trans_9 | Purifying a Miasma... Maybe.

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Purifying a Miasma... Maybe.

It was a long, thoughtful walk to the Shrine. The odd, high-pitched whine of something Wrong had faded just as soon as she'd entered Religion Row, and Miku spent the rest of her time rubbing her ears to remove the tickle. It was hard to explain to other people the exact feelings that came with her ability.

But Cargn... understood. To a point, she supposed (considering, of course, that he didn't have eyes and hers were still very much attached). But even that point was much more than someone who had never experienced that plummet of heart and stomach, the loss of color from the world, or the shrill, lingering whine of getting closer and closer to something that shouldn't have been there in the first place. Miku sighed as she entered the Shrine of the Aquila and started looking for her sensei, and his little, strange helper.

"Viginti-san? Cargn-sensei? I'm here," Miku called, and her voice echoed oddly in the Shrine. No, she was never going to get used to how creepy that was.

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After getting Superboy's comm ring message, Kazami hurries down to the crowd after asking Stacy for directions to their location. He's dressed, he hadn't planned on doing much that night.

Lucky him.

"Kazami Shiro." He introduces himself shortly as he examines the trio. Superboy and Steve, he'd heard mention about a few times. Maybe brushed by them in the halls, he didn't really remember. "Hinasaki-san. I'm glad to see you're alright." Superboy gets a lingering, bemused look. I'd put a shirt on if I were him. Nothing to really be done for it now, though. "I'm with Security now. I'll take your statements, and then report in to figure out how to go about investigating on the next steps." It was, after all, his first investigation where he wasn't out to kill the killer himself.

He glances over to Superboy. "Please don't mention the suspect's name on the comms, if you know it. I'm not sure how secure they are. Now... Hinasaki-san, do you feel up to telling me what happened?"

Wanda wasn't far behind. She wasn't just on security, she was on the council. This was something she needed to be there for. "Sorry. I came as soon as I was able." She took several steps over toward Miku. She unfastened her cape and held it out for her. "Here. If this ghost was anything like the ones in my world, I think you may want this."

Miku looked between the two and shook her head a little, "She's gone now - for good. I'll be okay after I rest." Well, probably, she looked a little unsure about that. This would probably be a bad time to go looking for hundred year old water, after all.

"I... heard someone screaming. It woke me up, and I followed it, for some reason." It was hard to explain the pull of a spirit. "It led me down to a place in the city... and... I... I think I could get back there again. It smelled like old blood. But she was there."

She smiled, weakly, "I screamed when she touched me. I forgot how much it hurt, and then after... I ran. After that, he," she nodded at Superboy, "picked me up and Steve brought me my Camera." Miku looked at the innocuous item. "Her pictures will be on it, so you'll be able to see them... she looked horrible, though. So horrible. I can give you the film, but not the Camera."

He knew almost nothing about ghosts or the people involved with the so-called murder, but Miku felt ice-cold and Steve was determined to make sure she didn't faint or slump over to sleep. He slipped his shoulder under her arm to keep her supported.

"I just came when I heard her screaming," he said. "She fought off the thing with her camera, just like she said."

"Same story here."

Kon tapped his ear. "Super-hearing. After hearing Miku scream on my ring, I tracked her down. She was running from something I couldn't see, and I got some distance between her and it, and got her to the hub where Steve showed up with the camera. When he got her the camera, we saw the ghost in the flashes. Dead ringer for the girl who got Punishment, least as far as I could tell. Didn't hear what Miku heard, though, just saw flashes of her."

Edited 2010-12-09 06:33 (UTC)

He nods, taking mental notes of everything they said. Most of what Kon and Steve had to add weren't good for much, but Kon's story kept backing things up. "Burnside, correct? Did you see the... ghost in the flashes as well?"

Kazami takes a moment to look around and listen. He may not be able to match Kon in the sense department, but he's still a remodeled human. No one else was around that he could spot. "I'm afraid that I'm going to have to ask you to take me back there, Hinasaki-san. I need to see the area as quickly as possible. But first, just in case, could you please tell me what exactly she said?"

He peers over at Wanda, as if trying to judge whether or not she should come. Yes, Miku might need a woman to support her after this.

Miku frowned slightly at Kazami before closing her eyes to think of everything she'd said. "From the beginning? Ah... 'No, no please. Someone, help me! I don't want to die...' It went on like that until I found her. Then it was, 'He fucking killed me.'" She looked up at them through her bangs, clearly finding the word "fucking" distasteful.

"Then she just screamed and cursed at me. By the time I was able to get a charged shot on her, and she was exorcised, she apologized and told me it was someone named Iron Lad? Nathaniel Richards. That he tortured her to death. They always apologize at the end..." Boy, Miku felt worn out. And cold. At least Steve was warm, and as soon as he got back to sleep, the better, wouldn't it? Then she could sleep soon.

Wanda handed her cape to Steve and gave him a look. Hopefully he would understand that it meant "you put this around her, I don't want to upset her."

And then she heard the name "Iron Lad" and "Nathaniel Richards" and she swore she could feel her heart fall into her stomach.

"Nathaniel Richards? Are you sure?" She asked gently but insistently.

"I'm sure. It's a weird name, isn't it?" Well, American. That was weird enough for Miku.

