"Woah, hey! You're pretty strong, Ita. Damn..."

He laughs, giving her a squeeze before pulling away.

i mean im just a guy but yeah id do that. i got extra cash and you seem pretty bummed.

want me to buy you more?

He puffs up then, ready to play along with this little charade of theirs. "A great way to put it my dear companion. I'm honored I managed such a thing with my dear stone. I worked hard to find just the right one for the finest lass in the land. We will have the most wonderful chicks. They will be

It takes him a moment to process her words, what she means. He didn't expect her to go this route, after all. And then he snorts, blushing a bit and snickering. "Chicks with me? Well I'm honored you accepted my offer. Though last I checked we weren't exactly in the north pole. Do you think this is

He's going to give her a carnelian.

A hug of course for his best friend.

You're completely free yet you refuse to leave

He didn't really have the time to grow attached to his parents, losing them....at some point- why can't he recall? But regardless, the thought is shoved aside alongside motivations as something shifts in the darkness. A shadow slipping along behind some boxes behind him. Something dark and stinking

He should've been more careful. More cautious. But he wanted to show off for her, prove that things were okay. That they were safe. He just proved the opposite, and guilt pooled in his stomach along with all the blood. He coughed, weakly, trying to get up, failing as his body collapsed under him.

It was definitely an entirely different act, enough of a show that Kage could at least assume the other was only a relative of Mizz, not Mizz herself if he wasn't paying much attention. He frowned, brow furrowed, confused and a bit disoriented. He could've sworn though... He shook off the thoughts

He's realizing...why *does* he do this? Now that he thinks about it, he was going to tell her that it was the case, if they were close enough. That he was doing it to seek out his parents. But...he can't actually recall his parents. Was that really why? He keeps those thoughts to himself though.

i have...jello.

ㅤ ㅤdid they really think it would be this easy ? ㅤ

"Not the money, no. And thrills and chills can be fun. Though that isn't it either. It's because well...right now to prove the existence totally or not of the supernatural. And overall? I don't know if we're close enough to get into that." He shrugs, searching the store for any sign of magnets.

Kage could sense someone was nearby, hairs standing on the back of his neck as he stepped through the halls. Someone new. Someone different. He felt it...It was more like...when you feel you're being watched. And he certainly felt watched right now. He turned his head, flicking his gaze in the

He could walk her back but they were on a time crunch. This had to be done tonight. He was going to get this done. No matter what. "Depends what you mean. Do you mean now or in general?"

He acknowledged her concerns, but he also was determined to come back with solid evidence that there was or wasn't a haunting going on. Visible proof. It was his job. His responsibility. He got up after her, following where he was getting the reading almost immediately. "You can leave if you

"And...I was the only thing to sit on? Um...Okay. Well hey there. How are you?"

He couldn't confirm anything yet, but he couldn't deny that something had happened. "It could have been the shelves were unstable. We have to check it out to be sure. Plus the reading could be something else. Just magnets in here or something." He was looking around for magnets, as well as

He sort of just stares at her. Confused. "Uh...hi. Why?"

He did really have to be thorough! He wouldn't be happy with himself otherwise. Plus this was his job. "You didn't have to come, you know," he points out. As they make their way through the shelves, he gets a reading. But shortly after that he's interrupted by a shout, and someone tackling him

"It pays decently enough." He replies, nodding. Enough he can split it with her and still be okay. He follows along, scanning with his flashlight. There's old hardware supplies in the store here, and he steps inside. "We could, but I like to be thorough."

"Yeah...That was a pretty bad joke dude. But...are you sure? If you do wanna talk I am here...I got nothing better going on."

"Yeah uh...I hope it doesn't. You...uh...good? Wanna talk? I got some time. I don't know you that well...but..."

"Yeah, exactly. That's what I have to say to most of my clients, unfortunately...But I'm here to check things out anywahs." He sighs in relief as she releases her grip slightly, shaking his arm out a bit to get the feeling back. "But anyways, we'll see what we find. Make a left here." He motions

"Hey, chill on the grip. You're startin' to hurt me," he comments, tugging a bit. She was definitely on edge. And she was a fight type in fight or flight. God she was going to try and punch a ghost, wasn't she? "It was probably some loose rubble from the building being old."

Her grip was incredibly strong, and he felt himself shifting a bit within it. She seemed to be nervous, though he wasn't going to push it. He glanced to her though, frowning as she went pale. "Alright, if you say so...I think up to the left is the shop with the most activity according to the

Kage for once was not paying attention to his friend, eyes glazed over, staring off distantly. He seemed lost in thought. Mind occupied by something else. Something that seemed to be weighing heavily on his mind. He hadn't even noticed her presence, despite her standing right beside him.

Kage hadn't expected *her* of all people to be scared. She seemed stubborn, strong-willed, eager and determined. She was one to put up a fight at almost everything. So he thought she might be a good adventuring partner. But as he walked through the abandoned halls of the shopping mall they were in,

"Pft, fair enough. You are one mysterious person, huh, Vanea?"

What is he watching? He doesn't want to...He keeps trying and failing to look away

He does eventually come round, eyes pried open, video playing. What...what's happening? Where is he?

ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤto keep just a little bit with him. ㅤ

Well she has to wake him up, first. Even with his eyes open, he's still unconscious. Some smelling salts will do fine.

ㅤ ㅤ" ... huh.. i.. huh... bid you.. adieu. under.. my boot. you * bitch. " ㅤ

ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤknow your place. ㅤ

"Yeah, I figured. Was hoping to at least know more, though-" He's cut off as she ran towards him, slamming him and kicking him out cold. He's...not the most sturdy, and it does the trick. He's out. Congrats. What are you going to do with his unconscious form?

ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ[ RECOMMENDED BGM : Toji Fushiguro - Yoshimasa Terui. ] ㅤㅤ

‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ❝ 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐮𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧. 𝐢 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝.❞ ‎ ‎ ‎

He didn't really have any chance here, did he? He glanced around, looking for a way out. There was none. He stared down at her, purple hues dangerously hopeful. "Are you sure you just want to kill me? Like this? Why do it? What's the point of it?"

ㅤ awake. ㅤ

He stared down the barrel of her gun, deflating, then. He wouldn't even get what he was searching for, in the end. "I thought of you as someone kinder."

"Isn't that just backstage?"

"Okay...well since I'm dying anyways, what are her plans exactly?" He tilts his head, curious. He stares down at the gun, sweating. He's realizing this is his last moments...this is...terrifying.

He tenses. The fact she's feeding him *more* information isn't looking good on his resume here. It means she doesn't *plan* to let him live. He swallows thickly. "I...I see...Well....can you at least...not hurt any of my friends? Please?"

He's lying. And she knows it. He grimaces, face hardening. "Okay, so what if I don't let it go? So what? You'll make me disappear. Kill me. People are still going to notice a missing Ultimate, honestly. Did you think of that? Do you have a plan for that?"

"Jesus...you're an intense one...Thanks for the opportunity, first of all. I appreciate it. Secondly...why me? I wanna know why I'm being killed if I'm gonna be. After all, its not like I'm all that important, I don't think...I'm just a ghost hunter really. Maybe I did get a little too invested in