At a constant pace, people move along the airport in a rush just like a flowing river. They were getting to every one of their flights. But of course, those who fly privately do not need to wait in lines.
In a fancy private jet, there are men with professional suits on and casually chatting along with a few cups of wine or playing a game of poker. Flight attendants often come around with their carts to provide both drinks and snacks to the passengers, but if someone wants to have something a bit stronger, there is always the bar section at the back of the jet.
A few other men chatting among themselves or some in a corner busy smoking a sweet yet sickening drug. The flight attendant there was cleaning a wine cup with a white cloth, setting it upside down on the counter with a small 'thud.' Music coming from the phonograph plays soft jazz melodies that shift the atmosphere of the section.
As they moved back to the front of the jet, both pilots were getting ready to take the metal bird into flight. Eventually one of the pilots spoke into the microphone.
"Attention passengers, our flight to Kyoto from Yokohama is about to begin." And with that said the jet started to move along the runway and speed to eventually start lifting off the ground and into the grand blue sky.
The plane takes off and everything moves smoothly with no interruptions,
Yet.
"Care for a drink, sir?" A flight attendant asked with a kind closed-eye smile, her tone was honeyed as she held out the cup of wine towards the man.
The man looked up from his newspaper, a cigarette in between his lips. He raised an eyebrow at first but then shrugged his shoulders, he took the glass from out her hand and nodded.
In return, the flight attendant nodded back as she made her way with the cart to other guests on the plane. The man held the glass now to his lips and as he closed his eyes, feeling the sweet red wine down his throat but there was something he also tasted.
Poison.
The man's eyes snapped wide open as he began coughing, holding his neck with one of his hands. The others around him jolted up in their seats as they tried to help him. One of the other men grabbed the flight attendant by her shoulder, forcing her to turn around.
"What the hell?! What gives?!"
The people who were in the bar section tried running to the main area but the door was shut. followed by turbulence in the plane, the lights flickered only for a moment. With a strong shove, the flight attendant's back against the wall, her head hanging low as a shadow cast over her face.
"Hey! Answer us!-" The men stumbled back as they heard a small yet low laugh coming from the flight attendant's mouth.
"Oh my. I guess I gave you that drink by accident.." She said with a sharp grin as she held her forehead.
The man who was poisoned tumbled backward, his eyes wide and white as blood dripped from his mouth. The others looked at him with a shocked expression with small drops of sweat starting to form from their forehead.
"Now hold on! Who are you..!?" A man asked, shakily grasping the gun that was in his belt.
"Here I thought the division got rid of Mimic? It seems we still have to finish their task for them." A voice whispered behind him, their breath was cold, and their voice was calming in fact but it wasn't something you'd want to fall asleep to.
As fingertips ghost over the curve of his spine, tiptoeing between his shoulder blades and across his neck before taking a firm hold of it. The hands were also cold as well, what was this? It wasn't human.. right?
"Besides. I won't waste time explaining any longer. Such small brains that you all have aren't worthy of exposing to, you might end up choking in the information."
Things are sometimes meant to only be seen once and never again. To the man who may not know if this was either his first or final day. He could've walked out freely without any harm needed for a task given him his comrades may have escaped their fate if it wasn't so brutal.
The men lay sprawled on the jet's floor, surrounded by their puddles of blood. "Couldn't you have done less of a mess?" The door from the bar section finally opened as others were also knocked out. Some were on the tables and the floor. The flight attendant who was in that section turned out to be a false disguise and scoffed as she fixed her fedora on her head.
Akimitsu Takagi ⎯⎯ Ability: Honeymoon to Nowhere
"Aw! Takagi! I was trying to have a bit of fun! I thought that was the whole point!" The other flight attendant whined flapping her arms rapidly.
"We are here to do a mission. Not to mess around and make toys out of corpses." Takagi glared at her before shifting her gaze to the floor of the dead bodies, she wrinkled her nose at the sight. "Seriously? This what you call "fun"?"
