Paper...Cranes

zombieplaceholder replied to your post“Happy Thanksgiving!”

{Not a favorite holiday, I assume?}

It’s okay. Holidays are… strange for me.

You having a good day?

{Uneventful. I have not been inside all day. The cool air is nice on my skin. I expect that Pepper may have some form of festivities going on but I suppose I'm not generally a "festivities" kind of person.}

Pepper… I don’t… Oh, I think I might know a Pepper. Like a… fox demon? Maybe I’m getting someone confused.

[He’s sifting through boxes and pulling out a few things here and there. Not going through them out in the open— just setting them aside. For later.]

I’m kinda glad you’re not finding anything on him. Means he’s resourceful. William is a greasy bastard, he’ll do whatever he can to try and get a little something from everyone.

[Hanna is too preoccupied with looking through boxes to notice his misuse of tense.

He takes a moment to remove his glasses and rub his eyes. He’s tired— no, exhausted. There’s so much to look through. Is it worth it? Hanna’s ideas were never very fruitful in the end; would this adventure end with far less gained than spent?

He is nearly ready to throw in the towel already. He’s found a few interesting things so far. Pulling a few boxes around, he comes across three large boxes with names scratched into them. It’s almost instinct for him to quickly withdraw his hands and back away, like coming upon something disgusting.

The sight of them makes his blood run cold. Sends a sickening spark up his back to his neck, to a scarred ‘W’ at the nape. It leaves a faint burning sensation behind.

'ha nn a Fal k Cr oss' ]

#falkinghannacross #{mobile}

{Fox demon. Yes. Of some sort.}

I continued searching. Pulling aside anything that caught my eye or anything that I figured Hanna might be interested in. I had to admit, this was a bit difficult for someone who knew so few in the city. This seemed like a large deal to my companion.

But at least I was doing my best. Kept an eye on Hanna while we both worked. Thought about asking him if he wanted to take a break but reconsidered when I remembered how important it must have been for him to keep going despite exhaustion.

I only paused when I noticed that he had, looking up and towards him inquisitively.

{Did you find something?}

theladymasterthief

She squinted at him and took a thoughtful puff from her cigarette.

"You just want to keep dressing up, don’t you?"

Did Lupin really believe that? No. But she didn’t know how he’d react if she persisted. She had enough people out for her. Thankyouverymuch.

{ ..You got me. I've got a bit of an affinity for Halloween garb, I'm afraid. Gets me a fair amount of attention when the holiday is over. }

#theladymasterthief

No one? C’mon, you gotta know at least someone. Have you been staying with anyone? Doesn’t hurt to look for any names of people you don’t correspond with anymore. Might be interesting.

[The zombie’s question certainly raises a good point. It would be a lot better to burn it all. Easier, too. Hanna gives pause to think on it.]

I… guess you’re right. But.

It looks like knew so much about so many different people, but no one knew about him. Where he came from, why he did the things he did. I’ve got…

[He trails off on a thought that will remain unshared. For now. Instead he just offers his companion a small, reassuring smile.]

I’ve got the time, so why not? Not like I have a job or anything. We’ll get what info we can get, then get rid of what’s left.

[Or he’ll try to.]

Sound like a plan?

{ The only person I've been in any real contact with since... coming around is Pepper. And as far as I can tell, he is not in any of these boxes. Even if he were, I find it hard to believe that he would be unable to handle himself if anyone got a hold of said information. }

To Pepper's credit, of course.

As long as Hanna seemed able to put forth the time and effort to sift through all the information, I would be hard pressed to not lend the same amount. And I nodded at his smile.

{ Reasonable. }

The music played softly in the background, and as far as I could tell, there were no more threats lingering in the shadows. The night would be long, however, and though I didn't necessarily get tired or feel any sort of exhaustion, I wondered about Hanna.

[Pepper purred, finding the contact pleasant and warm, even if it was all internalized. If this is what he had to look forward to then he’s glad he didn’t burn this bridge. As for the others however, he’d have to take care of them, or at least get them out of his territory. So much to do. Never a days rest.]

You’re welcome, now, I hope you won’t get mad but, I’ve some work I have to finish up. You can stay with if you’d like, just not sure how talkative I’ll be once in the zone. [excuses for behavior otherwise odd to his person. He’s going to figure out how to fake this whole, being nice thing around one person for a while.]

I was left none the wiser to Pepper's intentions. Finding a bit of comfort in that familiar purr. But once my hand was released, I looked down at him and gave a simple nod.

