( open ) unfortunately, about me

[hitokiller]

WHO: Anyone and everyone.
WHAT: Izou being Izou.
WHERE: The busy streets of Shinjuku, what's left of the Nishimuki Tenjinsha shrine in Shinjuku, a run-down looking 7-10, etc.

WHEN: Sometime near the tail-end of the first week.
WARNINGS: Mild violence (right now), severe intoxication.

█ 001, "some people make us feel more human". —

Gerroffa me, you—!

( the sounds of a struggle ensue, and suddenly a couple well-dressed gentlemen are shoving the offender out the club's door. it's pretty obvious he's a bit far-gone with the way he stumbles backwards, arms raises as if to protect himself or perhaps start throwing a mean punch. he doesn't get very far with the idea though, a quick swing of his arm completely missing its target to the irritation of the bouncers who were holding back as best they could. ) 

T-Try'na... laugh at me. I'll show ya... I'll show ya ALL! I don't forget anyhone... anyone who, crosses my...

( izou quickly discovers how difficult it is to move his mouth properly, visibly flabbergasted at how rapidly his words are starting to slur despite how often he's been through this song-and-dance. it's a familiar strangeness, a something he might find easier to digest as a problem if he weren't so horribly far-gone by most people's standards while a majority of those passing by opt to ignore his cursing and outbursts at the door. gradually, slowly, the chatty drunk realizes that no one's paying him any mind, and, with a couple exaggerated movements, places himself closer to the side of the street against a cold street-light. anything to keep the world from turning for a minute. anything to give him a little comfort.

he'll just... totally get up and leave, any minute now. with a groan, his head starts drooping against the steel that is clearly not designed to be a pillow, hands crawling clumsily up it for support. he's absolutely about to fall asleep in the middle of the city. ) 


█ 002, "and some people make us feel less human". —

( here, the ever present hum of the city was more faint, and the historic and solemn stone entryway of the temple, adorned with carved pillars and cracks, seemed all the more impressive in the darkness. in fact, one would even call it serene when compared to the hustle and bustle of neo-tokyo, so much so that it's a wonder a spot like this hasn't been entirely torn apart given its proximity to such ruin on the outskirts of shinjuku. tall stalks of grass blow delicately in a breeze, the inherent sensuality of their presence enough to beguile any visitor into venturing up the short steps and into the sacred.

it was easier to breathe here, and those with the courage to approach further into the center of the complex this late at night would see the triumphant emergence of greenery amidst the prayer chambers—new life among wood stained by time and rain. scenery worth committing to memory for anyone who might be losing hope. a glimpse into a world full of air for all who were suffocating.

yes... the perfect spot for some respite, if only a certain man hadn't been tailing behind whatever stranger came here for some peace of mind.

for izou, the night is far from suffocating—it's pleasant, full of sheltered places covered in withered leaves and welcoming to the quick manner his feet move familiarly on the ground without making a sound. a man in his element, aided by an abnormal adeptness in concealing his presence, listening carefully for the slightest shift in movement, the gentle smack of nervous lips. if he weren't so hungry, a cold reminder of how flippantly he tossed his cash around already, the thrill of stalking would bring an even bigger grin to his face... but whatever.

moments later, the soft clink of a blade being unsheathed could be heard as he raised it towards the back of his prey. )

Better start walkin' with a friend at night. Now, take out your valuables.

* alternatively, for those who aren't okay with being surprised and/or more than capable of noticing him following you despite the reduced effectiveness of his presence concealment skill: just assume you caught him before this.


█ 003, "and that is a fact as much as gravity is a fact". —

( it's a convenience store. you know. sickeningly bright, and with the same song looping for the past hour or so. it's the witching hour, and whoever shuffled in was probably just hungry... or bored.

a scrunkly-looking gentleman in an apron at the counter watches whoever's browsing with an impatient expression, a clock in the far-corner wall ticking needlessly the only other sound aside from the shop jingle. after a good ten minutes he smacks a hand down on the counter, shattering the banal background noise with his scratchy voice. )

I'm sick of ya criss-crossin' between shelves like a chicken with it's head chopped off. Buy somethin' or leave.

( my smoke break... )

* Anyone from Brimstone, feel free to recognize Izou from his loud demeanor around their commons.

Comments

[eepy]

[ is this truly the character arc that we want, hm?

ah, yes, questioning the act of good samaritan that he's offered out of goodwill. unsurprising, as most people tend to have hesitations when someone extends them a helping hand, often seeing some underlying motive behind the act. jing yuan, however, isn't one to dispel such impressions, enough that he's able to help someone rather than be given credit for it. ]

If there were any monetary compensation for this, I'd be carrying you in my arms.

