what it all comes down to [closed]

[papartner]

Who: Kazuki Kurusu (papartner) & Rei Suwa (dadinside)
Which: Closed log
Where: Wherever a cat goes, Reverein
What: Tackling dream board quest 1005!
Warnings: Shouldn't be, will be edited if needed!



[ It's been a busy few weeks. Fortunately, busy is kind of the way Kazuki likes it. After being brought here, dream or not, he's been getting more than a little restless. Walks around town only do so much, and they don't need money, so... so what is he supposed to do? He knows he should try to get a job or something, but working for someone in a normal business is not exactly his style...

So the dream board it is! Most of the time, the jobs were pretty straightforward, and would get him a little of this and that to barter, or something he could use himself, or whatever. But this month he didn't wanna work on anything alone. So getting Rei's buy-in would be important. Which made the decision of which job to take pretty simple, actually...

Well, "simple" is a relative term. Kazuki did have to half-drag him out of the treehouse, but "we're going out looking for someone's cat" had made him a little more amenable to the idea. That said, there might be a bit more to it. After talking to the lady, she said something about a ghost, which did make the hairs on his neck stand up... but y'know, this is for a good cause...

Unfortunately this is how they find themselves in the edge of town after tracking the cat down to this location. It's an old house of some kind, though outside is a weird hedge maze, already decorated for Halloween (not even the kind of Halloween Kazuki likes...) ]

Sure hope this lady makes this worth our while once we get this cat back. This place is huge.

Comments

[dadinside]

[Why is he still insisting that? But Rei doesn't argue, he lets Kazuki poke his head in and call out, if that makes this all feel a little less like home invasion.

And when his partner's voice is met with nothing but an eerie silence, Rei slides around him and steps inside, gun held at the ready, as he aims in either direction.

The inside of the house looks to be just as worn and rotted as the outside. It's two floors, with a open floor entranceway. To either side of them are doors, and directly ahead are a set of double stairs leading to the second floor. Which looks sturdy enough from here.

The only sound that does greet them as they cross the threshold inside are the sounds of metal objects hitting the floor to their right behind one of the closed doors. Like pots and pans. A kitchen, perhaps?]

There.

[Rei indicates, motioning with a nod towards the direction of the noise.]

[papartner]

[ Ignore the slight jump Kazuki made when those metal objects had hit the floor. At least he'd managed not to shriek. It's... not good in here, Kazuki will admit. It doesn't look particularly lived in but he swears he saw a light upstairs so it's not empty. It was a candle, candles don't stay lit forever, so it can't be empty. Logic.

He takes a moment to gather himself before glancing at Rei and following him toward the noise. With no small amount of caution. Could just have been an animal disturbing some pots and pans. (Could also be a ghost with chains hitting the floor. (Kazuki, ghosts aren't real - yeah, he would have thought so before getting here, but not any more...))

But just in case it's an actual person -]

Sorry to come in without warning, but we noticed your door open!

[ also, may scare away any rats, mice or "other", hopefully. ]

[dadinside]

[Rei carefully edges the old swinging door open, slipping inside and doing a quick sweep. It's a fairly large room, completely in shambles, with rotting wood furniture and stained wallpaper. There's a long dining table at the entrance, and to the left is a kitchen, though it looks more like a cooking station. It's not a setup he's ever seen, but he listens carefully, looking around the room and checking behind the weird bar area/counter into the kitchen. Nothing.

But he does find the pots and pans on the floor, namely a pot with spoiled food leaking out of it. The smell is unbearable.]

Doubt anyone was eating that.

[Does Kazuki still think someone's here?]

[papartner]

[ Rei's kitchen was better than this. But only by a small margin. Okay, not as smelly, for sure, but, uh. ]

You're one to talk...

[ Said half under his breath. There are things he won't ever forget.
Anyway. No, it's getting harder and harder to believe, and his voice betrays that thought as he answers halfheartedly. ]

Maybe they're asleep.

[ The way the floor creaks under their feet just continues to show how old and uncared for the house is... ]

[dadinside]

[He heard the mumbling, but doesn't pay it any mind. Not like he was eating spoiled food, he just wasn't picking up after himself. It's no secret that Rei is terrible at keeping things clean. Or doing anything that isn't playing video games and ordering shit from Rakuzon.

If it weren't for Kazuki, he'd be a lot worse off. Easily.

The eerie silence filters in, along with the sound of creaking walls when the wind blows a little too hard.]

Or dead.

[He says so nonchalantly as he walks back towards the dining room. This room is clear.]

[papartner]

Dead people don't need lights.

