Darkness Denied; Transactions Underneath Twilight (Like A Boss)

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~

Settling through the streets and alleyways, the gown of obscurity offered up by the nighttime darkness laid itself to rest in the lower commons. A normally dark, dank place by nature, the atmosphere was only amplified by the twisted, gnarled remains of many different things, all left in the wake of the hellhounds that had erupted forth from the ground just recently. Be it a ruined garbage dumpster torn asunder from the knife-like canines of the vile beasts, or the poor remains of some unfortunate victim ripped in half like a turkey feast at dinner. The surroundings made me wonder how out of place it would seem if a painter were to make an exact replica of the scene as it was; all that carnage, and then me, still adorned in my school uniform, sitting on the standing half of the aforementioned dumpster intently reading a book. But then again, I had been coming here late at night like this for so long that I doubted there was any way at all that me being here right now would be considered unusual.
The only thing unusual about it was that I was searching for evil spirits or devilish creatures, or anything similar to that. In fact, despite the dimly lit nightscape, the entire reason I was there was to read. Quite the opposite to my usual hunting duties. The dirty, thick hard-covered book was actually an old diary, dated a few years ago, yet still recent enough to be considered new in the grand scheme of things. It belonged to somewhat I knew -- sort of. I had met him a while ago, 'saving him' from a few of those which "go bump in the night", though ironically enough, a vast number of people would consider him such a thing, as he, too, was dead. But it was in return for that favor that he would assist me in my search for knowledge in the realm of all things supernatural. It was, in fact, with his directions, that I went searching through one of the many old abandoned buildings that plagued the lower commons in search of the very book I was reading. It took much exploration through garbage heaps to find it, which lead to the disheveled appearance I wore now, marked by my mucked up glasses, muddy unifrom and ruffled hair. Even the nearly two feet of adhesive medical tape that covered the gash along my right arm (similar in nature to the wound inflicted on the dumpster I sat on, although I was lucky enough for it to not completely break my arm in half) were dirtied up, which I didn't like, as it meant I was risking infection to an already grievous wound.
Regardless, I was too busy reading the old beaten diary to worry about replacing the bandages, stained with a mixture of dried blood and the previously stated dirt. My curiosity was far too great, pulling at the corner of my mind the second I realized what it chronicled: the thoughts and questions that went through the mind of my dead friend while he was one of the living, and importantly, his experiences discovering the supernatural side for the first time. The exact article I was looking for was one where he first unlocked the ability to perform what some would consider to be "heavenly acts", though others simply called them "Spiritual Arts." It was all he could offer to tell me it was somewhere between the middle and end of the book. He couldn't give me a page number, not that it would help, as the edges, and subsequently the page numbers, had dried up and broken apart with time.
Sitting there, my attention would appear to be wholly on the book, which would likely be a good assumption. While I was still focusing all around me in case of an attack by some dark creature stirred by the recent chaos, I truly didn't expect anything that dangerous to still be around. Anything smart enough to be a threat was likely still in hiding from the possibility of surviving hellhounds. Me? I'm probably just dumb, I guess.

WC: 692

The little vixen strolled down the dark, nasty streets of her home district, wondering at the sudden destruction. She'd been in the woods during the attack, and was quite surprised to find things not as she'd left them.
Nontheless, she had been busy. Since many more people had lost their homes and were awaiting government aid that probably wasn't coming any time soon, sales were up in all categories; even trafficking, usually down in winter. The white parts of her snout and belly were caked in blood as she made her way down the alley, satisfied for the night and with a belly full of non-customer. The new moon meant that the cover of darkness was unusually thick, which she hypothesized might be a reason for the notable scarcity of other spirits. The broken houses would only affect the humans.
Suddenly, the moist, night air brought something to her attention. Grinning, she turned down an alleyway marked by a flickering street light and a ruined dumpster. "Ye look sexy with those bandages, eh?" she'd growl affectionately at the familiar hitorinji. "A school outfit's almost asking for it on this end of town..."

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~

Amidst my intense focus on the grotty, shabby text which read like idiosyncratic chicken-scratch, and contrary to my intention to be on look out for the life threatening villains of the night, I had not noticed the unannounced arrival of my... friend. Though one could argue that anything in such a small state could not be considered a true threat. Of course, I knew better than to assume size was important in the reference of guile, and that was exactly I would need to be concerned with when handling this one.
Her voice comes, and while I wasn't expecting it, it was not answered on my end by any jump or startle, nor was any quick battle position taken. Instead, I only lifted my head from the text with a mild look of both interest and surprise. Though as quickly as it came, it dissolved into a more cynical one. How long had she been watching, I wonder? Though it didn't really mark much importance. "I've just gotten into the habit of wearing it, I guess. I'm not a really style conscious person. I don't think you of all people would be one to mark me down for that, am I right?" It wasn't a question I was really looking for an answer to. Just a simple bit of passing conversation to make light of the situation. Moving from that, I would slowly rotate the bandaged arm, displaying that it was still functional. "As for this, it's just a scratch. If you hadn't been informed, be it by a person or the surroundings, or via personal experience, a little bit has happened over the past few days. But unfortunately I'm fine. Sorry, nothing to take advantage of there." It was at this point in which I would return my focus to the book, flipping another page as I searched for the specific entry in which spiritual arts were brought up. "But what about you? Parading around in that form leaves you a bit vulnerable, doesn't it?"

