After meeting Suzume, you were a bit confused at first as to her reasoning for being here. When you first saw her, you took her for some cold woman. But now, you sat in her apartment, which she just moved into last night, and is now drinking tea with her.
Suzume: Which do you prefer? Gyokuro, Green, Bancha?
Y/N: Oh, I'm not really picky. I'll have whatever's on.
She nods as she prepares the tea. Adjusting her glasses as she gets the cups ready. She lets out a grunt as she holds her chest a bit.
Suzume: Ah, damn.
Y/N: You're injured?
Suzume: Yes, sadly, not all hunters can heal as fast as the monsters we hunt. But then again, you'd know. Right?
You narrow your eyes at her as she places a cup in front of you. She sits down as she holds the cup with her gloved hands. She blows on her tea a bit before taking a sip. She smiled as her green eyes landed on yours.
Suzume: So, I must know. Where is Rachel Van-
Y/N: She's dead. . . She died last year, during the holiday season.
Suzume: My apologies. I can only imagine what it is like.
You look back at her.
Y/N: So, may I ask something?
Suzume: Yes, I did ask you a question, so, you may ask, then I will answer. Then I will ask, and you will answer. Understood?
Y/N: Yes.
Suzume: See? A question for a question.
You look at her as you think over some questions in your mind. It was obvious of you to ask about her mission, but you recalled her asking about something strange happening last night. Could it be about the tape? Possibly. But you wanted to know more about her. After all, even if she seemed slightly passive aggressive. You enjoyed talking to her, a pretty face after so long. Not that Claire wasn't pretty, but this one was actually human. When was it you last spoke to a human, besides Sean of course.
Y/N: What was it like for you? To be a bastard in your clan?
Her eyes widened a bit as she chuckled to herself.
Suzume: Hmm, well, that was not what I expected. But, if you must know, pretty shit. It wasn't all mochi and sweets. Now, I must ask. . . Hmm.
Suzume really wanted to ask you about any strange events, but she also was curious to one thing about you.
Suzume: Why did you become a monster?
Y/N: . . . I was. . . dying. I didn't want to at first, but. . . I was lost, weak, as a human I couldn't do anything, but now. . . Well. There's a lot I can do now. . . Even if you think I'm a monster, I can assure you, I will not harm a human. . . Not to offend. But in your culture, your clan was more traditional. How did you end up becoming a hunter?
Suzume: That is a good question. The answer? I decided for myself what I wanted to be. I've had people decide for me, so I took control, and in it, I became what I wanted.
You both stare into one another's eyes as you both can get a good look at one another's character through this vision. rom your perspective, you saw her eyes seemed empty. Even if she tried to mask it behind a somewhat relaxed and sarcastic attitude. You could tell she really wasn't like that at all.
From her perspective, she saw that there was nothing in your eyes either. No fire of passion, no love, no inspiration, just hollow loneliness.
Suzume: Now I ask, did you receive or find anything strange last night?
Y/N: . . . Well. . . I-
Before you speak, she stands up, yanking you by the collar with a knife pressed against your neck.
Suzume: Before you ask, you better tell the truth. Lie to me, I slice your pretty neck and see if your blood still runs red. Oh, and don't think just because you're a beast, that you won't die. I can kill you in thirteen different ways, but.
She presses the knife closer to your neck as you just look at her, your eyes locked onto hers the entire time.
Suzume: All I need is for you to lie, to give me a reason to use one.
Y/N: . . . . Yes.
Suzume presses the blade even further against your neck as she forces you to the ground, mounting you as she leans in closer. Her face growing more serious, and her personality growing more cold.
Suzume: Now, did you watch it?
You look up at her with nothing in your eyes, in this moment you didn't feel fear. You felt nothing for this moment but a slight bit of joy. Even if she was threatening you, it was a new feeling. One old, but you could not pinpoint it.
Y/N: I thought it was my turn to ask a question.
