yogen | narumin rescue squad

[It would have to be the gift necklace, as Lucifer needs something that can swing like a dowsing pendulum for this to work. Once he has the necklace, he assures Hikaru he'll give it back, taking it and holding it by the top of the cord and letting the rock hang.

There are several steps to begin pendulum dowsing but I'm going to gloss over all of the precursory "yes no" bullshit we have to do as setup and get right down to the part where Lucifer asks the pendulum to swing in the direction of Narumin's house.

If it starts swinging in A Direction, Lucifer will just start walking to follow it. Good luck everybody else!]

Lucifer-kun, where are you going?

( he heard him mention narumi's house which isn't too bad, but, )

That's a fine lead, but if the park is there on our way, we should swing by... it doesn't hurt to check, because if the soul is shattered... you are well aware it won't be all in one place, and his home is further than... let's say, the park.

( narumin lives on the outskirts, so they'll go ALLLL the way out and then have to come back to the city? they don't even have the toyota. )

Our time here is limited, anyway, and not everyone here are demons, so that unlimited soul stamina you have isn't the same for humans.

[Hmm, it appears Lucifer has a Thought in his head at that.

He doesn't verbally address the fact that Komaeda has a point, but he does decide to change gears and ask the pendulum to please point out the park instead.

So like, Komaeda wins this round, please enjoy your victory.]

[unlike Lucifer, someone else can voice her opinion.]

I'm with Komaeda...if we're here to learn about him, then why not stop by a place he likes? A place he may have been more carefree...at the least, it's a staring point.

[except...where is the park...is there a sign somewhere...]

Edited 2021-10-21 23:35 (UTC)

[ It'll probably be on the way or close by, Hikaru would assume, if it's a place that he frequents a lot, but it looks like they're at the mercy of Lucifer's dousing necklace to find out where it is.

In the meanwhile, the rest of the group can get a sense for the city itself: there are a lot of tall buildings, both office skyscrapers and apartment complexes, although all the lights are off and nobody can get seen inside any of the windows. The streets are otherwise populated, though, both the roads themselves and the sidewalks on either side. With all the traffic, smoke seems to hang in the air, making the sky a dusty grey-blue, and litter and graffiti can be seen along many of the buildings they pass. They do pass by some stray dogs, with ribs defined under matted fur, frozen in their fight over an overturned bucket of chicken.

Overall they can kind of get the sense that Narumin lived in a dump. ]

( yall, i was so obsessed over the dogs that i forgot i had to go, so komaeda thinks about how this is where the poor people live... could not be him. )

It is a... rather poor place.

( ... poor people, smh. anyway, he's been through rougher surroundings, and toxic air, so he glances around at the stray animals that are fighting for food, and part of komaeda wants to feed them like an actual meal. is it wrong if he tries to take a detour? you know what they deserve, those tvs that has the news, and like the back of their heads previewed in the getaway car or like wanted posters. they deserve that, anyway. )

Hm...

( they have lucifer's charm, so asking for directions doesn't have to be a thing, but he is looking for signs that direct to a park, or anything that stands out. )

[Oh, relatable, Lucifer also doesn't live where poor people live.

He's literally just walking toward wherever the pendulum necklace rock points him to go, y'all can either catch up or tell him no, he's goin'.

If there are signs please grab him and point them out to him he's got a one track mind.]

Don't say that.

[yes, she can smell some of the unfortunate side effects of a large city, and yes, it's not pleasant, but it's an unkind thing to note. that and the disdain in his voice.]

But speak up if you notice any type of sign, or if we're making a quick turn.

I'm only honest, if this is where his soul resides, finding it in a garbage can would be fitting.

( that's where all trash goes, that's where he went too, so it's not like... it's a bad thing, but he's going to move along with lucifer to make sure he doesn't stray too far. that gay tunnel vision does something to people, actually. if he starts to go too far, komaeda will pat his arm heterosexually and let him know they they should wait for hikaru and helena.

talking about a garbage can, if he happens to see one while they're passing, he's going to go check inside... )

Itooooooooooooooooo-kuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn! Are you hiding in here...?

[ The insult upon their senpai...

...doesn't stop Hikaru from leaning over next to Komaeda to see if Narumi is hiding inside the garbage can, but it doesn't look like there's anything there. There seems to be an old newspaper, though, with mugshots on the front page featuring not only the four of them in this group, but the four home invaders in the other group as well. What text hasn't been blotted out with trash grease says something about "high unstable individuals" and "do not interact with" and "shoot to kill" and things along those lines.

