The Ties That Bind(Social Links)

[VySaika]

In this topic, I break down everything you need to know about social links.

First and foremost:

What Are Social Links?
Igor: Social Links are the bonds that you form with others who are capable of influancing the destinies of others. Just as every Persona and Shadow is bound to one of the Arcana, so is every other person of consequence. By forming a close bond with someone, you will become able to draw upon the power of thier Arcana.

Theresa: However, each individual only has the potential to provide power to one Persona user. And each Persona User, with some very few exceptions, only has the potential to bond with up to three, maybe four, Social Links. As none of you are bound to the World Arcana, the exceptions aren't important here.

Igor: What my assistant is trying to say, is that none of you may share a social link. Nor may you form a link with anyone who is already bound to another Persona User. Though even attempting that is not a very likely event in the first place.

Theresa: Which brings us to the next topic...

How Do I Form A Social Link?
Theresa: This one's easy. You just have to go out and meet people! You can go try to speak to someone specific and see if you can form a link with them, or you can leave it up to the fates and just go out to see who you might encounter!

Igor: As usual, my assistant is getting a bit ahead of herself. Before you can form any social links, you must prepare yourself to connect with others. While the three of you may not understand what this means, the ones that need to know it will. In order to form a social link you must spend character points on the Attribute of "S.Link Potential" which is a form of "Unknown Superhuman Power".

Theresa: Charcter points? Attributes? You're talking like this is some kind of game. Normally that's my job...

Igor: There is much you do not understand, Theresa. But after this step is performed, what you mentioned earlier is quite correct. To simply go looking for a link is often enough. Though do make sure you've set aside some time to play that out with the GM.

Theresa: GM? What does a car company have to do with this?

Igor: Nevermind that. Next, we come to the question of...

What Benefit Will I Get From Social Links?

Theresa: Well didn't we cover that earlier? You'll be able to tap into the power of the Arcana of those you bond with.

Igor: Hmm, indeed. But I think some more specific examples are warrented. And as this involves more terms you will not understand, please go make some tea.

Theresa: *sigh* Yes, master Igor.

Igor: Now then, there are of course many things to spend your CP on, but S.Link potential offers a bit of a trade. By spending points in this ability, you will not be able to control what you get from it, but the abilities you get will be a bit stronger then what you could get spending your points on your own. Each Social Link may go up to 10 levels, each level being 1 CP of SLP. As SLP is a variety of Unknown Superhuman Power, it follows the same rules. Namely, that you get +50% point value for what you spend in it. Therefor, a level 10 social link will give you 15cp worth of powers tied to that Arcana, while only requireing 10 of your precious Character Points.

Theresa: I'm back with your tea, master.

Igor: Just set it down, Theresa. Now do not fret, this journey is most likely to be a very long one, so you should have time to focus on both your social links and your own personal growth in equal measure.

Theresa: Did I miss anything interesting?

Igor: Nothing you would understand.

Theresa: Hmph.

-------------

Anyway, that's that. If you have any questions, feel free to poke me and I'll clarify as best I can.

[VySaika]

Mykasi: Magician 1
> -------------------------------------
> Saturday passed by pretty uneventfully for the most part. You did manage to catch Mika being out of her room at least, though since Mistia was with her and giving the evil eye to anyone who even looked at Mika funny you didn't get much of a chance to talk to her. The afternoon was mostly lazy, and mostly spent just bumming around your own room.
> The sun is starting to set, which means that your roommate should be coming back shortly...only to just as shortly head right back out.
> Like clockwork, Kyo wanders in waves absently and hits the shower.
* Mykasi tosses a notebook in the air lazily as he waves to Kyo, before catching it... and feeling his stomach rumble at the same time. "Hey, Kyo! You up for running to the ramen joint down the street for something to eat?" Mike yells through the door.
> There's no response for a bit, then a yell back, "You say something? Gimme a sec, can't hear over the water!"
> Apparently your hearing is better then his since you didn't have trouble making out what he said...
<Mykasi> "Hah." Mike chuckles under his breath. "Lord knows I can guess the reason for the delay..."
> Kyo never takes overly long to shower, so just a few minutes later he comes back out, in his shorts thankfully, and finishes drying his hair as he heads over to grab some fresh clothes, "You say something a couple ago, man?"
> (it is, sadly, about a 50/50 if Kyo will remember his shorts before he heads into the shower or not. He's done the 'dash out in his towel, grab his clothes, dash back to the bathroom' thing more then once)
<Mykasi> Sadly, yes. He doesn't look as good in a towel as he does in the shorts. "Was just asking if you wanted to hit the ramen place or something. Got a bit of cabin fever now since I decided to spend my afternoon studying, the more fool I." Mike grins.
> Kyo frowns for a moment, then checks the time, "Geh. Ehhh, guess it won't kill me to miss a day. Yeah, why not."
<Mykasi> "What'm I dragging you away from?" Mike asks as he springs off the bed to pick up his wallet.
> He shrugs, "Just the usual weekend stuff, y'know?" That said, he gets dressed, throws his shoes on, and grabs his jacket all in the span of just over a minute.
<Mykasi> "Fair 'nuff." Mike shrugs, willing to let the matter drop as he swings the door open while Kyo's finishing up. "Though I confess I still can't figure out how you get dressed that quickly."
> Kyo laughs, "Old man was in the force. He seriously trained me and my bro to get dressed and ready for 'inspection' in no time flat."
> Grabbing his own wallet, he adds, "And yeah, that is as boneheaded as it sounds. Anyway, come on. I assume you mean the one three blocks over by the old grocery store?"
<Mykasi> "Oof. That'd do it, yes. And yeah, unless there's one you prefer nearby?" Mike shrugs. "That one's the cheapest I've found, meaning it fits the diet I'm on. College."
> "Yeah, I hear that." Walking and talking as usual Kyo gets moving but keeps up the conversation, "There's a better one over in the mall. It's a little further away, but the stuff is aces. Of course..." he shrugs, "The cook knows what he's worth and charges it. So I don't eat there often."
<Mykasi> "I'll keep that one in mind later, if I manage to scratch up spare change at some point." Mike says, easily adapting to talking on the go. "Not bloody likely for another few weeks, of course, but..."
> Kyo nods, "Money comes and goes, y'know? Always has, always will."
<Mykasi> "You're telling me." Mike snerks. "Always a use for it, even if you'd rather not think about how you'll need to apply it." A slight shake of his head, then, "Oh, right. I looked at the passage you handed off to me? It's talking about a guy who has a snake-skin wallet."
> The two of you slip past the other students getting started on thier saturday evenins, going at a slightly faster pace then most of them. Kyo has just as little issue as Mike does when it comes to slipping between gaps of people, and in just a bit you've made it outside the campus.
<Mykasi> "Right, just a bit further." Mike mutters, before getting momentaraily distracted by a passing gaggle of ladies. "Though I won't ask when belly shirts got as popular here as they did in America. Not complaining, mind."
> Kyo blinks, "Seriously? Well, that makes more sense then."
<Mykasi> "Yeah. The pattern described's a rattlesnake hide." Mike nods.
> Shaking his head, he half chuckles, "Guess it's all the old style poetry and stuff I've been looking at for another class. I was trying to find some metaphor in it."
<Mykasi> "There might be one. Snakes tend to be a biblical reference, or just a generic way to denote evil. Bum rap for 'em, but."
> Looking back at the ladies, he shrugs, "And yeah, don't ask me either. Seems like it just kinda happened overnight. But I don't pay much attention to fashion and shit, so I might just be talking out my ass."
> "Ah, the bible. yeah, I'm still working my way through that thing. Professor said it's nearly a must to understand alot of western culture."
> As you get to the ramen shop, he laughs, "Mythology cracks me up man. The things some people will believe."
<Mykasi> "I admit I just pay attention when it jumps out at me." Mike nods slightly. "And the Bible's a pain - mum was Christian, so... ugh. Tried to get me to read it. Twice."
<Mykasi> "Heh. I'd waggle my finger at you about mythology but I'm too busy salivating at the prospect of dinner. There's some crazy shit out there, though - though I've always had a soft spot for the Indian myths. Go go trickster spiders, you make better Christ figures than half the attempts out there."
> Kyo slips inside and heads over to the counter, "Eh, it's kinda funny if you just look at it like any other mythology book." Looking up at the menu, he considers for all of two seconds then orders, "Eh, spicy beef bowl. Large."
> "Also, this is why I don't like the term 'Indian'. Are you talking about nati...uh, first americans with that, or Indians from India?"
<Mykasi> "Shiitake chicken, heavy on the shiitake." Mike orders a few seconds after. "And yeah, funny... but also kinda sick, even looking at just the second half." At Kyo's comment, "First Americans. Amerindians work better for you? I'll try to remember to say that."
> He nods, "Yeah, that'll help. It was especially confusing 'cause I know the Indians have some elephant god and a cow god and that stuff, so it wouldn't surprise me if they had a spider one too."
> The man behind the counter takes your orders and gets them cooking. It's fairly busy in here, being a saturday night.
<Mykasi> "Ah, yeah. Nah, I don't know much about Hindi myths in general, either, aside from a few names." Mike shrugs.
> Kyo nods, "Yeah, I used to be big into mythology when I was in primary school. You know how every little kid's got something they obsess over? That was mine. Can't remember half the crap I read back then, though. Though I don't think I ever read any Amerindian stuff anyway."
<Mykasi> "Not even Americans tend to read Amerindian." Mike shakes his head. "Or even Amerindians. My dad's big on those, though; shoved a lot of 'em my way. Though my main obsession was building towers with toys.
> He laughs, "Just to knock it down when you were done, right?"
<Mykasi> "...only sometimes, actually!" Mike muses. "Other times I left them in the living room for days on end until my Mother got sick of it being in the way and dismantled it herself. I think I got sick of building them after that, although I still knocked down foam structures for a while."
<Mykasi> A pause. "Actually, you want to know what's weird? Most Americans attribute that to having seen Godzilla as a kid, but I didn't watch it until a friend of mine was holding a film marathon and threw it in there. I was... 16, then?"
> "Man, that movie is the reason I will never move to Tokyo. If giant monster ever do suddenly start showing up, they're all going right there."
* Mykasi snerks. "I do have to wonder what'd inspire that. Some sort of inbred obsession in the monster to go there?"
> Kyo shrugs, "My guess is they watch all those movies too and just want to be with the 'in' crowd."
> As he answers, your orders come out. Kyo pays for his and then inhales deeply over the bowl, "Awesome. I tell you what, man. When they say 'spicy' beef bowl here, they aren't kidding on the spicy part."
<Mykasi> "Possible, yeah." Mike nods, shoving over the money for both his and Kyo's as he knocks Kyo's money back to him. "Dude, I invited. I'll cover this time." At Kyo's comment, he glances at it. "Heh. I'm confessionally a mushroom freak, but I wonder if they'd try cooking spicy shiitake? It'd be interesing to try at least."
> Your roommate shrugs, not contesting your picking up the check, and puts his money back in his wallet, "You could always ask. And yeah, mushrooms are pretty good. You got any good kinds of 'em native to your part of the world?"
> Considering, he asks another one, "On that note, aside from the old cheeseburger and fries, what kinds of stuff do you call 'American' food anyway?"
<Mykasi> "I think there's a few, but not as many as I'd like - and few dishes actually use good mushrooms, just the little bottlecap ones that taste bland as all out." Mike shrugs. "And... well. A lot of pies are fairly classical foods, but some of the less obvious ones... Venison, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce in general, apples are the main set that come to mind."
<Mykasi> "Oh, right. Hot dogs and popcorn, though confessionally I'll only eat the latter of the two."
> Nodding, Kyo bites on the obvious question. "So, uh, what exactly is in a hot dog anyway?"
<Mykasi> "Uh." Mike muses. "At best, it's a bunch of meats - chicken, turkey, beef, and pork - mixed together with bread crumbs and some other stuff, chosen for freshness but still unappealing. At worst, they're... um... " Mike colors a bit, looking down at his ramen bowl. "Neon green. Your call what actually went into that batch."
> "I'm gonna guess a stray bottle of food coloring and not think about it further."
<Mykasi> "It was raw pink and green patchy inside, so sorry to burst your bubble there. But yes, another topic - actually, wait, question. Is there a Japanese obsession with pocky, or is that just American Japanophiles?"
> He thinks, "Uh, it's fairly popular, with teenagers mostly, but I wouldn't call it an obsession."
<Mykasi> "Right. Then I express supreme confusion at the popularity it has with some back in the States."
> He shrugs, "Maybe it just appeals to the American taste more?"
<Mykasi> "American sweet tooth? Perhaps." A bit of musing, "Oh, right. The real American consumable? Condiments. Ketchup, mustard, relish, mayonnaise, syrup... we've probably tried to make a topping out of everything."
> "Huh. Eh, end of the day I think Japanese food is still my favorite." He then reconsiders, "Unless my sister in law is cooking, then it's Chinese."
* Mykasi nods. "Makes sense to me - both countries blend tastes instead of the American-style jackhammer to the tongue."
> Polishing off his beef bowl, Kyo slaps his stomache, "Yeah, that was good stuff. Can't beat a spicy beef bowl when the weather's getting colder."
* Mykasi finishes his off a few seconds after, before nodding. "I'll have to try that at some point, then, yeah."
> "Of course I go for this one when the weather's getting warmer, too. I've tried about half the menu here, but I keep coming back to this one."
<Mykasi> "Heh. Only food I tend to go for constantly return to back home was a soup bowl a restaurant offered; the bowl was made of sourdough bread, was the main trick." Mike grins."Still. Spicy beef bowl... ...man, you're tempting me into a second. I guess I know where I'm going for dinner sometime later this week, then."
> Looking down at his watch, Kyo muses, "Actually...I might be late but I can still drop in for a bit if I book it." Grinning a bit, he holds out a closed fist, "Alright man, I'll see you later. Thanks for the invite and picking up the tab. Hell, maybe I'll join you when you come back and cover the next one."
* Mykasi pretends to choke a bit. "Hey, I didn't think that was how it worked! ...but sure." Bumping fists, Mike nods. "Talk to ya later. I'll probably go for a run now; catch ya tomorrow, probably."
> When your fist connects, suddenly everything fades into greyscale...and all movement stops.
> A small orange light starts to glow inside Kyo, then floats up into the air and transforms into...a spinning card.
<Mykasi> "Wait, what? Seriously?"
> On the back of this card is a hard eyed young man in what looks like some kind of robe eyeing a chunk of what you somehow know to be lead in his hand. On the front...you can't quite make out the image...
> As if from both nowhere and everywhere around you all at once, a voice begins to speak, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Magician Arcana"
> Then, in the blink of an eye, everything returns to normal.
> Kyo not seeming to have noticed anything strange, just nods as he turns to head out, "Yeah, most likely. Later man!"
<Mykasi> "...Kyo, forgive me for the completely random disgression, but I have the bizarre impulse to call you Merlin." Mike frowns a bit. "No, I can't explain it either. Anyway, talk later, man!"
> It would seem that he either didn't catch that last bit or just chose not to respond, as he quickly slides out of the ramen shop.
* Mykasi sidles out of the ramen shop and wanders over to the gym, lost in thought. 'Perhaps I'll dream of the campfire again tonight... Xav, I'm... not alone anymore. Haven't been for a while, but this is the first I've felt it - and... you aren't, either. I don't know if you'll ever hear this, but... despite the distance, you, too, are not alone. Never alone.'

