✧ detective prince !

“It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?”

“Oh, were you looking play a round?”

        “Oh, sorry about that.” He didn’t truly care much for the shirt as a whole, so he easily releases it from his hold—he definitely didn’t want to argue over who saw it first, anyway.

         “It’s rather warm today... I suppose that would mean summer’s officially here...” Not that he was complaining, of course. He hadn’t minded the heat too much, but he always had preferred typical autumn weather in comparison. As far as he could tell, passersby seemed quite pleased with this change of weather—all except one. It was subtle, but her expression—followed by her hand gestures—seemed to hint to the fact that she wasn’t particularly fond of the heat.

         “... Can I help you...?”

         “—!!” Goro gaze shifts to the side just as the stranger finally finishes tending to the wound of the another. Something told him it was best to not make eye contact.

His presence did trouble him, but it wasn’t anything personal. Mikaela wasn’t exactly the best at making that known, however. His glare insinuated it was something personal; Mikaela didn’t say anything to dissuade the assumption. Instead, his eyes travelled from the stranger and to his untouched coffee, deciding on whether it was worth saying anything at all. They seemed oddly calm about Mikaela’s distaste. Maybe, Mikaela thought, they also agreed that most humans deserved it. Mikaela wasn’t about to start rambling about his grudge at all. There was no point to. Mikaela continued to frown, his red eyes settling upon what the boy was reading. Of course he’d heard him. “… What did you think I was thinking?”

Mikaela stared back at him pointedly. “I didn’t even say anything. You think you’re unbearable?” There was a subtle scoff to his tone. Choosing to pluck out arguments was an old habit when having to talk to both humans and vampires, if for the sake of coping. It was barely noticeable, but the corner’s of Mikaela’s lips upturned. Maybe it was because a conversation happened eventually, even if he was the one glaring first. “ …. That’s the most sense I’ve heard in awhile.”

        Goro could relate to to him, in a way—but his case was a fickle one. At times, he preferred being in the presence of others ( if only to not be alone with his thoughts and to be admired ) but he equally preferred his space. This kid however, seemed to obviously dislike others to a point where Goro even wondered why he was even present here. The detective couldn’t fault him for feeling this way, despite his attitude towards him. After all, there was always that chance that he had a reason for lashing out. Perhaps he was upset about being alone here, or may be it was the fact that he was forced here in the first place. His hand reaches for the handle of the cup once more, and he finally takes a sip of its contents. He decides to not pay him any further mind, but that changes once the other perks up to speak to him.

         ❛  Where is all this mist coming from… ?  ❜  

    HER   phone — a new one, one that works surprisingly well — went off with some sort of alert last night. A ‘disaster report’. All the conditions she’d observed over the past couple of days changed entirely, right on a dime… It didn’t seem possible for mother nature to flip so suddenly. All Kasumi knew was that Fibonacci — the place she was told would be her residence — was the most dangerous. Fireballs that could land at any time ?  No way she could stand a chance against that !

    Archimedes, though, didn’t seem much better… Whereas some wards were trying to function despite this crisis, it was deathly still. She felt like she could hear a pin drop from a block over. She can hear a mild buzzing of passersby, deeper within the city — those still in the ward seemed to limit their business to well outside the mist. She’s just about to turn and follow suit, already prepared to break into a swift jog, when a hint of movement catches her eye.

        ❛   Is… someone out there ?   ❜  

 @justsworn​​​ —— SECURITY BREACH.

         Walking amidst a thick fog wasn’t ideal, but it was sadly the only choice he had had at the moment. Being who he was, he had of course taken cautionary procedures; he would always make sure not to walk too fast, that way he could minimize the sounds of his footsteps echoing through the vicinity. Each step he took was rather slow, and while it had gotten irritating to do so after some time, it was still preferable to accidentally alerting attention to himself. This plan of his seems to work for quite some time, as he hasn’t stumbled across anyone yet—until now. His movements gradually slow down, and as fortune would have it, the other individual is not nearly as careful as himself. He’s already donning his thief getup, and has assumed the role of Crow, so while he could answer with his that in lieu of a name, he refrains from doing so.

   “………what about the puppies…..”

That Akechi would go as far as to make this into a contest doesn’t surprise him at all either in the slightest. They’d always been rivals to one another, always looking to push each other’s limits. Though the danger was very real this time around, it changed nothing. The fate of an entire city hanging in the balance is just another day for both of them. At his insistence of being owed a favor does Akira chuckle and settle in for the long run because that’s exactly what this is going to be. “Oh yeah? I was wondering when you’d use that against me.” To think that it’d be now, well, he supposes it’s as good a time as any for either of them.

