Yarn: Scarecrows (Story)

Scarecrows focuses on the story of two characters; Bael and Jack.

Part 1

Ms. Jackson:As the day comes to a close, the students' attention is directed to the teacher as she slaps her ruler on the desk and calls out

"Class is dismissed, find your graded work from last week on the right side of the wall in your folders. All of you are dismissed, except for Ellie."

After she says this, she returns to her seat, allowing the students to get up and file out, one by one.

With just over a minute passing before the children are gone, Ellie hears from across the room

"How long have you been here, Ellie?"

Ellie:With a quick gulp, Ellie looks to the teacher through her hat

"Four months tomorrow, ma'am."

Ms. Jackson:"And in all that time, you're grade haven't gotten any better and you've seemingly made no friends."

Ellie:"No, ma'am."

Ms. Jackson:"Well, there isn't anything I can do for your lack of people skills, however your grades have to come up. You have detention today, tomorrow, and thursday."

Ellie:With a nod, the pink jacked girl grabs her books and stands up, leaving the class room before heading for the lunch room, where she spends her time, looking at the other kids in detention. Her time goes normally, with no one paying her any attention as she draws random doodles on her calendar. It seems like hours pass before the teacher says they are free to go, however before she can gather all of her items and leave, she is stopped as two kids quickly take a seat next to her

Pipe&Dike:"How's it goin'?"

the girl asks

"Pretty bad it seems."

The boy lets out

"I've seen you around school for a while now." - Girl

"Always alone, never doing anything with anyone." - Boy

Pipe&Dike:"I'm Pipe." - Girl

"I'm Dike" - Boy

"We want you to hang out with us, we're going to meet some friends and think they'd like you."

Ellie:Overwhelmed by the two, she can barely get out a word as one begins right after the other ends, at the end of their back and forth she looks to the two before standing up, saying

"I'm sorry, I.. What?"

Pipe&Dike:"We want you to come with us." - Pipe

"Just hang out for awhile." - Dike

Ellie:"I don't.. Really want to.. Sorry."

Pipe&Dike:With a face, almost like he was offended, Dike lets out in a quick fashion

"Well, why not? It's not like you have anywhere to be. Your father won't be home for awhile."

"Now, now, Dike, if she doesn't want to hang out, she doesn't have to. We can go have fun alone."

Ellie:"Wha-.. How do you know about my father?"

Pipe&Dike:"Like Pipe said, we've seen you around school for awhile now, on your first day here, you revealed your mother wasn't with you and your father's job." - Dike

"I asked my mother about the job and she said that he most likely worked nights." - Pipe

Ellie:"Then wouldn't he be leaving soon?"

Pipe&Dike:"Well, I asked my mother about it and she had some friends at the place, so I got your father's schedule."

- Dike*

Ellie:"That's just.. Weird."

"Like, really.. Really weird."

Pipe&Dike:"We just like knowing who we're talking to." - Dike

"And I really like you, so I wanted to know as much as I could." - Pipe

Ellie:"Okay.."

Turning, she quickly goes to leave the building however as she exits, she runs into another person, causing them to drop their items, stopping to say 'sorry', Ellie turns back to see Pipe and Dike standing at the end of the hall, watching the scene, Pipe's arm around Dike with both smiling to her. Upon seeing the two, Ellie squats to help the person pick up their items, while doing so, she apologizes once more, being waved off, she asks

"This may seem really weird, but what are you doing?"

Akimitsu:Looking up to the girl, the boy stumbles his words for a moment before asking

"W-a-m-i-.. Uh.. Huh?"

Ellie:"I was just.. I know it's weird to just ask someone, I'm sorry."

Going to get up, she stops as the boy asks

Akimitsu:"Wait, no, I didn't mean it like that, I just meant.. I was just going home."

Ellie:"Like I said, never mind."

Akimitsu:She continues to walk away, but finds Akimitsu run up beside her and walk along with her after quickly gather his papers

"If you want to hang out or something, I'm free."

"I mean, my mom wants me back home earlier than usual, but.. She'll understand."

Ellie:Glancing over her shoulder to the school's doors, Ellie thinks for a moment as they continue walking before saying as she stares forward

"My name's Ellie."

Akimitsu:"Ellie, huh? That's a.. It's not a common name around here."

Ellie:They keep walking, silence engulfing the two, however it is broken just after they get a block away from the school as Ellie stops for a second to look back from where they came from

Akimitsu:Seeing her look back, Akimitsu looks back as well but when he hears her start walking again he keeps walking as well

"So.. Are we.. Hanging out or?"

Ellie:"No."

Akimitsu:"Oh."

With an almost shaky tone, Akim stops as she says this, looking down he nods for a moment before giving a small wave but is stopped by Ellie who grabs his hand and pulls him with her, saying

Ellie:"I mean yes, I just.. Listen, there are these two weird people back there."

"I think they're stalking me."

"They wanted me to go and hang out with them and some friends, but they're.. Creepy, I just.. I feel safe having someone else with me."

Akimitsu:"Oh, really?"

As she explains her situation, Akimitsu looks back to the school as he is pulled along, waiting for her to finish, he looks forward and asks

"That sounds pretty scary, are you sure you want me to be your.. protector?"

"I'm not ex-"

Akim finds himself being cut off as Ellie starts

Ellie:"Being with me and my protector are different, I just.. It makes me feel better knowing I'm not alone, okay. Just.. For a few streets, stay with me, please."

Akimitsu:With a gulp of his own, Akim asks

"Alright, just.. I can walk you home, if that's what you're wanting?"

Ellie:"Yes, please."

With that, she let's go of his hand however finds it still connected as Akim holds on, picking up pace, he gets back to beside her instead of behind, asking

Akimitsu:"Alright, so where do you live?"

Ellie:"Wait.. No.. I'm sorry."

Taking a turn into an alley, she stops for a moment, looking back the way they came, saying

"They knew my dad isn't home.. It'd probably be best to wait on him, right?"

Akimitsu:Akim finds himself getting lost in her eyes, stumbling over his words to answer, however isn't quick enough as she says

Ellie:"Yeah, I shouldn't go home right now, my dad should be getting home in two hours, can you just.. Can we just... Wait somewhere until then?"

As she asks this, she looks back to Akim as he takes less than two seconds to come to a decision

Akimitsu:Swallowing the saliva that almost began to drool from his mouth due to the amount that had accumulated since they stopped, he nods and says

"Yeah, sure, I.. I mean, we.. I.. I know a place where some people hang out, we can stay there for an hour or two."

Ellie:Akimitsu believes he sees a star in her eye as he says this, she stares at him for a few moments before glancing to the way they came

"Alright, lead the way."

Akimitsu:"Oh, right.. Sorry."

Giving a few shakes of the head, Akim tightens his grip on Ellie's hand before leading her down the alley and continuing down the street, eventually reaching a park.

Ellie:Just before Akim stops in front of the part, she asks

"You know, you never told me your name."

Akimitsu:"Wha-.. I didn't? I'm sorry."

"I'm Akimitsu Tanaka."

Ellie:"Thanks for doing this with me, Akametsu."

Akimitsu:"Ah, it's no problem, most people in school ignore me and the only thing I have left to do today is practicing violin, but I can do that later."

Ellie:With a nod, she grips his hand back as the two begin to walk along the park, which currently seems to be mostly empty, only a few people wander it, and those who are appear to be couples as they look at the ponds and man made streams. After a few minutes of walking, the two take a seat near one of the streams, the sound of running water becomes almost white noise to Akimitsu as he stares to Ellie from a tilted heard, Ellie on the other hand seems to be looking at the breaks in the water from the rocks that have been placed for the floor

Akimitsu:"You know, Ellie.. I.."

After just a few words, Akim finds himself stopping as he sees her eyes become watery

"Oh, I'm.. Did I do something wrong, I'm sorry?"

Ellie:Breaking from the stream and looking to Akim, she gives him a questioning look as she wipes her eyes

"What? You didn't do anything?"

Akimitsu:"No, I just.. You looked like you were about to cry, and I thought.. Maybe I.. I don't know, I'm not usually good with people, so I didn't.. I don't know."

Ellie:"No, you didn't do anything."

Looking back to the stream, she nods towards the water, saying

"My mom and I used to go fishing."

"She loved the rivers, the sounds and smell."

"It all just kind of.. I remembered some things with her."

Akimitsu:"Oh, well.. You, If you want to go somewhere else, I'm sure I can think of somewhere."

Ellie:"No, I just.."

The two continue to talk, and talk.. and talk, until before they know it, night had come and the moon was in full view.

Looking up, she stands from where they had moved and said

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"I didn't mean to.. Time passed quickly."

Akimitsu:"No, it's fine.. I just.. I really liked our time.. Together.. You.. It was fun... I guess I'll walk you home now, huh?"

Ellie:"Yeah, I'm sure my dad is worried."|

Akimitsu:With a nod, Akim gets to his feet as well and starts walking along the pathway, shortly after they start walking, he finds his hand being grabbed by Ellie as she gets closer to him, his heart starts racing as the cold of the night no longer seems to worry him

"So uhh.. Would you like to maybe.. Get together later? Not tonight, but.. This week?"

Ellie:"Like after school?"

Akimitsu:"Cool."

For the first time since the two sat down, silence begins filling the space, footsteps being the only other noise as they continue walking, eventually reaching the alley they had originally stopped in before heading to the park, getting half way down it, Akim stops as he feels Ellie stop, looking over, he goes to question the pause, however is greeted by a kiss as Ellie shoves him against the wall of the alley. With his heart racing more than ever, each beat pounding, Akim finds an odd mix of emotions before she backs her head away, breaking their lips. before saying

Ellie:"I'm sorry, I just... I haven't talked to anyone in a long time and I.. I don't know why I did that."

Akimitsu:"No, it's... It was.. Nice, I just.. Can we do it agai-"

Akimitsu stops as he sees something move in his peripheral, looking over his eyes grow slightly as he asks

"Who's there?"

Ellie:Turning, she sees a figure in the shadow as she takes a step back, placing Akim between her and the figure

Akimitsu:Taking a step back, towards where they were going, Ellie takes a step as well

Amon:Seeming to ooze from the shadows, Amon slowly walks toward the pair

Akimitsu:With every step forward Amon takes, Akim and Ellie take two back, as they step back, Akim shakily says

"I don't know who you are, but you... You should stay back mister... Please."

Amon:As soon as the last syllable exit's Akim's mouth Amon steps into another shadow between them and seems to disappear

Sneak - (85)

Ms. Jackson:Perception - (51)

Akimitsu:As Amon enters the shadows, Akim turns around and goes to run out of the alley, Ellie on the same page, does the same, however as she exits the alley she glances back to find Akim had fallen shortly after turning around

Ellie:"Come on!"

(From Amon): He moves in the shadows to cut her off

Akimitsu:He manages to get to his feet however by this time, he sees Amon get right next to he, causing him to call out

"RUN!"

(From Amon): He reaches to grab her throat before she gets the chance

Ellie:She goes to turn and run but finds a hand gripping her throat, cutting her air as she tries to cough but quickly finds trouble breathing, her heart pounding and her blood rushing as she sees Akim running towards her, it's not until this moment that she sees Amon in front of her, covered in shadows

Amon:Like the whispers of a thousand voices in unison "No running."

Ellie:Her eyes growing, another cough comes out as Akim reaches them and goes to strike the figure's side

Punch - (23)

Amon:Dodge - (19)

Akimitsu:Physical Damage - (13)

Amon:Ellie is dropped as Amon is knocked back into the shadows

Akimitsu:As Amon is put back in the shadows, Akim goes to grab Ellie and run but finds she is already running across the street, bolting after the two try to make as much ground as they can

Amon:It is only a few seconds later that Amon is on their tail

Akimitsu:With a chase ensuing, Amon finds himself gaining on the teens as they run from alley to alley, however just before he can catch them, Akim is hit by a speeding car as they cross one of the streets. Being sent into a fence, Akim lands on the ground unconscious as the car speeds away, blood running from his gashed head.

Ellie:Stopping, Ellie turns to see Akim's unfortunate state, covering her mouth, tears begin to form but she knows she can't wait but finds herself unable to move, not from fear, though it was close to reaching that level, but from her not wanting to leave Akim in his state.

her unwillingness to leave Akim*

Amon:Before she gets the chance to make a decision a foot comes careening at her head

Kick - (65)

Ellie:Ellie finds herself being kicked into the alley she and Akim were heading towards, falling to the ground, she too finds blood dripping from her head as she bashes it against the concrete, putting her in a dizzying state

Amon:Upon landing, Amon quickly grabs Akimitsu's ankle and starts dragging him into the alley

Ellie:Amon manages to get Akin in the alley before Ellie fully comes to, as she sees the cloaked man dragging Akim towards her, she rushes to her feet and goes to run more but twists her ankle and falls shortly after, not even getting half way down the alley

With running failing and both her and Akim in trouble, Ellie begins to scream for help

Amon:Ellie hears no footsteps behind her but the sound of the dragging body comes closer every second

Ellie:She continues to scream, getting back to her feet, she goes back to running, screaming along the way

Amon:A foot comes to meet her back before long

Agility - (67)

Ellie:Ellie manages to get out another few screams and just as she gets out of the alley, she finds a kick meeting her back, shoving her into the middle of the road

Amon:Another kick comes toward the back of her head

Ellie:Ellie finds her head being stopped into the ground, her teeth grind against the asphalt, cutting her bottom lip, as well as her right cheek gets broke open as she too, is unconscious

Amon:The final sounds she hears before she goes "No running..."

He proceeds to drag her back into the alleyway

Kells:Shortly after dragging her into the alley, Amon finds an arrow shooting through his head, causing a great deal of pain as the source shouts

"You son of a bitch!"

"I've been chasing you for a year!"

Amon:The voices desynchronize as screams from a thousand mouths echo through the alley

Kells:"If you want to eat someone come and eat my dick, bitch!"

With that, she fires another

Accuracy - (52)

Amon:Dodge - (30)

Kells:Another arrow pierces Amon's helmet, going straight through and out of the back of his head, but unlike the first, the second sticks, causing seemingly triple the amount of pain the first did.

"You killed my partner! And now I'm here to fuck you up!

"Come on!"

Physical Damage - (11)

Amon:The various screeches coalesces into one inhuman howl. Despite the pain, Amon steps toward Kells "No RUNNING!"

Attunes - 89

Kells:"I ain't running for shit!"

