Pro-logs

[VySaika]

Inner STRENGTH - Hikari

> ---------------------------------------
> Your class schedual is actually pretty packed. Partially because you want to try a little bit of everything, and partly because you don't want your parents thinking that they need to fill your "spare time" for you. While you certainly have no issues keeping up with the class load, this does lead to some interesting situations. Like on Tuesdays, such as today.
> First thing in the morning, it's straight to Geography, then from Geography to Latin and from Latin to Cullenary Arts. Techincally, you're supposed to be in Cullinary Arts 3 minutes before Latin lets out, but everyone is always late to CA, so you're usually one of the first people there anyway.
<Hikari> It's important to be as close to on-time as possible, even if it's only *comparitive* punctuality.
> Today isn't any different in that regard. As you slide into your Cullinary Arts class, you notice all of two other girls in there before you. The teacher, Proffessor Hanaya is not amoung them. In fact, she's usually one of the last people here. But policy goes, anyone who's in the room before she is isn't late. And anyone who isn't...
> A few seats over, you can hear one of your classmates, who actually happens to share your exact schedual on Tuesdays, griping, "Gaaaaah. I didn't have time for lunch AGAIN today. Class is going to be torture...."
> Another girl shakes her head at the first, "Then drop Latin, Yuka. Really, what are you going to do with that language anyway?"
> This is an old argument. Those two have it pretty much every Tuesday.
<Hikari> "You're in a class that's all about food," Hikari calls over, not looking up from the geography notes she's scanning while waiting for the teacher. "Make yourself something good today?"
> Yuka shakes her head, "Yeah, but Hanaya gets on your case if you snack while cooking. Sure, I can eat it AFTER. But cooking on an empty stomach is so hard." She turns a somewhat annoyed look at you, "Though I guess YOU don't have any trouble with it. But nobody sees YOU have trouble with anything."
> Her freind giggles, "It's not Hikari's fault she's got more patience then you, Yuka."
> "Shut up!"
<Hikari> "Then they're not watching me very closely," Hikari deadpans.
> By this point, more students have come wandering in, and almost everyone is here before Dr. Hanaya slides in nearly 10 minutes late, as usual.
* Hikari dutifully closes her notebook.
> Also as usual, she locks the door behind her as she enters. Nobody is allowed to be more late then her.
* Hikari attentively waits for the lesson to start. Not that she ever plans on being a cook or anything, but it's not a bad skill to have. Beats living on fast food forever.
> The room grows quiet as people make thier way to thier group stations. Thankfully, your station is on the other side of the room from Yuka, so you only hear some of her constant stream of grumbles. Your partners, a pair of quiet kids just out of highschool, Hayate and Yusuke, do thier parts admirably as usual, letting you take the lead.
> (more)
> Time passes. Dr. Hanaya lectures on proper technique, moving over to correct various students, including you, on proper knife technique more then once and adjust a few temperatures here and there. All told, it's a reletively normal Tuesday, right down to class ending at 3 and you being so tired you feel like it's 9.
> Yusuke waves you and Hayate away from the station, "I'll clean up." Three words in a row are nearly the most anyone ever hears out of that guy.
* Hikari nods to her partners and packs up, idly wondering whether Yuka survived her battle with starvation.
> Looking over her way, Yuka seems to have gotten away either without snacking or without Hanaya catching her, since she's now rather cheerfully inhaling what she just finished making.
> But for now, it's home free for you. Only three classes today, they're just back to back to back, from first thing in the morning.
<Hikari> "Is it any good?" Hikari wonders aloud as she passes by the girl's table on the way to the door.
> Yuka nods, her mouth half full, "Yup!"
> For all her complaining, she isn't actuall a bitch most of the time. She just talks nonstop, so there's invariably alot of complaining about something or someone when she's in a bad mood. Like when she's hungry.
<Hikari> Hikari manages an amused before exiting, glad to be done with class for the day. Now she can look forward to...going home and preparing for her next day of classes. The life of a student is a harsh lot indeed.
<Hikari> *amused smile
> Fortunately, there's little to prepare for on Wednesdays. Only one class, and it isn't until 1(it does, however, last until 5). This is why Tuesday is such an odd day. it's simultaneously your most packed and hectic day for classes...but also one of your larger spans of free time on the same day.
> Hayate parts ways with you immediately on leaving the classroom. CA is her first class of the day, so she scoots down the hallway about as fast as she can without hitting people or getting called out.
<Hikari> Nevertheless, it's important for a student to make a study schedule and have the discipline to stick to it, so Hikari will go back to her room and do whatever work is necessary for tomorrow's class. It's not like she has other plans anyway.
> Returning to the sardine can that they call a dorm room you share with Neimi, you find your roommate already there, sprawled on her bed with a notebook, a calculator, three rulebooks for those games she's always playing, and her laptop all cluttered around her.(more)
> She waves absently as you enter, "Package came for you, I signed for it, hope that's alright. It's on your bed."
<Hikari> "Just as long as you didn't shake it violently, jump on it, or, worse, open it." She drops her books on her bed and heads for the package. "Can anything that requires a calculator really be that much fun?" she muses aloud.
> "Oh, I do most of the math in my head. The calc is just to hold numbers for me, most of the time."
<Hikari> "Ah," Hikari replies, checking out the package.
> The package is one of those large envelopes that has bubble wrap on the inside. It is simply addressed to a Ms. Ishigami, and the return address is...your parents' house.
<Hikari> Well, mystery dispelled. She's not expecting anything, but nor can it be anything too exciting given the sender. Time to open it.
> Upon opening the envelope, you find a single item. A loop made of wood with leather strips crisscrossing inside it, and more leather strips dangling from the sides and bottom with beads and feathers on them.
> It's very pretty, that's for certain. There are even small carvings in the wooden loop, done with an expert hand.
<Hikari> "Well," Hikari says, looking it over, "this is...intriguing." Is it about bracelet-sized? Do the carvings look like anything in particular?
> The feathers...feel real. You've done enough work with helping sew various costumes for the Drama Club to know the difference between real and fake feathers.
> No, the loop is too large to be a bracelet. And the leather strips crisscrossing through it would prevent you from wearing it anyway. (more)
> As you study the carvings, Neimi looks up, "Oooooh! Is that a dreamcatcher? I think it is. Wow."
> She gets up from her bed to come look at it with you, "Did you order this from online somewhere?"
* Hikari wonders if perhaps someone sent her a dreamcatcher, recalling a North American trinket she'd read about some time ago. ...And, her roommate confirms it! "Apparently. Pretty. Unusual for my family, though."
<Hikari> "No, this was sent from home."
> "Huh. I thought you said your family was boreing."
<Hikari> "They usually are." She walks over to the window to look at it in the light and find a good place to hang it.
> Also, the carvings all seem to be...very styleized versions of what you think are supposed to be birds.
> Neimi follows you as you hang up the dreamcatcher, "I think those beads are real crystal, not just glass. And...are those feathers real too? This thing's either the real deal or one convincing fake."
<Hikari> "They seem real enough to me," Hikari says, going back to fish around in the package and see if there was any kind of note.
> She grins, "I wish I'd get something like that. My dad thinks that old vids of Dr. Who are the pinnacle of gift giving. Not that I mind those, of course."
> There is...no note. Nothing else in the envelope at all, actually.
<Hikari> "'Dr. What?'" Hikari wonders as she sits down to write her parents an email confirming receipt of the package, asking who found this charming little knickknak, etc.
> "No, what's on second. It's Dr. Who."
* Hikari just nods as she types away. "...Right." She doesn't pay a lot of attention to what Neimi watches.
> Eyeing the clock as she makes that joke, Neimi sighs, "Anyway, I need to get going or I'll be late for my shift at the Crown. Want me to bring you something on my way back? It'll be a late dinner, but hey, half off."
<Hikari> Hikari is totally down with frugality; her parents might have money, but that doesn't mean she always will. Better to get used to living cheaply now! "If you could arrange for some manner of sandwich to be placed in my possession, I would appreciate it."
> "No problem. I'll order a full one and split it with you." Grabbing her bag, she heads out the door about the same time you finish your email, leaving you alone in the room with your thoughts, books...and your nifty new dreamcatcher.
<Hikari> The email is fairly bland and nondescript. She doesn't have a lot else to say right now apart from that one question, and sending in email is better than calling because talking over the phone grants her parents an opening to ask intrusive questions about her personal life.
> The email is sent! Leaving you the rest of the day to...study for your 4 hour World History class tomorrow. At least it's a fun four hours.
<Hikari> Hey, everyone has their own definition of fun, after all. Studying's better than watching TV, that's for sure. Well, unless there are any good documentaries on.
> As you break out your books(and some DvDs that Dr. Jocyce reccomended you all rent/borrow/buy/watch somehow) and get your study on, you occasionally get this odd feeling that...something's watching you. But when you look around, there's always no one there. Maybe it's just the beads in the dreamcatcher reflecting the afternoon sun around the room.
<Hikari> Hikari's not superstitious. Sure, she might get a little jumpy for an hour or two after watching a horror movie, just like anyone, but that's it. There's clearly no one else in the room, so she'll just ignore that nagging little voice and concentrate on her work.
> You study your history for awhile, switch to some of your Thursday subjects, review material from today and yesterday, and all around spend your time being a productive and studeous young woman.
> Eventually, around 10pm, Neimi comes crawling back in, looking mostly dead as she always does after her shift at the Queen's Crown, "Hope you like ham, since that's what we had left. Buuuuuusy tonight."
> Setting down a brown paper bag, she reaches in and hands you half of a large ham sandwich, still warm enough to feel it through the paper wrapping.
* Hikari finally sets her books aside. Well, that's was an evening well spent. She can't help but feel at least a little antsy after studying all that time, but what is there to do on a Tuesday night? So she just accepts her food graciously and flips around on the TV, focusing on news shows.
> You turn on the news. Immedately, you're hit with another story about someone going crazy in public, acting horribly out of character. This time an elementry school teacher who out of nowhere started berating the parents of her students at the top of her lungs during a conferance.
> Neimi groans, "Another one? This is what...five in the last two months? What's going ON in this town?"
<Hikari> "There's something so very sad about local news. But I suppose it's better than actual violence."
> "This time, sure. Last time it was that construction worker who started challanging people to fights in the street to 'prove his strength', remember?"
> She cracks a smile, "Though I did have to laugh when that police officer accepted the challange and had the guy pinned in like two rounds. It was so cool they caught that on camera."
<Hikari> "Well, a dead-end job will do that to someone, given enough time," Hikari says with a shrug, speaking from approximately zero personal experience.
> "Tell me about it. I know I'd go crazy if someone told me I'd be cleaning tables and bathrooms at the Crown forever."
<Hikari> "No-oo, you have a higher calling, Neimi: building the robots that will be cleaning our tables and bathrooms in the future."
> Cleaning up the mess from her sandwich, Neimi yawns and laughs at the same time, "Only if I can equip them with soap rocket launchers or something. Anyway, I have class at 7 tomorrow, so I need to sleep now. Could you turn the volume down if you're going to keep watching TV?"
* Hikari clicks the set off. "It's alright. I've been up a long time; I should probably get some rest myself."
> As you turn off the lights and climb in bed...you still can't shake that feeling that you're being watched.
<Hikari> What nonsense. (Well, unless Neimi's staring at her for some reason. Doesn't hurt to check!) Hikari actively snubs her paranoia and lies in bed with her back to the room at large. No imaginary stalkers are going to sneak up on her, and she'll prove it!
> Neimi is in fact lieing with her face down in her pillow. So unless she has a spare eyeball in her right ear, she's almost certainly not looking at you. After confirming this, you force yourself to sleep by sheer willpower...
> And in the darkness, when there is no one awake to see, feathers twirl in a wind that isn't there...
> (OOC: Scene change time, give me a minute)
> Hikari finds herself floating in a sleepy daze. An endless expanse of gray and black stretches out before, behind, above and over her, no matter which way she turns. In this endless gray, there are...specks. Dots that seem far away but grow as she moves closer to them. As if drawn by a magnet, she swims through the gray towards the nearest speck.(more)
> The speck grows, soon becoming...a house. Her hou...no, her parents' house. She doesn't live there anymore. The door is hanging open as she finally touches the ground, landing in her dri...her parents' driveway.
<Hikari> Oh dear. She wasn't really planning on being back here for a while. Was there some sort of accident? The only way to find out is to head inside and see.
> Voices can be heard as she enters the house. Her mother's quiet, but harsh voice. "What do you mean? You do not wish to marry, but you do not wish to go into buisiness like your father? What do you plan to do then, stay a child forever?"(more)
> The voice that answers your mother...it...it's yours. "No, I...mother, I don't know what I want to do yet. That's why I want to keep going to school. I'm only nineteen, I have time to decide such things, don't I?"
> (more)
<Hikari> It would've been great to have had someone actually agreeing with Hikari during arguments like this. Maybe she should go support herself?
> "Hmph, I was engaged to your father when I was sixteen, and wed as soon as I was eightteen. You have already had plenty of time." A sigh, "Really, this is my fault for always being so lenient with you. If I only hadn't humored you so often as a girl..."
> Hikari rounds the corner into the kitchen, where she always spoke with her mother, mostly because her father never went there unless it was meal time. Before her...stand whispy, shadowy figures. Of her mother...and herself.
> Neither turn to look at you as you enter, simply repeating the lines of an argument you've played over in your head a hundred times.
> Only the family cat turns it's head toward you, flattening his ears back a bit and twitching his nose.
<Hikari> Hikari almost automatically points out that, well, that was twenty-five years ago, mother, but reminds herself that she's apparently fallen through a sort of timewarp and no one is really talking to her specifically. "Hey," she says to the cat, kneeling down.
> The cat sniffs your hand, eyes you wearily, looks at the shadowy figure of Hikari, back at you, then apparently decides that two Hikaris isn't something he needs to concern himself with so long as one of you is paying attention to him
>  and starts nuzzling your hand.
> The cat is more solid then the two women. In fact, it's not whispy or shadowy in the least. Looking and feeling like a perfectly normal cat.
* Hikari obligingly gives the kitty a good ear-scratching. "Good Moko. You don't care what anyone thinks as long as you're the center of attention, right?"
<Hikari> That's strange. But this is a dream, right? No one ever said they had to make sense.
> Moko meows imploringly, then suddenly stares at the hallway you came through, flatenning his ears back all the way and hissing loudly.
* Hikari turns around to look behind her, as if on cue.
> From the hallway walks...another Hikari. Only solid, just like you. Ignoring the cat, she rolls her eyes at the argument going on right next to you, "What a bitch, huh?"
* Hikari glances to the shadowy figures. "Which one?" She continues petting the cat, while looking up at the other Hikari.
> "Mom, of course." A half smirk crosses her lips as she regards you, "The other one's a little coward. I've wanted to tell that woman off for years. But you never had the guts for that, did you?"
<Hikari> "There's nothing to be gained from us hating each other forever," Hikari says, standing up. "And that's all that would happen. She's set in her ways."
> "Isn't there, though? She'd leave you alone then. Wash her hands right clean of you. Then you'd be free." the other Hikari shrugs, "Small price to pay for freedom, right? How many times have you thought about doing it, too? Just letting the bitch have it, and walking out?"
> "I could figure it out, but I'd need a calculator. And if you have to break those things out, it's just no fun anymore."
<Hikari> "Many times," Hikari answers. "But there's no point if I don't know where I'm going afterwards." She searches the recesses of her memory: did Jung or Freud ever mention dreams like this?
> She grins wider, "Does it matter? When you want to go everywhere, where does it matter where you start?"
<Hikari> "Maybe not. But it does matter if you can't pay to get there in the first place." She's not 100% sure that's her own reasoning there, though.
> "Oh please. With a body like this?" the other Hikari rubs her hands up and down her sides, uh, suggestively is putting it mildly, "You could get anywhere you damn well pleased, and we both know it."
> The grin turns wicked, "Oooh, how about we do that? Not just tell the bitch off, but tell her how her precious little daughter can get around the world? That'd be a look to see."
<Hikari> "Let me rephrase that," Hikari says coldly. "A *respectable* way to pay for yourself." Something's wrong here.
> A laugh, "Respectable? You? Right. Look honey, I know what thoughts go through that gorgeous little head of yours. It's my head too." The other Hikari moves closer, "Come on, no *respectable* girl gets thoughts like you do when you see handcuffs and riding crops. No *respectable* girl gets off with guys under the table at a nightclub."
> She muses, "What was his name again?"
> "Oh, that's right..." a giggle, "Don't know and frankly, don't care."
<Hikari> Flatly: "Moko only hisses at strangers, you know. I don't think you belong here."
> There's suddenly a slight gleam in her eye, "Of course I don't belong here. I'm you. And you've NEVER belonged here."
* Hikari nods to the door. "Then how about you leave, and I'll be right behind you."
> Other Hikari offers her arm, "Oh no, we go together or not at all. If I go first, you won't have the courage to follow. We go together."
> "Come on, we can have all KINDS of fun out there. Meet a few guys. Older guys, of course. More interesting, and more likely to have the means to get us around anyway."
<Hikari> There goes Hikari's ingenious plan to kick her other, cruder self outside and slam the door behind her. "I'm not interested in being someone salaryman's accessory, thanks."
<Hikari> Lord, what she do to deserve a dream like this? She's been an attentive, responsible student, right? And never hurt anybody or anything. She should be dreaming about...swimming with luminescent creatures at the bottom of the sea, or something exotic like that.
