Oh No! It's Too Scary! (Part Two)

This again? The golden eyes of the redhead would look around, scanning the area to find out just where he was. It wasn't too far into the night, based on what he could tell, the bright lining of the horizon suggesting the sun hadn't set all that long ago. This whole place had a strange, eerie feeling to it. There weren't a ton of people out in the streets, but the people that were out all looked rather strange. Nothing about them really stood out, other than their eyes. They all seemed to be looking at the man, their stares burning a hole in Cid. "WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT!?" He would shout, which caused a few people to scatter, but still they didn't break their unyielding stares. Awful thoughts would creep into his head, considering taking drastic measures to make these folks stop. Were these people and this place even real? What harm could there be in just torching a few of them? He would shake his head, rubbing the hairs on his chin. Even if this place didn't seem real to him, that didn't make it not real to someone. The last thing he wanted to do right now is bring undeserved pain on those around him. Still, if they didn't stop with their stairs he may have to break someone's nose. Ha! Like that would happen!

Placing his hands in his pocket, he would make his way down the street. He wasn't sure why he was here again, honestly. Vague ideas flashed in his mind, but nothing that he could really focus on to recall these fragmented memories. Something was telling him to walk down this street and look for some sort of building. A house, perhaps? No, it was much too large a building for that. Maybe it was an inn of some sort? He would simply shrug and continue on his walk. He would know the place when he saw it, or at least he hoped that to be the case. One foot in front of the other, his long strides helped him cover more ground despite his fairly lazy pace. Out of the corner of his eyes he would find an immense building. Turning his head, he would see a path leading to what looked to be a four story tall hotel. "Yeah, that looks to be about right." Cid would say to himself. 

He would walk closer, finding himself standing before large, brown doors that appeared to be made of wood, though they seemed to be ancient. The man would stand in front of the doors before stopping, pausing to think. Should he knock? No, this was a business. It had to account for people just opening these common entry doors. He would go to open the door but feel compelled to turn around. He felt like he was being followed, and so he would look over his shoulder to find his favorite Hyuuga "pretty boy". Cid would crack a grin, "Yo, Grey! If this is a dream, this is super weird that I'm thinking about you man. You have the slightest clue why we are here?" The rogue would ask, unsure if the Hyuuga Swordlord was as lost in regards to where they were or why they were in this place as the pirate had been. 

Once greetings between the pair were out of the way and pleasantries exchanged, Cid would press on, pushing open the large, creaky wooden doors. The sounds of a tiny bell was heard ringing, though the horrid creak of the door almost drowned it out completely. The inside was surprisingly chilly, to the point that Cid was really starting to reconsider his normal attire. His exposed arms felt the chill and he immediately started rubbing them to keep warm. How can someone have a perfectly usable hearth and fireplace and let the building get this cold? What kind of business were they running here? Did they charge extra for blankets or something?

The tall skinny man behind the counter greeted the pair, but Cid didn't say anything in reply. As soon as he walked in here he felt as if he was being watched from everywhere around him. Despite all of his attempts to find the eyes focused on him, he could not. The red haired bandit would grit his teeth, displeased once more with this place. His sense of rage was quickly replaced with genuine curiosity when the little miss dashed over to the Hyuuga and leapt into the embrace of the Swordlord. "Uhh...???" Cid would be dumbfounded. He despite their good work relationship, the rogue did not know that Grey had a younger sister, especially one that... well looked absolutely nothing like a Hyuuga, at least in his experience. 


WC: 794

Breathe in, breathe out. Sitting in a pose familiar for many martial artists alike Grey had his legs crossed over each other, hands placed on both knees as he channeled the inner energy inside his body. A steady heartbeat as the youth controlled his chakra flow, both mind and body connected and in a calmed down state to the extreme. The meditation helping him maintain a healthy mental shape, its only drawback the battle between peaceful thoughts and the blurry visions of a nightmare troubling his mind. After some days had passed the flashbacks started to disappear as well, leaving behind only the smallest remnants.

His senses which were enhanced due to the mental state he was in allowed the young Hyuuga to pick up on a certain discrepancy in the air around him. "A disturbance in the force?". Quoting a line from a movie he once saw Grey stood up, grabbing a sword laying next to him in case another pleasant surprise showed up. He no longer was inside his own room but a poorly designed cabin instead. The place looked as it was about to collapse, all the more reason for the swordsman to get out as soon as possible lest he wanted to end up buried underneath stone, wood and dirt.

With a smooth motion of his leg and foot the prodigy would kick open the door, that specific part of the building being sent flying a couple of meters into the distance. "The quality of the houses here is rather questionable" the youth voiced, finally leaving the cabin and finding himself out in the open. Staring at the sky Grey noticed night had already started falling over whatever city or village he was in, a similar feeling coming over the martial artist almost as if he experienced this once before. Vague memories tried their hardest to enter his mind but to no avail, up to him to figure things out this time again as well.