She stares down at you, pressing the knife closer to your neck.
Y/N: F-Fine, then I'll answer with a question. What would you do to me if I did?
Her eyes narrow as you quickly grasp onto her wrist and kick her off. Rolling back onto your feet as you take a stance against her. You extend your claws as you stare at her.
Y/N: I do not want to fight you.
Suzume: Nor I you, but you are possessed by an Onryo. You must die.
Suzume takes up her sword as she grunts a bit. Clearly she was still hurt, yet she wanted to fight you anyway. You look to her, then see the door. Deciding the next course of action, rushing out of the door as she gives chase, Taking the knife in her left hand as she throws it at you with great strength. The knife managing to stab into your knee, making your leg give out.
You rip the blade from your leg as she rushes at you, her blade ready to be brought down on you. You old your arm out as you can hear rustling from your room. Breaking through the door, her blade clashes against Night's Bane. You grab your sword and push her back. She takes a relaxed stance before she rushes back at you. You clash blades with her as her fast decisive strikes seem to overwhelm you.
You whistle and let go of Night's Bane as it keeps her guard up, giving you time to sneak in and sweep her off her feet as she staggers as you bury your foot into her chest sending her down the hallway. She recovers and throws out some kunai at you. You evade and jump over a few of them. even catching two of them as you return them to the sender.
She calmly dodges them as you send Night Bane at her, but she blocks the blade with her katana. The way Night's Bane fought was with enchantments. Magic that Morrigan channeled into the blade to protect you. IT was like fighting a 2v1.
You notice one of the oors behind you opening as you notice Jasper leaving his apartment. You rush at him, surprising him as you force him back into his apartment with your hand over his mouth.
Jasper: HMM? Mmmm mmm mmm?
You take his hand off of his mouth.
Jasper: What are you doing?
Y/N: Look, I can't explain, all I need you to do is stay here. It's like 6am anyway, why are you even leaving in the first place actually?
Jasper: I was gonna go stop by the coffee shop. You wanna-
You cover his mouth.
Y/N: No, just, stay inside, and don't peak outside. . . at all until I get you.
Jasper: But-
Y/N: No buts, listen to me, and do as I say.
You rush out of his apartment as you are met with a foot to the face, sending you further down the hall. You recover as you whistle and call Night's Bane to your side once again. Grabbing the weapon by the hilt, you rush up the stairs as Suzume gives chase. You release your blade to handle her as you make your way to the rooftops.
Night's Bane finds itself in your hands once more, followed by Suzume, still as cold and deathly serious as ever. You go for a lunge as your strikes meet here's, your steel clashing with her katana. One strange thing about her blade that you took notice, was that the blade was a mix of silver and dark blue. This wasn't a normal metal, but you were smacked out of your thoughts as she stabs her katana through your foot.
You grunt for a moment as the wound didn't feel like a normal stab. It burned like hell as she twisted the blade. Then as you were writhing in the pain, holding in your screams, you are met with her palm going across your jaw, rattling your brain. But her strike felt hard, solid like metal.
Your brain rattles for a bit as you struggle to stabilize your vision. You block her strikes with your blade as she seems relentless with her strikes.
Suzume: You really aren't all that are you? I was hoping the vessel would be easy to kill, but you aren't trying are you?
Y/N: I'm. . . n-not. . . 'Come on mouth work!'
You force your mouth to speak as you look up at her.
Y/N: I don't wanna kill you.
Night's Bane hums as you let go of it, it spins behind her, ready to strike, she quickly takes the sword from your foot, taking her stance as you blink. Blinking in that moment, you witness her only sheathing her blade once again. Even to your heightened senses, you could not follow her strike.
But you heard the sound of metal falling to the ground. To clanging noises. Looking behind her, you notice your blade, Night's Bane, broken in two.
Suzume: An Impressive singing blade. But, whoever made it, clearly wasn't anything special.
You look down at the blade in shock, as you feel a blade pressed against your neck.
