The Perfect Pocketknife [NDE, Medium]

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

Name: [The Perfect Pocketknife] - The Adventure Name

Participants: [Jack Guile, Takashi Kuchiki, Iwamichi Saeke] - Who can participate?

Location: [Land of the Living - Japan] - Where does this take place?

Difficulty Level: [Medium] - Easy, Medium, Hard, Extreme. How difficult is this adventure?

Setting: [NDE] Is this DE or NDE? Death Enabled or Non Death Enabled?

Plotline: [A powerful Gang calling themselves nothing but "The Metics" has risen in the impoverished areas of Japan. Thriving in the most depraved areas, their unique mix of organized crime and mercenary assassination work is causing them to become a great threat. To most of the country they are simply a powerful group, however, the Spiritual World knows differently. This group is made up of Fullbringers and other Spiritual races, and is growing into more than just a domestic threat. If given enough time to grow, they could easily threaten the balance of the Three Worlds.

Obviously, the Soul Society wants to intervene and shut down this growing Spiritual force. They have grown beyond what common patrols can handle, so they have sent various promising Shinigami to various parts of Japan. The current spread of forces allows only one man units to go into each area and shut down the cells of The Metics found there.

Uzaki Enterprises also wants to intervene. The Metics are extremely bad for business, but they also are a threat to the human world. They kill humans for pay, which definitely gets on Kazura's bad side. He has also sent in employees to cut down the gang, not knowing that the Soul Society has already sent in some minor forces.

Jack "Jingle" Guile has reasons to combat the gang of his own. They are a rival gang to his Cards, and they are growing so exponentially with converts and kidnappings that they have encroached on his gang's turf. Even some of his own fellow members have been moved into the Metics work. Forcibly or by choice.

All three people have a reason to be in Japan fighting the Metics. The fact that they all run into each other doing the same work could be chalked up to fate or simply to luck, but however it happens, all three of the warriors are headed for the same place with the same goal.

Kill the Metics.] - Explain the plot of your adventure.

Estimated Enemy Strength: [Normal Enemies 6-4, Boss 3] Estimate the strength of the NPC's people will fight in this adventure. Class 7-1, what is their strength on average?

Estimated Time Until Completion: [At least 4 pages] - How many pages do you think this adventure will run for until it is over?

Starts: [Now] - When does the adventure begin?

Special Conditions: [None] - Any special conditions, limitations, or other things.

[Deleted]

Even if he was currently excommunicated from The Deck due to the silliness with King (silliness being a very light word for the Hollow infiltrating his gang and attempting to take it over while implicating Jack for his actions), he still kept doing his job, in any way he could. While Jack was a member of The Deck, he acted as their primary enforcer, and torture. He was basically the mad dog (no capitals) of The Deck, and he did it damn well. Jack's name, especially his nickname, was oft spoken amongst the members of the underworld, and he really liked it that way.

So of course when he heard that a new gang was forming called "The Metics", a gang that had already crossed several lines (including territory ones), he felt the need to get a little hands on with addressing the problem. He had dealt with his usual informants, and found that the gang wasn't a new one, but an expanding one, and an expanding one that had very little regards for established rules and structure. Jack really didn't like it when people violated the standard Honor Among Thieves policy that Jack adhered to. On the other hand, it gave him an excuse to drop it and shank the idiots who did so, so all's well that ends well.

However, as Jack had done some recon on his own, he realized things were going to get more difficult than expected. The territories that he scouted reeked of spiritual energy, although he admittedly wasn't good enough to distinguish what kind. Fullbringers, the people that worked for Xcution, seemed most likely, but it was impossible to be sure. This revelation throw a bit of a spanner in the works, because to be honest he couldn't really try and take on an entire game that had spiritual assistance. Without spirits? Maybe. But certainly not with. However, going off of what the Xcution member, Dylan, had told him, the shinigami likely would address this issue, and send someone to fix the problem. If that ended up being the case, Jack would tag along with them. Otherwise, he was basically without a paddle in a very unpleasant creek.

