DEATH and ICE

**Date Started:** 20 December 2021
**Date Completed:** Ongoing
**Next Role-Play**: N/A
**Users Involved:** User:Sir Ice Man, User:Starving Skeleton, User:NewZeno999, User:PuddingCups, User:Shouri01, User:AbysmalShadows
**Setting:** New York, U.S. (Human World)
**Characters Involved**:
* **Soul**: Ice-Man
* **Humans**:
	+ **The Collective**: James Johnson, Mercedes Foyer, Elijah Smith, Kiko Arai
	+ **Special Detectives**: Joseph Watson, Akihiro Mishima
	+ **Others**: Carl, Trevor, Chuck, Chelsea
* **Hollows**: Nikkolas Klause

*When I was a little boy*
*I used to hang my feet*
*In the muddy waters*
*That run through your streams*
*Get on home, get on home*
*Come on home little children, come on home*
*When I see a wagon it was coming down the street*
*Filled with feed and swine and such*
*And that’s a lot of meat*
*Get on home, get on home*
*Come on home little children, come on home*
*Now you see them little boys at their mother’s feet*
*They’ve learned how to hate and cut and even kill the free*
*Get on home, get on home*
*Come on home little children, come on home*
*The fields they are golden now the cycle will complete*
*In order to harvest the grain*
*You got to cut the weed*

## A Man of Miracles

“No. No. No!” The man screamed. His blood filled gasp for air were nothing more than gargling nonsense.  “LAURA NO! Please no-STOP YOURE HURTING ME!” But it didn’t make sense. Just yesterday the entire town got together for a festival filled with love and friendship. Merry men drank and talked about their latest farming equipment while women gossiped about one another or talked about their children’s accomplishments.

Yet today he damn near ripped the nails from his fingers as he fought for his life. His hands covered in torn flesh and rivers of blood rushing down his arm. His beautiful blonde wife dragged him by his leg down the hall. Through the living room and into the foyer. But it was what he saw outside which paralyzed him. What stopped him from fighting as he silently accepted his fate with one last work. A question he asked to the surrounding crowd who stared at the last one.

"W-what are you?" He whispered.

"Your new family."

“And now, Laura and Roderick, of all!” sighed one of the many men seated in front of the old man, who was sitting silently with his eyes closed. This old man, Carl, was nothing less than a father to the whole town, and everyone in the town looked up to him, and seeked his counsel on every important situation. This one was the most pertinent of all. Disappearances of people in the town would soon render it a ghost town. A literal one, as believed some people. Theories ran abound in the minds of the townspeople. Surely those who disappeared were not kidnapped, for there was no demand of ransom. Could there truly be monsters who took them? How many were actually taken, and how many fleed in fear? There was no way to know.

“I say, leave this cursed town, and make new lives for ourselves!” said one of the men.

“Leave our homes? And our fields? And then do what?” said another.

“Any man who dares to leave and abandon the brotherhood of this town shall be killed by my own hands!” Yet another man bellowed.

“One of them killed the other to offer to the monsters, I am almost sure of it,” another townsman gritted through his teeth.

“For the last time, Trevor! Your wife left you! She was not taken by, uh, ~the monsters~…” Yet another townsman jabbed in.

“No!” yelled Trevor, “She was taken by the monsters! I saw them! I offered her up myself! It was the only way I could survive! You must believe me!”

Trevor collapsed to his knees, “I am no less than a monster myself. Offering up my own wife to save my skin. A wretched man, I am!” He broke into tears.

“Laura… Rod…” a woman spoke, “Neither of them would do anything of the sort to one another.”

“Perhaps, they had no choice,” spoke Carl, finally opening his eyes.

“Old man, not you, too!” A townsman spoke up, “You are a man of science, filled with great wisdom! You cannot believe in this nonsense about monsters!”

“I have to,” spoke Carl, “…for in my youth, I saw them myself. Large black monsters, with white faces, and features decked of nightmares of all colors and sorts! The destruction they are capable of! Oh, I shudder to this day!”

“How did you survive,” asked Trevor, “Did you have to make a choice like I did?”

“No,” smiled Carl with no joy, “I was fortunate. Just fortunate, nothing else. For in those days, there was a man of miracles. Oh, yes, a man of miracles! He wielded a bow with no arrows, but with a single movement of his arm, the monsters vanished!”

“Monsters? Miracles? Old man, I beg your pardon but I peg you have gone senile!” A young boy spoke loudly.

“Asinine upstart!” Carl rose to his feet, his eyes seething with a cold fury.

The boy's mother apologized, “Old man, the boy did not mean to—”

“Silence! Elder speaks!” Carl's voice echoed.

Carl sat down, and spoke calmly, “A man of miracles. Yes, a man of miracles! That is who we need.”

A woman wailed, “But how would we find such a man?!”

“And even if we do find him,” a man, almost choked with tears, spoke, “why would he help us?! What could we, peasants, offer to a man who can perform miracles!”

“I will find him!” Trevor rose to his feet, “…and I will bring him here, I promise! I will do whatever it takes, such shall be my atonement!”

While things were unfolding in Carl Town, the light of day was already taking its first steps toward its farewell, which would take place with the setting sun, the metropolis affectionately called the Big Apple remained fervent and unstoppable, and the gateway to what was one of the largest, if not the largest metropolis in the world, John F. Kennedy International Airport, was proof of this. Thousands of people in constant movement crowded the halls and lined the terminals, waiting and preparing to board one of the dozens of planes that at every moment landed and took off, carrying and bringing people from all over the world, people who were overwhelmingly ignorant of the spiritual dangers constantly lurking in their world.

