I think...get close, stay close. When the murderer tries anything, we’ll be ready.
Hikaru nodded, and rose from his seat. He headed towards the blind man and the priestess, stopping just before her table.
“Sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear your, um...conversation with, uh,” he gestured vaguely over in Devoe’s direction. “It sounds like there’s danger in this town, and I want to help!” He kept his voice as cheery as he could, but his eyes bored into Akiko, trying to sense if she was the demon, as Yami seemed to suspect. But, as he was now, he sensed nothing. Yami, knowing that needed to focus on talking to these suspects, remained silent.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mini on Mar 25, 2019 19:57:51 GMT -6
Devoe turned to face the young woman who had boldly approached him. She caught a lot of attention with a rather loud, rather out of place outburst. His eyes quickly scanned her over as she frantically apologized, and as he did so he was careful to keep the slightly annoyed and perturbed look a typical man would wear upon being approached in such a manner by an outspoken woman. Behind this carefully crafted mask, however, his mind was fast at work.
The first thing that caught his attention was Kozakura's hands. Devoe had noticed them when she had gripped the wooden counter of the bar so tightly it was a wonder she hadn't left behind claw marks. Her nails weren't perfect, as a young priestess' should be, but were cut short and looked as if they may have been chewed or ripped off. Her skin was rough and cracked in certain places that might indicate a familiarity with weapons. The way her other hand flew up to her katana was also another big indicator that this little lady was no stranger to the sword. It wasn't completely unheard of for priestesses to slay demons, but didn't they all usually sit around praying, purifying, and using objects like paper charms and talismans?
The second thing that stuck out like a sore thumb was the way she hesitated upon introducing herself as a priestess. She seemed jumpy and twitchy. Even now, she was scratching at her own skin - a definite sign that someone was uncomfortable, obscuring the truth, or even lying. Her other facial expressions bothered him, too. She kept staring off at others in the room and it seemed hard for her to focus enough to make direct eye contact with Devoe. What had her so distracted? For just a moment, there had been an intense hatred burning in her eyes. It had only been there for a flash, but Devoe had seen it. It would make sense if a demon had slaughtered her family for her to become worked up at the mere mention of another demon running around slaughtering people, but something told him that the two weren't connected. How did a young girl raised by a painter learn to wield a sword?
Devoe groaned audibly as a thousand and one questions raced through his mind. He reached a hand up to scratch some of the bushy brown hair poking out from beneath his hat. "Priestess Akiko Amane, eh? Well, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, although it would be nice if it were under better circumstances." He reached the same hand he had been scratching his hair with out to shake her hand, only later wondering when it was that he had last washed it. "The name's Devoe. Seems like you have a bit of experience with exorcising demons, eh?"
Something else had caught his attention. The man who had spoken up earlier had made his quiet way up towards the bar and, coincidentally, much closer to where he and this young priestess were conversing. Eavesdropping much, eh? Before he could comment on that, somebody else unexpectedly interrupted his conversation with the priestess. Devoe turned and found himself staring at a rather eager, enthusiastic, incredibly articulate, curly-haired man who also happened to be soaking wet. A small puddle was forming beneath him even now. Devoe's nose scrunched up a bit as he took a noticeable step away from Hikaru, who looked to be not a day older than thirteen, as far as Devoe as concerned.
"And hello to you, too... erm, sorry, didn't catch your name, Scruffy. There may indeed be trouble in this town, but, uh... I'm sorry, what exactly is it you think you're going to do about it?" he asked, frowning as he glanced up and down Hikaru's soaking wet appearance. "Aren't you a bit young to be out running around this late at night? And what's with that girly looking fan?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Cydonia921 on Apr 21, 2019 20:17:18 GMT -6
An outstretched hand, greeting her.
Kozakura could feel her heart race as he offered a handshake. A flash of concern crossing her as swiftly as her outburst had come along. Leaning against the counter, trying to make herself look a little more at ease, she waited patiently. Any sign… Any symbol or reassurance would have been great at that instant. Now she had drawn attention to herself, scratching her arms, and in particular noticed how he stared at her hands.
“Well? Shake his hand. Surely you’re not afraid.”
