[hr][hr][i][h1][color=#BCD6A2]Aislin Rose[/color], [color=salmon]Haruka Takashiro[/color], Daphne "Holly" Hope, and...[/h1]
[sub](collaboration between [@Estylwen] and [@tsukune])[/sub][/i][hr][hider=The Useless Critic - Dark Classical Guitar][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8TbhbBlGNE[/youtube][/hider][hr]
[b][code]Little Seapond, Roseview_[/code][/b]

It had been over a week since Haruka had gone back to the bungalow he shared with Akemi in this beautiful suburb area of Baybridge. The house was empty - Akemi had left for Japan three days ago, according to the small note marked on the calendar that was stuck to the fridge door. [i]It's probably Shizuka's doing.[/i] He had wanted to ask Akemi about Asami and her relationship with Polaris, but it seemed that either their aunt knew nothing and was sent away to protect her, or he would have to find a way to make his sly younger twin to spill the beans to him.

He and Aislin entered the house first, with Holly bringing up the rear to shut the door behind her. She had a black duffel bag strapped on her shoulder, which she placed it on the dining table and unzipped it, pulling out the various trinkets she had picked up from the RAVEN Headquarters: some comm-pieces, a covert listening device, two suppressant collars, a few pistols (one was loaded with real bullets and another modified to shoot a tracking device; the rest were tranquilizer guns), and flashbangs.

Aislin hovered gleefully over the RAVEN’s reveal, picking up a pistol to check its clip. “Tranquilizer darts? This is perfect, Holly.”

Meanwhile, Haruka went upstairs to his room; he grabbed the tablet on his table and the latest edition of travel's guide on Baybridge from his bookshelf, then went back down to the two ladies.

Aislin had set the RAVEN items into categories on the table. “Hmm… Do we have any Baybridge tourist stuff?” Aislin asked, before seeing the brochure in Haruka’s hands, and chuckled. “Jeez, you’re reading my mind. May I see that?”

Moving to stand at the head of the table, Aislin set her purse by the duffle bag and removed a sharpie from one of the compartments. She twirled it in her fingers. “Looks like we’re just missing some large sheets of paper and brain juice.”

She glanced briefly at the fridge, grinning. “You wouldn’t happen to have a lime in there, would ya? Or, perhaps some ice.” With some amount of multitasking, Aislin also pulled up a satellite image of Baybridge, streets highlighted with addresses. The travel guide was opened beside her tablet, and she gave the two a frown.

“Hmm… now where the hell do we talk to the Fire Spirit…” She mumbled, flicking through the screen.

"First, we can eliminate a few locations to narrow down our choices," Holly said, tapping a finger on the map in the guide. "We can rule out White Coast, especially Oakdell, Greencrest and the area around the Headquarters. While the harbor is a tourist attraction site with a substantial crowd to keep us in public view, the Overload incident—" She paused and gave Haruka a side glance, before she continued, "—isn't forgotten so easily just yet. The Headquarters will most likely be under close watch by spies from the Family, and Greencrest can be used as an easy hostage target against DOVE and RAVEN since it's the closest residential area to the HQ."

She then slid her finger across the page. "Next is Prince Ed-Field. Not only the anti-Metahuman tension there is at its highest due to numerous terrorist attacks by Eco-Natura months ago and later the Family, it's the heart of Baybridge - an ideal place for any extremist groups to turn it into a war zone again and further worsen the social unrest in this city."

Aislin steepled her hands against her lips. "You bring up a good point. But there are certain places in Prince Ed-Field that haven't garnered much attention lately. Namely, Regal Square."

Aislin leaned away from the table, peering into cupboards until she found a glass jug. Filling it with ice and cold water from the fridge's dispenser, she brought it to the table's centre with a few glasses.

"Regal Square not only has old architecture - making plenty of hiding spots - but it has a great air of 'normal'. The city's history starts from that place, and people put effort into maintaining a timeless quality there. They've got grid streets, mainly high buildings, and a large municipal presence." Aislin said, pouring herself a drink.

"It'll be easy to blend and trail, or in Haruka's case, blend and disappear."

"My power isn't the passive type, so I don't think I'll have a problem blending in with the crowd," Haruka spoke up slowly. "If I remember correctly, the BPD main office is also there; their presence means little to Metahumans, but I doubt anyone is reckless enough to stir up trouble there, even if it's an area that is run by non-Metas."

"Regal Square is also a tourist sightseeing location, so we don't need to worry about not having enough eyewitnesses around," Holly mused out loud. "Also, most of the attacks so far are concentrated on Courtbridge. I think there is a Chinese saying that goes... I can't remember..."

