Kagari Yonamura's Story

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Dialogue ~ #FF7190

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The white curtains swayed as a breeze let it's way into the opened window, a chill filling the room as it did so. The resident of this room was fast asleep, the chilly air not reaching her under the seemingly endless pile of stuff animals that she lay under, with a thick silk blanket separating herself from the plush creatures. The chill had no effect on the sleeping girl, but she would be forced to open her eyes as the alarm on the cell phone that lay on the floor began to ring out. The mound of teddy bears shifted, a majority of them falling onto the carpeted floor as a hand pushed it's way out of the mound as it reached for the floor in search of the ringing noise. When the alarm continued to sound and her hand could not locate the cellular device, she let out a small grunt and pushed herself into a sitting position, even more stuffed animals tumbling down as she did so. The chill had finally reached her now that the only thing keeping her from the cold air was a thin pink nightgown. She hurried to close the window before finally picking up her phone and pressing her thumb against it's screen for a few second to let it read her print so she could access the alarm and turn it off. The room was at last silent.

Strands of her hair stuck up in all directions, but she paid no mind to it as she stood up and retrieved a pair of pink-framed glassed from her writing desk and placed them over her eyes. Opening her closet with the touch of a button, she changed into a dark blue, turtle neck sweater with a pair of black shorts with maroon leggings underneath. Satisfied with her much warmer outfit, she left her room and made her way downstairs where the housemaid would've already prepared breakfast.

"Kari! What took you so long? You're breakfast is getting cold already. And why are you wearing those ugly things? Put your contact lenses in and brush that rats nest you call hair before you come out of your room."

"It's Kagari," she answered in her mind as her mother greeted her the same way she did every morning.

"Morning," she said quietly as she sat down at the dining table that was far too big for the few people that lived in the ridiculously glamorous Yonamura mansion. She proceeded to eat her breakfast, not even making eye contact with her mother as she continued with her rant as if her daughter was actually listening to her.

"And what's with those clothes. You look like an idiot in dark colors. You'll be changing into something sweeter before we go to the meeting." Her mother, already wearing a tightly-fitting suit dress with her hair curled around her shoulders, took one last sip of coffee and rose from the table to hurry upstairs, leaving the mess for the housekeepers to clean up.

"What meeting?" Kagari said to herself as her lips curved into a tiny smirk. She had no intention of sitting in some room for hours listening to people criticize her and talk about her future while ignoring her existence. She took one more bite of rice before leaving her food behind and going back upstairs to her room. She locked the door behind her and walked over to her shoes, picking out a pair of brown combat boots.

"We're going to play a game. I have informed you of it below. Head to Mochijima Station to receive your partner."

That was the very first thing that Kagari had read when she had awoken before the sun had even come up. Found in the paws of a stuffed black dog was a letter that had not been there when she'd fallen asleep. What was contained in the letter had caught her interest instantly, though what was inside of it seemed rather farfetched. Still, she was curious as to who had crept into her room and placed the letter there. Even if it was some trick or maybe even a trap to snatch her up for ransom money, it sounded a lot more fun than sitting in a room with her mother and her manager..that man. No, even being kidnapped would be better than having to be in the same room as him.

Then again, only an idiot would pass up the opportunity to snatch her in her sleep just to leave a crazy note like this with the chances of her not even showing up. Course, she would most definitely be showing up.

She ran a brush through her hair quickly and gently replaced her glasses with contact lenses before rolling her hair up into a loose bun and tucking it into a black floppy hat. To finish her disguise of sorts, she picked out a pair of maroon-framed sunglasses to cover her face. Surely no one would be able to recognize her in public with her in these colors. That precious Kari would never wear anything darker than pale purple unless she was being dressed for a certain role in a movie. Even the mole on her neck that was often called 'adorable' by a number of fans was covered up by the neck of the sweater.

Opening the window above her bed, she climbed out onto the ledge and, leaning back slightly, leaped across to the tree that grew about four feat from her room. Though this would seem dangerous to some, Kagari had done this plenty of times and new exactly where to grab so not to fall or rip her clothing on the thin branches. Dropping down onto the grass, she readjusted her sunglasses and carefully made her way through the garden to the secret place where she always escaped from.

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Mochijima Station was the location she was meant to go to, though it wasn't exactly close to her house. She had to leave from a different station to reach it, having to spend about twenty minutes cramped in a train with countless strangers. Though her work always required her to be around strangers, and in an extremely higher amount than this, she still felt a hint of nervousness pricking at her as she boarded the train and found a seat near the door. Perhaps she felt more nervous because at the moment she was just an ordinary person with no importance at all.

Either way, she was admittedly a little relieved when the train came to a stop and a woman's voice announced the station's name that the train had just arrived at. With a small breath, she raised from her seat and shuffled out with the other people who were getting off at this stop. As she stepped onto the sidewalk and moved with the crowd, she passed a dark-haired man much taller than her, though with her head down she had not seen him. Unbeknownst to her, this was the very partner described in the note that had been left for her that morning.

It was a really nice morning. Outside, the early sun was shining gently, the sky was so blue and the white clouds lazily drifted like boats floated on the surface of a pool, the birds were chirping and the morning breeze was blowing gently. People has already arose from their beds, doing some personal cleaning-up, eating away their breakfast and began a whole new energetic day with their work. It was seemingly another normal and peaceful day for everyone. Well, almost everyone. For a certain of people, today is definitely anything but peaceful as their hands are soon going to be stained with the beautifully-looking crimson liquid of each other.

It was a medium-sized room. The sun shines through the window and the almost transparent-looking curtains as its beams dancing around the whole room, lighting up the whole place. On the wall, you could find pictures of different male idols, baseball players or anime's characters. There are also a tall and big bookcase with many books of many genres, but almost half of them was BL Novels. On the bedpost, there was a picture inside a white frame of two young man, a boy with silver hair and a boy with black hair that covers his left eye holding each other and taking selfie next to the alarm clock. And, there are also many thing else that you could always find in a teenage boy's room. Although, it wasn't looked entirely normal as lying on the floor was the clothes of the person who was sleeping innocently on the bed...

It was the young boy with dazing silver hair who was sleeping with only his underwear after a long night being screwed as if it was the end of the world with his lover. He has almost flawless fair skin which wasn't covered by any pieces of cloth and the sun shining could only cherished it more. His eyelids were closed and his breaths were monotonous. If anyone was looking, they might be charmed and convinced that he was an angel. Well, it is true. He once was as pure as an angel. But now, he was nothing more than someone who has got his own wings tainted by the dust and dirtiness of this world. But fortunately, another angel has came into his life and saved him before he fallen further into depravity, the person whom the boy has sworn to protect no matter what. And that silver-haired boy is no one other Akio Hakudoshi.

The alarm clock then went off, awaking Akio in a rather unpleasant way. Begrudgingly, he reached his hand to the bedpost and turned it off. He opened his eyes as he sat up on his bed, stretching his arms and rubbing his eyes a bit. Man, last night was awesome. Akio thought as he chuckled to himself. Grabbing the clock, he looked at it and saw that it was 6:30 AM, still quite early because it was his day off from school. Then he realized that underneath the clock was a small note with some nicely written lines. He held it up and read.

