touchscreens | [video][locked to detective

Fee?

[Naoto seemed perplex. Certainly, she had mentally thought that Shura should be thankful she was willing to assist, but she didn't think the Demi-Fiend would ACTUALLY think that this was like a transaction.]

I... would say you do not owe me anything, but I suppose such a thing would make you uncomfortable, would it not?

[The Demi-Fiend had come from a Tokyo destroyed, apparently due to Religious Zealots- possibly almost Apocalyptic in nature. Normal human civility was probably a thing of the past... or did not last for very long, as the strong preyed on the weak. That much she could assertain from Shura's behavior.]

Shura nodded at the camera. Good thing she had decided to check for a response.

"Many demons work with the idea that if you scratch my back,I ought to scratch yours. Therefore, I owe you a favour of some kind, and I don't like having debts. You're smart, I bet you can understand that."

I can, yes. Now it's just a matter of what...

[It wasn't like she was in much need of anything here; they had food, a room over their heads... and as for more money, she was already considering applying to the Police Department. Finally, she settled on something. She had said 'demons', after all.]

Tell me about yourself, and where you come from. If that makes you uncomfortable, of course, we can think about something else...

Edited 2013-11-06 21:28 (UTC)

Shura looks around her. She's in the media room, so she's far from alone, and that does make her a bit uneasy.

"If you're willing to come to my place for tea, I will tell you what you want to know. How about it?"

That sounds fine. Is there any particular time you'd like to meet?

[Oh, right...]

And which building are you residing in?

"Anytime except the evening is good. I live in 3-09 in the first building."

All right; I'll be up this afternoon then, around 2 pm. Take care till then.

[Screen off. Naoto really was going to need to get some tools to start messing with her phone, get it connected to this network; she never liked being in public when making these messages...]

When Naoto will ring at Shura's place, it will take a moment for Shura to get to the door. When Shura will open the door, it will be with hair spiking in all directions and golden eyes still blurry from sleep.

"Come on in."

Naoto herself would be carrying a small shopping bag carrying some sort of cookies that was as similar as could be to what you could find in Japan. maybe Shura would find some comfort in that.

"Thank you."

Taking her shoes off in the door way and lining them up neatly, Naoto glanced around the apartment, assessing it all.

"Have you been sleeping well?"

It seemed like the Demi-Fiend slept the day away...

Shura scratches her head, embarrassed. Her apartment is clean, but bare. The lone decoration that can be seen is a scroll with a Zen circle hanging on the wall in the living room. No flowers, no other decorations, just bare white walls and bare light bulbs.

"Not really, uhm... I fell asleep on the couch waiting for you. It's tough, this touching for energy thing." Especially when you get into a frenzied race trying to get your apartment clean for visitors.

"Let's go to the kitchen? I'll start the kettle."

Edited 2013-11-09 20:56 (UTC)

Naoto's room wasn't too much better; so she wasn't going to judge. Still, she was slightly worried about the woman. She nodded about her issue with touching, an idea beginning to form.

"I understand. I... wasn't handling it well myself, earlier."

She nodded, following the Demi-Fiend into the kitchen, placing the bag upon the table and pulling the box free from it, showing it to her.

"I tried to find some food that resembled something you could find in Tokyo... this is as close as I could get."

Shura takes a break from preparing the tea and spun around at the mention of food that seemed like the one found in Tokyo. Her face lit up when she saw the box of cookies.

"Oh man... I haven't had cookies like that in forever!" She didn't mention it, but she hoped she wouldn't cry from eating them. Now was not the time to be overcome by nostalgia.

While the water heated up, she brought two simple teacups to the table, all off-white, one for Naoto and one for herself. Those were her only cups; good thing Naoto had not brought someone else along.

Actually seeing the Demi-Fiend smile like that made Naoto smile as well. Knowing the woman was all alone without her girlfriend, from a world so much different than her own... it had been a smart move to go shopping, it seems.

"You can keep the box after I leave, then."

Taking a seat at the table, Naoto thanked her as she was passed her cup of tea. And of course she wouldn't have invited anyone else along; that wasn't part of the deal, besides, Naoto could take care of herself.

"Thank you very much, Shura-san. I appreciate this."

"Seriously??? Thank you very much!" and she bowed much like well-raised Japanese girls.

Shura brought the kettle and the tea box on the table in case Naoto or herself would want more later, then sat in front of Naoto, both hands on her cup, still smiling a bit.