Cool. Hikaru tugs at Komaeda's sleeve. ]

...We should get going. I don't want to be here any longer than we have to.

[ We've learned Narumi lives in a bad part of town, that should help in understanding his essence, they think. Nothing much else stands out on the way to the park. Which is more like a clearing with grass and no buildings, with a bare stretch of pavement with faint lines of chalk still visible on it, a jungle gym on the side with peeling green paint, ground filled with wood chips that threaten splinters more than cushioning, and swings for Lucifer to sit on. There's very few people around, but there is somebody nearby walking their dog that they can take and place on Lucifer's lap bc I promised Wolfie this. It's a fluffy spitz. ]

[yessss park time. there isn't much, but it's enough to be different, and it's why Helena walks around to take the mental measure of it. they probably all look like they came from a costume party, but at the least they can try to figure out a little more about Narumi here.

the swings creak, and she touches one of the chains, puzzling some things out.]

Is Narumi a happy person, you think?

[it's addressed to the group as a whole. clearly this place is important, else it wouldn't be in his heart, but happiness...]

( the old poster causes komaeda to look at hikaru briefly, wondering if they saw it too before pulling away from the trashcan. familiar faces, some that he's seen very recently, and so they made it to his house? home intruders, how funny, so they're all in the same vicinity at least. things are probably going fine, they have level headed people like clamor, so there has to be a reason why they managed to get on the wanted person. probably something shin did, it's always something shin did.

komaeda sighs, laughing right after as he keeps quiet while they make it to the park. )

Ito-kun... may have a lot of trouble in their heart, but with so much blockage, and such a gloomy sky... they don't tend to be a my pace type of person at all, instead I believe there's always something in the way... they can't breathe probably — consumed with guilt, you think?

( well, he sure is consumed with all these crackheads in his body, so... doesn't sound far off. )

This world is losing its color, like a water painting in the rain, it all merges together into nothing... poor Ito-kun.

( anyway, he glances towards the dog, eyes falling upon it... it's so fluffy, looks left, looks right... he's going to grab the dog, telling the person (if they're even moving) that he'll bring it back (he won't), and he walks over to the ground as he settles it in lucifer's lap because he's part of komaeda's crime. )

Adams-san, are you able to use your ability here?

[Lucifer accepts this dog and is just petting it, thank you for the hexed dog. 10/10 would hex someone to steal their dog again.]

I don't imagine he's doing particularly well, no.

[...is really all he has to say to the question, staring up at the sky and frowning.]

[ah...that question from Komaeda...she should have expected it.]

I should be able to use my power, yes, but...

[only he will know the reason for her hesitation. just because it worked in the waking world doesn't mean that in another realm filled with symbol and metaphor that there won't be that bloody twisting, that shattering of what was frozen. she'd come back with seven new marks on her wrist and a new nightmare of finding her allies in pieces.

who's to say it wouldn't do the same again? how would they be assured they were safe? how do they know it wouldn't damage Narumi?]

Edited 2021-10-23 20:43 (UTC)

But...

( is that what we've fallen on, now, the buts to stall her actions, the "but" that holds her back. he expected it, considering it has its uses, and because it does, she won't bring it up because of that event. )

Are you afraid of that power, now? ( wouldn't sound too far off as his hand brushes against the dog's head in lucifer's lap, and he knows she can't see him, but maybe she can hear the smile on his face because he doesn't sound concerned, or worry, he's encouraging if anything. ) There is a chance the same thing could happen, but without hesitation, you used that ability to save me not too long ago.

( at the meeting there was nothing to stop her then, so what's here to stop her now. how was she to know if they wouldn't shatter into pieces in that room where komaeda attempted to end his own life. he recalls it, much to his dismay, how he hates anyone saving him because he's a lost cause. narumi may be different, and as reassurance. )

Perhaps it can save Ito-kun... and if anything horrible happens... ( he walks over to helena, slow, the chain of his manacle jingling as he goes to stand behind her in the same place as last time. he mimics the gesture after she killed everything around her, the smell of blood that had wafted into the air. ) Then isn't there hope to be found, to see him push forward... to see you move forward... can you break free from the binds that hold you back to save another person?

( despite saying this, komaeda knows that nothing can break due to lucifer's hex, but he won't say it aloud. that's an easy route, that's too much to her advantage. she needs to break free, strengthen her own hope without hesitation, and it's by this means he looks down at her. )

Or will you wallow in the darkness of your regret despite saving those that were suffering...

