[13th Division] Haunted! (Curse of the Demon Dog)

[isayreadordie]

Mission Name: Haunted! (Curse of the Demon Dog)

Type: Pair

Location: Estate of the Higarashi Family

Beginning Time: Early evening

Background: The Higarashi family are a wealthy Soul Society family, but not well known. They are a reclusive clan that little is known about them other than they are a bit eccentric. Though it is rumored they are a spiritually powerful family it has been hundreds of years since a Shinigami has come from their house.

They are respected by the local village, as a main employer to many there, but over the past year a series of unexplained deaths and disappearances have stirred unrest. Stories have slowly spread about a curse on the family. The family believes that disaster follows in the wake of all members who use their powers, the curse of the Dog Demon they call it and this is the reason for their isolation. But now something has stirred the curse and the villagers say that the estate is plagued by an evil spirit that appears nightly, but the family denies it. Gotei 13 has been asked to further investigate by a village elder.

Objectives:Meet the liaison assigned by the village and agreed upon by the family to help direct you in your investigation which includes:
-Determine if there is truly something nefarious afoot at the estate by
-Interviewing villagers and estate members
-Investigating the grounds
-If danger is found make efforts to eliminate

Additional Intel:-Though the family has agreed to an investigation, they are reluctant, be aware that they may be hostile and try to keep good relations with them.
-The spirit thought to haunt the palace is a dog demon or ghost hound.

Special Conditions: None known at the time.

Team Capacity: 2 man team - Rae (4th seat) and Zephyros (16th seat)

Duration: 2 months

[MarcoPR1]

The hell butterfly flew along the currents as Zephyros sat at the top of the tree looking over the field. What a beautiful night it was turning out to be... the moon shone brightly, it's glow reminding him of the Aerie of his former home...

Reminiscing?said Eros and Anteros together...
Not really, just... it was then that he noticed the butterfly being pushed along by the breeze. He opened his hand and the winged creature settled and displayed it's message...

Meet Rae at the estate of the Higarashi clan... she is lead...

Zephyros stood and looked toward the moon solemnly... before heading off...

I hope you don't scare anyone there Z... I think you've gained some muscle... said Eros laughingly...

[isayreadordie]

Rae lingered in the trees near the gate as she waited for Zephyros, she didn't want to approach until he arrived, she felt certain their liason would be there waiting as promised. While she wasn't much of a believer in curses, she couldn't deny the strange feeling that laid about the estate. The high walls, heavy guard, and talisman littered around the outskirts of the estate didn't help the forboding.

Crossing her arms, she watched the leaves shaking in a cool breeze, making the moon shadows dance on her arms and face.

She could feel Zephyros approaching from afar, quickly as always. He did love to move fast.

About time to meet this ghost...

[MarcoPR1]

Zephyros felt Rae before he saw her... smiling to himself he thought he'd try and sneak up on her... he stifled his reiatsu and said thought the word of changing...windsembrace... and glided along the breeze towards her...

Walking the winds was like becoming a part of life, a part of the cycle, losing yourself and becoming one with the energy around you... he could sense her, Rae, her power had grown since the last time he saw her... but there was something else here as well... something trying to hide itself... and doing quite a good job at it too... but nothing can completely hide itself from one such as he... one born to hunt the darkness... and there was darkness here...

He spoke as he materialized directly behind her, his hand near his blade...his words only reaching her ear...

There is darkness hear hiding itself, I don't know what it is, but I can feel it...why have we come here?

[isayreadordie]

Feeling the sudden dampening of Zephyros' reiatsu, Rae tuned up her own senses. He hadn't run into trouble already had he?

Her hand to her hilt she waited patiently as he rushed to her, then smirked.
No trouble, he just thinks he's going to be funny...

She thought momentarily about greating him with Kumo, her silver bear shikigami, but it would be a wasteful of a shikai power, and Fujo would probably scold her for being foolish...

Oh well...

With a rush of air and rustling of leaves he arrived behind her, but she had drawn her zan in the moments before he came to a halt, holding it to her side, pointed back casually at waist level, hopefully he wouldn't stop to close....

"You shouldn't sneak up on a girl, you might get your own surprise."

Rae shifted her gaze over her shoulder to look at her companions hulk, he was quite intimidating in appearance but she was certian she was far more dangerous. She smiled benignly to cover the dark thought that briefly ran through her mind and returned her sword to its sheath and began to make her way to the gate.

