The Perfect Pocketknife [NDE, Medium]

[Takashi Kuchiki]

The snow haired shinigami turned as he spoke directly to the man whom seemed to be questioning the validity of his 'skater' appearance. It was at this moment that Takashi realized he killed people way better than he pretended to be them...disguise wasn't his thing. The way he spoke was clearly contradicting. This banter seemed like it would go on and on if Takashi actually had something to say. However, the shinigami didn't really have much to say. He was obviously caught and it wouldn't really do a great deal of difference pretending. There was however, the matter of the rouge. Yet another person who seemed to see through him so easily...was he really that bad?

Takashi couldn't help but turn to face the woman. He knew by acknowledging that he heard her he would give away his spiritual abilities. A thought crossed his head to turn to her and say 'I can't hear you' and then turn back. However, the use of her particularly foul language suggested that she wasn't in the mood for jokes of any kind. As such, Takashi would be sensitive to the issue. He cleared his throat as he looked towards the two. He was quite interested in the one with the eye patch and the shinigami like aura that came from here.

It was then that the woman began to speak. She seemed to be thinking rationally and attempting to have the situation die down a little. She was already on to the gang and suggesting they were in the same boat. She had a good attitude about her. She was also ready to fight and confident in her abilities as well. Takashi could see that she was honest but she was also a woman who wouldn't hold back, he really appreciated this about her. To be honest, she'd be the reason this probably didn't escalate into a full on fight.

"My apologies for underestimating the both of you.". He bowed to both of them before raising his head."You see I am a shinigami from the Gotei 13. My name is Kuchiki Takashi..it is a pleasure to meet you both. Again, I am sorry for doubting your analytical abilities. I see that my own abilities of disguise require a great deal of work. As you can imagine, I'm in a faux body, or Gigai. I suppose however I'll release it soon. It isn't my intent to stay in this, however, I do no wish to alert anyone by raising my reiatsu". He looked at the two of them, wondering exactly who they were; however he didn't really care as long as the job was actually done.

"I assume you two already know of what I speak. You are indeed correct that I am looking for this Gang of which you speak. I would very much like to work with the two of you. I too feel the same as you miss...?". He asked the woman's name. He then turned to the fullbringer. "I believe you seem familiar, but I am most likely mistaken. Who may you be?". He then turned to speak to the both of them, his head would move from one to the other as he spoke.

"I do not have any quarrels with either of you. If your objective is to simply cease this gangs growth by eliminating them, then I would be grateful for your aid. I do not care for your individual reasons. Whatever the reason may be, you may keep them for yourselves. For now, I believe the most important tactic would be to figure a strategy. I have been unable to find any noteworthy clues nor tips.". He turned towards either of them. "Have either one of you been able to acquire something that would lead us to them?" The man questioned.

He didn't really know these two but they seemed alright. Takashi didn't usually like to work with people he didn't know. However, Sozen was right, he needed to work with people in order to get a job done. Obviously, his skills in recon were not the best. As such, he would have to utilize a team to pull off this mission. For now, it was time to see what these two would do and say in response to him.

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

While the three talked, it appeared that the clues Takashi wanted were about to fall right into their laps... Or their shoulders. With the three of them focused on each other, suddenly there would be the sound of something gliding through the air. Before they could react, a small triangular blade would cause a small cut on Jack and Takashi's shoulders. There would be no time to react, no way to dodge. This cut wouldn't even be deep enough to cause blood to drip out anyways, it was that shallow.

The attention of the conversation would rapidly shift in the direction of the two blades. Standing on a rooftop a couple abandoned buildings away was a young teenager of no more than fifteen. He wore a ragged t-shirt with sleeves that were a bit too small, which showed his slender wrists. Attached to the bony flesh was a small spring loaded blade launcher that was already whirring with two more triangle blades clicking into place and gathering the energy to be launched by the springs. The only other thing of note about this boy was the small chain around his neck. It wouldn't be very clear to identify it, but it was most likely either a religious symbol or a pair of military dog tags.

