Private To Catch a Troublemaker

Ganymede clapped his hands together once, pleased by the news that the true culprit was waiting for Hikaru. "Great. If he's still waiting by the gate, finding him should be easy." Ganymede reached up and patted the hand on his shoulder, and took a moment to look up at him.

He nudged Gabe when he mentioned going invisible and taking pictures. Hikaru didn't need to know about their capabilities, and they could plan when they were unseen and unheard.

Hikaru looked terrible. This had really ruined his day. Ganymede felt remorse for that, but he wasn't horrified. He found it frighteningly easy to slip into the right mindset to handle this, to numb his sense of empathy enough to stay calm and focused.

"I'm actually familiar with some of your voice acting work, Hikaru." He mentioned one of the characters Hikaru had played in the past. "You're a convincing actor. If it is not too much to ask, we would like you to act as though nothing is wrong when you meet your 'guy by the gate.' Pretend that we have never met. We will handle the rest, and we will never bother you like this again. And again, we'll find a way to compensate you for your trouble."

Hikaru shot a glare at the wooden figure. What the fuck. He wasn't allowed to be sorry. It took every fiber of his being to not launch a punch into the guy's head and beat him into oblivion. Not that he had the strength to do it. And plus he could very much get strangled again. He rubbed his neck.

"And why should I help you?" His fists clenched, rubbing at his eyes again. He held back the voice and words that were now screaming to be released - he needed to keep his cool.

The figure seemed to want help too, though. He looked between the two, then at the door, then sighed. He couldn't run even if he wanted to - they were in the way. Unless he wanted to somehow jump out of his window. Anyone who fell from the roof would fall slowly, right? Surely it'd work for the second floor too. He considered it, but he couldn't afford to risk it. He'd already nearly died once today. The thought of the vines covering his mouth and curling around his throat returned, and he fought back a gag.

"...I'll help. But for you. Not him." He spat, barely containing his urge to literally spit at the hunched figure. What, using your powers hurts? Serves you right. "...I can do it, but I need time. I need to not look like a mess first." He said, slowly making his way over to a mirror in his bathroom and inspecting his face. He winced. Eyes bloodshot, irises still fading back to blue and nose dripping into his mouth still. He could taste his own snot. Ugh. He shook his head and blew his nose, finally wiping his eyes and applying a cold compress to one while watching the pair with the other. "I have to reduce the swelling, or else it'll be obvious I'm not okay," he explained. He could tell that the figure had just been trying to butter him up with the whole acting comment. It wouldn't work. "Gimme a sec, and we'll head out. The guy's probably wondering why I'm taking so long, though."

He took a moment to glare at the wooden monster before switching the compress to the other eye and checking his reflection. Not as bad. Okay, that was better.

"Take all the time you need."

While Hikaru was looking away, Ganymede reached out to grab Gabe's hand, and the two disappeared. Ganymede would pull Gabe out of the building with him, moving incredibly fast through the wall and through several tree branches. Now they were floating in the air, still invisible, much closer to the front gate.

Gany used his free hand to pull his hood back. "I actually just realized we don't need Hikaru's help. So I probably shouldn't have asked him for anything. But..." he shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe if he feels like he's a part of it he won't want to report us as much?"

He took a deep breath. Gabe might even be able to feel his pulse throbbing through his little hand. "Are you okay?'

Hikaru washed his face a couple times then sighed, looking seriously at himself in the mirror. Why was he doing this? Why was he helping people who'd literally just threatened to kill him? Well, one of them had anyway. They didn't deserve his help. They didn't deserve his anything. Was it the threat of being killed or was it the idea of being rewarded that made him feel like he had to do it?

With a sigh, he decided to stop thinking and left the bathroom. His room was empty. Huh. Maybe they'd had something better to do. Well, either way he still had to tell the guy that it was done. He thought up an excuse as he headed toward the gates, then greeted the figure. Friendly look, trendy style, responsible eyes. Wouldn't anyone have trusted him? And his voice was posh too. Plus he looked kinda Japanese. You were supposed to help your fellow countrymen. Plus he just missed Japan in general so maybe he was making up for it by...

He was getting distracted. He gave a wave and a happy smile. "I delivered it to 'em! Hope you two get along again. Sorry for the wait. Had to go charge my phone." He grinned, then blinked as he was suddenly handed an envelope. He looked inside, then a hand stopped him. "Open it when you get inside. It's my thanks." The guy told him. Hikaru tried to give it back at least twice before finally giving in with a troubled expression and keeping it in one hand.

Huh. Well, okay. He had to go and get his phone again anyway. He'd forgotten it in the whole mess. Plus he couldn't stay there. Didn't feel safe. He headed back into his room to get his stuff, hoping that those weirdos wouldn't be waiting for him.

Gabe seemed pretty shaken up about how that unfolded, too. Neither of them wanted to do anything like that again today.

"We can just find out who they are and follow them home," Ganymede said. "Or I can do that alone, if you want me to drop you off."

While they spoke, it wouldn't take long for Gany to find the guy Hikaru mentioned. He seemed a little blurry from the liminal space where Ganymede and Gabriel were floating, but they could tell a few basic facts about the man's appearance. His general height, his style of dress. The fact that he probably didn't have any business waiting outside of this gate.

It wouldn't take much longer for Hikaru to come by. They could *mostly* make out what the two were saying, and it became pretty clear who the real culprit here was. As soon as the exchange ended, Ganymede would start following him, still invisible, still dragging Gabe along.

He would look up at Gabe questioningly, wondering if he wanted to get off this wild ride yet. Now was a good time for them to part ways, if he did. It was still on campus.

Hikaru stared at the money on his desk. What the hell. What had he just been made to do? What was on that note?!

He rushed back to the room he'd left it in front of to find it already gone, and the voice of a young girl and boy muffled inside. Too late to undo it, he supposed. The two seemed okay enough, so at least he could rest assured it wasn't poisoned or anything. This wasn't Mirai Nikki, after all.

——

A black clad figure heads downtown, checking constantly for followers. They can't shake an uneasy feeling that someone is watching, although they always feel like that lately anyway. They look left, then right, then vanish into thin air, going invisible but not intangible. They wind through the streets just to be safe and eventually disappear into the woods, ready to plan the next phase.

"I can still feel where he is," Ganymede said, floating along after him with Gabe in tow. "I can feel his magic."

That guy was putting a remarkable amount of effort into not being followed. Ganymede needed his full concentration to keep on the trail. If Gabe started to say anything, Ganymede would hush him. "I have to focus."

Periodically, Gany would take a moment to wonder. Why was this guy taking all this evasive action? Did he know they were following him? Was he just being paranoid?

In any case, eventually, Ganymede would take Gabe into the woods, stopping in front of a cabin there. "I think this might be where he lives," Gany said. "I'm going to want to stay around here for a little while so I can scry later."

Unless this was just a stop along the way. In any case, Ganymede would keep following the man.