RENDEZVOUS

it’s almost impossible to get heads five times in a row. it doesn’t take a t-doll’s processing capabilities to know that much, yet the proof staring back at her says otherwise ( in the form of a smiling blonde ). “that one’s cute,” she comments, but something else has occured to her through the course of navigating to that screen. “ … just how much money have you spent on this game, though?”

a glance is cast at the card. a pity, really—but from the looks of things, it’s probably one of countless others that’ve been purchased for the sake of this mobage. “what will you do? aside from breaking into the store… ”

a pause. she’d have to hack into the computer system somehow to mimic the login of a real cashier, then scan the card to activate it properly. not impossible, but not the easiest of tasks for most.

“i mean, i won’t stop you if you decide to do that.” AR-15’s purposely avoided affiliating herself with law enforcement when it comes to a job hunt, after all. serving justice isn’t really up her alley. absently, she pulls out her own phone and taps the game icon—it’s been a while since she’s opened the app, and quiet tapping follows for a while as she accepts all of the missed login rewards. “oh, i have enough for a 10 pull.”

   For a second, Hitagi’s expression softened as she stared. Even if she wasn’t the one she was gunning for, she was cute, right? And totally her type. This gacha was a real one-two punch.

    “————...”

    And just like that, her glow was sapped away by the one question a player doesn’t want to be asked. “I have restraint,” was the only thing she could counter with, even if it wasn’t at all a real answer. She did spend mostly free jewels, and it’s not like she ever spent a lot of real money on this game before now. Just a few of those SSR tickets when they came up, some of the costumes...

    “It wouldn’t be worth it... I think I can earn a bit more in game, so maybe she’ll come in a solo.” Her voice was uncharacteristically somber for such an inconsequential dilemma, but returned to its usual sharpness to add—

             Their collision draws his attention but for a moment, if only due to the loud complaints that followed thus after coupled with the colourful stationery now scattered about the pavement. One item in question, a ballpoint pen which had displayed an intricate design, begins rolling down the concrete sidewalk; with the slight elevation of the footpath, it gains speed rather quickly and as one would realize immediately—at the end of its path lies an average sized manhole. His foot languidly steps out however, in order to block it just as it nearly falls between the bars and down the sewage tunnel.

             With that much done, he makes no further movements, instead waiting for its owner to retrieve it herself.

staplerer ( hitagi )

    In all honesty, it wasn’t a pen that had stayed by her side for years, its history scrawling diary entries and love notes and thank yous to those important to her. It wasn’t a pen with a touching history that could be turned into a sappy H*llmark Channel movie—no, Hitagi simply spotted it abandoned on the table of a coffee shop just a few minutes earlier, and it was cute enough to keep.

    Yes, a pen decorated in tiny depictions of cartoon horses. And it was her pen. Her little pony pen, to put it succinctly.

    With the swiftness of all copyright lawyers combined the air was littered with muttered curses, Senjougahara’s hand reaching fruitlessly toward the pen that had fallen just out of reach. Not that her heart would have been torn asunder if she had lost it so quickly after picking it up, but it would have been a little unfortunate.

   A frankly impressed glance was shot at the man before she bent to grab it.

“If we stick to the story, they can’t prove anything.” Sound reasoning enough, although normally whenever he does something illegal he can generally tell the person he’s with to just look away while he does it ( which, usually, is his brother Alphonse. ) This person could just rat him out if she wanted to, he figures, but since she got involved too it might be in her best interest to go along with it.

“So we should get the story straight.”

@staplerer

   “Right.”

   Hitagi’s response was nearly too flat to even exist in the third dimension, and her face was suitably uninterested by the situation. She wasn’t a stranger to breaking the laws, but being dragged into criminality against her will wasn’t something she was interested in. 

   Well, if she wanted to get out of this with as little issue as possible, going along with him was in her best interest.

The book he held was snapped shut as the lights went green.

