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[ragnarok97071]

"My home is protected from both magical and mundane observation and listening in. It's why we came here rather than somewhere else. There's a safe room if you really want to be sure noone's reading our lips through the windows. After all, how do I know that that scene outside wasn't just theatrics for our benefit so that you could recover your ally? After all, if someone is behind these zoanthropes, as seems to be the case, sacrificing a smallfry like that wouldn't be much of a loss if it recovered her." Okay that's... kinda super paranoid. I mean, for good REASON, but still. No surefire test that he knows of for zoanthropes except possibly something this person's familiar said it could do, after all.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"They tried to blow her up, Lapis told me. Do you really think they want to get her back? They were trying to kill her. I'm not going to let that happen, even if it means I die. I will explain, when I'm sure I can trust you, because right now, I don't have very much reason to, and I know you don't have reason to trust me either.

But right now? I want to help her, and I'm not doing it here, not while I don't know where I am."

[ragnarok97071]

"And they failed, thanks to us. At this point, no-one's getting her without a direct assault on this place, which is... ill-advised. On the other hand, if they managed to get her out
 of here, it'd be a much simpler situation. If I'm going to help you, I need to know I can trust you, and you haven't established that yet."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"I'm not sitting around and trying to earn your trust, not when someone's life is on the line. You can let us go, so I can fix her, because I can't do it here, or you might as well have killed her yourself already. As soon as she's healed, as soon as I'm sure she isn't gone, I swear on my life, I'll tell you everything we can. You can take that offer, or I'll leave with her and I don't care how many of you I have to defend her from, but I will do it."

[ragnarok97071]

He watches her for a second, then nods. "Now you're being honest. Fine. If the others will let you take her, go ahead."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Spica seems....relieved. She sighs, giving him an immediately grateful look. It occurs to Ito that she'd been holding something back, but not a lie; rather, she was holding back anger, anger that seems to have dissipated.
"......if she lives, I'll owe you all more than you could possibly know. Thank you."

She extends her arm around the girl, as a translucent pink barrier surrounds her, levitating her off the bed and trailing the girl behind her with the barrier. As she heads out of the room, she turns to Ito one more time.
".....sorry that I couldn't be more helpful to you. But she's more important to me than you could ever understand. When I said I'd die for her, I meant it. Maybe you do understand, having someone you'd protect with your life, no matter what. Maybe you don't. But thank you."
With that, she leaves the room, walking out past the group. If anyone wants to stop her, now is the best time.

[ragnarok97071]

"hm." Simple girl. A lot of them were like that. Made him almost regret getting involved. then again, they already were. This was the best he could do.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Spica walks out past the group, stopping to wait for Lapis.
Are we leaving?
"Yes."

Spica almost walks out, before she turns back to the group, waiting to say something. A smile, a genuine, grateful smile, grows on her face.
"All of you, thank you for helping. I really, really do appreciate it. As soon as she's awake, I'll see what she knows. Lapis and I will try to stay in contact. It's nice to have some help fighting these Zoanthropes. I'll see you all soon. Good luck!"
I wish you the same. I will see you all as soon as possible.
With that, she walks away, leaving down the road, turning towards the border between the Old Quarter and the rest of Touto, with Lapis and the girl in tow, the small blue animal stalking along like a cat behind her.
.....
When she was sure nobody was following, when she was sure nobody could hear, she turns towards the girl she was carrying with her. The girl's face was pained, her eyes clenched shut, as if nightmares of unspeakable terrors were filling her wounded head.

Spica's face fills with concern. Her fists clench with anger. A tear wells in her visible eye.
Are you okay, Spica?

Lapis had spoken, but Spica wasn't in the mood right now.

This girl was like a sister to her. She had meant every word she'd said to that man. She'd protect her sisters of choice at any cost, even at her own life. That's what an older sister would do and would've done. That's what she would have done, all those months ago. And she hadn't done her best.

And they had turned her into a Zoanthrope, a tool of destruction, to be discarded when she was done. This was unforgivable.
"....what did those monsters do to you, Meissa?"
END OF CHAPTER

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Chapter 1 - The Spider, Snake and Bat
Two Days Later
Two days have passed since you've heard from Spica and Lapis, the mysterious duo who hunt Zoanthropes. The city has been relatively quiet in the days since the Zoanthrope attack on the Touto National Garden; the city's been abuzz with rumours about Zoanthropes and what-not, and whoever those people with Kamen Rider Volt and the Sun Crow were, but life in Touto has mostly gone on as usual. It is a crazy city, after all.

If any of you were to tap into the news, there'd be reports on repairs being made to the park entrance that the Zoanthrope (and Haruko) trashed, a bit on Mayor Hongo calling for calm and thanking the Eden Foundation for their rapid and quick response.....and nothing on that mysterious helicopter that had fired upon you, shortly after the Zoanthrope turned into a wounded, small girl.