Following a single path he eventually ended up in a desolate town, barely any people around and those walking the streets did their best to avoid the Hyuuga. "If I didn't know any better I'd think I'm not welcome here", an atmosphere as if they didn't want him around. Could it just be his thoughts or were the citizens of that place hiding something from the outside world? Regardless of which one it was, the swordsman would find out sooner than later. Depending on the outcome he most likely had to decide whether or not the situation required for him to step in. 

The gentle yet cold breeze of the wind softly pierced his skin as it simultaneously caressed the long locks of hair. Goosebumps all over his arms, either due to the weather or strange scenario the Hyuuga found himself in. Keeping the blade close to him at all times, not letting his guard down even just a second in case any of the villagers were up to no good. Although their numbers weren't impressive, they were plenty while he was alone. However, simply standing there wouldn't do him any good either, hence why he started walking all the while keeping an eye on his surroundings.

As time passed by Grey noticed the town didn't look that many different to the ones he had been to during his travels, although there was one building that stood out from the rest of them. "Must be a hotel" the Hyuuga spoke under his breath, looking up and down the immense building. Squinting his eyes a little the martial artist was able to pick up on a familiar presence about to make his way into the establishment. Walking over it appeared the red haired individual recognized Grey in return, addressing the young man. "Beats me, all I know is that for some reason I get the feeling we've been through this before". Following behind Cid the two of them eventually entered through the front door, hoping to find some sort of clue inside.

The large, creaky wooden doors were opened, accompanied by the ringing sounds of a tiny bell. For some reason unkown the inside of the hotel appeared to be colder than the outside, the chilly temperature possibly explaining as to why there were no visitors besides the two of them and .. "Aihara?". Before the prodigy could even ask why she was there the young lady already jumped him, her tiny arms wrapped around the man's body. "You little brat, what are you doing here by yourself?". Rubbing her hair Grey then looked at the stranger, wondering if he had anything to do with everything suspicious going on.

Aware this reunion might come as a surprise to Cid he would turn to his red haired friend and explain the situation as he picked up Aihara and carried her around for the time being. "She's not my actual sister. After this one lost her parents I ended up taking care of her. Brat, meet Uncle Cid". Turning his attention to the skinny man behind the counter the swordsman briefly addressed the strange looking individual. "I hope she hasn't caused too much trouble?". A smile, a mix between fake and genuine considering he didn't know how involved the owner was, Grey noticed the key in the little girl's hands. "I assume you won't mind I'll stay with my sister? She's too young to be in a room on her own". Not waiting for the man to reply the Hyuuga youth began making his way up the stairs. "Now, why don't you show your big brother where we'll be spending the night?". A gentle smile as he put her down, assuming Cid either joined them or got a separate room.

Entering one of the Yugakure's chambers the atmosphere became slightly more pleasant, the cold had disappeared and a comfortable warmth filled the place. "I guess we can't judge a book by its cover". Two beds, a couple of paintings and a single window which granted view at the streets. The Hyuuga finally took a seat, deeply sighing and trying to gather his thoughts. "Let's get some sleep, assuming it's possible in a place like this". It would be up to his sister to decide whether or not she wanted to sleep in the same bed as him, although the brat enjoyed going on adventures it wouldn't surprise the youth if this whole ordeal scared her at least a tiny bit. 

In the middle of the night, not sure how much time had passed, Grey could suddenly hear strange noises coming from outside the hotel. "Cid, Aihara, are you two awake?". Slowly walking over to the only window in the room in order to find out where those sounds were coming from the swordsman noticed to his surprise there were .. zombies on the streets? And they were .. dancing? "Are you guys seeing this or is it just me?". In case he wasn't dreaming anymore the undead were busy holding some weird party in the middle of the town's center.

(WC: 1173)

So Grey had a little adopted sibling of sorts. The rogue was far from adept at guessing ages, but he figured the little lass had be be less than ten years of age. Cid caught that her name was Aihara based on his earlier statement, but was introduced by Grey as Brat. The young miss quickly rebutted, which honestly made Cid crack a smirk. Yeah, they were just like siblings. A child being here alone was a tad concerning, making Cid give a side eyed glance over to the creepy innkeeper. Dude was creepy and kind of weird even without him having little children that certainly were not his here in this hotel. Well, Cid knew what would need to be done if the worst happened to be the case and this strange elderly man was kidnapping little girls. When she did a curtsy Cid would be a bit caught off guard. Considering how proper her introduction was, Cid felt the need to be as formal as possible. He would offer a bow, "Indeed, I am Cid. You can call me Uncle Cid if you'd like, Lady Aihara." The red headed bandit was not accustomed to being this 'proper' and it really felt odd and unsettling. Cid would whisper to Grey, "Am I gonna have to watch what I say around her?" Cid had a tendency to just spout whatever colorful language came to mind, so avoiding such might prove to be an interesting challenge. 