Huffing, she stepped forward and grasped his hand, clenching onto Devoe tightly, eyes locking with his. “I do have some experience. Some may call me an expert.” Pausing for an instant, she took her other hand and placed it on the sheath of her blade. “Whereas some priestesses and priests are content with those mantras, I take action. What’s the point of waiting around for them to strike when you can go out and initiate them?” Raising her nose up, Kozakura did her best to make herself seem far more competent… Or something. How did priestesses act? Humble? That doesn’t fit her at all. Not after that terrible night.
After a firm handshake, her eyes slowly wandered over behind Devoe’s shoulder. There was something strange about that boy he addressed, the one who had been sopping wet in the terrible rain. His fan, first of all, seemed particularly unusual in that it was normally a weapon reserved for self-defense, and for a woman most of the time. Yet he didn’t seem to be too interesting, other than the way his wide eyes stared back at the two of them. Was he curious? Looking for something? What about what Namiko had said earlier? Could they be the killer? That would be absurd, since they asked to help. But… Stranger things have happened. She should know firsthand how much of a downward spiral things can lead down to.
What about the man approaching them? Blind, tapping the floor in front of him to find his way around. Kozakura had made a note of him already, wondering just what someone like him would be doing here. There’s no way he could be the killer with the description that the two people had stated, swearing that it was like that on so and so day. But how could she trust anyone in this small town? It was all so peculiar.
“Either way, I am here to serve the community in ridding them of this demon.” Clapping her hands together, Kozakura lowered her head. “So please, I believe that working together would be of the best interest for everyone.”
Closing her eyes, she could see her again. White fur, with crimson eyes, nine tails all fluctuating in a rhythm. On her hindlegs, she simply gave a grin back to Kozakura, darkness swirling around her. Always haunting her. Always there in the darkness when she closed her eyes. Slowly but surely tainting her heart with malice.
“Oh look at you, the oh so noble priestess. Like you’re one to talk about the best interest for everyone, you selfish wench.”
Flinching, Kozakura opened her eyes back up, and tried her best to smile. “If you will allow me to work with you, that is.”
Whether that was directed to Devoe or Namiko, she didn’t know.
|
|
|
|
Post by Nitari Windrider on May 9, 2019 0:11:59 GMT -6
The denizens of the tavern were slowly losing interest in the situation as the volume of the conversation dropped. People weren't entirely convinced yet that this wasn't going to erupt into something that would require dinner to be moved off the table in a hurry but conversation was beginning to return to the common room. As he slowly made his way across said room the conversation he was interested in continued. He heard a faint groan from someone at the table. Probably the noisy one.
"Priestess Akiko Amane, eh? Well, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, although it would be nice if it were under better circumstances."
There was a pause, which coincided with Satoshi reaching the counter to gain the attention of the tavern keeper.
"The name's Devoe. Seems like you have a bit of experience with exorcising demons, eh?"
He had been about to flag the man down to place another order and pay when his ears caught that tidbit. The noisy one was Devoe and the strange one was Akiko. Noted.
"I do have some experience. Some may call me an expert."
The tavern keeper approached Satoshi, making no noise other than the approach itself. Fortuitous that the man had forgotten to speak up to a blind man, because otherwise he'd have missed the next bit.
"Whereas some priestesses and priests are content with those mantras, I take action. What's the point of waiting around for them to strike when you can go out and initiate them?"
It took Satoshi a moment to gather himself. If he'd have been walking he might have stumbled noisily at that. Regardless of what Akiko was or was not, she was certainly unlike any priestess he had ever heard of. He tried to shake off his surprise and speak to the man standing near him.
"Drinks for the priestess, the noisy man, and whomever else is with them. Whatever they've been having, and something with low alcohol content for whomever hasn't ordered anything. I trust this will cover that?"
He passed some coins across, neither knowing nor caring how much in excess of market value he'd put down. He didn't have enough in his pockets for the amount to be scandalous but if it didn't cover whatever markup this particular tavern keeper charged he'd become very irritated indeed. If the sounds that followed were any indication, there would be drinks appearing momentarily. One item of business left. He started moving toward where he imagined the table to be, listening for the conversation he'd lost track of.
"...working together would be of the best interest for everyone."
There they were. That would be the sword priestess, Akiko. He walked up just as she spoke again, his staff tapping around as it scanned for the many tripping hazards of the tavern common room.
"If you will allow me to work with you, that is."
He sat down smoothly next to where they spoke, leaning his staff nearby.