With no reason to hold back and the capabilities of their personas fully realized, he can understand why Akechi wished to make this something of a contest. For once, there would be no complaints on his end and he would oblige him. He doesn’t turn to face his comrade, no, rival. Just gives another laugh before yet another shadow appears in front of where he stares. Without so much as another word is it done away with, with the help of Arsene who made quick work of it.

“Looks like I’ve got one up on you. Gotta be quicker than that, detective.”

         For a second, his brows knit at the other’s actions and words—at the thought of him being currently in second place. However, his expression soon softens as he recalls they’ve yet to establish the most crucial part of this game. Realizing as much, a complacent smile then begins to upturn the corners of his lips. “We haven’t agreed on the terms of our game, so I’m afraid that one doesn’t count.” There’s a growing need to add on ‘you idiot’ or something alike to it to the end of that sentence, but he holds back—for now. He can’t refrain the laughter that follows suit though. “But since you’re so eager to get started, I won’t beat around the bush... whoever loses has to pay for our next dinner. Does that sound agreeable to you?”

The detective had always been capable of taking care of himself so much so that Akira didn’t worry. What does worry him right now is the fact that he’s slowly raising a pistol toward him in what could be an attempt to shoot. But he doesn’t attempt to move out of the way or stop him, just stands completely still whilst wearing a vague look of confusion but trusting that it was for good reason. Thankfully, it is. “…Was worried for a sec there.” Finally, Akira walks toward him and places a hand on his shoulder before walking past.

“I could’ve taken care of it. I’ve been on my own for this long.”

         ‘Not nearly as long as me.’ That was the first thought that crossed his mind upon hearing Joker’s response, and he would have said as much, if it weren’t for the fact that it’d imply he’d had unlocked his abilities several years prior to when Akira unlocked his own; of course, that was a fact he’d rather keep to himself. Goro flinches slightly under the other’s touch—it was a sensation he wasn’t used to, and would likely never be used to. “I’m not quite sure about that... it was closing in pretty fast... and last I checked, you’re not invincible, even with your powers fully unlocked, Joker.” The faintest of smiles then crosses his lips at the thought of an idea—a game he wished to play. “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t doubt your capabilities... chances are you probably didn’t require my saving... but who knows? Perhaps you did? Regardless, you still owe me... and I’m calling on that favour right now, actually.”

         There they were, face to face with one another once more. There’s no greeting offered, not even a shift in expression to acknowledge the other’s presence. Seconds turn to minutes and then finally, Goro begins to slowly raise his arm; pistol in hand, he angles it directly at Joker without remorse or hesitation. The distance between them was a considerable amount, but that didn’t bother him in the slightest. He takes the shot, and while at first it appears that his target is in fact Joker, the light beam in question swiftly passes the side of his face and hits the shadow behind him. “It looks as though you owe me one, leader.” His tone at the end is more so a scoff—it’s not as if he considered him his leader, after all.

        “…Tch.” He isn’t the most talkative. Retreating to somewhere inside to get out of the sudden downpour of rain was his priority, but now, sitting in such a crowded space with a lot of company …  he’s sure that anyone who is to happen upon his expression would be concerned. Mikaela sits in the furthest corner he can of the cafe, his face distorting in disgust. He’d gone and ordered something to make his being here seem less inconspicuous, but alas, it just looks like he dislikes the coffee sitting in front of him untouched. 

        Whilst covering the bottom half of his face, Mikaela looks over at the table next to him, eyeing instantly at a brief case seen under the table before scowling back at his drink. He thought he was alone at least in this space, but alas… Mikaela makes no effort to hide his discomfort, looking like that of a spoiled child.

@justsworn​

         His own attention had been entirely captured by a newspaper article describing unusual thefts occurring across the city. It’s faint, but a sliver of a smile soon appears across his features. “... They really are stumped with this one...” ‘They’ of course being the authorities; he had always thought them useless to a degree, but it seems they were more so that here than any where else. “... I suppose I can offer my assistance—” Just as he begins to raise his cup to lips, his gaze catches sight of a young boy staring directly at him with disgust. The smile of his that faded just seconds ago reappears, and overall, Goro is seemingly unbothered by it—after all, it was a look he was all but used to. “My presence troubles you, does it?”