{ I will try not to be a distraction. }

I didn't want to just up and leave him. Not just then. Especially not if I'd, under the surface, disappointed him in some way.

I'd just get a book and read while he worked.

That was fine.

[He did his best not to seem..disappointed. Making deals was a careful business and if this one wanted souls to barter with, he’d have to step lightly. Especially around those that would put up more of a fight than a pair of weak acquaintances. Burning ALL the bridges was never a good strategy. Pepper dropped his hands and held Emanon’s fingers instead.]

Of course. You take as much time as you need. [he rubbed their noses together in a show of good faith]

I intertwined my fingers with his after a few seconds had passed. Gave a small 'hm' when I felt our noses press together.

In all honesty, I wasn't even certain I had a soul anymore. It seemed as though that would be something that disappeared when you died. Or went to another place.

It would certainly explain my lack of enthusiasm for most things.

{ ..Thank you. }

I was silent after that.

Not really knowing what else to say. Pensive, really.

theladymasterthief

Lupin’s eyebrows arched.

"Really?" Yeeeeeeah. She totally didn’t buy it now. "Mind telling me where? I might like to pay a visit." She asked slyly.

{ ..It changed its name yesterday and I'm not sure what it is anymore. }

My lies were shoddy, at best. And I knew that she was aware.

But I would rather her realize what I was than come right out and say it myself.

#theladymasterthief

Perhaps...

Better safe than sorry, no?

I was silent for a time. Kept his eye contact until finally I had to break it.

{ I'd prefer some time to think about it. }

[Hanna nods gently to the tune once the music graces his ears.]

Sweet tunes, Aten. I’m glad someone came prepared!

[He retrieves thick files from his first box and leafs through them carefully, pulling his gaze away only to speak with his partner.]

Well, kinda. I mean, there’s you and me, but look for anyone we know— or anyone you know. Any names you think might be affiliated with the supernatural. The police getting their hands on ‘weird’ stuff like that would probably not be a very good thing. It’s hard to know what kinds of information he had on which people. He was a… bit of a creeper.

{ I.. don't really know anyone. At least, the people I've met have been very fleeting. }

I'd often been told that it was a frequent characteristic of a Hanna - or a doppleganger of a Hanna - to have someone like me as a partner or friend. And as such, I assumed that said partnership would also hold some mutual connections but..

With my wandering and my apparent inability to stay in one place long enough to formulate such connections, it seemed that Hanna and I were on different levels of acquaintance with others. After all, I'd only known this Hanna for so long.

{ ..I will look, though. }

I focused back down on the papers in one particular box. Pulling aside a few things here and there that caught my eye. Things of a particularly supernatural nature, like Hanna explained. It would be best to keep these things off official record, yes.

{ Would it not be better to simply burn all of this? That way no one had access to it? Or at the very least, take what we need and dispose of the rest. Just in case. }

A simple suggestion. If he had any qualms against it, they were certainly valid. I hadn't known this man in the way that Hanna apparently had.

[An eerie silence is broken by Emanon, and for that Hanna is grateful. Quiet brings to life thoughts that should stay put. He chuckles lightly and rubs at the tender part of his head.]

R-Right. Heh, thanks, man. I owe ya one. Er. A few. I’ll be back in a jiff. I just… need to get ‘em to the other room.

[He takes a look at the bodies and makes a face. It’s obvious he isn’t too keen on interacting with them, but he’s not sure if he can share the room with them either. So, one by one, Hanna moves them, trying to be as gentle as possible— after all, they were people too. He lays the bodies just outside the door, which is as far as his blossoming headache will let him move them.

In an attempt to shrug off the ordeal, he breathes deeply and summons a smile. Settles to the floor and pulls a box open to begin sorting through its contents.]

Darn, I should’a brought some coffee. Or some music. This place gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Let me know if you come across anything interesting, okay? We’ll, uh, we’ll have to make a pile of important stuff.

#falkinghannacross #[Hanna confirmed for adorable.]

I watched him move those bodies, hesitant to allow him to do it alone, but knowing that he probably would have disputed my assistance. So I let him. Sat down and opened up a box to start sifting through the contents. Pulled out the phone that I'd obtained not too long ago in order to contact Pepper when I needed to. It came with a radio. That was put on easily enough. Provided a less ominous soundtrack to their surroundings when the subtle sound of guitar chords was coming out of the small device that I'd set down on the floor in between us.

{ What are we looking for, exactly? Anyone specific?}

atruegentlemanthief

Oh, yeah, m’fine. Won’t be out for long. Just having a smoke.