An idle gaze had initially moved forward to walk with the young woman at his side once it was deemed safe before he’d decided to stand still at her side. Her voice was a weapon on it’s own… Ready to piece through and strike the weak point of an enemy before her. But he was at her side. This was a plot twist that wasn’t to be expected for such an attack.

And he just stood still.

“Greed. Lust.. A desire for power. Only foolish men use God’s word to accomplish such things.”

Yet he didn’t move as the light continued to flash to signify the safety of their crossing. As the light switched from a safe go to a precautionary signal, he made a notion that he would continue before it was too late.

“Shall we?”

   It didn’t matter if he answered that way. Of course he would act like he was above it. That’s what they did, every time. The ones stupid enough to be caught were othered, but as long as they were able to keep going everyone would look the other way.

   In the end, no matter what he said, she wouldn’t be satisfied. So she followed him. She followed anything she could attack in the hopes of any closure.

   Maybe she was strong enough to not be afraid anymore, but she wasn’t strong enough to not be angry.

   “But do they believe it? Do they believe that’s what God wants?” Senjougahara stayed steps behind now, unrelenting in her questions. “Or do they think, no matter how vile the things they do are, if they confess and ask forgiveness, they’re absolved of all of it?”

they’d blown up with surprising popularity in the city—mobage, is the term AR-15’s heard thrown around, and she’s admittedly dabbled in a few. ofiuco live! was probably among the first she’d tried ( even with her enhanced reaction time, it’d been harder than expected unless she’d connected her systems directly to the smartphone ).

in the end, it hadn’t seemed worth spending money on, especially given her uncertain state of employment. she’s really just what more intense players refer to as a ‘dirty casual.’ it passes the time, and that’s all.

when the protests of a human girl reach her ears and a gaze cast down at the screen reveals the telltale signs of a mobile game, it earns a half-smile; that kind of frustration is more than understandable.

“didn’t get the one you wanted?” her inquiry comes from behind, although she stands a respectable distance away so as not to openly peer over the stranger’s shoulder. “those things are pretty rigged, y’know.”

   “No... Well----”

   Hitagi wasn’t the type to unload on a stranger, even though this was the most dire of circumstances. Truthfully, that wasn’t exactly the issue right now, but in the end that’s what it would end up boiling down too.

   BNEI, the weather out today was beautiful, was that not reason enough for a free pull campaign right now?

   Another sigh escaped her, hands moving to pick up the phone again and open the game that was causing her so much strife. “They’re not rigged. I suppose if you just have bad luck it would look like that. I mean, if you pull a limited SSR, there’s only a fifty-fifty chance you get the right one, so it’s not impossible to not get the other one. No one would say it’s impossible to get heads five times in a row.”

   As she spoke her fingers slid tapped across the screen, navigating menus until she got to an option called Star Leveling. And there it was, five of the same blonde girl, with that same soft expression, lined up in a row.

   Five flipped coins that all landed on heads.

   Perhaps that was a bit dramatic even for her, but since her childhood the stench of old wood and cloth stung her nose every time she stepped into one. Memories of standing outside of doorways as she watched her mother weave between furniture and shelves of books and trinkets, every so often catching a breeze of stagnant, dusty air that made her nose wrinkle.

   Maybe it was these memories that caused her to challenge her old ways, a need to overwrite them with memories of her own wandering within that musty air.

   Or, she just wanted to think she'd grown up enough to be able to put up with it.

   With the open doorway ahead of her Senjougahara took a deep inhale, a gathering of nerves before she could finally step over the threshold. One step, two steps, and her eyes opened on a room cluttered with worn down curios and baubles.

   In an instant, the air thick with the familiar stink of mold set her eyes watering.

   But she didn't race out, so it was a victory.

   And what a tearful victory it was.

  ----The iTunes card you have entered is invalid. Please contact support.

  Resting next to her on the bench, the receipt attached to the card was branded with the logo of a convenience store that had just closed half an hour ago.

  "What kind of N*oP would I be without her limited SSR? And the gacha changes over tonight," she groaned at no one in particular, her fingers typing out the code for the fifth time only to be greeted with the same error. "Ah, it was a mistake to use the Platinum Ticket on Ka*de, now I'll have to wait another year..."