And standing out from this excited crowd, on the grassy field next to the landing strip, next to his car, a sturdy black 1970 Pontiac GTO, was the man responsible for defending everyone in that city from such threats, Special Detective Joseph Watson, who was attentively watching the movements of a special plane, a small jet that had just landed and was coming towards him, until finally the aircraft stopped in front of him, the detective however didn't seem surprised, and after briefly looking at the prefix stamped on the tail of the plane, he gave a slight nod.

Then, noticing the side door opening, the blue-eyed boy took a few steps closer to the plane, although he was slightly annoyed by the way his hair and tie swayed fiercely because of the wind from the aircraft's turbine, he didn't let it steal his focus and then leaning at a 30 degree angle, he saluted the disembarking man respectfully, saying with a certain regret:

"Good Afternoon, it's a pleasure to meet you again in person, although I regret that this meeting is not under better circumstances."

Stepping out from the plane was a handsome japanase man, with neatly combed hair and sharp angular features. He was tall for an asian man, standing at nearly six feet in height, broad shouldered and physically fit. Wearing a tailored suit and a dark trench coat he was every bit the man of mystery. This was the Tokyo branch's Special Detective Akihiro Mishima.

As his eyes settled on Joseph Watson, his previously stoic features morphed into a warm smile. "Nonsense, Joseph!" He waved off the salute and formality, switching to adopt the informal manner Americans were so fond of speaking in. "We're friends, so its always a pleasure. Now tell me about this case you're working on." He said as the two entered the vehicle.

As soon as he got into the car, Joseph took advantage of the rearview mirror to fix his hair and tie, not because he was some kind of metrosexual but because of a damn tic that made him fix everything whenever he saw something out of place, a mania for organization that was evident in the way he kept everything well positioned and clean even inside the car, buttoning up safety latches, He finally put the key in the ignition, turned and started the car, engaging the first gear, driving the car towards the service exit of the airport he kept his hands steady on the steering wheel and his eyes fixed on the road, until passing through the gate and entering the Freeway, he finally broke the silence and answered his partner without taking his eyes off the track, saying after a heavy sigh.

"Things were going as usual, despite the sporadic appearances of Hollows in the big metropolis and harnesses things were under control, however, about five days ago everything changed in a small town a few hours from here called Carl Town, the Hollows appearances became more and more constant and not only of one but of entire groups, some citizens even disappeared, attacking the living is nothing new to those monsters, but. ... "Joseph's voice was filled with hesitation, and for a moment he turned to Akiihiro without hiding the concern in his eye and added, "...When they do something like that in a group in a small place like that the casualties can be many, and if this group gains strength and migrates to a large city like this, it would be disastrous to say the least."

Akihiro held Josephs gaze for a few moments before closing his eyes and blowing out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding in. Furrowing his brow in thought, he massaged his temple as if to stave off an impending headache.

"A group of Hollows?" He said puzzeled. "Its rare for them to work together like this, especially in a small town where the pickings are slim. So why do it?" He asked. It was true, Hollows in the Human World rarely if ever worked together. Finding a human with sufficient spiritual power to sate their appetite was one thing, but having to share it? Not likely. So what would force Hollows to hunt together in a pack?"

Turning to his partner he asked, "Have you managed to find anything that ties the disappearances together?"

Joseph turned his gaze back to the road and continued to just listen to Akihiro's words, grabbing the gear lever a few times with one hand and keeping his foot on the accelerator, he kept the car moving at top speed, naturally within the limit allowed within the highway.

"There is no pattern among the victims that goes beyond living in small towns and leading a rural lifestyle, at least all of the last 30 victims have followed just those patterns..." Joseph said with a bitter expression on his face, but his blue eyes looked fierce rather than downcast, a sentiment made even more evident by the way he choked the steering wheel with his hands, and the harsh tone of his frustration-laden voice, in which he added, "... Already this group of Hollows seems to follow a pattern, in the last three villages attacked strange apparitions were recorded, people disappeared, after the 10th victim everything returned to normal a month later the cycle was repeated in a simple village in a completely different locality, the only difference is the interval between each disappearance, which in each occurrence became smaller, as if their number or efficiency was increasing."

The Western Detective then noticed an approaching intersection, desacelerating, made the appropriate maneuver to change lanes, and before accelerating again and making the V8 engine of his Muscle Car growl with the same ferocity that remained intact in his gaze, amend: "As I said correctly, these Hollows are acting not only in a very organized way, but they seem to have patterns so as not to draw too much attention and not get caught, acting like damn sociopathic criminals, this cannot come out of wild beasts like the low ranking Hollows. I bet without fear that there is something bigger and more powerful behind this behavior, something that is preparing or even putting in place some kind of larger plan, a plan that you and I still don't understand but that we must put a stop to before it gets out of our control and more innocents pay!"

It was clear to Akihiro that Joseph felt personally responsible for the loss of life. Or rather his inability to prevent it from happening. Joseph might not even be aware of it but his reiatsu was beginning to leak as his emotions ran high. Still, what he just relayed to him was most concerning. Things over in the eastern hemisphere were quiet for now, but this grisly business here was rankling at his nerves. Normally cases like this involved a single Hollow, some weak, some stronger than others, but almost never did they work together. Too much competition.

Akihiro silently pulled out a cigarrate from a pack in his coat pocket, and pulling on the air he ground the air together for friction causing a smark to ignite and light his dirty habit. Rolling down the window, he inhaled the tobacco deeply before releasing a cloud of smoke out the window. He pondered about what they were going to do, and where to even begin.

Thirty victims.

