kenoslogs | [closed] ※ catch-all!

Entry tags:

[closed] ※ catch-all!

WHO: Sebastian & Various
WHAT: pax is onto something with this permanent catch-all idea
WHERE: Various
WHEN: u know
WARNINGS: threads with content warnings will be marked in the subject lines! Since it’s Sebastian, there’s a decent chance to run across (gross) violence over anything else tho

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

» quest info here!

[ Truth be told, Sebastian wasn’t the one that had claimed Yura’s request. That was solidly Silco’s doing. However, it’s little surprise that he had pawned the actual task off to Sebastian. Though Silco was rather surprisingly ferocious, he was hardly up to the task that Yura requested. This was all quid pro quo to be claimed at some point down the line. Now that Silco had a bit of power within Kowloon, making allies down here over enemies was all the more important.

Not that Sebastian can complain though, really. It’s work he doesn’t mind, and he may have even taken it up independently, had Silco not beat him to it. He and Yura had a cordial relationship at this point, and ingratiating himself with the overseer of Ryad wasn’t a poor prospect considering the experimentation with Shimmer and Sveinn’s “walks”. Still, though, the fact that Yura had wanted the task accomplished in a group was a slight annoyance…

Yet obediently, Sebastian waits at the location that Yura had selected for them to meet—a dingy little street food restaurant deep within Kowloon’s heart. He’s early (of course), taking up one of the establishment’s cramped tables. There’s only three of them in here, shoved haphazardly into the tiny space to allow just enough room for people to sit, eat, and be on their way, but this is a dead time of the day, clearly. Even the cook isn’t paying any mind once it was clear that this was a meetup and not a paying customer.

He's patiently biding his time as he waits by reading a slim book, and it’s likely that detail that would identify him first. After all, down here in Kowloon, Sebastian doesn’t keep with his fashionable, fine clothing. Here, it’s all practical, and therefore somewhat shabby, though the fact that he still sticks to all black hides it well. It doesn’t take long in Kowloon to learn that anything nice just gets ruined.

As someone else enters the shop, Sebastian briefly glances up, but his expression quickly turns to light surprise. He closes his book as he sits up and smiles wryly. ]

Well, well. I did not expect to see a familiar face.

[ Not that he knows whether they’re also here for the same job, but. Presumably so. Otherwise, it’s just a delightful coincidence. ]

[ It's not like he actually gives a shit about this job.

No -- truth be told, he actively doesn't want to do it. As brash as he is, Gen isn't a complete idiot, and he knows his place. Which is to say, he knows that most of Kowloon's goings-on are beyond what he can handle; he's out of his depths here. He'd be better suited spending more of his time working for Victor, maintaining some pretense at still having the chance at a 'normal' future. And yet here he is, glancing around at his surroundings as he heads to the assigned meeting spot. Because he knows full well that earning the goodwill of the higher-up folks here will probably come in handy in the future, and he sure could use that leg-up in the long run. (Especially for a very specific task he wants to get done, ideally.)

The place is tiny when he finally finds it, and Gen has to duck his head to avoid braining himself on the top of the doorframe as he steps in. Even then, those pointy canine ears of his clip against the wood, and they flick and swivel in response, seeking any noises that he needs to be wary of. The establishment itself is almost dead empty, even the proprieter basically ignoring his entry, so Gen huffs a quick exhale before making a beeline towards the figure sitting in the back. Exactly where Yura had said they should meet. ]

Hey. [ He tugs off the hood of his jacket as he sidesteps around a table to draw close. ] You here for the -- [ And then Sebastian lowers his book, and Gen's expression immediately goes from a neutral stoic to an irate frown. ] ... oh. It's you.

[ Impressive how much derision he manages to pack into that one short syllable! Truly the sort of attitude that comes easiest to shitty, surly teenagers.

Still. Gen only squints at Sebastian for a moment longer before simply plunking himself down in one of the chairs, letting the legs scrape against the floor from his rough movement. His posture makes it obvious he's on-guard but trying to hide it, sprawling out larger to pretend he's at ease; he doesn't look at Sebastian as he continues, instead scanning their surroundings in the vain hope that some other party will show up for the job, instead. ]

You also get recruited for this job hunting down some nutjob?