Replying as she walked, "The details aren't completely clear yet, the family is ashamed of some curse or whatever that they are trying to hide and the villagers are afraid the place is 'haunted'" Rae scoffed at this, weren't they all basically ghost here? "But yes, I can feel something lying beneath the surface as well and that's what we're here to investigate."

[MarcoPR1]

She noticed you Z... hahaha said Eros as Zephyros stepped out of the breeze...

You didn't fade all the way, something kept you here somewhat... said Anteros...

I realized that you two, I don't like to go all the way in... I get intertwined... and I sometimes don't want to come out...

Did you hear what she said... there is supposed to be a "ghost" here... I didn't sense it... did you?

No
No...

Rae, I don't think there's a ghost here, this force is a bit darker... I felt it the moment I got clear enough to get a sense of it... it's cognizant... it knows we're here and it's hiding the fact that it's here... whatever it is, it doesn't want to be found...

Out the corner of his eye Zephyros noticed movement in the shadows, just a shifting in the subtleties of the shading

Marco spoke but his lips did not move...

Rae, to your left...shadows have movement.. we're being watched...

[isayreadordie]

"Oh, trust me, I have no doubt that it is not in fact a ghost. How can it be a ghost, this is the afterlife...." Rae shook her head at the ridiculous thought, but people don't seem to lose their superstitions even once they're dead.

"We'll shed some light on the matter, no need to sound so ominous. We already knew that something wasn't right if we got called in, its not we ever get called in for something overly good happening right? But yes, something's hiding around here, and hiding well for that matter."

Rae caught the movement herself, but choose to ignore it. She waved her hand dismissively at Marco, "Ignore it, just loiterers no doubt hoping to catch a glimpse of the nightly visits which we hopefully will soon be privy to." she could sense two, hiding in the underbrush, young boys it seemed. Though they couldn't hide their weak spiritual presence, they were good at hiding their physical appearance.

"Stop! State your name and purpose!" the guard at the gate called as they approached, three men stood at the narrow entryway.

"Hai! I'm Kurai Edikumi, 4th seat 13th division of the Gotei 13 and this is my companion, Zephyros, also of the 13th division. We are reporting as requested to assist in discovering and eradicating the cause of the disturbances at this estate. We were instructed to ask for Tetsuo Imai who is to be our laison." she bowed, to show respect. Rae had already been warned that the Higarashi family were adverse to outsiders interfering so she wanted to try and appear overly polite, but she couldn't help snicker at the men's reaction at the sight of the two of them, the flicker of fear before covering it once more with proud distaste.

But before the guards could reply the gate cracked and a wizened but bright eyed man slide through, wrapped in a cloak and leaning on a cane."Ah, at last my charges arrive. I'm Tetsuo Imai - welcome." he walked directly to her, a pleasant smile on his face which he had obviously worn often throughout his life if the lines that creased his visage were any indication. He bowed slightly to both her and Zephyros before offering her an arm. Rae was a little taken aback, but gladly offered hers in return, which he gently leaned against. "I for one am glad to see you, come, our demon dog should be arriving on the scene soon. After you see him we can discuss the details and what information I have. I shall apologize in advance for the Higarashi family, they are reclusive and eccentric, so please forgive them. They don't know when to ask for help I'm afraid...

He lead them slowly into a vast courtyard that lead off into several gardens. Rae began to map out the surroundings in her mind and take stock of those gathering now, nervously, around thhe verenda of the large estate home. There were many servants, but peppered among them were the nobles, the Higarashi family. All the women wore eleborate kimonos and veils over their faces and several of the men wore odd mask.

Eccentric, yeah... she thought.

Their old host came to a halt and Rae was disturbed by the sudden change in the air, it sudden felt stale, heavy, still. A low rumble began to come from what seemed like the earth itself.

"Here he comes..."

 Spoiler: click to show

Hey, I'll leave the demon dog for you to describe, i'm gonna send you a msg about an idea I had for the whole thing

[MarcoPR1]

Zephyros noticed the stares of the guards as he passed under the gates of the household, their hostile eyes, their tense hands wanting to reach for their swords out of fear at his size... he was tempted to say boo... but remembered Rae's words... He was getting tired of snotty people,

People often only tell things with their eyes Z, give them a chance to look with their hearts said Anteros...

Zephyros stared ahead, cognizant of what Anteros said, while listening to their liaison, the smile on his face softening Zephyros' frown beneath his mask... on the man's note of the ghost he turned, noticing that he had neither felt nor known the enemy was so close...