The young miss would lead the Hyuuga to the room they would be staying in, which in turn the bandit now known as Uncle Cid would follow. The door would be opened, leading to a room that was surprisingly warm and comfortable. "Well that was unexpected, but I'll consider it a win." The room had two beds, a few paintings and a window. Cid immediately figured that he would be crashing on the floor tonight to allow the beds to the others, but the little miss would climb up next to the Hyuuga and curl up. "Well, I guess I'll be bunking over here." He'd say sitting down and lifting his legs up onto the bed. He could have taken off his boots, but Cid was so accustomed to sleeping in them that he simply forgot. Weaving a few seals, the Akari would use some sort of jutsu to conjure up a little something to help ease his mind a bit. A jug of some mysterious liquid would appear in his hands and with a quick motion he would open the stopped at the top and take a swig, the familiar taste warming his mouth and soul. "You want any of this, Grey?" The pair were well acquainted, so it was a safe bet that there was rum in the jug even if it was unspoken. If Grey wanted some he'd share, but if not Cid would simply shrug and take another swig. The Hyuuga would waste no time in getting some rest, the man's breathing interrupted by the sounds of a light snore here and there. Cid of course was having difficulty sleeping, for despite the relaxing warmth of this room and his slight buzz going, he still felt like he was being watched from some unseen location. The bandit would rest his eyes, though he was very much still awake. He could hear light whimpers from the other bed. Cid would open a single eye, looking over to see what was wrong. The young lady was having some sort of bad dream or nightmare, her tossing and turning coupled with whimpers making this realizations very clear. Cid was tempted to Wake her up, but at the same time, he wasn't sure if he should get involved. She didn't really know him all that well and waking to a relative stranger might upset her worse. Cid just figured that Grey would take care of it, though he did seem to be pretty deep in dreamland himself. "Well, I guess I'm the only one awake." He'd whisper to himself, making sure to not wake the others. He'd reach for the jug of his magic juice only to find it wasn't where he left it. Odd...

The man would bend over the bed, looking around for where he put it. It was possible that in his current mindset he just forgot exactly where he put it... but something about this felt strange. He'd look under the bed, his golden eyes able to see in the shadowy darkness as clearly as he could in the daylight. He would see the jug and reach for it, only for it to move and evade his grasp by a smidge. He would lean further into the grab, making certain that he could feel it in his hand before pulling. It felt almost as if something was tugging back on it, yet he saw nothing that would have offered up and sort of resistance. Just what was going on here? He wanted the jug, so he would give it a good tug only for the stopper to somehow come loose and the remainder of the beverage spilling to the floor. Cid wanted to scream, cursing this damned hotel with every fiber of his being, but he didn't want to bother the others rest so he would simply shake his head in disappointment and lay back down and close his eyes. It would be one thing if he could just summon another, but that was the last of it from his good stash. A deep breath and a sigh could be heard by any that listened. He then heard a loud groan, and almost thought that it had been his own spilling forth but then there was another, and another. The groans must have awoken the Hyuuga. Grey would get up, rushing over to the window and asking them if they were awake. The little miss would stir and wake up as well. Cid would get up and stretch, "Couldn't catch a wink of sleep. This place gives me the heebie jeebies." He would walk over to the window to see what Grey was talking about.

There were... zombies... dancing? Cid would rub his eyes and give it a good squint unsure if he was seeing this right. Sure enough, the vision didn't change. "Well, the fact that both of you guys see it too means that I'm not just wildly intoxicated." Aihara would then dart passed the red headed pirate and make her way out of the room and into the corridor. "Holy shit that kids quick!" Well, in reality Cid was a bit on the slow side of things. Well... slow might not have been an accurate descriptor. More like he just happened to move at his own lazy pace. 

Cid's long strides helped cover ground, but Aihara was already down and at the counter, the old creepy innkeeper warning her not to go out at night. Cid would follow as quickly as he could. Grey was probably ahead of him by now since the althetic Hyuuga was practically built for speed. The Akari would skate right passed the old man, paying him no heed. His focus was on making sure the panicked child didn't get into any serious troubles out in this weird zombie dance party. The zombies were... regular people in costume? What the hell kind of place was this? He could have sworn they were proper zombies from the window, but then again maybe he was a bit more drunk than he originally thought. 

The bandit would conjure up a small, red, winged being with little horns. "Teeths, go find out what is going on and report back." It would reply with a nod and quickly flap its bat wings to fly towards the area that they were all heading towards, making certain to stay high enough to be out of the way of any unpleasant civilians aiming to interfere and so that he could get a birds eye view. The imp would 

The mob slowly shuffled its way towards the town graveyard, where various other "spooky monsters" (and super cool pirates) could be found dancing around some sort of man standing firmly in the center, a sickening, evil grin plastering his face. He would slit the throat of one of the dancing partygoers, causing people to immediately begin to panic. Her dying body would fall to the ground and start to spasm until the last remnants of life left her body and the struggle to cling to life was replaced with complete motionlessness. Then she would... get up? She was very much dead and began to attack and slaughter others who were trying their best to escape the graveyard. It was difficult though, since people were struggling against one another to try and make certain they were the first to leave. Of course, as the zombie killed more of the people, more would in turn become zombies. It wouldn't be long before they were all turned. The imp would quickly dart back to its master and report its findings. 

