Subject to Bell's Viper [Miyako]

Miyako noticed Muika's reaction and just smiled more, pushing aside all her negative feelings. "Well lets see... Brave Leader has a cool gauntlet type thing... It shoots out a blade on a chain and stabs things! Kitten Man has a gun, its reaaally simple, but it shoots bullets made of his energy and does a bit of damage. We've both been practicing to get better, because Brave Leader is the strongest and the most practiced as well as her Housewife... Eek!"

Pausing as she was in the middle of explaining, she jolted and turned before looking at the floor after the brief glimpse of red. She felt the nausea rolling up... again... Instead of allowing that thought, her voice became slightly grumpy.

"'Biki stop being a jerk, since you can hear me! Just pet Her Imperiousness Fluffelina Regalia the Third." Miyako wouldn't turn to look at him, not wanting to see his blood covered form. He could...hear her now!? "He...you couldn't hear me before! I was right in front of you, trying to pull the kitten away. You better not hurt her. She's Kitten Man's precious kitten."

Said Kitten was still begging for all the love in the world, despite the blood and appearance of her Small Servant.

So the Brave Leader and Housewife were the strongest...but Kitten Man and her were practicing? Well, if they kept practicing they could get stronger...definitely.

Huh?

Muika gave another glance at 542 and looked at the girl, she seemed... Was it the blood?

"Hah? I couldn't see you at first, and what kind of stupid fucking name is that!?" Another angry noise escaped him as the kitten begged for more and more attention.

Kitten Man's precious kitten needed to back the hell off...

"Stop..."

"Huh? Shitty Monster found her voice now?"

"..."

"Tch..."

"So you can...see me now too? Where are you hurt! Let me see if I can fix what little bits..." Miyako popped up, eyes tightly closed as she waved her arms in Hibiki's direction. "S-Sorry Muika, I'll definitely tell you more in a minute... I have to yell at him."

"That stupid name is... I... Something's keeping me from saying your real name. So there! I'll call you 'Biki instead. Stop being such a jerk or I swear you'll regret it one day..." She stomped in the direction of his voice, floating more than anything despite that attempt to look angry and stern. She just looked like a grumpy baby otter even so... "And don't call her a monster! She's not a monster at all, you are being really mean 'Biki. N-Now point...out...and help me...find where you are hurt too. I can do a little bit like this it seems."

Regalia just laid there, giving him judgmental kitten eyes as Miyako waved her arms and kept her eyes closed tightly.

"Keh, what are you gonna do about it? One day? Hah!" Hibiki turned his head, though there was a clear look of annoyance in his eyes at the nickname she'd decided on for him.

Who the hell did she think she was?

"I'm not hurt! I'm not stupid like the Monster over there!"

Well, today at least. He was following his orders and killing as asked. Really...the days he was asked to kill were the easiest. He could do that without any qualms or disobedience...

Muika's fists clenched as she turned more towards the wall, she didn't want any part of this... Couldn't he just stop for once?

"If I wasn't some weird ghost thingy stuck in the...the...not the right time... I'd totally swat you! With something not soft! I'm gonna swat you, I promise that. I think I'm just going to ignore you. Teenage hormones must be painful enough as it is without me poking at your ego." Miyako sniffed and turned around, not allowing him to see her hurt and trying to hide the shaking of her body as she went back to Muika.

She'd turned towards the wall again... Sitting down in front of Hibiki's line of sight of the girl, she began speaking again in a soft voice. "Well...Housewife's powers are his glasses and he can see like these weird colors that normally you can't see? And it helps him. Mm, I don't know the other twos powers... but theirs are fighting ones too I know for sure! Oh one day I took Brave Leader to a mall, she seemed to like it and we had tooons of fun too, she even scared off some creepy teenage guys that showed up too!"

Regalia blinked at Hibiki and then sneezed at him, licking a paw afterward and cleaning the face and parts of her body he had just petted as if he was a dirty hobo undeserving of touching her fur.

"Tch..."

Go ahead and try it! Swat him and see what would happen! She said she wasn't a fighter, hell she couldn't even stand the sight of blood!

He'd win.

Muika focused on listening to Miyako, though she was shaking a bit? Why? 542's threats were common and annoying, nothing to get upset over. He always talked like that...

For the most part kinda...she was past feeling upset at his stupid talk.

Those were all...really interesting powers though, that had been described. She'd never think of things like those, it would be cool if powers like that were real...