WC: 335/1,027

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

"Eh?" she put a dewclaw up to her mouth and looked up in the air, an oddly human expression despite her form. "Actually, Ies always thought this form would help prevent rape, but now that I thinks about it..."
She shifted back to her human looking form immediately, popping a joint in her mouth and lighting it with a spark. "We got freaks. Anyways, Brother, since yer poking around down here I guess perhaps you'd like to hear about my wares? I got some Everclear the other night... another small girl if yer still collectin'... perhaps some speeddust for something new..."
As she listed off the items, she walked closer to the student, eventually attempting a peek at his book. Reading was a new skill for her, but she'd already found some books held helpful information.

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~

Remaining up to now unsuccessful in finding the proper passage in the book, I would continue to flip from one page of script to the next, hoping with each turn I would finally reach the correct entry. Of course, the sudden eruption of the female next to me from her feline form to a more humanoid state was distracting, but it didn't really deter me that much. In fact, I was almost more interested in what she had said. Prevent rape? I'm not sure if she means that it would help prevent rape on her, or more likely, from her. After what I had seen of how she went after Ren last time... with some sort of mixture of both carnivorous and lustful eyes, I wasn't quite sure of her intention back then.
But I wouldn't mention that. I'm not the type who would say something troublesome like that. I didn't actively seek out trouble beyond my visits here. And even then, it was only for the very specific purpose of training (which recent events told me I needed to focus on with renewed vigor). Instead of speaking my thoughts aloud, I would simply sit there and scan the pages one after another, simultaneously listening to her counting off her various goods. For the first time, my mask would crack with the mention of purchasing another little girl, marked by the twitching of my brow and the corner of my lips, effectively breaking my stoic frown, if only for a moment. However, as she approached me closer from behind, I passed her a glance over my shoulder. Figuring she had some interest in what I was reading, I would open the book a bit wider, so as to accommodate her reading it as well. "None of those things really interest me. Don't you sell anything somewhat normal? Like beer? Or are you just one of those wheeling-dealing, sex, drugs, and rock-n'-roll types?"

WC: 321/1,348

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

"Anything Rouski, Brother. Ye dig Heineken?" she grumbled, distracted by the poor writing. "I guesses ye haven't been enjoyin yer last purchase. Most guys into that kinda thing bust down the doors for reorders, eh?"
In what would seem a personal space invading gesture, she would sit right next to him on the dumpster, her elbows in his lap as she squinted at the characters in the now wider spread book. "What's this sh!t s'posed to be about?"

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
"You could say I dig Heineken. I don't really have a preference so long as it gets you drunk." And it wasn't as if I was a frequent drinker anyway. I just liked to have the stuff in case, for whatever reason, I needed it. Company always enjoyed themselves more if I could feed them beer, and if I didn't like them all that much, a few magical glasses would suddenly make them that much more tolerable. "And it's not that I haven't been.. enjoying my purchase; I have. Though probably not in the innuendo-filled way you're thinking, but I'm a simple person. Although my tastes may border on disgusting to the general populace, I've no intention to be the lead character in a harem. Only one is more than enough for me. Especially since she's so... cute..."
The sudden intrusion that came after her questions only compounded on with the rest of the personal space invasion, though this one was more physical than the others. I wondered what her intentions were, exactly. Was she trying to get close enough to try that lovedust crap on me again, so I'll be more vulnerable to another purchase? Or was she perhaps just genuinely interested in waht I was giving so much attention to? She didn't seem like one who had much common sense for manners, so that was distinctly possible. Besides, she's already made it perfectly clear how 'common' I am. Unlike others, such as Ren. "It's just a diary. One of the spirits who inhabits this area owned it. When he was still alive, he chronicled the 'extraterrestrial' things he encountered. I'm looking for the article where he explains how he learned to use spiritual art techniques myself." Though, that was rather difficult with her leaning over me like she was.

WC: 301/1,649

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

What on earth was innuendo? She'd have to look that up when she got back to Brother Gypsy's. "Eh... to each his own... unless they's a noncustomer. I'm sure ther's guys just like you out there with a fetish for leavin alone chicks in the mall..." A diary wasn't that interesting, but it bothered her the slightest bit that he was reading up on Spiritual Arts; the very same spiritual arts that trapped her awhile back. She had a phobia of not being able to move... not that she shared this fact with many.
Withdrawing her trusty red starred bottle from her coat, she popped it open and offered it to him. "Consider it a gift with purchase, eh Brother?"

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
While Grunty was spending her time speaking and 'resting' against my lap, I was able to find what appeared to be the article I was looking for. At that point, whatever it was she was doing got instantly bumped down a few notches in the importance scale. My eyes ran from side to side, not at such a radically excited pace, but rather, at a smooth, steady one, so as to make sure I didn't miss anything. It wasn't until she stuck the bottle in my face that I pulled away. For a moment, I looked at it skeptically, wondering if it was such a good idea to get drunk now that I had -- at long last -- found what I was looking for in this thick beast of a diary. While she was still a suspicious person, I would still sigh and accept it. Folding the corner of the last few pages, I would place the book beside me on the dumpster and take the bottle from her. Perhaps I was already under the effects of alcohol? This momentary lapse in judgement would certainly be explained if that were the truth. "You didn't spike this with anything, did you?" It was a half-joke, but I didn't wait for an answer anyway. Instead, I would take a complete mouthful of it, but no more for now. The first gulp was always the hardest anyway, be it your first ever, or your first of the night. At that point, I would hold it to her, in the case of her wanting to 'share'. If she drank from it, then at least I'd feel better that it wasn't spiked with anything life-threatening (or anything she didn't have the antidote to, at least).