But right now, perhaps the absence of anything from Lapis or Spica might worry you a little more. They did promise they'd be in touch, but they never said when. Perhaps they're off hunting Zoanthropes, or perhaps watching over that girl; even if you weren't Ito, and didn't know that Spica, somehow, knew this girl, she didn't look good when you left her, so maybe they're busy fixing her up.

Where are you and what are you doing now?
The Kisaragi Grill
"-and don't stay out too late, Maki. You know it's dangerous outside, even if you're with friends."
"Yes, grandpa."
"....and don't forget to keep up your violin practise, Maki."
"Yes, grandpa."
Hayato frowns, looking down at his granddaughter. He wipes his sweaty brow, closes his eyes as he wipes his hand over his plain white apron, and sighs.
"Maki, I'm not trying to be a burden on you. I'm just concerned. You took a while to come back two days ago after the attack. Don't be like that Akiyama girl in your class, the girl who wants to be a journalist. She sneaks around taking pictures of these, but you know how dangerous that is-"
Maki's tone of voice takes a tone for the harsher.
"We just got a little confused in the rush, you know? I promise, we didn't stick around to try to take pictures or any of that. I'm not like Kaori, I promise."
Hayato doesn't look convinced. He sighs, knowing he won't get much out of Maki for now.
"Well, I've got to open up for the dinner rush. If you're going to meet with your friends, try not to make too much of a mess in here for the customers."

With that, he retreats into the kitchen, leaving Maki alone. She sighs, sitting down at one of the tables.

The Kisaragi Grill was a small restaurant, one of many family-run businesses in the Old Quarter. The decor was relatively basic; wooden tables, paper and wood panels, plain chairs and nothing particularly special about it. Outside, the only thing separating the grill from being a typical old house in the district are the two signs outside saying "Kisaragi Grill", two paper lanterns lighting up as the sun began to set over Touto. A small wooden panel door separates the grill from the rest of the Kisaragi home.

This humble facade belied the fame the Kisaragi Grill had in Touto, of course; Hayato Kisaragi's steak was known as the single best steak in the entire area, ever since Hayato had returned to Touto and retired from the army roughly thirty years ago. His steak was said to rival world-class chefs, if not surpass them, so good were his steaks. Hayato, of course, had always turned down offers to franchise or expand his business; as far as he was concerned, he wanted the Kisaragi Grill to stay a small business, and not compromise a single damn thing. Tohru, usually the one who helped out at the Grill as the waiter, was still on his way, so it had been up to Maki to help set out the grill for the infamously busy dinner rush.

Maki looks out the window, tapping her fingers over the table.

She wanted to know more about the Zoanthropes, and it was bothering her that she barely knew a damn thing, months after they showed up. It was bothering her that she only found out what they were two days ago, let alone now.

Maki briefly wondered to herself where Amelie and Haruko were right now. She needed to talk to her friends. Maybe it might clear her head.

[Twinwolf]

Think of the devil, and they shall appear. There was a knock on the grill's door, and through the glass a certain half-Japanese half-German glasses wearing girl was visible, waving for Maki's attention.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Maki looks up, and her expression immediately lightens. She smiles as she walks over to the door to let Amelie in.
"Heeeey, Amelie! Didn't actually expect to see you right now."

[ragnarok97071]

Hideyuki was kinda frustrated.

It was for a few reasons, really, but primarily that he'd kinda stalled out on figuring anything else out about what they were dealing with at the moment. True, he didn't expect to bust the whole situation wide open in a night, but what he'd been able to figure out... well, it wasn't exactly encouraging. He steps out of his home, dressed in the long white coat emblazoned with the symbol of his station (though to most it would just look like a strange symbol unless one was extremely well-versed in certain rather well-kept secrets among the Makai order), wearing under it a black tee-shirt and slacks, along with a pair of comfortable boots. He lifts his hand toward his door, upon it a large ring with a design similar to some sort of demonic skull-face. The door locks seemingly on its own, and unseen to most of the world around it, wards snap into place over the building, sealing it up tight until his return.

From there, he'd head out onto the street, and immediately make a beeline for the nearby restaurant... not for food, but because there was a high chance of finding Maki there, and maybe some of the others, too. there were some things that needed to be discussed, and they needed to make some sort of plan going forward. Arriving, he'd see that, luckily enough, it seemed that two of them were already here, which made things a little easier on him. He'd approach, speaking up as he gets closer.

"Maki. Amelie." A somewhat friendly, if slightly terse, greeting. "I hope I'm not coming at a bad time."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Maki tilts her head at him.
"You're not. I was about to say, my granddad left some steak out, just in case I had a few people over. You guys want some?"

[ragnarok97071]

"Wouldn't mind, if that's alright." He nods, shifting on his feet.

[IamanElfCollaborator]

Maki smiles at him again, before sauntering off behind the counter, and emerging with two plates of steak. It doesn't look very different, but it smells nice and fresh.