IC INBOX: SG

[scythersergeant]

_hello! You have reached Shinoa's contract. This shit can't be taken out of my house so I'll respond when I next return! Calls will be recorded, please leave your message after the beep. Or just send a text message! That might be easier.

BEEP_

[Shinoa can be privately contracted through TEXT MESSAGE / CALLS to a cell phone she has in her house. Her number is listed under her details on the bulletin board, and on a piece of paper taped to her mailbox.

PACKAGES and WRITTEN LETTERS can also be delivered to her mailbox.]

Comments

[soulflash]

[ Well, a lot of things have happened. Like, y'know, dying. It was both a new experience, and a rather familiar feeling, for someone like Lilith. And maybe, just maybe, there were further experiences that involved Lilith smashing her phone against the wall thanks to the same red hooded demon her allowed her to experience such fun things... like having your body riddled with bullets! Wow!

That's why Shinoa's receiving a text from an unfamiliar number, but a rather familiar texting style. There's also a selfie thrown in there; look, a double peace sign and a freakishly wide smile! How did she even take that picture? ]

shinoooaaa~! sry i missed work!!! i got bit by a naughty bug and was puking my guts up >w<;; u busy? i need some help with something...

[ wow its almost like she's trying to cover up the fact that she died ]

[scythersergeant]

[Sorry Lilith, Shinoa kind of saw you die]

lil-chan!!!! are u ok?? i saw the thing in the dungeon aft idk what it was happened between u n bonnie, was it bonnie? if it was Bonnie, etna helped u take revenge

what do u need help with? i'll come over asap are u in ur house

1/2

[soulflash]

[ ......................................... ]

2/3 i lied

[soulflash]

[ GIVE HER A MOMENT AS SHE LIKE, SCREAMS IN FRUSTRATION AND THROWS A TANTRUM AND TRIES REALLY HARD NOT TO BREAK THIS PHONE, TOO. ]

[soulflash]

WHAT. THE. HELL.

[ what???????? HOW DID SHINOA KNOW??? WHY DID SHE KNOW??? WHAT WAS THIS ABOUT REVENGE??? UGH SHE JUST WANTED TO PLOT MURDER IN PEACE. ]

if that piece of shit was charging admission to see me i better get a cut of the profits

[scythersergeant]

[Uh-oh she sounds angry]

uh no one charged me anything

as in, i was under the school n i heard gunshots n etna n bon were there. then we fought n maybe also died, some of us

uh, aside from the obvious fuckups did any of us fuck up more than we realized, i just assumed bon offed u...... so we..... stabbed her (well etna did most of it)

[soulflash]

[ She's more so just annoyed that other people got involved!!! People she liked!!! Shinoa!!! Gosh!!! ]

you stabbed her?! without me?! youre so cruel shinoa...

[scythersergeant]

sorry!!! :(

etna did most of it actually, i thought since we did it you wouldn't have to

[soulflash]

but i want to

[ You know all that hard work that you and Madoka put in, Shinoa? Convincing Lilith to play nice with Bonnie so she isn't constantly seconds away from trying to murder her? Well... Being shot in cold blood might've ruined that. ]

[scythersergeant]

[Shinoa understands.

And she's not sure mentioning the casualties in the fight against Bonnie is a good idea anymore......]

it's dangerous, it really is :ooo when we tried it wasn't fun

[soulflash]

[ Far from a good idea... It was one thing for Lilith to die, especially with the knowledge now that she'd just come back. A minor inconvenience, maybe a bit painful, but nothing she couldn't handle. The last thing she wanted though, was for other people to get caught up in their spats, and suffer as a result of it. ]

thats ok! i dont mind dangerous

[scythersergeant]

[Well you see, Shinoa feels the same about other people (specifically her friends) suffering. Another fight between Lilith and Bonnie is one of the last things she wants.

The Incident with Madoka is fresh on her mind, and the wound Bonnie had delivered- specifically the metaphorical one, the leader is at fault for the deaths of their team one- makes the prospect of losing allies an unpleasant one.]

i mind!!! dying isn't gd for morale n we'd all get angry at each other

[soulflash]

[ No!!!! Only Lilith can think like that!!! It doesn't work if everyone tries it!!! ]

good. the more people angry at her th ebetter

[ And then, a few moments later... ]

did she hurt you.

1/2

[scythersergeant]

[NO!!!! It doesn't work like that!!!!