  In a motion of bitter defeat she set the phone down in her lap with a sigh. Once the card is replaced, her spark fund will officially start.

  But she had grown, and seeing a cross and bible didn't paralyze her with fear anymore. Instead, a looming bitterness and an urge to speak occupied her mind, and her knuckles went white clutching too hard on to the shopping bag in her hand.

  The crosswalk light went green, but Hitagi only took it as a sign to speak.

  "Do the men of God truly believe that if they say they're acting in His name they can do anything?" She didn't turn to look at him, but she didn't see him move from her side. "Colonize people, steal money, destroy people and families. Is that what God wants?"

  "Or is it merely an excuse to bleed the life out of everything they please with no repercussions?"

   Maybe near midnight wasn’t the greatest time for any woman to venture out on their own, but the laundromat was so much more tolerable when there was no one else around. The only noise was the humming of fluorescent lights and the droning of the washing machine. In front of it sat Senjougahara, empty basket in the chair next to her and an open book in her lap.

   No reaction was given when the trill of the doorbell cut through the white noise, the woman instead opting to watch the other female out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t seem threatening at all, and Hitagi was content on staying quiet until the stranger approached a machine with her load.

   Forgive her for gawking. As prickly as she had been in her high school years, and as much of a troublemaker Araragi had been as long as she’s known of him, she’d never seen this before. A real life banchou in the flesh, and not just a throwaway character in a popular M-rated mystery visual novel.

   After an uncomfortably long amount of time for at least one of them (and it definitely wasn’t her) she finally spoke up, no hesitance in her voice. 

   The quiet whirring of the claw as it returned to its starting position was nearly deafening. It was a signal of defeat, but someone as stubborn as Senjougahara simply refused to be bested by a stupid crane game. Especially when the prize was an exceptionally cute Kuromi plush.

   That was Hitagi’s dominating thought as she strolled along the boardwalk, a Polaroid camera hanging from her neck and sunglasses perched on her head. A nonexistent reply from a certain retired vampire wouldn’t deter her from a date at the theme park; she was a pro at being alone, after all. And today was the only day the entry fee was being waived.

   But despite the fact that she was fully content on a solo vacation, she knew very well that someone was tailing her. Only out of the corner of her eye did she ever see him--but he was definitely there, and definitely making it hard to enjoy her cotton candy.

   Every minute she let pass walking around in an attempt to lose him felt both fruitless and like an eternity. From every carnival game, to every ride, to every food stall she could feel that looming presence. Only when she wandered to the farthest, least populated side of the boardwalk did she turn on her heel and finally accost the only other person with her, a sole male who had been holding her attention from a distance the entire afternoon.

   “Go on. It’s clear there’s something you want from me, so go on. Do I look that lonely? Are you that desperate for the touch of a woman? I’ve read enough pointless email chains about sex ring kidnappers to know where this is going, or are you going to act like you haven’t been chasing me around all afternoon?”

@staplerer

Before he had a chance to protest, a free sample of a freshly baked cookie was forced onto his person and he was ushered along to make room for the next victim. When he turned back, the employee only gave a broad smile and ignored the expression of inconvenience he gave. 

It is with the same look that he regards the small paper bag now, some distance away from the mall food court, not knowing what to do with it and eyeing the trashcan nearby. He’s close to disposing the item when someone conveniently walks by and saves him the trouble of having to make a detour.

“Take this.” It’s a brief command as he, in a manner similar to the persistent worker from earlier, shoves the bag into the stranger’s hand. 

   ‘Don’t take candy from strangers’ was a staple childhood lesson, but nowadays the once cautious Senjougahara was a bit too much of a loose cannon for such a lesson, and had too much of a sweet tooth for it too.

   Still, when the person handing you the candy is a giant encased in bone and claw even she would have her doubts--even if the logo printed on the bag was for that bakery she had come to love so much in her short time in Spirale.