Upon hearing the report, Cid would lift his hands up. "Oh HEEEELL no!" Cid would shout, placing his hands together ready to spring some sort of jutsu into action. He wanted to just torch the place, razing the entire graveyard. Of course, then there would be collateral damage and that wasn't something he wanted to have to explain to the little miss. Plus he wasn't entirely sure where she was at in the crowd. Last thing he needed was to accidently catch her in the blast... "Can you see her, Grey? I'm hoping that those magnificent eyes of yours can help here. If Teeths is right, we are gonna quickly be in a load of trouble when that horde of zombies gets here." 

Hoepfully the Hyuuga could assist, otherwise they were going to quickly find themselves in a position where they would have to act or be overrun by the undead. 

wc: 1664
twc: 2458

Good, at least he wasn't dreaming. His arms placed around the young child's body as she held onto him tightly. By then Cid had joined the pair at the window, rubbing his eyes in order to find out if they were not deceiving him. "I'm afraid this time the liquor has nothing to do with your visions" Grey would reply, implying that whatever was taking place in the middle of the streets was actually real, too real to his liking. If these things were to happen in a movie the Hyuuga would probably enjoy the view, laughing at the sight of dancing zombies but unfortunately that wasn't the case. It didn't look to be a comedy and the man hoped it wouldn't turn into a horror story either.

Even though he could feel the fear trying to take over his younger sister the Hyuuga wasn't afraid she'd start to cower, no what frightened him the most was the fact that Aihara's curiosity far outweighed the part of her being scared. Not a lot of seven-year-olds who'd want to check out the undead, but the small kunoichi was different. Grey could feel his grip being loosened, no time to tell her to stop as he witnessed how she started running, effectively about to make her way downstairs in order to get a closer look of the dance party going on outside of the hotel. "You little brat" the swordsman sighed. "Of course she takes off the first chance she gets". He began to wonder if all older brothers felt the same when dealing with their sister.

There was hardly any time to complain, the martial arts practicioner couldn't exactly let a young child wander off on her own, especially given the suspicious circumstances. As she ran down the corridor Grey followed behind, noticing the strange individual behind the counter warning them it wasn't safe to go out at night. "He knows more" the Hyuuga thought to himself. How else would he be aware of the dangers lurking outside. What made even less sense was the fact he waited til now to tell them that. "Should have told us sooner old man". However, now was not the time to argue about semantics as he had to catch up to the little brat about to exit the hotel as she continued to run further ahead.

As the three of them, assuming Cid eventually joined the pair, set foot into the outside world again they soon found out that those dancing zombies weren't .. actual zombies? The closer they got to the ones who were assumed to be undead would also be the moment Grey and the others realized they were simply dealing with people that dressed themselves up. Was this what the old man warned them about? The Hyuuga could hardly believe that. If a little party was all it took to shake up an entire town then he felt bad for those living there. He watched as the mob continued its way to a graveyard nearby, a rather questionable location for a festivity but who was he to decide that.

It came as no surprise that Aihara wandered off on her own again, for some reason that child always disappeared without telling anyone. Aware his little sister might run into trouble if he let her be Grey tried his best to follow behind, hoping not to lose track of the curious child. "Where did she ran off to this time" the swordsman sighed, not sure whether or not he should activate his Byakugan. For all he knew there were others lurking around in search of a treasure and it was no secret how valuable those lilac eyes were. Of course, if the only way to get everyone out was to use his dojutsu then he didn't really have a chance. However, for now the Hyuuga hoped his natural speed was enough to keep up.

By then Cid had summoned his little companion, a small, red, winged being with little horns going by the name of Teeths. The creature, an imp to be exact, would be sent  ahead to check out what was going on and report back as soon as it gathered all the information it needed. "Quite the helpful aid you got there". Its size allowed it to go by unnoticed, ideal for scouting and reconnaissance. Assisting in his own way Grey would finally activate the Byakugan, helping the Hyuuga in the search for Aihara while also making sure nothing in their surroundings could threaten the young girl. Veins appeared on the prodigy's face and at the same time enhancing his vision.

Horrible events started taking place all around the graveyard, something Teeths confirmed the second the imp returned to Cid and reported back about the things it saw while scouting. An alter in the center of the graveyard, a single man standing by himself almost as if he was in control of the people dancing. As he continued watching the martial artist noticed how one individual stopped her previous movements with the others circling around both the man in the center and the woman, however the group never interrupted their dance. Vampires, witches,  wolves and pirates. It seemed every possible costume one could wear was present, even to the point Grey started to feel left out.

