kaisou | Rats In Love

[ Lapis had been parked on a rooftop nearby, ready to shapeshift and fly over in case something happened - considering Lapis has very little skill in sneaking (and her only way to be sneaky would knock her out the rest of the day) it was just better to wait for an update from him. So she's quick to answer when he calls, time for necromancer to eldritch being communication. ]

Oh! An address is always a good lead. Thank you, Jinwoo.

[ Though... his shoes?? When Lapis falls silent at that, her confusion is still palpable over the line. Did... Did he step in something??? ]

Yeah, of course... Are you alright?

It's... no problem. I wish I'd gotten more, but. It seems like my 'Price' kicked in again. I'm not really surprised, but it really could have come at a better time.

As I was quietly sneaking around invisible, well. It was dark, and I didn't see that there was one of those small mop buckets with wheels on it. Just.

Left. With dirty water in it, off to the side of the room.
I put my foot straight down into it.
I would have slipped and fell straight on my rear, but. Quick thinking had me grab one of the shelving units....

...

I think I've gotten a bit stronger, because I tore it straight off the wall. Everything fell down.
I ended up sinking into the shadows before it hit me so I'm fine. But.

...

I'm fine.

The guy ran, screaming about there being a ghost in the back room, but.
He left behind some pretty good info, so.
It wasn't all for nothing...

[ Lapis falls quiet as she listens to his series of unfortunate events, simply humming softly along. He already had an adventure today...

...

Then there's a light 'snrk', followed by a quiet chuckle. Poor Jinwoo, but it's still kinda funny. ]

If you're that strong now, maybe you can pick me up without that dagger. [ Lapis. ] But at least you didn't get caught, you got something good out of it and you didn't get hurt. Maybe if he's worried there's a ghost, I can use that to mess with them a little...

Just let me know where to meet you, and I can make my way there... Though there's no rush. Shoes and socks come first.

Haha... maybe I'll give it a try. Next time.

I'll see you soon, okay? Messing with him with some ghosts isn't a bad idea. Maybe talk to a few local spirits, see if they're up for the idea.

It could just be a bit of harmless fun...

As for a meet-up place, well. Our culprits look to be in the Entertainment District.

We could meet up at the easiest place in the world. Vogue.

Oh, they'll be up for it. It's been a while since I asked them to mess with someone and they always have fun with it.

[ Being a ghost can be pretty boring, so a chance to mess with someone shady? Always a fun pastime.

And hearing they're in the entertainment district is even better. Maybe she can ask the theatre poltergeist if they want to help too, so he's less likely to get ansty and start breaking things again... ]

That's easy enough. I'll see you there.

[ She knows he needs to take a detour, so she's in no particular rush. But she'll be waiting just outside when he arrives, leaning against the wall as she absently scrolls through her phone. And when her eyes flick over, she's immediately perking up and giving a small wave once he's close enough. ]

See you soon.

[ he hesitates on the phone for a moment, staring at it--almost having ended the call with a 'love you,' but bailing out on pure embarrassment alone. Too soon maybe. Just. Maybe in a week or two from now--when it's more appropriate. He hits the disconnect button, feeling stupid for about 3.5 seconds before he's slipping into the shadows.

Off to go get changed quickly--a new pair of socks, fresh shoes--

It won't be too long before the long coat wearing shadowman shows up outside the Vogue, having taken the small break to also put his umbrella away, as lugging it around wasn't necessary now that the sun's gone down.

He sloooowly lifts his head up out of her shadow, considering for a moment...

....

Before reaching up to drag his fingers along the back of her ankle, from where he's hiding in her shadow. Grinning up at her. ]

[ It's something that's been hanging around her mind lately as well, if she should say that, but. Is it too soon? Maybe she's overthinking it? She's been overthinking so many things lately. But she can worry and make herself flustered over it later.

For now there's a potion dealer to... deal with. And while she's always very glad to see Jinwoo, she was absolutely not expecting this greeting. A shock rushes through her at the touch to her ankle, and it comes with a loud squeak. ]

Aaah! [ There's a moment where she just. Freezes. Before she's pouting down at him, her embarrassment clear in how her cheeks quickly burn red. ]

Terrible. You're terrible.

