Amongst Blinding Lights

Salem sat facing the window that overlooked the city of Tokyo, and the bright colorful lights that filled the area. Never before had he thought he would be here. Yet here he was having survived another day. Keeping a hand over his ever shifting markings which rested on the skin of his right arm. It had been a miracle that they subverted the chase being made by the Grixi Ash. Who had made it her personal mission to see him and his compatriots dead by her hands.

"You should get some rest Salem." A voice from behind him rang out. Earning his attention, Salem would take notice of the man behind him. The mans silver eyes staring his direction.

Wearing the clothes of a college professor. Jake Schneider looked more out of place than Salem did in the middle of a church. Minus the spontaneous combustion.

His dirty blonde hair was brushed and neat. Kept short and proper. It always made Salem wonder how people viewed them when most of the crew they ran with, looked like rejects of the goth community. And maybe the emo, and metal community for good measure.

"I'll be fine. Spent the last couple of hours sleeping unwillingly" Salem would say rubbing the side of his face that was still bruised from landing a bit too hard on the ground. With some assistance of a fist. And a foot. And probably a crowbar for added measure. Maybe a gun as well. But Salem couldn't recall all those details.

"You should still be resting and not solemnly staring out the window." Jake would say shaking his head. Fully entertaining the room and handing Salem a glass of water. "This isn't how it was a few years ago. We can afford to rest now."

"Only as long as the Japanese deities and guardian spirits allow us to stay here." Salem would add rubbing his right arm. As it buzzed from all of the energy that was in the place.

"And until then we can rest. Jeud even made your favorite dish." Jake would add.

"She doesn't know how to cook my favorite dish without almost burning down a building." Salem would add giving Jake a puzzled stare.

"She almost burnt down the building. We're about to go out for either some sushi or ramen." Jake would sigh rubbing his face. "I still can't believe how one person can burn instant ramen so bad it is combustible."

"I've seen her do that to chef boyardee." Salem would shudder at that memory before rubbing the back of his head. "Alright I'll join you guys."

Smiling Jake would pay him gently on the back. "Glad you're participating again."

Salem would shake his head, giving Jake the finger before walking. And then pausing. "Do any of us speak Japanese?"

"Give me two minutes and I'll be able to." Jake would say lifting his sleeves. Markings riddling his skin on both arms. The markings would glow a blue hue, his eyes rolling to the back of the head. As he felt the universe seep into him for but a moment. Before going back to normal. His eyes rolling back to where they were.

Salem watching with a hint of disbelief in his eyes would let out a small sigh.

"I will never get over the fact that you can simply commune with the aspect of the universe, and learn a language in a matter of seconds." Salem would say walking out of the side room, and into the main room where four others sat.

There was a woman, dressed in a bra and blue jeans. With hair a dark blue hue. Sitting there reading a manga in her hands.

Next to her was a man with dark skin, with tattoos littering just about every visible patch of skin up to the base of his neck. He work a satin button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Matched with a pair of black jeans.

There was a man similar to Salem in build and height. But instead of white hair, he had a head of hair as black as midnight. Wearing a black shirt and black jeans as well.

Sitting at the end of the group was the newest member of their journey. A woman wearing a white floral dress, with a red ribbon looped around her auburn hair holding it in a tight pony tail.

"Are we ready to go and have some authentic Japanese dinner?" Jake would ask a smile playing at his lips, as he placed a tender hand on the shoulder of the woman in the dress.

"About time. I thought I was going to waste away before we managed to decide on food." The woman with blue hair would comment placing a book mark between the pages of her manga. "I have to thank that green language bird for being able to read this language to the point I can enjoy my manga."

"Jeud, you eat more than us. If you were to waste away, it would have been when we entered Japan." Salem would comment earning a prompt middle finger in response.

"How long are we going to be in town for?" The man with tattoos would ask glancing up to Jake with a inquisitive gaze.

"We will be in town for some time. I'll look into getting us a permanent residence Zeke. And no Jeud we are not going to paint the walls black again. I would rather not look like hot topic rejects in every country we stop in." Jake would say earning a finger from the woman as well.

"And what do we do after that?" The man with black hair would question looking up at them. With a cold calculating gaze.

"Me and Salem go out and make some deals. And you guys don't cause any trouble. Yes that does mean I am putting you on Jeud and Zeke watching duty." Jake would respond by answering the newest batch of questions. "Anything else that I am missing?"

"Taking time to actually rest." The woman in the dress would say looking up to Jake with a soft smile. "You need to rest and take time to think."

Giving her a softer smile he would shake his head. "I don't have the time to rest Vitra. When I do. I will be sure to take a really nice vacation on a beach somewhere." He would respond. Squeezing her shoulder gently. "Now lets go get some food. Not all of the time we get to visit a foreign country and get to enjoy the hospitality."