<Hikari> *what did
> "His accessory? More like he'd be ours. He gets boreing, we leave him high and dry and find a new one. Commitment is for suckers. We're not going to be tied down like that."
<Hikari> "Right, you sound like you've got it all figured out. So what do you need me for?" Hikari counters, all the while thinking: lucid dreaming, that's the idea. Can't I just...change the channel?
> The other Hikari smiles, her voice dripping honey, "What do I need you for? Becuase I AM you. And you're me. I said this already. Come on Hikari, you're not that slow. I should know."
> "But if you want me to lead the way...I can."
> "Just say the word, and I can make it all happen. All you have to do is let me. How about it?"
> Other Hikari stands only a foot away from you. It occurs to you just how pretty you actually are, when you're trying. You don't usually try...but she is.
<Hikari> Hikari resists, repulsed by this offensive rendition of her with no dignity or self-respect. "I don't think I want to go anywhere you'd take me. Go bother Aiko, she might be interested."
<Hikari> It's only after she's said it that she acknowledges the coldness of this statement. She usually tries to avoid passing judgement on her sister...kids will be kids, after all.
> "But you ARE interested. You're me, remember? I know everything about you. I'm everything you want to be, but are too ashamed to admit." Even closer now, her face is less then a foot away from yours, "I'm you, and you're me. We're one and the same. You're just being stubborn is all."
> (more)
> You can feel an ominous air hanging over the room. Your mother and younger self have stopped arguing...in fact, they've stopped moving. The clock on the wall has stopped ticking. Moko is the only thing in the room besides the two of you that's moving, and he's cowering under the table, fur on it's ends.
* Hikari steps back, into the kitchen, heedless of the shadowy figures behind her. "And *you're* being pushy and manipulative. Maybe I should be the one telling you to shape up, study more, make a plan for your life. I don't want YOU to be my life."
> "How can you tell me to make a plan when you don't have one yet either?" She advances, keeping her closeness with you as you retreat.
> "School is nothing but an excuse to not make up your mind."
<Hikari> There are knives somewhere in the kitchen, right? Now would be a great time to have one handy. Show this bitch who's really in the driver's seat! (Though, would that qualify as suicide? Whatever, Hikari wants a different dream to start now. Or to just wake up. She even tries telling herself as much. Wake up! WAKE UP!))
> You rush to the counter to pull out a knife...but it won't move from the block. Other Hikari continues to advance on you, "Come on. Now that I've finally gotten you in here, I'm not letting you go until you make up your mind. I'm tired of this stalling crap. Accept me, accept that I'm you, that you want what I want! Let me out from the dark corners of your soul where you stuffed me and let's go DO something!"(more)
> Her smile is gone, her eyes are now hard and her face is set in a determined look you know only too well. "Or are you going to reject me? Can you really pretend that you don't feel what I feel? That you don't want to see the world at any cost? That you don't fantasize about things you can't show on TV, that you didn't enjoy screwing the hell out of that guy at the club even though you knew it was wrong?"
> "Well!? Say something!"
> Her voice has raised to a shout at that last, as once more she's right in your face, breathing heavily in frustration and anger.
> And...is that hurt in her eyes? A tear starts to roll it's way down her cheek as she stares.
<Hikari> Hikari slaps her double in the face, is what she does. "I accept that you're a puerile, irresponsible part of my subconscious, and if you're willing to go back there RIGHT NOW, I might just consider letting you out again sometime before the year's over! *I* am fully in contrl of my own decisions. Get back to the depths and stop trying to run my life!"
> Other Hikari backs off a step, "Control? Are you really? Are you going to start taking charge or is this just another excuse?"
> Her voice has lowered now, she's no longer shouting, but still looking you dead in the eye. Tears still in hers, and you doubt from the sting of the slap.
<Hikari> "What do you want? I'm still in school! And this is the twenty-first century, not everyone follows blindly in their parents' footsteps anymore. I should have some time to figure things out."
> "I want you to start trying to figure things out instead of just stalling for more time."
<Hikari> "And that involves sleeping my way around the world?" Hikari yells back. "If you wanted to convince me, you should've made a better pitch!"
> "I don't have a plan right now, so I know you don't either. Just...are you really trying to come up with one?"
> She suddenly smiles, though not the succubus smile of before, "Hey, it's one more plan then you had!"
> "I never said it was a good one, just that I could pull it off."
* Hikari runs a hand through her hair. "Well, that's one we can cross off the list. Look...there's a lot I still don't know. I need to spend some time out of Japan before I know if I really want to settle down and stay here forever."
> She nods, "If you're really going to try...then I'll help you." She smiles, tears still in her eyes, "Just...don't ignore me anymore, okay? I'm you too."
> "Maybe I'm the twisted slut part that mom would have a heart attack if she saw, but a girl's gotta have a wild side, right?"
<Hikari> "Alright, alright." Hikari is enough of a softy inside that she feels obligated to step forward and wipe those tears off, regardless of how irritating this alternate version of her has been. "I get it, I'm as human as the next woman. I've *maybe* been a little impulsive in...exploring, but sometimes you just don't shut up, you know?"
> "Well if you'd listen to me more often, I wouldn't have to shout so much."
<Hikari> "I know, I just worry about getting stuck with someone I don't really care for. Because I know whenever I bring someone home, everyone will be all 'When are you getting married?' but, I guess, give me a whisper if you see someone we like. Someone not too skeezy," she adds quickly.
> As you wipe away the other Hikari's tears, you hear a whisper on the wind...a wind that isn't really there.(more)
> "The Strength to face yourself, and accept that which you do not wish to see. Such Strength is the source of your hidden power. Awaken now to your True Self..."
> A glow surrounds both Hikaris, as the Other Hikari slowly fades away...and in her place, a card spins slowly in the air.
* Hikari is forced to look around for the source of this new voice. Does her house have speakers in this dream? Oh, apparently not.
> The back of this card depicts a woman holding a lion in a headlock, while on the front...a momentary image of herself, then an image of another woman. A warrior, clad in fur lined armor and a winged helm, with a spear at her side.
<Hikari> "...A valkyrie," Hikari observes for no one in particular.
> "Thou art I, and I am thou. I am Brynhildr, the Maiden of Battle. My spear shall serve as your STRENGTH as long as I walk beside you."
> The card fades away...and Hikari can feel her strength leaving her.
> The world begins to spin...and to fade...
<Hikari> Well, there's not much one can say to that, is there? It is a dream, after all, and there are worse ways this particular one could have turned out. She may have been stressed out over the whole thing, but it's hard not to feel like...something...started anew tonight.
> (OOC: Scene change away!)
> Hikari's eyes flicker open. Light? Yeah, there's broad daylight streaming in the room. But...you have west facing window...
<Hikari> Oh, hell. Did she sleep through class? She checks the clock.
> You try to sit up. Try being the operative word. Turning your head, you look at the clock...3:19. PM.
> There's also a note next to your clock. with your cell sitting on the note.
<Hikari> ...Oh, *hell.* Why didn't Neimi wake her up at some point? Well, maybe the note has something to do with that part. She grabs it and the phone.
> The note reads: "Sorry I didn't wake you up. You had a +5 fever going on this morning, so I just let you sleep. You didn't even wake up when I put my hand on your head! So get some rest and call my cell if you need me to pick up some meds. Oh, here's my #! (insert number here)"
> There is also a tall glass of water next to the note and phone.
<Hikari> ...Okay then. Well, everyone's entitled to miss a class now and then, right? It's not the end of the world. (Of course, said class doesn't end until five, so Hikari could still catch the tail end of it...but no one should be rushing out after coming down from a fever like that. Not even Hikari's that dedicated!)
<Hikari> She downs the water and takes a deep breath, hoping whatever afflicted her overnight has died down.
> You feel dizzy, and certainly overheated, but otherwise you're alright. At least you think so.
<Hikari> Right, not going anywhere, then. Neimi probably deserves a call just so she doesn't worry, though. Hikari dials her number.
> You notice that your cell has the blinking envelope which means new mail as you open it. However, you call Neimi first.
> "Hello?"
<Hikari> "Hey, it's Hikari. I don't really need anything, but I thought you'd like to know that I'm not dead."
> "Oh, hey! And that's good. Sure you don't want me to grab some fever pills anyway? We should probably have those on hand. I'll go even with you on the cost, since I'm sure I'll get sick sometime too."
<Hikari> "It wouldn't be a bad idea," Hikari admits.
> "Alright. I'll do that before I head back. Get some more rest though, you looked like death warmed over in a rice steamer when I left."
> You can hear another voice over the line, feintly, "Come ON Neimi, it's your turn!"
<Hikari> "Don't have to tell me twice," Hikari answers. "I noticed my class is halfway through right now and I'm actually not getting up to go to it. Isn't that amazing? Anyway, I'll see you later."
> "I'll be there in a second! Geez. Alright, later."
> She hangs up.
<Hikari> Okay, let's check that mail!
> You check your mail! It's an email from your mother.
<Hikari> Makes sense, since Hikari emailed the family. What does it say?
> It reads: "Dreamcatcher? What are you talking about dear? We haven't sent you any packages. Unless your father sent something without telling me, but you know how he hates the post office. Is everything okay over there? - Mother"
* Hikari glances at the window, as if to reassure herself that the thing's still hanging there.
> It is.
> Sky blue feathers twirling slightly in the breeze of the open window.
> Blue and gold beads reflecting the afternoon light in pleasant colored patterns.
<Hikari> "Riiiiiiight," Hikari mutters to herself. Well, some manner of response is probably called for, so she replies to her mother's email describing the dreamcatcher and stating that the package assuredly has the family's home address listed as the sender. Otherwise, things are going fine, doing well in classes, etc.
> You drag yourself over to your computer to type up a responce after failing to type adequetly on the stupid numberpad keyboard thing a few times.
> Then your stomach reminds you that you haven't eaten all day.
> You aren't nauseous, thankfully. Just tired and hot.
<Hikari> Is there anything resembling food in the dorm room? Even just snacks? She'd settle for a vending machine in the hall if that's all she can get. Granted, that would mean walking for a few seconds.
> ransacking the dorm for snacks, you find some leftover pizza that is likely a couple days old in the mini fridge you and Neimi share. Probably what she brought back from one of her games.
> It's not fuzzy, so it's likely only a couple days old.
> You think.
<Hikari> Uh. It'll do, if there's an oven somewhere in the dorm.
> Not in your room. You two got the sardine can model. There's a "communal kitchen" thing. Downstairs and down the hall a bit.
> Cold pizza?
<Hikari> Alright, cold pizza it is.
<Hikari> (Yum yum).
<Hikari> If only Professor Hanaya could see her now!
> Hikari eats the pizza, drinks more water, and returns to bed. You try and watch the news, but end up just falling back asleep...
> (OOC: More scenechange action! Hoo-ha!)
> Hikari finds herself standing in a strange room. Everything in this room is in shades of dark blue, from top to bottom...except for the two people sitting in it. The first is a strange little man with a very long nose who sits in a chair behind a small round table, resting his...nose on his hands. (more)
> The second, a young red haired woman sits on a sofa next to the table, angled slightly to be facing the door, where you stand. She wears a blue uniform of sorts, though you don't recognize it, and smiles widely, "Welcome to the Velvet Room."
<Hikari> Well, the aesthetics are more striking than in her previous dream, at least. Her family does lack style, sometimes. "Well, hello, I suppose." She walks forward towards the woman speaking.
> The woman gestures to an empty chair opposite the strange man, "Please, be seated."
* Hikari does so. "I'm Hikari Ishigami. Might I ask who I'm speaking to?"
> The man looks up at you, "Well well, such a well mannered guest. My name is Igor, and this is my assistant, Theresa. And this, as my assitant said, is the Velvet Room."(more)
> He chuckles a bit, "Please don't be alarmed, you are still very much safe asleep in your own bed in the real world. I have summoned you here within your dreams. Can you guess why?"
<Hikari> "My first guess would be that this is another fever dream."
> He chuckles again, an affable sound, despite his somewhat frightening appearance, "Oh no, the Velvet Room is very real. Just as the dream you experienced last night was."(more)
> Theresa nods, "Last night, you were drawn into your own psyche and confronted by your own suppressed emotions. Your Shadow. That was a very real event, and had you handled it differently at all..." she shakes her head, though the smile never leaves her face "well, something very unpleasant would have happened."
<Hikari> "Define 'unpleasant,'" Hikari replies, willing to explore this hallucination to its logical extent (as long as it remains so, at least).
> Igor nods, "Indeed. You had the inner strength to both accept your shadow, but remain the one in control. That is a very rare ability you have there, young lady. But even more rare, is what happened after."(more)
> "I assume you remember the card that appeared before you, and the voice that spoke?"
<Hikari> "Brynhildr," Hikari says in confirmation.
> Theresa chimes in, "You could have died. Or worse."
> Igor waves his assitant to silence, "Yes. That is your Persona. Your other self, once tamed and brought under concious control."
<Hikari> "Worse? What's worse than death?" She clearly asks this out of curiosity, not skepticism.
> Theresa looks like she wants to answer you, but knows better then to talk when Igor's motioned her to be quiet.
<Hikari> "Does this symbolically mean I'll be more in control of my life from now on? I assume it mean *something*, and I can't fathom what else."
> "A Persona can grant great power. What you choose to do with it is your choice alone. But know that...things are not entirely as they seem in your world. Shadows are being stirred into activity. I'm sure you've heard of some strange goings on lately?"
<Hikari> "A variety of unusual behavior has been reported on the news, yes."
> "This unusual behavior, is the work of Shadows. Much like the one you confronted last night."
> (more)
> Igore slightly shrugs, "Unlike you, those people did not have the inner strength to accept what they saw. Or perhaps they let it overtake them. Regardless, they lost control of themselves. And now it is thier Shadows which control thier physical bodies, and all thier actions."
> Theresa can't help it anymore, "That would be the 'or worse'."
<Hikari> "...I'm prepared to accept that explanation as an elaborate metaphor for insanity," Hikari says, still treating things as a fabrication of her subconscious. "Which, yes, likely is worse than death."
> Igor raises an eyebrow, "A skeptic, are you? I can't say I blame you. This must all seem very strange for someone who's life has been normal up until now. But I'm afraid I must ask you to make a choice, for such is my role in these unfolding events."(more)
> He waves his hand, and a paper appears in front of you, "The power of Persona is mighty indeed, and tied to nothing but the will and purpose of those who weild it. But there is a price to pay for this power, if you wish it to be yours. You must simply sign this contract, but what it asks of you can be quite difficult indeed."
> The contract reads: "I _______________ agree that I shall take responsibility for my own actions, and aknowledge my part in whatever may arise from them."
<Hikari> "I have no disagreements with this sentiment," Hikari says momentarily. "Does anyone have a pen?"
> "If you sign this contract, you will be exposed to a world that you have never imagined. Any aspirations for a normal life shall be abandoned, as you will not be able to ignore what you will then be able to see."
> A pen appears in your hand the moment you ask for one. It's a very long antique style quill pen, already full of ink.
<Hikari> "I've heard a great deal about 'normal' girls and how they should live, and decided I haven't much in common with them," Hikari says, with a rueful smile. "Let's see what else the world has in store for me," she adds, signing the contract.
> Theresa grins again, "And so it is done."
> Igor nods, "Very well. I welcome you to the world of the Dream, miss Hikari. But for now, you should return to your own world and think on what has transpired. Do not fear, you will come here again."
<Hikari> "I look forward to the diversion," Hikari says, standing.
> Theresa stands and bows, "Good morning, and have a pleasant day."
> The velvet room begins to grow dim and fade from view...
<Hikari> "Likewise, both of you," she adds, before turning to leave. Wherever the exit is--ah...
> (OOC: Last scene change of the prologue, oh yeah!)
> *beep beep* *beep beep* *beep beep*
> That's...? Oh, right. Your alarm.
* Hikari rises again, grumbling about bizarre dreams that won't let her get solid rest and alarms that conspire along with them.
> On the other side of the room, Neimi burries her face in her pillow, "No way. Not waking up. I don't have class until noon."
> Then suddenly she sits up, "Oh, Hikari! Are you okay?"
<Hikari> "Is it morning again?" Hikari mutters. Then, more lively: "Wait, did I sleep through *all* of Wednesday?" She blinks. "I guess it's a good thing I studied a lot Tuesday."
> Neimi nods, "Yeah, you were out when I got back. Uh, I'll grab some meds. Even if you feel better, you should take them."
> Scooting out of bed, she grabs you a glass of water and a couple of the pills she brought home the night before.
* Hikari consumes it all obligingly, sitting up and swinging her legs off the bed. Assuming she can move, of course.
> You...feel fine, actually.
<Hikari> "I'm a lot better, I think. Must have been on of those twenty-four-hour bugs."
> Neimi eyes your face, "Wow, you're not even pink this morning."
<Hikari> "Bed rest: panacea?" She shrugs and stands up. "I feel...unspeakably lazy, though."
> "I'm surprised you aren't already rushing off to beg your history prof's forgiveness, myself."
<Hikari> "No. I couldn't do that with bed-head," Hikari replies. "I need a shower before anyone gets a look at me."
> "Anyway, if you're feeling better, and I'm up at this rediculous hour anyway...Jesus, it's six AM. Yeah, you shower, I'm gonna run down and get some breakfast before class." Saying such, Neimi goes to get dressed, not bothering with a shower herself, and goes to do just that, "See you later, and try not to collapse or anything today, kay?"
<Hikari> "I slept enough for a week. I should manage fine."
* Hikari checks her email one more home before getting herself ready for the new day ahead. She can't help but notice that the past couple days' dreams are sticking in her memory *much* more strongly than her usual ones...
> Your mom emailed you back, reaffirmig that no, they did NOT send you that, and she's afraid you're being stalked and thinks you should take it to the police.
<Hikari> ...some things, however, will never change.