( well, seemingly entirely contrary to his two companions in this matter, makoto had volunteered himself for this assignment with verve and zeal; though he has recently relocated from springstar to highstorm in the wake of his Harmonization to Zenith, he still maintains a fierce fondness for kowloon in particular. this seedy and semi-lawless underbelly of springstar reminds him of the parts of Hell he had grown most intrigued by prior to being so rudely torn away from it, and just as he had there, he wants to install himself into this place. to ingratiate himself with those that would give him a leg up amongst its social hierarchies, to gain prestige and renown... it might not equate to the literal strength that the iron-wrought rules of Hell might have, but the placebo would still be a welcomed boon.

and besides. there's something about this kind of work — hunting down rulebreakers, trouble-makers, turncoats — which feels... oddly familiar to him. something that feels correct and well-suited, just as the handle of a dagger had felt in his hand, even though as far as he can recall, he had never properly learned how to use one.

makoto finds the meeting place easy enough; though the extended, warren-like tunnels of kowloon were largely a labyrinthine mystery to him, he had at least spent enough time down here to become rather familiar with the city's heart, so this establishment had been at least somewhat familiar to him. he casts his gaze to the proprietor as he enters, though the cook glances up to look at him, frowns, snorts, and then goes back to what he had been doing as soon as he got the sense that he — like two others crowding the limited real estate of his tiny restaurant — isn't actually planning on ordering.

ah. he's in the right place, then.

an assertion which is only redoubled as he threads through the narrow confines and finds his way to the table that is already occupied by two familiar faces. though he greets his fellow demon with a bright, cordial smile and a warm, ) Mister Sebastian, a pleasure, as always, ( his pleasant demeanor threatens to curdle when he takes stock of gen. he's far too practiced at stomaching the company of (and sometimes even rubbing shoulders with for certain tasks) those he despises to entirely drop it, of course, but it's probably easy enough to see that it grows far more hollow as he addresses the other young man. )

And Minegishi-kun. ( he hums. ) And here I thought I had suffered enough of your company lately! Fortune conspires otherwise, it seems.

( all said while still maintaining the same level of geniality.

he sweeps into the last unoccupied chair, primly crossing one leg over the opposite knee; considering what they have been called here to do, he has left at home the more ostentatious articles of his wardrobe, instead electing for a well-tailored suit in a dark, dusky gray color accented with a wine-red vest worn beneath. he folds his hands in his lap, regarding his two companions with a wide, feline smile. )

Based on what I overheard while approaching... ( sure, the low voice and aggressive way of speaking had certainly sounded like gen, but he had tried to hope otherwise until it was confirmed (alas), ) am I correct to assume the three of us have gathered here for the same purpose?

[ Sebastian’s gaze flickers to Gen’s ears briefly, but otherwise, his expression remains the normal, polite smile that he usually has and that has usually irritated Gen all the more in the past. He’s still not completely sure what he had done to earn Gen’s ire so quickly and so soundly, but in listening to the occasional group Communion where he pops up, he at least gets the impression that it may not be personal. Gen may simply be like this to everyone. ]

You sound so pleased to see me. Why, I am almost hurt.

[ He can’t help but tease, though it’s light. He still feels like it’ll annoy him all the same, though. Sebastian opens up his jacket to tuck the small book away into an interior pocket, since he imagines he’ll at least engage the surly young man in conversation while they wait for their third, but it seems there’s little need for even that. As M enters, Sebastian smiles a little more in interest, but there’s also a note of a simpler pleasure. They’re a punctual group, aren’t they! What a rare delight down in Kowloon, at least in his experience doing work down here. ]

My, my. It is a pleasure indeed, M. It is good to see you have indeed found Kowloon to your liking after all.

[ Since otherwise, Sebastian doubts that he would be able to arrive on time. Honestly, even Sebastian wouldn’t be able to manage it without having a good bit of familiarity with this odd city… There’s only so much a demon’s power can do. He gives each of them a nod in turn as he settles back comfortably. It’s an interesting group that Yura has picked (or, that’s how he’s assuming this works), but he’s hardly displeased. It’ll be an interesting day, clearly. ]

Work from Mr. Szczepański, correct?