SPOILER: Click to show

Strength - 100 Points
Speed - 100 Points
Spiritual Pressure - 70 Points
Reiatsu Strength - 30 (21) Points
Light Aura - 0 Points
Dark Aura - 100 Points
Instinct - 100 (150) Points
Senses - 50 Points
Energy sensory - 0 Points
Healing Expertise - 0 Points


[Analysis] 1
[Weapon: Knives] 1
[Stealth] 1
[Combat Analysis] 1
[Pain Tolerance] 1

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa stood atop a small, abandoned building overlooking the neighborhood below. The wind was harsher at this height, and it whipped against her face. With her one eye, she scanned the destitute surroundings beyond where she stood. Kazura had sent her on another mission, this time to eliminate some punk gang in the area. He warned her, however, that this might not be easy. Like usual, he had done research and found the gang to be a hub for Fullbringers and the like. They were increasing in number; they were nuisances. But Iwa couldn't figure out why he sent her alone. Did he believe she was capable of handling the gravity of the situation alone? And she thought her job was recruitment. Apparently, it kept changing.

The area looked deserted, but she knew better. Somewhere, crawling in the shadows, the stupid humans were mingling and growing stronger. The light of this flame had to be snuffed out. Iwa cracked her knuckles and continued to assess her situation. If a group of spiritually talented people of this caliber were gathering, surely the Soul Society would take notice - and take action. No doubt, she was probably going to have to work with another shinigami to get this done. Why did this always happen? She should have known that working for Kazura meant that she was never going to be free of the Soul Society; in fact, it just made them closer. She was going to have to live with her decision.

Iwa hopped onto the roof of another nearby building. She wanted to maintain a height advantage in this situation. Although she might be easily seen, she had a greater chance of seeing her attacker from this vantage point as well. And, since the layout of the place wasn't wholly familiar to her, it was better to get an aerial view in the beginning. Reconnaissance came first, then she could take action. The monstrous eye in Iwa's socket began to squirm. It wanted its food now. She hissed at it to be still - she did not want it to distract her from her objective. As much as she wanted to fight herself, she was going to be smart about this. Bursting into enemy territory with no prior knowledge whatsoever was suicide. Of course, Iwa had no other option but to win.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Stats and Skills}Strength - 160 (112) Points

Speed - 140 Points

Spiritual Pressure - 245 (367) Points

Reiatsu Strength - 200 Points

Light Aura - [50] Points

Dark Aura - [50] Points

Instinct - 155 Points

Senses - 150 Points

Energy sensory - 50 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

Total SP: [1100] Points

New Kido: (400 TTP to spend)
Hado #1: Sho - mastered = 20 TTP

Hado #4: Byakurai - mastered = 20 TTP

Hado #11: Tsuzuri Raiden - mastered = 20 TTP

Hado #32: Oukasen - mastered = 60 TTP

Hado #34: Kongobaku - mastered = 60 TTP

Hado #35: Raiko Kawa - mastered = 60 TTP

Hado #50: Mabarashi Dangan - mastered = 120 TTP

Bakudo #39: Enkosen - proficient = 40 TTP
Total TTP Spent: 400

Used SKP: 13/15

Abilities



Analyzing [2]

Lack of Fear [2]

Learning [2]

Strength of Will [2]

Martial Arts: Karate [2]

Focused Eye [1]

Damage Recovery [2]

Current SKP: 13/15

[Takashi Kuchiki]

The snow haired shinigami arrived through a set of doubled japanese style doors. He found himself leaping off of it and perching himself on a nearby street lamp post. The wind howled as it blew his white hair and dark black clothing off to the right. He paid it no attention as he looked down. His orders were clear as he took out the cell phone that was in his pocket, flipping it up he read it thoroughly. He wanted to make sure he had his orders right.

His eyes skimmed the majority of the screen, easily reading each word to make sure he hadn't missed anything. Soul Society wished for him to assassinate each one of the people whom were apart of this growing group named the Metrics. This was his first assignment for assassination. He was sure that Sozen Taichou had something to do with his arrival here. Given now, he was one of the Kuchiki family assassin and this was his first 'official mission'.

Without delay he hopped across street lights and then leaping his way up to higher ground. Soul Society didn't give him a great deal of information on this matter. However, he seemed to realize that he would need to sense out and detect larger energy sources. He didn't have much to go on, but he knew these metics would accumulate somewhere near impoverished areas. As such, there was something he had to do. Takashi took in a deep breath and then turned a corner.

He jumped down from into an alley way, of which he had an address to. As he walked in he noticed it, so soul society had left it for him...good. There was a flash of bright reaitsu from the alley way as Takashi walked out. He was now wearing a black T shirt and dark blue jeans. He had on a black wrist band on both hands. On his head he wore a red neutral grey baseball cap with some red designs on it along with white. He was now in a Gigai and he would make the most of it. The Shinigami began walking towards the impoverished areas, it was time for some reconnaissance.

