17: dead man walking [OPEN]

[paladaddy]

Who: Shiro and OPEN
When: Just after the Station Master meeting
Where: the Villa + various locations
Style: action
Status: open

[In the evening hours, after the station master has talked about what is to come, Shiro can be found going to various places within the bubble. If this is all to come to an end soon, then there are things he would like to have taken care of first.

So, that evening, your character may suddenly have a visitor on their doorstep. Or they may come across him while he is walking from one place to the next.]

Comments

[pierrotdemonique]

[ He'd just left the meeting himself, the wheels in his head a-turning as he tries to formulate a plan. Amaimon knows where these scientists are and all it would take for him to raise hell before they can be "eradicated" is a single order from his brother. But he knows better. He still has no idea what these people are capable of and to send Amaimon in there, powerful as he is could be a gamble. After all, they had managed to limit his own powers.

But that can be tended to. For now he sees someone familiar in the distance and he approaches, only speaking when he's right beside Shiro. ]

You've heard what they have planned, I trust?

[paladaddy]

I have.

[Which is why Shiro is there now, he has things to take care of first.]

Since we don't know when that will happen, there's things we should take care of ASAP.

[pierrotdemonique]

Indeed there are.

[ He looks ahead, not once breaking his stride. ]

And what do you make of all this? Do you think we should strike before they do?

[paladaddy]

Of course, it would be stupid not to. Even if nobody else in this entire city can do anything about it- which is probably not true, there are some ridiculously overpowered people here- you and I could stop pretty much anything they throw at us.

[Truthfully Mephisto could probably manage it on his own. Shiro just includes himself to keep from inflating Mephisto's ego.]

But that's plans for the whole group to talk about. I have something else to discuss with you.

[pierrotdemonique]

We could indeed. And Amaimon is already quite aware of their location. It would be a simple matter to send him off to play.

[ But there's a smirk at the second statement. ]

Oh really...? Should we go somewhere more intimate...?

[keepsthefire]

[Shiro wasn't the only one out in the city after that, but unlike Shiro, Rin wasn't looking for people. Instead he was at the doorway of the place he had designated for his school, the building he had tossed all of his hopes for what he thought would be a much longer stay in Vatheon to.

Now all of it seemed... pointless, yet no less disappointing.

The lights were ooff, but the door was open as he stared inside, everything clean, set up, ready for a place that was never going to have it's grand opening.

The rest of the Plaza was understandably quiet, so it was footsteps that got Rin to look up from where he was resting his head across his arm against the doorframe.]

... Dad.

[paladaddy]

Just the guy I was looking for!

[In contrast to Rin, Shiro is surprisingly cheerful. Even though the final day is coming a lot sooner than he expected, it's not like he was afraid of it or anything. Death was something he had accepted long ago.

Still, if there's only a short amount of time, there's something important he needs to do first.]

Come, we need to go meet up with your brothers.

[keepsthefire]

[The comment earns a confused blink, but for once he's not about to argue.

Nodding, he pulls the door closed and locks it. Who knows, maybe there's a chance it won't be entirely pointless.

Key tucked away he pulled the shoulders of his hoodie tighter, pushing hands inside the pockets as he set to follow Shiro.]

Lead the way, old man.

[paladaddy]

[With Rin in tow, Shiro starts walking towards the coral.]

That place was for your cooking, wasn't it?

[darkasnight]

[Night is in the garden behind the Villa pulling out weeds, careful to avoid important flora roots. Despite hearing the news and the dark implications that came with it his first impulse is to be out here and tending to the gardens that, in all probability, won't be here after everyone leaves.

Pointless, but necessary to him.

When he sees Shiro leaving the Villa he sends him a polite smile.]

[paladaddy]

[Shiro catches sight of Night, and he gives him a wave before speaking.]

Yo, Night! Go find Yukio and drag him to the center of town, by the coral. I'm going to get Rin, and we'll meet you two there.

[Things will be happening tonight, regardless of what Night's plans were.]

[darkasnight]

- Uh? Oh, sure... [He trails off, but Shiro is already gone by that point. Welp.

