Nine to Five on Dimension Island (Invite Only)

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Ion figured out that the strange device Naoya had pulled out was some sort of weapon, and ran in front of him.

"She said that she didn't want a fight," Ion said. Okay, Naoya was even scarier up close. There was just something about this man's face. Reminded him of Dist's face.

Eriol showed no intentions of backing down, gripping the large spear-like object even tighter. She was trying to scare him with a dragon fan! Well, that wouldn't work... Not again.

"I'm not going to go sit back there like some kind of trash," Eriol said. "I'm not trash anymore... And I won't be treated like it!"

[mugenginga]

Naoya scowled at the girl, and hit the button. She had a staff, but what could she do towards two demons?

Well, who knows? The chance to find out wasn't likely to occur. The COMP sparked, and Naoya had to deal with a slight electrical burn on the hand he was holding the machine with, which was thankfully not his dominant one. He managed to not drop it out of sheer force of will. Outside, Ameterasu and Garuda materialized. Ameterasu's more protective nature caused her to attempt to get inside. It was actually thanks to this that the situation was revealed. She was repelled by Himitsu's wards.

"I told you to not create trouble in here," she stated calmly to Naoya, who had lost a lot of his composure thanks to the turn of events. She refocused her attention on Eriol, and the gaze was probably annoying. She was taking pity on the doll, "I never meant to make you feel like trash. But what does your actions towards your brother make you? You treat him like trash, do you not?"

She was smart enough to realize this could be interperted as fighting words. She snapped the fan closed. Ion would likely sense the magical energy coming off the fan. It was mostly light fonons, and if he could sense more specifically, he'd realize that Himitsu was setting to summon something. Something big. Even with the wards around the shop, Ameterasu and Garuda could sense it.

"Master, get out of there!" shouted Ameterasu.

Garuda nodded, "We can not protect you from out here and we can not enter the warded building."

Naoya glanced at his demons. He might have actually run had he not had an annoying teenage "girl" blocking his path. There were weapons here, he knew how to use them...

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Ion sensed the large amount of light fonons swarming around the fan, and knew that something big was coming. A large spell like that would take out anything in its way, and if no one in this room had mage marks on them, that meant someone would die, even if it was a Light spell. He couldn't tell that it was a summoning spell, though, since summoners were practically unheard of on Auldrant, especially since teleportation artes were dangerous to use on living things. He turned to Naoya.

"Please listen to what your monsters are saying!" Ion pleaded.

Eriol was standing his ground. What Himitsu had said had caused him to freeze up for a bit.

Kerro's helping me. He's helping me. He knows I need his help, so Little Brother's helping me. He was trying to validate his treatment of his younger model in his head, and it was causing him to twitch a little bit. He was definitely a prototype; such an accusation had caused him to "short out" in a way.

((OOC: Okay, Mage Marks, otherwise called Friend-or-Foe Markings in game. They're basically how the game hand waves being able to use spells that involve calling down a meteor shower on your foes without you getting hurt too. They're essentially invisible spells that keep you from being hurt by the spells of a friendly mage. Civilians don't have these markings because the mages have to put them on themselves, so it's dangerous to use highly destructive artes in an area filled with civilians.))

[mugenginga]

Naoya's expression turned to a scowl, but Ion had a point. Ameterasu's base level was rather high and both demons didn't qualify as anywhere near weak. If even Garuda was insisting he leave, "This conversation isn't over."

With that he bolted for the door, pushing it open and going out. Himitsu held the fan shut, rather obviously using her own energy to maintain the immediacy of the spell with her own powers. Which was quite simply put a mix of all seven fonons of extrodinarily high volumes. It was likely she would seem almost blinding to one such as Ion. She took a step towards Eriol, holding the fan out to her side. She was ready to snap it open at a moment's notice, and the energy didn't seem to be dissipating.

"I would like to help you both. This includes finding your youngest brother. But I will not let you trash my shop or hurt people," she stated calmly.

Ameterasu ran over to Naoya, but he batted her hand away. He looked to Garuda and pointed, "Can you pinpoint the location of the wards?"

The goddess seemed hurt, but she knew of Naoya's harshness. He tended not to summon gentler demons like herself, and it had her a little perplexed. Fact was, Naoya had chosen her in this case for her high magic and skills with fire. He'd had intentions of fighting the doll with fire. Garuda glanced at the building, wishing the man had asked Ameterasu. He tried to pinpoint the location of the wards, but it wasn't going well...