[ The particulars can go without mentioning while there’s someone to overhear, though Sebastian doubts it would be too much of a problem even so. Yura’s name held enough weight that he imagined anyone nosy enough to listen in would also quickly decide that it was in their best interests to make it not their business. ]

[ Of course. Of fucking course this goes from bad to worse. And while he might have vaguely hoped that the third party they're awaiting is someone more tolerable than Sebastian -- he almost isn't surprise when he looks up to spot a very familiar face looking back at him.

Unlike Sebastian or Makoto, he's never been the type to keep his distaste for others subtle, and that's not about to change now. His expression promptly darkens, brow furrowing and lip curling in disdain. But to his meager credit, that's about as far as it goes for the moment. No prickly words, no click of the tongue, no noise of derision. Gen only meets Makoto's gaze for long enough to make it clear that yes, they still hate each other, but that's that and this is this.

He's also no stranger to cooperating with people he hates, after all. ]

Yeah. [ His chair creaks beneath him as he slouches down a little lower, manspreading obnoxiously as he digs through his pocket with one hand. After a moment of rustling, he comes up with a carton of cigarettes, his lighter, and a crumpled piece of paper. The note they'd been given containing the details of the job. ] We're supposed to be hunting down some guy, right.

[ 'Some guy' being an understatement, of course. At least for him. He knows he has no business going after a guy that's tortured and killed five people for fun, but. Well. He figures he has enough bullshit working for him, and he can't back out now, in front of these two assholes.

He can't imagine an establishment like this cares about smoking indoors, so he parks a cigarette between his lips and lights it up, taking a long drag before picking up that crumpled note to look it over once more. ]

So, what. You wanna figure out a plan or something before we go hunting him down?

It's only thanks to you so graciously showing me the way.

( it's the sort of vague sense of indebtedness that he would typically loath to feel towards anyone, but when it came to sebastian... it at least felt more understandable to him, considering the other demon's seniority. it is neither the first nor the last thing he would seek to learn from his tutelage, so he lets it go unsaid for now.

gen is, as always, an uncouth and aggrieving presence, but he is at least in makoto's mind a known variable. there are vague sketches on the walls of his mind which give him the impression that the other young man can handle himself at least moderately well in a scrape, so makoto feels the pressure to make sure he doesn't end up the weak link in this little band. these... two demons, and their hunting hound.

that thought makes him smile slyly to himself, gaze flickering up beneath heavy lids to the expressive canine ears atop gen's head.

he hums in blasé acknowledgement of what his two companions have said, himself contributing, ) It's a special sort of shame when someone who should know better commits to breaking the rules so egregiously.

( the implication being that he believes a demon should know better than such a thing; even though he and sebastian are enough proof to show that the laws, natures, and even the Hells they hail from can vary wildly, demons across the board tend to be those that understand and adhere to concepts such as hierarchy and contract. that he should allow himself to trespass so severely, even when the ryad itself exists as an outlet for such violence... part of makoto has to wonder why, even if that's very much not what they're assembled here to do.

gen poses a good question, even if he would hate to admit it. ) Do we know if there's a particular part of the city he's been hunting afield? ( his smile grows sharp. ) We could set a trap.

( and makoto isn't at all above using himself as bait. )

[ What contrasts they make. It’s all Sebastian can think at first as he takes in their motley little crew, but of course mostly Gen. He’s the only human here, yet he’s absolutely the uncouth one compared to the two demons. Sebastian may be dressed more for Kowloon, but it doesn’t at all carry in his posture, which is as prim as ever. At least he doesn’t seem to mind as Gen manspreads and lights up a cigarette. Largely because you have to choose your battles, though. ]

It would be wise, yes. Considering how… unruly they are, at least.

[ Not that Sebastian is particularly worried about it. He’d been more surprised to learn that Yura wanted this to be a group effort, since he felt he was perfectly capable of handling it himself, but he also wasn’t going to argue. If that’s how Yura wanted it done, then that was that. Though he’s at least glad for it now since it looks the choice will at least prove to be entertaining. ]

I did do a little digging beforehand— [ Because of course he did, ever the perfectionist. ] And the majority of his prey was found in a particular district, yes.

[ Which Sebastian will just say/explain here because truly mapping out Kowloon was an effort that struck fear into my modly heart, but sure!! There are some!! ]

So, a trap is not a bad idea at all. The only consistent pattern I could see with the chosen victims is that he picked what I imagine are “easy” targets, so all quite normal humans, or close enough to it. Considering he is not inclined to follow the rules, he is obviously a fool. [ Sebastian shrugs, and his polite smile does grow just a bit more edged, though not quite as much as Makoto’s. ] It will make the job efficient as well, which I can appreciate. Ah, so long as there are no objections to this course of action, naturally.