[ Is senpai happy? Hikaru falls quiet to think, remembering... gentle smiles, a soft voice, the patience he has that they think maybe now feels more like resignation. There are plenty of people who pretend. They do too. ]

...If something can help Narumin, I think it's worth a try. It'll be okay, Helena. Because Lucifer-senpai's here, and he won't let anything bad happen! So we have nothing to worry about.

[ He'll take care of everything, so don't be afraid to take the risk. ]

[it's steadying, his words and his hand on her shoulder, braced like she had been the last time. and with a deep breath in, a deep breath out, she has to admit he has a point. with Hikaru's words weaving in, it seems foolish to doubt like she is, even if she still knows in her heart that all that death was her fault.

forgive her, for wanting a little faith. it's true, she hadn't even hesitated to use it on Dito, when before in the school it had proven itself safe again. but...is it still safe? it has to be tried, if it will lead them to even a fragment of a soul - if, hopefully, she can take the burden on herself instead of injuring him. she can do this. she has to - to help look for even the smallest hint. slowly, Helena nods for them - hope to save him.

the cane comes down to strike the earth, and to Helena's ears, the world is thrown into definition.

please. show me something I need to hear.]

[ The soundwaves spread to touch every corner of this place, revealing surprisingly little for how much had been crammed inside the city streets. Helena's attention is drawn to Hikaru first of all, as an npc "threat" no different from when she uses this ability in the school, and perhaps Lucifer if she deems him a threat as well. Outside of that, she takes note of:
- the fluffy white dog on Lucifer's lap
- something small and low to the ground on the street they had initially appeared on, in the midst of all the destruction they had wrought
- the police car that had been dispatched to arrest them
- something up high in the direction Lucifer had been leading them when dousing for Narumi's home
- and a large building towards the center of the city ]

Nothing was destroyed, wow... How fitting.

( when she asks for it, there was hesitation, but he'll work on that afterwards. alight squeeze to her arm before he lets go, hands dropping down to his side. instead, he'll stand by her side, )

Are we going the right way?

( she can answer at any time, but for komaeda, he's going to walk over to the person of the dog they stole, and look at their expression to see if everyone in the city looks the same or not. he's saying something about how he's not going to bring their dog back, and probably pick pocket them too... any valuables? some weapons? )

Yes and no. There's a number of things that stand out to me.

[the perception will fade - the city, in all its complexity - but the memories remain, etched into her mind's eye. resonance that cannot leave her, now that she knows, and before it becomes less clear, she outlines to the group, gesturing and explaining what needs to be seen, what's important. back the direction they came, because there is something there, as well as the car they ran from. something higher up, and a building in the center of the city.]

...and we also need to keep the dog with us.

[she can find the hints of their path, but not fully understand it. it will take all of them to manage.

probably they need to make sure the dog isn't going to get left.]

[Keep the dog with them? Sure. Lucifer will just hold onto the frozen dog. This is a completely normal thing to do.]

[ The dog is very cute and very fluffy, with a bright pink collar that feels a little too loose and a bright silver dog tag with the name "Michi" engraved on it.

While nothing substantial pings Helena about the park, they can at least tell, in comparison to the rest of the city, that it's marginally better kept. The trashcans are overflowing and overdue to be taken out, but at least all the trash is inside the cans. The grass is full and green, aside from the yellowing edges where dogs sometimes stop to take potty breaks, and the playground equipment looks old but well used. It feels like a happier place, but maybe only in comparison. ]

Lucifer-senpai, how long will everything be frozen? If we need to go back, I don't want us to be around when everything starts moving again.

[ They should probably head there first? Or save it until last, they think. ]

This level of spell is a bit harder to maintain. It should remain frozen for the next hour or so. Unfortunately, I can't exactly make it as permanent as I did with Narumi's body back... outside of his soul.

[Over there, you know, where things are ostensibly worse than a big city where the cops are after them.]

Then it's best if we start with that place first, it's dangerous... after all, and the less people we have to deal with... the better.

( and komaeda can't stand noisy places, so this works out for him. he's already going to leave from the body that he was trying to loot... goodbye wallet, and walk to the park's exit as he waits for everyone else. looks left, looks right. does this mean they can get a new car. )

[ The closest car on the street seems to be a pickup truck that ig Komaeda can remove the person from the driver's seat and commit grand theft auto, but also everybody should have the experience at one point in their lives of sitting in the back of a pickup truck and hanging onto dear life. There's a pair of pink fuzzy dice hanging on the rear view mirror. ]

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