genessia | So you want to be a sleuth (ACTION)

Yeah about that...

Luke hesitates a few seconds longer. Eventally a little face appears from around the corner, blue hat and all. He looks rather like the tanuki standing in front of the stranger. Interesting, that.

"U...um."

Mami you've done well looking like Luke but acting? That's something else entirely.

"...s-sorry. I just. After everything that's been said I wanted to see for myself."

This is the actual Luke Triton. And, faced with both being caught as well as the supernatural--because honestly, spirits? Shape shifters?--he's looking a little bit terrified.

Would the real Luke please stand up? Or come meekly out of hiding, that works too.

"The real Luke, I presume. Unless there's another shapeshifter I should know. How much did you overhear?" He was still waiting to see what fake!Luke actually looked like; now would be a good time, if only to calm things down.

She hadn't really had time to study what makes a Luke tick. And at the end she wasn't really even trying anymore. The fake Luke gives the real one a frown before suddenly vanishing into a swirl of white smoke and leaves.

What is left behind is a much taller person, and a much more feminine one as well. The reason for the glasses twitch is obvious, as this form is wearing glasses. She is not in her actual true form, but rather her human guise.

"You know you weren't supposed to come here, right?" She doesn't sound angry with Luke in even the slightest. "But I suppose you are here now. Yes, this is the real one. Unless there is a shapeshifter talented enough to fool even me in this city."

He nods weakly at the woman, still looking appropriately chagrined.

And terrified.

"I... got here b-before both of you," he mumbles. This plan made a lot more sense when it didn't involve getting caught. "I thought maybe I ought to take notes..."

That explains the pen then, too. Luke stays mostly hidden still, only both hands and par of his face visible as he looks. He knows that he should have done what he was told, but he couldn't help himself.

"The man in the trenchcoat before said you can't choose what you want to belive and then look for proof...and if I didn't see myself then how can I know for sure? What if he's right?!""

He pauses and heat crawls into his cheeks. "P... please don't tell, miss. I'll be in so much trouble but..." But the seed of doubt had been planted. How better to prove to himself that his trust had not been misplaced?

Edited (woooooooow this is why phone tags can be Bad) 2014-11-13 04:04 (UTC)

So that was her real form. Good enough, he supposed. Judging by its leaders, this world seemed to pay more deference to the females, though that hardly mattered for a shapeshifter. Satisfied, he continued.

"So you've heard everything, then, including the nature of the threat. That was foolish." He turned to the woman.

"I do not know the man of whom he speaks. It was possibly our target in disguise. Chaos spirits are as ruthless towards their foes as I am. Unless there is someone who is both capable and trustworthy, it would be to our benefit to keep the knowledge of what I've said to a minimum. Our mission is a covert one."

And back again towards Luke.

"It'd be best if those who could not assist in the mission know nothing of it."

Edited 2014-11-13 04:16 (UTC)

For what its worth, the no longer disguised Mamizou seems a bit less annoyed with Luke. She is even giving him a little smile.

"Come now, I don't believe he meant any harm. His reason for being here is surprisingly deep for a child his age. He didn't come here simply out of curiosity, but out of a desire to know the truth. Is that desire not of some value? If even a child can see how serious the situation in, perhaps things are not as grave as they seem. Don't worry, I shall tend to this matter."

Luke is offered a friendly little smile. "You don't think she'll find out even if I don't tell? Besides, your notes might be quite handy. I don't know if I will be able to report personally right away. If you've been listening, then I imagine you understand why."

Luke's cheeks grow a little bit redder and he shrugs his shoulders closer to his ears. "She's going to be really cross with me."

He isn't stupid after all.

Luke finally steps out from his hiding place, though he stays far away. The woman sena friendly but she can change forms entirely--he isn't sure he's completely comfortable with that.

"And everyone knows that John Everyman is a faker! I don't care what the guy hiding the pretend mind control device by the school says. Everyone knows it's fake! We just have to prover it, that's all!"

