Welcome to The Duality of Man, an original animanga role-play that features numerous supernatural creatures. Unfortunately, these various species have distanced themselves because of the war that occurred thousands of years ago, plaguing some with eyes that only see their dualism. While others meddle themself with their differences, two groups fight, each attempting to eliminate the other in for their definition of worldly peace. These two groups of the Terror Response Syndicate (TRS) and the Assembly of Phantoms (AP). With individuals fighting merely over their differences, it brings uncertainty to the outcome of this war.
We happily accept all role-players as long as they obey the rules and are capable of meeting our word count of 50. This does include those who are unfamiliar with this style of role-playing. The staff of The Duality of Man are willing to happily help those who are new to the role-playing world so they feel comfortable on site. Feel free to message the staff if you need help, they can be found here or in the site Discord and will gladly answer questions alongside calm concerns. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear them; guests may use the support board as a suggestion area as well. Should you decide to join, may I say welcome to the site and we all hope you enjoy your time here.
Yours Truely,
The Staff
season
Summer 2022
Heat has broken through into a glorious summer. The snow has entirely dried through the spring, leaving to the brilliance of the warmer months. Terror activity has risen as people are brought out of their homes, leaving the TRS in a position of consistent work. Each are attempting to maintain victory in the endless struggle for power.
With April, an activity check has arrived for members to do! Please post on the AC and tag all your accounts, including WIPs and OOC accounts. Failure to post on this AC will result in your accounts being marked inactive or deleted. Please note, due to a late start, the due date for this check has been adjusted for one time and one time only.
There was a low growl of disapproval from Mikaela in the form of a don’t-answer-that coupled with what Daichi could only imagine was a pressed blade. In reality he shouldn’t have been surprised when her slender finger squeezed the trigger in his direction.
It begged the question: really, what had he expected? Was this some sort of silent way for him to finally embrace a colorless death? Did he even care if he died? Daichi had come to terms with that sort of thing nearly a century ago so this was an unlikely possibility.
So then, the only thing left would be that he was testing Ruby to see if she would actually shoot him. Well, apparently he now had his answer.
Daichi stared unflinchingly, waiting for the bullet but what came instead was an empty click followed by almost sarcastic words from Ruby’s other victim. She hadn’t checked the gun before waving it around. He’d never been one for guns or killing from afar, too impersonal, but even the least talented of criminals knew the basics of using a gun. It was a rookie mistake.
Against his better judgement, he burst out laughing.
“Did you…. of course, you did,” the assassin reached out with his non-dominant hand and gave her head an enthusiastic pat in what seemed like a harmless, average motion, “sorry though, it’s just the price of business. I’d say we could continue this in hell but, you know.”
In one smooth motion, Daichi procured the poisoned blade from his sleeve. There was no point in making in natural looking because the higher ups had likely already wondered why his true target hadn’t gotten dead.
Managerial issues for later of course.
He jabbed perfectly between the tiny rib space where the slightest of windows to Enrico’s heart was. The movement was so quick, a simple puncture and then he was once again standing by Ruby with a crimson-stained blade.
Sage-hued eyes turned towards his victim to make sure the job was done. If Mikaela wanted to stab him as well, he figured now would be the time.
A distantly loud yell came from the main party area but Daichi ignored it – there was always bound to be someone rowdy enough to annoy others at an event like this. Probably too much liquor.
MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS
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Pure bitterness dripped from every one of Enrico’s words, grating on Daichi’s usually calmed nerves. It irritated him to think that someone could be so lost to their own actions as to blame another. Even if Mikaela had put a gun to his sister’s head and shot the bullet herself it wouldn’t be her fault. Associations with a criminal organization were almost always bound to affect family. Even in this day and age where it was easier to live entirely apart.
But before Daichi could make another angering remark, Mikaela drew a knife from her person and aimed it at the man before him. He was about to bristle with annoyance at the showy motion – especially considering she had chastised him for doing the same at the bar, but there was now the barrel of a gun pointed directly at his person.
Daichi stopped cold in his tracks.