Hey, Aki-chin, you were sleepin' so I didn't wanna wake you up. We had so much fun last night and you were passionate as always, hehe... But anyway, I'm off to work. See ya later then. Love u.
- Your beloved Maki-tan.
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Akio couldn't help but let out another chuckle as he read it then smiles as he gently put the note down. In the moment that he thought he has already lost everything in his life, he was able to find a small light, giving him another purpose to live again. However, a selfish part of him didn't want to share this happiness to anyone, or anything. He wants him all for himself. And for that, Akio isn't afraid to let his hand being dirtied.

Moving away from the blanket, Akio put his feet down on the floor. He doesn't really mind the fact that he was almost naked anyway. This is his room and he can do anything as he wanted. After folding the blanket and the cushions nicely, he unveiled the curtains and opened the window to let the fresh air pouring in. Then, Akio took some clothes from his wardrobe and went into the bathroom.

After having a nice shower and the daily stuffs that everyone would do when they woke up, he dressed on with his short-sleeve shirt, trousers and his favorite jacket. When got out, Akio picked up the clothes from last night with a not-so-innocent smirk then went out of his room. His apartment was deserted, which means that Kyoru - his brother has went out somewhere. He remembered that last night he said that he's going to stay at his friend's house for today so Akio has one thing to get off his mind. It seems that his adorable brother has also did the chore.

Akio then made his way to the kitchen and intended to some breakfast. But just as he walked in, he realized a strange note on the table. He picked it up and began to read. On the first line, it said:

"We're going to play a game. I have informed you of it below. Head to Mochijima Station to receive your partner."

At first, Akio thought it was from Kyoru or Maki, but it wasn't either of their handwriting. As he began to read the paragraphs below and found what was written the most absurd thing ever. Such things as demons and monsters alike didn't exist. If there are anyone that you can play pranks on, Akio would be the last person. But what if it is true? He didn't have any other plans for today rather than hanging out with his lover like everyday so he guessed it didn't hurt to give it a try, the Station that was mentioned isn't very far from his apartment. Plus, the thought of killing somewhat excited him, forming a twisted smirk on his face.

So, with that thought, he had a rather quick breakfast, leaving a note on the table to inform his brother. Then, Akio knelt down and reached beneath the table and took out a secret box that he has hidden beneath the floor. Inside it was a knife that was specifically designed for assassinating and a couple of darting knives. Though he never reveals where he got them, Akio knew that they would be useful someday. He unsheathed the knife from its cover to examine it a bit then stuffed them hidden safely away from sight besides to his hips inside his jacket. After everything is done, Akio quickly headed out of his house without forgetting to locked the door. Kyoru has the spare keys so he wouldn't have to worry. Then, he got down through the stairs to the 1st floor and headed out for the street.

When got to Mochijima, Akio could see that a group of people were already there. Maybe they also received the same letter as him. Which means, most of them are going to be his enemies sooner or later. Akio should be wary of them for now since he didn't know whom he will be assigned with yet. As he approached them, he just simply stood next to a girl with long black hair. There is no point in making any greetings and any gallantly acts now.

He turned his eyes and gave them a quick glance to make quick judgement. The man with white hair and cat ears, the tall man with black hair wearing an old pair of goggles gave him a strange feeling and he knew that he shouldn't underestimate them. And then there was a black cat sitting next to them, which he didn't even care as he doesn't know it was actually someone with the shape-shifting ability of sorts. On the contrary, the remaining two were rather weak in his eyes. The boy is seemingly around his age and he actually looks really cute to Akio though that scarf he was wearing is the most ridiculous thing he'd ever seen and the fact that he was kind of visibly nervous makes he felt that this boy might not last long. But nonetheless, Akio figures that he could have some fun with this boy. And the girl next to him was... well, normal. She has some features that he thought that would make her more of what they would called as moe? However, it's not like that he prefers to stand next to a girl though, but he mustn't show his detest and try to be calm as much as he could. First impression is important, right? For now, Akio could only wait and see how things would turn out.

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Dɪᴀʟᴏɢᴜᴇ Cᴏʟᴏʀ ✦ #33178b || Tʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ Cᴏʟᴏʀ ✧ #0ea1bd

Location ; Mochijima Station
Mood; Somewhat Amused, Frustrated, Doubtful, Cocky
Species; Cat < Human

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The demoness had, had enough with the watching. She quickly transformed back into a human and sat down on the bench she was previously on, making sure to look everyone in the eye for an uncomfortable amount of time.

First, it was Anzo; a small smirk tugged at her lips as she thought of his reaction when first receiving notice of the game. Amaya thought maybe he was just as annoyed as she was, but then realized he’s finally getting someone to adopt him like the little puppy he was; he must have been on cloud nine.

The second person she looked at was a boy with silver hair and red eyes that seemed too judgmental for someone his age. Not that she was any better of course. Amaya noticed that when he was surveying the train station he had completely over looked her for she was a cat, but now that she was human she forced him to look at her with her mere presence.

He looked strong, mentally mind you for his body was akin to a twig, but still had that gleam of humanity that she just wanted to crush. ”I wouldn't mind him being my partner,” the demoness mused silently.

Amaya’s attention then went onto the girl who stood silently by the Dog – her new nickname for Anzo – and watched as she too sized people up. The girl was young, no younger than fifteen, and had vibrant blue eyes that were hidden behind maroon glasses. She vaguely reminded Amaya of a dozen TV personalities, but which one she couldn’t pin point. To the demoness they were all the same.

Her gaze then caught sight of a rather loud girl who tugged on Tohrushiki’s ears. Amaya wanted to congratulate the girl for pissing off one of the most powerful demons she knew, but then realized she would be complimenting the Cat. His violet eyes twitched and Amaya couldn’t help but snicker. She was relishing in her enemies’ pain at the hand of his new owner, and silently she pulled out her iphone and took a picture of the scene; making sure to save all photos to her icloud account in case anything bad happened to her electronic device.

As far as her opinions on Rima went she could only thank God Tohrushiki got paired up with her instead of one of the other candidates. ”Although it would be equally as bad if he got Awful Scarf over there.”

Finally her sight set on the brat she had mentioned before. He was everything she hoped her partner wouldn't be. When he was yelling at Rima she turned on her selective hearing and thus didn’t hear the boy call himself ‘Heihatsutori.’ The human she was supposed to be partners with, but because she hadn’t heard his name so she could still hope. Of course Amaya was just lying to herself, trying to stall for more time.

He started laughing and for the non-existent life in her she couldn’t figure out why. Maybe he was finally losing it, dooming their chances of winning from the start. A panicking boy who’d already murdered others she could deal with, but a boy crying in the first two minutes of meeting her she couldn’t.

"You've got your hands tied with that buffoon as your partner. I am truly empathetic of your loss, of the game I mean,” and with his words she knew that the worst possible situation had happened. Awful Scarf boy was her partner, and she couldn’t change – unless… she shook the thought away. While mostly already dead, she didn’t want to die once more - contrary to belief.

”Right back at you Kitty. I just hope she won’t tear your ears off too early in the game. I’d hate to not allow you to hear the sound of my victory,”Amaya smiled and grabbed the back of the shirt of her now shell shocked partner and sat him down, still holding tightly onto his back.