Perception - (50)

Amon:Just like that, the noise stops and he disappears from her view

Kells:"Oh, no, nu-uh!"

"I came ready for this, fucker!"

Taking a step back, she brings up a phone looking device, tapping the screen, the alleyway is lit up by lights from behind her, almost blinding Amon, however she still doesn't find any evidence of him, obviously getting a little worried and angry, she turns in place, looking around the street, eventually facing her back to him

"Alright you nasty cock sucker!"

"What happened to no running!? HUH!?"

Amon:It's at this point she feels the foot to her chest

Physical Damage - (43)

Kells:"AH!"

Falling forward, she snaps back towards Amon, firing another shot from her wrist mounted crossbow

Accuracy - (33)

Amon:Dodge - (39)

His head wasn't going to take another one

Kells:Letting out a grunt, she spits at the figure before going to tackle it to the ground

Grapple - (7)

Amon:Dodge - (29)

Kells:Grapple - (37)

Amon:its*

Kells:Wrapping her arms around it's waist, she manages to force Amon to the ground

Amon:Not one to stay still, Amon struggles to slip free from Kells

Agility - (66)

Kells:Strength - (61)

Amon:While moving away, it sends a foot at Kells

Kick - (35)

Kells:Dodge - (6)

She has no chance of dodging as she is kicked away

"AH! You slippery quick fucker!"

"Come on, get up!"

"I'll tear you apart!"

Amon:He's up faster than she can get her first few words out

it's*

Kells:She's up before she starts her first few words, however just as she finishes her yelling, Amon finds a truck in front of him as she slides across the street, leaving a bloody trail

Amon:Amon is quick to follow

Unknown: Amon hears the driver's door shut and boots smack against the ground as someone slowly makes their way around.

Kells:It can also see the woman that attacked him doesn't seem to be moving and her crossbow is broken in several pieces, probably similar to her body

Amon:A foot is placed on her throat to make sure she isn't going anywhere as the newcomer is looked at

Kyoko:As Amon looks over, he sees a woman walking towards the two, wearing odd clothing, she gets a few steps closer before asking with an accent

"Amon."

"Is that you?"

Amon:SNAP SNAP Four halves of arrows hit the ground "Name of this one." The voices whisper several times separately as if questioning themselves before, as one "Yes."

Kyoko:"I've been looking for you."

"You have been having your share since you got here, haven't you? Ten bodies found, and you've only been here for two months."

With a few ticks, she stops and stares into Amon's mask, less than ten feet away from it

Amon:"Purpose?"

Kyoko:"Aside from my personal affairs, I am with a group of people who would like to keep you safe."

"You're not from here, we know that, neither are we."

Amon:"Safe..." More whispers, almost bickering "Survive together?"

Kyoko:Lowering her head, she slowly closes her eyes and gives a smile as she opens the quickly

"Together doesn't sound too bad, now does it?"

Amon:Crunch "Always together." Amon's hand quickly sinks into Kell's chest, her blood turning black as it flies through the air

"Never alone." Amon's free hand pulls up the mask as a black smoke rises from the body and steadily flows into the robed figure's hood

Kyoko:Her mouth opens a little as her eyes widen, she takes a few more steps to try and get a peek at what's inside the mask.

Amon:The body jerks as Kell's heart reaches the hood and Amon's hand obscures her view

Kyoko:She gets to her knees, inching closer as her eyes seem to grow, gaining more and more curiosity as she gets closer

Amon:After a few seconds of crunching, the bloody hand pulls the mask down just before she gets the chance "So long as we- I feed,..." It stands "Safe together." At this point, Kyoko can see into the mask and can see nothing staring back at her

Kyoko:Her eyes stay widened for a second, a mouth agape, she stares back to Amon before regaining herself, closing her eyes and mouth, she says before reopening her eyes and walking back to the truck

"Don't worry, Amon, you'll be fed more than well. And you will be safe."

"We will be safe."

As she gets in the truck, she finishes before closing the door

"together."

Amon:It goes to enter the truck from the other side

Kyoko:Leaving the children in the alley and the body of Kells in the road, Kyoko begins the short drive across the city

About the half way mark, during a stop light, Kyoko looks over to Amon, before lowering her eyes down his body, trying to see if anything is visible

"Silent type?.. Good, I can't stand a man who asks too many questions."

Amon:"Questions will answer themselves."

Amon's body is covered head to toe

Kyoko:With a smile, she looks ahead and continues the drive. Not long after, she pulls in a garage and gets out

"C'mon. The parties in here."

Putting something behind the driver seat, she leads Amon through an alleyway to a door with the same sign as her the one on her necklace, giving a few knocks, the door opens with the man on the other side stepping to the side

Continuing to lead the way, Amon discovers the quiet alley they had just exited turn into a rather loud bar, playing several types of music as characters of all types make up the space as it seems to be elbow to elbow packed.

Dee Dees:On one of the tables, Amon sees a woman with a tail, horns, and small wings dancing provocatively

Amon:Amon's head nearly turns circles trying to take it all in

Kyoko:Kyoko leads Amon through a door to the side of the bar, where she stops and motions for it to take a seat in one of the only chairs in the room as she continues to the other side, where she opens the door and says

"Well, boys and girls, they're here."

Amon:The seat is taken

Kyoko:Looking back to Amon, she walks back towards him, taking a seat next to him as several people comes from the door

Chiho:"Kyoko, if this is another one of your myth hunting attempts, I'm banning you from my club."

Kyoko:"Trust me, I followed one of the Mites for several weeks, who had been hunting them down."

"They're the real deal."

Eimi:Taking a seat across from Amon, Eimi stares at him for a moment before asking

"So this is what you've been looking for, Chiho?"

Chiho:"If this is what Kyoko says it is, it's our way home."

Looking to Kyoko, she asks

"Does it talk?"

Amon:"Home..." For once a single, very sad voice speaks

Eimi:She continues staring as it says this

"Hmm.."

Jitsuko:Taking a seat next to Amon, she stares at Amon's mask for a moment before asking

"So you're the Watanaila?"

Eimi:"Can you talk?"

Amon:This time, many voices responds together "Yes."

Eimi:As the multiple voices respond, her eyebrows raise as Jitsuko looks to Chiho

Chiho:"I'm Chiho Hitomi."

"I own this place."

Amon:Amon simply looks at Chiho

Chiho:"The one beside you is Jitsuko, and this curious kitty is-"

Eimi:"I'm Eimi."

Chiho:"Has Kyoko told you why we need you?"

Amon:"Safe together."

Jitsuko:Glancing over to Kyoko, Chiho closes her eyes in thought for a moment as Jitsuko pipes in

"We're dying."

"Chiho and I are not from this world, just like you."

"We can not sustain on the black like you."

Chiho:Opening her eyes, she looks to Jitsuko as she stops talking, Chiho chimes in

"Kyoko believes you can help us."

Amon:"Help? We- I feed."

"No out. Only in."

Chiho:Leaning forward, she stares into Amon's mask's eyes

"Kyoko believes that you are more than us. She thinks that you're the next step. As for your feeding, if you help us, you won't have to worry about going hungry every again."

Amon:"Then...your plan?" The voices continue to whisper even after the meaningful words have stopped

Chiho:"How do you eat?"

Amon:It leans forward, the nothingness behind the mask bearing down on her "The flesh. The soul."

Chiho:"If I bring you food, will you show us?"

Amon:It nods

Chiho:With a nod in responce, she glances to Kyoko before going back in the door her and the others came from, the other two following

Kyoko:"Staring at Amon, Kyoko sits, eyes filled with light in the otherwise dark room as a smile is ever growing on her face*

Amon:Amon looks to Kyoko

Kyoko:"Come on, while they get dinner, there is something I want to show you."

With that, she stands up and exits the room, expecting it to follow her

Amon:It follows

Part 1 // END

Part 2

Chapter 2 // START

Akimitsu:As Akimitsu exits the school he pauses, looking at the campus ahead, taking a deep breath he goes to take his first step forward when he hears something to his right, just under the stairs, curious, he walks over and peeks down to find a couple making out, with a small smile he finds himself getting lost in the sight as he almost begins to daydream, not noticing that they stopped and have asked what he was doing

Chino:"Hey, weird guy! The hell are you doing?!"

"Get out of here!"

Akimitsu:Snapping out of his dream, due to the man's waves, he takes a straights up from his slouched demeanor

"Oh.. I-uh, No, I-I-I-I, I was just.."

Chino:"Go away before I kick your ass!"

Akimitsu:"Yeah, right, sorry."

Rushing to turn around, Akim doesn't notice the door open as he bumps into someone hard enough to cause him to fall, the papers in his bag falling out as he hits the ground, the person gives a quick apology with Akim nodding as he stumbles to get his papers

In his peripheral, he sees the person squat down before seeing their hands start to help him as they apologize once again, not thinking too much on it, he gives a shrug and waves at their apology.

The person then asks an odd question, forcing Akim to look up and stop as he feels his heart drop, attempting to respond, he finds himself stumbling over his words as he tries to find the words but can't get past her eyes

"W-a-m-i-.. Uh.. Huh?"

Ellie:"I was just.. I know it's weird to just ask someone, I'm sorry."

Akimitsu:Again, taking a moment to find the words, he watches as the girl stands up, just after finishing her sentence and starting to turn around, he lets out

"Wait, no, I didn't mean it like that, I just meant.. I was just going home."

With the girl not stopping when she responds, Akim quickly gathers the rest of his papers and follows her

Uchino:The two run off, talking as a boy who was sitting on the railing, leaning against the school to the left of the doors drinks his soda, watching them bumble

With music blaring in his ears, he doesn't notice a person standing beside him until they tap his shoulder, causing him to look over and take his ear buds out when he sees it's who he was waiting on

Pipe&Dike:Pipe stands back, as Dike lets out an 'aww', Pipe continues his thought

"You waited for us, Uchino?"

Uchino:"You don't know where the party is, I'm your guide, remember?"

Pipe&Dike:"Yeah, you say what you want." - Pipe

"But we know you like us." - Dike

"Let's catch up to the others." - Pipe

Uchino:Pushing himself off the wall, Uchino gets off the railing and starts walking, his light spiky hair pushing his hood up before being pushed down by Pipe as she puts a hand on his head, Dike getting to his side and placing an arm on his shoulder

"So, where is this party and who all is going to be there?"

Pipe&Dike:"So, where is this party and who all is going to be there?" - Dike*

Uchino:"First we have to go and meet up with the others, they're at Meisa's."

Pipe&Dike:"That girl who always dresses in black?" - Pipe

"With red and black hair?" - Dike

"And those really cute red glasses?" - Pipe

Uchino:"Yeah."

Pipe&Dike:The walk continues as Pipe and Dike continue talking, almost the entire time with Uchino answering occasionally before eventually stopping in front of an apartment building

"Oh, does she live in there?" - Pipe

Uchino:"Top floor."

Pipe&Dike:"Oh, got the high life." - Dike

Uchino:Leading the two inside, Uchino gets buzzed inside and after a short walk and an elevator ride, Uchino knocks on one of the few doors on the top floor before it gets opened by a girl around the same age on the other side

Meisa:"You finally made it."

Uchino:"Yeah, something came up."

Meisa looks to Pipe and Dike as Uchino turns to give her a better view, saying

"Meisa, this is Pipe, and Dike."

"You two, this is Meisa."

Pipe&Dike:Looking past her, Dike lets out

"Nice place."

As Pipe brings up a piece sign

"Nice to meet you, Meisa!"

Uchino:With his part in the introduction done, Uchino slides past Meisa and makes himself home as the others continue to talk

Walking around, Uchino looks at one of his favorite places in the apartment, the living room, before heading to the kitchen to get another soda, after which he heads over and jumps on one of the couches. Looking over to one of the few other people there, Meisa's parents walk by, her mother placing an arm on Uchino as the father tells the children to behave, her mother gives Uchino a kiss on the cheek, letting him know she's happy to see him before the two leave, saying something to Meisa, watching the parents leave, he takes a moment, thinking about somethings before looking back to the person on the couch next to him

"So where's your boyfriend?"

With the girl seemingly not hearing him, he tosses the lid to the bottle at her

"Hey, Minami!"

Minami:Breaking out of her mind, she looks to Uchino and asks

"Oh, sorry, I was just.. Thinking. What?"

Uchino:"Where's Jack?"

Meisa:"He's.. He'll meet us at the party. I didn't think Aoi and Saiki would like him."

Uchino:With a nod, he glances back to the door, seeing the three are still talking, Meisa having invited them inside

"Yeah, probably not."

Minami:"How was your day?"

Uchino:With a shrug as he takes another drink from the bottle, he sits it on the table as another girl plays a dancing a few feet from them

"It was alright, had to wait on the new arrivals, apparently they got suspension."

Meisa:"Oh, is that why you were late?"

Meisa asks, finally breaking away from the other two as they take a seat on the third couch in the living room

Uchino:"Didn't I text you?"

Meisa:"Did?"

Meisa asks as she takes her phone out

"Oh, you did, I didn't even see that."

Uchino:Glancing to Minami, he looks at the girl dancing, asking

"So, is everyone ready to go?"

Kaya:Finally finishing her dance as the TV cheers, congratulating her on getting a new high score, she looks back to Uchino, and says through huffs and puffs

"We've been waiting on you."

Uchino:With a nod, he gets back to his feet and starts walking out

Meisa:Letting everyone else go out in front of her, she stops and looks to Pipe and Dike as they continue to sit for a moment, finally Pipe asks

"Oh, are we leaving?"

with a nod from Meisa they get up and follow the others.

Uchino:Another long walk ensues, Pipe and DIke making new friends in Minami and Kaya along the way as Meisa sits back, listening with Uchino leading the front, responding rarely

Kaya:Kaya jumps up to the front, tapping Uchino with her shoulder, she asks

"So that's your plus two, huh?"

Uchino:"They're cool.. Just talk alot."

Kaya:"I wasn't saying anything, just.. Didn't figure you for a dyke guy is all."

Uchino:Uchino looks over as she gains a big smile

"It wasn't killing you to not make that joke, wasn't it?"

Kaya:"Yes, as a matter of a fact it was."

Uchino:"You're dancing is getting better."

Kaya:Looking around at the neighborhood as it quickly goes from the lighter, happier part of the west coast side of the city to the darker, broken down part of the east coast side of the city

"Where is this party?"

Uchino:"Don't worry, we're getting close."

