a Hunt Misled | private

[Mikaela Lye]

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Daichi Takeshi * Hope this works! * ### Words

“As stupid as handing an assassin a knife at the end of a particularly boring game of truth or dare?” she challenged. “I’ve gotten away with far stupider things if you really want to test me.” The arrogance in the statement was undercut by something resembling regret. Even when she did outrageous things that should get her killed the world seemed to give her a second chance. It was no fun.

Touri’s easy acceptance of her updated deal felt wrong. He was really still the one with all the power in this conversation. He could make her life a living hell just as easily as he could slit her throat and walk away. All he’d have to do was draw attention to them, which she really didn’t think he’d have any trouble with, obnoxious as he was. He was a fool to agree to anything she asked, especially in return for something as simple as a name. Unless he wanted to confirm she was his target. As quickly as the thought came she brushed it aside. She had too many names for something like that to hold any weight. Still, he’d stumbled across her one too many times for it to be random. He was up to something and she shouldn’t let her guard down too much.

She silently reviewed her stipulations. They were the best she could think of that didn’t reveal too much suspicion. Knowledge of why he was at such a stupid event would be valuable enough, but sparring would give her a truer understanding of his motivations than words ever could. He had to be after something and she’d rather let him take it than put up with his nonsense much longer. There were more openings in a fight than a conversation.

Before she could go so far as to plan out the rest of their conversation and fill it with pointed jabs that might break his mask, a log of an arm was draped over her shoulder, forcing her closer. Returning to an innocent role, she looked up at him with a beaming smile. As though she could actually appreciate his presence.

Out of the corner of her eye, Mikaela caught sight of a sign indicating where he was steering her. “A haunted house?” she asked, wrinkling her nose. She’d rather avoid such attractions, but she saw this as an opportunity to get under his skin. “Are you hoping I’ll get scared and cry for you to protect me?” Bright eyes sparkled up at him, hinting at the laughter she tried to suppress. “Aw, Touri! You’re even more of a heroic than I thought. Well don’t worry! Just for you I’ll play the role of a damsel in distress.”

☽LIA☾

[Daichi Takeshi]

only in darkness can we truly forget what we were meant to be ☒ Mikaela Lye ✐ 479 ✉ oml Dai

Calling their truth or dare game boring? He held back a snicker. Just another way to try and deflate him. What a lovely, pleasant woman. Maybe he should have just killed her after all. He also expected her to chaff at his offer but instead she seemed inclined to follow it. Warning bells flew off but, like any good assassin, Daichi ignored them naturally. Clearly the annoyance of having to deal with him was far less cumbersome than facing her stalker. It only made him more curious as to whom this person was. Well then, guess it was time to play the part of a doting, protective, and stupidly heroic boyfriend. A brief thought that he had gotten into something more than mildly unpleasant crept into his mind. Maybe this woman’s name wasn’t worth the price. No, it definitely was. He rested his chin on her head speaking lightly at her ear. “Cut the crap, honeybun,” he replied drily, a fake smile plastered on his face the entire time. Once there was no way Ruby could escape, he let go of her shoulder and ran his fingertips across the concealed hilt of his knife. Excellent, that’s one knife he hadn’t lost to this loon. The ideas she had about him were ridiculous. Because he wouldn’t stab or kill her, he was harmless. Didn’t she know there were a thousand reasons she wasn’t worth his skills? What sort of hubris made her think she was worth even a second glance? Daichi could only shrug. He wasn’t beyond petty bullshit or making himself look bad to get an objective done – someone like Ruby should understand that because he suspected her to be quite similar. The first room they stepped into was an assortment of mirrors arranged in what could only be a fun-house style. With only the dim glow of an overhead blacklight and nothing but a cold, fake mist lining the floor, Daichi couldn’t help but feel it looked more like a rave than anything spooky. He eyed the nearest one before making a fake scared face. “Oh my god, what a monster she is,” a pause as he glanced towards his beloved with a sarcastic expression before feigning innocence, “oh sorry love, it’s just your reflection.” Cackling inside at his low blow, he held his non dominant hand behind him for her to hold as he lingered at the beginning of what could only be the entrance. “Hold my hand kitten, I know how much mirrors scare you,” he wiggled his fingers before adding in a light yet somewhat mocking tone, “nothing darker than seeing who you truly are, huh?” Daichi watched the pale contours of Ruby’s face for any sign that his words had gotten through to her or hit a nerve. There were plenty of answers he wanted and he doubted at the end of this she’d give him the truth.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

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[Mikaela Lye]

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Daichi Takeshi * Hope this works! * 557 Words

Mikaela's muscles tensed as he shifted closer to whisper in her ear. She should probably be more afraid. He was an assassin and he probably had a knife. But then, so did she. She could feel the sheath against her thigh as she shifted to walk. If he tried anything she'd be able to counter quickly enough.

"Mi amore, if I didn't know any better I might say you wanted me to be honest." she said carefully. "I doubt you'd believe me if I told you the truth, that my honesty does more harm than good. You should be more careful what you wish for."

