A Trade to Die For

"Then I ask you to try, Mojii," he told the murderer curtly, "After her, I also wish to speak with this Vera. Can you do that?"

Jin wanted to talk to the Third King and by extension, this girl he heard about. He didn't exactly know her full story. But clearly she was on the King's side and was connected to Yatagarasu. Out of some of these Kings, he felt this one was the one he knew the least other than the First King.

He took out a cigarette and started lighting it. Once his was done, he offered a stick that was poking out of the small carton to Aburai. After being beat up by a kid and being stuck in this nightmarish scenario, maybe a smoke would be great.

"What's their situation right now?" he asked the two boys, "If they can move, then tell them to assist the teams fighting Angra Mainyu. They'll need all the firepower they could get."

He glanced over towards Kirito and nodded, "The same goes for you too, dear. Please meet up with Natashi and Anya."

Kahn listened to Natashi's questions and statement of where he was,"Yes, Hibiki is safe, and he is currently in one of the team's fighting Angaru, which is where we need you to be, we need as much firepower as possible. But be careful, this thing is going to be very difficult to defeat, and stay safe. Head to the front yard, and people will help you find a team. Once again, stay safe and be careful. If things change down here, we'll keep you posted." The red haired young man said, before glancing around a bit keeping an eye out for Yatagarasu.

"I've gotta go, the person we're looking for could be back at any moment, and I gotta be ready to handle them. So I'll keep you updated, and if something goes terribly wrong, you can call me, I'll see what we can do about it." The young man said, before closing up the phone, and looking toward Jin.

"So now we look for Yatagarasu? The sooner we find him the better in my own opinion, people's lives are on the line and I would rather not lose anyone else if we can help it." The young man said, not to mention he had something to say to this individual, if this other red head was looking for revenge, Kahn could understand and perhaps this was the time for the formal apology

When Yata said he’d never seen her in his life, Naomi’s eyes would widen and her sight would fall to the ground. Inside, she felt many emotions stirring. Most of them were some form of sadness, others were anger, but one of them was confusion, “From another reality? Yes. Deranged? Not at all.” She looked up again and shifted her attention toward the boy who was walking away from her, “You know, that hurts about as much as the time you called me a freak. Maybe even a little more.” She clenched her fists at her side and continued talking, “I know it’s been a year since you left, but…”

She had to hold herself back from her default reaction. She wanted him to listen to what she was saying. She didn’t need a fight right now. She followed after him. She had to say it. If not now, then she would never get to, “If you forgot everything in a year, I’d be really disappointed in you. You left without telling anyone what was going on or where you were going. You know, the last time we spoke, you made it sound like you were going to be around for a long time. I didn’t think you’d just vanish.” Did he even plan that, or was it spur of the moment, “If you’re not the Yatagarasu that I met at the fireworks shop, who I watched gain his Persona, or that taught me how to skateboard, who wanted to burn down the world and start anew, who got flustered when he was teased of having an indirect kiss with me, kicked my sorry butt when we skated against each other, or who told me not to get myself killed… then I would be almost tempted to pity you.”

Almost being the key word, “But the Yata I know hates to be pitied. So instead, I just feel sorry for you throwing away the people who cared about you and who you were close to. I feel sorry for us too. Obviously, you never really cared about us or the time we spent together. Maybe that’s why it was so easy for you to leave Azores without another thought.” She chuckled under her breath. It was a sad, bitter chuckle, “I may have been wrong, but back then, I thought you wanted to protect the things you loved. Even if you were bad at showing it and saying what you wanted, you seemed to really care about your friends to the point of them being family, you cared about fireworks and your brother, it seemed like you loved that skatepark, too…”

Why was she talking so much? It’s not like she was planning to stay silent when they met, but this isn't what she had wanted to originally say. What she wanted to say, was something much different. Maybe, there was still a way to say it, “Why did you leave, anyway? And what are you here for now?” She wanted to know, “If this is who you are now though, then I’ll learn to care about him too. After all, if you remember or not, you are still Yata. You’re still the guy I met and who was important to me. That’s true, no matter what happens.” It was true. No matter how much he tried, he could never abandon his past. It would always be part of him, even if he didn't remember. She finally moved from his side and went back to Naie. She tried to hide it, but she was trembling. She just needed someone to help her calm down. Naie was all she had right now. Before she was out of range, she would have one last thing to say, “And it’s not fly. It’s Buggy. You gave me the name, so at least have the decency to use it, Yatagarasu the Great.” If he didn’t remember, she would do it for him. All the small things he forgot and all the things that mattered to her.

So he left anyway and not much to offer in terms of help, but at least the power to communicate was still there for what's it worth. Kirito left with him as well. It would just be the demon and the two boys with him. Jin thought about the call and what Aburai said earlier.

He tried it anyway in the way that Aburai had suggested. But no one took the call. With a look of annoyance, he simply hung up and put his phone back into his pocket. There was no time to be wasted as Angra Mainyu was summoned. To call anymore would just simply waste more time than it would help. For whatever it is worth, it would be better to forego that plan.

"We move," Jin nodded at both of them in affirmative and had words for his whole team, "He can't be too far away at this point. Remember, as a reminder, we cannot kill anyone or begin combat. It only serves to strengthen Angra Mainyu. We must try to solve things diplomatically, but if combat breaks out, do not fight to kill or maim. At least incapacitate him."

