[Ishka]

An alarm clock blared its bell on the night stand next to Ishka, his hand quickly rummaging through the items on the table to find the source of the noise. Finding it within a few minutes, he pressed the snooze button and rolled over in his sheets. Sighing to himself at the hour of day it was, he rubbed his eyes with rough hands and yawned. Sitting up in the bed, he looked out the window of his room and blinked a few times. His clock was saying 9:00 am, but outside it looked as though it could still be 3:00 am. This city had a way with lighting that was for sure.

Standing up from his bed, he stretched a few times focusing on his back and arms. Walking to the bathroom, he cleaned up and got dressed for the day only to come back into his room and lay back on the bed. He knew his assignments were waiting on him, and he knew he could not avoid them. Sighing once more, he ran a hand through his black coarse hair and walked out of his room and through the front door to his apartment. Stepping down the stairs of his porch, he looked back up at the sky and frowned.

"Could this city be any less dark??", he spoke out loud in a deep voice.

Shaking his head, he began to stroll down the sidewalk towards the covered parking on the side of the apartment complex. A black mustang awaited him under its carport. Pulling out a ring of three keys, he pressed a black remote and the alarm on the car beeped a few times.

"Another start to another day...", he said with a tired tone as he opened the door to the car and proceeded to get in.

Before he was seated, one leg out of the car still, he heard a loud bang behind him. Turning his head to see where it came from, he noticed someone walking in the drive way alongside his apartment complex.

[Rin Miura]

Rin walked through the unfamiliar town, her senses sharp. The place was...dark despite the morning sunlight, this place she learned was called Neo-Tokyo.It was so unlike her forest in Symposia, and the White City, which she had traveled from. She continued down the street, taking in the surrounding, seeing as it was unfamiliar territory to her. She saw the tall and dark buildings. Beside her was her grey wolf Dusk. She stayed by Rin's side.

"Do you feel how dark this place is." said Dusk, well through her thoughts. Rin could communicate with animals, through the mind. She could hear their thoughts.

"Yes," Rin replied, "Stay alert, just for safety. You don't know what resides her."

"Alright."

Rin continued down the street. Suddenly. there was a loud bang, which hurt both of their ears. Rin clasped her ears and nearly feel down to one knee. She heard Dusk whimper lightly.

"Ow! What was that?" Rin whipped her head, looking for which direction the sound came. She heard shouts in the direction they were walking, distant ones.

"Let's go check it out." Rin told Dusk and they went with a jog.

[Ishka]

Ishka rolled his eyes at the dramatic scene that was taking place just outside the carport. It was a couple. Young in age, and too young at heart. Every week at least once they would get into these fights. It had been like that for months. Either she was yelling at him, or he was running from her. But in the end they always had make up sex that all the neighbors could hear, which honestly was irritating to hear when you weren't getting any yourself. A clenched fist squeezed around the steering wheel in the mustang as Ishka's ears began to itch with the woman's yelling. She was starting the fight this time. Another loud bang could be heard, and the man that she called lover walked out into the driveway to meet his partner in a duel of volume.

Taking off his glasses, their black shiny metal rims glittering in the lamplight int he carport, Ishka released his grip from the steering and got back out of the car. Closing the door, key in hand still, he stood there transfixed on how rough the girl looked that was screaming profanities at the man. Her hair was knotted here and there, makeup smeared across her eyelids. A druggie probably, if not an abuse junkie. It didn't matter, all he wanted right now was to shut her up. Hearing running footsteps in the distance, his direction came to a girl and what looked like a dog but a wolf at the same time. Confusing really...

[Rin Miura]

As Rin and Dusk ran towards the sound, there was another loud bang that hurt Rin's ear. She rubbed her ear and continued to jog with Dusk to the source of the sound. They got closer and closer to two figures in the distance. As they got closer, she noticed it was a man and a woman. "Probably a couple." She thought. The woman was screaming profanities at the man.She screamed so loud that Rin would flinch a little.

As she approached the couple, there was a man coming out of his driveway.  She just stopped where she was. She didn't know if she should meddle in their fight and just leave or if she should stop them before something might happen. She looked at Dusk and could feel her growing agitated by the loud fight. Dusk started to growl, loud and clear.

"Don't hurt them," Rin whispered. Dusk started to inch toward the couple. Hopefully they would hear her wolf and stop, but Rin also had her doubts that they wouldn't hear anything over the woman's loud shouts.