The boy pauses and crosses his arms, uncomfortable. "He has to be wrong."

"What he meant is immaterial. That's now three people who are aware of the situation, and only two of which need to be. One weak link can break the chain. Ignorance is his best chance at safety; now that he knows, he has put himself in harm's way. You said you were worried about his security."

Unless, he considered, Mami intended to make use of him. Due to their discussion of Luke's protection, he didn't give that theory credence.

"Perhaps you haven't been paying attention, Luke. The credulity of his acts are irrelevant. His ultimate ambition will be incredible, and anything he can do to dampen society's sense of the credible is to his advantage. Even so, his acts will grow more credible, and more deadly, over time.

Proving him wrong is pointless; he is persistent, and will try again and again so long as he runs free. The only cure is his elimination."

This time it makes perfect sense when she pushes her glasses up the bridge of her nose. Her face takes on a serious expression the unknown spirit might recognize from fake Luke's face. It was the face she had worn when she had stopped pretending to be a child.

"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, this is true. However, can you call a chain with only one link a chain at all? I, for one, don't mind that he knows the details. What if I agreed to your help and we failed? No one would ever know what happened to me. The woman known as...oh but I've almost given myself away. But the sentiment remains. I would vanish from this world with no one to miss me, and no one to carry on the task. No, if this foe is as dangerous as you claim, it is the height of arrogance to NOT let those worthy of trust know."

She glances at Luke. Poor little Luke, so flustered and scared. "The woman who sent me sees something in this one. I haven't seen it yet, but I do trust her judgement. Otherwise I would not deign to work alongside her. She is a shrewd woman, and does not give her trust easily. This leads me to believe our young friend here is capable of keeping a secret. I understand your concern about his welfare, but in the end, who knows that he knows other then the two of us? Do you intend to inform your enemy of this? I do not."

Her arms cross loosely over her chest. "Which leaves us with one potential problem. What if HE tells? That is the next thing you will say, isn't it?" She steps over to the young boy, leaning over with a gentle smile on her face. "You understand, right? How serious this is? And how much danger everyone would be in if the truth got out prematurely?"

"Of c-course I do!" If he's insulted at the insinuatiom that he wouldn't know better, it doesn't show. Luke peers up at the shapeshifter, arms crossed as he thinks. "But M--I mean. Well. She'll want to know what's happened. Especially if you don't come back." By now he's picked up that there is a deliberate attempt to not use Satsuki's name and as such he's simply following suit.

Luke chews his lip, still lost in thought and the anxiety of the encounter. After a minute however, that anxiety on his face is morphing into something slightly different. Suspicion? No. More like uncertainty.

"But...how can we be sure we can trust you? That you have no one to tell?"

It seems like a fair enough question, after all. If the strange spirit is calling into question their loyalty, to what end could they trust his motives were pure?

He had encouraged a thirteen year old to come out and chat at midnight, after all.

It was ironic that he depended on trust right when it was under attack.

"Don't misunderstand. I am merely pointing out the tactical flaw that has appeared, and using it as a warning; I doubt whether Luke will expose us of his own volition." Left unsaid were the ways one might forcibly make Luke talk, aka torture, but hopefully Mami would infer and consider it.
"I know of no way to erase knowledge so gained. We will have to live with this mistake."

"As to your concerns: If we fail, that will likely mean the end of your world. The element of surprise is crucial, and second chances are rare. I am not opposed to adding more allies, though I'll say again that we must be covert. Every addition is a potential liability; choose wisely.

"As for trust, I appeal again to the goal of our enemy, and ask whether it is wise to withhold it in its weakest moment.

Failing that, trust is an abstraction, and impossible to prove, except by granting it and remaining justified.

To inform your decision, consider the behavior and consequences. Though I am unusual, I have been consistent. Conversely, the shape-shifter has deceived, and Luke has hid.