However, that mood quickly changed. The man in the center suddenly slit the throat of the woman, her body dropping to the gound. Soon the rest of the crowd snapped out of their trance, realizing what just happened. No longer music but panic filled the graveyard, fear and horror engulfing the place. When he thought it couldn't get any worse the Hyuuga witnessed how the woman started shaking, the sound of gurgling noticable as she was fighting for her life only for her body to go limp. Those that thought that would be the end of it were gravely mistaken. Surprisingly the corpse stood up, the crowd still panicking and not knowing what was going on. Running for their lives as most people in the same situation would do.

Those who hadn't gotten away yet rushed to their escape, unfortunately ending in people trampling over each other making it harder to get out. The ones caught in the mess and struggling for their survival didn't expect what happened next. The woman who died earlier and came back as an undead began to bite, rip and tear at those she could get her hands on. Scenes almost as if they came straight out of horror movie started happening, people who were slaughtered by the original dead creature all turned into zombies themselves after being wounded or killed. No longer just humans dressed as zombies, but real ones instead. Quite the frightening sight to witness.

Grey listened as Cid warned him about the incoming horde of undead, asking if he was able to find Aihara. "I know where she's headed, but we'll need to get through them first". Grabbing the blade he carried with him ever since he walked out of the cabin the swordsman prepared for battle, hopefully cutting down as many enemies as possible in the hope of getting to Aihara soon. With his lilac eyes of the Byakugan still active, firmly grabbing the blade with both hands, the swordsman swung the weapon downwards, cutting through the first opponent like a knife through butter. Lowering his center of gravity by bending his knees and dropping one of his shoulders, the Hyuuga dashed forward.

The force of the prodigy's weapon would swing tears through the air, sending a wall of force from its tip, producing a loud cracking noise. He continued to move the blade in front of himself with such force and speed that the air in front of him seemed to break, striking zombies and leaving them with a feeling off being hit by several hundred fast moving glass shards at once. As he proceeded cutting down the undead in his path the martial artist held on to the sheath of the sword, drawing and swinging the weapon in a wide arch in a powerful motion, hoping to slay as much enemies as possible. As he cut down the last zombie Grey noticed out the corner of his eye that the young child entered an old house. "Of course she did". Running into the same direction the youth only hoped nothing would happen to her.

As he arrived at the place the Hyuuga heard a scream, followed by his little sister bursting through the glass door. "Aihara, what happened?". Trying her best to explain the situation a sudden howl appeared from the distance, once the girl was finished talking the only conclusion turned out they were dealing with a werewolf. To say the night was full of surprises would be quite the understatement. Not in the mood to become dinner for the beast they started to run, assuming Cid had joined the pair by then. Chased by the creatures the three of them rushed towards a building, noticing other people were headed into that direction. "It'll be fine, Grey will protect you" the swordsman tried his best to comfort her.

Getting closer to the safe place they noticed the building turned out to be a school, considering it was where everyone was headed the Hyuuga figured it at least had to be secure enough to spend the night. With a final sprint their little group successfully made it into the place, quickly closing the door behind him and barricading the windows. "How is everyone?". He then quickly picked up Aihara, telling her everything would be alright.

(WC: 1612, TWC: 2775)

The words of the young Hyuuga Swordlord were like sweet honey to the ears of the red headed rogue. The Hyuuga knew where the little miss was, and readied his blade to cut his way through the horde of zombies shambling their way down the path and towards the pair. Their immediate next objective was clear, the rogue cracking his knuckles in an outward stretch of his arms. "Well, that takes away most of my concerns. No point in holding back, eh?" The Hyuuga was the quickest to the draw, slashing through the first creature unlucky enough to find itself in his path of destruction. The enemy would be sliced in twain, the hyuuga making this feat look effortless. He would then slash his blade towards a group of the undead menace, the speed of which seemed to tear the air itself, almost deafening the whole area with a sound that cracked and sounded like thunder during a lightning storm. Various undead in the path of the slash would be torn to ribbons as if they had been shredded by hundreds of tiny blades, their innards spilling out in a gory mess. Slash after slash, the Hyuuga seemed to be in some sort of battle frenzy, cutting the creatures of the night down by the masses. 

Teeths would chime in, "Such a useful talent," the imp would whisper, its hushed tones falling to the ears of its bandit master as it perched on the high shoulder of the man. The devilish imp would rub its hands together and grin, please with the sights it was taking in. Even Cid was taken a bit back by the Hyuuga's wholesale slaughter of these monstrous adversaries. Cid just kind of stood there scratching his head as Grey mopped the floor with every single zombie around them. With a shrug, following the weapons master as quickly as his long legs would let him as the man rushed towards a house. How quickly they seemed to be moving made the wonder where they found the all that energy. By the time he caught up to the pair he was sucking air like nobodies business. You would have sworn that he was a chronic smoker that chain smokes several packs a day. Grey found Aihara, the child held firmly in his grasp. It looks like she broke the glass door, shards resting on the ground near Hyuuga and his sister. Aihara seemed to be in a terror, panic seemingly setting in as she loudly cried about her concerns. A werewolf? He had to have misheard. Werewolves don't exist, at least not that he's ever seen or heard of. They are just stories people tell to scare people to keep them from going out in the woods at night. Right? Right? Of course... he did just watch people turn into zombies and chase after them. A bit of his own panic started to settle in as the howls of some large, monstrous beast could be heard, likely all across the town they found themselves in. The howl of a wolf could carry vast distances, but this sounded fairly close. Cid wasn't sure if it was because of his own hints of fear creeping in, but he had no intention of being here when that creature made itself seen. 