[VySaika]

Hikari: Fortune 1
----------------------------------
> Amusingly, you run into Neimi in the hallway on your way up to the dorm. She laughs, "Oh, hey. How was the weekly history deluge?"
* Hikari shrugs. "Oh, you know, the usual: wars, starvation, that kind of thing. Speaking of which, interested in getting dinner out somewhere tonight?"
> Neimi thinks on it for a moment, "Hmm. I could do an early one, since I have a shift at the Crown tonight. That okay with you?"
<Hikari> "Sure thing. I'm not doing anything this evening, so we can go whenever suits you."
> She nods, "Let me just go drop my stuff in the room and grab my uniform, and we can go now."
> Putting action to words, she heads to the room to do just that!
> A couple minutes later, the two girls have dropped thier bags off in the room and Neimi has grabbed one of her many other bags(this one containing her uniform for the Crown) and are on their way out the door.
* Hikari tags along, ditching her own books at the same time. "I heard about this place in town called 'Tranquility.' Thought it might be worth a try."
> She nods, "Oh yeah, I've heard of it. Never eaten there, though. Usually when I'm going to eat out I abuse my employee discount or just grab cheap mall food."
> Checking her wallet, she shrugs, "Probably shouldn't actually go somewhere nice like that, but...oh whatever, I can just scrimp a bit more later, right?"
<Hikari> "Well, I'll cover you tonight. Least I can do for you having to work unexpectedly, right?"
> She blinks, "Really? Thanks! That actually takes the sting out of it a bit. If I've asked for no Wednesday shifts once, I've done it a dozen times. And what do I get this week? Ugh."
<Hikari> "I guess they didn't give you a choise?" Not that Hikari has any direct experience with working in a restaraunt, but she gathers that unexpected shifts are frequently inflicted on hapless employees.
> Neimi nods, "Yeah. Even with the owner being a family freind, there's only so much I can get away with. The ability to refuse shifts is not on that list."
> The girls pile in Hikari's car and drive over to the restaraunt, chattering about small stuff along the way.
> (OOC: Scene Change, it's what's for dinner!)
> Tranquility, as it's name might suggest, is a very simple and almost placid place. The outside is nothing special to look at, just another small brick building business on a street that's full of the same. Inside, the decor is very peaceful, done largely in aqua blues and greens, with no few plants adding freshness to the atmosphere(more)
> A woman smiles as you enter, and offers to show you to a table. Even the uniforms of the servers are in the tranquil blue/green color scheme, some with lillypad decorations on thier aprons.
<Hikari> The place seems pretty mellow. Hikari approves of this!
> Neimi takes a long look around, "Wow. This place is really nice."
> The hostess smiles, "Glad you think so. Will it be just the two of you dining?"
* Hikari nods. "Yes, thank you."
> The woman nods, "Right this way then." She leads the two of you over to a booth and places a couple of menues down, "Here are your menues. If you haven't eaten here before, we're very well known for our vegitarian dishes. I hope you enjoy your meal, and your server will be with you shortly." Unless Hikari has any questions for her, she nods again and heads back up to the front.
* Hikari will ask her nosy questions later. It would seem odd to start with that right off the bat. She merely peruses the mneu for now.
> Neimi does the same with hers, "Vegitarian actually does sound nice. Really different from the heavy stuff at the Crown. Hmm...sesame eggplant stir-fry?"
> After a couple more looks through, she closes the menu, "Yeah, gotta go with that. Sounds way too good."
<Hikari> roll 2d8
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 and gets 10."12 [2d8=7, 3]
> A waitress comes by after a minute, "Welcome to Tranquility. Are you ready to order, or do you need a bit more time?"
* Hikari is quite hungry, she finds. "I could do with a slab of meat, myself." Pretty much anything involving beef would work, really; she picks something suitable nearly at random.
> The two of you place your orders. The waitress nods and brings you some water before heading off to the kitchen.
> Neimi takes of sip of her water, "Garden Pepper Steak Slices, huh? That looked good to. Of course, nearly everything on the menu did. This is a really nice place. Thanks again for inviting me out."
<Hikari> "Well, we live together. We should watch out for each other, right?"
> She nods, "Yeah. Though I've heard some pretty bad horror stories about roommates. Very thankful I got someone nice."
> She then tilts her head and thinks, "Then again, most of the horror stories about roommates I've heard have been from the boys..."
<Hikari> "Oh yes. There are so many times I'm glad I live with someone who actually knows the meaning of 'hygiene.'"
> "You know...uh..." she takes a second to wrap her toung around the name, "Mykasi, right? The American guy? Did you hear about the problem with his roommate last month? That has to be the worst one yet."
<Hikari> "Huh? No, I don't know anything about that."
> Neimi shakes her head, "His roommate...Sho, I think his name was, was caught doing drugs. Got kicked out of the school, and people were talking about Mykasi having to take a drug test as well. Talk about your inconsiderate roommate there."
<Hikari> "Wow, no kidding. I think we can count on each other not to do anything that rash, at least."
> "Actually, you might not know him. He's on the same track as me, and you and I don't actually share a single class somehow."
> She nods, "No kidding. I like to think we both have more sense then that."
<Hikari> "Oh, I've met him a couple times," Hikari says carefully.
> Neimi doesn't seem to think anything strange of that, as she just nods and keeps the conversation moving, "So besides studdying and more studdying, what have you been up to lately? We actually haven't had a chance to talk much lately, now that I think about it."
> half sheepishly, she adds, "Though I guess that's mostly because I've got either work or a game basically every night."
<Hikari> "Oh, that's about it, really. I'm a slave to education. Better get used to it now, since I'm likely going to be a teacher when it's all said and done. What is this gaming you're involved in all the time? Is it like, uh...Dance Revolution or something?" Hikari asks, making plain her ignorance on the subject.
> Neimi actually blushes a bit and shakes her head, "No, no I stay well away from the DDR mats now." Quickly changing the subject, she explains, "Uh, well they're called Role Playing Games. You make a character for the setting and system you're using and then play that character. Everyone else has a character as well, and you all interact and try to accomplish your gouls and stuff like that."
> She then adds, "Well, not everyone. There's the Game Master as well."
> "The Game Master basically controls everyone and everything that isn't a Player Character."
<Hikari> "That's too bad, DDR at least sounds like it gives you good exercise. So...the point is to beat the Game Master, I guess?"
> She shakes her head, "No, since the Game Master also controls NPCs, that's non-player characters, who are freindly to you. Like if your character has family, they're probably NPCs. It's not really about winning and losing, it's really just having fun."
<Hikari> "I...see," Hikari says, still not totally clear on the goal here. "I don't know, maybe it's something I'd have to seein action."
> Suddenly Neimi smiles, "Really? I can definately get you in on a game if you want. You don't have to stick around if it's not your thing, but I have alot of fun with it."
<Hikari> "Well...I guess it doesn't hurt to try something once," she says, not really having considered it before. "Maybe I'll sit in next Wednesday if they don't make you work again?"
> She nods, "Sure. Or on one of the other games, since the Western Fantasy genre might not be your style. We've also got a really silly anime Maids game going, a really serious modern horror game and a science fiction game that's pretty erratic in tone."
> "I know you read alot, so I can basically just say that any kind of genre there's fiction for, there's a game for."
<Hikari> "Oh, I don't know, I might find it easy enough to grasp fantasy as a subject. I have some interest in mythology, and it's basically the same thing, right?"
> "Yeah, it's fairly close." She looks up as she sees the waitress heading back towards you, "Hey, looks like food!"
<Hikari> "In a restaraunt?" Hikari says lightly. "You're pulling my leg."
> The waitress makes her way back to the table and sets down your food while Neimi actually giggles at your comment. She smiles politely once your food is down and asks, "Is there anything else I can get for you?"
<Hikari> "No, I think this is adequate for now. Oh," she adds casually," I was wondering, does Toshio Ito still work here?"
> The waitress nods, "He does. Usually works lunches, though, not dinner. Are you a freind of his?"
<Hikari> "Oh, I don't know if I could say that. I just met him casually and...well, I was curious."
> The woman gives you a knowing look, but doesn't say anything else, just nods and heads back off.
> Neimi raises an eyebrow at you, "A boy you're into?"
<Hikari> Hikari was hoping to pry out more information than that, but since she's probably already given the impression of being a slavering stalker, it'll have to do for now. If she has some reason to talk to him, she at least knows she can come back here during lunchtime some day. "Only potentially," she says to Neimi.
> She nods, "Is he cute?"
<Hikari> "You have to ask?"
> That makes her laugh, "I suppose I don't!"
<Hikari> "No, it's just what I said. I met him by coincidence somewhere and was just curious."
> Neimi smiles and nods, and then decides it's time to dig in to her meal.
* Hikari does so as well, before it starts to get cold!
> The girls polish off thier food, and it's definately worth the price(which is sadly high enough that Neimi would need Hikari to cover for her even if she wasn't already intending to).
> She looks a touch guilty, "Really good stuff, but...wow is it pricy. Thanks again, Hikari."
* Hikari shakes her head. "Oh, don't worry about it." She'll make sure to ask about Toshio with someone else on the way out (though preferably not within earshot of Neimi--she doesn't want to get needled overly much about her apparent interest in the man, even if it is likely to be only good-natured.)
> Since Neimi is walking to work from here, you go ahead and split up. Though as she's making her way to the door a bit ahead of her, Hikari notices that Neimi's occasional bouts of 'genius ditz' has struck again and she left her bag at the table.
* Hikari picks it up for her, then stops off with the hostess to inquire again about Toshio. Hopefully she can get a little more information this time. It's hard not to frame the question as stemming from anything but romantic interest, but that's probably just as well--it's easy for someone to not question her curiosity that way.
> The hostess nods, "Yes, he works here."
<Hikari> "I'm sorry if it's untoward of me to ask, but...could you tell me a little about him?" She makes sure to look down demurely, like a shy, inexperienced girl. It's a look she's quite familiar with, though it doesn't reflect her true self at all.
<Hikari> roll 2d8
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 and gets 10."12 [2d8=4, 6]
> She smiles, and you realize the woman is actually a good bit older then you, "Another pretty one fallen for that boy, hmm? Not that I can blame you, mind."
<Hikari> "Oh? Does this happen a lot?" Hikari has the grace to look embarassed.
> Taking a moment to make sure there's no customers she needs to help, she continues, "I can tell you this, young lady. If you want to keep his attention long you'll need to be a great deal more then just another pretty face. He's a good boy, but he's a dreamer."
* Hikari nods. "Is that so?"
> She shakes her head, "It does, but not like you might think. He's a charmer, but he doesn't just go chasing women all day. More the other way around, really. Lots of girls try to get his attention, but none of them keep it very long. He says they're not 'interesting' enough, whatever that means."
> She chuckles a bit, "I hope that helps?"
* Hikari can only respond with a "Hm." Presumably *uninteresting* isn't a word that applies to Hikari, given recent events in her life. "Well, thank you for talking to me about this. I understand this isn't exactly part of your job." She nods and makes her way out after Neimi, unless the woman has more to say (Hikari thinks it would seem odd to press more at this point).
> As you get out to the sidewalk, you see Neimi walking back towards the restaraunt with a scowl on her face.
> "I can't believe I forgo...Hikari!" Her face lights up when she sees you with her bag.
* Hikari hands it over. "Hey, don't worry, I'm looking out for you."
> As Neimi takes the bag, her fingers brush against Hikari's.
> ...and then the world seems to stop
> The color drains out of everything, the entire world fading to greyscale, and all motion stops.
> Then, a spark of color in the grey world. A small, soft green light glowing deep inside Neimi appears.
> The light flickers as it floats upwards, out of her body...and then transforms into a spinning card.
<Hikari> Admittedly this isn't the strangest thing Hikari's seen lately. there doesn't seem much to do but watch.
> The front of the card...you can't make out. The image is blurred and out of focus. But the back is clear. A pair of dice...ten sided ones by the look of them. But instead of numbers, each surface has a woman's face. It's the same woman in each picture, but in each one she is wearing a different mask.
> As if from both nowhere and everywhere around you all at once, a voice begins to speak, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Fortune Arcana"
> Then, in the blink of an eye, everything returns to normal.
> Neimi doesn't seem to have noticed anything amiss, and shoulders her bag while running off towards the Crown, hastily waving goodbye over her shoulder.
* Hikari can only wave herself, not entirely sure of what just happened but feeling vaguely optimistic.

[VySaika]