"As a matter of a fact."

taking a turn into an alley, Uchino walks up to a door with a weird symbol and knocks a few times

Meisa:Pipe and Dike stops talking with the group all looking to the door as it opens, the man large muscular man on the other side looking to the group before shaking his head and telling them to go away however is stopped when Uchino grabs his necklace and holds it up, Meisa tries to get a view of the necklace but can't before he puts it back under his hoodie, the man stepping to the side allows the group of teens as Uchino continues to lead them through the packed underground club. Pipe and Dike are put in awe as the tales of people with tails and glowing eyes are made true, walking past the crowed of thought to be almost dead Keltas

Uchino:Stopping at a table at the end of the club, metal edm music blares as Uchino takes a seat next to a man who had a drink in his hand, Minami rushing around the table to give him a hug and kiss, Kaya puts a hand on the table as Meisa takes a seat next to Uchino as he looks to Pipe and Dike

"You two can go ahead and do you, but remember, table four is where you come back to. And if anyone asks you anything weird, don't try and get adventurous, say no."

Pipe&Dike:With a nod, Dike seems to be too concerned with his surroundings to answer as Pipe gives Uchino a hug and a kiss on the cheek before moving on to the crowd, Dike in toe

Kaya:"Well, I'll let you four get on your couples date, shaking her booty to the music, Kaya slowly disappears in the crowd as she goes dancing*

Meisa:As she walks away, Meisa lets out quickly but not fast enough as Kaya is gone by the end of the sentence

"Oh, no, we're not.."

Uchino:Tapping her hand as it lays on the table, Uchino shakes his head, saying

"She was joking."

Minami:Minami finds herself in a make out session as she sits in the man's lap that was waiting at the table

Uchino:"Sorry we're late, Jack, something came up."

Jack:Breaking from his session with Minami, the foreigner looks over to Uchino, giving him a wink and saying

"It's cool man, shit happen."

Uchino:With a nod, Uchino grabs a bottle of red liquid from a passing waitress

"Seems to be full tonight."

Jack:"Special occasion."

Uchino:"What's that?"

Jack:"Tonight's the night."

With a wink to Uchino, Jack goes back to his session with Minami as Uchino stares at them for a moment before a look of realization comes over his face

Uchino:"Oh.. Fuck."

Meisa:"What? What's tonight?"

Uchino:"You all have to go."

"Come on, help me find the others."

Meisa:Noticing Uchino is being serious, something he isn't very often, getting up without question, she goes to find Kaya as he goes to find Pipe and Dike

Time

omit

Jack:Once again breaking away, Jack watches Uchino walk into the crowd, however just as his vision of the young man breaks he sees dark pink hair walking towards him, a heavily clothed figure following

Kyoko:Looking down to the table for a minute, Jack gives Minami a caress on the cheek before Kyoko takes a seat across from him

"Hello, Minami."

Minami:"Hey, Kyoko."

Jack:"Kyo."

Kyoko:"Jack."

Heavy music fills the silence that erupts between the two before Kyoko breaks it

"I have a favor to ask."

Jack:"Of course you do."

Kyoko:"Don't be that way, not this early."

Jack:"What do you want, Kyo?"

Kyoko:"Well, firstly, I want you to meet a new friend of mine."

Nodding towards the clothed figure, she continues

"It's name is Amon."

Jack:"Amon?"

Looking to the figure, he gives it a look down

Amon:It nods

Jack:Looking back to Kyoko, he says with curiosity

"As in the thing that the QSE have been tracking?"

Kyoko:"I told it we could keep it safe. Together."

Amon:"Don't...lie..." It comes out almost a guttural growl

Jack:Leaning back in his seat, Jack rests his hand on Minami's thigh as she pushes herself closer to him

Kyoko:"Who lied?"

She asks, looking to the mask

Amon:"A warning."

Kyoko:Her eyes grow as a smile widens, continuing to stare at the mask as Jack says with a sigh

Jack:"I don't know how.. human you are, but you seem to understand language, Shimanese anyway. I'm Jack."

"Nice to meet you."

Amon:It nods to Jack

Jack:"Don't talk much?"

Amon:It stares

Jack:After a moment, he gives a nod

"Alright."

Kyoko:Breaking her stare into Amon's mask, Kyoko looks to Jack and Minami, asking

"Do you think you can do it?"

Jack:"Do what?"

"All you've told me is the thing's name and that you want to keep it safe, together."

As he says together, he gives air quotes

Kyoko:"When I picked it up, it killed a member of the QSE, they're going to be looking for it and this is one of the first places they'll start, I assume around nine tomorrow is when they'll be knocking."

"Amon needs a place to stay, can you help with that."

Jack:Looking to the mask, Jack shrugs and asks

"You going to kill me?"

Amon:"Safe. Together."

Jack:"Not very comforting, especially with the hundred voices backing you."

He pauses and looks to Kyoko as Minami leans to Jack, whispering something to him

After a moment, she leans back as he says

"Fine, he can stay with me, but.."

Looking to Amon, Jack says with a tilted head

"Don't try any of your weird Astral shit. I don't know what you are or what you can do, so I'm giving the benefit of the doubt that you aren't going to try and eat me or some shit."

Amon:"For now, friend. For now, safe from feeding."

The word friend is warped and so many different intonations that it's impossible to tell what it means when saying that

Jack:"Fr-Friend?"

With a nod, he looks to Kyoko

"This is going to to be interesting."

"If you can, sit down Amon, a show is about to start that you might like."

Minami:"I've been waiting for this night for so long."

Amon:Amon takes a seat at the table if one is available

Jack:Leaning back, Jack looks past Kyoko as she stands up and walks around to behind Amon, where she places a head on it's shoulder and leans down to whisper

Kyoko:"Have fun, unless Jack says otherwise, it's free game."

With that, she straights and walks away

Uchino:As she walks away, she wipes her hand along Uchino's chest as he renters the scene with Pipe and Dike, looking to Jack he asks

"Did Meisa ever come back?"

Jack:"Nope, sorry Uch."

Uchino:Grabbing Pipe's hand as she had a hold of Dike's, he leads them back through the crowd

Jack:"I'm really glad I met him, he's a great guy."

Looking to Amon, he asks

"Do you know him?"

"Uchino?"

Amon:"No."

Jack:"Ah, I'll have to introduce you two later, for now just.. Sit back and watch, it should be starting any minute."

Amon:It nods

Uchino:Getting back to the hall that connects the door to the rest of the club, Uchino lets go of Pipe and tells her and Dike

"Alright, you two have to go, hurry home, I'll call you two tomorrow."

Pipe&Dike:"Did we do something wrong?" - Pipe

"We didn't think it was bad to get a drink, sorry Uch. - Dike

Uchino:"No, you didn't, I just forgot.. You can't be here tonight, now go, I have to get Kaya and Meisa."

Amon:"Fed. For now, sated."

Pipe&Dike:With a disappointed look the two leave, head low

Uchino:As they start heading out, he dives back into the crowd

Jack:"That's good."

Jack lets out before embracing Minami

Uchino:After a short walk through the crowd, pushing and shoving, he spots Kaya as she dances with several guys around her, walking over he calls her name, causing her to look over, having just barely heard it over the music which seems to be growing louder and louder

"You have to go!"

Kaya:Giving him a 'what, no' look, she goes back to dancing with the men however finds her arm being yanked as Uchino grabs it and starts pulling her out

"What are you doing, Uchino!?"

Uchino:"I made a mistake, you have to go."

Kaya:"The hell are you talking about, I've been getting ready for this thing for a week, I'm not leaving after just twenty minutes."

Uchino:With a sigh, he continues pulling her

"Kaya, trust me, you don't want to be here for another twenty minutes. Now, please. Go."

Kaya:"Let go of me!"

Struggling to get away from him, Kaya knocks into a woman causing her to fall to the ground as a man grabs Uchino's arm

Club Goer:Looking back, he sees a man who stares back at him with stern eyes

"You're going to want to let the girl go."

Uchino:"No, but you're going to want to let me go."

Club Goer:"Oh, a tough guy, huh?"

Uchino:"Only if I have to be."

The Club Goer goes to say something but Uchino looks past him as the woman Kaya knocked over looks at her with annoyance

Club Goer:Yanking on Uchino's arm, the Club Goer causes Uchino's grip to slip as Kaya breaks free

"You're going to listen to me when I talk, kid!"

Uchino:With his free hand, Uchino grabs the Club Goer's arm, making skin contact, his eyes gain a reddish tint as as the man's eyes darken

"You're going to let me go, or be one of tonight's meals."

It takes a second but the man lets Uchino go as he takes a step back, his eyes returning to normal as he stares blankly ahead with an expression of horror

Making his way through the crowd, Uchino gets back to Kaya and grabs her arm again

"I said leave."

Kaya:"And I said, no."

Uchino:With his expression growing with more anger, Uchino goes to say something else but stops when the lights in the club all shut off and everything goes dark, the music keeps going and the people keep dancing as black lights turn on with neon lights flashing strobe

"Kaya!"

Kaya:"God damn it, Uchino!"

"Fine, but you better bring me back!"

With the club seemingly just getting going, Kaya heads towards the door

Uchino:Making sure Kaya heads towards the hallway, Uchino goes to the bar

Eimi:As he arrives at the counter, Eimi places an elbow down and props her head up with her hand as she stares at Uchino

"Welcome back, Hiro."

Uchino:"Eimi, have you seen Meisa?"

Eimi:"Who?"

Uchino:"Black hair, highlighted red, about five seven, fifteen.'

Eimi:"Sorry, Uchino, but that doesn't really narrow the search down in here."

Uchino:With a nod, he looks back at the crowd

Eimi:"Might want to try the back rooms."

Uchino:With a nod, he taps the counter and points to Eimi

"Right."

after saying this as he heads towards the back rooms, pushing and shoving his way through the raving crowd once more

Finally getting to a archway, he starts rushing from one door to another, opening them to see a different sight in each room, none of which are preferable for Meisa

Meisa:It's not until the eighth door that Uchino finds Meisa, sitting on a couch with a person passed out in the corner of the room, her eyes open and staring ahead as if she was in a trance

Uchino:"Meisa, damn it.. I told you not to do any weird shit."

Snapping his fingers at her a few times, he gets no reaction, not knowing how to break her out of her state, he instead goes to lift her up

With a grunt, he manages to get her up as he starts making his way out, it's not until he meets the archway that the music stops suddenly, his eyes shut as his heart drops, the lights all shutting off as well

Kanai:With the music stopping and the crowd calming, Uchino tries to make it through the crowd as quick as he can, a spot light turns and points to a man who stands on a balcony. A nightclub has never been so quiet as the man tightens his gloves on his fingers, clears his throat and says

"I.. Am Kani."

A single woo comes out as he says his name

"For those of you who don't know."

"Tonight is Iposuki, in my native tongue, that means flower of death."

"But.. Tonight is the exact opposite. Tonight is the night for us to express our selves, Simuol, the originator of the holiday, he said that Iposuki, to him.. Instead meant true self."

Kanai:"He has unfortunately kissed Iposuki since, however we have carried on his tradition."

"Eimi, if you will, please, show us tonight's event."

Eimi:"Heads up!"

She shouts as everyone looks up to see a foot long glass jar hanging from one of the beams by a string

Kanai:"If you haven't already, please, direct your attention to the jar above you all."

Jack:Minami leans on Jack as the two look up the jar

Amon:Amon scans the crowd instead but makes sure to keep the jar in peripheral

Kanai:"In the jar, you will find a Fye. A lovely little creature full of life and joy and all the things most of us want."

"Tonight's Fye is a female Cron, a rare specimen."

Fye:The Fye flaps her wings but can't find a way out of the invisible field that keeps her trapped as she looks down at all of the creatures below, her heart beating nearly out of her chest

Kanai:"Now is the chance to leave if you do not want to experience pure.."

Taking a deep breath, he says in ecstasy

"Freedom."

He allows only a moment as Uchino is the only one moving through the crowd

"The humans find these little marvelous beauties and eat them."

With a scoff, he says

Kanai:"But we aren't those nasty creatures, are we?"

Club Goer:The club roars with 'no's filling the air

Fye:Continuing to try and escape her confinement, she has no idea what is happening as she doesn't understand their language

Kanai:"Eimi, please, lower the Fye."

After saying this, the jar begins to lower slowly

"No, we aren't those terrible bags of skin."

"But while we're stuck here with them, we may as well make the best of our time, right?"

Club Goer:The club roars with 'yes's

Kanai:"Every week, we have to pay half our paycheck to some filth that tries to be cool so we can walk around feeling safe."

"Every day we have to wake up and go through the painful process of drinking Reion to look like humans."

"But not tonight!"

"Tonight we are free, free to express our true selves."

"Eimi, give us freedom."

Fye:The jar stops, just a few feet from the club goers as the string it is attached to begins to pulse, the tension from crowd can be felt as the music slowly comes back on

After a moment of the string, now revealed to be a tube, pulsing with something inside of it, the lid begins to spin as the jar raises. The Fye places it's hands on the lid as it turns, slowly growing closer to her, her heart races, her breathing intensifies and her wings flap constantly

The spotlight shuts off from Kani as the bottom of the lid lights up with neon as it continues screwing towards her. The crowd watches with smiles, reflections in their eyes from the jar's lights as the Fye is slowly crushed, letting out small screams of agony as bones crunch and skin gets squished.

Soon enough the Fye is dead as black blood pools from her, the lid slowly starts unscrewing, as it does, water fills the jar, mixing with the Fye's blood

Soon enough, the jar is filled with black liquid as the lights in the jar begin to strobe, the club goers begin to cheer as the liquid is sucked into the tube, getting as much as it can before leaving the Fye, crushed and dry

Uchino:Uchino gets to the hall just as the lights shut off, continuing out, Amon can feel the crowd's joy as it comes off in waves

Jack:"Here we go."