"What are you two babbling about to thin air? Crazies aren't welcome here. This is Metics territory, you know!" The boy's eyes were very determined and set, but his hands were obviously shaking slightly as he spoke. "That first shot was a warning. Hence why it only... grazed you not even enough to make you bleed. The next one... won't be so gentle. Maybe an... eye. Maybe a... throat? Who knows where the Queen will guide my blades..." There were key pauses in his speech. Hesitation, or simply not remembering the words he needed to say? That was yet to be determined.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Boy's Stats}

Class 6, Nontyped



Strength - [100] Points

Speed - [100] Points

Light Aura - [60] Points

Dark Aura - [40] Points

Instinct - [100] Points

Senses - [100] Points

Healing Expertise - [50] Points


Total SP: [650] Points

That's all for the template. There are a LOT of stats, but don't get choosy and just give some to all. The result could be quite negative.

[Deleted]

Alright, the white haired guy was a Shinigami. Suprise, suprise. He clearly wasn't human, his reiatsu made that obvious at least, and he was far more dignified than any of the non Shinigami races that Jack had met thus far. And lucky for them, he had the same mission. With a bit of luck, the two spiritually affiliated people would be able to do most of the heavy lifting for Jack during this mission, which would be good given that he was vaguely in over his head in regards to that stuff. Jack could contribute gut instinct and educated guesses, as well as some fancy knife work, but he couldn't exactly provide brute force.

Then, something sliced through the air by him, ripping along his skin, and landing a few feet beyond them. In that instant, Jack's mind switched from being focused on the conversation to analyzing the fight that was brewing steadily. He turned towards the teenager, practically a kid, that had started to talk to them. Great, the Shinigami had probably attracted attention by climbing the building, given that Jack had been doing a fine job of hiding, and that Iwamichi was apparently invisible to non spiritual entities. Or so he gleaned from the boy's speech.

First one was a warning shot? Jack was familiar with that concept, and he had no reason to doubt that the boy wasn't perfectly capable of shooting them through the throats with well aimed knives. And so, Jack held up his hands, as if surrendering. During the motion up, something slipped from his hand, however. A small bell, which jingled as it fell, drawing attention downward. The second that the boy's eyes flicked down, a knife appeared in Jack's hand, one that he had palmed before the motion, and streaked through the air, aimed directly at the boy's throat.

In the chance that it didn't hit, or that it didn't kill him, Jack didn't stay still however, and rolled towards the side, behind a chimney for cover, taking care to put himself on the directly opposite side from the boy. Return fire was a definite possibility if his allies didn't cover for him, or if he was on a different wavelength in regards to the whole killing gang members. He hoped that was not the case, describing to people why it was morally totally okay to kill other people who were opposed to your gang's interests was always an unbearable discussion.

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Well, it seemed the Shinigami boy had sense. At least he realized that he was terrible at disguising himself. He wasn't starting anything unnecessary, but agreed to work together to complete this mission. Then, he asked for her name. Unfortunately, she couldn't really refuse to give it, since she had already divulged that information to Jack. A one word answer would suffice, though. "Iwamichi." It didn't need to be expounded upon. She was done with talking at this point, having to put up with suspicions, empty threats, annoying wise-cracks, and stupid remarks from humans and young shinigami. It was good, then that something came to occupy their attention.

Two blades whipped past them and mildly scraped the other two. Turning around, she saw a young boy on a roof across from them. He looked so young, yet it was clear that he was a gang member, their enemy. Yet, he showed no signs of spiritual ability that this gang was supposedly teeming with. Maybe it was because of his age, but he didn't have the power to see Iwa. Which meant that the only way he could see Takashi was because he was in a gigai. This kid was barely worth killing; however, all members had to be dealt with. The gang must be completely annihilated to avoid the risk of it reviving from the ashes. But why was this boy apart of a ruthless and mercenary gang like the Metics? Why so young?

Did he even know what he was getting into? Iwa clenched her fists. She knew she hid a soft spot for outcasts and orphans, kids abandoned by family and society. She hoped that it would not bring her down at a time like this. But, she wasn't sure if she could bring herself to kill him, without at least giving him a chance. He couldn't see her, but she wanted to talk to him. Long-forgotten emotions welled up inside her. No, no, no. She couldn't let that happen; the mission came first. Forget about the boy. Forget about your feelings. They will only hinder you. See, already you are hesitating and doubting yourself. What are you going to do if the gang is full of kids like these?