[Ishka]

He blinked a few times silently. Looking down at his glasses in hand, he shook his head and pulled up his shirt-tail to start cleaning them. Revealing some skin the process, he took his time in wiping the dust of his glasses. Raising them up to the dim sky, he tilted his head and then looked back to the couple that were fighting still. It was a pity that he had such disturbing neighbors. Setting his metal framed glasses back on his nose gently, he began to walk over to the couple again.

Clearing his throat he smiled softly at the woman as she turned around with a scowl on her face.

"Take it easy now, I dont want anybody to get hurt...", he said almost in a provoking manner.

The woman smirked and waved off her boyfriend who was still failing his arms in the air at her as she ignored him. Obviously Ishka was more interesting than a squall with a bad boy. If only she knew who the bad boy really was.

As the woman stepped closer to the group, the one with a wolf by her side, Ishka sniffed the air and looked her way for a second or two. She was scared, but not terrified. He could smell something extra too. Something dark. Evil. Dead...

He turned his attention back to the woman in front of him now.

"Why dont you two call it a day with the yelling and both go out for breakfast or something? What do ya say?", he suggested calmly while handing the woman a wad of cash from his black jacket's pocket.

The woman smiled even bigger than she was before, took the money as quick as he had offered it, and turned around to run with the man in toll. He chuckled for a bit as he began to walk back to his car. The extra smell was still in the air around him.

[Blood Brothers]

The moment the girl and her boy-toy moved away Nanashi snared them in his thrall, amused to no end how quickly they sank into it. Those with weak wills were always the easiest to prey upon, but they were boring if that was all he got to eat. Sashi used to berate him for playing with his food too much.

The thought of his adorable, little brother sobered him enough to have the two in his net calmly return to their apartment building. He would get them inside once they were out of sight. Turning to said adorable, little brother, Nanashi pouted before he stroked the redhead's cheek, garnering nothing but a blissed out blink.

"Come with me, lovely, and we'll get you some strength," the long-haired vampire promised softly, dragging them both through the shadows and into the messy apartment where the two mortals waited. Setting Sato down in a cleared spot on the floor, he arranged the male and started the process. The redhead latched on quickly and was soon humming softly between gulps of warm blood.

With a sigh, Nanashi pushed the girl against the wall, latching on to her wrist and smirking when she moaned.

[Rin Miura]

Rin watched as the man with the glasses took care of everything. She saw him-sniff the air? He glanced at her for a few seconds, then turned back to the woman. She too sniffed the air around her, to see if there was any change of atmosphere and caught this odd scent. It was a strong smell, unfamiliar to her. It smelled dark and of the dead, but she couldn't find a smell of rotten flesh, just of... death.

"Let's go Dusk. I think he can handle this." Rin turned the other direction and heard Dusk turn and follow behind.

"Did you smell that?"

"Yes," Rin replied out loud, "Maybe we should go follow it and find out what it is." Rin was turning and saw the woman run off with her man.

"I don't think we should." Dusk showed Rin eyes imploring not to go. "It may be dangerous."

"Well if it is I don't like the idea of leaving that couple alone."Rin was already quickly following the scent. "This place seems rather dark anyway even with the sun out. Who knows what could happen here." Dusk followed reluctantly. They came to an apartment, but Rin didn't go near it, suddenly smelling blood.

"We should go." Dusk said but Rin ducked behind some bushes instead and watched the apartment, waiting in silence.

[Ishka]

It seemed that the couple were through with their squall since they were heading back into the apartments. Shaking his head as he fumbled with his keys for a second, Ishka suddenly felt evil spreading in the distance. Not sure what it could be, he pushed the thought out of his head and proceeded with getting into his car. Sliding the key into the ignition switch, Ishka smiled to himself as he heard the motor of the Mustang gear up. He really did have a thing for muscle cars.

Looking at his rear view mirror, he noticed the two strangers from a moment ago hiding in some bushes near the apartment complex. Noting to himself that this was a bit odd, he rose an eyebrow at the thought of wonder crossing his mind. There obviously was something interesting going on still to keep those two at bay. Debating his departure, he kept a one hand on the steering wheel of the car and the other on the gear stick. Eyes still locked onto his rear view mirror, he decided to wait a few more minutes to see if anything else would happen before he left.