[ to make it easier, you know, for him to get the money or the incentive offered. ]

Can you stand without keeling over?

[hitokiller]

( a fellow agent of LILITH, huh. being quartered together made it hard not to notice, especially with her presence being so strikingly red.

it adds a layer of complexity to the situation since he now realizes that he's got to be cautious not to cross any specific boundaries, even if killing her would be the most convenient way to not only end this little confrontation, but also to verify if she were telling the truth.

a leaf on the breeze passes between them, the flicker of its shadow on stone only serving to further highlight the tension. izou remains eerily still in the darkness, his one eye transfixed. )

How 'bout a lock of that hair, then? Curls that fair 're bound to fetch somethin'.

( a guy who has no qualms about asking a girl to lop her hair off. )

scare his ass

[hitokiller]

( oh? things were getting interesting.

the muted palette of the night may be painting the skin of whatever he's confronting, moon hidden behind clouds, but it won't stop him from acting rashly. flirting with death was just another friday night for izou, his immense self-confidence in his ability being what kept him from backing out.

forget his original objective. might as well see what she's on about while he's still in the mood.

it's not as if he thinks anyone else employed by LILITH can even scratch him. )

Quit yer hiding!

( a slide of a step forward, and then the glisten of his blade as he attempts to slash at whatever may be concealing itself. )

[sparse]

[ ...?

Ren stands still for the longest time, waiting for Izou's brain to catch up with what he sees just so he can process the situation at hand. He barely reacts when the shorter man pushes away for that tiny bit of space, beastly red eyes observing him curiously. It would have been fine to leave him be now that he's more awake, but —

Y-You're... 'th one he...

And then, there's that name. ]

What makes you think you can call me with that name?

[hitokiller]

( a ghost that talks frankly. no... a person, maybe, after he rubs his eyes and things become a little bit clearer, or at least, after he's convinced himself they have.

even when his half-lidded eyes dart away, almost in embarrassment, almost in the hope that whatever he's seeing is an illusion, that person continues to stare at him.

a hiccup. and then: )

Yohh-sah, koi, yohh-sah... koi...

( izou slurs, barely able to understand his own words at this point, but enticed enough by the clapping and beckoning to attempt at straightening himself up, mounds of snow on the side of the street aglitter with the moonlight, a reminder of how late it was. he then begins to stagger in tsurumaru's direction, almost treading on his hakama a couple of times.

look. if following this guy ends up taking him down the sanzu, he had a good run. at least, until getting the boot tonight. )

[wheft]

[ record scratch, freeze frame. ]

What?

[ sorry. she can't take you seriously right now, dude. she knows her thick red hair makes her stand out around these parts, but the request is too ridiculous to ignore. she's all too tempted to turn around now and face him with a very judgmental look, but she's useless without her weapon right now... at least, on the surface. ]

How much are we talking here? Because that's the first time I heard of it.

[ not that she'd ever consider it, but ??????? ]

[hitokiller]

Haah?! The hell's wrong wh, with callin' a guy their name?!

( yap yap yap.

he bristles at the response, taking blade's (rightful) attitude as a personal affront. it's an easy something to correct, too, given that izou saw his ACTUAL name and is just calling him another based on a recommendation, based on how easier it rolls off the tongue—but now? forget it. even the gentle shake of literally just moments ago is but a snowflake scattered amongst the sky... quick to evaporate in the dry space between his ears.

there's a pause, and then he snorts, a derisive cackle at a certain something just dawning on him: )

Uhyahaha! Didn't expect such a big guy to have such a cute name, tho. Renren. Heh.

[kubricks]

I'm not entirely sure yet.

[She noticed the change in tone, and she's...actually pretty used to people changing their tone once they realize they're talking to her. Even if Izou doesn't know who she really is, it's a nice little touch of familiarity.

Still, she doesn't really change anything about how she responds, so she takes a moment to think about it.]

A pack of cigarettes, maybe a cup of coffee.

[Sure it's who even knows what time o'clock, but there's always time for coffee.]

But I don't know if that's all, I'm thinking I'll know what else when I see it.

[nutkick]

Can't sleep. I'm craving something sweet ...

[ he confessed with a flat tone, hunching forward so he could stare over the popsicle options behind the glass window. he points and counts on each flavor, only four on sight, and then he starts considering his preferred option between cheery or blueberry. a tough choice, indeed.

if he knew he was in a closed space with an irritated killer, perhaps he'd be more aware of himself, guard up and all— but so far, izou merely comes off as someone who hates his fucking job. since denji plans to linger around some more, he decides to be more merciful with the poor employee. ]

You can go ahead and take your break. Smoke or take a piss, whatever. I won't steal anything. I promise.

