Hunting (with) the Exorcists

[Harri-chan]

Elliot gave Jean an shy, but thankful smile, and then looked to Blaze again, his brow creasing in thought.

"Melanie saw me through the comic book store window", he said in a muttering voice, blushing. "She kept teasing me and tried putting my hair in pigtails...". Rosemarie stared at him intently.

"Who is Melanie?", she asked, directing her question towards Blaze, but Elliot replied.

"She's... sort of a friend. I mean... she's mean to me and stuff, but at least she likes hanging out with me...".

[Blaze]

Blaze rubs her chin and tilts her head skywards as she thinks.

"I think I have a file on her... she's a witch, right Elliot? The one Rosemarie here is looking for. Now we have an ID for her..."

"Bait too." Okuni says, looking at Elliot intently.

[Harri-chan]

Elliot nodded to Blaze.

"Yeah, she's a witch. Got her powers from her Dad", he muttered.

"You're looking for Melanie? Why?", he asked, looking up to Rosemarie.

"I've come to cleanse your town of demons like her", replied the woman. Elliot's mouth fell open, looking back and forth between Rosemarie and Okuni.

"Hold on! You can't KILL her! Melanie loves causing trouble, but she's not a real danger. Chaos is her thing... no causing pain or death!".

[Blaze]

Jean pats Elliot on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Oh certainly not, we are not killers for hire!" she says, shooting Rosemarie a look, one laced with a steel that she had not yet seen from the nun.

"But if she is the person Rosemarie is looking for, she's caused a lot of misery and pain. That person must be stopped." Lucy adds.

[Harri-chan]

Rosemarie caught Jean's look, and stared back for a moment before shaking her head.

"These creatures are demons... they must be purged. I do not understand how you could consider any demon a friend", she muttered in frustration.

"What would you have me do? These creatures cannot be contained like human prisoners...".

[Blaze]

"Sure they can, you just gotta depower them somehow!" Jean says with a small grin.

"Trust us, we know how to depower people. We have all sorts of things that do just that." Blaze says with a nod. "But, if she resists or starts attacking with serious intent to maim or kill, we defend ourselves. Okay Elliot?"

[Harri-chan]

Elliot nodded his understanding. Rosemarie didn't seem satisfied as she reached into her cloak, pulling out the long, antique handgun, the one she said was for the Werewolf.

"You mentioned bait..", she said to Okuni, loading the silver bullets into her gun.

"If we can distract the witch, we should go after the wolf. The Vampire child might not be with them, but if she is... just don't let her get close. We can deal with her last. She's not going anywhere".

[Blaze]

Okuni nods and indicates Elliot.

"If his tormentor is the same witch, then we can use him to lure her out or keep her distracted."

Blaze blinks and glares at Okuni, shaking her head.

"Forget it. He didn't sign up for this. It's more likely that he'll act unnatural and tip her off accidentally."

[Harri-chan]

Elliot frowned at Okunu, and sucked in a deep breath, on the verge of protesting her suggestion of using him as bait when Blaze cut in. He fell silent, looking at her, tilting his head to one side.

"Just hold on a minute... I'm not dumb enough to screw up a simple job like being bait, Blaze", he huffed, setting one hand on his hip.

Rosemarie clicked the loading mechanism of her gun closed and looked back and forth between Blaze and Okuni.

"We're not trying to fool her. She has the wolf with her, they'll know we're here by now. The more people she has to spread her attention between, the easier this will be. Let's go", she said, starting to make her way up the steps to the library's entrance.

Elliot poked his tongue out at Blaze and started to follow the group.

"Remember... you focus on the witch, I'll take the wolf", said the leather-clad woman as she pushed open the heavy wooden doors, leading them into entrance hall with polished marble floors and walls. An empty wooden reception desk stood in front of them, and either side of it were another set of doors, while a winding staircase to the left led up to the first floor.

"The entire place stinks of wolf... I can't tell which way... ".

[Blaze]

Blaze sighs and pinches the bridge of her nose, the group following after Rosemarie and Elliot. Upon hearing Rosemarie's complaint of being unable to tell where the wolf is, Lucy tugs on her coat.

"I could make a breeze to disperse the lingering scents, if that'll help."

[Harri-chan]

"That would help... thank you, Lucy", said Rosemarie with a nod. She moved over to the staircase, going up a few steps, peering to the floor above, but there was just another hall up there with doors leading to the main library rooms, so she waited, leaning on the curved railing, and watched Lucy.

[Blaze]

Lucky takes a deep breath and lets out a long, low whistle. Rosemarie can feel the breeze as she conjures a gentle gust that blows through the library, not strong enough to make people notice. It spirals through the library, gradually moving upwards, carrying the lingering scents with it.

"There, how about now?" Lucy asks.

[Harri-chan]

Rosemarie nodded again, and then she began sniffing around the stairs before vaulting over the railing, and dropped the few feet back down to the ground floor, bending her knees a little upon landing.

"In there... ", she said, motioning to the set of wooden doors to the left of the empty reception desk.

"Prepare any weapons you have", she said to the group as she stalked forward, and pushed through the doors. The library floor was covered with red carpet. It's walls were covered with dark wood that matched the rows and rows of shelves stuffed with books. In an area towards the back, some round tables and chairs were clustered, but there didn't seem to be anyone about.

[Blaze]

The Exorcists follow Rosemarie into the room, weapons suddenly appearing in their hands. Blaze holds a handgun with a combat knife attached to the barrel, the blade pointing out. Jean has two flat shafts extending from the gaps next to her middle fingers on each hand, blades extending from them. Lucy pulls out a white wooden staff, tipped with a metal head shaped like the crescent moon, holes in the head with metal hoops in them. Okuni takes a yumi, a Japanese bow with a distinctive shape and notches an arrow. Logos takes out a black bow staff with intricate Chinese characters spiraling along it's length.

As Rosemarie enters the room, the group bursts into synchronized action, Blaze and Okuni checking the inside corners next to the door for hostiles as Jean and Logos swiftly making their way further in, Lucy following behind and in between them, Blaze and Okuni taking the rear.

[Harri-chan]

Elliot walked with Blaze and Okuni, turning as he made his way through the room. The old books gave the place a musty smell. The carpet cushioned their footsteps, but occasionally a floorboard beneath it would creak. Rosemarie led them to the back of the room, where a little squared off section had a pink and blue checkered carpet.

A couple of cream couches were set around the section, and on one of them was sprawled a girl. She looked about fifteen, with pale, unblemished skin, and dark red hair that fell in waves. She wore a short, yellow cotton dress with white flowers on, white panties peeking out as she lay unmoving.

Another red-haired teen was sat on the other couch. Similar to the first, but her skin was freckled, her hair brighter and full of curls. She wore a black velvet dress over a white t-shirt, with black and white striped tights, and red canvas sneakers. This girl had a large book open on her lap and smiled brightly at the group.

"What took you so long?".