SPOILER: Click to show

Stat update:

Stats

Strength - 180 Points (360) --> 180 wearing Reiseigen

Speed - 180 Points (360) --> 180 wearing Reiseigen

Spiritual Pressure - 100 Points (67) --> 33 wearing Reiseigen

Reiatsu Strength - 100 Points (67) --> 33 wearing Reiseigen

Instinct - 100 Points

Senses - 50 Points

Energy sensory - 50 Points

Healing Expertise - 0 Points

Light Aura - 65 Points

Dark Aura - 35 Points

SKP

Current Skills: (10/15 SKP Spent)

- Martial Arts: [Hakuda] (2)
-Strength of Will: (2)
-Battle Analysis: (2)
-Weapon [Sword]: (2)
- Battle Focus: (2)

Item

Item Name: Reiseigen 霊制限 (Soul Restraints)
Item Type: Restraints
Item Description:
These restrains are worn upon the users calves and their forearms. They
seem rectangular in shape and are rather slim and black. They fit much
like if a person had a small box or rectangle around his or her wrists
and ankles. On each, there is a white imprint carved into them that
reads:
霊
制
限
;Or "Soul Restraints". The ability of this item
is very unique indeed. These restraints will divide a person's
offensive Stats by a half (including Spiritual Pressure too). With this,
they will be much weaker and people will generally feel the same of
them. However, while wearing them in any PVP situation (at the start of
the battle*) they will have X amount of posts the restraints can be
released by simply saying the phrase "Kai(release)". The restraints will
fall off as Reaitsu is added to them in a specific flow or way (or if
releasing Shikai/Bankai. The effect of these limiters are it halves the
users: RS, SpPr, Speed, and Strength. While halved however, reiatsu
usage for Takashi is halved . In addition, If the limiter is used for 6
posts, when it is released Takashi's stamina and reiatsu is refilled"

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

The three who were sent to this specific area of Japan all had very similar goals and very similar methods. All three of them chose to scope out the area of the rumored cell of Metics rather than just rush in blindly. Of the three of them, the Shinigami was the most direct in his investigation. While Jack had completed his recon from a distance, and Iwamichi sat on a building overlooking the neighborhood, only Takashi wandered in, at first. Wearing his Gigai and Soul Restraints to not only mask his spiritual presence but also just let him blend in, he would walk into the neighborhood casually, looking for leads.

Jack would the most limited in his ability to investigate the area. He had no way of sensing Energy with any degree of accuracy besides being able to feel when there was someone exerting their pressure near him. Currently the Gang was in hiding, so he couldn't get any Spiritual clues. All of his clues would have to be physical, or he'd need to find one of the other infiltrators and assassins in the area and follow them around. As it was, the other two were quite well secluded, so he'd have to possibly just get lucky and run into one of them or have them approach him.

Iwamichi, with her keen senses and decent vantage point, would have a clear view of this small little slum. It was early evening, and some people were taking a nice walk in the cool air. There were no businesses out here, no civil buildings, and definitely no police anywhere to be found. There didn't appear to be any criminal activity going down just yet, however, organized crime was sometimes harder to spot than spontaneous and violent crime. Presently, Iwamichi didn't see anything overtly suspicious, but she was free to question anything and everything she saw. This was the enemy's territory after all.

Takashi snuck through the area via lampposts that were unpowered and run down, sneaking into an alley and retrieving his Gigai. The bright flash of reiatsu surely could have brought a bit of attention, but him hiding into a Gigai allowed him to slip through the slum without being ambushed or attacked outright. He too would see some people out for a stroll, though he saw them a bit closer up than the Rogue did. The people who were out walking in the evening were older, in their mid fifties and older, and their faces bore the typical signs of poverty. An expression of fatigue and hopelessness.

In the night air, nothing had happened yet. However, the three had yet to do much either.

[Deleted]

Since initial scoping had proved to be unhelpful, Jack resolved to approach the problem more directly. He was worried about someone recognizing him, but with a bit of luck, the gang was from far enough out of town that they hadn't heard his name, or at least wouldn't be able to put it to a face. Jack's ability to pick up on clues was significantly heightened compared to the average individual, and he had better gut instincts than the majority of the population. That combined with his stealth capabilities should make close observation less dangerous, and certainly more fruitful than doing so from a distance.

