As soon as Yukari reached the appropriate door, she was quick to set her things down, if only to give her arms a break from the trip. Oh, jeez, she was never going to pull something like that off on her own again.
After a breath, she lifted a hand to knock on the door of M22. "Adelheid-san? I'm here!"
And that was the end. Without much of another word, Yukari gave one last curious glance towards Adelheid before tiptoeing around the objects she set down on the floor, stepping through the doorway and back out into the hall.
Miku knocked on Adel's door quietly and looked up at Sousuke. So far, so good. She just... she just wasn't sure what would happen when she started to study the tattoo.
"Hello? Are you still here?" She'd kept him waiting, and Miku hoped that he wasn't cross with her.
Sousuke had followed obediently behind her, trying his best to keep on the lookout for anything or anyone who was hostile. But with his mind so clouded by everything that had happened that day--and everything that had happened just now--it was difficult to concentrate. Even moreso than when he'd wandered the streets of Hong Kong drunk. And that had been pretty bad.
The sergeant stood behind her and waited for this Adel person to open the door.
Ah, and there was the other individual Adelheid had been waiting for. He walked over to his door and opened it, the right side of his face covered in that intricate tattoo. It hurt like anything, but by now, it had become almost familiar, a pain that could be expected and understood. It was almost sad, if the boy let himself think about it, that he'd gotten used to the idea of accepting almost any setback and enduring it. All he needed to do was accept it, and move on from there. Easy, right?
Except that he hadn't expected for someone else to be there. Instantly he backpedaled and turned his left eye towards the group, covering his right cheek with his hand. "...you didn't say that you'd be bringing anyone with you..." Had he seen? More importantly, was he the sort to spread such information around?
Miku looked embarrassed, face redding and instantly her shoulders went tight like she'd was a kicked puppy. "I'm sorry," she apologized instantly, bowing so low she nearly knocked her forehead into her knees. "This is my bodyguard," cum boyfriend. "He comes with me everywhere. I promise he is discreet." Sousuke had been so wrapped up in his own worries.
"And I promise to be very quick." Even now, the medium could feel herself being curiously pulled to his face, almost as though it wanted her to touch it and figure it out. "Please forgive me for not letting you know..." she ended quietly, holding her breath (and hoping that Adel did not close the door on her head).
If Sousuke was at all surprised by Adelheid's sudden reaction, it didn't register in his facial expression. He simply regarded Adelheid with his usual stoic, blank stare. Apparently, though, by Adelheid's reaction and Miku's quick explanation, Sousuke wasn't supposed to mention the mark to anyone else.
He nodded to Adelheid. "Sagara Sousuke. I will not reveal this information to anyone--I've been trained in methods of resisting torture."
Not exactly necessary information, but no doubt Adelheid would be greatly relieved to hear that such a reliable person was safeguarding his secret. "May we come in?"
"...that's good enough for the patients, at least." Adelheid sighed as he stepped back and let the two of them in with a polite gesture, unable to hide the bit of guilt that flashed in his eyes. Torture? He knew torture, the kind that the Institute could inflict on anyone. No one could resist that torture forever, and knowing that some people had been left there with no help still weighed on his mind. Or at least, it did as soon as he was reminded of it.
Oh well. Guilt was guilt, he'd shoulder it and move on. Besides, it was not in his nature to make a woman have to ask for anything, especially not like that. "But please, Miku-san, it's quite all right," he assured her in quiet unaccented Japanese, "it's better to have a bodyguard and not say anything than to be wandering the hallways alone. ...whenever you're ready, I'm prepared."
Miku nodded smiled apologetically. At least Sousuke sounded normal. That was important, though he'd been quiet. Miku shook her head to clear it of unnecessary thoughts and motioned for Adelheid to sit down on the bed. When he complied, Miku started her assessment. "I'm not worried about wandering alone in dark hallways. It's the monsters in them that worry me," she smiled and opened her book, jotting down notes and other things quickly, in neat print
( ... )
Sousuke watched the proceedings with little interest. He'd had the mark before, so he knew that it would hurt when touched. But he did find it intriguing that Miku could write and use this... ability of hers at the same time. There was something supernatural about it, which made Sousuke only a little uncomfortable. He believed in things he could see and touch, not things that were outside the realms of science and physics.
And speaking of physics, Miku was swaying and looked to be in pain. Immediately the sergeant stepped forward and steadied Miku with both hands on her shoulders.
"I think that's enough," he said, a worried tone creeping into the edges of his sentence. He looked up at Adelheid. "Are you alright?"
He honestly hadn't expected for the mark to hurt so much when Miku touched it. It felt like the woman had put it on him again, an odd searing pain that was nevertheless confined, like each delicate swirl of tracery was its own trail of agony across his skin. Adelheid was only glad, once more, that he was so used to pain in his short life. He endured flames and the foul curse of his tainted blood, he could endure this. Adelheid sat on the bed, keeping his fingers clenched in the sheet to keep from digging his nails into his palms, gritting his teeth and enduring, just enduring the searing pain for what felt like an eternity
( ... )
Miku was very thankful for Sousuke's assuring hands on her shoulders. She felt odd and dizzy, smelled blood, but didn't see any. If it was only in her nose, then that would be fine. Still the images were enough to make her stomach churn dangerously.
"I'll... I'll tell you what I know as soon as I can piece everything together." She breathed slowly, with the experience of someone that had met intimately with the kind of searing pain the tattoos had left behind, or something else as bad. The writing in her book looked to be snatches of conversation and description, but hopefully it was enough. Miku closed the book with the hand that wasn't clenched closed and sighed. "Thank you, very much. I know that I hurt you, and I had hoped it wouldn't be severe."