[ A comment that’s clearly for Gen, but Sebastian’s polite tip of his head Gen’s way makes it clear. ]

[ On his part, Gen's being cooperative enough. (Save his as-always atrocious posture and the steady cloud of smoke he's amassing in this poorly-ventilated place.) Slouched in his seat, he listens quietly to Sebastian and Makoto speak, only giving a cant of the head in thought when Sebastian specifies the target's preferred hunting grounds -- not a district he's terribly familiar with, but one Turek has had him stationed in once or twice, he thinks. A pointy ear flicks in thought as he internally visualizes what he can of the area, and when Sebastian looks to him for objections, he gives a half-shrug.

No objections. In fact -- ]

S'simple, then. We get him to be bait.

[ Said around his cigarette as he rudely jerks his head towards Makoto. It certainly sounds like provocation or a slight at first, but he's actually being pragmatic for once. Withdrawing his cigarette, he slowly exhales a lungful of smoke before continuing flatly; this time he addresses them both. ]

If he's looking for easy targets, then the two of us [ himself and Sebastian, he means ] probably won't work. Too tall. Wouldn't look like easy pickings. And I've got these -- [ gesturing up at his canine ears with his cigarette ] -- not that they're dangerous, but they're 'off' from looking normal human.

[ To his meager credit, he refrains from taking the very easy opportunity to point out how puny and weak Makoto looks. Not worth picking that fight right now when he just wants to get this job over with as quickly and smoothly as possible. Instead, he continues, matter-of-fact: ]

I've got ways of keeping myself hidden while following and keeping an eye on things, and [ to Sebastian ] I'm guessing you do, too. So unless we've got something that'll draw him out quicker, might be easiest to bait him out that way.

( it's simply by the nature of his more recent arrival to kenos — and his even more recent introduction to kowloon, having lived above it for several weeks blissfully unaware of its presence beforehand — that makoto is scarcely familiar of any particular part of the underground. he hadn't brought it up in order to use any of its characteristics to their advantage; he had simply wanted to narrow their focus to the area they were most likely to find their target. they are fortunate that sebastian has already done his due diligence, saving them the time here and now of puzzling over reports and rumors to track down the location of this particular rulebreaker's hunting grounds.

that's one obstacle down. now all they need is a sound enough plan, and then they execute it.

makoto reacts neither to sebastian pointing out what sort of individual the demon typically targets nor to gen volunteering him. he had, after all, planned for this to go in such a direction the moment he had suggested setting a trap. this is exactly the sort of stunt he had pulled in jack's bar down in the slums of Hell, and considering it had brought J's brother right to him, he likes to think of it as a rousing success (J having to save him from said brother notwithstanding). now, where gen just barely decides to take the high road here, makoto summarily refuses; he snorts a laugh at the other young man distinguishing himself from the demon's type due to his ears (does he really think he wouldn't go after a twinky dogboy?), raising one hand to cover his face as he descends into silent chuckling indicated only by the mute shaking of his shoulders. )

Well, ( he breathes out in a sigh once he's finished with his laugh, and as his hand drops to rest on the table, it reveals that his appearance has slightly changed: his eyes are once again dark, as they had been when he was alive and human, and the stitches and scar have vanished from around his neck, ) fortunately I was going to volunteer myself to bait him out, even if Minegishi-kun hadn't gone through the effort of doing so for me. If this indeed the tactic we wish to utilize... though I am not entirely without tricks of my own, I am ultimately entrusting you both with my life.

( he smiles broadly, the expression obviously over-saccharine. he honestly doesn't trust either of them in this regard (no offense to sebastian, but demons should know better than to trust one another?), so he will have to figure out his own contingency plan, just in case. )

So I hope you don't disappoint me, in that regard.

[ There’s a certain dynamic between the two young men that Sebastian is picking up on here, though it’s at least remaining subtle for now. It’s no surprise that they know each other, since they had been in Horos as well (M’s patchy memories notwithstanding), of course. Though because they’re both being professional at the moment, he can only guess at what it is. Though, considering the personalities here, he can assume it’s not exactly friendly. Considering M’s manners weren’t too different from his own and Gen had been very immediately put off by that… It’s not hard to guess.

