Take the Heat - Open

[Alonda Ryvermyst]

…Take the heat…
……In the LA beat……

Alonda was not the hit reporter that she had always wanted to be. The sort of Lois Lane of the world had that appeal to her, but she also did not have any super man to take care of her either. As much as she considered her position as the Ask Alonda columnist a great gig, it was not really that thrilling. She had a few bit articles under the name of Greta Stone, no one wanted to read about war or hunger from Alonda Ryvermyst. They wanted to know the best place to get their dog groomed, or better yet how to do the perfect perm to hold in the LA heat.

Riveting.

It was a nice job, good pay and she was living in LA. Half her pay went into clothes, the other bars and casinos. She had a few girlfriends to hang with, but she was not the socialite her column made her out to be, so when someone recognized her from that one photo three years ago in the paper. Why she ever let them take it was still plaguing her mind.

What is good for the paper.

Well what is good for the paper is some real news. How about the mysterious people roaming the streets. Come on its 103 degrees in the shade a black hooded jacket screams menacing. That was all on her mind as she sat alone at the casino bar with her second mango martini of the night. Ahh, it was soothing. She listed to the sounds of the slots and the ringing of winners, and the sad dismay of the losers. She felt like an outsider looking in.

[Tenshi Sekiyo]

Tenshi always liked Vegas. The bright neon lights always made it feel like daytime. Since he could not venture out much in the sun, he was overjoyed for the missions to Vegas. He walked into one of the casinos, looking for some of the Strigoi sighted here. One of them was approaching a woman drinking some kind of alcohol. Tensi never liked alcohol, not even sake. Tenshi sighed and put the silencer on his revolver. Then, he aimed the gun at the Strigoi's head and pulled the trigger. The Strigoi's head exploded. He walked over to the lady and asked, "You alright?"

[Alonda Ryvermyst]

…Fight or Flight…
……Make it right……

Alonda was zoning out thinking about what random topic would be in her mail box in the morning. Scanning the room trying to peg someone by their looks and actions. Being alone was not a fun adventure, but it was her life. She noticed a man heading in her direction, the sort she did not want to deal with. As she tried to keep her attention on him just enough to make sure he wouldn’t surprise her but not be obvious a single moment where silence had a new meaning.

She was shocked, baffled and for a moment aside of herself. The man’s head exploded, and the body dropped to the floor. That traditional woman screaming first did not come from her, but others in the casino. She remained silent for a few seconds, that seemed like hours to her, her heart stopped and rose to her chest as she looked around as people ran about ducking for cover, she reasoned that was not helpful. Clearly whomever shot the man had a good aim and got his target.

Alonda had a tad bit of a dark outlook on death, it happens when it happens. You don’t really have a choice. That however was a topic she was told not to write about.

“You Alright?” a voice rained on her, yes perhaps she was alright. Confused and utterly scared but she was alright, but who was talking to her?

“Who are you?” she looked at the person speaking, something was strange in the commotion of things that he came to her, granted she was the closest to the target. As even the bartender had hid behind the counter he seemed to be the only other person not screaming in fear. Maybe she wouldn’t be okay…

[Tenshi Sekiyo]

Tenshi was a bit puzzled. Most women screamed when he shot someone's head off. She was not even worried about his presence.
"Hold that thought a minute." He put his hand up and compulsed the entire casino but the lady to go back to their machines via compulsion.
"Tenshi Hikari no Sekiyo, mercenary for hire, that guy whose head is non-existent at the moment was going to do some very bad things to you."

[Alonda Ryvermyst]

……Lost and Scared……
…….Loud or Silence……

Strange how things worked. Alonda was horrified, confused and utterly befuddled. What on earth was going on was like something right out of a science fiction novel. A strange and disturbed horror movie was playing out in front of her, and she was not stupid or that naive to believe that everything was fine. When the casino went back to normal operation and the bartender even offered her another drink, she was not sure what to say. Cleary this shooter just did something and no one was really paying attention to the dead body without a head.

