look with those eyes to my heart

[omnisciens]

Who: omnisciens and topslug
When: Forward-dated to Friday night / right around Saturday's morning sirens
Where: Yako's house
Summary: A reunion of detectives.
Warnings: nothing but slapstick violence

Comments

[topslug]

Yako hadn't been sleeping well until recently, but the worst of the lighthouse-induced nightmares had finally begun to fade away. It seemed as though her body was making up for those hours of lost sleep at last, sending her falling face-down into bed much earlier than she would normally sleep and keeping her solidly under until morning.

Tonight was no different.

With all of the week's obligations finally met, Yako had been so tired that she hadn't even had the chance to change out of her clothes before her head hit the pillow. The blissful, serene, slightly idiotic expression on her face now held little of the clever, far too perceptive young woman Neuro had prodded and pushed into evolving. With her mouth hanging open like that, it was a wonder she wasn't drooling onto her sheets. The occasional twitch of her fingers was the only thing that remotely betrayed any kind of cognizance of what was going on around her, and she didn't seem to feel the weight of the gazes bearing down on her.

What did register was the high, whining drone of the morning sirens, too loud for her to miss even in the depths of slumber. Her eyes fluttered, but failed to open, and she rolled over in bed, sending a handful of Evil Fridays clattering to the floor as she tried in vain to yank the pillow over her head and block out the noise. No use: they certainly made sure the sirens could be heard everywhere in the city. She rolled back over, arm held over her face. The city was beginning to warm up, but she could still feel the bite in the air of a spring that refused to let go, her hair stirring gently in the wind coming in through her window.

...Her open window.

Wait, that's not right--

[omnisciens]

Perfectly right!

He heard the sirens again, and many of the little eyeballs clumping on Yako's bed even turned to look out the window in surprise; Neuro didn't, because A) he's already formed a pretty good idea of what they mean, and B) he's preoccupied in aiming his hand just so in order to shoot his claws right up his sleepy partner's nose. It didn't take more than a second for his black glove to suddenly twist and grow into a handful of sinister-looking claws. It also didn't take more than a second for Neuro to change his position on the ceiling, reach forward, and effortlessly hook the tips of said claws right into Yako's nostrils, giving her a good yank to try and drag her forward.

"It's time you wake up, Yako."

Low, somehow both threatening and mischievous at the same time - Neuro's tone should be a very familiar one, and the rest of him matched that unchanged feeling. The same fanged smile and piercing stare are turned on her. It would be a lie to say that he wasn't a little bit excited - though it hadn't been too long since he last saw her, it had been a very, very long time since he'd been feeling this good with all his energy back.

And even if it had been a few years for Yako, it seemed like her face was as pliable as he remembered.

[topslug]

It took all of a split-second for the thought to form in Yako's sleep-fogged mind: he's here.

Of course, moments afterward, that was shortly followed by ow ow ow ow my nose and how did I ever think I missed this?! She made a noise that would properly be described as a squawk, pillows and more tiny demon eyeballs falling to the floor as she was bodily hauled forward. It was funny what you forgot, after a few years, and what you didn't; the sensation of her nose threatening to get ripped right off her face certainly fell into the second category.

"Neuro," she might have said, or tried to say, but the grip on her nose turned that closer to "Nyoowooo!" and her gaze went cross-eyed as she tried to focus on the demon in front of her. In a futile attempt to stop the world from spinning, she grabbed at his wrist with both hands, heedless of the spines that pricked at her palms. At a loss for words, she found herself staring, caught by that inhuman gaze.

"Welcome back." The words were soft, and she hadn't even realized she'd spoken them until she heard her own voice, hanging in the still air.

[omnisciens]

Well, that was sufficient enough - with a short chuckle, he spared her nose any further insult for now, twisted claws shrinking away from her face (although not quite far enough to say that Yako was out of the range of danger.) Yes, this was certainly the same human from Earth - there was pretty much no way Neuro could misplace that pained look he'd caused an innumerable amount of times. It was still pretty entertaining.

He lets the grip on his wrist slide, other than the fact that he immediately starts sprouting even more barbs to sting her hands... which may not count as letting it slide. That kind of tone from her towards himself was somewhat unexpected, although he hardly shows it other than a slight narrowing of his eyes. But years were long for humans, he supposed. It was something beyond his current understanding.

"Back? Even you should be able to tell this is no world I've been to before." Not that he sounds particularly perturbed about that as he stares right back at Yako unflinchingly - more curious, and carrying the unspoken message of 'more information, now.' "And neither have you. How long has it been?"

[topslug]

Once the grip on poor, abused cartilage finally let up, Yako wasted little time in letting go so she could gingerly make sure that it was still properly attached. It was a minor demonic miracle, really, how Neuro managed to bring the pain without leaving any mark. For all the things he hurled her through, she'd never once actually suffered actual injury by his hands. She had often had reason to wonder if that was ever deliberate or merely incidental.

Probably incidental. Or part of his inhuman reasoning that a face snapped taut or a spine broken wouldn't nearly be as fun to yank around.