Night stands up, brushing the dirt off his hands on his pants legs, and goes off in search for Yukio.

Oh where, oh where could he be... Maybe his room?

Night knocks at the bedroom door with the hope that the younger twin will be there.] Yukio?

[doctor_dragoon]

[Yukio doesn't come out himself, but calls out permission to enter. When Night comes in, he'll find the young exorcist seated on the floor, carefully assembling what looks to be freshly cleaned pistols.]

[wavesofjade]

[After the announcement, the Dolorosa had said nothing and asked no questions, only quietly left the crowd and made her way back to her hive. She had told herself often that death held no fear for her, and that her time here was simply a bonus for a life that was already over, but the cold chill that had shaken her on hearing that they were to simply be eradicated had proven that false in moments.

They are good friends, but she still doesn't expect to see Shiro on her step when she opens the door. Her smile is instant, but faint and lacking most of its usual warmth as she silently takes one of his hands in both of hers and squeezes it gently.]

I should have expected that you might visit.

[paladaddy]

[He sounds a little sheepish, but still clearly happy to be there.]

Well, what can I say? When the world's coming crashing down, it's hard not to be drawn to good friends.

[He'll bring his other hand into this party, covering up one of the Dolorosa's hands with it so they have some mutual hand-holding going on. Then he starts to talk again.]

I figured you'd understand all of this. Our situations are similar, and if I'm going to finally stop being a secretive old fart, then you of all people deserve my final bit of honesty.

If you're up for it, of course.

[He does want to talk about serious things, but if the Dolorosa isn't up for it, then he'll spare her from it.]

[wavesofjade]

[Her smile brightens a little at the returned gesture, and she nods, making a slight movement to draw him indoors.]

I am always happy to speak with you, Shiro. Come in. I sense this is not a discussion to have on the doorstep.

[paladaddy]

Nah, probably not. The whole neighborhood doesn't need to know about my faults and personal misgivings.

[He'll let go of her hands so he can step inside, though he'll stop there and let her lead them wherever they're going to talk.]

[circumsutus]

[Honestly, Stein was half expecting something like this. After all, once an experiment is finished, you don't just leave it running. That would be a waste of resources. Better to clean up your mess and move on to something else.

Stein's never been the kind of person to go down without a fight, but there's only so much you can do when you can't reach your opponent.

He's in the kitchen making lunch.]

[paladaddy]

[Lunch. Always a sensible option.]

Got enough for me too?

[circumsutus]

[And Stein is always a sensible man.]

Of course.

[Yes, it's instant ramen again.]

[paladaddy]

[Eew ramen.]

I don't get how you 'n Mephisto can both like this crap.

[But he'll eat it anyway.]

[dontsaymyname]

[ Barry had attended the little meeting, but he hadn't stuck around after the announcement. He wasn't too sure how to feel about it honestly. There was really nothing left for him here. He had Saix as a nice play toy, and Mephisto kept him happy for the most part, but Johnny was gone, so what did any of it really matter after that?

[ He was walking through the plaza when he spotted Shiro. ]

My, it's been awhile since I last saw you, hm?

[paladaddy]

[It takes a moment for Shiro to remember where he saw Barry before, but as soon as he does it's like a little lightbulb goes off in his mind.]

Oh, you're...I don't think I got your name before, but you're a friend of Mephisto's, right?

[dontsaymyname]

[ Barry blinks, momentarily confused. Mephisto hadn't bothered to give Barry his real name yet, and he only knew him as Johann. ]

I'm afraid I don't know anyone by that name.

[ Though considering Shiro's connection to Mephisto aka Johann Faust, it wasn't hard for Barry's brain to start connecting the dots. ]

[paladaddy]

[...shit. He was sure this man knew Mephisto's real name.]

Ahaha, my mistake, sorry. I must be misremembering things. Hmm...

[He'll put up an act of thinking deeply about it for a moment, like he's trying to go through his memories to remember how he met Barry.]

Oh, that's right! You know Faust, right?