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Eriol still seemed to be frozen up, trying to think of a sane answer to that. Considering the doll's mental state, that seemed impossible, but his survival instincts were also coming into play here. He had not missed the magical energy concentrating around Himitsu's fan.

Finally he said, "...Just want my key. Just want my key and brother back."

Ion glanced back at Naoya, who was trying to get his demons to do something. The silver haired man was still staying around here, despite the danger? He either was incredibly confident in his abilities, or was incredibly stupid.

[mugenginga]

"Your key is damaged, as I'm sure you're aware," Himitsu was aware that Eriol was having issues remaining operational, but it was more the reason to keep up her guard, "Please, just go to the back room. You have my word you will not be tossed away and I will come to talk after I'm done with the customers."

Garuda didn't want to tell Naoya that the entire shop seemed to be one giant ward. He was contracted to the man, and couldn't attack him no matter how much abuse was inflicted upon him. He treated demons like tools, after all. Ameterasu stood looking fairly dejected. She glanced at the building, knowing Garuda's search wasn't going well. Honestly, she couldn't pinpoint it much better. If she'd had to, she would have said the woman was the ward. She was human, Ameterasu knew that much, but she had extremely strong magic.

Naoya seemed to be getting more annoyed. What was taking Garuda so long? If it hadn't been for that club, he would be in a far better mood. It looked exactly like that one he knew from so long ago. He wasn't sure why it had zapped Abel, but he knew damn well why it would zap him. Most confusing was how the hell the woman managed to get ahold of the murder weapon...

[Firebreath Fishslap]

After a moment, Eriol said, "If you don't keep your promise, I'll kill you." The doll turned around, and walked toward the backroom, turning back to look at Himitsu for a moment before continuing on. This was odd behavior for him; it seemed his survival "instincts" were overriding any of his muderous instincts.

Ion turned toward Himitsu. "Thank you for not hurting him," he said.

[mugenginga]

Himitsu relaxed and with a slight wave the energy dissipated from her fan. She turned towards Ion and gave one of her kindly elderly smiles as she nodded.

"I am only grateful I did not have to harm him. I know of his past... I would say more but I wish not to upset him further. I can say it is not filled with happiness," she glanced at Garuda, "You can stop it, you won't find the wards. The entire place is one giant one. If the one who has contracted you would get it into his head to draw you back, I would let him back in."

Naoya twitched. She was treating him like he wasn't even there. He pressed a few buttons on his COMP and drew Ameterasu and Garuda back in before walking back into the shop. He glanced at Ion, "Do you expect me to talk with her here?"

(OOC: I have to pause so Ion can respond to "her". XD And win that you're at least able to post once a day. :3)

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Ion's face went red. "U-Um, actually, I'm a boy..." He hastily added on, "But it's a common mistake! One of my friends once compared me to a princess, in fact!" Said comparison was comparing him to a princess because of how much he gets kidnapped.

Still flustered, Ion said. "But you don't have to worry about me! I promise I won't talk about anything that's too dangerous or something! You can trust me with anything!"

As it was, he was still worried about the doll, but he felt a certain kinship with it. Ion had been created to replace someone, and was worried he'd be thrown away like trash once he became useless. The doll looked and acted human-like enough that it seemed almost possible it had been created to replace someone's loved one. The way Himitsu had said its past was full of pain seemed proof enough of that.

[mugenginga]

Naoya looked to the side. It seemed he was about to say something about that being male, but he pushed it aside.

Himitsu looked at Ion gently, "It would be best if you respected his wishes. If you can return in half an hour, I am sure I will be more able to act the proper hostess. Everyone has parts of their past they wish for others not to know," she turned to Naoya, "And some are rather dangerous."

Naoya was scowling. He didn't seem ready to go on talking with Ion there. Himitsu's comments, however, quite well implied that there was far more to the silver haired man than he was willing to talk about. Ion may have seen his reaction to the contents of the box, and if so wouldn't have to work to realize whatever past Himitsu spoke of was connected to the weapon. And this "brother" of his.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Ion nodded. "Okay then. I'll come back later." Without much more resistance, the Fon Master left the shop. He'd never been one to fight much over these kind of things.

He sat down on a bench a little ways away from the shop. He really didn't know where else to go from here. That was the problem with having no power here. At least back in Auldrant he could help Luke and his friends using his (albeit small) control over the Order of Lorelei. Here? No one knew what the Order even was. On the bright side, no Grand Maesto Mohs around to screw things up either.