The lady was talking like they're real, but she was telling a story...so...she had to sell it right? She liked stories, but she knew not to get carried away...

"Mm... I have a few more stories, though mostly romantic in nature. Like how Brave Leader and Housewife met...or how I started dating Kitten Man. 'Biki over there might start gagging like he's got a furball in his throat." Miyako giggled, picturing teen Hibiki as a floofy annoyed cat and causing her to stop shaking. The stress of keeping up her happy act was getting to her something fierce and she wiped away tears.

Just don't pay attention to the young man and focus on the girl... it was...it was safer to just react and not think about all of this. Don't think...don't worry just smile...

Regalia was snubbing Hibiki in a rather catlike manner, after having cleaned herself of his rude touches, she washed her palate by licking her own butt. Much better.

Ghuh.... Gross...

Hibiki averted his eyes from the cat, not caring to look as she began bathing herself further. Ugh, disgusting. Couldn't she go somewhere else and do that?

Muika looked back to Miyako as she mentioned more stories, looking interested despite the topic she'd claimed they were. She didn't...really know much about romance other than what her old storybooks told her, and it was all happily ever after stuff so this would be too? It was a story so...

There was a discussion going out outside of the room, just a bit down, the words unintelligible from the room the two phantoms and children currently occupied.

Muika looked interested and that was alll thaat maaattered. Miyako smiled brightly, deciding her own story first would be easier, then she could try to remember all sorts of things about the Brave Leader's. "Mm, well lets start with my story. Its not really romantic at all I promise! It's really silly actually. You see I had a crush on Kitten Man, even with his cocky and arrogant sides he's still a really amazing person. Cause of what he and Brave Leader went through you see, it could have broken them both utterly but there was still humanity and feelings inside!"

"But anyways... I really really liked him but kept it super hidden, however an accident happened." She gave a sheepish grin and ruffled her hair. "I used to only be able to fix things and I was trying to fix my easel, I'm an art student... I ended up making a cherry tree right in my dorm room though! It was growing from the floor and everything! I panicked and called Kitten Man, cause he's my closest friend, and just he came running. I kinda hadn't explained though that I wasn't in danger."

A sheepish giggle joined the matching grin as she tugged her hair. "So he BURST into my dorm room and summoned his power, the gun, about to shoot the poor tree to everyone's surprise! He thought it was a bad guy for only a moment when he just relaxed and then we worked out what to do with the thing. Hehe..."

Regalia finished her cleaning and looked at Hibiki, she was done. Was he? Her look said.

That...

She made a tree in her room? She'd made a tree in her room and the Kitten Man and busted in thinking someone was hurting her? Without thinking he'd moved to protect her, even though she hadn't needed it...

It sounded like he had feelings of his own, though this was their romance story! So that's how it went!

Muika gave a small, quick nod at Miyako's story so far, interested.

Hibiki was just ignoring it not, his back turned to the two and the cat. He didn't need to hear some sappy, fantasy romance nor did he need to see a cat clean herself...

Stupid...

Muika seemed to like it and Miyako smiled more, though she kept her enthusiasm subdued moreso this time. "He is older than me by a bit and has his own apartment, so I made some dirt and a pot with my newfound powers and we carried it to his home! And I stayed for a bit to try and help him figure out how to take care of it cause we both had no idea at all... Well H-Kitten Man hates himself it seems, or well thinks he's a reaaaally bad person... though I'm starting to understand why..."

She muttered that part in an undertone before pushing on. "I think he's a hero though, so I was trying to convince him just as he was trying to make me see he wasn't! And then I was so upset with him I kissed him to show him how I felt. He...froze solid. Just froooze. I think he was really shocked at first but got used to it... And the next day we started dating for real since we both like each other ahahaha..."

Oh gods she couldn't explain the harem to these two! She paused mid story and just cut to the end, laughing a bit as she tried to cover for that. "We've been dating ever since! He's really um...shy and its hard for him to get across how he feels at times, but he tries really really hard. He likes to protect himself by pushing others away and stuff and being prickly, but its not really his fault though. He had to be that way to make it out of the awful place alive."

Miyako smiled softly, her head leaning down on her hand as she took a deep breath and looked over at the young man who was now not facing them. "Once he got drunk and admitted all his feelings, it was really nice to know all that..."

"Hehe, so now do you want to hear how Brave Leader and Housewife met? Their story is funny too." Miyako switched the subject as the Kitten padded in air around Hibiki's head and then flopped onto his lap as if walking down a stairway to get there.