Mikaela hesitated as they crossed the threshold into the haunted house. She hadn't been in many haunted houses, but the idea of them bothered her. She didn't care what spooks and terrors they had set up to scare her, but entering into small, dark spaces with no clear exit was utterly terrifying, especially with an assassin by her side. Touri shepherded her forward into a dim room. Foax mist filled the air, catching in the back of her throat.

She was faced with a series of mirrors and it took her a moment to realize each image was twisted on purpose. Her gaze flickered to Touri as he spoke, filled with a forced coolness. It was far too soon to show any sense of fear near him.

"You have no idea." she reached out and lightly squeezed the offered hand in feigned seriousness. Who she truly was. She was the last person who would be able to figure that out. She'd given up trying long ago. It was easiest to assume she was just a complete monster so she couldn't be caught off guard by how cruel she could turn at the drop of a hat. She plastered on a wry smile before continuing on. "But I'm sure when you have to face your own sins they're far worse than mine ever were. Your poor mother must be rolling in her grave."

Mikaela watched her reflection in one of the mirrors. Her figure was distorted by the glass, but it was more than she'd bothered with before leaving the apartment. She hadn't wanted to see whatever monstrosity her sister had picked out for her. "It really is a stupid costume." she muttered, picking at the purple fabric of her dress. "I guess I don't have the proper cultural references to get it."

She watched her reflection shifting from one warped version of herself to the next for a moment longer before tugging on Touri's sleeve. "Come on. Let's move on before I regret coming to this party more than I already do." Party. The word felt too light-hearted. This was no party. It was a revelry in madness, a setting where the sane could let go and the crazy were allowed to blend in seamlessly. On a night like this she doubted everyone would make it out alive.

Luckily, the flies weren't usually the targets at a place like this. Raher, it was a perfect set up for the snakes and spiders to do their hunting from the shadows while their lesser competition had their guard down. She couldn't help but wonder where she stood in their ranks. Was there anyone left that knew she was enough trouble to be a threat?

☽LIA☾

[Daichi Takeshi]

only in darkness can we truly forget what we were meant to be ☒ Mikaela Lye ✐ 426?? ✉ Dai just thinking he's being mysterious and what not

Honesty… from a liar. His scoff was hidden in the darkness that clung to the contours of his face. Ruby merely squeezed his hand in a gesture one could mistake for fear. Certainly, her demeanor had changed, if only slightly, but he didn’t think it had anything to do with fear. Furthermore, his jests fell on deaf ears. Maybe this really would just be a boring waltz through cheap horrors after all. An easy victory for him, assuming her stalker was nothing more than a jealous ex. Laughter echoed among the mirrors once the full weight of Ruby’s words fell on him. “My mother… actually rolling in her grave at what I've become. Ahh that’s a good one,” he cackled, halting his stride to look back at his own personal poltergeist, “I was a commodity to her at best. Once I die, I’d like to say we’ll be meeting again but I don’t think so. Not this time.” Daichi left his words to vaguely hang in the air, their meaning not entirely clear. Ruby picked at herself momentarily, gazing into one of the many reflective surfaces available before she tugged his sleeve like a child pleading at a parent. Was she unnerved? Or simply playing the part? He shook his head. “You and me both,” he replied drily as he spotted the exit, a shoddy curtain with a part in the middle. What lay beyond was obscured by the odd lighting. He caught sight of his own reflection, surprised at how normal it looked. Perhaps the worst lie of the night. As Daichi parted the curtain and stepped into the next room, he reached out for Mikaela’s hand and grasped it between his. No way he’d let her weasel out behind him while he fumbled foolishly through this haunted house of subpar scares and overly tacky displays. “A longer than usual hallway, really?” he stated drily, letting go of Ruby’s hand as he made a fluid gesture that she should proceed, “ladies first of course.” Daichi didn’t wait for her to disagree or agree, rather he delved into the next question that was prevalent in his mind. It was mostly to test for cracks but a small part of him was curious. What sort of childhood would someone like her have to have if she ended up so broken? He stared at her through colored lenses, studying her facial expression before dropping the question. “And would your mother be rolling in her grave if she saw you? Or were you sold at market for a pretty penny as well?” it was a gamble but if her lip so much as twitched Daichi would notice it, "or maybe nobody cared at all what you did. That's why you have daddy issues that lead you to seek out dangerous men like your rich, abusive, ex." Alleged ex of course. While the man at the bar might've been a stranger the fact remained that she'd let herself get hit. A strange choice for someone who seemed so determined to avoid anyone with ill intent. Well, aside from himself apparently.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

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[Mikaela Lye]

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♡

Daichi Takeshi * Hope this works! * 715 Words

Doe eyes gazed up at Touri, seeing the disbelief written across his face. Good. If she ever convinced him to believe something she said it would probably be a trap. His words, laden with amusement, drew her mind away from the thought. She was starting to realize whenever she was in the same room with him her mind would be dragged into it's analytical setting. It was annoying, but necessary.

She reviewed his words mentally, catching on three in particular. Not this time. Had he been dead before? She hadn't been convinced he was human before, but now she knew he wasn't. She doubted it was an accidental slip of the tongue, though, which meant there had to be a reason he'd hint at it now.