[mugenginga]

Himitsu seemed to get more on guard as Ion left and she turned to Naoya, "I'm a collector of artifacts. Your actions caused that weapon to become cursed. It reacted to Abel as a warning that he should not go near it. It would react to murderers with a nasty shock, rather comparable to a smite. You, however, it might kill."

Naoya shook his head, "I don't care about any powers it developed. How the hell did you get a hold of it? It's over five thousand years old."

Himitsu seemed rather smug, "My entire life is dedicated to finding artifacts such as that. I've crossed dimensions in the search for them. Its more than likely that club doesn't come from your home dimension, although it seems it is close enough for you to recognize it on sight. Now, shall we move on to discussing the threat you came her to make?"

"....Stay away from my brother."

"Or what? You'll kill me with your demons. The wards in the shop have made it rather clear you can't."

It was Naoya's turn to smirk, "You've creeped him out. Do you think your shop will be that safe after he ascends the Throne?"

Himitsu raised an eyebrow. Throne? She ran through her mind all the dimensions she had been through that Abel could be connected to any throne, quickly pushing aside the idea of a Throne of Heaven. Not something Cain would be interested in. And then it hit her, "Wait, the Throne of Bel!?"

Naoya's smirk got wider.

"You sicken me. You're so desperate, so lonely at the damning you've given yourself that you would drag your brother down to your level?"

It seemed he had her under his control now. He crossed his arms, "Actually, he's as in support of this as I am. Do you know of the Tokyo lockdown situation? If he were to take the Throne, he could order the demons to leave. The War against God is just icing on the cake, so to speak."

"I don't know if I should call you extremely brave or extremely stupid. The fact that you blinded your brother to the alternatives sickens me any more. Before you ask, I wouldn't want him to be a puppet of God anymore than I approve his becoming your puppet. But I'm sure there were other routes he could have taken," Himitsu sighed, "However, I will not turn him away if he returns. And if he needs to, he will. If he is dead set on this route... well, the Bels will not fall easily. And from what I can read of this island the Lost Bel has shown up here. He may be coming back here for help with that. I will try to dissuade him, and I will not turn him away. If that gives you cause to try and kill me, I encourage you to try. What's one more failed life in your memory bank, right?"

Naoya twitched. The woman surprised him on many occasions. It seems she knew of the curse. She wasn't directly opposed to his methods, but she hadn't known of the lockdown. She seemed to have fragmented information, but wasn't shy about using what she had to attempt to intimidate him. He scowled, "If he comes here, I will be with him. We'll see how you choose to react to that."

Naoya forcefully pushed the door open and walked off in the opposite direction Ion had wandered to. Himitsu breathed in a sigh of relief. She had no doubt Cain would make good on his threat. It was almost amusing that he thought that to be a threat. He'd be the one who would have to step carefully around Abel, not she. She turned towards the back room. What had been that doll's name? Eli?

She walked towards the room and glanced in, "I trust you are still well?"

Hopefully she wouldn't be surprised by Eriol trying to find his brother. He wouldn't, not with the wards set up, but it wasn't like the doll was one for common sense.

(OOC: I made fun of the Cardcaptor Sakura dub! XD Can you catch where? XDD)

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Eriol had been shoving crates and various other items around as he searched for Kerro, but to no avail. This whole place was making his head metaphorically hurt.

Once he heard Himitsu come in, the doll turned to face her. "Where's my brother?! Where did you put our keys?!" He didn't seem to want to negotiate.

[mugenginga]

Himitsu facepalmed at the mess in the back room. She had been prepared for this, but somehow she thought a typhoon would have been less disastrous. She stepped forward, almost if she had no fear of the doll. It wouldn't go past him that she was not carrying the fan from before.

"You really should learn some manners," she sighed, "Your brother and the keys are safe. As safe as a malfunctioning artifact can be in terms of that bronze key. I am more than willing to talk to you if you will treat the situation with a bit more civility. You're hundreds of years old, and yet you still act the child... I suppose I can't expect anything more from that man's creations, particularly one he treated such as you..."

That last comment wasn't the brightest thing Himitsu had ever done. With Eriol's rampaging paranoia, it wouldn't be hard to jump to her referencing his Creator. And for once, he'd be right. She had just insulted the Creator of the clockwork dolls...

[Firebreath Fishslap]

To say that Eriol practically exploded at this comment would be an understatement. The doll ran up to Himitsu and grabbed her by the collar of her dress before he started yelling. His voice box was audibly straining as he did this, as it wasn't built for sounds of this high volume.

"Don't you dare talk about the Creator in such a way!" Eriol screamed. I'll kill you! I'll kill you for saying that!"