"I think that's all the information we've gotten so far in this plane," Murakami said as he removed his fake pilot hat, he knitted his brows with a small sweat-drop near his cheek.
Ryū Murakami ⎯⎯ Ability: Coin locker babies
"Alright, now we can ditch this plane." Takagi pulled the handle of the emergency exit, the wind blew inside the jet.
Murakami's eyes widen, shaking his head rapidly and hands. "Wait.. wait! We aren't jumping out right?!"
"Yes, we are jumping now stop being a baby and shut up." Takagi shoved a parachute bag at Murakami's chest and then took a firm hold of his shoulders, leading him out of the jet.
"What about the people still on!? We can't just leave them here!" Murakami clenched the frame of the exit. He looked to see how high they were and swallowed the lump in his throat, a growing uneasy within his stomach. "I-isn't there some other way?!" His voice cracked lightly, he begged Takagi to not throw him out of the jet.
"Suit yourself, you can stay on this thing and crash along with it." Murakami shook his head once more, Takagi decided it was best to not hear more of his concerns and pushed him out of the plane.
Takagi turned her head to the flight attendant. "You better hurry up, don't take so damn long." With that, she followed shortly after Murakami down the plane.
With an index finger to push up her half-rimmed glasses. Shiki kicked off the last remaining of the flight attendant disguise and spotted one of the many men who were dead trying to get up.
Shiki Masaoka ⎯⎯ Ability: A Drop Of Ink
"Wait! Please don't leave me here!" The man pleaded with one arm holding his injured side and the other one outstretched towards her but Shiki was already near the exit. He looked her straight in the eyes, hoping she would answer his pleas and save him.
"I wish I could.. but this plane crashes in about.. four minutes." Shiki held four fingers, but then placing her pinky under her thumb she now held three fingers. "Make that.. three."
"But- you can't leave me! I will do anything! Please!" His hand tried grasping at her ankle but she stepped back and laughed lowly.
"Hm.. let me think about it.." her finger tapping her chin in a thoughtful expression before snapping her fingers "Nooope~!" Shiki closed her eyes with a calm smile as usual, spreading her arms out and falling on her back.
"Masaoka-san! What took you so long?! Won't you need a parachute as well!?" Murakami shouted from the distance they were from falling. He only opened an eye since even if he did look down, Murakami would faint on the spot.
"Who needs a parachute? when you have wings to soar?" Shiki laughed as small droplets of ink started to transform into feathers of the colors of gray, white, and blue. Outstretched wings, paired along a long neck and legs. In the daybreak where the sun hits most, that of a heron soars within the sky.
"Tch. Show off." Takagi mumbled under her breath and rolled her eyes, seeing their location straight down as they inched closer to the ground. "I see the Togetsukyo Bridge, we should land right at the docks."
And with that said, pulling the string of the parachute as it releases. The trio came slowly to the ground with a few mishaps in both Takagi's and Murakami's steps. While as "graceful" as ever the heron flies down and lands on one leg while folding in its wings before it transforms back into Shiki's form.
The trees are blanketed by fiery red maple leaves. There are several souvenir shops at the foot of the bridge. Rickshaws shuttle back and forth. The horizon pierced the sky with shades of dawning orange, red, and hints of yellow. lights underneath the bridge to give it a glow due to the sun, followed by a cool breeze.
"So this is Kyoto!?" Shiki exclaimed with childish wonder, stars appeared in her eyes as she had a big smile. "Ooh! It's just like straight out of an oil painting!"
While Shiki gushed, Takagi looked over at the smaller man with a discourteous tone in her voice. "So, we are stuck with this lunatic?"
Murakami looked back up at Takagi with a slight shock. "Masaoka-san isn't anything like that!" He stammered with his hands in a dismissing gesture.
The smell of fish came from a shop near the dock, arranged with torigai, sea bream, and Mackerel along with other sea goods in season. An elderly woman who seemed to be selling them was busy restocking items before she heard footsteps, she turned. "Ah, hello," she clasped her wrinkly hands together. "What may I get you today-" The elder looked up with a surprised look on her face as she saw Shiki approaching, her figure looming over the elderly lady's smaller frame.