Before she could ask, he was sheparding her on into the next room, to a corridor he disregarded as pointless. "Long hallways can be scary if you target the right people. There's an old chinese superstition that ghosts prefer to hang around rooms at the end of hallways. Less people pass by so there's less,  come sei dici?* Uh... Dynamic energy." He was right though. This was meant to build up tension, not scare anyone. "Or something like that," she added as an afterthought.

Quite suddenly the conversation shifted into an unwanted subject. Thick shadows pooled above them, coating the hall in an sinuous darkness that wasn't a part of the cheap effects meant to scare brainless cowards. With her specialized vision she could see through the darkest of them. Their depths were unsteady, ebbing and flowing with her own heartbeat. It wouldn't make any difference to a human, but to her it was clear as day. They were hers, but they were completely out of her control as a mixture of fear and anger temporarily took over.

"My mother." She spat the word with more venom than she usually would. She didn't like the woman one bit, but they had a simple unspoken agreement that Libby came before any grievances they might have with each other. Touri didn't need to know any such lenience existed. "I don't have a mother to speak of." The words were cold and final, but she knew that wouldn't hold Touri over. Sighing, she went into a bit more detail. "The woman raised her daughter and kept me an ocean away. She's a relative by blood but nothing more. She has no right to care what monster I may or may not be."

She tried once again to get a grip on the oily darkness. Above them the shadows only flickered. She huffed a growl. She wanted them gone. No, she needed them gone. She needed to concentrate, to get them firmly in her grasp. But she couldn't. Her mind kept getting tugged back to what would happen if she didn't. They were uncontrollable. They were stifling. They were big enough to crush her. Her heartbeat sped up as she felt any hope of getting them under control fading.

She pulled out her phone, using the light from the screen as an anchor. She kept the screen angled away from Touri and checked for any new texts. Nothing. Suddenly the idea of Libby wandering around this party on her own was utterly terrifying. She unlocked her phone and pulled up her messages, clicking Libby's overly cheerful icon. 'It's late, I think you should head home.' She hit send on the message even though she knew it wouldn't go over well. She'd wanted to stay until midnight and the hour wasn't near. She steadied her breathing and dropped the cloak of shadows around them before flicking the phone off.

In a move she was pretty sure would get her killed, she stepped in close and clung to Touri's arm. She had promised to play the part of a damsel in distress. "I think you've got my relationship with my boyfriend all wrong. I didn't seek him out, I was set up with him. And abusive as he may be, you don't get to comment on someone you've never met. Also, he's not my ex. He finally bought me that handbag." She paused and glanced up at him. "No reason to worry, though. That one's not local so he won't catch wind of this little act."

*Come Sei Dici - How do you say?

☽LIA☾

[Daichi Takeshi]

only in darkness can we truly forget what we were meant to be ☒ @tagged ✐ 419 ✉ long overdue, apologies for the wait

Daichi could almost taste the dislike in the air at the mention of Ruby’s mother. So then this would be a subject to pocket for further probing. The conversation, much like their expedition through this haunted house suddenly came to a standstill as Ruby yanked out her phone. She made particular pains to angle it away from him to which Daichi could only smirk. He cared nothing of her technological life or contacts. “He’s as much your boyfriend as I am an office worker,” the taller of the two snorted sarcastically, a look of pure amusement on his face, “though I have to admire your dedication to this lunacy. Nothing like selling a story so hard that you’d let some random person hit you.” A little reminder that he hadn’t forgotten, of course. Somewhere in the discourse of his words Ruby had gripped onto his arm like a child afraid to go alone. He kept lining his doubts with the fact that her gripping his arm and being this close probably prevented him from grabbing his knife. Daichi would have to use the other hand. It was more of an inconvenience really. With a sigh, he shuffled them forward through the hallway. “Ruby, Ruby, Ruby,” he chimed, ushering them through the space which seemed to become narrower as they continued forward, “I know why you’re actually here.” Daichi let the words hang as he continued forwards, the end of the hallway a taller than usual closed door. The yellow-hued wallpaper sat sadly atop the wainscoting, a ridiculous floral pattern. “Nobody comes to a party alone, especially not you. And since you seem so fixed on selling this boyfriend thing I think its safe to assume that you are actually single,” he began, “but you, much like myself, can’t be bothered with things like this so that means you’ve come here with someone. A group wouldn’t leave you alone on a couch but a single person would. Since I doubt anyone would actually be your friend so that leaves only one possibility.” This next part was, no pun intended, a complete shot in the dark. Daichi paused his walk for a second so that he could gather data on the contours of her expression. Amidst the dark, hanging on to his arm, she looked almost… serene? No, that wasn’t the right word. There was still the darkened sparkle in those ruby orbs, perhaps the only warning to her true nature. Or, at least, the nature he assumed she had. “Maybe… you came here with a sibling,” the smirk that was plastered on his face gave away his amusement at this line of questioning, “well, did you?”

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

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[Mikaela Lye]

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♡

Daichi Takeshi * Hope this works! * 565 Words

Mikaela’s hand rose instinctively to her cheek. The bruise had healed, but the memory of it remained. It had hardly been an inconvenience, especially when compared to the other injuries she was prone to receiving. It was good to know Touri didn’t understand how insignificant taking such a hit was to her. It meant he didn’t know who she was and she wasn’t a target of some sort. At least, not yet.