Suddenly the lights on the edge of the walls turn back on, filling the club with black lights and strobbing neons, a band now on the stage, the guitarist plucks a few strings before the song start, just as it starts the crowd is doused with the black liquid, as screams of joy and agony erupt from them, Jack leans back, with his arm around Minami, they watch as everyone seems to change drastically, skin and hair being pulled and ripped off, the smell of death and blood filling the air

1:Amon watches as the club goers begin to change, the first one grows in size as it pulls it's skin off, screaming in pain and happiness

2:Another lets out a screech as it changes

3:Along with another which doesn't change all that much, growing horns it's shirt falls off as it's hair grows out

4:Another grows a different set of horns as it's skin slides off, leaving behind a silk like smooth grey and red skin, with sharp claws for fingers

5:One of the dancers, similar to the third changer, doesn't change that much, her horns growing slightly, wings cutting through her back shoulders, and a tail cutting out of her, just above her crack, as her cheek's grow scales before opening to show a pair of wing like frills

Jack:Jack watches as the crowd changes to mysterious creatures, you wouldn't even recognize most of them if you had known their human forms

Minami:Minami watches in awe as she tightens her grip on Jack, filling with excitement

Jack:"You ever seen anything like that, Amon?"

Amon:"Places like this....likely help make me."

Jack:"I don't know if that's good or bad, but if you want a real kick, let me know."

Club Goer:As the transformations slowly start to stop, the remaining humans find themselves standing in horror, surrounded by monsters. One of the girls looks to her date and asks

"What the fuck is happening!? Aonuma, please, I'm scared!"

Aonuma:The thing that she was talking to looks to her as the sides of it's mouth raise, it puts one of it's slimy hands on her shoulder before a tongue shoots out of it's mouth and wraps around her head, throwing her to the ground before Aonuma starts walking towards the back rooms, dragging her along

"Dirty fucking human, I'll show you who should be scared!"

Amon:"Real kick?"

1:The first monster that changed looks over to his friend as his friend stares back in terror before he is punted straight into the ground as the monster starts beating the human to death

Jack:"Yeah, I gotcha."

Raising his hands up, a waitress walks over as Jack asks

"With it being a special occasion and all, I think I'll get myself some Brita, and for my new found friend, I'll buy him that Fye."

The waitress gives a nod before walking off

"I think you'll like this."

Amon:All Amon can do is watch in confusion

Jack:Returning, the waitress tries to explain that the Fye isn't for sale, but Jack stops her with a raise of the hand

"You don't understand, this is Amon, and I want to buy him the Fye."

With her eyes widening and her mouth slightly ajar, she looks to Amon for a second before rushing back to the bar

Yukimori:Suddenly one of the creatures jump past the waitress and on the table raising it's hand towards Jack and Minami it lets out a yell that syncs with the music

Jack:Just before it goes to swipe, Jack raises his hand and shakes his head, saying in a stern tone

"You get one warning, Yukimori."

Amon:It stands

Jack:"Go find another one."

Yukimori:"You owe me, Jack!"

"This is payment!"

Amon:"We- I cannot remember the last time..."

Jack:Without another word, Yukimori goes to swipe at them but finds himself being stopped as Jack now as a scythe in hand that has blocked Yuki's hand

Yuki takes a step back as Jack stands, Minami sliding out of the way

Yukimori:"Come on, Jack.. It's one girl."

Jack:"It's my girl."

Amon:"Safe. Together."

It turns to Yukimori

Yukimori:"She's a filthy human, you and I bought know i-"

Yukimori stops and looks to Amon

"I am not here for you, stay out of the way or you'll die too."

Amon:A cacophony of laughs echo from behind the mask

Jack:As Yuki said human a couple of the monsters near them look over, knowing the scene isn't going anywhere good, Jack places the blunt side of his scythe on the table, the point facing the ceiling as he looks to the couple that looked over and says

"Don't get involved."

Yukimori:As Amon laughs, Yuki tilts it's head as even in the Astral community, those with multiple voices are rare

"Sit down or di-"

Yuki finds himself getting hit with a long stick and thrown straight into the scythe, as it goes through his chest he lets out several screams of pain and it squirms, Jack jumps up on the table as Minami watches, mouth closed and wide eyed

Jack:"I told you, one warning."

Yukimori:"Jack you son.. of a.. bitch... You.. Will re-grahhhh!"

Yuki lets out a scream as he continues to slide down the scythe, finally reaching the table, Jack looks to Amon

Jack:"You want to do anything? He did slight you."

(From Amon): 1

Amon:Reaching out a hand to touch Yukimori's face "One warning not heeded."

Jack:Dropping from the table, Jack goes to grab the scythe but finds a hand grabbing his shoulder and turning him around

"Fellas, I told y-ohhhh. Sum."

Amon:It looks up while grasping Yukimori's jaw

Sumio:The eight foot beast of a creature bends down to Jack's level and says through two voices

"You just broke one of the Blood Laws."

Jack:"Well, technically, it was self defense, so no.. I don't believe I broke anything."

Sumio:"You're on a thin wire, Jack. Watch yourself."

Jack:"I try to."

Amon:At this point Amon graps Yuki's face and the scythe before pulling the two apart and tossing Yukimori aside "Better?"

Sumio:"Don't be a smart ass."

With that, Sumio turns and leaves, grabbing Yukimori's leg and dragging him off the table, as Jack grabs the handle and holds, with the help of Amon, the three tear Yuki almost in half as it screams in pain until finally going into shock and dying as it hits the floor

Jack:As Sumio walks away, Jack looks to Amon as the scythe enters his shirt and quickly disappears

"That's Sumio, he's one of the top dogs of the remaining Blood World, he tries to keep the old ways going but it's just.."

"He doesn't understand that time changes things."

Amon:Amon's already kneeling over Yukimori as black smoke billows from the corpse and into Amon's mask at any available opening

Jack:"Well, that's new."

Taking a seat, he wraps his arm around Minami as she cuddles up to Jack, the two watch as humans die left and right, fights break out between Astrals, and humans are eaten, their blood turning darker the closer it gets to some of the Astral's mouths.

"This is a sight you can only see once a year, and not many people get the chance."

Amon:"They called this....freedom..." The mask comes off

Jack:Jack looks over as Kyoko returns with the jar and the thing Jack ordered

Kyoko:"Treating our special guest, I heard."

Amon:Facing Kyoko and Jack, many voices coming as one "Freedom is nice."

Kyoko:Jack lets out a 'hmm' as Minami sinks into his arms, for the first time showing fear as she didn't expect it to look so different, Kyoko on the other sits the orders on the table as she lowers to her knees, her mouth opening and flooding with water as her eyes light up as she stares at Amon

Jack:Jack gives a nod before scooting the orders closer

"Yeah, Amon, freedom is pretty nice."

Amon:It approaches the jar, gauging its contents

Fye:Kyoko watches Amon closely as it looks towards the crushed and twisted, almost completely dried up Fye

Jack:"I haven't ever had one, but I've seen some people eat one of those and.. They enjoyed it."

"Alot."

"So, there you go."

Amon:"Enjoy..." It goes to consume the Fye

Jack:Amon feels heat coming from the Fye as it eats the creature, as it goes down Amon's through and down it's stomach, it can feel the heat move, cold surrounding it, almost making Amon freeze, a feeling it's not felt before as not much else happens as Jack and the crew watches

Amon:"Simply flesh."

"But warm."

Jack:"Well. that's a.. Little disappointing, maybe they drained it too much. Sorry."

Amon:In the back of it's head, Amon hears a couple of voices say

"Evolve!"

Its head jerks back a bit "Evolve?"

The voices repeat once more

"Evolve!"

It falls to the ground, reaching for Yukimori's body "Flesh! Fuel...." Its body begins to pulsate, the robes ripping and tearing

Jack:"I guess it just took a minute."

Amon:As the robes rip, several screams emerge from Amon as it's face starts to split open, however it has trouble reacting to the pain as it's hungry suddenly grows to incredible feats, making it feel like it hasn't eaten in weeks as the voices say in the back of Amon's head

"Free the skin!"

"Shed and live!"

Ripping its own flesh apart, Amon uses another hand to gouge meat from the body and stuff its face. Every repetition shows stringy bits of Amon attaching it to the ground, the table, the body, and anything else nearby

Jack:"What the fuck?"

Jack questions in surprise as he watches Amon literally evolve, Minami hiding behind him as Kyoko moans and gasps, the stars in her eyes have never been brighter

Amon:Everyone in the club stops and looks, the band keeps playing as Amon hears

"We're almost free."

"No we."

"I"

Kyoko:Kyoko falls to her knees as the screaming lowers

Finally coming to stop, she inches closer to Amon as his head is faced down in Yuki's chest, everyone else in the club had stopped and looked over to the scene

Baal:"And I enjoy" A single voice with whispers echoing after speaks as the creature rises. The strings that connected it to the surroundings break with the shedding of a mucus coating

"I am Baal, voice all my own." No longer do the whispers follow

Jack:"What the fuck just happened?"

Kyoko:With a gasp, her lips tremble as she raises a hand to Baal's head, caressing it's jaw, she brings her now slime/mucus covered hand back to her head as she smells it before putting her other hand on Baal's shoulder and bringing herself closer as her eyes dart across it's body

"Amon, you.."

Pausing, a smirk grows as her eyes continue to stare at him, riddled with stars

Jack:"So.. You.. Liked the Fye?"

Baal:"So that was a real kick?"

Jack:"It certainly seems so."

"It put you in a whole different state."

Baal:"Truly. No longer am I bound by the many. I am Baal. Lord over myself."

Jack:"Baal?"

"New appearance, new voice, new name.."

"Anything else?"

Baal:It brings a clawed didget to Kyoko's chin and tapping it "For now, nothing."

Jack:"Alright, well.. It'll be another year before we get one of them Fyes, so you better ride that high for as long as you can."

Kyoko:She shakes as Baal taps her chin, with an appearance of pure ecstasy

Baal:"Something leads me to believe it will take more than a Fye to bring something like that again."

Jack:With a nod, Jack looks around at the crowd as they stare

"Well, Baal, you're an odd thing in an odd place, normally that should be good, you're with your kind and all but.. I don't think this is your kind."

Miliko:One of the creatures step forward, saying

"What in the hell are you?"

Baal:"I don't disagree." It turns to Miliko "I am Baal. I feed. I survive. Past that, I am unaware."

Miliko:With Baal's answer, Miliko takes a step back, giving him a look of worry

Kanai:"Well!"

the host from earlier returns to his post saying

"Well, after that interesting event, it is still Iposuki."

"Freedom is the name of the night!"

With Kanai's final word, the crowd starts cheering before going back to what they were doing before, fighting, partying, dancing, and all around, being themselves

Jack:Looking to his girl, Jack gains a smile

"This has been one interesting night."

Baal:The crack in its face grows further up Baals face to form something akin to a smile "And it has only begun."

Episode 2 // END

Part 3

Episode 3 // START

Uchino:Making it outside, Uchino puts Meisa down, leaning her against the wall before stretching his arms, wincing

"We finally invite you all to the club and look at what happens.. All of you almost get eaten.. Stupid."

As Uchino turns around and looks to the street he mumbles things to himself for a few seconds before turning around and picking her up again

"Alright, let's just get you home and I'll figure out what to do with you if this hasn't worn off by then."

As he finishes he sentence he hears a soft voice call out from behind just before the sound a door shuts

Tsukino:Turning around, he is met by a male man with black hair walking towards him

"I think you got the wrong person, you see that's.. My human?"

.*

Uchino:"No.. I don't believe so."

Tsukino:"Well, actually, yes, if you loon on her ankle, you'll find my marking, a T with a U like shape connecting the ends."

Uchino:With a sigh, Uchino lifts Meisa's pants up and sees the mark Tsukino was talking about, causing Uchino to give a questioning expression

Tsukino:"You see it, right?"

Uchino:"You'd make a hell of a tattoo artist, you have great time. We weren't even there for ten minutes."

Tsukino:"It's not a tattoo."

Uchino:"Good, that means it'll wash off."

Tsukino:"Oh no, that's not coming off until I tell it to."

Uchino:"Until you tell it?"

Tsukino:"Will you give me my human?"

Uchino:"No, I don't think so."

Tsukino:"Then I'll get the cops on you."

Uchino:"How.. Would that end good for you in any situation?"

"You're a grown man chasing kids in the middle of the night."

Tsukino:"I'm a father chasing my daughter as she is being kidnapped."

Uchino:"If you think that's how it would go, then you do you."

With that, Uchino turns around and goes to continue walking

Tsukino:"H-.. I said stop it, I-.. That's my.. my.. my human!"

Uchino:Uchino ignores the man however finds something hard hitting the back of his head enough to cause him to black out for a second, waking up just before he hits the ground, he turns around to see the man swinging a rock at him

Tsukino:Hitting Uchino again in the face with the rock, Tsukino grabs Meisa and starts dragging her back to the club

Uchino:Grabbing at his forehead as it's swelling and bleeding, he gets to his feet and calls out as he walks towards Tsukino

"Can't you find another one?"

Tsukino:"You find another one, I have a particular taste."

Uchino:Running at the man, he turns around just in time to dodge Uchino as he jumps to tackle the man but instead fails to the ground, however this causes Tsukino to drop Meisa's arm

Tsukino:"Kid, I'm warning you, I haven't had a good week."

Officer Tessai:A click can be heard behind Tsukino as a voice comes from the shadows

"If you move it's going to get a whole lot worse."

Tsukino:Looking back to see the officer, hand on his gun as the two lock eyes

"Oh, uh.. Sir, this man, he was trying t-"

Officer Tessai:"Save it."

Tsukino:"But he-"

Officer Tessai:"We're outside of a known Astral hang out and today is your holiday for self discovery or some shit, don't push me, I have five different stories of assault and I'm working on a sixth."

Uchino:Uchino looks over as the officer gives him a nod, allowing him to get up and grab Meisa, the officer keeps his eye on Tsukino as he asks

Officer Tessai:"What's your name?"

Tsukino:"Tsukino."

Officer Tessai:The officer continues to stare

Tsukino:With a grunt, he says looking to the ground

"Tatsui, Tsukino."

Officer Tessai:"Alright, Tsukino, I'm going to let you go back to your party, but if you try anything, I will drop you."

Tsukino:Giving a nod, and a few grumbles, Tsukino glaces to Uchino before turning around and heading back inside

Officer Tessai:With Tsukino heading back inside, Tessai gets closer to Uchino before asking

"The hell are you doing over here, Uchino?"

Uchino:"Thanks Tessai."

Officer Tessai:"Don't thank me, answer me, I told you to stay away from this place."

Uchino:"Yeah, only after I told you about it."

Officer Tessai:"Yeah, you gave me a tip, but who found the place first doesn't matter, I told you not go back there."

Uchino:"Are you going to scold me or help me, because I can use one of those right now."

Officer Tessai:"You sure can use a scolding, but I'm going to help you.. If your brother knew half the shit you did."

