united_one | [Action] Second Clue

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[Action] Second Clue - Abandoned Hotel

[Here, have what looks like a dilapidated, abandoned hotel. Everything is black and white, bearing a resemblance to traditional film noir. The walls are crumbling, the wallpaper is peeling, and an eerie green fog permeates everything. The sickly fog is the only splash of color around. The wooden floor creaks with nearly every footstep, and the ceiling is leaking mysterious liquid in places as well.

Absolutely no one seems to be around. Places of interest may include a comprehensive library with books old enough to become dust at the slightest touch, and a secret laboratory littered with rusted, pointy, dangerous-looking instruments.]

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Naoto's eyes widened when the Eevee popped out.

"A talking Pokemon...?" Wait, how did he know what it was? He had never seen an animal like that before...

"A dream is a viable explanation," Naoto admitted after considering the data for a moment. There was no way this girl could have entered this hotel in reality. There was too much red tape surrounding investigations. "But I've never had someone wander into one of mine." This entire situation was very strange... Naoto tried to shrug off the overly large lab coat, but for some reason it insisted on clinging to him.

"Well, he used to talk before he became a Pokemon. It's not too unnatural that he can speak, albeit telepathically," Homura commented, QB dancing around on one of her outstretched arms.

Nice to meet you, Shirogane Naoto! Hmmm, you might have quite a potential, QB noted, before cleaning his tail. Unfortunately I've no power to contract in this world and it doesn't seem like demons spawn in this world at any rate. Wut?

"...QB, are you implying that this boy is actually...?" Homura raised an eyebrow, before cutting herself off, glancing back at Naoto.

"...I won't broach the topic at any rate. But in any case there must be something bound for you to explore in this realm," Homura proposed. "Dreams tend to not have easy exits after all."

"I see. How strange." Became a Pokemon? That was the first time Naoto ever heard of anything like that, and he took note of the possibility.

"....? It is a pleasure to meet you, QB-san." He wasn't certain what the Pokemon was speaking of, but he didn't like the sound of it. Actually what? Could it be that QB knew his secret? Animals were often more perceptive than humans... He didn't like this.

"Yes, I have to continue my investigation." Naoto's voice became a bit more cold in an attempt to push Homura (and more specifically, QB) away.

The dimensions collapsed together but luckily I've maintained some of my power, QB commented, licking one paw. Shirogane Naoto, you are certainly an interesting person.

"That's quite enough," Homura glared at QB, who shrugged and hopped on top of the puella magi's head, swishing his tail back and forth.

"Seeing as I can't easily escape this area, I think I will follow," Homura stated. "There's nothing else for me to do at any rate."

Naoto would rather not be labeled interesting by such a perceptive Pokemon.

"I would prefer to work alone." He said that more bluntly, seeing as how Homura hadn't taken his hint the first time. He feared that if she stayed around for much longer, she would discover something he would rather not bring to light.

"You're going to leave a girl by herself in this dark dreary corridor of your dreamscape?" Homura raised an eyebrow. "I won't get in the way and I'll make sure QB..." Homura quickly retrieved his Pokeball and sent him back in. "Doesn't say anything unnecessary."

Put that way... It would be extremely rude to leave her here alone, and had the potential to cause sour relations later on if they met again. Naoto sighed.

"Very well. You may follow, but do not touch anything and do not enter the crime scene." He didn't need to break standard operating procedure any more than he already had.

...Was it just Naoto, or did the corridor just get darker?

"It's better to stay in groups in this kind of situation after all," Homura remarked, following Naoto. "I'll come in only if something happens, perhaps," Homura shrugged.

The long path to what Homura assumed to be the crime scene became drearier as they went on. A foul smell pervaded the area.

And then a footstep unlike any of their own sounded through the hall.

"..."

It was often said that the criminal returned to the scene of the crime. Naoto raised a finger to his mouth, indicating that Homura should remain silent. Though the fact that the long sleeves of his lab coats covered his hands made the gesture difficult to comprehend. With his other hand, he slowly, quietly, pulled out what appeared to be a ray gun from his sleeves.

