night six - kill log.

[foxhounds]

Who: Killers and Kogasa Tatara
When: The sixth night
Where: The jungles of Ship-Trap Island

[ It's the dead of night in the jungle. Considering the Hunt, you have to wonder if you're actually safe out here, but it at least seems quiet. Maybe you could try getting some rest, or maybe you should keep watch. Either way, that quiet may not seem very comforting. ]

Comments

[urameshiya]

[Kogasa's having difficulty sleeping after the trial, so it's definitely a "keep watch" kind of night. She's usually huddled under her umbrella, but tonight she's stuffed it into a bush, hiding it. She might not be the best at math, but she figures around half of the people on the island are going to die, and if she's one of them, then she at least wants to make sure her very first body is safe.

Being without it in her hands is making her visibly nervous, but she'll just have to deal with that.]

[double_x]

[ Kogasa's not the only one having trouble sleeping. Things have taken a rather grim turn, haven't they? And every night spent only makes things worse. Or at least it does depending on which side you're on.

Fuuma won't be approaching with care so Kogasa will very likely hear him coming before she sees him. When she does see him, however, he'll be offering a friendly hand wave and a smile. ] Good evening. Your name is Kogasa, isn't it? [ Pleasantries first, apparently. ]

[urameshiya]

Yeah, it's Kogasa.

[She seems a little caught off-guard by suddenly being approached, but doesn't really think much of it once she sees who it is. Fuuma was wrong tonight, but at least he didn't pull a Sephiroth which makes him pretty okay in her book.]

...You had a good train of thought tonight. I thought it was really smart...I wish it had been right.

[As far as she's concerned, it should have been right.]

[double_x]

So do I. [ Because if the trend continues, their chances have been reduced to near zero.

He takes a seat next to Kogasa. For someone who is so set on what he's going to do, he sure is being chummy. ] But I don't think I was completely wrong. The conclusion was incorrect, but my reasons weren't. She might have been one of us but she wasn't on our side.

[ Yes, one of us. Seeing Kogasa sitting like she was, huddled, alone, and nervous made it clear: Kogasa isn't a General. ] Where's your umbrella?

[urameshiya]

Yeah...I guess that's right. She might not have been trying to hurt us, but she wasn't helping either.

[Kogasa hasn't helped much either, but not for lack of trying. Rei didn't even seem like she was doing that much.]

...But, to answer your question, the umbrella and I are the same thing, so it's right here.

[Though him bringing it up makes her wish she had it, she hugs her knees instead.]

[double_x]

[ That's about the size of it, yes. It's unfortunate but, in some ways, it couldn't really be helped. This isn't solely his responsibility, but he does have regrets. ] There were, and still are, a few people like that.

[ They'd just seemed more transparent in their motives. It's pretty pointless to continue talking about that though.

And he's not surprised to learn she's an umbrella. Any shock he could have displayed over objects turning into humans faded after he learned of the swords. ] So you're just like Urashima and Kasen. [ He pauses. ]

I'm sure this is an unpleasant thought but I'd like to know: what would you like to happen to your umbrella if you die?

[urameshiya]

I'd want it to be used. I never, ever got used until I came here, but...I want Clarine to have it, if something happens to me. She's my first friend, so...it'd be nice if I could finally have an owner like her.

[...But.]

...Why are you asking, though?

[She scoots away from Fuuma, a little bit.]

[double_x]

I'm glad I asked. [ Because if he hadn't, he would have kept her umbrella himself and carried her through all the worlds he visited. It'd be the only way he'd know how to make up for his mistake, though he does know she might not be happy being carried by the person who killed her.

He gets to his feet before speaking again. The way he's smiling and what he's saying is most certainly cause for alarm. Kogasa is in the complete right to scoot away from him. ] Because in a few minutes I'll have a lot to apologize for.

[urameshiya]

...Wait, what?

[Kogasa's not bright, but even she can pick up on a foreboding atmosphere after all those horrible horror books she's read. It seems like there's been some sort of misunderstanding, so--]

I-I can't prove it, but I'm not a General! I don't have a role, so you don't have to apologize for anything...or...do anything you need to apologize for...!

[She scrambles to her feet, backing away from him.]

