[h2][center][color=BFBFBF]Zenkichi Hasegawa[/color] & Sandalphon[/center][/h2]
[center]Midgar- SOU Headquarters[/center]
[center]Lvl 5 - (52/50) -> Lvl 5 (55/50)[/center]
[center]Word Count: 1,641 words[/center]

During a calm moment while many others had gone to sleep, Zenkichi stepped away from the room Akane was staying in, having finally lulled his daughter to sleep with reassurances that he was safe, and that they were getting closer to dealing with the corrupt elements controlling Midgar. Without too much detail, of course. 

When he did, he encountered a...surprisingly cute sight. Sandalphon, the really tall angel robot lady, asleep in a chair at the meeting table, a blanket draped carefully over her. He thought back to that little boy, Aurele, that she'd helped him save in Quarantine Valley. He wondered if he died in the Redshift cascade, like so many others surely did.

Sighing and slumping into a chair near the one she was in, the detective reached into his pocket and pulled out the Spirit of that sniper-looking lady and looked back to Sandalphon. Sure, he might be able to make use of it as a striker, like some of the others did, but...this felt like a better decision. 

He gently reached over and lightly shook Sandalphon's shoulder, a little tense and worried about waking her up, but figuring at the very least she might prefer to have the choice to find another place to sleep. [color=BFBFBF]"Hey, sorry for waking you up there. Got something you might want a look at, though."[/color]

When Zenkichi shook Sandalphon, it took a little more than he might have expected to rouse her, but after a moment she stirred from her accidental slumber. She did so without the suddenness of alarm, her pupils assuming their usual ring shape as their lime-green glow returned. Realizing what must have happened, she took a long breath in through her nose as she pushed herself up from the table where she'd unwittingly slumped down.

"No apologies necessary. If anything, I should apologize for such an unbecoming lapse of professionalism." When Zenkichi mentioned something she might want to look at, she assumed some important matter that required her immediate attention. Instead she found herself presented with a spirit, but not just any spirit. Sandalphon took it in hand and stared at the visage depicted within. "I know this woman. Cecile, a former knight of the Dyrenell Empire, once the kingdom of Alberia. I understand that she deserted and wound up as a mercenary working in Grams, with a severe addiction to a substance called manachew." She paused for a moment, expressionless. "And now fate has led her here."

After another quiet couple of a seconds she looked at Zenkichi again. "Thank you for bringing me this. If I may, I would like to use this spirit. While it is a substandard option for fusion, I may be able to obtain a more functional rifle. My gunstaff works, but its shot speed and lack of scope make it ineffective at long range."

Zenkichi waved away Sandalphon's return apology with a chuckle. [color=BFBFBF]"Oh, trust me, I've passed out at my desk my fair share of times, working a case. From one exhausted professional to another, you have my respect."[/color] Scratching the back of his neck at the admission, he watched and listened as she explained the history of the Spirit he'd offered. [color=BFBFBF]"That...that's terrible. What a sad fate. And I found her, and a few others, alone...in an alley where that kid was."[/color] Trying not to let the depression get to him, he trudged on. 

[color=BFBFBF]"Of course, that's why I offered it. And...I wanted to thank you. For looking after Aurele, that kid, for me. You didn't have to do that, but you did. I just..."[/color] Trailing off, he pulled out the Spirits of Aurele's friends, as well as that of Devinder Crousley, though he didn't know the man's name. [color=BFBFBF]"There was this thing there. Like a ghost. It...was luring people in, and turning them into little versions of itself, kind of. That boy was just playing with his friends when it got them, and it almost got us, but I managed to kill it."[/color] Sighing, he ran his hand through his hair, his face long and haggard. 

[color=BFBFBF]"The people it transformed, they were just...gone. Like puppets with their strings cut, so I....I killed them. And...this is all that's left of them. I...I don't know what two kids will do, or become, if I do something with these, but I hate the thought of them just vanishing into nothing."[/color] Looking back up at Sandalphon from the Spirits, he chuckled sadly, shaking his head. [color=BFBFBF]"God, sorry, that was a lot to just dump on you, huh? My bad. I'll be alright, it's just...sometimes, this city gets to me. Even before I knew about all this, before the others found me. I knew this place was wrong. I just didn't know how wrong it was."[/color]

Rather than pull up her screens to resume work where she left off, Sandalphon listened in grave silence, her full focus on the detective. He explained what had happened in that hidden street just out of the archangel's sightlines as she'd been overseeing the search operation all over Quarantine Valley's rooftops. Now she could see why he'd been reluctant to mention it earlier; he'd stumbled upon something truly horrific, tucked away just off the beaten path, something that had managed to claim the lives -or at least the souls- or many unsuspecting innocents before it finally bit off more than it could chew. How many more horrors beyond any ordinary person's imagination lurked in this world's dark corners, preying on its fundamental uncertainty? Sandalphon couldn't blame Zenkichi for his distress one bit. The knowledge of suffering, both known and unknown, weighed on her just as heavily.