WC: 291/1,940

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

"Eh?" It seemed like an honest question to the demoness, especially since she had a habit of spiking her own bottle with small amounts of drugs. Was it Valium she'd put in that bottle, or lovemusk, or speeddust? She couldn't recall off of the top of her head. The symptoms of each were distinct, however, and though it probably wouldn't be enough to affect her after half a bottle, it might have some effect on her friend. "Probably..." she'd say briefly, almost offhandedly, as though discussing the weather. Grabbing the bottle, she took three deep gulps and handed it back, a dazed look covering her countenance, as though she'd been hit in the head with a bat. "Oh shit... might've been shrooms... or might've mixed some stuff together, man. Ies fucked up all the time, I can't remember." A broad, almost goofy grin covered her visage as she lay on the young man's lap again and once again started scanning the letters with her eyes. They looked a lot more interesting now.

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
I was only vaguely conscious of her mumblings as I took my first drink from the bottle. As soon as she had taken it, I felt better about having done so myself, though there was certainly a warm sensation in my stomach as soon as it all crashed down. I didn't really watch her drink so much, as I was busy picking the book back up again and opening to the pages I had marked. Looking at it, for a second, it was all the same as it had been. But after just a moment's passage, the letters were blurred a bit, to the point where I wished I actually kept my old real glasses on me. The ones I were wearing all the time were falsies, since after the hitorinji transformation all those years ago, I never needed real ones again. I would even go so far as to take the bottle back from her as she handed it to me, and I couldn't even make out the label clearly.
My mind was starting to get that tingly, migraine-like feeling, but for some reason I didn't seem to mind. If I squinted and focused real hard, I was able to push it all away and make some sense out of the already illegible letters. Because of the odd sensation -- one that told me I was in pain, but that I didn't feel it, as if I was simply sore all over -- I couldn't really go at my usual breakneck reading speed. Instead, it felt as if I was going a line a minute. But again, this didn't really bother me at all either.
Hell, even when Grunty laid back down in my lap, I didn't mind that either. It wasn't as if I had been put in a pleasant mood or anything, but whatever the hell was in that drink (and I'm certain it wasn't just alcohol at this point) just made me seem to not really care. I just felt neutral towards everything. My excitement at reading the book was greatly diminished, though still existed. What the hell was up with that? "This... definitely isn't normal. I know alcohol... this stuff... isn't that."

WC: 365/2,305

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

Grunty purred for a moment, speculating. "Ye know... I put different stuff in different bottles so Ies won't get a hangover when I drink, y'know? I just keep forgetting what I put in each bottle; every time."
Sitting up from the very colorful book, she regarded the hitorinji with irises turned orangish pink. "Has anyone told you today that you look absolutely delectable?" Most of the usual grunt was missing from her voice, replaced by nothing but pure sincerity, the type of sincerity one's mother might have when complimenting one's art. "I don't want you to feel left out after all, last time we met I was so focused on that other lovely young man. You must've felt horribly dejected. I would like you to know that I find in my imagination that you, bathing nude in Uncle Joe's brand barbecue sauce, is an image I find absolutely delightful, or perhaps reclining on a spic over an open fire with an apple in your mouth or licking a warm stewed carrot suggestively." As a spirit, the drug interactions with her physical body could get strange sometimes, especially if she took a cocktail of them. "Have you ever considered modeling for a culinary magazine? A oni one I mean. I think you could make the front cover. They pay pretty well I'm sure."

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
Her mentioning that she spiked each of her bottles differently didn't really surprise me, and for some reason, I doubt it was because of the drugs in my system. Despite that, I would continue trying to read the article, but about half of it was going over my head. After every sentence, I had to go back and reread exactly what I had just gone over. I was acting as if I was studying for a test or something.
However, the sudden mention of how absolutely delicious I was in the eyes of the demon who had just removed herself from our recently developed semi-skinship, was enough to make me wince. Every 'compliment' she gave only made my gut churn in a way that certainly wasn't going to end well with all the drugs in there. I didn't know if she was saying she wanted to eat me or if that was just some of her bizarre sexual fantasies. Either way, I wasn't happy about it. "Thanks... but I'll pass. I've no intention of garnering fame." Especially not that kind. Saying that, I would get up from the dumpster, but not really start walking away. I just needed to stand, as a pain that I could actually feel was forming rapidly at the bridge of my nose. The pain and agitation would be evident on my face as I squeezed the spot where it hurt, as if to force it all out at once. "Gah. Whatever you put in there was strong as hell."