[double_x]

I believe you. I'd like you to know I'm the same way, I'm not a General. [ He's only misguided, and now he's lost sight of what matters most. Regardless, he's made his choice and he won't go back on it.

That's the way he is. On top of that, Kogasa's innocence means it's already too late to turn back.

The thing that's important to him is probably gone.

With a heavy heart, he pulls his gun out of his coat and aims it at Kogasa. ] I'm sorry.

[urameshiya]

Then why are you - ?! Where did you get the -

[There are a million questions she wants to ask, and they all try to spill out of her mouth at once. She's not sure whether she believes Fuuma when he says he's not a General - though, somewhere, she supposes she might, since she jumped to the conclusion that he was targeting her because he thought she was one.

But that doesn't matter, because General or not, his intent is perfectly clear. Her options are to fight or to flee, but there's not much of a chance to win when he's got a gun and she has nothing.

...From what she understands about guns, though, even if she did try to run, he could probably hit her, so there's nothing to lose by trying to fight, either. Reimu told her not to give up, so...

She runs toward Fuuma, balling a hand into a fist, and tries to go for a gut punch. She might not be able to use any of her spell cards, but she lives with a certain nun and her punch-happy cloud giant, after all...so she's just imitating Ichirin, hoping it sticks.]

[double_x]

[ Where did anyone get a gun? That's the million dollar question. No more questions though and no more answers.

He won't shoot her as she comes at him, it would be too easy. It wouldn't be fair to her either when she wants to defend herself. He's not one to take a hit unnecessarily though and, sadly, no matter how you look at it she has no real chance of successfully punching him.

He takes a short step to the side while putting his gun back in his coat. If he wants her to have a chance to defend herself, he's going to have to use a different weapon. If he's being honest, it's a little crueler but at least this way she has a chance. Fuuma won't retaliate just yet so Kogasa has another chance. ]

[urameshiya]

[She tries for a kick this time, but one look at her face, somewhere between anger and absolute terror, should be enough to indicate to Fuuma how she's expecting this to go. She might be the last of her kind, though, with Reimu gone, so she can't give up. Even though she knows she's outmatched, even though she'd definitely run away if something got this bad normally, if she's the last person from Gensokyo left she's not going to let it die with a whimper and a gunshot.

It will hurt, and it will be scary, but this is for the reputation of every youkai in Gensokyo. A truly terrifying youkai wouldn't back down, so she won't, either.]

[double_x]

[ It is indeed obvious. So obvious that he decides, yes, he should just end this now. She tried her best, hopefully that's enough to satisfy her.

That's why, while the kick does indeed hit (see, Kogasa, you can hit him if you try!) it doesn't matter in the end. Neither does the fact that he's stumbling quite a few paces back because...

He must have regained his footing a ways ago. It's more than that though, as he moves he flicks his wrist and suddenly there's a whip coming out of his sleeve. Looks like he's actually a long-ranged fighter so this new distance between them? It's not a good thing. It's even less good when that flick had him aiming his whip at Kogasa.

Specifically at her neck. He tugs his whip back hard, ensures it's secure, and proceeds to pull her forward as harshly as he can. When she's in range again he's just going to move behind her and strangle her. She tried her best and now it's time for her to rest. ]

[urameshiya]

[It happens so quickly Kogasa doesn't quite understand until the whip is around her neck, but by then it's too late. It's hard to tell if she's crying because she's upset or because of the natural effects of being strangled, but it's safe to say that it's both.

She's so glad it wasn't dogs, she thinks, because they might have chewed on her umbrella, and then she'd have been completely useless, through and through.

She hopes it rains tomorrow, and then she stops doing anything, because her frail human body gives out, and Kogasa Tatara dies.]

[double_x]

[ When her body goes limps, he takes both hands off of the whip and allows it to relax against her throat. Kogasa. He'll remember her name. Hers and Rei's.

He unwraps the whip from around her neck before gently setting her onto the ground. He'd move her somewhere else, somewhere easier to find, but with the way everyone searches he knows they'll locate her.

Before he leaves he straightens her body, places her hands over her stomach, and searches for her umbrella. The whole process only takes a few minutes. After that, he's gone. ]