"Perhaps I can be of service as well. My name is Satoshi Nakamura, traveling merchant by trade. I happened to be passing through Sakurajima this evening, at precisely a time when the local tavern is filled with tense conversation about a string of odd murders. Whispers of demons and the like. You, however, both sound like you don't believe this is the work of a demon. Care to elaborate?"
The small part of him that entertained vanity hoped he was facing the people he was addressing, but a blind man couldn't worry too much about such things. It was enough that he'd sat down successfully and in a spot where the others could hear him over the slowly increasing din.
|
|
|
|
Post by yooom on Jun 6, 2019 18:31:27 GMT -6
Hikaru stood by, a few steps away from the priestess, Akiko Amane, as she said her name was, and smiled politely to the old, grumpy man who turned, irritably, to face him. The smile faded slightly at Devoe’s words, and, at the mention of his fan he hastily drew it back, one hand still clutching it behind his back, the other curling up into a tight nervous ball at his side. There was next to no chance that this fellow was the demon murderer that Yami seemed to think was somewhere nearby, but, if he tried to kept Hikaru out of the little group that was gathering to figure this mystery out, then figuring out what might be going would be all that much harder.
As Hikaru was about to speak, another person, the blind man Hikaru had mentioned to his sister earlier, stepped over, and introduced himself to the three of them. Hikaru coughed, not entirely sure the man, Satoshi Nakamura, knew that he was standing to one side of him, as he pulled up a seat.
“Hikaru,” Hikaru mumbled. “My name is Hikaru.”
Louder, don’t let him walk all over you. Lives are at stake.
Hikaru was, miraculously, able to resist the impulse to grimace at his sister’s reprimand, and cleared his throat, standing a little bit taller.
“Good evening, my name is Hikaru Takahashi. You were looking for help catching this murderer, were you not?” Hikaru gestured to himself with his free arm. “I am offering to help you, as is this priestess here. I, um,” he paused for a moment, and decided to try flattery, as, it seemed the priestess also had. “I am not nearly as young as you seem to think, though certainly not as seasoned a veteran as you are, Mister Devoe. But it sounds like this is a threat to both the young and the um…” he paused, saying the last two words somewhat quieter. “the old.”
|
|
|
|
Post by Mini on Jun 9, 2019 21:19:41 GMT -6
Devoe's train of thought had been drifting idly away from him as conversation continued onward between the priestess and the sopping, curly-haired, optimistic looking boy who had butted into their conversation - something about serving the community and wanting to protect those in danger, blah blah blah. Luckily for him, a loud clink of a large glass filled with a frothy, amber-colored liquid being slammed down on the counter directly in front of where he was leaning caught his attention. The man behind the counter caught Devoe's eye and answered his question before he could voice it. With a flick of his head in the direction of Satoshi, the man grinned and said "compliments of that gentleman" before plopping down two other drinks, sliding them towards Hikaru and Kozakura.
That gentleman turned out to be one Satoshi Nakamura, who claimed to be a traveling merchant. He was also very much blind. That much was evident within a second's glance - it also didn't help that the man was staring slightly to the left of where Devoe, the priestess, and the kid with the fan were standing. Devoe didn't want to be rude, but he did wander how a blind man got around well enough to be a traveling merchant. Perhaps he wasn't alone. There were bands of traveling merchants who went from place to place together, each selling different kinds of wares. Devoe and his former companions had run into their fair share of groups such as those. Devoe and his former companions may have not had the most angelic of encounters with groups such as those, either. Those types didn't usually break off to seek food and shelter on their own, though. No, it would seem that Satoshi was very much on his own. It would also seem that he, too, was somewhat interested in the string of murders going on in the area.
The kid with the girly fan was speaking again. He was hurriedly introducing himself, blabbering on about how he wasn't really that young (isn't that what all kids said?) and making Devoe's skin crawl unpleasantly at the sound of being called Mister Devoe. He, too, wanted in on the hunting down of the person or creature responsible for all of the murders. He had asked for information, and here he was surrounded by the most unlikely group of misfits he might have ever set eyes on - and boy, had he seen his share of misfits and miscreants in the past. It would seem that this merry little band of would-be murder hunters was going to consist of himself, a very strange and probably-fake priestess, a blind merchant, and a kid with a girly fan.
How he wished more than ever for the company of his former companions. Beggars can't be choosers, he mentally sighed to himself.