"... It's been three years since you returned to Hell, going by the calendar back home." She straightened on the bed, knees digging into rumpled sheets. Small mercies: at least she'd been spared the nightmare of having to deal with Neuro in a nightgown. Silently, she resolved to stick to pajamas from now on. "Including the time in the city, it's been nearly four years since the last time we saw each other."

And then, thought she knew she should probably answer his unspoken questions first, she couldn't help but ask: "How did you end up here?" But then, I've already met other demons brought here by the Pull.

[omnisciens]

Four years, then - and Yako had lived here for one of those. Unusual. So it seemed like his failure to enter Earth again hadn't really been his fault, after all - he'd not excluded the possibility that he'd find some kind of alternate universe Yako (although he'd imagined her to look a lot more like a pig in that case. Or maybe a potato bug or some kind of snail - but let's not get too distracted here.) But what she was saying matched up well enough with her appearance and with what he'd already gathered earlier in the day. There really was some force drawing beings into this dimension.

That Core was becoming more tantalizing by the moment to both his tongue and his talons. The excitement on his face was relaxing to something more contemplative; though his smug smile remained and his gaze was still fixed on hers, he was clearly mulling over the situation and Yako's words in his unfathomable brain. He'd barely set foot here and there was already a mystery forming - and, as usual, puzzles were the foremost thing on his mind.

Crossing his arms. Normally, he might toy with her and grill her a bit harder for answers, but even a demon could recognize that there was a lot of catching up to do here. "As I told you, I returned to Hell for just a single breath before tearing the path to Earth open once again. My travel was normal. But there was an unexpected pull." All very matter-of-fact about this. "If your little brain can manage to retain information over a period of four years, you'll recall that I mentioned parallel universes. This is one such universe, strongly influenced by that 'Core.'"

ALL DEM EDITS

[topslug]

Technically it had only been about six months, but that was close enough. It wasn't as if such a small increment of time would mean much to a demon like Neuro-- a fact proven by the next words he uttered. The look on his face was one that Yako was intimately familiar with (it usually preceded being dragged off to chase after one puzzle or another). She firmly quashed the urge to smile, knowing no good would come of it; it seemed the demon Neuro hadn't changed a bit. Then again, how could she have expected him to? Whatever state he'd been in when he left, he was still a demon to the core. Demons never changed... though she'd wondered, for years after he left, about just how much closer to human Neuro had become during his stay.

Still, knowing they would meet again was one thing. Actually seeing him, all sharp angles and teeth and every inch the monster she'd first met at her father's funeral? That was something else entirely. He looked a lot better, though one could certainly argue that it wasn't difficult to look better than half-dead.

He was in fine form already, delivering casual insults in the same breath as information. It was useless to ask if he was surprised or upset that he was here instead of where he'd intended to be. Even if such thoughts ever crossed Neuro's mind, they would easily be eclipsed by this world's potential. Knowing that, Yako shook her head with a wry smile. Probably best to get on with things instead of being lost to nostalgia.

"Did you just arrive in the city? I'm assuming the Greeters would have filled you in about what to expect, but I'll answer any other questions you still have."

I only have the edit button for 2 weeks I MUST USE IT >8( \

[omnisciens]

If he had any concerns about the situation, they would only pertain to his demon tools. It's not like he'd had the opportunity to try them all out - that would take a long time and would potentially be a dangerous waste of his limited energy, as much as he had right now - but Neuro was always quite sensitive to the current state of his powers, and he knew something was missing.

A handicap, perhaps. If it had been placed on him by the same force that pulled him in, then so be it. It had no idea what it had brought into its sphere.

"What's this attitude, Yako? Treating me like I'm your guest - perhaps being left on your own so long has softened your senses." In the brief space of the pause between his words, Neuro uncurled from the ceiling and dropped down heavily onto the end of her bed, much to the chagrin of the already-abused demon-world insects - as usual, he had no regard for her personal space, and he remained there, crouching with a middle finger extended in her direction. "Don't forget who you're dealing with. Perhaps others require guidance from you when they first arrive here, but I am the demon who solved all the mysteries of Hell. This may not be the world I intended to arrive at, but that hardly matters for someone like myself."

And part of that was due to the fact that she was here, admittedly. Off-handedly, he answers her question - "I've been here since yesterday afternoon. I have merely been collecting information."

/icontwins. also, shortest tag

[topslug]

"I'm human, after all." It was a matter-of-fact reminder of the distance between them, of the fundamental basis of their relationship. Yako was human, and changeable. They were such a species that each individual could be a completely different person even just over the period of a day.

"You'd be disappointed if I was exactly the same person you left behind, wouldn't you?"

I've grown, Neuro.

aw yeah B) and it's fine!

[omnisciens]

Hmph. What an evasive answer - but a knowing grin quirked his lips anyway. Though he had, once again, the same strength and energy that he'd possessed back on the day they first met, Yako was another story. She'd already grown so much in the time he'd known her back then; Neuro was already eager to see what this mighty cockroach was capable of now.