Aihara made her concerns about the hotel very clear, and the bandit honestly couldn't disagree. Something about that hotel felt off,  like the walls were watching him at all times. Plus that innkeeper was creepy as hell. What kind of innkeeper offers a room to a child all by their lonesome? Perhaps Cid was being too harsh, and some sort of effort would have been made to find her parents... or guardians in this case he supposed, since she happened to have an unfortunate set of circumstances. "Yeah, I second that man." Cid would say to his comrade. Teeths would squint its eyes, glaring at the red headed man. It was almost as if the little creature wished only to see the torrent of panic and emotions pouring out of the little miss, almost as if it delighted and savored it. It didn't dare speak of this though, knowing fully that its devilish delights would only manage to bring the anger of present company directed at him. Speaking of the little miss... she didn't seem so good. Her movements were becoming slower as if her body weighed a ton, her eyes showing signs of consciousness beginning to fade. Grey comforted her, promising to protect here from anything this night or strange place could throw at her...much like any real big brother would. It was honestly a heartwarming sight. 

The trio would make their way towards the school like she had suggested, several others also heading in that direction ahead of them. It would seem as if they were the last to get through. The howls, moans and groans of this nights monsters could be heard behind them, growing louder as more and more of the stragglers succumbed to the mob and quickly found themselves torn apart, only to rise again and add to the hordes ranks. The doors were shut and barricaded behind them, the shambling masses of dead flesh could be seen clamoring towards them and raking at the doors through the small windows. It was lucky for them that these undead did not seem to possess any sort of real intelligent thought, instead only trying to claw their way through the metal doors without much luck. Of course, Cid wondered if these doors could withstand the attacks of whatever horrid wolf creature was out there prowling the night for what he had to assume to be a meal. 

A middle aged man would shout to them from down the hallway, beckoning them to take refuge in the gym. There was offer of food and drink, to which Cid gave a sideways look to Grey and Aihara, only to see that the little miss had finally succumbed to her own exhaustion from all of the 'excitement' of this awful night. The rogue was tired from not sleeping, physically exhausted from running, and still a little bit drunk from the quality liquor earlier. Still, this whole situation was a little strange to him. Perhaps it was paranoia, but usually when people were 'too nice' or things were 'too good to be true' it was usually because something was amiss. "Keep lookout Teeths," Cid would quietly whisper to the winged fiend perched on his shoulder. The devilish creature would understand the command, making sure to keep itself out of sight while flying overhead and watching. Bangs could still be heard at the doors behind them, the creatures still clamoring to enter their safe haven to feast on flesh. 

Cid would approach the middle aged man, putting up a veil of friendliness to hide his distrust, "Ah thank you, kind sir. I am glad to take you up on such a generous offer. I have yet to eat tonight, and after all of that running to get here my parched throat could use a drink." Cid said through a smile. Turning back towards Grey and Aihara the rogue's face would shift from a kind look to a stern look of concern. It was subtle, but he was hoping that he made his concerns clear to the Hyuuga who knew him well. 

Entering in, the doorway would quickly be boarded up and barricaded, a line of some sort of town militiamen all holding weapons would stand there, ready to defend this place with their lives it would seem. The middle aged man would offer to let the little miss rest over with the other little girl. She, too, looked like this night took its toll on her. The bruises were concerning, but a terrified parent grabbing their child and rushing away from certain doom... it may have been a true accident. The lights would then suddenly fail, everything going dark. It was so dark that even Cid's golden eyes couldn't see, meaning there was no light at all. Screams could be heard, and people seemed to start to panic. When the lights came back on, the man's young daughter was gone. Cid would stuff his hand in his pocket, grasping on to a solid metal lighter. He didn't smoke, but his unique eyesight allowed even a tiny bit of light go a long way. And so he kept it for times when there were no other lights. Caves, or the underdecks of ships he happened to be assigned to. These sorts of places had a tendency to evade light, especially at night with an overcast sky. 

The lights cut again, and the lighter would be brought out. The first flick didn't work, making Cid think there was something wrong with the flint, but a second strike would cast a flame lighting the place up to the Akari as if there was still power. He didn't know exactly where to look, but there seemed to be someone rushing towards a back door. The golden eyes of the Akari were impressive, but nowhere near as powerful as those of his Hyuuga buddy. He didn't know the details of its capabilities, but he imagined that Grey would have been able to detect everything at least as well as he had. 