He stuck to rooftops, leveraging his athletic physical capabilities, and observed the citizens that walked alongside in the streets and alleys below. Jack was no stranger to poverty, suffering, and the burning desire to get the hell out to a better life. He'd faced it himself, and had daily interactions with people who were still struggling with it. People with nothing to lose were dangerous, but people with nothing to lose and a world to gain were far more so. He had to be careful, because even just one of these people being caught up with the wrong crowd and spotting him would make the rest of his life short and difficult.

What was he looking for right now? The telltale signs of someone who had received money for the first time in a while: new clothes, an air of confidence, and some display of wealth. Maybe a girl, or jewelry, or an expensive electronic device. When people without money acquired it through illicit means, the reaction was to spend it on "things" rather than essentials and savings. And so Jack scanned the people below him, as he traversed from roof to roof, trying to find anyone who stuck out, who could be a member of the gang he was hunting.

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa finished scanning the premises, not seeing anything suspicious as of yet. There was a variety of old couples and children running around, but they were just normal poor people. Iwa was glad that she wore a soul gauge now - a tool that would help her decipher the spiritually prone gang members with the normal citizens. Glancing at the watch, she noticed a small spike in the gauge. Something, no, someone was coming toward her. Looking up, she saw a figure approach. She knew just by looking that he was human.

Perhaps he was one of the gang members she was looking for - a scout guarding their borders. As he approached, she prepared herself for an interrogation. Or just a fight. It probably depended on his actions. If he even made an attempt to attack, she would take it as a sign of his guilt. In that case, she was free to beat him and get the information she needed from him. But, he could be anyone. It was probably best not to rush into something. For now, it was apparent that he hadn't spotted her yet.

Eventually, he would see her - either from a distance or because he would be on the same roof as she. Either way, they would have to meet face to face. She turned and waited for the boy. Staring straight at him, she kept one hand on the hilt of her sword. "Who are you. Who do you work for?" She kept it all brief and to the point. He needed to answer her questions, and soon. She wanted to eliminate any threats and get the information she needed quickly. If the boy would not comply, she would make him.

[Takashi Kuchiki]

This town is very interesting to say the least. It really puts into perspective how the human world can sometimes look like Rugonkai. In any case, I'll go ahead start inspecting the area for clues. Soul Society wishes for me to be thorough in what I do. As such, I will go ahead and make sure I am.. He thought to himself as he inspected the area. It wasn't the best of neighborhoods, it looked so very strange. He looked around for some people to speak with. It would be good if he were able to gather some information through the locals.

The snow haired shinigami, now in gigai, saw some older people whom were walking. It wasn't really a lead perhaps but it wouldn't be any reason for him not to speak with them. It was odd though, the expressions they had were....unsettling to say the least. Takashi simply walked up to them, he had to remember the ethics of the human world. He tried his best to remain polite but not speak entirely like he was use to...it would prove difficult indeed. "Excuse me, I did not mean to interrupt. However, I'm new around here. I was wondering if you could tell me where the nearest bus station is? Also, a safe route would be much appreciated. I feel like the city has gotten dangerous around this hour. I do not mean to lecture in any way, but perhaps you sirs and ladies would benefit from avoiding the streets; if I may be so bold as to say.". Takashi spoke. He had to keep up illusion as just a young boy and as such the lie would be needed.

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

Jack's jumping around on rooftops lead him straight to Iwamichi. With her Soul Gauge and her keen senses, she was definitely able to notice him and while she thought him possibly belonging to the Gang she was sent to help eradicate, that was definitely up to him to correct her. If he wasn't very convincing, or decided to attack her thinking that she was a part of that Gang, then things would probably escalate between the two of them. However that went down would be up to them and how they acted towards each other. They had every right to be suspicious, as their knowledge was lacking in what the Gang members actually looked like.

Walking up to the elderly couple, Takashi spoke very... eloquently. It was very painfully obvious that he was not from around this impoverished area, and was no normal teen. He practically reeked of nobility, or at least someone of the higher tiers of society that was completely different from normal everyday life. It may not be how he actually was, but his language conveyed that painfully so. He asked about bus stations, in a slum that had no electricity and barely any running water, if any could be found. He called random passersby sirs and ladies. He sounded like someone sophisticated, and thus, the people he was talking at scattered off without saying a word to him.

They thought him to be a con man or a mugger.