As he says this, he helps Uchino carry Meisa

Uchino:"My brother doesn't even know where home is right now."

Officer Tessai:"Yeah, he's.. Going through a rough patch but he.. He cares about you, alright."

Uchino:"In his own way."

With that said, Uchino opens the car door and gets in the back seat, bringing Meisa with him

Officer Tessai:"Uchino, listen.. I."

With a pause and a sigh, he shuts the door after placing Meisa's upper half in the backseat, only continuing his sentence as he gets in the front seat

"I have a friend."

Uchino:"That's good, I thought I was your only one, almost felt special."

Officer Tessai:"Don't be a smart ass, I'm being series."

Uchino:Positioning himself to a partly comfortable situation in the back of the car, Uchino looks out the window, placing a hand on Meisa's leg

"You're right, I'm sorry."

Officer Tessai:"I have a friend. His step son is going to one of those powered schools."

Uchino:With a wince, Uchino says as he shakes his head

"Not this thing again, Tessai."

"I told you I don't have money for that thing and even if I did, I don't want to go."

"Not my thing, not my place, not my people."

Officer Tessai:Tessai cuts Uchino off, saying

"Uchino, I'm sorry."

Uchino:"For what?"

Officer Tessai:"You're going."

Uchino:"I-.. Did you not hear me?"

"I don't have the money and I don't want to."

Officer Tessai:"I talked to your brother and he agreed, you have talent and it would be good for you. You've spent way too much time on the streets."

Uchino:With a scoff, he looks back out the window

"You're going to pay for me to go? Eighty percent of your paycheck is spent keeping your daughter alive."

Officer Tessai:Tessai looks at Uchino through the rear view, obviously offended at Uchino's words as he slams on the breaks, causing the kid to hit his head on the fence between them as Mesia falls to the plastic floor.

Uchino:Heaving hit his head where the rock hit him, he holds his head, asking

"What the fuck was that about?"

Officer Tessai:Looking at him through the rear view mirror, Tessai raises his voice, almost to a yell

"You're allowed to be sad about your father's death and your mother leaving, that's fine, whatever, be angry at the world, but your brother is trying his damnist to keep you two afloat, he knows you love the house you two live in because of the memories, he is working three jobs, exhausting himself to make sure you don't lose that, one job for most people is fucking stressful, so I can only imagine what three is doing, so no, I don't blame him for wanting a drink every now and then. He doesn't deserve you giving him attitude every time you walk through the door, but that's not my place, that's between you two. You can be mad at me for trying to help your thug want to be ass, again, fine, whatever, as long as you're safe, you can think what you want, but if you ever mention Tomoko again, I'll show you what your thug life gets you, I'll beat your ass and put you in jail, or maybe I'll just shoot you, claim I thought you were going for a gun. Now, I have talked to your brother and my friend and worked out a deal, if you can keep your grades up, you can go, but if you want to continue being a fucking asshole, mad at the world because of a little, and I do mean a little bad happened in your life, then be my guest, tell me and I'll open the door, let you out to go back and try to fist fight the real life monster."

A few moments pass as Tessai asks the now lowered Uchino

"School or out Uchino, tell me."

Uchino:Another few moments pass as Uchino answers with a trembling voice

"S-S-.. School."

As he says this, Tessai can see tears fall from his face

Officer Tessai:It takes Tessai a moment before clears his throat and asks

"Good.. Where.. Where does the girl live?"

Part 3.5

time

Jack:Sometime around three in the morning, takes his keys out of the knob before pocketing thing and opening the door

"Alright, Baal."

He lets out as he enters

"Tonight you can just.. sleep on the couch and tomorrow I'll work on getting you a corner or something."

With this said, he starts walking backwards as he looks back to Baal, Minami holding onto him as he enters

"Just.. Don't break shit because half of it's not mine."

Baal:"I'll avoid breaking things."

Jack:"Alright, well.. Just make yourself at home."

"I would give you the tour but Sone is asleep."

Baal:It nods "Is there...a plan for after rest?"

Jack:"Uhh.. Well, I got to go and meet someone, give them an update on a few things but other than that, I live the good life."

"I don't do jack shit."

"Sit around all day until work calls then I go out and just.. Do."

"Come home, eat, sleep.. Fuck."

"Watch the news."

"Some and Kentaro do most of the chores."

Jack:"And pay the bills."

Baal:"Peaceful.."

Jack:"Yep.. Just.. Sit and relax. If you turn the tv on, make sure it's lower than ten percent."

With that Jack and Minami heads into a hallway, shutting a door and leaving Baal

Baal:Que montage of Baal looking around and not understanding simple things like light switches

As he walks around, touching things, trying to understand them, he flips a switch as the living room lights up, showing it's mostly empty, flipping it back off, he flips the next one which turns on the lights in the kitchen, flipping it off, he flips the next one on as a loud engine turns on and shakes the entire kitchen as the hole in the sink starts twisting

This switch is flicked many, many times until Baal is sure which one stops the noise

Jack:Shortly after it's off he hears a door open as Jack comes back into the living room, only underwear on as he raises his hands

"The fuck are you doing?"

Baal:If a nigh-Lovecraftian monster could look like an innocent child, Baal would be doing it "Eh...Exploring."

Jack:"We-.. Well."

With a sigh, Jack looks around before looking back to Baal

"Just.. Do you not sleep?"

Baal:"I do not know."

Jack:"You don't.. *know?"

know*

"Okay, just..."

"Sit down for.. twenty minutes and I'll come out and.. I don't know show you some things."

Baal:It nods and goes to sit down on the couch

Jack:With the nod, jack goes back to the room for the time he said, but winds up taking a little longer than he said, eventually coming out almost an hour later to see where Baal is and what it's doing

Baal:He finds Baal staring ahead in a sitting position, making a slight noise from its mouth

Jack:Pulling his shirt over his head, he takes a seat on the chair beside Baal, saying with a yawn

"Alright you.."

"What do you do?"

Baal:It jumps and looks around, before settling its gaze on Jack "What do I- What?"

Jack:"Are you fu-...."

"Really?"

"Really?"

"Okay."

"First off, that. That. That was sleep."

"How often do you do that?"

Baal:"Whenever I stop running."

Jack:"Well, I guess you're going to be doing a bunch of that."

"From my understanding, Ichor's entire thing is discretion and allowing it's costumers to relax."

"Be themselves and all that shit."

Baal:"Ichor?"

"This world holds many things I have yet to learn, it seems."

Jack:"Holds many wo-.."

With another sigh, Jack leans back

"Ichor was the name of the club we met at, a girl named Chiho owns it."

"One of your friends, your new obsessor, Kyoko and her sister, Eimi work there."

one of her friends*

"Not exactly sure on that whole relation, until tonight I honestly Kyoko was a lesbian."

Jack:"Now I know she's just into some weeeeiiiiirrrd shit."

Baal:"What is it that let those...astrals hold human forms?"

Jack:"Reion?"

"It's a uhh.. I don't know, some shit a Kelta came up with back in the twenty forties, when Astrals first became a big thing in the world."

"The first big collision occurred."

"Man, it's crazy to think that's been.."

"That's been almost.. seventy? years."

almost two hundred and.. seventy?*

Baal:"A long time in this world?"

Jack:"Well, the average human lives about.. ninety years, so if you can do basic math that's like.. Three lifetimes?"

"It's a good while."

Baal:It nods "You and the astrals seem to survive on things to survive that I don't. How do you not crave the...soul of another?"

Jack:"Well, I'm not an Astral."

"Nor am I a Kelta, I'm a third generation D.M."

Baal:"D.M.?"

Jack:"Yeah, uhh... In the twenty thirties, people started developing powers, and they were called humans, spelled with two Ms. Shortly after this became public, some dumb ass media site was talking shit and called them M&Ms, then a new anchor told a story about how their child wanted to be a double M because they weren't allowed to call them humans, and then it just blew up as a slang for people with powers. Double M, shortened to D.M.s."

Baal:"I see." Baal did not see

Jack:"Can you?"

"Like literally, can you?"

"It looks like you have.. skin? over your.. glowing.. holes."

Baal:"Perhaps not in the way you do, but I see."

Jack:With a nod, Jack looks over to the tv for a moment before glancing back to Baal

"What'd you do?"

"After I left you, while you were.."

"What'd you say.. exploring?"

Baal:He points to light switches "I examined the protrusions. They control lights, I found."

Jack:"The pro-.. Uhh. Yeah, they're.. Those are called light switches, they control.. Like you found, the lights."

"Some control certain lights, others control... others."

Baal:"Like the noises."

"And ceiling machines."

Jack:"The.. Ceiling machnes?"

Baal:He points to the fan

It*

Jack:"Oh, yeah, well, that's a.. That's a fan... When.. Did you get here?"

Baal:"Many nights ago."

Jack:"Mmmm."

"Well, that does sound like a long time ago."

Baal:"Indeed."

Jack:"Right."

"Oh, and the uhh."

Snapping towards the kitchen, it takes him a moment but he says

"The noise thing, that was the garbage disposal."

"For food and shit in the sink."

Baal:"Sink?"

Jack:"Yeah it's the.."

"It's the.. big metal hole in the.. counter."

Baal:Intelligence - (59)

Jack:"In there, you put dishes in i- uh,, dishes are glass, sometimes plastic or paper.. round.. oval.. things."

"You, well, not you, but humans, like me, eat off of them."

Baal:It begins looking around the room rather quickly "And the refrigerator, and the bathroom, and..." It grabs its head with a hand "Many things...there, but not."

Jack:As it starts yanking, Jack stares at it, confused to rather or not he should get ready to defend himself or comfort it

"I guess when you.. Smell things you get their memories or something, huh?"

"Pretty sure a couple of vampires have that ability."

Baal:"Many memories lie within." A few voices spill out as it speaks "Many things to be remembered."

Jack:"Well, they.. suck them, but.. Apples to oranges."

"Alright, well.. Maybe that can be tomorrow's mission."

"Helping you remember shit."

"Have any clothes?"

"Any more masks?"

"I think we left yours back at the club."

Baal:It shakes its head and the voices clear up into one again "The only clothes were destroyed. Stolen from near my birth, I have had no need to replace them until now."

Jack:"Uhh.. Well, I don't have any.. Masks, but I can get you some clothes around seven."

"I don't have any of those weird.. cult.. stuff."

"I have normal clothes."

"So, hope that's okay."

Baal:"I have hid since my first kill, so I do not know if my appearance would be acceptable."

Jack:"Don't worry, you don't have to find that out through experience, I'm telling you now."

"You.. need some way to cover that fave."

face*

Baal:"Thus, a mask."

Jack:"Exactly."

"Anyways, do you got any more questions?'

Baal:"For now, no."

Jack:"Great, well I tell you what."

"I'll show you around the apartment, tell you what everything is how it works and all that good shit, if you know it, say so, if not, ask for more detail if that's what you want."

With stretch, Jack gets up from his seat

Baal:Baal stands "A sound plan."

Episode 3 // END

Part 4

Episode 4 // START

Jack:Several hours pass as Baal has learned just about everything having to do with every day human life and then some, Jack has fallen asleep on the couch while the TV was on, playing the animal channel

Baal:It quietly tries to imitate hyena laughter without waking Jack

Sone:As it does this, it suddenly hears a yell behind

"What in the fuck!?"

Baal:It jumps up, hands ready to fight

"Hah?"

Jack:Jack goes to jump up, but winces and holds his neck as his quick motion hurt it due to the position he was in

"Ah.. No, just.. Fucking shut up!"

"What the hell is happening?"

Sone:"What is... What is happening!?"

"There is a FUCKING MONSTER!"

"In front of you!"

Baal:"....Animal....Chanel."

It slowly points at the TV

Sone:"It talks!?"

Baal:"I do."

Jack:"Shhhhh!"

"I have a hangover, my head is pounding and neither of you are helping."

With a grunt, Sone's facial expression changes three times in a matter of seconds before he lets out

Sone:"Oh, I'm sorry to give you a head ache, but there is a fucking, I say again.."

"Fucking monsters in the living room!"

Baal:It puts its pointing finger to its mouth "Shhhh."

Sone:"Laughing at the dogs on tv."

"Don't you tell me to shh, bitch, this is my house, I'll send your dark nightmare ass back to the dream world, Freddy Kruger."

Jack:Raising a hand between them, Jack says

"Alright, Sone, alright."

"I'll explain it in a minute, just.."

"Give me a minute."

Baal:"Dreams? Humans do that in sleep. I'm awake."

Sone:Sone looks like he is about to explode but Jack says just in time

Jack:"Amon, this is Sone, Sone this is Amon."

Baal:"Baal."

Jack:"Oh, right, sorry."

"Baal, this is Sone, Sone this is Baal."

"Baal is going to be staying with us for a few nights."

Sone:"Staying where?'

Jack:"With.. Us."

"I just said that."

"Or did I think it?"

Sone:WHERE with us!?"

Baal:"Not in your dreams."

"I don't have those."

Sone:"I have three rooms, my bed room, and you took the other rooms."

"Is it trying to be a smartass or is it trying to be series?"

Jack:"Just.. Deal with it like a child, Sone."

"It was born last night."

"I think."

Sone:"The fuck does that mean?"

Baal:"Reborn, but yes."

Sone:"What it is Benjamin Bundy?"

"Born a six foot man?"

Jack:With a groan, he hides his face as he leans back on the couch

"God damn it Sone, just be nice with it, chill, okay, I don't know."

"I talked to all night last night and it was cool."

Sone:Crossing his arms, Sone stares at Baal's glowing eyes

"Well.."

"Fine, if Jack says you're cool then you probably.. Wait a minute, was that you last night that made the growling?"

"Back at like three in the morning?"

Baal:"That was the...." It points at the sink for a moment "Garbage disposal."

Sone:Taking a moment, Sone looks to the sink and then back to Baal a few times before stopping and Baal and asking with a questioning expression

"What the fuck were you throwing away?"

Baal:"I was eh....exploring."

Sone:"Okay, well, you can go spelunking in someone else's backyard, Jack if he tears up anything, you're paying for it."

With that, Sone walks to the kitchen as Jack waves him off

"Alright, Baal."

"Do you eat?"

"You have a mouth."

Baal:"I do not eat what you do."

Sone:"That's a good way to put it."