Mykasi: Magician 2
-----------------------
> > Kyo grins, "Hey, I'm good for the standards around here, but they might not be as high as where you're from. We'll find out I guess, eh?"
> > With that, he grabs his coat and leads the way out and off to this "Jack's".
<Mykasi> "Heh. Likewise for myself, though if you're a genuine 'card shark' you'll definitely be pushin' on my capabilties."
> Kyo, of course, does not have a car, so the two of you race to a bus stop just in time to jump on the bus. The bus ride itself is fairly short and you get off a few minutes later where Kyo promptly leads you through a few twists and turns and into...a fairly residential part of town.
> He looks back over his shoulder, "Doesn't look like the place to find a card club, does it?"
<Mykasi> "Not really, no. Then again, Jack's sounds like a western restaurant or club, not a Japanese one."
> He shrugs, "It's...different, I'll give it that. Not much further here."
<Mykasi> "Fair enough."
> That said, he goes up to an apartment building and rings the buzzer for one of the apartments. A moment later a voice comes out over the intercom, "What's the password?"
> Kyo rolls his eyes, "It's Kyo man. Lemme in."
* Mykasi grins languidly, not saying anything at this point.
> There's silence for a moment, then from the intercom, "Sorry, that's not the password." The voice sounds amused.
> Kyo shakes his head, "Man, you're really gonna make me say that stupid crap?"
> The voice laughs, "Sure am. You ditched us for a couple of months, jackass."
> Kyo sighs, "You're a bastard, PJ. Fine, 'ho ho ho to the hee hee hee'." After saying that he rolls his head back in exasperation, "Damn I feel like a moron saying something that lame."
> The voice laughs, "Serves you right! But yeah, come on in, I guess."
> The buzzer light turns green and there's a click of the door unlocking.
<Mykasi> "There could be far worse passwords, I suspect." Mike comments.
> He nods, "I guess. Still hard to believe those guys are twenty and not twelve with something like that."
> Kyo opens the door and leads you up to the third floor where he knocks on the door of one apartment.
<Mykasi> "Everyone gets their kicks from somethin', I guess. Still, you got a point."
> It opens a second later, revealing a short, chunky guy with bright orange hair grinning like an idiot, "Hey, what's this? You didn't say anything about a guest."
> Kyo shrugs, "I was gonna, until you made me say that stupid password. Anyway, Mykasi, this is Jack. Calls himself 'Pyro Jack' so we call him PJ for short. PJ, this is Mike, my roommate over at HU."
<Mykasi> "Pyro Jack, eh?" Mike says with a grin. "Good to meetcha."
> PJ sticks one chubby hand out, "Yeah, same here. Come on in, alright?"
> He moves back in, unblocking the doorway, and leads the two of you inside.
* Mykasi shakes the hand, then comes in, shooting a slightly amused glance to Kyo.
<Mykasi> "So, uh, idly. A Jack Frost in here, too, or did you melt him?" Mike makes a quick snark, looking around inside.
> Inside, the place is...frankly decked out like an American holloween. Orange, yellow and black everywhere. No actual furniture, but a bunch of pumpkin shaped beanbags surrounding an orange table in the middle of the living room floor. It's actually a fairly roomy place, unlike most apartments.(more)
> Sitting on some of those beanbags are a couple of other people, a young woman with her hair frosted a silvery blue waves enthusiastcly at you, while a gangly thin man with shades and a goatee simply nods quietly. One more person, a young woman almost as pudgy as PJ himself greets you from the kitchen and immediately starts fixing some snacks and drinks for you.
* Mykasi nods back to the rest of the group, partially understanding now why Kyo approached this the way he did.
> Doing the introductions, Kyo points around the room, "Alright, Mike, that's Friesa and Shades sitting down there. And over in the kitchen is PJ's girl Nana."
<Mykasi> "Pleasure." Mike nods.
> PJ also laughs at your question, "Hey, you caught the referance. Good man! But sadly there is no Jack Frost. Haven't met anyone cool enough to pull that roll off yet."
> He looks around expectantly.
> Kyo and Shades let out simultaneous sighs, while Friesa facepalms and Nana giggles.
<Mykasi> "Man, I just got here and already you're harrassing me with puns?" Mike mutters. "Such a cold reception."
> Shades glares at Kyo, "Why you gotta do this to me, man? You don't show up for ages and when you do you bring one of *them* with you?"
> PJ, on the other hand, is laughing.
<Mykasi> "Eh, don't worry. I tend to switch from puns to other forms of jokes quickly. The opening was just too wide." Mike grins lazily.
> Freisa suddenly snrks, "Hehehe...'wide'..."
> PJ suddenly finds the puns alot less funny.
> "Ahem. Anyway, good to meet you. Go on and have a seat, right? You play cards much?"
<Mykasi> "...Wait, what?" Mike blinks. "Damnit, Japanese isn't my first language, did I just manage one without intending it? And yeah, played a lot back home, not so much here though."
> Folks make room and you, Kyo and PJ sit down around the table.
* Mykasi glances over to Kyo idly, trying to appraise his mood quickly as he sits.
> Freisa starts shuffling the cards, "Hmm...five is one too many for spades or hearts. Back to the old standby of poker, I guess?"
> Shades leans in and smiles, "That's fiiiiine by me, babe."
> Kyo settles in as well and after a moment his initial irritation with the group's...to be frank, blatent immaturity, fades. "Oh really? I coulda sworn I remember you saying you'd never play five card draw with me again..."
<Mykasi> "Poker works, sure." Mike shrugs casually.
> Shades turns a glare at him. Impressive how you can tell he's glaring through the sunglasses. "Things'll be different this time. Watch."
> PJ shakes his head, "Gentlemen, play nice. You all know the rules of the house." Pausing a second, he corrects himself, "Well, almost all. Freisa, mind filling Mike here in on the house rules?"
> Freisa smiles as she starts dealing, "Sure thing. The rules can be summed up as follows: don't be a turd."
<Mykasi> "...Right." Mike says after a moment.
> Nana brings over some snacks and drinks. Roasted pumpkin seeds, of course. And some club soda.
<Mykasi> "Thanks." Mike says in gratitude, glancing at the deal and eyeing reactions first and foremost to the cards picked up.
> As the cards hit the table, Mike can tell Kyo is getting focused. He still seems relaxed on a casual glance, but is a very deceptive calm. One Mike himself is rather familiar with, actually.
<Mykasi> Yeeeep, card shark. Mike knows the feeling, and while this isn't the sort of thing he usually manages zen for, perhaps he can pull a few upsets regardless... Mike, for his part, maintains his general posture and facial expression, waiting patiently.
> However, other then that focus, the man is damn near unreadable. Friesa seems to have a permanent smile on her face and also gives away very little. PJ's face, unfortunately for him, is simply very expressive and while he's trying to keep a poker face on, he doesn't always succeed.
> Shades, on the other hand, despite the damn sunglasses is an open book.
> The aura of cool he tries to project is quite clearly as fake as the breasts on most supermodles, and Mike's only known the guy for about ten minutes.
<Mykasi> Which is too bad, as Mike usually has nothing against the breasts of supermodels. Regardless, guessing at who this will come down to overall, he begins playing.
> Freisa and PJ keep up a random conversation while playing, that Kyo occasionally responds to. Shades, after bombing the first hand spectacularly thinking he caught you in a bluff, is super focused, leaning forward and watching every card.
> Kyo simply folds pretty early on the first two hands without even pushing hard. The second hand comes down to you and PJ. He's smiling. You know he's got something good. But you're sitting on a flush yourself.
> PJ pushes a little extra in(you're just playing with chips, not any real money, of course).
> "How about it, hee? You in?"
> Shades(who actually folded this round after the draw) looks at you and PJ as if he's trying to divine your hands.
* Mykasi tilts his head slightly. "Eh, in penny, in pound." With that, he pushes in enough to call.
> PJ smiles and lays his cards down. Full house. Aces and Eights, of course. Which...just *barely* beats a flush.
> Kyo just stares at the cards, "Dead man's hand? How the hell do you DO that, man?"
<Mykasi> "Heh. Coinflip either way, and I guessed you were lower." Mike lowers his own hand, nodding to PJ... and filing PJ's smile away for next time.
> PJ laughs, "Wierd stuff happens around me all the time man, you know that."
> Shades looks at Kyo, "Hey, what's with all the folding, anyway, Mr. Card Master?"
> Kyo shrugs, "When you get crap, you fold. That's part of the whole 'skill' thing."
> Friesa smiles and deals another hand, "Alright, alright, let's keep going!"
<Mykasi> "Indeed." Mike nods.
> A few more hands pass, and Mike can begin to see how things go. PJ...is a lucky son of a bitch, but he's easy to read. Shades is just too agressive of a player and steadily loses as the hands go by. Freisa isn't much better then Shades but doesn't seem to care, she's just having fun.
<Mykasi> Friesa is also, uh, cool, so that's fine by Mike. Casual play's always amusing (and the best Mike manages when completely smashed; half sober as he is, competency is at least stridently attempted.)
> Kyo and Mike himself are doing nearly equally well. Mike on baiting the others to call his 'bluffs' when he actually has a high hand, though it only works on Kyo once. And Kyo on solid poker skill and a stone cold expression.
<Mykasi> Once was about all he expected that the get from Kyo, and as such when it comes down to him and Kyo Mike tries to rely on memory providing decent count odds.
> The last hand plays out with Mike calling early(jack and shit even after the draw) and Shades, Friesa and Kyo pulling the pot up to a decent amount. Freisa finally drops and Kyo starts to lean in and half-smile a very...predatory smile. On the next pass, Kyo puts in enough that Shades, visibly sweating, backs out as well.
* Mykasi just looks at Kyo bemusedly, poker face dropped halfway as he recalls the three-king offsuit he had.
> Pulling the chips in with a smile, he flips his cards over. Nothing but a pair of aces.
> Shades slams his own hand down, "DAMMIT! I woulda WON that!"
> Nana, looking at the game, giggles, "Oh, what's your little saying, Kyo? That was 'aces'?"
<Mykasi> "I... kinda was betting on that. Then again, I stood no chance myself." Mike shrugs. "Three-king only gets so far."
> Freisa groans while Shades actually takes his glasses off to glare at Nana.
<Mykasi> "...Kyo, if you have said that ever once with that hand, you get no pun immunity from me, ever again. Understood?"
<Mykasi> This being said, Mike's grinning at that.
> Kyo holds his hands up, "No way man, that's PJ and Nana's style not mine."
> Freisa collects the cards and shakes her head, "You boys take this game way too seriously."
> PJ looks mock offronted, "Hey, don't look at me when you say that, I'm just having some fun!"
> Nana gives PJ a hug from behind, "That's okay sweetie, you're a man, not a boy."
> Shades puts his glasses back on and crosses his arms, "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"
> Freisa giggles, "Sounded pretty clear to me!"
* Mykasi just shakes his head, nibbling on a few of the roasted pumpkin seeds. "Health" food when Mike tends to like more sugar, but hey, he's used to this stuff from home. "Heh. Eh, I can't argue - then again, not being able to drink back home's a sobering comparison."
> PJ snickers, "Not being able to drink is sobering. I like that." Popping a couple seeds himself, he asks, "So what is the drinking age over in America? You are from America, right? That's the accent I'm getting anyway."
<Mykasi> "Yep, west coast." Mike nods, glancing to Kyo again now that the game's over.
> Kyo stays farily relaxed, but now that the cards are gone, it's more of a real relaxation. He does seem fairly amused at having caused Shades' bad mood, though.
> Grabbing a fresh club soda, Kyo thinks, "Uh...drinking age in the States is twenty one, if I remember right. Is that it?" He looks back at you.
<Mykasi> "Oh. Yeah, it is. Though, admittedly, that's a legality more than anything else... there's too many people that don't care for it to be effective." Mike nods.
> PJ nods, "I believe it."
> Nana brings over yet more snacks. She appears to have an endless supply of them. Little mini-riceballs this time. Orange rice balls, of course.
> Setting them down, she wrinkles her nose at Shades, "What I mean by that is that you two need to get around to settling down like my PJ here." Turning her attention to you, she makes the obvious inquiry, "Well, maybe you three. Do you have a girlfriend, Mike?"
<Mykasi> "Ah." Mike says, face falling a bit. "I had a S.O. for a while back home. Not as it stands, however; it got broke off before I came here."
<Mykasi> "Currently not looking for one, kinda as a result."
> She smiles sadly, "That's too bad. And I can so understand, the ocean's a pretty big barrier to have a relationship over. Though...I hope it wasn't because you were moving out here that you broke up..."
> PJ scolds Nana, "Hey, you just met the guy today, no need to pry so much."
> She blushes, "Whoops! Ah, so sorry. I'm just nosy, I hope I didn't offend."
<Mykasi> "Nah. Other factors came into play. And don't worry about it too much. I keep what I want to keep private, private." Mike grins easily. (Yeah, very private.)
> Shades snorts, "Hah. No wonder you get on well with Kyo here then."
> Friesa grins, "Yeah, we've got ourselves a regular international man of mystery here. This guy never talks about himself."
> Suddenly the focus of attention, Kyo squirms a bit, "Eh, not much interesting to talk about."
> "Besides, I've told you guys about my family and stuff."
> Shades shakes his head, "Yeah, stuff that's well past is fair game, but hell if we can get anything about your present out of you. I've got ahold of you a few times to see if you're coming over and what do I hear you're up to?" He tries to mimic Kyo's voice, "'oh, just the usual stuff'"
> Kyo snorts at that, "Tch. Man, when have I got to be accountable to you?"
* Mykasi chuckles a bit. "Eh, to be fair, college cram can blow - and I've been probably the result of a few absences, due to forcing him to show me where some of the better food joints are at this college. Was up in Tokyo first year, so this was disorienting."
> PJ shakes his head a bit sadly, "It's a fair question, Kyo. I mean, you used to hang out with us all the time and then you up and vanish. Now you pop back in outta nowhere, right?" But as you interject, he shrugs, "Alright, I guess that's fair. College wasn't so long ago for me that I don't remember the cramming."
> Freisa's smile turns a bit down, "Just...we're still your freinds, right?"
> Kyo winces, "Yeah...just, I've been busy alot. I'll try to swing by more often, alright?"
<Mykasi> "Eh, I'm around and willing to bug about card games. We'll see, alright? Depends on if I can get out of programming homework, myself." Mike shrugs, trying to leave both himself and Kyo latitude.
> PJ gives him an apprasing look, but doesn't say anything more. He does nod to you, though, "Hey, no problem. Come on over anytime, right? I work from home, so even if you just need a place to chill out randomly for a little bit and you're in the area I should be around."
> Friesa's smile returns fully, "Just make sure you remember the password~"
<Mykasi> "Alright, thanks." Mike nods. "I'll... do my best to keep that one in mind."
> You all hang out a bit more, and people let Kyo's business stay his own for now. There's the usual 'get to know the new guy' questions, mostly about either life in America or what you're studdying in college.
<Mykasi> Most of which Mike answers honestly, but mainly shallowly avoiding most questions about family or the S.O. as best he can.
> After a while, Shades heads out. A few more later and Kyo stands up, "Alright, I'm gonna split. You comin' along, man?"
<Mykasi> "Yeah, got a bit more homework to finish. Thanks, everyone. 'night."
> Nana is the only one who tries to ask questions about the S.O., but PJ gives her the eye and she stops short every time.
> As the two of you stand up and Nana presses a couple more riceballs to go in your hands, the world suddenly returns to greyscale...
<Mykasi> "...Wait, did I just level up again?"
> All motion stops, and all color is gone. Except for a small orange light resting within Kyo.
> The orange light rises out of him and transforms once more into the spinning card. The image on the back is the same and the one on the front is...slightly less blurred, though you still can't tell much about it.
<Mykasi> "Hiya, Merlin. Long time no see."
<Mykasi> "Except not, but."
> The voice returns, as if from everywhere and nowhere all at once, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Magician Arcana."
> Then everything snaps back into place at once, with Nana smiling and handing you a baggie full of leftover riceballs(whether you want to take it or not).
> Kyo doesn't even try to fight her, but takes his share, waves to everyone, and slips out the dor.
* Mykasi accepts it, the riceballs were nommy. With that, he slips out the door with Kyo, moving to keep pace.
<Mykasi> "Thought I'd intercede... figured you didn't need the ragging so much." he says when out of the complex.
> Shrugging, he does nod thanks to you, "Uh...yeah, thanks for helping me out there man. I know I've been a bit of a jerk to 'em lately...they're a good group though."
> "Just...well, stuff gets kinda busy, eh?"
<Mykasi> "Yeah, I can get it. Time gets to a crunch point and all. Still, I'll see if I can't drag you out there a bit more often. ...maybe we can teach Shades a poker face, though I wonder if it'll be lethal to try."
> Kyo laughs, "Maaan, that guy. Wants so bad to be the Big Bad Wolf, but he's more like the first little pig."
<Mykasi> "Pret-ty much, yeah." Mike nods slightly. "Nana's good people, though shit timing bringing up my S.O...  that was who the bad news was from."
> He winces again, "Ouch. Yeah, she's nosy but nice. To continue the animal metaphors, she's like a mother bear over Friesa, too."
<Mykasi> "Heh, fair enough. Thanks for the trip, and damn you are good, idly. Mainly kept up out of bluffing the rest of them..."
> Kyo nods, "Yeah, I noticed. Shades is an easy draw while Friesa doesn't really play hard. PJ's the one you gotta watch out for. Not 'cause he's good, though. Guy's a lucky punk."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, pretty much. Luck's more dangerous than skill after a point, though..." Mike grins.
> "And the HANDS he gets! Aces and Eights, four jacks, jack high straights, gah." He shakes his head, "That guy's a weirdness magnet if there ever was one. Rolls with it though."
<Mykasi> "Heh. At least we can be decently sure Nana, Friesa and Shades aren't an esper, a time traveler and a robot respectively?"
> He chuckles, "Yeah, they're loons, but that's about it."
> The two of you get on the bus which takes you back to the campus in short order.
<Mykasi> "That and you'd expect the robot to have a good poker face..."
> Kyo looks up at the dorms and shrugs, "Eh, I'm gonna take a walk. Hope hanging out with those guys helped some?"
<Mykasi> "Yeah, it did - enough that I think I'll just stash the beer for now." Mike nods after a moment. "Thanks again, man."
> Kyo nods and heads off while Mike heads back up to put the beer away and get some sleep before the adventure awaiting tomorrow...
> -----------------------------

[VySaika]