She stood next to him, glaring at anyone who gave him a dirty look. While Amaya might loath being partners with him it doesn’t mean she won’t let her partner get ridiculed. From now on only she could do that.

The demoness leaned down toward his ear and whispered,”Get your act together, or you’re going to be the first one to die. They target the weak and right now you’re a fucking sheep.” with that Amaya let him go and raised her eyebrow over toward the Dog. ”Don’t stray too far from your master, you might get lost.”

Amaya knew she was being a tad bit cruel, but it wasn’t time for friendly get-togethers, this was the final ‘peaceful meeting’ they’d ever have with each other. It was now full on war, a war she was not going to lose.

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Anzo pressed his back into the pillar as more people started to fill up the station. A cold feeling ran through his bones, sending small electric shocks to every nerve. Anzo knew there would be other demons about, it was the main premise of the game, but what he hadn't been betting on was him knowing any of them. It could be a coincidence, he knew quite a few demons who could change forms... But there was something in the golden eyes of the cat that sat across the room that seemed so strikingly like her... Anzo was about to speak up, about to peel himself away from the shadow he inhabited to inquire as what name the cat called herself by.

But he was distracted. The passenger train pulled into the station, and with it, only one exited. A girl. A human girl, dressed like it was winter in colors dark yet warm. Something jumped inside Anzo as she passed right by him. It was her, it had to be her. It could be no one else. Anzo's hand reached out automatically, tentatively catching the edge of her sleeve between his forefinger and thumb. It was a light touch, but enough to catch attention.

"What is another but a reflection of one's own self? Your eyes burn with me, as mine do of you." Anzo's voice was quiet, no more than a hoarse whisper, but urgent. His words sounded heavy, thick with German undertones, light Japanese syllables clanging around awkwardly in his mouth like pebbles in a washing machine.

If Anzo was wrong, and this wasn't the girl he was looking for, he wouldn't blame the other demons for mocking him if they overheard, "Kagari, etched in divine tablets, seals your soul? The branding is but only yours?" Anzo's grip tightened on her sleeve, begging a hopeful truth from emotionless eyes.

All of Anzo's attention was on this human girl, who's hair was as black as his own, and eyes who's only match would be the sea itself. That is, until a commotion started on the other side of the room. His eyes shifted, tagging the other people in the room. New humans. A boy, silver haired and devilish, and a girl, uppity and go-lucky. Wait... A girl...? Had Anzo been mistaken? Was the girl he clutched no more than a passerby. Or worse... Someone else's partner?

However, his worries were quickly dismissed. The girl, whom awful-scarf-boy had declared as 'Rima', was claimed by the silver cat-like demon. Anzo let out a visible sigh of relief, his shoulders, that had been taunt, relaxed and his grip on the girl he continued to clutch loosened slightly. His eyes drifted. There was one more girl. She hadn't been there before, and yet, she had. As she spoke, memories flooded back to Anzo all in a crash. A sudden sickening feeling hit his gut.

Amaya was here. This is bad news.

As if hearing his thoughts, Amaya's eyes tore from scarf boy, landing on Anzo with a perfectly raised eyebrow, ”Don’t stray too far from your master, you might get lost.” She spat, rather viciously. The same as always. Memories of a time long past flooded Anzo's thoughts, leaving him feeling hollowed and void in the pit of his stomach.

In response, Anzo only dipped his head, deeply, at first. He spoke louder this time, enough to carry the rasp of his voice across the din of the room, eyes locked on a place somewhere beside the pink Jinn's shoes, "May stars cast their light on all but you, Dear Bloodied Queen." It was meant as an insult, though Anzo feared she would take it with a light heart.

With that, Anzo promptly started to pull the girl he believed to bare the name 'Kagari' back into his shadows. The bright florescent light of the station made him uncomfortable. He felt so exposed. He was ready to leave, starting to panic at seeing a familiar face, but the feeling of someone close to him made his inner turmoil ease ever so slightly. Anzo was back to whispering, staring at his own reflection on Kagari's maroon colored glasses, "Sand leaks ever faster in the hourglass. Haste is to be made, if one does not wish to kiss The Bloodied Queen."

"Zadkiel....Zadkiel...come on now it's time to wake up..."

The voice from the darkness of sleep sent the girl who lay sleeping across the train seats a moment earlier bolting upright as one could notice the slight droplets of sweat that rolled ever so slowly down her neck as if she had been awoken in quite a fright. A moment passed as her eyes darted around the train interior before she finally seemed to let free a small breath as she could feel her hand drifting down as if to instinctively check the duffle bag she had shoved under the seat. It was a red coloration and seemed to be large enough to hold a good deal of items though at the moment it only held few. These few however were important to her and that was all the mattered on the issue in the end. She yanked open on of the compartments of the thing and from it withdrew a white envelope.

The item was unassuming, its seemed to be keep in a neat order with exception of the seal that was broken and on first glance it would seem to be nothing of value. However it's contents where far more darker than what one would imagine such a white envelope could carry. She stared down at it for a moment running her fingers across it in thought. It had only been a day or so since she had been summoned forth from the pit she could only describe as her little piece of hell.

The stakes were high just as one could expect for a thing of this nature, it was one where the winner quite literally got the crown and the loser...well the loser would not live long enough to ponder their failures after their loss. To the demon death was not something that scared her no, for while cowards die many times before their deaths, the valiant never taste of death but once or so it was said. She did not wish to return to hell so quickly however as she knew what awaited her there and that was a fate far worse then a thousand deaths.

Zadkiel paused for a moment as the intercom cracked to life in the empty train car as they conductor began to alert the passengers that they would soon be reaching their destination. The fallen angel glanced at the bag that lay at her feet and with a sigh took something out off the envelope before shoving back into the dark corners of the duffle bag. In her hand she held a simple picture, the one of this human she would be meeting with. "Akio Hakudashi..." She grumbled eyeing the photo for a moment before she could feel the train begin to finally slow its momentum. The idea of having a mere child as some sort of master made her sick to her stomach, but she would have to act as his chess piece if she wished to achieve some sort of victory...'If only for now'.

The brakes of the train car gave a slight hiss as they brought the locomotive to as stop inside the station as the peace a quiet of the train car was pierced by the sounds of the many voices both inside other cars and outside it. Zadkiel reached down picking up her bag roughly before slinging it over her shoulder as she began to move towards the metal doors that now stood as a sort of entrance into this twisted game. As she knew one she stepped foot over this threshold there was no going back, as there would only forwards after this point. At that point was another crackle of static from the intercom hailing one final message from the conductor of the train.

"This is the conductor speaking, we have arrived at our final stop here at Mochijima Station. So now if you would please start to get ready to disembark now in a slow and safe fashion. I hope you all have a wonderful day here in the big city!"

With that the doors gave a hiss before being flung open as the wall of noise hit Zadkiel like a tidal wave. The whole station was massive in scale, its arches stretching high above as if the structure was simply meant to give one a humble feeling. The demon stepped out onto the platform, the crowds swarming around her like ants in a hive on their way to preform whatever duty they where called to. She gave a slight glance down at the photo she held in her hand before wading her way into the sea of people for fear even a moments hesitation would have her bogged down in the quagmire.

