A Zoo in the Fog (PersonaxZoophobia)

A Haunting Past

           Damian, Addison, and Sahara were all in the library, doing their own research on the TV world situation. Well, Addison and Sahara were. Damian had his focus on taking pages out of magazines and using them to make paper boats. Addison sighs softly before saying "Damian, I wish you would take this more seriously."

Damian gave a mock face of shock. "I am! The S.S. Doomsday is sinking..." He slowly dropped the paper boat he had in his hands before making crashing sounds, dramatically flailing his arms. Sahara and Addison couldn't help but laugh at it.

"Alright Dame, focus in now. We're trying to find things to help your cousin, remember?" Sahara places her hand on her hip as she looks back to Damian for a moment before focusing back on Addison typing away on the computer, trying to search up the scenarios of the case like this one. It was mostly bits of hearsay with only one or two solid points sprinkled in. It happened in Japan during 2011, the victims were strung up much like Camilla had been, and the fog was lifted as all of this passed. Though no indication on how it passed or why.

Addison shakes his head before saying "It couldn't have been as simple as catching the killer... catching someone doesn't make supernatural weather go away."

"You'd be surprised Addi. Though I doubt anyone like me had a hand it. The signs just ain't there." Sahara looks over as Addison scrolls through the page. Though, eventually they did come across what seemed to be a tabloid article out of Japan looking over the scenario. At least that's what it seemed like. Addison nor Sahara could read Japanese. Though there was a picture of one of the victims strung up. It looked to be a girl, no older than high school age. Sahara simply scoffs. "How disrespectful can they be? Taking pictures of someone who's dead..." Though Addison sat in silence, looking at the scene wide eyed. Bit by bit, haunting memories came back to his mind. Needles, tests, being tied down, and being strung up much like the body in the photo. Addison repressed these for so long, but they just came rushing back as soon as he saw it.

Damian recognized the look in Addison's eyes almost immediately, dropping the magazine he was ripping up and rushing over to his friend. "H-hey, Addi, let's look at some more happy things, yeah?" He closed the article on the computer, going to comfort the other though stopping himself. "I'm going to hug you. Is that ok?" The three sat in complete silence before Addison would simply nod and Damian hugged him tightly.

"You wanna take a break Addison? I can keep doing this. You and Damian go relax, alright?" Sahara stated, wanting to help calm Addison down.

"It's fine just... just give me a moment." Addison looks down, pinching at the bridge of his nose.

Damian immediately shakes his head and only tightens the hug around Addison. "Nope, we're not gonna keep going. You need a break now and that's what we're going to do. Besides, Sahara can help finish this up for us. Right?"

Sahara gives them a thumbs up and a confidant smile. "You two just take a walk. I'll get to ya with whatever else I manage to find, alright?" Damian quickly nods and before Addison can protest, he quickly ushered the fox tailed boy right out of the library.

"You don't have to take me out for my sake. This situation is much more important than what I'm feeling right now." Addison tried to argue, but the little devil dog kept pulling him along.

"Nope, your feelings are important too. We're getting milkshakes now, and there's nothing you can do to stop it." Realizing that he couldn't argue with Damian, Addison let himself get dragged along as Damian brought him over to a café close to the Academy's campus. It was one that Addison would often frequent when he was caught up in an art slump. It was either that or speaking with his mother, Latika, on how he could best approach a piece. Addison couldn't help but smile when he thought of her. She has been there for him ever since he arrived in Safe Haven, and he couldn't have asked for a better mother. As soon as they arrived to the café, Damian pestered the wait staff to get them a table as soon as possible. "Take us to your first available table, this is a mental health emergency and my friend needs comfort by way of milkshakes and pastries."

The somewhat confused waitstaff looked to them both before Addison just gives a shrug. "Just... play along for now. He's being really sweet." With that however, they rather easily got a table and sat near the window, the sun still high in the sky and providing a bit of light over the café. As soon as they got their orders in, Damian having ordered quite the intricate milkshake order, the two sat alone for a while, quietly.

Damian was usually the one to crack a joke about all this, but it never happened with Addison. He always took this with the upmost seriousness. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Addison simply gave a small sigh as he looked down against the table. "The way that victim was strung up... just..." As he spoke on, the images came right back. To the men that held him, he was nothing more than a lab rat. They constantly tugged him by the tail like it was a leash and subjected him to all sorts of tests that they could bring themselves to pay for. Even k know as he thinks of it, the memory of the pain on each sharp tug on his tail sent a shock through his spine. His hands began shaking as soon as the images started becoming more vivid in his head.. Damian quickly takes a hold of his friend's hand, being as gentle as he could with it as he tries to give a reassuring smile to Addison. At least it would stop the shaking and steady his breathing. "It just reminded me of what they did to me, you know?"

Damian gives a little nod. "You know I've reserved special spots in hell for them, right? Real special too, where the utter bastards deserve to be." It was rare to see Damian this serious, almost acting like the prince of hell that he was supposed to be.

"They were going there regardless Damian. But hearing that the prince of hell has my back on this does give me some hope that they'll be punished rightly for what was done to me and many others." Addison completely steadied his breath, trying to crack a smile whilst he talked about all this.

"There are fates worse than death, Addison. They deserve it." For a moment, Damian's eyes glowed a deep red, a lot darker than they normally are.

"Damian, demon's coming out." Addison warned, patting the back of his hand. Damian shook his head a little bit, blinking once or twice as he began to focus right back in.

Before long, Damian was smiling once again, acting a bit less serious than he was before. "Hey now, this café visit is on me! Get the milkshakes and whatever you want today Addi."

"Damian, it's not that serious, but... thank you. You're always a fantastic friend to me." Addison couldn't help but smile as their drinks finally arrived. Damian's own drink was to say the least, mountainous. The glass itself was huge, along with a mountain of topping streaming beyond the milkshake itself. It even took two different waiters to bring it up to keep it from cascading off the cup. Damian almost immediately began drinking, and the rate of which it began shrinking down in the cup was way too fast. "Damian, brain freeze. Remember?"

"Mm? Yeah yeah, I gotcha." He pulled off from the straw he put into the drink, which was a deep red silly straw that he always got when he came to the café. "But really, don't sweat it Addi! You're my best friend, and you're going to get the absolute best from me. Same goes for Sahara!"

"I know. I guess I can say the same about your cousin now too. You know he'll do anything for you too right?" Addison did his best to keep his mind off the situation, and it somewhat helped his mind in changing the subject.

"Well, it's fun to pester him sometimes." Damian gives a mischievous chuckle. "But he's got a lot riding on him now. I just hope he-" Before Damian could finish that statement, the brain freeze finally hit the little devil dog as he slams his head into the table with a loud groan.

Addison leans against his arm that he propped up against the table. "I tried to warn you about this Damian." This was only met with the constant groans of Damian as he lightly paws at his head, even whimpering like a puppy at the feeling. Addison just pats at his head as he would slowly recover. Damian was right about one thing though. Jackson had a lot to deal with these days. Maybe the things that he could do with his friends could lighten the load at least a small bit.