There was some semblance to an apology within those ruby eyes but Daichi didn’t change his cold exterior gaze in the slightest. Did she really expect him to obey like a dog? It was his position in the Black Order but that was prompted by money.
He had already collected his prize and, most importantly, he didn’t believe in empty threats.
“Mikaela Lye, I hope you didn’t point a gun at me with the intention of not using it,” he replied gruffly, less a threat more a dare. His finger had already slid into the inlet of his sleeve, disguised by the slightest of gestures. Daichi’s eyes flashed back to Enrico, ignoring the gun held level to his person, “so what was your purpose in following us? To get revenge? Or just to smolder silently at us like a dying coal at an abandoned campfire?”
It was a question that would decide the fate of what happened next. There were some things he could ill afford to lose and, given the specifics of what had occurred today, one of those things could potentially be compromised. At this point he had moved close enough to the gun to feel the barrel on his shoulder, though he continued to promptly ignore it.
Maybe she would shoot him after all.
MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS
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Ruby responsible for the death of someone’s sister? He stared unflinchingly at the man as he ignored the obvious threat in front of him, determined to attack the dark-haired woman behind Daichi. While he was still the barrier between them, Daichi felt as though he weren’t even there given the weight of it.
Ruby’s angered response did tell the assassin that perhaps this Enrico had hit a soft spot. Or maybe she was as annoyed as Daichi was by the accusation. Either way it pissed him off more than he'd like to admit.
Mikaela’s sudden dissuasion from their current conversation fell on mostly deaf ears. Her quiet sentiment, however, hit the core of his mind. Was this insanity? Had years of being apart from his sister fractured his ability to remain impartial to things like this? Daichi had originally intended to honor their deal by providing the bare necessities.
But… something about this man’s presumptions had provoked a darker side in the career killer. How brazen to claim that a single person was responsible for a death. Despite all her outward appearances, Daichi didn’t think Mikaela Lye was one to willingly pull the trigger on any human being. So, most likely against all of Ruby’s current wishes, he stepped forward with the intention of daring this man to attack him.
“Did she pull the trigger herself? I doubt it. What’s really going on here is that you were too stupid to realize that your associations with a criminal organization could actually affect your family. Anyone worth anything should realize that,” his words were intentionally careless, sharpened to anger, “your sister died because you were inept and blaming others is only a way of excusing yourself from the truth; It’s your fault. Don't blame others for your mistakes.”
The seeds were planted. A plot that Anzu might be surprised about. Daichi Takeshi doing more than brandishing a blade and dancing in the shadows. Who was this person? He didn’t dare take his eyes off the man in front of him – who knew what sort of weaponry the guy had currently on him (if any).
Aside from magic or innate abilities, Daichi was certain he could overcome any physical weapon. If the abilities were present… well, this party had gotten really boring.
Daichi continued to stare at Mikaela’s ghost from the past, forgetting his initial comb for information. Nothing made him angrier than someone who couldn’t admit their own faults. It was easy to blame others but most of the time an individual’s actions are the causative factor. To ignore this was pure foolishness.
Sage-hued centers continue to watch and wait patiently for whatever came next.
MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS
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pfpfpt, this post is about to create some fireworks I think
Daichi Takeshi wasn’t really sure what he had expected to happen. A stalker that she’d rather not avoid but rather was now confronting. In a way the man had done Daichi a favor by ignoring him, allowing him to have full concentration on the issue at hand. While he wasn’t someone who frequently fought outside of the shadows, he wasn’t new to such a situation.
Ruby pattered around in a harsh tone – intended to irritate or scare. He couldn’t help but compare her to an alley cat backed into a corner by a stranger. While his demeanor was one of bored disinterest, he was still poised to strike if the situation escalated.
Chilled needles pricked the back of his neck as his nekomata companion foolishly stepped forward. He thought it would end there, his fingers somewhat tightening their grip as he planned just how he was going to kill this man. But much to Daichi’s chagrin, Ruby reached out and grabbed the man’s wrist.
“We’re on a date actually,” he interjected, mostly to hide the ever so slight tension in his lip at her unpredicted movements. Ruby clearly was not all there if she thought it was a good idea to get in proximity of a snapping dog.