   “Only a fool would hand out such a delicacy with such nonchalance. Are you fasting for a religious pilgrimage? Do you not have taste buds? Did a relative hand you this before dying in a fiery roadside accident and you cannot bear to carry the memory of them?” Regardless of the others’ fearsome appearance, she took no care in addressing him. Rather, the fact that he was handing this cookie away was more puzzling to her than the fact that he more resembled a dinosaur than a human.

     “Ah… you.”

     Sitting cross-legged a few feet away, Shuten clutches a large pad of paper, almost comically matching her own height. In one hand twirls a regular pencil, the only thing she’s seemed to have done with it so far, as the canvas is blank.

    “Come here, will you?” The oni smiles invitingly ear to ear, an art perfected by demons like her.

@staplerer

   “Ah... me?”

   Even though the smile was eerily unnecessary Hitagi still sauntered closer, cocking her head at the blank page. “Is this tourist trap roadside caricatures? I don’t have any money, if that’s what you want.” On closer inspection, it appeared that both the pencil and pad of paper had hardly seen use... Was she still just learning? 

@staplerer

Not quite the biggest fan of coffee, Mitsuru is quite pleased to see that one of the Pearl Street shops offers endless varieties of tea, including both familiar brews and some that she has never heard of before. Rather quickly it becomes one of the places she frequents most alongside the library; whether she is out shopping or sightseeing or even reading, it is always nice to carry a warm beverage with her. And today is no different: she stands in line behind a girl with dark purple hair, both of them waiting for their orders. Despite how busy it usually is the drinks arrive quickly, and both girls are careful not to burn their hands on the piping hot beverages as they pick them up and shuffle out of the shop. On their way out, however, disaster strikes.

Before Mitsuru can even think to move, a man shoves past the two girls – and while she maintains an iron grip on her cup, the other girl is not so lucky and hers goes flying, spraying golden liquid over both of them. Again before Mitsuru can move the man disappears, almost as though he had never been there to begin with (the denizens of Spirale are tricky like that); as icy words lace her tongue she resists the urge to speak them aloud and, knowing that they will soon be melted by her chai tea, turns around and gathers a bunch of napkins from the shop and offers them to the poor girl, clothes soaked and cup nearly empty.

“Are you alright?” she asks, her gaze wandering back to where the man had passed by, melting into the crowd. “It seems as though some people severely lack manners.” 

   Inhale.

   It was a long but sharp inhale, one to convey the pain of the searing hot liquid, and rage nearly reaching its own boiling point. An anger that was ready to strike at anyone now that its cause has vanished into a sea of people.

   A crab with its claws raised and ready to snap down on whoever came too close.

   “I’m--fine.” Despite this anger, she could hold her tongue; after all, the one who came to her aide was just as much a victim as Hitagi was. The cup set down of a nearby table and the napkins accepted, all she could do was dab away at the stains. She had foolishly worn white today, so there was no point in trying to do anything else but at least soak up the liquid. 

   She never looked up as she continued speaking, her voice and eyes lowered, preoccupied with cleaning the mess. Beside them a wary employee set up a wet floor sign. “That’s awfully optimistic of you. If it were up to me, I’d say a severe lack of brain cells is more the issue here.” 

   Napkin after napkin was balled up and shoved inside the empty cup, the girl only looking up once the mess was cleaned as much as she could manage. “I’m sorry, I didn’t get anything on you, did I?” Her voice was the palest hint softer now, offering the remainder of the napkins in return.

@staplerer​ 

      “…is there something wrong with that display?” Normally, he wouldn’t be bothered, but the girl’s expression is… strange. His eyes wander to it (school supplies?) and then back to her. “Oh– were you thinking about buying something, then? Sorry.”

   In his defense, Senjougahara really was looking at the display with surgical intensity. The Cross Classic Century really was the holy grail of pens, but the challenge was picking the perfect color. The classic black lacquer? The full chrome? --Oh, were those red and yellow Ferrari variants?

   She needed a second opinion.