Cleaning Up the Town

[damn_juicebox]

WHO: Rukia Kuchiki, OPEN
WHAT: Rukia returns from Esdham, dons her Ghostbuster job, and starts pursuing ALL OF THE GHOSTS.
WHEN: October 11th - 30th (not the 15th, 19th, or the 27th, since those are event days)
WHERE: Aqures Ixen and the neighboring areas
NOTES: Rukia will be on the move nearly non-stop. The later you encounter her, the more tired she'll be. That said, you don't HAVE to tag in to fight a ghost; grabbing generic CR with her somewhere along the way is also perfectly acceptable.


Scenario A: Return From Esdham

The airship's propellers had scarcely begun to slow when Rukia, clinging anxiously to the ship's railing, spotted Chappopo making a beeline straight toward her. She'd received word that a new job had been shifted into their crystals that would actually allow them to fight ghosts, and the news had been electrifying. It had been called a 'Ghostbuster' job. The title may have been different, but Rukia was convinced that this would be the job that perfectly mirrored her shinigami abilities. It would be wonderful to have her spiritual senses restored. Perhaps she'd regain her flash step as well!

"Chappopo!" she shouted, taking the crystal out of her robe.

"Rukia!"

Not wasting any time, Rukia threw the crystal to her partner. While she'd very much wanted to keep pursuing the Ninja job a bit longer, she had a feeling Red Mage would give her more versatility just in case she ran into anything that wasn't ghost related. She'd promised to investigate those sewers, after all. Besides, if she turned back into a shinigami, that would be close enough to being a ninja. "Switch out the Ninja job! Now!"

"Got it!" Chappopo saluted, and concentrated her willpower on adjusting the jobs that Rukia had equipped. The shinigami didn't wait for the gangplank to be lowered. Planting her hand on the railing, Rukia vaulted over the edge. A soft glow of light enveloped her as the job switch took effect, illuminating her clothes into a shroud of pure white. She would land elegantly, she knew, holding Sode no Shirayuki in her grasp once more. Landing nimbly, the glow turned into a sharp burst of light...

...And she was in a baggy navy blue jumpsuit with red trim, wearing thick rubber boots, holding a particle beam thrower in her hands.

"...This isn't what I had in mind," she grumbled flatly.

"Me either," Chappopo confessed. As small as Rukia was, she looked like she was practically drowning in that jumpsuit.

She blew out a sigh. "No matter." It may not have been the most fashionable job, but it would allow her to do her work, and that was what was important. After taking a few moments to examine her equipment, the PKE meter she held in her hands suddenly lit up, displaying a small dot on the screen.

Smiling triumphantly, Rukia lifted her head. "Yosh... There's one nearby. Let's get it!" The meter wasn't all that dissimilar to the equipment she'd used to track Hollows when stuck in a gigai. Adapting to this job would surely take no time at all.



Scenario B: Early Ghost Hunting Days (First Week)

[In the hours and days that follow the job switch from Ninja to Ghostbuster, it's incredibly likely that anyone could find Rukia darting through the streets, following a flashing PKE meter, or catch sight of bright bursts of light through the windows of half-ruined buildings where she's tracked down a spook and gone for the capture.]

[Those who know her will see that she's actually...really happy. Determined, yes. Focused, very much so. But the look of pure, undisguised delight on her face can't be missed when she holds up another smoking ghost trap. It doesn't matter if she's smeared with slime or covered in dust. She's doing what she once did (mostly), and it makes her feel whole again.]

[Or, perhaps, you run into the ghost before you run into Rukia. Whether you were looking for it, or it came looking for you, she will find you to lend a hand in driving off any vengeful spirits threatening the peace.]



Scenario C: Later Ghost Hunting Days (Second and Third Weeks)

Rukia's dark eyes studied the PKE meter, and she frowned. There was definitely a spirit somewhere around here, but it was choosing to hide itself. She couldn't get a lock on it. The carpenter assigned to work on restoring the houses destroyed by the Imperial attack had nearly lost his life, assaulted by his own tools just because he'd been hoping to get a little overtime.

If she had to guess by the behavior of the spirit, it was likely to be a Hue. Someone who had died in the attack? Possibly.

With a quiet sound of frustration, she put the meter away and raised her dark light, slowly sweeping it through the gutted home. The halo of pale purple light trembled as it swept slowly over singed curtains and rubble-dusted furniture. Odd... Rukia's gaze shifted momentarily to her hand and realized it was shaking.

Maybe she was more tired than she realized. It had been at least 24 hours since she last rested, and that was only a brief nap she'd stolen during the short trip from Aqures Ixen to Balicea. She couldn't remember the last time she'd stopped to eat anything.