[Deleted]

As Jack finished his jump from one building to the other, he knew something was wrong. He wasn't sure what exactly, only that something was wrong. Jack's body was athletic, and his senses were average, but the superhuman thing about him was his instinct. Jack had the instinct of an animal from a dangerous environment, aware of things that he flat out shouldn't be. The end result of this was a perfect awareness whenever he had made a poor decision. Right now, this was one of those moments. Even before he saw the girl, he knew he'd made a horrible mistake.

And then he saw her standing there, with an eyepatch and a weird aura of dignity around her. And although his initial reaction was to run, something deep within his gut told him not to. And when she spoke, asking him questions, he knew that refusing to do so would likely be unwise. So despite her tone, one that Jack really didn't like, he gave her a basic answer, submitting to the interrogation. "My name is Jack. If you're from around here, you might know me as 'Jingle'." Jack's reputation as an enforcer/interrogator was not insignificant, most people involved in the Karakura underworld would have heard of him at least.

"If you don't know me, you probably know my boss. I work for The Deck. If you still have no idea what's going on, I suggest you leave this area as soon as possible. Because there's a gang in these parts, and they are playing for keeps. If you honestly don't know a thing about the other gangs in this area, I doubt you're in a position to handle this situation." He shrugged. "But warnings aside, who the hell are you? Who do you work for? Because if I played along in regards to introductions, it's the least you can do to at least do likewise."

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa scanned the boy directly in front of her. He didn't look threatening; actually, it would seem that Iwa's presence was making him uneasy. There was a glint of fear in his eyes, corroborated by the fact that he answered her question quickly and succinctly. He must be able to sense the danger he was in. That was good: at least he knew when he was in trouble and when he should be scared. Iwa should have no trouble interrogating him then. As long as he didn't do something stupid, their interaction could remain somewhat civilized. Unless she discovered he was a part of the Metics, she would let him live. This fact, although denied by the boy, still remained to be decided.

He first assumed that, if she was from the area, she would know who he was. That was his first error in judgment. Anyone with any analytic ability would be able to see that she was in no way from this part of town. Her clothes were well-kept, free of stains, and at least middle-class in terms of human standards. She doubted that even where Jack was from, he would not find people with such attire. Although her gruff manner could be mistaken for someone of low breeding and standards, it was not necessarily an indication of that. Second, he completely failed to notice the sword at her hip. Her earlier action of placing her hand on the hilt had gone unnoticed as well. He didn't realize the gravity of that - something anyone who was trained and reared in battle would. Yet, he called himself a gang member.

Since he did not use his eyes and his brain to figure out these basic things, he gave such silly and useless responses. Of course she had no knowledge of him, especially not of his nickname. It was tasteless to say the least. But, it must be indicative of his powers of some kind. Iwa could only guess how the word "jingle" could come into play in that sense. Unfortunately, he made yet another bad assumption. He assumed that even if she wasn't from these parts that she would still know who his boss was. That was ludicrous, because why would she care to know every human who thinks to call himself a "leader", especially of such small factions?

The only reason she could find to want that kind of knowledge is if Kazura said she would need it. So far, she had believed it unnecessary. Still, if it gave her insight into who this man was, she could see it being a bit helpful. In addition, this man would know more about "gangs" in general, a topic Iwa had little to no knowledge of; therefore, more insight might be able to be gained on the Metics with further interrogation of Jack. Although there would be differences between gangs that he wouldn't know about, at least there would probably be similarities that gangs normally shared, which Jack should be able to inform her of.

In that case, it was best to continue the conversation at least somewhat. She needed her questions answered. In an effort to sound tougher, he had begun to demand his own questions. That was fine, but she wasn't going to answer them simply because he had demanded it. She would pick and choose what to give him, of course. He didn't need to know everything. For the sake of asking her own questions though, she was going to need to throw him some kind of bone. What was irritating was his assumption that she was weak, ignorant, and incapable of protecting herself against a group such as this. He was warning her that this was probably not the place for her, which was just a blow to her pride.

Obviously, he could not sense her power or the difference in regard to his own. If he could, he would have known that she was most likely even more capable of handling this situation than he was. Even if he was a fullbringer like the Metics, it didn't mean he was the only one with the ability to stop them. She was going to have to educate this boy. With a dry look, she answered, "I am more than capable of handling a threat like this. You assume I cannot. Maybe soon you shall learn your mistake. My presence here is not an accident, and this gang is the exact thing of which I seek.