[ listen, sometimes you see an opportunity and you take it. He has a tiny smirk on his face as she calls him terrible--lifting up his full height out of her shadow as he raises both arms in a shrug.

In one gloved hand, he offers her the scrap of paper he'd found at the site of his foot-in-bucket accident. ]

I can't help it. You looked so calm and unaware just standing there...

Like a pond without a ripple on the surface, sometimes you just feel the need to toss a rock into it...

[ He lifts out of her shadow with that smirk, and she only pouts all the more at him as she takes the paper. Terrible. ]

Hmm. I'm getting the feeling you like seeing me flustered. [ Though she doesn't sound at all upset about it, despite the huffing. But she's still going to plot a way to get back at him later.

And with a quick scan over the paper, it looks like they won't have to go far... ]

Before we go, we should think of how to handle this... I can keep attention on me, in case they get a bit fighty.

I won't lie to you. Seeing you flustered is fun, so there's no denying how fun it can be--even if I can't always catch you like that.

[ he chuckles gently, his shoulders rising up with the laugh--arms crossing over as he watches her take in the offered information. ]

Making a plan is probably the best idea. Even if things don't always go AS planned...

What I think is important is how to dispose of the potions. I don't want to pour them down a sink or something--who knows what'll happen if it's mixed into the water supply, even diluted.

If you take care of the manufacturer, getting rid of the potions can be my job...

Surely it can't be that fun...

[ She mumbles to herself, shoulders hunching at another rush of embarrassment, before she finally deflates. Now her expression turns thoughtful, head canting as she listens. ]

Even if things go wrong, we can always adjust. [ Just having a base idea, at the very least, should help.

And he's right, properly disposing of it is the priority. So she plants her hands on her hips as she hums, shifting her weight onto one leg as the lone gear in her head keeps turning. ]

At the very least, we need to move them out of where they're being kept. We can think of how to properly dispose of them after.

[ Should they burn it? Or would any fumes have an effect... Maybe they can drop it all down that sinkhole in Hyrule or something. ]

But I can make sure the manufacturer keeps their attention away from you. I do have some spirits wanting to help out to mess with him, so hopefully it won't come down to a fight.

You know, that's a good plan. Figuring out how to destroy them can always be done later. Job One is just stopping production and distribution.

You can use your shadows to make sneaking to the location quietly easy. I can turn invisible and figure a way inside...

And then maybe open a back door for you?

While he's distracted with someone walking into his whole operation... I can break whatever implements he's using to make the potions.

Then maybe use Tank and Igris to drag them out.

...any ideas other than that?

[ Lapis nods along, a finger tapping against her chin. ]

Between making it darker and covering myself in the shadows, it shouldn't be an issue getting in. And that should help you sneak in too.

[ And the rest of his ideas seem sound to her. So long as he's not disturbed, things shouldn't go wrong. But she also knows how his luck works. ]

If anything goes wrong, try to let me know. If I can't help, I can ask a spirit to help out instead... [ They surely won't make things worse, right? Right.

But then then lightly claps her hands together, perking up now. ]

But this sounds like a solid plan. So long as we get the potions out and stop him from making more, it'll be a success.

Can your spirits unlock doors? I admit I'm not really sure how ghosts work--I think my shadows are different. A little more solid...

[ he shakes his head quickly--and finally he'll start to walk--a brisk pace to reach the place scribbled hastily on paper. ]

Worst comes to worst--we can hold onto the potions and maybe ask the people on Zodiac if they know the best way to destroy shoddy potions without leeching them into the water table, haha.

Some spirits can yes, but we don't have the time today for a lecture on different classification of spirits.

[ That will be for another day - she'll make a powerpoint and everything.

But she walks quickly alongside him, luckily she didn't wear her heels today, and breathes out a faint laugh in response. ]

Someone should know how to get rid of this, hopefully... That or we could bury it, if push comes to shove.