Getting out a pan and some plates, Sone gets to cooking, then Baal sees something in his peripheral

Baal:It turns to look

Kentaro:As it looks over, it sees another person standing outside the door in the hallway that leads to Sone's room, staring back at it with a blank expression, not sure how to react to this creature

Baal:It looks down at its hand for a moment, trying to remember the night before. After a bit, it looks to Kentaro and waves its hand jerkily "Hello."

Kentaro:He gives a more smooth wave, calling out

"Uhh.. Sone!"

Sone:"That's Baal, Jack's friend!"

Sone shouts back

Kentaro:"Oh.. Okay.. Hello."

Taking a few steps forward, Kentaro keeps an eye on Baal, but tries to lower his head not to seem rude

(From Baal): Internally "Once I get a mask, I'll fit right in with the humans at this rate."

Baal:It simply watches Kentaro as he moves through the room

Kentaro:Going through apartment, he in the kitchen and looks at the pan, asking as props himself up on the counter, his hands being covered by the long sleeves of his three times too big shirt

"Is it.. Can I talk to it?"

Sone:"It's talkative so far, just don't get too close."

Baal:"You are Jack's friends, so I won't harm you."

Kentaro:With a small nod, Ken gives Sone a quick kiss before walking back to the side of the counter and looking back to it

"That's.. So you're a friend of Jack's, huh?"

Baal:"For now, yes. Those at Ichor said we are safe together."

"Nothing has suggested otherwise so far."

Kentaro:With a nod, he looks back to Sone who gives a shrug, causing Ken to look back to Baal

"Well, that's good."

"So.. I'm uhh.. I'm Kentaro."

Baal:"I am Baal."

Kentaro:Wobbling over, Ken offers his hand to Baal

Pulling the sleeve up to get it out of the way

Baal:He goes to take the hand, careful not to stab with his claws "A handshake?"

Kentaro:"That was.. what I was offering."

Kento says as he slowly preforms it

Baal:It nods, shaking

Kentaro:Giving a warm smile, Kento takes a seat next to Jack

"So, what're you watching, Baal?"

Baal:"Jack put on the Animal Chanel before he slept. It has shown many animals."

Kentaro:"Have any favorites?"

Baal:"Sea life is very interesting. I wonder how it tastes."

Kentaro:"It tastes alright."

Sone:"What the f-... Thought you didn't eat what I eat?"

Sone calls from the kitchen

Baal:"I have not had the chance, but I doubt it will be sufficient."

Kentaro:Resting his head on Jack's shoulder, Kentaro props his feet on the couch and grabs his hand, watching the tv

Jack:"So you like the fish and sharks and shit."

"Later today I can take you to the aquarium."

(From Baal): 1

Baal:"Perhaps. Soon, I shall need to feed."

Jack:Still leaned back, with his eyes closed, Jack gives a nod

"Alright, we can stop by a restaurant after my meeting."

Baal:"I don't think your food will be sufficient."

Sone:"Speaking of food, breakfast is ready."

Sone says from the kitchen as he places the food he had made on the dining table

Jack:Kentaro slowly gets up and goes to sit at the table as Jack opens his eyes and stands up, stretching

"Yeah, I forgot buddy."

"I'll.. I'm sure we can find something."

Sone:"Is Minami here?"

Baal:"I can hunt so long as I have a cover."

Jack:"Yeah, I was going to wake her up, and that's not.. necessary."

"You're with Kyoko and them, if you go hunting, you're just going to get caught and probably killed."

"Just give me some time and I'll get you fed."

Kentaro:With that, Jack heads back to his room to get his girl as Kentaro perks up, asking with a smile

"Minas here?"

Time

Jack:Some time skips as Mina stayed back at the apartment with Ken and Sone went off to work just before Jack and Baal left

The two now find themselves driving through the city, on the way to Jack's meeting

"You know, I don't normally like the whole buddy cop retinue, my partners are usually either pussies or annoying as fuck."

"But if you stay about the same, I can deal with this."

"Not saying this is going to last, just.. saying."

Baal:"Given this world, it seems little stays the same for long."

Jack:"Actually, going back to what we were talking about last night, a lot of stuff is the same as it was two hundred years ago."

"When the D.M.s became a thing, and then we learned about Keltas, then we learned about Astrals.. It wasn't much of a surprise when Hathan's became known."

"People have been busy with the contentiously growing races in the world."

"A little too busy to deal with most technology, not saying it just stopped, but it differently slowed down."

"The corporations pretty much took control over most of the world, but they did that before all the new shit became big."

Baal:"A complex world."

Jack:"Not really, I guess it can be if you look too closely, but.. Hell, if you look too close at the air you'll see all the particles and germs and this and that."

"You can make anything complex, just like you can make everything simple."

"Depends on your outlook."

Baal:It nods "I can see the reasoning behind that."

"What is this meeting about?"

Jack:"Work, despite most of my days consisting of me just sitting around doing whatever I want, ever now and then I do have to go in and update my manager."

"About once a week do I actually go and do anything."

"But that's still a lot compared to how much I should."

"For my job, that is."

Baal:"Which is?"

Jack:"There are a few names for it, but the simple way of explaining it is, you."

"I hunt down rogue Astrals that are a danger to humans and either bring them in or.. Eliminate them."

"Pretty sure I was supposed to hunt you down about a month ago actually."

"You led me straight to a whole group of cultists and that just.. It was a rabbit hole straight into some weird shit."

"I think I'm cursed now."

Baal:"I can sympathize."

Jack:"Can you?"

"I'm surprised, both at your ability to emotional understanding, if that's true. And you not trying to attack me right now."

"I just told you my job was to kill things like you."

Baal:"I do not hold any love for others like me. As for the curse, I am unsure as it is unclear. I believe I am the curse on someone."

"This body is not my own."

Jack:"I think from last night on, it's yours."

As he says this, he pulls up close to a bridge and turns the car off

Baal:"Do I need to hide during the meeting?"

Jack:"No, as long as I say you're good, you're good."

"Hell, if you want you can come with me."

"My manager is a pretty cool guy."

"He's chill, pretty laid back."

Opening the door, he turns abck to Baal

"If you don't want to, you can roll the window down before I go."

Jack:"Should only take a few miutes."

Baal:It goes to exit the car

Jack:With a nod, he shuts the door and walks along through the grass, going under the bridge

After a few minutes of walking, they get to the middle under the bridge where Jack presses a button on one of the pillars which opens a hidden door, heading inside, Jack nods for Baal to get in the small, broom closet sized room before the door shuts as the room starts moving, but Baal can't tell how until lights appear on the floor as the he realizes the room was actually an elevator that led to under the ground into a type of lab. Taking a joint out, Jack lights it up as he starts walking through the lab until he stops in front of a glass office with a single man in it along with a single desk and three chairs. Entering the office, he closes the door behind Baal before taking a seat in one of the chairs

"Hello, sir."

The man on the other side of the desk nods as before pressing a button on the side of his glasses and looking to Jack for a moment before glancing to the figure dressed in a loose hoodie, blue jeans, with no socks or shoes and no mask

"Don't worry about him, I'm helping him for a friend. He's cool."

Baal:It nods

Kyuu:"Jack Kin'ichi. Report."

Jack:"I haven't found anything new on case four sixteen. Last night female Cron Fye was sacrificed for Ichor's yearly Iposuki, Kyoko believes that Baal here is her way to open a portal and get Chiho back home."

"She still doesn't seem to know that Chiho doesn't want to get home, and as far as I can tell, Baal has no information on any of this either."

"The night after our last meeting, I learned that the creature that had been preforming the killings around the city was a more bestial than man Astral calling itself Amon."

"You won't have to worry about it no more."

"I don't believe it's a danger any longer."

Kyuu:"Eliminated?"

Jack:"Uhh.. Moved on?"

Kyuu:"Different area, world, plane?"

Jack:"Life."

Kyuu:"Explain."

Jack:"Ehh.. That's.. Hard."

Kyuu:"Jack."

Jack:"Yea, alright."

"I finally met it and it uhh.."

"Evolved."

Kyuu:Pausing, Kyuu tilts his head before swiping his hand in the air

"Repeat that."

Jack:"Yeah, like I said it's hard to explain."

"It ate the remains of the Fye."

Kyuu:"After ingesting the Fye's intense Dlua, Astral-108973... Evolved?"

"How?"

Jack:"Mmmhmm... Like he.."

"It, excuse me."

"Suddenly started saying it was hungry and then it.. Grew, kind of like a cocoon, it's skin split and out came a completely new entity."

"Boom."

Kyuu:"Like a butterfly?"

Jack:"Not as pretty."

Kyuu:Kyuu's eyes look from one side of the room to the other as his had does a few more swipes

"Why do you not believe he is a danger to civilians?"

Jack:"I had a good long talk with it, and well.."

"As long as it's fed, which, trust me, Kyoko is going to make sure it is, I doubt it's going to do any more attacks."

Kyuu:"When were you with it?"

Jack:"Last night."

Kyuu:"Time?"

Jack:"Uh.. I don't really remember.. I think Uchino met me around.. Uhh.. Eight?"

"So.. I met Amon about.. Eight o'five?"

Kyuu:"Uchino met the Astral?"

Jack:"No, I talked to them moments from each other."

Kyuu:"And what time did you leave the Astral?"

Jack:"Well, that's.."

"The thing."

Kyuu:"Jack, I will advise you to not tell me the individual you entered this facility with is the first recorded Astral with evolution abilities."

Jack:"Mmmhmm."

"Well."

"Like usual."

"I will have to take your advice with a grain of salt."

Kyuu:Tapping the side of his glasses, Kyuu lets out a sigh as he looks Jack in the eyes

"Legally, I can not allow a known hostile Astral to go unless I truly believe it is safe."

"Jack, I am going to ask you a question and you're going to answer me, truthfully yes or no."

"Do not hesitate."

"Is this Astral still a danger to civilians?"

Jack:Glancing over to Baal as he takes a drag from his joint, Jack lets out a puff as he looks back to Kyuu and says

"As far as I can tell, I don't believe so."

Baal:It waves

Kyuu:Nodding, Kyuu looks to Baal for a moment before tapping his glasses again

"Alright.. Astral-108973."

"Please, take a seat."

Baal:It does so

Kyuu:"My name is Kyuu, I am Jack Kin'ichi's manager."

Baal:"I am Baal."

Kyuu:Glancing to Jack, he says

Jack:"When it.. Became a butterfly, it's name changed."

Baal:"Amon is of many. Baal is lord over oneself."

"Thus, I am Baal."

Kyuu:Looking back to Baal, Kyuu asks

"Despite it being a dream that we are lords over ourselves, unfortunately, everyone in this world has someone they have to answer to."

"Jack answers to me, his manager, I answer to higher ups, and so on."

"Who do you answer to, Baal?"

Baal:"I am answering your questions at the moment."

Kyuu:With a pause, Kyuu gives the slightest of smiles

"Smart."

"But if you were to do something bad, against the law... Do you know what laws are?"

Baal:"The rules humans abide by."

Kyuu:"Do you know why we abide by them?"

Baal:"To keep order. You would destroy yourselves if you had none."

Kyuu:"You know, humans aren't the only ones with laws."

"Do you know who else has laws?"

Baal:"The astrals of old it seems."

Kyuu:"If you're referring to religion then, yes. They did, but no. There are four sets of laws. Human Laws, Kelta Laws, and Astral Laws."

Astral Laws and United Laws*

Baal:"Interesting."

Kyuu:"The only ones you have to worry about are the Astral and United Laws, fortunately, both are fairly simple, I'll leave Jack to explain them."

"You seem to catch on quick. I presume you over heard Jack state that you were more bestial before last night, do you remember anything from your time as.."

Kyuu pauses as he swipes the air

"Amon?"

Baal:"Everything."

Kyuu:"What is your first memory?"

Baal:It thinks a moment "I believe it would be my first kill. The need to feed was overwhelming."

Kyuu:"Hunger? The first memory you have was the feeling of hunger?"

Baal:It sits back in the chair "There was much happening. The feeling of hunger and the need to survive were all that drove me. Now, I am different. My thoughts are as one and I control what I do."

Kyuu:"Was last night your first.. Evolve?"

Baal:It nods "So much essence. It was unlike any previous feeding."

Kyuu:"So you do not know how exactly you got here?"

Baal:"I cannot say I do, no."

Kyuu:"What about sentience, did you ever think about.. Life?"

"During your time as Amon."

Baal:"The only thing that drove me was hunger and survival. Beyond that was unnecessary."

Kyuu:"Did you sleep or ever.. Think of your actions?"

"Perhaps you wanted to do something more?"

Baal:"Sleep...Rarely. My thoughts went to sating the hunger. When that was the case, I sought the next target."

As Baal speak, its mouth has shifted and changed in imitation of human expression

Kyuu:"If what you say is true, then legally, we can do nothing about this. You have finally found sentience, so as long as you feel bad for your actions, or at least apologize for them, everything you've done until last night is, legally, forgiven."

(From Baal): 1

Baal:"Apologize? Such as saying that I beg for forgiveness?"

Kyuu:"Apologizing and begging are not the same thing, to apologize means you show sympathy for your actions, you feel bad. While begging for forgiveness usually goes hand and hand with apologies, especially for the nature of crimes you committed, they are not the same thing."

Baal:It nods "Those dead have my sympathy. Their voices added to the others showed the pain they endured."

Kyuu:"Voices?"

Baal:"As Amon was of the many, I was not of one mind."

Kyuu:"So when you were Amon, you heard voices?"

"Several?"

"A new one for everyone you killed, or did they just add to the voices?"

Baal:"They were numberless, so it mattered not."

Kyuu:"Actually, it does. What did the voices say?"

Baal:"They were a collective will. Together and separate. They felt the hunger and rarely did not act together."

Kyuu:"So they.. Told you to feed?"

"They kind of pushed that thought?"

Baal:"Amon fed. There was no on telling it to. It was simply the will of the body and mind."

Kyuu:"Baal, I recognize that you are... Different now, while we do not physically evolve as you supposedly did. We can change to."

"What I'm trying to understand right now."

"Is when you were Amon, the murders you committed."

"Were they out of an instinct to survive."

"Or were they out of insanity, from the voices making you feel like you had to kill to survive."

Baal:At this point, Baal leans forward "I feed on essence. Flesh as well, but without essence, it hold no meaning. With the hunger, no amount was enough. Now, I am different. But as Amon, I would starve in three day's time without a kill."

Kyuu:"Please, don't get offended, I don't mean any insult, I'm just doing my job."