The more this feeling of...compassion...grew, the more frustrated she felt. It was her worst nightmare - her banished feelings threatening to come out all at once. Looking at this boy only brought her pain. Someone was going to have to kill him. This gang needed to be destroyed. She said that over and over in her head. Move. Do something. You have the advantage, so take it. At least, he won't see you coming; he won't have to see anything else before he dies. He won't be scared or surprised; he'll just die, quickly and quietly. The eye slowly began to awaken in the socket of her eye. It was awakened by her agitation and aroused by her intent to kill.

No, she didn't have to kill him. They could still use him for a time. This was a chance they had been waiting for. So far, they had no clues, no leads. But, here was a Metic in front of them, one they could squeeze information out of. They could make him lead them around. Yes, he could prove useful. It wasn't necessary to kill him now. At least not now... In the midst of Iwa's internal battle, Jack had already prepared to fight. He dropped a bell to the ground, and used that to distract his opponent as he made his own strike. She now had a good clue as to why he was called "jingle." He liked to distract his opponent, then go for the kill. She made note of that.

But, what if his knife hit a vital area? The boy would die! Their only lead would die. At least Takashi was standing nearby, and maybe he would have the same sense. She spoke to the Shinigami and Jack, who was hiding behind the chimney. "Make sure the boy doesn't die. Just incapacitate him. We can use him to find some answers we need. We don't have any better leads. Since he can't see me, I'll try to maintain this cover. I'll help if you absolutely need it, but it might come in handy if my presence remains unknown. You should probably refrain from talking to him though, since your speech betrays you too much." Iwa mentioned the latter to Takashi. She didn't want his weakness to blow their fragile cover. After all, if the gang knew that shinigami were here, they might toughen their defenses and make things harder for them.

The eye was more or less awake now and scanning their environment. It didn't see the boy as a very good meal and was rather disappointed that they weren't going to kill him right away. She could feel it squirm a little uncomfortably. It probably also sensed Iwa's inner thoughts, and it didn't like them at all. It didn't like her sentimentality. Iwa didn't care for them either, but they weren't going to go away that easily.

[Takashi Kuchiki]

There was a distinct cut upon the shinigami's right shoulder. In his peripherals he could see an enemy which spoke about 'two babbling'. His eyes became narrow rather quickly, however he quickly decided something in that moment. The man would fall down. It would appear he was falling down from the cut. However, in reality, the man's body fell while his real spirit pushed out from the body. There was the shinigami which stood in his black shinigami attire. He had his white hair and none of that nonsense on him. His blue diamond like eyes looked towards the boy. He wasn't sure if the boy could see him or not.

It was strange indeed. There was also a voice that he heard behind him. His eeys turned towards Iwa whom had recently introduced herself. She had a good point as the man known as Jack rose his knife upwards. As he threw it, Takashi knew the trajectory would be a kill shot. Instead, the man pushed forward, faster than the knife, but just barely. The man had to exert himself at the full 180 speed he was going to using his Reiseigen. Truthfully, he was halving all of his offense, but he did it in order to make fights more interesting for himself. The shinigami would just barely flick the tip of the top of the knife. The intent was to lower its trajectory so it would hit the boy's lower abdomen. With that, Takashi used the air ground. He sprang up over the boy as he looked back over his shoulder. He landed nearly 10 feet to the right of the boy. He blinked a few times, unsure if the hit would actually connect.

"Jack, I would agree with Miss Iwamichi. You've shown hostility towards this boy. I'm unsure, but he may not be able to see spiritual beings; he had spoken as though he could only see you and I. He's young, please do not go for any sort of kill shot. Rather, attempt to exploit information from him. If you cannot, please utilize kido or other means to bind him. Last resort, I shall attempt to interact with him and hold him down. For now, let us see what he says. Perhaps something will come from his mouth in the form of a clue". The shinigami spoke as he looked towards the boy, unsure of what would happen next.