"There's no need for honorifics... it's not actually my name. It's my title." She took a long sip, then put the cup back down.

"Ask away, then."

"It's no problem at all, I hope you'll enjoy them."

Her own hands around the tea, Naoto enjoyed the warmth of it, before glancing back at Shura. Where to start...

"I suppose I should ask... what exactly -happened- to Tokyo in your world?"

"Hm." Her smile disappeared as she nodded. "What happened indeed? The world ended. I watched it end." She paused. "It took maybe a minute. The world was wiped out. Only part of Tokyo remained, but it became the Vortex World, so even though it's still Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Asakusa... 'post-apocalyptic' doesn't even come close."

"...I can certainly understand how that is traumatic."

That could have been them, if they had not stopped Adachi, Izanami... hadn't spent the time to figure out the mystery of Inaba. The world could have been gone in an instant, lost in fog.

"And... I suspect some sort of religious organization or cult was the reason behind it?"

She paused while she drank her tea, thinking it over.

"How did you survive the end, as well?"

Unable to resist, Shura has already begun nibbling on a cookie.

"The religion hate came in later, but no, it's much worse than that. The end of the world was caused by one man. One single human." She lets that sink in, thinking on that day. "Why, how? Because God made it possible. There is a mechanism, created by God, that one God with a big G, that will kill the world dead if activated."

She took a bigger bite and chewed on it carefully. "My teacher, the man's... accomplice at first, but she was being played the whole time, wanted me to survive the end." She snorted. "What a joke. Maybe I should have..." No. Shura shakes her head. No. Without her, Futomimi would not have returned. Without her, the Manikins would not be looking forward to the victory of a Reason.

"Sorry. After the world ended, but before I 'woke up', Lucifer came to me. He thought I was 'interesting'. So he let a parasite bore a hole in the back of my throat to turn me into a demon with a human heart. Downhill from there, surprisingly enough."

One man being able to destroy the world... Naoto's eyes narrowed, remembering Adachi's cruel laughter. Even if it was with Izanami's guidance from the Shadows, and he was affected by the Shadow God, the fact he'd nearly had succeeded...

Her hands gripped her teacup much tighter, refocusing her mind.

"I can understand how the actions of one man, given the right opportunity, could bring about an end, and the... rage one can feel that such a thing was given form at all."

She took a deep drink of her tea, before continuing.

"When you say 'God', Do you... well, I suppose if 'Lucifer' was involved, you must mean the God of Abrahamic religions; Christianity, Islam, Judaism..."

Naoto frowned as Shura went on, noticing her hesitance. Does she wish she'd have died as well? ... Well, as morbid a thought that was, it was understandable; such an event could break the will of even the strongest individual.

It was the final part that had Naoto subconsciously placing her hand onto her throat, discomfort obvious.

"So, that spike on the back of your neck...?"

Good lord...

Shura nodded at the question. "Yeah, that one God. YHVH I think is The Name? I've met a lot of gods and demons but He seems to be the Supreme one for now." Until she murders the shit out of Him at least.

"Yeah, this..." she turns her head and bends her neck so Naoto can see better, "is actually what my parasites, magatama, uses to perceive the world around him or her. I think that's where the cerebellum or the brain stem is?"

"How... many Gods and demons?"

Somehow she was reminded of senpai's ability. But as the Demi-fiend continued to explain, Naoto's face paled a little.

"It's... a wonder you survived, then. That's not exactly a location fit to be damaged."

"A ton. Japanese, Greek, Chinese, Hindu... hell I even beat up the supreme evil of Zoroastrianism." Good thing there is a translator in the air because even though they are both Japanese Shura mangled that last one a little. She scratches the base of her horn and shivers.

"Honestly, I am not entirely sure I did not die at some point during the demonization. I woke up in a hospital morgue and hell knows how much Lucifer loves himself some symbolism."

"... Not Sumeragi Yamato, by change?"

Rather specific, weren't you, Naoto?

She shook her head, that uncomfortable feeling still deep in her stomach.

"I understand now why you had such an adverse reaction to what Irene-san said on the network. It must be very difficult for you to adapt back to a 'civilised' society, after seeing--"

She paused a moment, frowning.

"...Actually, excuse me for asking, but you mentioned you had a significant other; was it a human who had survived? ...Or were you the only one...?"

Shura shakes her head, her tea forgotten by now. "Not that I recall, no. Any particular reason?" Maybe Naoto was devoted to him or something.