Swiping the air, Kyuu's eyes move a bit before stopping looking back to Baal

"One last question on the subject of Amon for today."

"Last night, you attacked three people, two children and an adult, do you remember the incident*

?"*

Baal:"The last feeding as Amon."

Kyuu:"Any specifics? Details?"

Baal:"The woman came to kill Amon and she fell. She was the one I fed on before finding my way to the place I changed in."

Kyuu:"And that's when and where you met Jack?"

Baal:It nods

Kyuu:"You left both of those children in the hospital, anything you can tell me about that?"

Baal:"They would have been fed upon if not for the woman."

Kyuu:Kyuu stares at Baal for a moment as it can tell if he's looking at it or at whatever is in his glasses before he asks

"You said you had sympathy for those you killed because their voices, paraphrasing here, cried in your mind."

can't tell*

Baal:"Vaguely. They were a part of the others before long."

Kyuu:"You don't seem to show any sympathy for the children last night. If you were to see them, would you attack them again or ignore them?"

Baal:"I do not intend to attack indiscriminately if that is what you mean."

Kyuu:"Yes, that was."

"Thank you for your answers, Baal."

(From Baal): 1

Baal:It stands "If this were a normal human interview, would I have the job?" Its mouth cracks up the side of its face in a facsimile of a smile

Kyuu:The smirk from earlier returns as Kyuu asks

"For something that only gained the ability to learn last night, you sure do know a lot."

Baal:"I must thank Jack for teaching me."

Kyuu:"Hell of a teacher."

Baal:"Indeed."

Jack:"I guess so."

Kyuu:Looking over to Jack, Kyuu says

"Your report can continue next week. New assignment.".

"C-1."

Jack:"C-1?"

Kyuu:"C.. One."

Jack:With a nod, Jack's eyes lower to the bottom of the desk before looking back up to Kyuu before getting up

"Yes, sir."

With that, Jack exits the glass office and heads out, taking one last hit from his pot before putting it in a rolled up cigarette box

Baal:It follows along with Baal's face returning to normal

Jack:Leaving the underground lab, Jack leads Baal back to the car, where he turns on the radio after the engine start and asks

"You still want to go to the aquarium?"

Baal:"I think I'd rather feed."

Jack:"Well..."

With a nod, he wipes his glassy eyes before taking out his phone and setting it on the console of the car

"Sarah, call Kyoko."

Baal:"Given your laws, this shall be interesting."

Jack:"Not my laws, B."

After a moment, Kyoko's face comes up on the windshield

"Hey, he's hungry."

Baal:It waves

Kyoko:"Now's not the best time, Jack."

Jack:Jack looks to Baal and shakes his head, saying in a hushed tone

"She can't see you."

Before continuing his conversation with her

"Well, you better make time."

"I just introduced it to Nine."

Kyoko:"You what?!"

Jack:"Yeah, I found out it was a bad idea."

"Nine's usually a chill guy."

Kyoko:"God damn it, Jack, I'll call you back."

Jack:As the phone hangs up, the windshield returns to normal to show a bunch of teens outside the car, staring back at them as it begins to sprinkle

"What the fu-.. God.. Hey, get the fuck out of here!"

Baal:It lowers its head to hide behind the hood

Jack:One of the kids bring out a pipe and lets it freely drop on his hood, putting a dent in it

"Son of a bitch."

"Fine, you get ran over, don't try and sue me."

Jack presses down on the gas and backs up but finds the kids rush to get back in front of the car, however while most people would stop, Jack slams on the gas, causing several of them to be hit and fly off, as he speeds past them, Baal feels the car hit a quick bump as the kids start screaming

"Fucking rats."

"I hate kids, they're so noisy and messy and annoying."

Jack:"Do shit, just to irritate you."

Baal:"Something tells me Astral and United laws aren't as big a deal as your boss says..."

Jack:"Oh, no, they are."

"If you don't follow them, the suits either lock you up or send people like me."

"Who either lock you up or kill you."

Baal:"If you are found out."

Jack:"Over ninety nine percent of the time, you are."

Baal:"So it is just human laws that are easy to ignore?"

Jack:"They're focused on less is all, but no, trust me, everyone has to follow the law. I get a free pass because I'm good at my job and so is my manager."

"So the higher ups give us small passes, for example, breaking a kid's foot with your car."

"Murder on the other hand, if I were to have gotten out of the car and cut the little shits in half..."

"Well that would have been a very different story."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not rooting for the government or their laws, I'm just explaining that hardly no one gets away with their actions."

"You got away because you were going off of instinct, not intellect."

Jack:"Harder to find something that does things for suddenly and seemingly for little reason compared to someone who shoots up a building."

"You break into a house, cut the bitch up and eat half of her and leave, I break in a house, cut the bitch in half take as much as I can, and leave."

"That's after, usually, staking out the place."

"You know, in a way, I guess I'm a hunter."

Baal:It nods "I see."

"It seems I will need to search for alternate ways to find more essence."

Jack:"Fish?"

"You said you were interested in how it tasted and all living things have Dlua."

"You'd probably just have to eat a fuck ton to equal that of a human."

"Or a shark."

Baal:"But it is not viable to grow."

"I would spend all day and night eating to survive."

Jack:"Well.. We'll see, Kyoko is probably just dealing with the QSE right now."

After a moment of driving, jack says

"Sarah, call Sone."

After a moment, Sone's face covers the windshield Jack takes his hands off the steering wheel

"How're things back home?"

Sone:Sone stairs at the camera

"Things are fine, why?"

Jack:"I was just missing my three sweethearts."

Kentaro:From the distance, Jack and Baal can hear Kentaro call out

"I miss you too!"

Sone:"Yeah, we miss you too, now why are you calling?"

Jack:"Does there have to be a reason?"

Sone:"Jack, you hate your phone."

"You named it after your first girlfriend to give you even more of a reason not to use it."

Baal:It looks to Jack

Jack:"That's..*

Jack takes a moment to respond, looking to Baal with a guilty look before he looks back to Sone

"How did you know that?"

Sone:"Sone and I got you drunk one time for a dare and you let out some private details."

Kentaro and I*

Jack:"Really? What was the dare?"

Sone:"Kentaro wanted to see if we could get you drunk enough to have a threesome, I told him it wouldn't work."

Jack:With a questioning look at Sone, he looks to Baal for a second

"Who.. Won?"

Sone:"You would have known if Kentaro won."

Jack:With a confused expression, Jack nods before looking down

"So.. We didn't.."

Sone:"No, Jack. You didn't fuck us."

Jack:"Did you.. me?"

Sone:"While you're cute, I don't like you like that, and Kentaro doesn't like it on top."

Jack:"Noted?"

Sone:"Jack, you didn't call to talk about rather or not we managed to drug you into bed."

Jack:"Thought it was drinks?"

Sone:"Sure, whatever, what do you want?"

Jack:"I just wanted to say I love you, but you went and made it weird."

Sone goes to lower the camera but stops when Jack calls out

"Wait, no seriously, I just.."

"Is Min there?"

Kentaro:Once again in the distance, Jack can hear a "yes!"

Jack:"Go- Wait, why did Ken answer, why didn't she?"

Sone:"She's not in the room currently."

Jack:"Alright, well.. It's a nice blue sky out, you should go to a park>"

Sone:With that, the phone hangs up as the windshield returns to normal

Jack:Leaving his hands off the wheel, Jack looks over to Baal as the car continues on auto-drive

Have any music you like?"

Baal:"Music I like?"

"I wouldn't know. The first music I listened to was at Ichor."

Jack:"That metal electronic mix is alright and the band was more metal scream shit, not good everyday songs, but.. They're good for moments."

Changing the station, Jack says

"Just tell me when to stop."

Baal:It listens for bits until, fairly randomly "This."

Jack:Stopping on the grand oldies but goldies station, Jack leans back in his seat

"Good choice."

"Not something I listen to usually, but, Sinatra was truly timeless."

Baal:It finds itself lost in the music

Jack:Just as the song ends, Baal finds an incredible pain suddenly come on as the two jerks around as the car gets t-boned, and being forced into the railing of the bridge they were on causing them to roll off of it, falling several feet down, they land as Jack's body slams into the ceiling as the car lands upside down, having not put on his seat belt

Baal:Baal isn't far behind as it didn't understand the concept of a seatbelt

Jack:Rather it was destiny or luck, Baal found itself, while in a great deal of pain, bruised and scratched, mostly just fine as it wakes up after a short black out

Baal:Immediately, Baal looks around

Jack:Looking around, the Astral is able to see the car is totaled and sees a van driving towards them down the street, Jack is in pretty bad shape, cuts breaks covering his body, his arm, judging by it's position, broken, and the smell of a new substance as the sound of leaking can be heard

cuts and breaks*

from down the street*

Baal:It reaches to grab Jack and make its way out of the wreckage

Jack:Dragging the unaware man out of the wreck, Baal hears tires screech as another vehicle stops behind them, a woman getting out and asking

Rando: "Oh, god, are you okay?"

Baal:"He appears injured "Its voices rasps as Baal leans over Jack

Jack:The woman rushes over to try and help Baal but just before she gets to the two, a shot is heard as blood splatters on Baal's clothing before the girl drops the ground

As she hits the ground, Jack's eyes open to see the van Baal had seen driving towards them has stopped and a man was walking towards them, gun drawn

Baal:At this point, Baal turns to look at the newcomer

Jack:As he goes to look, Jack winces and lets out a yell as he grabs Baal's collar and pulls him to the ground just in time as another shot rings out

"Guns are bad!"

"We have to g-ahhh!"

Baal:"Then we go." After grabbing Jack, Baal tries to sprint away

Jack:Finding it harder to sprint with the increased weight, the two hear the new comer call out

Newguy: "Jack! I kept telling you!"

Jack:His face shows confusion for a moment before turning to realization and then to anger

"And I kept telling you, Osaki. Fuck off!"

Osaki :Getting to the flipped car, the man stops and lowers his pistol just as Baal and Jack get to the woman's car

"If you stop I'll make it fast."

Baal:"Enemy?" It doesn't stop

Jack:"Currently."

Osaki :With the two continuing, Osaki puts his foot on one of the tires, giving them a second chance

"I really don't like the chase."

Baal:"Run or fight?"

Jack:"If you fight, you're on your own, and he's pretty good."

Baal:Baal looks around for good hiding spots

Osaki :Osaki turns around and starts counting as Baal sees four, a dumpster pushed against the wall, some bushes, a parked car just a little bit ahead, and some stairs leading back up to the top of the bridge, having a wall between their side and Osaki

Baal:To the stairs, away!

Osaki :"Ready or not.. Here I come."

Osaki says as he turns around to see Baal gone

Bringing up his hand, Osaki acts as if he is holding a steering wheel, and just as Baal reaches the top, It sees the truck that hit them off the bridge starting to back up

Baal:"Suggestions?"

Jack:"Don't fight, get to a car and get away."

Baal:"As in drive?"

Jack:"It's not too hard, hell, he's doing it without even being close to the car."

Baal:"Somehow I do not believe that a fair comparison."

Despite saying this, Baal seeks out a car

Jack:"As shown by every new conservation, you're a fast learning, or imitator."

Baal recalls there is a car, probably about the place Osaki is currently with the door open and the still running, on the other hand, just ahead of Osaki, there is another car, however it's state is unknown.

Grabbing something in his arm, he pulls it out before tossing it on the ground

"Ah.. shit."

"I have to go back to the apartment."

Baal:"No time at the moment."

(From Baal): 1

Baal:It goes for the running car

Jack:Just before Baal goes to run, the truck rams into the top of the fence, crushing the top and blocking their way up

Osaki :Bringing his hand down, the man begins walking once more

"Jack.. You have been a pain in my ass for so long."

Baal:Agility - (36)

Osaki :Accuracy - (79)

Baal can't outrun a bullet as it shoots through it's leg, forcing it to fall to the ground in great pain

"You know.. This whole hero shit, just.. It's not too good when there are no fucking heroes!"

-bullet damage - (8)

Baal:It drops Jack as it hits the ground "This....is more...confusing than...the conversation before this...."

Osaki :"What is?"

Aiming his gun at the thing, Osaki keeps his distance asks he asks

"You getting shot?"

Baal:"The situation..." That's when

Attunes - 191

It's gone

Osaki :Perception - (43)

Perception - (71)

As it goes away, Osaki's face changes from smug and happy to confused

"This.. is more.. confusing than the conversation before this."

"It's.. It's fucking gone?"

"What?"

(From Baal): It sneaks toward the running car

Jack:"And it's never coming back."

Osaki :"So it can teleport?"

"Alright, come on out show me where you're at."

(From Baal): Baal gets in the car and tries to remember what Jack was doing when he was driving

Baal:Intelligence - (30)

(From Baal): Knowing jack and shit, it starts doing the best it can

Baal:Agility - (45)

The car's horn honks very loudly

Osaki :Having no clue what he is looking at, Baal starts doing as much as he can, turning on the wipers, honking the horn and putting it out of park and into reverse, as well as popping the truck and turning on the music as Osaki looks back to the car and Jack gives a sigh as he looks down

"What the fuck?"

(From Baal): 2

Jack:"Yeah, that's right, keep looking at the car!"

"Go ahead, go over to it!"

Osaki :"Are you trying to play backwards psychology?"

Jack:"Didn't work?"

Baal:While Jack is distracting Osaki, it keeps going

Agility - (73)

Osaki :Suddenly Baal stomps on the on the gas as Osaki finds the car slamming into him, throwing him to the ground as he lets out a grunt

Baal:Baal does its damnedest to run him over

Agility - (63)

Osaki :Agility - (36)

Having not expected the car to run straight into him, Osaki hits the ground and gets ran over before he can get out of the way as the vehicle does a bunch bigger bump than when Jack ran over the kid's feet

Baal:It dives out of the car to reevaluate the situation

Osaki :Getting a larger look at the situation, It sees Osaki under the car as his pistol is a few feet away from him, Jack lays on the ground on the other side of the vehicle, near the passenger seat

Baal:First step: check on Jack

Jack:Despite his entire body, head to toe being riddled with cuts and blood covering everything, a wheeze being let out with every breath, and his left eye not opening, Jack seems to be doing pretty well for the amount of pain he is likely in

"Hell of a day."

Baal:"Indeed." It goes to sit Jack up "I'm about to break a law, I'm fairly sure."

Jack:"As long as you're not killing me, you do you. But just to let you know."

"People are on their way, so you should do whatever you're doing fast."

