(Untitled)

[deceptivelycute]

Who: Ryuugamine Mikado and whoever shows up to bother him?
What: A certain adorable gang leader is very very lost.
Where: Wandering the town.
When: Uh, today?
Warnings: None, likely?

Comments

[lin_kuei_badass]

Hmm, so the pup didn't know much? Well, he at least confirmed an earlier suspicion on this place not being Japan--it sure didn't look anything like Japan, from what Sub-Zero could recall...

Aside from that, there was not much else to go on. He sounded honest enough. Polite, too. The ninja however didn't feel inclined to return the bow, and he never averted from looking at him.

Sub-Zero wasn't too surprised about himself being transported from one realm to the next, with little warning. That usually lead to a fight or flight feeling. That's happened to him before...the few times he found himself in the realm of Outworld. Right now, he had that feeling, but knew the boy was no one to worry about. Still, he disliked being caught off his guard.

He just looks like some ordinary youth, he thought while ingraining the appearance of this boy into his memory. Who was he, exactly? Why was he here? (Hell, why was Sub-Zero even here?)

Just as he was about to ask for the youth's name--suspecting that he had some importance, or some significant reason as to why he was here--he saw a blonde Asian youth come running. He seemed to know this Mikado (if that's what his name really was), and they looked to be around the same age.

Sub-Zero silently watched them both in mild curiosity. He'd watch and wait, instead of turning around and walking away in disinterest. Maybe this youth who seemed to recognize this Mikado knew something Sub-Zero didn't.

[deceptivelycute]

Mikado was smiling before he realized it. After all, he missed his best friend quite a bit, and it had been a while since they'd been able to meet in person. Their lives were very complicated, and his last request to meet had been denied, and the subject changed quickly.

So now just seeing Masaomi automatically elicited a happy response, a bright smile that spread across his face. He was in fact so caught up in it that he completely forgot the man who had approached him at first.

Then, he remembered all the reasons things were awkward between them now, all the things that had happened and were still happening to make it so they couldn't meet. So the overall response was definitely one of mixed messages, one hand reaching out toward his friend even as he took half a step back.

"M-Masaomi? Is it really?"

[masaomi]

((OOC: I don't even know how Masaomi manages to twist and turn things this way, but there ya go. -_- ))

"Mikado..." The last few steps that had been meant to close the distance between them, Masaomi finally slowed his pace. It wasn't until Mikado's mixed messages that Masaomi really started to remember, himself, how awkward things were between them. Being stuck here, so far away from everything that had happened, it really didn't seem important anymore. But if it was still important for Mikado -...

Well, of course Mikado was still upset over what had happened. That was part of the reason why Masaomi had gone away: to avoid having to talk about things and have his best friend reject him once he found out the truth about him.

And now the awkward had returned full force, even though Masaomi couldn't help but be, rather selfishly, glad to see Mikado here. Ah, he really was a horrible friend... No one deserved to be stuck in this place - least of all Mikado!

"When did you...?" And then Masaomi noticed the not-so-subtly-clad ninja who was with Mikado. Maybe not the weirdest sight he'd ever seen, but weird enough. "Who's this?"

[lin_kuei_badass]

[[OOC: To which makes it a little more interesting for this thread. x3]]

From seeing the two interact, it would be obvious to anyone that these two from Tokyo (from what Mikado mentioned) were friends-not just Sub-Zero. The specifics of how close they were and such matters he held little to no concern over, however, as the two were so surprised to see each other.

He remained where he stood, even though Mikado had taken half a step back away from Masaomi.

Did Mikado’s friend just arrive here too? That convenient moment to ask a question to find out came as soon as the blonde of the two youths recognized him, wondering who the man was. Just before that, Masaomi was about to ask Mikado on when he got here, Sub-Zero assumed. Both of these questions he could answer, without causing either of them problems.

“Sub-Zero,” replied the ninja. “That is my name...” And I’m feeling generous on letting the two of you live to know of it, he avoided to say-because that would may lead to unnecessary violence, and it would definitely risk the chance for anyone to know more about him than he’d ever allow.