Steve took the cape from Wanda and gave her a minute nod, wrapping it around Miku's shoulders before replacing his arm there. "I saw the woman in the camera flash too, yeah."

"Ghost's gone, danger's over, and that's everything I know. I know to keep my mouth shut while you're working the case, and if you need testimony later on the seeing the ghost part, just give me a buzz. Is there anything else you Security guys need from me?"

He scratched at his chest.

"'Cause if not, I'm going back to bed, and if so, I should maybe, I don't know, grab a shirt."

Not that he was uncomfortable shirtless or anything, but this wasn't exactly Hawaii.

He nods, giving Wanda a flash of irritation as she asks for confirmation. She knows him. I'll have to ask about it later, when Miku's not around. "A shirt would be a good idea, Superboy." He considers for a moment, then nods. "I don't need you anymore tonight. We'll call on you tomorrow."

He turns to Miku, Wanda, and Steve. Burnside would stick with Miku, they were a couple after all. Miku had admitted as much, and his actions now just confirmed it. Wanda... Well, he'd already decided to let her stay. "Hinasaki-san, I'm sorry. But you're going to have to lead me to the area where you first smelled blood and saw the spirit. After that, I want you to go to your room and get some rest, you'll have to come in and be questioned tomorrow." And he'd rather she was fresh for that.

If he saw that the area was obviously a torture/murder scene, he would arrest this Nathan Richards and hold him for questioning. If it looked like a false alarm... No, Miku had honest eyes. And she was genuinely frightened. If that wasn't enough, two people, one of whom might not even know her, had backed up her story. Something had killed Big Zero. Feels like I'm in a detective drama now.

Miku nodded slowly, "I understand." Not that she necessarily wanted to at that moment, when the siren call of being warm and repairing her soul while sleeping was much more preferable. She turned to Steve, and spoke quietly, "Are you sure you'll be fine? Where are your crutches?"

Hey, look who remembered how badly injured their boyfriend had been previously!

"Why wouldn't I be fine? I-" Oh yeah, crutches. The ones he was supposed to be using to prevent the way his whole body was aching after all that running.

"It's okay," he assured her. "I can just... go slowly."

Wanda would have suggested that Steve could leave, but she doubted that either one of the couple would take that well. Miku could certainly use the support.

"I can run and get them if you'd like." She offered.

Kon flipped off a casual little salute.

"Good luck getting to the bottom of this."

He was glad to leave. Mysteries weren't really his thing; that was more Robin's territory, and he had the feeling this was only going to get messier.

Also if there was any more supernatural funny business, he couldn't punch ghosts.

There was a swoosh of air, and just like that, he was gone.

Sometimes, Miku wished she could punch ghosts, Kon. That would make the whole soul-sucking-evil bit of her life easier. Still, Miku's muddled mind reminded her to thank him thoroughly when she got the chance.

Or maybe when they had better supplies.

Or something.

With a little sigh, she gave Steve a long look (he was so going to get it when they got back to sleep), "It will be fine. He can lean on me, I don't mind it." Steve was much heavier, she knew, even if he didn't put all of his weight on her.

He doesn't reply to Kon, as soon as he leaves he's no longer a concern until they need to question him tomorrow.

Kazami nods after Miku offers to let Steve lean on her. That was good enough for him. "Let's go. The sooner we get there, the sooner the three of you can go get some rest." He fully intends to investigate the area, and possibly make an arrest, by himself.

"I'm okay," Steve insisted, doing his best to make her lean on him instead. "I'm not the one who just got attacked by a damn ghost."

Boy, was he going to be feeling that in a few hours.

Wanda folded her arms over her chest. "The three of us? Mr. Shiro, I am both a member of Security and the Council. I don't expect I will be getting any more sleep tonight than you. Now, let's go."

While that was perfectly reasonable to Miku - she'd been hurt, Steve was hurt, and the Councilwoman was ~~a woman~~ less likely to have a vested interest in the investigation until it was brought to the council - it clearly wasn't going to gel with Wanda. Ah, how strange.

Miku rested her head on Steve, "Shall we get going?" She started to walk towards the city in her bare feet. "It might take a little while; I don't remember exactly how I got there," she warned.

Now he frowns openly at Wanda. "With all due respect Councilwoman, we are not acquainted enough for you to be using my given name." He turns to follow Miku, continuing to talk as he walked. Normally, he'd be more polite, but Wanda was jumping right on his nerves. "If you insist on staying, I can't stop you. But a woman of your constitution doesn't need to be seeing a scene like that."

Then again, the shock might do her attitude some good.

Wanda kept walking. "A woman of my constitution? Mr- Shiro, then? I have been in battle more times than I can count. I am an Avenger. And yes, I am a woman. If you want to question my constitution I suggest you do it where Stacy is not looking so I may show you just what the Scarlet Witch can do."

Edited 2010-12-16 23:17 (UTC)

"Will both of you blow it out your asses? Can we focus on Miku and the ghost and not on Mr. Women's Lib and his hang-ups?"

The pain of the run had just hit Steve, it seemed, though he was doing his very best not to let it show.

Miku winced at Steve's language, and sighed at the three of them.

She was silent as she second-guessed her way through the City, their pace slow due to her bruised feet and Steve's sore bones. But eventually, deep into the winding streets, she stopped before the building.

"...I... I don't want to go in again. Must I?"

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His mun certainly didn't. ._.

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