It was impossible to consider her physical needs now, though. She had a job to do. Once it was finished, she'd go pick up something from a restaurant and rest for a few hours...just like she'd said she would do with all of the previous jobs, just before another specter popped up on her PKE meter. There was always one more ghost.

A broken chair hurtled toward Rukia's head. Her breath caught in her throat as she ducked and rolled to the side, dropping the light in favor of her particle thrower. She blasted the chair as it clattered to the floor, but whatever had possessed it had retreated once more, patiently waiting.

"Tch..." Rukia grit her teeth. That had almost got her. She would have to be more vigilant.

Comments

October 29th - Closed to Yuffie

[damn_juicebox]

It was just another job, she'd thought. Another blip on the PKE meter to chase. Rukia was exhausted, but her determination kept her on her feet and moving forward. It was just another ghost. She knew that.

So why...

Why was it wearing his face?

He was tall, broad-shouldered with a moderate build, wearing the same black robes Rukia habitually wore when she equipped the Ninja class. At his hip hung a sheathed katana, an emblem bearing the 13th District's insignia tied to his left arm. The black spikes of his short hair lined his brow. He was not particularly handsome, but his smile had been charismatic.

It was twisted now, and seeing it made Rukia's gut clench with anger.

"Well well, if it ain't Kuchi--"

"Don't." Rukia interrupted it, her look of pale shock dropping into a fierce glare.

"Eh...?"

"Don't use his voice. Don't wear his face!" Her gloved thumb pressed the switch on the proton pack, bringing it to life with a humming whine. "Do you think I would be so easily fooled again?! You are mistaken!"

The man blinked, the hand he'd raised to greet her slowly descending. His smile widened, and there was an unmistakable darkness in his countenance.

"Oh, now ain't that a shame...an' here I was hopin' for an easy meal...Kuchiki." Black tendrils spilled out of his back, coiling onto the ground as they started to slither forward.

Rukia's brow tightened, and she hunkered a little lower, standing her ground.

"But I reckon you'll still have a hard time of it--"

She shot him in the face. Her teeth were tightly clenched, beads of sweat pearled on her brow. Her arms shook, but her grip on the particle thrower couldn't be tighter. Her expression hardened as the Shifter howled, tendrils whipping into a frenzy as she took a step forward, then another. She just needed to hold it a little longer to get the trap ready.

October 29th - Closed to Yuffie

[thegreatninja]

Yuffie had been spending a lot of time hunting ghosts: for the monster arena and for her own enjoyment and obviously to help out the town. She had seen almost all there was to see except for this. The expression on Rukia's face was enough for her to hang back, her sharp gaze taking in the sight of the ghost as the bright lights from the proton pack surrounded and contained it.

She didn't know what she saw in that face or heard in that voice but she recognized the other heroes tone. It was something that Yuffie could understand.

Which was why she stayed to the shadows, the ghost slowly being contained by the persistent shinigami's attempt. Bit by bit the light faded and as the ghost was locked away the world slowly returned to blackness. It was then that Yuffie stepped forward, making her presence known. She shifted her own pack as if it suddenly felt heavier than before.

"Hey." Her steps and voice were cautious as if gagging what Rukia's reaction might be. Yuffie actually liked the girl which wasn't true of most of the new heroes. If it had been anyone else she probably would have just left it alone but she didn't really feel right doing that here. "You okay?"

[damn_juicebox]

Had Rukia known that Yuffie had chosen to let Rukia fight on her own, she would have thanked her for it. The difference between a fight for honor, and a fight for life...she could understand it a little better now.

The trap sucked in the Shifter, and snapped shut, a curl of oily smoke leaking free as the spirit was sealed away.

Rukia took a step toward it, and stumbled to one knee. It hadn't hurt her. She hadn't even exerted herself all that much. But here she was, shaking and panting for breath as if she'd run hundreds of miles. She closed her eyes tight, resisting the urge to scream in frustration. How many times now? Three. Thrice, she'd seen the face of that man twisted into something ugly and evil. How many more times would it continue to happen? And why did it still affect her like this?

Her fingers curled, knotting the jumpsuit fabric on her thighs as she grit her teeth. "Kch..." She struggled back to her feet, taking a few deep breaths to orient herself, then stepped forward again.

The sound of Yuffie's voice pulled her attention just as she lifted the trap. Blearily she stared at the girl, before her gaze moved back to the ghost.

"Ah," she said with a faint nod. "I'm..."

She wasn't fine. She couldn't even find the strength to lie about it, nor would she.

"...a little tired."

[thegreatninja]

Yuffie hummed softly, Rukia wasn't able to fool her with that sort of excuse.

