♦ ♦ 22nd Contract

[mortemscintilla]

 

 

[ He hasn't come to work since Friday. He hasn't checked in with Yin or Mao. He hasn't even appeared Topside, much less dropped by his apartment. It's not until Sunday night that he resurfaces. He feels like he's floating. The City is a jewel box -- he's never seen it this way, dotted with lives that glow in the dark, a universe of glittering candles. Each one begging to be snuffed out. ]

[ He's already made a number of kills Underground. Sweets in a candystore. Each victim tasted of something different. Sugary, bitter, salty, tart -- a feast of flavors to enhance his senses. In a gust, he crosses the lake at Xanadu. With his new night-vision, everything shimmers. He stares for awhile at the dark water, absorbing the undercurrents of life. Feeling, after years of isolation and disconnection, like he's intricately linked to the City -- to the deaths that've swept by, temporary or permanent, to all the violence and suffering. He can read layers of history in one glance, like the transparent pages of a book. ]

[ This place is full of souls and feelings. But both his: absent as torn limbs. ]

[ Tonight, he'll go collecting to fill the void. ]

Options For Run-Ins:

 

Xanadu: Not too far from the Zoo, there's a pocket in the air. An invisible web. The air there -- except it isn't the air, it's an illusion of the space containing the air -- wobbles like half-set Jell-o when you pass through. Once there, you'll find yourself caught. Frozen in place. No need to scream. In the inverse of space, no one can hear you. But your soul will make a tasty addition to the Reaper's assortment.

 

Out In Town: In the crush of the crowd, take care not to let your eyes stray. If you do, you'll see a tiny glow in the dark mouth of an alley. A firefly? A glowstick? The pretty aureole of light seems to call your name. Come closer. Yes, closer~ And let the Reaper's cold hands close around your throat.

 

Creeping: You're wandering alone down the nighttime streets. There are no footsteps behind you, but you feel a prickle down your spine. A sudden wave of disquiet, like the chill called Someone's walking on my grave. When you turn around, there's nothing there. Just your imagination, surely. It's only when you glance back, that you're face to face with your hunter. Don't panic; don't run. It only hurts for a moment. Like a lover's pinch, isn't that what they say?

[ OOC: Hit with What's In A Name, Hei has become a literal Black Reaper/Shinigami. That comes with the erroneous belief that he needs to collect your souuuuuls. Be warned, for this curse, he has a few of the abilities to match a Grim Reaper, but he'll be back to normal by Monday. Post is action only since, well, ain't no shinigami got time for a social life. As always, MASSIVELY BACKTAG FRIENDLY<3 ] 

Comments

action; Out In Town

[moonlitrequiem]

[Yin normally looked almost empty and apathetic, but today she looked worn, tired, the unmistakable signs of haggard late nights taking their toll as she continued to scan the streets. Saturday work hadn't stopped her from searching, she just did it from the Welcome Center counter.]

[Now she roamed the streets freely, split between water ways and what she could sense, hear and feel in front of her. It did occur to her a curse could be involved in his absence, but that wasn't going to keep her from combing every inch of space until she found Hei. Curse or no curse, she needed to know he was all right.]

[Her observer spirit never had a chance to hone in on him. It wouldn't have recognized him if it had. Yin pulled her specter back to herself, all of her attention focusing to her right. Viewing the lights through her spirit, she walked toward them, swallowed into the alleyway.]

[Yin walked right to him, so willingly and quiet.]

action; Out In Town

[mortemscintilla]

[ Hei spots Yin, and his mind forks in dread. He's shut up inside this unfamiliar form. Perfectly able to run around within his own head like a chicken with its own chopped off, but that's all. He tries to warn Yin to stay away. Just communicate to her somehow that she's in danger, she needs to run. Just that much. Please God who'll welcome me to hell one day please. But the exertion of every bit of his willpower has the same effect it's had had on the other kills: ]

[ Zero. ]

[ The other part of him, the coldblooded Reaper, is firmly in the driver's seat. Pricked by the pretty girl's aura, he stretches and sniffs the air curiously. She smells delicious. Like soft fragile ice -- untouched by human hands. In a wisp of dark vapor, he manifests behind her. Unseen, intangible -- but Yin will feel a chill crawl down her spine. ]

[ In front of her, the soft corona of light vanishes. ]

action; Out In Town

[moonlitrequiem]

[Even if his words could have reached her, Yin would have still walked right into the arms of the Reaper. She would have sliced herself on his blade, if he told her to. Even this Doll is incapable of comprehending danger to herself.]