That aside, she switched the subject for now. It was so dull to talk; it didn't make her happy at all to give such long speeches. Unfortunately, for the sake of information, she had to keep talking. "First, I have no obligation to you in regards of introducing myself. Although you willingly gave me the info regarding yourself, which was wise, it does not mean I am required to do the same. The only reason, therefore, that I will share something about myself is because I believe we could benefit from cooperation - if we do, indeed, have a similar goal." Iwa believed that both were aiming for a similar goal: exterminating the weeds, so to speak. She was pretty sure that she was right.

The breeze began to pick up a little while they stood on the rooftop. Her hair rocked slightly back and forth, but did not sway her focus from the person in front of her. Although she had not gauged him to be a big concern, she didn't want to let anyone, regardless of strength, to surprise her with an attack at any time. her pride sometimes made it difficult, but she didn't want to underestimate people until she had evidence of their weakness. Resuming, she said, "My name is Iwamichi. I work with Uzaki Enterprises, and it has come to our attention that this gang is a threat to the lives of ordinary citizens and must be dealt with. I am here expressly to get rid of this risk."

She paused for a moment, to let him reflect on what she had said so far. She wasn't sure if he would know what Uzaki Enterprises was, but at least he should understand her reason for coming. In a way, they were after the same thing; however, it was possible that she had a more serious punishment for this threat than he originally had in mind. Iwa was not going to let any survive, for unlike Kazura, she was willing to do whatever necessary to remove scum. If they posed any kind of hazard to UE, they had to be eliminated. "Let me guess, you're here to check up on this growing rival? How brave of you. Unfortunately, I know little about human organizations such as this, least of all yours. In which case, I will need more information on this subject from you."

If Jack continued to use good judgement, he would see the value in cooperation and answer her fully. Time was of the essence here. It would be best to give her the information that she needed. After that, he was free to do whatever - run away, hide, die fighting by himself, or follow her. That was up to him. She was going to do what she originally set out to do with or without help. If he wanted to offer his services, all the better. Still, she was not patient enough to stand and wait for an answer all night. Her hand remained on the hilt of her sword. If he noticed it this time, maybe it would encourage him to speak truthfully and hurry it along.

[Takashi Kuchiki]

It seemed his demeanor was a bit too much for the older looking couple to do anything about. Takashi figured that he may follow them in hiding but it wouldn't get him any closer to information. Following them would be a complete waste of time without further information. It appeared as though his speech had to become more relaxed, but the way to do that was not something he would do during a mission. Rather, he would pick his brain, unsure of what exactly to do. There didn't seem to be anyone around at this time. It was simply the silence that allowed itself to echo throughout this poverty stricken city. Now that he looked around, there weren't even signs or anything that would direct him towards any bus stations. Everything was definitely unknown. Well that didn't help, Takashi need a bit of information, but it seemed he really didn't have any to go off of. However, that is when he began to hear something. The night air seemed to be carrying noises all around. These noises filled Takashi's ear as he wasn't able to process them.

He looked towards his left where he saw the rooftop of these abandoned buildings. There really weren't many people around. Others were talking about something so it was rather interesting to see exactly what this meant. Sadly, it was Takashi's only real clue into finding and eliminating this gang. Perhaps, if he was lucky, this was some sort of meeting ground for them. Without hesitation, he began to scope out the building. It was only a moment later that he found a fire escape which lead to the roof top. Leaping gracefully to the top of a closed garbage container, he pushed off his feet. Even though in Gigai, he still had the ability to leap further than normal humans. Grasping at the ladder, he was quickly able to hop towards the left of it, arriving at the ladder. Now, he would definitely hear the sounds and noises coming from a top of this building.

The steps of Takashi's shoes on the metallic ladder echoed. He finally escalated the ladder, arriving at the top. Upon arrival, his dimmed down blue eyes noticed two people. However, as Takashi was looking at both of them, it would only appear as though he were looking out at the distance; not looking towards them both. His mind reacted instantly, he saw one was a shinigami but he had to stay alert. The profile suggested that there were rouges spiritually aware sources here. He couldn't rule out that these two weren't the ones. For now, he would act as though he couldn't see the shinigami. It was a good thing his vision went from an ambigious looking out and then towards the man who stood to his left. Takashi's eyes fell towards him, he still had the same bored, unenthusiastic, and nearly expressionless expression on his face. He was still wearing his baseball cap, his white hair hanging down on all sides from it. He was dressed like a typical 'skater' type.