And yet, I am forced to trust, because the alternative is to seek out other allies, and time is precious.

From your perspective, I guess that there are three choices. You can ignore the threat, and wait for its passing. You can try and fight it on your own, using my information and giving nothing in return. Or, you can ally with me and increase your odds.

I would recommend the third, though if I myself am in doubt, my opinion will not sway you. I am in the weaker position, and as such the ultimate decision rests with you."

There was a difference in the mistrust of the woman and the child however. In Mamizou's case, she seemed to be taking things at face value. What was being said didn't seem all that unusual to her. She had lived long enough, and seen enough things that the concept of some spiritual being trying to wreck society wasn't even that far-fetched. She'd played her own tricks on humanity before, though never with such ill intent.

She seems happy with the response Luke gives her. She must really have a high opinion of Satsuki to show Luke so much trust just because Satsuki trusts him. "I had thought you would. And provided this enemy doesn't employ mindreaders, there is no way for them to find out about you. There is at least one in the city, but I rather doubt she'd help ruin the world. Her sister would never let her hear the end of it."

She turns back then to the unnamed spirit. "So I believe our chain is still safe. I do not believe this one foolish enough to endanger us. Perhaps foolish enough to endanger HIMSELF by being here, but he's made his reason clear enough. Furthermore, him being here makes it easier to give my own trust."

She narrows her eyes, leaning a little towards the spirit. "Because while your story seems too fantastic to be made up, it is possible this is some clever trick. If it is, I must applaud you, because I have not seen through it. But with someone knowing about you other then myself, I feel a little bit more at ease playing my own part. But perhaps it would be best we stop wasting time."

A smile that doesn't bother trying to disguise the woman's confidence comes to her face. "Now is the time you prove you are what you say you are, Mr. Spirit. Just keep in mind, I am not as easily controlled as a human would be. I've seen my fair share of spirits in the past, I've even befriended some. I can't say I've ever let any reside within me. But there is one last detail. My identity. I've painstakingly worked to keep it a secret. Keep it that way. I imagine that even if you can't touch my mind it'll be impossible to keep from you, so as I am trusting Luke not to tell others about you, I will have to trust you to not tell others about me. That seems a fair exchange, right?"

A sly little smile is given to Luke. "And of course that goes for you too, little guy. You're only the second human here to know about me, but I suppose you don't know as much as she does. I'll tell you about it when its safe. And, of course, when I am sure I can trust you to keep a secret."

Again, he nods. If he wants to help--and he does want to, after all, otherwise why would he have come at all?--then he's no option but to do what is being asked of him. And this in itself is enough to steel his resolve.

"What do you want me to do now? Aside from telling nobody about this. I think the person who sent us will want to know whats happened..." He pauses. "So if we aren't going to tell her the truth then what will we say?"

In a gesture of good faith (or maybe stupidity): "um. And also...Mr...Spirit?" Is that appropriate etiquette? "I promise I only wrote what you actually said. You can read it if you want."

A pause. "Just in case something happens though, I want to keep them." In his hands he is showing the two of them the little notebook he'd been scribbling in. To his word, the exchange itself is the only thing written. Maybe he feels a little tiny bit guilty for hiding.

Just a little.

"Yes, I will not ask for your name unless it is required. The exchange is granted."

He addressed Luke next. "I would advise you destroy those records. They're practically a second unnecessary witness, and easier to abuse. I also advise you live as though this never happened. Avoid suspicion."

"As for your superior, you might try telling the truth. Tell her that you must not speak of what transpired. If she is prudent, that will suffice. If not...regardless, you two know her better than I. Handle her as you will."

Now things had come to their conclusion. "You accept then, good." Jerkily, he knelt down. "Once this process is complete, I will require your voice to speak. It will seem as though you're talking to yourself; do this privately to avoid arousing suspicion. Approach, and touch me. Then, concentrate, and try to empty yourself. This may not be pleasant; regardless, try to be silent."