"You’re not an office worker? Are you saying you lied to me?" she asked, eyes wide in feigned shock. It wasn’t a believable reaction in itself so she had to make it seem reasonable. What office job required the skills he had shown? "I thought you were a private investigator’s assistant or a teacher or something interesting like that. Don’t tell me you’re a criminal of some sort! I’d be so disappointed if you were my type."

As the walls began to close in around them, an effect she had no doubt was intentional by the designers of this godforsaken house, she clung tighter to Touri’s arm. It was partially because she thought it would infuriate him, but it was also because she wanted to stay as far away from those impending walls as possible and Touri’s form took up much of the center of the hall. He stopped walking as they neared a worn door. Mikaela glanced up at him curiously.

"It may come as a surprise to you, but I have an actual reason for being at this party. I just got off a shift. Volunteer work. The family throwing this thing offer a ton of opportunities so I’ve gotten to know them pretty well." This was one particular lie she felt the need to make up for later. She’d have to put in extra hours at the Retirement Home. The supposed immorality of the lie momentarily distracted herself from a far more important underlying issue: it had been the wrong lie to tell. Mikaela didn’t really want this guy thinking she had a kind bone in her body. "I-I like to get in the way of their efforts and the easiest place to do that is from within their ranks." She rushed through the line a bit too quickly, eyes breaking away from the hulking man.

In an effort to change the subject she pulled on another subject he'd mentioned moments before. "Wait! Did you think the guy in the bar is the one I’m calling my boyfriend? That’s neither the story I was trying to sell or the truth." The faked laughter came easily enough with the nervousness bubbling in her stomach.

"That guy was just your everyday jerk. I don’t even know his name, I just didn’t like him or his girl. Honestly, why would I date a guy like that? And after that fight with my boyfriend there was no way I’d have gone to the same bar as him... not unless I planned to steal the handbag he wouldn’t buy me and make a show of it..." The thought rolled in her mind for a moment, forming into a cohesive plan for some future argument with some unknown future ‘friend,’ but it was a distraction from the matter at hand so she brushed it aside. "Come on, Touri, you can’t seriously be letting a lie I never told get in the way of believing the truth."

☽LIA☾

[Daichi Takeshi]

only in darkness can we truly forget what we were meant to be ☒ Mikaela Lye ✐ 516 ✉ just smack him already

If he hadn’t already been stopped at a dead halt, he would’ve stopped short enough that she was flung from his arm. Volunteer work? She really didn’t have a high opinion of his intelligence at all. Or maybe, like so many nekomata he’d had the misfortune of dealing with, she’d simply found the best way to poke at him. Like a child interested in annoying a bug with a stick or something. Daichi resisted the urge to shrug his arm away from her; he could play games too. “Volunteer work,” he couldn’t help but scoff at the idea, even though it had been mentioned far earlier in the conversation, “that's about as believable as the act you're putting on right now.” To potentially add to her ire, Daichi let most of her words fall on deaf ears. This woman was a weave of lies and half truths with no real indication of what lay at the center of her intentions. He didn’t dare take her word for anything at this point. When he’d escorted her away from her alleged stalker Daichi expected to get a fake name, something ridiculously unbelievable like Jane. It was more likely she’d half-truth their bargain, slipping through the cracks once more. Did he find this infuriating or amusing? Daichi Takeshi really couldn’t tell. Silently he opened the very-creaky door to the next room and stepped through. Seeing as it simply wasn’t big enough for the two of them to fit through the frame, he wrested his arm from Ruby’s grips and slipped into the darkness of the next room. Well, it was supposed to be dark but in reality, the both of them could see fine in the room thanks to night vision. Ragged fabrics reminiscent of ghosts hung from the ceiling, brushing against his shoulders and face like a spider or the unwanted touch of a stranger. The ground beneath was simplistic marble. Though, even with his night vision, it would be hard to find the door in the forest of cloth. Daichi wondered if he should get lost in here, make it harder for Ruby to keep up. Would she panic or would she rejoice from freedom? He smirked, stepping into canopy of hanging ghost-fabrics. “Ahh, I get it now. It’s volunteer work for a crime you committed,” Daichi weaved through the room with no particular direction in mind, the stirring of the hanging mock ghosts making the fabrics sway, “and here I thought you were smart enough not to get caught. Well, can’t have it all I guess.” He stopped walking, watching the hanging fabric ghosts slide back into place and steadily fall out of sway. They were far enough that even he couldn’t see anyone approaching. In truth it was a bit unnerving. This would be a far better room to spider around but tipping his cards early around Ruby seemed a bad idea. “You need to lie better Ruby. The family hosting this hates nekomata. They had a little falling out with one a few years ago that needed sweeping up. Is your stalker really that scary? Now I think I might want to meet him,” he laughed, the sound quickly absorbed by the surrounding cloth walls.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

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[Mikaela Lye]

TW Implied Violence

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♡

Daichi Takeshi * Hope this works! * 1029 Words

She cast a sharp glance in his direction, although she could only see a vague outline of him standing amongst the fake ghosts. Scared? If her stalker was dangerous enough to be scary she wouldn't have entered a haunted house where she'd be funneled to a single exit that would allow anyone to take a surprise hit if they could estimate when you'd be coming out. She desperately wanted to point this out to Touri, but she didn't want him suspecting what she was really doing by binding him to her tonight. It was a balancing act to keep two peoples' attention on her without them suspecting anything, but it was a necessary effort. There were far too many dangerous people wandering around for her to actually let something happen.

