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]

"...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.

[triggerhappytraitor]

"Sayoko will be here in a few," Tachibana explained, even though he was pretty sure he didn't need to. "...Are you holding up all right?"

[ninjayeehaw]

"'m fine," he grunts, despite all evidence to the contrary. "Just need some food an' clothes 'fore I head out."

[triggerhappytraitor]

"And a bit of a rest in a quiet room?" Tachibana offered with a faint, warm smile, reaching a hand to rest on his friend's shoulder in support.

[ninjayeehaw]

He lifts a hand on reflex and blocks Tachibana's attempt at comfort. "Ain't got time fer that. I gotta find that bastard." There's a growl in his voice, but he swallows it back down. "Yer the one what needs Sayoko, not me."

[triggerhappytraitor]

"You're not going after him without a plan," Tachibana returned, voice pointed and firm. "And definitely not alone."

[ninjayeehaw]

"I've got a plan. It's six rounds through the skull when I get my damn hands on him." His voice is cold. "An' like hell am I lettin' y'all come with, y'all'd only get in the line a' fire."

[peaceintheworld]

There are faster ways to travel than by train. It was rough and she had to cash in a favor, but a detour through the hedge had gotten her back to her office and her car in short order, and that car is now pulling up and coming to a stop.

"What's going on? What...nggh!" She grits her teeth as she shifts hurriedly out of the driver's seat, shifting her grip on the car, her cane, and her trusty bag of medical supplies. "...what happened?" One might want to ask her the same thing, there's a scratch on her cheek and a bit of mud on her blouse.

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana's retort was cut off by Sayoko's entrance, and he turned, eyes widening. "Sayoko, what--"

Taking a step forward was a mistake as the adrenaline and focus that had been keeping him from feeling the mess that Kinji's claws had left on his leg properly. Distracted between two worries, a sharp shoot of pain from the abused muscle. Still, he was nothing, if not stubborn and after a moment of pained grimice, he resumes as if nothing had stopped him. "He didn't attack you too, did he?!"

[peaceintheworld]

"Tachibana-kun!" He's hurt? He hadn't said anything of the sort. It would figure, wouldn't it? She grits her teeth through her own discomfort and beelines straight for him. "If you're hurt, don't move! I'm fine!" Although presuming that he has moved and is continuing to move, she will continue to limp her way towards him, trying to herd him back to somewhere appropriate to sit.

"He didn't. I took a shortcut. I'm fine, Tachibana-kun..." In the middle of all this, she has yet to give Kinji a proper up-and-down assessment, but no worries. That will come soon enough.

[triggerhappytraitor]

There's not much of anywhere to sit in the alleyway, but Tachibana does at least pause, leaning a hand against the wall to ease the weight off his leg. "Is there somewhere safe we can go?" he asked, trying hard to keep the pain from showing in his face. "He set Kinji up to rampage, tagged my jacket with his smell so that he'd go after me."

[ninjayeehaw]

When Kinji steps forward to move past Tachibana, it's pretty clear he's not doing too hot either - naked apart from Tachibana's shirt, hanging slack off his shoulders and casting gaunt shadows over his ribs, and starting to look faintly grey from exhaustion. "The wolf cut up his leg," he comments; and his husky voice sounds just as abused as his body looks. "Shouldn't transfer, but I don't reckon he oughta be up an' walkin' without some stitches in him."