[Blood Brothers]

Stopping just before they were emptied completely, Nanashi pulled back and let the woman fall to the floor while he walked to the kitchen. Sato had come back to himself a few minutes before, sitting back and blinking at the man he had practically drained dry. The brunette came back into the room with a well-used butcher knife in hand, using one of the thin potholders to keep his prints off the handle.

With a sweet smile, Nanashi slit the man's throat from ear to ear and then went and did the same to the woman, also cutting off her hand to hide his marks. He put the knife in the man's hand and pocketed the potholder. That would be destroyed later.

"Back to yourself, I see," the long-haired vampire pointed out calmly, smile widening when his dear, little brother stood smoothly from the floor. Sato looked much better than he had in months and it was all thanks to a little blood.

"What happened?" Sato asked, raising a hand to his head since it throbbed painfully any time he tried to remember what happened between standing in an alley and waking up with his mouth full of blood. Perhaps Nanashi was more used to such things.

"I will tell you once we leave this hovel," Nanashi assured him as he poked around the house carefully. All stashes of drugs were confiscated as was all the money. Then, wrapping his arms around his favorite brother, the golden-eyed vampire kicked out the balcony door, giggling slightly at the sound of breaking glass, and swept them through the shadows before anyone could investigate.

The scene would appear just as he planned it. Someone had obviously come in to steal the couple's drugs and money, killing them by slitting their throats and then fleeing from the balcony. Perhaps that was even how the perpetrator had snuck in.

"Please, don't do that again," Sato grumbled, seemingly a little green. His brother frowned at him while he just tried not to regurgitate his recently consumed blood. The meal had made him feel better; the skip through the shadows made him feel ill. Leaning against the wall of a store several blocks away, Nanashi sighed.

"I'll try to keep that in mind. You didn't used to have trouble traveling through the shadows, even if you couldn't use them yourself. Tenshi has always been able to use the light as we have used the darkness," the brunette pondered aloud, studying his little brother curiously.

[Rin Miura]

Dusk flinched her head back at the sudden noise. Out of instinct, Rin jumped out of the bushes and rushed into the apartment. Dusk followed closely behind. They entered the apartment and saw the couple from before, throats slit. The odd smell from before lingered in the air and stung their nostril. The scent was strong.

"Who did this?" Rin thought.

"The scent leads out through here." said Dusk, facing the broken balcony door.

"Whoever it is is probably long gone now." said Rin. "Maybe we should look around. See if we can find what happened."

"Well, we shouldn't stay for too long."

"I know," Rin smiled at Dusk, then turned back at the now dead couple. Rin quickly looked at the couple. She noticed how pale they were. They would have to be dead for a long time to be that pale. She noticed the girl's hand missing. She didn't know what to make of the scene.

"We should go now," suggested Dusk.

"I know I just...don't want to leave them here."

"We can worry about it later. Maybe we can come back or something. Let's just go. Best not to be involved." Rin followed Dusk out the door, rather reluctantly.

"Remember this is not like home."

[Ishka]

It seemed like the minutes crawled by as Ishka waited in the car for something to happen. His eyes switched back to the rear view mirror and then back to the clock on the dashboard panel. He had waited 3 minutes already and still nothing had happened. Closing his eyes in a tired gesture Ishka reached his hand out towards the keys in the ignition and just as he was about to turn the engine over to start, a blast of glass erupted from the balcony door sending sprays of glass onto the pavement below it. Quickly opening his door, Ishka ran from his car to try and catch a glimpse of the person that had fled from the scene. Nothing...just glass and splinters of wood here and there littering the ground.

"Damnt...", he said under his breath as he starred up at the window.

Looking around to try and spot the odd pair that were stalking the man and woman from before, Ishka soon realized they were no where to be seen. Heading into the house through the open door on the bottom floor, he ran up the stairs as fast as he could to find the criminals that had committed this crime. Surely it would of had to been the girl and wolf by her side from before. Who else could have arrived at the scene unseen and then fled in the same way. He knew of what it could be, but at this moment he was ruling that out and placing the girl and wolf under accusations.

[Blood Brothers]

"You haven't been feeding," Nanashi stated plainly, scowling at his little brother to silence any protests. They would be lies and false reassurances, anyway. "So, you were weak to my thrall and it put you under just as easily if not more than those pathetic mortals. I've taken care of you, though."

Cooing, the long-haired vampire stroked a hand down Sato's cheek, smirking at his favorite brother's dark expression. There was a number of reasons that this brother was his favorite, after all, and time hadn't purged him completely of his darling ways. Nanashi would have to mold him back into what he was before, slowly but surely.