Sousuke was glad that Miku had come closer in her research concerning the priestess, but at the same time, it hurt to see her in pain. The notes were bizarre and unruly, but perhaps Miku could make some sense out of them.
"She'll be fine, I'll make sure of it," Sousuke reassured Adelheid.
That was about as much as Adelheid could hope for. The markings still burned in his skin, but he'd never admit that, not if he could help it. And the promise that Miku would be all right reassured him as well; it was obvious that the two trusted each other, and he wasn't about to step in when there was someone else to protect the girl.
However... there was still one thing that gnawed at the back of his mind. He didn't want to ask, because it would be rude, but the brief snatches of conversation he spied on her notebook didn't answer much as to what Miku saw... or what that strange woman was. Perhaps he could ask later. Perhaps. "...don't worry about it, either of you. If you need to rest in here, that will be all right; I was planning on heading out anyway." Which he'd need to do soon; he had the horrible sinking feeling that he'd lingered just a little too long.
Miku shook her head, "We'll go back to my own room. But, thank you very much." They'd have to hurry, and she'd have to try to figure it out for them. Still smarting from the pain of the tattoo, Miku clutched to journal to her chest and looked up at Sousuke.
"Oh." Miku turned her attention back to Adel for a moment. "The tattoo lasts three nights. It will go away after. Ghosts like that woman... they transfer their curses through touch." Miku took a breath and steadied herself. If he didn't believe her, well and fine. Miku was used to it. "Shall we go, then?" she asked and offered him a small, hopeful smile.
Sousuke looked down at Miku, then back up at Adel. "It's true. I had the mark as well. It's unbearable, but after three nights it will fade--along with the pain."
The sergeant put his hand back on Miku's shoulder to steer her towards the door. "We should. I apologize again for my unexpected arrival," he nodded to Adel. "I will keep this information to myself."
Finally.
As soon as Yukari reached the appropriate door, she was quick to set her things down, if only to give her arms a break from the trip. Oh, jeez, she was never going to pull something like that off on her own again.
After a breath, she lifted a hand to knock on the door of M22. "Adelheid-san? I'm here!"
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[to here.]
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Miku knocked on Adel's door quietly and looked up at Sousuke. So far, so good. She just... she just wasn't sure what would happen when she started to study the tattoo.
"Hello? Are you still here?" She'd kept him waiting, and Miku hoped that he wasn't cross with her.
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The sergeant stood behind her and waited for this Adel person to open the door.
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Except that he hadn't expected for someone else to be there. Instantly he backpedaled and turned his left eye towards the group, covering his right cheek with his hand. "...you didn't say that you'd be bringing anyone with you..." Had he seen? More importantly, was he the sort to spread such information around?
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"And I promise to be very quick." Even now, the medium could feel herself being curiously pulled to his face, almost as though it wanted her to touch it and figure it out. "Please forgive me for not letting you know..." she ended quietly, holding her breath (and hoping that Adel did not close the door on her head).
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He nodded to Adelheid. "Sagara Sousuke. I will not reveal this information to anyone--I've been trained in methods of resisting torture."
Not exactly necessary information, but no doubt Adelheid would be greatly relieved to hear that such a reliable person was safeguarding his secret. "May we come in?"
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Oh well. Guilt was guilt, he'd shoulder it and move on. Besides, it was not in his nature to make a woman have to ask for anything, especially not like that. "But please, Miku-san, it's quite all right," he assured her in quiet unaccented Japanese, "it's better to have a bodyguard and not say anything than to be wandering the hallways alone. ...whenever you're ready, I'm prepared."
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And speaking of physics, Miku was swaying and looked to be in pain. Immediately the sergeant stepped forward and steadied Miku with both hands on her shoulders.
"I think that's enough," he said, a worried tone creeping into the edges of his sentence. He looked up at Adelheid. "Are you alright?"
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"I'll... I'll tell you what I know as soon as I can piece everything together." She breathed slowly, with the experience of someone that had met intimately with the kind of searing pain the tattoos had left behind, or something else as bad. The writing in her book looked to be snatches of conversation and description, but hopefully it was enough. Miku closed the book with the hand that wasn't clenched closed and sighed. "Thank you, very much. I know that I hurt you, and I had hoped it wouldn't be severe."
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Sousuke was glad that Miku had come closer in her research concerning the priestess, but at the same time, it hurt to see her in pain. The notes were bizarre and unruly, but perhaps Miku could make some sense out of them.
"She'll be fine, I'll make sure of it," Sousuke reassured Adelheid.
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However... there was still one thing that gnawed at the back of his mind. He didn't want to ask, because it would be rude, but the brief snatches of conversation he spied on her notebook didn't answer much as to what Miku saw... or what that strange woman was. Perhaps he could ask later. Perhaps. "...don't worry about it, either of you. If you need to rest in here, that will be all right; I was planning on heading out anyway." Which he'd need to do soon; he had the horrible sinking feeling that he'd lingered just a little too long.
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"Oh." Miku turned her attention back to Adel for a moment. "The tattoo lasts three nights. It will go away after. Ghosts like that woman... they transfer their curses through touch." Miku took a breath and steadied herself. If he didn't believe her, well and fine. Miku was used to it. "Shall we go, then?" she asked and offered him a small, hopeful smile.
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The sergeant put his hand back on Miku's shoulder to steer her towards the door. "We should. I apologize again for my unexpected arrival," he nodded to Adel. "I will keep this information to myself."
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