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Post by Demyx on Oct 23, 2011 16:49:21 GMT -5
(( thread title suggested by Miri ;D ))
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It had been nearly twenty-four hours since I first arrived in Urbadelphia and I already knew I hated the place. What kind of organization sets up their stronghold here? No, scratch that. Why would the demons set up their portal-thingy here? I mean, look at the options. They could pick, oh, I don't know, Tahiti instead? Psh, nothing made sense. Stupid demons. Stupid city. Stupid job.
Speaking of which, I had absolutely no idea what I was supposed to be doing. I still hadn't gathered any Otherworld intel, and I certainly wasn't any closer to finding anything than when I first arrived. I had been using my professional eavesdropping skills all day, and heard nothing out of the ordinary.
But as I walked along, I found myself worrying less about my job than my stomach; I was hungry! Where was a guy supposed to get food around here? I grabbed a nearby pedestrian by the shoulder.
"Hey, where's the nearest restaurant?"
He gave me a sidelong glance. "Not from the area?" Something about his voice told me there was a stigma attached. Well, screw that. I didn't care.
"Yeah, first time here. Why?"
He shrugged. "Over there's the All-Mart. That's a good place for newcomers. It has food, supplies, clothing... everything you might need. Why don't you try that?" He flung his hand in the direction of a large shopping complex. A faded sign bore the words "ALL-MART" and rows of shopping carts framed the building. Customers milled in and out at a constant pace. How could I have missed that?
"Got it," I said, already on my way over. All-Mart, eh? If it's as popular as it looks, I may be able to get the lowdown on the recent Otherworld happenings AND fill my stomach!
With that, I strolled inside, hopeful.
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Post by Izaya Orihara on Oct 23, 2011 16:53:32 GMT -5
The black-haired man whose shoulder the hapless blonde had grabbed simply smirked at his retreating back.
This would be interesting. Quickly, he made a call to his secretary to have her reschedule his next appointment and stealthily followed the blonde inside, ready to give him a 'friendly helping hand' should he need one.
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Post by Demyx on Oct 23, 2011 17:01:27 GMT -5
God, this place was huge. What did I want to eat? My parents had given me a credit card loaded with more than enough for a comfortable stay here, so money certainly wasn't the issue.
Well, okay, that was a lie. It totally was. I could feel the plastic rectangle in my backpack, almost physically pulling me towards the music section of the store. I'd never been allowed this much money before. Just a look couldn't hurt, I had left my sitar at home, after all...
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Post by Izaya Orihara on Oct 23, 2011 17:05:15 GMT -5
"You know," said a suave voice from behind him, "the groceries are on the other side of the store."
Izaya oozed back around from where he'd spoken almost in Demyx' ear. "I thought you said you were hungry?"
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Post by Demyx on Oct 23, 2011 17:18:04 GMT -5
"G-GAH!" I nearly jumped out of my skin, eyes wide.
"You know, it's really obnoxious to just sneak up on a guy like--" I turned to see... wait. Just wait. Was that the same guy I asked for directions?
Crap-on-a-stick, was he... following me?
No. No, no, no, no, no. Couldn't be, that would be too freaky. He didn't have a reason to, anyway. He totally must have heard me mumbling to myself when I entered the store. Maybe he worked here or something. Composing myself, I gave him my best pout.
"It's none of your business. Who the hell are you?"
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Post by Izaya Orihara on Oct 23, 2011 17:26:31 GMT -5
He chuckled a little, then spun around to face Demyx, a little hop in his step.
"The name's Izaya Orihara! I'm surprised you haven't heard of me; but then, you are an out-of-townie, correct?" He grinned.
"The answer to your questions - first, yes, I am following you. Seond, no, I'm not a stalker. I'm not a pedophile or a kidnapper out to take you and ransom you for large amounts of money, either. Third, I know that you are worth large amounts of money because I'm observant, not because I know everything, and fourth, no, I'm not reading your mind right now."
His grin became a smug smirk.
"As for why it's my business, well... I'm just trying to keep the sharks from eating you, a little fish-out-of-water here in the biiiig city of Urbadelphia."
At 'biiiiig', he spun around, arms wide, before coming smoothly to rest, leaning on a shelf.
"Who are you?"
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Post by Demyx on Oct 23, 2011 17:41:05 GMT -5
I stammered for a few seconds, seemingly unable to string together a coherent response. "I-I'm not about to tell somebody who has personally admitted to following me!"
It came out a lot squeakier than I had hoped. Dammit, see, I knew it! I just knew that by coming here I'd run into muck like this!
Naturally, I didn't believe a word he'd said. I'd have to assume the worst. I reached for my cell in my back pocket, more than prepared to call 911 on this guy.
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Post by alcatraz on Oct 23, 2011 20:39:55 GMT -5
Alcatraz had been walking around the All-Mart with his mask receded and a large trench coat covering the rest of his body. He had originally been aiming to find some cheap microwave meals for the time being just to tide him over until he could buy something proper to eat, then he heard a rather... High pitched voice talking in the aisle next to him. Alcatraz being Alcatraz felt the need to check it out, obviously he kept his face open, not wanting to cause a commotion he moved into the next aisle to find Demyx and Izaya talking. Or better yet, Izaya talking, and Demyx squeaking.
"Everything okay here gentlemen?" he asked walking up to the pair, scratching his head with a big gloves hand. He recognised Izaya somewhat, he was a local trouble maker and a bit of a whack job but he couldn't scan his coding with his visor to see if he had any demon coding in him. Not in public.