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

The boy reacted in a flash as Jack threw the knife. Even as Takashi's gigai fell to the ground in a crumpled mess, confusing the pre-teen, the Shinigami nudged the blade to no avail. The human shot out another razor blade, which shot out at 150 strength and speed. There was a bit of recoil to the hand that fired it, but otherwise it was spot on accurate. Jack's blade was completely deflected harmlessly. With Takashi still in the way, he would have been pierced by both blades had he still been in his Gigai. As is, the human weapons not supported by any fullbringer's reiatsu passed harmlessly through him.

Not fully understanding why the warning shot took down one of the two men standing in front of him, the boy responded to Jack's knife by firing his other razor blade out of his other arm. The second one was headed right for Jack's throat at the same 150 strength and speed. It could potentially kill the rival gang member if he took the full shot right to the windpipe, so he'd definitely need to be careful to counter it or dodge. Meanwhile, Iwamichi and Takashi were simply talking, with the boy oblivious to them. He couldn't hear them, and Jack hadn't said anything, so they weren't going to get anything out of him until someone found some way of getting him to open up. Possibly by just straight up asking him questions.

[Deleted]

Although the blade flying at his throat at high speeds would have been a problem, Jack had already resolved to dive behind the nearby chimney for cover before the knife had even been fired, and that reactionary advantage effectively negated the difference between the two individuals in speed. Jack dodged the knife with little more than another knick to his shoulder, although the blood that began to well up from the wound was a bother. Hiding behind the chimney, he drew another knife, balanced for throwing, to his hand.

"Alright then, if you scum-badgers have a better idea of how to address the situation, be my goddamn guests." He called out to the two Shinigami, who apparently were invisible to the kid. He'd forgotten that about Spiritual Beings, which was a bit sloppy on his part. However, his patience with both Iwamichi, and this new guy Takashi, was quickly wearing thin. It was one thing to dislike his methods, it was another completely to try to interfere with them without offering a better action. And although it likely wasn't accurate at all, Jack was convinced that the primary reason why he was now under fire was because of Takashi attempting to intercept his knife, rather than letting it end this fight.

[Iwamichi Saeke]

Iwa had to let out a deep sigh. She asked the shinigami to save the kid, which he did. However, he had to leave his gigai behind in order to do that apparently. It made things more difficult because now, two out of the three could not speak to the kid. If he couldn't see him, there was no point in trying to try to talk to him. Jack would have to do the conversing, and it was clear that he was not in the mood. He didn't like being interfered with, but it was his own fault for jumping the gun. He hadn't talked anything over with them first; he simply went into attack mode. Granted, Iwa probably would have done the same thing for anyone else. But still...

She didn't think it right for Takashi to return to his gigai now. There wasn't a point anymore. Besides, it would probably disturb the kid if someone suddenly collapsed and revived without any explanation. It was going to be tricky to get any information if Iwa had to pass along everything she wanted said, And who knows if Jack was willing to respond. Tch. This was a pain; maybe she should have just let Jack kill the boy. No, it wouldn't be logical. She made this choice, so she was going to have to stick with it. "Jack, I need you to try and talk to the boy. Don't worry though, I'll restrain him. I can tell you what to say if need be, but I'm sure you know how interrogations go."

Being a gang member, Iwa didn't doubt that Jack was skilled in interrogation; she just wasn't sure if he was willing to do it since his own plan had been disrupted. But she needed him to cooperate. Iwa unsheathed her sword and jumped past the boy, landing silently behind him. It didn't matter if he could sense her there or not. She was quicker. The mechanism from which he fired his blades were attached to his wrists, she noticed. Holding his neck in the crook of her arm, she swung her sword with her other hand and chopped off his wrists. Realizing there would definitely be a cry of pain, she quickly covered his mouth as best she could.

It might seem a heartless thing to do, but in retrospect, at least she wasn't killing him. She would get the information she needed, probably lock him up somewhere so he couldn't get back to tell his buddies, and release him later so he could choose a different path. Right now, she had to go quickly in case anyone heard his terrified screams. Iwa motioned for Jack to quickly do the rest. Iwa would give him room to talk only when he needed to answer a question. Of course, he might not cooperate. If he became too unruly... they were going to have to dump him and leave. They still didn't have to kill him. He wouldn't be a threat anymore.