She nodded as Naoto spoke more, but then... as Naoto asked her next question, Shura's expression swiftly turned colder than ice. When she spoke next, her voice was low, but filled with hatred. "A handful of humans survived. My girlfriend is not one of them, and she still has more humanity in her smallest toenail than any of the humans who survived." She paused, swallowing hard. "And they were my best friends."

"... My deepest apologies."

Naoto looked down at her tea, feeling a lump in her throat. To imagine her best friends becoming like that...

No. She'd rather not dwell on such a thought.

"I won't ask you anymore on that subject, if you'd prefer."

Edited 2013-11-16 05:47 (UTC)

Shura shook her head. She didn't want more questions, but... if she was to be understood by someone here, someone of superior intellect, she had to add a little more to the story.

"All the humans in the Vortex have the ability to decide on a Reason to create a new world. All humans, all of humanity present in this horrifying world willingly chose to create a new Earth with their own, self-serving, selfish ideals. The only person with a selfless ideal was my non-human girlfriend who wasn't even my girlfriend at the time. And my best friend since childhood, helped and approved by angels of God, enacted a genocide on her people and murdered her horrible because she deemed her unworthy of life. Can you imagine what it's like, walking through a friendly, peaceful people's holy land and finding it littered with mangled corpses while His angels hunt down the survivors like animals? Getting to the Holy of Holy and finding your best friend in the whole world crushing the skull of the only pure soul in that tainted world? Do you know what it feels like to realize 'humanity' is a misnomer, that in the times where it's most needed there is no benevolence in it in the slightest???"

Shura is on the verge of tears when she finishes her ugly rant too long contained and hidden away, gripping the table with white knuckles, golden eyes open wide, teeth gritted against the horror and anguish rising in her, giving her a feral appearance.

"..."

Very, very carefully, Naoto reached out, placing her hand ontop of the Demi-Fiends. It was a careful gesture--she'd pull it back the moment the Demi-Fiend showed discomfort, yet at the same time she couldn't let the young woman--and in the end, despite this parasite within her, she WAS a young woman--be so alone.

"... I can't imagine how you've suffered. And now I see why you feel so alone here. I haven't gone through such a deep pain as yourself, but I have seen a person-a human-become more of a monster than a man, acting with supreme selfishness... and a God only working to encourage him. And I've seen something non-human become the most human of us all."

Adachi and Teddie... such opposites of one another in all ways possible. Yet it was easy to argue who was the most 'human' of the two, though Adachi did seem to start to regain his humanity.

"I can't begin to understand your pain. But I also want you to remember you're not alone anymore. You have every right to be suspicious of those around you; I know you're probably waiting for someone's true nature to be displayed and to be again assured of what humans are truly capable of... I... have seen some horrible things on a minor scale myself; I was a detective back in Japan."

Not to mention what they had nearly done to Namatame. But with a nod, she squeezed Shura's hands.

"Even still... I ask that you consider that this world hasn't been ripped apart the same as the Tokyo you are from. Civility is still very much a thing here, as difficult that must be for you to believe."

Shura said nothing in return, shoulders shaken by contained sobs. Yes. No one could imagine the sheer pain she had gone through, but Naoto understood. She didn't understand the level of suffering involved, no one could, but she understood how lonely it was for her here, how terrible the niceness of the native could feel to her, how difficult it was to reach out to others in her state in this world, how her mental pain was not healed just by coming to a place at peace where the most pressing problem could be solved with hugs.

When Naoto squeezed her hand, she had to use the other to covered her eyes, uselessly trying to hide the big tears rolling down her cheeks. Sometimes all a demon needs is a little human compassion.

Seeing the young woman burst into tears, Naoto glanced around, wondering if she had some tissues on hand. She'd have to make a note to start carrying them with her here; with such different people coming to this world, it might be prudent to have them handy.

Seeing nothing, she took a gentle breath, rising in her seat to lean over the table and give Shura as much as a hug she could from her position. Curse her short stature.

"It's alright to cry. You are safe here."

She knew better than most how hard it was to cry when you were trying so hard to stay strong.

Shura wanted to ask 'am I?' but it was useless to get into a philosophical debate now. She'd had enough tears and soul bearing for one day, so she just cried quietly for a minute or too, managing to regain her composure and repress the rest of her pain back down again.

"I can't... I didn't get ahead by crying," she said softly after wiping her eyes and sniffing pathetically. That was only partially true. She had gotten ahead because of her absolutely unbreakable will, but Lucifer knew her path of death was stained with her own tears.