By the grace of Amaterasu he'd find a way to free them from their torment. He spared his partner a glance and tried to convey his concern. "Joseph, we'll find these Hollows, or whatever is behind this and I swear they will pay for what they've done. But first," he took another hit from the cigarrate. "-we have to investigate the site of the last victim. We should be able to find something. Sites of death, and horrific trauma leave... echoes in their wake. This energy seeps into the environment. You know this. Even people with little sensitivity can feel chills or something dark in places of death. With two special detectives on the case, finding something should be childs play for us."

Joseph didn't seem too bothered by Akihiro's lighting a cigarette inside the car unlike most who would be annoyed, perhaps because he didn't really care or consider himself unworthy to judge the vices and strange habits of others or simply because his focus was elsewhere at that moment .

His gaze remained firm and fierce and did not stray from the road ahead, his Reiatsu that at its maximum potential could be compared to that of a Lieutenant of the Gotei 13 continued to leak as a reflection of the determination to put an end to the killing that the Hollows had been imposing, and crush with these creatures the frustration he felt for letting not one but 30 lives be lost right under his nose, his expression however was no longer stamped by guilt, now the feeling painted the face of the western detective was confidence, the same he felt in his partner's words and made present in his own, "Yep, let's go for Carl Town , that's where the last cases ran, 10 victims have not yet been registered, so if the pattern repeats itself they will still go back there and attack again, and we will be there to put an end to this damn hunt, and show these freaks that human beings do not exist to be treated like food, on which they can feast and leave as if there is no problem "

As Joseph said this, he stepped hard on the gas pedal, making the Pontiac GTO roar like a fierce black panther and tear across the track almost like a bullet, staying on the freeway he could avoid the jams and lines coming from the chaotic New York metropolitan traffic and could reach the village before the sun went down and the night polished off without much trouble.

“Aight guys it’s time to go!” James screamed at the top of his lungs into his phone. His voice travelled through his FaceTime and blared out of Mercedes's phone. Echoing in the cramped elevator which held the makeshift group of spiritually powerful Fullbringers.

“We’re losing daylight! We need to get there ASAP. The longer we take the more songs we miss!” He said concerningly.

“At least he can't get anymore annoying.” Mercedes grumbled as the elevator door opened. Revealing the contraption that James had parked out front. It was an old hippie van that smoked out clouds of grey smoke. James stood before the old mystery machine with a giant prideful grin plastered on his face.

"You guys ready?!"

"Lets get this over with" Elijah said obviously looking quite tired for some unknown reason. "I have a fight in the next week so I need to get all the training I need" he said before yawning loudly.

"Why're you tired!?" James asked demandingly as he opened the giant midway door. "What did I tell you about not getting enough rest before your fights. Your body needs to recover dammit! Don't let that championship belt go to your head."

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say James" Elijah said before climbing into the van.

Kiko Arai had no interest in being the hero. She didn't want laser vision or super strength, nor did she feel that capes were in style. Still, she stood in the elevator with everyone else. The group had definately grown as of late, blossoming like a newly planted seed in the fertile earth. It made Arai sick. Sick to her stomache. She had joined this group only out of her interest for James, as mostly everyone else had done as well. She found it annoying... that the spiritual garden before her was littered with pests.

Needless to say, Arai was not a team player by any means. Despite the crapedness the elevator had to offer, she shoved her comrades out of the way to check her makeup in a hand held compact mirror, using a nail to scrape off a bit of lipstick that had been smudged out of place.

When the door opened, she wasn't the only one with a sligtly confused expression, nor was she the first to react. In fact, she was one of the last. "Are you kidding me? An elegant lady such as myself riding in the equivalent of a metal death trap! Where's the champagne, the sparkling water, the red carpet!" Dread filled her face, her palms moved to her cheeks in shock. Groaning, she hestitantly stepped toward the vehicle which looked like a cheap party bus in her eyes.

"You would think by now this group would accommodate to my needs. Well, if I must." She huffed, her high heels clicking against the concrete as she hastily vanished into the van, against her better judgement.

"Oh I'm sorry Miss Arai." James said teasingly as he closed the door behind her. "I just felt like this would allow the natural air to reach your skin quicker. Y'know its the best thing for your pores!" She was one of the more interesting members of this family. Someone who got along well with Mercedes, meanign more time to train, but also a woman of higher class. James always wondered what kept her here. Did she grow to love them? Is she actually growing a heart? Perhaps something deeper anchored her to this family. Either way...its the adventure which drove James in life.

Speaking of driving, their journey lasted much longer than anyone would've guessed by the looks of the Fullbringer-Mobile. But it eventualy started skipping and bumping. Its wheels lugging around. Causing the hunk of metal to bop and pop as James tried to steer.

"Honey I don't think the car supposed to do that." Mercedes groaned.

"I know. She's just a little tired." James responded. His hand carressed the wheel. Causig lime lights to spark into existence. Something providing it with just enough umph to pull it into an old gas station.

"Maybe there's someone here who can help us."

"There better be" Elijah said annoyed that his nap was interrupted by this junk of a van. "But I'll look around see if someone can help, if anyone wants to come help me they can." he said before getting out the car and walking into the gas station.

"Oh please, like you'd know anything about skincare." Arai hmphed towards James, finding his smart remark to be quite stupid. It had been a long winding road. The wagon rocked up and down as if it was a ship at sea, sailing across a cement highway. Arai tried to close her eyes and pretend it was turbulance on an airplane, but the cobwebs and the spiders that lurked in the back of the unfurnished and unkept van made it hard to imagine that this was anything but what it was. A hunk of metal stolen from a junkyard and converted into a make-shift mode of transportation.

Still, Arai felt that she needed this. The fullbringers around her. At times she felt like they were all that grounded her to earth, each one having an ability much like her own. One that could prove beneficial to her if need be. She clinged to her purse. The ride was filled with thoughts like this until the engine sputtered, smoke blew from the back of the metal deathtrap before the van came to a screeching halt.