At least the blind man had bought him a drink.
Reaching out for said drink, he took a long swig of it before turning to face the three gathered around him. His eyes lingered on Akiko a moment longer than the others. Her smile felt forced and unnatural. He told himself it was nothing, but something about her mannerisms bothered him ever so slightly. Deciding it wasn't important enough an issue to press, he heaved out a sigh and took another sip of his beverage.
"Right, then. Well, pipsqueak, I suppose you're in. Gather round, then, and I'll fill you all in," he acquiesced, pulling a chair over so he could sit down and face his unlikely new comrades.
"So the three of you are all seriously interested in the murders going on around Sakurajima, presumably discovering who or what is behind them and putting a stop to it all, eh?" he asked, lowering his voice for the first time since his earlier outburst. The casual air of nonchalant demeanor was gone from his voice. "Based on what I've seen and those I've spoken to, the best information I have is that all of these murders are the result of one singular person. I don't think it's a demon, no. Not the monstrous, mindless kind of demon, at least. Most of them don't bother with civilized weapons, let alone even know how to wield them properly. Everyone who has been murdered was killed by someone very skilled with a katana. Demons don't neatly slaughter people like this, in my experience. Maybe you all can claim differently," he said with a shrug. "The demons I've encountered seem to almost always butcher when they kill - it's a slaughterfest they leave behind, and it's rarely ever just one victim. They almost seem to pride themselves on how much carnage they can inflict with their claws, fangs, and other weird powers."
He paused for a moment, glancing out the window. It was still raining hard. Thunder boomed softly in the distance. "What I can't figure out, though, is that these murders don't have a damned thing in common. Whenever there's a string of murders like this, there's almost always some common denominator between them. Maybe some psychopathic man scorned by an ex-lover kills women who remind him of the girl he used to love. Maybe another kills able-bodied men of age to be recruited into an enemy's army. That's not what's going on here, though. Sakurajima is a quiet town in the middle of nowhere. No feuding warlords or secret spy nations around that I know of. Age or gender don't seem to have anything to do with these ones, though," he mused.
Devoe frowned darkly. "I've heard tell tale of demons who disguise themselves as humans, or look so human that it's near impossible to tell them apart from the real thing. I've also heard that there are those who have bonded with demons, like Lady Akiko mentioned as a possibility earlier. Either one of these is a possibility as to who or what is behind all of this, I suppose... but that still doesn't give us a reason behind these murders. Why? Why kill someone who, for all I can figure, was minding their own business? Going about their day not really doing any harm at all? Why kill without a reason? None of the victims were robbed. None of the victims showed any signs of a struggle or that they had been tortured. The attacks all seem to be quick and near-instantaneous. One hit and boom, they're dead. It takes skill to be able to kill someone that silently and swiftly, I would think," he quickly added.
"The older men earlier said that they saw a girl with pink hair and a sword pass through this way earlier today. That's about the only lead I have to go on. I don't even know that you can really call it a lead. I don't suppose any of you--"
Before he could finish his sentence, a shrill, blood curdling scream pierced through the chatter that had picked back up again in the tavern. The scream had come from somewhere outside. The tavern itself was on the outskirts of the village and close to the thick woods. To those with exceptionally good hearing, it would have been easy to tell that the scream had sounded from around the area where the main road diverted away from the start of the woods, close to the village stables.
Outside, the scream had come from a horrified onlooker - a young woman who had braved the storm to check on the family's foal, not more than a month old, for she had been worried that the young creature might be nervous with the thunder, lightning and rain. Just as she had ducked out of barn and was about to turn the corner to head back to the village, a large crack of lightning had lit up the surrounding area... and revealed a figure clad in a tattered black cloak with the hood pulled down low enough so that their face was obscured by darkness, standing just a few feet in front of the young woman. Gasping in alarm, the young woman ducked back behind the relative safety of the barn, but she peered carefully around the corner to see what was going on. The cloaked figure had a slender, pale hand clamped tightly over the mouth and nose of a balding man in his late 40s or early 50s. The man looked horrified, and rightly so, for the cloaked figure had just unsheathed a katana. The blade sang loudly as it was pulled free, and it was only another second before the sharp edge of the blade was pressing against the balding man's neck.