WC: 253/2,558

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

Blinking at his sudden pain, the demoness put a finger to her chin, her lemony eyes glancing up at the stars. "You know what? That's an idea... marinate the human from the inside before you eat them. That would take a lot of planning, of course, and a lot of foresight, but I do recall once hearing about this French dish that involved drowning and cooking a live songbird in brandy."
Nodding at the fact that she'd come up with such a great idea, she smiled in a charmed sort of way and lay on her dumpster perch. "You know, it really is a unique experience being able to talk to your food, wouldn't you agree? It brings up some interesting philosophical questions. I wonder if people would be as inclined to eat hamburgers if the cattle they were formed from possessed powers of speech, since humankind always claims to have the moral high ground. Ah, but that's neither here nor there. It's usually a policy of mine not to allow customers to sample from my personal stock, but you being a hitorinji, I figured you would have higher tolerance and, you being a schoolboy, I figured you would get hooked more easily, no? I could go for some reorders and sales. I don't have a morgage to pay, but I do have a boyfriend who I would like to help support. You humans are quite boring reproductively compared to spirits and possessed people, are you aware of that? I guess hitorinji fall into the same anatomical category as normal people," she speculated. "Well, I suppose it would be interesting to eat the liver out of a human during copulation, but I never have tried the feat. I don't have morals but I suppose I might have standards. Ah, standards. I should rid myself of those as well."

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
"Marinate a human from the inside out? Who the hell even mentioned that?" I asked, removing my fingers from the bridge of my nose and again looking at the book. To my surprise, it cleared up a bit. Well, I only taken a single swig, so it's to be expected I wouldn't get the full effect, especially knowing whatever she spiked the drink with would be diluted in with the rest of the contents. Of course, I still felt light-headed and as if all the pain in my body was nullified, but even like that, I couldn't help but feel slightly creeped out at what she was talking about. Speaking to your food, moral high ground; just what was she getting at? Was she trying to make me feel guilty or something? It wasn't working anyway. I never had any regrets about eating meat or the like. It was simply survival. Hell, demons have come after me to try and eat me as well, and I held no ill will towards them for it.
The sudden mention of her having a boyfriend, however, was interesting. I never imagined one would develop feelings like that for someone like her, but I guess it's true that there's someone out there for everyone. I would contemplate that fact as I continued my reading, waiting for her to finish. When she would, and after I had been sufficiently creeped out by her idea of eating someone's liver during sex, I would speak. "Y'know, I never really cared about what happened to my food. I'm no hippy. While I don't condone pointless slaughter of anything, if it's to be used for the good of others, then I'm fine with it. It's just the way nature works. As for being boring during sex, I apologize. I never really cared to try and act openly exciting or anything like that. Hell, sorry to disappoint, but sex isn't really one of my leading factors. I'm not the typical horny schoolboy who sits and fantasizes about his teachers or classmates all day long, and I'm also not stupid enough to take those damn drugs you're peddling." With the notable exclusion of alcohol, of course. "And, if you've forgotten, while I don't have a boyfriend to support financially, I do have a little one to take care of."

WC: 387/2,945

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

The demoness smiled, a surprisingly gentle expression still on her face, as though somehow the little man shouting and the world at large no longer mattered. "Oh? A little one to take care of... I forgot you had a boyfriend too. Ah..." she leaned back, openly reclining on the bin, as though swimming or having her belly rubbed. "If you're not stupid enough to take them, how'd you end up with that mouthful? Not that it matters much to me. I really should apologize. I haven't sold you anything good your entire life. You probably would've been better off in life without my intervention. I wonder what kind of a person you would've turned out to be if you couldn't see spirits. Ah, the mysteries of this universe..."
Closing her eyes, she began to purr, taking another brief swig from the bottle and blushing. "This is a really good batch. I have to figure out what I put in it."

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
Boyfriend? What did she mean by that? Was she so plastered she forgot she had sold me a little girl? Or was she just speaking nonsense again? For now, I'd bursh it off, but be sure to bring it up later. Instead of trying to figure that one out, I listened to her follow up speech. Her making mention of not selling me anything good in my entire life, and that she had only been a blemish on my history... it was like the point in an anime where on person would feel guilty about themselves and apologized for being such a terrible person, but then the other would tell them they weren't so bad. But neither her nor I were like that. I wasn't the kind to lie, and I couldn't say she wasn't so bad since I only knew her as a dealer, and she certainly didn't seem to be regretting everything. She sounded to me as if she was simply stating something matter-of-factly. But what did I know? She was confusing and hard to follow. "Imagining a world where one thing or another didn't happen is stupid. It isn't our place to wonder. Doing something like that is god's responsibility, since only he has the ability to look into that world. And on that question, from what I understand, you spirits all have a world of your own, don't you? What if you all never left from there to come here? Would your life be better off that way?"

WC: 252/3,197

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

"Heh..." she chuckled shortly. "Heh heh heh.Funny you mentioned that. I had a very cozy little spot in heaven. Couldn't abide it. The clouds were soaked with blood."
Rolling back over, she faced the hitorinji, a purr still sounding in her voice, the dumpster amplifying the deep noise. "I'm amazed you're still alive, eh? What exactly do you do here every night. Are you here to tempt some of the poor souls who can't tell the difference between a human and a hitorinji? Ah... but Moskau hasn't jumped on you yet. You both have a sort of innocence I guess..."
Her speech was getting increasingly slow, disjointed, as though she were on the brink of falling asleep and was in some sort of waking dream.