The angel trudged silently on her mood only worsening the longer it took to find her designated human in this maze of crowds. She did however appreciate on how her "borrowed" student's attire made her almost invisible to the every day passerby in the station as she was allowed to move freely without being questioned though attire did not help her one little bit when it came to hunting down a damned human in a crawling mass of them. However her problem was about to be solved...only to have three others piled into her lap. She had finally managed to catch sight of this human only to get a glimpse of the group her stood in. 'So the chess pieces are already arranged' She couldn't help quip dryly to herself as she made her way towards the group giving each of those in it a once over starting first off with the one designated as her partner.

He was a skinny character who seemed to have no sort of physical ability to be reckoned with however that was off little issue as he seemed to have a mentally superior look to him as well as a great deal of poise. He either way looked at least an interesting human indeed. Next was the pair of the Tohrushiki the Kitsune and the first human Girl, the Fox seeming mildly annoyed with his partner and the girl blissfully ignorant as could be. The second pair was Amaya, a demon jinn and her partner who seemed to be wearing an obnoxiously large scarf. Funny enough the boy seemed to know the other girl which was ironic considering they shared the same sort of blissful ignorance. Finally her eyes stopped upon the last pair Anzo the Nightmare Demon and his partner, a girl who looked far to innocent to be caught up in such a matter. She frowned slightly at this as she began her slow approach every step feeling like a century of time passing knowing that when the time came she would have to kill these competitors if she wished to win, a task she would take no joy in doing.

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Dialogue ~ #FF7190

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The station didn't look to be as busy as it should be, but then again Kagari rarely traveled by train. She was practically banished from boarding any kind of public transportation, always having to sit in the back seat of some limo or sports car for the sake of keeping up her image. "We can't have someone so precious and important riding on a train by herself surrounded by dangerous strangers!" was always what her mother used to say anytime she talked about wanting to ride a train. This was actually only her second time being on one, but it wasn't as exciting as she'd hoped it to be.

Her eyes stared from behind her shades, scanning over the small group of people that stood about the station. It really was odd to see so few people here on a Saturday, but perhaps this wasn't a very popular stop.

Suddenly she felt herself unable to take another step forward as a force tugged lightly at her wrist. In an instant she snapped her head around, her own eyes meeting with that of a stranger she's never seen before.

"What is another but a reflection of one's own self? Your eyes burn with me, as mine do of you."

"I'm..sorry?"

"What a weird way of talking. Is that poetry?"

For a moment she started to feel nervous. Had she already been recognized? Was this guy a fan of Kari? Maybe that was why he was talking like that. It wouldn't be the first some she'd been handed hand-written poetry from her fans, though she rarely read any of them. If he announced who she was, this would turn into a rather uncomfortable situation. Her mother would never let her hear the end of it.

"Kagari, etched in divine tablets, seals your soul? The branding is but only yours?"

Her eyes widened, her lips parting slightly in disbelief. No one had called her by that name since she was a child. To be honest, it made her feel a tinge of sadness pull at her chest. However, she quickly closed her mouth and turned to face the stranger, a calm expression resting on her face. He was much taller than her, and with her hat's purpose being to cover her forehead, she had to tilt her neck a little further than she would've liked so she could match her eyes with his. There eyes were only locked for a moment, however, as the black-haired man's attention seemed to drift as he took notice of the others who had gathered within the station. Maybe he'd mistaken her for another girl named Kagari? There was no possibility that a mere fan would have knowledge of her real first name, after all. Then again, maybe this was the person she was supposed to meet here?

”Don’t stray too far from your master, you might get lost.”

She turned her head at the sound of a woman's voice. By her words, it seemed Kagari's suspicion was confirmed. If the note that had been left for her actually had truth to it, it would make sense that this man would know only her first name. A demon probably wasn't as familiar with the media of the human world, so he might not even be aware of her status as an actress. For some reason, she a hint of relief at that thought.

In her thoughts, she hadn't realized that the stranger still had her sleeve pinched between his fingers. She would've pulled her hand away the moment he took hold of her, but she'd been too surprised to hear her first name that she'd forgotten. She was quickly reminded of this when she was suddenly pulled forward, her feet moving quickly so not to trip as she was forced into the shadow of the pillar closest to them. She immediately clutched her teeth to not let out a whimper at the feeling of being forced to move, her hands clutching into fists as she came to a stop and the dark-haired stranger began to speak again.

She barely paid attention to his words, though, and quickly pulled her arm away barely a second after he was finished. If he really was just a demon, then there was no reason for her to let herself be touched by someone she didn't know. In fact, she didn't really have a reason to be Kari at the moment either. She'd already noticed that the station had become even more empty, almost as if someone wanted it that way. There was no reason to hide herself round the few people who were close to them either since they were likely also participants in the game that had been explain in the note she was given.

Wanting to put a little distance between herself and the stranger, she took a step back. "Please don't grab me so casually," she said with her voice somewhat shaky, though she made a fairly well attempt at keeping it level. She let out a small breath, reaching up to remove her glasses as she did so. She tucked them into the pocket of her shorts and finally looked up at the man with an unguarded face. "If this game is real, then there's somewhere we're supposed to go, right? Let's leave here and we can talk more on the way."

As she finished her sentence, her eyes moved over the small group that had gathered close to them. She hadn't yet had the chance to get a proper look at everyone aside from the pink-haired woman who looked to be paired with a short blue-haired boy that had a rather bright scarf wrapped around his neck. Next was the man with silver hair and a pair of ears atop his head. If those weren't for decoration, it was obvious that he would have to be another demon, his partner appearing to be the bubbly and talkative brown-haired woman. Then there were the late-arrivals, though by the looks of those two she couldn't quite make out which one was supposed to be the human and which would be the demon. She could probably ask her own partner, assuming he can tell demons apart from humans, that is.

"Also, if you know my name then I should know yours," she said, looking back up at him. One could say she was extremely calm for being in such a situation. If this whole thing were true, then the humans and demons standing here would have to be disposed of by her own hands or by the hands of her partner, but her mind had decided not to dwell on that matter until it became an issue.

Akio continued to standing still, crossing his arms and quietly observed things, he has to admit that things is getting more and more every minutes. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all. But he couldn't say that he totally found them amusing either. Akio has never entertained the thought of standing next to a group of people like this. Some of them are even too noisy, which makes he felt whether if they were going to take this thing seriously or not. He let out a quiet sigh. There's nothing that he'd wanted more right now than to cling to Maki and going on a date with him and then ended up in a love hotel like they usually did. However, since Akio has put his feet into this, he figures that he couldn't do that so often anymore. But no matter what, if they dare to lay a finger on his lover or his brother then Akio won't be hesitate to slit their throats and help them end their miserable lives in peace. Looks like things are going to get bloodier from now as they're going to kill each other pretty soon. Just the thought of it made a twisted smirk formed on Akio's lips.

Moments later, a girl with brown hair arrived and the first impression she gave Akio was nothing more than a frantic girl when she glanced at them. Letting out a 'Tch' in annoyance, Akio couldn't believe that another weakling has turned up. Furthermore, she even displayed her surprise for the cat ears guy too openly. It's true that when someone saw things that they've never seen before, it is normal to felt amused, but showing it to other people as if it's no one business only shows that you're weak. If Akio wasn't trying to be calm then, he sure he'll going to shut her mouth or any lousy mouths around here up. He doesn't hate those people who are cheerful, but those who are so hyper-active without realizing what circumstances they're in are a different story. Though, he has managed to catch their names. The brown-haired girl was Rima and the boy with the tedious scarf was Sora.