Shiki lowered her glasses and squinted her eyes to get a better look at the items in front of her even leaning in ever so, she didn't realize how the lady started to tremble lightly. Shiki glanced at her with a smile and the elder composed herself quickly, forcing a smile on her face.
"How much is this one?" Shiki pointed at the Mackerel.
"Uh.. uh well.. this one is seven hundred yen." The elder said quietly, trying to hide her unease at Shiki's presence.
"Ooh! That's not bad at all, I'll take it!" Shiki exclaimed with a wide grin, digging through her pockets for the money once she found it she handed it out to the old woman.
The elderly lady took the money quickly out of Shiki's hands as if she were to bite her.
"Thank you!" Shiki turned on her heel and walked away, leaving the poor old lady in shock.
Meanwhile, Takagi and Murakami spoke with each other about a train that would take them to Mount Atago.
Their conversion came to a halt when Takagi felt something cold and wet caress her cheek, causing her to freeze and Murakami's eyes widened.
"U-uh.. Takagi.. there's a f-fish.." Murakami shakily pointed out the Mackerel with his finger.
Takagi side glanced at the fish, her brow twitched.
"Say Takagi, do you want to be my friend?" Shiki giggled as she made her voice try to sound lower to mimic if the fish was speaking. "If you don't then.." She grins "I'm going to feed you to my children!" Shiki laughed evilly. (not in a way of malice.)
"Mwahahaha! What do you say? Are you willing to be my friend or be-"
Shiki was cut off by Takagi pulling on her jabot to her eye level, Shiki batted her eyelashes to look innocent.
"Do not ever put that damn fish on my face again or I'll drown you along with your "friend" there as well, you hear?"
.
.
.
"What were you talking about again?" Shiki asked nonchalantly.
Takagi stared at the taller woman, it irked her that Shiki was staring into space once more. Takagi had to keep the urge to just toss Shiki into the ocean since they were close to it.
"What even goes through that brain of yours?" Takagi jabbed a finger at Shiki's forehead. Even the coldness from Shiki's body made Takagi feel uneasy.
"Many things of course! It's not like I don't think at all." Shiki waved her hand dismissively as she patted down her clothes from any wrinkles.
"Now, we have a poem to find!" Shiki exclaimed, pointing a finger towards the small town that lies ahead of them.
Finally, they are back on track.
The trio wandered through the town of Kyoto, often getting stares at the unusual attire they had. Occasionally stopping due to Shiki getting distracted at least by the most unnecessary things. (varieties from cheap gems to glass wind chimes.) This did irritate both Murakami and Takagi.
Although, they also got distracted by some of the items they liked as well...
Usually, workers like them never had time to relax or just go about their day casually. Even if they were a bit off track. it's not that bad trying to have some fun even if you are three grown adults who haven't had the best childhoods and never knew what it was like to have fun.
Time sure moves fast.
"These are the best things I ever tasted!" Shiki took once more of a handful of Konpeitō, that were in a small bag, humming happily.
"That was your third one Shiki, we went to a restaurant where they served us a whole cuisine and you didn't eat shit," Takagi said in a flat tone, lighting up her smoking pipe. She took a long drag from the pipe, savoring the somewhat taste.
"I just wasn't hungry at that time," Shiki mumbled, chewing on her candies slower now.
"Sure you weren't." Takagi scoffed, keeping her eyes on the road ahead of them.
"It's true Masaoka-san, you barely touched your plate. Maybe it's because you have some problem eating a lot of food..?" Murakami asked in a quiet tone, keeping his eyes on the ground as he fidgeted with his fingers.
"Of course not! I wasn't craving what they had, besides these candies are way better!"
Murakami and Takagi sighed at the answer given to them by Shiki, no one knew what went through that mind of hers. Would it be nothing but a hollow shell? Or many secrets that are yet to be told? The brain may hold the many answers but the heart holds the many secrets.