Years ago, when he was a little older than Mikado and Masaomi, the Lin Kuei clan he was initiated to have given the name Sub-Zero. It wasn’t the name he was born as, and he wouldn’t remember who he was born as if he tried. That frightened, pressured, and threatened orphan boy he once was kept as a secret from those outside his clan, along with many memories associated to this past. Showing or speaking of any vulnerability just might lead to Sub-Zero’s defeat, against his enemies-Scorpion, most specifically.

“Mikado and I have just arrived here-wherever here is. And we might like to know just where we are, and what is going on.” From the way he spoke to Masaomi, he made it clear that he’d really would like to know something about this area, and now.

In posture, Sub-Zero appeared to be a less stiff and tense than before, for he didn’t feel threatened by either of these teenagers; they were normal and ordinary. He knew very well on how easily and swiftly he could kill them, but he knew it wouldn’t be worth the energy, or time. Taking their lives and putting an immediate end to their reunion wouldn’t really help him out in an unknown land. It might lead to confrontations or putting himself in danger, that is if any higher beings responsible for having them here were watching... If there really were such beings in existence, then he’d find it very important to know about them.

If they don’t know anything at all, I’ll find someone else who would know.

[deceptivelycute]

If nothing else, the reminder that they weren't alone took away Mikado's discomfort over Masaomi. He would probably indulge in some deep thinking over their friendship later, but when it came down to the choice between his best friend and a stranger who was using his name so casually after having picked it up from Masaomi... well, there wasn't much to think about.

Mikado took a step closer to Masaomi, and even went as far to slide his fingers around the other boy's arm, holding onto him. But he didn't say anything about his nervousness either, just took simple physical comfort from the person who had for many years been his strength.

"Ah, I hadn't had a chance to properly introduce myself even... I'm Ryuugamine Mikado, and this is my friend Kida Masaomi, and..."

He paused.

"Masaomi-kun, did you just arrive as well. Or..?"

[masaomi]

Sub-Zero? Seriously? Thankfully, his reunion with Mikado, awkward or not, was far more important than some weirdo with what was hopefully a fake name. Jokes about that could (and probably would) follow... later. Because Mikado was touching him. And that felt an awful lot like forgiveness.

"No, I've been here a while, now. I hate to be the one bringing you the bad news, but..."

Masaomi looked at Sub-Zero instead of Mikado for now, because that made it a little easier to get the words out.

"Now that you've been brought here, you're pretty much stuck here."

Which was far from the whole story, but it was a start.

[lin_kuei_badass]

Sub-Zero had paid the most attention to the bad news. He hadn't missed anything from the two altogether--especially not the Seriously? look on Masaomi's face that vanished after a second.

The ninja's eyes narrowed as his gaze lowered. He nodded thoughtfully. "I suspected that leaving here isn't going to be easy... Some higher power is at work, to take us here from one place to the next, and so quickly. Effortlessly." He spoke as if a similar situation had happened to him--to which it did.

Sub-Zero looked back to Masaomi. "Do you know who or what brought us here? Who is in charge?" He, naturally, intended to take action on the individual responsible for this.

[deceptivelycute]

Mikado didn't really feel like he had to ask too many questions, with someone else there doing the talking. He liked it that way, especially when he was trying to think and work things out in his own mind. Besides, what kinds of questions people asked could tell you a lot about them.

For example, obviously this Sub-Zero fellow was the type to take action immediately, to look for an enemy to defeat, rather than considering issues of safety first, as Mikado himself might have.

But he did have one question he had to ask.

"Masaomi, is anyone else from home here?"

[masaomi]

"There's no one in charge as far as I know. It's this world that's dragging people in here. You may as well try to blame God."

Not that there weren't reasons for the Nexus dragging people here, apparently, but... well, those could wait. Masaomi wasn't entirely sure he believed them anyway - not that he had a better explanation.

"Yeah... The black biker's here. I've seen her, once. And -..." He had to fill Mikado in, of course. He would have done that, even if Mikado hadn't asked. But there was still some hesitation before he mentioned the other person Mikado knew - or at least knew of. "Well, you remember Orihara Izaya?" Masaomi's smile was bitter. "It figures that, of all the people this world could have chosen, it went with him."

