13/Just A Little Hello

Just A Little Hello
Date of Scene:	24 May 2015
Location:	Uminari City - Central Harbor
Synopsis:	Alastar drains energy from a woman. Two confused teenagers who thinks it's a stage shoe intervene.
Cast of Characters:	Hotaka Domen, Shiori Sato, Hinote Kagari

---

Hotaka Domen has posed:
It was early morning, heading into the afternoon. It was a glorious day to be out and about, with a few clouds spotting the sky and the ocean breeze moving over the area to keep the summer heat down. Many of the kids were out of school today and life was pretty good.

Only life wouldn't remain so quiet for everyone....

On one of the peers out of the way of the main thoroughfare of activity, was something not so great for a beautiful day. A woman scrambling to run down the docks, her high heels not helping in her run, before something suddenly lands down in front of her, she lets out a scream of fright, as the tall figure before her rises up and the demonic wings unfurl in front of her. Those red, demonic eyes stare her down with those cat-like pupil slits. Sharp canines exposed with an evil smile on the youthful face, and dark brown skin, almost gray easy to see in the sunlight.

"Boo." He simply says in her direction, before she tries to scurry the other way. One for him to simply walk up on her and pick her up by the back of her blouse to her feet. Wrapping his heavy black armored right arm around her, with red trimming mixed in the dark armor. "Now... don't struggle. I just need some of your essence and when you wake up... you'll forget all about me."

His right hand that held her started to burn with demonic fire as her eyes started to glass over, as if falling into some kind of state, with only him softly going, 'shh' to her. Then with his free left hand, a device appears in his hand of some kind, which then carefully actually goes to lay her down, before activating the device. A blue aura of energy can be seen leaving her to the strange magical orb he has in his left hand--- that can't be good, now can it.

Though his red eyes glance side to side at times, even as is wings flex a bit. This was risky doing this during the day and not exactly in a hidden spot, but that was part of the plan. He /wanted/ to see what would come of a bit more casual act... after all, he saw someone once already with the power to perhaps stop him-- now to see if they will show themselves again; Or if others would.

"...Don't disappoint me..." He can only whisper to himself. He also would let Hotaka have more dominate control, but this was to risky and it was bad enough the boy's 'good nature', was already messing with him a bit on doing what he /was/ doing. Damn humans and this one's strong will, but his Lord had his reasons. Never question His Lord's will or command... a lesson all the Demon Warriors know well.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari is walking along in the harbor district, thinking on a few things that happened last night, the odd two people he met in the abandoned store. He was day dreaming again, and didn't notice the nearby commition, until he finally looked up. His eyes going wide. Woah, is that some guy in a costume from the theme park terrorizing people!?

Is this a stage show of some sort? He walks a little towards the commotion and gives a soft blink. "What's going on, eh?" he asks to himself, as he scratches the side of his head.

"That's some good acting thou!" he says.

Shiori Sato has posed:
    The search for the best gyoza is never-ending. Particularly the deep-fried kind. The ones that are perfectly crispy but not too crunchy from being fried too long, nor too soggy from being fried at too low a temperature. This search has taken Shiori to some weird places. But this has to be the weirdest.

    Not so much the place itself, but as to what's going on. Is it a play of some sort? An advertisement for a movie or something? Shiori doesn't remember seeing anything on TV about a new remake of 'The Bodysnatchers' or anything. While Hinote comments on the acting, he tilts his head, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

    "Hey, uh. Maybe you don't wanna do that here?" he suggests to the winged person. Guy in a costume? Probably. "It... doesn't exactly look all that... great, you know? Somebody might think you're up to something you shouldn't be."

    Apparently both of the guys here are normal, and think this is some sort of promotional stunt or something of the sort. Doesn't look like Alastar drew out any of the magical types this time...

Hotaka Domen has posed:
Alastar hears the two behind him and glances over. Those onyx horns are visible to see, along the bangs of his hear moving slightly in the wind. He 'tsks' softly as he looks away. "...I guess the hunt ends up dull." The Demon Warrior murmurs to himself, as he breaks away the energy draw, before spinning the orb on his claw and slowly turns to look at Hinote and Shiori.

