but she's a black magic woman
Who: topslug, goesberserk, and omnisciens.
When: Afternoon to Evening, October 31st
Where: Out and about the city, mostly in Sector 4.
Summary: It's Halloween, and Yako's all dressed up for trick or treat! Too bad her costume came with a little more than she bargained for. When the sirens ring and the detective turns into a witch, it's up to her hapless sidekicks to catch ( Read more... )
When: Afternoon to Evening, October 31st
Where: Out and about the city, mostly in Sector 4.
Summary: It's Halloween, and Yako's all dressed up for trick or treat! Too bad her costume came with a little more than she bargained for. When the sirens ring and the detective turns into a witch, it's up to her hapless sidekicks to catch ( Read more... )
Then the sirens go off, and Yako breaks off mid-sentence, a mug of mulled cider still clutched in her hands. Something in her gaze goes distant and blank, like a computer suddenly shut down; for a moment, it seems like she might topple over where she stands.
Abruptly, she shakes it off, snapping back to herself with a shrug of her shoulders. But there's something subtly different about her, and the wicked, sudden smirk on her face doesn't belong to her at all. Eyes wide, she presses a hand to her chest in mock-dismay. ]
Goodness, is it that time already? Well, it's been a lovely evening, but I think that's enough dilly-dallying. You know how it is-- places to go, people to hex!
[ And with an outrageous wink she's climbing onto her broom and-- yes, she actually did just soar out of the window, cackling all the way. Oh dear. That probably won't lead to anything good. ]
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And there it was. A shrill voice that -- he did know, actually, and Yako was grabbing a broom and flying out of the window with a wicked laugh. Apparently, there are still some things that can surprise the demon Neuro, if his expression is anything to go by. But it's gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by a more characteristic hungry grin, and he's over by the window in an instant, putting a gloved hand on the frame and evidently planning on jumping out there after her.
Behind him, more unusual noises start sounding, growling and hissing and buzzing if that one fellow in the bee costume counts for anything, but it looks like Neuro is planning on making his slave the main dish for tonight. ]
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Unfortunately, he barely knew anyone there, which meant that Shizuo had spent most of the time sipping drinks or eating candy in the corner. When he wasn't hovering near Yako, anyway. He's not good at large groups, especially large groups of strangers.
He'd spotted Neuro when he'd walked in, but had done his best to avoid him. That all changes when the sirens start and most everyone suddenly begins behaving bizarrely, including Yako.
Shizuo's left to stand there with his mouth agape as he watches the girl fly out of the window on her prop broom. How did she--
He rushes over the window to watch, wondering if this is some elaborate trick or act, but Neuro beats him there. More than that, the guy looks like he's about to jump out the window. For someone who knows parkour, that actually doesn't seem too crazy, but he still grabs the guy's arm.]
You going after her? [There isn't any other option, as far as Shizuo is concerned. He needs to know what this is all about, especially since Yako hadn't seemed at all like Yako -- and on top of it all, there are definitely Darkness monsters that can fly. She's not safe out there.]
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Down below, the Darkness hasn't yet completely overtaken the city, and the landscape shifts before Shizuo's and Neuro's eyes. Even the window sill is already flaking with rust under the demon's hand, though it hasn't seeped into the building.
For now, the streets are clear and there aren't any monsters in sight-- yet. ]
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Of course! Sensei doesn't know how to fly at all!
[ and that's about all the explanation Neuro gives before his fingers crunch around the quickly-degrading windowsill and he vaults right over it into the streets below. It doesn't seem like he doesn't care too much whether or not Shizuo decides to stick along - literally or not. ]
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Not that he has much time to pick any of that apart, since the next thing Shizuo knows Neuro has jumped out of the window. That's not exactly going to stop him, though, and so without thinking he leaps out after Yako's so-called assistant.
He has to jump his way down using the skills he's picked up from chasing Izaya through Ikebukuro, but he manages to reach ground level eventually, and not even that far beyond Neuro.] Has this happened to her before? [If so, it's something Yako's failed to mention during their time knowing each other, which Shizuo wouldn't entirely be able to blame her for.]
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Of course not! Miss Yako is as average as they come, Heiwajima-san.
[ Turning on his heel to face the other man, he offers Shizuo a sheepish smile, apparently unperturbed despite being such a loyal assistant. ] Well, I must retrieve her! Shall we split up? I --
[ Whatever he was about to say, he's cut off abruptly. Seemingly out of nowhere, one of the shadowy creatures of the Darkness is tackling him to the ground, all stink and blackness and sharp edges and trailing some putrid substance all along the pavement behind the two of them.
Still, in that split second between Neuro speaking and the apelike monster's teeth, the demon's eyes had flicked off to the side and seen it. By the time their bodies have skidded to a stop, the creature's impaled straight through the chest, though still wriggling - and the origin of the sickly-looking blade appears to be the arm of Neuro himself. Rolling over to push the thing beneath him, he slams a boot into it, pushing himself up to his feet. And the huge needle his arm has become elongates to accomodate his change in height, keeping the monster pinned to the ground for now.
