Crazy with the Hidden:
Somehow Cipher found himself right out the Tori of the Hikawa Shrine after getting out of school. He wasn't in the mood to head to cram school with Kai and Amiko. He wasn't putting up with the shyness going on between Makoi and Angel at the cafe. Dann and Mina with Derek just made him want to hug a bucket. Here he was to finally lay eyes on a girl he was hearing about from everyone. He wouldn't get past Tori when a little girl around Derek's height came running. Stopping at his feet since blocked her escape down endless stairs.
"I am Kousagi," She looked up at him, "Who are you?"
"Cipher Shields." He nodded his head at her, "Where are you running off toward?"
"Getting awake from the scary boy." She spoke of someone chasing her.
He ended up scooping this Kousagi off her little feet with one arm to carry her. She accepted since she got to reach up and mess with his frosted tips of his hair. Little fingers combed through shortened lockes as he began to walk. He didn't seem bothered when he found himself walking past the Tori. Looking around the empty area for any signs of life, besides chirping of birds.
"Whose was this boy?" He was pulling at straws.
"Blond haired meannie," She crossed her little arms, "Older than me by a year."
"Some boys are like that." Cipher could imagine.
He ended up allowing her to direct him through the grounds to the private residence. One with the doors of the lounge wide open toward the view of the grounds for someone. She was around Mina's height and had deep violet eyes and long black hair that showed off a slight purple tint. She wore a Miko garb with her hair tied back using a ribbon. Had her attention turned on a young man around Derek's height with blond hair. In this cute blue and white shrine priest robes just struggling to hold still.
"Need some help?" Cipher asked, holding on to Kousagi, "You look like you're having trouble."
"You already helped find one of them," She got the boy to sit, "Inosilicate. We have a guest, so you need to behave."
"No." Inosilicate flailed.
"I think you should do what lovely lady says," Cipher advised the boy, "May I know your name."
"Reika." All he ended up given.
Cipher stepped in with Kousagi taking hold of his school bag when she was placed back on her feet. Walking back into the building without looking at Inosilicate's direction. Which gave Cipher the opening he needed to take a seat opposite of Reika. Taking over holding this young man for her without much of a word passing his lips.
"You have a name?" Reika asked Cipher.
"Just Cipher," He didn't care to stare coming for Inosilicate, "You should be nicer to your sister."
"She's not my sister." Inosilicate stuck his tongue at him.
"He's the end result of a one night stand my brother had with some nameless flake." Reika answered him.
"Lucky." Cipher wasn't bothered.
He adjusted his hold on Inosilicate when he tried to free his hand from the grip of the older boy's hand on him. Left Cipher to allow his tie clip with a Fire Opal stone to enter the boy's view.
"Made by one of my brothers." Cipher told Inosilicate.
8*8
Weathered old women in a shabby sweater wandered through the Tori with a wobble in her steps. Frayed ends of twine hung from the inside of her sleeves were seen. Scared a few visitors that were walking pass her after buying a charm or leaving a blessing. A group of school girls tried to approach her to ask what was wrong.
"Filthy." They got roared at.
The girls screamed in pain when a single piece of twine slashed their arms and left cuts. They weren't too deep and almost cut off the sleeves of their uniforms as blood was drawn. Scared them to the point one ended up screaming before running with the others. Who ended up getting cornered by more razor sharp pieces of twine. Become visible when they started to swirl around these girls like cylindrical funnel. Made anyone else that watched this or were hit by a stray piece of twine runaway. Some went for the exit shrine as others ran in all kinds of directions. One of them was the main building where Reika and Cipher were with the kids. Where Reika picked up Kousagi when she spotted the gleam from a piece of twine. That landed where young girl had just sat and cut the spot into before turning into dust.
"Friend of yours?" Reika asked Cipher.
"Who been you talking to?" He asked figuring she already knew what he was, "Mind you, not the reason why I am here."
Got him an eye roll from her when she tried to get Inosilicate come to her with danger in the air. Failed when she had to grab him to keep him from chasing after Cipher. Who ran off tapping his gemstone in the middle of his tie clip with his pointer finger. Triggering his transformation to a collared knight with fire opal embedded chestplate with a hood that covered half his face. Calf length boots with buckled straps and fingerless gloves with a red Opal inlay. Scorched leather belt with a card pouch attached lay a bond to his hips. Pushed back the hood he wore to reveal his head piece covered face.
"Knight Ignis in action." He announced himself.
He pulled his first card from his pouch in the form of a red feathered bird he threw into the air. That bursts into flames that took the shape of a small crimson shaped bird. Tail feathers were three long feathers chains in shades of orange, yellow, and red. Went in the direction of the house to relay a message that he found a spirit.
"See which spirit came crawling this way." He closed his card pouch.
He was cautious when he followed the direction of sliced off tree limbs to the stone pathway before the main temple building. He pulled another card from his pouch. This time came from the middle of his deck when he noticed minor damage to the building. He tossed the card toward the building that also burst into flames upon reaching the steps. Forming a series of interconnecting fire balls until a ring was made. That turned into pillars of heated energy a fire would give off. That further kept the building from taking damage from the ongoing pieces of loose twine. Finally caught the attention of weathered women when her twine were lightly scorched.
"Ignis?" She roared his name, "Filthy."
Toward the direction she figured he was hiding her sent a massive bit of her twine as she roared his name. Which pierced a cluster of trees and scared birds away from the branches. Completely missed him since he got away with our single scratch in his armor.
"The Bound Women." Knight Ignis wasn't happy with the women he was facing.