Homura nodded at Naoto's gesture, pulling out a handgun at the same time and undoing the safety before turning toward the source of the sound.

...Step.

..Step.

Step.

And what appeared before them was...

A slightly undulating chalk outline of a human, flecked with bits of blood. It resembled the ones found drawn around dead bodies at a crime scene, save for the fact that it was moving. It walked with strange twists and jerks, as if unable to support its own strange body shape.

"....!" Naoto's fingers tightened around his gun, as he waited to see if the creature would attack. He didn't want to provoke it if unnecessary.

The creature lunged, an iron bar raised in one arm.

Homura shifted her timer to a sideways position, taking Naoto's hand and freezing time before shooting the creature in the shoulders and thighs. Homura grabbed Naoto and jumped back, letting time flow again.

A horrible shriek came out of the creature as ink sprayed from its wounds.

Did Homura just... freeze time? Naoto didn't know if it was an ability of the girl's or merely a product of the dream, but he took note of it anyway.

"Ah!" He quickly ducked to avoid being splattered with the ink the injured creature was spraying as he charged his ray gun. Who knew what might be in it? It turned out Naoto's instinct was validated, as the ink began eating away at the portions of the walls that it had touched, revealing what looked like a black abyss beyond.

The monster seemed to have realized that its last attack had failed. With a cacophonous cry, it spat out a thick cloud of chalk dust that made it impossible to see. Coughing, Naoto shot into the nearly solid cloud, his gun producing a strong gust.

"Tch," Homura grunted, her attack not stopping the monster in the least.

"Get back," Homura advised to Naoto, before pushing him further behind herself, grenade in hand. Pulling the pin, the puella magi tossed it directly at the monster, before tackling Naoto backwards.

"Did it work?" Homura mumbled, unaware that she was probably on top of Naoto in a very awkward position.

With a sharp gasp and eyes wide, Naoto shoved Homura off of him unceremoniously. He quickly scuttled away from her, clutching his lab coat closed. An uncharacteristic expression suspiciously similar to fright passed across his face momentarily as he stood, the battle seemingly forgotten.

It appeared to be over, at least. With a final screech, the chalk outline fluttered to the raggedy carpet like a scrap of paper, completely motionless. However, it didn't completely disappear...

"Oof!" Homura grunted, wincing as she fell on her back. Her leaning position had something in Naoto's view, not that he would be bothered by it. Homura didn't really care either way as the chalk monster was defeated.

But in its place was the outline that represented it, plain on the floor in a position like someone had pretty much been shot to death. Eerie. Homura stood up, not exactly noticing she'd been exposing herself for a while before offering Naoto a hand.

"Let's head to the crime scene," Homura suggested, not missing a beat.

Naoto was in fact bothered, but he tried not to show it. He wasn't very successful, though, judging by the uncomfortable expression on his face. Could this go wrong in any more ways? Girls. He didn't take Homura's hand and pushed his focus back onto the case at hand.

After analyzing the chalk outline for another moment, he replied, "This is the crime scene." Naoto was certain of it now. He knelt down next to it for a closer inspection, taking care not to get his lab coat dirtied.

"Is something wrong?" Homura inquired, as Naoto stood up and examined the chalk outline. He was blushing quite a...

Ah. Homura too, blushed nervously, turning her face away from Naoto for a second before retaining her composure.

"So? What next?" Homura inquired, leaning against a wall, hoisting out a machingun from her timer. This place was dangerous indeed.

"No," Naoto replied stiffly, not facing Homura. Even if there was something wrong, only the investigation at hand mattered.

It would have been of great assistance to have the body as well, but the blood splatter appeared to be a high velocity impact splatter. Judging by the its resemblance to a fine mist, the splatter was most likely caused by either a gun or some sort of heavy machinery. Upon closer inspection, Naoto found a dark blue hair clinging to the dried blood as well. It looked like one of his own, but he couldn't be certain until he received a DNA analysis.

Cautiously sliding his ray gun back into a sleeve, Naoto withdrew a tiny camera, tweezers, and a plastic bag. He snapped pictures of the scene from multiple angles before carefully pulling the hair from the pool of blood it was trapped in, gently placing it into the plastic bag. He then stood, apparently finished.