[ He knows he saw a light. He is going to cling to this light thing as long as he can. This place is weird. Ghosts could exist. Kazuki does not want. So, with that thought, he's fine if Rei keeps leading the charge, Kazuki glancing back at the kitchen warily before following behind him. ]

Do you not believe that I saw a light??

[dadinside]

[Let it go, man.]

Uh. I believe you think you saw a light. [he's gonna say it.] Probably a ghost, then.

[As if on cue, a slamming door can be heard nearby, somewhere out in the main entrance, followed by the sound of faint running footsteps and giggling.]

[papartner]

[ Kazuki jumps at that slamming door, edging closer to Rei as he does. The noise he makes isn't a shriek but it's like a choked gasp and isn't very dignified, or, you know, brave. ]

Ghosts aren't real!

[ he says to himself more than anyone else, despite knowing that it could be real (and knowing that it could be real makes this so much worse!!) He can feel the hairs standing up on the back of his neck. The glances behind him get a little more furtive, fingers curling into worried fists, nails pressing into the palms of his hands. ]

[dadinside]

[Rei barely looks startled, however he's staring sharply at the door. Whatever ran into the next room is staying in there, it seems.

About the whole ghost thing, though...]

They're real here.

[Completely ignoring Kazuki's frazzled state. He's seen a ghost before not long after they arrived in this world. With Susato. It needed it's picture taken in order to defeat it. Like that game, Lethal Frame.

Anyway, after dropping that helpful bit of info, Rei starts for the door.]

[papartner]

[ conveniently, Kazuki has forgotten about that whole ghost thing, mostly because it was ridiculous, but still, shut up, Rei. Not helping. In fact - ]

You're not helping!

[ Kazuki gets even closer to his partner though. He's just screwing with him, Kazuki repeats to himself, hearing everything bad in the faint footsteps they're leaving behind them. ]

[dadinside]

[Not helping? He's just trying to prepare his partner by laying out the facts. Guess Kazuki doesn't like ghosts???

Hm.]

Gonna check out where the noise came from. Do you want to wait here?

[Sounds like whatever was running had gone into the room next door.]

[papartner]

[ Kazuki doesn't like either of these options. Stay and be alone (and an easy target??) or go, and potentially walk right into something... The slight edge of panic is flickering in his eyes as he weighs the benefits of either one. (lol j/k there are no benefits to either one.) ]

I-- I'm coming with you, of course!

[ they're partners! Rei can't possibly handle this on his own, right?? Or so he wants to tell himself. Kazuki, you are the most uncool papa... ]

[dadinside]

[It occurs to him that Kazuki really needs to properly arm himself somehow. While Rei only bothered learning about dreamotion since there are no bullets here for his gun, it was mostly to keep Kazuki safe. Realistically, he can't always do that and sometimes could use the backup.

Now, though, it's probably not necessary. Except it might've helped to calm his partner's nerves a little.]

Stay behind me.

[He says before quietly making his way towards the door. Maybe they can sneak up on whatever made the noise.

Assuming it's not a ghost.]

[papartner]

[ Kazuki knows he needs to be properly armed. He's been keeping that in mind but he still hasn't quite figured out the whole... using magic thing. Or in Rei's case, the whole using magic to make bullets to shoot with. It's still something he hasn't wrapped his brain around, give the guy a break. But it's true that normal bullets and knives aren't going to do shit against anything - doesn't mean he doesn't have them tucked away somewhere.

He is resisting the urge to grab his pistol for some kind of reassurance. Hell, he's trying to resist the urge to grab onto Rei for some kind of reassurance, staying behind him as best he can but only keeping the minimum distance between them to be respectable. That said, his hand is half outstretched between them. ]

Yeah, yeah.

[ half mumbled, Kazuki closing the door behind them carefully and continuing to glance around them as they walk. He is twitching every time he thinks he sees something moving. ]

[dadinside]

[No idea what lies in the room next door, only that it's several feet away and towards the back of the old house. Both the kitchen and dining area had been huge, so whatever room is back here appears to be small.

Daylight is quickly running out and the house isn't going to remain lit for much longer, so they'll have to do something about a source of light at some point...

Quietly walking up to the door, Rei takes position on one side of the door, by the handle, leaving Kazuki on the other side. He can hear the faint sound of running water...

A bathroom, then?

But no other noise beyond that.

Rei looks at Kazuki and nods, an indication that he should prepare himself because he's about to open the door, his gun at the ready.]