No matter, though. It seems that any distaste can be put aside, so he won’t comment to ask either way.

To Gen’s guess about his abilities, Sebastian nods. ]

More or less. I will not be noticed, which is the point.

[ Which is a slightly roundabout way to answer it, but just based on how Gen had phrased it, he can guess that his mental picture for what Sebastian might be able to do is a little off. Though considering he doesn’t elaborate, he clearly means for it to be a surprise. He then turns his attention to M to nod approvingly at the little shift in appearance, though it also doubles to assuage his concerns. ]

Of course, M. If it offers a bit of assurance, I do wish for this to go smoothly, and my partners getting too injured or dissipated would be a bit of a failure in my view. I took up the work to impress Mr. Szczepański, after all.

[ It’s (mostly) honest, and he thinks that it’ll be a better comfort for M to know that Sebastian has a personal stake in things going well. It’s a normal part of deals and negotiations when it comes to demons, though it may not sit as well with Gen... But considering M is the one taking the risk, he also imagines that Gen will at least put up with it. ]

Well, I’ve no objections with this plan. I am afraid I was not able to find out too much about his capabilities in a fight, so do stay alert. Go for a quick and easy dissipation if the opportunity presents itself, I would say.

[ That snicker about his ears earns a narrowing of the eyes and a click of the tongue. (As well as an irritable flick of said ears, though Gen would rather not acknowledge that.) So that's how they're gonna play it, huh? Fine.

He makes no direct comment, but his expression does harden almost imperceptibly, the line of his shoulders squaring just a little more, and his tone of voice is just a little sharper when he speaks again. ]

Don't need your concern. [ Aimed at both of them, honestly. ] 've always done what needs to get done.

[ Even if that includes keeping an eye out for an obnoxious little shit that he'd love to see put in his place. Gen doesn't know what Sebastian's abilities are, but that's fine; he wasn't planning on depending on them, and he wasn't planning on making his own abilities clear to either of these fuckers, either. When it comes to this team, all he trusts in is his own abilities.

Gen takes one more drag at his cigarette before stubbing it out in one of the grimy ashtrays sitting around, looking flatly at Makoto as he does so. ]

'sides, when I want to see you dead, I'd rather do it myself.

[ With that, there's the scrape of chairlegs against the floor as Gen hauls himself back to his feet, flipping his hood up in the same movement. (Yes, it has pointy little pockets for his dog ears.) His tail lashes impatiently behind him as he jerks his head towards the exit. ]

Sounds like sitting around talking about this shit's not gonna get much more done. Let's go.

( what, is makoto supposed to pretend his little doggy ears and tail don't essentially undermine whatever imposing demeanor he's trying to front? ever since their little run-in during the Oracle's ordeal, he remembers enough of his previous interactions with the other young man to know that those are new, which is a delight in and of itself. and it's one that makoto mostly keeps to himself... the occasional snicker or snide smile notwithstanding.

in the end, his fears are allayed, or at least as much as they could be by words alone. it had absolutely been the correct move for sebastian to impress that allowing him to pay too dearly for this risky part he was playing in their scheme would be too much of a stain on his good reputation to bear, and he also knows that gen isn't lying in his own reply, recalling (even if many of the details were hazy) how they have both worked and fought alongside one another in the past.

as he continues, though... well, they had been keeping the nature of their rather contentious relationship largely unsaid in sebastian's presence, but that pretense is fairly compromised at this point. so makoto merely replies, ) Of course. I would expect nothing else, ( in a tone that is far too breezy and casual for the subject matter at hand as he stands from his own chair, brushing himself off as he does so. )

I'll do all in my power to try to keep him in one place, once he's committed to an attack. From there... do your best.