Silent steps navigated the mass of fabric, traveling in the opposite direction of Touri. If he found the exit she'd be able to tell when he responded to her from the next room... Or when he didn't respond at all. Either way, she tracked his footsteps to keep a general idea of where he was. "I have no clue what you're implying, but I haven't committed any crimes by Canadian law." she said indignantly. "From what I know of it, at least. It's not like I've studied the intricacies of this godforsa--" her words fell short as she pushed aside a curtain of ghostly fabric to reveal a blur of white.

The room that opened before her was meant to be some cheesy horror movie scene, undoubtedly about a mad scientist doing experiments on passing strangers or something of the like. She didn’t have a chance to take it all in. On one side of the room, the one close to her, there was a table covered in blood with prop tools randomly strewn about.

She blinked and a similar but altogether different scene formed around her in her mind. A steel table. The stench of chemicals as she cleaned blood off her tools. A whimpered plea that would burrow under her skin and never quite be forgotten, yet one she was forced to ignore. She could feel the blood on her hands, both physically and metaphorically. She still remembered exactly how it felt to slip a blade just beneath the skin, to slow its pace for the most painful effect, to block anything she felt inside from showing on her face. Cold and cruel, like the steel she’d been taught to wield. That was what her father expected of her. That was why her brother would always be a step better than her. That was why she’d been forced to come here.

She knew she was out of that life, but the logical bit of her mind was never quite logical enough to overcome her irrationalities. There was no way she could make up for even half her sins, and trying to was a fool’s hope. They were too potent. She wasn’t sure how they could keep themselves hidden. She expected to look down at her skin and see them written across the surface in crimson stains for the world to see.

Mikaela didn’t realize she’d come to a standstill until the breath caught in her throat started to burn her lungs. Putting up some sort of front for Touri no longer seemed so important. She needed an out and there wasn’t one. What sort of escape could there be from her own past? There was none and there was no escape from her present either. She was trapped. She’d always been trapped and she always would be, no matter how much she denied it. She was trying to fit into a place where she didn’t belong, and that made her a monster.

This room may have been less crowded than the previous one, but it felt like the walls were closing in on her. She was conscious of her breathing now, but she couldn’t get enough oxygen. A vague memory flitted into her mind, something about what she should do in moments like this. The advice given so long ago may as well have been in a different language for her lack of understanding.

She was alone and it felt like any move she made would be met with a solid object to block her path. Indeed, as she stumbled half a step away from the triggering scene she felt the brush of something against her back. She let out a short yelp before jumping into action, grabbing the hilt of her blade at her thigh and whipping around. A clump of harmless fabric swooshed over the knife, not held taught enough to actually get cut.

Insane as it was, she got the feeling there was someone hidden beyond the layers of fabric, ready to leap when she turned to walk away. Then again, that hidden attacker could have been behind her now in the lab scene. She pressed her back against the side wall, giving her a view of both of the rooms she'd rather block out, and slipped her blade back into its sheath. She needed to calm herself down before someone seriously got hurt. Only, there wasn't much reality left for her to grip onto. An intense paranoia was all she had left to cling to.

Somewhere beyond the veil of cloth was Touri. She'd been too preoccupied to listen and keep track of where, exactly, he was, but he was there somewhere. "You wanted to know my name!" she said, clinging to the idea that he was out there and he was... relatively safe.

"It's Ma- um..." Mikaela paused, realizing the dilemma in promising to give her 'real' name. She wasn't sure, exactly, which name counted as her real name. She certainly couldn't give him 'Arabella.' That was hardly her name anymore anyway. So should she give him the name people like him should know her by? That was definitely the fakest name she had. In fact, she was pretty sure most people knew it was fake but that didn't really matter. The point of it was to keep information of any shady business away from her father.

"Mikaela Lye." she decided firmly.

☽LIA☾

[Daichi Takeshi]

only in darkness can we truly forget what we were meant to be ☒ Mikaela Lye ✐ 582 ✉ this is an oddly tame Daichi post?