[There is a light prickle, cold and it would be frightening, if she could truly feel fear. There's a slither of it, enough for her to barely understand there is something in this alleyway. But she stays there, searching still into the darkness where the light had been.]

action; Out In Town

[mortemscintilla]

[ While she searches for the snuffed-out light, Hei's vaporous aura solidifies into a human form. Part of him still marvels of the change of physique. Not just physique, but everything in him. He has no pulse, no heat, and yet there was a strength humming in his limbs that he'd never have imagined. ]

[ Like a boy gripping a panther by a leash, he tries to stop the Reaper. But the body is already dancing in motion. Smooth and soundless steps as he drifts behind Yin. Her scent blooms sweet as fresh lilies in the air. His arms slip around her in a gentle embrace, and he rests his chin on the top of her head. ]

[ When he speaks, it's with Hei's voice. But there's no nuance of emotion there. ]

All alone?

[ Of course she is. He knows that. But he wants to play with her. ]

action; Out In Town

[moonlitrequiem]

[There are somethings she can't notice from her position, like the lack of pulse, but while she recognizes the voice, Yin does observe it sounds off. The tone. The lack of cadence. It sounds more like hers, less like Hei's.]

Hei? [She tilts her hand back, leaning against him as she looks up. The Reaper gets his answer with a shake, though even Yin wonders why it was necessary. He's there. She's not alone.]

[deadmanbusiness]

[Theo's on his way to work, so it's getting dark. His rats are on his shoulders watching everything around him. When the prickling feeling hits him, he stops walking immediately but doesn't turn around.

Instead he sees through his rats' eyes, hand slipping carefully to his knife.]

[mortemscintilla]

[ Amorphous and weightless, Hei drifts behind Theo like a shadow. The stranger has pricked his curiosity. The shape is human, but through his eyes, Theo's aura seems to be like a bright annulus around an eclipse -- at once intense and murky. Amusement thrills all throughout Hei's unfamiliar skin. He wants to toy with this one. See exactly what he is. ]

[ When Theo stops, Hei darts in close behind him, ghostly as he hovers above the air. His speaking breath blows cool and sibilant against his ear. ]

[ Why are you stopping?. ]

[deadmanbusiness]

Because something is creeping about in the space between life and death and I wanted to see who it was.

And because only a fool turns around to face such creatures.

[Besides he can see Hei perfectly fine with the rat eyes. Both pairs well, three eyes... as Jake is missing one of its eyes... are staring right at the ghostly creature.]

[mortemscintilla]

[ Hei's shape solidifies out of transparency. But it's only semi-opaque, the outline of him as hazy as a motion blur. It's hard to get a fix on his face. He's curious of the aura vibrating around Theo. It's so heavy that he has a weird sense that it's a shape and a pressure as well as a scent. ]

[ When he speaks, his voice is low, but there's something thunderous in it, a malice as huge and unassimilable as the bad space surrounding him. ]

[ Only a fool faces such creatures. Or a coward afraid of death. You're no coward. ]

[ It's a question, not a statement. ]

[defies_reason]

In general Isaak is not given to paranoia. He's mistrustful, he's aware-- and certainly he's no stranger to being tailed, being threatened, being hunted-- but in general he knows when to expect it, knows how to spot it, knows that in the end his odds are always the better ones. He does not fear, and certainly doesn't fear without ample cause. Here, where the Brotherhood doesn't exist any more than its enemies do, he's accustomed to going about his business without even that level of concern.

Tonight, though-- something seems off. He doesn't run, doesn't freeze; he only slips a hand beneath his jacket, taking a moment to prepare himself. It's always fight, never flight.

[mortemscintilla]

The tall man crosses the street. In his wake, Hei smells rust. Blood. Intrigued, he reins in that unstanchable itch to trap, to tear. Make the kill. It's so easy. So natural and satisfying. But it'd be a wasted effort if the soul is smeared in filth. He manifests behind Isaak as if he's bubbled up out of the pavement. Hovers behind him, just imperceptibly floating over the floor. He doesn't move or speak. But the energy in the air, a cold menace of sensations, gathers force under his control, so the very atmosphere around Isaak seems to shift, to take on a harder tangibility.

