Trial of Trials : Act 2

[thequestgiver]

There's something uneasy that can be felt in the city, and seemingly no end to the rumors springing up in the wake of the downtown explosion that leveled BOARD's headquarters. Stories of an odd sickness where the afflicted suddenly winds up anemic, their blood levels dangerously low, despite feeling fine that morning have already taken root, others of strange animals seen roaming at night, and horrible screams and gunshots in one of the parking garages....

The space where the ill-fated headquarters lays silent, an empty patch of dirt and gravel that seemed to attract those drawn to stories and rumors. Police have already had to shoo away opportunists with metal detectors, hoping to find something interesting in the impressively quickly cleared wreckage, and others have reported something that just feels... wrong, when they walk by the site. The ghosts of those who hadn't made it out of the collapse? Or something else? Noone can really put a finger on it to explain.

And meanwhile, under the cover of shadows, things unknown to those who still walk in the light continue to move. Whispers of the rogue mage and a treasure trove of information, of upsets in the vampire hierarchy, and sworn revenge on the mages who had used one of their own for their gain.

And deep in a hidden lab, BOARD's remains and allies continue to work, twisting all they can get their hands on to create the perfect weapon; made of the very things they wish to cleanse from the world. The loss of the incapacitated vampire elder was only a small one, with how much they had already extracted and drawn from it. And if the rumors of their knowledge being in the hands of their enemies were true? They would just have to speed up their projected timeline. Or simply slow down that of the world. After all, they were mages. Reality bended to their will, not that of those who opposed them....

Comments

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana hesitates before putting a gentle hand on the wolf's head. "It's allright," he assured. "What matters is that you're back to your senses."

[ninjayeehaw]

No, it wasn't alright, not at all, but the wolf didn't have the capacity to explain any of it. It pulls its head back from Tachibana, and forces the change.

It was hard this way, so much harder for the beast to put itself away than to force its way out - especially when it involves dragging its human half out and shoving him back into the driver's seat, but after an agonizing minute it's Kinji again, curled up on his knees and shivering violently.

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana drops to his knees, hands on Kinji's shoulders. There's a brief moment of hesitation before he's pulling off his shirt, holding it out to his friend. It wasn't much, but it was something.

[ninjayeehaw]

Kinji's skin is feverishly hot, and he flinches at the touch, but he doesn't lift his gaze to meet the mage's eyes until a shirt imposes unexpectedly in his line of sight and makes him start. Wild panic flashes across his eyes in the instant he looks up, and it takes a few moments for recognition to click back into place. Then, he just looks tired.

"...thanks." His voice sounds painfully hoarse, but he still takes the shirt. It hangs off him like a scarecrow when he puts it on, and just makes him look more harrowed. Wearing it, all he can smell is Tachibana - his sweat and his blood, far more potent, reaching easily through the headache and making him shudder. But he still tries to stand up; he has to, even with every limb shaking as he does. "...what time 's'it?"

[triggerhappytraitor]

"Around 10:30, I think," Tachibana answered, doing his best to support the exhausted werewolf. "What happened?" As soon as he was sure Kinji could stand it, he was going to have to drop the barrier to call Sayoko to get them both somewhere safe...

[ninjayeehaw]

"Shit..." He pushes away from Tachibana slightly, trying to find his balance and instead just swaying dangerously. "I gotta... get back t'the lot..."

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana hovers closely, not about to let Kinji fall. "I can have Hirose go lock it up for you, if that's the worry, you're in no condition right now to do anything."

[ninjayeehaw]

He shakes his head, trying to push Tachibana away again. "That ain't..." His grip abruptly tightens on Tachibana's arm, and his free hand goes to his head. "Nngh... g-goddamn vampire..."

[triggerhappytraitor]

...of course. Tachibana's lips pressed together a long moment in frustrated, impotent anger. "What did he do?"

