the most predictable first intro

[ruatcoelum]

[ This... is not the Tower.

(it's... a hotel?)

(what the hell)

Thomas whirls around in the empty lobby, looking for anyone - particularly someone  she knows - and, when nobody materialises, sets off at a run to search the ground floor of the hotel. Anyone else who happens to be around might catch her in any of the stores or corridors or kitchens downstairs, or in the lobby itself; she circles back there a lot, calling as she goes. ]

Aniki? Michael?

...Kaito?

Comments

caught in the lobby

[hellkaiserin]

[...well. There's someone else here, then.

Her duel disk is already on standby, even if the girl is relatively unassuming.]

You.

[She doesn't figure she'll need to say much else.]

[ruatcoelum]

[ She comes running back into the lobby and holy shit that woman is huge also what is on her arm also why is she addressing her like that.

(Thomas' eyes are very wide but her pupils seem to have become... slitted?) ]

--me?

[hellkaiserin]

[She looks Thomas straight in the eyes.

...not human, then, or at least not entirely. Good to know. She keeps one hand on her deck.]

What is this place?

[ruatcoelum]

[ Are those... cards?

(maybe something imbued with magic, but that seems an odd weapon...) ]

...I don't know. I just turned up here.

[hellkaiserin]

...hm.

[Her duel disk disarms and folds in on itself, for the moment. The girl seems sincere.]

And what are you.

[ruatcoelum]

[ Okay. Okay, the... whatever the hell kind of weapon that is is disarmed.

Except that then huge leather woman is asking her a question and-- ]

E-eh!? I don't know what you mean.

[ Her pupils are rounded again, albeit with some concentration. Maybe it was just a trick of the light, Kaiserin? ]

[hellkaiserin]

[...doubtful, that she saw nothing at all, but there's no proof at the moment.

She folds her arms, looks around.]

...how long have you been here?

[ruatcoelum]

[ She chews her lip a little, flicks her gaze around herself. ]

Maybe half an hour? I don't know. Not long.

[hellkaiserin]

...

[It still seems like this girl is hiding something.]

I see.

At least it's not hostile within that time.

[ruatcoelum]

...why would a place be hostile.

I mean. Things in it, sure.

But you're the only thing I've found so far.

1/2

[hellkaiserin]

You'd be surprised.

[hellkaiserin]

...but who said I wasn't hostile?

You're jumping to conclusions.

[ruatcoelum]

[ She eyes Kaiserin.

(big and leather-clad, but. human, probably.)

(she doesn't smell like a demon, anyway)

...she could take her down. ]

...tch. Never said you weren't.

Never said I wasn't.

[hellkaiserin]

[...maybe this place will be more fun than she expected.]

Good.

[ruatcoelum]

...hm.

[ Her tail would be lashing like a cat's, if it were out.

As is, she's just kind of glaring up at Kaiserin suspiciously. ]

...who are you, anyway?

[hellkaiserin]

Hell Kaiserin Ryoko.

And you?

[ruatcoelum]

...Thomas Arkwright. Demon hunter.

[hellkaiserin]

...Demon hunter?

[That's...less strange than most of the things she's heard lately, actually.]

I'm assuming you can fight, then.

[ruatcoelum]

[ She snorts at that. ]

Wouldn't still be here if I couldn't.

[hellkaiserin]

Well.

[Her voice is a bit rough, for a moment, dips a bit deeper.]

I'll keep you in mind.

[She seems to relax, looking around properly for the first time.]

At least there are places to sleep.

[ruatcoelum]

[ ...what the hell was that voice.

(what the hell does 'I'll keep you in mind' mean?)

She blinks a little, at the comment about sleep. ]

...maybe. Haven't looked at the rooms upstairs yet. They might not actually be bedrooms.

[hellkaiserin]

Mm. True.

[Checking that is the first order of business, then. She checks around for a stairwell, and as soon as she finds one she makes a beeline for it.

Follow her?]

[ruatcoelum]

[ She watches Kaiserin go, chews her lip briefly. ]

...

[ (ah, fuck. better to explore more of the place anyway.)

She runs after her. ]

Slow down! Not everyone has legs like telephone poles.

[hellkaiserin]

[That might be insulting to someone else, but she just grins.]

Can't keep up?

[It's a wide, sweeping staircase up to the second floor, where the first of the rooms are: she doesn't slow down as she starts to climb it.]

[ruatcoelum]

[ Leather chick is annoying.

Rolling her eyes, Thomas jumps up to climb up the banister, bypassing the steps entirely.

(hey, when you've got a tail and wings for balance...

what do you mean she didn't have either of those before?) ]