Mykasi: Hanged Man 1

> --------------------------------------------
> It's...late. Roughly 1:30 AM on Sunday morning, and Mykasi is still awake. Back in his room at least, and thankfully Kyo is still out(when the hell DOES that guy sleep anyway?). As the minutes tick by, Mike is once again staring at his phone, waiting for it to ring...
* Mykasi is currently also very thankful that this isn't a video conference call, as he looks about as crunked up as he actually was a few hours ago. Fortunately, a cold shower and some food seem to have settled down some of the drunken binge. Some. Damnit, Valeriya...
> Finally the phone rings. Caller ID is your parents' number, of course. Specicially your mom's cellphone.
* Mykasi picks up, naturally. "Hhhey, Mom." Ugh. Great way to start the conversation, slurring words. "...Sorry. A bit exhausted. Been a long day."
> She chuckles a bit, "Sorry these calls have to be so late for you, sweetie. Still awake enough to talk to Xavier's parents, or should we try this another day?"
<Mykasi> "...No. Let's do this today." Mike says after considering.
> "Alright. Well, I'm still a couple minutes away from thier house. Outside of the long day, how are you doing over there?"
<Mykasi> "Stressed, honestly. A lot of projects..." Mike quickly stifles a yawn, shaking his head and standing up. "A lot of projects are adding up rather quickly."
> There's a pause for a moment, then, "Ugh, what am I doing, nodding over the phone again. College life is like that, I'm afraid. At least it is if you're applying yourself properly."
<Mykasi> "I definitely seem to be doing that." Mike says with a slight grin of his own. "And at least I know where I get my own nodding-on-the-phone habit from."
> "Well so long as we don't start nodding-off on the phone, it should be alright." Another pause, "Good lord, that sounded like one of your father's jokes."
<Mykasi> "Must've just been a nod to his sense of humor." Mike says, deadpan.
> "I'm going to pretend that was unintentional and continue telling myself that you didn't inherit his humor."
<Mykasi> "Have fun with that."
> She chuckles again. As much as she complains about Stephan's jokes, she does usually laugh at them.
> "Alright, I'm almost there. I'm going to go ahead and put it on speaker-phone, alright?"
<Mykasi> "Alright." Mike says, hesitant - and honestly worried, but...
> She turns the phone to speaker-mode and a moment later, Mike can hear a knocking sound.
* Mykasi waits quietly.
> A female voice can barely be heard, "Yes? Oh, Mary. What is it?"
> Your mom sighs slighly at Rhoda's rather blatent hostility, "Well if we're just going to skip the pleasantries, I have Mykasi on the line. He really does need to talk to you and Davis."
* Mykasi winces a bit. Man, Rhoda hadn't been so stiff before.
> "...You were serious about that?" There's a pause, then Rhoda adds, "I told you at church last week, Davis and I don't want anything to do with your son. Whatever he has to say, we don't need to hear. He's out of our life now and is going to stay that way."
> Mary's voice gains a slight edge, "You know, there is such a thing as taking being a dutiful wife too far, Rhoda. You are allowed to think for yourself instead of just parroting Davis. You were never like this before."
<Mykasi> ... ha! Mike barely manages to maintain his silence, but gets an immediate smile at that one.
> There's vague sounds that Mike can't quite make out, then Rhoda's very faint voice, "It's just someone from church dear, breakfast is on the table go ahead and help yourself." Then a bit more clearly, "First off, I hardly think you're in a positon to say anything to me about being a good wife or mother. Secondly, unless you want to get into a shouting match with Davis, you should probably leave."
> There's a small pause where you can almost see your mother's eyebrows arching up, "Excuse me? What exactly are you trying to say?"
<Mykasi> Okay. Any bitter feelings over the last conversation with his mother? Go-o-o-o-oooone! Mike's drunk enough to be grinning a bit like a loon, though also worried a bit for his mom at this point...
> "You know very well what I mean. Your son turned out...that way...because you two were so permissive. And God help me, I made the same mistake with Xavier. But we've been given a second chance to raise him right this time and I'm not about to ruin that by bringing your family back into his life."
<Mykasi> Aaaaand that just sent the mood screeching to a damn halt.
> The edge to Mary's voice is now a bit more then slight, "And now you sound just like Father West. And don't you dare take that as a compliment, bigotry in the name of God is still bigotry."
> "Slandering the good Father's name now? And I suppose you defend that boy's...lifestyle?" Rhoda's voice has become just as hard as your mother's.
> There's a long moment of silence, then Mary's voice very softly breaks it, "You know very well that I don't agree with it. But it's his choice to make, not mine. And not yours either. But he is still my son and I will support him, even if I don't always approve of what he does. But right now, all he's trying to do is have a chance to explain things to your family."
> Rhoda retorts, "Sinning is sinning, no matter how good an excuse you have. I don't want to hear it, Mary. And neither does Davis."
* Mykasi lets the words on his tongue die for a moment, before, "Even if they are words of apology for the deception, Mrs. Wolfe?"
> "...has that been on speaker this whole time?" You can only assume your mother nodded, because Rhoda continues, "Deception? Are you telling me that this whole...thing...was a big lie?"
<Mykasi> "... No. Deception as in not telling you what had been happening." Mike grimaces. Oh wouldn't you like it to be otherwise. "As in having kept it a secret for so long, and for the manner in which you learned it."
> With barely controlled anger, she responds, "Is that supposed to change anything? You corrupted our boy, nothing you can say is going to make us forgive you. If you want to do something for us, then keep your Godless ways away from our family and away from our son."
> Mike can hear his mother taking a very deep breath. This is either trying to calm herself down or about to preceed a rant.
> Another voice, barely audible cuts in, "Mom? Is that Mrs. Werfel out there?"
> Rhoda quickly replies, "Go eat your breakfast, Xavier."
* Mykasi opens his mouth to cut off his mother, before clamping it down shut to steel. "... Xav..." Mike chokes out, almost unsure if he can be heard on the phone. "...Xav." after that, a bit louder.
> Mary quickly speaks up, "Yes, Xavier, it's me. And I have Mykasi on the phone out here."
<Mykasi> Mom for the save. Now to comport himself quickly and hope Rhoda or Davis can't stop Xav...
<Mykasi> ...presuming Xav even wants to talk to him. Shit.
> Xavier's voice is a bit more clear, "Really? Um...can I talk to him?"
> Rhoda snaps, "No. Mrs. Werfel was just leaving. Go back to the kitchen."
* Mykasi ... has to refrain from snapping at Mrs. Wolfe himself; harder than it seems in his half-drunk state, and -glad- his dad isn't here to pick up on it even now. "...Hey, Xav."
> Both Mary and Xavier start to say something at once before Rhoda's voice cuts over them both, "Good-bye Mary, and don't come back." Then a slamming door.
> "...well now. That went a bit worse then expected." Mary's voice is fairly flat.
<Mykasi> "...sorry, Mom. I shouldn't have said anything." Mike said, miserable, after a point.
> The phone switches back to normal mode, "No, you didn't do anything wrong, sweetie."
> "Do you think you can stand to stay up a couple more hours?"
<Mykasi> "...heh. I got to hear his voice, at least. And he wants to talk to me. ...better than nothing." Mike grins slightly, miserableness tempered slightly. "Yeah, why?"
> "Because you and Xavier need to talk and Rhoda has no right to tell him he can't talk to you if he wants to."
<Mykasi> "..." Mike pauses slightly. "Mom?"
> "Yes?"
<Mykasi> "I love you. Don't do anything that Dad and I would agree would look cool, as that probably means it's a really bad idea."
> "Sweetie, I'm not about to confront Davis. I know better then that. I will, however, go right around the both of them. The man is more predictable then the end of a John Saul novel and until this week, I've been going to church with them every Sunday. I already know exactly when I'll be able to talk to Xavier without his parents around."
<Mykasi> "...Alright. I confess I thought you were going to try and climb the ivy trellis outside his window." Mike says with a slight laugh. "But I like this plan better."
> "Oh no, nothing extreme like that. And this is going to take a couple hours, so why don't you try to nap a bit?"
> "And...I promise I didn't know they'd gotten this bad. The last I talked to Rhoda about it, she just said that she didn't think it would be a good idea because Davis would get angry. Which would be nothing new for him, considering his temper."
<Mykasi> "...If I fall asleep, I'll be out like a rock. I'll just take another shower and try to get some work done." Mike shrugs, still trying to smooth out the word slurs.
<Mykasi> "It's okay, Mom. Though... from what Bill said, I had been wondering. And now you see why I wanted to say something to you guys..." Mike replied.
> She's quiet a moment, "I know. And I'm sorry how I reacted before. I...I won't try and pretend to approve, but it doesn't mean I love you or support you any less. I hope you understand that."
<Mykasi> "...Honestly, it will take me time myself. But... yeah. I understand. I do." A pause. "Hard for me to take, but I do."
> "Alright, I'll call back in a couple hours, either with or without Xavier. This plan does hinge on him being willing to disobey his parents to talk to you, afterall."
> "Though I think he will be."
<Mykasi> "Right. And... yeah, let's hope so." Mike nods slightly. "Talk to you soon."
> "Try not to work yourself up too much while waiting, Mikey. Talk to you soon."
> She hangs up.
* Mykasi closes the phone and stands there for a few moments, before stepping into the shower again.
<Mykasi> After quickly rinsing off, Mike towels off, tosses briefs and a tee back on, then considers, eyeing his computer and then eyeing the time. "Okay, actually..." Mike clicks the light stand light on, and tosses his phone next to it with the alarm for ten minutes to the hour after next, volume maxed. With that he lies down, figuring that the light will stop him from dozing too hard.
<Mykasi> OOC: in ready stance, though drowsing slightly.
> Mike does cat-nap a bit, but never falls into a full sleep. And after awhile, the phone alarm does go off, waking him up fully.
> About twenty minutes after that, the phone rings. It's your mom's cell number, of course.
* Mykasi picks up immediately. "Hey. How'd it go?"
> The voice on the other end is most defintively not your mother's, "Uh...hey. Mykasi, er, Mike?"
<Mykasi> "...oh. Hey, Xav." Mike's voice mellows even further. "Good to hear your voice, man. You been doing alright?"
> "I think so? I'm not really sure what 'alright' is, to be honest."
<Mykasi> "...I guess that's fair enough." Mike says with a slight sigh. "Really appreciate you being willing to talk to me, at least..." There's a lot Mike wants to say, here, but most of it's catching in his throat. Damn throat. Need cybernetic throat that doesn't get stuff caught in it.
> "Well, I'm just really curious about everything that happened before. Bill and Sandy tell me stuff sometimes, but everyone always said you're the one I was closest to. Uh, I guess I know why now. Heh."
> "But mom and dad and even Father West all try and tell me now that I should stop trying to remember. Which...it just kinda makes me mad, you know?"
<Mykasi> "...yeah. I hate getting preached at like that, too, and... in your shoes, I can't imagine how it'd feel. I'd probably have snapped pretty hard at them." Mike says, before pausing for a moment. "Xav, I've... I've got to apologize. To you, most of all - wanted to apologize to your parents as well, but it seems like they won't hear of that." (More)
<Mykasi> "I... I fucked up. Really bad. At the time where you needed me most, at the time where there was the most I could do for you... well. I gave myself a ton of excuses. That I couldn't get anything done in America, that I couldn't do anything for you... but both were bullshit." Mike's voice, oddly, contains no anger, just a wistful note. "I broke and ran from you, man." (More)
<Mykasi> "And I didn't do anything to try and explain things to you, or your family, or even my own... I ran like a coward because... it felt like everything crumbled. And in that... I forgot about you, dude. And it's torn me up since. And there's nothing I want more than to be back there... but..."
> "But even if it was 'just running' you really do want to do what you're doing in Japan, right?"
<Mykasi> "...There's that, and... well. I've got things that I need to do here now. I come running back to you... I make the same damn mess. And despite what my Mom would probably tell you, I -do- learn from my mistakes." Mike laughed a bit, before calming down. "So... I'll finish up what I need to do here, and then... I'll come back. And if you haven't remembered by then, I'll do all I can to help. ...though I'm still willing as hell to try and help you reme
<Mykasi> " ...though I'm still willing as hell to try and help you remember over the phone." Mike finishes, chuckling.
> "Well, I don't know how often I'll be able to call. You can't call me at all, and I think my dad would notice if I started calling Japan."
> "...uh, your dad says not to worry about that, he's got an idea. Okay..."
<Mykasi> "My dad's like that, yeah. ...Xav, can I request you to swap to speakerphone? I wanna suggest something in case of, well, things going to blazes, but it's something I'd want to make sure my Mom and Dad would support." Mike asks. "And then, any questions - all questions - you got, I'm willing to answer." Xav's computer probably got taken by his parents, then - they never did like the damn thing.
> "Alright, it's this button on the top right?"
> You hear the buzz of it switching, and then your dad's voice, "Yes, that one."
<Mykasi> "Hey. Uh... Just wanted to float a request by you two, and it makes sense that Xav hears it. Mom, you haven't converted my room into a sewing slash embroidery slash treadmill room, right? If... well." Mike says, quieting down and realizing this may sound harsh. "... I just wanna know Xav has somewhere to go."
> Stephan starts lauging, "Great minds think alike, I see. I was about to broach the same idea with you. Though that's a clear last resort, of course."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, definitely. Oh, and I think there's some pictures of the gang hanging up in there. Feel free to go on in and look at them later, Xav." Mike says, clearly relieved that they didn't flinch at the suggestion. "Thanks for that, Xav."
> Stephan continues, "My less drastic idea for communication simply involves us buying a phone for Xavier and having all charges for it come here. We can afford it without too much trouble, before you ask."
<Mykasi> "That works, yeah. Though not using that around your house... might be wise, Xav. But you know that." Mike shakes his head. "And yeah, that should do. Did they take your computer, Xav?"
> Xavier half-heartedly objects, "Uh, you don't have to go and spend money on me like that. I'm sure I can just...I dunno, find ways to call or something. Maybe use Bill's phone when he comes by?"
> "And...I had a computer?"
> Stephan brushes off his objection, "Nonsense. Don't think of this as me spending money on you. I'm buying this for Mike and because I enjoy thumbing my nose at people like your father."
<Mykasi> "...You did, yes." Mike rubs his head. "You saved up for an entire year to purchase it. Worked at your dad's even though you hated it. And... regarding the phone, I can share some of the cost of it. I'll toss some of what I've got floating in my savings for you guys to apply to it."
> Stephan continues, "Don't worry about it, Mike. Save your money for yourself. I'm in the middle of negotiating a contract for a new trilogy, so we should be fine on money for a bit."
<Mykasi> "...Alright. Thanks." Mike says, acquiescing (stocks weren't doing so well anyway).
> Xav sighs, his weak objections shot down hard, "Um, thanks Mr. Werfel."
> Stephan finishes, "Not a problem at all. And remember our door is always open for you. As it is to Bill and Sandy as well when she's in town, before you start objecting to special treatment."
> Xavier had started to say something, but stops before two syllables are out of his mouth.
> Stephan chuckles, "Just goes to show that even with memory loss, you're still largely the same person. You never could stand even the thought of getting preferential treatment, even when you'd earned it."
> Xav wonders aloud, "I'm really that bad about that?"
<Mykasi> "And Amelia if she ever gets out of Pair-eeeeeee." Mike slurs the last syllable deliberately, addressing his dad's earlier point. "And... yes. You did that to us all the time, dude. 'Oh, no, I'm not hungry! You guys finish the pizza!' ...Right after you'd waited for us for, what, six hours? Since we got stuck at Bill's listening to him get chewed out. Yeah."
> "Now I hate to break this up so soon, but you should probably get back before they notice you're gone, Xavier."
<Mykasi> "...Yeah. Sorry for not getting to talk to you more in person, Xav, but if this works out... well." Mike says.
> Xavier sighs, "Right. So...I'll call as soon as I have that phone, okay?"
<Mykasi> "Alright, man. Just... avoid calling during late night your time, and I'll probably be not busy. Looking forward to talking to you, alright?"
> "Right. So...I guess I'll talk to you later. Um, bye."
* Mykasi rubs his head. "Yeah, talk to you later. ...Take care."
> Suddenly, the color fades from the world as everything seems to stop moving.
<Mykasi> "...OH YOU HAVE TO BE FUCKING SHITTING ME."
> A soft grey glow rises out of the phone in Mike's hand and turns into a spinning card, the front too blury to make out but the back...a man hanging upside down from a rope attached to his ankles, dangling over a cliff that looks out to the sea.
> As if from both nowhere and everywhere around you all at once, a voice begins to speak, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Hanged Man Arcana"
> Then, in the blink of an eye, everything returns to normal.
<Mykasi> "... ..." Mike stares at the phone in his hand, before muttering, "For the love of..."
> The door eases open as Mike is staring at his phone, and Kyo slides in. Seeing you, he blinks, "Still up man?"
<Mykasi> "Yeah. It's... been a long night. I'll take this into the hall, man. You go ahead and crash, alright?" Mike says, before saying into the phone, "Be right back. Roommate's back, gonna let him sleep."
> Kyo just nods and heads right to his bed.
> There's no response from the phone, it seems Xavier had hung up.
* Mykasi nods back and steps out, before glancing to the phone. "...right. Xav's about as bad as Bill about that. Glad to see that hasn't changed, either... ...he wanted to talk to me." Mike grins stupidly. "Heeeee...."
* Mykasi waits about ten minutes before calling his dad's cell, rubbing his head.
<Mykasi> And being glad calls between these three phones don't cost anything. Too bad that's the max the plan allows....
> His dad picks up, "Shouldn't you be trying to get at least some sleep?"
<Mykasi> "Sleep is for people who aren't tempted to start singing at 4:00 AM in a Japanese dorm." Mike deadpans. "Seriously, though, I will in a little bit. Mainly... just wanted to say thanks to both of you."
> He chuckles, "Not a problem, Mikey. So I take it from the threats of a spontaneous musical interlude that you're feeling better?"
<Mykasi> "...yeah. That really helped, sappy as it may sound." Mike rubs his head, grinning still. "Honestly, yesterday... was really miserable, all things considered, so this helped a whole ton."
> "Anything you want to talk about, or just one of those days?"
<Mykasi> "...It's kinda hard to explain. An acquantaince of mine... well, she's... kinda disappeared. No one has a clue where she went, and, well... Honestly, I'm really damn worried at this point." Mike says, keeping things simple. "Not the same friend as got the dreamcatcher, someone else. I... don't know how to account for it. But the police said they're looking, so."
> He's quiet for a moment, then replies, "It sounds like things are getting a bit weird over there."
<Mykasi> "Yeah. There's been some odd stuff in the news as well, but... I'm keeping safe, okay? So don't worry." Well, as safe as you can when SOMETHING IS OUT TO EAT YOU ALIVE oh fuck need to not think anymore blargh. "Thanks for backing me up on the room suggestion, and thanks re: the phone."
> "I trust you to take care of yourself, Mike. And don't worry about us helping Xavier. Frankly I've been holding my peace about Davis for years due to your mother's freindship with Rhoda. I never have been able to stand the man, and just because he's Xavier's father doesn't give him the right to ruin his life."
<Mykasi> "To quote Davis quite out-of-context-ly? 'Amen, Father. Amen.'" Mike grins.
> He snorts, "Good one. Anyway, it's past time for you to catch some shut-eye, and I'm expecting a call from my publisher any minute now as well. Wish me luck."
<Mykasi> "You'll be fine, Dad. And alright, I'll go crash. Talk to you later, email me with how the publishing goes."
> "Will do. Good night, Mikey."
<Mykasi> "G'night."
> The call ends.
* Mykasi closes up the phone and quietly goes back inside his room, prepared to crash straight away and guessing Kyo's done the same.
> Kyo is indeed already asleep when you go back in.
<Mykasi> And so does Mike put his phone away and slip into bed, ready to finally crash...
> ---------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Nagare: Death 1