Suzume: You fought with skill. But your fire was nothing special. No heat, no passion. There were flickers yes, but, now it is my turn for a question. You truly don't care for your own life anymore do you?
Y/N: . . . I. . .
You held your head down, looking at the blade. Broken in two.
Y/N: . . .
Nothing rang in your brain. You held your head down, your hair hanging over your head as Suzume held her blade up. Ready to end you. As she looked down at you, your soul had given up entirely, she brings the blade down on your neck, to bring a swift end to (Y/N) Van Helsing.
. . .
You lightly open your eyes as you notice your neck was still in tact. You turn slightly only seeing that her strike had stopped right before it hit your neck.
Suzume: Well, you are a strong hunter. But you are so empty. Being possessed by that Onryo seems to be the least of your worries if you don't even know if you want to live.
Y/N: I thought you had to kill me to kill the supposed onryo.
Suzume: . . .
She looked at you with a bit of surprise as she just stared at you. She sheathed her blade for the moment before turning back to you.
Suzume: MY father says it's our duty and honor to carry out our missions the way they are given. Take care of orders, as they are received. . . Lucky you, I'm not honorable in the slightest.
Y/N: So, what. You're just going to let me live?
Suzume: Well with what little time you have left now.
Y/N: . . . Excuse me what?
Suzume adjusts her glasses as the looks over the city.
Suzume: There's powerful forces at work here. This city, while it does have monsters, there are more humans here than beasts.
That was news to you, since you smelled so many creatures here. But then again, it was so long since you've seen humans.
Suzume: It's best no one knows what you are here. But at the same time, this town is prevalent in witchcraft. That tape you watched, had a spirit attached to it, and I'm sure you know the rest. Although, you aren't showing any sign of possession. . . Hmm.
Suzume thinks something over in her mind until she get's a message on her phone. Taking it out and reading the contexts of the message. It takes a moment as her brow lowers as she grits her teeth a bit, but then she looks at you as her expression softens.
Suzume: I have a question to ask you (Y/N).
Y/N: I'm sure I have more questions for you than you have for me but, whatever I guess.
Suzume: Would you be willing to do me a favor? Nothing too difficult, but it could lead to freeing you of your little possession before it get's too far.
Y/N: Let me guess, it just so happens to do with why you ere here in the first place? Why even take the job if you can't do it alone.
Suzume: Because the situations changed. Even if you didn't watch the tape, I'd still need you involved for this. But, that tape was only a part of my mission. Looks like you came to Salem at the worst possible time. Thing's are only gonna get darker from this point forward, but I need to know if you can help me, and I'll help you.
Y/N: . . . Okay but how? What exactly is happening.
Suzume: I'm not entirely sure yet. All I can say is you'll need to watch yourself, because right now, you'll be hunted just as much as you'll be hunting. . . I'll try to fill you in as much as I can while I'm here, but you'll only have me for about a week or so. After that, you'll be on your own for a while. Unless you have people you can trust to help you with this.
It takes you back to your friends. Robin, Victoria, Morrigan, Dr. Jekyll, Lenore, everyone back at Sleepy Hollow crossed your mind. But you put those thoughts to rest. You weren't going to endanger the few you cared about or even try to speak with the ones who no longer value you, but you knew at one point you'd need to. Just not right now.
Y/N: I can handle whatever for now.
Suzume lightly let's out a sigh.
Suzume: You are desperate to die alone are you? But, I can respect the solitude. But for now, do whatever you desire. Just be careful of any prying eyes, feel free to kill whoever you need to. I'll be don the hall if you ever need me. If anything happens within the week let me know, in the meantime, I'll pay you back for breaking your sword as long as we are working together, I'll need the best of you (Y/N) Van Helsing.
Meanwhile, a prying eye, peeking through the door to the rooftop listens in on your conversation. Jasper, who followed the commotion lightly closes the door with a shock all over his face.