That would be the first thing someone should notice.

“And you?” she was shaking a bit, who wouldn’t be? She was trying to remain as calm as possible but panic was a natural state. However she had a little reporter in her wanting to know more. The fear meant that this was big news, but she also knew deep down whatever she would learn would be lost too. This was way too big.

“What is it that you are going to do?” Somehow he made every one forget and completely ignore the situation. It was only a matter to wonder what he could, or would do to her.

[Tenshi Sekiyo]

Tenshi read her mind for a second. She thought he was going to hurt her?
"Listen, miss, I just made an entire casino forget that a sharply dressed Eastern European man shot someone. If I wanted to hurt you, I could have made you think youbcould fly and give you the notion to jump off the top of Caesar's. So, I think you're safe. Oh, right the body..." He lit a match and threw it on the body, disintegrating it. Thankfully, Strigoi bodies were very easily armed by fire.

[Alonda Ryvermyst]

……Back and Forth……
……Fight of Flight……

Yes, Alonda heard him, but it was a human reaction to be scared. At least that is the general understanding. There where many things that just happened that defied her way of thinking, and rattled her world. She needed a minute. In fact she was regretting quitting smoking two months back… this was the occasion for such.

It the shot wasn’t enough to rattle her, then the entire casino going into ignorance, the man reading her thoughts, well lets face it, it would be a normal thought, and now a fire and the body was gone.

“And why do I still see what has happened?” she had to ask, she knew that her question was likely dumb, and well as the bar tender gave her another drink she couldn’t help but take a big sip. She was aware that if he wanted to hurt her he was fully capable, and that still did not set easy. It was clear to her that free will was not so free at the moment.

She wondered how it worked. If it was a permanent fix or would memories return. How far would it be taken. Alonda knew that there was too many people for this to be some sort of joke, but she had a slight hope that it was…

Why me sounded like a said little girls attempt to understand something much bigger then it was. She was not going to resort to such a question, at least she hoped not. “I’m am going to be honest, I am not sure what to say.” She said still a little, or make that very scared. Her mother never warned her about this. She had to chuckle a little in her mind thinking about that one.

[Tenshi Sekiyo]

Tenshi shrugged.
"Well, that's the thing. You kept your memories because I scanned the minds of all these people, and yours was the only one strong enough to not go into a blubbering mess or call the police. In other words, you were the least painful option." Tenshi understood that. Things like this were extremely scary.
"Sadly, there's a slight problem with my mental abilities. I have to pick one person's memories to leave unscathed. Oh, and no, the mind wipe's permanent. Although, as is my regular policy, I can mind wipe you as well in a few minutes if you want to forget this whole experience and go back to relaxing or whatever you were doing. However, I also must ask that you don't go to any reporters, crackpot or otherwise."

[Alonda Ryvermyst]

......Truth in Words......
......Lies in Mind......

Alonda was indeed unsure of everything around her, and the fact that this happened so sudden, and so unknown made her realize that the doom she had been searing for was right in the open. It was that big break story she needed to get out of her lame attempt of a journalistic career. At the same time she knew that she would never be ale to prove it. “I see.” She said somewhat getting a hold of herself. Oh how dumb she was going to feel after al this was over. The questions will come to her after the man was gone, she however was drawing a blank as she was still processing the idea of a mind wipe.

The fact that someone could read your mind left her mind blank. Perhaps it was a natural defense. Alonda wasn’t trying to be deceiving, but she also wanted to know a bit more. “Honestly think anyone would believe it anyway?” she said to him with a slight attempt at a smile. It was short sweet and over in a flash. She was still a bit on edge, and that feeling did not seem to be lifting any time soon, but going back to ignorance was not suited for her.

It was then she recognized that she never gave her name, but he was likely to know it already. One thing was for sure he did not read her column.