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
"Heaven covered in blood? Well isn't that an interesting turn of events. If you were to take that to some of the religious leaders in the city, you'd be instantly marked as a heretic. Though that's usually the case when it comes to the truth. And not just in religion. But beyond that, what do you mean, 'jumped me'?" I would ask, looking away from the book to look at her. My vision was still blurred, and I still felt light headed, but I could make out the fact that she looked rather tired. It made me glad I didn't drink any more than I did. "Oh, I suppose I should answer your question first. It'd be impolite to do otherwise. Yes; I do come out here and 'tempt' the spirits. I don't go openly picking a fight, but if one comes across my path that wants one, I'll give it one, of course. I usually end up banged up by the end, but nothing my healing magic hasn't been able to patch up. I prefer it when spirits don't want to fight and only settle for a little talk, but those times are rare. Of course, you could consider tonight a night where talking has worked, as I've already gained a bit more insight into heaven from you. You have my thanks for that."
With that point settled, the seriousness in my voice would deepen and my eyes would go into a GAR-induced defiant state. I would turn to completely look at her and, in a very manly fashion, I would ask again; "I'll repeat myself. What do you mean Moskau hasn't jumped me yet?" I didn't quite realize it myself, but I was turning into quite the 'elder brother figure' in respect to Moskau recently.

WC: 296/3,493

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

The vulpine woman looked at Mr. Gar through half lidded eyes. "You haven't figured it out?" she murmured. "What exactly did you want? You wanted a baby succubus. A succubus's job is to destroy perverts like yourself with their own perversion. You were ashamed when you made your purchase, no? It's because you had ulterior motives. It would be Moskau's job to sweep you with your dirty motives before the judgment throne of Bleaus. Now, thanks to Belphegor's laziness and the fifty year old's surprising purity of heart, 'she' doesn't take her job seriously at all and spends vast amounts of time simply getting people to like her. It's mostly because unlike other succubi, she doesn't read 'lust' as 'love', and she always seems uncertain whether people just like her for her ability to fufill fantasies or because they like her as a person... or him. Really, the female identity's simply another layer of the deception, and since his human parents tried to force him into a marriage, he doesn't like females."

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
It seems as if she was only minimally affected by my GAR aura, if at all. I would have to work on that some more. I had been slacking off recently. Or perhaps it was only because of the drugs? Regardless, I would intently listen to her explanation, answering the initial question I raised, and many more behind that. She was throwing out names left and right. Bleaus? Heard of him. People down here speak of him, sure, but I don't really know much about him. Belphegor, though, I had never heard of. Who was he? What relation did he have to Moskau? Before I could ask, she would continue and bring up the fact that Moskau would get confused over how other people came to think of her, and why they would think of her that way. Hearing that, I asked myself why I liked her as much as I did. I may very well be one of those who only liked her because of what she could do for me as a succubus... but, following that, a light blush would come across my face, and my shoulders would lower in a mixture of embarrassment and despair as I come to realize that even after all this time, despite even what I originally 'purchased' her for... I've never even used her as a succubus. I've always been too ashamed to do so. At least that would give me the solace that my feelings for her were born out of who she was, and not what she 'did' for me. But, perhaps they were created out of the thought of what she could, or maybe even would one day do for me?
Shaking off the thought and the embarrassment, I would ask another question. "Hold on a second. I think I've followed you so far, but one thing's confusing me. You keep calling her a 'he', but you still refer to her as a succubus, and not an incubus. What's that about?" I would need to ask more about that Bleaus and Belphegor later, but for now, the information relating to Moskau was more important.

WC: 354/3,847

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

"You're so cute when you blush..." the woman purred on, off topic. There would be a silence, perhaps three minutes before she'd gather the coherency to continue. "Yes, you asked why I called him a succubus. They're the same species, really. Belphegor is female, the body she possessed was male. These things get complicated if you think about them for too long. I wouldn't worry about it. Why don't you come over here and lay next to me? This is a pretty nice spot, no? Information usually costs quite a bit down here, but I guess that would be part of your warranty. I wouldn't mind you extending that warranty, however."

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
Following the rather unexpected and unwanted compliment, there was a long, awkward silence on both ends. I wondered if she had finally succumbed to the drink which was still buzzing around my head. At one point, I thought about picking her up and carrying her to a more out-of-the-way spot, but I decided against it and simply picked the book up again. I'd continue to read the fabled page containing the secrets I had been searching for as I patiently waited for her to snap out of her incoherent state.
When she finally stirred again, I almost wished she hadn't, after how close to the end I was. However, I really felt the need to know the answer to my question, so I'd put down the book once more and face her again. Again, the name Belphegor is brought up, and I still really don't know who that person is. Possession? So 'she' was the succubus spirit that took shelter in Moskau? And if Moskau was the 'he' in this situation, then Moskau originally was scheduled to be married by his parents. Which would explain why there was no problem leaving them to come live with me. "So Moskau's body is male... and he was the one forced into a marriage. But didn't you say he doesn't like women? Then why take the body of a female?" Instantly I think I realize why, as a female body would attract more men that he could prey on. I was probably one of those. "Okay, stupid question. But still, why would he agree to a possession from a woman if he doesn't like them? And you two are friends, aren't you? Why would Moskau relate with you if he hates women so much?" I would ask this while ignoring her invitation to lay down with her, as something like that would only invite trouble for me. "But, wait... what do you mean warranty?" She certainly wasn't very clear in what she was talking about today. Or maybe I was just off the ball due to the damn spiked drink?