When the lights flicked back on, Cid would close his lighter to extinguish its flame. Cid didn't really know what was going on and would look around to try and see what he could. It didn't look like the undead had breached the barricades, but the scrambling and panicking people were pushing at them. It wouldn't take long for one of them to be foolish enough to open the place up to flee, only to open the metaphoric dam and letting undead flood the place. It also didn't take long for him to realize the little miss was gone.

Normally, a decision would have to be made here. If those people let those creatures in, they were all dead. But it wasn't as though they could prioritize saving these strangers over the rescue of Grey's sister. They could split up, but Cid couldn't live with himself if something were to happen to Grey because of his absence. This frantic choice made him entirely forget about the imp that was overhead watching, its eyes wide in delight and a wide, evil grin on its face.

Cid would form the seals to conjure a shadow clone. The clone would stay here, trying to settle people down and prevent this whole place from being overrun. The real Cid would follow Grey as the man tracked down his sister. When they got to the staircase and attempted to make their descent, a clicking sound could be heard and the stairs shifted to become a slide, rocketing the pair towards the unknown. The rogue would feel a heavy thud of his head hitting something hard before consciousness quickly faded. He wasn't able to slow his descent and knocked himself out upon impact with a wall. 

He would wake up, chained to the wall like some sort of prisoner. A sudden, real panic would fully grasp the man. He would tug and pull at the chains, his breathing rapid and uneasy. He didn't want to be in chains. He didn't want to be imprisoned! It wouldn't take long for his muscles to ache as they fought against their shackles with all the might Cid could muster. It was pointless. He was a prisoner now...

A booming voice could then be heard, welcoming them all to some sort of sick and twisted game of sorts. The pirate would look around, his eyes adjusting to everything slowly as his head still throbbed from the impact earlier. Once clarity set in, he could see his companions as clear as day. The booming voice would offer them all a choice, letting the youngest of them decide first. Aihara picked up a symbol off the ground, a large X. It seemed as though the little miss chose poorly, as the voice announces that she has chosen death. In what must have been mere moments, the young girl was killed right in front of them. Cid looked over to Grey, unsure of how the man would react to seeing something like that. Cid's heart would begin to race, thumping hard in his chest. "I don't wanna play your stupid fucking game!" Cid would shout at the disembodied voice that seemed to be running things. 

There would be no answer, and without anything else to go on, he would simply pick up the circle tile. "Player Cid has selected the buzz saw challenge!" The chains would lower him into a pit, then release him. The whirs of several saws could be heard, and they would make their way out of the walls and down a preset path. Of course, even if the path was preset one would have to be extremely nimble to avoid all of the saws. Being nimble wasn't something Cid would pride himself on, for he... kind of wasn't quick or nimble. He was a problem solver though, so he would determine how best to tackle this situation. Once an idea came to him, he would spring into action. Forming two shadow clones, they would all smear a bit of blood on the chest of the others in the form of some sort of seal. Then the first clone would try its best to make its way through. It didn't succeed, but all of the information it learned on the path would be relayed to the other two. Then the next clone would make its way through, knowing where to be most careful from the mistakes of the first. Once at the other side, it would summon the real Cid to the exit.

"Well played! I'll see you next year..." The voice would say in an ominous tone. 

Suddenly Cid would wake up, finding himself sweating. He was back at the usual inn, resting in his usual bed. What exactly was that nightmare? And why did he have the feeling that it wasn't the first time either...

wc: 2363
twc: 4820

Claims:
48 stats (all into chakra stat)
48,000 ryo (Beloved Presence Skill doubling mission rewards)
1,000 ryo (Genin bonus doubled by Skill)
120 AP from missions
34 Tickets (Event extension discussed with staff)

70/250 wc towards Vandalism by Fire
500/500 wc towards Body Flicker
500/500 wc towards Fire Lash
250/250 wc towards Smoke Veil
1000/1000 wc towards Hiding in Fire
2500/2500 wc towards Ninjutsu Enhancement (amplifier) A-rank

As the little girl rested her head on his shoulder Grey would be counting their luck, having escaped from a massive horde of zombies and other terrifying creatures could be considered a miracle on its own. He still had trouble figuring out or coming up with a reason as to why those events suddenly started taking place, effectively wondering if the three of them ended up in someone else's wicked game. If not that, then perhaps a movie or a dream? Whatever it was left the Hyuuga with quite the ominous feeling. He didn't allow his worries to show, knowing he had to do everything in his power to make sure Aihara made it out.

A small sigh could be heard, his little sister finally closing her eyes, able to try and get some sleep as darkness came over the child. The whole course of events would be a lot to deal with, maybe even too much, especially for a young girl her age. The other adults, young and old, were busy panicking themselves, uncertain if and how they would get out of there alive so it would be nothing more than normal that a seven-year-old would be undergoing the same pressure. Listening to the girl's breathing it appeared she slowly calmed down, a chance for Grey to attempt the same.

