IC Inbox for jigokucho

[itstillhurt]

"You have reached Sergeant Azula, of the Department of the Enma. Unsurprisingly, I'm busy, but please leave your name and contact information and I'll be happy to get back to you as soon as I have nothing more pressing to attend to."



[Text/E-mail] UN: phoenixprincess

Comments

text; un: fushiguro

[mahoraga]

This is Azula, isn't it?

[ he would usually call someone by their family name, but he doesn't know hers. ]

[itstillhurt]

[Uh, depends, does 'Princess' count as a first name, because...]

Correct. Did you need something?

[Apparently she couldn't quite decide between casually dismissive and professionally detached and landed somewhere in the middle.]

[mahoraga]

[ It's a dismissive tone, yes, but being a dismissive person also, he doesn't read too much into it. ]

Not really.

It's been a few weeks, so I wanted to see if you were doing fine.

[itstillhurt]

[There's a lot of responses to the concern, all of them negative.]

I'm fine.

[...And that's when the irritating second-guessing starts. He was a potential ally. A potent one. It would be foolish to alienate him just because of the state of her own mind.

And he hadn't been intolerable company, anyway, despite his obvious soft streak. He hadn't even been sanctimonious about it.

It takes just a little too long before the second follow-up message comes:]

I've made things work for me. I appreciate you checking.

[...that was... well, for her it was friendly, anyway?]

[mahoraga]

[ See, he wouldn't have taken any offense if the conversation ended with that first line. He wanted to know a thing, she provided the information he wanted to know, and that is that. ]

Sure.

[ Nothing to say now......................... Oh! ]

Which faction did you end up?

[itstillhurt]

[Unfortunately, Azula is used to everybody here being far too easily offended, and you miiight have gotten tarred with the same brush. Sorry about that. Not, like, super sorry, though.]

I'm with the Department of the Enma.

[And it's a monumental disappointment, let her tell you. But she won't.]

I don't believe you ever got to tell me your own affiliation, between all the spirit fish and brat demons.

[mahoraga]

Sutoku Alliance.

I know someone from Enma. Have you met Itadori?

[itstillhurt]

[She turns the name over in her head- no, no, she doesn't know the name with familiarity. Perhaps she'd recognize the face as part of the ambient background of the Enma offices, but-

Well, that made her acutely aware of her failures at networking.]

I don't believe I've yet had the pleasure.

[mahoraga]

He's a dependable person.

[ He'll leave that with her because he's allergic to talking.

He also has nothing left to say I'm sorry i'll come bother you elsewhere ]

[itstillhurt]

I'll keep that in mind. Thank you.

[It's fine, network texts are basically her least favorite way to talk to people ever.]

Voice Mail, left after Tanabata

[sacrificesmustbemade]

[A message appears from an unknown number to Azula. Leshy has acquired a burner phone, something he's going to trash before it can be followed to him. He's a hunter, but he knows how to cover his own tracks as much as stalk those left by others. How handy it is, that he knows she's from the ENMA Department and they have such... robust public records.

The message starts with a disturbing set of noises; the carving and peeling of hides. This is followed with music, distant humming and a tune she'll recognize as what Leshy has whistled to her.

Then, he speaks, as a narrator might in telling a story,]

I found you, little bird. [the humming drones in the background, as does the continued, harmonizing sounds of sawing and tearing flesh]

Our conflict is not yet through. I trust that you have survived. You are a ferocious beast. A fine challenger. You will fight me again, with fire and talon. I will meet you, with tooth and claw. I will be victorious over you.

Do not fret or fear that defeat. It is apart of accepting your place within the cycle of life and death. [a bone snaps, Leshy wets his mouth]

My collection has never had a Grand Phoenix before. That is what you are. You belong among my beasts. Such an existence is noble and you will thrive once mine. Steel yourself, as I am, while we have both lick our wounds and regained our power. Mend your damaged wing and rise to face me. I expect nothing less of you. You've proven a worthy opponent, just as I had wished for. I am rarely impressed.

The game is on. Do not disappoint me... Azula, of the ENMA Department.

[... Message over. There is a brief window of time, before he dismantles every part of this device, that should could return his message.]

Text - un:phoenixprincess (That username ought to satisfy him)

[itstillhurt]

[He may not be waiting long, but he doesn't have to. The response isn't a voice message, though, it's a simple text- with her own username. Maybe acknowledgement that he's right, or maybe to tell him that she already knows what she is better than he ever could. Or maybe there's just no reason not to, since he knows who she is now.]

Enjoy your game. It will be your last.

Text, UN: 9182344890108339344??8043!$702D!!$666

[sacrificesmustbemade]

You survived. Good.

A game is only enjoyable if there are high stakes. Deathly or painful stakes.

I accept the risk. If you are to best me, you are not to underestimate me again. Your inadequacy lies in your overconfidence. You lapse in judgement when you see yourself the victor.

I am similar. Who wins will be who can defeat this poor instinct, for which we share.