"You have my sympathies, detective. Even for someone like me, the cruelty of this world is daunting. Punishing. Unremittingly...unfair. Nothing I can say or do will change the fact that tomorrow, the sun will rise upon a land of war, corruption, and misery. But we [i]can[/i] make sure that by the time the sun sets, there is less injustice than when the day began." For a moment she laid her eyes on the other spirits. "You did your best with the hand you were dealt, as we all do. We cannot save everyone, but we can continue to fight to make the world a better place. Tomorrow morning we will defeat the Guardian and awaken Midgar's people. If we're to take even one step forward, I pray that we may break free from the shackles of the past." Emboldened by prayer, she crushed the spirit of Cecile. Its prismatic energies swirled and coalesced, taking the form of a magnificent [url=https://i.imgur.com/ZDNv6Lo.png]white rifle[/url] with a lens in its scope that gleamed like gold. Its weight felt natural in her arms. "And set our sights on the future."

Zenkichi nodded, a small smile on his face at Sandalphon's hopeful declaration. [color=BFBFBF]"Yeah, the future. Hopefully we can make it a better one."[/color] Standing up to stretch his back, Zenkichi let out a yawn. [color=BFBFBF]"Alright, I gotta get to sleep. Juggling saving the world, taking down a corrupt government, and raising a teenager takes a lot out of ya. G'night, Sandalphon. And thanks for listening."[/color]

"You're welcome." Sandalphon exhaled slowly. "I'm loathe to leave anything unfinished, but I should consider sleep as well. It's clear my physical state is too compromised for further work tonight. I hope to serve everyone better tomorrow." The archangel rose from her seat a little shakily, then gave Zenkichi one last look. "Those spirits will fade if you don't use them. They would be better served carrying you forward than weighing you down."

Looking down at the Spirits he'd placed on the table, Zenkichi sighed, scooping them up. [i]Weighing me down, huh...?[/i] He turned his head as Sandalphon left, but soon returned his gaze to the Spirits. Might as well do something with them before they disappeared, then. He took the Spirit of the adult-looking man and, trying to remember how this worked, pressed it to his head. He let out a gasp as the Spirit sunk into him, and he changed. 

Taking a breath, he slowly patted himself down, getting a feel for his new appearance. He felt a little stockier, though not noticeably heavier, which was a relief. The change to his suit was a bit bothersome, though with a second glance, it wasn't [i]that[/i] bad. At least the collar wasn't as egregiously high as in his Phantom Thief attire. Wearing that around everywhere would have been odd. The other thing that stood out was his beard, which he could feel was much more...stubbly. He usually kept his thinner than this. He'd have to shave that when he got the chance. 

Then, he turned to the other two Spirits. With a frown, he took them in his hands and squeezed, crushing them and turning them into items. In front of him, on the table, was a plate of fish and chips, and a child's air horn. [color=BFBFBF]"That's it, huh?"[/color] He mumbled. Dinner and a toy. Sitting back down, he took a chip off the plate, dipped it in the accompanying sauce, and bit down. [color=BFBFBF]"Okay, that's actually really good. Sorry, kid. But thank you for the meal."[/color] Looking at the air horn, he gently touched the toy, to commemorate the child it had come from, then put it in his pocket. 

[color=BFBFBF]"I can't wait to punch Galeem in his stupid, smug face."[/color] He sighed, munching on a strangely delicious plate of fish and chips. Tomorrow would be a better day. Looking at the clock, Zenkichi chuckled. 

It was already tomorrow. Akane had really taken a while to calm down, it seems. He'd have to have a big cup of coffee in the morning to make up for being up this late.


[center][hider=For Sandalphon]Item obtained:
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/ZDNv6Lo.png]Eye of Sol[/url][/b]
[i]The sun took my sight; thus, the sun became my eyes. A futuristic sniper rifle that fires bullets with high stopping power. It has a magazine of 4 shots, high recoil, long range, and an excellent scope. Its adaptive range makes it well-rounded, reliable, and sturdy. Aiming down sights for 1 second grants 35% flinch reduction. Reload, range, and accuracy are increased when no targets are in close proximity[/i][/hider]

[hider=For Zenkichi]Items obtained: 
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/e58hyWF.png]Bagged Lunch: Fish and Chips[/url][/b]
[i]A deep-fried appetizer. Coat fish fillets with batter and deep-fry until golden and crispy, then add a few chips on the side. This combination is so miraculous that whatever sauce you choose, it will always bring a hearty smile to your face[/i]
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/ssdEwAj.png]Airhorn[/url][/b]
[i]A blue-and-red novelty. When the button on the top is pressed, it makes a very loud noise that can be heard a long way off, and can even temporarily deafen someone at close range. Somehow, it never runs out of air, and it's worth a surprising 68 zenny[/i]

Notable spirit consumed:
[b][url=https://i.imgur.com/amI5G51.png]Devinder Crousley[/url][/b]
The host's skin has gotten a little darker, and he has a slightly stronger brow, bigger nose, and much stubblier face. His hair is a little shorter and curls up in front. His build is slightly wider. His tie is gone, and his shirt is white instead of blue, with one more button undone. His jacket is less like a suit jacket and more like a coat, with yellow patches and a taller collar. His personality is a little less high-strung. This spirit confers the strength [b]Paracryptozoologist[/b], giving the host a degree of strong intuition about supernatural creatures, specifically figuring out their behaviors and attributes. This spirit also confers the weakness [b]Landlubber[/b], making the host much less good at swimming[/hider][/center]