He tilts his head faintly. "Not a good place you say?" He then spins the orb on his claw, before it seems to wink out of life for the moment. The woman however--- was not getting up. Did he actually do something to her. "Maybe not-- but maybe I can have some fun with you two kids!" He sneers his fanged teeth, before he leaps up in the air, his wings furling out to their full length, before the edges of the metal clips catch the sun, before he spirals back down landing roughly on the peer behind the two as the wood splinters and cracks under the impact.

It didn't seem he was actually out to hurt either of them, being the act was not entirely fruitless, but at the same time it was hard to pass up a chance to toy with some normal people. Though that little stunt may be hard for anyone to solve in Hollywood stunts, unless this whole place was rigged. Yeah-- that had to be it, right? "Whatcha say? Hmm?" The orb comes back into view in front of them. "I'll let her back to full energy," He points his armored claw at the woman, "If you two can actually show me some fighting spirit." There was a toothy grin with this.

"After all, I'm bored and you two seem like the only entertainment I'm going to get." Alastar remarks with a bit of a dark chuckle. The orb winking out of existence again, as he make a gesture with that clawed hand of his as dark chains seem to erupt out of the ground, snagging the woman and lifting her up. "What do you say?"

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari is thinking those are some high budget special effects! The theme park is really upping the ante with this one! This is MUCH better than a dancing Dolphin mascot. But then he FLIES!? and Hinote is agasp with wonder and awe, he can't see a crane. Indeed, these are some AWESOME special effects- he even lands so hard he splinters the wood on the pier.

Then the man issues a challenge. Full energy? Now why he's lifting the woman. Something seems out of place, but it makes him a little worried inside suddenly. This IS just some publicity stunt, right?

"This is.. just an act, right? So... hrmph....." he grabs his forehead for a moment and thinks.

He clears his throat, and says in a booming voice. "Foul Demon!" with all the power of his acting talent. "You will unhand this woman at once, or I, Hinote Kagari, shall be your opponent!" he says, lowering a finger at Alastar, pointedly.

Yeah now he's hamming it up.

Shiori Sato has posed:
    Shiori turns as the winged figure leaps over him and lands behind him, splintering the wood of the dock. Okay no. This is looking less and less like a Hollywood production. An elaborate prank of some kind maybe? Social experiment-- who will stop and help a woman who looks like she's being menaced by an unknown horror from the depths of Hell?

    Hinote puts on his act and Shiori facepalms. Well, whoever's manning the cameras, if anyone, is definitely getting a show. Looks like whatever this is, it's got them both. Because he's not about to leave someone, let alone two someones, in a situation that they might not be able to get out of. It's not in his nature. Besides, this whole thing smells like weird.

    It's also not in his nature draw attention to himself, but... well, Hinote's set the flavor for the evening, hasn't he? Heaving a sigh, Shiori chimes in uncertainly, his voice much quieter, "We will send you back where you came from, evil one!" Pause. ('Wow that was really horrible. But hey. No script? You get what you get. Not my fault.') Shiori is indeed aware that he probably looks and sounds REALLY STUPID, but he'd look even stupider if he didn't play along, he figures.

Hotaka Domen has posed:
'What-- what are you.. no... what are /we/ doing?' Ah good Hotaka was fully awake, because he had his orders, but also had his own game. Alastar needed that more gentle hand in a sense, because with no real opponent this was going to be boring and the prize not even worth it.

This is when Hinote gets into the act and points his finger at Alastar, getting into the heroics of the act. The demon can only grin and crouch down low, looking at the boy in the eyes. Those demonic, predator eyes staring him down. Yet with Hotaka more aware they had been softened, his hand slightly twitching.