> ----------------------------------------------
> Monday afternoon, while Mykasi and Hikari are at the Dreamspeakers craft shop, Nagare went home. As he nears the parking garage for his building he can't help but notice a familiar form sitting on the mailbox across the street. A familiar small blonde female form in a cute blue summer dress...
> She seems to be staring off into the distance at the moment, for all that Nagare can tell.
* Nagare raises his eyebrow, carefully looking around to see if there's another living soul at the environments, as simply speaking to Alice straight could pick up a few strange looks.
> There's a teenager walking around with headphones on. But you see him around all the time, and he never seems to talk to anyone, just walk around listening to his music.
> Other then him, the place is pretty empty for the time being.
* Nagare shrugs to himself and decides it's a risk worth taking. As he approaches, the teacher lights a cigarette.
> She doesn't seem to notice you until you're practically right in front of her. When she does, she blinks a couple of times and pulls her attention away from the sky, "Oh, um, hullo!"
<Nagare> "Do you always contemplate the scenery like this? I honestly didn't expect to meet you here," the teacher says as he blows a puff of smoke up in the air. "... I actually never asked, does the smoke bother you?"
> "Well, I don't really have much to do most of the time, so I watch the clouds alot. Sometimes they look like things, you know." Alice looks up, then looks back down and shrugs, "But they don't look like anything interesting today."
> "And only when there's so much of it that I can't see. I..." she sounds embarrased, "I can't actually smell things in this world, so it's just like whispy little strings of fog to me."
* Nagare scratches his head, albeit slightly relieved. One less trivial worry to deal with, at least. "I... see, I see. You know... back when I was a kid, I used to look at the clouds. But they always had the shape of something I knew. I think that it's because I tried to imagine the shapes around them."
<Nagare> "If you're too bored and the clouds themselves don't give you shapes, you can actually make them if you think hard enough."
> Alice nods, "Oh yes! Sometimes when I can see alot of shapes I'll make up stories about them. Like when one is a horse and another is a boat, I'll try to think of why a horse would be on a boat and think about that until the clouds go away."
> She looks back up and frowns, "But sometimes they just look like clouds no matter which way you look at them."
* Nagare sits on the ground besides Alice and looks up. "I imagine that would happen if you have all the time in the world to look at clouds and nothing else to do." The teacher then keeps quiet for a minute, draining his cigarette slowly and releasing the wisps of smoke as time passes.
> Alice swings her feet as she sits there. Nagare can see them hitting the mailbox, but they don't make any sound. "I used to wander all over trying to talk to everyone just to see who could hear me, but most people didn't want to talk to me even when they could. And some people got really angry, so I stopped trying for awhile."
* Nagare crosses his arm, cigarette in mouth, frowning slightly. He stops for a moment, then tries to actually talk, but as his mouth opens, the cigarette falls ingloriously to the ground. "Ah, damn. Anyhow... I have to ask. For how long have you been stuck in this loop?"
> She stops and thinks, tilting her head to the side, "Um...I can't really remember how long, to be honest."
* Nagare slides his foot slightly to stomp the fallen cigarette, killing its light, and tilts his head. "It seems like you've been... 'dead' for a long time, from what I can infer. Possibly longer than I have lived. This is... disheartening, to say the least."
> Alice shakes her head, "Oh no, I'm not dead. I was never alive at all, you see."
* Nagare raises his eyebrow. "Eh?"
> She looks at you flatly, "I said I was never alive at all, so I can't be dead."
<Nagare> "I understand -that- part, but you were never alive? How does -that- work?"
> Alice shrugs, "I don't know. It just does."
<Nagare> "I guess I should be less surprised given the things I've seen recently. Oh well. That does raise a few more interesting questions, though."
> The kid with the headphones walks by. He just nods to you and keeps going.
* Nagare scratches his head, waiting for the kid to go off into the distance, and turns to Alice. "That's an improvement compared to the lady on Sunday."
> Alice bites on the obvious questions, "You've been seeing weird things? Well, besides me. I don't think I'm weird but I know everyone else does."
> Then she giggles, "I've followed him around a few times. He's weird too. Though he can't see me..."
<Nagare> "I wonder if he can't see you or if he just doesn't care," Nagare mumbles sardonically. "And... yes, you could say that."
> She places her hands on her hips, "Well if he can see me then he's very rude. I've tried talking to him and he never answered."
* Nagare smirks. "I wouldn't put being rude behind a teenager. Although I can't say I'm much better off given that first impression."
> "I wonder what it's like being a teenager? Everyone seems to talk about them as if it's something special...usually in a bad way."
* Nagare scratches his cheek with a sardonic smile. "It is pretty special, yes. I'm not sure you'd ever understand just -how-. I'll just say that I'm glad to have -that- phase behind me, although, in retrospect, I probably didn't really stand out much in that sense. Too busy."
> "Too busy doing what?"
<Nagare> "When I was that age? Studying to get into law school as fast as possible. After that, too busy studying and trying to figure out the quickest path to social fulfillment. I just didn't really stop to pay much attention to the immediate world surrounding us," the teacher remarks pensively.
> She considers this for a moment, "Hmm. Do they teach social fulfillment in law school? I've only ever been to grade school before." She pauses, "Well, I wasn't actually in the school, but I did stay with the same class for a whole year once. Not that anyone in the class knew I was there, of course."
* Nagare begins laughing, reaching for another cigarette as he smiles. "It must have been a waste of time for you, Alice. Your mental age seems to be quite a bit beyond that threshold," Nagare muses as he lights the cigarette.
> "Oh no, it was very interesting! I learned all sorts of things I never knew before!"
> Then she considers, "Though I think I've forgotten most of them now..."
<Nagare> "I'd imagine. You probably could get away with just moving through the grades for a few years if you care. It'd be interesting, if for no other reason that you'd be free of the added responsibilities. But...," Nagare tries to finish a thought, but stops midway.
> She frowns, "Well, it wasn't always fun. Sometimes I forgot people couldn't see me and raised my hand to answer questions. Then I remembered and the rest of the day wasn't very fun."
* Nagare snickers. "Your dichotomy sometimes is appalling. On the other hand, I can't help but be amused."
> Alice blinks, "My what?"
> "I don't think I learned that word in school at all."
<Nagare> "I'd be impressed if you -did-. Anyhow... it's... a division between two contradictory groups or ideas, so to speak. I say this because you seem to exist with this childlike yearning, yet you also carry a sort of world-weariness that is thick enough to cut with a knife."
> "Oh."
> She doesn't really seem to know what to say besides that.
* Nagare takes a smoke from his cigarette. "Mind, this doesn't say much. I'm just stating what seems obvious to me. I tended to do that a lot with my wife. It always made her a bit angry."
> Alice is quiet for a moment, then adds very quietly, "I'm just happy that someone is talking to me at all..."
* Nagare nods and sighs. "That's... good. I'm not doing you a favor, though. At this point, I'm just starting to find it actually funny that you have the heart to listen to me ramble. Although... this doesn't bother me."
> She tilts her head, "Why is that funny? Do most people not listen to you?"
* Nagare snickers. "Actually, I just generally don't talk to people much besides the typical amenities. I'm not sure if I even told Kasumi what was my favorite color, or food, for instance."
> Alice nods, "My favorite food is tepin...tappen...tuppin...um, when they cook things on that hot grill right at the table and the cooks do tricks while they do it!"
* Nagare scratches his head. "You know... can you even eat? It would make a lot of sense if you were unable to, given what you're saying."
> "Oh no, I can't eat it. It's just so much fun to watch them cook it!"
* Nagare smiles. "Definitely makes sense. Although some teppenyaki dishes are quite good. Not a bad choice there."
> "So what is your favorite food?"
<Nagare> "Beef ramen, preferrably with onions and only a dash of soy sauce. Simple, practical and fulfilling."
> "I think the last person who talked to me liked sushi best. But I get confused whenever I go into a sushi place. There's so many kinds of fish to keep track of. Do they really all taste different?"
<Nagare> "Depending on the cook's skill, even a single ingredient can turn a sushi into a completely new dish, taste-wise. A poor cook manages to make them all taste equally inedible, though."
> She nods, "I wish I could try these things. It would be fun to taste all these different foods!"
* Nagare nods and scratches his cheek, sighing half-heartedly. "Your excitement makes me wonder a little bit. Yours is a strange perspective to see unfold, that's for sure."
> Alice pouts a bit, "I just want to know what it's like to be a normal person is all. Is it really that strange?"
<Nagare> "That's not the strange part. Craving for what you never had but routinely see is typical. However, it's... sobering to realize how the very triviality of existing can be as covetable as you show. And it's sad because, if you -were- a normal person... I'm sure you wouldn't be excited about it if you had been one for your whole life."
> She thinks about it for a moment, then asks, "So it's like when I hear people saying that they wish they could walk through walls or be invisible and I think that it's not as much fun as they think it is?"
* Nagare nods. "Precisely. You're pretty sharp."
> "Well, I do have a lot of time to think about things."
* Nagare nods. "It shows. And it's good, too. That was just about the only thing I could spare time for until a few years ago."
* Nagare looks at the clock, raises his eyebrow, slightly startled. "... I lost track of time. I'll have to go now, missy."
> Her face falls a bit, "Oh."
* Nagare scratches his head, getting up. "I don't mind, though. I just need to hurry a bit so I don't get late to this afternoon's appointment. And, well, at this point, you figured out where I can be found. I'm sure we'll meet again."
> She nods, "Um, okay. Whenever I don't have anything else to do I'll just come back around here, okay?"
* Nagare nods, dusting himself off. "Feel free. I didn't expect you to find me so easily, but it was... a bit heartening."
> She smiles a bit, nods and then vanishes.
> The moment she dissapears from sight, all movement in the world seems to stop as the color bleeds away from everything.
> In the space she was sitting, a pale white energy glows...and turns into a spining card. You can't make out the image on the front...but the back is clearly a gillotine where the blade is a playing card and jack-o-lanterns are strewn about the base all wearing silly expressions.
> As if from both nowhere and everywhere around you all at once, a voice begins to speak, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Death Arcana"
> Then, in the blink of an eye, everything returns to normal.
* Nagare blinks, shaking his head. "I honestly have to wonder if this will turn into a habit."
> --------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Hikari: Fortune 2