Not that Izaya couldn't be a valuable ally in the battle against the amalgam drones. But the Nexus had dragged Masaomi here as well, and now Mikado... Logic didn't seem to have much to do with it at all.

[notasweetdream]

[[Now it’s time for this girlie to enter, along with a certain BFF of hers. Linden posts as Zack after this. Then it’s back to Mikado again. :D And I figure this scene can take place when Tifa has already gone dark side…]]

Mari was walking, and thinking about talking with Cloud and Zack again. She knew she’d probably go ballistic at Hannah and Vertigo in a confrontation, similarly to how she had been around Xargin last week-but she could still help them come up with a strategy. Zack was still getting to know stuff about that insane cobrasaur goddess and her right hand sorceress.

Staying in town and keeping those persistent drones from infecting anyone was what she could do. She could keep her self control that way, and no one she’s cared for she would not end up going psycho-cyborg at. If anyone who had strength similar to hers and could go out into the forest and come back alive, it was her friend Joseph. Probably Malek too, but she knew that wasn’t likely a smart idea. Not just that, either. Malek preferred to stay near his sister Amanda anyway, and Amanda in return wanted to keep him safe. That was something Mari found herself unable to disagree with. She wasn’t going to risk Malek’s life to rescue Tifa.

I’ll never forgive Vertigo and Hannah for what they did to her. Not that I’m completely over what Vertigo did to Jake on the brainwashing, but-damn. I’m as angry at them as I’ve been at the Xargin I’ve known for months...

Soon, she saw Zack up ahead. He was outside by himself. She wasn’t actually concerned on what he was doing. She just needed to talk to him, Cloud, or both on what they were going to plan on next. Maybe she could help them figure out a strategy that wasn’t likely to fail.

Looking determined and ready to ask her best friend on what was what, Mari was headed for his direction at first-but then she heard Masaomi’s voice to her right, and fairly close. This caused her to stop, because she thought she heard him say something about that annoying creep Izaya. (Ugh-she didn’t want to think or talk about him right now. She had enough on her mind as it was.)

What followed was an older voice that was also Asian accented. “This realm alone brought us here?” This guy sounded new, and also in disbelief with an edge to his tone-to which was understandable. The man’s voice also sounded kind of familiar, but she couldn’t quite remember who he could be, until she looked...and saw a familiar man in black and light blue she had hoped to never see again. And for a while she actually believed another encounter with the guy wasn't possible.

Mari remembered Sub-Zero twisting her arm behind her back in front of some of her old friends as he sounded impatient on going to see a crazy Transformer T-Rex named Megatron-because Megatron’s lackey, Terrorsaur, had picked a fight with Sub-Zero a day or so before that. These memories from long ago were recapping in her mind as she saw Masaomi and another boy that looked to be the same age as him...standing near that ninja.

Mari had already started to jog toward them, both worried for her friend and the other boy, and not happy about Sub-Zero being there so close to them. That guy was a merciless killer after all. From what she could remember seeing on a live television broadcast once, he had freaking froze an entire car in the middle of a highway not far from her old neighborhood, on her own world. Mari wasn’t entirely sure why he did that, but her best guess she came up with was Sub-Zero being in a very bad mood after his fight with Terrorsaur.

[thehero_zack]

Zack was leaning against a wall just trying to take in the day's- rather the week's events so far. Man, a lot of tough stuff had been going on in the Nexus and even now, he was scratching at his head. It was a lot for a guy like him to take in. He just sighed then looked up and saw a friendly face.

Mari? Yes, it was her. He beamed then went to meet up with her.

"Hey, Mari. What's up? Are you alright?" He looked her up and down then gave her a signature smile. He saw her attention diverted across the way towards a ninja looking dude and some kids. Huh? Who were they and who was that guy? He looked liked some kind of ninja super hero from a comic book.

Zack decided to join Mari in finding out about who had just arrived.

[deceptivelycute]

It was so hard to keep up. Mikado was trying to look around him, and pay attention for more people coming close, and watch out for threats, and listen to Masaomi, and... it was just like being in Ikebukuro for the first time all over again. Except worse, because he didn't have any frame of reference for this place, not even unrealistic things like television.