"... I understand that sentiment. I..."

Ugh. Talking about this was so personal, but... it was only fair, wasn't it?

"I worked with police officers in Japan, and was often treated like a child, or a nuisance, and then discarded once I had used my talents to solve a case. I actually disguised the fact I was female to prevent even more discrimination. Not to say I wasn't stubborn and a brat at times, but ... I never let myself cry in front of others. I didn't want to open up and admit I was lonely, because that was childish. Until I was forced to..."

Letting go of the woman, Naoto sat back down, her hands gripping her tea cup again.

"And it was only through accepting that part of myself that I gained my own abilities."

"Your abilities?" she asked, wiping her eyes more before taking a sip of lukewarm tea. Now Shura is wondering if Naoto could be part supernatural too.

"Yes. I suppose it's only fair to demonstrate to you; though I'd ask that you did not repeat this willy-nilly."

Holding out her hand again, her brow low in concentration, a glowing blue card appeared in the palm of her hand, turning around and round, revealing a Tarot Card symbol upon the front of it.

"We are able to summon a side of ourselves that are capable of battling the supernatural. We call these Personas. My own is Sumeragi Yamato; they are a part of us, covering in armor to be able to withstand and deal damage to those that would harm us."

"Huh." Shura did know of Tarot, having been an occult geek back in her human life, but that someone could summon a card to summon an armoured side of themselves to battle supernatural creatures... ... well, she was a once-human girl with a demonic parasite in her brain battling gods and demons to create a new universe. Stranger things and all that.

"I won't talk about this. I trust the same discretion from you. And I do hope circumstances will not force us to use our powers here... though I personally doubt it."

"I won't breath a word."

A small nod, and Naoto took a deep sip of her tea.

"I believe that's all of what I can think to ask at the moment, so thank you. However, I do have another suggestion that might be mutually beneficial to us both."

Shura looked at Naoto over her tea cup, intrigued.

"I'm listening."

Edited (what are words) 2013-11-16 23:41 (UTC)

"To put it simply; the more one touches others, the more energy is given to the city as-- you know-- but it seems that those who are able to surpass the quota of touches required to simply stay healthy are able to explore the city more."

Deciding to actually try one of the cookies, Naoto took one, giving it a nibble.

"I wish to investigate this city as much as possible. In order to do so, I must keep up a certain level of connection with others. I saw some of your videos; you seem to be having some discomfort with reaching out yourself."

Looking back up at Shura, Naoto nodded.

"Every few days, we meet up for tea or some brief meeting, and shake hands, hug, hold hands, whatever you're comfortable with. That way I can explore more in the coming weeks, and you will not have to worry about staying healthy yourself. Mutually beneficial to our goals at the current moment, and no other strings attached."

Edited 2013-11-17 19:32 (UTC)

Shura gave the proposition thought for a minute or so. This did seem like a good deal; she was well aware her methods will not allow to prod their captors for more information after her outburst in video. In fact, it was pretty nice of Naoto to have accepted to talk to her calmly and cover her ass back there too.

She finally nodded firmly. "This sounds like a good deal. I want to know more about this place too, but I don't think I'm smart or subtle enough to go for it now, after..." she waved her hand. "I do want to stay healthy and aware of what's truly going on here, just in case it goes downhill."

Naoto had decided to finish the cookie while Shura decided, chewing on it thoughfully. She was surprised; it really did taste almost exactly like what they had back in Japan.

Shura's response brought another small smile to Naoto's lips, and looked up to the other woman.

"I have no problem telling you whatever I find out, as long as you keep it to yourself for the most part. ...Also, if you were able to survive in such a world, you must have some cunning on your own part. There's different types of intelligence, and all will be needed to unravel this mystery."

Holding out her hand, Naoto nodded.

"Shall we shake on it, then?"

Shura nodded again, firmly, and shook Naoto's hand with her own marked one, in a grip a little feeble at first, as if she was trying to adjust her strength to Naoto's human hand.

"I understand the need for discretion. You don't have to worry about me."

This is just like a successful demon negotiation! She even gets recurring healing from it.

[video][locked to detective_shirogane]

Video

Re: Video

Video

Video

Video

Re: Video

Video

[action]

[action]

Re: [action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

Re: [action]

[action]

Re: [action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

Re: [action]

Re: [action]

[action]

[action]

Re: [action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]