"Right," Sato grumbled, leaning away from the obviously nut-so vampire the others called 'brother'. Why was he doing this again? Sashi was probably making a mess of things back at the shop. At least Ayaka was there, though, right?

[Rin Miura]

Rin's ears twitched; someone was coming. As they were walking down the hallway, Rin turned and pressed her back against the wall of a connecting hallway, hiding from view. Dusk followed, also hearing the footsteps from behind them. They kept absolutely quiet.

Rin sniffed the air for the person's scent. It was hard for her to figure it out since there were quite a few people living in the apartment complex, all with different scents. She managed catch a vaguely familiar scent. Maybe it was from earlier, from that third person she saw while the couple was fighting. Maybe his scent was temporarily overpowered by the other stronger scent of death. Whatever the case, they needed to get out.

Rin and Dusk went down to the end of the hall, finding a window. The latches were locked tight. Rin pulled out her blade and used it as leverage to pry the latches open. She opened it, and climbed the window. She crouched on the sill.

"How high is it?" Dusk asked her.

"Pretty high, but nothing I can't handle." Rin has had some experience jumping off high trees or high places.

[Ishka]

Ishka came up from the steps as the girl and wolf in tow fled to the window down the hall.

"Heyyyy! Stop right there!!!", he yelled out as he continued to run quickly after them.

Jumping out of the window sill and somersaulting to the ground smoothly, he landed on his feet and hands down at his sides. They were gaining speed already he saw as the two ran off in the distance. Smelling the air, Ishka took note of the heightened sense of fright the girl was having from the burst of adrenaline. He knew that feeling all too well.

Looking down at the tracks in the worn down pavement, he scrunched his eyebrows together and frowned. She was younger then he expected. A little foot usually meant one of two things. Either she was a short woman, or a young one. Sometimes both. And maybe this was the case. Only time would tell. This was of course based off of his own theory, but somehow he was usually right. Letting out a deep exhale, he turned around and headed back down the alley towards the carport holding his mode of transportation.

[Blood Brothers]

"You're not completely well, though, so we need to find more," Nanashi stated, turning away from the redhead and flipping his hair over his shoulder. Ducking, Sato narrowly avoided getting smacked in the face with said long hair. His eye twitched as he followed his big brother.

"How do you pick them? That place back there looked like druggies lived there," Sato sneered, shoving his hands in his pockets in irritation.

"That's because they were," Nanashi easily responded, tossing an amused look over his shoulder at the pouting vampire.

"Wha~at?!" Sato nearly shrieked, looking disgusted. Surely, the guy had to be kidding! What if he had ingested whatever crap they had put into their bodies?! That was revolting.

[Rin Miura]

Rin continued her flee, despite hearing the man shout at them. She didn't look back, feeling kind of fearful of the young man. She didn't know if he was good or bad so she didn't want to show her face. She continued her run, Dusk close behind and took several turns, not necessarily knowing where she was going. She stopped, out of breath at a small park with a few trees, she decided to rest there, and making sure no one was looking, brought Dusk up in the tree first, and then climbed up the oak and leaned against it.

"Do you not think anyone will find it...unusual that we are in a tree?" Dusk asked.

"Not if they don't see us in this foliage." Rin replied,rather smartly. Then she exhaled deeply, and took out her shiny silver flute.

"You aren't actually considering to play that are you?"

"What are you so worried about?"

"We were just chased out of an apartment complex. Do you think it would be wise to play that?"

"I won't play it too loud," replied Rin slightly annoyed. "I swear you are not as fun as you used to be."

"That's only because we are not home."Dusk said rationally, "You need to be careful."

"Well, just relax. We are hiding in a tree, and I won't play it loudly. Besides if anyone hears it, they might find it hard to find where the sound is coming from." Rin told Dusk rather stubbornly. Then she took a breath and blew softly through the flute, producing rather quiet sound. It produced a smooth, mystical sound that warmed Rin and Dusk's soul. Dusk relaxed and laid down on Rin as she played for a bit. This was how the two would usually relax.

