[Open] Moonlit Meanderings

"There has to be some way we can find our way out of here...Nakagawa-san, could you take the torch, please? It might be...more effective if you were holding it."

She nods and takes the torch form Sayuri's wheelchair
"O-okay, where should we go to first?"
Sumiko looks around waiting for her call

Eric follows close behind the two girls, watching them from the bottom of the hill. After stumbling about for a while they had turned right around and walked back to where they started. He didn't recognise one of them, but the other...

"Sumiko!" He shouts.

He scrambles up the side of the hill, uncaring about creating unnecessary attention and grinds to a halt in front of the two girls.

"Sumiko!" He repeats, breathless, "Y-You... you left me the other day. Why?"

Sayuri looks slightly alarmed as she suddenly hears a voice call out Sumiko's name. "I thought I heard something earlier..." She watches as Eric scrambles up the hill.

Sumiko! Y-You... you left me the other day. Why? Sayuri looks at Sumiko, confused. "Who is this?"

She nearly drops the torch hearing Eric call out her name. She looks at him and takes a step back
"W-what are you doing here Eric....?"
She gulps in fear

Sayuri can see that whoever this new arrival is, and whatever his connection to Sumiko, she is not happy to see him. Her hand once more strays to the handle of her kendo blade, ready to strike if this newcomer tries anything untoward.

Eric's eyes dart down to see Sayuri's Kendo blade, he smiles and lifts an eyebrow quizzically, "Really? A sword? You're in a wheelchair."

turning back to Sumiko, he crouches down to her height, "I understand what you did, it was a mistake and you were scared. It's fine. We can forget this all happened, ok? You know I'd do anything for you, so how about we head off to go see Takeshi again, huh?" He says, grinning and holding out a hand to Sumiko.

Sumiko takes another step back
"N-No... I'm not going back there with you again."
She gives a quick look to Sayuri then back to Eric
"Just leave me alone..."

Sayuri draws her blade. "I can still fight. And I can get out of this thing if I need to. You should leave now. Sumiko does not want to go with you."

Eric furrows his brow in confusion.

"Leave you alone? I could never do that."

A lone figure stands behind some trees a little waze from those monstrous...things.

What in blazes are those?!

I had been walking in the forest earlier and my position had been approached by a few figures. 

As they got closer...I could tell I wasn't looking at people. They were human bodies but...

...They almost seemed mutilated. 

One, however, was a living being. 

My mind simmers. A silhouette starts to generate. 

No I-...I can't..


But-...nobody is around to see me. I am fine...


A ghost-like figure shoots out of the dark and impacts the boy. Shoving him down a nearby hill.


I expected the other figures to move but they don't seem to do anything.


I can't advance so I retreat around.


When I finally find a path, though, I find the kid recovered and some girls found him.


Huh...I should wait.


Perhaps he isn't out for them. Nothing big seems to be happening yet.


I choose to wait and recover a little while watching over them. Hidden.

[My apologies for the double spaces. My phone is really dumb and I can't even scroll down in the edit to correct them.]

Sumiko gets closer to Sauyri
"Why can't you Eric? I-I already told you I don't like you."

Eric pauses, frowning.

"Why are you doing this? It's because of her, isn't it?" He says, pointing at Sayuri, "Is she making you do this?"

He turns his attention to Sayuri, "Sumiko and I love each other. Stop interfering."

"You may love Nakagawa-san, but it's clear to me that she does not reciprocate those feelings. Why that is not clear to you is a mystery to me." Sayuri is trying her best to remain calm. "I am not interfering...merely protecting Nakagawa-san, and if you really do love her, you will respect her wishes and leave."

This situation is going to Hell fast.

Whenever I get the chance I move to a closer tree. Trying to get around to the back of the kid but my chances are few and far between. This leaves me with only a slow advance while still being a bit of a wase away to prevent a lot of noise.

I can't just expose myself like that. I may have to physically protect these people.

Eric's eyes narrow and a dark look of hate masks his face.

"What are you trying to say, cripple? She does love me. I think it's you That should be leaving me and Sumiko in the pleasure of each other's company." He says, while taking a few steps towards the girl.

He then whistles and the Husks come shambling out from the cover of the trees and stand either side of him.

"I think you should take my advice."

I am about to be very tired!


In an instant an unseen force flies into the jaw of one-no-two of the monsters. Knockout speeds.

I jump from behind a tree to the kid's left and go to tackle him. I don't notice it but the things I hit are already shaking it off and slowly rising back up.

Sumiko shakes her head
"N-No it's not because of her Eric. It's out of my own free will."
She looks at the dark figure behind Eric and takes a few more steps back behind Sayuri

Sayuri stands her ground as Eric advances, her hand tightening around the handle of the kendo blade at the mention of the word "cripple"...until the Husks appear either side of him. Sayuri's mouth falls open and she looks at them in horror. What are those things...what have I gotten myself into... Suddenly two of the monsters are knocked to the ground by an unseen force and Sayuri wheels her chair backwards a little in surprise. Her kendo blade remains in her hand and poised for attack. What the hell is going on here?

"N-No it's not because of her Eric. It's out of my own free will."

Eric's mouth become a hard line of denial. "No. You need to learn to tell the truth, Sumiko-chan."

Hearing one of his Husks fall to the floor, Eric spins on his heel and meets the oncoming mound of flesh with a punch to the solar plexus, and absorbs the majority of the charge by bracing his cybernetic limbs. Nevertheless, they still slide back a few inches closer to Sayuri and Sumiko.

With a grunt, Eric proceeds to grab Ryuu by the throat and drag him up to eye level.

Hmm... seems slightly scared, even if he does have some degree of brute force... How did he take my husks out? He certainly didn't have time to use his strength...

"Now now, that wasn't very friendly." Eric tuts, and tightens his grip, "Who the hell are you?"

Sayuri notices Eric's strength, then his cybernetic arms, then slowly begins to realize that she is in way over her head. Nevertheless she stands her ground, kendo blade in hand, Sumiko cowering behind her.

What the HELL is this strength?? 


I can't obviously use my power. That is more important to hide than saving any few people. 


The years of my life I spent hiding it has turned me cold on the subject. 

I've got to mask it!

In panic from being choked, my left palm thrusts toward the boy's chest. Making it look like it's my physical strength. A blow worthy of knocking the wind out of someone.

[OCC;Sorry guys going to be late on the responces for the next 3 days]
Sumio screams out his name as a desperation
"Eric! D-don't hurt him!"
She lets go of her fear out of the safety of Sayuri and the boy and gets closer
"I-I'll go with you. j-just don't hurt him please."
She looks at him with puppy dog eyes, almost touching his shoulder.

As the energy from Ryuu's fist makes contact with Eric's chest, the wind is indeed knocked out of him. Realising his grip on the boy's throat and stumbles backwards, rubbing his chest.

He lets out a grunt.

Something is afoot here. That had far too much effect on me. He's kind of scrawny, no large muscle definitions. I need to get him to hit me again...

Preparing to take another swing at Ryuu, Eric hears Sumiko's cry.

His hand stays in mid air, inches from Ryuu, staring intently straight into the boy's eyes.

Sumiko..

Eric stands up straight, straightening his coat.

"Why the change of heart?" He says in a flat tone, not taking his eyes from the boy in front of him.