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

Jack dodged the knife well, his quick thinking saving him a quite serious wound. Hiding behind the chimney, he called out to the other two Shinigami to deal with the problem, rather than having any ideas of what to do on his own. The boy was confused by this, since he had only seen two bodies total and the first was lying in an unflattering crumpled heap with his rear in the air. But he didn't flinch, he simply shifted his arms forwards, feeding another set of blades hidden in his sleeves into the spring loaded launcher. As they whirred and wound up, Iwamichi jumped forwards in an attempt to restrain the boy.

Everything changed when her spiritual body got close to him.

Suddenly, from under his shirt, something started to glow. A green field of energy pushed outwards from him, forming a bubble that prevented the Rogue from getting closer to him than a foot. The boy's mouth started to move, but the voice that came out wasn't the same. It was similar, but it was somehow older. The voice of a man, not a teenager. "So... they sent Gentiles against us..." From inside the boy's shirt emerged a glowing green pendant attached to the chain necklace he wore. It was in the shape of a dagger, flat on one side but jagged down the bladed edge. As it continued to glow, it grew into a full sized knife. And as it grew, so too did the boy.

His clothes changed to fit him as he grew ten or more years older in the blink of an eye. As his body finished changing, the glowing bubble faded and he grabbed at the knife and jumped to the side, positioning himself to no longer have Iwamichi behind him. "So there are three of you. No matter, I am of the Sharpened. My blade has been bathed in no fewer than five Dull." Standing at the ready for combat, Iwamichi and Takashi would notice something inherently different about him now that he had undergone this change.

He had a spiritual presence.

SPOILER: Click to show

His -real- stats. You may notice now that his Total SP hasn't changed. Did you guys add up his stats when I posted it the first time?

Class 6, Nontyped



Strength - [100] Points

Speed - [100] Points

Spiritual Pressure - [100]

Reiatsu Strength - [100]

Light Aura - [60] Points

Dark Aura - [40] Points

Instinct - [100] Points

Senses - [100] Points

Healing Expertise - [50] Points


Total SP: [650] Points

That's all for the template. There are a LOT of stats, but don't get choosy and just give some to all. The result could be quite negative.

[Takashi Kuchiki]

(OOC: sorry for the lateness, I wasn't sure it was my turn to post. I'm assuming it'll go: me, Jack, Iwa? Anyway, please pay no attention to my stats in the signature obviously lol. Anyway...).

The white haired shinigami pushed off the balls of his feet. He noticed as Iwa came closer, that there was suddenly a strange glow from the boy. Bored diamond blue eyes narrowed as they gazed upon the strange event. The shinigami was in mid air, his hands to his sides as he inspected the boy from behind. It was curious, his voice seemed to change further. The boy then began to grow, the strange green glow enveloping him as he did. There was a sudden surge of something...spiritual pressure. Whatever was going on was clearly supernatural. This boy was obviously set to stake out for this very purpose.

There were a few other things that struck Takashi's curiosity. Gentiles? What exactly was that? It was now that the 'boy' could see spiritual beings as well. This was indicative as he had said that there were three of them. In any case, a moment later, Takashi would land on his feet. He stood nearly 10 feet away from the creature. He hadn't attacked them so Takashi felt there to be no need to attack him back yet. Perhaps he would speak; even though he seemed hostile. From behind the boy would emit the voice of the shinigami.

"I see. The boy was perhaps no more than a vessel for whatever this...entity is". Takashi hadn't seen the necklace as he was situated behind the boy. "I am curious of a few things. The first, is if you will tell us more about the Metics? The second, is if you are this 'queen' that boy was referring to earlier?". Takashi recalled that the boy said the 'Queen' would guide his hand. He was unsure of what was going on but he attempted to make sense of it logically. For now, he would simply stand in a neutral stance and wouldn't attack the boy with the strange glow. He hoped he would deduce just what exactly that it was; being able to push a shinigami was quite a spectacle.

[Deleted]

Every time. Every single goddamn time that Jack felt that he might have some semblance of control over the situation, life just decided to throw a spanner in the works. As the boy had clicked back more knives, and the pirate chick had jumped him, things had gone a little haywire. A green field had pulsed out from the boy, shoving the pirate back. And then the kid started talking with a voice that sounded like something out of a possession movie, and Jack didn't know of any priests that could perform exorcisms.