Just as he tried to close his eyes for a moment the swordsman suddenly heard a voice calling out to them. Upon looking into the direction the sound came from he noticed a middle aged man standing just outside of two large doors, shouting from down the hallway, a bright red sign that lit up the back of the hallway. Focusing his sight on said sign the youth would notice it read as 'gym', something he didn't think of when they first entered the building. It made sense, most schools possessed one although more and more PE classes were spent outside in the open air.

Grey had to smile sarcastically upon hearing the man's words, lucky wasn't exactly how he would describe the situation everyone was in but considering they could have easily been dead as well the Hyuuga had no reason to complain. With Aihara passed out and Cid agreeing the prodigy accepted the offer, food and drinks far better than what they were doing now. Although it sounded too good to be true it was a risk they were willing to take, even if it meant going into the unknown. In any case, it would be an improvement to what their group was currently facing.

As they followed the stranger and entered the gym, the middle aged man closed the doors, boarding up the place once they all made it in. Making it further into the gym the martial artist noticed a line of well abled and bodied men would stand in a row before it, each holding a weapon of some kind. "You guys seem prepared" the youth would voice, surprised at what he saw. Besides relieved they made it in time he couldn't help but feel as if something was suspicious, the events taking place outside hadn't happened that long ago and yet those men made preparations to such an extent?

The middle aged man would inquire about Aihara, asking about her age and the relationship between the Hyuuga and herself. "My sister, she's seven years old". Maybe he was simply trying to be nice but his grin made Grey think otherwise, almost as if the stranger had a hidden agenda all along. The swordsman listened to the suggestion of placing Aihara next to another young girl who he claimed to be his daughter. The small child, approximately the same age as Aihara, had jet black hair tasseled in a bun, her shirt tore in a few spots, sporting several bruises along her arms.

The circumstances were concerning but for now he'd give them the benefit of the doubt, hoping there was another explanation for the girl's wounds. Regardless, Grey decided to keep an eye on the strangers, not knowing what any of them were up to nor aware if they had anything else planned. When everything seemed to have calmed down the lights would suddenly fail, everything going dark inside the room. Not much later screams could be heard, one louder than all the other ones. When the lights finally came back on the little girl that was once laying on the ground was now missing.

The middle aged man appeared to be as white as a ghost, panicking where his daughter went. Either he was an amazing actor or the shock would be a genuine one. Just as before, the power would black out again, the gym quickly engulfing into darkness and chaos once more. When the lights came back on Grey noticed AIhara had disappeared and was no longer resting in his arms, something that must have happened while the room was engulfed in nothing more than darkness. "Those sons of bitches", activating his Byakugan the lilac eyes started scanning the surrounding area in search for his little sister.

With the help of Cid and his imp, Teeths, the men would begin their search, hoping to find Aihara rather sooner than later. Combined efforts were always better than running solo, which is why the swordsman was glad to have some support. The Hyuuga prodigy watched as his red haired friend created a shadow clone, making the total of pirates two. Cid's clone would stay behind, trying to settle everyone down and prevent the whole place from being overrun. The real one followed Grey as the man tracked down his sister.

When they got to the staircase and attempted to make their descent, a clicking sound could be heard and the stairs shifted to become a slide, rocketing the pair towards the unknown. Soon both men find themselves knocked back with their heads against the wall only to lose concsciousness upon impact. No matter how one looked at it, everything started going wrong the moment they all entered the mysterious hotel and from that moment on it only went downhill. It appeared the martial artist's suspicions about the place had been right all along.

Waking up he immediately noticed to be chained against the wall, just like a couple of others inside the room, two of them being his sister and Cid. Grey already tried to get out of the shackles, the only effect the bruises on his wrists from doing so. A booming voice suddenly made its appearance, informing the group about a little game he wanted to play with everyone, something the Hyuuga already expected the moment they entered the school. Being right twice in a row, however it wasn't exactly something the swordsman could be happy about.

Picking the triangle option Grey soon found himself losing sight in both eyes, blood dripping down from them and turning black. Safe to say one of the worst things that could happen to the Hyuuga who valued their famous dojutsu more than anything else. Eventually darkness completely took over, consciousness fading away before the youngster would wake up once again, this time far away from the mysterious village and in his own bed. The only thing left for Grey was to go out and look for both his little sister and red haired friend Cid, to be continued.

(Exit)

(TWC: 4000)
Claims:
- 1500/1500 Lion Hawk [B-Rank]
- 1000/1000 Quickdraw
- 1000/1000 Flying Swallow
- 500/500 Adjustment
- 40 stats [+20 Chakra, +20 Speed]
- Mission rewards [24,000 + 500 Genin bonys ryo, 120 AP, 34 Tickets]

Approved.