The young woman looked on in frozen terror as the katana sliced the man's neck clean open, spraying blood outward in all directions. The man barely even made a sound as his lifeblood drained out of him. He was dead before his body even hit the ground. The young woman was petrified - she couldn't move, call for help, or do anything! All she could do was look onward in shock as the cloaked figure tilted their head back and spread their arms outward a bit, almost as if soaking up every terrible moment of what had just happened. The cloaked figure lifted the katana up to their lips, and the young woman couldn't quite be sure, but she thought she caught a glimpse of glowing red eyes as the figure licked a bit of blood off of the blade.
It was then that the young woman finally seemed to regain control of her body. Her knees gave out from under her as she let out the loudest, most terrified sounding scream she had ever made in her life. At the sound of the scream, the pink-haired figure let out what sounded like an inhuman hiss and bounded off quickly in the direction of the woods.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cydonia921 on Jun 11, 2019 16:43:32 GMT -6
Noticing Satoshi approaching, Kozakura grimaced, tightening the grip on her arm. Had she really attracted so much attention as to have a blind man come forward? Her fingernails dug into the flesh of her arm as she sat down, thinking of what to do from this point on. Feigning the role of a priestess was one thing, but to hold up the facade of actually caring about this community was another. Once they made an agreement, and everyone went to bed to sleep, she wouldn’t have another thought go through her mind as she slips out of the window to get to the next town. Sheath clattering against the chair, she almost jumped back up out of surprise.
“That boy, Hikaru, seems like a fascinating one,” Namiko whispered to Kozakura, whose gaze turned towards the boy. A gentle cackling echoed in the woman’s poor head, sending her further into a sea of anxiety. “Who runs around with a fan-”
The voice in her head stopped. Pondering. Humming to herself as something crossed her. Kozakura shook in her chair, her eyes already narrowing as thoughts swirled around that poor little mind of hers. Who is the demon? What about the murderer? What should she do?
“Compliments of that gentleman!”
Shifting in her chair, interrupted by the proprietor, Kozakura stammered with a quick, “N-No thanks, I don’t drink.” Sucking in a quick breath, she felt blood swell over her finger from how hard she scratched, something that frightened her. Withdrawing her hand out, specks of blood covering her worn fingernails, she tightened her sleeve by sweeping underneath it and wrapping it around twice over.
All of this while she listened to Devoe speak about the task that befell upon them. Information of the murderer. Clues. Blah blah blah. Truth be told she didn’t care too much. As long as she could think more on how to get the hell out of here, the better. The longer she stayed here, the more likely that another priestess would come to exorcise her. Even if they could confuse her kill for the murderer’s, it didn’t do any good to attract attention.
“Kozakura, I sense you are uneasy. Please, relax~”
Shivering, Kozakura muttered underneath her breath. “I-I can’t.” Tightening the sleeve more, she glanced in the direction of Satoshi. Something inside of her hoped that he was as deaf as he was blind. Gulping, another strange thought passed through her: why was she so afraid? She could kill everyone here in the blink of an eye if she desired it. Instead here she was, cowering and unable to cope with being surrounded by righteous people. For a year, she was on her own, fending off people left and right that tried to kill her for Namiko’s crimes, not hers, and yet the moment that she had a ruse that people were falling for, suddenly now was the time to feel like something is horribly wrong.
“Oh, by the by. I believe that I’ve found out who-”
A blood-curdling scream ripped through the tavern. Everyone hushed up, and Kozakura flashed her eyes in the direction of the door. It didn’t take a genius to realize that it had come from outside, but from what direction? Rising up from the chair, as it clattered to the floor, she grasped the hilt of her katana.
“What was that?” Her voice was curt, sharp, but she felt herself waver. Blood trickled down her hand and onto the hilt of her blade, unnoticed by her. Kozakura began to walk briskly towards the door, thumb on her hilt as she moved. Pushing through the crowd of people that had gathered in this establishment, her heart galloped in her chest. When she approached the door, could she meet the culprit face to face? Were they bonded with a demon? Sweat formed in small beads on her forehead. Why was she so horrified? She had murdered people countless times, again and again, on Namiko’s will. So why was this any different?
“Frightened? You are my servant, not some child.” Namiko spoke louder in her head, almost bellowing at Kozakura. “The culprit has to be beyond the door. Make use of the sword that I gave you. It’s more useful than to bleed all over it.”