Muika had almost questioned the dating concept, but something nicked her at the back of her mind that not all stories ended up some happyily ever after marriage. Even if this were a story...it seemed like this was one of the odd ones she felt existed.

That was fine though, it was a funny...happy story nonetheless.

She had kissed the Kitten Man and he had froze up, and then the next day they started dating...

Miyako seemed to keep looking at 542 a lot, but maybe she was just trying to make sure he wouldn't turn and get snappy again... It was something to watch out for, for sure...

"...Happily ever after?" It...It was a story so...so she could asked that... She said they were still dating so...that counted...?

"Pff..." Hibiki rolled his eyes at the words. What was she? Four? Dumb Monster...

The cat had plopped back down on him too... What the hell did she want.

Muika had given a glare, but it was quick and her attention went back to Miyako, giving a small quick nod before averting her eyes again.

Miyako thought for a moment and then decided to be truthful as she gave a shrug, her smile though was very soft and sweet. "I'm not sure... its not over definitely, and I'm only eighteen so its not like we don't have time so I can't say for sure its happily ever after. I really like him, but I dunno if its love yet or not either. I just want to stay with him for now and maybe...sometimes get him to smile. He only smiles when he's drunk... Maybe one day he'll smile though just for me when he's sober."

"The Brave Leader though! I am pretty sure hers is in the midst of Happily Ever Aftering for sure." Hoping to not have dashed the girl's hopes, she grinned brightly and completely ignored Hibiki's scoffing sound. "Lets see... from what I remember... Housewife had been working for the bad guys, not intentionally though! See his power is useful so he could do all sorts of finding things, and the bad guys lied to him to get him to try and find Brave Leader. Brave leader was hiding from the bad guys... and his powers led him straight to her!"

"Brave Leader didn't kill him immediately, sensing he was an innocent who was dragged into things and took him under her protection. He, honored beyond belief to have such protection after he had done a great evil, vowed to be her eternal butler... Okay this part I was told this almost verbatim by Housewife so please forgive me for it." Miyako just had this face, it wasn't unhappy but it was slightly...annoyed? She sighed and continued on. "You see Brave Leader had raised a biiig fuss when she escaped the bad guys place. They wanted her back for just really bad things I bet, revenge and all that... But Housewife stayed by her side, taking care of her every need... Loyal to her now, while Brave Leader valiantly protected him as they hid out in a cabin."

"Thats how they met and fell in love~" Miyako paused for a moment, trying not to laugh as she remembered hearing more stories...sort of. Something about the amusement park? She could describe more if the girl wanted, hopefully.

So she wasn't sure if it was happily ever after or not...yet, or love even... That was...kind of disappointing, but the lady brought up the next story, which didn't give Muika time to question or feel too upset by it.

Brave Leader protected an innocent that had been tricked... She protected Housewife from the bad guys after he vowed to stay beside her as a butler? Then it turned to love and they were headed towards a happily ever after...or so she was being told.

These stories were all...nice though, they seemed real almost, but they were good stories.

The bad guys hadn't won, and the good guys were all happy.

Hibiki stuck to his typical reaction of rolling his eyes; what a dumbass, if he was working for the bad guys she shouldn'ta taken a chance. Killed him and gone on with her damn life... Too risky.

Muika was about to motion for another story as Miyako attempted to...think on more, but before she could the sound of the door sounded off and her attention was drawn to it.

Both children froze slightly, though while Hibiki attempted to keep his bored and composed expression Muika looked towards the ground.

"Ah, good; they put you here, Muika." Hearing that voice, Muika perked up from her spot, and while she seemed to look rather timid towards...well...everything before, and wanting nothing to do with it, she seemed to open up at the voice.

Immediately she turned, and faced the man at the door. He had light colored hair, and looked quite young...but he wore the lab coat signifying he was a doctor of the facility.

Unlike the others though, he offered her a smile rather than a glare.

Hibiki just rolled his eyes again, and attempted to not acknowledge the man. He wasn't here for him, obviously...so no need to pay attention.

The man put a finger over his lips, signalling for Muika not to talk; "You'll be in my office today, for a short while, but after you'll be sent back to your chambers."

Muika gave a nod, if she went with Seiya that meant he talked the other adults into something again. Last time he said he had his own tests to run, and they'd allowed it. So that meant he'd done it again...she'd be okay today!

"I'll have a look at your hand, and check your stitching when we're there." He added, "Come along."