And what's more, it seems that Rima and Sora seemed to be acquaintances of sorts. Akio has to admit that they have quite some memory to have remembered each other ever since Kindergarten. For someone like Akio, he don't remember much about what has happened in his past, or whoever he has met, or more correctly, he don't want to remember. Oh joy, looks like they're going to make a great couple. Akio secretly thought as he tried to look at another direction, trying to find something more interesting to watch.

Suddenly, he saw that the black cat earlier transformed itself into a woman an inch taller than him with pink hair, which surprised him a bit. This has confirmed all of his earlier suspicion about all the Demon thingy. Like the other two man, she also gave off an aura in which Akio has to beware. And she seemed to be quite serious about this too. He then quietly listened to the conversation between the Demons. It sounds like they aren't having much of a good term with each other either. She spoke to the two as if she has known them for a long time, which makes Akio wondered whether if they've shared some kind of past with each other, but for now, it is none of his concerns.

The white-haired, cat ears guy, or his name was Tohrushiki, as Akio was able to catch, also showed his detest towards the woman whose name was Amaya and addressed her in a rather displeased way. The woman also called the black haired guy named Anzo as if he was some sort of scum, in which he replied in a... erm, poetic way? Then later on, Anzo came to the girl next to Akio, grabbed her shoulder and speak something in a riddled way that Akio didn't really understand. From what he said, the girl name was Kagari. Looks like he's going to hang out with all of these weirdo for a long time. He looked at them and saw that they've already found their own match, which left Akio all alone. He sighed a bit. Somehow he felt a bit out of the league. Took out his phone, he texted Maki:

All alone. Miss u so much. Want u to be here so bad ~

Me2. All these papers r so boring. Wanna goin' somewhere tonight?

Nah. I'm havin' some business. Looks like we're not goin' to see each other today :(

Rly? Oh well, see u later then. Back to work ~ Let's go for a few rounds when we meet up, deal? <3

Now u r spokin' my language. Love u. XX

He smiled as he sent his last text message then put his phone back to his pocket. When he looked up, he saw another young girl was walking towards them. Judging by the way she looked at Akio, he can already guessed that she's clearly looking down on him because of his body, like so many people before. A smirk appeared on his face. Just wait and see what I can do. It looks like that she is Akio's partner. But anyhow, she looked as if she'll make a good companion. When she approached them, he turned to look at her with a seemingly friendly smile, "Looks like you're going to be my partner in this so-called game, huh? The name's Akio Hakudoshi, as you might have know. Hoping that we're going to work well together." He said as he tilted his head a bit and reach out his hand, "And may I get to know your name, young lady?" It was always his habit trying to be gallant anytime he met someone that he can trust.

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Dɪᴀʟᴏɢᴜᴇ Cᴏʟᴏʀ ✦ #33178b || Tʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ Cᴏʟᴏʀ ✧ #0ea1bd

Location ; Mochijima Station, Apartment
Mood; Schadenfreude, Irritated, Excited, .empty
Species; Human < Raven < Human
ooc: I never put this in my CS but I always kept it in mind, but her speech pattern
greatly changes from situation to situation. I didn't see a quirk portion, and I was
a tad bit lazy to add it myself. Just in case you're wondering, "Why the crap is she
talking so funny all the time?"

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Anzo with all his grace bowed deeply toward her and remarked,“May stars cast their light on all but you, Dear Bloodied Queen." Amaya smiled and gave a tilt of her head. While not knowing the Dog personally she knew enough about human nature – or in their case, demon nature – to see when she was being provoked; she was about to respond when the Demon lead his partner away and into the darkness. "But my dear Puppy you forget, the stars have died long ago and with them, their radiance," she quietly said hoping he didn't hear her or the wistfulness in her intonation.

A voice broke her silent statement with the announcement of the arrival of yet another train. Amaya scrunched her nose in disgust for it reeked of something she knew the name of but couldn't remember for the life of her.

The door slide open and with it came a girl with long auburn hair and a face that revealed nothing. She looked to be searching for someone and that’s when it hit her. The awful stench was that of a fallen Angel. Amaya 'tsked' and went to grab for her partner’s shirt when suddenly he told her he needed to talk to the Cat. She hummed in annoyance at being called Ama but followed him to see what he needed to ask. If the boy was smart he wouldn't ask anything to provoke the Kitsune, but as fate has it Lady Luck paired her with possibly the stupidest boy in history.

"Do you know Yana Lin Heihatsutori?" he questioned timidly but then quickly grabbed her hand and told her to ‘come on.’

She shook his hand off hers and remarked, ”My name is Amaya,not Ama. I am your servant and you my master, but I am my own person and I will not be ordered around. The second you start doing so I will end you. her eyes started to glow an unearthly rose color and bore into his own, making sure he knew exactly where they stood. ”The moment I find a way to break free of our binding I will not hesitate to do so. If you so much as even think otherwise you can kiss any chance of happiness good-bye.”

Again she proceeded to walk toward the exit forgetting about her partner, but was stopped by a force field. ’God dammit.’

It was a few seconds later that she noticed Tohrushiki talking to Sora and by the way the demon was holding her partner by the scarf she guessed the conversation didn't end well. With a fierce protectiveness she transformed into a largeraven with feathers as black as the void and began pecking the Kitsune’s head, drawing blood from where she stabbed him. Amaya knew fighting in hand to hand combat would be useless with his fox fire so she settled for the next best thing; trying to peck his brains out. Not literally of course, for it was for too grotesque even for her.

As he let her partner go she changed back into her human form and looked at looked at his left shoulder, noting it had second degree burns. Quickly she unraveled the hideous scarf from his neck and held it in her arms.The Demoness hated the position she was in. With her morals she was not allowed to stand by and watch as he died, but every fiber in her body told her to do so, even if just to get the game over with. Finally she decided on what to say and what came out of her mouth surprised her,"I would say let's go to the hospital, but then they'd ask for insurance and a legal guardian."

"Forgot I can't act without permission. Heh, a burn to remember me by you fucking punk. Oh, a little warning. I'm coming for you first. Your death will not be painless," He said haughtily and sat back down with his partner 'too-stupid-to-live.'

”Try your best, Kitsune. You will never succeeded if your heart is blackened and your thoughts are still vengeful on a love long past,” it was at times like these that Amaya dropped her more or less colloquial way of talking and spoke more solemnly. She wasn't furious per say, more like mildly annoyed that her property was damaged.

As she was tending to his wound, an eerie voice spoke ,"Attention. Demons and Masters. The games have begun, proceed to your apartments scattered about Tokyo. No killing until everyone has gotten home. No following each other home either as that wouldn't be very sporting now would it?” Amaya rolled her eyes and as he continued talking about the boy named Akio she put Sora’s right arm around her shoulder, getting ready to carry him to their apartment. ”And Tohrushiki . . . Foolish child, didn't I tell you not to lose it? For this you will be punished."

The cat fell to the ground, blood coming from his mouth and to say she was sorry would be a lie. She enjoyed every second of his suffering and let everyone know it by smirking.