[Ishka]

Toying the thought around of a little girl running away from a murder scene, Ishka smirked as he juggled the keys to his car in his right hand. Finally making back to his car, he stood outside it looking over at the apartment from before. Something was not right at all. Everything had happened so quickly and off the radar that the only thing Ishka could come up with was a random hit-man or predator of some kind. Leaning more towards predator, the first species of that genre that came to mind of course would be a vampire. Considering the time of day it was tho, Ishka juggled his hypothesis around for a little bit as he debated stepping back inside the apartment once more for a thorough investigation.

Sliding his car key into the door of his Mustang, he contemplated driving out to a bogos meeting about city regulations and plans or staying in town to do his own form of business. Turning the key to unlock the door, he waited before pulling it out to take a seat inside. Looking over his shoulder once more at the open window on the upper floor's balcony, Ishka withdrew the key to his car from the door and stepped back and out from the carport. Standing in the middle of the street between apartments, he stared up at the broken wood and shattered glass.

This was a good start to a good day.

[Blood Brothers]

"Ah, the bonuses of being older than dirt and supernatural, too," Nanashi sighed, giggling at the sputtering his little brother was doing behind him. Not a lot of normal substances could harm them, even though they had been 'dead' longer than they had been 'undead'. Their progression had been halted after the Battle, but he suspected that the Doctor had done more than just revive them and try to steal their memories.

Glancing back at the redhead, Nanashi mentally amended that. The Doctor had stolen memories - completely from his little brother and incompletely from him, but a little thing called Time and brothers had filled in the gaps. Zig was also a big help, telling him stories and letting him browse the Hunter's paperwork on missions back then.

His methods couldn't help Sato, though, considering that the redhead had hardly come up on the Hunter's radar even though he was involved with Nanashi. Sato, no, Sashi had kept to the shadows while his big brother took the spotlight, playing with the Hunters and Zig at their head, especially. The candy-loving vampire had been more interested in creating and keeping Nanashi out of trouble than painting a target on his back like Nanashi had delighted in, irritating all who tried to capture or kill him.

The long-haired vampire wanted to bring that back, so here he was in the City of Darkness with every intent to shake his tushie for all to see.

[Ishka]

Time had elapsed since Ishka started the through investigation of the house taking his time with each room and retracing his steps from before in attempt to help narrow the footsteps down to whose were whose. Within the last 2 hours the police had been called in as well as the forensic team. It seemed it was a murder they had on their hands yet again and all together that would be eight this week. Eight and a half if you called animal murder a crime too.

"Whats is looking like Ishka? Do we have any clue what is causing these murders? Any similarities?" an officer asked as he held a notepad in his chubby hands.

Ishka looked over with a lazy gaze. It wasn't the investigation that was making him tired all the sudden. It was the persistently over analytic police officers that were working his nerves lately. All they seemed to want were answers and not the kind you could come up with during a crime scene investigation. Most of the questions they asked were the ones you brought up after a few days of the crime.  But for them it was important to ask them any way just in case something came to mind during the process of it all. Half the time they asked him questions their answers usually started with a roll of the eyes and a sigh at the end.

A small sigh could be heard from him.

"It looking like a vampire honestly. Not too sure what kind yet, but the fang marks tell me it's pretty skilled at what it does. Probably shows us why we haven't caught it yet."

The police officer stood there in awe.

"Y-you said a v-vampire was the o-one who di-did-did this?", the officer stuttered out abruptly.

Ishka sighed yet again.

"Yes sir. Looks like you guys got a case of the bats in this city", he said sarcastically as he looked up at the balcony to the scene of the crime one more time, "I would make it a point of interest to let most of the city know they will be needing to start a crefew within the next few days until we can find the vamp thats doing this. If we dont stomp it out soon, that one vampire is going to lead to more acting out in the same way."

The officer was shaking his head in agreement the whole time Ishka was speaking and as he finished his head was still bobbing. Ishka stood with a crooked eyebrow and starred at the man.

"Uh-uh...sounds like we have a good case on our hands dont you think sir?", another officer off to side interrupted suddenly.

Ishka looked over, eyebrow still crooked.

"Yes sir. I do believe we have a case in our hands..."

[Blood Brothers]

They finished off a group of thugs easily, tossing the bodies in a dumpster and lighting them on fire. It wouldn't take long for someone to follow the scent of burning flesh, but putting out the inferno would be an entirely different story. This one was going to burn until there was nothing left for the flames to devour.