"Now, we report t..." Naoto trailed off, eyes wide as he stared at a new blood stain on the ratty carpeting. This one looked rather fresh, and was the kind of stain that would be created by a dragged, still-bleeding body. It trailed off to the end of the hallway, which was shrouded in darkness.

"I see." Homura silenced herself as Naoto worked. After he finished, the detective started to say something, but his gaze was fixated on something else.

Homura undid the safety on her machinegun and turned to where Naoto was facing.

More blood. Fresh even.

"...Are you pursuing?" Homura inquired, readying to break into a run.

"Of course," Naoto replied, sliding out his ray gun as a precaution. He didn't know what he would find, but he wasn't the type to cease in the middle of an investigation.

He gingerly stepped into a darkness so complete that he couldn't even see in front of himself. It was a prime time to be attacked, but despite the occasional scuffling sound, no obstacles arose. Eventually, a small light could be seen up ahead. It hung above a metal door. Naoto had the feeling that what hid beyond the barrier would be important. He cautiously pushed it open.

The door opened to reveal a... Laboratory of sorts. There were all sorts of dangerous looking devices around so Homura entered with care, shifting her machinegun so it wouldn't knock against anything.

The smell of vapors was quite putrid through.

"...I would hazard to guess on human experiments for the moment," Homura commented, as a hypothesis on the killer's motives. Her eyes spotted the blood trail again, she nodded to Naoto to proceed.

...What they found at the end was...

((Derp uber lateness because I didn't know how to proceed :D Feel free to ignore or continue or whatever))

A human dressed in a blood-splattered lab coat, facing a large, dangerous-looking machine. He slowly turned around as the two approached, revealing his identity to be... a Naoto look-alike. The duplicate inspected the new arrivals with a wide grin, apparently pleased.

"Oh, so you've finally arrived!"

Naoto frowned, hand on his ray gun. Something about this felt decidedly off.

"!!"

Homura jumped back, raising her machine-gun at the Naoto look-alike. This thing was dangerous. Even more so if it was something within Naoto's dream.

"Doppelganger..." Homura murmured. "What are you here for?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The doppelganger laughed, gesturing at the sharp instruments pointing at a table behind him. "I am here for the body alteration procedure. You have no objections, do you... "Naoto" Shirogane?"

"! Just what are you implying?" Naoto demanded, sounding rather strained. This wasn't real... He didn't know this person!

[Action] Second Clue - Abandoned Hotel

Idk if Naoto was supposed to hear QB so... :D

Since he's basically in the mind of someone his powers are back to normal. ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人

Omg that smilely xD

KEIYAKU? ／人◕ ‿‿ ◕人 \

NOPE NO TY. (◕‿◕✿) ;;;

no subject

Pretty much just stand there really

Naoto screams and Homura whips out a rocket launcher or something

Pshaw Naoto won't be the one screaming

No one screams and they both shoot the killer in the shoulders.

That sounds about right :D Idk what should step out why you do this to me ;3; it could be a witch k.

NAOTO STARTLED THE WITCH

no subject

no subject

Omfg lol lmao you.

hoohoohoo~

Troll B|

This is the internet police. Put your IP address in the air where I can see it.

AHHHH Please I didn't do it!

You have the right to ship anything within 2 miles of each other.

I will ship Naoto and her hat okay ty you can put the gun down now.

KanjixNaoto or she can be part of Yu's harem EVERYONE IS PART OF YU'S HAREM

I agree with the Kanji/Naoto part B| Also this is so not a shadow nope just a bootleg of one.

Get your Bootleg Shadow, only all your yens yip yap yip

I'll take two :O

Okay TAKES YOUR SOUL

NOOO YOU LIED SOULS AREN'T MONEY

I didn't specify which currency oops

)8'|

ehehe....

MAGICS assuming that barrier isn't for special attacks B|

(no subject)

Damn where are all of these coming from B|

She has a bag of holding.

Haxxor B|

It's magic i don't gotta explain shit

Dramatic all out attackkkk!

"Good job Senpai!"