At loose ends ((Open RP, Mello, Halls))

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

So, that samurai has canceled our lessons without explaining anything as to why. I know damn well it's not because he's satisfied with my progress. Something's going on here. I have a couple of hunches, but without sufficient evidence, none of them is any more likely than any other.

Whatever. Now, I have three hours a day that aren't scheduled. I could practice, but I already spend more than enough time practicing already and he's already bitched at me about practicing wrong when I practice on my own.

So, for now, I have decided to examine the paintings along the walls. It's not like I have anything else to do and maybe some of them will be at least mildly diverting.

Comments

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

"Seems like everything is status quo," he muttered, rubbing his temple. "Can't get my head right, though. Maybe some kind of... dunno." He slouched over to the painting Mello had been looking at. "Anything interesting going on in there?"

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"You been eating the food around here?" I ask, eyeing him. "You'd think you'd learn, given your background." I shrug, turning away from the painting. "Just a fox hunt. I think Kurama's tried to burn this one."

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

Matt snorted. "Guy's vindictive. Speaking of, has there been any action from Karasu or Apos lately?" At least there was one topic of importance he could focus on.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

I scowl at him. "Let's go talk somewhere," I say flatly, starting down the hall. The samurai at least deserves the respect of not talking out in the open about this stupid shit.

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

Matt shrugged, following at a sleepy jog. At least part of his question had been answered. He had the feeling he wasn't going to like the details, though.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

I lead Matt into one of the empty classrooms, chasing out a ghost that was there when we arrived. I take a seat on the desk and wait for him to arrange himself. "You've met Sanada Yukimura?" I ask him.

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

He sat on one of the desks, his feet dangling. "The samurai guy? Yeah, I've met him. You know he sounds an awful lot like..." he paused. His brain took a moment to process some very important information, and then his face fell.

"No, not him too?"

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"Too? Who else did Karasu rape?" I ask, eyeing him, frowning. "Look, before that stupid bat pet of his loses his shit, I want to know if you can do something."

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

"Well, Sparkly guy for one," Matt pointed out. "And in order of importance, sure I can and what stupid pet bat?"

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"I thought you'd heard something else." I pull my leg up, hook my heel on the edge of the table and wrap my arms around it. "Stupid pet bat being Kuronue and what I need you to do is work with him on creating a very specific ward."

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

Matt scratched his head for a moment, agitatedly tugging the goggles down when they got in his way. "Kuronue... have I met him? I can't remember." He squeezed his eyes shut and pulled a face. "Wards I can do, though. How specific and to what end?"

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"Haven't seen you around much, so I don't know if you've met him. He didn't seem to know your name, though he didn't question me when I mentioned your name." It's better that answer than remembering if he was there when we all met. "The ward we're wanting it one that will simulate and maintain the exact moment of death for a demon."

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

He blinked, trying to wrap his brain around that concept. He patted his pockets, searching for a lighter and some cigarettes, popping one into his mouth and lighting up as he thought. He took a long drag, exhaled, and looked at Mello with businesslike solemnity.

"It'll be tough," he said. "But I'll stake my hardware that it can be done. I'll have to sit with Kusu, probably Wednesday as well. But it can be done."

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"That bat creature, Kuronue, agreed to help you with what you're trying to create. He does try to avoid the subject, though," I say, pulling out a chocolate bar and taking a bite.

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

"He's been dead, then?" That was the only way he could think of that they'd be able to get such specific settings on a charm. Death for a human he might be able to manage (though not without a few nights of laying awake and staring at a wall) but there was probably a specific way demons went. Or a specific hell they got dragged in to, and wouldn't that be a damn scary experience spread over an indefinite amount of time.

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"Dead and remembers both dying and the afterlife. What we're wanting to focus on is the moment of death and preventing whatever passes onto the afterlife from doing so, that is to induce as permanent state of death as possible." I raise an eyebrow. "Sound simple enough, doesn't it?"

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

"Cake," Matt replied, holding up his fingers in the OK position. "It'll be an interesting challenge, to say the least. Who else is involved right now?"

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"That's up to the idiot bat. Right now, he's wanting to keep it from the samurai, even at the risk of his relationship. Though, why the samurai is with the idiot I still don't understand why or how that relationship works." I shrug. "He's wanting vengeance and we know how well that works."

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

Matt wisely did not point out that, whoever Kuronue was, he and Yukimura couldn't possibly be as weird together as Mello and Near. Instead, he finished his cigarette and stubbed it out on the sole of his shoe.

"Vengeance is better than just sitting around and waiting for Karasu to suddenly turn over a new leaf," he shrugged. "In the land of the lawless, the laws belong to the people. It's up to us."

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"Any 'newly turned over leaf' isn't something that can be trusted." I slide off the desk. "He's expecting you to contact him." I slide my hands into my pockets and pull out a chocolate bar. "He'll try to flirt with you."

[12panelwonder.livejournal.com]

"Course he will," Matt grinned. "I'm devilishly handsome and intelligent. Anything else I should expect, other than battiness?"

[mello-n-choco.livejournal.com]

"Battiness and sluttiness. I think he's especially hard up now, given he was trying to flirt with me." I shrug and head out. "Catch you later."