Seiya turned towards the door and began walking back to exit, though before Muika followed after him she stopped and looked at the lady behind her. She'd told stories...

She looked between her and Seiya before giving a bit of an apologetic look before following the man, looking...slightly happy as she did so, but she was attempting to mask it.

"Tch...Stupid..." Stupid Monster... She was his damn pet.

Miyako was glad Muika seemed to enjoy the story, though at the sound of the door her and the cat also shifted. She was worried...worried that something awful was about to happen from their reactions. Hibiki's expression was obviously fake from what she could tell and Muika was scared...

But instead she was treated to a pleasant voice from a handsome man, Miyako noted... He was a doctor here and seemed nice enough especially from Muika's reaction. If the girl was that open... he must be someone who treated her well. Maybe he was forced to be here? They were going to his office then and then her rooms? Muika seemed excited so it must be good, her whole demeanor having changed now.

As Muika went to follow the handsome man, Miyako fell the pull tugging her with her. "Don't worry, I'll follow in a bit okay Muika? I'm stuck with you for now and I'll tell more stories in your room!"

Her smile was bright and cheery, hoping to let the girl not worry. She had to say goodbye to Hibiki first... the pull wasn't too bad yet at least. As Muika left, Miyako floated on her stomach over to and behind Hibiki. She was staring at him curiously, there wasn't as much...blood on his back... It was easier to stand it and her hand went out to touch the whiteness in the middle where it hadn't been covered. "...There's a spot on your back thats not...covered in blood. But you can't see it you know...so... just remember that all the nice things you have inside you are hiding there with your name, Hibiki Ikehara."

Now that Muika was gone she could speak! And she wanted to say some nice things for him before she left too...

She was gonna follow? That was good, she would be away from 542 and she could hear more stories later! For now, Muika was confident she'd be alright as she followed Seiya.

Her expression had become more composed as they headed down the halls, knowing she shouldn't look happy, just as Seiya was composed as well.

He said he was gonna run tests, but really he would continue his work and she would get to sit in his office, she wouldn't have to worry about needles or medicines...


Ghost chick hadn't left yet?

She just said she was stuck with 613 so why not follow?

He didn't have time to really question her out loud before he she began speaking. Not as much blood on his back...? Yeah, so what...?

"Gh-!?" How the hell did she know his name!? He turned towards her, looking at her wide-eyed. What the hell was she saying? His eyes narrowed after, looking annoyed before he turned again, giving a scoff. "Tch."

Nice things? The hell was she even talking about?

"I told you I knew your name! I know hers too. I know that you both are like this...to survive...whatever this place is and that its not your fault..." Hibiki's surprise was expected and as he turned, she looked into his eyes instead of at his clothes and the blood. The kitten seemed content where she was so Miyako just sighed and shook her head.

"Regalia wants to stay with you, so take good care of her and don't hurt her okay? I won't leave until you promise me...and I may start telling you stories if I have to stay here~ More lovey dovey romance ones if you really annoy me." Miyako's eyes closed as he turned around and she giggled, pushing aside all her utter fear and just...trying to hide her shaking.

"Gh-g...." He'd heard her calling him Biki, but he hadn't...

What the hell did she know? He thought that in a ruder sense; she knew they had to be like this to survive... Tch. Whatever.

When she attempted to look him in the eyes he attempted to avert his own.

"I won't hurt the damn cat." He didn't need anymore shitty love stories! Tell that shit to 613, she seemed a lot more interested in that bullshit than him! "-Ch..."

Hn...

"...Don't get sucked in by that guy." It was a blunt statement, but whatever. Obviously this chick didn't know shit about this place. Hell, she was terrified by blood. Heh, she wouldn't last a damn day... Might as well drop a little warning, keh, maybe his "warning" will confuse her, toy with her head on why he'd said it. Pff...

Oh well, take it as she wished.

Wasn't any business of his, and he didn't want it to be. Tch.

Those noises...he still made them now and it made her heart ache. Luckily Hibiki looked away for the moment or he might have caught a glimpse of just utter soul wrenching pain that filled her for a moment as her control slipped.

Pushing it back down, she smiled sweetly at him and then moved closer to rub the sleeping kitten's fur and tunnel visioning on the cat instead of the red around it. "You really like animals a lot. They won't ever hurt you, they're safe to like huh... Be good fuzzbutt, we have people waiting for us at home! No heroics from you, no dramatic kitten deaths okay?"