He gave her a forceful flick to the forehead with that finger, though it was more for undermining his comments than actual displeasure with what she'd said. "So you have continued to evolve in my absence." That interested glint was in his eyes - curiously picking apart her face as if the results of their years apart were behind it. "As you said you would. If that's true, then you'll be showing me what you can do soon, Yako."

Because he was already prepared to begin his feasting. As for her, though - well, Neuro had heard some unusual things. "But you're no longer a detective in this world, are you?" It's difficult to tell if he's honestly just looking for info or if there's a threat veiled behind the question.

you would not believe the effort it takes to keep my shipping tendencies out of every post

[topslug]

Long hours put into self-defense classes (and her own hard-learned lessons at Neuros's all-too-eager clawed hands) meant Yako was prepared for the flick when it came. It still hurt, but letting her body roll with it certainly went some way towards reducing the relative amount of pain taken.

Demonic eyes could see a lot of details humans would never think to look for. The subtle lines of muscle in Yako's arms, though her hands were clasped loosely in her lap right now, suggested she'd built up at least a little more strength than when Neuro had seen her last. There were freckles in places where they hadn't been before, tan lines from the time she'd spent in the sun. Faint, silvery scars traced the hollow of her neck, circling her wrists-- barely visible with makeup applied, a silent testament to the number of times her mouth hadn't been fast enough to get her out of trouble.

Yet in the end, regardless of how she might have changed, Yako Katsuragi had managed to survive.

"I'm not," she admitted, with a wry shrug of her shoulders. If it was a disappointment to him or not, she couldn't tell, but she figured she'd find out sooner or later. "I thought I'd try studying in university, for a change, but that didn't work out as well as I'd hoped. So I decided to try something different, instead." Something other than what she'd grown so comfortable with. A different way of reaching out to other people.

lmfao I know that feel... one day I'll stop tl;dring AND EDITING

[omnisciens]

"A politician," he answered for her, eyeing her expression inquisitively. Obviously, he was no expert on human emotions, but he had been around Yako a long time - well, long enough to smell her fear, more or less. But she didn't seem particularly worried about his reaction to this career change.

What was it? Neuro didn't have the greatest grasp of Earth politics - in Hell, there was sort of a royal bloodline and the Emperor, but mostly just total anarchy, so this whole 'political parties' nonsense was new to him. But from what he could tell, it was something of a position of power; certainly, many others in the city knew her name and face already.

This was a convenient starting place. But that's all it was - a starting place. "You've climbed to a high enough rung that I easily learned of your presence when I arrived. Your progress is pleasing..." And those green eyes are boring holes into hers now; the words that come next shouldn't surprise Yako at all. "But politicians don't find puzzles, Yako. The ultimate mystery still awaits me."

But, unusually, he doesn't demand that she quit or tell her straight out she's going to be a detective again - no, his face and voice have gained a more serious note, for once. She was a human he'd pushed and prodded along the path of evolution; now, she'd grown so much. He could slap her around and force her to do his work in a moment if he pleased, of course; if her answer was negative, he'd be disappointed. But she was no longer his slave. Neuro would afford her that much respect.

ONE DAY

[topslug]

"Close enough," Yako agreed. Explaining the exact intricacies of earth politics to Neuro was likely to be a futile effort, or at least one that would lead into a tangent about whatever madness Hell had that passed for politics. If there was a demon emperor (and really, if Zera hadn't confirmed otherwise, Yako might have suspected Neuro was the demon emperor himself) there had to be a demon court, or something close enough to it. What she amounted to was little more than an aide, in the grand scheme of things. She might be a prominent figure, but she'd certainly never participate in politics to the extent Neuro's arch tone of voice seemed to imply.

The tone in Neuro's threat wasn't one of promised violence, which was a surprise in and of itself. He was serious, then, about giving her a choice. Yako fell silent: though her gaze never dropped, her eyes weren't really seeing him at all. She'd given up detective work when she came here, half because of a lack of actual resources for information, half because she wanted, just for a little while, to feel something like normal. Did she really want to give that up, all for a demon who'd only put her through hell? Was she ready to get dragged around like a rag doll, hurled casually through the air, and who knew what else?

Of course she knew what her answer would be. Somehow, she always had.

"What do you take me for, huh?" Head tipped back, she grinned at him fearlessly. "Who do you think I was waiting for all this time... partner?"

my turn for a short tag now...

[omnisciens]

Good answer.

The grin he returned showed off quite a lot of pointy fangs. Honestly, Neuro hadn't expected anything else, but he'd wanted to see her make the choice herself; and, as planned, it seemed she would still be his most valuable resource while he walked the ground above Hell's fires. "The struggles of Earth were fought on a battleground suited for your kind. Here, both demon and human are at a disadvantage."

Of course, there's not a hint of worry about him, and his voice is confident - eager, almost, for the extra spice of challenge on his meals. "So we shall work even harder to uncover its most sumptuous mysteries. Prepare yourself, partner."