"[abbr=最危险的地方也是最安全的地方]The most dangerous place is also the safest[/abbr]," Haruka supplied.

"Ah, yes, that."

Aislin was in the middle of roleplaying a tourist, holding her hands like a camera. She pointed it at Haruka, snapping a photo before giving him a confused look. "Now what's their logic behind that?"

"Well..." Haruka looked at Aislin, feeling bashful at the attention she was giving him. "It is a common tactic used by many criminals in fictions, where they choose to hide in or attack places that everyone else has least expected because most people would assume that they weren't dumb enough to try it." He shrugged. "It can also be applied to us, where we give them the impression that they have us cornered and they are in control, but they will soon realize that neither side is able to make a move carelessly."

Aislin nodded, raising her eyebrows. "Interesting. That first part sounds like the Hound, at least a little. It's comforting to know we may yet beat them at their own game."

She relaxed into a dining chair, swirling her drink before taking another sip. "Seems we can agree on Regal Square. Now we'll have to choose a specific point, something with plenty of escape routes, cover, walking traffic—"

Haruka perked up when he heard someone unlocking the front door. He raised an eyebrow and exchanged a confused look with Holly. [i]Aunt Akemi? But so soon?[/i]

"You're not... expecting someone, are you?" Aislin whispered to Holly, eyeing the 'borrowed' loot they had neatly arranged on the table.

Holly shook her head in response, while Haruka got up from his chair and ran to the door to check...

Only to be greeted by someone who mirrored the exact same face as him - Shizuka was as equally surprised as his twin, which was complimented by a grinning Ryu from behind the white-haired partner.

"[i]I take that this is your older brother that you've mentioned before?[/i]" Ryu asked in Japanese, glancing between the gaping Takashiros with a chuckle.

"[i]Yeah,[/i]" Shizuka replied absently, still staring at Haruka. "[i]...I know I've a lot of explaining to do to all of you, but can we do the talking inside?[/i]" As he moved towards the dining room, he saw Holly at the table with gadgets he could immediately recognize were from RAVEN... with a lady he had never met before. Judging from the map page of the guidebook laid down between them, it seemed like they were planning something [i]more[/i] than a mere sightseeing trip.

Aislin gave a cheeky grin, waving from across the table. "Was wondering when you'd show up, [i]Shizuka[/i]."

Shizuka narrowed his eyes at Aislin, then at how Haruka's eyes were looking at everywhere but him. "...Well, I guess we all have [i]a lot[/i] of explaining to do."

... ...

Once the introductions were out of the way, Holly was quick to ask Shizuka about the party, "Any new leads so far?"

The white-head glanced at his twin and Aislin before he spoke, "I was invited to the party of Jiao-Long's brat boy under the pretense of being a date for one of his daughters. Jiao-Long's mother, Biyu, is a member of the Family [i]and[/i] Polaris."

That earned himself the intense attention of everyone in the house - even Ryu, who could only understand a little bit of English here and there, but enough to pick up the names of the two major evil forces they were dealing with.

"That's not all," Shizuka went on, pulling a chair to sit down. "...The Family crashed the party and kidnapped Jiao-Long and his wife. They almost got the brat boy, but luckily [i]I[/i] was there to save the day and prevent the entire Liu family from falling into the Fag's hands."

[i]Fag?[/i] Aislin snorted. [i]Didn't know we've reached that level of... endearment.[/i] She pulled the tablet closer to her, drawing up the CID database. It asked for facial recognition and a password before she could look up this Jiao-Long character.

[indent][b][code]File 14630 - Liu, Jiao Long[/code][/b]
[code]CEO of the Liu Pharmaceutical Company. Creator of the Metahuman cure. Individual's company is a branch of the Savior Foundation, though this creates some tension as views do not align. Suspect of other involvements - more evidence is needed.[/code][/indent]
Holly slid a hand down her face. "Don't tell me..."

"Yeah, the worst-case scenario is happening," Shizuka replied in a flat tone. "We have to find that goddamn Machine, [i]ASAP[/i]." Then he gestured at Ryu. "That's why I brought him here to assist us." Ryu gave the group a short bow when he was mentioned.

However, Shizuka wasn't done with his shocking revelations - not yet. "One more thing: Biyu spilled to me about someone from Polaris is in Baybridge now, looking for me. The Spirit of Fire, Xing Huo." He raised an eyebrow at the reaction he had received from Haruka, Holly and Aislin, then it was turned into a stern look. "Okay, the situation is getting [i]shittier[/i] than I thought... So, what the hell's going on?" He crossed his arms before him, waiting for them to tell their story.