( he moves to leave the tiny restaurant on his own at this point, thinking it best that they move in a group as little as possible, and especially him, given his role in this trap. he takes to the labyrinthine, honeycomb streets of the undercity, slowly angling towards the area of town that sebastian had highlighted as that most likely the demon is using as his hunting grounds. to makoto's credit, his acting is good, layered in a way that is difficult to falsify. he moves with the sort of assumed self-confidence that would appear obviously feigned to a sharp observer, accented with occasional wary looks around himself, belying the faint nervousness of an individual who knows they have wandered into a potentially treacherous place but is trying everything they can think of to attempt to navigate back out of it.

and as he does so, he senses the same thing that he had when he had traveled the slums of Hell: eyes upon him. whether they were those of his companions, remaining unseen as they followed; their target; or anyone else hanging around the area... it's hard to say, but he's interested to find out.

with one conspicuously furtive look about himself, he ducks into an alley. )

My, my… So long as you two keep your killing to another time, yes?

[ Sebastian laughs out the words with a smile. Tense indeed, though of course he doesn’t actually care. Even if they did play out their grudge today, it’s none of his business so long as it doesn’t interfere with the work at hand. He stands and pulls up the hood of his jacket. As prim and proper as he is, he truly hates the way Kowloon just constantly, uh, drips when in its alleys. It’s best not to think about what’s dripping either…

But as they go their separate ways to make their capture an easier effort, Sebastian does indeed keep an eye on them both. It’s made easier by this particular district being a quieter one, and so he can see why this was picked as hunting grounds. Once he’s quite sure that he’s alone, his form becomes indistinct as the shadows that he’s made of unravel. They spill to the floor and largely disappear into the eaves and cracks of the dark, but he’s just shaped himself differently. A black rat with bright red eyes skitters down the alley to eventually tail M’s path. As he’d said, he wouldn’t be noticed.

And indeed, it’s because vermin hardly get a second glance in the city that he happens to spot their target first.

As M ducks into the alley, Sebastian is coming from an adjacent one. With silent footfalls, a lithe, hooded figure follows. It’s clear enough that they’re following M, and that’s plenty to assume that this is precisely who they’re looking for. Having M be bait was an excellent idea, as it turned out. It’s all the more certain as he stalks into the dark after him, because besides the eerie quiet of how he proceeds, Sebastian is able to see how his hand flexes to extend long, sharp claws from his hand that turn the skin a true, devilish red before he hides them casually in his hoodie. It seems as if he’s pretending to be casual as he follows, at least for now.

He waits, then trails after, though he sticks to where the wall and floor meet. ]

[ He'd split from the other two as soon as they reached the target area -- and not subtly, either.

No point in beating around the busy when they all knew this was an alliance made purely for the sake of completing the job, and Gen had no intention of letting either of them learn more about his abilities than absolutely necessary. A gruff 'I'll keep an eye out from cover,' was all he'd said before ducking out of view into a side alleyway; even if Makoto or Sebastian bothered to glance into the shadows, they would have found him completely vanished from sight.

It's from several feet behind and hidden inside the ground that Gen trails after Makoto, hidden completely from sight. Nice and easy. And what do you know -- it hardly takes any time before their likely target dips into view just above him, footsteps soft despite that feigned casual attitude.

Maybe this'll be quick.

He doesn't bother telling Makoto that he's being followed. Less because he's worried that Makoto will react to that information in a way that will alert their target -- he's sure a sneaky fuck like Makoto is more than capable of feigning calm regardless -- and more because he doesn't really want to Communion with Makoto any more than absolutely necessary. And there's no need, anyway.

The moment their target seems to have made up their mind, baring those crimson claws and starting to lunge in for the kill -- the ground beneath his feet is suddenly gouged out, abruptly sinking his legs several feet into the ground before the dirt closes up around them. Neatly trapping him in place, the earth continuing to squeeze tighter and tighter around those trapped limbs.

Gen remains hidden out of view for the moment, but he breathes a low exhale to himself from his hiding spot underground; surely the other two should be able to finish that off without any problems, right? ]

( he recalls the electric dread of another similar situation — he stood above the decapitated body of the baron, causing the water of his still-running shower to go red with blood, and he had scarcely caught the presence of another behind him before a blade had been extended to rest on his shoulder. but regardless of why he might claim he had followed him from that bar in the slums, kieran had been far more motivated by curiosity than violent intent. makoto keenly knew the difference. this creature they hoped would pursue him is, in his mind, not at all very dissimilar from the monster he feared he would become in his human, mortal life. he can't help but remember what he'd read out of those books on serial killers he'd hoarded in secret in his room: often the first time a killer satisfies their macabre desire, they are at their most wild, messy, and emotional. further predations are attempts at recreating and once again catching that high, though through practice and procedure they could become impersonal and perfunctory.