[Tenshi Sekiyo]

Tenshi shrugged. Maybe, maybe not.
"Honestly? If I wasn't who I was, I'd call you a crackpot. However, I am who I am, and I believe there's a few people that would. You just have to know where to look." He pulled down his gloves a bit and checked his watch. He was ready.
"Decision time, Alonda Ryvermyst, you want to know that things go bump in the night but have to keep it to yourself? Or, do you want to go being a naive little journalist with admittedly bountiful talent. You're wrong, by the way. I've actually read three of your columns."

[Alonda Ryvermyst]

.....Jump and Leap......
......Scream and Cry......

Alonda was surprised how simply he was to reading a mind, perhaps there really was no such thing as true privacy. Though it could be complex because people don’t always think the truth. Of course the know where to look part did intrigue her. She did have to ask a question or two before her mind was made up.

“Will there be any danger in knowing?” she asked, clearly it was like that of the fiction novels she read. The other side does anything to be invisible. It was still a little strange to see it as real life. It was as if she had entered into one of the books that she had read a thousand times, and she was just way to into it.

Time. Well at least one thing was a constant, for now anyway. He surprised her having said he read her column. It went to show you really don’t know who is listening to you these days. She knew that life would be a hell of a lot easier not remembering any of this, but the idea of not knowing it pledged her. Even if there was danger involved, she still wanted to know.

Ignorance is not always bliss.

[Tenshi Sekiyo]

Tenshi thought about it for a moment.
"In all honesty, you're as much in danger oblivious, as noted by the recently-deceased charcoal." He wiped a bit of dust off his jacket and coughed.
"Old as I am, and I still can't get used to the smell of pipe/cigarette smoke. Oh, right, this may come as a shock to you, but the reason people like me aren't public knowledge is because last time that happened, we were burnt to death. A lot."

[Alonda Ryvermyst]

.....Fate or Faith......
......See or Seen......

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Alonda did not have to really think about it too much, this was what she was looking for. Granted it was clear that she was not going to be able to ‘spread the word.’ Even if she did she would risk losing her career as it is, never mind pissing off the wrong people. However the point was made that danger was around every corner.

“I’m good to be a bit more aware of my surroundings.” She said to him. True she might look over her shoulder a bit more, but Alonda was the type to understand things happen, and sometimes you just can’t change it.

“Well people often destroy what they don’t understand.” She said to him. Yes, she was still on edge but she was willing to take a chance and learn something new. Even if it was from a man that completely horrified her, after all he did just kill someone, and many others before that she could assume.

Humans perhaps had that scope of right and wrong so narrow that it is hard to see anything else. Alonda was trying but it was difficult when you knew nothing. Who was the man that was killed and why would he want anything to do with her out of the many people in the casino. She hoped she did not look like an easy target.

[Tenshi Sekiyo]

Tenshi nodded.
"Ms., I don't need a history lesson. Chances are, I saw it. Inquisition, Salem Witch Trials, Nazis, Ku Klux Klan, seen it, helped end it in most cases minus the Inquisition. Oh, you're right. I've killed many people, and the man that I just cremated was going to kill you and drink your blood." He might as well tell her most everything, not like it would matter. Seeing a Strigoi would have warranted an Alchemist mind wipe. Thankfully, he was not with the Royal Government technically.
"Be glad I'm the one who found you. Anyone else would have wiped your mind without a second thought."

[Alonda Ryvermyst]

......Up or Down......
......Left and Right......

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Alonda was not really sure how to take this man. He was brash to the point and seemed to be more then confident. She had few words that could really escape her lips but she felt a little taken back when he told her he didn’t need a history lesson.

She had not given one. Nor would she. Alonda was still confused, and it would be more apparent later when she revisited this night in her mind again. One thing was sure, she wasn’t going to start any sort of arguments. He had the upper hand, and she understood why on so many levels the past had happened the way it did.

“So what makes you so different, to let me remember?” she asked because she couldn’t just sit there and look at him. There had to be some sort of conversation going she assumed. He made it clear that he was special in letting her know, and he was an exception. She was not really sure but drinking blood sounded like a gross SyFy movie her dad would be watching. She did not want her life to end like that.