The young ninja stepped forward until she was face to face with the ghost hunter, her expression oddly thoughtful before she began to speak.

"You knew him." She poke like it was a face except that her voice was more gentle than Rukia had probably ever heard it before.

The princess knew that there was a chance that they'd run into ghosts they knew, faces of those they cared about from home. She's been here long enough to know that this world would play that sort of sick joke. Yuffie had many in her life who've died for her and many who've passed before their time should have come.

She wanted to say something more but instead she bit the inside of her cheek, her mouth filling with a coppery taste of blood.

[damn_juicebox]

"...Yes," Rukia confirmed, still looking at the trap. "Rather, I knew the face it wore. But that was not Kaien-dono's spirit."

Her grip on the trap tightened, then relaxed, and she put the trap away.

"He was the vice captain of the 13th Division of the Court Guardians, to which I was assigned. Kaien Shiba. He...treated me like a subordinate, not an aristocrat. And he was kind." Rukia looked back at Yuffie with a quiet, fond smile. "There are few I have ever respected more."

Her smile faded and her gaze dropped as she fell silent for a moment, then she turned away to begin walking. If Yuffie chose to follow, so be it. "He died more than forty years ago, impaled on my own blade."

Scenario A: Return From Esdham

[whereishe]

Yuna had been waiting for Rukia to get back, she was more than a little curious about the girl's association with death. It sounded very similar to her own though she knew their worlds were most likely different.

Just like Rukia, Yuna was dressed in the ghostbuster gear. She had the pack on her back but instead of the jumpsuit she was wearing the leathers from her beast master job. She didn't much care for the jumpsuit that came with this new ghost catching job and while the equipment was strange she was at least getting used to it.

"Rukia!" She hoped the catch the girl before she dived off into any great adventures. They had never met face to face but seeing the girl change her job on the spot made it easy to tell who she was.

Yuna had already begun to try and clean up some of the ghosts and she felt that it was only right to tell the other what she had learned. "Wait up!"

[damn_juicebox]

Rukia didn't stop running, but she did glance back over her shoulder at the sound of her name being called. She didn't recognize the brunette at all. Had someone sent her to meet Rukia at the docks for some reason?

Hopefully Yuna didn't mind running some more, since Rukia wasn't in the proper mindset to slow down, not after she'd been fretting and anxious to pursue the undead from the very moment she received Minato's letter.

"Who are you?"

[whereishe]

Yuna laughed, running after Rukia. "Ah, Sorry. I'm Yuna. I wrote to you before you left." It wasn't to hard to find the ship that was bringing Rukia back which was why she had wanted for the other hero of light.

"I wanted to tell you that I tried talking to some of the ghosts. Others do talk back while others have turned into fiends." Of course, Yuna didn't know if this world worked like her own but she was beginning to think that it was close to that. Those who died becoming monsters, these ghosts made sense if that was the case. Many had died here and they hadn't been able to safely go back into the planets cycle of life and death.

[damn_juicebox]

Rukia considered this for a moment before giving a brief nod. "As we expected, then." She was glad that Yuna was choosing to keep pace with her; there was no telling how dangerous this spirit was that she'd elected to pursue. If it was showing itself in the daytime, then that was even more unusual. Most preferred the cover of night to hide themselves from the eyes of soul reapers.

But, as she kept reminding herself, the laws of her world were not necessarily the rules of this one.

The name, however... 'Yuna.' ...'Yunie' perhaps? Rukia held up a finger, understanding washing over her face. "Oh, the one with the signature of 'Yunie!' I understand." Perhaps they would sit down and talk, then, after she took care of this ghost. "Have you battled any hostile spirits?"

[whereishe]

Yuna nodded, remembering that there was another who shared her name, memories and face in Crystallis. It was a thought that she quickly had to push away focusing on that task at hand.

"I have. This one is a spirit. They are one of three types that come out during the day. The other are dolls and the last one I've only heard reports of but it sounded like a dog ghost." Yuna didn't have enough information to say more.

She did know that the Spirit wouldn't be to hard since they both had the ghostbuster job equipped.

B: Early Ghost Hunting Days (First Week - lets say.....13th when he's first trying this out?)

[shinrasfinest]

[After a few strong words in his direction by a comrade, Sephiroth has finally conceded to a Job switch. Losing the handy-Engineer for the new Ghostbusting job as apparently it's the only way he'll be able to effectively contribute to the ever-increasing ghostly problem that's growing in Aqures Ixen.