As Ruby stepped further away the fabric seemed to close behind her like water running over a smooth surface. Daichi could hear her muffled footsteps by testing the sound against the wall. At first, he simply thought she was trying to avoid being too close. Or maybe she was making a game out of it. Alternatively, and the most possible scenario, a swift escape in which he would be left nothing aside from what costume she wore. Daichi scowled at the idea. Ruby was far more trouble than she was worth. Yet he began to weave his way through the ragged canopy to where she was going. A dog following its master... or a hunter tracking its prey. Thankfully, those ire-filled words echoed from the end of the room where Daichi could only presume the door was. So then, she was just racing toward the end. The assassin cut his way through the rest of the room stopping only to save his glasses from being stolen from his face by a particularly enthusiastic tattered string. When her voice fell short, he only smirked. “No crimes by Canadian law? I’ll have to check the other countries then,” a feigned sigh followed, “you sure do get around. Hmm? What’s the matter Ruby? Cat got your tongue?” Daichi snickered at his own joke, about to breech the threshold where the door met the next room when the sound of a panicked footstep echoed in his ears. While he was nothing near as fast as the nekomata, the muscle memory of centuries of training would suffice. The Jorogumo whipped back just in time to see the fabric before him sliced with precision strike aimed to kill. Instinct kicked in. An attacker. He had to fight back. His fingers traced the inside of his sleeve, readying his first poisoned blade between two deft fingers. Daichi was just about to pull and strike when he remembered where he was and whom he was with. Heart beating loudly in his ears, tracing the inside of his throat. Was now the time for him to die? Daichi heard a familiar voice, causing him to drop his grip on one of his most deadly weapons. Mikaela Lye. Uncertain as to whether or not he was about to be stabbed again, Daichi stepped through the curtains and into the next room. Ruby-centered orbs amidst a scene of blood and torture. A shiver crawled up his spine at the sight, reminded of his last encounter with Anzu. Only where cruel and cold orbs lay there was a smoother contour, a slight yet barely noticeable tension beneath it. “You know, Mikaela Lye, if you wanted to stab me next time you should wait until my back’s turned. There’s a much better chance of landing a fatal hit if I’m not walking directly at you,” the last words were heavily emphasized but, seeing the small lingering glint of wildness in her gaze, Daichi left it at that, “this room smells like cheap props and poor design. Let’s get out of here before your friend shows up.” Daichi didn’t bother to give her or the room a second take, instead brushing by her in a suggestive manner that left his back wide open. Of course, if she actually stabbed him, he’d be both surprised and impressed. Mikaela Lye. It certainly didn’t sound Italian but with no other alternative it was as good a name as any. Three strides later, Daichi was at the exit and surprisingly unstabbed… at least for now.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

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[Mikaela Lye]

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♡

Daichi Takeshi * Hope this works! * ### Words

Very suddenly, Touri was there. Close enough that she could have accidentally stabbed him if he'd started walking in her direction a second earlier. Her breath still came too quickly and she couldn't get a grip on her rapidly beating heart.

Touri was talking. His words washed over her, more a mass of sounds than anything else, but they weren't angry. There wasn't a drop of sense in her anymore, but there didn't have to be to know the calm way he shrugged it off was wrong. Wrong and suspicious. Why was he so insistent against killing her? What else could he possibly want from her? And she was quite convinced he wanted something from her. She didn't believe in consequences and this was the second time he'd come up to her.

"Maremma maiala!" she gasped. "I could have stabbed you! Why would you leave yourself open? Or, more importantly, let me keep breathing. What the hell is your deal! Is my life really that significant to you?!" She was still talking to herself more than him. For all she knew he could have gone on walking, leaving her to her ramblings. It didn't matter. Scolding him for his stupidity was easier than accepting her own thoughts. Now that she'd stopped talking, her thoughts had begun to wrap their icy chains around her once more, binding her in place. It wouldn't be long before someone else stumbled upon them, but she couldn't bring herself to care enough to break free and move.

Is my life that significant to you. Her life shouldn't be significant to anyone. After all, her life could never be worth anything she valued. Any hope of her truly living a life she could be proud of had been tainted long ago. Even if she tried to live every day doing the best deeds she could, she wouldn't be able to guarantee her future. The twisting fate set out before her wasn't hers to control. All it would take was a simple accident and her father would be calling her back. She had been given a nice little break for now, but she'd be stupid to think it could last forever. This was her life. A room with bloody tools she had no desire to ever see again.

"Wait, Touri, stop!" she called, finally looking up at him. Hanging around an assassin was probably a bad idea, but whether he thought she should or shouldn't die tonight, he was probably right. "D-do you believe people can change?" She gazed up at him with wide eyes, desprate to hear his answer. She wasn't sure which answer would be worse, that she could change and become the monster her father wanted of her or that she would be trapped with her conscious dragging her down when she got caught back up in real life. "Or at the very least is it possible to do a bad thing for a good reason?"

☽LIA☾

[Daichi Takeshi]

only in darkness can we truly forget what we were meant to be ☒ Mikaela Lye ✐ 567 ✉ philosophy?!