How had Ruby made it this far? Daichi hardly knew.
Still, he had to trust that she had some sort of plan in mind. If everything went horribly wrong, he could simply shift and make a quick escape. It wasn’t like he owed Mikaela anything. The note hit discordance in his brain because he knew he did. Technically speaking, their little play date wasn’t over until Ruby said so.
What a distasteful thought.
“My my, petty thievery? Ruining lives?” Daichi replied in something akin to a purr as he breached the gap between them. The assassin wasn’t getting enough information the old way and he didn’t like watching Mikaela play with her food so to speak.
It very well could be that Ruby’s intentions were to lose both of them in this game by pitting them against one another. Daichi’s fingers had slipped entirely from his knife now and instead snaked over Mikaela’s back like they were indeed the loving couple he’d described not too long ago. In a gesture that was begging for another side-elbow, he pulled her close with his arm.
“It’s alright doll. I still love you,” feigned affection dripping with sarcasm hung in the air before he turned towards Enrico, still looking surprisingly pleasant, “so sheriff, what brings you to town? Did she break your heart or your questionable business tactics? From what I’ve gathered she’s pretty good at both.”
Daichi rubbed his bare thumb down a section of Mikaela’s exposed arm as though to remind her that he wasn’t going anywhere. Again, it was pushing her commitment to them appearing to be together because pushing him away would ruin it all. Assuming that was even what she was going for.
“Cats naturally have claws so you should’ve expected a scratch at some point. Anyone who doesn’t is just a fool, right?” sarcastic eyes never left the man who now stood in front of them. Daichi wanted to be underestimated if things escalated.
MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS
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As quickly as she’d denied her blatant cries for validation, Mikaela Lye had turned on heel to address their hidden stalker. The one that she had been dead set on avoiding just a handful of minutes ago. So dead set that she’d literally made a deal with an assassin to enter a haunted house alone.
Daichi wasn’t one for mind games but he began to wonder if the previous direction of their conversation were really so bad that Ruby would turn towards a lesser evil.
The lesser evil being some weirdly attractive guy in a cowboy suit of course. Given that his own getup was a last-minute buy from a slooty Halloween store, Daichi really couldn’t point any fingers in that regard. Instead, he grabbed the brim of his cop cap and gave it a little tip in an incredibly mocking gesture as he spoke his next line.
“Howdy sheriff, what brings you to these parts of town?” Daichi’s feigned accident was atrocious but this only made it delicious, “I’m just her boy toy, don’t mind me.”
With a smirk he put his hands up in a gesture of piece and stepped back to enjoy the show that was about to unfold. Mikaela had already stepped back into the discussion with a strangely sassy tone. More so than the one she’d used to mock him. Apparently, it could get worse.
Daichi gave the man one more lingering gaze before turning back to Ruby. Clearly, she had it handled. The assassin leaned himself against a nearby wall and crossed his arms. It might’ve looked like he was bored to anyone without knowledge of his profession but in reality, he had his pointer and middle finger directly on the poisoned blade that lined the inside of his sleeve.
Any unwanted movement towards Ruby and this Emiko guy was dead. Daichi’s gaze settled between them, wondering who would slip up first. This was a goldmine for information if he played his cards right, he could get more than they initially bargained for.
An errant obsidian strand slipped across his face but Daichi didn’t dare brush it away. The guy was already far too close to Ruby for his liking.
MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS
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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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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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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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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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only in darkness can we truly forget what we were meant to be
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@tagged
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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?”
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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.
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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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only in darkness can we truly forget what we were meant to be
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Dai: aww how cute
Surprisingly, enough Ruby snatched his hand, tracing the scar she’d created with his still-kidnapped knife. If being around actual cats had told him anything, moving his hand now would leave it forfeit to a good bite. He nearly chuckled at the idea but somehow maintained his neutral composure though a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth had to be quickly quelled.
“Very,” he agreed solemnly as he rested his hand from her grips then in a sharp tone added, “most people would’ve just actually stabbed me,” but Ruby was already on about something else, specifically more words meant to cramp an egotistical person’s confidence.