”And as for you Amaya, while not hurting any human, you harmed another player before the game officially started.” Unlike the other demon she didn’t fall down and cough blood, but rather her hands felt as if it were being crushed underneath a large boot with spikes on the heel. Her fingers didn't break, but they were bleeding and oddly angled. ’Wow; that dick.’

With as much dignity as possible she carried herself and Sora toward the exit and began walking to their new home. As they left the station she looked back and mouthed something in English to the rest.

”Are you ready?”

---

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"Please don't grab me so casually," The words that fell from Anzo's newly-made master's lips, although shaky, might as well have been cast in stone. They hit him right in the center of his chest, like a ton of bricks breaking through his sternum, and the little confidence he had built up before was shred away into unending shame. He had upset her, his new and only master. He had failed her already and the game hadn't even begun. Kagari removed her sunglasses before continuing, giving Anzo his first glace at how blue her eyes really were. He hung on every word, "If this game is real, then there's somewhere we're supposed to go, right? Let's leave here and we can talk more on the way."

Anzo blinked. Hadn't that been what he had just said? Had she misunderstood? Hesitantly, Anzo nodded slowly, but realized her eyes were not on him any longer. They cast to the other side of the room, toward the others, toward their enemies. A new character had joined the mess, a girl with strawberry-blonde hair who looked to be a high schooler, in dress and in face. However, her aura told Anzo she wasn't human. She felt too powerful, had too much presence. She was like him, but, at the same time, not. The newest addition approached the keen-looking boy, and Anzo shuddered at the combination. They were a pair to watch out for.

Kagari's voice brought Anzo's attention back to what was in front of him, "Also, if you know my name then I should know yours," Kagari stated, the shakiness her voice had once held was no more. She was as calm as a queen.

Anzo's eyes widened slightly. How could he have been so rude? To grab her and call her by her Christian name and not even introduce himself was borderline criminal behavior. He slowly dropped down to one knee, right hand curled into a fist over his heart and left tucked behind his back. He was shorter than Kagari now, a sign of submission, locking eyes on nothing but her shoes. His hair fell in front of his eyes as he spoke, heavy with clashing syllables, "I am disease, a plague to all those who stood before. 'Anzo', a name cursed to bind a soul such as mine." He looked up at her now, meeting her blue eyes with a pair of his own, "If 'Anzo' sits heavy on the tongue, cast it away. Bring new life with another binding, one that the oceans in your eyes will ebb to."

"Attention. Demons and Masters. The games have begun, proceed to your apartments scattered about Tokyo. No killing until everyone has gotten home. No following each other home either as that wouldn't be very sporting now would it?"

A blur of motion brought Anzo back to his head, all defense, pulling him to his feet and making him step in front of Kagari to block her from the action. A reflex. The cat-like demon was already dripping blood by the time Anzo's eyes adjusted to the lights, and Amaya's hand had been crunched ang twisted, leaving it crippled and broken and useless. Not that she seemed to mind much, though. The ruling death god was a force to fear, and Anzo, like the other demons, knew it all too well.

"Time is little. Take your final bows." Anzo spoke quietly over his shoulder to Kagari. He turned, and, painfully careful not to touch her, tried to usher her towards the door with a few flicks of his wrist, "Make haste, red paints the furniture, and paints the eyes of the hungry. Starving I am not, but I do not wish to fill the bellies of others, either." He followed after Amaya and Sora's heels, catching the door as it started to swing shut to hold it open for his own master. He bowed his head at a slight, respectful angle,

"My heart is held only by you, wield it well."

---

---

OOC: Wow, I am so sorry there were so many grammar mistakes. I was on some heavy cold medicine, but I think I fixed them all.

It was easy enough to see the tension building between both Masters and Demons as a good deal of hushed whispers of annoyance and jeers being passed around to notice this little group was not necessarily one that was paired to get along. Her eyes narrowed as she watched her partner pull out his phone and seem to fall absorbed momentarily into the glow of screen before quickly stuffing it back in his pocket. "I'm going to assume he did not necessarily get the message about how he was not to contact a single other soul once the game started" She could feel herself fume as she as she came within about arms reach of him and not a step closer.She could see her partner look at her and could feel his gaze begin to analyze her just as she did him earlier, "It seems I have not received an idiot after all..." She could feel her mind ramble on as she let out what seemed to be a visible sigh of relief.

"Looks like you're going to be my partner in this so-called game, huh? The name's Akio Hakudoshi, as you might have know. Hoping that we're going to work well together." Her partner started with a smile that while held the appearance of friendly gesture, though truthfully she felt if he where to be honest it hold nothing but a hollow void behind it. She gave what seemed to be a look of indifference at the human before the next words that exited this child's mouth brought her blood to boil. "And may I get to know your name, young lady?" She assumed it was his attempt at chivalry, but it's blatant patronizing nature had cut at the Demon's pride. "My given name is Zadkiel though you may call me what you wish, and you do not need formalities in this game with me Akio Hakudoshi as I already know of my place within this affair." She replied in a annoyed tone not bothering to provide a friendly smile as he had given to her as the flame in his comment had unknowingly come closer to bring her already at the moment shortened fuse to ignition.

She gave a curt glance to those around her as she could feel the spearing looks directed towards her. The other demons seemed to busying themselves already with their selected humans with varying results. The Fox and his master seemed to be more of a relationship between an child and her house pet while on the other hand the Djinn seemed to be attempting to gain firm command of the master-servant relationship with the scarf wearing idiot. Ironically only pair who seemed to be getting along was that of the Nightmare Demon and the young girl who where quietly conversing among themselves.

She quickly turned to her master with the hope that her first analysis of him not being an utter idiot was correct as she prepared to give the human the briefing of the full scale of this little "game" they where to play. Her face grew grave as she prepared to speak giving him a gaze that would seem downright cold and lacking of any sympathy towards him for the situation he was being thrown into, "Now before we got any further with our little talks Akio Hakudoshi I would like to know if you already know of what this games rule and requires you to do in order to win as well as if you are willing to commit such atrocities in the name of victory..." She had just managed to finish off the sentence before all hell broke those starting with a few brief words from the idiot with a scarf.

"Do you know Yana Lin Heihatsutori?!"

These simple words seemed to draw upon the full ire of the Kitsune who was quick to engage upon the poor human who simply bumbled his way across a boundary he did not even know was there. Her eyes widened in slight suprise when the Kitsune snatched the boy up by the scarf as fire began to dance from the demon's fingers. The fallen angel could feel some instinct welling up in her guts as she felt her body move before she could think through exactly what she was doing placing herself directly in front of Akio as if acting as a human shield for the boy. The demon stood her group as the scene slowly began to defuse itself though she couldn't help but worry about the condition of the boy with the scarf after such an attack before shaking her head. "He is not my charge..." She recited to herself repeatedly until the worry for the human's life began to fade, old wired habits do die hard after all. The fallen eyed the carnage with a grim look before turning towards Akio with the first words to extend from her mouth being "Are you unharmed?"

Her words however where to be cut off by the announcements of of their mysterious host who seemed to be chiding the early combatants as if they where simply naughty children who had been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

"Attention. Demons and Masters. The games have begun, proceed to your apartments scattered about Tokyo. No killing until everyone has gotten home. No following each other home either as that wouldn't be very sporting now would it?"