[VySaika]

FOOL's Errand - Mykasi

> The part-time campus physician, Dr. Agari, nods as you walk into his office, "Thank you for your cooperation Mr. Werfel, the drug test came back negative, as I expected it would." He stands up and hold out one hand, "I apologise for putting you through this, but after what Shou did...well, you're a smart young man, I'm sure you understand the reasons behind the policy."
<Mykasi> "Of course." Mike nods easily, accepting the hand and shaking it. "Just glad to be cleared of this mess."
> The doctor nods, releasing your hand, "Well then, with this little incident behind us, I'll let you get back to your day." he looks at the clock, which reads 5:50 pm, "Well, what's left of it at least."
> There isn't, in fact, much left of your day. No evening classes on a Friday, you're basically done for the week.
<Mykasi> "Studying, mainly." Mike grins. "Not too much to do today, but still should get cracking on it. Thank you for your time, Dr. Agari."
> "Not at all, just doing my job." He sits back down and turns his attention to some papers on his desk, a clear dismissal if you've ever seen one.
* Mykasi nods and leaves quietly, making a face as soon as he's sure no one can see it. Stupid fucking Shou.
> It crosses your mind that there are probably very, very few people here sorry to see "the Shou" getting, well, canceled. He was a braggart and a chronic liar on his good days. His bad...well, at least he rarely came back to the room before the AM hours on his bad days.
* Mykasi thinks on this for a moment, before shrugging. Well, whatever; his good name was cleared, the robotics class would stop gossiping for the most part, and who knows, he might actually get a competent roommate this time around.
<Mykasi> "Then again, given my luck last semester..." Mike mutters. "Shou was almost a relief, some days."
> Well, on teh subject of gossip...it's nearly six on a Friday, so as you enter the halls you notice more then a few other students walking around. When they see you, there is a bit of whispering, but no one looking directly at you.
<Mykasi> "Kch..." Mike mutters almost inaudibly under his breath. "Find something better to do, fools..." With that, he fixes a fake smile on his face before heading up to his room, ready to get a sugar buzz and do absolutely nothing with it!
> As you head to your room, you hear rapid footsteps behind you before you even make it to the dorm. In short order, a guy from your Instrumental Analysis class on Mondays catches up with you, "Yo, Mykasi! Hold up a second, man!"
<Mykasi> "What's up?" Mike asks, turning around.
> Turning to face him, you place the name, Shiro Asakura. Apparently a really busy guy, since you don't see him going places at less then at least a quick jog most times. Folks often wonder how he keeps his glasses on, dashing around all the time like that.
<Mykasi> "Ah, what's the rush, man?" Mike rubs his head. Shiro's not been bad to him, at least.
> Shiro lowers his voice as he slows down, "Get some studdying in for InstAl. I heard he's dropping some kind of surprise test on us and it's suposed to be brutal. I'm spreading the word, since, well, what the hell does he think this is, high school? Pop quiz? Seriously, right?"
<Mykasi> "Seriously?" Mike says. "Aiii. Thanks for telling me, man. Any planned study groups you know of?" Might as well suffer together, after all...
> He thinks a moment, "Uhhh, I think Team Geek Girls were talking about getting together in the library Sunday morning. At least Neimi mentioned it when I caught up to her." he grins, "I, uh, didn't really stick around long enough to hear any real plans though."
> "Anyway, I'm gonna see if I can catch Rei and Ichi before track practice...hell, I'm almost late already. Eh, whatever." Shiro slaps you on the shoulder and takes off back the way he came.
<Mykasi> "Hah. Something tells me I don't want to intrude on that one." Mike grins for a moment. "Pop quiz, eh... damn, that's really a lousy move. See ya later, man."
* Mykasi watches Shiro leave for a second, before shaking his head and getting into the elevator. "There goes my weekend..."
> It seems that forewarning about a pop quiz isn't the only surprise the day has in store for you, since as you make it to your room...there's a young man standing outside the door with a couple of large bags.
> You don't recognize him from any of your classes either.
<Mykasi> "Ah? Can I help you?" Mike asks politely, a bit confused. Is this...?
> He shrugs, "Only if your name is Mykasi. Which I'm betting it is, not too many guys look like you around here." Cracking a smile, he adds, "I'm Kyo Tanakura, your new roommate."
> ...Shou's been kicked out for only 3 days and they have a new guy for you already?
<Mykasi> "Heh." Mykasi grins, before blinking. "You have a sense of humor, at least; the last two roommates danced around my ethnicity the entire time they were here." He quickly steps in and unlocks the door, pushing it in so Kyo can get in and put the bags down. "Are you new to the college, or just doing a room switch?"
> "Room swap. I was taking up floor space in one of these card boxes they pass off as rooms with two other guys." He drags his bags into the room, quickly noting which side is vacant and tossing his stuff down there.
<Mykasi> "Ch. Sometimes I've gotta wonder as to how they still manage to run this place." Mike steps into the room, grimacing at the wave of heat as he closes the door behind him. "Oh, joy. Furnace on again today."
> "Eh, it's got to get near boiling to bother me. And no kidding." He suddenly cracks a very large smile, "If I'd waited on the system to put someone in here on thier time, you'd likely have the place to yourself for another week. And with my luck, another request would have been pulled out of the pile then mine."
<Mykasi> "..." Mike is silent for a very long second, before beginning to laugh. "Khhhhaha, seriously, man? I think we'll get along fine." A slight shake of his head, and a grin. "I was gonna ask how you greased the system so well, but heck, that solution works better!"
> "Hey, forgiveness, permission, possesion is nine tenths of the law, you know the drill."
> He unpacks rather quickly. There's surprisingly little stuff, aside from clothes and books all you see are a few decks of cards and a laptop.
<Mykasi> "Definitely." Mike grins. "Hell, man, make yourself at home. Need any help getting anything else up here?" Spotting the cards, the grin gets a bit wider. "Ah, a card player, too?"
> "Oh, you play? Aces." He nods, "Yeah, I'm pretty into cards. Real cards, though, not these thinly veiled money machines they pass off as 'trading card games'."
<Mykasi> "I tried those, once." Mike shakes his head in mock mourning. "Then I learned my opponent had a card that apparently auto-won against my cards or something, just dropped it and went back to playing hearts. You know how to play that one?" Mike adds as an afterthought. "Not too common over here, probably in part because it needs four people."
> Maybe it's just everything suddenly happening at once, the drug test, Shiro's heads-up, a new roommate, but you're starting to feel kinda sick.
* Mykasi blinks, before leaning against the wall in an attempt to stabilize.
> "Hearts? Never played it, but it's in one of these books." He holds up a couple of books on various card games. All in English, actually.
> "Uh, you alright man?"
> The sickness expands from a general wobbly into both a very lightheaded feeling and a gnawing nausea in your gut.
<Mykasi> "Heh..." Mike waves his hand at Kyo with a slight grin. "I'm fine, but-... okay maybe I'm not fine. Ch, long day... I think I'm gonna try and sleep this off. Do whatever you want tonight, man, I sleep like a log."
> He nods, "Sure. I'm gonna run down and poke the staff about that room change request. Since I heard there was an opening and all." He hesitates for a moment, "Uh, I don't have a key yet, so mind if I leave it unlocked until I get back?"
* Mykasi nods. "Not a problem, go ahead and leave it unlocked. I'm not too worried about people coming in here." With that, Mike flops over on the bed. "Hopefully you can get the room stuff worked out."
> "Shouldn't be a problem, I know who to talk to. Just wanted to hedge my bet by getting in here first."
> Kyo heads out, "Later then. And thanks for not throwing me out!"
<Mykasi> "Hah, no worries, man!" Mike grins before closing his eyes.
> Sleep...does not come quickly. For a couple of hours you lie there, trying your damndest to pass out but without much success. The sick feeling is lessened however when you're horizontal. Stand back up though, and the nausea hits full force, like you got kicked on the inside of the stomach by a horse.
<Mykasi> "Kh..." Keeping the trash can close by, Mike tries to pass time by reading through random notes until he passes out. "What the hell, did the doctor have some illness he gave me...?"
> Somehow, the nausea never forces you to vomit, and you do manage to force yourself to sleep after reveiwing your InstAl notes. But the common theory is that anything from that class could put a monk to sleep from sheer boredom.
> As Mykasi's conciousness finally slips into blessed sleep, the notes he dropped upon the floor begin to rustle in a wind that isn't there...
> (OOC: Scene Change!)
> Gray. Endless gray in all directions. It's a bit hard to get one's bearings when one is floating in a monochrome void, but somehow Mykasi finds himself needing to do exactly that at this point in time.(more)
> Peering into the grey, Mike can slowly begin to make out...something in it. What, he's not so sure. But there's definately...something straight above him. As if drawn by a fishing wire, he cannot help but move towards this 'something', swimming sluggishly through the gray.
> (more)
> As he draws closer, the something becomes more defined. It's...it's the camp. The old camp outside of town where the five of you would hang out on weekends ever since middle school.
* Mykasi approaches, curious now. Why's this out here...?
> This camp. So many memories, so many great memories. But...this is also where that party was going to be. So many memories. So many tainted memories.(more)
> As Mykasi lands in the shadows around the camp, he can see...five people sitting together. Shadowy, flickering, they take no notice of him but continue to talk amoungst themselves.
<Mykasi> "Why... why this scene again?" Mike shakes his head, attempting to clear his throat. "Why now?"
> You can hear them talking. The shadowy Sandy laughs, "Come on guys, do it!" as Amy adds "Pleeaaaaase? It's just us, there's nothing to hide here, right?"(more)
> The shadowy Mike simply burries his head in his hands while Xavier shakes his head, "No way! It's too embarrasing. Come on Bill, help us out here!"
* Mykasi flushes at this, kneeling down. "What the hell? Why this moment? This some sort of stupid dream? I..."
> The shadowy Bill laughs, "Alright girls, I've got a deal for you. If you want to see those two kiss so bad, then we get to see you two kiss." Amy's eyes go wide, "What? Come on, we aren't even like that!"
> Sandy, ever the shameless one, thinks about it for a second before batting her eyelashes at Amelia, and chiming in in her best singsong voice, "I'm game if you are~"
> Xavier blushes as Amelia shakes her head, "Uh-uh, no way. I KNOW where your mouth has been girl. Never-MIND!"
<Mykasi> "...No." Mike grits his teeth. "No, stop this. I don't want to see this anymore. I know what happened... I don't want to see any more of this!"
> Shadow Mike, as you well remember, is now trying very hard not to fall off his chair laughing.
> Bill grins at Xavier, "Help rendered." Then he stands up and pulls out his wallet, "Alright man, here's thirty, go get us some drinks and a couple snacks, alright?"
<Mykasi> "Goddamnit!" Mike curses at the shadow, running off a string of profanities in Miwok that'd make his family throw something at him if they heard it. "NO! KISS HIM, TACKLE HIM, DO SOMETHING! STOP HIM! ...please. You could've stopped him... I coulda..."
> Xavier blinks, "Why me?" Sandy laughs and swishes around her mostly empty beer bottle, "'Cause you're the only one who hasn't had anything to drink yet, Xav!"
<Mykasi> "I had only had one drink... I could've gone instead, and I was the better driver anyway..." Mike says, staring at Xavier. "Damnit..."
> Xavier can't help but laugh, "I guess I can't argue with that. Alright, I'll be back in a few."
* Mykasi lunges at the shadowy Xavier at this! "XAVIER!"
> A voice from behind you suddenly cuts through the scene, "And freeze frame." Everything stops moving the moment he speaks, while you dive right through the shadow of Xavier, not feeling a thing as you hit the ground.(more)
> ...you know that voice.
> It's yours.
* Mykasi turns over on the ground quickly, trying to spot the voice.
> "Right there. That exact moment, right there. That's where eeeeeeverything went to hell, wasn't it?"
<Mykasi> "Where - who - what in the hell's going on?" Mike says, tears rolling down as he stands. "Why?!"
> You spin, and can see...yourself. A third Mykasi is standing in the shadows cast by the campfire. He's not the Mykasi from the camp though. He looks the same as you...except still dressed in the tattered jeans and loose shirts you prefered back in America.
<Mykasi> "...what the hell?" Mykasi shakes his head.
> The Other Mykasi shrugs, "Bullshit, no? And kinda ironic if you think about it. We send the only 100% sober guy to do a beer run. I mean, we're drinking underage but not irresponsibly, right? Then he goes and gets hit by someone else being a retarded fuckwit."
<Mykasi> "...... still..." Mike grimaces. "I didn't stop him... could've done anything there but I didn't..."
> "I've been kinda wondering that myself, actually. Though it's more Bill's fault then yours." Other Mykasi shrugs again, "But I suppose letting Bill run things like that comes back around to us anyway. Guy's nice enough, but...not really the brightest knife in the rack, to mix metaphors."
* Mykasi shakes his head, backing away a step, the tears mostly stopped as he begins to glare at this... other him? What? It hadn't clicked before now, but... "What's going on? Why the hell is this scene playing again?"
> He shrugs. He seems to do that alot, "Don't ask me, you're the one doing it."
> "Can't say I'm sad to see you here though. Misery loves company and all."
<Mykasi> "I'm the one doing this?" Mike asks, bewildered. "But you're talking as if you're not me."
> His eyes grow hard for a moment, "Considering you've left me to look at this damn scene every FUCKING DAY since it FUCKING HAPPENED, while you got your fancy scholerships and went out to Japan!"
> (more)
> He snorts, "Oh, I am you. I'm the parts of you that you don't like. That you stuffed in the deep parts of your soul to sit here and rot with my thumb up my ass with only the memories you didn't want anymore to keep my company."
> "So you'll excuse me if I don't have any patience for your little emo breakdown there."
<Mykasi> "...what?" Mike blinks. "The... you... the parts of me wait what? What the hell does this have to do with Japan?!"
> He facepalms, muttering something in Miwok, "What does this..? Jesus H. fucking Christ, maybe because Japan is where you ran away to like the damn coward you are instead of dealing with the shit hand you got dealt?"(more)
> He snorts, "Actually, no, you're not a coward and that's half the problem. That's what I can't figure out is why you're acting like this when you could have made a whoooooole lot more out of yourself. But I guess I'm the part of us that can get things done, huh?"
> He pauses, "Or...did I really get ALL our balls?"
<Mykasi> "Excuse me?" Mike growls, advancing face to face with this copy of himself. "Making a whole lot more out of myself? What the fucking hell do you expect, becoming a superhero to go conquer evil and idiocy all around the world?! Children's dreams!" Mike practically bellows the last part. "And if you're really me like you're claiming you are - I don't know what the fuck they'd call this in psychology other than 'srs bsns'..." (more)
<Mykasi> "...then you'd know why I left that place! You saw the reaction at that kid's funeral! But he didn't die, damnit! He's immortal now in all their tears and their memorials and their causes! BUT WHO CARED ABOUT XAVIER?!"
<Mykasi> A slight inhalation. "No one. No one but us and our families. And that was almost as bad - the dead silences where he'd usually say something off-the-cuff..."
> The shadow shrugs, "Nobody, I suppose. Apparently not even us, I mean we didn't even stay with him after it happened. We went off to study robotics. Weren't we always bad at science anyway?"
<Mykasi> An annoyed sound from Mike. "It's math, not science. You don't worry about the fundamental shit when you've got the applications, and those are simple calculations."
> "Eh, details."
<Mykasi> "And..." A slight pause, before Mike looks at himself again, a slight smirk at his other self's comment despite himself. "He didn't recognize any of us. His parents wouldn't let us talk to him for too long... he got shanghai'd into the store, he had little time for us..." A slight pause, before he looks up at his shadow. "If I had thought we could have helped him... but the doctors themselves said it. If he ever remembers anyone, it's
<Mykasi> "If he ever remembers anyone, it's going to be sudden, and us lingering around likely won't help. And the odds of that... practically infinite to none."
<Mykasi> "...but you're right." he adds, shaking his head.
> "Yeah, like you trust those doctors anyway. If life's taught us one thing, it's that nine days out of ten? We're the only one who can do shit right."
> "So why aren't we doing it? Why aren't we studying psych, or medicine, or hell anything to do with people? We could help him then, at least have a chance at it?" He shakes his head, "Except I already know that answer. People hurt you too much. You're too damn sensitive."
> (more)
> His voice grows even, "But I can do it. Along with all the jackassery you didn't like, you gave me all the tools you know we have to change things. Because you didn't want to admit that there was somthing you could do. I can save him. Just swap with me. Let me take over, and I'll fucking fix everything. You KNOW I can."
> "You can even have all the good times. I'll take this with me. This memory is my fuel. Your pansy ass can sit in here and remenise about good times while I do all the hard work."
<Mykasi> "...I didn't give you everything." Mike grins, before looking at himself evenly in return. "You know what robotics is? It's the combination - practically the perfect one - of executing human thought within robotic potential. AI, computation, programming, and then the motion. In the end, it's humanity's potential; the capability to instill in what was lifeless junk... a new reality." (more)
<Mykasi> "I became an insular ass because the world expected it of me, in some ways - I... fuck, I think I turned into a bit of an emo, because people expected it! I had just lost my best friend, my lover! But as stupid as it is? I think it was the best thing I could've done." A challenging smile to himself. "Tell me why."
<Mykasi> "Hint: It's got to do with this, with what's happening now."
> "What, me giving you a wakeup kick in the ass?"
<Mykasi> "Half of it." Mike smiles. "That and... I insularized myself because that way the world couldn't hurt so bad. But now..." A look to Xavier's frozen frame. "I won't let you have control. But god if I'm gonna stay a fucking puissant emo bastard."
> The Other Mykasi shrugs, "Like you're actually going to do anything with it."
> Then he eyes you, "So you're serious? Can you stand to have this scene play through your head nightly? Do you have that kind of strength?"
<Mykasi> "The potential in robotics is unparalleled. Bigotry, unfairness... in many ways robotics can counteract all this. It can do things to and for us that we've never dreamed of. I just went for it before because it was something lofty and ambitious..."
* Mykasi looks to himself. "Alone? No. I think we've seen that. Us two, working together at it? Yeah, pretty confident."
> The Other Mykasi cracks his knuckles, "Well see how long it takes you to crack. But if you can bear up...then you handle the planning, and leave the execution to me" He grins, "I'm the one with all the balls, remember?"
<Mykasi> "Hah." Mike grins. "I think you'll find I've got a lot more than you give me credit for. And... someday, we'll go back to him. But we've got the talent and the potential to renovate this planet's ass, so I vote we make use of it."
> "Vote? What do you think this is, a democracy? Man, we won't get shit done if you don't just take the damn reins of whatever and go." The Other Mykasi holds out a closed fist, "Alright then, if you've got the plan, I've got the gall. Let's kick ass and maybe take a few names if we can spare the time."
<Mykasi> "Heh." Mike slams his fist into his double's own. "Just get one of the robots to gank their IDs afterward so we've got a solid list of 'em, ne?"
> As the fists connect, you can hear a whisper on the wind...a wind that isn't really there...
> "The Courage to face yourself, and accept that which you once fled from. Such Courage is the source of your hidden power. Awaken now to your True Self..."
> A glow surrounds the two Mykasis...and as the glow brightens the Other Mykasi fades away. In his place, a card spins slowly in the air.
> The card's back depicts a young native american man and a hound contemplating the foot of a mountain, while on the front...a momentary image of Mykasi's own form, then a man...with eight eyes and a spider's body where his lower body should be, like some twisted arachnoid version of a centaur. Wearing a top hat.
> "Thou art I, and I am thou. I am Anansi, the Master Trickster. Allow me to cover your tracks on this FOOL's errand."
<Mykasi> "Anansi with a top hat. Of course it's Anansi with a top hat, this dream hadn't gotten awesome enough yet."
> The card fades away...and Mykasi can feel his strength fading...
> The world around him begins to spin, and grow dark...
> (OOC: The Return of Scene Change!)
> Oh man. What is that...smell? God, something smells foul in here. Smells like...vomit. And alot of it.
> It suddenly occurs to you that this might be because you're currently leaning over the side of your bed heaving your guts up.
> Thankfully, right into the waste bin.
<Mykasi> Ugh. Pleasant way to start a morning, this- well, wait, is there any light?
> "Shit, more? Damn man, how much puke can one guy have in him?"
> There's currently only a small lamp on Kyo's side of the room for light. It's dimmed.
> Wait...that's your side of the room.
> You're in the wrong bed.
* Mykasi waits until a pause in the stream, before, "I don't know, man. Should we start a scientific analysis of precisely how much a skinny Indian can manage to puke out?"
<Mykasi> "Also, something tells me I won't enjoy hearing why I'm in -this- bed."
> Kyo jumps up, "Dude, you're awake?"
> He flips the light on, leaving you staring right into the wastebasket you just wretched in.
<Mykasi> "You're telling me I was sleep-ralphing, too? Shit, this is a great second impression to make."
> You don't remember eating anything green.
<Mykasi> "... cheerful colors, too. Green?"
> Kyo shakes his head, "Man, you were up all night puking. When I got back from the office, you were lying in a puddle of it. If I hadn't gotten back when I did you mighta choked on it."
> "Just...you wouldn't say a damn word. Like you some kinda puke zombie."
<Mykasi> "...shit." Mike leans back for a moment as the urge momentaraily passes. "I think I got something when I went to the doctor's this afternoon... and that explains which bed I'm in. Damn." After a moment, "There's a cup behind my light. Hate to be an ass, but could you get me some water? Rather not be tasting this all my life."
> "Yeah, no sweat man. And..uh, yesterday afternoon. Like I said, all night. It's like..." he checks his watch, "Nine thirty, Saturday morning."
> He fills up a cup of water for you, and brings it over.
<Mykasi> "...nine thirty... what." Mike rinses his mouth out first before drinking the rest of the water. "Ugh. ...was I vomiting the entire time?"
> "Yeah, pretty much. That's the second can, you filled the other one up."
> He laughs, "It wasn't like an endless stream of it or anything, just you were starting to heave every hour or so and I'd move your head over the bloody can for you."
* Mykasi pauses for a moment. "You've been up all night?"
> Kyo shrugs, "Nothing new for me, man."
> "Well, the up all night part."
> "The vomiting was new."
<Mykasi> Another pause, then, "So. Better or worse than your previous setup, one to five, multiple choice there are no wrong answers."
> He goes over to the windows and pulls down the blankets he'd rigged up to keep the light out, "Eh, those guys'd keep me up all night snoring. I figure if you gave me whatever the hell you've got then you get to return the favor and we'll call it good."