------------------------------------------------
> Wednesday, after the meeting with Nagare and Mykasi and making the decision to take the trip to the Okuro residence, Hikari heads back up to her room to spend the couple hours she has before it's time to go.
> As she opens the door, she finds her roommate already there, flipping through pages in one of her rulebooks and scratching down notes in one of her many sketch/notebooks.
<Hikari> "Hard at work, I see," Hikari says with a touch of skepticism.
> Neimi looks up, "Hmm? Oh, hey. I'm just leveling my character before the game tonight. Jinai waited until now to tell me that we got a level last session, the lamer."
> Then she remembers something and grins, "Oh yeah! Are you still interested in sitting in on a session? I've got tonight off this week, so I'm good to go."
<Hikari> "Eh? Well...I suppose I have the afternoon free. It would be good to take my mind off things for a while."
> She shrugs, "Well, it's more of an evening game then an afternoon game. We start at six and play until...generally either ten or midnight."
> OOC: It's roughly 5 now and you're planning on meeting up with Mike/Nagare at 7, just togive you the timetables.
<Hikari> "That's...Well, like an athlete preparing for a marathon. You always keep at it for that long? I could spare an hour or two to see how these things work, but I have somewhere to be in a few hours."
> Neimi nods, "Yup, once a week for the fantasy game, generally for four hours, sometimes six if we get in the middle of something big. Then another game on Saturdays, we alternate the Horror and Sci-Fi one in that slot. That's an early afternoon game, runs usually for 3 hours, sometimes a bit more. And the Maid game is pretty slow, it only runs every other Sunday."
> "Trust me, once you actually start playing, the hours kinda slip by really fast."
> "There never actually seem to be enough time to get what you're trying to accomplish done in any given session."
<Hikari> "Maid...game?"
> "But if you've only got a bit of time today..." she muses for a moment, "Well, what time do you need to leave by?"
<Hikari> "Oh...Somewhere approaching seven, I'd guess."
> Neimi nods, "Yeah, not nearly enough time. But...how about we head over to the gameroom now and work on getting you a quick intro? Jinai is really good at explaining the rules to new players. Then you can just watch us play until you need to go and see if you think it seems fun?"
> "You should definately get the crash course in the rules first though, since you'll be able to understand what's going on easier that way."
<Hikari> Hikari nods. "Okay."
> "It's not really all that complicated, it just sounds like it if you don't know the rules at all."
> Neimi gets up, stuffs her book and notebook into a backpack and swings it over her shoulder, "Alright, the gameroom is actually Dr. Yattori's programing classroom, by the way. He lets us use it to play in, so long as we don't make a mess."
> "And Jinai is always the first to show up, so he should already be there now. You ready?"
<Hikari> "If I can handle college-level mathematics than I am sure the rules of a game will be no obstacle. I'm ready when you are."
> Then she laughs, "Wait, you don't have anything to bring yet, of course you're ready. Come on then."
> As you walk, she nods, "Yeah, that's a good way to look at it. Well...just don't play a grappler. Grappling rules...well, just dont' play a grappler."
<Hikari> "Ah. Why is that, exactly?" Hikari asks as they head out.
> Neimi just grins, "It's complicated enough to make me avoid it and I'm a robotics major." After a bit of walking, you make your way to the classroom where Dr. Yattori teaches programming. There is no class right now, of course. Instead, a thin young man with a long face and rediculously thick glasses is arrainging papers and rulebooks on a desk.
> Neimi walks in and waves at him, "Hey Jinai."
* Hikari nods respectfully, waiting for herself to be introduced and taking a close look at the books on the table.
> The man looks up, "Neimi. And your freind is?"
> Neimi does the introductions, "Hikari Ishigami, my roommate. Hikari, this is Jinai Akazuma, the game master for the fantasy and maid games."
<Hikari> "Pleased to meet you," Hikari says politely. "So, ah...what is the theme of this game? I am not familiar with how these things work."
> Jinai nods in your direction, "Alright. Nice meeting you, Ishigami. And new to gaming, eh? Well, don't worry about it, it'll all make sense in a bit. Go ahead and have a seat?"
> He organizes the papers he was working with, then pulls out a book titled 'Dungeons and Dragons Player's Handbook'.
* Hikari does indeed sit down. "As I understand it, the games are essentially about pretending to be someone else--" which is not entirely outside of Hikari's experience, "--I just don't know anything about the rules."
> He nods, "That's a good start, yeah. Think of it like improv acting with rules. You don't actually get up and act out the parts, but you do decide all the actions of your characters. No script at all. But to help you out, such as when you want to do something you aren't sure you can accomplish, we have the system."
> "The basics of this system, which is the 3.5 edition of Dungeons and Dragons, can be summed up by rolling a twenty sided die," he pulls one out of his bag, "one of these things here, then adding your modifiers to it and seeing if you beat the challange number."
<Hikari> "Well, that makes it a little easier. I think I would be rather self-conscious about, you know, getting up and swinging a sword around in a classroom." Hikari takes the book and flips through it as she listens.
> "For example, say Neimi wants to climb a wall. Her character's climb skill is a plus 3, so she rolls this die, adds three to the result and tells me that number. I check to see if she succeeds."
> He tosses the die on the table.
> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 1d20 and gets 11."12 [1d20=11]
> The die comes up an 11. "So she would get a result of 14 in this case. If the difficulty was that or lower, she succeeds. If it was fifteen or higher, she fails."
<Hikari> "What happens if she fails?"
> He grins, "In this case, we're assuming she's starting from the ground. So if she fails, she just doesn't go anywhere. Her character is trying to climb but just can
> t make any progress."
<Hikari> "Ah. So, can't she just try again? It seems like failure hardly matters if there's no risk involved."
> "That depends. What if there were guards chasing her? What if someone's being attacked on the other side of the wall? She's wasting time trying again while other things continue to happen around here."
> *around her, even
<Hikari> "I see. I'm sure I will understand better when I watch things happening."
> He nods, "The biggest thing to keep in mind is that it's not a video game. The rest of the world doesn't wait for you while you do whatever you want. If the monsters are going to attack the town tomorrow, there's not enough time to go do a sidequest three cities away to get a better magic sword or anything like that."
<Hikari> "'Sidequest?' I haven't really played many videogames. Maybe it's a good thing to enter into this with no preconceptions?"
> Jinai adjusts his glasses a bit, "Combat is pretty much the same. You roll your attack, which is that d20 again, add your modifiers, and see if you hit the target's Armor Class. Armor Class is just a difficulty number like any other, so don't get confused by it having a different term. And yeah, that's actually a good thing. If you're a fan of fantasy literature at all, you'll probably like my games."
> Neimi nods, "Jinai prefers alot more classic fantasy to modern stuff, so it's pretty novel and mythology inspired."
<Hikari> "Oh, we may have something in common, then."
> He just shrugs, "Old school is the best school for fantasy, as far as I'm concerned."
<Hikari> "Well, it's the only one I really know." Except for the postmodern variety, but that's not the kind of thing Hikari would actually say.
> Jinai nods, "Yeah, then just ignore Haragi when he tries to compare everything to video games or anime to explain it. He's got it stuck in his head that everyone likes the same things he does, despite any evidence to the contrary."
<Hikari> "I am sure I can respond with a blank stare if such a situation arises."
> Neimi frowns a bit, "Oh yeah, Jinai? Hikari can only stay for about an hour of actual gametime today, and that's assuming everyone's ready to go AT six. Think you could have us start off with a fight so she can at least get a feel for that?"
<Hikari> "Yes, I'm sorry, but I did have plans for later in the night. Perhaps I can return for a full session sometime int he future."
> He adjusts his glasses again and thinks on it for a moment, "Hmm. Combat is actually considered the most tedious part of the game by many. Sure you think it's best to start off with that?"
<Hikari> "Well, I'll defer to Neimi's judgement since I know nothing at all about the subject."
> Neimi nods, "Yeah, I figure if anything's going to scare her off it'll be the math storm that combat brings along, not the roleplaying. I prefer jumping into the worst or most boreing part of something first, so I can know that it's only uphill from there, myself."
<Hikari> "Well, let's have a demonstration, then?"
> Jinai nods, "Alright then. I've got some appropriate baddies already worked up, so we can just start off with a bang. But yeah, we can show off a quick demonstration before the group gets here. Neimi, did you level?"
> She nods and pulls out her papers and dice, "Everything but my skills. ANd thanks for waiting until the last minute to tell me, by the way."
> He shrugs, "I told Keiko to tell you. You have three classes with her."
<Hikari> "How many players are there in this particular game?" Hikari asks.
> Neimi rolls her eyes but doesn't respond to Jinai, "Four. Me, who plays Garita the druid. Keiko Noi, who plays Ophelia the sorceress. Yoro Haragi who plays Duke the barbarian. And then Kosuke Nabara who plays Jean Franc the rogue."
> She continues, "The party dynamic is pretty much that Garita and Duke are old freinds who blessed with thier powers by a dying nature spirit and are now a little crazy. Jean Franc is a nobleman who is trying to save his homeland from political corruption and is having us help him out. Ophelia is Jean Franc's cousin."
* Hikari nods. "Well, I'd appreciate any input on how to introduce a new character to such a group, of course. If I decide to play, that is."
> Jinai nods, "That's my job. If you want to play, what we'll do is you just work out your character's stats and everything with Neimi and then you and I can talk about your background and how to fit you in. Trust me, I can make anything you want to come up with work."
<Hikari> "Are there knights and such in this world?"
> Neimi nods, "Yeah. It's very middle Europe inspired. We've got knights and swashbucklers and that kind of thing as the normal. Duke is actually a former squire who got his powers of rage from the nature spirit. Garita is the only foreigner in the group, she's from Kenlund, the land to the north. That place is very celtic and norse flavored. Druids for spellcasters and vikings for warriors."
<Hikari> "I know a little about norse mythology. I'm sure I can work something out based on that."
> Jinai interjects, "Though even Garita was raised in Ralegar, which is the name of the primary kingdom. She didn't get her druidic powers until the same nature spirit. she's a forigner by blood, but not really by culture. Though she's lately trying to do the whole crazy forigner woman thing."
> Neimi chuckles, "She just found out she has the name name as an old Kenlund earth goddess. So she's convinced  that she's the goddess Garita reborn now. She's kinda loopy."
<Hikari> "I see," Hikari says, beginning to grow lost in the sea of names and references.
> Jinai holds up a bunch of papers, "Yeah, I know that look. I've got most of the mythology and world information all written up. I can make a copy for you if you want, just read it at your leisure."
<Hikari> "I'm sure I can fit reading it into my busy schedule of studying," Hikari says without a trace of irony.
> At that point, Neimi and Jinai run through a practice combat really fast, explaining the steps to Hikari. Melee attacks, ranged attacks, spellcasting and saving throws all get demonstrated as Garita and her faithful boar companion barely managed to fend off a pair of ogres. Or at least one ogre that rolls like a god and the other who botched his save against Entangle round 1.
> As they're wrapping that up, the other members of the group start filing in.
* Hikari tries to keep up. It's a lot to remember, though, and she's initially put in mind of a long-ago introduction to algebra. She nods politely to the others as they wander in.
> Yoro Haragi, the first to arrive, is...frankly the sterotypical fat otaku nerd. He's wearing a shirt and a hat that advertise two different animes, is carrying a bag of gaming supplies and a sixpack of soda, and immediatly tries to impress Hikari with his knowledge of anime trivia. Neimi and Jinai manage a sychonized eyeroll.
* Hikari requires no special effort to glaze over in ignorance. "I can see you're very knowledgeable about this subject," she manages eventually.
> Kosuke Nabara slides in second, still wearing a somewhat nice buisniness suit, though his jacket is slung over one shoulder and he doesn't have a tie on. Short cut hair and a very compact build make him look fairly respectable. He smiles politely as he's introduced to Hikari, then pays you no special attention and chats with Haragi about the feats they took on levelup for a bit as he gets his things ready.
> Neimi whispers to explain, "He comes in right from his job on wednesdays. He's not really the kind of guy to wear a suit around all the time just because."
* Hikari just shrugs. "There's nothing wrong with wearing a suit if someone wants to, is there?"
> She shrugs back, "No, it just looks kinda funny if you're dressed proffesionally like that while playing games."
<Hikari> "Oh." Hikari takes a creaful look at herself. She's not wearing anything fancy, exactly, but it's a little nicer than a t-shirt & jeans combo. "I didn't know there was a dress code."
> Finally, about five minutes late, Keiko Noi stumbles in carrying a bag that's nearly half her own size. Tiny enough to make Hikari look tall, she smiles apologetically as she drags her bag to the table and takes her seat, "Sorry everyone! I was halfway here then realized I left my bag in my room."
> Jinai shakes his head, "How exactly do you not notice that you forgot something that heavy?"
<Hikari> "What exactly did you bring? Is all of that necessary to play the game?"
> "Oh!" she blinks as if she just now noticed you, "Um, hi! N-no, not really. Well, not for most people, But I use alot of stuff from splatbooks, er, optional sourcebooks, so I need to make sure I have all of those handy."
> Nabara sighs, "You use five books in your build. Not fifteen."
> Keiko blushes a little, "W-well, what if someone else needs them? I just like to have them on hand, okay?"
* Hikari has quit IRC (Ping timeout)
* Hikari has joined #personador
> <Hikari> "What exactly did you bring? Is all of that necessary to play the game?"
> > "Oh!" she blinks as if she just now noticed you, "Um, hi! N-no, not really. Well, not for most people, But I use alot of stuff from splatbooks, er, optional sourcebooks, so I need to make sure I have all of those handy."
> > Nabara sighs, "You use five books in your build. Not fifteen."
> > Keiko blushes a little, "W-well, what if someone else needs them? I just like to have them on hand, okay?"
> Neimi does the introductions, "Keiko, this is my roommate, Hikari Ishigami. Hikari, this is Keiko Noi. If you ever hear any robotics majors mentioning 'Team Geek Girls' they're largely talking about the two of us."
* Hikari nods. "Pleased to meet you," she says to the new girl.
> Jinai then clears his throat to get attention, "Alright people, let's get this show on the road. Ishigami here is only sticking around for about an hour today to observe and see if she wants to actually play, so how about we skip the usual putzing around until six-thirty phase and get right to the game."
* Hikari merely raises an eyebrow at the declared lack of efficiency in usual procedure but isn't so rude as to comment on it.
> Haragi opens his mouth as if to object to something, but a swift kick under the table from Nabara makes him snap it shut. Nabara gets his own dice and sheet out and nods, "Sounds good. We were just leaving Lakeridge, right?"
> Jinai nods, "Indeed. The troupe has just left Lakeridge by the western road, bearing a letter from the Count addressed to the Queen Mother in the captial."
> Hagari leans forward, starting to get a different gleam in his eye as he gets into character, "Duke looks around the path as they go. He's waiting for an ambush. As he's looking around he's muttering 'Yeah, letters this important never make it where they're going without a fight...'"
* Hikari observes, not having much to comment on just yet and not wanting to disrupt flow of the game unless she has an important question.
> Nabara leans back in his chair and speaks in an amusing accented voice, "Tut tut my good man, talk like that will have rainclouds following you for leagues. Optimism is the word of the day."
> Noi smiles but her voice sounds somewhat glum despite that, as she adds(also in a similar accent to Nabara), "Optimisim and vigilance, cousin. The Count would not insist that we carry this letter if he wasn't expecting trouble."
* Hikari has to admit that she feels a little silly sitting in the midst of a group of people speaking dialogue for fictional characters, but she's not really one to criticize people for having strange hobbies (what, with what she's got planned for this evening?) and keep sher mouth shut.
> Neimi doesn't say anything, but then raises an eyebrow at Jinai as he rolls a die and looks at her, "Truffler starts snorting and pawing at the ground with one hoof. He's pretty clearly agitated by something."
> Then she nods, "Hold on, Truffler's not the type to spook easy. There's something wrong."
<Hikari> "What was that roll for?" Hikari asks Neimi quietly.
> Haragi grins, "I knew it! Duke readies his sword."
> Neimi whispers back, "Truffler is my animal companion, and his sense of smell is insanely good. He generally spots trouble before any of the rest of us do thanks to that nose. But Jinai rolls those checks himself, so if Truffler failed I wouldn't know he even rolled. Since unless he says something, that roll could have been anything."
> Jinai nods, "All things considered, it was a pretty safe bet, yeah. Alright folks, spot checks. Listen isn't going to help you here."
* Hikari nods. "So there are probably monsters in the vicinity."
> Nabara winces, "I do not like the way you said that. And 14 for me."
> Haragi rolls, "Hah, 23."
> Noi makes hers, "14 as well."
> Neimi then rolls twice, "20 even for me and 17 for Truffler."
<Hikari> "This rolling is to find the enemy?" Hikari asks to make sure.
> Jinai nods and rolls a couple dice without saying anything. Then he cracks his knuckles, "Duke, you notice seven men all packed tightly together slipping through the trees towards you. They're dressed in browns and greens to blend in, have scarves serving as makeshift masks and are carrying weapons. There is no sound as they move."
> Neimi nods, "Yeah. Duke and I are generally the ones who spot the enemy, as we have higher spot and listen checks."
> Haragi asks, "Do they look solid?"
> Jinai nods, "Yeah, they do."
> Haragi grins, "I charge thier formation screaming 'Alastor! For the prince!' and fly into a rage!"
<Hikari> "What would they be other than solid?" Hikari wonders. "I'm sorry to interrupt with questions, it just seemed a strange thing to ask."
> Neimi smirks, "We ran into ghosts once before. And ghosts also don't make any sound as they move."
* Hikari nods. It makes as much sense as can be expected in a game.
> From there, combat starts happening. Jinai explains to you that the enemies here are humans, not monsters. Just a team of six hired murderers with a wizard as support. It's a really tough fight as the wizard proceeds to levitate up in the air and start tossing spells and explosive flasks at people while the team's only good ranged offense, Ophelia, gets taken out in round 2 by sneak attacks.(more)
> Duke, however, seems to be some kind of unstoppable monster and with a series of good rolls kills three of the brigands in one swing, causing Haragi to extol the virtues of Great Cleave. Neimi rolls combat for both Garita and Truffler, the latter of whom seems far more effective in a melee, and eventually the wizard is the only one left.
> That's when Garita transforms into an eagle to fly up in the air over him, and turns back into a human mid-air to grab him on the way down. And Hikari gets a view of just why grapple rules are to be usually avoided.
> Still Garita succeeds after much rolling and the wizard is captured.
> Jean Franc is in the middle of interrogating the captured wizard about who sent him, Nabara managing to seem very menacing with teh same voice that was earlier chirping about optimism, when Jinai holds one hand up to call a pause.
> "Alright, and that's 6:50. So Ishigami, think you've got an idea of what the game's like now?"
<Hikari> "I think I understand the basics. I'm not certain whether it's for me or not, but I could try next time and see how it goes? I don't have much in the way of hobbies, and one that keeps me involved with other people might be nice."
> He nods, "Alright then. So if you want to jump in next time, just have Neimi help you make a character and then talk to me about fitting in the background. She's got all my IM info, so you can just ping me online. I'm usually on, so catching me shouldn't be hard."
* Hikari nods. "I'll try to have something done by next Wednesday."
> Haragi nods energetically, "Hey, playing is a lot more fun then just watching, I'm tellin ya. And maybe if you like DnD after you've played a bit, you can sit in on my Saturday games. They've got alot more modern feel and are a real blast."
> Nabara shakes his head, "One thing at a time, Yoro."
> Noi smiles and nods, "I look forward to seeing what you bring in!"
<Hikari> "Saturday is...the maid game? I admit I'm not sure how such an idea could function as a game," Hikari says, almost immediately regretting doing so.
> Haragi shakes his head, "Nono, Saturday is my games. One is a sort of horror game, I call it the Nowhere Files. It uses another d20 system like this, only it's d20 Modern. I alternate that with a hard Sci-Fi game, the Infinity Project. It uses a completely different system."
* Hikari can only nod silently at this series of names that don't mean anything to her.
> Neimi nods, "The maid game is Sundays, but only every other Sunday. Jinai runs that one too."
> "Anyway," she stands up, "I'm gonna take a break to go get something from the vending machine while Kosuke's questioning the wizard. I've got a healing spell left, so someone can just roll that for me on Ophelia, okay?"
> Haragi sniffs, "I brought sodas..."
> "Something drinkable." Neimi amends.
* Hikari also stands up. "I think I should take one game at a time for now, but thank you," she says before stepping out with Neimi. "It was nice meeting you all. Perhaps we'll see each other again next week."
> Once you're out in the hall, Neimi looks at you a bit sheepishly, "Sorry about him. Haragi can get pretty intense about his games."
<Hikari> "Well, I suppose we all have things we're passionate about," Hikari says charitably.
> "So...are you actually planning on giving it a go, or were you just being nice?"
<Hikari> "I don't see the harm in trying. I have to admit that I really don't have much to do outside of studying, most days."
> She smiles as she gets a can of tea from the vending machine, "Great. Well, we can talk sometime about what you want to play. Feel free to poke through my DnD books even if I'm not around, okay?"
* Hikari gets a can for herself--she might need the energy, given what else is going on tonight. "Sure, thanks."
> "Alright then, see you later!" Neimi takes her can and ducks back into the game room, waving behind her as she goes in. AS the door closes behind her, the color seems to drain out of the world and everything fades to grey.
> The soft green light appears before the door, and once more turns into the spinning card. The front is still too blurred to see, but the back is the same. Ten sided dice where the sides are the faces of a woman all in different masks.
> The voice returns as well, softly echoing from everywhere around you, 3"Thou art I...And I am thou...through this bond, thou shalt have the blessings of the Fortune Arcana."
> The card fades and the color snaps back into the world as Hikari feels a power settle within her.
<Hikari> "I can't help but think the symbology of that card was eerily appropriate," Hikari muses as she heads out to her car.
> ---------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Nagare: Death 2

