Step 1: Arm Thy Self (Continued)

After walking for what felt like an eternity within the familiar comfort of gloom, Hiro would step onto the platform that marked the entrance to Standasen. Moving from out of the station, he would cautiously head out into the streets ever alert. The last he checked the demons had flocked to this place and Zachary was last seen in this place. He wasn’t sure how many clues he could gather in this place about Zachary or this Azami person. Nor did he know how the tables had turned, but this place was the best stepping stone he knew of at the moment to perhaps begin to understand the madness that was occurring on the islands.

Even with that mission in mind, he still something to defend himself a bit better. Aria was great company, but the small demon wasn't a fighter and could only hold him up so much in battle. He knew this and it seemed the smaller demon also knew this as she decided to sit on his shoulder instead of fly for the moment. Yeah...this was bad, but he had to move to figure things out or find what he sought. The biggest question on his mind though was: Who would get to him first? Demon or man?

He kept walking to find out the answer to this...hefty question.

Hiro would take in the odd quietness in the area as he continued to move forward at a casual yet cautious pace. His eyes would drift around the place wondering if behind the closed doors and blocked windows if people still resided in the place. Were they watching, the humans, believing themselves safe behind the closed doors? Or had they all fled leaving this island to the demons that drifted through the air above?

It was a curious thought and even  more curious reflection on the state of the world. To think he was pulled from a world similar to this, but much more darker and lonely, to a world that was supposed to be alive and full of humans. While the humans were indeed in abundance here, the demon summoner found it strange how within a matter of a few days the whole world had come to a stop and then burst at its seams in a fashion that made it seem as if it was unraveling from within.

He never suspected something could be worse than what had happened two years ago, but then again he hadn’t expected to live very long after what had happened either….and yet here he was quite alive and willingly diving into danger once more…though he did not have the powers he once had. Sure, he could pull a small trick or two here and there. And yes he could even handle some blows thrown at him, but in the end that would matter little. Whatever was happening to the world was far bigger than himself and if he was to survive in any fashion, he needed a different sort of ally at his back. One that could actually back him up in a fight when needed. It was half the reason he was here in the first place, but he had to wonder as he paused in his walking to look up at that sky, how was he going to get the demons' attention without getting the whole flock upon him?

How would he get one to – Hm?

Blue orbs would lower back to ground level as they caught movement. He would catch a glimpse of a fellow in blue looking up at the sky before wandering away. How strange. He thought only himself or folk like Zachary were mad enough to wander about such a place, so what was this one doing here?

Curious, Hiro would make a move to follow, but stop as something else caught his attention. It was a demon and it was coming straight at him.

Instinct told him to run, but another part him set deeper in its ways allowed him to hold his ground as he took a few steps back resisting the urge to summon his weapon just yet as Aria sat up straight on his shoulder. Her eyes were round and alert as they locked on the creature.

Making sure to keep a safe distance from the creature, Hiro would watch it carefully as he heard words from it. It spoke the common tongue?

“Mhmm. He is definitely human,” Aria would say as she took to the air and floated by Hiro’s side. She would remain non-hostile as she simply confirmed what the other had question. Hiro would follow up on this.

“Yes. I am indeed a human as she has stated. Were you not expecting one to be wandering?” Hiro would ask, his tone was calm and neutral for now as he observed the behavior of the other. He wasn’t too sure what it was that drew the creature to him, but hopefully with it being able to speak, they could perhaps settle things on peaceful terms.

Hiro would remain calm as he listened to the demon. His eyes would drift slightly to the places around them. So…they were indeed empty, but then again... He did just see someone wandering around, did he not? And if that was the case, then maybe this place wasn’t as deserted as the demon thought. Though this wandering thought made Hiro wonder how the other got under the demons' radar. This one had noticed him, but not the other. Strange. In any case, Hiro’s eyes would drift back to the demon as he nodded.

“Hmm, I see. I suppose that is understandable then,” he would say before falling silent as the demon seemed to focus on Aria.


To the other’s question Aria would place a finger on her lip as she thought how to answer that.

“Well…that is kind of long story, but the short answer is, he helped me out in the past, so I decided to help him. From there we became friends as we traveled the roads back home. Not all humans are looking to toast us,” the small demon would say as she let her hand drop back to her side. She would study the other demon with a curious expression. He didn’t seem so bad. Maybe he could be a friend too?


Hiro would nod at the words said. “Mmm. I am not here to fight if it can be avoided. I am hunting for information. Maybe you can help?” he would ask remaining humble as always. Sure they may have been different species, but as long as the other didn’t provoke him Hiro saw no reason to attack the other. After all were demons not similar to humans and in turn should be treated with the same form of respect in one fashion or another?

It was unfortunate to say the least that the young man couldn’t convince the demon to come with him. That left him and Aria on their own again, but even so that wasn’t going to stop him from investigating. If he were to get into a fight, he’d simply have to adapt and push through.