all of this feeds into one assumption that makoto critically makes: he can't assume that this demon will take his time. as labyrinthine as kowloon is, they are still out in relative public, and he must know by now that he is a wanted man. the attack would come swift, devastating, and sudden, and the three of them would have to react in kind.

what he certainly hadn't accounted for was gen making the first move.

their target is skillful enough at the hunt that makoto hadn't sensed his approach beyond the awful, creeping unease that comes from the paranoid thought that one might be being watched or followed. he had been forcing himself to try to keep his attention forward, to be as tempting of bait as he could manage, but there is a sudden shift in the earth beneath his feet and an accompanying sound of earthen grinding. he turns on his heel, eyes wide in shock, to see the hooded figure sunk into the earth up to mid-thigh. the attacking demon seems just as surprised, looking down and pulling at his entrapped legs with a gravelly string of low curses. the hooded head snaps up and fixates on makoto.

"the hell is this? is this your doing?!"

makoto flounders for an answer, and it's not acting; many of his memories regarding his interactions with minegishi gen came back to him, but he can't for the life of him recall seeing whatever he might've been capable of in a fight. he begins to make the mistake of thinking that their mission would be done so quickly and easily, but the other Shard-Bearer foils that when his body grows hazy and indistinct before disappearing entirely — that is, until he reappears in his entirety right in front of makoto, having used Misty Step to escape gen's trap. not seeing the real perpetrator, though, he makes his own assumptions. "well?!" he doesn't wait for a real reply, one of the crimson claws darting out from beneath the hooded cloak to sink cruelly into makoto's chest to hold him in place; hot blood immediately begins to well up from the wounds and stain through layers of clothing.

the pain, too, is immediate, and for a long second it's all that occupies him. everything that has happened up until this point has only taken the span of seconds, and so he forces himself through it to put forth the only real action he can commit to in this scenario: there is a strange shifting in the space behind him as his wings reach from beneath the hem of his jacket. this alley is too narrow for him to spread them entirely, but that's fine; all he needs to do is to strike out with them and sink the talons deep into the flesh of the other man's shoulder and leg, effectively locking them together.

makoto finally looks up from his wound to the dark pooling beneath the hood, smiling with sharp teeth. one of his eyes has reverted to its typical eerie appearance. he can taste blood in his mouth as he speaks, the faintly wet quality to his words perhaps indicative of an injured lung. ) Well. What will you do, now you know there is more than meets the eye?

( he doubts he would prove so slippery now. not unless he had a way of carrying him along with him. and if flight is temporarily denied as an option... he just has to hope gen and sebastian act before he's torn to pieces. )

[ M isn’t the only one that’s surprised, at least. As the ground shifts, Sebastian takes several steps back, since he at first thinks this is perhaps an ability of their target, and he doesn’t want to get caught up in it either. However, it’s clearly not once it traps him by the legs. Apparently Gen is a little more skilled than Sebastian had given him credit for.

However, his surprise and mild hesitation to drop his inconspicuous form also prevents him from stopping their escape and attack. As claws sink into M’s chest, Sebastian moves more towards the center of the alley, and those strange, dark whorls gather up around him. It’s a quick process, no longer than it takes for M to respond, but the shadows draw up and resolidify into the shape that both of them know. Still, for a moment longer, the edges of his human form still slough off that strange dark.

It's not something that Vaelakar is unaware of, though.

They bark out a sharp noise of pain at the sudden surprise of being pinned by talons and seeing the sharp teeth of what was supposed to be their prey and realize their mistake. Doubly so when someone else is suddenly behind him (though pinned as he is, he can’t fully see). They laugh first, perhaps a reflexive response to the pain, but with a flick of their hand, it starts to glow red hot as they summon flame to their palm. They’re cornered, and a blade of flame and demon’s claws are good weapons. Normally, at least.

Before the blade can be summoned in full, Sebastian closes that distance between them in an instant. Rather than use his own claws, he’s pulled out a simple combat knife and he drives it into the arm that’s in the process of summoning flame. The blade expertly slips between the gap between his forearm bones, and Sebastian twists it sharply at an angle until there’s a crack. ]

Bad luck.