Arriving at the scene he blinked a few times as he began to question the man. There didn't seem to be too much different about him; he seemed to blend in better. "My sincerest apologizes. I had thought I heard two voices coming from here. The voices sounded a great deal like my friends. When I came up here, it appears I was wrong.". Takashi fully got to the roof top. He slid his hands in his pockets and was only focused on the man as he took a few steps forward until he stopped. He gazed around from left to right, making sure to not have his gaze stop as even the rouge came in his sight. He turned back the same way until he was facing the man again. "It is a nice evening out is it not?". He questioned. "May I ask what you may be doing at this spot?". He questioned the man. There wasn't anything that seemed too intimidating about Takashi. However, he had some strange aura to him that perhaps the other two could feel.

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

((Skip me, react to the talking and showing up of Takashi))

[Deleted]

Wow, when he answered the girl's questions, he hadn't expected to be lectured because of it. And yet now here he was, standing around, rolling his eyes, while the chick with the eyepatch monologued as to exactly why she was capable. Clearly, she had missed the point, and accidentally shot its cousin that looked kinda like it instead. She boasted how capable she was, and yet said she didn't know anything about The Deck? She reminded Jack of someone who argued an issue to the end, despite not knowing any of the background information.

And of course she didn't want to give him her name. Fantastic. Or, maybe she was going to? He could hardly understand the way she spoke. It was painfully formal, with an unnecessary amount of clarification and clauses that sought to obfuscate the real point she was trying to convey. The way that Ace referred to these people was "People with a helluva lot of schooling, and no real application for it other than to let people know how much schooling they had." Jack thought it fit nicely, given the girl's attire and aura. She was fancy, and she needed everyone to know that.

Finally, she gave her name. Iwamichi, huh? Not an enforcer that Jack had heard of. Of course, she could be a spiritual entity, most of his knowledge of those was a little more lacking. And then she said her boss, and Jack put on a smile in order to mask the fact that he had suddenly clenched his fists. Uzaki Enterprises was a name that Jack hadn't heard of in about a decade, and it brought back a slew of unpleasant memories. Of course, the girl wouldn't know that, and neither would her employer. Giants didn't bother with the houses they stepped on, and the people inside.

She changed the subject however, bringing it back to Jack, which was good. Gave him a way to refocus his anger. "Less of check up on, and more of destroy completely, but you clearly get the gist of it. So since you need information, I'm willing to provide, especially given that our interests match up. Sounds like you are more than capable of handling your own, if you aren't just spewing hot air, so having you along for some extra muscle couldn't hurt. But if we're gonna do that, stop it with the belittling. I'm sure that in your organization, you're hot shit, but I don't work for you. So assume that you need to build that respect from the ground up. If you're clear on that, this'll work out just fine."

He wasn't usually this serious, but given how she currently seemed to view him, jokes probably would do the opposite of help that image. So until they started working, he was going to be serious. How difficult could it possibly be? Like, resisting the urge to make a joke about her being a pirate with that eyepatch? He was totally capable of that. Such jokes were clearly beneath him. "Arrr you okay with that, matey?"....Fuck. Well, his willpower was always one of his weakest aspects. It was impressive he had held on more than a few seconds. Okay, maybe she wouldn't notice the joke. Or maybe something would happen to distract the two.

"My sincerest apologies..." Oh thank the lord. Jack turned around to the new voice, breaking away from the dialogue with Iwamichi. The guy in question talked like a gentleman, but was dressed like a skater. Also, he had climbed onto the roof just because he had heard their voices. This guy was clearly up to something, and now was commenting on the weather, and asking them what they were up to? Trouble. Blatantly obvious trouble. "What, us? We're doing nothing. Nothing at all. Clearly nothing. Why, we're doing so much of nothing it's likely something. But you, mister White Hair, what are you up to on this fine night? What kind of people do you hang out with that climbing onto a roof is a perfectly average thing? Our lives our boring, but you sir, you sound like you have an absolutely fascinating one."

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa was glad that the conversation was getting somewhere. Their interests aligned very well, for both wanted to annihilate this group. They were both in it to destroy. Since they were on such understanding, she didn't have to worry too much of him getting in her way. At least, not in the good morals / conscience sense. She always had that kind of restraint put on by Kazura. Time would only tell if they would be able to work well together. Unfortunately, she could see him practiacally rolling his eyes; she didn't like that attitude of his. One had to respect those who were stronger. For different reasons, the mission might be complicated by the arrival of this unexpected character. She would have to deal with those circumstances when they arrived.