[And then he actually had a look at the guy? Um??? Were those eyes glowing? That wasn’t natural. Hm.]

#atruegentlemanthief #{meet and greet}

{ I suppose that'd probably keep you warm enough anyway. }

I didn't have any affinity for smoking, myself. Probably wouldn't bode well, considering my body's state.

But the scent of it wasn't terrible.

#atruegentlemanthief

► { atruegentlemanthief }

{ Are you not cold? It's a little chilly for such a light jacket. }

[Emanon gets some serious ‘badass’ points here. Hanna can’t help but take a moment to watch in awe as he subdues their attackers. With the moment over, he wriggles his way out from under the fallen shelf and boxes, sure to check for any injuries. There’s a cut on the side of his head above the ear, but nothing broken— he’ll feel it in the morning.]

No, I… we can’t leave now. I can’t risk losing all of this!

[He’s got no idea if there are more leftovers of William’s army, and no idea if they might have the brainpower to destroy the information he’s after if they leave now.

On his feet, he fumbles for his marker. Part of him wants to set them ablaze, burn the things to death, it would be so easy. Another part, however, doesn’t even want to kill them, despite the suffering they must have gone through up to this point.

In his palm he scribbles a symbol, then shoves papers around to write another symbol on the floor. He gently touches the sigil and whispers. I’m sorry. Then a heavy word rolls off his tongue, and with it comes a dark feeling surrounding them.]

Theea.

[The sigil on the floor pulses to life. White sizzling light crackles through the floor beneath them like veins. The monsters are the targets, and what appear to be hands creep out of the floor, up their bodies, and

s n a p

their necks, probably with enough force to sever them completely.

When it’s done and the bodies drop to the floor, Hanna just… takes a moment to stare at what he’s done. Wipes a bit of blood forming at the corner of his mouth.]

…

I. I’ll, uh… I don’t— I can’t just leave. I couldn’t let them— They’re…

[He isn’t sure how to turn around and get back to what he was doing before. He isn’t sure if he should. They were people and now they’re gone. How does he...]

If you wanna, um. Y’know. Start looking in boxes? I don’t—… I’ll um. I-I’ll move these… bodies.

I was understanding of Hanna's resilience when it came to finishing what we started. But I was well aware of the danger involved in doing so. And so even when he persevered towards our goal, I kept myself freely available to defend. Figuring out a way to handle the load of boxes would have to wait until we were safe. And I was about to inform him of that -

Before he seemed to take initiative.

The marker caught my eye, as did his strange ritual. I was used to Pepper's magic, yes, but it was nothing like this. Or, at least, if it was, I had not seen it before. And so I took a step away from Hanna's conjured defense, mop handle still in my gloved hands as I watched the threat be eliminated with remarkable ease.

And though I noted the wear on Hanna's body and his obvious mental strain from what he'd just done, I was quick to nod. To not give him any doubt and not bring up anything substantial just yet.

But I did take a brief moment to wander over. Reach out with a hand and despite my usual respect for personal space, brought my thumb to gently wipe away at the blood that he'd missed. Like some sort of doting mother hen, cleaning off a small smudge of dirt from a child's face. Not the line of thinking that I was having at that moment. But the comparison was probably accurate enough.

{ We'll take our time. We have all night. }

theladymasterthief

Lupin wasn't sure she bought that story, buuuuut she was going to play along.

"Really? I thought the Halloween stores were all closed by now."

...Well. She was on to me.

{ ...It's a year-round place. }

#theladymasterthief

proserpiiina-archive

[She squeals, twisting around to face the stranger. Of course, he didn’t seem to threatening, but reflexes are reflexes. She inwardly curses the stupid, good-for-nothing pockets on women’s jeans.]

Shit.

Thank you so much, oh my god.

{ It's no problem. I simply figured that it would be unfortunate to lose it. }

Well. I couldn't say I wasn't used to that sort of reaction. Even if I didn't look threatening, there was usually some type of 'oh my goodness' to a stranger's face when I first encountered them.

{ I didn't mean to startle you. }

#deadnvcrintern

You never mentioned that you were afraid your magic would run out. [He retorted. And maybe it wasn't a complete lie. In his normal state it would be harmless but how he was now? Sick and susceptible to infecting others? It wasn't recommended either way. He pouted faintly. One of his hands slipped behind Emanon's neck, holding him gently.] What's wrong? Don't you trust me?

{ Of course I do. }

If I had the capability of sighing, I would.

{ ...But this seems like a very quickly made decision. }