Peering out the window Arai saw what appeared only in her nightmares. All around them there was nothing but road and endless terrain, and they had managed to break down just close enough to the scene of a future horror movie. A gas station in the middle of nowhere. Population zero. Arai felt her face turn blue... or green... a look of disgust appearing out of thin air.

"God this is horrible." She looked like she was about to puke. "If I died right now I'd wake up in this very same place..." A joke about the situation, and a hint that she was most likely going to hell. "So tell me this, we're all people with extroidinary abilities and yet none of you have a gift that allows them to travel." It was a fair remark, Arai peeked out the window once more before digging in her purse and putting on a pair of thick bug-like sunglasses. Large enough to hide her face. "I can't be seen here, what an embarassment that would be towards my career..." Out of all the people, Arai decided to chase after Elijah. She didn't embarass herself by running after him, her long legs were more than enough to play catch up and when you were a model... even an empty gass station parking lot could be a runway.

"Isaac..." Arai mumbled, snapping her fingers. "Elric... Elliott" She did so once more... it was clear she had forgotten his name, but luckily she managed to catch up with him before he made it inside. "Listen, it would be best if we played roles here. Wouldn't you agree? Congratulations, you're now my husband. Try not to get too attatched, we'll be divorcing as soon as we leave this hell hole."

As rude as she seemed, Arai was right. The less people who knew what they were doing, who they were, or what they were capable of... the better. It wasn't exactly normal for a bunch of fully grown adults to be crammed in a van headed to god-knows-where, this option raised less questions. "Still I find it odd that none of you good-for-nothings have an ability that allows for travel. Perhaps James should work on his recruiting." Her high heels tapped against that parking lot like pitch forks digging into skin. The devil wears prada, Arai wore gucci. Her purse showed that.

"You are very interesting lady" Elijah said before continuing his walk towards the gas station, he did have a bit of knowledge of cars but that van looked like it needed professional help and since there was no better mechanics than hillbilly gas station workers, he decided that's who he was gonna look for. "Let's just find someone and get out of here, last thing I need is spending the night in the middle of nowhere" he said.

Arai made Elijah open the door for her, she could see the grubby hand prints of those who didn't bother washing them and decided not to stain her hands. Entering the gas station, it was exactly as one could picture. The tiles on the floor were busted and covered with mold, bars and wooden planks covered practically every window. Grafitti was plastered on every wall.

At first, Arai had covered her mouth like she was afraid to breath in the stations air, but when it got too hard to breathe doing that, she simply took less breaths. The door rang as they entered, the man at the desk had been spraying the counter with some kind of cleaner and whiping it down, as if that made any difference. He was tall and lanky and wore overalls, his teeth were rather big and his face was long. "Hey y'all, welcome in! You be good now! And we'll be good to you!" The man winked at Arai specifically, something that sent chills down her spine.

It was awkward passing by the magazines and seeing herself on one of the covers, but she kept it quiet. She would have hated to see herself with the other A-List celebrities who had visited this fine establishment. Still, she was a model and something of an aspiring actress and this was a chance for her to play a part so against her own will, she was nice to the clerk.

Walking towards the cage he had put himself in, surrounded by cigarettes and lottery tickets he was faced with a dark skinned man and a beautiful woman. Arai could only imagine he had seen this in his nightmares. Though it was fair because she had seen this station in hers. "Me and my husband here are on a couples retreat and can you believe it..." Arai crossed her arms playfully before pointing outside. "Our van broke down! And he's no mechanic and well I... couldn't risk getting this dress dirty. Do you think you could help us mister..."

"Mister Chuck. Well I can't help ya unfortunately." The man spat a sunflower seed into a plastic cup before looking at the pair. "We don't help your kind."

Arai's eyes twitched. What was that supposed to mean?

"What do you mean your kind" Elijah said yelling loudly at the clerk, "Now Ima say this once as I really don't want to hurt you, but your gonna get out there and fix our damn van or I'll have a plastic surgeon fix your damn face" Elijah said hoping the clerk would cooperate under the threat of physical violence at the hands of somone that could easily bench this dude's weight.

"HUH?" Chuck said, scratching his head and sounding suprised that the two were offended. That's when he chuckled. "Oh shucks." Turning a sign around in his booth, the two could now see it. In big bold letters. "No city slickers allowed!" The man smiled nervously, and Arai calmed her nerves.

"Well now that the crickets are done chirping, can you help us or not?" Arai questioned, clearly not amused by his joke.

Chuck spit out another sunflower seed. "Well ya see, I sure can not help y'all. But my sister can. She's the best mechanic in the biz. Or at least at this here gas station." Chuck seemed to go on and on, telling pointless stories and pointless facts about pointless things. If Arai didn't need his help, she would have just walked away.

"See my sister knows how to fix anything, she used to take apart radios and put em' back together for fun. She's a fixer I'll tell ya. If only she could fix herself a man. Actually, you're her type." Chuck was talking to Elijah. "She's a real looker I promise, she'll be in soon. Why don't you folks look around, maybe buy something." He spit out another sunflower seed much to Arai's disgust.

Buy something... she wouldn't waste a penny in this place.

"Oh sorry I didn't know you were talking about city slickers, I thought you were talking about other things. Oh and about your sister I'm not interested" Elijah said before looking around to find some water as he was in need of hydration.

"You sure its safe letting those two go in there by themselves?" Mercedes asked. She followed James who left the van to head towards the open garage. "Arai and Elijah I trust separately but together-"

"Wanna know something crazy?" James interrupted. He wore his usual carefree smile. "I'm sure those two are going to make us god-parents."

"W-WHAT??" Mercdes screamed. "Elijah and Arai?!!"