The older man will be able to sense he's not alone.

If he turns around, he'll know for certain.

[defies_reason]

Well, now, smeared in filth seems a bit bombastic, doesn't it? Isaak has never been the sort to be particularly concerned for his soul. Conversely, he's never claimed to be a good man; and as for having blood on his hands, he could hardly deny that.

Which means he's somewhat prepared-- in general, if not for a foe quite like this. Sensing the change in the air, he follows through his next step, turning on his heel so he pulls away from the presence he senses vaguely behind him. As he moves he pulls his gun from beneath his jacket, aiming without consciously thinking about it.

[mortemscintilla]

The eternal paradox of the Death trade. It's understated and surreptitious -- but it goes hand-in-hand with a flair of dramatics. (Outside of the curse, Hei holds no interest in souls either, much less in religion. He's a pragmatist at heart, and intangible theories hold no bearing in a life dedicated to action.)

When Isaak spins, it'll be to a blurred presence drifting unmoored above the sidewalk. Energy crackles at its edges but it has no real shape. Like the slivers of a rainbow from a prism, Isaak can see only the barest tip of a monstrosity, manifesting itself here.

"Guns won't do you any good."

It's not a voice so much as a susurration.

action;

[maoser]

[Yin isn't the only one........aware of Hei's unusual behavior. It's not like him to not check in. Mao wouldn't go so far as to say he's worried, but it is strange enough to merit investigation. He takes to the streets, strolling casually but systematically, in case Yin somehow misses something. Unlikely, but anything is possible. (Her inexplicable emotions are proof enough of that.)]

action;

[mortemscintilla]

[ No. Yes. The struggle raging in Hei's mind is merciless. The moment the cat appears, the Reaper is intrigued. It's like surveying a photographic double-exposure. One part animal, one part human. A toy to be picked apart -- limb by limb. Hei tries to stop it. Has been trying all night to shake off this occupying force -- this curse -- to be himself again. Each time the Reaper catches that tantalizing aroma of prey, he tries at least to steer the monster clear of them. ]

[ But it's like shoving a skyscraper with your shoulder -- you can bust yourself bloody, but the building won't budge. The fucking building has no more idea you're trying than ... than a fucking pile of cement. ]

[ Mao. Get the hell away, he screams. Or tries to. Meanwhile, perched feather-soft on a lamppost, the Reaper merely cocks his head at the cat. He's a phantom shape -- invisible. But Mao will be able to sense a particular disquiet in the air. ]

action;

[maoser]

[Mao's hackles are raised. Something is off. He slows down, stops, and licks his haunches, using the movement to survey the area around him, trying to pin down the source of his disquiet.]

action;

[mortemscintilla]

[ (Inside his own mind, Hei struggles as if against the bars of a cage.) ]

[ (You idiot. Don't stay there. Move.) ]

[ But Mao can't hear him. And the Reaper has already slipped from his perch. His feet make no sound as he drops unseen to the ground, not far from Mao. He exhales in a chilling gust, and Mao will feel a dizziness wash over him in a powerful crest, shaking and tumbling him. In the air all around the cat, tiny black hummingbirds materialize. A horde of them, eyes burning golden above needle-sharp beaks. ]

[ Live and twittering, they peck at Mao. Not playful but bloodthirsty, as if to skewer him like a voodoo doll. ]

action;

[thermonuclear_birdbrain]

[Utsuho is walking through the back alleys tonight, little embers flying off into the air where her feet set bits of litter on fire. She is pretty sure she's one of the most badass things here in the City, given how impressed everyone is with her fusion, so she's not afraid.

A little chill is dancing over her spine tonight, though, and her left fist is clenched and her arm cannon is smoking. She's ready for whatever it is, because it feels like something big...]

action;

[mortemscintilla]

[ Through his night-vision, the alley is lit up bright as day, everything delineated sharply and perfectly. He catches the familiar scent of girl-on-her-own. But she isn't an ordinary girl. It's not just the embers she's trailing in her wake -- the merest inhalation brings to Hei a rush of sensory information. There's a heat to her aura. Like lava. Like brimstone. In the cool air, is stirs up its own flames, making itself delicious to him. ]

[ Hunger licks at Hei -- an itchy fire. What, he wonders, will her soul taste like? ]

[ Near Utsuho, a small flock of birds that's crossing through, abruptly freezes in the air at eye-level. The space before her has been suspended. If she steps closer, she'll find herself caught -- a pretty fly in a web. ]

Re: action;

[thermonuclear_birdbrain]

[She jerks to a stop as the birds freeze. Her lips part in a toothy grin -- this might be a fun night after all!]