* Mykasi grimaces, and since it seems he's at least feeling marginally better, tries to sit up. "Sounds like a deal, though hopefully you don't get this shit."
> "At least, I hope you don't get sick like this alot. If you do, I so can't blame Shou for popping some of the shit he did."
> You feel...honestly, aside from disgust at yourself and a lingering feeling of ick...you feel fine.
> Oh, and that horrible taste in your mouth
* Mykasi snorts. "Dude, first time I've had more than a head cold in like two years. It's why I'm so startled and... kinda pissed at myself, frankly, but."
* Mykasi shakes his head a bit, before swinging his legs over the bed and tenatively standing.
> "Well, you're not from around here, right? Maybe something local you've got no defenses for caught you?"
> He continues, in a deadpan, "I heard from history class that you native american types were pretty suceptible to stuff like that..."
> You stand, without any problems.
<Mykasi> "Possible. Been here in Japan a while but... eh, maybe it was just something in the food this time around." A grimace at this. "Hopefully this is as sick as I-" A blink at Kyo, before he quickly flicks the pillow on Kyo's bed at him. "Indians or First Americans. Alternately, Miwok-Omaha, though that one's just me."
<Mykasi> "Also, nice, I didn't think I'd meet anyone else willing to crack smallpox jokes."
> "Indians? Don't folks who are really from India take offense at you guys getting called Indians?"
> He dodges the pillow, "I mean, why should you guys get to steal thier country's name just becuase some white explorer doesn't know his left from thursday?"
<Mykasi> "Not so far as I know, but that's why we use the First Americans term. Indian comes from In Dios, actually - In God, the term Columbus used for us. Then he tried to enslave us anyway, but hey, no one's perfect."
<Mykasi> A pause. "What's your major, man? You seem better educated about this than, oh, ninety percent of Americans, which isn't hard but still surprising."
> He grins, "English."
> "Maybe going to look for something in translation for a job. You guys import enough of our culture to keep it a pretty big industry, you know?"
> A shrug, "Not like we don't do our fair share of importing yours."
<Mykasi> "Heh. Fair enough." Mykasi gets himself a second cup of water, trying to drown the taste out. "You got questions, just ask; I'll probably curse you over Japanese verb conjugation enough anyways. And yeah, there's a ton of business in translation nowadays, and culture crossing." A grimace. "America won the first round with McDonalds and fast food, but you guys will probably take the second with animations, drawings and reb
<Mykasi> " but you guys will probably take the second with animations, drawings and rebellious counter-culture."
> He laughs, "Alright, well, uh, no idea what the hell you had but you seem alright now. You good?"
<Mykasi> "I think so, at least for the moment. Lemme make my bed - if you've got spare sheets you should probably switch yours out too, just in case."
> "Yeah, that was the idea. You go get a shower and clean up. I'm gonna go catch a nap at my brother's place. I'll pick up whatever you didn't get when I get back." He pauses, "Uh, still no key, so either leave the door unlocked or be prepared to be woken up by loud banging."
<Mykasi> "Alright." Mike nods. "Door'll stayed unlocked. I owe you one, man - if you don't get sick I'll cover meals later in the week. Take care of yourself, alright?"
> "Always do. Later." Kyo grabs a bag he'd already packed and heads out.
> You are now alone in a room that smells like vomit. There are two wastebaskets near full of it, and the sheets on your bed arefull of it. So is your shirt, for that matter.
* Mykasi grimaces. "Well, no time like the present..." Opening the window for some quick ventilation, Mike quickly swaps T-shirts, dumps the wastebaskets into the toilet and flushes and takes off the sheets, stuffing them all in a hamper before heading to the laundry room to toss them in the washer.
> You manage to do all that just fine. Whatever you had, it really feels like it's flat out of your system. You do get some funny looks on the way to the laundry room though.
* Mykasi mutters something under his breath about world domination as he throws the laundry in and heads back to the room, checking in the mirror there to see if the looks were appearance-based or just rumor-based.
> ...yeah, definately appearance based. There's dried puke all around your cheeks.
> And frankly, you look like death warmed over in a microwave.
<Mykasi> "Fucking hell." Well, nothing more water - in shower and hydration form - can't fix. Right?
> A shower is obtained! Now you feel approximately 100% better. It's...if you hadn't woken up like that, you would not believe that happened last night. You feel like a new man.
<Mykasi> "Heh. I could get used to this feeling..." Mike grinned, before getting dressed in loose clothes (last shirt not in the washer, good timing there) and flipping open his note.... actually, a different priority comes first. Cell phone... Xavier's number should still be in here, hopefully, else he has to dig in his computer for the backup list.
> It is still in there.
* Mykasi punches the buttons to tell it to dial, before listening to the ringtone, a weird mixture of elation, anxiety and calm flowing through him.
> The phone rings once. Then an automated message answers....informing you that your number has been blocked by the number you are attempting to call.
<Mykasi> "..." Mike silently closes the phone. Well, hell. After a few moments he flips it back open and dials for Bill.
> Bill answers after two rings, "Talk to me."
<Mykasi> "Mike. Sorry for the late call, in more ways than one. How've you been?"
> "Oh, hey guy. Yeah, I've been good. Just chilled with Xav yesterday, getting him away from his 'rents is getting harder and harder, I swear. How's things out in animeland?"
<Mykasi> "I'm surprised I can say this after all the events of the past few days, but fairly decent, all things considered. I just tried calling Xav... the phone's blocked, though. Same for everyone else?"
> There's a bit of silence, "Wha?"
> "What do you mean the phone's blocked?"
<Mykasi> "I'll take that as a no. I just tried dialing his house, got a message saying my phone number had been blocked. Bah. I've been bad about calling people, too, so of course I've got no real clue how long it's been like this."
> "Man, I called before I went over there yesterday. And I know Sandy calls him every saturday."
> "Want me to go over there and ask what that's about tomorrow?"
<Mykasi> "...then why would... ...hell, I don't know. That's weird." A pause, then, "Nah. Just give me a ring when you're next hanging with Xavier, I'd like to talk to him if he's willing. I... need to get some stuff off my chest. No reason for you to antagonize them, though."
<Mykasi> "Rather not lose another way to contact him, you know? If I'm the only one blocked..." A pause. "You think they know about he and I? But why would they block me due to that...?"
> "Alright, sure. And yeah, I bet he'd want to talk to you too. He was asking me all kinds of stuff about what all we used to do yesterday. It's like he's really trying to make himself remember."
<Mykasi> Mike pauses at this with a slight wince. "Yeah. If you can get some time soon, I wouldn't mind talking to him. His parents are cracking down harder on him? Man, that's complete bogus."
> There's another pause, "Shit...guy, they might have. Oh shit. Fucking shit, man this might be my fault!"
<Mykasi> "First, explain, second, stop panicking." Mike says at this. "I don't want to have to try and decode Bill-panic again - junior year with the double date was bad enough."
> "When we were talking he asked stuff about you and I told him that you and him used to be a thing, right? He didn't know that! I thought you told him before you left, but I guess you didn't. He wasn't like repulsed or anything, just curious, right? Then...man, his folks have been getting really Christian lately. If he let that slip to them..."
> "Fuck man, I might have just screwed you over!"
<Mykasi> A very long pause. "Bill. The only guy who has ever screwed me over is Xavier." Mykasi deadpans into the phone.,
> Another very long pause, "...only you could crack gay jokes right now, Mike."
> "Anyway, I'm gonna head over there tomorrow. I gotta know if this is my fault, alright?"
> "I'll call you when I get an answer."
<Mykasi> "It was my way of telling you to not worry about it." Mike shakes his head. "Go ahead and call, BUT. Bill, listen."
<Mykasi> "Don't bring this up with his parents. Period. Ask Xav if he brought it up, that's all we need to know. If you lose access to talking to him, he likely gets shut off from all of us. We don't want that. Alright? If we know that's the issue, we can work from there; if it isn't, something else is going on."
> "...yeah, alright. I'll do this your way. And I'll just shoot you an email then, save the transpacific dime."
<Mykasi> "Alright. This being said, if you can get him away from his family, I wouldn't mind talking to him. Don't lose sleep on this; I shoulda told him before I left. ...I ran like a fucking coward, tail between my legs. This ain't your fault, just an extension of my own."
> "Yeah. Hey, Sandy still comes down sometimes, I'll see if we can get Xav out next time she does and get a speakerphone set up. Sound good?"
<Mykasi> "That'd be sweet, man. I'll toss Sandy an email and... hell, I'll call Amelia when it isn't dead o' clock over there. Sorry to be MIA in Japan for so long, shit happened but I'm not gonna let it happen again. Touch base later, in email if anything, alright?"
> "Yeah, will do. You take care of yourself out there, alright? You're the furthest of us from any kind of support. Amy at least has distant family out in France."
<Mykasi> "Yeah... I will. You guys, too. I'll be home someday soon, and maybe I can bring back a robot that'll do Xavier's job for him so he can slip out!" Sadly, this seems like one of the few good Robot-and-Xavier plans he's come up with, in reflection.
> Bill snorts, "Yeah, and bring Sandy back a genetically engineered catgirl while you're at it. Alright, later guy." Bill says his goodbuy and hangs up.
> He always did have a bad habit of hanging up before the other person said "bye"
<Mykasi> "Cathermaphrodite, more like." Mike snorts, before rubbing his head and putting the phone on the nightstand.
<Mykasi> After tossing Sandy a short email ("Hi, this is Mike, I'm a dickbag who can't keep in touch with his best friends, how does a cathermaphroditegirl sound, throw me a message later") grabbing his laundry and making the bed, the rest of the day is spent eating leftovers (from two days ago, so they should be safe) and studying the damn Instrumental Analysis notes.
> You manage to get the room cleaned up and get some grade A studdying done in the library. You actually run into a couple other InstAl students there and form an impromptu study group. Around nine at night, Kyo comes back to the room, carrying a cooler along with his bag.
<Mykasi> "Hey." Mike waves, sitting up in his own bed. "Whatever it was, it was a 24-hour bug; I'm feeling pretty bloody awesome. You doing alright?"
> "Plus side of going to see my brother, is that his wife's cooking is aces." Setting down the cooler, he smirks, "And you lucked out man, when she overheard what I was up all night doing, she wouldn't let me leave without a cooler full of stuff for you. Including a couple of containers of authentic homemade Chinese hot and sour soup."
> "And yeah, I'm good."
* Mykasi sits up straight at that. "Shit, seriously? Gunnin'. And you didn't even get sick. I'll have to try and repay the favor - not the best of cooks but you guys might like a few of the dishes I can make? Depends, it's heavily meat-based..."
> He opens the cooler and passes you a tupperware container, "Here, try this stuff. And yeah, I'll eat nearly anything. Well, except that Italian marinara sauce stuff. Which means I don't touch pizza either. But other then that, I'm not picky."
> "And I'm glad you can cook, because I can't scramble an egg without breaking the Geneva convention bans on chemical warfare."
<Mykasi> "Hah." Mike grins. "Dad and Mom went on 'retreats' in the mountains enough, left me cooking for myself and whatever friends came over to abuse the empty house. I do some mean egg-based foods, I'll whip some up next time I know you're going back there." Taking the tupperware container, he pulls out a spoon and a chopstick set. Opening the lid, "Man, it smells to die for." (more)
<Mykasi> After a moment, "You said authentic? Where'd she learn how to make it?"
> "Old family recipie, apparently. One of her great grandmothers or something was Chineese. Left a whole mess of recipies behind."
<Mykasi> "Ah." Mike nods. "Makes sense, that."
> Kyo nods, "Alright, well have at the food. It's technically all yours but I don't think she understands how much normal people eat so I'll be sure to help out with that." Standing up, he futzes with his bags a bit until he's exhanged some contents and then picks one up, "Alright, it's saturday night so I'm heading out. I'll probably be back, uh, in the morning. So don't wait up. Later man."
<Mykasi> "Heh, sure. I'd probably be out too, but don't want to overdo it. Have fun."
> He heads out!
> You finish your soup, watch some TV, and eventually decide to give sleeping another try and hope you haven't just developed an allergy to rest.
<Mykasi> "Or an allergy to prolonged Kyo exposure. God, that'd be ironic." Mike muses.
> (OOC: The Bride of Scene Change!)
> Mykasi finds himself standing in a strange room. From top to bottom, this room is very, very blue. Mostly varying shades of dark blue, with a bit of lighter blues here and there. In stark contrast to all the blue, a brown table sits in the middle of this room, with a small bald man with a very long nose sitting in a black armchair on the other side.(more)
> A small couch is next to the table, angled slightly to be facing the door. A young woman with shoulder length red hair and freckles on her face sits on this couch. Her uniform, a type you don't recognize, is also very very blue. She smiles at you, "Welcome to the Velvet Room."
> She gestures to a chair before the table, facing the man, "Please, be seated."
<Mykasi> Mike pauses, before glancing behind him in confusion. "Uh, thank you." he replies after a moment. "Oh, uh, sure." He fumbles around the seat before sitting down a bit awkwardly.
<Mykasi> "Uh. My name's Mike, and... where precisely -is- this Velvet Room?"
> The man smiles at you, oddly comforting despite his somewhat frightening visage, "Please, do not be alarmed. You are very much asleep in your own bed in the real world. I have summoned you here within your dreams."
<Mykasi> "Oh." Mike relaxes a bit. "Another dream like this? Can't object, the last one was... well, not pleasant, but cathartic."
> He continues, "The Velvet Room exists here, in the Dream. At least it does for the time being. My name is Igor, and this is my assistant, Theresa."
> He nods, as if he knows exactly what you're talking about, "Can you venture a guess as to why I have summoned you here?"
<Mykasi> "A pleasure." At Igor's comment, he muses for a moment. "Well, I can think of three reasons, but... you're taking this seriously enough that this is either me attempting to unravel my own issues with a psychiatrist-type figure, or..."
<Mykasi> "... if you aren't a projection of myself... then it has something to do with the end of that dream, which is the only thing that doesn't fit in with that assumption made."
> He chuckles, "Very good. You are here within a dream, yes. But the Velvet Room is very much real, and we are not projections of yourself. And you would be correct in surmising that this is related to your previous dream. Shall I explain things to you?"
<Mykasi> "That'd be appreciated." Mike nods, a bit of relief etched onto his face.
> Igor nods, and Theresa speaks up, "What you confronted, and reconciled with, in your dream was your Shadow. The Other Self that you had been surpressing for whatever reason. Somehow, your Shadow became active, and gained enough strength to pull you into your own mind to confront you directly. Had you handled that situation differently, you could have ended up dead. Or worse."
> Igor takes over, "I'm sure you have heard of strange goings on in your world recently?"
<Mykasi> "Or worse." Mike repeats this, the hairs on his neck raising. "...and that could've happened, too, but... hell, had I not met Kyo that night..." A glance up at Igor's comment. "A little. People going out of control in public... that could've happened to me?"
> "Indeed. Those incidents were the work of Shadows."
<Mykasi> "...then I've been really lucky."
> Theresa chimes in, "Those people who went out of control were taken over by thier Shadows. Or perhaps willingly relinquished control to them."
* Mykasi looks to Theresa, before barely nodding. "It was only... not even pride, but bullheadedness to fix what I did wrong... So wait. Why is this happening to people all of a sudden?"
> Igor shakes his head, "Luck has nothing to do with it. You had the strength to face your shadow, and the courage to admit your own faults to yourself. That you are still in control of yourself is entirely your own doing."
> Theresa shrugs, "That, we don't know."
> Igor waves his hand, and the card you saw before appears on the table, "Can you remember the voice that spoke? What did it say to you?"
<Mykasi> "I see." Mike laces his hands in thought. "But it's possible to win, right? I mean, I've done so... ...on the other hand, attempting to preach morality and strength of character to people..." Closing his eyes in annoyance and thought, he jumps a bit at Igor's question.
<Mykasi> "Uh. 'The courage to face yourself, and accept that which you fled from. Such Courage is the source of hidden power. Awaken now to your true self.' And then, 'Thou art I, and I am thou. I am Anansi, the Master Trickster. Allow me to cover your tracks on this fool's errand.'"
> He chuckles, "An excellent memory. Those words were very true. This card, depicting Anansi the trickster, is the personification of your Shadow once brought under your control. It is your Persona."
> Theresa adds, "Persona are sources of great power. And not everyone who can master their shadow can form one. You're special in that regard."
* Mykasi looks at the card again, bemusedly, before looking up to the two. "Uh. Okay? Should I know what you're talking about already, or is there more explanation coming?"
> Igor shakes his head, "You will learn what Persona are capable of in time. Suffice to say for now, that it is your other face, and a power which you may use to help you in times to come. But..."
> Theresa smiles, "Power always has a price."
> Igor chuckles, "Indeed it does." His hand waves, and the card vanishes, replaced by a piece of paper. A contract.
* Mykasi looks at the contract quizzically.
> "To obtain the power of Persona, and to step into this world where things...are often not what they seem, you will need to sign this contract. It is a very simple agreement to make, but can be extremely difficult to uphold."
> The contract reads: "I _______________ agree that I shall take responsibility for my own actions, and aknowledge my part in whatever may arise from them."
* Mykasi muses at this, before looking up. "Short and sweet. I like it. Uh, is there a pen available?"
> "Know that if you sign this contract, you will be exposed to things you never imagined possible. But you will also lose any chance you may have had at a normal life. This is the doorway to the Dream. Will you go forward, or backward?"
> The moment you ask for a pen, one appears on the table before you, an old antique quill pen, already filled with ink.
> Theresa laughs, "So amusing, these humans. You never hesitate but make this decision in a breath. Always the same answer, too."
<Mykasi> "..." Mike pauses, looking at Igor after that line. "I... I've run for long enough. It's time to start this again, I think - and hell, there's a old curse I used to take to heart."
> "That is enough, Theresa."
<Mykasi> "Actually, I had a question, I just like playing with objects in my hand while I think." Mike replies with a grin to Theresa.
> She has the good grace to blush for a moment when both chided by Igor and corrected by you, while Igor gestures with his hand, "Oh?"
<Mykasi> "The question is this, and... as I've said, I plan on signing and abiding by it. I'm not in the mood to run anymore, and I don't want to turn my back on what I saw in my own dream. But... uh. The contract is impressively vague. Hypothetically speaking, what if someone signed it and then broke it - doesn't seem like the kind of thing to break accidentally either, so..."
<Mykasi> "...I suppose it's not really relevant, but the question's stuck in my head now." Mike mutters.
> Igor considers for a moment, then shrugs, "Honestly, I don't know. No one who has ever agreed to this has broken it's terms."
<Mykasi> "Damn, and here I thought you two would have machine guns under your chairs or something."
<Mykasi> With that he proceeds to sign the papers  -- Mykasi Kaliska-Werfel.
> Theresa giggles, "Oh, nothing so mundane as that."
<Mykasi> "Ah, so it's more destructive than a machine gun? The black hole that is world politics, then?"
> Igor, ignoring his assistant, waves his hand and the contract rolls itself up and dissapears, "Very well. For now, return to your world and reflect on what has transpired. But do not fear, we shall meet again,"
> Theresa giggles again, then stands up and bows, "Good morning, and have a pleasant day"
<Mykasi> "I look forward to it." Mike also stands and bows slightly to the two, before turning around to where he presumes a door is.
> The Velvet Room begins to grow dim, and fade from view...
> (OOC: The Son of Scene Change!)
> The sound of a door opening wakes Mike up. Light streams into the room from the still open window.
* Mykasi sits up, a bit chilly from the open window. "Hey."
> "Morning. If you spewed up my sister-in-law's soup in your sleep I'm going to have to challange you to a duel for wasting it or something."
> Kyo yawns, looks like he was probably up all night again.
<Mykasi> "If I did I'm going to have to challenge myself to a duel for wasting it, it was awesome soup." Mike shakes his head, checking the wastebasket. "Think I finally shook that illness, though the dreams haven't gotten any less funky."
> He winces, "Oh man, vomit dreams are the worst. Last time I got sick I had been playing way too much Smash Bros with my pals and dreamt I'd turned into Fox at a furry convention. I was trying to make it out without getting gang raped."
> He muses, "Don't think i've touched that game since, actually."
> "Anyway," he plops down on his bed and cracks open the mini fridge you'd transfered the food to, "Cold soup for breakfast. Aces."
<Mykasi> "... okay neither of my dreams got that weird." Mike replies with a straight face. "And... yeah, I'd drop the game after that, too. Or at least ban Fox."
* Mykasi nods, stretching. "Also some steamed rice in there, decently sure it isn't what caused the illness so I may have some of that this morning if you don't get into it."
> "Eh, I'm not huge on video games anyway. No real loss. And I'll pass on the rice. Had way too much of that last night."
<Mykasi> "Heh, what'd you get up to?" Mike nodded, leaning back.
> Slurping down his soup in short order, he shrugs, "Eh, stuff. Got together with some dudes to play a few hands, have a couple drinks. Bet who could eat the most rice. Usual stupid but fun weekend shit."
> "Got anything on the agenda for today?"
<Mykasi> "I think I've close to studied myself out for the possible pop quiz tomorrow, so not particularly, really." Mike leans back, considering.
> He blinks, "Pop quiz? In college? Lame. That's grade school crap. Anyway, help me out then. I've almost got the rights to my spot in here squared off, just need you to back me up. They don't like giving foreign students bad impressions, and after you got Shou the druggie, they'll want to make sure you've got someone decent."
> "Also, I know the dude who gets stuck doing office paperwork on Sundays. He likes to sleep his shift away, has a bad habit of signing off on whatever just to get us out of his hair."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, it's pretty bogus; had to deal with them in high school too, but didn't think I'd see one here. And sure, whenever you're ready to go down there I'm willing to make sure you get the place." At this, Mike grins. "Heh, nice. Yeah, this'll be a cinch. Whenever you're ready, man."
> He gestures with his empty soup container, "Was ready the moment I got the last of this in me." Standing up, he heads for the door, "I don't like to wait around, y'know? Best to just get stuff done fast."
<Mykasi> "'greed." Mike says, standing up and following him. "Advance forward, calvary!"
> Kyo grins, "Charge!"