Sato dusted off his hands, scowling at the distasteful smell. The shadows had taken them away from the bodies, but his hands still reeked of the magnesium powder they had used to start the fire. His brother tugged him into a cafe far upwind of the burning dumpster, waving and smiling as they strolled to the back, going into the restroom. Here, he washed his hands and Nanashi filled him in on the fact that they would be getting a cup of coffee or something so as to not look suspicious. The redhead had to agree.

Once they were out of there, Sato took a sip of his drink and couldn't help but smile at the immediate sugar rush. Nanashi sighed, his own drink held carelessly since it wasn't likely going to be consumed, and grinned at the memory of hitting on every single one of the baristas and the cashier. Their reactions had been quite amusing.

They weren't the ones he wanted to really flirt with, though. No, the one and only he wanted in his bed had white hair and a distinctive scar on his cheek in the shape of a 'z'. Unfortunately, he was probably still busy at the Hunter's Town.

Taking a seat outside of the cafe, they lounged and watched the occasional person pass by. With their hunger sated, the two felt more like taking a nap than doing anything else. Caffeine gave him a headache, so Nanashi only pretended to drink while Sato had taken the smart route and gotten some sort of super-sweetened drink that had only posed as a coffee-based beverage.

[Rin Miura]

"What do you think that smell was?" Dusk asked Rin once she finished playing her flute. Rin exhaled.

"I don't know. It smelled... dead." Rin said flatly, "Do you think we should go check it out and find out who did this?"

"I don't think that is a wise decision," replied Dusk.

"You're probably right." Rin inhaled deeply as she felt the morning breeze blow on her face. the morning still felt young. "Why don't we go explore this city a bit. We are only going to be here for one day."

"Sure. Just keep a weary eye out." Rin nodded and jumped and landed swifty and nimbly onto the ground below. Dusk jumped down first to a lower limb and then to the ground to make for safe landing. Then they departed the lone park. They walked down the streets, looking at the various shops and alleys, while also attracting a few curious eyes. Then Rin smelled it, smoke, like bruning flesh. Almost immediately, Rin rushed toward the source.

"RIN! DON'T! We could get into some more trouble!" Dusk barked at Rin, bringing startled and fearful eyes to look at them. Rin stopped a few feet from Dusk. She was right. Just being there could raise suspicions and they had probably already done that earlier at the apartment. There were also too many curious eyes watching them.

"You're right," Rin rejoined Dusk snd told everyone sorry for the racket Dusk made that startled everyone. They continued on their walk. rin tried hard to ignore that nagging scent of burning flesh.
"Maybe we should go somewhere less populated," Dusk suggested. They turned at the next alley and entered another part of town.

[Ishka]

The crime scene was now just another ordinary apartment complex with caution tape on it's doors, and Ishka stood below the balcony still staring up at the glass that shined in the light casted from the dim lamp posts along the parking lot. It had only took a few hours for all the work and preparations to be done to get started on the case and so far things were looking pretty vampiric. Oddly this was normal to the citizen's of Neo-Tokyo lately for ghouls, gals, and galore had come to the dark city like rats to a food pantry. He chuckled at the thought of vampires crawling all over the city. Maybe thats how they felt. We were vermin needing to be picked off one by one. His mind took that thought a little further as he proceeded back to his car to finish off the plans he originally need to accomplish for the day. This scene was just an accessory to his work.

He opened the door to his car with a twist of a key yet again, and slowly sat in the driver's seat allowing the leather to adjust to his boy temperature. He closed his eyes as he leaned the back of his head against the head rest. Why had he been sent to this desolate city? What was it that he could accomplish by being here. Only the general knew and answers were not what that man was giving out for free. He would have to do something extraordinary to help reveal the purpose of him being in Neo-Tokyo.

The sound of the engine roared to life bringing his thoughts back to focus at the job ahead of him. Gripping the sides of the steering wheel Ishka peered through his glass's into the shadows of the city. It was supposed to be mid-afternoon but the clouds beg to differ. A silent sigh and shake of the head could be seen from the stocky male as he pulled out in reverse to exit the carport to his apartment complex. Thats when it dawned upon him...

They're killing people in MY apartments!

The sound of tires screeching to a halt ripped into the air.

"Why am I just realizing this NOW!!!", Ishka screamed at himself in the car.

Banging the steering wheel for a few minutes in self frustration, he slowly began to regain his cool and let his foot off the brakes to ease the care back into drive. Shaking his head once more, he smiled in disbelief with himself.

"How do I no realized where I am when things happen...", he said aloud as he left the parking lot of the  apartments finally.