[ he can see denji's face, clearly, so izou is free to hunt him down if he breaks that pledge. ]

[hitokiller]

I won't know 'till I barter it off. S'not like I've been going around asking how much hair's worth.

( his brows furrow, as if she's the asking a stupid question.

as the moonlight above them begins to sporadically break through the clouds, more of each other's faces become visible. )

Weaving it into wigs has always been a bloomin' business where I'm from. Why should it be any different here?

[wheft]

[ great, now izou can see how pissed ishmael is, with her hair practically gleaming in the moonlight. ]

Because I don't think that's still a thing around here. You're just making up excuses at this point.

[ she crosses her arms over her chest. so much for being scared out of her wits... ]

Now tell me what you really want.

[hitokiller]

( even izou can admit it's a pretty shade, the color of an anvil's lust for iron or the sunset coming down hillside after an evening's worth of strenuous training. he actually fails to notice how upset she is at first, distracted by that painfully nostalgic hue and the way a light breeze causes her curls to sway. lined by the darkness, it's powerful.

'you shouldn't take such joy in killing others.'

... bah. the longer this goes on, the more it doesn't feel worth it. he lowers his drawn blade just a tad. )

Money. They drag us out here and expect us to get by on practically nothin'. It's insulting.

[wheft]

[ the glint of izou's blade reminds her that she's still out here without a weapon, and ishmael lets out a small huff of relief when he lowers it. she can defend herself with her E.G.O if things go south, but she doubts that they'd be able to maintain the peaceful atmosphere of this place if an actual fight breaks out. she may not know why temples are even a thing in this godless world, but she may as well try to preserve whatever's left of here.

anyway, back to izou. with his unkempt looks and katana, she would've easily mistook him as a member of the blade lineage syndicate. but right now, he looks like a man down on his luck, much like any other miser in the city's backstreets. ]

Part time work is a thing, you know. [ speaking of, she's going to have to take one up to make ends meet... ] But I get it. This place... It's a little different from what I'm used to, but at the same time it's familiar.

001

[notbymyside]

[Right about when he's about to pass out, that's when he'll feel a hand on his shoulder.]

Here, let's get you back home.

[It's a normal-looking man, kind of boring actually, wearing a brown suit and round glasses. It would be easy to mistake him for a random nobody from the crowd. He really has no business stopping to help Izou, and yet he is. Nobody wants to sleep on the ground, or so he assumes, and he figures this man is one of the newcomers too. Plus, he's carrying a sword, and it never hurts to help those who know how to fight.]

[hitokiller]

Don't take me for a fool.

( his eye continues to scrutinize her, posture becoming slightly more relaxed. relaxed, but by some miracle of ability or perhaps wealth of experience concerning one-on-one encounters, still seemingly composed enough to strike. anyone who's ever wielded a blade might be impressed—that is, as impressed as one can be by a person trying to shake down others for money.

he continues to speak freely, a growl rising in his throat, the sort that scrapes the craw of those who'd have to beg and scrounge their way through life. )

I know all about pickin' up a side-gig, and I have one myself. But what's a life meant breakin' my back for another grain of rice at some place that doesn't understand... doesn't understand what I'm really meant for? That LILITH or whatever, and their half-assed meal-time, too... they should be treatin' us like lords. Not peasants!

[cranekin]

Sa~, sa~, sa~

(What an effective song, he thinks. Of course, he isn't terribly surprised by that, either. He claps and beckons for Izou to come closer, closer, and once he gets close enough, he holds out his hands for the man to grasp before his face meets the cement,)

Come along, come along. We'll get out of this cold together.

(There's probably a convenience store nearby that they can dip into for a warm drink and more lively song.)

[sparse]

[ Why is this guy getting mad at him? Ridiculous.

But now that it looks like Izou can handle himself, Ren lets him go to let him stand on his own. His eyes are narrowed ever so slightly, annoyed but not quite pissed off enough to do anything beyond a muted glare. ]

It's barely my name. [ If anything, he'd rather not have one of his own anymore. ] Did a man named Jing Yuan put you up to this?

[ Who else would suggest to call him like this? ]

booga booga

[saudadist]

[ The rush of air suddenly stops at the same time as the sword. It's like a hand reached up to catch the blade, but there's no flesh to spill blood from doing so, no metal to let out a sharp shing, nothing. Just a blade caught in mid-air, and Lucy turns around slowly to consider her attacker. ]

Stand still.

[ He's just close enough for her to reach out with her vectors. They grasp and push at different parts of his body, arms, legs, chest, and even one on his head, just enough force to make it clear there are hands there. Somewhere. ]

I don't even have to touch you with my own two hands to kill you. So don't tempt me.