Ah yes, Hotaka was never sure about all this and that concern was always a blinding problem. This would make a good test for at least /that/ part of their 'relationship'. "You dare to challenge me? Oh little human, you are fool to think you can defeat one of the Demon Warriors." Then Shiori also challenges and the demon chuckles a bit. "Oh-- lets play then, come at me humans!"

Alastar then flips back gracefully, before placing one hand behind his back and motioning for them both to come forward with his index finger. "Do your best, little humans. Strike, punch, kick! Come at me!" Then there was an amused smirk, "Because I'm trained for this type of show." Yes-- show. That is what he sensed from Hotaka's more aware presence.

He /could/ just drain their life essence as well. Three orbs instead of just one, but that was not the plan. Just one-- not three-- to many bodies lay around and bigger trouble would come of it.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari looks around AND, picks up a large plastic tube that once held an umbrella, someone bought in the recent storm last week, off the ground. Well, it's not a sword, but it'll do. He hefts it like one, like he does on stage. His eyes alight! He's /playing the hero/ in whatever this is. It's not a stage, so it doesn't really count, but his eyes are alight with glee, despite the dour nature of the 'opponent' he's facing.

"Foul Demon! I'll send you back down to the underworld!" he says dramatically. Indeed, acting. There's no magic power here to be sensed from this boy. He runs forward and with a sweep! Swings the tube at Alastor! It's a convincing sweep- someone who's done sword fights on stage, afterall, but it reeks exactly of that, stage fight level antics. This is not someone who's trained for combat!

Besides, it's a discarded umbrella tube, not a blade.

Shiori Sato has posed:
    Shiori has about time to wonder if he's gotten himself into something serious before... well, it appears to be on! Hinote's looking for an improvised weapon, and finds one; Shiori does the same. His ends up being an old broom. Hey someone has to swab the deck right? Actually no, probably not, the broom has likely just been discarded, considering the bristles are bent into a very impressive sweep to one side. Clearly an overused broom.

    The same goes for the boy with the glasses-- there's nothing magical about him at all. And he seems a lot less eager than Hinote to jump in and start swinging. In fact, while the other boy (hopefully) has the winged person's attention, Shiori will be trying to flank, to look for an opening to hit.

    Mind, any swings the throws are not going to be thrown with all his strength, since he's not completely convinced this isn't just an elaborate prank. And as much as it would be poetic justice for someone suckering two kids into a big, staged prank to get hurt by those selfsame kids, Shiori's not the violent type and doesn't want anybody hurt.

Hotaka Domen has posed:
Alastar observes Hinote as he comes in with the tube and thanks to Hotaka, the demon warrior is aware of the positioning and movement. From his own senses, even Hinote here is not worth the time. Not even a little.

The demon blocks the strike with his armored bracer of his right hand, before stepping around with a smooth gesture. Alastar's feet easily sliding along the ground. "So perhaps the little warrior has some strength after all, but you will have to be quicker then I."

    Come on brother, you are my twin-- haha-- you can do better then that!
        I am doing my best and I will be chosen next time! You'll see!
    Then show me!

Something hits Alastar in that moment, something he can't explain really and Hotaka sense it and for once, Hotaka actually has to take some command in order to 'block' the incoming broom strike that Shiori swings. However were Alastar can judge the strength needed, Hotaka can't really and without the two working on some form of agreed state--- it gets a bit hectic.

The broom swings and the fully armored left arm comes around the block it with enough force that it may cause the wood to splinter a bit at that location. It may be obvious about then that the armor was far tougher then normal perhaps too. It was not foam.

Alastar's red eyes peer at the Shiori, before looking beyond him. People were starting to gather up and the demon warrior took a moment to pause at this. He grit his teeth, before then whirling himself around to then back flip a few times away from Shiori and Hinote closer to the woman. His eyes narrowing a bit. "Your spirit is strong." They may notice a slight shift in the voice, an almost echoing sound in it. It was there, but it was more apparent now. "Both of yours." He slams his fist into the metal palm.