With those final words after the string of chiding the host would bid the group adieu though the whole thing left a foul feeling behind as if the air was filled with a dangerous mix of toxicity and tension. Finally after a long period of silence among the groups they began in almost a painfully slow manner to separate though one could almost feel as if in this moment the lines of battle where being drawn. "So it begins..." She mouthed back to the Jinn's finally jeer casting a disgruntled look at the crowd of humans passing around them oblivious to the scuffle that had just happened before returning to her silence until all but her and her partner where gone from the accursed human train station.

She gave a sigh as she pulled her bag up higher on her shoulder before turning to Akio a motioning for him to lead the way "You know the layout this city better than I would" She simply stated before leaning in close to him to give one last warning to him before they left the safety of the station "It is imperative you remain by my side at all times, as so long as I have the most insignificant ounce of strength in me I will protect you to the best of my ability, however I can only do so much for you human and for me to succeed in my tasking you must be willing to accept my help. But above all you must be above all ready for what is to come Akio Hakudoshi as now you move against powers that no human should ever before forced to fathom. Do what you can to survive and I will handle the rest...that is all I ask of you human."

---

---

Dialogue ~ #FF7190

---

---

As soon as she had asked the stranger his name, he'd dropped to his knee and bowed his head to her. Kagari would be lying if she didn't feel a tad embarrassed at this act, but she was more concerned with him drawing attention to the two of them. However, as she looked down at him with one fist behind his back and the other placed over his heart, she tilted her head slightly. He looked just like a knight bowing to a queen, waiting for the royal sword to be tapped upon his shoulders.

"I am disease, a plague to all those who stood before. 'Anzo', a name cursed to bind a soul such as mine."

"Anzo," she said his name quietly to herself as he lifted his head and met his eyes with hers.

"If 'Anzo' sits heavy on the tongue, cast it away. Bring new life with another binding, one that the oceans in your eyes will ebb to."

He spoke about himself in an odd way, as if the name he was giving her hadn't been his own. Not to mention, he was giving her the option to change it as if it wouldn't be the first time someone picked a name for him. This wasn't terribly surprising, though. He was a demon, after all, so for him to have former masters was completely natural. What peaked her curiosity was what reason there was for him having been without a master before this game was set up and she was selected to be partnered with him. If she asked, he'd probably feel obligated to answer her, but it didn't feel all that important to her at the moment. Besides, her attention had shifted to the commotion the other people in the station were making. It seemed the scarf-boy had upset the cat-eared demon for some reason or other.

"Attention. Demons and Masters. The games have begun, proceed to your apartments scattered about Tokyo."

Here eyes quickly darted around in search of the voice that echoed throughout the station, but her line of vision was quickly blocked by Anzo's back as he stood in front of her defensively. As the voice continued, though, she understood who is must belong to. This voice belonged to the one who had left the letter for her to meet here.

"No killing until everyone has gotten home. No following each other home either as that wouldn't be very sporting now would it?"

"So our host shows himself at last." Or rather, he more like announced himself.

"Also. . . Akio. If you attempt to text your gay-lover again. . . Something will happen to him and none of us want that now do we? And Tohrushiki . . . Foolish child, didn't I tell you not to lose it? For this you will be punished."

She had taken a small step to the side and leaned over slightly to watch the scene from behind Anzo who remained in front of her. So Akio was the name of the human boy who had been standing next to her early, and Tohrushiki was the name of the cat-eared demon, who had collapsed to the ground in pain as soon as the voice had finished speaking. Kagari didn't flinch at the sight of blood that Tohrushiki had coughed up, but she did feel her eyes widened ever-so-slightly. The voice was not just a voice, after all.

"Time is little. Take your final bows."

Kagari took a step back, watching the others slowly depart for a few seconds before reaching into her pocket and pulling out her phone. She wouldn't be allowed to make contact with her mother, or anyone else from here on out until this game was over. In that case...

'28 Missed Calls'
'18 Unread Voice Messages'

Most of these were from her mother, with two or three being from her manager. She pulled open her mothers contact and tapped her thumb on the screen. This would cause a riot anyway, but it would be better than disappearing without a word.

-Won't be home for a while-

With that text being sent, she opened up the only two contacts on her phone and blocked them for now. It would be annoying to have her phone constantly vibrating the entire time she was gone.

"Make haste, red paints the furniture, and paints the eyes of the hungry. Starving I am not, but I do not wish to fill the bellies of others, either."

"Right," she said as she slid her phone back into her pocket. She gave him a small smile as she began to walk with him. "I don't think you'd have the right taste. Personally I think the somewhat plump one's are best. Soft and easy to chew."

Maybe that joke was in poor taste, but she felt the need to say something to try and lighten the mood a little after the events that had just occurred. As they approached the exit, Anzo moved ahead to hold the door open. She felt no need to say thank you, as she was used to having people cater to her this way. Come to think of it, the only time she ever opened a door herself was when she was alone.

"My heart is held only by you, wield it well."

She stopped in her tracks as she stepped through the exit. "Anzo, it means 'giant' I think, right?" She looked away from him again and continued forward, giving him no time to answer before she spoke again. "I like it."

---

---

The door to their assigned apartment sat facing the mouth of the stairs on the third floor of a more-than-questionable, and quite compact, building. The stairway itself wasn't well maintenanced, the handrails were greasy to the touch and the air held the unmistakably foul odor of feral cats, but the dusty skylight that sat high above their heads let in the lazy, late morning sunlight making the whole space look deceivingly more pleasant. Anzo wasted little time once they had reached the top of the stairs, pulling his key from his pocket and pushing it into the lock. The scrape of the bolt moving back, then a satisfying click, and Anzo was turning the knob, trying to push into the new home that his Master and himself will share.

Trying being the keyword.

Under the pressure of his hands, the wood of the door only creaked, moaning loudly with age. Anzo pushed again, harder this time. No dice. Finally, with a half-step run-up, Anzo slammed his shoulder into the door, popping it open so harshly that it swung back into the room and hit the wall behind it with a startling slam. A plume of dust and rust flakes rained down on the pair's heads.

Anzo, not bothering to brush the debris from his hair, he reached to wipe it from Kagari's instinctively. He had barely brushed his fingertips against her hair before remembering her orders not to touch her and snapping his arm back, bobbing his head in a silence apology, hoping she hadn't seen. He quickly turned and leaned his head inside the room.

"The King Of Cats dances. Dances oh-so merrily. High upon his hill, with all his rich milk and foods for a belly as large as none. Yet -- he dances -- his people's eyes hollow -- he dances -- with the prospect of plates -- he dances -- gone dry," Anzo mumbled, mostly to himself, musing his distaste for the Demon King's tastes. Anzo imagined the demon cackling to himself, sat up upon his throne, out of the reach of the game. A true King of Cats.

The whole room was an unpleasant sight. Even from the doorway, Anzo felt a bit sick to his stomach looking at the yellowing wallpaper peeling off the walls and feeling the humid air of the room hit him full in the face. His old hoodie was no longer a comfort, but rather began to make him sweat. Something tugged at the back of his mind, a memory long forgotten, but very prominent and quite unpleasant.

