The Slums

[MissingMandible]

Clara

This was it...

Clara had failed. She'd failed. She'd failed. Failedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailedfailed!

She wasn't going to be able to detonate in time. Even her last ditch efforts had failed. She was worthless! Worthless to her mistress! Her queen!

Tears welled up in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks as the hand plunged into her skull, destroying her fragile brain held inside. As the hand cut through her like a hot blade through butter, the spell that she'd been gestating inside of her went out of control, blowing out her back. With her own viscera and gore splattered on the rubble behind them, Clara's eyes turned dull as she returned to her lifeless sleep once again, wondering if Eru would revive her once more...

The last thought Mothra read was the girl's memory of a smiling elf's face with a distinctive purple gem embedded in her forehead.

Mothra:

Mothra yanked the hand-scythe free from the corpse's cranium, backing away slowly. The body collapsed to the ground like a ragdoll, pieces of organs spilling out the rather sizable hole in her back. Mothra wasn't a stranger to death, and her hands were certainly not clean, but this was just gruesome!

Mothra vomited. She emptied her stomach contents right in front of the corpse. One hurl, followed by another, and another, until there were only thick strings of spittle hanging from her mouth. This was just like when she witnessed Zilla's death back in her original world...

The girl rubbed her mouth on her sleeve. Deep breaths now, deep breaths to steady her nerves. It was either her or the living bomb, and the living bomb was going to die either way. She did the correct thing. Looking back at the half-blown-out corpse, she still felt that she was responsible for this. Maybe if she just continued to follow instead of forcing a confrontation? Regardless, there was nothing she could do about it now. Steeling herself, Mothra went over the facts that she gleaned fromt his encounter - the face of another woman named Eru, who matched the description of the elf last seen with Joshua. This Eru also has some necromancy powers, or the equivalent thereof, if Clara's last thoughts were anything to go by.

Clara was actually a revived corpse or something similar. Ghoul maybe?

That means that it was good that she died again, right? That she can finally truly rest? Looking back at the other woman's body smashed whatever justification Mothra gained. That was still a terrible way to go...

Mothra approached the body. She rolled it onto it's back, closed the eyes, and straightened out the legs and arms. She can at least have Clara rest in a dignified position...

[YOLF]

Justice

He looked back at his tentative partner for a second, and then said simply, "We talk."

Suerte could feel the shadow of a smirk crawling into his eyes, as he pushed the door open and stepped through. Justice only stopped once he was face to face with the massive man who'd led them to the scene.

"We've gotten a good look at it. Whoever did it really wanted you to see it, and maybe wanted something out of them both. So, what did they know that was so important for more than one party to want them dead?" He rumbled demandingly. "Spit it all out."

[Kotomine_Rin]

The Scene

But who they found wasn't just the giant. Next to him, the same thin pale man accompanied him, giving the two a sour glare before turning sullenly to the other side. Wait, wasn't he hurt just a moment ago? He looked just as fine as when they saw him.

"Nothing. Nothing important. They were mere bodyguards to the boss." The giant shook his head, only for the thin man to continue.

"But the boss is safe. This wasn't about information, it was about hurting the boss. The message. That is why he sees the affront as a personal confrontation, and has seen nobody since."

The giant caught a glimpse however, a glimpse of the scene from the open door. And one could see his hand clenching and shaking... its glare directed at the woman.

[yinsukin]

Suerte

Suerte simply stood next to Justice, silently enjoying his tough guy act.  There was always something cute about when guys put it on, but Justice's was far more convincing.  The experience was clear in the sharpness of his voice. And that smirk.  He was having fun, always a sexy thing to see.

"Well he be-"

She froze, turning around to see the giant man, glaring at her, like he wanted to throttle her.  The cowgirl could feel her heart sink.  Such a violent, angry glare from such a big strong violent man.... It was.... probably best to pretend to be scared or something.  After staring back at him for a few seconds, she squeeled and hid behind Justice, poking her head up over his shoulders to get a good look at him. 