However, it didn't seem like the guy with white hair (Jack decided to call him Danny Phantom) had any intent to fight the kid that was talking like a man. Instead, he was choosing to chat with him? This seemed like an awful idea, but it was Danny's life at stake, not his. Jack instead stayed behind the chimney, gaining as much cover as possible from the knife throwers of the glowing boy. He was in way too deep, and he needed to try his best to stay safe, and stay focused.

[Iwamichi Saeke]

As Iwa got closer to the boy, ready to take him out of combat, he suddenly changed. Her eyebrow furrowed over her eye and she stepped a couple feet back. A green glow had spread from his body to prevent her from attacking. It was odd, and she wasn't sure where it came from. It definitely put a wrench in her plans. The boy changed; his body became more mature and his voice grew deeper. She was pretty sure that this was not the boy they had just encountered but someone perhaps possessed. Her heart wrenched in anger. Did the boy have no choice in this? Was this his true form or had someone taken control of him? Was someone forcing him to fight or serve them? She couldn't take that. He deserved better.

Takashi and Jack took two different approaches to the new threat. Takashi opted for conversation, trying to get more information, while jack hid behind the chimney again to save himself. It spoke volumes about their two personalities. Yet, she wasn't satisfied with either one. Although she agreed that gathering more information was the better option, Takashi was practically useless when it came to talking. If only she could get him to stop asking stupid questions. Obviously, this human was male; a "Queen" implied female. So, what was the logical conclusion? This is not a "Queen". If he listened to his words, it was apparent that he was just a foot soldier, someone who measured his worth by his trophy kills.

That being said, she had no idea what this "sharpened" and "dull" nonsense meant. If she took it literally, maybe it had something to do with the strength of their weapons / swords. It sounded the most plausible at the moment. She stood face to face with the boy and looked into his eyes. His whole demeanor was entirely altered. There was no more innocence of boyhood but a pure fighter. Was it possible to reason with him? Would he divulge any new information? She was going to have to take matters into her own hands. She was the most capable, after all. Her katana was still out, at the ready.

"Forgive his ignorance, I'm sure you are only a servant of the Queen. Could you tell us more about her?" In these situations, it was best to speak as little as possible. She didn't want to make things worse by saying something she shouldn't - as Takashi was known to do. Hopefully, she could salvage this situation. Although, she wasn't too hopeful. He was probably willing to do anything, even die, for the sake of his leader. Her throat became dry. She didn't want to kill him. But, he was different now. It would be okay. She could kill him. Because now, in front of her, there was a different man.

[Kyomei Kuchiki]

As Takashi mused to himself, and addressed the man directly, his words only caused disgust to grow on the human's face. He spit upon the ground with contempt for what he was hearing. "You fool. I'm the same person that I was before. Can't you see that I'm just older? And no, you're not worthy to hear of the Metics, nor the Queen, if you think that I am her Highness of Blades." With fist clenched tightly around his knife, he seemed like he was going to jump and try to impale the Kuchiki, but his attention was moved to Iwamichi when she began to talk rationally.

"Yes, he is ignorant, and yes you seem to be more worthy. But no, I will not divulge the secrets of the Youthful One. Not until you have pledged yourself to Her and become Dull."

[Takashi Kuchiki]

Perhaps he had over shot the gun. This possessed boy had called Takashi a fool. It seemed his question didn't go well either. Takashi wasn't the one to use force to solve things. He had hoped he could talk things out. His eyes narrowed however, looking towards the boy. His bored expression seemed a bit more keen with his eyes becoming more intense. His eyes trailed over to the rouge. She seemed to know more of what she spoke. In addition, she had taken up the situation well. They could try to capture this boy but it seemed rather lack luster to try and force him into things. They could combat him but the possibility still remained that they may be able to kill him. His eyes fell to the boy and then towards the woman. He let out a soft sigh from his nostrils.

"Tell us, how is it possible for one to pledge themselves to your Queen? I would imagine a Dull is what you currently are. I would imagine perhaps it possible for us to meet this Queen if we were to join your faction". He looked over at Iwa for a moment and then took to placing his hands into his pockets. He kept his eyes upon the boy. He was also quite curious as to what Iwa would do during this situation. Perhaps it was best if she took charge, but for now, Takashi had to try and gain more information.