[hitokiller]

I don't get paid t'snack.

( doesn't taste artificial... izou isn't particularly shocked or anything at the sight of someone with animalistic features, thanks to his previously forced circumstances involving so many "strange" individuals, but it does have him wondering if they have anything up to par.

despite the whining and the attitude, he's actually performing his job, heading over with mild interest through the half-stocked aisles and the occasional flicker of the overhead lights with arms folded across his chest. )

What, the jerky ain't enough?

( izou tosses a pointed finger in the direction of a nearby rack... takes note of how much taller this guy is than him now that they're close. )

Says it's savory 'n tender on the package. What more does meat gotta be?

[hitokiller]

Coffee's in the back. ( a jut of the head towards the counter behind him. ) Cigarettes up here.

( she came all the way out here in the middle of night and doesn't know what she wants...? an odd one.

and it piques his curiosity despite the attitude he's giving, his one visible eye watching her intently as she moves through the store. service bots continue to mind their own business in the background, tidying up various shelves and whatnot.

finally, he can't help himself: )

Pretty dangerous part'a town to be browsing all alone.

[wheft]

[ too late, she's already seeing him as a fool. then again, everyone is kinda stupid in her eyes, huh...

izou's ramblings does strike a chord in her, if only a little bit. it's a familiar thought, one that she used to have when she decided to quit her job as a boring salarywoman. only the difference here is that unlike her, izou seems pretty sure of who he is, and how he is meant to be used.

the part about the lords does make her roll her eyes, though. ]

Not that I can trust LILITH as far as I can throw them, but they wouldn't pluck you from whatever world you're from if they didn't know how to utilize you.

[ don't get her wrong. ishmael doesn't like this entire arrangement either. but maybe she's just used to companies' bullshit reasons for pulling in randos to do their bidding at this point. limbus company is one such example! ]

Also if you're that hungry, there are cheaper alternatives at convenience stories and food carts. [ she sighs, her breath visible in the nippy air. ] I could use something hot to eat, actually...

[notscar]

[ funny, leona does. technically. helps having mostly unlimited coffers. doesn't have them here but that's never stopped him from being smart with resources--- because it's not always about him. you can't be a king without a kingdom.

...

or a crown. ]

Nah, don't want the jerky. Do ya know where it even comes from? Meat ain't just meat. Those words just make 'em sound more marketable.

[ he grins. ]

Is that how you'd wanna be described if you were packed up in plastic like that? Savory 'n tender?

[ sadly i forgot he can't have his furry out in public but hey it's just them in the store and i don't feel like living a furry-less life right now. ty. at least he still has his canines? he can grin while showing them off??? ]

Hm. You got any canned meats 'round here.

[hitokiller]

( izou swallows, the mere mention of being carried in such a way while his head is floating with the warm ecstasy of tonight's escapades too embarrassing to even picture. a moment of thanks to every god out there, if they're still out there, for sparing him that sort of humiliation in the middle of the city where everyone can see. )

O-Onh... I... 'course I can, stand...

( like a wounded animal suddenly freed from its confines, izou totters forward, one foot after the other... slowly, slooowly—oh! there he goes. or, wait, he catches himself before he trips over the curb, the tattered edges of his hakama brushing against a partially melted patch of snow. what a mess.

it's here where he's starting to gain some clarity though, the implant humming inaudibly as it feeds him information in the form of images and a name. )

J-Jing Yuan? But, you're...

( that teacher who talked him in circles, and the way that name unravels from mind to tongue makes him feel like he shouldn't be allowed to speak it with the sorry state that he's in. )

[hitokiller]

That'd be the one. Said yer, a... said you're...

( he trails off for a second, actually way too drunk for this. light-bulb off.

then with a mocking curl of the lip, the light-bulb is clearly back on. )

Said you're the one I oughta take my blade to for... for some sparrin' practice.

( a fact he finds terribly amusing for some reason. his left hand starts to fiddle with the handle of a katana tucked into his hakama, but he can't quite get a good grip despite picturing the slashing arc it ought to take in his mind's eye. )

[hitokiller]

Tch—

( the flurry of unseen touches marking up his body is, to say the least, unnerving, the muscle memory of their contact even seconds ago lighting an alarming fire in him. to be taken unawares like this as an assassin... well, he's the one who asked for it, challenging her out in the open like that.

izou leaps back in attempt to give himself an adequate amount of distance, the hazy light of the city in the distance flickering from under an arm that retracts his drawn blade and makes to sheath it.

he gets the message loud and clear this time. best not mess with this one... at least, unless he's sure he's got the upper hand. )

The hell're you 'sposed to be?

( the ocular implant whirrs in the darkness, causing his eyes to shine. )