Aislin opened her mouth - before thinking otherwise. She gave Haruka an encouraging look. [i]He should be the one to break the news.[/i]

Haruka glanced at the two ladies uncertainly, then he let out a sigh of resignation. "...Xing Huo approached me last night. Before I bumped into Aislin."

Shizuka dropped his jaw. "You [i]what[/i]?"

Haruka held the gaze of his younger counterpart; Shizuka could feel an unshakeable determination in those dark, unblinking eyes behind the glasses. "She is probably using me to threaten you since it is pretty much [i]public knowledge[/i] that I am your weak spot."

Shizuka knew where his twin was trying to get. "Haru, don—"

"I am the only one who can set up another meeting with her without making her suspicious, and then get some answers out of her mouth," Haruka cut him off sharply. "Stop trying to cover me for every little thing. I'm [i]older[/i] than you, for God's sake. It is my job to protect my [i]younger[/i] brother, not the other way round."

Shizuka glowered at Haruka - while he wasn't pleased with how his twin had dominated him so easily (it was unfair of him to use his seniority to 'win' this argument!), deep down he was amazed at how much his brother had grown over the years, something that he didn't want to admit for a long time. However... "Yeah, I can feel your passionate resolve from here, but that's not enough to—"

Haruka raised up a hand to stop him. "Save your lectures for someone else. I already got a mouthful from Holly and Aislin just now, but they still agreed to my plan in the end."

Shizuka turned his attention to the two girls with a piercing look. Aislin felt a chill run up her spine.

Holly shrugged. "While it's true that Haruka has no prior experience nor is trained to do such field work, he's the only one among us who can get in direct contact with the Fire Spirit. Only the two of you are able to converse with her directly, and she had chosen to approach Haruka first rather than you."

"Indeed, and not only that," Aislin said, fiddling with the sharpie. "But you knew something like this was gonna happen eventually, hm? At the very root, this is about family ties. No amount of preparation could guarantee you the opportunity to do this on your own. Fortunately, we have an entire team on this, with resources and expertise."

Shizuka frowned. He knew that they were right - he couldn't let his personal feelings get in the way, and Haruka's plan was the most logical route to take - but he just couldn't afford to let it go like this. To put his closest kin in a similar danger as the Verthaven disaster again. He couldn't bear the thought of losing Haruka...

Then a brilliant idea came to him! "I can disguise myself as Haru," he began. "No one would be able to tell the difference since we're [i]identical[/i] twins... well, except for the hair."

That made the elder brother snort at him in disbelief. "There is absolutely [i]no way[/i] that will work. You are nothing like me - even an idiot can see through your terrible acting." Still, he couldn't help but find that idea somewhat funny.

Holly simply shook her head in amusement. "I have more faith in Haruka's communication skills than yours, Shizuka. Sorry, but my vote goes to Haruka this time."

"Aw," Aislin could see it clear as day. "Haruka, your brother cares for ya something big."

She refilled her glass, studying it for a moment before looking towards Shizuka. "We still need you. You have a RAVEN background if I'm correct. That training will be crucial for the upcoming operations. I would ask, however, that you let Haruka handle this one."

"[i]Uh, I don't quite understand what's going on here...[/i]" Ryu chimed in awkwardly. "[i]But your brother seems very serious about whatever he's saying or wants to do. Maybe you should try to trust him more?[/i]"

Shizuka looked at everyone around him; finally, he resigned with a scowl, "...Fine. I guess should stop treating my [i]older[/i] twin like a kid." He glanced away and rubbed the back of his neck. "I can just watch over the meeting with you all to make sure nothing goes wrong; 'sides, you'll need me to interpret their conversation."

"Yes~!" Aislin leapt from the table, raising a hand to high-five Haruka. "He's on board!" Which the dark-haired twin returned with a victorious grin, much to Shizuka's irritation.

Amidst the conversation, Aislin had drawn up some map sketches on the paper provided, and she pushed them to the centre of the table. "Now that we're all on the same page — although, sorry Ryu; I failed to bring a [url=http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/meet-the-pilot-smart-earpiece-language-translator-headphones-travel/]Pilot[/url]. Shizuka, could you...?"

"Sure." Shizuka tried to give her a proper smile, but it still came out as a smirk on his face. "Anyway, this is Haru's game, so I'm just going to sit back and let you all take charge, while I'll just give you guys the help you need and watch your backs... like the usual." He let out a short laugh, recalling those times he worked on the field with Cindy and the rest back at DOVE/RAVEN; then he turned to Ryu and gave him a brief of the conversation they had just now in Japanese.