Pausing in front of the door, Kozakura had her hand outstretched, clutching the knob tightly. Her entire body shook in terror. She raised her voice louder. “I’m… I’m going to head out! Who wants to come along?!”
|
|
|
|
Post by Nitari Windrider on Jun 26, 2019 23:39:59 GMT -6
Satoshi's senses practically exploded with sudden awareness of a person very nearby. How this person evaded his notice until now was beyond him but now he was suddenly, extremely, almost painfully aware of the existence of one Hikaru Takahashi. His introduction was earnest and delivered at a volume that suggested nervousness. Satoshi visibly started when Hikaru spoke up, the closest the merchant generally came to falling clean out of his chair in surprise. He nodded in the boy's general direction in greeting, recovering gradually. The pulse ringing in his ear as his system calmed down drowned out most of what came next, but from what he did hear he pieced together that Devoe was sharing what he'd learned about the killings that had taken place recently. He seemed baffled, so either he was an idiot or the murders didn't have anything noticeable in common. Too early to tell which, Satoshi reasoned, so best to assume they were hunting not just someone who kills people but a killer. The difference, of course, was something Satoshi knew well but would never divulge because of what he would have to explain to provide the necessary context.
As the room's sound normalized in Satoshi's ears he heard the next part of Devoe's commentary very clearly indeed.
"I've heard tell tale of demons who disguise themselves as humans, or look so human that it's near impossible to tell them apart from the real thing. I've also heard that there are those who have bonded with demons, like Lady Akiko mentioned as a possibility earlier. Either one of these is a possibility as to who or what is behind all of this, I suppose... but that still doesn't give us a reason behind these murders. Why? Why kill someone who, for all I can figure, was minding their own business? Going about their day not really doing any harm at all? Why kill without a reason? None of the victims were robbed. None of the victims showed any signs of a struggle or that they had been tortured. The attacks all seem to be quick and near-instantaneous. One hit and boom, they're dead. It takes skill to be able to kill someone that silently and swiftly, I would think."
He maintained the same neutral demeanor he'd had since sitting down, but on the inside a broad smile was growing and struggling against his disciplined control of his features. Why indeed. His particular expertise would be useful on this errand to be sure, although it would be an interesting challenge to keep this motley crew from guessing at the truth of it. Oh this was becoming quite entertaining indeed. If things kept up in this way he wouldn't regret stopping in this tiny village one bit.
It was shortly after these thoughts had formed in Satoshi's mind that a sound rang out across the landscape. A scream of mortal terror shattered the rainy evening and the tavern went silent. Satoshi's hearing adjusted quickly and suddenly he was back in his element. Akiko stood in a hurry, knocking her chair to the ground and gripping her katana. She barked out an obvious question likely more out of habit and thinking aloud than anything else and strode purposefully away from them. The rain outside made echoes hard to make out but the scream didn't sound like it was in the vicinity of the tavern, so maybe further out? The road? The stable? Hard to say.
"I'm...I'm going to head out! Who wants to come along?!"
The priestess was frightened. He couldn't blame her for that even if he didn't share the feeling in the slightest. The scream being a little bit away meant that unless the one who had caused it was a moron they wouldn't be an immediate threat to the tavern or those inside it, so even caution wasn't the primary emotion he was feeling. What he felt was excited. He stood, taking his staff up, and turned toward where Akiko's voice had come from.
"I'm in."
No explanation, no expansion on the point, merely a statement of declaration and a stride toward where he assumed the door to be. His staff roved around just above the ground now, the stumbling and tapping gone in favor of a quieter motion. For as long as the tavern remained in stunned silence he could move freely. He remembered the position of everything he'd heard move, and the staff would find anything out of place. He remembered every floorboard he'd walked on since coming in and knew from the sounds of Akiko's footsteps that the floor leading to the door was flat and clear of large obstacles. He knew the sound of a scream that could make men freeze in place and could conclude from its resonance that the screamer had witnessed something terrifying and that she had not been interfered with after she'd started screaming. If she had seen the killer, the killer had decided to leave her alive and flee further detection. A fascinating decision, and one that warranted immediate investigation.
"Devoe, Hikaru, we have work to do. Akiko, either you or Devoe should lead the way. Hikaru and I will follow. Hikaru, I don't need you to lead me but I would like you to tell me if you see anything weird going on around us. Every second counts, so let's move."
|
|