What a bother. So much for keeping his secret... ]
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Working with Neuro isn't ideal, but there isn't much other choice that Shizuo has now. He could go off on his own, but it's possible the Neuro would know something that he wouldn't about Yako, as much as he hates to admit that.
He frowns as the man suggests that they split up, but in the next second an attack hits. As Shizuo watches Neuro get knocked over, his first instinct is still to go help somehow, even if his anger isn't at critical levels at the moment.
As it turns out, that isn't necessary, since Neuro has managed to stab it -- with a blade that's attached to him. Shizuo instantly thinks of Celty and her scythe, though this isn't quite the same. This confirms that Neuro certainly isn't "average as they come," though the similarity to Celty also doesn't necessarily mean he's trustworthy.
Shizuo regards him carefully.] You done with that thing? We need to go find her. [The more time they waste, the harder it will be to track her down.]
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We? You'll slow me down. [ his voice is deep and sonorous and lacking in assistantly qualities now. ] It will be a waste of my energy defending you from the Darkness. So you shall wait inside, Heiwajima Shizuo.
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I won't slow you down and you aren't going to need to protect me. [He forces out a cocky grin and turns to face the street ahead of them.] So let's just go! [Not willing to leave this up to discussion, he starts to run, aiming in the general direction that he'd see Yako fly.]
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Even if playing well with others wasn't one of Neuro's superior qualities, at the very least, Shizuo and he had the same goal - finding that lousy caterpillar of a girl - and the same blunt approach towards it. No useless mincing words. If he desired, he could cover a huge portion of the city in a single bound, but it would be a waste of demonic energy. He had enough faith in Yako to believe quite firmly that she'd survive long enough for him to reach her in a more traditional manner.
Well, relatively traditional. Pavement's boring and Neuro is fast - he leaps up to new footing on the building walls and runs ahead, as well, flitting in and out of vision. ]
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--and then they come across a street corner where it looks like someone's taken a truckful of frogs and dumped them over the concrete, where Yako-- still straddling her broom--is circling like a bright blue vulture.
Being a witch is great. Yako hasn't exactly realized why she's never done this before, but she can't imagine not having the feeling of magic dancing at her fingertips, ready to change the world. The frogs rather miserably flopping around and trying to crawl into the sewers are the remnants of a couple of ooze monsters she simply obliterated into chunks, and now-- now, she's weaving back and forth in front of a giant monster that easily clears twelve feet in height. It's not attacking her at the moment, but she seems to be intent on staring at it, coming nearly within arm's length of actually touching the thing. ]
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He puts all of the power in his body to good use this time, though, and clambers up buildings and across rooftops after Neuro. He notices the forms of other costumed people running amok down below, which makes him wonder what exactly the city has done this time.
The sound of croaking is what stands out first, causing Shizuo to pause and take in the sea of frogs on one side street. His gaze moves from that up to a hulking monster, and more than that, the person perched on a broom before it.] Yako! [Something has to be wrong if she can still ride that thing -- and did she make those frogs appear?
No time to think about it, really. Shizuo jumps off of the building and lands down on the ground below, racing straight for the girl and the monster she's facing. The problem is getting to her without squashing some frogs in the process.]
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Of course, the hulking monster that seems to have captured her attention is the more pressing matter. Hilarious as it would be to watch her get flung into a building by it and break a whole lot of bones, it would also put her out of commission, which would take away from the whole humor aspect. Shizuo's shout and his following leap from the roof (he was unusually acrobatic, wasn't he?) precedes Neuro's own descent. However, unlike Shizuo, he doesn't start sprinting towards Yako, nor does he seem particularly concerned about the frogs.
Well, aside from how aerodynamic they are. He makes a casual leap from the building all the way into the middle of the pile of frogs, and, grinning wickedly as always, wastes no time in grabbing an unfortunate critter and launching it like a fastball in Yako's direction. Better to have her lying around on the ground somewhere than provoking this thing! ]
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Yako doesn't make a sound as the frog hits her solidly in the face, miraculously managing not to splatter on impant. She does, however, goes flying off her broom, which promptly jerks up to jam itself right into the monster's nostril. Does it have nostrils? In the general region of its head, anyway.
That seems to break whatever trance the monster was in, though, because it stumbles back clutching at its face, letting out a earsplitting below that immediately has all the frogs furiously hopping for cover. Yako, on the other hand, isn't so lucky-- she's still on an airborne collision course with Shizuo. Judging by how she's gone as limp as a ragdoll, it's evident that Neuro's nefarious misuse of enchanted wildlife has been super effective! ]
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Not that anything can be done about it now, seeing how the monster has been startled (and is probably pissed off now) and Yako is in the middle of falling toward him.
There's not much that Shizuo can do but try to break her fall. His pulls his arms up to catch her, but the momentum is too much for him to keep his balance. He crashes to the floor (a few stray frogs hopping out of the way just in time to avoid getting crushed) with the girl sprawled on top of him.]
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