Boy, does it feel strange to be out with a photon pack on your back and a hand-held, for-all-appearances laser gun holstered at your belt. Hardly the type of weapon Sephiroth's ever put any stock into whatsoever. Indeed to be out without a bladed weapon at all feels almost as if he's forgot to wear socks; uncomfortable, but on an irritating level that he's probably making into more of a hindrance thinking about too much.

It's not been hard to track another ghost hunter and the tell-tale flashes of light essentially lead Sephiroth right to Rukia who is just retrieving her latest trap. It smokes heavily with the contents of a successful catch. Sure, he might have been watching from nearby for a while as the ghost had succumbed -but how else is he supposed to get the hang of it on his own?]

Sounds great!

[damn_juicebox]

[All right, another spirit contained! The equipment took some getting used to, but she's starting to feel confident. Eventually she'll need to find out how to transfer these captured spirits to the afterlife, but for now, she'll settle simply for keeping them away from the living.]

[And yet, even after the ghost is put away, she still has a feeling like she's being watched... She spins around to face Sephiroth, particle thrower pointed right at him. Once she sees who he is, she relaxes, surprised. What's he doing here?]

...I know you.

[She'd seen him at the auction. Initially he aroused her suspicions, but given how he'd been ready to take off his shirt just because someone in the crowd offered to bid more, she's since revised her opinion. For now, she's fairly neutral, and has to rely on the opinion of her friend.]

You are Angeal's friend, are you not? Sephiroth.

[shinrasfinest]

[For a split second, as it's pointed at him, Sephiroth wonders what a particle thrower might actually do to a living person. Strong enough to knock someone out? Or might it only make you feel fuzzy for a while? He's glad that Rukia quickly lowers it upon recognizing him.

Strange, as he doesn't think he's ever met her. Both hands that had come up into a gesture of surrender slowly lower as she makes that statement. Confused for a moment, but then not so much as she mentions Angeal. Green eyes narrow away, almost completely hidden by thick black eyelashes and he tilts his head slightly to one side.

Angeal had...referred to him as a friend?]

It's a little more complicated than that. [Well practiced he makes his expression relax a little and pulls himself back up straight.]

Might I ask who you are? Since you already know my name?

[damn_juicebox]

I see. I won't pry, then.

[She holsters the weapon. Like him, she's not sure what effect it would have on the living, but given that she saw a vase explode when she hit it, she's not eager to find out.]

Rukia Kuchiki. Well met.

[Taking in the sight of what he's wearing, and the similar equipment slung onto his broad back, it's clear that he undertook the ghostbusting job as well. Good.]

I see you're hunting spirits as well. How are you finding the work?

[shinrasfinest]

[It's an old habit for sure, but involuntarily Sephiroth's left hand had tensed up during that moment of maybe-confrontation and he only notices such when it relaxes as Rukia holsters what could only be described as the gun-part to her photon pack. Too many years of drawing a sword in a flash; of which he's without right now.]

Rukia. I'll do my best to remember.

[He's not the most adept at remembering names, especially since it's seldom that he goes about keeping in touch with most people. It doesn't feel as foreign now, but to begin with during his time in Crystallis he found it odd how he'd have to even introduce himself. Angeal, it seems, has saved him the trouble with this particular girl.

Sephiroth wears his signature leather trench-coat but with two notable adjustments; he wears a dark grey turtleneck top underneath -though still tight enough to show the fruits of his continued exercise regime in the shape of pectorals- and it's without the gleaming shoulder armor he wore at the date auction. For a fact they might have gotten in the way of the photon pack; practical at least. Much in the same way that his hair is tied up as high as it will go in a rather chunky, folded-over ponytail.]

As well as can be expected from going in blind, I think...

[In other words, it's going terribly but it seems despite his introverted reservations recently, he's still not letting go of his pride enough to admit that he's lost with it.]

later in the first week - 17th?

[makingfriends]

It wasn't quite what Ven had been expecting, either. As impulsive in nature as he was, he nonetheless took care to look into the new Job before switching over, conscious of that two-week time limit. He'd reached the point where he had to take care as to which of his several Jobs to equip for a task, and in the end he ended up waiting a few days after receiving Ghostbuster before finally asking Rae to swap it in.

That said, he was glad he'd kept Red Mage as his second, because he would have felt extremely vulnerable (not to mention kind of silly) running around while armed with nothing but that particle thing. Not that running around while armed with that particle thing and his Keyblade strapped to the side of his accelerator was much better either way, especially since the latter could do no damage to any of the ghosts so far, but still. He'd do what he wanted.