Anzo pushed the door back against the wall, moving aside to hold it there and allow Kagari to enter, bowing his head as she passed. When they were both safely (More or less) inside, Anzo let the door fall shut, and flicked the lock for good measure. As he turned, he couldn't help the wrinkle his nose did as he looked upon their new living space. It was even worse when they were inside.

One might call him a spoiled dog, but Anzo was used to a certain living standard that a place such as this did not uphold.

Both the kitchen and the living room were visible from the threshold, with an open closet on the right wall and a window at the far side. There was only one door in the whole place, and it sat ajar. A quick glance could reveal it was a bathroom, but that was all. No bedrooms, no extras. Even the furniture was minimal. There was an odd, faded floral-pattered couch in the living space, sat in front of a coffee table that looked to have seen better days. A single, oscillating fan sat on it, doing a deplorable job. The whole place was no bigger than a postage stamp.

Stripping himself of his hoodie, and half a mind to strip his shirt too, Anzo moved to drape it over the back of the couch. He glanced to Kagari, and, for a moment, he saw Nami. Surprised, Anzo stumbled back slightly, catching his foot on a fold in the rug and falling hard with a loud thud.

When he looked up again, blinking frantically, the shimmering image faded away, leaving Kagari in her place. A sudden wave of guilt washed over Anzo as he pushed himself slowly back to his feet. He tried to talk the thoughts away, turning away quickly to begin eyeing the moth-eaten curtains with far too much interest, "Had the sun risen in another lifetime, another dice had been thrown, Kings would gossip and swear with envy for the kingdom I would build you. A Queen's castle, a dream to clutch." It came out much more bitter than Anzo had hoped, but he was only upset at himself.

Kagari was his new master. Nami was dead, Anzo always forgot. Kagari, although they shared the same heritage, was not Nami. Anzo should be hit for just thinking such a thing. He was already so unfaithful, and it had only been a morning. He only knew her name, and that she was human... Curiosity ate at him. Would it be too forward to ask?

"Um..." The Alp Demon took a long pause, no sure how to ask who she was in a way she would understand, and in a way she would not be offended. Finally, he sighed, deciding to just go for it, "Queen of Tides... Has the ink yet dried on your ledger? As pages turn, what worlds have bowed to your pull? Can you fill eyes such as mine with tales of long ago?"

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Dialogue ~ #FF7190

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When Kagari had read that her partner and her would be sharing a home during the game, being assigned a complete piece of trash was the last thing she expected. Or perhaps 'piece of trash' was an understatement, but she really couldn't think of any other way to explain the abandoned-looking apartment complex that now stood before her. It looked like a building that would be used as the base of some sort of haunting, or maybe the location of the first murder that a serial killer would commit.

At the first touch of the railing that lead up the staircase, Kagari quickly pulled her hand away as she felt the rusty surface brush off onto her hands. She removed her hat and wiped the palm of her hand against it, paying no mind to the dark brown traces of rust that were left on the black fabric as she did so. She followed Anzo up the stairs and stopped beside him as they reached the door to their apartment, if you could even call it an apartment. The door refused to open, the wood creaking as Anzo attempted to push the door open to no avail. It took Anzo having to slam himself against it in order for it to open, only to have it slam into the wall inside, causing a fair amount of dust and other particles to sprinkle over their heads.

She tossed her hat to the side as she walked passed Anzo who was once again bowing his head as he held the door open. She had noticed that his hand had come close to her head, but he'd quickly pulled away before his fingertips could brush her hair. She paid no mind to it, the same way she ignored the stain she'd rubbed onto her hat, and reached her hands up to try and brush the dust away. She felt slightly regretful that she'd removed her hat earlier, but there was nothing to do about it now. Pulling at the loose-tied bun that kept her hair above her neck, the black locks cam loose and fell around her shoulders. Having it down made it easier to run her fingers through to brush the rusty flakes away.

As she combed her hands through her hair, she took a look around the little room as Anzo mumbled a list of rhymes to himself. This would be their living quarters from here on out, it might as well be a shack in an alleyway. She itched at her long sleeves, feeling the moisture slowly start to build up under the thin cloth as the humidity of the room flowed over her. The humidity looked to be the last of their problems, however, with the wallpaper looking like it was melting from the walls and the floor being caked in dirt as if it hadn't been met with a broom in years. Not only that, but the place was hardly more than a single room.

Anzo removed his hoodie, clearly being effected by the dampness of the room as well, as Kagari took a closer look at the walls of their "apartment". She reached her hand up and rubbed her pointer down the wall a few inches before examining her finger, narrowing her eyes at the dirt that had turned the tip of her finger brown. "Filthy," she said bitterly, the only word that could escape her lips before a loud 'thump" made her turn her head. Anzo had ended up on the ground for some reason or other with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

She tilted her head at him, raising one eyebrow in both curiosity and confusion, but he quickly recovered himself and picked himself up off the dirty floor, his attention turning to the spotted curtains that hung on a rusty rod that was placed above the window. "Had the sun risen in another lifetime, another dice had been thrown, Kings would gossip and swear with envy for the kingdom I would build you. A Queen's castle, a dream to clutch."

She felt no reason to question him now. If anything he probably just tripped on the rug, either way she had already lost all curiosity she had felt a moment ago as he spoke again. By now, she was starting to understand his poetic speech, though it still took her a few seconds to comprehend what he was trying to say, but she could more or less make it out. He seemed upset about their room assignment, as was Kagari. There was nothing to do about it now, though. She let out a small sigh before a smile returned to her lips.

"Guess you'll have to turn this mess into a Queen's room, then."

"Um..."

There was hesitation in his voice, and for a moment Kagari though that maybe he had changed his mind and decided not to say whatever he was going to say. During his moment of silence, she made her was over to the closet. There was no way she would keep her clothes in here unless it was scrubbed clean with bleach.

"Queen of Tides..."

She straightened herself and turned slightly, halfway facing the closet and halfway facing the black-haired demon.

"Has the ink yet dried on your ledger? As pages turn, what worlds have bowed to your pull? Can you fill eyes such as mine with tales of long ago?"

"You want to know who I am," she said, more as a statement than a question. It was her turn to show hesitation. They'd be working as partners in a game that might cost them their lives, so it was only natural that the two of them should become more familiar with each other. If they remained strangers, there's no way they'd be able to cooperate properly, or at least that's the way most would see it. In Kagari's case, she would've preferred to be as vague about her personal life as possible. On the other hand, be able to understand Anzo would likely work in her favor.

Her eyes moved along the wall slowly before once again resting on the open closet. "I can't live here with just the clothes on my back. We can't live here with the place being this filthy either."

She then turned and took a few steps towards Anzo, stopping with a couple of feet between them. "Our first order of business is making this place at least somewhat decent. After that, we can take a trip to my other house and pick up a few things from my room. As long as we don't make contact with my mother, we won't be breaking the rules." She stopped a moment, her eyebrows furrowing just slightly, though not enough to form a wrinkle, as a thought brushed over here. "Um, we need cleaning supplies too. So, maybe we should go buy some. Uh, the normal store should carry that kind of stuff, right?"

When had been the last time she'd cleaned? Five, maybe six years? The smile that was once on her face curved downward into a small, somewhat frustrated frown.