[ Burying things always works-

But she snaps to attention as they arrive the address, an innocent enough looking building, and Lapis falls silent as her eyes drift to something to her side. There's the faint sound of giggling, a sudden chill in the air as the ghosts make their way in. ]

I've sent some ghosts in, they'll go be a distraction so you should be able to sneak in no problem.

[ Meanwhile the shadows at her feet extend, sliding under the crack of the door to start cloaking the place in darkness. ]

I'll head in next, but... Be careful, okay? We don't know what else he might having hiding in there.

We'll save the lecture for another time.

[ As much as he is interested in her powers--another time, another place, and all that. He has to chuckle at the plan to bury it--mumbling something like 'ah, the Zhongli Method'

Once they arrive he'll watch with a quiet rapt interest as she summons up her power--a shiver running down his spine as he feels colder--if possible--and tries to see if he can see the spirits she'd summoned...

Nothing, though, but of course he'll take her word for it. He's gonna lean in, to give her a kiss to the corner of her mouth. ]

Don't worry. With you at my back, nothing'll go wrong.

[ and with that, he'll sink down into her shadow and disappear.

After a while, there'll be an audible click as one of the doors around back unlatches--be it by Jinwoo or one of her Spirits. Her way in. ]

[ Hearing that mumble gets a quiet chuckle from her, flashing him an amused smile in response. Truly the most tried and tested method.

And his confidence in her is reassuring, at least, and she presses a quick kiss to his cheek in return before he sinks onto her shadow. And with a click, she has her way in - shadows now drapping over her as she blends in with the darkness blanketing the interior.

The insides seem to have been intended as an office of some sort; with side rooms holding supplies and the kitchen area being where it's made. Those she'll leave to Jinwoo.

The dealer, meanwhile, is kicking up a fuss within the hallway. Apparently the little rat is very protective of his products and refuses to budge despite the spirits menacing him. Doesn't help he's waving some kind of magic around too. ]

Oh, so you're going to be difficult about this...

[ Since he's so focused on the spirits and it's pitch black, it's easy enough to approach and boot him out of the way, further down the hall opposite where the supply rooms are. Cue him cursing up a storm as Lapis let's the shadows drop, now ready for a fight. ]

[ honestly, it's once again a good thing they decided to do this, together. Against a wild fool of a mage swinging around his magic staff and fighting off anyone who'd come to stop his crimes--Jinwoo would probably have gotten a bit messed up, here. Igris and Tank would have had to take the front line, and as useful as they were, they were shadows. A good blast of light magic made them retreat.

While Lapis takes up the task of the fool acting like a clown to protect his precious stock, Jinwoo gets to work.
A knife wouldn't do well here, he's already decided--so he'd picked up something when he'd gone to get new socks and shoes. From one of his Korok portals--he pulls a metal baseball bat.

How better to destroy the potion-making equipment than like a wrecking ball?

Lapis and the wild magic-throwing alchemist will have their ears treated to a cacophony of glass breaking and things hitting the floor as uh.

Jinwoo goes to town on most everything--little care given to letting any item in the place remain unbroken. No chance for him to continue his little money-making project.

Maybe it was a BIT of an oversight. Because while he'd moved most of the bottles of unsold potions away from the crash area--he'd neglected to move a beaker full of the unbottled substance.

...sort of staring in horror as it pours out of the now broken beaker and down into a drainhole in the floor...

....

Maybe if he. Just.
Pulls a crate over that drain.... noone will ever have to know... ]

[ Oh, the lovely sounds of some assholes project being ruined. Of course the alchemist takes immediate upset to this, desperately trying to fling a barrage of magic at Lapis so he can run past her. The shadows clinging to her are enough to buffer the hits, and a shadow-clawed hand to the throat pushes him back and crashing to the floor.

Hah, she really isn't in the mood for this. She doesn't even feel like dirtying her scythe on this scumbag, but he's refusing to stay down.