[ Sebastian responds coldly, since he’s displeased that M had gotten injured at all, even if this probably doesn’t quite count towards the severe injury he’d mentioned. Thankfully, demons are resilient enough that he assumes it won’t be that bad. But still, though the palm of flame quickly ebbs away as Vaelakar’s attention can’t exactly be held on it anymore, it’s with a shout of both pain and fury that the near-dark hall is suddenly filled with bright light. That at least works for the moment on Sebastian, since with his sensitive eyes adjusted to the dark, the sharp shift is briefly blinding. ]

[ 'Tch,' he thinks. 'If they'd reacted faster, they could have ganked the fucker before he slipped out of the ground.' But hypotheticals are easy, and also meaningless. What actually matters is what next unfolds.

The welling up of blood followed by the splatter of near-black against the pavement does make his stomach churn. For some reason, it's more difficult tolerating this level of bloodshed from other people, than if it were his own. It's only a slight wave of nausea that prickles at the back of his throat, though. Not enough to disrupt his focus. The close proximity between Makoto, Sebastian, and their target means he doesn't exactly have a good opportunity to intrude, and the brief thought of leaving his hiding spot to butt in is tossed aside; the alleyway's too cramped, and he's sure they'd all just get in each other's way.

Which ends up being the correct choice, anyway.

That bright flash of light must be near-painful when seen from so close up, but Gen is shielded from the majority of it by Sebastian's body, the distance between them, and the natural haze of the ground he's looking out from. So when Sebastian's movements halt, he's able to step in without giving their target any chance to flee.

For those aboveground, all they'll hear is the dull crack of the ground rupturing, following by a heavy object coming hurtling out of the pavement just by their feet -- an old paving stone that comes rocketing upwards to smash into their target's side, just below the ribcage, sure to knock the air out of him.

And before the poor schmuck can even catch his breath, his leg once more sinks clean into the ground. This time, before he can whisk himself away -- if he even has the breath for it -- from underground, Gen grabs his foot in both hands and twists. It's sharp, guttural when he snaps at Makoto and Sebastian through Communion: ]

Hurry up and finish him off!

[ He doesn't know the exact way this guy escaped last time, so Gen has to settle for maintaining a vicious grip and digging his fingers into the man's freshly-broken ankle, hoping some combination of the physical grip and the pain will keep him trapped in place long enough for the other two to finish the job.

( ooc: sorry for the delay on this one, you guys! )

( he can first feel the flickering warmth from the flames that the demon attempts to summon, and that causes his stomach to twist in apprehension, fearing remaining in such dangerous and close quarters with the demon, their claws, and whatever other magic assaults they might be able to make. so it’s a rush of sudden relief when the magic is viscerally interrupted by sebastian jamming sharp steel into their forearm and twisting the blade until its physical construction is compromised. even with the pain surging through chest from the deep gouges the demon’s claws had created, makoto can’t help but smile at the calm, casual brutality — he can’t help but appreciate the efficiency of another demon’s work, after all.

they might have interrupted the first spell their quarry attempted to use against them, but there is nothing they can do about the sudden burst of light that illuminates the enclosed space of the alleyway. makoto instinctually squeezes his eyes shut against it, of course, but they are no more or no less sensitive than that of an average human; he can adjust, and perhaps a little faster than sebastian might, but that might take far too much time in such a precarious moment.

because of this, much like before, makoto feels what gen does as it tremors through the ground rather than sees it: something tears loose from underfoot and crashes into vaelakar, both winding them and knocking them off-balance before they can continue to cut makoto down so they can turn to their other assailants. then the earth claims one of his legs once again, and though they had been able to get out of just an impediment of the terrain, there’s no swift escape to be had with makoto holding onto them with the talons of his wings and the brutal snap of their ankle broken in gen’s continued earthen grasp.

gen is right. this is their moment — it must happen now. )

Sebastian, now! ( he attempts to rally the other demon and draw him towards his voice, fumbling for the blade he had kept hidden in the interior of his jacket. the familiar pain of the sharp edge in the handle greets him with the slick warmth of blood, but he ignores it, flipping his grip so he can stab its cruel length repeatedly into the demon’s chest — all while he produces a fistful of flame in his left hand, blinking tears out of his eyes and regaining enough of his vision just in time to palm-slam it into vaelakar’s face. )

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