Is my life really that significant to you? The words were like razors, only they truly weren’t pointed at Daichi. Didn’t she know she was simply asking the wrong questions? He had already paused in the threshold of the exit but still he didn’t turn around, leaving his back wide open. “If you were going to actually make an attempt to stab me I suspect you would have already done it.” he replied with a sarcastic tone, “though considering how long people live maybe it’s possible you’re hear to watch me suffer. If so, you’re doing a terrible job.” Daichi was about to continue onward when the next, strange question suddenly tumbled out of Ruby’s mouth. What was going on with her? First, she was dying to leave this room. It was a room that obviously had stirred something unpleasant in her. Alternatively, maybe she enjoyed pretending to stab strangers. The corner of his mouth twitched at the idea though he knew there was no truth in it… at least in this case anyways. Soul searching? He nearly scoffed at the idea but still turned around to face her. “Depends on the person. Some can change, some can’t,” Ruby’s eyes were deeper somehow, a surprisingly human-esc quality to them that Daichi admitted he didn’t think she could possess. It made him reconsider the many reasons she was asking, “if you’re looking for validation through me, you’ve come to the wrong place.” Those words were bound to sting but Daichi knew the truth of what he was about to say next. Even at the behest the depth of her gaze, he felt the nothingness that lay within. Centuries of murder had definitely changed who he was. Anzu had changed him, shaped him into who he was today. To believe in fantasies and idealism was to be a fool. “Good and bad are relative terms. Nothing is that polarized in this world,” Daichi stared directly at Ruby now with his cutting gaze, “what you do is on you, not a higher power. Everything, absolutely everything has consequences whether or not you think it’s bad or good. Saying you’ve done something for the greater good is only an excuse to forget something.” Daichi stepped forward, closing the gap between them. Even through the violet-hued sunglasses he could still see Ruby crystal clear. Would his words crush her? Maybe that was what she needed. A wake-up call. He wasn’t here to give her excuses. It was cold but Daichi didn’t care. “I can assure you that nobody is watching,” he reached out, sure she would stab him, maybe even inviting it as he placed a heavy thumb on her chin to lift her gaze higher, “if they had been, I would’ve been dead a long time ago, kitten. If you can live with it then live with it, if not then don’t.” He let his hand drop, once again turning so that she had a full view of his back. Hopefully, if she did decide he was no longer worth his time she’d make it quick. Daichi didn’t feel like fighting today. Someone in command had been messing around in his personal business and he was damned determined to find out. Somewhere outside of the exit, or possibly behind him, lingered this alleged stalker of Mikaela’s and he was determined to catch this mouse. Hopefully after Ruby had already left.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

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[Mikaela Lye]

[googlefont="Comfortaa"]

♡

Daichi Takeshi * Hope this works! * 725 Words

Touri's words were misguided, but even as she marked their falsities in her mind they cut deep. She held perfectly still, refusing to show any immediate reaction. What a simple life Touri must live. It was hard to believe it existed within the same world as her own. Good and bad. The concepts weren't relative, they were just considered as such by people that didn't want to balance their complexities or didn't want to acknowledge their own treachery. Philosophers had spent centuries defining the terms and there were plenty of different ways to measure them. It was one of those benign things her father had insisted she learn. While she was in his world, there was no room for disillusionment. That's why she so preferred taking her own path, even if it was leading nowhere.

"You mistake my intentions." she frowned as he started to turn away. She had to come up with an excuse for this behaviour and the truth simply wasn't an option. Coming up with a quick lie was easier anyway. "The last thing I need is to be coddled and told I'm a good person. I'm just worried about my rep back in Italy. Got a text from my uncle saying people are beginning to suspect I've gone soft." She held up her phone nonchalantly as though that contributed to her explanation. As she did, the screen buzzed to life, revealing a new text from her sister.

'No way!' Her gaze only slid over the first two words, but they were enough to catch her off guard. It took a moment to school her expression from distaste. How stubborn could a single girl be? Sure she hadn't given much reason behind her request, but she'd been under the blind assumption that she held some sort of command over the other girl. As though they didn't share the same sense of self-determination.

She still had loose ends to tie up before she could address this new issue, so she pasted on a pleased smile to finish her excuse. "But! If any malicious action can be considered bad regardless of intent, no one would be naive enough to even argue that I have any sort of soul." She smugly brushed past him. She couldn't allow herself to linger here any longer. It would only be a matter of moments before some other passing party-goers found them and she didn't feel like being interrupted. What she needed now was to get all the dynamic pieces of this puzzle in order. She hadn't really come here expecting conflict and now it was occurring to her that she'd better put up her walls quickly.

Mikaela tilted the top of her phone towards her chest so Touri wouldn't be able to peek over her shoulder and shot out a response to Libby. 'If you insist at the very least stay with friends. There are some people around here i don't much like.' That was the best she could hope for at this rate, and she had more important things to do than spend the night arguing. As long as she kept anyone dangerous focused on her until midnight there shouldn't be a real problem.

There was a dim light ahead, the promise of an end to this cheesy haunted house, giving her only a few seconds to chose a new mask for her next encounter. A cool layer fell over her features, blocking her emotions from her face, and she straightened into a practiced posture. "What do you say we move on to something a bit more interesting?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder at Touri with a wry smile. As always, the question was more a courtesy than anything else. She didn't care how he felt, she was ready for the explosions to begin.

As the outside world came into view, her gaze scanned the shadows, knowing exactly which spots her prey would choose to hide in. She yawned as she found him. "Enrico, sono annoiato con questo gioco.* Come out and say hi or I will just go home." she called, loud enough that she knew he'd hear. It didn't really matter if anyone else decided to listen to their conversation. She had a feeling it would be more incrimination to her friends than herself, and she couldn't care less where their lives ended up.

*Sono annoiato con questo gioco. - I'm bored with this game.