"Out of all the places. you chose a goddamn FOREST?!"
" Well, Don't get me wrong I think it's considered to be a much more safer option if we did stay in the forest. Besides where we are now is near the train station you two were talking about earlier."
The moon hung high in the sky, and a chilling breeze passed by. The tall tee loomed over them as a giant, watching closely. Warmth emitted from the fire as the three sat by to keep warmth. What seemed like a mission was rather more of a campout.
"Who knows what would happen if we stayed in one of those hotels, there has been something wandering during our little tour around," Shiki said with her chin resting on her palm, the flame danced in the reflection of her glasses, her expression–unreadable as usual.
"From the corner of my eye, I keep seeing at least something, pass by us. Regardless to say, we aren't the only ones who are searching for the poem." Takagi kept the head of her pipe in her mouth while trying to re-light it after she did, Takagi inhaled and exhaled, and the smoke escaped her lips and into the night sky, fading from their sight.
"So.. are we safe here? Even if we are, it's more likely we would get caught by whatever is following us." Murakami his narrowed eyes and pursed his lips. The paranoia was building up in his stomach, trying to eat him whole with endless overthinking and fear. He chewed on the inside of his cheek, keeping his nerves down.
"It only adds trill or it would make this 'mission' a bit boring, don't you think?"
Takagi raised an eyebrow before side-eyeing Shiki. "You practically live off danger, it's no surprise why you find it mundane."
"That's because people like me chase that feeling of adrenaline until we die. So of course I find it mundane." Shiki's faint smile grew on her face almost showing those sharp top canines of hers, she giggled quietly.
"You don't have the right screws in your head. Remember what Ango said; any move you make, it isn't just a risk to you but a risk to all of us."
Shiki lazily shifted her gaze onto Takagi. "You think that lowly of me? You really should trust me more."
Takagi blew out the smoke from her pipe and went back into the tent they had set up– a tent that seemed small outside but with enough space inside.
"Masaoka-San, I-I can stay up and keep watch, you don't have to "
Shiki put a hand on his shoulder although it was meant to be comforting, her hand emitted the coldness from her glove. It made Murakami have butterflies in his stomach but what may fill in the feeling of unease?
"Relax, It's not a problem for me at all. Knowing someone like you, you probably would faint the next day, and we aren't looking forward to any slack."
Murakami furrowed his brows but he sighed, standing up from his seat on the log. He walked only a step away from the fire before turning his head, he was about to speak before Shiki cuts him off.
"I know you have questions but sometimes it's best to leave the unknown untouched." Shiki responded to him yet she didn't meet his gaze.
Murakami continued and entered the tent, sleeping on the other side where Takagi remained fast asleep, knowing that any noise would wake her up and even shift her mood.
Shiki set out the fire with a bucket of water. (Where did she get that?)
She looked up at the sky, her heterochromatic eyes reflected the night sky along with the numerous stars in the scattered sky. She held her hand above her head as if trying to reach for something– what was there to reach in one's grasp as it was nothing?
The moon shined down on her figure, contrasting her pale skin with her pale hair making her seem like somewhat of a ghost. Hauntingly there even if the smallest animal would come, they would freeze right at the moment.
She heard the chirping that came from the little bird at her side, shifting her gaze to see it, she outstretched her hand, letting it hop on.
The bird chirped and flapped its wings, looking at Shiki with dark eyes of its own. Such curiosity showed in the depths of those eyes. It made her wonder why would it even approach her.
Shiki petted the top of its head with her index finger. It seemed to shiver momentarily as it tried hiding in the coat she wore.
She chucked but then it died down. Shiki never liked the silence.
It made her feel.. she's not sure how it made her feel.
Then she took out a piece of paper and a pen and began to write something down. Whatever it was she was writing, it seemed it wasn't important for now, at least.
She tucked it neatly in the pockets of her pants. Shiki looked back at the sky, at the moon.
Oh what a ruthless moonlight, it seems one's thirsting heart remains unquenched.