There was nothing else to be said right now. There was little time to waste.

"Caestus, you saw where the boy and the scientist left. Lead us."

He gestured everyone to follow the ASSW. When the individual started to move, so would he and likely everyone else.

OOC: It took a post for Sora and Soki to move on over to the back, so I guess we'll arrive within the next round of posts.

Alright it was time to get this show on the road, not like they had much of a choice considering all the events going on. He nodded his head, "Right not killing anyone and avoiding combat from our side should not be a problem. It's just whether or not the other side is willing to hear us out, if they are then things go smoothly if not...then we might have to take defensive action. By that I mean...try not to hurt him as much as possible unless it's a last resort. I'm cool with that too." The young man said as he gave Caestus a nod of affirmation, "I'm ready if you two are, just lead on. I'll be right behind you."

The red haired young man would follow his new friend, they had to do this and with his new power...there was no way he would allow what they foresaw if he could help it. This was their once chance to prevent it and this was the team to do it. Kahn wasn't sure how yet, but he had to trust in themselves and the others...he didn't want anyone to die if he could help it. He just had to trust in himself, in his friends, and in Tomoe, he had quite a bit of trust in her. They would all get through this alive, if he had anything to say about it.

All the hair on Naomi’s body would stand up suddenly as she quickly moved her finger in front of her mouth to shoosh Naie, “Don’t tell him that. I haven’t even said it yet.” Her entire face would glow beat red. She went from trembling to complete embarrassment in as much time as it took to blink. Her entire frame would stand still in shock when he said her name. She would look back at him in awe. Her Yata really was in there. Even if she had said she would learn to care about who he was now, she was glad part of who she knew was still in there. She looked back toward Naie. Her eyes were sturdy. She needed Naie to understand that what she was about to do was something she needed to do alone. Well, not alone. Just on her own, so she could reach Yata with what she wanted to say.

She stepped closer to him again, shaking her head, “What are you talking about? It’s never too late. I don’t know what happened to you since you left, but it doesn’t change anything. I had to come find you eventually. It just sucks it was at such a bad time.” She loved that smile of his. Though, she wished it was not so pained. She didn’t know what was going on with him right now, but it was deep inside of him. Something she couldn’t understand. Something that made him different, “Did you expect me to just be content with you leaving like that?” If he remembered anything about her, he should have recalled that she didn’t take his shit, “Besides, there are things we need to talk about.” So many things.

When he voiced his request to her, Naomi would finally close the distance between them completely. She would reach for the hand that wasn’t being held against his head and grasp it between both of her own. If he pulled away at any point so she couldn’t, she would simply stand with her hands at her side, “Yata…” She could see it. The attitude change from one moment to another. For a brief moment, he was the same as a year ago, and then he was gone, “Tell me what’s wrong… What’s happened over this past year?” It wasn’t confirmation or denial of his request. She needed to know what was running through his head. What had he seen that made him this way? She wanted to reach him. If he had let her grab his hand earlier, she would lead it to the side of her face. She was trusting him right now. He could be kind or hurt her badly and she couldn’t stop it at this range. It was her way of saying she meant to be there for him. Maybe he wouldn’t understand what she was doing, or maybe he would. The point was, she was putting so much faith in him right now, “Please…” She could feel it. Something was wrong. She just didn't know what.

”Stop,” he called upon his group to stop moving upon seeing her lone figure, ”It appears we meet again. Vera, was it?”

Jin had expected that they would meet up with Yatagarasu first, maybe with Soki and Four in tow. But, now? It looked like one of the few people he wanted to call upon was here. Whether this was good or bad, it would depend in the next few moments. But he found himself frowning at her as she asked them to wait. This was quite the predicament. They were running out of time with Angra Mainyu here. But to hear that Yatagarasu would come to them, it was something of interest to note. He crossed his arms and studied her for a moment. She wasn’t here to fight, no, if Kirito’s words were accurate. But she was definitely here to stop them if needed, especially for this Yatagarasu. This was complicated. But for now he would—

”You must be aware that we’re running short on time. Will you tell me what is his situation right now? We only wish to talk with him, not to fight him or even cause any harm,” Jin spoke again as he let a puff of smoke to waft out of his lips.

To give her even more signs of his honesty, Jin let the cigarette drop from his lips and crushed it underfoot, extinguishing it. Now, he couldn’t pull his little ‘disappearing’ trick that she likely would be aware about back in his battle with the Second King. But for now, they wouldn’t dare to cause any conflict here too. It would only be detrimental to their chances for victory.

”So as long as he’s coming to us, then we’re willing to wait… for now. During this duration, would you also mind telling us your side of the story? I am a recent newcomer, as you likely would have guessed. I wish to be more informed on what’s going on as of this moment. Especially on why you kidnapped Shibuya.”

He grimaced a little on the last part. Out of anyone working for Yachiru, Vera was the one that interested him the most. She was a little enigma to the former teacher and he wanted to understand her place in all of this. Jin continued to look at her, expecting a response from her.

”And if it isn’t an issue, could you tell me where the Third King and Yatagarasu’s brother are at right now?”