(OC: Sorry about the LONG wait. I'll be quick now. I had just lost some steam after coming back from Holland and catching up on posts blah blah. I am good to go now!)

[Iwamichi Saeke]

(OOC well, if you though Takashi took so long to post, look at how long it took me... really sorry ))

Iwa felt a wave of relief wash over her as the boy calmed down a little after Iwa quickly spoke up. Takashi's words would have certainly caused the boy to lash out in anger if Iwa hadn't stepped in. Still, the boy was reluctant to divulge any information - about the Queen or otherwise. Maybe he would have before, but Takashi probably shut him up. There was little she could do about that. They couldn't pass this opportunity up though - they needed information. But what was the best way? Diplomacy? Force? If they fought, there was the risk of killing the boy before he could give them what they needed. But, if they tried to convince or coax him, that might take more time, not to mention the fact that it didn't have a high success rate. Especially not with these incompetent talkers.

Takashi was too careless with words and Jack preferred no words at all - just beating people up. Maybe that worked in the gang he was from, but not here. Not everything could be solved with force. Iwa was the only real analyzer of the group. Maybe if she did all the talking it could work, but chances were still slim. Her mind racing, Iwa contemplated what to say next. Everything was riding so precariously on a thread. She couldn't figure out why she was so nervous. In any other situation, she would have probably used force - cut up the guy and hit him till he talked. Yet here she was, fighting desperately to retain negotiations and keep the situation stable. They just seriously needed more information; that must be it. She wouldn't let there be any other reason.

Now that the boy had changed, she needed to assess him over again. His actions and personality were completely changed. Essentially, she was looking at someone else. Innocence had turned to confidence and stature. He said that he was the same person though, just older. So, did that mean his powers had remained unaffected. She also had to take into account the green light that had descended upon him in the moment she had moved to attack him. Did that come from an internal or external source? If external, possible suspects were the Queen or another "supervisor" in the system. If internal, it meant that they boy had disguised himself and his powers for some reason. She couldn't see any plausible reason besides blending in with the surroundings, if he was some sort of scout.

In the midst of her mental dance, Takashi opened his mouth again. What was he trying to accomplish? He was going to say something insensible again and ruin the peace she had just maintained. He had, basically, just ignored the fact that she had called him ignorant and that the Metic and agreed. Apparently, that didn't shame him into silence. Whether he was trying to prove himself or whatever, this might set the boy over the edge. The problem was that Takashi just assumed things. He was blunt about it, too. Although he was attempting to analyze the boy in front of them, which was what Iwa would do, he was not nearly as good at it. He didn't take his time and jumped to conclusions. This was why analyzing was actually more dangerous than most think: false conclusions could get you killed for a number of reasons, which she didn't feel like going into detail at the moment. But, she was sure to give Takashi a lecture later.

She saw him glance in her direction. Was he hoping to prove something to her or trying to get her to follow his lead? She wasn't sure about this kid anymore. In any case, she needd to speak up -again-. "Listen to his words," she hissed at Takashi, "He said he is of the Sharpened, and he has defeated Dull. He is not one of those lower ranked Dull, which we would be if we just joined them. He has killed no fewer than five, so he has skill to back it up. Be more attentive." She thought that maybe scolding Takashi in front of the Metic would have a positive effect. It would definitely show the difference in their rank and hopefully clear up any resentment his ignorant words might again have on the boy. If anything, it might make the boy more willing to talk to her if he thought her to be the most intelligent.

She gave Takashi a look that said "please let me do the talking now." Hopefully he wouldn't remain stubborn but understand the effect his words were having. Turning now to the Metic, she resumed saying, "We are not so impudent as to suggest an audience with your Queen, of course. But we are interested in knowing how one pledges oneself to her service." Her response was rather vague. She was hoping that the ambiguity would loosen the boy's lips into spilling something useful while keeping the tenuous situation in check. Whether the boy had bought the idea that they wanted to become one of their members or not, she hoped he would be more forthcoming. If their diplomacy failed, the only option was to kill him. They couldn't let the whole gang know of their presence. That was the truth of the matter.