All right, who's got a time-stop card?

[Her cannon comes up, and now she's ready to rumble, fire licking out from under her feathers and blasting out her nostrils as her breath quickens. Her free hand reaches toward a pocket on her skirt, ready to grab for a spell card.]

Whoever's there, are you picking a fight or what?

action;

[mortemscintilla]

[ The aura around Utsuho is impossibly brilliant. But the energy of her excitement somehow dissipates in the air as it nears Hei, as if it's pouring off something small and amusing. A playful kitten. Except he's not here to play. Or to fight. ]

[ His aim is to collect. ]

[ He appears at her left as if he's risen out of the ground, a tuft of dark smoke that burgeons into form and tangibility. A dark figure, masked, cloaked in black. His eyes are two bright-red coronas, fixed on the girl. It's as if she was placed there solely to satisfy the thirst that springs from nowhere at first scent of her. A thirst that nags him now, sharp-toothed and relentless, to be quenched. ]

[ In the air, the birds remain suspended. When Hei speaks, it's a heavy susurrus. ]

I'm not here to waste time.

Acton; Xanadu - Look at you, catching angels.

[confined_to_briah]

( Alexiel has taken to visiting the zoo every now and then. Her interest in the animals is probably linked to Setsuna, but it doesn't matter. The scenery is comforting and she finds that she doesn't mind being surrounded by those who lack a human tongue. Or an angelic tongue for that matter.

However, her visit today is obviously...different. Something tugs at her and slides against her skin, making her feel defensive. Fighting the pull, she reaches down for Nanatsusaya, gritting her teeth.

What is this? )

Acton; Xanadu - u///u<3

[mortemscintilla]

[ For Alexiel, the source of the disquiet will be easy to narrow out. It's a pocket of air at a lush green corner. All around it, wildflowers bloom, their colors so bright they're unreal, the aromas ascendant. The grass sways gently in the breeze. But within the pocket itself, everything is perfectly still. No scent or sound. No movement. It's like a framed photograph. ]

[ Like everything within is dead. ]

[ The closer Alexiel gets to it, the more she'll feel a dark energy fizzling everywhere. Like sparks from a cut power-line. Take care not to step into that preternatural pocket. It will seal you in like a butterfly preserved in amber. ]

Acton; Xanadu - <333

[confined_to_briah]

( Though the sight would be enticing to just about everyone - if one ignores the lack of scent, motion and sound - Alexiel finds herself repulsed. It reminds her of Eden far too much and she has no desire to enter that cage again.

There, her heart had been dead. She had been little more than a doll.

Now she is a warrior.

Glowering, she lets her wings rip her clothing to shreds. With a great whoosh of air, she draws Nanatsusaya and uses the power of her trio of wings to step backwards. There is no way she is moving forward. Someone will have to force her if they want her to go in there. And she won't go easy on them if they do. )

Acton; Xanadu - <333

[mortemscintilla]

[ The corners of the air-pocket ripple and sizzle, exuding a mystifying heat. Even as Alexial's wings tear to the surface -- even as she swoops away -- the dimensions recoalesce No longer a framed photo-still. It darkens and solidifies into a mouth. Red and grinning; arrayed in fangs. ]

[ A powerful gust of wind erupts out from between its lips. Strong enough to buffet an angel off-course. Or powerful enough to suck her in. Which is what the mouth aims to do. It inhales on a long irresistible draught. The grass bends in its wake; trees whipping, debris flying. Everything spirals topsy-turvy into that awful maw. ]

[ Harder and harder, it inhales. Eager to snag Alexiel in the wind's stunning undercurrents. Swallow her whole. ]

[ A Fallen Angel -- at once tainted and pure. A rare delicacy. The Reaper is sure the soul will be a precious vintage; ripened by the passage of generations. ]