[ninjayeehaw]

"Blew my senses out. Some kinda... scent bombs, I think. Riled up the wolf," he grunts. He lets go again, and this time manages to stay on his feet successfully, but he's not looking at Tachibana again. "Said if... if I can't find him 'fore sunrise... he's gonna kill me."

And the look on Kinji's face as he says it suggests full well that he thinks the vampire is entirely capable of it - after all, look how easily he'd been reduced to this. "'less I can get him first."

[triggerhappytraitor]

"...were those his exact words?" Tachibana asked, voice heavy with worry, mind racing. Just knowing how Isaka and how BOARD worked...

[ninjayeehaw]

It takes a moment of thought, running both hands down his face; he'd been so far gone by that point, everything had started to blur. "Touch him, uh..." He sighs into his hands. "Touch him 'nough t'leave a mark. Without hurtin' a human."

And his hands drop again, and he's staring pointedly at Tachibana's leg. Something in his eyes is so defeated - whether or not he did manage to tag the vampire now, he'd already hurt Tachibana, he was surprised the wolf hadn't somehow severed the mage's Achilles.

[triggerhappytraitor]

"...and then he set you up so that neither part of you could function and would lash out unreasonably, and marked my jacket with his scent so you would attack me instead," Tachibana finished. He was doing his best to ignore the pointed look (acknowledging the injury would make it start to hurt more and he was riding the fading rush of adrenaline to keep standing.)

"He wasn't going to kill you. He was setting you up so that I would." There was a dark anger that flashed in Tachibana's eyes with that realization.

[ninjayeehaw]

"Yeah? It almost worked." He's so exhausted. "Either y'all kill me or the wolf chows down. Win-win fer BOARD."

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana nodded. "...Will you be all right if I drop the barrier?" he asked, glancing up at his friend's face.

[ninjayeehaw]

He lifts a hand again to cover his mouth and nose, and waves his other hand dismissively. "Just do it."

[triggerhappytraitor]

The mage hesitates in concern a moment before nodding. One brief moment of concentration later and the barrier falls, the full force of reality returning. Seconds later, his phone is out, dialing Sayoko's number.

[ninjayeehaw]

The smells hit him first, even with his mouth covered, and Kinji gags instantly before he can catch it. He'd have to ask Tachibana to burn that later, it wasn't going to be something that was cured in just a wash or ten. The noises and temperature were all secondary to those damn pheromones, but at least this time it wasn't so overwhelming. The wolf rumbled in his chest, but he pushed it back down.

And then starts walking. Away from the sounds of people in the near distance; if he came here through the alleyways, there must be a way back to the storage units through them. His legs are still shaky, his steps uneven and shambling, but he's still moving.

[peaceintheworld]

The phone rings.... and rings... and goes to voice mail. Perhaps she's simply preoccupied for the moment?

[triggerhappytraitor]

Damn it.

Tachibana follows after, ignoring the jacket for now as he quickly texts.

911. Call when clear..

[peaceintheworld]

It's a short while later that the call is returned, long enough for him to possibly work up some worry. "Yes? Is everything alright?" She has certainly worked up some worry, between receiving the first call and finding the chance to go and return it. Please be alright, Tachibana...

[triggerhappytraitor]

"Kinji was targeted." The man's voice was tense, betraying that there was more to the situation than just that simple response. "Can you pick us up?"

[peaceintheworld]

"He was?" She's alarmed, but not overly so. Werewolves take beatings, don't they? She has tended to him before and she'll tend to him again. "...I can. I'll need a bit to get to my car. I'm away from the office, but I'll come as quickly as I can."

[triggerhappytraitor]

"Understood." And after quickly giving the address, he ended the call.

[ninjayeehaw]

When Tachibana picked up the call, Kinji paused and watched him, waiting, but when he gives out the address Kinji just leans against the wall, looking more tired than ever. Two transformations, both involuntary, after going through a violent assault of his hypersensitive senses, was a lot more than he had been prepared for.