[VySaika]

TOWERing Guilt - Valeriya

Part 1

> ---------------------------------------------
> Sunday, sunday, sunday. Almost everyone else you know has the day off. But there really isn't any such thing as a day off for you, though with two jobs you should really expect that. Sunday, however, happens to be one of your bussiest days, since what do people like to do on thier day off? Why, go spend some time working and hanging out at The Afternoon Club, what else?(more)
> Flicking your eyes over to the clock, you notice the time slowly working it's way towards 1, and towards your lunchbreak. But before then, there's still the matter of the group of five women who come in here every Sunday just before noon. And like every other Sunday, they grumble that they wind up with you or one of the other woman trainers instead of Mr. Shigen himself. Yet they keep coming back, so they must not mind too much.(more)
> One of the women grimaces as you instruct them to do a certain stretch, "Ehhh, are you sure this one is really nessesary? All it does is hurt..."
<Valeriya> If it hurts, that means it's actually accomplishing what it's supposed to
<Valeriya> "If it hurts, that means it's actually accomplishing what it's supposed to"  (Now, maybe if you hadn't let yourself go for all those years and actually walked a bit more, you wouldn't be here in the first place)
> She makes a face, but since the others are doing the stretch without apparent difficulty, she doesn't say anything else.
> After another ten minutes of putting these ladies through their paces, you feel a tap on your shoulder, and the voice of one of your coworkers, Gia, behind you, "Alright blondie, you've been here since eight, break for you. I'll take over from here."
<Valeriya> "Thanks"  (Blondie?  At least my hair colour is natural, you fake tramp)
> Gia is the only girl working here who has actually been here longer then you have. The Afternoon Club is somewhat notorious for a high attrition rate in it's employees. And even if she could hear your inner comment, the fact that she dies her hair in red and silver stripes means she'd probably only take offence to the tramp bit.
> *dyes her hair
<Valeriya> (I think I'll head out to a sushi place...it is Japan, after all)
<Valeriya> (...preferably a cheap one)
<Valeriya> "I'm going to a sushi place, Gia.  Would you like anything?"
<Valeriya> (I ask this every time, and she never says yes.  If she does...well, that won't happen)
> Gia shakes her head, "Oh, I had one of those new power drinks from Attamaba before work. It actually doesn't taste like crap, believe it or not."
<Valeriya> "Ok.  Take care.  I'll be back soon"
* Valeriya goes to grab her wind breaker from the employee office before heading outside. It is a bit cool, after all.
<Valeriya> (Plus, I do get some nice looks from the guys in this)
* Valeriya mutters under her breath: "Even if most of them half my age"
> You head out to the nearest...well, the cheapest sushi place you can get to and back in the half an hour you have for lunch. Yoji's Sushi Boat is the name of the place, and...well, you haven't gotten sick here yet though the food is just a touch questionable at times. Sliding into the establishment, the sushi chef points at you, puts one hand on his head and like always, starts to try and guess what you want(more)
> "Okay, okay, I'll get it this time! You want...one tuna and...some black sole! Extra wasabi! Haha, how was that?"
> He does this for all of his regular customers. He's almost never right, unless they just always get the same thing.
<Valeriya> (Eh, why not.  The wasabi was a great cathartic after that last dreadful...) [more]
<Valeriya> "Sure, right on today.  How much do I owe you?"
> "Haha! Yes, I knew I had it this time!" He takes your money, it's never much here, and starts slicing up your fish and preparing the rice. As he whistles a jolly tune while slicing, you hear a small giggle...off to your left somewhere.
> ...there's nothing but an empty table there.
* Valeriya stares at the table for a few seconds [more]
<Valeriya> (Probably been working too much.  Need to sleep more) [more]
<Valeriya> (Although...) 
<Valeriya> "Anyone sitting at that table?"  *Valeriya points to where she heard the noise*
> Yoji finishes his slicing with a hearty, "HaHA!" and calls your attention back to the counter, "Here you go, the best sushi for miles, just like always!" As you ask your question, he looks at the table, "Hmm, nobody's been at that one all day...guess someone jostled one of the chairs on thier way out. You can sit there, no problem."
> One of the chairs is, in fact, not tucked neatly under the table like the others.
<Valeriya> "Alright.  As long as it's not broken or anything, I think I'll sit there for a change, instead of going outside.  Let me smell the wonderful sushi smell" [more]
* Valeriya walks over and sits across form the jostled chair
> You sit. There are only three other people in the entire shop aside from you and Yoji, and they're all at the third table, furthest from the door(there's only 3 tables in here).
> The jostled chair does not move. It is just a chair.
<Valeriya> "I probably should stop watching horror movies so late at night.  Does not go well with sleep"  [more]
<Valeriya> "Mmm...tasty sushi.  Wish I brought a book to read"
* Valeriya continues to eat
> You eat. After awhile...you swear you catch a glimpse of someone next to the counter. But when you turn your head, there's no one there.
<Valeriya> "I wonder if there's something in the wasabi...actually, I think this happened last time right before I proceeded to expel everything in my entire GI tract" [more]
<Valeriya> "Started to hallucinate a bit.  Maybe the mushrooms are a bit more magical than advertised..."
> There's another giggle, this time...from right in front of you on the other side of the table. You were looking right there. No one is there.
<Valeriya> (Ok, I think I'm going to head to the bathroom.  I ate plenty for today) [more]
* Valeriya heads to the bathroom
> You head to the restroom. There's no one in there, so you can just go right in. Oddly, despite the odd noises and such you're hearing, you feel mostly fine. A little tired, but you were working all morning.
* Valeriya looks in the mirror. "Mmm...red eyes. Really need to try to relax a bit more and sleep better" [more]
<Valeriya> "Funny, I don't feel sick.  Maybe I'm growing resistant to this stuff?"
> You don't hear anymore funny noises. ...and it's getting close to the half hour mark. You need to be back at work soon.
<Valeriya> "Alright, let's finish up here and get out"  [more]
* Valeriya finishes up and leaves the place, saying goodbye to Yoji on the way out, and walking back to work.
<Valeriya> "Almost done for the day.  Just a few more hours, and I can go home and rest"
> As you walk through the mildly busy sunday streets, you...can almost feel someone watching you. You manage to make your way back to the Afternoon Club. Outside of the door, you see someone who frankly sticks out like sore thumb as badly as you do. There's a young girl there, with pale blond hair spilling down her back, and wearing a cute, but very outdated light blue dress.
> She smiles at you.
<Valeriya> (Cute.)  *Valeriya smiles at her*  "Hi, how are you?"
> The dog tied up to the post outside of the Club growls at you, it's ears flat and it's eyes wide. ...there's no girl there. It's just a dog. ...
<Valeriya> "..."  [more]
<Valeriya> (God, I hope no one saw that)  "Hi puppy.  Good doggie..."  [more]
<Valeriya> (Yeah, maybe this wasabi still doesn't agree with me.  Maybe I can get home early today...I could watch another horror movie...a bad one...and laugh at it before falling asleep)
> A couple young men come out from the club as you're standing there. One of them...one you recognize from the school, Rikuto Oda, blinks at you, "Oh, miss Hikari. Uh, hello. Excuse me," he moves over and grabs the dog's leash, "Hey, Tuba, what's gotten into you boy?"(more)
> The dog responds to him, though it only goes from growling to cowering down and whimpering.
> He shakes his head, "Come on, what's the matter?" He looks back up at you, "Um, have you been out here long? Was something bothering him?"
> His freind looks around, "I don't see anything. Maybe someone walked by with a bigger dog?"
<Valeriya> "I've only been out here a few seconds.  Haven't seen anyone else walk by.  I went to pet him, said hi, and he growled at me"
<Valeriya> (...I hate dogs...)
> Rikuto seems baffled, "Um, I'm sorry about that. He's never like this. He's the most freindly dog I've ever met."
> His freind also nods, "Yeah, this is the first time I've ever heard him growl."
> Rikuto shrugs, "Well, I'm going to get him home. I'm sorry he growled at you. I...won't bring him with me next time, I guess."
<Valeriya> "It's ok.  Maybe he just smells the sushi I had.  I mean, who knows - maybe it's made of cat"
> The boys blink, and the freind laughs, "Well, there goes the plan I had to grab some sushi. How about some chineese instead?"
> They leave, Rikuto half dragging his dog with him.
<Valeriya> (Well, that worked better than I thought it would.  I should get a job as a comedian) [more]
* Valeriya walks back into the club, drops her jacket off, and goes back to work. "I think I'm doing yoga next? I should check the schedule to be sure"
* Valeriya heads to the office to check the schedule
> You are indeed on Yoga next. Thankfully only two hours and then that's the end of your shift today.
<Valeriya> "Alright.  Time to get into my skimpy outfit and show off my killer body to all the people trying to emulate it" 
<Valeriya> (...except for the damn scar...)
<Valeriya> (Fucking scar)
> As you head to the locker room to change, you pass by Akamatsu, who quickly calls you over, "Valeriya. Are you alright?"
> "You look pale."
<Valeriya> "I ate at Yoji's and had the wasabi again.  You remember, right?  I was out for three days after eating that.  Probably the same problem"
<Valeriya> "Otherwise, I feel fine"
<Valeriya> "But you might want to make sure the bathroom is free in an hour or so"
> He hesitates, "If you're not feeling well you should go home. I can always call in Miaka."
<Valeriya> "I'll survive.  Don't worry.  Besides, I love yoga.  I get to show off my legs"
> He shakes his head, "Alright, but if you need to leave, then just let me or Gia know and go."
<Valeriya> "Thanks"
* Valeriya Valeriya goes to the yoga room
* Valeriya notices the class is a bit small today
<Valeriya> "Shouldn't there be about seven more of you here?"
> A couple of the young men shrug, "Usually. Heard there's been something going around the campus though."
> Another woman nods, "Oh, and don't forget Yui. She was on the news!"
> ...that's right. That teacher who flipped out on the parents of her students was in your Sunday yoga class.
<Valeriya> "That's right..." (Huh, how did I forget about that?)
<Valeriya> "Alright, well, let's get to it then!"
<Valeriya> "Fewer people means I can spend a bit more individual time with everyone"  *bats her eyes at a random man*
> "I thought Yoga was supposed to be stress relief..."
> "Well I guess she wasn't doing it right then."
> "...that's kinda cold..."
<Valeriya> "Quiet down!"
<Valeriya> "Yoga is serious business"
> Everyone quiets down, the a couple of the women start giving you that judgemental look after you bat your eyelashes at one of the college boys.
> There's a giggle.
> That girl is sitting over near the wall, looking at your class.
<Valeriya> (Ah, the guys really think they have a chance...torment is so fun...huh?)
* Valeriya glances over at the wall
<Valeriya> (...ok, I'll just ignore this...)
<Valeriya> "Ok, first move as such..."
* Valeriya does some yoga stuff
> It's that blonde girl in the blue dress. She quizzically watches you do yoga.
> Every now and again one of your students will look over to the wall to see what you're looking at, but no one says anything.
> You blink...it's just a couple of bookbags from the college kids.
<Valeriya> (...maybe it's my eyes...or maybe I really AM getting sick on the sushi, and not just making it up...)
> One of the boys speaks up, "Miss Valeriya? Are you alright? You look like you've seen a ghost or something."
<Valeriya> "I'm ok, but thanks for the concern.  However, that still doesn't excuse you from twisting your leg around your head.  Now, watch me..."
* Valeriya demonstrates
<Valeriya> (...wow...they are just staring and not even trying...good thing I wore undergarments today...)
<Valeriya> "Stop staring and stretch!"
> You manage to ignore the girl and get through your class. The boys get back on task when you call them out on staring, and the girls do thier damndest to try and outdo you.
> Three thirty rolls around. Finally. You're done.
<Valeriya> "Alright, that's it for today.  Good job.  Boys, if you need to stare that hard to see me when I'm 10 feet in front of you, I'd suggest you get glasses"
* Valeriya heads back to get her jacket
<Valeriya> (...now...what to watch before going to sleep...)
> You hear a few whispers, 'Well maybe if she acted less like a slut they wouldn't stare so much...'
> But there's ALWAYS those whispers.
<Valeriya> (Jealousy)
<Valeriya> (Those Japanese women are flat and short - the guys really fall head over heels for foreigners)
> 'They're probably pretending her face is a jigsaw puzzle. It looks enough like one.'
<Valeriya> (And I do enjoy this - it's not like they have a chance)
<Valeriya> (...yep, definitely jealousy...)
<Valeriya> (At least they would atually do something to my face, you homely tramp)
* Valeriya continues walking out
> The girls gossip and bicker as they leave, while the guys usually wait until after they get out to start the BS.
> You collect your things and leave. It's about a two mile walk from the Club to your apartment.
<Valeriya> "I think I'll jog today, maybe through the park.  Should be fun"
* Valeriya begins a brisk jog
<Valeriya> "Mmmm...what should I sing today while jogging?"
> You start jogging home. The park is...surprisingly empty for a Sunday afternoon. There's really just a couple of old couples, one boy who you swear lives here doing skateboarding tricks on the small paved circle. ...and a small blonde girl in a blue dress on the swings...
> She waves at you!
<Valeriya> "...ok, that's probably just bird shit on the swing..."
> Jumping off of the swing, she starts jogging along behind you, "Hehe, this is fun!"
<Valeriya> (...walking bird shit?)
<Valeriya> "...hi?"
<Valeriya> "Who are you?"
> She giggles, "Hehe, I'm Alice!"
<Valeriya> "Ah, from the novel?  And where's the white rabbit?"
> She frowns, "He's always so late. He won't play with me anymore."
> She looks up, "Will you play with me?"
<Valeriya> "Don't you have a mother to play with?  You really shouldn't talk to strangers"
<Valeriya> (...I really need to get home...)
> "Nobody else talks to me anymore. They're all too busy. I don't have any freinds, so I have to talk to strangers or I shan't talk to anyone!"
* Valeriya stops jogging
> "Will you be my freind? Then you won't be a stranger anymore and I can talk to you!"
<Valeriya> "Why doesn't anyone talk to you?  You seem like a nice littler girl.  And you're pretty good at appearing in random places - any particular reason you've taken a liking to me?"
> She laughs, "Oh that's easy. Because you can see me!"
<Valeriya> "Well, that does make it hard if only one person can see you"
<Valeriya> (...I'm going to regret this...but...)
<Valeriya> "Why can't anyone see you?"
> "Other people can see me, sometimes. But they're too busy to play with me."
> Her smile fades a bit, "Well, it's kind of sad that you can see me. It means you've died before. Only dead people can see me." Her face brightens a bit, "But I'm glad you got better! That means I can have a freind."
> Her expression grows a bit hesitant, "Unless...are you too busy too?"
<Valeriya> (...yep, this is the movie I watched last night, "Forgotten Night...)
<Valeriya> (I have to be hallucinating)
<Valeriya> "I don't think I've died before - what about you?"
> She shakes her head, "Oh I was never alive. And you must have died, or you couldn't see me!"
> She nods, in that sage little girl who knows it all fashion, "Sometimes people forget when they've died. It's a pretty bad memory, so people don't like to remember it."
<Valeriya> "So how would I get better if I've already died?  And if you were never alive, are you just my psyche going a little crazy?"
<Valeriya> "I mean, I did have some gnarly stuff to eat"
<Valeriya> (...the food really isn't THAT bad, but it does make a fine excuse...)
> She laughes, "No, your psyche is someone else. I'm just Alice. And people can get better. It doesn't happen often, but you can. I don't know how though, I just know you can see me!"
<Valeriya> "So what...are you?"
> "I said that already. I'm Alice."
> "I don't have a what, just a who."
<Valeriya> "...oh, why not, it's not like I have anything else to  do today.  What do you do to play?"
> She claps her hands, "Yay! Um, I don't know many games. Maybe I can just jog with you today! You think excersize is fun, right?"
> The skateboard guy is looking at you strangely...
<Valeriya> "Alright, then let's continue jogging"
> "Alright! I'll follow you."
<Valeriya> (Ok, this is weird...I wonder what she's going to turn into this time)
* Valeriya starts jogging back to her apartment
> Alice jogs along behind you all the way there. You don't hear her footsteps.
> You stop at the door to your apartment, and Alice smiles, "That was fun! Will you play with me again sometime?"
<Valeriya> "Sure - just one question: can we set up a meeting place?  You appearing randomly anywhere is a little unnerving"
> Her face loses some of it's smile, "Um, I won't bother you at work anymore. You'll probably be busy too, just like everyone else. But...if you want to play, just look for me! If you want to find me you will, I promise!"
<Valeriya> "I'll find you later, then - don't worry"
<Valeriya> (...I really do need to go to sleep)
> She claps, "Yay! I'll be waiting!"
> She smiles and folds her hands behind her back, "Well, good night! I hope you don't die before we play again!"
<Valeriya> "I'll just come back, like I apparently did already
> As suddenly as she appeared, Alice dissapears.
> You are standing in front of your appartment door.
<Valeriya> "Ok, time to go in"
<Valeriya> "I think I'll go to sleep"
* Valeriya opens the door and heads into her apartment
> You go inside. The place is small enough to set off claustrophobia if you had it. Only two rooms, the "living room" with a tiny sink/stove area that suffices as your kitchen against one wall(along with linoleum on the floor in that area), and a bedroom that's approximately large enough for your bed, your dreser and your TV. And that's it.
> There's a bathroom that you techincally share with the apartment next to you(a door on each side), but there hasn't been anyone living there for months.
<Valeriya> "Alright, I'm off to bed"
* Valeriya proceeds to strip her clothes off down to her bra and panties, pulls up her covers, and goes to bed after setting an alarm for tomorrow morning at 0600
> It's been a long day. You take no time to just drift off to sleep, passing on dinner entirely.
> Then, in the dark with no one awake to see, your covers stir a bit in a wind that isn't there...
> (OOC: The Return of the Son of Scene Change!)
> Gray. Endless gray...then black...endless black pulls at the ends of the endless gray. All directions hold the same sight...just endless gray followed by endless black. It's not something that should be possible...yet somehow, here's Valeriya, looking at it.(more)
> Orange? Is that...yes, a speck of orange amidst the gray and black. Valeriya finds herself pulled towards it, like a moth to the flame. The speck grows larger...(more)
> It's a fire. An american style fast food restaraunt is on fire. Flickering images of people are screaming...dieing...burning. A man rushes out the door, flames clinging to his shirt as if they wished nothing more then to strangle the life from him.(more)
> Valeriya feels her feet set down in the parking lot, not twenty feet from the flaming, flickering man.
> You know this place.
> You know it only too well.
<Valeriya> "..."
<Valeriya> "Blaze brightly, oh flame.  I haven't had this since moving here..."
<Valeriya> "Granted, usually these dreams are a bit happier...I mean...this was happy..."
> You hear crying from inside the flaming deathtrap.
> That's...that's your voice.
<Valeriya> (...what is this...)
<Valeriya> "This never happened before"
<Valeriya> "...well..."
* Valeriya slowly creeps forward
> You don't feel any heat from the flames.
> The crying gets louder.
> "NO! I didn't mean for this to happen! It was supposed to be just HIM! Not...not...THIS!"
<Valeriya> "...I left all this behind..."
<Valeriya> "This is so completely different"
* Valeriya continues forward
> The door to the building is right in front of you. Through the glass you can see a woman kneeling on the ground next to two people who are on fire.
> "You two never did anything to me....why..."
<Valeriya> "...my coworkers..."
<Valeriya> "Was it worth it?"
> The woman on her knees...is you.
<Valeriya> "The mother with the unborn child...was it worth it?"
> The flames do not touch her, they do not even respond as she futilly tries to beat the fire off of the two she is kneeling over.
<Valeriya> "I...am where I always see myself...futily trying to correct an error I made in base anger"
<Valeriya> "But...this is more surreal than usual"
<Valeriya> "Hey!  You can't put the fire out!v
<Valeriya> "I've tried"
> another voice behind you, "Eh, screw 'em I say. Yeah, it's a shitty thing that happened, but that's part of life."
> That voice...is yours.
> Another Valeriya walks right up next to you and peers through the glass, "She never learns. Stupid bitch."
<Valeriya> "Watch who you're calling stupid"
<Valeriya> "This is still shitty, what happened"
<Valeriya> "I went over the edge"
<Valeriya> "It was a bad idea, in hindsight"
> She laughs, "What, am I wrong? Look at her, trying to fix it. You can't fix the past. Besides, it's not like we really care about them anyway."
<Valeriya> "WE don't care?"
> "Maybe she forgot, but I remember. Our very first thought, as soon as we heard the news, was Thank God He's DEAD."
<Valeriya> "...well, yes...it was a relieving day...but the trial..."
<Valeriya> "The trial nearly ruined my life"
<Valeriya> "In fact, it did"
> She laughs, "Not a moment's thought for those other losers in there."
> The Other Val shrugs, "Well yeah. I mean, we didn't want to go to jail, right?"
<Valeriya> "Not until I heard about the friends I had...the children unborn...the mother..."
<Valeriya> "It was selfish"
> "So? They'd have died eventually anyway."
<Valeriya> "Going to jail...I didn't deserve to rot for what he did to me"
> She smiles, "Right! Exactly. It's all about getting what we deserve. Let other people worry about themselves."
<Valeriya> "And yet...shouldn't I be punished somehow?"
<Valeriya> "Collateral damage..."
> "Why should we be punished? We don't regret doing it."
> Other Val shrugs again, "As far as I can see, we didn't do anything but look out for us. It's their own faults if they didn't get out in time. Not everyone died in the fire afterall."
<Valeriya> "I suppose you're rightht"
<Valeriya> "But...I still wonder if he really deserved it"
<Valeriya> "Wasn't there another option?"
> "Of course I am. Now," she points at the Val that's still inside, "Since there's two of us who can see sense, why don't we drag her out of there. Come...WHAT?"
> She splutters, "Are you stupid!? We do remember the same guy, right?"
> "Did he DESERVE it? Fire is the only thing that man deserved!"
<Valeriya> "I feel like a horrible person nonetheless - he was an awful man.  I didn't want to have sex with him, and I did.  I didn't want to be beaten, but I let him."
<Valeriya> "And yet, before I turned to death, I firmly believe in goodness.  I'm a damn cynic now"
<Valeriya> "It's a disasterous fall - it feels right and wrong at the same time"
<Valeriya> "I can see why she still holds on"
<Valeriya> "But...she does need to get over it"
> Other Val shakes her head, "Cynicism is how we do things. It's how we look out for us. Nobody else matters."
> "Look, she's not coming out of there on her own. We can drag her out, and then just crush this place. Crumple it up and throw it away. We don't NEED this stupid memory."
<Valeriya> "Other people do matter, though - I care about my boss, this boss at the gym.  I care about the people I teach.  I'd like to ammend that sentiment: certain people matter
<Valeriya> "I do agree we have to get her out of there...but to lose this memory?  We need it"
<Valeriya> "It reminds us...of who we were"
<Valeriya> "We can't forget that"
<Valeriya> "Or we might make the same mistakes again"
> "Yeah, and what happens when those certain people care about other people, who care abot other people? You can't care abotu someone without caring about everyone they care about."
<Valeriya> "And I don't know about you, but I don't want to marry someone like that again"
> She snorts, "Yeah, THAT was our mistake. Marrying him. Not this. This was FIXING that mistake."
<Valeriya> "We were forced...goddamnit, I...was forced into it
> She nods, "Right. Not even our fault. We were never at fault here."
> "You'll see that I'm right. Just help me get her out and we'll bring this whole place down. Trust me, we don't need it."
> "Don't get sentimental like her. She'd bleed out our last drop of blood to try and 'make up' for this."
> "As if there's anything we even need to make up for."
<Valeriya> "When she's out, what do you intend to do to her?"
> She rolls her eyes, "Once we get rid of this place, she'll come back around."
<Valeriya> "Let me talk to her"
* Valeriya walks forward into the fire
<Valeriya> "Hey"
> Other Val sighs, "Suit yourself. She's not going to listen to reason from you any more then she does me though."
> You enter the building. The smell of the fire...and blood...here is overpowering. Still, you manage to force your way over to the kneeling Valeriya.
* Valeriya taps her shoulder. "Hey"
> She looks up as you speak, "You again! ...wait. You're not her. Please, you have to help me."
<Valeriya> "Help you with what?"
> "We...we have to try and save them. We have to undo this...what we did."
<Valeriya> "We can't"
<Valeriya> "The other one out there is right - partly.  We did this, and we have to leave the pain behind"
> "I know. But we can't just turn our backs either."
<Valeriya> "But she's wrong in that we don't need it"
> She shakes her head, "We can't leave it behind. She'll destroy it. She wants to make us a monster."
<Valeriya> "We need to know how it feels - we can't become a monster"
<Valeriya> "We need to remember it, but not let it rule out lives"
> "I...we have to stay here. We have to suffer to make up for what we did."
<Valeriya> "I acted rashly"
<Valeriya> "We have to move on, and learn our lessons and apply them"
<Valeriya> "Listen..."
> She shakes her head, tears falling from hr cheeks, "Does that make it okay? Just admit that oops, we made a mistake, and we get to go on with our life while the others...the others don't?"
<Valeriya> "I've become a cynic since this - I've been torturing myself.  I set a man, a bunch of innocent people, and an establishment on fire.  For a selfish reason"
<Valeriya> "We can move on and get on with our lives - torturing ourselves forever does nothing.  What goal does it accomplish?  I want to do something - it's a set-back we learn from.  I accept that fact that we have to continue on" [more]
<Valeriya> "But I also accept the fact that...we can't forget it.  It's going to eat at us forever, no matter what we do.  The physical abuse, the emotional abuse...our life has sucked" [more]
<Valeriya> "We didn't learn after him - we hit the same problems later.  If we forget our past, we're going to repeat it forver" [more]
<Valeriya> "But if we continue to harp on it, we do nothing.  It was selfish to do this, but it also is selfish to torture ourself with nightmares and everything else constantly" [more]
<Valeriya> "We deserve more than that...and surely we're doing nothing to help the ones we tortured if we stay stuck to this memory forever!  They deserve more than us torturing ourselves over them - haven't they sufferred enough?  This doesn't make it better!" [more] 
<Valeriya> "She out there is right, but she's also wrong.  You're right...and also wrong.  We need to reach an agreement together - we're all...part of each other, and the answer isn't with one of us - it's a conglomerate of us all.  We can't move on without each other, nor can we learn and correct our mistakes alone"
> She shakes her head again, "you...you're just like her. Everything you talk about is about us. About how we suffered. You don't care that we killed people. We deserve to suffer. You'll just let her destroy our guilt. I know you will!"
<Valeriya> "I care that we killed people.  I won't let her destroy our guilt - it's what keeps us from making the same mistake again"
<Valeriya> "Killing...is not..."
<Valeriya> "...it's not right..."
<Valeriya> "It wasn't the right answer"
<Valeriya> "But it happened...what do you intend to accomplish by sitting here...by ME sitting here and sufferring?"
<Valeriya> "We've done it for over 4 years"
> She looks up at you, "Then make her go away! Make her leave...make her leave and I'll come out."
<Valeriya> "She can't leave...we have to work together...but I'll talk to her"
<Valeriya> (...what is this...why...why is this going the way it is?  I don't get it...am I missing something?)
> "She has to leave. If she doesn't leave, I can't come out. She'll just destroy my memory."
* Valeriya walks out of the fire
> The Cynic Valeriya is still outside, "Well? Told you it was pointless. She's lost in her own stupid guilt."
<Valeriya> "She'll come out if you leave, she said"
<Valeriya> "Why can't you get her out on your own?  Why do you need me?"
> She rolls her eyes, "Uh, because she's just as strong as I am, duh. She's just alot more dumb. But dumb doesn't matter much when I've gotta use force to get her to go anywhere."
> "And yeah, right. If I leave, she'll just expand this stupid fire until it's the only memory we have."
> "No way am I going to let her drag us down like that."
<Valeriya> "So you both need me to do anything here"
> "Well, I can't destroy this place with her still in it, and she can't expand it with me blocking her. So all signs point to yes."
* Valeriya turns around and stares at the burning man
<Valeriya> "He was a horrible husband, but a decent manager" 
<Valeriya> "Always told him smoking would kill him"
* Valeriya laughs
> Cynic Val snorts, "Burn."
> "..."
> "Hahahahah!"
<Valeriya> "Alright, let's go inside and end this"
> Cynic Val sighs, "About time. I'll grab her left, you grab her right."
<Valeriya> "Let's go"
* Valeriya walks into the building
> Cynic Val is right behind you!
> As you enter, Guilty Val crouches like a cornered animal, "NO! STAY AWAY FROM ME!"
* Valeriya grabs her left
<Valeriya> "Hold on"
* Valeriya stays still while holding
> Guilty Val fights, but between you and Cynic Val you overpower her!
> Cynic Val tries to drag her out, but notices you aren't moving, "What now? Come on, we've got her!"
> Guilty Val screams, "LET ME GO! LET ME GO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS!!!!"
* Valeriya lets go and quickly punches both in the face
<Valeriya> "Get a hold of yourselves"
> Both Guilty Val and Cynic Val go sprawling.
> They both regain thier feet, and look at you bewildered.
<Valeriya> "Both of you need me, and I need both of you to do anything"
> Cynic Val glares, "What the hell was THAT for? We almost HAD her!"
> Guilty Val just stares at you quietly...
<Valeriya> "I'm sick of being tortured by this memory, but I know that what happened is something I can't forget"
> "BullSHIT! We only need you and me!"
<Valeriya> "I am both of you, and you are both me"
> Cynic Val growls in frustration, "No, I assure you, you can forget it. Just get her out of her and I'll do all KINDS of forgetting it!"
<Valeriya> "And then will you make the same mistakes?  What have you learned from her?"
> Guilty Val kneels down next to one of the coworkers again.
<Valeriya> "And you"
> Cynic Val screams, "There is nothing TO learn from her! She's an idiot! She'll drag us down in a fit of guilt that we don't need!"
<Valeriya> "Exactly"
<Valeriya> "You know this isn't what we want from her...without that, you wouldn't be who you are"
> Cynic Val seethes, seeming to lose the coherency needed to speak for a short time.
<Valeriya> "And you...don't you want to be forgiven?  Don't you want to move on?  Guilt is good to an extent, but this is ridiculous.  Without her to show you what you're missing...you wouldn't be so sad"
<Valeriya> "You wouldn't know what you want...you see her, and you're jealous"
<Valeriya> "I am jealous"
<Valeriya> "Jealous of the people..."
> "We can't be forgiven! The only people who can forgive us are dead!"
<Valeriya> "The people who didn't have such a shitty life"
<Valeriya> "And I was a strong believer in faith...reincarnation...we can be forgiven"
<Valeriya> "I still am...for what we did, we suffered in penance"
<Valeriya> We were raped, tortured, and beaten for a year"
<Valeriya> "Our boyfriend killed before our eyes"
<Valeriya> "If you feel for them so much, they feel for us the same way"
<Valeriya> "Everyone suffers"
<Valeriya> "But continual sufferring...why do it"
<Valeriya> "We learn from it"
<Valeriya> "Not repeat it"
<Valeriya> "Day"
<Valeriya> "After"
<Valeriya> "FUCKING DAY"
<Valeriya> "YOU BOTH ARE TOO STUPID TO REALIZE WHAT YOU NEED"
<Valeriya> "TOO STUPID TO REALIZE THAT NEITHER OF YOU WILL WIN WITHOUT BEING TOGETHER"
<Valeriya> "THE FACT THAT EITHER OF YOU NEED ME TO GET RID OF THE OTHER IS PROOF OF THAT"
<Valeriya> "ONE PLUS ONE IS THREE - SYNERGY"
<Valeriya> "WE COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER, AND WITHOUT EACH OTHER, WE WOULDN'T EXIST"
<Valeriya> "Torture...release...it's a cycle"
<Valeriya> "We weren't built from strong foundations"
> Guilty Val goes quiet. Cynic Val shakes her head, "No, no, we can't need her...we can't..."
<Valeriya> "Our lives sucked...so we need to be the cynic to joke about it and find a way around it...but if we simply forget about it, we are tortured more and more, until we become so cynical we lose our purpose to live"
<Valeriya> "YOU" *pounts to the cynic* "The cynic is built upon the guilty, and vice versa"
> Cynic Val sinks to the ground, "Shut up...shut up...I don't need her...It's not my fault...it's not my fault..."
<Valeriya> Neither of you would exist without the other.  It's upon our shitty foundation of existence that we exist
<Valeriya> "So we have to live with it"
<Valeriya> "And get over it"
<Valeriya> "We aren't stable...and this is because of this dichotomy right here"
<Valeriya> "I don't want to tumble over...we have to start anew...together"
<Valeriya> "And built a strong foundation, where we don't have to suffer, and can live the way we want and need to"
<Valeriya> "...so, do oyu agree, or do I have to beat the living shit out of both of you?"
<Valeriya> "Because I WILL do it"
<Valeriya> "And you know it's for the best"
<Valeriya> I'll help you both up
* Valeriya walks over and grabs both other their hands
> Guilty Val is covering her ears, "I'm a monster, I'm a monster. There's no forgiveness for me...there can't be..."
> Cynic Val is sobbing into the floor, "It's not my fault...it was his fault. It was all his fault...blame him...don't blame me..."
> Neither can even put up token resistance as you grab them.
> As you grab them both, both the cynic and the guilty sobbing on the ground, you can hear a whisper on the wind...a wind that isn't really there...
> "The Maturity to refuse to escape into guilt or apathy, but to face reality with eyes open. Such Maturity is the source of your hidden power. Awaken now to your True Self..."
> A glow surrounds the three of you...and the others slowly fade away, leaving a single card spining slowly in mid-air.
> The card's back depicts a human tower, hundereds of bodies piled one atop another, shaking and swaying as some fall from higher points. On the front...a sudden image of two Valeriyas standing back to back...then an image of a tall majestic man with a vulture's face and a crown of laurel and grapes. His skin is alabaster white, and he wears no clothes. He holds something in each hand, but you can't tell quite what...
> "Thou art I, and I am thou. I am Caligula, the Emperor of Sin. Neither shame nor persecution shall hinder you while I TOWER at your side."
> The card fades, and you can feel your strength slipping away.
<Valeriya> "...well...that was surreal.  I think I'll stick to romantic comedies before bed from now on..."
> The world around her begins to spin, and go black...
> (OOC: The Return of the Bride of Scene Change!)
> *ring ring ring* *ring ring ring*
> *Whhhhhr, chk* "This is the phone of Valeriya Hikari. Apparently I'm not here right now, so leave a message after the beep." *beep*
> "Valeriya, this is Yukina, from the library. You were supposed to be here an hour ago. If you're going to take the day off, at least call or something first, geez. Well, I hope you're just skipping work and nothing's happened to you. I got someone to fill in for you so whatever, just have fun on your day off or get better or whatever."
> ...an hour ago? But you don't work on Mondays until 2pm.
> Your eyes flick open. The clock is right there. 3:06 PM.
> ...is it just you or is it cold in here?