The road continued on for quite a bit of time till he started notice where he was intending to go again. Everything looked the same in Neo-Tokyo too; at least the outer parts that was. Central had a mind of its own, and there were rumors running through the city of a carnival coming to town. He would have to see how things panned out this week. He never knew his plans till the day of and even then things were always expected to change. It would be interesting though he thought to see how mythical creatures ran amok with each other in the permanent dark. Mythical. He laughed at the word. The word itself was a lie.

[Blood Brothers]

Disposing of their drinks, only one actually consumed, the two vampires wandered down the streets of Neo-Tokyo upwind of their second meal and far away from the apartments where their first took place. The redhead would have asked to be taken back to Hopeless, but the thought of traveling through the shadows again so soon put him off.

Nanashi, of course, wanted to spend more time with his darling brother.

"This city wasn't here before we died, but it looks so run down," the brunette commented, idly viewing a particularly grungy building. The edge of the city was rather unpleasant and some of the wildlife seemed to be reclaiming some of the city. "How boring."

[Ishka]

As Ishka drove through Neo-Tokyo like a bat out of hell he caught glimpses of people here and there every few miles. No one too interesting obviously for he was to busy maxing out his car's horsepower to be worried with what was going on outside of his Mustang. Turning a corner with a drift of the back of his car, Ishka hugged the turn tight and rushed passed a a burned down building on the side of the street. Ashes flew off to the side by the gust of wind let loose by the speed.

"CALL SIMON", he spoke out loud suddenly as a screen turned on in his dashboard.

"Calling SIMON", a robotic voice said. It sounded feminine yet robust.

The sound of a dial could be heard in the background as the sound of the engine hurdled forward along the street. A click sounded and a flamboyant voice erupted into the car.

"You rang...."

"Yes. Obviously."

"What is it you want from me now darling?"

Ishka rolled his eyes, "I dont need anything. I just want you to send me my next assignment already. I'm tired of working with ignorant cops. Please tell me I have another hit or something?"

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. You are never patient are you."

Ishka sighed with another roll of his eyes. The engine started to die down in speed as he came into a more populated part of Neo-Tokyo.

"Patience is a virtue that I will never have. Now tell me what I got already damnt!"

"Don't raise your voice at me sugar. Just because I'm sensitive doesn't mean you can harass information out of me. Who said you were even employed through us still? Are you forgetting your last case already Ishka?!"

He grew quite as he came to the first working traffic light for miles within the city's limits.

"I just want to be doing what I'm good at again Simon. Is that too much to ask?"

"I know you do hun, but we still have to wait out your probation period. There is nothing I can do shug."

"Thats bullshit! And you know it Simon!!!", he said with a slam of his fist on the dashboard.

The screen flickered in and out and then resumed its powered on position.

"Dont break the only thing you have working for you handsome. You need that car. Now go eat lunch and I'll see what I can do. I hear there is some more vampire sightings in your parts by the way so maybe I can figure out some sidework for you. What do you say about that?"

Ishka smiled and turned right on as the light turned green suddenly.

"If thats the best you can do I guess that will suffice. Call me in an hour. I'm taking your advice and going to lunch. Its been a hell of a day so far. Thanks for the chat Simon."

"Anytime dear."

A click was heard as the screen turned off on its on in the dashboard of the mustang.

[Blood Brothers]

"It's proof of how long we were dead, right?" Sato asked, a moue of distaste scrunching his features in such a way that made his big brother laugh. Nodding his head sadly, the older vampire looked around disinterestedly.

There was a discarded newspaper on a bench that caught his attention, so he strolled over and picked it up. Right there on the front page was an announcement about an exhibit on culture that included several very valuable pieces. A slow but wicked grin crept across his face as he read the article.

"O~oh, Sa~ato~o, I think I have an idea," Nanashi practically squealed, hugging the paper to his chest in his excitement. Reluctantly, the redhead walked over to his brother and raised an eyebrow as if to ask 'what?' The older vampire just giggled and bounced a little bit before finally showing what he had read.

"So, what?" Sato asked once he was done, looking up at the brunette.

"We're going to steal it, darling," Nanashi purred, wrapping an arm around his brother's shoulders while holding the paper in his other hand so that they could see the pictures. "We'll take it right from under their noses and have so much fun doing it!"

Sato sighed and knew, somehow, that no matter what he said that they would be doing this, regardless.