He closes his eyes. Snap out of this Alastar, come back around fully. His eyes snap open, "But this is far from over, little humans! For what has been done with the woman can not be reversed, know that you had spared her, her life, but not the events!" Then he summons out the sword, a black scimitar like weapon with unholy energy around it.

Alastar snatches it from the air and then swings it directly down, creating a massive demonic blue flame of a line that roars in front of himself and the two kids, creating a blue wall of fire. Alastar grits his teeth once more about then, before he turns to go and lower the chains, catching the woman in his arms. Looking down at her, "...what... am I going to do with you?" He then shakes his head and lowers her down to the ground.

When the flames at last die down, the woman is seen laying there, but Alastar in no sight to be seen. In truth--- the demon warrior went under the peer, more correctly, shifted back to Hotaka Domen, who was holding onto the peer's support under every one. "..Alastar..." Hotaka can only hiss out. "...what happened?" Not that he should be grateful it /didn't/ happen, because the teen has no doubt in his mind that Alastar would have gotten tired with the games and bad things would have happened-- but this? Like this?

    '...Nothing. Nothing happened. I just lost focus...'

Hotaka snorted at the lie and can only glance up at where they were, watching footsteps from above and listening in.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari watches as he hears the woman is spared? So they won? He hrmphs. "That's because... I'm a Hero!" he insists with his Umbrella tube, as he says they're strong in SPIRIT! He but then the demon summons a sword!?

"Woah..." he says, momentarily entranced by the awesome sword, that he slams downwards and there's a birlliant flame that he can't quite see past... but when everything is gone....

"Woah, he's gone! Where did he go!" he asks. "Is there a trapdoor!?" he asks, looking around at the bottom of the upperside of the pier, seeing nothing except the girl. "That was, amazing!" he says as he looks over at Shiori. "Right!?" he asks, before he leans down...

"Hey---are you okay?" he asks the girl, giving her a shake. "You can get up now!" he says with a smile. Afterall, he thinks this is still an act.

Shiori Sato has posed:
    /CRACK!/

    Shiori may not have been swinging with full strength, but the armored arm thrust back to block it was done with more force than was probably intended. As a result, the broom handle cracks. It doesn't break entirely, but the sund makes it clear that it won't survive much more abuse like that. It's just painted wood, not exactly the weapon of choice for demon-slayers.

    Shiori blinks as Alastar looks directly at him, seeming surprised. He sees the looking past... but he can't exactly afford to look back and see what it is that's behind him, not with the 'demon' this close. Luckily the winged person leaps back, giving him distance. He narrows his eyes and hefts the weakened broom handle anyway...

    And then suddenly fire. Shiori raises a hand and steps back, not wanting to be too close to /blue/ fire-- blue was the color that burned the hottest, right? Once the fire disperses, he can see too that the woman is the only one left behind. The 'demon' is nowhere to be seen.

    Hinote looks in his direction and speaks, and in response, Shiori replies, "...If that was a prank, that had to be one of the most convoluted, expensive to pull off pranks in the history of pranking." He drops the cracked broom handle and pushes his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. "I hope someone's going to pay him for that." But it all felt 'wrong' somehow...

    And his feeling of discomfiture doesn't get better when the woman appears to not wake. He frowns, heads over to the woman himself, watching Hinote's attempts to wake her. Should they fail, he'll start looking for vitals. It'd be all they needed for someone to die over a prank...

Hotaka Domen has posed:
The woman lays there for a bit, before she gets shaken, then her eyes open and she squeaks a little in surprise. Sitting up and looking around in some confusion. "Did... did I pass out? It must be this summer heat... ah.." She looks at the two young boys before her.

She looks around again. "I was on my way back to work and..." That is when she notices the time. "Oh no! I'm going to be late! Oh, my boss will have my head!" She quickly goes to get back up, but almost staggers over. Placing her hand to her head, "...maybe I should... just call in sick... oh this summer heat."

She really did seem confused as she stepped back a few times, then down at her purse. She rummages through it for a moment as if concerned something was stolen. She looks at them, then back to her purse, before starting to slowly walk away, though her steps were slightly off.