[VySaika]

TOWERing Guilt - Valeriya

Part 2

> -------------------------------------------------
> > (OOC: The Return of the Bride of Scene Change!)
> > *ring ring ring* *ring ring ring*
> > *Whhhhhr, chk* "This is the phone of Valeriya Hikari. Apparently I'm not here right now, so leave a message after the beep." *beep*
> > "Valeriya, this is Yukina, from the library. You were supposed to be here an hour ago. If you're going to take the day off, at least call or something first, geez. Well, I hope you're just skipping work and nothing's happened to you. I got someone to fill in for you so whatever, just have fun on your day off or get better or whatever."
> > ...an hour ago? But you don't work on Mondays until 2pm.
> > Your eyes flick open. The clock is right there. 3:06 PM.
> > ...is it just you or is it cold in here?
<Valeriya> (Maybe I should wear something other than underwear to bed...) [more]
<Valeriya> "3:06 pm...how..."
<Valeriya> *calls the library*
> The phone rings a couple of times, then Yukina picks up, "Hokuriku campus library."(more)
> As soon as you sit up...it feels colder. So cold, as if you're freezing from the inside.
> Your vision swims.
<Valeriya> "Hey, Yukina.  Sorry I'm not in...I just...slept all day today.  Do you need me in?  I can make it there quickly if needed" [more]
* Valeriya pulls all the blankets around her
> Yukina is quiet for a moment, "...yeah, you sound pretty bad. What happened, up all night drinking and get a hangover? And don't worry, I called that new guy in. He's pretty cute, so I don't mind working with him instead of you."
> Yukina...is one of those very, very stereotypical girls who cares about looks, boys, fashion, boys, trends, boys, and...that's about it.
<Valeriya> "And I'm not cute?  You're insulting me.  But I wasn't out drinking - just really tired.  Might have some bug or something.  You got it all handled well there?"
> "Yeah, yeah, don't worry. I can take care of things. And sure you are, but you're not my type at all, so it doesn't count."
<Valeriya> "Well, thanks for the honesty.  Have a great day.  I'll see you next time I'm in"
> "Sure. Oh, and I found this new magazine with this great article about...oops, someone's at the counter. Bye!"
> She hangs up.
<Valeriya> (Knowing her, that's probably some male fashion catalog...she loves to ogle nearly naked men) [more]
<Valeriya> "Ok...well, I'm still freezing and tired, so I think I'll try to go back to bed...once I get another blanket from the closet" [more]
* Valeriya stands up, blankets still covering her, and walks down her "hallway" to the closet to grab more blankets
<Valeriya> "Mmm...down...nice and warm"
* Valeriya grabs her remaining two blankets, wraps them around her, and goes back to bed
> Your "hallway" is indeed a stretch of...about 3 and a half feet between the two rooms of your apartment. The good news is, the closet is actually rather deep, so you have plenty of storage space.
> Though it's hell to clean.
> Returning to bed, you feel dizzy. Dizzy and cold. Very, very cold. Wrapped up in your blankets, you try and get back to sleep.
> Slowly but surely, sleep overtakes you. It occurs to you as you pass out that you haven't eaten anything since that sushi yesterday. But this will hardly be the first day you've gone without food. You got used to that...quite some time ago.
> (OOC: The Bride of the Son of Scene Change!)
> Valeriya finds herself standing in a very, very blue room. From floor to ceiling, many subtle shades of dark blue cover the entire room. Except for a small, round wooden table in the middle, a wooden chair before it, and a large black armchair behind it.(more)
> There is a man in the armchair. A small man, mostly bald, and with an extremely long nose resting casually on his folded hands. Near him, on a small couch angled to be facing the door, is a young red haired woman in a blue uniform of some sort.(more)
> The woman smiles at you, "Welcome to the Velvet Room. Please," she gestures to the wooden chair, "be seated."
* Valeriya looks around the room a bit, glancing at the shades of colour. [more]
<Valeriya> "It's so blue.  What is this, 'Velvet Room'?  Who are you two?  Why am I here?  Is this place going to be set on fire too?" [more]
* Valeriya points to the long-nosed man. "And you...Pinocchio?"
> The long nosed man chuckles, "I understand your confusion. Most who enter this place are confused at first. Please have a seat, and I will explain."
* Valeriya sits down. "Well, you do look a bit old to be Pinocchio"
> "Very good. I shall endevour to answer your questions. In order: the Velvet Room is here, a place that exists within the Dream, but not of the Dream. It is a place where...changes, shall we say, are made and recorded."(more)
> He continues, "My name is Igor, and this is my assitant, Theresa."(more)
> The woman smiles, "Hello."(more)
> Igor continues, "You are here, because I summoned you here. Do not fear, you are still very much asleep in your own world. I summoned you within your dreams. As for why..." he looks you in the eye, "can you venture a guess why I might have summoned you here?"
> Theresa pipes up, "And no, the Velvet Room couldn't catch fire even if you tried."
<Valeriya> "Well, that's a relief...and...Because last night a naked man appeared above me in a dream, right after I bitchslapped myself...twice?"
> Igor nods, "Indeed. Can you remember a voice? What did the voice say?"
<Valeriya> "Caligula...the crackpot Roman emperor...will tower over me and give me strength"
> Theresa nods, "That entity was your Persona, the manifestation of your Shadow, your other self, after you brought it under concious control." She pauses, "Though...it's strange for a woman to have a male persona."
<Valeriya> "Tell me about it...and did you SEE that thing he was holding in his hand?  Seriously...what was it?  I couldn't make it out"
> Igor shrugs, "It is also strange for someone to confront two shadows instead of only one. This means there are more facets to your mind and soul then most. Perhaps some even still hidden."
> Theresa giggles, and Igor waves his hand, the card that appeared before you last night suddenly appearing on the table.
<Valeriya> "So I have two men hidden in my head?  If only they were real..."
> Now that it's not spinning, you can get a closer look at it.
* Valeriya looks at the card a bit harder...
<Valeriya> "..."
> ...oh. THAT'S what that was...
<Valeriya> "What the hell is THAT supposed to represent?  I mean...he's already naked...
> Igor, who unlike the still giggling Theresa has not lost his composure in the least, simply shakes his head, "I do not know what your Persona is meant to symbolize, mearly that you yourself created it with your subconcious mind."
<Valeriya> "..."
<Valeriya> "Maybe it WAS the wasabi..."
> Theresa finally gets ahold of herself, "Hehe. Hmm, well do you know what a Persona can do?"
<Valeriya> "Besides disturb me?  No"
> Igor waves Theresa to be quiet and let him do the explaining, "A Persona is a source of great power. And it is the key that can open your eyes to the world of the Dream. Surely you have heard of strange goings on in your world as of late?"
* Valeriya thinks. [more]
<Valeriya> "One of my yoga students did go a bit crazy recently...for no reason.  Seemed pretty normal otherwise"
<Valeriya> "And I've heard some stories on the news of similar incidents"
> He nods, "Indeed. Would you believe that these incidents are the work of Shadows, much like the ones you confronted the other night?"
<Valeriya> "Howso?  Were the people sleepwalking?"
> Theresa speaks up, despite being told to be quiet, "Those people are ones who either could not accept thier Shadows, or let the Shadows take over. Once that happened, thier Shadows, their darker natures, took control of thier physical bodies."
> Igor eyes Theresa for a moment and she shuts her mouth. He then looks back to you, "My assitant is correct. The same could have happened to you, had you handled yourself differently. That dream, was very real, and you were in very real danger."
<Valeriya> "Huh.  It didn't seem that dangerous...still, never had a dream that could kill before"
<Valeriya> "So...how does this happen?"
<Valeriya> "Why did I get that dream now?"
> He shakes his head, "That, we don't know. Someone or something is drawing people into thier own minds, putting them within the grasp of thier Shadows. Some have the mental fortitude to survive and even win, as you did, but even of those very few are capable of forming a Persona."
> Theresa nods, "Though you wouldn't think it's that rare at all, considering the last couple of weeks."
> She immediately claps her hands over her mouth.
<Valeriya> "So...there are others like myself?"
> Igor sighs, "Yes, though we Residents are not supposed to mention them to you until you have made your choice."
<Valeriya> "Choice?"
> He nods, "The choice to continue into the world of the Dream, to see things that you could not have even imagined...along with much you will wish you never had. Or to return to your normal life, safe from your Shadow and never again to be threatened by anything from the Dream."
> He waves his hand, and the card on the table turns into a piece of paper, a contract.
> "In order to proceed, if that is what you wish, you must sign this contract. It is a very simple agreement, but one that can be very difficult to abide by."
<Valeriya> "So...going into the dream in the future...if I have control of my shadow, am I...ok?  What else can I encounter in my dream?"
> He shakes his head, "I do not know. You may encounter things from your own dreams...or from the dreams of others."
> "The only limit is human imagination, which is both a glorious and terrifying thing."
> "Your Persona can protect you, but it has it's limits. As you have your own."
<Valeriya> "So...I can die if I continue?  Or be overwhelmed by another shadow?"
> "Safety can never be assured in the Dream. Your life, and possibly your sanity, will be in danger every time you enter it."
> Theresa frowns, "You sound like you're trying to scare her off."
> Igor shakes his head, "Your careless speach planted the seed of curiosity. I must explain the risks to balance that attracting force. It is our duty as Residents to inform, not to influance."
<Valeriya> "And if I choose to go through with this...I am bound.  And if I do not, I never have the chance to take it up again?"
> He shrugs, "In theory, even if you sign the contract, you can choose to simply not enter the Dream. In practice, you will not be able to ignore the things you will be able to see."
* Valeriya moves forward and reads the contract
> The contract reads: "I _______________ agree that I shall take responsibility for my own actions, and aknowledge my part in whatever may arise from them."
> "As I said. A simple agreement, but a very difficult thing to do."
<Valeriya> "Well...I've already done that to an extent...I said I'd continue to do it"
<Valeriya> "Do I have to sign this with blood or something?"
> Theresa giggles again, "You can if you want to, but you can also use normal ink."
> As she says that, a pen appears in your hand. An old style quill pen, already dripping with ink.
<Valeriya> "Huh"
<Valeriya> "So do you two...live here?"
> Igor nods, "We are Residents of the Dream. Or at least of the Velvet Room. To await those such as yourself in this room is our role."
> Theresa nods as well, "It's bigger then it looks."
<Valeriya> "I mean, are you just a dream too?"
<Valeriya> "Or is this...something I won't understand?"
<Valeriya> "Like how I have a naked male persona"
> "No. The Velvet Room is very much real. It simply does not exist in the world you are accustomed to."
> Theresa can't help herself, "If you sign the contract, you'll understand in time. If you don't...well, it won't matter, will it?"
<Valeriya> "No, I guess not"
<Valeriya> "Well, maybe I'll find something I'm looking for...and hey, this can't be much worse than being married"
* Valeriya signs the contract
<Valeriya> "Well, that's all done"
> Igor waves his hand, and the contract rolls itself up and dissapears.
> Theresa grins, "I don't know why you're so stuck on that whole 'not influance' thing. They always sign it."
<Valeriya> "'They'?"
<Valeriya> "How many more?"
> She shrugs, "In all time, or recently?"
<Valeriya> "Both"
> Igor sighs, "I believe such discussions can wait for another time. For now, return to your world and reflect on what you heave learned here. You will, of course, return."
> As Igor puts a stop to the conversation, Theresa stands and bows, "Um, sorry. Good morning, and have a pleasant day."
<Valeriya> "Morning?"
> The Velvet Room begins to fade from view...
> (OOC: The Best of Scene Change: Collectors Edition!)
> *beep beep* *beep beep*
> Your alarm is going off.
* Valeriya slaps her alarm, gets up, stretches
<Valeriya> "Well, that was an interesting dream"
* Valeriya heads into the bathroom to shower
> You feel...better. Alot better. Whatever chill you were dealing with yesterday seems to have vanished.
> As you shower, you realize that you are also STARVING.
<Valeriya> "Mmm...do I have any food in this place?"
> That would make sense though. It's around 7AM on Tuesday. Closing in on 48 hours since you last ate.
> You have...cup ramen.
<Valeriya> "...well, sodium, and filling"
<Valeriya> "I need to get fruit or something...I could use more fibre in my diet"
<Valeriya> "Well, here we go"
> Tuesday's schedual is usually pretty open for you. You work the afternoon shift at the Club, but have the morning completely to yourself. And your shift only lasts from noon to six, giving you a good chunk of the evening as well.
<Valeriya> "Well, I would like to watch Merciless Repentence...I've been meaning to watch that for ages"
* Valeriya walks over, out of the shower, still undressed, to look at her stack of movies
> Your stack of movies is exactly where and how you left it. ...somewhat disconcerting that such a small thing should actually be a bit of a relief after the last few days.
<Valeriya> "Mmm...yes, that sounds good.  'Merciless Repentence' it is.  Vengeful murder horror movie sounds wonderful after what I've been through"
* Valeriya picks it up and puts it in her player
* Valeriya walks back to her 'kitchen' and prepares her ramen
> You get the movie going. It's a classic slasher film. Woman has horrible things happen to her, goes on a murderous rampage, meticulously planning out the deaths of everyone who wronged her.
> The ramen is made! The great thing about cup ramen is that is takes neither time nor effort.
<Valeriya> "Mmm....ramen.  So lacking in nutrients, I never have to worry about gaining weight with it"
> The movie plays. Horrible things happen to horrible people. The woman commits suicide at the very end after killing everyone who ever wronged her.
<Valeriya> (Mmm...that was cool.  Dual-wielded chainsaws.  Thrust into a person's body multiple times.  God, that's cool)
<Valeriya> "Aw, sad.  Suicide is bad.  Was hoping she'd get on with her life afterwards..."
<Valeriya> "Oh well...not everyone can grow above their weaknesses"
<Valeriya> "Mmm...wonder if she ever fought her other sides in the dream..."
<Valeriya> "...I wonder where Alice is..."
<Valeriya> "Maybe...I just need to look for her?  Back to the park, I guess - it is on the way to work"
* Valeriya gets ready for work and heads out to the park
> You get dressed and head out. Jogging through the park...there she is. Swinging on the same swingset.
* Valeriya waves to her
> Alice sees you and jumps off the swing, landing on the ground without a sound. Waving she runs up to you, "Yay, you remembered!"
<Valeriya> "I did.  How are you?"
> She beams, "I'm happy! I thought you would forget about me like the others did."
<Valeriya> "Of course not.  You're so cute and happy - how could I forget?  I wanted to ask you a question first, if that's ok"
> She nods, "That's okay."
> Someone is looking at you funny from a nearby bench.
<Valeriya> "You said I died, before, right?"
> She nods, "Yep! You must have, or you couldn't see me."
<Valeriya> "Are you familiar with the dream world at all?"
> "Oh, the other side? I know it, but I can't go there anymore."
<Valeriya> "You went there before?"
> She nods, matter of factly, "Of course. I'm from the other side."
<Valeriya> "Oh?  Would you be able to tell me anything about it?"
> Alice thinks for a moment, "Not really. There isn't much to tell about it. At least not much that stays the same."
> "And I haven't been there in so long..."
<Valeriya> "Ok, one more question about it today"
<Valeriya> "Have you ever seen anyone like myself in there before?"
> She thinks, "What do you mean?"
<Valeriya> "When you had last been there, was there anyoneone outside of yourself there?"
> She nods, "Of course. There are lots of people on the other side."
<Valeriya> "Interesting.  Ok, that's it for today.  I have a few hours before work - what would you like to do?"
> She claps her hands, "Yay! Um...well, I don't know many games. What do you like to play?"
> The man on the bench is now pointedly looking anywhere BUT at you.
<Valeriya> "Mmm...can you do jump-rope?"
> Alice nods, "Oh, yes, I'm very good at jumping rope!"
<Valeriya> "Then let's do it"
<Valeriya> (This will look weird...oh well)
> You do have jumpropes at the Club.
<Valeriya> "Lemme go get them...actually, I think we have a free room at the club we could use.  Let's go there"
> Alice nods, "Okay." And she follows along. As usual, her footsteps make no sound.
> You get to the Club, use your employee's membership to get a couple of ropes and some space. For some reason, nobody asks Alice if she has a membership~
<Valeriya> "Alright, let's go!"
> You jump rope with Alice. She picks up the rope...and has a rope in her hand though the rope is clearly still lieing on the floor where you left it.
> She doesn't seem to mind this and just starts skipping, singing silly schoolyard jumprope songs.
<Valeriya> (Ah, to be young again)
<Valeriya> "We'll have to plan for next time.  Can you think of a game for next time you might like to try?"
> Alice thinks, "Hmm, oh I like board games! Do you know any fun ones?"
<Valeriya> "Mmm...Candy Land?"
> She frowns, "Is it made of real candy? I shouldn't eat much candy or it will rot my teeth."
<Valeriya> "It's not real candy!  Hahaha"
<Valeriya> "It's a game set in a world of candy"
> She gasps, "A whole world made of candy? Those poor people must have horrible teeth."
<Valeriya> "They do"
<Valeriya> "But the game is cute and fun"
<Valeriya> "I played it as a child"
<Valeriya> "Besides, it's cute like you!  I think you'll like it"
> Alice giggles.
> You make plans to spend more time with the...well, you're not quite sure what she is, but you make plans to play with Alice again.
> The rest of the day looms ahead...but you feel like you're better equipped to deal with all of the crap now. Like something really has changed inside of you.
> Gia comes walking into the room as Alice disappears, "Hey, you and me are teaming on the pool today. You ready?"
<Valeriya> "Oh yes.  Let's show them how it's done, girlfriend!"
> Gia laughs, "Well, aren't you chipper. Let's get to it then!."

[VySaika]