> ----------------------------------------------------------------
> Thursday, the day after Nagare's first real fight in the Dream world. Frankly, as ehxausted as he was after that he may not have woken up until noon if it weren't for his trusty alarmclock blaring in his ear at seven in the morning.
* Nagare would give the universe a rosary of complaints, but honestly, at that point, his organism had only a variety of narcotics as its immediate need at the point. Showering certainly didn't dispel the numbness, and the timid sunlight seemed to only -strengthen it-.
<Nagare> Which mostly meant that putting his clothing on was more of a mechanic reflex than anything.
> The day, much as Nagare might wish it, doesn't seem inclined to go away and the sunlight only gets brighter as the minutes crawl on.
* Nagare groans, now at least fully dressed. No coffee at home meant he'd have to pick it up on the way to work, and even walking to the car felt like a gargantuan task with the recently adquire sores from the Dream. More reason to believe children are -dangerous little monsters-.
> No sooner does Nagare get out of his apartment building when he sees, accross the street at that same mailbox, a small blonde girl in a blue dress....trying to dance? Yeah, she's dancing around the mailbox like she's trying to waltz without a partner.
* Nagare scratches his head for a moment. It honestly doesn't take more than that and a slightly embarrassed glance for him to break into the magic of the moment, however. The teacher unnecessarily whispers, calling the young girl's attention like he would do to one of his students.
> Looking up as you call, she waves, "Oh, hullo!" Then she looks at your face a moment, "Ummm, are you not well? You're not going to die again, are you?"
* Nagare sighs, lighting up a long overdue cigarette. There's only so much a half-awake body can take. "Honestly, the sores are making me wish I -did- right now. Long story, and I'm sure you'd probably laugh at me if I told you."
> She looks at you quizzically, "Why, is it a funny story?"
<Nagare> "It's a bit unbelievable - I mean, even for the stunning standards we set here. Although you could call it funny if you were particularly perverse."
> Alice looks a bit confused still, "Why wouldn't I believe it? You said you would be honest with me, after all."
<Nagare> "Well, I'll just say that it involved shanghai-ing the dreams of two impressively dim boys. There were dinosaur knights and robot ninja."
> She giggles, "That does sound silly. And a bit scary too. I've heard that dinosaurs were very large, so I shouldn't like to make one cross with me at all."
<Nagare> "Well... those weren't very large. They were pretty dangerous, though. At least, you do agree with me," the teacher snickers.
> "Well, silly can be fun too! But I doubt anything's very fun when it's trying to hurt you."
* Nagare scratches his head embarrassedly. "Well, about that... there are -some people-... that... um... yeah. But that has nothing to do with you."
> She frowns, and tries to make eye contact, "Is someone trying to hurt you? I don't want you to get hurt, you're the only one who talks to me anymore!"
<Nagare> "Well, it's not that there's anyone -trying- to hurt me. Just, I've gotten involved in something that isn't exactly safe. Just, it's also necessary to keep people safer."
> Alice thinks a moment and then her expression brightens, "Oh, like a policeman?"
<Nagare> "It's... not entirely unlike that, no."
> She claps her hands, "Sometimes I go to a store that's open all night and watch the television with the man who works at night. Once he was watching detective movies and it looked like so much fun to be a detective!"
> "Well, it looked a bit scary sometimes as well, but that's okay because the detective always wins in the end."
<Nagare> "I sorta wish reality was like the movies in that sense. Would be a lot safer. And, -somehow-, less strange."
> Alice continues on, feeling rather talkative today, "I went to that shop last night, too, but he wasn't watching detective movies. He was watching a show about dancing!"
* Nagare looks at the clock. Seems like he has some time, so it wouldn't hurt to stick around a bit longer. "Oh, so this explains your little dance. It's kinda funny, really. You're so excitable about things."
> "Is that strange? To get excited about things that seem fun?"
* Nagare strokes his chin, breathing the cigarette smoke slowly. "Not necessarily. It is a bit odd to me, but I'm not the right person to ask about these things."
> "Do you not like to have fun?" She pulls herself up to sit on the mailbox so she's not staring up at you all the time.
* Nagare smiles weakly. "I'm not sure if I know what having fun is, honestly. Sure, I enjoy painting, and I devote a lot of my free time to it, but I'm not sure if I'd feel comfortable calling it just 'fun'," he completes.
> Alice frowns, "Well, having fun is...um..." she pauses and thinks...
> "It's...well, it's fun!" She blushes, embarrassed "I don't know how else to describe it..."
* Nagare laughs softly, having another toke from the cigarette. "You'd be surprised at how hard things can be to define. This isn't really something to be ashamed of."
> She nods, "It just feels strange. I know what it is! I just don't know how to say it."
* Nagare nods. "That was the main reason I ended up picking up painting again. Tons of things that I couldn't really say, but understood. Yet, I could actually try to convey them with a brush and a canvas and the right colors and shapes. It's pretty interesting, really."
> "Um..." She hesitates a moment, as if afraid to say something but does force it out, "could I see some of your paintings?"
* Nagare sighs. "You could, but I'll have to warn you they're not very good. I didn't have a lot of formal training."
> Alice smiles, "Really? Yay! And that's okay, so long as you have fu...well, so long as you like painting them then what else matters?"
<Nagare> "Well... I -guess-. I could spend days trying to find something to disagree about that, but I'm not sure you'd understand why. Regardless...," the teacher takes a moment to look at the clock... "Oh, crap. I probably should get going to work, lest I want to be late."
> "Oh." She looks a little sad again, but doesn't protest, "Okay. I'll go listen to music at the radio station then."
* Nagare snickers lightly. "No need to look so down. I promise you'll get to see my atelier as soon as we sit down to talk in a non-busy day. That okay?"
> She nods!
<Nagare> "That's a deal, then. I'll see you soon, Alice."
> "Um, okay! Bye!" She hops off the mailbox and vanishes the moment she touches the ground.
> As she vanishes the world again fades to grey and all movement seems to crawl to a halt.
> Again the voice whispers, coming from no discernable direction and seeming to echo from all around you as a spinning card appears, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Death Arcana"
> As suddenly as it happened, the grey stillness ends, the card and voice vanishing, leaving Nagare standing next to a lonely mailbox in front of his apartment.
* Nagare scratches his head lightly as she disappears, smiling. "This little girl sometimes makes me wonder if I'm actually wrong about children. On the other hand, Ewan basically embodied all the problems I have with them. Still, I can't help but think." With that, the teacher finally heads towards his car and goes to yet another typical day - only with terrible sores.
> -----------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Hikari: Fortune 3

> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> It's early Sunday evening, and Hikari has just finished studdying for her Monday and Tuesday classes. Over on the other side of the room, Neimi is in the middle of getting ready for work when her phone rings. Scrambling, she manages to answer it before it goes to voicemail.
> "Hello? Oh, yes. ...she is? Great! No, I don't mind at all. Yeah, have a nice night. Thanks for calling instead of telling me when I got there."
* Hikari peers over from her desk and raises an eyebrow inquisitively. "Good news?"
> Hanging back up, she plops back down on her bed in what almost seems a triumphant fashion, "Yeah. Got the night off. Asked for it off earlier, but Ina put in for it as well and she got it. But apparently her plans changed and now she wants the shift. No complaints from me, I hate the Sunday dinner shift."
<Hikari> "Oh? So what are are you going to do with this unexpectedly free evening?"
> Without even getting up, she shrugs, "Dunno. Could roll up a new character for the Maid game, since Mimi got vaporized earlier today. But Jinai likes the rolls for that game to be done in his presence, so he might not even accept whatever I come up with."
> Neimi rolls over on her side to look at you, "How about you? Still studdying?"
<Hikari> "...Vaporized?" Hikari shakes her head. "No, I'm done for the day. I didn't have any plans, really. More than likely I'd end up going to sleep early."
> "Yeah," she nods, "Keiko's character, Christie, is a mad scientist. She tricked me into trying a new formula and Mimi ended up turning into Godzilla. They had to destroy me before I got to Tokyo. Of course this is when I would start rolling insanely well, so the only thing left was orbital laser."
> "Unfortunately, the laser worked a little too well. So now I need a new character."
<Hikari> "I...see. Not every game is this flamboyant, I take it?" Hikari says hopefully, not really looking forward to Ewan vs. Keita in pen-and-paper format.
> Neimi laughs, "Oh, no way. Maid is just what we play to blow off steam and act like lunatics for a bit. It's just really silly. The other three games are fairly serious, especially Haragi's horror game."
<Hikari> "And what does that involve?"
> "It's a big conspiracy game. We've been helping to deal with this outbreak of strange occult things, but have been picking up evidence that not everything's as simple as it looks. Right now we're thinking that the government is actually behind the sudden apperance of the supernatural and is using our department to cover it all up."
> "But," she adds, "knowing Haragi that's probably not any closer to the truth then the official story is. He's really good at spinning plot pretzles."
<Hikari> This sounds a little too much like real life for Hikari. All she needs is a government conspiracy behind the shadow incidents, and voila. "The one I sat in on last Wednesday seemed like it was somewhere in between. Is that accurate?"
> Neimi nods, "A bit. The fantasy game is mostly serious, but it's not all grimdark. So...still think you might be interested in playing at all? Hey, we've got time right now if you want to try making a character?"
* Hikari glances around the room and considers this for a moment. What else was she going to do with the rest of the evening? Maybe she should take up a hobby anyway. It'd keep her out of trouble; she had enough of that with the shadow problems. "I suppose we could do that."
> She sits up and smiles, "Alright! So, the first thing to think about is what kind of character you want to play. I can help you pick out the class and everything, but Jinai always says that you should start with a story and worry about the mechanics after that."
<Hikari> It doesn't take long for an obvious option to present itself. "There are knights and such in these games, I assume?"
> She nods, "Yeah, there are. It's based pretty heavily on medival europe, so the world has a lot of Arthurian influances. The two main countries so far are Ralegar, which is really Arthurian based, and then Kenlund which is pretty Celtic and Nordic in design."
<Hikari> "Nordic?" Hikai says, obviously intrigued.
> "Yeah. Kenlund has more vikings and druids then knights and wizards. My character, Garita, is of Kend blood, even though she was raised in Ralegar. She's a druid in keeping with thier old traditions." She smiles and adds, "Well, when she's not insisting that she's a goddess reborn, but she's going a little crazy right now."
<Hikari> "...I see," Hikari says, wondering what she's getting herself into. "I don't think I'm prepared to use any character with a god complex just yet. I will have to make someone very, very sane. Just to ease into things."
> "Oh, that's just my character. Not everyone from Kenlund is like that at all."
<Hikari> "Oh," Hikari says with relief. "So it would fit if I wanted to make someone very...orderly, and heroic, and upright? that sort of thing?"
> Neimi nods, "Sure. You could be a Ralelish knight, or a warrior from Kenlund just as easily. Any country can have people who are Lawful Good. Which sounds like the alignment you want."
<Hikari> "Alignment?" Hikari repeats, sounding confused again.
> "Alignment is basically an indicator for how your character usually behaves. It's not a hard and fast rule or anything, but genrally someone who's Lawful Good will be orderly and heroic and such, while someone who's say Lawful Neutral instead will be just as orderly but not nessesarily heroic. They might believe that there is no good reason for breaking the law, instead of sya forgiving a starving man who stole bread."
> "Everyone finds different alignments easier to play. Like Keiko and I can play nearly anything, but Haragi doesn't play anything but Chaotic Good, and Nabara defaults to either Lawful Good or Lawful Neutral almost every time."
* Hikari nods along. "Yes, Lawful Neutral sounds rather unpleasant. I don't think that one suits me."
<Hikari> "Is that more or less what everyone's playing right now?"
> Neimi shakes her head, "it's not that bad. Remember, you don't HAVE to be a jerk to be LN, it's just a stereotype of the alignment. It's not like it's LE or anything." She pauses, "That's Lawful Evil, by the way. There are nine alignments total, Lawful/Neutral/Chaotic on one axis and Good/Neutral/Evil on the other."
> She nods, "Yeah. Garita is Neutral Good, Jean Franc is LN, Ophelia is pure Neutral, and Duke is Chaotic Good."
* Hikari frowns. "You could play an evil character? Does anyone actually do that?"
> "Not in this game. It really only works when everyone's being evil. Those games can be fun...so long as everyone has the maturity for it."
<Hikari> "Aha. And your group does or does not possess the requisite maturity for that?" Hikari wonders, remembering her introductions and rather doubting the answer here is a positive.
> "Uhhh..." she hesitates, "I think Nabara and Jinai could. No way would I want to be in a group playing that kind of game with Haragi, though. And...Keiko gets really really into character. I'd be kinda scared to see her play an evil character, to be honest."
> "But even if we could do it, that's not the point of this game."
* Hikari nods. "I'd hope not. I don't think I could fit myself into such a scenario at all."
> "Yeah, evil games are not for new players. And really they're not for most veteran players either. It's really hard to do. I've only been in one, and it lasted all of three sessions until someone starting using 'evil' as an excuse to be disgusting."
<Hikari> "Should I ask what happened? Actually, should I ask who it was? No, I probably shouldn't."
> "Nobody you know and nothing you want to hear. This was back in high school."
> "Anyway, back to the topic at hand, you're wanting to play a knight? Or a Kend warrior? I dunno if they have any girl vikings, though I guess you could go for a valkyrie themed character if you want to."
* Hikari nods. Makes sense. High-schoolers can be responsible for any kind of depravity, after all! "There are valkyries?" Hikari asks, interest obviously piqued.
> "Well, not that I know of in game, but you sound like you like Norse stuff and that's a classic female warrior archetype from that kind of setting. I'm sure Jinai could work it in somehow, he's really good about that."
<Hikari> "Well, I believe I could make something in that style. It feels like I should use some idea I'm familiar with to ease into things..."
> "Alright, so the best class to play for something like that is just the classic Fighter. Which is good, since it's also the easiest class to play. Want to go ahead and try rolling her up? You can think of a name and personality and that kind of thing while we're picking out stats."
<Hikari> "Um, alright...what do I roll?" Hikari asks, set upon by a creeping feeling that she is soon about to be very much out of her depth.
> Neimi grabs a container with multiple sets of dice in them, "Well, first you need dice. You'll be using 4d6, that's four six sided dixe, for character creation." She pulls out four such dice and hands them over to Hikari, "Some gamers get really weird about other people touching thier dice, but not me so you can use these for now."
<Hikari> "Warn me if anyone we'll be working with has strange habits?" Hikari says as she quite unceremoniously rolls the dice.
> She then grabs some paper and a pencil, "Alright, you have six stats, so you'll need to roll those dice six times. Each time, you add up the total of the highest three dice and record that number. So a roll of 2, 3, 4, and 6 would be a thirteen. The two gets dropped."
> OOC: So...go ahead and !rollchar, Hikari!
<Hikari> !rollchar
<Hatbot>  [4d6=6, 5, 5, 5] -> 16
<Hatbot>  [4d6=5, 1, 6, 6] -> 17
<Hatbot>  [4d6=6, 3, 4, 3] -> 13
<Hatbot>  [4d6=3, 3, 6, 3] -> 12
<Hatbot>  [4d6=4, 5, 4, 6] -> 15
<Hatbot>  [4d6=5, 6, 2, 5] -> 16
<Hatbot> Hikari: 17, 16, 16, 15, 13, 12
> Neimi finishes writing down the numbers as Hikari rolls them, "Okay, that's a pretty nice set."
<Hikari> "Oh? That's good. There are a lot of high numbers in there, I suppose."
> "Yeah, higher is always better here. Now you need to pick which numbers go on which stat. As a fighter, you'll need Strength and Constitution the most..." Neimi continues by explaining what the six stats all do to Hikari.
<Hikari> Those two are pretty straightforward, at least. "Do I need to be good at more than fighting? Is there more to the game than that?" Hikari says, pondering this mysterious Charisma attribute and wondering if it actually has a use.
> "For a fighter, not really. There's lots of roleplaying, but you wouldn't be rolling dice for that too often. That's mostly Jean Franc's job. Like if you want to lie to someone, you need to roll bluff. Or diplomacy to convince somebody of something when they don't trust you. Those are based on Charisma. But sadly, as a fighter you can't put ranks into any of those skills."
<Hikari> "Oh. I suppose it's my job to hit things when needed, so I won't worry about being persuasive or charismatic..."
> "Well, you can be if you want to. But yeah, it's probably better to just play the tagalong fighter for a little bit until you get comfortable with the roleplaying part and want to jump in."
<Hikari> "Alright." Hikari jots down numbers next to the attributes and looks at the sheet in progress. "Is there anything else I need to do?"
> "Yeah, next is skills and feats. I'll help you out here, since there's a lot to look through. So the first question is how do you want to fight? What kind of weapon do you want...uh," she pauses, "so do you have a name in mind for her? Well, whatever her name is, try to picture how you want her to fight."
<Hikari> "Hildegard," Hikari says with complete seriousness, perfectly masking the creeping embarassment she feels at participating in this (it would be rude to Neimi to acknowledge that she does think this is all a bit silly; and who knows, it could wind up being engaging after all. It's enough to know her roommate better, really). "I could use swords...or spears? She would be the kind of person to charge headling into a battle to
<Hikari>  She would be the kind of person to charge headling into a battle to protect everyone else."
> "Spears are fun. So hearing that, I'd suggest either going for sword and shield, or a spear weapon. You could carry both, of course, but you'll only end up being really good at once. Sword and Shield will be better if you want to have good defenses and be hard to hurt, spear will be better if you want to do more damage and kill the enemies faster, since it's a two handed weapon."
> "Two handed weapon is what Duke uses, actually. And it works really well for him. But don't worry, I can make your style different enough from his that you won't feel like you're stepping on his toes."
* Hikari considers this for a moment. "Spears," she says decisively. "That's what I'll use."
> "Okay, so here's what I'd suggest..." She pulls out some books and suggests feats, such as Combat Reflexes(while explaining what AoOs are), Combat Expertise and Improved Trip, explaining the rules for each in turn, "Basically with this build, you run into the middle of the enemies, and force them to either focus on you, or get knocked down and stabbed if they try to run past you to get at your allies."
* Hikari nods. "That sounds suitable, yes." She's mostly just taking Neimi's suggestions since, well, Hikari herself is a little lost, but this sounds like it fits her personality anyway.
> Neimi finishes helping you pick feats, which takes a bit of time as you're building a level six fighter, but skills take next to no time at all(since fighters get so few and have so few choices anyway), so it balances.
> "And now we're basically done. Hildegard is ready to be played. You still need to get equipment, but thankfully Jinai handles that for you."
<Hikari> "And I only need to learn how to play," Hikari adds.
> "Well, that'll come with playing a few times. It's not that hard, but nobody picks it up right away. You're pretty smart, so I'm sure you'll have a handle on the stuff that applies to Hilde here at least before long."
<Hikari> "I don't imagine it could be more complicated than, say, calculus," Hikari concedes. "Or cooking."
> "Not even remotely. So do you think you'll be free to join in on Wednesday?"
<Hikari> "I don't have any other plans. I assume you'll be around to help me through whatever trial by fire I have ahead of me?"
> "It'll be fine, this is a good group so nobody will give you problems for being new. We were all new to the game at one point, too. The only thing left is to send an email to Jinai and let him know what you're wanting to play. He'll help you come up with a background and stuff like that. KNowing him, he'll want us to come in a bit early to work that out in person."
<Hikari> "Alright." Hikari walks over to ther computer. "I suppose I can do that now," she says, never one to put off for later something she could do immediately.
> Neimi pulls her laptop up and sends you an IM with his email address.
* Hikari writes up something that is probably needlessly formal given the circumstances (actual greetings and farewells, "I am honored to join your company" and the like) along with the details worked out with Neimi and politely asks that everything be reviewed by Wednesday, then sends it to the address Neimi gave her, CCing Neimi on the whole thing. "There, all done."
> Neimi opens the email and reads it. Then she laughs, "Wow...Hikari, you know you don't need to be that formal with the group, right? It's just a game. I mean, we all probably take it more seriously then we should, but it's still just a hobby we do to have fun."
<Hikari> "That's just how I write," Hikari says, mildly affronted. "Would it be better if I neglected to use capitalization?"
> She stares at you blankly for a moment before responding, "I...wasn't talking about capitalization and grammar. More like..." She shakes her head, "You know what? Nevermind. I really shouldn't have been surprised."
<Hikari> "I don't think there's anything strange about it at all," Hikari says conclusively.
> "Of course you don't. Anyway," she gets up and grabs her shoes, "if I'm not going into the Crown, than I'm going to go have something very non-Brittish for dinner. Maybe some noodles."
<Hikari> "Oh? Did you have something particular in mind? I haven't eaten yet either."
> "There's a good ramen place at the mall, I hear. It's gotten pretty popular lately, so I'm thinking about going to try it out."
<Hikari> "Do you mind if I tag along? I've been locked up here all afternoon. I could use a walk outside."
> She nods, "Sure. Maybe some company will help me keep my mind off the fact that I'm willingly walking out into that cold."
<Hikari> "Or you could put on an extra layer and gloves, but I'll do what I can."
> As Neimi grabs her coat and heads for the door, the world seems to stop in it's tracks once again, the color leaking out of everything. The same soft green light as before wells up from inside Neimi and transforms into the spinning card, the one with the designs of ten sided dice with faces instead of numbers on the back.
> Once more, the whispering echo speaks, "Thou art I...And I am thou...through this bond, thou shalt have the blessings of the Fortune Arcana."
> As the power settles over Hikari, the world snaps back into normalcy, and Neimi opens the door, "Hey, I only have two jackets. This one and my work jacket. And if I'm not going in, I refuse to wear that as a matter of principle."
<Hikari> "You could wear it *under* your normal jacket," Hikari says as they leave. "I won't tell anyone."
> The two of you head out to the ramen place at the mall(which is fairly crowded, being dinnertime on a Sunday) and enjoy some very good noodles while talking.

