Hika stumbled a little on the steps, and barely caught herself. She was still feeling dizzy, off kilter, a bit, from emerging from the Pod, but she was mostly all right. She was used to feeling off, honestly, after her blockers, so that was nothing new, and something she could handle, work through. She leaned against the wall, halfway down, taking a few breaths, then straightened up, refusing to let any of this get to her. She stood, silent and still, for a long moment, adjusting her skirt so it covered everything better, and tucked some of her hair back, before she began to make her way down the stairs again. She kept to a slow, almost stately pace, just to be sure that she did not trip, or lose her balance again.

When she made it to the bottom,she looked around, studying this strange place. She was told it was the Cove, but it was not anything she thought of when she thought of coves. The word cove brought to mind, for her, small coastal inlets, curved, like a miniature bay of sorts. She had expected a small beach, perhaps, and definitely water. This was not anything like that, and she was not sure what to think of it. It was a room, with walls that looked like it had been inscribed with runes all over it, that had then been painted with phosphorescence, which, other then the torch, were the only light. She moved closer to the wall, and examined the runes. It was this close examination that made it possible for Hika to see that they were actually inscribed tablets, one rune per tablet. The runes were shaped like weapons, and this was fascinating to her. She reached over to try to pick one up, and started back, as a voice was heard in her mind, speaking in Japanese.

"Not that one, darling. You do not want that one... It is not me, after all. I am the one you are looking for."

Hika stepped back, and said, speaking slowly and in Japanese, "Who are you? Why can I hear you speaking to me in my mind? This is irregular at best." She was trying not to admit that what it actually was was terrifying as all get out, and not something she wanted to do have happen to her. No one belonged in her mind but HER. This was... one of her worst nightmares, because what if they heard her doubts and thoughts, and told some one? That was not ok, not at all.

"Oh no, that will not happen. I am only able to hear and see through you, once you find me, that is... And I can not speak to anyone but you. Your secrets may be heard by me, but they will be kept by me. Even if I could communicate with others, I would not tell, anyways. It is not right to share the secrets a person entrusts you with, and whether you like it or not, you will be entrusting me with yours."

Hika turned, slowly, looking at the many runes, and finally, a strange feeling came over her that she was facing the right way. She moved toward the wall she was facing, and her eyes ran along the runes in front of her, up and up, until she saw one that was JUST barely in her reach. It caught her eye, and held it. She studied it, and then reached up, carefully, stretching her hand up until she finally managed to wrap her fingers around it. It came off into her hand, and then there was a soft flash. When the flash faded, Hika found a set of very long claws on each of her two hands. She stared at her hands, stunned.

"I am Miyako. I am your weapon. I was once a Rokurokubi, but now I am your partner. This is the form in which I will be there for you to fight." A moment later, the weapons were gone, and there was a single claw ring on her middle finger, a small and subtle one that only slightly extended beyond her nail, and had what appeared to be a ruby inset in the metal. "Now go one, get set up with your new life. We will talk more later, Hikaru."

Hikaru stared more, and then slowly, closed her hand into a fist. She had been told she could fight the shadows that plagued her, and now she had a talking Weapon. Well, fighting things not everyone could see with a talking Weapon only she could here somehow seemed to fit, to make sense. She sighed, and turned back to the exit, slowly climbing the stairs to leave. It was time to properly begin her new life in this place.