Waxing MOON - Nagare

> Saturday afternoon, a time of general peace and relaxation for Dr. Nagare Suiren, professor of Law at Hokkuriku University. This peace stems primarily from the fact that he does not have a single class to teach that day, leaving him time to pursue his hobbies or simply rest the weekend away at home.(more)
> Today, a bitterly cold Saturday in mid-November, has found the professor shut up inside his thankfully heated studio painting the day away. Just as he hears the old-fashioned clock his parents left him strike five, he places the finishing touches on his latest work.
* Nagare eyes the canvas, stroking his growing beard as he analyzes the frame. As usual, the erratic strokes and dense coloring are the most striking pieces about that piece. The abundance of an indigo blue hue, peppered by grey strokes, white blurs and vague silver sprinkles betray what is essentially a hazy depiction of a night sky, immobile but restless.
<Nagare> "It's... not much different from the one I did last month, but it'll have to do," he sighed. Lately, it seemed like he kept trying to convey a single message every time he tried to paint, pointlessly parroting his view without actually understanding it. He puts down his brush and oils, shaking his head.
> As he critiques his painting, an unwelcome gnawing sensation accompanied by a low sound not unlike a growl interupt, reminding him that he has yet to actually eat today.
* Nagare groans, lightly cursing the fact he has actual organic needs. Not that prodding all night long with a single painting would help him there, anyway. On the other hand, even though he had just made groceries a day or two ago, the last thing the teacher wanted was to spend time in the kitchen. Hopefully, there are good delivery places around here.
> Sadly, there really aren't. Only a very few places will deliver to the building Nagare's apartment is in, and those are frankly either very bad, very expensive...or now sadly closed. The owner of the very excellent chinese restaraunt nearby fell victem to...whatever it is that's been making people go nuts, just last week.
* Nagare grimaces as he looks through the cellphone addresses and phone list. The chinese restaurant closing down was probably the biggest kick in the nuts those last few days. And going out on a Saturday felt like an exercise in futility. "I'll just wash my hands and make some ramen, then. I honestly couldn't be bothered with anything else."
<Nagare> "Although, with my luck, I won't even have that."
> Ramen is most certainly available. Well, at least the noodles are. As Nagare goes to heat the water, he discovers that nothing is coming out of the faucet.
> This is shaping up to be One Of Those Days.
* Nagare facepalms. "What in the name of Buddha was I thinking when I signed in this lease contract. I hope there's at least -some- water left on the bathroom, because if I have to go out, I at least need to get this oil fumes off my skin," the teacher grunts as he storms off.
> The bathroom faucet sadly isn't working either. But under the sink is a single gallon jug of water. Kasumi always used to insist that you keep a gallon of water in the bathroom in case of emergencies...
* Nagare parsimoniously picks it up along with a small cup. That was obviously less than ideal, but a far better idea than going to a restaurant like a child fresh off a kindergarten painting class. The cleansing would take a bit of a while under those resources, but he had to be practical.
* Nagare finishes the poor man's bath after a while, and changes into a typical casual suit attire. No ties necessary, at least, which would just make things take even longer. Nagare picks up the cellphone, wallet and GPS tracker before leaving, and opens the door. The ills of organic necessities.
> As he opens the door, he finds a paper taped to the outside. Notifying you that the water will be shut off in the building from 4pm until the following morning, due to some manner of water pipes emergency, and asking your forgiveness for doing such repairs at such an inconvenient time for most families, but stressing the urgency of the repairs.
> From the date on the printout, it was apparently taped to your door sometime last night.
* Nagare grins bitterly. "Did the landlord wait until after 11AM to tape this warning on my door? That has to be a joke." The teacher grumbles as he locks his door and leaves, not even bothering to pick the paper up.
> And thusly the hungry painter heads out to aqquire sustainence. While it doesn't deliver, there is a very good noodle shop only three streets down.
* Nagare quickly shifts direction to the noodle shop. At this point, faster is better, and his stomach threatened to develop a murderous sentience of its own.
> Driving along the streets, largely safe from the cold inside his car, Nagare notices surprisingly few people for a saturday afternoon. And those he does see walking along are much like himself, very focused on whatever destination they have with no time to waste. They're almost ironically like him in some ways, middle-aged or nearing it, likely salarymen and women simply doing thier best to get by.(more)
> This quiet residential area isn't exactly the place where children like to loiter, afterall. Not even the college aged variety. Though there are one or two even still. A young boy dutifully carrying a bag for his mother...a small blonde girl in a bright blue summer dress huddled next to a garbage can...a...wait, what?
> Taking a quick second look, Nagare notices a girl who looks extremely out of place in this part of town. Frankly, she's a bit out of place in this town entirely. And everyone on the street is just walking past her without a single glance.
> The noodle shop is in sight, practically right after the next crosswalk.
* Nagare fastens the pace to the closest parking spot to the noodle shop. As he closes the car's doors and locks the vehicle, however, he begins to wonder about the nature of that sight. He knew the silent anonimity of walking in an ocean of people, but that could hardly justify simply passing by a sight that probably would be at home in a paranormal flick. (more)
<Nagare> What moved Nagare, rather than a sense of humane piety, was a dark, lingering curiosity, as if he was being tugged through the strings by fate's precarious, yet devilish child hands. And the only thing he could really think was that it vaguely resembled... a painting he'd try to make. But he had never painted people before...
> As Nagare draws closer, he can see the girl more clearly. Very light skin, golden blonde hair, definately not even remotely from around here. She can't be older then ten, and her dress, aside from being nowhere near enough protection from this cold, is also likely a hundred years out of date inspite of it's cuteness.
> The girl isn't shivering, though. Just sort of staring out at the street as if lost in thought. Ignoring the walking people just as they ignore her.
* Nagare blinks at the little girl in shaken disbelief and outward discomfort. Just seeing children made Nagare uneasy - among grown adults, it was quite simple to just play through the motions and weave your way through them unscathed. Children, however, spoke and demanded a language of life - one which he just didn't understand. Nagare suddenly felt his hunger subside, giving way to a heavy knot in his throat.
> As he watches her, she looks around a bit...and notices Nagare looking right at her.
> The girl's eyes widen in surprise and she starts to open her mouth to speak. But instead snaps it back shut and shakes her head violently in some kind of denial...a tear staring to work it's way down her cheek.
> A sudden gust of wind carries off the newspaper that was crumpled up next to the trashcan. Newspaper? It's just a newspaper, now drifting down the sidewalk. There is no girl there.
* Nagare shivers slightly, taking a breath and relearning the facts of present: the chilly wind was sharp enough to shave his beard as it stood, and he didn't bring a heavier coat to keep him warmer. Still stunned, however, the teacher coughed and realized he should head for the ramen shop. He could worry about hallucinations on the way home.
> Only a couple of buildings down, the ramen shop is actually toasty warm inside, which may explain the half-dozen people taking up space at the few tables here already. The young man behind the register waves as you enter, "Oh, good afternoon Dr. Suiren!"
> You recognize him from some of your classes. Kashi Nianzu, a good kid, but waaaay too full of energy. He works here most evenings, you recall.
* Nagare smiles weakly to the cashier. "Hello, Mr. Nianzu. Looks like the pace is picking up right now. Do you still have tables available?"
> He nods and gestures to a table rather close to the door to the kitchen, "Someone just left that one, actually. If you'll wait just a moment I'll clean it off for you." Putting action to words, he swiftly busses the table and smiles, "All done. Apologies for the wait, please have a seat."
* Nagare sits down. "Thank you. I'll make my order in just a second," the teacher nods as he shuffles quickly through the menu.
> He nods and heads back into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a small tea kettle and teacup. One of the benefits of dining here is that they never charge for tea.
> The menu, of course, is the same as it's always been. Six different flavors of ramen and nothing else. It's a pretty specialized little shop, but it's certainly good at least.
> As he debates which flavor of noodles to get today, Nagare gets the distinct tingling feeling of someone watching him intently.
* Nagare shivers a bit and begins looking around as he feels his sense of stability suddenly fading. Good thing he didn't pick up the teacup brimming with hot liquid, otherwise that could have been messy - and he didn't need his day to be any more troublesome.
> Just peeking up over the counter is the top half of a little head with golden blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Staring right at you.
> As soon as she notices you've spotted her, she lets out a tiny gasp and ducks back down behind the counter.
> Nobody else in the otherwise quiet ramen shop reacts to the noise.
* Nagare grimaces. Wasn't she just outside? But then, he knew. He knew then that he was either hallucinating or grasping something out of reach. Nagare could at least take the time to pay attention to his delusions when alone, but he knew better than to make a fool of himself in a packed place. His distrusting eyes were still telling, though, noticeable. And that, he couldn't stop as he kept shifting his view towards the eerie child.
> Nianzu comes back over after a moment, not noticing that you seem to be uneasy in the slightest, "So what can I get for you today, sir?"
* Nagare coughs, barely disguising his sheer uneasiness. "U-um, just the usual ramen with beef, thank you."
> He nods, "Sure thing, I'll have it out for you in just a minute." He dissapears into the kitchen, and true to his word comes out roughly a full minute later with a decently sized bowl of hot ramen.
> The other good thing about dining at the appropriately named 'Ramen: Six Ways', with only six dishes on the entire menu, they can afford to basically have some of each flavor ready at all times.
> That feeling returns. The girl is watching you again. This time from under a table that was vacated a few moments earlier.
<Nagare> Accuracy is one way to keep costumers, and for that, Nagare is thankful. The teacher smiles once again to Nianzu. A thank you, a nod and - ... the same disconcerting feeling. Nagare shakily begins chowing down his ramen, more slowly than usual, with the same shiver and shifting eyes.
> She doesn't dissapear this time. Just watches you. Although it looks like...it looks like she's crying.
* Nagare keeps eating, although with little to no real pleasure - once again, the feeling of inadequacy led him to just go through the motions. He kept alternating his eyes between his meal and the bizarre little girl, ever more unsettling, and before he could know it, there was an empty bowl of ramen in front of him.
> Nianzu comes back over to take the bowl and bring you the check, "I hope you enjoyed the ramen, and thanks for coming back!"
* Nagare nods uncomfortably, leaving the money, the designated tip and a vague, now clearly half-broken smile. Nagare picks up a napkin and cleans his mouth before leaving, dazedly performing his motions as if his body was controlled from the outside as he looked half-consciously.
> As you stand up, the girl is no longer under the table. You didn't see her vanish. Just one moment she was there, and the next she wasn't.
> As you leave the shop, you feel the sensation of being watched leave. But only for a moment.
> Because the moment you approach your car, you catch a glimpse of blonde hair and blue eyes peering at you from behind your very vehicle.
* Nagare half-stumbles as he picks up the eerie presence, his mind now flickering like a spark out of control. Nagare eyes the girl, his eyes drowning in an eerie mix of baleful confusion and open contempt. Trembling in anger and fear, the teacher began to speak. "... you."
> Eyes widening again, the girl shrinks down behind your car, "Nooo, don't talk to me!"
* Nagare fiercely stares at the girl, his contempt only growing. The teacher leaves a scowl, "... why are you doing this."
> She shrinks down further and scoots behind the car you so can't see her, "I...I'm not doing anything!"
<Nagare> "You have been more or less stalking me since I got outside, without a single forsaken soul even paying heed. Another hallucination is not what I need right now."
> She huffs, sounding insulted by this, "Excuse me, but I am not a hallucination!"
* Nagare scoffs. "Certainly not the first time I hear this," he mutters.
> She stands up and glares at you, childish indignation overriding her earlier shyness, "How rude! I...I didn't want to talk to you anyway!" She turns her back to you and puts her hands on her hips in defiance.
* Nagare rubs temples and shakes his head, growing wearier and wearier. "Fine. Goodbye, then," he dryly states as he enters the car and starts the engine, entirely intent on leaving the girl to her own devices. Only children could tug into Nagare's near ant-like comprehension of people, and that overrode his rationality over all else.
> She turns back around to glare at you again as you go. This time tears flowing rather freely down her cheeks, but she doesn't try to follow you again.
* Nagare grimaces again, rubbing his forehead as if trying to dispel a murderous migraine. Was it... what he thought he was? The teacher uncomfortably puzzles over what just happened, repeating once again the gestures from his painting. Trying to convey a thought he just didn't comprehend.
* Nagare drives home erratically as a result of that.
<Nagare> "This can't be happening," the teacher mumbles to himself as he opens the door to his apartment. The house's usual empty gaze felt eerier at that moment...
> The feeling of being watched is gone, but with it is nearly all of Nagare's energy. He feels lightheaded and tired. So very tired.
* Nagare sits on the sofa at the living room, breathing heavily. The answering machine beeps weakly, signaling a call, but he can barely even recognize its faint light. As he tries to even form the thought in his head, Nagare softly nods off while sitting...
> As the professor slips off into sleep, his hair begins to ruffle in a breeze that isn't there...
> (OOC Scene: the Changening)
> Grey. Endless grey. Nagare finds himself floating through some manner of colorless, featureless void. ...no, not featureless. The grey itself has features, textures and shades...thousands of shades, from dark to light. But never dark enough to even remotely be mistaken for black, nor light enough for white.(more)
> It's almost artistic in it's simultaneous complexity and simplicity. Grey, nothing but grey. But what varieties of grey there are...
* Nagare dazedly shakes his head, and gets up slowly, carefully glancing at the nigh-endless color strokes that dazzle and dance before him. They seem so vivid he could touch them, yet they seemed unreachable as the farthest ocean...
> As he admires the grey, he can begin to see something else. Something dareing to break this beautiful scenery, a blemish of white in the sea of grey. The white speck grows, larger and larger...no, closer and closer. A building. A pristine white building. Is it...a museum? No, not a museum. A gallery. An art gallery.
> The gallery comes closer...or perhaps Nagare draws closer to it. Until, without any direction of his own, Nagare has alighted at the doorstep of this building.
<Nagare> Almost as if he was at home - much like he felt during his near-madness spells during sickness, the teacher moved. Softly pushing the door, as if this wasn't entirely unfamiliar, he emptily gazed at what the door would reveal in advance.
> Even the doors of the building are purest white, and they push open without a sound. Inside is a large room, the gallery itself. Paintings, the only colors neither white nor black that seem to exist hang on the walls. Ten paintings. Ten paintings, filled with color, each with it's own little plaque underneath.
* Nagare approaches the paintings almost hypnotically, as if unerringly drawn by their contrast. The hue softly reflected in his eyes, his sight becoming clearer, but his mind remaining in a tense haze still.
> The colors in the paintings are almost jarring. No white, no black, no grey. Bright, bold strokes of color. Nagare easily recognizes the hand they are done in. Even though these paintings all contain people and he has never painted one before in his life, Nagare knows his own hand when he sees it. (more)
* Nagare wakes up from his nigh-delirium as he touches and recognizes those pieces. The grip was definitely uncanny. Even those colors were unlike what he was capable of achieving, even, but the stylistics were unmistakable. In agape, Nagare tried to scrutinize the pictures closer, as if they had a word to spare.
> The first painting is the brightest, colored in pastels and bright earth tones. Three people stand hand in hand, an proud and distinguished older man, an elegant and proper older woman and a haggard but smiling young man between them. The plaque beneath simply reads: "Portrait of Life - Life? Or something like it?"
* Nagare smiles wryly. "Something like it alright...," he nodded. He quietly figured that the picture seemed quite familiar - that had to be... yes. And he wonders. Were I just pretending even before I even knew what was to pretend? The only answer: at least almost.
> The second picture is less bright, in blues and purples, a graceful and strong young woman shares a drink with a proud and somber young man. The details of her face are crystal clear, but his...are slightly blurred. The plaque beneath it reads: "An attempt at Destiny?"
* Nagare shakes his head, reading the words and the images as they stood. Was that what truly motivated him to marry? The only thing he knew about it was that he was fulfilling a role. Making the necessary steps. And then, he stumbled into the fact he had to deal with feelings. With a living being.
> The third picture, split down the middle. One one half; the young man hard at work, nose burried in a book of law. On the other, the young woman also in her studdies, speaking intently with a man in a doctor's coat. The caption: "Unity in Seperation - Those who would be Equals."
<Nagare> An uncomfortable glare was all Nagare could spare to the picture. The very reason he thought the arrangement could work out was probably one of the reasons it fell apart. Both he and Kasumi seemed so busy with their own lives that they'd never have time for each other, he figured. And that would spare him the hardships of sharing his existence with her. But she actually wished to tear those walls down.
> The fourth...the scene itself is bright, but the border is dark, almost stormy with it's deep purples and harsh greens. The scene is the young man and woman standing together, joined by two other men and women, all much older, standing in unison. The print on the plaque is now in a sterile monotype: "What makes a 'man'? What is 'success'?"
* Nagare sighs, torn between infuriated bitterness and melancholic apathy. "You ask me? You ask me when I didn't even know what I was supposed to do?," he retorts to the plaque in a slightly deranged monotone. "I had but a formula... and I simply went by it."
> The fifth, the man and woman standing before a man in a doctor's coat. The woman's face is still in sharp relief, but the man's is now blurred badly, hard to distinguish at all. The doctor's head is hung and exaggeated tears run down the woman's cheek. The monotype continues: "A fragment of catastrophe/A portrait of dark relief"
* Nagare grins darkly. That night, Kasumi fell asleep amidst tears as Nagare himself couldn't help but feel lighter. He obviously detested children, and fate closing that door for them so categorically felt like a slight nod and a cruel joke at the same time. In the next day, he actually could read the contempt in her eyes as if it was a book. There, he definitely began to understand how hopeless he was.
* Nagare mumbles darkly. "And seeing her agony was like trying to read a poem in a lost language. And... maybe it is a language. A grown man who couldn't even talk with his wife, let alone understand her grief."
> The sixth, a jarring and contrasting picture with sharp strokes and clashing colors. The woman pulls on the man's arm, trying to pull him away from an easel. The half of his face near the easel is in focus but the half near the woman is horribly blurred. The caption is now difficult to read, in some jerking script: "trUE ArT iS crUeL. TruE ARt is mEAnIngLEsS."
* Nagare steers away a bit. The true irony is that he hardly saw his paintings as art. It wasn't a form he was quite seeking, not a drive. But a meaning. The incapability to reach life led him to the crude colors he began to create, and they steered him further away from Kasumi... but he went adrift from her more or less the minute he met her. All he really knew was distance.
> The seventh, a picture of a bed...a bed torn in half as if split by an earthquake. On one half is the woman, nude and untouchably beautiful, straining to reach across the gap. On the other is the man. His face nearly nothing but a blur now, simply looking at her hand with either disinterest or confusion. The plaque reads, in tiny script: "distance"
* Nagare shakes his head. In a sense, it might even have turned to the best. On the other hand, was it necessary to estrange another person in a pursuit of a straight, correct road he didn't even know if it existed? He wouldn't know. Even after nearly snapping Kasumi's will in half, he viewed her not much differently from what he viewed an ant. Much like... anything else.
> The eighth, simply a portrait of the man staring into a mirror. In the mirror his face can be seen...or where his face should be. The man has no face. There is not even a blur, simply a smooth space of fleshtone where there should be features. The plaque reads: "     "
* Nagare eyes the logical progression. Natural, yet unnerving. Natural, yet despair-inducing. "Of course. If I can't recognize the strokes of a human being, how could I recognize my own..." There's some sort of acceptance in his mumbling, but a defeated acceptance. As if he knew nothing else. Because he honestly didn't. His mother once mentioned the meaning of his name... yet it escaped his grasp at the moment.
<Nagare> "And I feel like it shouldn't have. Yet..."
> The ninth...is different. This is the only one that has no person on it. The picture is shaped like a playing card. Like a Ten from a deck of standard cards. Only each symbol is a bottle. Each one a different bottle. Some liquids, some solid pills. The plaque reads: "The Ten of Numbness."
* Nagare grimaces. The hallucination seemed quite clear-cut on what it wanted to convey. At this point, far too clear. He had to wonder if this was simply another one of his spells - even if he shouldn't be having them - or if he was just being fiercely slapped by the obvious. But it being obvious didn't make it any less painful. And he wished it could stop.
<Nagare> "If it had stopped... there... it'd have at least been easier."
> The tenth and final picture, the man sitting alone in a room. An outline behind him shows where two more people should be, another man and a woman, but there is nothing in those outlines. Nor is there a third outline. The caption reads: "Destiny? A logical conclusion?"
* Nagare rubs his temples, squinting his eyes almost out of a natural reaction. "I get it already. But what is the point of reiterating it all? What was I supposed to eke out from this? Regret? Zeal? I just don't get it. All it does is remind me of a dull, quiet pain," he retorted. As if he knew something would listen.
> There is one more thing in the room. A door. Not the one you entered through, but a smaller door, off to the side.
* Nagare eyes the door warily. The consistency of this so-called hallucination has been earth-shattering, and he, like... he so often does, was just going through the motions. Almost automatically, Nagare headed towards the door, if only just to end it. Ends and beginnings are one thing - but the process, the in-betweens? They were just baffling and difficult.
> The door opens. On the other side is a small room. A man sits at an easel and paints. The man...is instantly recognizable. You see that face every time you look in a mirror.
> He looks up as you enter, "Oh, you again?"
* Nagare looks down, and then to that other, which might as well be. "Probably. At this point, being delirious is nothing new to me. I could swear I've been in a similar dream."
> He snorts, "No, it most certainly is not. And you have, though I'm surprised you had the gall to come back here. I thought I kicked you out quite forcefully enough last time."
* Nagare smirks bitterly. "Unfortunately, you didn't. Or at least, so I think."
<Nagare> "At least, as far as I know, I'm still alive. Or a fac-simile of it."
> He narrows his eyes, "More resilient then I thought, then. What possible reason could a veritable zombie like you have for clinging to life so dearly?"
> "I'm quite peeved you know. That last painting was supposed to be my masterpiece. And then you ruined it."
* Nagare sighs, now actually looking through his pockets, as if he searched for a particular vice. "You mean, I lived? I'm pretty sure that ruined a couple things other than your work. For starters, Kasumi probably would be better off. But I can't say I care."
<Nagare> The tone is bitterly insincere, almost out of character off a glance. However, that is just the frank disdain towards himself that he was letting off. Honesty can be a terrible thing at times.
> The other Nagare smirks, "Of course you don't. I care, so you obviously can't. But what of her? You don't care, so what does it matter what I do to her?"
<Nagare> "It matters even less when you know you can do nothing. She has been driven away, hasn't she?"
<Nagare> "We're divorced, and have nothing to do with each other anymore. We live apart enough as is. What can be done?"
> He smiles, "Yes, but she still calls. She still cares. So long as she still cares, she continues to be my model. Such exciting power, to instill such feelings in another person. To have effects for good or ill, to know that with a single word...or lack thereof, she can be changed according to my will."
> He shakes his head with a low laugh, "She has not escaped. She's still right here. Just as a foot of bed can be an impassible distance so can a hundred miles be within arm's reach."
* Nagare blankly stares at his other self, clearly sour, yet incapable of refuting, continuing. "... and I never answered a single call. Yet, I've heard all of them. Multiple times. Recognizing the guilt. The only reason I kept my cellphone number... was that. Yet, this knowledge is useless to me."
* Nagare bitterly leaves a sigh, now antsily yearning for a cigarette.
> "You don't answer them because I don't want you to." The other Nagare's smile grows wider, "I am an artist, emotions are my medium and you, dear self, are my paintbrush."
* Nagare sighs, becoming smaller and smaller, but now strangely lucid. "I... guess. Although I have to wonder what kind of art becomes alive without saying anything."
> He shrugs, "Art is whatever one makes of it, of course. But enough of that. You're interupting my work, so begone. I don't even know why you're here, I certainly didn't send for you."
<Nagare> "If you didn't, why would I even be here?," the retort is weak, but certain. "And, more importantly, how can you make something of art if you have nothing to make of? What can you convey if you don't even know what you are trying to say?"
> "Convey?" The other Nagare sneers, "To whom am I conveying anything? My art is purely for my own enjoyment. There is nothing to be said, for there is no one to who I am speaking!" A wide as he smiled before, it is now replaced by an equally vivid scowl.
> "Furthermore, if I didn't send for you..." he glares, "you must have come on your own. Why? How!? You aren't supposed to HAVE free will anymore! I already beat you!"
* Nagare smirks. "I won't even -pretend- this makes sense, but if you're willing, I'm always up for verbal sparring. I have no idea what you beat me at, but one of the few things I actually could do right is rhetoric. I... honestly don't know what's going on, and this is certainly unsubtle. But you don't seem to be doing that well if you're getting upset this easily."
> His eyes grow darker, "Then perhaps I will explain. Once before you came to me. That time I called you. You saw the pictures I set for you and you were aghast. I confronted you, threw all of your darkness in your face!" His scowl turns to a twisted smile, "And you denied me. You denied me, which freed me of you. Then I tore you apart and threw you out!"(more)
> His smile grows wider, almost too wide for his face, "That...was right before the ninth picture."
> "You were supposed to die. That would have been my brilliant masterpiece. The pure typhoon of shock and loss let loose upon your parents! The sickening combination of despair and guilty relief in Kasumi!"
> "Such emotions would have been glorious!" He spits, "But you survived. Somehow, you survived."
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "And so did you. You might be missing the obvious point."
> "Hah!" he scoffs, "are you trying to say it was somehow MY will that you survived? That I would undo what I myself wroght at the last moment?"
<Nagare> "No. I'm just saying you wouldn't be around either if I had died, since we're both the same person. I know that people tend to glorify art in death, but given the vanity you're showing right now, not being able to vaunt your magnum opus would be quite a disappointment to you. What's the point of creating a masterpiece no one will see? A masterpiece you can't even point as such?"
> He shakes his head, "Don't be rediculous! When you denied me, I became free of you! I would be fine no matter what happened to you!"
* Nagare begins laughing openly. A burst of laughter he actually doesn't remember ever experiencing, fresh and cruel, yet invigorating. As he recovers, he approaches himself. "I'd expected myself to be less naive than that. As Nyarlathothep's thousand masks, one can assume many faces - even at once, and you know that. However, why would you think that ripping one mask away makes it a different person?"
> The other Nagare rolls his eyes, "Because you clearly don't understand the rules of how these things work. There are two entities, the mask and the shadow. I was the shadow and when you refused to accept me, it freed me from you. No longer a shadow I am now my own entity. As such," he explains as if to a five year old, "what happens to you no longer automatically happens to me."(more)
> "I could have killed you myself there and it would have made no difference!" He shakes his head in annoyance, "I only allowed you to live so that you could take your own life. Death at my hands wouldn't have had quite the same impact."
* Nagare faces the other Nagare placidly, folding his arms and, for once, actually gleaning the dark-blue hue of his stare. "What kind of freedom is this that doesn't even let you have your own body, then? What kind of entity on its own manages to still be the exact same as the one it spawned from? Once again, I draw the Nyarlathothep parallel. A mask silhouette that acquires a body is still the king of lies in essence, not its own. And I honestly can't unders
<Nagare> "And I honestly can't understand why am I so loquacious right now, but looking at you honestly creates an urge in me... something I've rarely, if ever, felt. Somehow, I actually recognize it. I mean... you. I recognize you."
> "I do not NEED a physical body!" he nearly shrieks, "I exist HERE in THIS space! This is my realm, and neither it nor I require you to exist!"
<Nagare> "In your glorious space where you can reach nobody. You're just doing the same thing as I do even now, as far as I'm concerned. You are being the same thing as I am, only in a far more limited shape. Is that... is that what you really want? To simply replicate motions out of reflex? Or are you just doing it as it stands? It... honestly feels wrong to accuse you of my own faults, but I can't help but say it."
<Nagare> "On the other hand, would I do anything else? Even if you freed yourself from me, you accomplished nothing but being a shadow then."
> The other Nagare continues to shake his head, now in pure denial rather then mere annoyance, "Wrong! I was a shadow, but now I am my own being! I do not hide here, I am here because this is the only place I desire to be! I am not mimicing your motions! I am not your shadow!"(more)
> The rant continuing, his voice crecendo's to a bellow, "I am not you!"(more)
> A sudden snap...and then stillness. The pristine white bleeds away from the room, the color leaves the paintings still visible through the open door. The world is nothing but grey. So many glorious shades of grey.
> A terrible comprehension begins to dawn on the other Nagare's face, "I...so that's how it was. I was not free. You..."
> "You became...my Shadow..."
* Nagare blinks, scratching his head. "I...," he breathes, as he sits down on the floor, somber. A sobering thought, that... and actually terrifying, unlike the drivel his other self tried to deliver in vain. "We might have to rewind that, I'm honestly confused and vaguely horrified."
> The look of horror does not leave his face as he starts to back away from you, "St...stay away...stay away from me!"
* Nagare melancholically looks at his feet, than to his frenzied "shadow". A word tries to make it through his lips, but it seems to escape his grasp. What he actually lets out is something else. "... and where would I go, then? Where else do we have?"
<Nagare> "I honestly feel slightly vindicated if the terror you feel now is what I felt then. It might have been. But what can you do with this knowledge, then?"
<Nagare> "Heck, what can I do?"
> He continues backing away until he's up against the wall, "Go back! Back the way you came! Just...just leave!"
* Nagare sighs. "So you can continue your catatonic despair? So we can continue in a pointless stalemate? I... honestly don't think I can do that. Maybe this is a lot simpler than you're making it to be."
<Nagare> "Look... remember, how I often said I was just mechanically reacting as if I was reading a script? As if I was drawing a path without knowing what was the road being lined?"
> "You...you read the script I wrote! That's how I liked things! Nothing needs to change!"
* Nagare snerks bitterly. "Really? It looks like the script -I- wrote instead. Which doesn't mean it wasn't you either. But, in the end, did you really think I wasn't aware of the kind of person I was throughout? You really thought I was this unaware? Seems like a crucial blindness here."
<Nagare> "Maybe you are right. Maybe I am your shadow, your horrible, forgotten side. But -this- is what has been in the forefront the whole time. Not you. And by no fault of your own, really."
> He flinches as if struck, "No...I was in control...you did what I willed...you were the face but I was in control..." His words are shaky, less certain.
* Nagare smiles, getting up with a rare tranquility. "Yet, here I am. Actually waking up every day and seeing the dreaded world as I get older. I'm currently painting a picture far grimmer than your supposed masterpiece. I vicariously estranged my wife by living. The last memory my parents had of me was of a shambling wreck. I created a nightmare through my cowardice, and now I live it daily, like a blood raven."
<Nagare> "Your masterpiece would have at least given them a ground to start anew. As things stand, I can only make the wounds grow deeper and deeper. And keep the others farther and farther. Was -that- what you really intended?"
> "N...no. That can't be right." He shudders, "Death. Death is the final stroke. The purest paint. A miserable excuse for a life like yours couldn't possibly match that for impact..."
* Nagare laughs once again, ever more lively. It's like this shivering excuse for an Id actually gave the teacher strength, as if reassuring him of his words. "In a sense, this ended up being more than you bargained for. I have to wonder if you just wanted Kasumi and my parents to rest easier than they would now. Sure, the immediate impact would be bigger. But they'd recover, and inevitably hold an irrational fondness for their dearly departed, because that's
<Nagare> "But they'd recover, and inevitably hold an irrational fondness for their dearly departed, because that's what nostalgia does. However, the indifference in life... the impossibility to start over... that is the biggest tragedy. In your failure, you outsmarted yourself."
<Nagare> "But now, I realize this. Because this was all me as well. This is why I kept saying the same thing without grasping it constantly. I knew what was it, but couldn't understand. And you, simplistically so, gave me the needed insight."
> Other Nagare is silent for a moment, just staring at you. Then, his voice small and cracking, he speaks again, "Why...why do you just keep talking? Why...why haven't you struck me down? It's what I did to you..."
* Nagare shakes head, rubbing his temples. "Why would I kick a dead dog?," and he continues, approaching his other self. "I just admitted that I am the horrible human being you deny to be, even though you're one of my Nyarlathothep's thousand faces. However, the shadow of a human isn't the human. As much as I am you, you are me. You want to paint a masterpiece? Then, prove me wrong. Show me you can live."
<Nagare> "Hell, show me -I- can live. You were so busy with the shroud of a beautiful death that you forgot the colors don't lie within the end."
* Nagare then extends his hand. "All you need to do is cross the border."
> He looks at the door, "Out...there? You want me to go out there?"
* Nagare nods. "Not just you, but me as well."
> Slowly he walks out of the studio. Taking a moment to look at all the paintings, he finally turns his gaze to the open door and shudders, "I...I don't know if I can. Everything I want is in here. The outside," he swallows, "it frightens me. More then death, it haunts my dreams."
* Nagare pats the other Nagare in the back, placidly gazing at his eyes. "Your sincerity surprises me, but I have to admit that this is the same fear I eye every day. And the fear I've been running from until now. You're not alone there. But the outside is where we left our broken, dangling threads. There is where our meaning lies. Or, at least, where I hope it does. Because, in here, we have nothing left."
> "Nothing..." he looks back over his shoulder...and clearly there is nothing behind you. The canvases are blank. The studio is empty.
<Nagare> "And now, we begin everything anew. Hopefully, with a different result."
> Turning away from that, he shakily begins walking towards the door.
> The two of you reach the threshhold...and Nagare pulls his other self across.
> The gallery fades and bleeds away into the greyness behind you, no longer needed, no longer existant.
> And a voice whispers on the wind as the two Nagares begin to glow, one black and one white.
> "The Simplicity to finish that which was started, and the Complexity to escape from the cycle. Such Wholeness is the source of your hidden power. Awaken now to your True Self..."
> The Other Nagare, faintly glowing white, gently melts and bleeds onto Nagare's glowing black. From the mixing hues, greyness and color are born, leaving only one Nagare standing in place. One Nagare...and a hovering card.
> The card spins gently in the air before you. On it's back are two moons depicted, each half black/half white. One hovering in the air, the other reflected on the water beneath...with the colors of the halves reversed. On the front is a smiling elfin man upon a silver horse.
> "Thou art I, and I am thou. I am Abartach, the Prince of Dreams. As the MOON waxes and wanes, I shall ever light your journey."
* Nagare opens his palm as if instinctively, quietly gazing at the card, as if expecting to receive its blessing in a mysterious agreement.
> Nagare touches the card...and it fades away.
> As it fades, the endless grey swims and swirls, and Nagare can feel his strength leaving him...
> (OOC: Scene Change, the intermission edition!)
> ----------------------------------