"OPposites attract. And strangers things have happened."

"B-but-" She stammered between laughter. James grabbed her hand to help guide her through her deep breathes.

"Arai is a good girl. A bit difficult but...she just needs to be around people like *her* to help her feel normal. And then you have Elijah who was always down to earth but needs to acknowledge what really makes him special." James stopped at its entrance while Mercedes regained her composure. He felt her understanding gaze. "Plus white chick and black bad boys? Its bound to happen."

"Oooo are you always this wise, Prophet James?" Mercedes teased. She gently punched his arm and entered the garage. James followed. There were cars suspended in the air. Cars being gutted and worked on on the ground. Parts hung on dirty, oil covered walls. The smell of gas, oil and body odor created an orchestra James could only describe as country.

"Well howdeee folks!!" A woman shouted from behind an open hood. She slammed it shut with enough force to shake the whole car. Revealing body unbefitting the surrounding environment. Toned, thick porcelain thighs stretched through the openings of blue daisy dukes and two yams that belonged on a Thanksgiving dinner table instead of in this rinky dink motorshop. Her pierced midriff dripped sweat yet her pink polkadotted top, knotted at the bottom into a crop top, was somehow still dry. She met their gaze with bright blue eyes complimenting her blonde pigtails. "How can I help ya!?"

"W-well howdeee to you too-"

"Sorry to barge in!" Mercedes interrupted James's mumble. "But our van broke out there and we were wondering if you guys could help us fix it up?"

"Oh that ole thing? She's a beaut! I'll have her up and running in no time! My name's Chelsea. Nice to meet you!""

"T-thank you." James managed. "My names James!"

*MMMmmmmmhhhhhhhh*

He quickly averted his eyes down. "Oh and this is my girlfriend, Mercedes."

"Its a pleasure to meet you two. Bring her on in and if ya wanna have a seat here go for a walk she'll be up and running in no time!" Chelsea said pleasantly.

"Yes James go and get the car." Mercedes demanded. James complied, careful to keep his eyes locked on nothing beyond his next step forward.

"So...uh this is a weird...place to have a garage?" James asked. He sat next to Mercedes on a nearby lawnchair.

"In the middle of of a highway?" Mercedes asked.

"I *mean* like here specifically. Don't you think its a bit far from the nearest town?"

"Its alright!" Chelsea responded. Her tools hammered and turned as she focused on each screw with intense concentration. "My brother and I took over this 'ere shop from our parents. Who took it from our parents. And they did theirs. Fifteen times over."

"Oh a family business?"

"Yeah. Once a month we head up da road to get supplies but we enjoy the peace and quiet. ya know? We don't mind civilization once and a wild but...." Chelease pulled out some gunk from the engine. She worked on their van from beneath a red truck which hung slighty above her. "It feels good to be with ya kin?"

"True. THat's understandable." Mercedes responded. But James felt something else. It was faint. So small it could be just a light scenet carried upon a runaway breeze.

"Baby are you alright?"

"I wouldn't say we're swingers but Elijah is more than willing to do what he has to do to get our van fixed. Isn't that right, babe?" As she said babe her teeth grounded together, her heel stabbed into her comrades toes; as if she was threatening him. He WOULD be going on that date if it meant they could get the hell out of well.. hell!

"So uhm... Chuck... was it..." Arai looked behind the man, seeing the cigarettes made her itch. "I'll take a pack of virginia slims and a map." Fishing through her purse, she didn't hide the several hundred dollar bills she kept on her at all times, and searching through the bag for something smaller was like finding a needle in the haystack. Eventually she settled for a fifty dollar bill, her addiction was expensive anywho.

"If you want anything..." Arai turned toward Elijah, at first appearing soft and sweet. "I hope you have money." Her purse shutthat sweet facade went with it.

"Ok then" Elijah said before looking at the cashier. "I'll to buy this water and these chips" he said placing his items on the counter so Chuck could scan them. "And I'm truly sorry about what I said earlier" Elijah spoke while Chuck was checking out him items.

"Tis 'ere is wy ya city slickin folk aint allowed. Ya weird marriage ways." Chuck said as he took the fifty. He took out 3 fives and 2 tens. Fifteen dollars short her change anywhere basic arithmatic was covered in school. "Ya change ma'am. And that'll be 5 bucks sir."

"As for ya van, my sister wuld be the one to decide. Although I don't think she too keen on helping outta towners. Especially consideering all da wierdness happening in the nearby town."

"What of weirdness" Elijah said interested in what Chuck had to say. "If you don't mind could you explain" he said now giving Chucks the five dollars.

Arai knew he had short handed her, but she figured that it could be used as a tax write off and refused to argue with someone who couldn't make it halfway through the alphabet.

"God I'm surrounded by idiots." She mumbled under her breath, lighting a ciagarette and placing it between her lips. "I don't care about this towns mumbo jumbo, all of these tiny little places have some tourist trap horror story attatched to them. She's either going to fix our van..." Arai hmphed. "Or she isn't." The model had begun to lose her temper but she quickly calmed down.

"Is money the problem here? I've got plenty." Arai commented, ready to bribe the man and the mechanic if need be.

"Hold on for a second" Elijah said to Arai before turning back to the Chuck. "Now explain this weirdness cause I'm interested and if it's fake we're just gonna leave" he said now waiting from a response from Chuck.

“Oh!” A low sound was uttered behind the van. A chuckle? A choked sob? A bit of both? Trevor emerged from behind the van.