Also uh. About the uh. Dying thing.]

no

2/2

[scythersergeant]

....t rly no

also madoka-chan will be mad if there's another fight! it's a bad idea

[soulflash]

if yr lying ill rip her throat out

[ Not Madoka's, of course. She's pretending that second part doesn't exist right now, because the last thing she wants to think about is how disappointed Madoka would be in her. ]

[scythersergeant]

no!! THINK OF MADOKA!!

do u wanna move into the cafe mayb the locals there r wiling to loan out rooms above the cafe. u'd be farther away from bonnie

[soulflash]

[ There's a lengthy pause between Shinoa's text and this one ]

i know... but i cant let her hurt more people

this home is safer, i think. she cant get in unless i want her to

[scythersergeant]

ok

but she'll come back even if u kill her right...

[soulflash]

yea but maybe if i kill her enough she'll give up and die for good

text

[dokkans]

[ Good morning, Shinoa. She'll be receiving a text from a very familiar number, the last text something about wanting to kill Chara or something? ]

need to talk

Re: text

[scythersergeant]

[UM,

There'll be a delay before a reply comes.]

abt what?

Re: text

[dokkans]

[ Too bad, the reply isn't delayed. ]

you know what. we have work to do.

Re: text

[scythersergeant]

[Not Lilith, right. Shinoa doesn't want a part of work against Lilith... as much as she doesn't want a part of work against Bonnie, to be fair?]

u mean the town?

yea we never did do that training camp we wanted. u wanna discuss things somewhere?

[dokkans]

luxury lodge

no weapons. i'll bring the info i have. if we want the rest of them to be ready then we have to work hard.

[scythersergeant]

k

[You'll be able to find Shinoa milling outside the Lodge, transformed but unarmed.]

[dokkans]

[ And she arrives, still dressed in her different outfit, the red hooded coat and skirt still on her. She wasn't ready just yet to commit to anything else. Her expression still indicated that she meant business, but it wasn't as far off and away as it once was.

When she sees Shinoa near the lodge, transformed... she sucks her teeth. ]

Thought so. Give it a rest, I'm not going to fight you.

[scythersergeant]

[She untransforms at the sight of Bonnie's civilian clothes. ]

Shut up.

[Shinoa holds out a notebook; inside are quick notes of what happened in the dungeon- mostly the door riddles, their answers, and a summary of the loot within. There's no info on the game however; she missed most of it exploring the rooms.]

Here's what we got from under the school. It might not be everything, but yeap.

[dokkans]

[ Which is pretty much fine. She seriously doesn't care much about that game, and doesn't figure any details on that would be as useful as actual hard notes. She flips through the notes, fairly quickly.

Looked like it was mostly revolving around Tsukudo-cho as a whole, so it was useful... but not at the moment.

She reaches into her basket, and pulls out her own collected diary entries. The one Kyouko Sakura collected.

The two she collected.

The two that jerk-off near the lake was trying to lord over her.

And the last page she collected on her own. ]

That voice that told you guys to come over here. Did it sound familiar to you at all?

[scythersergeant]

[Shinoa looks through the pages- she could say the same for these, too.]

No. It was a girl, that's all I know.

So.... what now? This town is a bad idea, but the places outside we can go to suck more.

After a while we could call another meeting, but... [haish] I think it's just gonna go in circles again.

[dokkans]

If you want to, be my guest. I'm not doing that anymore.

[ Shinoa was right on one front, anyway. ]

At least we know now. If you get the chance to leave the town, don't. It's worse in every way out there.

[scythersergeant]

[She fidgets. Honestly, she doesn't want to either- she isn't even sure what road they're supposed to be going down, let alone how to lead people down it. Why couldn't things have stuck to just killing Nightmares?]

If we stay in here though, eventually they'll screw us over again like they did with- all that stuff.

[dokkans]

They can try.

[ An unimpressed glance over at Shinoa, arms folded. ]

If your options are to run or to fight back, why the hell would anyone want to run? I'd rather be dead and know that I fought against my enemies than alive and having ran away from it. Whatever you do is up to you.

[soulflash]

[ Surprise text from Shinoa's best bud! ]

It's Lilith. can you meet me at my shop tonight? i have things to discuss with you.

[ Sure enough, Lilith hangs around Splendor Love in hopes that Shinoa will show, door locked shut unless a customer is approaching. They'll be unlocked for Shinoa, of course! ]

[scythersergeant]

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<font family: "courier"> comin!!!</font>

<small>[Shinoa arrives, transformed and flustered. She waves vigorously at the door when she sees Lilith behind it, clearly relieved to see Lilith alive.]</small>

[soulflash]

[ Lilith is quick to usher the other Magi inside, double checking that the door is locked behind them. It was a pathetic attempt at security, really, but the dim sheen of her gem was telling. This building didn't require any effort to remain stable, and her own house had grown incredibly bare since her time back. Rather off putting, for a human. ]

I'm sorry for my absence, dear. It has been... difficult, to sort out my thoughts.