[VySaika]

Waxing MOON - Nagare

Part 2

> > ----------------------------------
> Cramps. No one's favorite thing to wake up to in the morning, but Nagare is currently feeling them quite painfull. A cramp in his neck and another in his arm for falling asleep in an awkward position on his sofa, and one more in his stomach.
> The clock over the mantle reads 5:45 PM. ...wait, that can't be right. You didn't get to sleep until well after that.
* Nagare opens his eyes as if a curse forced him awake, the ache reminding him of what is to be a human. In his daze, he only could barely begin the association between - wait, 5:45 PM? What... what day was it?
> A quick check of his cellphone reveals that it is in fact 5:45 PM...Sunday.
* Nagare rubs his temples, groaning. "Dear god, when was the last time I slept more than seven hours in a day even in my bed. How did I manage to pass out like this on the -couch-?"
<Nagare> "On the other hand... given those visions, maybe it's not -that- so surprising. Were they even hallucinations or a dream?"
> There is, of course, no answer. Nagare's apartment is as empty as it always is. No sound but his own voice and the ticking of the clock.
* Nagare eyes his cellphone, then scans the room placidly. Even if it was nothing but a vision, it... felt actually meaningful. Even his rhetoric sounded sincere and brimming with intent, rather than his typical - and hollow - correction. Passion, dare he say? Although that could just be the hunger.
<Nagare> He might as well eat out again. Just swapping his clothes to disguise the current crumples and he'd be good to go anyhow.
* Nagare takes the time to change and at least wash his face so he doesn't look as half-alive as he was when he woke up, then leaving his empty place. For all that it was an unpleasant way to wake up, this day seemed far less contemptuous than Saturday.
> The weather seems to agree with him as well, since the bitter cold of yesterday isn't quite as bad today. It's still jacket weather, but not intolerably so. Still, as he walks down the few blocks between his apartment and the ramen shop, Nagare can note that most others who are out still hurry quickly to thier destinations.
> Except for a small blonde girl in a blue summer dress, huddled down next to trashcan and staring out at the street with dried tears on her cheeks.
* Nagare raises his eyebrow, still rather uncomfortable at the sight. He had to wonder if it wasn't that girl who was driving people into such a celerous blur, avoiding the eerie child at any cost. Quite cruel, in a sense... and possibly a cruelty he sometimes wished he had in his worst moments. The teacher slows down his pace a bit.
> Catching sight of you out of the corner of her eye, she turns to look at you, eyes widening in surprise. Then she tries to scoot further behind the trashcan so you can't see her. Not entirely successfully, her shoes are still visible.
* Nagare sighs, looking carefully around him. He has to wonder how can a girl manage a degree of invisibility such as this, particularly off that complexion. Well, he already knew in a sense. However, it felt like he had to approach this eventually, and better sooner than later.
* Nagare approaches the trashcan slowly, his semblance not a lot less dour than it was in the earlier day. Midway through, he takes a stop, still wary of the people passing through, however.
> Unable to restrain herself, the girl takes a small peek around the trashcan. Seeing you're still there, she tries to scrunch back up even more, still without entirely succeeding.
* Nagare groans. This wouldn't go anywhere unless a blunt approach was taken. The professor takes a breath, lighting a cigarette. As he blows off the first toke of the smoke, he whistles somewhat loudly, looking at the direction of the scrunched little child.
> She doesn't stick her head back out, but Nagare can hear her voice from behind the trashcan, "N...no! I d...don't want to talk to anyone else."
* Nagare approaches just a bit further, taking another toke from his cigarette. "If you don't want people to have to deal with you, you might do well in not stalking them for starters. Unless you are a moon princess, you shouldn't be making a rosary of impossible requests to begin with."
> "I...I'm sorry. I was just lonely." After a moment of quiet, she peeks her head back out, "Um, what does a moon princess have to do with anything?"
<Nagare> "It's an old legend we have. There was a lunar princess, who was known for making impossible requests to her to-be suitors that had to be fulfilled were they to don her hand, thus avoiding marriage. Nothing much about that."
> "Oh. I haven't heard that story."
> A middle-aged woman walks past you, giving you an odd glance but studeously avoiding making eye contact.
* Nagare grunts upon feeling that glance. "No need to know. Regardless...," the teacher takes a pause to take another smoke, then resumes his line of thought, "I think I need to go. I'm pretty sure this isn't the last I'll see of you, but your insistence to exist in such crowded places is... a bit unnerving."
> She retreats back behind the trashcan, "This is why I didn't want to talk to you. You're just going to forget me like everyone else."
* Nagare takes a pensive semblance, taking the last gasp of the cigarette before speaking. "That would depend more on you than on me. You're the one who cried for my attention. You won't be able to keep it unless you tell me what you need. Then, I may or may not be able to do something. I won't pretend I even like children enough to weakly make believe I'll be with you forever. However...," the teacher takes a pause.
<Nagare> "... if you are honest with me, then I will be honest with you as well. And that is a promise I won't break."
> Looking back out, she simply stares at you for a moment before shakily standing up, "Um, my name is Alice. And I'm not normal girl, but I'm not a figment of your imagination either. Normal people...normal people can't see me."
* Nagare bites lips, nodding weakly. "Most of that, I could pick the pieces up. Good to know I am not delirious, at least", the teacher says, then gazing at the child's eyes. "Nagare Suiren is the name. And, as you bluntly put, I am not normal either. Whatever what you said means."
> She nods, "I can tell you why you can see me, if you want to know. It usually makes people scared when they hear it, though."
<Nagare> "Just say it. I'd rather have the cards laid on the table."
> She nods again, "Um, only people who have died before can see me."
* Nagare snickers. "Figures. I'd more or less known this for a while."
<Nagare> "That I've 'died' before, so to speak. But that's a part of my history better kept under satin sheets."
> She blinks, looking a bit shocked, "Oh! Um, you're the first person to laugh when I said that. Usually people either don't beleive me or get really sad and angry."
* Nagare shrugs. "I have a bit of a history, so to speak. That, and I'd rather not give half-words to what has happened before. At least... not anymore. So, for the business part. What ails you?"
> Alice looks down at her feet, a bit embarrased, "Um...I'm just lonely. Every time I meet someone who can see me, they promise to play with me again but never do. They always forget, and I'm all alone again."
* Nagare slightly leans against an imaginary wall, carefully balancing his body so he stands up, frowning a bit. "I see. Well, I said I'd be honest with you, and I will keep my part of the bargain. I am not fond of children, I hardly understand the concept of playing, and I'm a busy man," Nagare says bluntly. "But..."
* Nagare continues after a pause for a long breath. "... let's make a deal. Remember when I said that whether I forget you or not depends on you? And you need to make the effort to make yourself remembered?"
> She looks back up cautiously, nodding slightly.
* Nagare nods back. "Good. In this case, I will offer you sporadic company. As busy as I am, I'm no less bereft of company than you are, and while most of it was by choice, breaking the silence isn't all bad once in a while. However, this isn't supposed to be a one-way lane. If you want a friend, you'll have to work it out as well. Why would I keep embarrassing myself every time I come to pick up ramen, otherwise?"
> She actually giggles a bit, but nods, "Um, okay. But I don't really know what to do. Everyone always told me not to show up and distract them in public, but it's rude to just go into someone's house, so I didn't ever know when to talk to someone unless they were looking for me."
<Nagare> "That's where the honesty may come in handy. You see why it's problematic for me to talk to you in public, and I honestly don't like chatting outside like this. At home, I feel more comfortable, and you'd have a better chance to be welcome - although by no means guaranteed. I won't always look for you, and you won't always look for me. However, you should give at least a try. Do make the effort to knock on the door first, though."
> Alice looks down again, but nods, "Um, okay."
<Nagare> "Also, keep in mind that I will say 'no'. I will be blunt. I will not always be kind. But I'll try to make an effort myself, because I wouldn't even entertain the idea of even giving a second glance to a child before. In a sense, I'm giving you a kind of leeway even my wife didn't get, and this is frightening."
<Nagare> "And the fact that I may be unkind doesn't mean I'm shutting you off. It means that I'm imperfect. And you have the right to be imperfect as well."
> "You really are different from everyone else who could see me."
* Nagare sighs. "Maybe that's because I'm not really all that likable and you're unlike any other kid I've seen as well, so we're even. Regardless, these are my terms and I hope they're fine with you."
> She quietly nods.
* Nagare nods. "I see. Then, we're settled. I... am going to just get my ramen for take-out and go back, though. This has gone on for long enough."
> And as soon as those words are out of his mouth, Alice isn't standing there anymore.
* Nagare sighs, and goes to the ramen shop to get his food. He would just pick it up for takeout to minimize the time spent out. That talk made him lose track of time, anyway.
> The take-out is ready just as quickly as a normal meal, and in a matter of minutes Nagare has a take out bag holding a styrofoam container of ramen in his possession.
* Nagare just takes it and goes back home with a quick pace.
<Nagare> At home, the meal is dealt with quickly, at least, and the amount of cleaning needed is minimal. The ramen could stand to be warmer, but styrofoam can only do so much.
> As soon as the food is consumed, Nagare can feel his energy bleeding away. Despite having slept for nearly a full day, his eyes keep losing focus and trying to close on thier own.
* Nagare feels the loss of energy suddenly and brutally, as it starts hitting him as he reaches for his cellphone. The only thing he manages to do is open the apparel before collapsing on the ground. As the trinket hits the floor, it autodials to a number he eyed for a while before the interlude with Alice while walking. The only number from his old life that he still kept...
> (OOC: The Scenes, they are a Changening)
> Nagre finds himself standing in a strange room. A strange blue room. So very, very blue. Practically everything in the room in varying shades of the color, except for a small wooden table, the pair of chairs in front of it...and the two people on teh other side.(more)
> A man, an old hunchbacked man with a nose that must be a foot long and dressed in a western style suit, sits in a high backed chair behind the table, hands folded under his nose as he looks you over. The other occupant, a beautiful redhead in some kind of blue uniform stands from the sofa beside the table she was seated at(more)
> Smiling to you, she bows, "Welcome to the Velvet Room."
* Nagare cautiously scans the room, blinking as he carefully examines the indigo hues of the room, then shifting back to the mysterious duo. "... good... evening?"
> The woman smiles and gestures to one of the seats in front of the table, "Please, be seated."
* Nagare sits quietly, still a bit impressed. "This isn't much like my mental landscapes at all, so... forgive me if I seem a bit startled."
> The man shakes his head as you sit, "The Velvet Room is very much real, I assure you. Though it does not exist in what you consider to be the real world. My name is Igor, and this is my assistant Theresa."
> Theresa waits until you're seated to sit back down herself, "A pleasure."
> Igor peers at you over his nose, "Please, do not be alarmed by your presance here. I assure you, your physical body is sound asleep in your apartment. I have called you here within your dreams. Can you venture a guess as to why?"
<Nagare> "Pleased to meet you, Igor, Theresa,", Nagare bows his head courteously. "And... hmmm. Well, the last couple of days have been... mesmerizing in a sense, so to speak. Would that be connected to this summons in any way, to make an obvious question?"
> Igor nods, "Indeed. What you confronted in your dreams last night was your Shadow, the repressed aspects of your own psyche."
> Theresa cuts in, "Only in your case, this wasn't the first time. You're...pretty unique for managing to pull off what you did."
* Nagare scratches his head, smiling awkward. "I... it did call -me- the Shadow. I assume that doesn't happen all that often, does it?"
<Nagare> *awkwardly
> "This time, however," Igor continues, "things were truely resolved. And no, it does not. I could explain the specifics of what exactly happened to you, but those specifics are honestly not important. What matters is where we are now."
> Theresa nods, "Since this time, you achieved Persona. Your Shadow won't be a problem for you ever again."
* Nagare nods for a moment, then raises his eyebrow, directing his gaze to Theresa. "... Persona?"
> Igor regains control of the conversation, "When matters were resolved, you heard a voice, did you not? A voice that manifested in the form of a card."
> "Can you remember what that voice said?"
<Nagare> "As a matter of fact, yes."
<Nagare> "'Thou art I, and I am thou. I am Abartach, the Prince of Dreams. As the MOON waxes and wanes, I shall ever light your journey.'"
<Nagare> "What about this, though?", the teacher asks, now leaning over the table.
> "That voice, Abartach, is the voice of your Persona, the form your Shadow has taken now that you have gained concious control of it. Persona can grant great power, if you are willing to accept the responsibility."
> Theresa pipes up again, "And again, this whole thing? Real. Your Shadow could have killed you last night. Or possibly worse."
> She frowns, "Well, I think it could have. Maybe. It already did once, but you survived it somehow. That's really not normal." She shakes her head, "Oh nevermind."
* Nagare raises his eyebrow. "That... does give a whole new light to my approach there. Although I have to wonder about myself if I managed to make something that killed me that scared, though," Nagare ponders, assuming a more pensive, serious stance.
> Igor shoots her a sharp look, "What this is all about, ties in with what my assistant has said. That was indeed very real. And you are not the only person things like this are happening to. I assume you are familiar with the strange occurances going on in your world as of late?"
<Nagare> "I... admit I tried to keep myself shut off from that as much as I could. I... honestly haven't been very fond of the outside world in the past few years. However, I know what has happened to me and... a few other strange sights."
> "Others are also being confronted by thier own Shadows. Not all of them win. Some are killed by thier Shadows, while others give way before thier repressed self and allow the Shadow to take control."
> Theresa adds, "Even of the ones that do manage to win this contest, very very few are capable of achieving Persona."
> Igor nods, "If you accept this power, what you choose to do with it is up to you. But accepting it comes with a cost. An agreement you must make."
* Suiren frowns, slowly stroking his chin. "If I do take this up, I won't be able to ignore those things any longer, I presume."
> "No, you will not. And if you refuse, you will never again be bothered by the supernatural. These dreams will fade into a dull memory, though your Shadow will still never bother you again."
> "Be advised, what the contract asks of you is deceptive in it's simplicity. It asks for only one thing, but it can be a very difficult thing for many to do."
> The contract reads: "I _______________ agree that I shall take responsibility for my own actions, and aknowledge my part in whatever may arise from them."
* Nagare carefully reads the contract, and smiles. "This would make the best lawyers blush, truth be told. Brutal little clause."
> Theresa nods, "Yup. Like the man said, simple thing to ask, hard thing to do."
<Nagare>  "And... I think I understand. I confronted my shadow for a reason - regardless of whether I became it or not. I made a promise to myself then. Shying away from this... I can't exactly pin down why, but feels like shying away from this would make all I said empty. All I did, gone to dust. I don't think there's a choice here."
* Nagare breathes. "And, to that, all I can say is 'where is the pen?', even though I'm certain this will be an action I will, at least occasionally, regret. But I'd regret it further the other way."
> The moment you ask for a pen, one appears in front of you. An antique style quill pen, already dripping with ink.
* Nagare nods. "Elegant. I like it,", and as he finishes, the teacher picks up the pen, carefully signing his name on the required dotted line, his signature clear and carefully traced.
> Theresa grins as you finish singing and the pen and contract both vanish, "I swear that paper's just a formality at this point. Nobody ever opts not to sign."
> Igor frowns, "That will be quite enough, Theresa."
<Nagare> "You'd be surprised at how binding a formality could be. It's smart to have a physical confirmation of your agreements."
<Nagare> "At least, I assume those contracts -do- go somewhere recuperable," Nagare grins as he finishes.
> Theresa shrugs and looks over to her master, "Just in case, should I check to see if his Persona is like thiers?"
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "... what do you mean by that?"
> Closing his eyes, Igor nods, "That would most likely be best. Professor, if you will close your eyes for a moment?"
* Nagare uncomfortably frowns, moving away a bit with his chair, but ultimately acquiesces silently, and closes his eyes.
> A strange tingling sensation washes over Nagare, and a few moments later he hears Theresa's voice, "Okay, you can look now."
> She nods to Igor, "And yeah, this is definately one of the different ones."
* Nagare opens his eyes slowly, the vision of the room coming back gradually. "... I'm not sure if this is reassuring."
> Igor opens his eyes as well, "Well then. It seems, Professor, that your Persona is more gifted in some areas then others. In particular, while you will have greater sensory capabilities in the real world, such as being able to see when someone's Shadow is very active, you cannot enter the Dream world on your own."
> "In fact, you will need my help to do so. However...there is only one Velvet Key, and it is already in the possession of someone from your world."
* Nagare scratches head. "... this is going a bit fast. Dream World? A key?"
<Nagare> "The Dream World idea would explain this room, at least, but what is the key for?"
> Theresa gives you the short version, "The Dream is where Shadows live, and where you can interact with them directly. The Velvet Key is what's needed to physically enter the Velvet Room from the real world. And from here you can go into the Dream."
* Nagare strokes his chin slowly, thinking for a second. "I... see. So, this means I need to meet whoever has the Velvet Key if I am to even begin fulfilling my part of the bargain."
> Igor shakes his head, "Your part of the bargain is merely to accept your own actions. We do not ask any particular course of action from you."
> Theresa smiles, "Don't worry, I'll take care of that. I have thier phone numbers and yours, afterall."
* Nagare deflates confusedly before he can answer Igor's rebuttal. "But... I don't think -anyone- in this town has even gotten my phone number..."
<Nagare> "Except the university, and they keep those fairly... nevermind."
> Theresa's grin grows wider, "I'm a magical dream woman and you're going to wonder how I got your phone number?"
* Nagare snickers weakly. "Yeah, rather big blunder on my part. Regardless, what I meant is that, regardless, I put myself into a position of duty. Accepting it would be taking action, at least as far as I see."
> Igor nods, "So long as you understand that is your choice alone to make."
* Nagare smiles. "I doubt the wheels would go anywhere unless I willed it this way."
> "Well, unless you have any further questions?" Igor raises an eyebrow quizically?
<Nagare> "Well, I... actually wanted to take you up on that explanation you said you could provide about what happened between me and my Shadow. I know it's not really important, but... now I'm puzzled about it," Nagare admits. "Can you light this matter?"
> Igor nods, "The simple explanation is that when you confronted your Shadow the first time, you denied it. You refused to accept that what you saw was part of you. In doing so, you gave it the power to directly effect you."(more)
> "However, every other Shadow I have ever heard of has done one of two things when denied: killed the ego outright or took over the body. Yours...did neither."
> He shrugs, obviously confused by this, "It hurt you. Badly. But did not kill you. Nor did it take over, but rather tried to influance you from behind the scenes further. You know how this ended, of course."
* Nagare scratches his head. "I'll admit that it confuses me as well. It just makes me uncomfortable, especially after what he said during the last confrontation. Although I can't say he didn't have a point."
> Theresa nods, "And when you confronted it again...it was unclear which was the ego and which was the Shadow. Neither of you were in total control, so it wasn't really clear. Neither of you were Shadow or Ego, really. But then it denied you, and...well, that made what happens there happen. You were empowered by the denial."
> Igor continues, "However, like your Shadow before you, you did not do what has always been done afterwards. You did something else entirely."
> Theresa finishes, "And somehow that worked out for you, as things reverted to you as the Ego, only now complete, and the Shadow becoming Persona."
> She shrugs, "That probably doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but you have just now gotten into this world. You'll understand things better as you go, I'm sure."
* Nagare lightly rubs his forehead, with a weak and confused smile. "Yeah, you're right. It all sounds rather convoluted. But I can't say I'm surprised about being a god damn mess myself."
> Theresa nods, "Persona users tend to be the interesting ones, yeah. And you should probably get going now. We'll make you wake up as soon as we can so you can actually go to sleep in your bed instead of sprawled on the floor like a drunk."
> Igor shoots her another sharp look, "There is no need to be rude to our guests, Theresa."
* Nagare laughs openly, folding his arms in amusement. "I frankly like her honesty. No need to chastise her so much."
> Igor shakes his head, "Honesty is an excellent quality, but sometimes silence is the superior policy from the help."
> Theresa snickers.
> Igor ignores her, "Are you ready to return, professor?"
* Nagare nods, with a tranquil smile. "Certainly. Thank you for the time, it was enlightening."
> Theresa stands and bows, "Good morning, and have a pleasant day."
> The velvet room begins to grow dim and fade from view...
> (OOC: It's a bird! It's a plane! It's...Scene Change!)
> *ringringring* *ringringring* *ringringring*
> It's the sound of Nagare's cellphone, ringing merrily as he slowly wakes up from his unplanned nap on the floor.
> The caller id lists the number as simply a string of 0s...
* Nagare suddenly lights up his eyes, looking for the inconvenient ringing's source. Once again, the body wept bitter tears over the positioning, but that's not news. With a somewhat clumsy hand swipe, Nagare picks up the phone in confusion.
<Nagare> "This can't be a real number, can it...", the teacher mumbles. Given what happened before, though, maybe trying to dial that number would work. Not that reality made a lot of sense by now anyway.
<Nagare> "... although I may well wait until tomorrow. Nevermind," the teacher closes his cell phone. "I'd rather sleep in bed for a change."
<Nagare> With that, the teacher leaves for his bedroom, finally vindicating the right for a night of sleep that would register in his resting time.
> ---------------------------------------------