Thats not cheating right?  Probably not.

[YOLF]

Justice

He stood as still as a stone in front of Suerte, but his own glare smoldered, crackling like coal for a moment at the burly man's eyes.

"Then why did they try to choke themselves? Or why did someone want to make it look that way, and how does it connect? Ring any bells?" He spoke harshly, as he adjusted the brim of his hat. "If he could do this to the bodyguards, then he could have done worse to the boss. So he wanted something else out of it." Or she. It was pointless to speculate just yet.

Justice looked between the giant and the suspicious janitor.

"It's pointless to send a message if your receiver doesn't understand your intentions. Hence, your boss must know something that can point us at the culprit."

[yinsukin]

Suerte

Suerte couldn't help but notice her heart skipping a beat.  A manly standoff!  He's being protective!  It was good, very good.  "W-wait Justice... are you sure they aren't talking about me?  I think they think I did it..."

After she spoke, she shrunk down, taking cover behind Justice's back.

[Kotomine_Rin]

At the Scene

"If we had such information, would we have even involved you? A mere outside commoner who knows nothing? Don't make me laugh." The thin man spat his venom at the two, clearly disgusted that the woman so much as touched the floors of one of their headquarters. He was just about to say something, when a roar cut through it all.

"Enough!"

The thin man stopped, for a second he looked aghast.

"Self inflicted? Are you saying it was a suicide? My brother would never do something so craven. Do you hear me!?" He took grave steps towards Justice, his hands barely containing the pain. The rage. "He would've never... he couldn't have... left me all alone..." He muttered more softly.

The thin man sighed. "You see? You won't get much else pressing us here. I appreciate the insistence, but all you're doing right now is salting the wound. But... fine. If you want to know more, meet me at my office. Room 0210."

And with that, the thin man left, while the giant just glared at Justice, still and quiet as a statue.

[YOLF]

Justice

Of course the Rider and his impromptu partner were out of place, and they didn't belong. They were just outsiders amusing their own sense of justice by helping to clear an uneasy omen. No one would apologize for them digging up hatchets. But if this was so dissatisfactory, they wouldn't be happy with any result short of a miracle.

Justice shook his head heavily. Feelings could make sense, but didn't need to be right.

"Let's go," he told Suerte. And he began to walk towards the aforementioned room, casting an undecipherable stare at the giant, before leaving him with a thought. "No one who truly wanted to abandon this world would do it like that."

[yinsukin]

Suerte

Suerte blinked as she stared back at the thin man, once again poking over his back.  His brother?  I suppose they do look alike...  Still, there was something undeniably sad about that, being left all alone.  Some people choose the life of a cowboy, one who rides alone with nothing but the silent companions of trusty stead and fine silver.  But some, like her, were thrust in the role.  Still, at least she could say someone robbed her of that experience.  To think someone might have chosen to leave.

As Justice walked out, Suerte stayed and for the first time since coming here, she sported a grave frown.  "We will find the real reason.  I promise."  She took the hat off of her head and placed it over her chest.  "Your brother... he won't be forgotten."

Placing the hat on her head, she turned her back to the man.  The wood claped under the weight of her steps as she descended into the darkness with her partner.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Above the Scene of the crime, Mysterious building - Top Floor

7:30 PM Nexus Time

The two outsiders found themselves at the top floor of the building. Despite the district, their architecture of this structure had all the makings of a truly wealthy business building. And now, from the top of this palace, they could see all of it from above, safe inside the walls of a castle of glass. There were no real walls, that is, naught but windows revealing the beautiful dark skies of the Nexus, and the night life below.

There was a table, with food and drink elegantly posed for the taking, as well as piles of money and gold just sitting there for the taking. Just at the edge of the room, by the entrance, both the slim businessman and the giant were kneeling down in attention, staring at the ground with a fist to the floor. But their attention solely at the table, or rather, at that something sitting on it.

