Both Sunny and JJ walk into a grocery store. As they look around, they notice a shifty-looking fellow nearby, watching a group of people from around the corner. JJ walks up to the man and notices he's watching a group of women. The guy looks to be around 5'8" or 5'9" and rather lean.
JJ places a firm hand on his shoulder. "What are you staring at those women for?"
The guy turns around, about to retort, "Yeah, and wha—" but stops mid-sentence when he sees what appears to be a soldier standing in front of him—one who seems almost twice his size.
JJ tilts his head. "Seriously, man, stop staring at women like that. It's weird. How about you run along?"
Without any hesitation, the man runs off.
"Jeez," JJ mutters, shaking his head. "Creeps back then, creeps now—though they seem shadier these days. And what was that outfit? All black? Fashion in this new world is weird."
JJ walks through the aisles with a basket in hand, glancing around at the people and their choice of clothing. He occasionally sees a guy hitting on a woman, and to his surprise, he spots two men holding hands.
"Huh," JJ thinks aloud. "Interesting how things have changed. Two men holding hands... You know what, I'll leave them be."
Several thoughts like this run through his mind as he walks. He's relieved not to see any Austro-Hungarian or German flags waving around, which confirms his suspicions: the Entente, with America's help, must have won the war. He had expected that, but seeing it with his own eyes brought some relief.
He walks through the aisles, grabbing food and supplies he believes the RV needs. As he spots Sunny, he waves and approaches her.
"Ah, Sunny, these times seem... interesting, I suppose."
He then notices some beer off in the corner and squints. "What the hell is 'lite beer'?"
Sunny rolls her eyes. "Piss water, most likely. Some might be good, but if you want the good stuff, let's check out a liquor store."
JJ nods. "I wouldn't mind a drink. But on another note, I saw a man earlier wearing all black with some kind of heavy-looking shirt that had a hood attached."
Sunny tilts her head. "Uh, you mean a hoodie?"
JJ raises an eyebrow. "Ah, a hoodie—that's what it's called. They seem like they'd be annoying to wear."
Sunny shrugs. "To each their own. They're actually pretty comfortable."
JJ sighs. "I suppose. Anyway, do hunters still wear their cloaks?"
Sunny facepalms. "I totally forgot to give Luna and Jamal their cloaks! Thanks for reminding me."
JJ smiles. "I'm happy to hear they're still keeping with tradition. Though, I'd say make them do a solo hunt to earn it—it's a rite of passage, after all."
Sunny's face sinks a little. "Uh... I don't really know if it's a good idea to have them do a solo hunt. Not right now, at least."
JJ raises an eyebrow. "Why not? They seem more than capable to me."
Sunny shakes her head. "People are kind of after them, and I don't want anything to happen to them. Hell, letting them go into a shop without me makes me worried. But I also don't want to be glued to their hips twenty-four-seven. I've got to give them some space."
JJ looks surprised. "Why would anyone want to harm them? They seem like good people to me. Did they do something wrong, or...?"
Sunny shrugs. "I'm not too sure myself. I asked a few friends of mine if they knew anything, and they said they didn't."
JJ grabs two loaves of bread and sticks them in his basket. "Well, thanks for letting me know. I'll keep a sharp eye on them in case anything looks like it might harm them."
Sunny playfully punches his arm. "Thanks, gramps."
JJ rolls his eyes at the remark, while Sunny chuckles. After finishing up their grocery shopping, they exit the store and head back to the RV. JJ looks around, appreciating how nice and peaceful it feels—until he spots two guys engaged in a fistfight.
He sighs, muttering under his breath, "Well, it was peaceful..."
Finally, they make it to the RV and begin unloading the groceries. However, as they work, an ominous presence suddenly fills the area. The air grows thick, and an overwhelming, terrifying sensation washes over them, as if unseen eyes are watching their every move.
The pressure builds, and it feels as though their mana is being pierced by countless needles. Both Sunny and JJ freeze, their instincts screaming at them that something is terribly wrong.
Then, as abruptly as it arrived, the aura vanishes completely.
Sunny, nearly collapsing, braces herself against the wall, clutching her chest. "What... what was that?"
JJ looks around frantically. "I don't know!"
After a few tense minutes, the RV door swings open, and Luna and Jamal rush inside.
"Okay, y'all felt that too, right?!" Jamal exclaims, his voice panicked.
Both JJ and Sunny nod in agreement.
"Alright, good," Jamal continues, still catching his breath. "At least we can confirm something's here. But man, it feels really intense!"
Sunny, after a moment of steadying herself, finally composes herself. "Alright, despite feeling absolutely terrified out of my mind, I managed to figure out where that mana was coming from. It seemed to be in one of the casinos."
Sunny walks over and downs a glass of water. "Listen, I can't tell you exactly what the hell it is until we get closer. However, there's a possibility that what we felt might have been a fear effect. If it wasn't... well, this might be a bigger threat than we'd hoped for. Regardless, we need to keep our guard up."
JJ stands up. "Yeah, you're right. We should head there later to scope out the casinos. There seem to be a lot of them, but if we stay on the lookout for another mana surge like that, we should be able to pinpoint the exact location."
Luna fidgets in place. "So, uh, we have to go to a casino?"
Sunny points at Luna. "No gambling for you. I feel like once you start, you won't stop."
Luna stomps her foot. "But what if I win!?"
Sunny shakes her head. "Partner, you won't. And before you say it, that 'big win' isn't coming. You'll just lose your money. However, when you turn twenty-one later this year, I'll take you back here, and we'll play... I don't know, blackjack or something. But not the slots—those are rigged, I promise you. And remember, the house always wins. Got it?"
Luna rapidly nods her head, smiling and giggling. Jamal watches in confusion, not understanding why she wants to gamble so badly. He figures she probably saw a movie or TV show about gambling and got influenced by it.
JJ places a hand on Luna's shoulder. "Look, kid, just be careful. Those casinos are nothing but traps."
Luna lets out a sigh. "Fine, if you say so. But what if I win?"
JJ shakes his head. "That's how you trap yourself."
She sighs again. "Fine, fine, fine. Alright, let's get back to planning for the hunt."
The group, all in agreement, begins the early stages of planning. This might be a dangerous fight ahead, and they must prepare themselves for what's to come in the upcoming battle!