Haruka rolled his eyes at his brother, then turned to Aislin. "Before we got interrupted, you were saying something about choosing a specific point in Regal Square that has an escape route..."

"Indeed, as well as walking traffic and cover. And, with an overseer, it should be in a location of two or three story buildings. Now, if you'll take a look..." Aislin leaned over the map she'd accurately drawn, pointing to a large square.

"In the business district, there's a popular park surrounded by a grid work of these taller buildings. I'm thinking, if we could position you in the edge of the park, we'd be able to keep three pairs of eyes on you. Shizuka could watch from the rooftops, Holly can be on the street, and I can be further in the park.

"Or, if you think close quarters would be preferred, there's a cafe on the park's street you could meet at. It'll limit possible threats, but Holly and I will need to be close by, and [i]very[/i] careful. Shizuka won't be able to see..."

"The cafe," was Haruka's curt answer. "I can use that as a perfect excuse to get her agree to the meeting... since she did want to treat me to a cup of coffee [i]properly[/i] the next time we meet."

"Well," Aislin grinned, marking an 'x' on the map. "That [i]is[/i] the perfect excuse. 'The Grounds' will be our starting point."

"We can have Haruka wear a wire, on top of us watching them from a safe distance," Holly added, picking up the covert listening device she had gotten from RAVEN.

Shizuka raked a hand through his hair and shrugged. "Well... I can get a wig to hide my white hair, if necessary." Then he tilted his head sideways at Ryu. "He won't be joining us for the stakeout, but he might be able to help you locate your friend and the guy she's run away with."

Aislin jaw-dropped. "Whaaat? No way." Her eyes moved to Ryu. "Really?!" [i]And here I was near chasing my tail with weak leads...[/i]

"His ability makes him naturally attracted to electricity," Shizuka said, raising an eyebrow at her reaction. "Since Rhea and her African friend both possess some form of electrical-related powers, maybe he can find them better than us, yeah." He turned to speak a few words in his native tongue to Ryu, who looked at Aislin and nodded at her.

"Perfect~ Given the circumstances, I believe finding them is also important. They're sure to have data to help sort out this mess..." Aislin mused, eyes scanning the map thoughtfully.

"[i]I can look for them tomorrow, while you guys are staking out the meeting,[/i]" Ryu said, with Shizuka translated his words to Aislin. "[i]But is there a way for me to convince them that I'm on their side if I happen to encounter them?[/i]"

"Hmm," Aislin tilted her head. "A hand-written note may do the trick. I'll write some things so she knows it's the real deal, and have them follow you back to,"—she gestured to the room—"home base."

Ryu considered Aislin's suggestion for a moment, then he grinned at her. "...Okay," he replied in English, giving her a thumbs-up to emphasize his point. She could only giggle, mirroring the gesture.

"With the part about Rhea settled..." Shizuka trailed off, looking down at the map. "Anyway, just to run through the plan again quickly: Haru will set up the meeting in this Grounds cafe, Holly and Aislin will take a table nearest to the exit to secure the obvious escape route while watching Haru from a safe distance, and I'll be doing my usual 'sniper job' - hanging around the roof area to keep an eye out for the streets around the cafe's vicinity."

"I think we've come up with something great in such a short time, but now comes the 'what if's'," Aislin said, taking a moment to finish off another glass of water. "What if Haruka's safety is compromised? What if there're more cultists than just the Fire Spirit?"

"Aislin has a point," Shizuka gave the brownie lady a nod. "I mean, there's also Biyu... but from my encounter with her at the party, it's obvious that they ain't working together, and are here for very different reasons."

"And... even if she believes that she can use me as a weakness to pressurize Shizu to join Polaris," Haruka followed up after his twin. "It's strangely careless of her to give me her cell number, just like that - what if we have used it with a GPS tracker to locate her hideout in Baybridge?"

"So you're saying that this Xing Huo lady is here not just for the cult, but may also harbor a personal agenda for trying to bring you two back with her to Polaris?" Holly asked, frowning at the brothers. "I don't know - she is one of the Spirits, so maybe she's just very confident about her powers?"

"Let's hope that is really the case..." Shizuka exhaled slowly. "So far, other than Biyu's appearance, Polaris hasn't been interfering much with whatever shitstorms the Fags have been cooking up in Europe and US." The things that Ryu managed to get for him was able to give him a rough insight that Polaris was merely an investor and supplier to the Family, nothing more - was it possible that Xing Huo was sent here just as a witness for the cult to watch whatever the Family was planning to do?