“I will tell you… of the… *weirdness*!” Trevor spoke, uttering the last of his words as if he was vomiting bile. He calmed himself down as a tear rolled down his cheek. “Why do you wish to know, anyway? Is local suffering amusing to ye?” He started walking away, and spoke, “Monsters. That is the weirdness. Our old man said that in his youth, he saw monsters eradicated by a man of miracles. Black monsters with white faces. The ones I saw, though, they were not black monsters with white faces. They were monsters, three or four, with bodies like any other men's. Like any other men, they come in all shapes and sizes, with faces of features like any other men. But they are monsters, alright! And they took my wife! And many others of my town! And now, here I am! Looking for a man of miracles! With no way to find him, or pay him to do our work even if I find him, and that is a big if! And here you are! Tourists! Will you believe me? And will it matter even if you do? Maybe I should just kill myself. Oh, yes! I could jump off a roof and make it look like a birdwatching accident!”

"Look I'm not one to make fun of shit like that but a birdwatching accident? Nobody gonna believe that" Elijah said to Trevor. "But what about these creatures in mask with the bodies of men" he said with his interest now at its peak.

"Oh, no, man!" Trevor insisted, "It is genius! There is a red-tailed rooster-hawk a block away, and I have micro-binoculars in my pocket! *Like a mastermind!*" The fiendish smile on Trevor's face vanished as he snapped himself back to remembering the suffering of his people, and their desperate need for a man of miracles. He spoke, calmly, "Anyway, I told you all I knew of the monsters. They are, well, monsters. Terrifying. Of great power, I can feel it. Three or four of them. I need to find that man, man! That man of miracles!"

"AHHHHHH! A woman's scream shrieked through the air from outside followed by the loud tumbling of several hundred pounds of metal. Glass shattered. Metal clanked and twisted.

"CHELSEA!" Chuck roared. Interrupting Trevor's seemingly fever rumblings. He darted from behind the desk and through the door. Rushing maddenly to his sister's cry.

“Baby!” Mercedes screamed.

*A green light flickered. Disappearing as fast as it came.*

The truck fell from but 10 feet in the air. But its weight increased the speed it fell. But it happened so quickly. Ending in a thick silence. James looked down at the young blonde who looked at him in a mixture of wonder, confusion and gratefulness. He held the massive truck in one hand and his knees bent low to absorb some of its momentum.

“You okay?” James asked.

"Y-yeah." Chelsea got out while staring up.

"Chelsea. Y-you're okay...It's a miracle." Chuck said as he entered the garage's opening.

"Heeeeeeeey guyyyyyyysssssss." James said while still holding the truck above his head.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Elijah yelled at James, who was now holding a full on truck above his head with one hand. "What happened here?" He said looking around for any attackers.

“What…” Trevor stood, his eyes wide open, “What was that?! That green light! That abnormal feat!”

He dashed towards James and fell at his feet, “It is you! You! You are the man of miracles! Help, oh! Help us! Our village is terrorized by monsters! Monsters who took my wife! Monsters who took my friends! Only a man like you can help us! Please! I beg you! What do you require of me?”

Trevor, at his knees, began to weep, for though he had asked James as to what the latter required of the former, Trevor knew that he had nothing to give to James.

"Dammit Elijah it wasn't my fault-" James was about to put the truck down when Trevor collapsed at his feet. "W-wait what are you talking about?" He put the truck to the side with a slight twist of his hand.

"Man of Miracles? Monsters? Listen dude we're just a family passing by to a concert.

"James!" Mercedes barked. She kneeled down and comforted Trevor. "What monsters? Who took your wife and friends?"

"Whaaaat? Monsters don't exist." James answered. But he grew silent when Mercedes stared at him.

"Tell us everything."

Trevor sat, cross-legged, and spoke, “A few weeks ago, people in our town started disappearing. It was very strange. A couple of weeks ago, I saw, in my own field, a darkness from which a man emerged. Oh, a most hideous man, with something resembling a piece of a mask on his chin. He took my wife. That is when I knew. It were that monster who took people from our town. But it was not just him. There are at least two more, for I heard laughter behind that monster. Plural! These monsters have been taking people from all over our town. I am most certain that they have been doing so with other towns on our countryside, too. Our old man saw monsters in his youth, too. But those were different. Old man spoke, ‘black monsters’, ‘white faces’, and he said they were wiped out by ‘a man of miracles’.”

He turned to James, “You! You are such a man, I am almost sure of it!”

"A man with a piece of a mask?" James repeated. *"It sounds like..."* He looked to Mercedes. Their eyes meeting in a sudden understanding. James put his family through vigorous training against stray hollows and other spiritual aware humans who used their powers for evil. But he made sure to keep them from getting *too* involved in **that** world. Beings with powers well beyond one's comprehension ruled over it.

James knew all too well. His encounters with these gods were rarely pleasurable. He remembered when she'd throw him against them. Commanding him to use his power to draw something out that monstrosity. Memories he swore to never speak again. Even when he told Mercedes about them...about her....

That's why he wanted to keep his family away from monsters. Away from *her* world. "Listen, the only man of miracles I believe in is Jesus Christ. You have the wrong guy. And I'm not going to risk my friends off some fever dream. Lay off the Moonshine." James said as he started walking away.

"James!" Mercedes screamed. But he ignored her. Making his way out of the garage.

"Wait James, we can't just leave these people, they have lost there loved ones and many more could get snatched as well" Elijah said before grabbing James by the shoulder. "Now I usually agree with everything you do but I'm staying here to at least try and help these people" he said before walking back to Trevor.

“Please, oh! Please!” Trevor begged, “I will do anything! I will give you anything!” Trevor immediately realized the futility of his words. He had nothing to give to James, nor was there anything he could do. He could not keep his senses within his comprehension anymore. With one last yell to the sky, Trevor burst into tears, and lost all sense of conciousness.