WC: 346/4,193

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

The woman closed her eyes, basking in the streetlight more or less, every muscle in her body going limp. "That's all the information you get for free... unless... you'd like to make some sort of an order..."
A mouse scurried out of the dumpster, and she caught it without looking and stuffed it nonchalantly in her mouth, the tail hanging out while she masticated the rest of the body.

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
Figures. She'll get to the part where I really need to know more and then cut me off. Everything's money with her, so it seems. Though it's hard to take her seriously with the rat tail hanging out of her mouth, I suppose I had no other real options. Giving in, I would stuff my hands into my pockets, forgetting about the book for a moment. "Alright, fine. I could just order beer, right? Do you have any that you're sure you didn't spike? I'd rather not get my company hooked on anything and become responsible for what happens. And I definitely wouldn't want Moskau to get into any of it either."

WC: 112/4,305

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

Crunching slowly, she swallowed, lazily savoring the taste of rodent flesh. "Mmm... all my inventory's spiked tonight, but I'm surprised you'd give beer to someone you perceive as a child. Nonetheless, it's hardly my business what you decide to do with your products. I'll just tell you that if you'd prefer it you can owe me a... favor..." a sly, sick smile came over her mouth as the f-word oozed out. "I need to redeem the favor I have from an incubus I met... the chief of police, but I haven't had time to find him yet and I suspect that he wants to take advantage of my beastly nature so he can tag me for drug possession. I don't take too kindly to such antics, but he might be pleasant to keep in a cage for when I need him."

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
As I expected, it would come down to me doing her this special favor she asked for. I was hoping I could just get away with getting the beer and then the information so I could leave, but unfortunately that wasn't the way it worked. So, I felt as if I would have to do this favor regardless of what it was.
However, upon her mentioning it, I was rather surprised. I didn't really know how to react. "Wait, wait... you want me to capture the chief of police? And... you're telling me he's an incubus for that matter? What makes you think I could do this anyway? If he's the chief of police of the whole city, he's rather out of the reach of us commoners. Besides, I'm a student. What would I do after capturing him? I don't think I'd have the ability to just shrug it off and get away without anyone noticing."

WC: 155/4,460

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

Giggling like a schoolgirl with gravel in her throat, Grunty found the mistranslation of her intentions absolutely hilarious. "Silly. I don't want you to capture the chief of police, I want you to give me a show. I mean as in you look cute in that uniform. Maybe if you took it off it would loosen my lips?"
Her tone held nothing but pure sleaziness, but she didn't really expect the young man to do it. She more expected him to wait until she had the booze to give him, which might take some time. She'd have to go back to the club and take some. Plus, somewhere in her mind she knew she wasn't supposed to be telling him all of this, but the bottle put her in a completely ambivalent mood. It was a win-win situation really...

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
"A show...?" I asked, despite knowing what she meant by that. If she really wanted me to do something like that... could I manage to make myself do it? I wanted to lash out at the very thought of parading around like her little play thing. Normally, I would outright refuse it on the spot, but the defiance that would burn in my eyes would die out a moment after it formed as I cast my gaze to the ground. If it was for Moskau, I couldn't turn it down. But, at the same time, it's my very dignity at stake...
Back and forth, I wrestled with the idea in my mind, and it showed on my expression. It was a constant struggle between the side of me that wanted to completely reject the idea, and the side that felt the need to do it since it was, after all, the darling little Moskau who was the reward here. After being tempted with all the information already, not knowing the rest of the secrets about her was like torture. It was possibly the little bit of alcohol in combination with the 'shrooms', but after much inner turmoil, the side that wanted to act out of defiance would fall to the side that worried about the little succubus. "So... I have to put on a show, right? There's no other way?"

WC: 229/4,689

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

The drugs had hit their high point. When Grunty reopened her eyes to peer at the other with a faint bit of surprise and curiosity, they were their normal, swamp-like shade, a green that suggested a plague and a yellow that suggested tainted snow, forever joined about in a ring like some sort of defiled symbol of union or balance.
Shifting her legs slightly, she balanced continuing to give up information versus the pure arousal potential of the situation. It wasn't as though she hadn't seen a human with his pants down before, far from it. There was the psychotic human she'd used for a season and firmly resoled to never see again, and then there were the male cage dancers in Club Hype. Ah, yes, she recalled them pleasantly, their wiry forms thrashing to the music, their silky hair flying about... but they were different from the one before her. Certainly they labored to be as physically attractive as possible when doing their job, but their eyes... if you actually stopped to look at their faces you could see it. Moral defeat, or corruption of heart, a loss of faith in the goodness of other humans and their potential for love, she'd decided the expression was that she herself carried as her default. Once, perhaps, when they'd accepted the job to pay for rent or groceries or begin to save up to get out of the Commons, they cared about things like human bonding, but now, they'd gotten past the point that they would care who saw their butt cheeks waving all over the place, male or female, and for an especially big tip they could be convinced to go to the private rooms with you and give up their bodies for your own pleasure, no matter how demeaning or painful your requests might be for an ordinary man. There was no guilt left, no shame.
This young man, no, this schoolboy had an appeal those men had lost and would never have again. The inner conflict of her target only added fuel to the fire, and she tapped her foot a few times against the dumpster lid, finally rolling over on her belly and deciding with resolve, "Naw, no other way, or I should say Ies feeling charitable enough to give ye a lot of information for very littles, eh?"
The demon licked her lips.