[scythersergeant]

I'm so glad you're alright!!

[Well, depends on your definition of 'alright'.]

I've been asking around town but no one's seen you, not even the natives- did you transfer out? Are you feeling okay? We could go find a Nightmare together if your Gem needs work?

[soulflash]

[ Lilith pinches the bridge of her nose at the deluge of questions. If she had a plan, it all disappeared the moment Shinoa began to talk. No, she didn't transfer. No, she's not okay. No, she doesn't want to fight a Nightmare.

They were obvious answers in her mind, ones that didn't deserve an answer when there were far more important matters at hand. ]

Please, Shinoa...

[ Lilith trails off. Shinoa... was upset? ]

Wait, you... were looking for me?

[scythersergeant]

Uh- yeah? Though I guess it didn't work out- the others were no help at all, after Tsukudo-Cho most of them became shut-ins or something.

[:/

Well, civilians were civilians.]

I tried asking the natives if they saw you, but maybe my poster was a bit inaccurate-

[Shinoa holds up her phone to show Lilith a photo of a 'HAVE YOU SEEN THIS PERSON' poster, drawn by hers truly: the rather... abstract likeness of Lilith features a squiggle of purple hair, what looks like horns, and two shapeless masses behind her labeled 'wings'.

Drawing isn't her strong suit.]

[soulflash]

[ Lilith squints into the phone, focusing on Shinoa's beautiful work of art.

She lied. She said no one cared, and that's why no one ever came. She was nothing but a worthless monster, no matter what she may lead herself to believe. That much... Lilith remembered.

But Shinoa had cared. Shinoa worried over Lilith's absence, she tried to seek her out as best she could, she-- ]

I'm cuter than that.

[ ok then ]

[scythersergeant]

[...]

Yeah, maybe that's why they didn't recognize you. I'm a vampire-hunter, not an artist!

[soulflash]

Ah--I didn't mean...

[ A vampire hunter, though... Shinoa cared, but Shinoa took down monsters. Monsters that would hunt in the shadows and prey upon innocent, unsuspecting humans... Ones that would show no mercy, and fight until their bodies gave out on them. ]

I've... met vampires before? [ It's confusion, as Lilith tries her best to sort out her thoughts. She knows she's distracted, completely sidestepping the major issue at hand and the entire reason she called Shinoa over. ]

N-nevermind! Shinoa. [ Lilith squares her stance, gathers her focus, and stares directly at Shinoa. Her voice is strong, dripping in venom as she continues. ]

Never get involved with that girl again. Please.

[scythersergeant]

Hm? What's wrong?

[By now, Shinoa too has sensed something on edge in Lilith's demeanor.]

I'm sure your vampires aren't the same as mine! Probably- hm?

Which girl?

[Bonnie?]

Did something happen?

Merry Christmas

[cyclicalconcept]

[There's a little box on Shinoa's porch. In it is a bag of candy and a purple Swiss army knife.

The tag says To: Shinoa From: Madoka :)]

text;

[loveedition]

Hey, Hiiragi-san. It's Ryoko.

You don't have to read this or really even reply to this, but I wanted to let you know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have punched you and I shouldn't have taken anything out on you. It wasn't fair.

You're a lot more useful to us than we give you credit for. We've been able to get through a lot with you, and you being around from the start last time would've been great. We probably wouldn't have gone through as much trouble as we did.

There's a lot I agree with you on, based on recent goings-on, and there's a few things I don't agree with you on, but I don't want to dwell on that anymore. You don't have to rejoin us if you don't want to, but we'd really appreciate the help. I know I would.

I'm sorry again. I can't say I'm sorry enough.

[scythersergeant]

[Isn't this what she wanted?

She should be happy, right? Why does she feel so weird?

Well, Ryoko's not her main target. When Kakyoin apologizes, everything will be great again.]

im glad u came arnd! ^.^

not sure abt comin back yet when iirc some people still wld rather i eat a dick n go 2 magical girl hell, but ill think abt it! lololol

theres plenty of places i can help out outside their spittin range anyway. if you need my help anywhere specific rn, lemme kno!

-shinoa ✩ ✩ ✩