He did suspect the Machine was probably made and hidden right here in Baybridge, but Xing Huo's presence was the one that dropped the time bomb on them - the real show was about to happen, and very soon.

"Hey," Haruka was quick to inject. "I'm a Metahuman just like all of you here, and I can take care of myself."

"Right," Shizuka snickered at him. "Says the one who keeps ending up in the HQ hospital wing every time a shitstorm strikes you."

Instead of making a snappy comeback, Haruka merely held his twin's gaze and said in a quiet tone, "This time, I am [i]not[/i] going to hold back, not anymore."

[hr][hr][i][h1][color=#BCD6A2]Aislin Rose[/color], Daphne "Holly" Hope, [color=salmon]Haruka[/color] & [color=cornflowerblue]Shizuka[/color] [color=salmon]Taka[/color][color=cornflowerblue]shiro[/color], vs. Xing Huo.[/h1][/i][hr][hider=Hank Jones Jazz Trio - Blue Minor][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFaTKBif4dM[/youtube][/hider][hr]
[b][code]Regal Square, Prince Ed-Field.
The next day_[/code][/b]

Haruka had reached the cafe an hour earlier than the time he told Xing Huo on the phone last night. Well, because there was a bit of preparatory work they had to do before 'welcoming' their special guest for today. He wore a black dress shirt - this was to hide the wiring beneath the shirt better, to avoid Xing Huo spotting them. He also had a book with him, [i]Dream of the Red Chamber[/i] - a classical Chinese literature well-known for its psychological scope and accurate depiction of the social structure of China during the late Qing Dynasty - in Chinese of course, with a freshly pressed leaf as a bookmark. There was no way he could wear an earpiece without arousing Xing Huo's suspicions, so the leaf would act as a makeshift comm, via Holly's chloropathy.

Aislin and Holly sat nonchalantly at a table near the door, within arms reach of the full pane window. They both had their choice of hot drink — a London Fog and a Caffe Macchiato. Aislin had opted for a chic look that day, with a tan autumn jacket, grey beanie and flower leggings. Her aviators were pressed against her nose - it allowed unrestrained eye movement. Holly wore a crocheted scarf, dark felt coat, and jeans. Two purses rested at their feet, filled with a number of gadgets. For the past hour, they had practised a casual, quiet chatter over their drinks. It also helped ease the pre-job nerves.

Aislin clicked her earpiece. “Comms check. Holly?”

"I'm just sitting across you," Holly replied, her voice directed towards Aislin - and through the earpiece - loud and clear.

She chuckled. “Shizu? How's the [i]grounds[/i] looking?”

"Yeah, yeah." Shizuka had already taken up his position; however, instead of the usual sniper-hiding-on-rooftop tactic, he was sitting in an outdoor bar that was situated on the topmost floor (more like a really spacious balcony) of the building diagonally opposite of the Grounds, slowly sipping on his mocktail - a [url=http://mixthatdrink.com/blue-shoe]Blue Shoe[/url] - before he set down the glass, and let his gaze drift to the streets below. He found this bar when he scouted the area for an ideal lookout spot; well, he wasn't here to shoot the Fire Bitch's head off, so it would be less conspicuous if he also tried to blend in with the crowd. Which wasn't hard, with how he was dressed now (usual formal clothes he would don for office work back in RAVEN), and most of the customers around him were businessmen... not counting a few odd tourists who were the ones that really looked out of place.

He was tapping away on his smartphone (mostly reading random articles on Wikipedia and TV Tropes, because they were obviously more interesting than some stupid stock market news), occasionally speaking into the comm-piece as if he was talking to someone on the line - allowing him to play the role of a busy businessman to anyone who could be watching him.

"Nothing out of the ordinary so far from here, either," he drawled into the comms, in response to Aislin.

Aislin smirked. “Mind checking Haru’s status, Holly?”

Holly pulled out a notebook from her purse; there was another freshly pressed leaf inside. She placed a finger on it for a few seconds, then smiled at Aislin. "He's fine, just bored."

“Excellent,” Aislin nodded. “Our target’s due within the hour. Everyone stay sharp, and report in if you notice anything or change position. Our goal here is to learn, not confront. [i]When[/i] we’ve succeeded, I’ll treat ya’ll to a drink. Any questions?”

"'Just not coffee'," Holly said, with a raised eyebrow. "That's what Haruka says."

"And no alcohol," Shizuka added. "But anything else is fine with me."

"Jeez, tough crowd," Aislin said, resting her chin on an open palm.

Holly winked at Aislin. "Good for you that I'm not as picky as the boys."