Edited 2014-11-14 02:24 (UTC)

While the woman might not mind her name being known, she didn't want it attributed to the person working for Satsuki. She used her real name in her human guise, after all. Perhaps had she chosen another it would have been easier to keep secret, but then keeping the secret would be less challenging, and thus less fun. So far, her life here had been a game, but she was not unable to take matters seriously when the situation required it.

"You ask a lot for someone like me. An empty mind is difficult for someone who's always thinking, but I shall do what I can to accommodate your request. But a moment first, if you please."

If she is going to empty her mind, she wants to say what is on it first. And that is why she is approaching little Luke with a smile on her face. "I don't know what is going to happen next, but I am not sure that I am going to have time to report to her personally. That is why I need your help. I realize that you weren't supposed to be here, but you were. It is important she knows what has transpired here. Can you do that for me? Don't leave out any details. You are the only one I can count on for this, and it would make it a great deal easier for me to relax if I knew I could trust you with it." Like a woman older then she looks, she reaches out with one hand to pat the boy on the head. He may be a teenager, but that was still a child in the eyes of the centuries old tanuki.

And with that she walks back to the unnamed spirit. "So, empty mind, hm? I say it would be a difficult task for me, but it would really be difficult for anyone considering the situation. If only I'd taken meditation more seriously." A sigh escapes her. "Oh well. There will be time to lament that later, hopefully."

Thankfully, she is at least not the type that panics easily. Her eyes slip closed. If the spirit indeed meant her harm, it'd be easy to attack her now. Little nagging thoughts like that swirl in her head, slowly but surely fading when nothing happens. There is no attack incoming. She'd already spoken to Luke. She had most of the information she needed. All that was left was just to accept the final part of the deal.

At last, it was time to leave Morgan. The transference was made in a matter of seconds. The previous host slumped, the spirit apparently having left him unconscious. He wasn't dead, if anyone cared to observe, merely out cold.

This would be, for a moment, how the tanuki felt as well: unconscious, as another consciousness temporarily overwhelmed her own. Then it would reassert itself, snapping her back to consciousness.

What remains is hard to describe. The spirit definitely did not feel nice. If anything, it was restless and vacuous, as a man single-minded and obsessed. If one has ever had the feeling of being watched, it was there from the inside-out. Sorry, Mamizou. It might be difficult to sleep for a while.

He nudged at her mouth once it was done. If she granted control, he would take it. "I will explain this arrangement later. For now, let's away."

For a moment, it was if there was nothing at all. A brief moment of dreamless sleep, of emptiness, claims the woman in a way she had never experienced before. She had seen possessions, but never experienced one herself. Now, she'd be able to add that to her resume.

For someone that had shown such confidence, she seems overwhelmed by the experience. Luke, if the whole ordeal hadn't chased him off in fright, would get one last shock to add to his list of strange things happening in this evening. The joining of the two was more then she could easily take.

Her human disguise fades in much the way her disguise as Luke did, revealing her actual true form. Ears, like those of an animal, top her head, but they might be impossible to notice compared to that tail. It was an absolutely massive thing, ringed in brown and black with markings much like one might see on a raccoon, and seemed to be nearly as big as the entire rest of her body. As if that wasn't outlandish enough, she's now wearing a hat that looks almost like its made out of leaves.

And it takes her a few moments to realize this has even happened. The spirit might not recognize what that extra weight on her meant, but she did. For what its worth, she turns back to Luke to flash a smile, seemingly undisturbed by being overwhelmed to the point the young boy had seen her as she really was. "..Well, that was a bit of a shock. If you a little research, I'm sure you could figure out exactly what I am. Now, Mr. Spirit, give me a moment. This form will attract far too much attention."

There's that swirl of leaves, and she is as she was before the joining. "You'll have to tell me what is next I am afraid."

So you want to be a sleuth (ACTION)

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