About to turn and leave, Hibiki's warning stopped her. She froze, looking up at him again and shaking more. "He's...just pretending to be nice? Oh...oh no..."

She obviously wasn't one bit confused by what he'd meant or why he'd told her. Instead she took a shaky breath, leaned forward and kissed the top of Hibiki's head and then turned so she could begin to float away. "Stay alive Hibiki! I have to go to her now... She...she needs someone there with her for now... who actually cares... stupid! I'm stupid..."

Hibiki had meant to just keep his back turned, and just sit there until he was called upon, seeing as how his warning had been heard loud and clear by the girl before she...

Gh-!?

He jumped obviously, shocked by...by... The hell was that kiss!? It was just on his head but-!

Gah! Gross!

Damn...girls! Gh-!


"Looks fine, it should heal up properly at least..." Seiya commented, leaning back in his seat as Muika sat on a stool nearby. "Here, I'll put a bandage over the stitches, that way it'll be more difficult to disturb them...no one can reach out and immediately pull at them anyway..."

Saying that, he went through a drawer in his desk, pulling out what he'd need as he tended to the area.

"You're hand will take a bit longer to heal... What'd you argue against this time?"

"Didn't like the needles...A-Accidentally hit back..."

Regalia let out a grumpy mew and clung to Hibiki's clothing as he jumped, not liking how he had moved.

Miyako for her part felt a bit...better at the startled response and dove through the wall. She kept her eyes closed but moved forward, letting the pull guide her... She heard things that made her cry out and wince, but at least she didn't see anything...

Still by the time she found Muika, in the man's office, she caught the tail end of their conversation and let out a sigh of relief as her eyes opened. She would pretend and smile... This man was...not nice, not really...

Miyako held a finger up to her mouth and tried to make sure Muika didn't say anything about her being here, instead taking a seat on the air for now. Just be...playful and happy for her. A happy storytelling ghost...

"You reacted on instinct and swatted back?"

"Mhm..."

"Well, it should heal fine as long as it's not disturbed as well." Seiya gave a small nod, the punishment was obvious just by the injury...and knowing the typical methods. They'd forced her to injure it.

His hand moved to her head just as Muika's eyes darted towards Miyako at her entrance, noticing her gesture of silence. It was alright though, as her reaction to seeing her could be written off as her averting her eyes as her hair was petted and Seiya gave a chuckle.

"Sorry..."

"You were afraid, it's alright now; no dealing with anymore of that today."

She perked up again at that, giving a nod of her own, smiling even at his words. No more of that today! He couldn't do this all the time...obviously, but whenever he could...

"Now...how's that eye of yours?"

"...They put a patch on it, but I don't wanna wear it..."

"You can take it off when it's time for you to retire. Though try to wake up before you're retrieved to put it back on. They might get angry."

"'Kaaay."

Muika had swatted back? And got...hurt for it... Miyako flinched and wanted to soothe the girl but she couldn't... That man was there. He seemed so nice, like he really...cared as he bandaged her up and spoke to her so kindly... And protected her too it seemed!

Aaaah he even did the head pats Miyako wanted to give to her...

Flinching more as she heard about the eye, Miyako tried to hold in a whimper and covered her mouth. She fixed it, just think that. That it was fixed because of her! Muika though was smiling...this man, she trusted Hibiki's words. He was blunt and mean now, but he...still had niceness inside. He wouldn't warn her without reason so no matter what this front was she wouldn't be fooled by it!

"Now, I have some work to do, so you can sit by; I already trust you won't cause a disturbance, there's books piled up over there you can look at."

They weren't books of serious interest, mostly medical texts but nothing could really be done about that. She knew how to read and that was enough, they weren't given such luxuries as books to entertain, and he certainly didn't keep any...

Muika nodded, smiling again before slipping from the stool she was on, her eyes shifted to Miyako as she stepped towards the other end of the room where the books were piled, pulling one from it before moving to sit down.

Miyako could talk more and she could pretend to be reading...

Miyako wondered what they could do now, just...with this man here she didn't feel right telling stories...

Not about the heroes at least. But if it would make her happy...

She followed Muika over though, moving to rest on the air as she sighed. "Hm I wonder what else I could tell you about... Oh! There was the time the Brave Leader got badly injured, but I was out at a club dancing... I didn't get any messages so the Housewife brought the Brave Leader home and took care of her before sending Kitten Man out to retrieve me!"

She wondered if Muika would like this story...