It wasn't long before the main star had entered the stage - Xing Huo was as flashy with her entrance as the previous time, scrolling into the Grounds with a bang in luxurious clothes (this time, she was in a bright-red knee-length satin dress, with a silver-studded black leathered short jacket over it, ending with a pair of killer-heel dark boots on her feet) and heavy makeup, and as usual the attention of every customer in the cafe was centered towards her.

It was hard [i]not[/i] to miss the entrance of such a flashy woman. Aislin turned her head toward the glass as her rested hand tapped the comms. “Target’s entered the building. Show’s on.”

Xing Huo scanned the faces of the people in the store before her eyes shone at the sight of Haruka. "[i]My dear Haruka![/i]" she exclaimed in Mandarin, walking up to the young man's table in a few, long strides. "[i]I really miss seeing your cute face![/i]" Over the comms, Shizuka couldn't help cringing as he translated that to Holly and Aislin.

Haruka merely regarded the Chinese lady with a blank look. "[i]You did say you want to treat me to a proper cup of coffee, after all.[/i]"

"[i]How sweet of you,[/i]" Xing Huo beamed at him as she sat down on the opposite couch. She snapped her fingers, pointing at the nearest gaping service crew and making a 'come here' gesture. "[i]I'm going to get a green tea latte this time, but I still want the largest size![/i]"

Haruka gave the confused barista an apologetic smile before he told her Xing Huo orders, then adding his - just a standard, hot cappuccino.

Aislin shook her head, speaking into the comms, "Damn, she's friendly. But Haruka's handling it." She took another sip of the London Fog, trying to ease the repulsion hinting on her face. [i]Too friendly, especially for only meetin' the guy twice now.[/i]

"So Holly, tell me more about this 'dream pet' of yours." She said in a chatty manner, trying to keep up the guise of an innocent conversation. Every part of her wanted to simply listen to Shizu's translations.

"My 'dream pet'?" Holly repeated with a twinkle in her green eyes, stirring her macchiato. "You've already met him before." She leaned closer, her voice dropped to a staged whisper, "The white furball sitting on the rooftop and looking down at us, probably with a super-bored look on his face now."

"Oi," Shizuka's annoyed voice buzzed from their comms. "I can hear you."

After the barista left to prepare their coffee, Xing Huo leaned forward, folding her arms on the table and stared into Haruka's eyes. "[i]Taking up my offer isn't the true reason why you're willing to ask me out today. Not with the icy daggers you keep throwing at me with those beautiful eyes.[/i]"

Haruka's face twitched slightly with disgust. "[i]We should be frank with each other this time too, just like our first meeting,[/i]" he started off. "[i]...You only want me and my brother for our powers.[/i]"

The corners of Xing Huo's blood-red lips curled up further. "[i]Oh?[/i]"

Haruka narrowed his eyes at her before he went on, "[i]I am afraid that we cannot comply with that wish of yours. Not when there are just too many questions we need an answer to.[/i]" Just then, their coffee had arrived, and Xing Huo simply swiped out a black credit card to the astonished staff member.

Once the payment was done and over with, Xing Huo giggled at his serious expression. "[i]I wonder... if this is only about trust issue, or something much[/i] more[i].[/i]" She reached out a hand to touch his, and Haruka had to force himself not to flinch at the contact.

Aislin rubbed her forehead. "Ah, she's broken the touch barrier - her hand's on Haruka's. Definitely a possessive trait."

"[i]...Interesting choice of book you have there,[/i]" the Fire Spirit commented, glancing down at the thick volume under their hands.

"[i]One of the four great classic Chinese novels,[/i]" Haruka replied in an offhanded tone, his eyes were still watching Xing Huo carefully. "[i]Power and wealth only make the corrupted greedier, meaner... until nothing is left but tragedy and despair.[/i]"

Xing Huo let out a hearty laugh. "[i]You never fail to amuse me - especially with such a classy threat.[/i]" She entwined her fingers with Haruka's. "[i]I guess it doesn't hurt to give you a bit of my service in return of yours. What do you want to know?[/i]"

Haruka didn't pull back his hand, allowing her to continue playing with his fingers. Deep down he was being put off by the sickening attention she had for him, but that was a small price to pay for the more important things he had to get them out of her mouth, for the sake of his family... and maybe even humanity. "[i]...You,[/i]" he finally said, unblinking.

Xing Huo froze for a split second; Shizuka couldn't help but make a gagging sound over the comms.