☽LIA☾

[Daichi Takeshi]

only in darkness can we truly forget what we were meant to be ☒ Mikaela Lye ✐ 454 ✉ idk about these two lol

It was a blatant lie, that much Daichi could decipher. He never cared much for word games and playing – these were Anzu’s hunting grounds, but for some reason he felt invested in this particular liar. Boredom perhaps? The hunter thought no more on it and, instead, picked up what he could from her feigned nonchalance. The Italy part was no news to him. But an uncle, a reputation, these were small slips of the tongue that he would look into later. In order to have any sort of reputation, one had to be something significant. Daichi said nothing as Ruby addressed her phone, watching silently for the slightest of changes. While he was in no way an expert at reading others, the Jorogumo had spent many evenings perched in a dark corner of the ceiling just watching and waiting. Her business with the unknown individual concluded, Ruby went back to her usual charming demeanor. “You assume having a soul is equivalent to having a conscience,” the assassin replied dryly but Mikaela Lye had already set herself to her next task and with a slight shrug Daichi followed. As they stepped out of the haunted house a new surrounding met their gaze. A quieter hallway sat before them, one that would most likely funnel them back to the main event. In fact, it was the worst possible scenario when one was being pursued. Daichi eyed the surroundings, getting caught up on a particularly gaudy sofa not too far from where they stood. Ruby’s yelling drew him back to reality in a way that sharpened his senses. He wanted to hiss at her in anger for being such a fool but the part of Daichi that wanted answers simply kept silent. In reality he’d fulfilled his end of their contract. Now he could sit back and enjoy the show that was about to unfold. Despite his outward appearance of collected calm he swiftly began to mark the exits and began to calculate how quickly he could draw his blade. Even despite her brazen foolishness, Daichi had to admit the thought of a conflict stirred something in his blood. He turned toward the dark-haired woman for just a second with a new expression. This certainly would be changing the pace of this encounter. But the only one who lost here would be Ruby. “Amazing,” he laughed, “protect me from my stalker! And now here we are with you goading them out. Ruby you really have a death wish.” Daichi shrugged, highly amused, and used this movement to set his hand closer to the poisoned blade in his sleeve. It looked natural enough that nobody would think twice but the delay in seconds might actually save Ruby from her stupidity.

MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS

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[Mikaela Lye]

[googlefont="Comfortaa"]

♡

Daichi Takeshi * Hope this works! * 735 Words

Mikaela paused in her path as Touri spoke. She hadn't realized quite how misguided he was. "Protect me?" she raised an eyebrow. "My, Touri, I know you must think me a fool but come on. I'd never ask for your protection." If she did that he'd probably just stab her in the back. Not to mention, her last bodyguard had ended up particularly dead and she wasn’t looking for a repeat. He was more of a babysitter, though.

She frowned up at his misplaced amusement, taking a moment to think about the bigger issue. Of all the ridiculous things she chose to do, this is what he laughed at? She thought it was a fairly sane decision. "I didn't ask for your judgment either. It's easy for an idiot to assume everyone else is in their league, but give me some credit. This confrontation is inevitable, so I'd be a fool to let it be on his terms. The alternative would be him cornering me in some alley later on when no one knows where I am."

She glanced back towards Enrico who was still hanging back in the shadows. The middle of a crowd probably wasn't where he wanted to talk to her. She was kind of counting on that. Plus, it would be more fun to do this with Touri nearby. "Now, I'm gonna go say hi because it's rude to keep people waiting. I know we're not exactly allies, but please try not to call me out on all of my lies."

She turned to walk away before he had any sort of a chance to respond. If he still didn't approve of her actions it didn't really matter, it was her choice to make not his. Greet, disarm, gather information, find a reason to leave. She repeated the list in her mind. It was a simple enough protocol to get her out of a lot of messy situations. As for what information she needed from Enrico, she didn't yet know. He'd been a good source when she knew what she was targeting, but she was too out of touch with the criminal world to know where to begin. Not that she was all that interested anymore either. Figuring out who he was reporting back to nowadays would probably be the most important thing, just to make sure no one too dangerous now knew her location.

"Enrico! What brings you to a place like this? I think we were going to get some cotton candy next if you'd like to join us." Cotton candy. She regretted the suggestion as soon as she made it, but she kept a smile plastered on. Her current act wouldn't be as innocent as when she'd first come across Touri, but optimism wouldn't hurt. At the very least she didn't want Enrico suspecting she was up to anything. She'd given up a life in the shadows long ago and she didn't want to be dragged back into it yet.

Mikaela eyed the cowboy costume Enrico had chosen. It was almost as bad as Touri's cop one. The gun holstered on his belt looked real enough, and she doubted he'd be paranoid enough to carry more than one weapon. She hated Halloween, but at the very least costumes gave people an excuse to wear their weapons where she could see. It was a stupid move, but most people thought they kept their weapons hidden to avoid looking suspicious, not to keep their enemies from knowing where they stood.

"And who is this?" Enrico asked, motioning to Touri. Mikaela shrugged and glanced at the man behind her. A friend, an enemy, an obnoxious jerk who would undoubtedly make her life a pain? She didn’t really know how to define him, nor did she care enough to try.

"I'm not here to host a conversation between you guys." she rolled her eyes. This was probably a stupid decision to be making. Letting two wolves tear themselves apart would be entertaining, but it could also expose a lot about her. Still, as long as she was there to temper the conversation she didn't necessarily have to control it. "Oh, don't worry Enrico! It is really easy to make your own introductions. Just start with ‘Hi, how are you doing, it’s so nice to meet you!’ and see where that takes you." She ignored his piercing scowl. She wouldn’t budge on this.

☽LIA☾