Baal:It nods and goes to feed from Osaki as quickly as it can

Jack:As it feeds, Jack gets up, finding almost nothing but pure pain, he forces himself to get to the car, passing Baal as he gets in the driver seat, he says

"When you're done with that, get in."

Osaki :As Baal goes to feed, It finds an incredibly low amount of Dlua come from the remains.

Baal:It flicks blood from its hands "Feeding will never be as satisfying..." Now Baal goes to enter the car

Jack:As Baal enters, Jack drives forward, running Osaki over once again before starting towards the apartment

"Fucking.. C-0."

"Bullshit ass name."

Baal:"What was that about?"

Jack:"Osaki was a rival of mine, another Astral hunter."

"Which means one of two things have happened."

"A bounty has been placed on you, or, since he was seemingly more worried about me."

"The more likely of the two, Shiroma, another manager like Kyuu, gave him a C-0 assignment."

Baal:"Which is?"

Jack:"Hunt the hunter. I was the target."

Baal:"Then what is C-1?"

Jack:"Both are elimination, but zero is off the record, in the black book. Legally, I can't be a target until I've broken a law and even then, only my manager can give the C-0 assignment."

Baal:Baal nods "I see."

"Then who is your target?"

Jack:"Well, I have two."

"The C-1 you heard was for Wakata Roka. A former partner of mine."

"Before we got back to the car, I got another one."

Baal:"Which is?"

Jack:"You."

Taking a hard turn, Baal feels the force of the car and feels like it's about to flip but just barely doesn't

Baal:"You manager does not like me, it seems."

Jack:"He believes you're still a major danger to the civilians."

"You weren't exactly the most empathetic."

Baal:"If I didn't kill those I did, I would not be here now, so I can't feel bad about it."

Jack:"You can, not saying you should, but like I said, Baal, their laws, not mine."

Baal:"Regardless, what is the next goal?"

Jack:"You remember the last thing I told Sone?"

Baal:"Park?"

Jack:"'It's a nice blue sky out'. I told him if I ever said that, get out."

"He was going to call me from another phone as soon as he got a safe distance but then I found half my phone in my arm."

Baal:"So you knew you were being hunted or were you saying it in case I survived and you didn't when you tried to kill me?"

Jack:"I knew I was going to be, I didn't know they already gave the assignment."

"Glad I asked for my check early this week."

Baal:Baal nods "Clever way of covering possibilities. No...uh...loose ends?"

Jack:"Yeah, well, I meant to tell them to leave before I was being hunted, not after. That changes things, and now that I have no way of contacting them, I have to make sure they made it."

As he says the he stomps on the breaks as police sirens sound in the distance, trying his best to ignore the pain, Jack leaves the door open as he runs in, heading for the elevator

Baal:It follows

Jack:Getting in the elevator, they head to the top, Jack having to lean against the wall as the weight of the elevator pushes on him, forcing him to grunt

Finally reaching the top, Jack runs down the hall and enters the open apartment to find it in good condition as he slides on the floor and hits the ground

Baal:Not far behind, Baal looks around

Jack:Getting to his feet, the two look around as Jack calls out but finds no response, Baal finds the apartment seems to be in the same state it was before they left

"Guess it's a good thing.. Sone only had to work for an hour today.."

With a small kekel, he takes a seat on the couch before continuing

"This all could have ended pretty badly, huh?"

kackle*

cackle

Baal:"It still might be best to not stay in your residence if you're hunted."

Jack:"I agree."

"Go and get the elevator."

"I'll be out in a moment."

Baal:It starts out but before it exits completely "If you have another phone, I would suggest getting it." Then it heads to the elevator, keeping an eye on the door to the apartment

Jack:With a sigh, Jack takes a moment, coughing at the end of the sigh before leaning forward, however stops when he notices a folded note on the coffee table, that reads 'Jackie Boy', opening it, he finds the inside just reads 'where's the pain?'. It takes a moment of him thinking about the letter but as he realizes what it means, he jumps away from the couch, yelling as he does but isn't fast enough as the entire living room and kitchen are engulfed in flames, all of the windows exploding from the force before the entire floor of the apartment crumbles to the level below, causing a snowball effect as before Baal knows it, trembles is all he feels before he looks back to see nothing but smoke as seven levels are destroyed as it's hearing becomes nothing but ringing as it feels heat and can hardly breath from the smoke

Baal:A short sigh and a step into the elevator begins Baal's way down

Osaki :As Baal reaches the bottom and exits the building he can see a crowd forming and gets just a glance of a man standing on the other side of the street, putting a piece of gum in his mouth before starting his vehicle and driving off with a smile as he looks away from the quickly falling apart building

Baal:Pulling its hood down, it makes toward the car and toward Ichor

Episode 4 // END

Part 5

Chapter 7 // START

Baal:After driving around for several hour, Baal finally finds the place, sirens fire in the distance as he feels like he's been being followed through the city

"More!"

It haphazardly stops the car and wobbles out toward Ichor's door, confused by the act of driving and the voice in its head calling for more

Koto:As it wobbles, Baal runs into the door, causing the guard from the previous night to open and look at it, raising a brow

"Sorry buddy, but we're closed."

"Come back tomorrow around eight."

Baal:It raises its face to the man "I need to speak with the owners."

Koto:"Seems like a lot of people do."

"Now get lost."

Baal:"Jack's dead."

Koto:"Okay."

"Who the fuck is Jack?"

Baal:"The human that sits in the midst of astrals in a feeding frenzy and holds his own."

Koto:"Alright, you look and sound like you've had enough. It's time to go."

"Go on."

Baal:"If Kyoko's here, just tell her Jack is dead." With that, it starts toward the alleyway

Koto:As Baal walks away, the door is shut

Unknown: As Baal heads into the nearest alleyway, he finds a man standing beside a trashcan with, a cigarette being the only light in the shadows.

The man lowers his cigarette before asking

"Rough night?"

Baal:It just grunts and goes to jump from wall to wall to make it up the side of the building

Unknown: The man watches the scene, asking himself

"The fuck?"

Baal:Agility - (54)

Unknown: Just barely making it, Baal is able to catch itself at the last second, grabbing on the ledge of the roof

Baal:Strength - (26)

After a moment of struggle, Baal makes it to the roof and looks for an entrance to the club

Unknown: After a few moments of looking around, it finds a big open window that would allow It to drop down, as it sees this the man in the alley looks at the wall, before looking down to his lower half

Baal:It takes a moment to see if the man from behind the door will see if it drops in

Unknown: If it makes a bit of noise as it hits the ground, as it probably will, then the man will most likely hear. As Baal examines the room, the alley-man places his foot against the wall and looks up for a second, nodding

Baal:It stands from the perch and looks for a bottle or something similarly noisy on the roof

It doesn't take long and it takes a few bottles to the edge of the roof before chucking them around the door and retreating back

Unknown: The guard steps over to see the bottles before looking up to the window as the alley-man presses against the wall and jumps, not getting far, he gives another nod before tossing his smoke down and taking a few steps back

Baal:Upon realizing the man isn't stepping out to investigate, Baal simply finds a nice used-condom-free corner and decides to wait it out

Unknown: The alley-man runs at the wall but jumps a little too soon, not being able to kick off the wall, he slams his face against it instead, full force causing blood to explode from his nose and making him stumble back, holding his nose he goes to turn around but instead trips over his feet and falls to the ground, grunting as Baal hears some hinges move

Baal:It's not going to waste the chance and moves to the window to get in

Unknown: The alley-man lays on the ground, groaning as a tear falls down his face, beside him lays two teeth. As Baal gets to the window, he sees the guard is no longer at the door

Baal:It goes to drop down through the window

Imada:As Baal hits the ground, it's gunshot wound squirts out a little blood as pain goes through It's whole body, being forced to sit for a second, it finds a man walking out from the door it was taken through the night before, looking to the monster, the man pulls out a gun and aims

Baal:"Greetings."

It holds its leg

Imada:Taking a step forward, the man gives it a stare of blankness before pulling the trigger

Kyoko:From panic as Kyoko jumps on him, sending the two into a booth as she bites into his neck, the gun missing as he was going to change his aim from It to her at the last second

Imada:Managing to push her off, he goes to aim the gun at her but she swipes it out of his hand and towards Baal as his hand is cut from her nails, causing him to flinch, allowing her to give him a hook to the jaw, sending him back a few steps before he takes out another gun and fires at her

Baal:This is when Baal sends a kick with it's good foot at his knee

Imada:Having been focused on Kyoko, Baal gets a free shot in on Imada's knee, forcing him to his knees as he turns around and goes to shoot it

Baal:Physical Damage - (25)

Imada:Accuracy - (19)

Baal:Dodge - (7)

Imada:Bullet Damage - (25)

Baal:Its chest hits the floor as a new hole was added

Imada:As It hits the floor, the man goes to stand but finds his knee is done, causing him to looks down with a wince and a loud grunt of pain. Quickly looking back to Baal, the man raises his gun for another shot

Accuracy - (26)

Baal:Dodge - (28)

It barely rolls out of the way, launching another kick at his face

Kick - (56)

Imada:Dodge - (49)

Getting kicked in the face, the man rolls back before aiming once again, but isn't able to shoot in time as he finds Kyoko digging her nails into his shoulder and teeth into his neck from behind, going to point the gun at her, he isn't fast enough as it's taken from him by the guard as he returns to the scene, aiming it at Baal as Kyoko has the man taken care of

Koto:"Couldn't just leave, huh?"

"Had to find another way in?"

Baal:"I did."

Attunes - 2

Range: Medium

Cost: 2 D.Pool

Type: Consecutive

Koto:Attunes - 84

Range: Medium

Cost: 2 D.Pool

Type: Consecutive

"Now look at what you caused."

Perception - (37)

Baal:Gone

Koto:He watches as Baal vanishes as his eyes narrow, looking around, he goes to fire several shots around the area where Baal was but finds his back being scratched as Kyoto grabs his head, wrapping her hand around his mouth and whispering something to him that causes him to lower the gun

With his aim lowered, Koto nods before walking around Kyoko and dragging the man's body into the back room

Kyoko:With Koto having missed all his shots, Kyoko is forced to take a seat as he walks away, blood almost pouring from her stomach, giving off a face of much pain

Baal:"Anything I can do to help?"

Kyoko:"I told Jack you couldn't be here."

She lets out before a loud knock appears at the front door

Letting out a grunt of pain as she prepositions herself, she looks to the door, saying

"Hide."

Baal:It nods and goes to find a good hiding spot

Kyoko:Letting out a heavy breath, she watches as Baal finds a place under the DJ booth, shortly after hiding, he another loud noise before some metal hits the ground as Kyoko says

"Oh, god damn it.. It's you."

Unknown: Another, somewhat familiar voice says "Why?"

Kyoko:Before a gunshot rings out as Kyoko asks "Did you have to do that?"

Unknown: "He had a gun."

Kyoko:"Why in the hell are you here, I have enough to deal with."

Unknown: "My operative is dead, his last mission was to either bring in or kill your new pet."

Kyoko:"If you don't remember, you're banned, now please, leave or I will call your people."

A moment of silence takes the moment before Kyoko says

"Put the gun down, you're not going to kill me."

Unknown: "Last chance, where is it?"

Kyoko:"I still have no idea what you're tal-gauh fuck!"

As she was giving a response, another gunshot is heard

Baal:It peaks its head out to see without being seen

Kyuu:Baal sees why he recognized the voice as he sees Kyuu standing above Kyoko as she holds her shoulder, tears running down her face

Kyoko:"You fucking shot me!"

Kyuu:"I gave you the warning."

Kyoko:"That's illegal!"

Kyuu:"I have a few I.O.U.s, I'll use them."

Kyoko:"Why the fuck are you even here!?"

Kyuu:"I told you, my operative is dead, Baal blew his house up."

Kyoko:Looking up to the dark clothed man, Kyoko through the pain

"How do you know that name?"

Kyuu:Another shot is let out as Kyoko falls back in the seat, blood squirting out of her chest as she lets out a scream

"Normally you would have twenty seconds before you bleed out, but seeing as how you're a kelta, you probably have about two minutes."

"In that time, I can get you the help you need, or I can sit back and watch as you bleed out in your own club for a creature that would kill and eat you if there were no humans left."

Baal:Baal goes to sneak up behind Kyuu with some cordage from the DJ booth

Sneak - (84)

Kyuu:Perception - (38)

Perception - (38)

Kyuu doesn't see Baal sneaking up behind him as he focuses on Kyoko, watching her cough and shake

Baal:It goes to tie him up before he knows what's happened to him

Agility - (97)

Kyuu:Dodge - (28)

Kyuu doesn't see it coming as he finds his hands bound together, causing him to turn around to see Baal standing there, he goes to give a round house to It's head

Kick - (53)

Baal:Dodge - (36)

Kyuu:Physical Damage - (28)

Baal:Endurance - (46)

Kyuu:As Baal gets it's head kicked, it flies into the floor, as Kyuu looks to the monster, giving it a moment as he struggles with the ropes

Baal:Its barely conscious as it hits the floor but is able to push itself up and run to try and grab KYoko

Kyuu:Grabbing Kyoko, Baal turns just in time to see Kyuu aiming his gun in the Astral's face

Saying with a monotone voice

"Sit down."

Baal:"She won't survive if I do."

Kyuu:"Don't pretend like you care about her. Now, please. Sit down."

Baal:"I made a promise. One I intend to keep." It books it toward the door

Kyuu:Kyuu watches as it runs, walking after it

Baal:It tries to put some distance before sitting Kyoko down

Agility - (66)

Kyuu:Agility - (37)

Kyoko:Baal manages to a good block away before It sits Kyoko down on the edge of an alley

"What are you doing, Baal?"

"I told you to hide."

Baal:"And let you die? I still remember yesterday. Survive together."

Intelligence - (34)

Kyoko:With every word having to be force out, she slides her hand across Baal's jaw, the stars in her eyes return as she stares into It's

"Together."

With her body trembling, she lets out in a hushed voice

"Blood."

Baal:Baal nods and pulls back its sleeve before offering its arm

Kyoko:Her gaze slowly moves over to it's arm, hesitating at first but ultimately being forced by hunger to bite into it causing Baal to feel as It's life start to be sucked out of him. Time flies before the event is interrupted by a woman screaming, followed by Baal passing out, a boot being the last thing It sees before darkness, hearing a faint echoing scream before a thud

Chapter 7 // END