James's gaze met Elijah. The world is going to hell in a handbasket if he's the voice of reason one would think. But, Elijah was much wiser than he gave himself credit for. And his growth warmed James's heart. He nodded to the young warrior with a confident and proud smile.

"Alright alright." James groaned while rubbing his head. "It looks like I'm actually outnumbered on this one. We'll help you. Let's get the rest and see what's going on."

## We Unite! We Stand!

“Ikigai…”

Ice-Man sat in front of a fire. The only other he had for company was a random hobo, clearly under influence.

“… a Japanese word that has no direct equivalent in your tongue. While, the word exists in Japanese, its notion — its feel — is most pertinent for any being's existence. A basic of all breakdowns of this word would point to a meaning akin to a purpose in life to make it worthwhile. In other words, a purpose that would make you wish to jump out of bed every morrow. This word negates another word's existence in the Japanese language, and that word is retirement. You see, there is no direct equivalent for the word retirement in Japanese, at least not on the way we perceive the word. I think the same can be said for the Soul Society. The next realm, to simplify it for you. There is no place for retirement in the Soul Society, and that is why I know that the ascension of Sakuranosuke Shunsui Kyōraku no Jirō to the Head-Captainship means only one of the two possible outcomes for Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto — his ascension to even higher positions, or to Hell. Assuming the latter, quite a number of other assumptions can be made. Assassination? Unlikely. Especially for a man of that stature. Defeat in combat? Slightly more likely, no matter how difficult that may seem to imagine. But a man of his stature would not be the first to fall. No one who commands so many would fall so quickly. No. The Soul Society has suffered heavy damages.”

Ice-Man paused for a while and smiled, “Either my words are true, or I am just a fool.” After a while, he spoke, again…

“Oh, but there is no need for worry. We are souls. Our spirits stand higher than those of humans, and if humans are capable of marvels beyond puny imagination… Oh, what capability must the Souls once banded together possess! Indeed, if many flowers have withered, many more shall bloom. If needed, quickly. If needed, magnificently. Truly, oh! Truly, I say… if a need for a power shall arise, there is no doubt that the Soul Society will meet it and fulfill it abundantly… albiet in the fullness of time.”

Ice-Man rose, mounted his horse and rode off into the distance, with the nearby town, soon to be spot of arrival for many persons of extraordinary abilities.

“We can do this thing together, standing tall forever. Nothing is gonna stop us! Never!”

The fierce roar of the engine of the black Pontiac GTO became milder as it entered the streets of Carl Town bathed in the weak sunlight that was setting on the horizon and was about to give way to the dark night that was already announcing its arrival with the full moon that was becoming clearer and clearer at the opposite end of the sky. The lights of the old but well-maintained streetlamps already illuminated the dust-covered asphalt, dust that was kicked up by the wheels of the Muscle Car, which drove slowly in circles through the city, meanwhile an elegant man with blond hair, blue eyes, wearing an elegant suit behind the wheel seemed to carefully observe every millimeter of the streets with a sharp, cautious gaze as if looking for something.

"We finally arrived, this is the city where the last attacks happened..." Said Joseph, after stopping the car, parking it perfectly aligned in a spot near the corner that led to the main square of the small village, and then he opened the door and got down the car but not before making sure to turn off the engine, remove the seat belt, roll up the windows and like the good organization maniac he was check if everything on and inside the vehicle was in its proper place.

Still holding the side of the door with one hand while firmly grasping the keys with the other, he turned his head from side to side looking at everything around him , only to see everything completely deserted and muttered after a snort "...No one in sight, it's very quiet here, were they afraid of the mysterious attacks and fled or are they all gathered in one place? ...Or worse were they simply swept away by the Hollows? No, that shouldn't be the case after all there is no sign of the sinister use that surrounds places of death."

Akihiro exited the vehicle but as he stood up he peered over the opened door at the surrounding area. He was going to respond to Joseph when his spiritual senses slammed open revealing the depths of the depravity that had occurred in this city. It was if despair itself had become a tangible force bearing down on him. It was a rot that decayed the very soul of the land. The air was no better, for the unmistakable stench of death interwined with the echoes of sorrow filled his nostrils.

But the worst was what his eyes, those special eyes could see. The horror that had been burned into his eyes a lifetime ago, it was like reliving that terrible memory all over again. The world was... distorted for a lack of a better term. Everything was just wrong, the angles, the colors, the shapes, everything all of it wrong, *Wrong*, ***WRONG***!

Snapping his eyes shut he controlled his breathing and focused on reigning in his senses. He had been acutely spiritually aware, even as a child and that talent had only grown. Opening his eyes once more he saw the world as it was supposed to be. They would need to narrow their search, relying on their spiritual senses was not going to help them here. The density of the rot that tainted this city was too much to get a proper reading.

Shaking his head he finally responded. "That's because its spread.... like a poison... or a virus." He spared Joseph a glance before staring off towards the distance. "Even if we aren't near the source, too much death has already happened. We won't be able to rely on conventional methods. We need to narrow our search, and find a lead. Come on." Closing the door to the vehicle, Akihiro began walking forward. "Events like this have a tendency to draw a crowd. I'm sure we won't be the only one's investigating this. Who knows, we might even find an ally here. By Amaterasu's grace, we're going to need them."

Before he rolled up the windows and slammed the car door shut, Joseph pushed aside the driver's seat and picked up something from under the back seat and brought it out, a silver case made of stainless steel with a span of about a meter, then locking the car he checked it carefully to make sure everything was in place and as a relief to have everything in perfect organization, Joseph sighed, clearing his mind of worries, he closed his eyes and ignoring all noise, he extended his Spiritual Perception.