He knew he had to be careful with the limited cards he could use for combat and offensive abilities. Stepping out was going to be suicidal since stray pieces of twines were in the air. He didn't have anyone with him to watch his back because a frontal assault wasn't happening. Fact she already took a few human hostages had him worried about possession.
"Come out," Bound Women hissed, "Ignis. Filthy."
"Not happening." He opened his card pouch for the risky cards in the back of his deck.
He was about to pull to use when Reika ran on to the scene with a Ofuda being tossed at the women. That touched the shabby surface of her sweater from the side. Freezing her in place and stopping the swirling twine around the girls being held in place.
"I have you to thank for that?" Knight Ignis turned toward Reika.
She rolled eyes at him when she walked pass without much of a care at what he had to say to her. Making her way toward the girls that were scared to move away from their spot.
"You're free." Reika addressed them softly.
She was thanked by them before they got up and made their way toward the temple's Tori. Knight Ignis didn't stand around as he ended up approaching her with cloth in hand. Pushing the sleeve of her cut around the robe to reveal a nasty slash wound.
"Not even a waken senshi," He commented, "You ran into a fight."
"Looks like you need help." Her only answer to him.
He wasn't going to argue with a point that Kai or Dann would make if they were here with him. Stayed on his mind when he ended up bandaging her wound.
"Don't you have any actual weapons then?" She asked about spotting his card pouch.
"What have your friends said about my brothers?" He asked her back.
"One is an archer, another uses a spell book, and another uses strange bracelets." She lists.
She then reached for his card pouch that he forgot to pull one card that was minorly sticking out. When her fingers brushed the card a surge of pure energy traveled through her. Started at her fingers all the way to her up her arm before bypassing her heart. Then shot up to her forehead where a planetary symbol for mars appeared. Bright shiny red coloring of the lines making out the sign lasted for a minute. Fading away just as it appeared and had Knight Ignis hurriedly tucking the card away.
"Please don't touch," He fastened the card's pouch shut, "Be happy that was the only breath of fire you touched."
" … " She just nodded her head.
Tingle her body went through when that energy surged through her was none she ever felt. Reminding her of what her mother told her and her brother about first transforming into Sailor Mars. Sudden rush of energy like a familiar blanket wrapped around her.
"Miss. Reika?" Knight Ignis was worried when she didn't answer him, "This is why I don't like strangers touching my cards."
She would have something to him if she didn't see one of the weathered women's sleeve flitch. Out of his hand she pulled her bandaged arm when he was securing the knot. She lunged forward taking him with her and a wave of sharpened twine came their way. He landed on the ground flat on his back, her laying on top of him. Whooshing of the twine rushing over their bodies that made him go wide eyes.
"Your seal is kinda weak." He commented.
"Not like you're doing any better." She wasn't impressed.
"Cannot believe I am doing this," He said to himself, "Reach for my card pouch tap outer surface once."
"Why not twice?" She asked moved one of her arms.
"You're not ready for that," He smirked, "I am not ready for that."
She ended up doing what he instructed her to do that formed a body length done over them. Made of the same heated energy that was surrounding the main temple building.
"Ok," She watched the shield form, "Now I understand."
When he placed an arm around her waist to keep in her place as he moved a gloved hand. Toward his card pouch to open it and pull from the mid- center of his deck with help.
"What did I draw?" He closed his pouch while asking her.
"Burning Barrage." She watched runes turn into Japanese kanji that she could read.
"Then agree with you," He couldn't believe he was agreeing with her, "I need a better weapon."
He was sure he had pulled Fury of Flames Emperor or Volcanic Blast card while in the presence of fellow fire senshi. Made him feel like a dounce when he tried to angle himself. Needing to get the card he drew under the weathered women for better kill. Which he didn't see coming from where he was currently placed under a priestess.
"Not your day?" They were joined by Knight Keraunós.
Knight Ignis wanted to yell at him from where he lay when Reika and he walked passed. What he got was a first class seat watching a single bolt of lightning strike Weathered Women.
8*8
Reika came by Opal Moon an hour before they were too close to the public and started their reservations hours. Which she booked under her father's fake surname with Cipher.
"I prefer you in a male a school uniform," She found Cipher in a butler uniform with red tie, "This is too much."
"You're someone to talk," He spoke about her appearance, "Skirt on that dress was any shorter…."
"Not how we get customers," His step mother reminded him, "Welcome Hino- San."
Cipher was asked to take her to a seat and give her a menu while being on his best behavior. Got her eye roll from him before he snatched one from the front desk area. As he put his best smile on his face when he forcedly awaited Reika's request.
"I prefer a seat with a view of the kitchen and your company for reminder of your shift," She stated, "I'll take a iced tea and slice of chocolate."
"This isn't a host club." He answered her.
This got his sleeve of his shift snatched by her in an iron clap grip he could shake off. Which left him to place her on a table for two with a straight view of the kitchen area. Where Angel could be seen piping a 2- cake with pink frosting he spun around.
"The one with the pâtissier skills?" She asked Cipher about Angel.
"Can power his own mixer while electrify an enemy at the same time." He stated.
"You?" She asks, awaiting an answer.
"You seem to already know that," He went on to place the menu on the table, "So I am keeping that to myself."
"What if I keep visiting until you tell me?" She asked.
"I got a side job." He answered.
She was where she pulled her phone from her shoulder bag while tapping on the screen. Before she held up the web site he used to sell himself as a fake boyfriend.
"Thorough," He came to rest on top of a pulled out chair, "Can you afford me?"
"I have terms and conditions." Her thumb was inches from tapping the payment button.
He took in the way she stood with a straightened posture and unflinching. Her legs are not too far apart and her feet firmly planted in place. One hand resting on her hip with her eyes filled with determination as her face was blank.
"Bring it." He smirked.