Because in this room, there were more than 4 people.

"We must... thank you for lending us of your time. I can assure you, you will be well rewarded for this service." A grave, automated voice came from the laptop sitting on the table. It was none other than the Boss, speaking directly through a private channel. "And I do apologize for the rude welcome. Have no fear, you two are more than welcome guests. You are friends. Therefore, as friends, we shall trust eachother, and leave all secrets buried to rest."

The businessman's skin somehow turned paler, and he tried to look away, gritting his teeth in humiliation and fear. However, he knew better. They knew better. Because they were all being watched closely.

"The reasons or context behind the attack are still a mystery to us, I am afraid we cannot divulge information that we lack. However, we may ask any other question. Please, do as you may. Who we are, where you are, and our activities. Those will surely be relevant in your investigation."

[YOLF]

Justice

The Rider couldn't care less about gold and jewels, and he suspected the other side assumed as much. But as posturing, or a means to entice, just in case, well, thinking beings were greedy by nature, and it was a liberty that they evidently could have the luxury of enjoying.

Justice pulled up one of the chairs and sat down with a hum. "Two things," he began. "What do you do, and what do you reckon the message meant for you was?"

[yinsukin]

Suerte

"YEAH!" she yelled, slamming her hand onto a conference table.  She paused, stared at Justice, then shrunk back.  "W-was that too intense?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

At the scene

"..."

For a moment, there was pure, utter silence. The giant's glare was, for a moment, piercing, while the thin man was visibly sweating. Only the computer's voice eased the tension.

"We are CHEIRON. You might have learned of that name, or our former as CHEIRON Pharmaceuticals. Or at the very least, Soporil, the product that had boosted us into our monopoly of the drug market. A simple miracle cream, that could turn men into invincible, undying immortals."

"But when conflicts arose over its source... the previous leader had to step down. It was quite unfortunate, if somewhat amusing. I could never stand that man."

The one way to manufacture Soporil was with a rare fluid that was exclusively found inside the cornea of Elven kin. Because of its thin amount per individual... no, perhaps it was best to not even think of such things. But only a select few knew of the truth about Soporil, and even fewer still lived. Officialy, there were only three last vials of the substance on this world, though what happened to those who had tried the substance, none could tell. It was still a mystery to this day.

"We have moved past these horrors long ago, but the minds were not quick to forget. We have ceased our operations as a pharmaceutical corporation. Now, we are merely a protection agency that secures the drug trade in these areas. To serve and protect, to atone for the mistakes of the past. That is our... no, my mission."

[YOLF]

Justice

An immortality drug? His first thought was to wonder what ingredients it was made of. The graveness of the tone left no question to him, though it was unstated: lives had been lost or ruined for its creation. It was just a matter of how many, which he had no way of knowing.

He gave the uneasy Suerte a softer look, rolling his shoulders slightly in what seemed like a shrug, before sweeping his eyes back to the computer.

"Do you think it's a grudge out of whatever you did in the past?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

At the top of the Tower

There was an ominous feeling of dread in the room. For a moment, everyone was silence.

"...That's impossible. But then again, wouldn't you say the same about this very world?"

There was a sort of... catharsis to it all. Yes, one had to admit.

"If this is punishment for our sins, then we must accept them as fate. But these two men were loyal, good... their lives were not part of that game from ages past. I don't know who would have done this, but they must bleed for that. So find them, investigate the city, start with any district of your choosing. And we shall aid you in any way we can."

And as the computer uttered these last words, a light flickered on the corner of the room. And a boy wearing a long, almost cloak like coat was staring at the two with one shining eye, grinning from ear to ear. A thin, scrawny spider who had been watching from the corner this whole time. And with that, the two standing by the door turned even paler.

"Yo." The kid waved.

"He will assist you in my stead. He may act incompetent, but do believe me when I say that he is the one I trust in this room the most. He will inform you of the path that must be taken, to aid in your efforts. Do you have any objections?"