It was all probably very strange.

What was even stranger is where the fire was? There was no signs of burning. No residue of any kind. As if done by magic...

Hotaka can only watch from below as all of it happens above him. Those blue eyes witnessing it all. So... the essence they take doesn't kill them? Then what does it do to them? Just make them woozy. He then then blinks as he finds a spider on his hand and his eyes go wide, before quickly going to shake the spider off. "Go away..." Eventually shaking the spider off.

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari head tilts, huh? Okay he thinks, maybe she's played her part so she's off stage now, so to speak. He looks down and around, and indeed, wasn't there a fire here JUST a moment ago? He scratches his head. Must just been smoke and mirrors then....

But he FELT that heat...

"I don't think it was a prank, that had to be a publicity stunt for like the Theme Park or something. Maybe they're running a new show of some sort..." he thinks a bit. He frowns a little bit. Something seems so out of place.... but this'll make a nice story to tell his new friends living in the Abandoned Store down the way!

"Do you feel weird about this, too?" he asks Shiori.

Shiori Sato has posed:
    Shiori seems relieved when the woman wakes, and smiles. Though when she staggers, he stands and moves to assist her. "Oh, careful," he cautions. When she walks away, his frown returns. That doesn't look good, the 'off' way she's walking. "...I hope she's all right."

    The lack of scorchmarks doesn't make things any less confusing. And Hinote's words of a new show get an unconvincing "...Hm." The question gets a nod. "Yeah. She didn't look like she was kidding, or acting. I dunno what all that was, but somethin' smells like weird."

    In all his thinking about the situation, Shiori doesn't seem to have noticed Hotaka hanging under the pier.

Hotaka Domen has posed:
Its a good thing no one has noticed Hotaka hanging out under the pier or this would get very complicated really quickly. Though as the two try to figure out what is going on, he goes to try and swim slightly under the water in order to find away to get to the surface.

About this time an officer walks across the pier--- Hotaka knows that sound well, he also knows that officer who shows up. It makes him gulp slightly. More correctly the mystery he always wondered... how does that guy ever know what is going on?!

The officer looks like normal police around the area and looks over at the two youngsters, before he peers around, before looking back to them. "You two, I'd suggest you move along. We got some people who need to reset some stuff for later this evening and I'm here to make sure the public moves along. So get with it."

Yes, he was a real cop, badge and the whole works.

Meanwhile Hotaka at last finds a place to pull himself out and go slink into a dark alley. Wet cloths and all. He just rests his head back and grunts. "...At least no one was hurt... Did you call on him?"

    'Not really. There probably was a call in about a disturbance and he probably responded. A happy coincidence. Now let us get moving while we have the orb and I can return it as a gift... before he picks up on where we are and then tries to take it for himself.'

"I thought you were all a team..."

    'When it comes to prestige, some of us have our internal squabbles.'

Hinote Kagari has posed:
Hinote Kagari woahs, a police man! A /real/ hero! "Um, right officer.... I'm out on my way now!" he says as he begins to back off back to the sidewalk and walk off towards the north. That was weird, but he's not seeing anything suspicious about the police officer. Police offices often tell people to move along, afterall.

He looks back at Shiroi though and gives him a wave as he walks off, man he didn't get the older boy's name, oh well. At least he acted the heart out of whatever that was! He feels proud even, as he walks off!

Shiori Sato has posed:
    Shiori looks sheepish suddenly as the officer shows up. Surprisingly he doesn't suspect the police officer of anything. He just nods. "Ah. S-sorry, officer," he says meekly. A pause. "The lady that just left here... she seemed really disoriented. I don't know what all that was, but better safe than sorry, right?"

    He too gets moving once he's said his peace, returning Hinote's wave with a smile. that's the sort of meeting that probably won't happen again, he figures. So it's not too bad. Like meeting a stranger at a themepark or something. Even though the whole thing still rubs him the wrong way...