The Fire Spirit regained her composure, then let out a chuckle. "[i]I shouldn't have underestimated you... You're just as dangerous as that cunning twin of yours.[/i]"

Haruka didn't reply and merely continued to stare at her. Xing Huo sighed, closing her eyes briefly. "[i]Alright - let's stop playing mind games here. I will be blunt to say that you and your brother have no place in this forsaken city - the two of you just don't belong here, or anywhere in America, for that matter.[/i]"

"[i]What do you mean?[/i]"

"[i]Everything about the two of you is nothing but an illusion,[/i]" Xing Huo said, dropping the honey-sweet tone she had been using all this while, now sounding flat and blunt. "[i]Your birth was not a product of real love but from regret, your powers were from us through Asami's greed, you didn't have a place you can truly call home... You are nothing but mere shadows that shouldn't have existed.[/i]"

Aislin's face seemed pained, and she drew her hot drink closer. [i]Awful... I hope to God that isn't true.[/i] Her eyes glanced to the windows as she touched the earpiece. "Getting into the 'real deal', stay focused."

"[i]...So you are saying that only Polaris can offer us this 'home'?[/i]"

She downed a big gulp of her coffee before she replied, "[i]Yes. I may not have anything as sophisticated to refute what you've said about power and wealth... but you will have to admit that those are the two things that are keeping this world going, whether you like it or not. Without power or money, there is little to nothing one can do in this world.[/i]"

Haruka regarded Xing Huo with a frown. She wasn't wrong about power and money being the practical driving force essential for one to live on, but those weren't enough to motivate a person to live through [i]decades[/i] of spiritual torture. "[i]Power and money can buy the world, the people... but never enough to buy loyalty.[/i]"

"[i]You really know how to make a conversation difficult, hmm?[/i]" Xing Huo's smile was turning into a grimace.

"[i]If that is the case, how about you[/i] actually [i]start doing what you have said - to stop playing mind games with me?[/i]" Haruka raised an eyebrow at her. "[i]And tell me why someone of your status has to go through all this trouble just to[/i] escort [i]us to join Polaris?[/i]"

A loose grin was plastered on Aislin's face. "Haruka's doing better than I thought. Holding his own very well." [i]And here we were all doubting his ass...[/i] Shizuka snorted into the comms in response, but he smirked to himself. Everything was moving along so smoothly than he could simply focus on the interpretation work, and trust his [i]older[/i] twin to handle the Fire Bitch on his own.

"[i]Aww~ 'Escort' is such a cold way to describe all the trouble I've to go through just for you two,[/i]" Xing Huo said, pulling Haruka's hand closer towards herself. Out of the corner of the young man's eye, he could see some of the baristas and customers were gossiping about them. The Fire Spirit ignored the onlookers, still focused on Haruka. "[i]I won't deny that Polaris is probably interested in your powers, but what I truly want... is the both of you. Not just your abilities, but[/i] every little bit [i]of you two.[/i]"

She got up from her seat and squeezed in next to Haruka, closing in on him. The dark-haired twin was as surprised at everyone else in the store, then he started blushing furiously, trying to put some distance between himself and her sudden advancement (which wasn't much, since the couch wasn't meant for two people in the first place). "[i]What are you trying to do?[/i]"

"---What the hell's going on in there?" Shizuka added after the translation.

"She's advanced to sit beside him on the couch," Aislin grimaced, watching steadfastly out of her peripherals. "And... ah, shit."

Xing Huo tugged at Haruka's shirt button, and pulled out the wire of the listening device hidden inside his shirt. "[i]Just as I've expected - you're truly two peas in a pod, after all.[/i]" She cupped a hand under Haruka's chin, locking her sharp gaze with the boy's surprised eyes. "[i]I honestly care about the both of you... and it's not too late for me to give you two the[/i] love [i]that you've desired throughout your whole childhood.[/i]"

Aislin arched a brow. "Thought she'd be steaming mad about finding the wire. But now she's confusing 'love' with... something else."

Her gaze met Holly's with a subtle wink. "Don't get too comfy in that seat..." Holly was alarmed at the development but merely shook her head - at both the situation that was making her uncomfortable, and also at Aislin's remark.

Haruka's cheeks were burning from the embarrassing attention the people in the cafe were giving them, but he still managed to return her with an equally piercing stare. "[i]Are you expecting me to trust you just by acting like this?[/i]"

The smile on Xing Huo's powdered face became bitter. "[i]...You aren't cute at all when the wind is sailing your way.[/i]" She yanked him towards herself into a hug, and whispered into his ear,

"[i]The world of old will perish,
the order of new shall rise;
a blessing is a curse in disguise.[/i]"

Before Haruka could ask her what she meant, Xing Huo pulled herself away and stood up. "[i]I have no intention whatsoever to interfere with the war between you and the Family; I am only here as a neutral entity to watch how you all are going to burn this city down with your sins. However, I won't allow the two of you to die on me before this blasphemy comes to an end - that would be such a waste of your pretty faces![/i]" With that, she grabbed her cup of coffee and strolled out of the shop.