Daichi only watched and waited, as was his strategy for most things. Mostly out of laziness.
Wasps? The Black Order was quite the opposite. Nobody would care if he died. Nobody except Anzu of course. He didn’t entertain any further ideas about her trajectory of bloodshed if such an event would occur. Or maybe the pair had spent enough time apart that she realized she liked it better without him around? Either way he was due a death or two considering how many he’d dealt out over the centuries.
Still he remained in silence as she relayed the next step in her faulty logic.
Was she… trying to blackmail him? For a moment Daichi stood still, looking through the ultraviolet hues of his ridiculous sunglasses down at a woman perhaps a foot shorter than him. She was radiating a confident energy, a look of complete control over her delicate features.
At least she had one thing right: she was a pathological liar and he would be a fool to take anything she said at face value. It was a poor lead to her next set of dialogue though. Something about “you-shouldn’t-trust-me” paired with “let’s-make-a-deal” seemed incredibly counterproductive. But Daichi had seen the redundant fog of grayness that had shifted in over his life in Anzu’s absence.
Quite simply, killing people all the time had become boring. Yes, it was his job but it was the same thing, over and over again. This… game, no this risk was absolutely foolish. But as he gazed into those mocking Ruby cores staring so confidently back at him Daichi knew he was hooked. At least for the evening. He wanted this woman’s name and a dance with a liar seemed a fitting price.
The assassin briefly toyed with a few ideas until finally, he settled on one. After all, he was a good liar as well. Daichi forced an irritated look over his face (it wasn’t hard really given the situation).
“Are you stupid or something? Nonchalantly going to an assassin guild to give up dirt on one of the employees,” Daichi couldn’t help but laugh at the idea, “as if anyone would even care about your alleged dirt. But you do have a point. Sadly, I’m not known enough to be a freelancer so, in order to save you from your ridiculous ideas of getting murdered, we have a deal.”
It was confident enough to be believed but also riddled with holes. Ruby could pick apart whether or not he was telling the truth while he made his next move.
Daichi paused for a second as he considered the second stipulation. Sparring. Were they children with practice swords? He would never say no to a duel but he wouldn’t be using his full talents. She didn’t seem keen on killing him so there wouldn’t be too big a risk to let her think she won. Letting her know his true skill might make her even more interested in getting murdered by having a good old chat with the Black Order leader.
Stubborn, stupid woman.
“I hope you meant sparring with pool noodles. I’m overdue for a pool fight,” he replied sarcastically and, since the deal was on, swiftly put his arm around her shoulder.
While he was expecting another hard jab to his ribcage, Daichi wondered if she would refrain simply because of the stalker that prowled around them. Hopefully because the last one would likely leave a bruise.
In a further push of his luck, Daichi pulled Ruby closer to him and began to guide her towards the haunted house sign. He hated cheesy things like this but what better avenue to avoid a stalker than a tourist attraction full of spooky jump scares. Daichi gave her shoulder an enthusiastic squeeze with his hand.
“Alright love let’s get this over with,” he was grinning despite the storm that was about to be unleashed upon him. Truly though when was the last time he’d had anything resembling a “date”? Decades ago, maybe. Possibly at least a century. Anzu made these sorts of things difficult and, quite frankly, he’d had no interest in that sort of thing.
MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS
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only in darkness can we truly forget what we were meant to be
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a new deal?
The fastest way to get her killed. Ah right, the people who didn’t like cats in the alley. More specifically her alleged ex. Daichi felt his suspicion darken. An ex that seemed to be everywhere coupled with a reluctance to show that she was indeed a nekomata. Additionally, a liar stood before him. It was safe to assume that there was far more to this than she was letting on.
Maybe it was a gang affiliation instead and had that been the case his mindless teasing would be the cause of her death. A valid and logical assumption. One that he was still going to promptly ignore of course. The real question brimming just beneath the surface was why Ruby would hang around in a town so teaming with unfriendly faces.
But he was already set on a new prize.
“I never had much sense and, apparently, neither do you,” he retorted, never once taking his sage-hued gaze off of her. If he did, she might just slip between his fingers.
