illirica
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There was definitely something there. Habiki could almost see it - no, scratch that. He was pretty sure he could see it, some sort of weird shadow coiling or roiling or... it wasn't right, was what it was. Like water damage on the ceiling of a house, sort of. Not obvious if you didn't know what you were looking at, or if you didn't look at it the right way, but once you knew it was just... there. Creeping.
Seika was chanting behind him and Habiki put an arm out in front of her, not entirely sure what good it was going to do. He found a hammer in his other hand and wasn't entirely sure what good that was going to do either. What was he going to do, hit the noroi with it? To be fair, Rei hit them with a sword, but that seemed different somehow. Also, she knew what she was doing. All he was doing was standing here, unqualified, because he didn't have the faintest idea what to do. He didn't deserve to be here, he was completely out of place... if he just moved forward, though, maybe he could do something useful - he certainly wasn't going to do anything useful back here. He just had to move forward a little and-
Habiki realized he'd almost taken a step towards the darkness, then shook his head, checking back behind him. Seika - if he moved away from her, she wouldn't have anyone to stand between her and whatever that was. Her hands came together with a sonorous clap and allof a sudden the creeping gloom was gone, along with the urge to step into it. He frowned, but didn't say anything - he'd ask Rei about it, maybe, later. Later when there weren't kids around.
Kids like Seika, who was admittedly of a lot more use here than he was. The frown turned to a smile, perhaps a little wry, but sarcasm didn't hurt like loneliness did.
"Good job." He meant it. She'd done well. And Kasumi was - well, it was best never to think too hard about what Kasumi was, but she wasn't any worse than usual, he didn't think. Rei was presumably doing well, as always, slicing through things with her sword. Noroi and anything else and... the crack of bamboo against her leg made him wince, and then he stepped forward, towards her - maybe he shouldn't.
"Rei?" He held a hand out, not sure if the gesture was helpless or meant to offer help - and if the latter, what it could do. Hopefully she knew.
No. She would certainly know.
Seika was chanting behind him and Habiki put an arm out in front of her, not entirely sure what good it was going to do. He found a hammer in his other hand and wasn't entirely sure what good that was going to do either. What was he going to do, hit the noroi with it? To be fair, Rei hit them with a sword, but that seemed different somehow. Also, she knew what she was doing. All he was doing was standing here, unqualified, because he didn't have the faintest idea what to do. He didn't deserve to be here, he was completely out of place... if he just moved forward, though, maybe he could do something useful - he certainly wasn't going to do anything useful back here. He just had to move forward a little and-
Habiki realized he'd almost taken a step towards the darkness, then shook his head, checking back behind him. Seika - if he moved away from her, she wouldn't have anyone to stand between her and whatever that was. Her hands came together with a sonorous clap and allof a sudden the creeping gloom was gone, along with the urge to step into it. He frowned, but didn't say anything - he'd ask Rei about it, maybe, later. Later when there weren't kids around.
Kids like Seika, who was admittedly of a lot more use here than he was. The frown turned to a smile, perhaps a little wry, but sarcasm didn't hurt like loneliness did.
"Good job." He meant it. She'd done well. And Kasumi was - well, it was best never to think too hard about what Kasumi was, but she wasn't any worse than usual, he didn't think. Rei was presumably doing well, as always, slicing through things with her sword. Noroi and anything else and... the crack of bamboo against her leg made him wince, and then he stepped forward, towards her - maybe he shouldn't.
"Rei?" He held a hand out, not sure if the gesture was helpless or meant to offer help - and if the latter, what it could do. Hopefully she knew.
No. She would certainly know.