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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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?"

If he had any idea of who the Avengers were, he might be a little more impressed. After she openly threatens him, he just shakes his head and starts pointedly ignoring her. Obviously she was overcompensating.

When they arrive, he sniffs the air experimentally. The smell of blood doesn't immediately strike him, even with his enhanced senses. Miku may have been imagining it in the stress of the moment. "No. Go home and get some rest, you'll need some energy for tomorrow." At least he could trust Miku to avoid doing anything inappropriate.

That said, he goes up to the door and gives the knob a little test. If it was locked, he could pick it. Or just yank the knob off and open the door that way.

"I hope you sleep well, Miku." Though Wanda didn't believe she would.

As for the door, it was locked. When Wanda saw Kazami's failed attempt to open it she carefully aimed a hex bolt. And the lock clicked open.

Overcompensating indeed.

He gives her a dry look, but nods. "Thank you." There's no reason to be rude when she did actually save him a bit of time.

Kazami steps into the room, filling the doorway in case there was a trap or anyone was inside. He hadn't heard anyone, but he'd been taken by surprise before. After deciding that the room was safe, he steps in and takes a better look around. His nostrils flare as he takes a step in, a faint smell of old blood filling the room. If he hadn't had a cyborg's sense of smell, he might not have even noticed. The entire place is clean, there's not even disturbed dust in the air from when he opened the door. "It's safe."

He walks to the walls, tapping them to listen for any kind of secret doors. "There's no sign of anyone living here. The entire place is... clean." His tone of voice makes it clear that he seems offended by how clean it is. That, or just suspicious.

Wanda entered cautiously, despite Kazami having given the all clear. It wasn't that she didn't trust him but rather that she and her teammates had been surprised enough times after everything checked out that it seemed foolish not to be at least a little wary.

"Too clean, you mean?" She asked, quickly picking up on his meaning.

He nods. "There's no dust. Even if this place hadn't been used before, you've seen all of the other rooms in Stacy. Especially after the Nightmare King." Dusty. Dirty. In a state of disrepair. "It smells like blood, but I can't say it's recent."

He turns to her with narrowed eyes, hands balling into fists. This person, a boy judging by the 'Iron Lad' moniker, had tortured and killed a girl, not yet a woman. "It's suspicious enough for me to arrest Nathaniel Richards and hold him pending further investigation. Do you object, Councilwoman?" He was already convinced, with this and what Miku had told him. But the others would need more.

Wanda sighed, taking one final look around.

"Agreed. I'll alert the Captain through the comms. I think we should wait until he gives the all clear, or is at the least informed. In the meantime, if you can find any more clues..."

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His mun certainly didn't. ._.

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