Regardless of this, the young man would pay his respects to the demon glad enough for the small amount of information given and for being able to walk away unscathed. Considering that demon was stronger than them, the whole situation could’ve gone all wrong. Looks like Fate wanted him to live today.

So he would live as he moved passed the demon and began to move in the direction he had seen that person disappear. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination or not, but he was curious to find out which was true as more questions roamed through his mind. Why was a person out here if everyone left? Perhaps they were a member of Zack’s gang or something else?

He would push forward slowing his steps only when he came to the spot the person had vanished, he look around the area cautiously for clues of a trap or the person’s where abouts as he moved forward at a cautious pace...

Hunt Mode: Activated:

Blue orbs would look around the area he had stepped into. Empty streets and trash floating about, but no signs of that strange figure that had wandered by. Had he just imagined seeing that person then? He wasn't too sure, but people vanishing into thin air like that didn't exactly sit well with the young man. Thanks to a variety of scenarios that ran through his head.

One: said figure could've been simply sneaky and fast enough to make an escape.
Two: said figure could've hidden and be waiting to ambush him.
Three...and this was just his imagination going out on a limb: said figure was a spirit of a lost soul in the area.
And finally four: He was just so exhausted from all the running about that he had simply begun to imagine things.

Yeah...It was probably the latter of the bunch which in turn would explain the other slip ups or his imagination going wild. Even so, he would keep the note locked in his mind in case it became relevant once more.

Aria, on the other hand, would drift over to the trash that was scattered about the area her small eyes examining what the humans had thrown out. As she was examining the stuff, Hiro would move further in taking note of how the place seemed to be getting more and more destroyed the further into the city one went. The damage wasn’t done by human hands or weaponry either...it was done by the ones above no doubt. It was bothersome to note considering he only had Aria at his side, but even so he had to press on.

He would linger in the area for only a moment before deciding that the only way to do this was to move forward and follow the destruction. So with his senses on high alert, his footsteps would lead him through the narrow pathways and out into the now empty area where the rally and apparently some form of strife had occurred. The damage was high in the area and seemed to mix with the handy work of the demons. Even so he did not find what he was seeking here and so, he pushed onward until his footsteps landed him in a district that despite all the damages to homes and the surrounding areas, it seemed to be holding up quite well.

Being a foreigner to the islands in general, he was unfamiliar with the name of this place or what it represented. Even so the better up keep of the area made him wonder…was this place perhaps defended and that is why it stood better than other places around here? Cautious and curious he would resume his hunts for clues as he looked around the area, not realizing that the place he was in was the home to the male he was looking for. The question was what would happen now that he was here?

Action:

He had come out to the Lumiere District with the intent to investigate for more clues; however, as he began to enter he found his step slowing as he took note of sound. Odd. Wasn’t the island supposedly devoid of people according to the demon he had met? Or was the demon referring to civilians and what he heard perhaps something to do with the man he sought? The event was strange after the silence, but even so he cautiously moved into the new area. As he moved, Aria opted to stay on his shoulder rather than float about as the empty streets of before gave way to a hub of people milling about. From looks alone they could be mistaken for civilians, but there were other things about them that quickly kicked that idea right out of the ball park.

For one they had decided to linger in this place that was clearly hostile and two they seemed to be more like a unit rather than random people milling about. On top of that they gave off an air that suggested if one wasn’t careful this could be trouble.... and yet…

Hiro would step into the area, but for the most part be ignored by the people there. There was one lady in particular that stuck out from the crowd though. It was a lady in black that at first seemed to ignore him like the others and then for whatever reason she focused on him. As she looked over at him, Hiro would briefly meet her gaze before blinking and scanning the area. He didn’t see what he was looking for, but maybe he could get some form of information from the woman….provided he wasn’t attack by those walking about.

Staying alert, he would take his chances and begin to move towards the woman. There was something odd about her, but what he could not put his foot down on it yet.

Action:

His approach was as easy as it could be while being watched by potential hostile folk. Even so he was glad that he didn’t have to worry about strife until he was actually face-to-face with the woman that had caught his eye to begin with. As he approached he took note of her expression – a far off gaze like she wasn’t really there to begin with. It was a disturbing look that caused many questions to pop in his head; however, when she spoke he pushed them aside as he focused on her words.

“My name probably hardly matters in this case, but I’ll give it nonetheless. It’s Hiro. As for why I am here,” he would pause as his eyes glanced around the area. “I suppose you can say I came searching for the truth and after coming so far I cannot just leave.” he would say as his eyes turned back to the woman. “Maybe you can aid me to help quicken the process of me getting out of your hair.” He would finish giving her a slight smile.

A smile that would soon crumple as his calm behavior would shift into concern as the other seemed to go into a bought of pain and what little light that was left in her eyes seemed to be snuffed out. His brows would furrow a bit at this as he watched her.

“Are you okay?” he would ask, his voice hesitant as he kept an eye on the woman. What was going on here?

Meanwhile, Aria would remain quiet on his shoulder as she simply observed the woman and the situation around them.