Daichi wasn’t one to hold grudges for stupid things or stupid people but once he found someone interesting, he found it incredibly hard to let go. Put quite simply, Ruby had him hooked. A morbid fascination of why someone clearly so preserved on avoiding bad situations continued to place themselves in said situations. He didn’t let his enthusiasm show however, just like with the knife. This was a woman that he should be cautious around.
Cautious and yet here he was, about to play a card that might give her a new bargaining chip.
“Eh, I don’t think the who matters anymore. Clearly you aren’t going to show me your cat ears because you’ve got some crazy gang chasing you and I’ve had enough drama for one day thanks,” he kept his words sounding dismissive and bored but Daichi knew his next request would betray his actual interest, “I’ll tell you what. Since I’d love to avoid you for the rest of my residency in Lorsette, my price is your real name. First and last. In return I’ll be your pretend boyfriend for the evening and help you shake your stalker.”
This was sounding a bit like a romantic comedy gone wrong but Daichi was hoping she would take the bait. He briefly wondered if the fact that she had offered up his knife meant it was on her or if she was simply yanking his chain. Daichi studied her pale features, framed by darkened locks and some purple headpiece for her flapper costume. A strange yet tasteful choice.
Had she put thought into this? Had she come here for actual fun? That would also mean that she’d come here with people. But this he also doubted.
Nekomata couldn’t be trusted, especially not this one. The compulsive lies had gotten Daichi into many a questionable situation before he accepted this truth. Most of his dealings with them were brief and typically involved deliveries only. One last tour around those ruby-hued irises told Daichi he better be careful.
Naturally, he ignored this instinct and, in a display of feigned affection, reached out with his non dominant hand and gave her a few pats on her head.
“What’ll it be Kanojo?” he rescinded his hand, grinning like a fox as he waited for either the explosion or her acceptance of his seemingly simple terms.
MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS
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As annoyed as he was at the situation, her reaction to his true identity was absolutely priceless. Was that a light blush he saw or just a trick of the light? Whatever annoyance he felt prior melted away under the joy of how delicious it was to irritate Ruby so. Even if she was trying to jab him with low blows and petty callouts on his unwillingness to murder her. Daichi had been truthful enough about it. Keyword, enough.
He wouldn’t murder her for many reasons but maybe it was time to stop telling the truth and have some fun with it. Especially since Ruby seemed more inclined to believe her own preconceived dialogue over his.
Daichi reached out, grabbing her wrist just a tad too tightly before pulling her close to him. For reassurance, he hooked an arm around her back and prayed that if she chose to attack him it wouldn’t be with anything particularly sharp. Like teeth. He unfondly remembered the last time someone had decided to bite him.
Grinning like the devil he was, Daichi turned her toward him so that she could only look his way. His long, shadow locks cascading around his shoulders would block out the world beyond. Anyone looking from afar might have thought it was a loving embrace as opposed to Daichi kidnapping the crimson eyed woman in a gesture that left the pair far too close to one another.
Thankfully the crowd, having more important things to do, had dispersed to their partying activities again, leaving Ruby at Daichi's mercy without hope of a rescue.
“Really Ruby, you think I care about that knife? That’s adorable,” his lie was perfected, velvet and smooth from centuries of practice so that even the queen of lies couldn’t be sure of his true intent, “the real question here is who are you trying to avoid?”
In a dance with death, he leaned close enough to be uncomfortable and half-whispered.
“If you really want me to kill you, I’ll need somewhere around 1,055,570 yen. Don’t worry I gave you the discounted price so I’m sure you can steal enough friends’ alcohol to afford it,” Daichi released his grip before Ruby could strike, moving himself to a safe distance before making his terms of assistance known, “if you want me to play along you’ll put your cat ears back on.”
The assassin grinned at her, ignoring the strangely intoxicating sweet scent that now clung to his person. It was a gamble getting that close to Ruby. Maybe she’d just brush him off but since she apparently was insistent upon irritating him, it would be prudent to gather more information on her. Daichi tried his best not to go into situations blind but sometimes it just couldn’t be helped.
MADE BY ★MEULK OF GS
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