[papartner]

[ he doesn't know if water is a good sign. Like, don't ghosts travel back in water? But you also put water around to keep away evil spirits or something right? Fuck, like he knows. You don't get these lessons when you grow up like he did - besides, GHOSTS AREN'T REAL. But the uncertainty only makes him more anxious.

Hands fall to his sides, though they curl into fists. Totally not fear, just for ghost punching. Kazuki nods back at Rei, steeling himself for the door to move. ]

[dadinside]

[Ready? Ready.

After a second longer, Rei swiftly kicks open the door, taking aim at whatever is inside--

Except the only thing that greets them is an empty bathroom completely covered in a viscous red liquid.

The running water is not even water at all, as it's the same red substance pouring out of the sink, which is filled and now spilling over onto the blood-soaked tile. Inside the tub are red splatters, and on the walls there's more of the same, with places where the blood is dripping down. Though congealed in some spots, it is obviously fresh.

...On the mirror is a bloody message that reads:

YOU'RE NEXT

Once again there's no visible reaction from Rei, his eyes scanning the small bathroom as he takes a step inside.]

Not completely abandoned, I guess.

[papartner]

[ Meanwhile, behind Rei, there's this high pitched whine coming from somewhere (someone) and something (someone) suddenly grabs the back of Rei's coat. The whine doesn't stop, Kazuki filled with an impenetrable sense of doom at the sight of this much blood, and the ominous message on the mirror. ]

You'd have to be crazy to live here!

[ Dealing with crime scenes (theirs) is one thing, they have never left anything like this. Maybe if he wasn't already on edge, he wouldn't be having such a reaction, but... ]

And what do they mean, "you're next?!"

[ He would bury his face against Rei's back but he's too paranoid that something might sneak up behind them and-- ]

[dadinside]

[Hmm. Something seems... weird. Also he's totally aware of Kazuki clinging to him.]

Probably that we're next--

[Rei begins to state the obvious just as the rickety air vent above them falls from the ceiling, causing Rei to aim his gun upward as it lands on the floor with a loud clatter.

Then a pile of bones fall from the open space and land directly behind Kazuki.]

[papartner]

[ the high pitched whine turns into a high pitched screech at the sudden clattering of the air vent on the floor, and then the bones - Kazuki's fear factor has officially hit its limit. The room is coming for them and he can't handle it. He practically leaps at Rei, flinging his arms around his partner's body. Tears of fright are in the corners of his eyes and that may not be the only thing that's wet.

The wordless screech turns into him whining Rei's name, followed by: ]

We're gonna die, we're gonna die, we're gonna die!!

[dadinside]

[Though he isn't scared, his adrenaline is pumping, and he lowers his gun when he sees that it's only bones.

Kazuki, on the other hand, is fully clinging to him and scared enough for the both of them. He's also tightly wrapped his arms around his waist and is squeezing with such ferocity that Rei might faint.]

Calm down...

[Rei grinds out between grunts, making no real movement to pry his trembling partner from his body.

Now, he's seen his fair share of horrors as an assassin. He's been on missions with others that have done unsavoury jobs he wouldn't. He knows what bones look like. And the ones on the floor? They don't look right...]

They're plastic.

[Quite possibly the most mystifying of all is how a guy like Kazuki gets this wound up when he's seen death for most his life. Then again... this is Kazuki.]

[papartner]

[ real or not, Kazuki is squeezing the hell out of Rei's middle, his face pressed against his stomach as he clings for what he thinks might be dear life. Ignore that there's this blood on his pants now, Kazuki doesn't care. It's not about the bones, it's about being frightened and surprised by them - but he's in no position, physical or mental, to explain that to Rei right now. ]

But what if they weren't?! What if it's a trap so that the ghost'll murder us himself?!

[ sob sob sob!! ]

[dadinside]

[Bet Miri wouldn't even be clinging to him like this. He just lets the man be for a moment until he can properly collect himself.

For now he simply addresses the whimpering blond's concern.]

No one's dead.

[papartner]

A ghost is dead, Rei!!

[ and Kazuki is now definitely convinced there's one here. ]

It's like you said, no one is here. Except that!! Who else would drop the fan and the bones and paint the room red with blood--!!

[dadinside]

[Time for some hard truths. Rei stares down at the other man and his apparent lack of knowledge about ghosts.]

Ghosts can't die, they're already dead. And this isn't blood...

[This didn't look right to him the second he walked in. He knows blood. And this? It's pretty damn convincing, but it's not blood. Plus the air smells sickly sweet...

That's when he does something that might disturb Kazuki, and dips his finger into the sink before bringing the "blood" to his lips.

...

Just as he thought.]

Tastes like strawberry.