Jack still wasn't exactly sure of her strength. It was a little irritating, but she had to accept that it was usually difficult to judge the level of one's power and strength before it was put into action. Of course, captain-level fighters needed no such test. She knew she wasn't "spewing hot air", but he had doubts. That was no matter, however, because in time, he would learn. Although, she wasn't expecting to be the one following him; he made it seem like he would lead, like he needed extra muscle for his mission. Whatever. Overall, it probably wasn't worth it to contest this with him.

Apparently, Jack was offended by some of her speech. He called it "belittling". Sure, that probably was what it was, but it was also probably true that she was stronger than him. So what was wrong with pointing that out? Nothing. It was the truth. If he couldn't handle it, he could cry her a river. Next, he pointed out that she was going to have to work for his respect. She understood that, because it took a lot for her herself to respect someone. But, his game of trying to act tough was not very amusing. Iwa shrugged inwardly and let it go. Whether she gained his respect or not was of little consequence. The mission came first. And on that note, it seemed fine.

But then he had to go and do that... yes, that pathetic excuse of a "joke". Oh, he thought he was funny, did he? He must have thought her stupid. Just because she had an eye-patch did not make her a "pirate". His silly word play was not amusing and completely unwarranted. Given the current situation, it worked seriously to his detriment. He was even lower in her eyes and would probably receive more belittling for this. He brought all of it on his own head. Her lip quivering ever so slightly, she was holding in her anger. He would not be able to notice her seething emotions, because she was good at hiding them. At this point, she needed to get rid of them before she did something rash. Meditation usually helped, but it would take too much necessary time at this point.

Suddenly, another character came into their midst. Iwa had been too distracted to really notice the boy approach. Even though it came to a surprise and his initial exchange was brief, she knew that he was not who he was claiming to be. Did he really think he could get away with his charade? "How about you tell us who you really are instead of some lame story. It's pretty obvious that normal kids don't usually climb rooftops. And, they don't normally confuse their friends' voices with strangers. To top it all off, boys, at least who live and have friends around this area, don't speak so ****** politely." Iwa's hand twitched on the hilt of her sword, and her brow furrowed.

It would probably surprise Jack to hear such crude language come out of her mouth all of a sudden. After all, she hadn't spoken so impolitely with him; however, she pretty much knew exactly who it was that was in front of them - not his name, more like what he was. A Shinigami. His pitiful attempt to disguise it made her rather frustrated. Some stupid youth was here, who probably didn't know what he was doing, and was totally doing the OPPOSITE of blending in. It was obvious that he was trying, from the gigai he was wearing, but his lack of common sense was betraying him; and, it was important to keep that kind of cover, like in this situation, when one wanted to do some undercover work. He was totally messing that up.

Plus, Iwa didn't feel like talking pleasantly to a Shinigami anyway. She hated them, which said a lot since she didn't hate many things. The kid might be hurt by her words, but she could care less. He needed to grow up. Knowing that he probably came here for the same reason as them, she knew that he was probably not just going to go away. That usually annoyed her, since she preferred to be in solitude. She had tolerated Jack's interference, but now this was just getting frustrating. Well, Iwa was probably just in a bad mood altogether - possibly created by Jack's earlier wisecrack and the Shinigami's unlucky arrival in the middle of that scene. Either way, the Shinigami was facing her wrath.

Jack's response was practically equally ridiculous. He was trying way too hard to sound inconspicuous. In fact, Iwa couldn't tell if he was trying to make them and their conversation suspicious to this guy or not. This confused and agitated her even more. If he was attempting to divert the attention away from them, what was he even thinking? He was sure doing a poor job of it. The most annoying part was how he tried to mimic the Shinigami's politeness, using "sir' and "what are you up to on this fine night?". He obviously wasn't speaking like that before. Lastly, anyone that even remotely analyzed them could figure out that they didn't have "boring lives". Gosh, was she surrounded by a bunch of idiots?

Sighing, she tried to remedy the escalating situation. She didn't want to fight at the moment, because there was a matter more pressing to get to. "Look, if you're here to take out this gang, then we're in the same boat. Although we probably won't like each other at all, people with the same goals should work together; cooperation, when it is done right, gets the job done well and quickly. If you wish to fight, then go ahead. I won't hesitate to end your resistance. But know which is the most beneficial option - to both parties." That being said, she waited for a reply, if there was one, and kept her hand on her sword. There might be a battle approaching.