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Post by Izaya Orihara on Oct 23, 2011 20:48:39 GMT -5
"Now, now, no need for that," he assured Demyx, right before a musclebound man walked up to him. "Please, everything's fine! Everyone always assumes the worst out of me." He shook his head sadly. "I was just offering to help this boy settle in to the city! I am, after all, the person who knows it best." He patted the blonde boy on the shoulder, before sighing.
"I'm afraid he got the wrong idea when I followed him into the store; an out-of-towner like him could attract... well, you could say a hell of a lot of the wrong kind of attention, if you know what I mean." He winked at the man in the coat.
"Honestly. I was only trying to help."
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Post by Demyx on Oct 23, 2011 22:12:46 GMT -5
"Everything okay here, gentlemen?" a calm voice asked. I looked up to see a tall, dark man standing nearby. Something about him screamed suspicious--I think it was the trench coat--but for the moment, I was grateful. Anything to distract... Izaya, he said his name was? Blegh, why was I wasting my brainpower remembering his stupid name?
My thought process was interrupted as I felt Izaya patting me on the shoulder. Ick! No, thank you! I squirmed away in an awkward dance, trying to increase the distance between us.
My brain was churning out ideas left and right, but the only one that seemed plausible was to simply run. I was pretty skilled at running away; I was more than certain I could outrun Izaya, if not, at least the muscly dude. I was all set to go, too, until Izaya spoke again.
"I'm afraid he got the wrong idea when I followed him into the store; an out-of-towner like him could attract... well, you could say a hell of a lot of the wrong kind of attention, if you know what I mean."
This, more than anything else so far, put me on edge. Wrong kind of attention? Could he mean... demons? And why was I at risk because I wasn't from here?
"What are you taking about?" I blurted out, anxious.
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Post by Noctis Lucis Caelum on Oct 24, 2011 1:04:47 GMT -5
Noctis had recently arrived at the store, fully intending to get groceries as he had been running rather low back at his apartment. However, his examination of some of the produce was interrupted by the sound of voices a couple of aisles over. This wasn't exactly out of the ordinary but the high pitched voice seemed to carry a rather urgent tone. He set down the apple he had been holding and ventured towards the source, grocery basket in hand. He arrived just in time to hear Izaya say that the younger boy could attract the wrong kind of attention, needless to say the emphasis he put on the word Hell didn't exactly instill confidence. Did he know about the demons?
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Post by alcatraz on Oct 24, 2011 4:12:11 GMT -5
Alcatraz moved forwards to position himself between Izaya and the blonde haired boy. This new guy was clearly in some sort of distress but if he was talking to Izaya that was something to be expected, he guessed. Alcatraz gave a grunt of dissaproval before noting someone else enter. Now this was somebody he recognised, he'd heard of Noctis from a few people he'd worked with in the past and he knew for a fact that he was Otherborn.
Still, Alcatraz had only been in Urbadelphia a few days so he doubted that anyone would know his name or who he was. He looked over his shoulder at the blonde haired boy before speaking "You okay back there?" he asked, his voice gentle despite his size. He wanted to re-assure this guy that he was here to help him and not to hinder him.
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Post by Demyx on Oct 24, 2011 8:53:56 GMT -5
As if some bizarre part of a planned skit, a third guy appeared at Izaya's "hell." Like the tall guy, there was something... off about him. I finally put two and two together--the word "hell;" the off-putting auras; Izaya's general creepiness. Could they all be... those types of people? The Otherborn? Must be. But how could I tell? Was it because I was a half-demon? Natural instinct told me I shouldn't give any indication of my race; playing ignorant would do for now. A small part of my mind wondered if Izaya had already figured this all out.
The muscular man stepped in-between me and Izaya so that the latter was no longer visible.
"You okay back there?"
Okay. This guy just won my trust. I wonder if he'd become my bodyguard if I paid him properly...?
I nodded. "Fine and dandy." I turned my attention to the newcomer; the one with the grocery basket hanging casually off his right arm. What did he want?
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Post by Kiara on Oct 24, 2011 9:08:17 GMT -5
Recently I've been finding its cold out here and Yuna was right, a coat would be nice. So I found a place that would let me get a job. I now give out flyers for a small, family owned restaurant somewhere in the "The Labyrinth". The family there is very nice to me and have given me money so I could get a coat. This is why I find myself shouting out, "WOW!" as I walk around awestruck. "This place is huge!!!"
Not watching where I am going I run into a black haired man whom is just standing (Noctis). I fall backwards on my butt, my fifty falling, crumpled, from my hand, "Oh! Sorry!"
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Post by Izaya Orihara on Oct 24, 2011 10:23:35 GMT -5
Izaya had stepped back for a moment, a small voice in the back of his brain cackling madly at the lovely 'coincidence' that had brought them all here together. Izaya wasn't one to believe in coincidence, but this time, at least, it wasn't all his doing. He walked over to the girl, who smelled about as human as he was. He put out a hand. "Hey there, you oughtta be more careful, wandering around on your own like that." He lifted her to her feet and handed her her fifty back.
"Better be a little more careful with money,too. A lotta unsavory types live here in this city." He skipped backwards, ignoring Noctis' presence for now. Blondie had calmed down and the black-haired teen wasn't someone he was interested in at the moment. Best let the scene play out, from here.
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