April 14, Part 2
Darkenning
Pervert. Also, possible world-destroying monster.
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"See?" the not-a-cat shrieked at Ann, gesturing frantically with his head in Ryuji's direction. (His paws were presumably being used to keep himself upright.) "He gets it! He's known me for less than a minute and he gets it! Why can you not get it?!" He took a deep breath, then, and turned to regard Ryuji with what was probably meant as a benevolent expression, but just came off as smug. "Greetings, good sir," he purred. "It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of such a perspicacious individual. I am Morgana, your humble instructor in the Noble Art of Phantom Thievery."
"... kay," said Ryuji, regarding this with what was probably meant as a bewildered expression ... and came off as just that. Momentarily, he managed to lift his gaze to regard Kurusu. "I get why you thought he should introduce himself, now."
"Mmm," replied Kurusu, who then turned to look at Ann and spoke quietly. "How is Suzui-san?"
Ann sighed. "I got her home all right, yesterday, but she texted last night that she's not coming back to school while Kamoshida's still here. I dunno how long her 'rents are gonna put up with that, though."
"Right," Kurusu replied with a nod. "Then that's our deadline. We have to get this done before Suzui-san has to come back to school. If possible, by next Monday. Today, though ..." She trailed off, glancing over to where Ryuji was conversing with Morgana.
Ann followed her gaze and guessed at its implications. "We go in, get it done and then get the hell out?"
"Yes." Raising her voice. "Are you ready to go, then?" she asked Ryuji.
Ryuji's head snapped up. "Doubt it, but we better get a move on anyway. Oh! Yeah, that reminds me -- I thought about what you said about it being dangerous, so I brought somethin' that might make me seem a little more dangerous than I am!" He turned to where his own bag was resting.
"Oh, no. Don't tell me you've managed to hold on to one of those stupid Ultraman masks they sell at festivals or something," asked Ann, wearily.
"No, but I bet that would have been an awesome backup to what I actually did bring," he replied, producing a pistol from the bag.
Ann gaped. "OMFG, Ryuji, where the hell did you get a gun and why did you bring it to school?" she fairly shrieked.
Ryuji found himself stepping back from the force of her dismay. "Sheesh, why don't you go tell the whole world instead of just you, me, Morgana and -- hey, where'd she go?" he asked, defensive posturing momentarily forgotten.
Ann turned to see that there was indeed a vacant space where Kurusu had been only a moment or so earlier. "Wha--" she started to ask, then leaned back a bit. "Ah, thought so," she said, before returning her accusatory gaze to Ryuji. "It's a toy gun, right?" she asked heavily.
Still confused, Ryuji nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, all it does is make noise. I figured the sight of it might spook the monsters, though."
"Yes, because we all know supernatural monsters are terrified of guns," Ann replied disgustedly. Somewhat more loudly, she repeated, "Toy gun, just makes noises."
Slooooowwwly, Kurusu poked her head out from the staircase entryway where she had taken cover, clearly still spooked.
"Ohhh, you weren't kidding about her not hating me," said Ryuji. To his credit, he promptly hid the gun away in his pack.
"Yeah, she hasn't known you nearly long enough for that," Ann replied.
"Thanks."
"I'm sure Lady Akira will come to understand your admirable qualities in time, Sir Ryuji," Morgana assured him.
"Heh, thanks." This time, it sounded a bit more sincere.
"Sir?" Ann growled.
"... kay," said Ryuji, regarding this with what was probably meant as a bewildered expression ... and came off as just that. Momentarily, he managed to lift his gaze to regard Kurusu. "I get why you thought he should introduce himself, now."
"Mmm," replied Kurusu, who then turned to look at Ann and spoke quietly. "How is Suzui-san?"
Ann sighed. "I got her home all right, yesterday, but she texted last night that she's not coming back to school while Kamoshida's still here. I dunno how long her 'rents are gonna put up with that, though."
"Right," Kurusu replied with a nod. "Then that's our deadline. We have to get this done before Suzui-san has to come back to school. If possible, by next Monday. Today, though ..." She trailed off, glancing over to where Ryuji was conversing with Morgana.
Ann followed her gaze and guessed at its implications. "We go in, get it done and then get the hell out?"
"Yes." Raising her voice. "Are you ready to go, then?" she asked Ryuji.
Ryuji's head snapped up. "Doubt it, but we better get a move on anyway. Oh! Yeah, that reminds me -- I thought about what you said about it being dangerous, so I brought somethin' that might make me seem a little more dangerous than I am!" He turned to where his own bag was resting.
"Oh, no. Don't tell me you've managed to hold on to one of those stupid Ultraman masks they sell at festivals or something," asked Ann, wearily.
"No, but I bet that would have been an awesome backup to what I actually did bring," he replied, producing a pistol from the bag.
Ann gaped. "OMFG, Ryuji, where the hell did you get a gun and why did you bring it to school?" she fairly shrieked.
Ryuji found himself stepping back from the force of her dismay. "Sheesh, why don't you go tell the whole world instead of just you, me, Morgana and -- hey, where'd she go?" he asked, defensive posturing momentarily forgotten.
Ann turned to see that there was indeed a vacant space where Kurusu had been only a moment or so earlier. "Wha--" she started to ask, then leaned back a bit. "Ah, thought so," she said, before returning her accusatory gaze to Ryuji. "It's a toy gun, right?" she asked heavily.
Still confused, Ryuji nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, all it does is make noise. I figured the sight of it might spook the monsters, though."
"Yes, because we all know supernatural monsters are terrified of guns," Ann replied disgustedly. Somewhat more loudly, she repeated, "Toy gun, just makes noises."
Slooooowwwly, Kurusu poked her head out from the staircase entryway where she had taken cover, clearly still spooked.
"Ohhh, you weren't kidding about her not hating me," said Ryuji. To his credit, he promptly hid the gun away in his pack.
"Yeah, she hasn't known you nearly long enough for that," Ann replied.
"Thanks."
"I'm sure Lady Akira will come to understand your admirable qualities in time, Sir Ryuji," Morgana assured him.
"Heh, thanks." This time, it sounded a bit more sincere.
"Sir?" Ann growled.
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