Red eyes glowed in the darkness...

Huge red eyes, surrounded by a mass of shadow not unlike the pits of Heyidon, where the jailed are kept from the light, teeth like fangs, certainly fit the description of a demon dog...

Why are their eyes always red joked Eros...

The hound moved quickly out of the shadows and showed that it was more than just a dog, the size of the eyes showing the size of the dog...

Zephyros moved the instant the dog moved, his sword moving to block the hound's assault so that Rae could get the others to a distance of safety and return... but the Demon passed right through him...

The demon dog's fur phased through him, giving him a chill, as if it were alive and not alive... he could feel the rigidity of the fur, but as if it were a memory and not as if it were happening right then and there...

There was also the feeling of a sneer, faint and far away, as if someone was laughing at him...taunting him with their power...

Zephyros turned as the dog phased through him, to see who or what it was going after and noticed it's intent... the liaison...

Rae!

[isayreadordie]

Zephyros was ready in a flash, prepared to strike the apparition as it charged his way, Rae felt confident that it wasn’t that powerful, its aura wasn’t even that strong. She tensed as it passed right through her companion though, it hadn’t been what she expected, but her eyes barely flickered as she withdrew her arm from old man Imai and quickly stepped in front of him.

She narrowed her eyes, focusing, reaching with her thoughts.

What was it? It seems almost familiar, like a smelling a familiar perfume but on someone you don’t know…

If anyone’s eye would have been fast enough, they would have noted the casual way Rae flicked her wrist and muttered, "Bakudou #39 Enkousen!" and a shield of Reiatsu fanned out in a blue circle before her.

This time the beast hit the mark instead of phasing through, it apparently couldn’t travel through the condensed spirit particles.

Interesting… it flickered. It had been momentary, but it had glitched, almost like a projection. A projection… of course it was familiar yet unfamiliar, a magician should recognize one of their own tricks, even if it was inferior, but she couldn’t be certain until she tested the theory.

“Rise, Tsuki no Fujo…” Rae drew her Zan, calling forth its shikai form as she did, she reached to pull back her sleeve, but it was too late.

With one last shake of confusion the hellhound turned to flee, already fading into the night.

“Damn. Oh well.” She was disappointed, but certain the show was over for the night, her theory would have to wait and she would discuss it with Zephyros later in private, perhaps he would have ideas. “Sorry to wake you Fujo.”

A general murmur ran through those who had come out to watch. She glanced across them and heard the whispers, but one man stepped forward, pointing and raising his voice.

“You!” He pointed at Zephyros, “You brought this on yourself you fools! We didn’t want you here, now you’re cursed!” he shouted from behind his elaborate cat mask.

Rae bristled. Fools. She smiled and winked at her companion before stepping between the man and Zephyros, she bowed to the man with mock courtesy. Hopefully Zephyros understood she thought all this was ridiculous and she was there to back him up.

“Well, I don’t believe in curses and this little display hasn’t altered that. I’m Kurai Edikumi. And you, are you the lord here?”
Tetsuo Imai stepped forward and took her arm once more, still smiling his benign smile, as though nothing had happened. “No, this is not the lord, this is Dai Haro, the family priest."

A priest, no wonder I don’t like him.

 Spoiler: click to show

Sorry for the huge post, I get carried away

[MarcoPR1]

 Spoiler: click to show

shoot, I enjoyed reading it keep it gong...loli

They always pick on you it seems little brother, said Eros
It's because he stands out, said Anteros, holding in a grin...

Zephyros turned his attention to the priest and his consorts, his hand raising to remove his hood and lower mask... his eyes glowered from the challenge of the priest... to be associated with the evil that tainted this place...

Ahhh, Z... no trouble please... and showing your form in the darkness isn't going to assist with anything... didn't you notice Rae doing the damage control...said Anteros...

Are you ok Z? said Eros gently...

Zephyros looked at the men as they shrunk from what he could clearly see as fear... he was considerably taller than they were, their hands were at their weapons, uncertain whether they'd live another day, but not willing to die without fighting...

Zephyros turned from them, and looked to the skies, finding the song of the wind, whistling through the trees... the animosity vanished like it was never there...

What is going on here...he wondered...Is everyone involved?

There were essences all around the yard contesting with each other, trying to dominate the courtyard...Zephyros turned to Rae and said

Commander, we should likely get to a more secluded and secure place so that we can get as much information as we can... this spot is too open...

and that priest is up to something...instead of trying to calm the situation he tried to ignite it...