If he was clinging to his best friend's arm, surely that was understandable, wasn't it?

It was understandable too, hopefully, that a wave of relief washed over him at the mention of Celty and Izaya. Familiar people. And while Masaomi still seemed to have some kind of problem with Izaya, the informant had been helpful to Mikado lately, so he was more than a little relieved to hear his name.

But look! He caught sight of more people coming up, and he didn't quite know if he should greet them or move, because he didn't know who was friend or foe in this world. So he simply nudged Masaomi a little to make him look that way.

Masaomi would know what to do. Of course.

[masaomi]

And if Masaomi didn't know what to do, he'd bullshit his way through as usual.

"That's what I said," Masaomi replied to Sub-Zero. As far as anyone knew - as far as Masaomi knew - the Nexus itself was what brought people here. "You see, there's some things going on here, and -..."

It was then that Mikado nudged him, and Masaomi looked at the people coming towards them.

"Mari-chan... Zack." Masaomi offered a soft smile, and then, encouraged by Mikado's easy physical contact, swung an arm around the boy's neck. "This is my best friend, Ryuugamine Mikado."

Which was the only important piece of information, after all. The rest followed a beat later.

"Ah - and this is... Sub-Zero." Not laughing. Definitely not laughing.

Starting from here is the new post order: Mari/Sub-Zero, Zack, Mikado, Masaomi :)

[lin_kuei_badass]

Sub-Zero was intently listening as Masaomi was beginning to explain more to him-when he heard footsteps coming in their direction.

Mikado had noticed at the same time as he was looking around. Sub-Zero took the appearances of the young woman with red hair. Mari-chan...but really the suffix at the end was just the Japanese way of expressing endearment. This Sub-Zero had picked up as he had been to that country a few times in his lifetime.

The other friend of Masaomi’s, this Zack, looked very strong, and he was curious. In his observation of the woman, he noticed her sprinting faster towards Mikado, Masaomi, and Sub-Zero himself more than Zack.

In the background, he could hear the blonde youth’s amusement of the ninja’s name, but what gripped his attention much further was the glare on Mari’s face, towards him. She had regarded Masaomi and Mikado with a brief glance, but she kept her eyes on Sub-Zero mostly.

He felt one of his brows rising at this, and curiosity was in his own brown eyes, for all to see. She’s suspicious of me, he noted. One very clear possibility came to mind as he stared right back at Mari; it was because of the way he was dressed. While everyone else’s face was seen, their modern civilian clothing ordinary and normal to her, Sub-Zero was not. It made perfect sense to him-but he didn’t necessarily care about how she felt.
After a moment of quiet between them... “You don’t recognize me, do you?” The hardened tone of her voice was indeed suspecting, but the words she spoke? Sub-Zero could not rationalize that.

He noticed Mari stepping in front of the youths a bit. Was she being protective over them? It seemed like it.

He didn’t feel threatened of any of these people, especially not this Mari. She was just a civilian, as he remarked, “No, sorry; I do not.” His reply wasn’t meant to be sincere. From behind his mask, the corners of his mouth were beginning to upturn into a grin. “Should I?”

[thehero_zack]

Zack was busy checking out Sub-Zero's armour and his ninja mask he wore. He looked like some kind of ninja bad ass and Zack wasn't sure whether he could trust this dude yet. From the tone of Mari's voice, he could tell she wasn't that pleased to see him. Or another him by the sounds of things.

He gave a smile towards Mari's other friends. Mikado and Masaomi seemed cool dudes. He gave them a friendly smile and nod of the head. Mari did have some cool friends, that much Zack had come to find out as he travelled with her.

"Nice to meet you guys. I always like meeting new faces."

[deceptivelycute]

"It's very nice to meet you."

Mikado still felt a little wary of so many strangers in a place where he didn't know his way around, but Masaomi's arm around him helped quite a bit. Of course, his best friend knew what was going on, and no doubt would keep him safe. He hadn't depended on Masaomi this way in a while, and it kind of felt nice.

"Perhaps if we're going to talk, we could get off the street?" he prompted, gently.