Using her fists isn't really her style, but... She approaches with a crack of her knuckles, claws forming again on each hand. He'll behave if he's thrown around a bit, right? Right. Hopefully the sounds of things shattering around Jinwoo are enough to muffle the yelps of pain as Lapis decides to try using the alchemist as a stress ball.

He's still alive at the end, of course. Won't be able to use his hands for a while though.

Once the man is sufficiently knocked out, Lapis will be shifting her way to said storage room, peeking her head in as she wipes blood from her hands. Barring a few minor cuts and scrapes from where magic managed to nick her, she's perfectly fine. ]

How's it go - [ ??? Did he just move something?

Why is he hunched over that crate??? ]

... Is something wrong?

[ it's a beautiful sound. And honestly, with the stress of dealing with the things in the city lately? There's some cartharsis in being able to let out some steam with a baseball bat like this. Most fights he's at a disadvantage, but here?

Here, he's absolutely the winner. Take that, glass beakers and science equipment.

He'll stand up whip-straight almost IMMEDIATELY when lapis speaks, having been distracted by trying to cover up his mistake. He clears his throat. Subtle. ]

I was just looking to make sure there's no extra potion hiding around here. I think I found most of it.
And broke a whole lot of equipment that I don't think is gonna' be easy to replace.

--How are you? I heard a lot of magic going off--he didn't hurt you, right?

Well, he won't be able to use the equipment for a while anyway even if he is able to replace it.

[ Rip about 80% of the bones in that mans body.

Though he sure is... acting like something happened. Very subtle. And Lapis raises her brows at him in a silent question, before stepping in to appreciate the destruction he's wrought. ]

A few scratches, but my shadows blocked most of it. He's in a way worse state than me right now. [ She'll go over to start getting the potions ready to carry out, before pausing. And giving him another look. ]

Are you sure you're alright? You seem a bit tense.

--Haha, went a little all-out, did you? ...He won't die, right?

[ a pause. ]

I mean, the mission called for a stop to this, and to get rid of the potions, but. You know I'd help you hide a body if we needed to.

[ just
chill
calm
act natural
nothing happened and lapis totally doesn't need to know he fucked up and lost an entire beaker of love potion down the drain. Surely one beakerfull won't do anything drastic to the groundwater. Right? ]

I'm fine, really. I think I just haven't given my all like that in a while--you really feel it in your hands when you hit something solid with something like this, you know?

[ he raises the bat... then he lets it disappear into one of his korok spaces. ]

Want me to get Igris to carry all this?

He won't die. [ Pause for a few... long moments. Then she nods, confirming it to herself. ] He just might have a limp for life.

[ See, it's fine.

And luckily for Jinwoo, Lapis seems to believe him for now, her gaze drifting over to his hands when he mentions them. Concern flickers across her expression now, brows furrowing as she cants her head. ]

Do your hands hurt? I can heal them if you want. [ She knows exactly what he means, and she knows it can sting for a bit.

And cue some quick nodding at the mention of Igris. ]

Oh, yes please, he'll probably have an easier time carrying this than me.

I hope this'll teach him a lesson in doing things to ruin other peoples' lives for money, then.

[ he says this loud enough so the in-pain man can hear him--a quick flick of his wrist and a mutter of his incantation and the Shadow Knight rises from his shadow--moving immediately to do as Jinwoo willed--taking up two big-ass crates full of the potion nearly effortlessly in its arms--then waiting to be told what to do next.

Jinwoo simply beckons him to follow as he starts to head towards the exit. ]

If you wouldn't mind--they're not that bad, but. They'll definitely bruise if I leave them be, I think. [ he'll hold his hands out to her as they walk. Using his back to push open the back door of the building to let Igris out first.

Upon opening the door, there's... an odd sound. It's almost like singing, but. it's... squeaky. High pitched, and coming from down the alleyway... ]

[ There's a pained groan in answer from the hallway, and Lapis simply huffs in response. She's already told him about what will happen if he tries something like this again.