[hr][hider=SteffenBarBeat - Empty Houses][youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm2QEjpfrsA[/youtube][/hider][hr]
The moment Xing Huo left the building, Aislin was on the comms. "Shizu, I need my eyes. Which direction is she going?" She gave Holly an encouraging look. "You're up in a moment."

Shizuka poked his head out of the balcony seat and saw the bright-red dress exiting the cafe, his sharp eyes following the target unblinkingly. "She's walked to the traffic crossing... and then she's just standing there waiting for the light to change," he spoke into the comms, a light amusement in his tone. "She is hard to miss, but be careful not to let her spot you two---"

He suddenly stopped, and froze - Xing Huo had raised her head to look around, and then their eyes met. He could barely make out the smug look on her face before she faced the street before her again, and began to cross the road.

"...And my cover's blown," Shizuka pulled his head back and finally muttered into the comm-piece. "Just great."

Aislin smacked her forehead. "Ah jeez. Okay, Shizu, hold back a bit. Holly and I will take it from here. Holly?" She gestured to the door. "It's time." Holly nodded at her, a gesture that meant for Aislin to take the lead.

Roughly fifteen seconds passed before Aislin took up her purse, gave Haruka a wink, and exited The Grounds. Holly was already into the crosswalk, whereas Aislin opted to turn left on the block. She moved to the other end, aiming to flank the Fire Spirit from the left. Walking at a clipped pace, she caught up to Holly's adjacent location before the buildings broke her line of sight. 

"Holly, what's the Fire Spirit's location now?"

"She's at the edge of the next block... and turning your direction," Holly said.

[i]Just my luck - the enemy's out of my line of sight.[/i] Aislin snorted. "Right. Keep behind her."

Aislin sneaked a glance down the street, easily catching the sight of the vibrant Fire Spirit. She pivoted to the right and maintained a steady pace to match that of their target, keeping in communion with Holly. It was difficult to gauge distances when she couldn't actually look without drawing attention - and the last thing she wanted was to have the Fire Spirit catch up to her.

As she crossed another street, Holly buzzed the comms. "She's changed direction again, to the right."

[i]Ah, good. Flanking is much better than being up front.[/i] Aislin sighed in relief. "Okay, I'll match her on the left at the next street."

"Hold on..." Holly said. "A black limo just rolled up. She's— crap, she's getting in."

Aislin groaned. "Alright, change of plans. We need a taxi, pronto."

As the black limo peeled away, Aislin and Holly managed to regroup, waving their hands frantically on the side of the street. Precious seconds slipped away as one taxi soon noticed them. The two ladies clambered into the back, Aislin promising the driver triple his rate to keep on the black limo's ass - which was getting away. After a frustrating stop light, Aislin spotted the limo down a side road. They followed at a distance, with Aislin literally on the edge of her seat.

Without reason or a pattern, the limo traversed the streets of Baybridge as nonchalantly as any other vehicle. Aislin and Holly watched with the eyes of a hawk as their driver kept pace. Down into the underground, and up around the thick, bustling streets of downtown. The drive went on for twenty minutes, all the while the ladies were keeping the twins back at the Grounds up to date.

"Oh?" Aislin tilted her head, giving Holly a puzzled look.

The limo had pulled into a valet parking lot. It parked itself in a row of other similar limousines, shut off the engine, and the driver stepped out. He didn't touch the passenger doors, just walked into the office in a calm manner. Aislin asked the taxi man to idle just down the street; she was still waiting for the Fire Spirit to emerge. A minute passed, then two. The parking lot was unnaturally still.

An incredulous smirk formed on Aislin's lips. "You've [i]got[/i] to be kidding me." 

Holly and Aislin hopped out of the taxi after - as promised - Aislin paid the driver triple his rate. With the area essentially vacant, they could freely approach the limo. Aislin pressed her nose against the tinted glass and gasped. The entire interior was [i]empty.[/i] Not a single soul in the vehicle.

"She's gone!" Aislin cried, eyes wide.

"[i]Huh?[/i]" Shizuka's furious voice pierced through the earpiece - he sounded like he had just roared directly into the comms, to let out his pent-up disgust at how the Fire Bitch had been touchy-feely and all over his precious twin.

"What d'you mean by 'she's gone'?"