And thus Ven spent his first few days answering any call that he came across, whether by following the screams of startled civilians or being asked directly. He'd had the good(?) luck so far of mostly encountering Ectoplasms, and tonight was the same: he was running at a good pace down the street, following the indicative blips of his PKE meter. He was starting to wonder if he was wearing his out -- it tended to go off while he was already busy with a ghost, but by the time he checked it again afterwards, it would say nothing was present. Once or twice would have been a fluke, but by the sixth time...

Well, he didn't really have time to mess with it. He suddenly heard a scream, a crash of glass, and what sounded like ghostly cackling -- so Ven took the next corner sharply, only to immediately skid to a halt as he almost plowed into--

"Rukia!"

Okay! That's the day she gets her acceptance letter, so she's in a good mood.

[damn_juicebox]

"Ventus?!"

Up close, he could get a better look at the wretched state she was in. Judging by the scattered shards of glass at her feet, trailing toward the bakery with all of the cackling, it was probably safe to assume that the ghost had forcibly ejected the shinigami via defenestration.

What was perhaps more alarming was the fact that Rukia was dripping with blood. ...Or raspberry pie filling. Really, the two looked an awful lot alike, but she smelled like berries, so. Made it a little obvious.

She'd caught hold of his arm with one hand to steady him, the other maintaining a tight grasp on her particle thrower. She took one look at him, saw the equipment, then nodded her head in satisfaction. "Good. You've arrived just in time to help me exorcise a nasty Hue."

\o/

[makingfriends]

That was indeed mildly alarming, as indicated by Ven's wide-eyed expression -- for the two seconds before he noticed the smell and how the red stuff looked a little too thick for blood.

With that heart attack narrowly avoided, Ven quickly gave the bakery a once-over as he acknowledged her remark -- and promptly returned her nod without a hint of hesitation. He didn't have all the ghost names down just yet, so he wasn't sure which one a "Hue" referred to, but he'd learn soon enough, it seemed.

"Right! Anything I should know?"

[damn_juicebox]

Rukia opened her mouth to speak, just as two pies rocketed out of the window to splatter upside each ghostbuster's head.

"SUR-PIES!" a ghostly voice cackled wildly.

She turned her head slowly, leveling a death stare at the bakery. "It is not as funny as it thinks it is," she growled, a slab of blueberry-spattered crust slipping down her cheek and rolling off of her shoulder.

Gritting her teeth, she harshly jammed her thumb on the particle thrower's switch to bring it humming to life.

"It's more dangerous inside. Watch carefully for knives and don't get too close to the ovens," she warned him.

[makingfriends]

Of all the things Ven had been slammed with before now, a pie wasn't one of them. He staggered out of surprise alone, quickly using his free arm to smear it and make it worse scrape most of it off, but the damage was done and he was certain he would be scrubbing this mess meticulously out of his hair later.

But there were bigger things afoot, so Ven dropped his glare, readjusted his grip on his "weapon," and scanned the interior of the bakery as well as he could with a glance, but there was nothing to be seen yet.

"Got it," he assured her. Most would have been unnerved by that warning, but Ven took it in stride; had he not been viewing this as just another battle, then the thought of what that spirit might try to do to them might have made him pause for a heartbeat or two. As it was, even covered in pie filling, he was ready to go.

As he neared the doorway, he glanced at Rukia. "Should we split up?" he wondered. A little less safe, maybe, but it would be harder for the ghost to hide.

Scenario C (around the 23rd?)

[unyieldingspirit]

[There still seem to be so many ghosts around. At this rate, K'pandolu wonders if the Heroes have made very much of a dent at all…

Still, she'll do what she can, and it seems as though there's something here- and possibly someone investigating as well, judging from the sounds. Ears sharp, she steps inside, looking for whoever- or whatever- might already be there.]

Hello?

Sounds all right!

[damn_juicebox]

Unless you can trap ghosts, stay back!

[Rukia calls out in response to the voice, not having seen who the owner is just yet. But the Hue has already noticed K'pandolu's presence, and the floorboards tremble ominously, just before one of the nails shoots up into the air, then another, and two more. All four go flying toward the intruder.]

cool cool!

[unyieldingspirit]

[well she should be able to do that, that should be fine-

The nails, on the other hand, not so much. There's a distinct yelp as she dives, but one of the nails still snags her. She curses, looking for cover.]

This- which type is this!?

[because now she definitely wants to do something about it.]

[damn_juicebox]

A Hue! Are you a Ghostbuster or aren't you?

[Rukia runs into view once she hears the yelp. It's attacking?! But she stops short once she sees the young lady's face.]

You... You were on the airship, were you not?

[unyieldingspirit]

Well, yes…

[ah, did she miss an explanation on how to tell what each ghost was? She supposes she must have.

She pushes herself up, and blinks for a moment before nodding.]

I was. But this- we need to draw it out, don't we?