Although the level of accuracy of his Reikaku was no match for his partner's, both because of their completely different experiences and because of how Akihiro's Fullbringer amplified his senses, Joseph could still feel the traces of corrupted energy left behind without using apparitions that emanated especially strongly from specific locations, the places where the attacks had occurred and people had been devoured, it made him swallow dryly.

But something else caught his attention, far away almost at the border of the village some Reiatsu caught his eye because they were especially familiar, however before a confident smile appeared on the face of the gallant detective, a fifth spiritual pressure especially dense and vast, his surprise was so great that his concentration was shaken he widened his eyes.

"Akihiro maybe your goddess has prayed for us, there is a group, some acquaintances of mine in town, they are Fullbringer like us and knowing James well he must already be involved up to his neck..., but not everything is flowers, I think you must have already realized that it's not only that, there is someone with massive spiritual power , bigger even than mine around here,.... I hate to think about it, but we'd better make sure that the owner of this presence won't cause us any problems, even with help it would be hell to deal with a horde of Hollows and someone of that caliber at the same time." Said Joseph after a snort tone of voice did not convey much confidence as seriousness and concern however unquestionably stamped expression.

He nodded at his partners words. "Alright. This is your turf. You take lead. I'll follow." Akihiro stepped in line with Joseph as the two set off towards the gathering of Fullbringers. The pair traveled in comfortable silence for a time before Akihiro broke it, "Something's been bugging me." He said without preamble. "That... presence we felt earlier, the massive one."

His expression was serious, though his face never strayed from ahead, his gait was guarded and tense. "Why is this the first time we're sensing it? Something that powerful, we'd for sure would have sensed it at the airport. You would have sensed it earlier than that. The fact that this is the first time we've sensed it at all worries me. What the hell is going on here?"

"Right, thanks for the consideration, partner." Joseph said with a quiet smile of gratitude sketched on his face. Then having taken a few steps forward, taking a seat beside Akihiro just before facing him with a gaze filled with the same firmness that had remained intact since the moment the detective relived the feeling of failure in reporting about the victims to his partner, and answering the Asian Detective's inquiries with a tone of voice coated with the authority the latter had entrusted to him, "I bet this presence appeared in the area not long ago, perhaps it has just crossed one of the cracks that divide our world from the others. Anyway right now we will confirm with our own eyes whether or not the owner of this mysterious and massive is connected to the appearance of this horde of Hollows and whether or not it will be a problem."

Then Joseph took one hand to the pocket of his overcoat leaving the car keys before picking up another object he kept hidden and gripped tightly the handle of the sturdy suitcase he remove from the car a past moment , and once the detective's words were silent , a green light flickered under the soles of the sleek shoes he caused , And then pulling soul out of the ground through his Fullbring, Joseph raised his speed, which at its base could be compared to that of an Olympic runner, to altogether greater heights, to the point that those with untrained eyes could only see him disappear and reappear as if he had teleported.

Ice-Man, mounted on his horse, arrived in the town from the north. A massive crowd of townspeople watched him arrive, and he politely nodded at them.

“Need something, young man?” asked Carl.

“Oh, no,” Ice-Man spoke, “Just passing by, though I would love some hash, if you have it.”

“We do not, sir, though we do have some cigars,” a woman spoke.

“I will take a couple,” spoke Ice-Man.

The woman went back to her house, while Ice-Man quietly kept looking at the faces of the townspeople. They looked like a sad bunch, eagerly waiting for someone. For some reason, Ice-Man presence seemed to cool them, yet make them feel warm inside. He had a pleasant vibe, and a strong, joyous aura that many could feel. The number of spiritually aware individuals was high in the town, and he had just sensed the arrival of two men of strong spiritual power from the south end, far away, with four more people coming their way from the east end, closer by.

The woman arrived with a box of cigars. Ice-Man took two of those, and handed her some coins. He clenched one of the cigars in his teeth, and with a snap of his fingers, lit it up.

“What was that?” The woman asked. She seemed worried.

Ice-Man smiled, “Party trick.”

At that moment, The Collective’s van drove right into town from the east end. The towns-folk looked on, eager to see who had arrived. After the van came to a stop, Trevor hopped out of the van and ran to the old man.

”Old man! I have done it! I have found people who can perforn miracles!” he yelled as he ran over to the townspeople.

”This town looks old as balls” Elijah said as he looked around.

Having chosen to use the *Bringer Light*, Joseph was able to cross a much greater distance in astronomically less time than he would normally be able to in his car, as well as keep the exceptionally well-kept relic that was his beloved Pontiac GTO outside from a potential battle with someone of the caliber of the owner of that spiritual pressure and the destruction it would bring, Not to mention the stealth that a silent approach would allow him, a stealth that the detective didn't hesitate to take advantage of, even choking down his Reiryoku Emission in order to prevent the mysterious individual behind the terrifying presence from noticing his approach.

Landing a few meters away from Carl's house, from which the terrifying presence emanated, Joseph's figure eventually took shape between a pair of old twin trees for a few moments as he spotted the eye-catching , the exentric and familiar van of The Collective rounding the corner, hissing to himself before the green light flickered beneath his feet and moved at astronomical speed once more.

Having torn through the blocks that separated him from his goal location Joseph arrived just before the gap, he dropped the briefcase he was carrying there beside his feet remained a hidden presence, keeping a bit of a distance as one observed silences of the landing, until finally breaking the silence by piggling and saying as he poured a scolding glance at the other Fullbringers ,"Hum Hum..., men of miracles is it not , as much as it sounds a bit self-idolatry I think it might be an adequate definition ,although I believe I have warned you previously about public divulging and demonstrating around your powers , and it is tempting to charge you now, this time I will believe it was inevitable given the situation that presents itself in this village and turn a blind eye."