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
Straightening up, the little flickers of defiance that remained in my eyes slowly burned to nothing but an ember. With my fate seemably set in stone from the ruling of my judge and juror, I slowly gripped the 'collar' of my school blazer with one hand, tugging it away to let the other arm slide out. Following that, I would easily be able to toss it aside. Then would come the shirt, which would just go off the way any shirt would. With my entire upper body now unveiled, I was really wondering what the point was. It wasn't as if I was buff or anything; I was just slim. You couldn't see a rippling six-pack or crap like that. Sure, I was in shape, but not like that.
Half-nude now, I would look to her again and the embers would spark up once more with a confrontational gaze in my eyes. "Just how far do you want me to go, exactly?" Was there some ulterior motive here? Or was she just easily excitable? Did she have a thing for embarrassing people, or was I just special? I suppose I'm not one to talk about disgusting or abnormal tastes, but still, this was just cruel torture to someone like me. There were places she could go to see people do this, pretty much for free. What made me so special?

WC: 229/4,918

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

Looking almost bored, the woman moved her feet back and forth in a gesture of nonchalance. Her brow lifted slightly at Kaito's average build. He was skinny, but from what she could discern he at least had some nice, lean meat on his bones. Those ribs would be very nice grilled with gravy, or better yet, still warm from his body, but these were merely passing observations. It seemed he was literally willing to give an arm and a leg for the little trap, but she was too full tonight for assaulting or dining further.
"Shirts off dun't really count for nekkid in guys, eh?" she said, reopening her eyes and grinning derisively. "But Ies guess you can go as far as you want information. Heh. I guesses that's worth one answer. Yer little succubus don't hate chicks, he's just not himself into them for bangin purposes. He likes them more as friends, but when I sold him to ye, we weren't friends."
Her eyes looked up and down the student expectantly. "Probably told ye too much."

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
Naked in guys, was it? Was there some sort of difference in nudity between males and females? Surely there was the obvious alterations between the anatomy of the two, and what would be considered 'decent', but nudity was the same all around. It simply meant bare or without clothing of some sort. A woman without a shirt wasn't naked; she was just indecent as decided by the standards of today's human society. Several of the spirits which wander hungrily across these very streets do not have such high morals, as they go on to expose their whole bodies. Very rarely have I found any who have not been incorporated into society that decide to wear cover for anything more than protection against foes or from the elements. But, regardless, this is a pointless dialogue to have with oneself. Naked was what I needed, so it was naked - for the sake of the underlying secrets of my beloved little lolita Moskau - that I would need to achieve.
Despite what little extra I was given as reward for removing my shirt, I didn't rush out and explode or anything. It was... angering, sure, but I had the ability to control myself in tough times. I wasn't a brute. I had a clear head on my shoulders, and I would use it to my advantage here. Slipping my fingers into the top of my pants, I would shake off the bit of anger and begin to pull them down. As I did, I would need to start a conversation with her.. The shrooms and alcohol were still affecting me a bit, but they must've been hitting her just worse. Had she hit her high yet? Whatever. "So... how do you happen to know all of this, anyway?" It would be a sudden change from the defiant tone I had wielded earlier. "You know a lot about Moskau, sure, but even more than what would be considered normal. Did she share all of that with you so willingly? And what about the chief of police being an incubus? Is the drug trade that lucrative that you can trade and exchange information as well as cash?" By the end of this, I would have slipped off my school uniform pants and have tossed them atop my shirt. It was a longshot, but I may still be able to get out of this with both my dignity and the info I wanted.

WC: 407/5,415
EPIC RETURN POST HOOOO'.

Subject: OOC: Welcome back Thu Nov 19, 2009 7:42 pm

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

The demoness grinned sleazily, not even trying to conceal where her sole focal point lay. Her tongue grew a little bit looser with the casting off of the pants, what she really wanted to begin with. Just one more step and...
"We's talked a lot about this arrangement with you. I guesses back then I weren't as tough, and there's them two dogs of hers, eh? Had to do a lot of negotiatin with my fightin. Hung out some, bought her some ish, cha, but if yer curious about the chief of police, I don't really give a damn what his feelings is. I feeled him up anyways. His own damn fault for lookin like that. I makes enough on the drugs to get by, ain't enough to go tradin people who ain't hooked yet. I got somethin for them," she said, stopping to flash her decidedly intimidating eyeteeth. They glinted dully in the yellow lamplight of the street. "I got one more surprise for ye, cha? Very important piece of information. I wouldn't go home wifouth it, it's goin cheap." Her gaze was unblinking and unmoving.

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
Cursing my luck, it seemed like she wasn't going to be as cooperative as I thought. Of course, you can't reason with someone who's both drunk and tripping, and add that onto the fact that Grunty was a very unreasonable person to begin with, it was a failed attempt from the very start. Of course, I had to try, since it was my dignity on the line and all...
Admittedly I wasn't embarrassed with her gaze only falling on one spot. It wasn't as if I was the type to get all hot-n'-bothered by some older lady eyeing me up. In fact, it was well known by now that the only one who really turned me on was Moskau. The fact that I could openly admit that to myself meant I had become far too comfortable with her presence in my life than I should. However, that was just more fuel to the fire; her being the one to turn me on, and the one I love tenderly like my own child (usually not statements used in the same sentence) was the entire reason I was doing this.
And so it was, with those thoughts that I essentially 'gave up' on trying, and hooked my thumbs into my last remaining bit of clothing, and just slid it off in one full motion, leaving myself bare and nude. Against my self-wishes, I unfortunately accumulated a light-pink warmth cast under my eyes. The embarrassment I thought I wouldn't have was coming on, but I still wouldn't give her all the satisfaction. If she was hoping me to have an embarrassed face with some sort of hard-on stiffy that would betray other outward appearances, then I would need to apologize, as I am not some young child in a school girl's H-Doujin. "This is it, right? You've seen what you wanted to see, so give me the information. This special bit of very important info."