But they've accomplished their mission with little issues, so she'll consider this a great success. Her eyes flicker to Igris when he rises from Jinwoo's shadow, watching as the knight grabs the crates before drifting back to Jinwoo - not hesitating to take his hands once offered to her. ]

They will, stuff like that when you aren't used to it really hurts. [ But there's a wash of healing magic, and that should be the pain gone. Though... She'll lift one hand to her lips, pressing a quick kiss to his palm for good measure, her smile a tad playful when she lets go. ]

There, that should feel better. [ ... Wait. Is that... squeaking?

A faint look of confusion passes over Lapis' expression as she listens, once the door opens; it's almost... melodic. But squeaky. Like... rats.... singing?

No, she must be imagining things. But she still follows the sound, curiosity compelling her to see what the source of this odd little sound is. It seems to be coming from a drain, and...

Are those two... rats dancing? And singing??? Lapis can only blink at the display, before noting there seems to be some... pink liquid on their fur. And she immediately holds back a laugh as she slowly turns her eyes to her boyfriend. ]

J-Jinwoo... [ Ohgod why is it so hard not to laugh. ] Are you sure nothing else happened in there?

[ hands healed and feeling much better, jinwoo wiggles his fingers at her once she's kissed one of his palms, a sort of crooked smile moving up his face--

only to fall off in about 3.3 seconds when ... she asks him if he's sure about what he said earlier.

And that's when his eyes, too, land on the pair of sewer rats who are... they're dancing. They're definitely dancing and he swears their set of squeaks are from that 'that's amore!' song with the pizza pie...

And he feels like he could just

sink into his shadow.

Instead, he just covers his face with both hands. ]

...Okay. I might have told a small white lie.

That crate I was moving was to cover up a drain in the floor where I.

Accidentally broke an entire beaker of potion and it poured down into it before I could stop it...

[ Seeing Jinwoo cover his face with his hands unleashes the floodgates, the giggles she had been trying to suppress spilling forth. ]

You could've just told me! I guess these two 'ratted' you out then.

[ HA. HAHA. She's way too proud of herself for that its terrible. And her giggling only gets louder when another rat emerges from the drain, pointing a tiny paw at the dancing pair with some... dramatic squeaking. She's pretty sure they're fighting over one rat. It really is a telenovela now. ]

It's an entire drama now... Maybe they'll be together in the end. [ SNRK. ]

Love drama aside, it seems harmless so it should be okay. Hopefully.

I was embarrassed, I couldn't help it. Maybe, for once, I. I just wanted to pretend the mission went off perfectly, without a hitch.

[ he ...

...he takes out his phone and snaps a photo of the rat telenovella. He has to. He has to remember this. Even if he should be worried, he has to admit.

It's kind of funny. ]

Let's just hope this doesn't do something insane for the rat population.

If that's all that went wrong though.
I guess we can call this one a 'moderate success'.

I'll take it, honestly.

[ Ah, she can understand why he would want that. Her smile softens, and she reaches over to gently poke a finger in his side. ]

It's okay, really. I don't mind if there's hitches here and there, and we still managed to get what we needed.

[ And sometimes those hitches are fun, like the rat telenovella. So she'll be following his example and taking a picture too... Hopefully this won't cause any further issues around this area, but.

If it's more rat drama it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Hopefully. ]

If it does, it does. For now this is a job well done, we got the potions and the guy is out of commission.

[ And since it's thanks to him they managed to find this place, there's something important she needs to say too; ]

Thank you for your hard work, Jinwoo.

...Is it bad luck to consider this our best success yet?

[ he laughs... a little nervously. Deciding to put his phone away and let the rats have their.

Moments. ]

Haha. Thank you for your hard work.
Let's go turn this in and maybe go somewhere nice for dinner with the prize money?

I don't think so. We're both uninjured, your shoes and socks not counting, and we got what we wanted. So it's a pretty great success.

[ Though what happened with the rats shouldn't bite them in the ass later, right? Right.

So she puts her phone away too, his offer pulling another smile from Lapis. ]

I was just the brawn, it was thanks to you that we found the place. [ So yes, she is attributing today's success to him. ]

But I think that sounds like a good way to end the day.

Rats In Love

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