WC: 320/5,735

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

His embarrassment was so delectable... of course, she wouldn't have thought of such a big word to describe her feelings at the moment as a broad grin, rivaling that of the Cheshire Cat, spread across her face. His lack of arousal was something she expected, more or less, but it wasn't his liking of the situation she enjoyed. Conversely, it was his lack of enjoyment that she found appealing. "Alright..." she purred, guessing he'd earned the full truth on the little creature he'd accepted in his home. "I unno how yer gonna take this, but Ies guesses I really don't care, eh? I ain't tricked ya, naw, but Moskva as Ies guess she likes to be called these days, ah, can take any form it wants. Took a liking to ye, though, so's to always appear as a little chick. Ies guess ye hasn't touched her, though, seeing as ye's alive and all. Little bastard almost got me once..." Her smug grin gave way to a more troubled expression as her brows wrinkled. "Ye know it's a succubus. Ye knoes what happens if ye actually try to do her, eh? Ye get all burnt out en die."

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
The information I was given as a 'reward' was such common knowledge that I at first thought she was mocking me. Of course I knew she had the ability to transform into whatever form she wanted. That was an ability that all succubi and incubi had. Just about everyone who had ever lived had heard of that. Of course most people didn't even know they really existed and thought of them as only fairy tales.
However, upon a moment of further thought, I seemed to grab what she was really getting at. The fact that they could alter their forms was not hidden knowledge, but perhaps, unexpectedly, her true form was. What I had been taking as her original state was actually just an alteration caused by her magical abilities? So then why was she in that state when she first came out of the box she was handed to me in? Had this been a ploy from the beginning? Well, of course it was. I knew that as soon as it involved the woman 'standing' before me. But to think it ran so deep as to the point where I wasn't even given what I really thought I was, was really a shocking bit of information. I honestly didn't know how to react to that, though I would say my embarrassment made way for a bit of shock. After a moment, I felt the need to ask, ignoring the obvious teasings of Moskau's sexual affairs, "So... if that's the case, then what's her- Or, rather, Moskau's true form? Do you know even that?"

WC: 263/5,998

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

The fox chuckled, bringing her back foot up to scratch at her throat a few times. "Ies guesses that's a hard question. Ye see, when I saw 'im he said that wuz 'is true form, eh? Yea, but 'e told me afterwards 'is true form was a chick when I wanted to know if 'e was gay. Kid's a liar. It ain't bother me much, I ain't got any more reason to mess with 'er, but she ain't gonna tell me the truth because she's just gonna keep tellin me what she thinks I want to hear. I can tell a liar. I sells to a bunch of 'em. Ye, though... I think she might like ye enough to tell ye the truth, but I been told ye all I know. Really, what's the difference between a succubus and an incubus, eh? Those words is ones normal humans made up as far as I can tell. There don't seem to be a difference at all, unless..."
As though coming to a sudden realization, she rolled over on her belly, blinking as though surprised by something. "Ey, you ever get 'er pants off? I haven't. Ye might be able to tell like that. I don't think 'ed be able to change its bits all that much..."

Hotaka Kaito!
~~Glasses are unimportant. Except for,~~ ~~of course...~~
"Get her clothes off..." Ahh, well, that was kind of the reason I purchased her in the first place. Of course, I was a bit off my normal mindset at that point, and humility had set back in since then. "No, I haven't. I've had too much shame to ever undress her for any reason, and I couldn't really suggest that she let me help her bathe, could I? That'd be too disgraceful. Besides, those dogs of hers would... not approve, I'm sure." But, did it really matter? I mean, whether it's a 'he' or 'she', Moskau was Moskau. Of course that's a very stereotypical movie line, but I could see it's warrant. I wouldn't love 'her' any less if she was really a he, though admittedly I would love her in a completely different way than I do now. And hopefully I'd stop getting turned-on after seeing her. "Either way, can I at least get dressed now? It's cold out, and I've got enough to worry about without getting sick for some stupid reason."

WC: 175/6,163

Wherein Grunty does ~~not~~ try to sell crack.

The fox seemed to think for a moment. After some time, she seemed to decide he'd had enough for one night. On top of that, she was getting very, very tired. She could hardly keep her eyelids open, though she knew the hazards of sleeping out in the open in this end of town at this time of night. His next words hardly registered, and it was after her brief moment of thinking she seemed to completely comprehend his sentence. "Eh? Oh, ya, thank for the show, man. You can get dressed, eh? If ye ain't got any more questions for yer ole pal Grunty..."
She stood to all four of her feet and hopped to the ground. Exerting magnetic force, she raised the lid of the large dumpster wide enough to fit her body through and leaped, clutching the rim. The nails of her back feet scratched gratingly on the side of the garbage bin before she was able to generate enough friction to propel herself in. If the human didn't speak again, it would clank rudely shut behind her.

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