[VySaika]

Nagare: Devil 1

> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> The drive home from the Dragon's Jug had been uneventful, which may have been a refreshing change of pace. No accidentally running across not!ghost girls this time, at least. Now Nagare was home, alone as usual in his quiet appartment. For the moment, nothing was different.
> Nothing except the large and fairly elaborate looking key sitting heavily in the professor's pocket.
* Nagare checks the windows and doors before putting that key to use. He figured he'd get the list matter out of the way sooner than later, after all. Although, honestly, just visiting the Velvet Room by himself would be a refreshing change of pace.
> All your windows and doors are securely shut and locked.
* Nagare shrugs. "Fine enough for me," and uses the key on the door to his room.
> The large key somehow fits easily into the small modern lock, and turns easily. The door swings silently open, revealing the swirling mass of blue and purple once more. In the silence of the apartment, and without anyone else around, the portal looked somehow...different. It's hard to place a finger on how, but it just seems more...forbodeing? Or inviting? Or perhaps both at once...
* Nagare capitulates for a moment on the particularity of that portal, not quite grasping what made it seem so distinct this time. With a heavy sigh, the teacher walks slowly into the portal.
> (OOC: Blue shift! ...I mean, Scene Change!)
> The Velvet Room looks much as it always does. Very blue, from top to bottom. Three wooden chairs sit before the same small table as always, while a blue couch and a large black chair sit behind it.
> The chair...is empty.
> Theresa stands from the couch and bows, "Welcome to the Velvet Room. If you're here to enter the Dream, I'm afraid the Master is out at the moment."
> Then she looks up and a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, "Except that you're not here to see the Master, are you?"
* Nagare carefully examines the room, calmly appreciating its vivid, yet subtle hues. Then, he redirects his attention to Theresa with a faint, somewhat embarrassed smile. "Well, not quite. There's a bit of a business aspect to my visit, but."
> The smile fills to a full grin, as she gestures to a chair and sits back on the couch herself, "Go ahead and have a seat. I was wondering how long it would take, as well as which one of you it would be. But you're here to see me specifically, which is why I'm here and the Master isn't."
* Nagare coughs, stifling a laughter. "Wait a minute, you mean you can unconsciously flick a switch on the presences in the Velvet Room? The Dream functions in strange ways indeed."
> "It's not that simple, but explaining it would take all day." Theresa shrugs, "Effectively, yes. Though now that you're here, I'm not sure it will work for Mike or Hikari."
* Nagare blinks. "Wait, what do you mean by -," then he suddenly deflates, awkwardly smiling as he rubs his forehead. "... I think this is starting to sink in. This is related to that Social Link business, I gather?"
> The grin grows, "Yeeeeep. And boy do you know how to pick your links. First the DEATH link, and now me."
* Nagare laughs, reclining on the chair comfortably. "I have no idea. I guess I just have a knack for supernatural friends. But I can't say it's bad, really. Both you and Alice are probably among the most fascinating people I've met so far."
> She chuckles, "Considering that even I don't know WHAT she is, I'll have to agree on that. Maybe the Master would know, but I kinda doubt he'd tell. He's more tight-lipped with you all then usual."
> Then she cocks her head to the side in mock-thought, "Though that might have something to do with the fact that I don't shut up."
* Nagare grins. "Honestly, -someone- has to give straight answers sometimes. And I have to wonder if you don't do it just for the fun of it. You seem to get a kick out of getting Igor non-plussed."
> "I really do." She outright laughs, then smiles at you again, "So, on that subject, you had some questions? I can't promise I'll know all the answers, or even that I'll tell you if I do. There are some things even I won't talk about."
* Nagare sighs. "Well, I figure I may well slip the business part of this visit into the fray," he says as he picks a heavily folded piece of paper from the pocket of his jacket, and hands it to Theresa. "This is a list Mykasi found when doing searches over miss Valeriya."
> The smile fades, as she frowns at the list, "Wow. Where did he find this?"
<Nagare> "You'd have to ask Mykasi. His recklessness is problematic, but his resourcefulness is a worthy rival to it. All I know is he's been monitoring a rather strange website, which had this roster."
> Theresa nods, "Well, what I can tell you is that none of these other names are Persona users. That's all I know off the top of my head. But Persona users aren't the only people with connections to the supernatual out there, so I'd need to do a bit of digging to find out who they are. Or were, I guess. If it's even relevent."
> "Anyway, he knows how to call me, have him call and I can maybe give some better insight once I can ask him for more details."
<Nagare> "I'll be sure to tell him that. Also, you think you could have a copy of this list handy? It may be relevant in the future."
> Her smile turning apologetic, she shakes her head, "Sorry, but that's something I can't do. This is something that's being actively hunted by pattern spiders. Sure, we have our own archives, and I'm sure they're all in them, but we can't let you store something like that here. You have to manage to protect it from the spiders on your own."
* Nagare nods. "Well, I'll be sure to keep it safe. And make a few copies myself. Having -that- taken care of...," Nagare reclines back and lights a cigarette. "... wait, is this kosher?"
> She responds with a perfectly straight expression, "Only so long as there are no pork products, or any meat and dairy mixed, in it."
<Nagare> "I doubt pork/dairy cigarettes would make for consumable tobacco products. Remarkable comedic timing, though," the teacher grins.
> "Comedy is but one of my many specialties."
<Nagare> "I really could stand to be better on that front, myself," the teacher lightly says as he blows a puff of smoke, watching it entwine itself with the dense blue hues of the Room. "You know, the Velvet Room is actually a fascinating little place."
> SHe shrugs, "It's a great place to visit, I'll grant. You wouldn't want to live here though."
<Nagare> "We always say that about the places we're stuck to, really. Igor doesn't let you out much, I figure?"
> "You know," she changes the subject, "you're a pretty interesting one yourself. You seem right at home here, you have an easier time dealing with Alice and me then with normal people...but then you run into situations in the actual Dream itself and they completely overwhelm you with how absurd they are."
> "It's almost like you're most comfortable in between worlds, rather then fully in either one."
* Nagare scratches his head confusedly. "I'd ask how you -know- that, but I figure I should be more surprised you -didn't- know. And... I don't know. Dealing with the Dream itself still involves... human psyches. And people are things whom I've always found best dealt by simply walling away. Your point is interesting, though."
> Theresa shrugs again, "I know since I watch you all whenever you go into the Dream. It's kinda part of our job to keep an eye on what you're all up to, and it's certainly bound to be more interesting then...well, just about anything else."
<Nagare> "You certainly seem fascinated by people. It's a funny little contrast, really. Although I also have to beg the question of how you know about Alice, given she's not a part of the Dream as far as I can gather."
> "We keep track of when you establish links." She explains matter of factly, "I see what the link is, who it is, and I just extrapolated from there. You did admit to finding her intersting, which led me to the conclusion that you have an easier time relating to her then normal people, despite her being something supernatural."
* Nagare nods. "Occam's Razor still applies to the Dream sometimes."
> "Well, I was applying it to you. And while you can enter the Dream, you aren't Of the Dream. Actual Dream constructs themselves..." She has to giggle, "Sometimes, sure. But by no means is it reliable."
<Nagare> "I have to wonder if that doesn't actually apply to people as well. After all, what does give birth to dreams but the imagination of the living?"
> "True, but applying rational logic to raw imagination is pretty risky. Like..." she thinks for a moment, "let's see, was there any logical reasoning whatsoever for Sailor Anansi?"
<Nagare> "Yeah, that's more or less what I mean. People themselves are... at least as unreliable as the Dream. It's what the Dream is essentially made of. And the less we speak about Mykasi having a side of his who wants to wear a frilly high-school girl outfit, the better."
> Her grin turns mischevious, "Hey, I'm sure he'd pull it off alot better then his Persona did at least. Especially if I could give him some fashion tips first."
* Nagare snickers. "I'm also certain this would cause an even stronger impression than Sailor Anansi did on Hikari and I.
> Now she actively snickers as well, "Oh wow, I would love to see Hikari's face on getting confronted with that. Or just see her getting stuffed into one of those, that'd work too."
* Nagare strokes his chin calmly. "I can't say I wouldn't be entertained by this, but I feel compelled to not get into these deviant thoughts any further, lest you get funny ideas with my frame as well."
> "Oh, it's way too late for that"
* Nagare coughs. "I should have seen -that- one coming."
> She grins, "You really should have."
> Then she closes her eyes and her smile softens, "Well...this is pretty much your last chance to leave while you still can. Are you absolutely sure you want to start this link?"
> Theresa opens her eyes and looks directly at you, gauging your reaction.
* Nagare shrugs, taking a final toke from the cigarette and tossing it away as he blows the smoke upwards. "I've sorta been taking this on stride ever since I awakened. If I'm proposing myself to get into new situations, running away... wouldn't make sense, would it?"
> She nods, "Very well then." And she holds out her hand.
* Nagare raises his eyebrow. "... wait, so...," then he deflates. "... oh. Sorry," he says a bit awkwardly, somewhat clumsily reaching out for Elizabeth's hand.
<Nagare> *OOC: Strike that Elizabeth, meant Theresa. >_>
> As you take her hand, the color fades right out of the Velvet Room, and all time seems to grind to a halt. A deep crimson light appears within Theresa, and floats out in a lazy spiral, transforming into a spinning card.(more)
> The front of the card is difficult to make out. There's an image there, but it's too blurred to be recognizable. The back, however, is a giant image of a woman with glowing eyes, one red, one black, holding a hand over a pair of nude people trying desperately to hold on to the other's hand as they fall in seperate directions.(more)
> A whisper fills the room, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Devil Arcana"
> The card vanishes...just as another card materalizes on the table between them...and the color and motion snaps back into the world.
> Theresa smiles, as she picks up the new card, "Don't say I didn't give you the chance to get while the getting was good."
* Nagare scratches his head with the free hand. "I'm not sure if I've gotten used to this pause yet. And... well, nobody said I had common sense. But it's bound to at least be far more interesting this way."
> She chuckles, and shows you the card, "Well, it may just be." The card has an image of a small and cute woman in what looks like a unitard, only she has bat wings and a classic little devil tail, "Social Links give you power, and this is mine. This card is Lilim, a shadow of the DEVIL arcana. Keep ahold of this and you can summon her in the Dream. She can't do much, but it's a start."
* Nagare raises his eyebrow, nodding. "I'll definitely keep this in mind," as he gently holds the card. "Although it's odd that the quest for friendship is beginning to get into a straight-up supernatural entourage, it seems."
> "That quite probably says something about you, you know."
* Nagare sighs wearily. "It probably does. I need to tread carefully, there. But so far, so good, at least."
> She shrugs, but doesn't say anything.
* Nagare scratches his head once again. "I'll take that as a sign that maybe I should be going back for now. But... in all seriousness, thanks for the time of day."
> Theresa laughs, "I wasn't chasing you out, I just have some thoughts on that subject, but I figured I'd save them for another day. Can't run out all the material on the first date, afterall."
* Nagare coughs lightly. "I'm not sure if 'date' is the right word for this, but I digress. Regardless... I'm glad. I'll be sure to visit you again when you're not under Igor's scrutiny," the teacher says with a light-hearted smile, already getting up and preparing to take the door back to the real world.
> She has an amused grin, but stands and bows again as you leave, a laugh in her voice as she gives her usual farewell, "Thank you for visiting the Velvet Room. Have a pleasant evening."
<Nagare> "I will. See you again, Theresa," Nagare waves as he walks into the portal, a smile in his face.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Nagare: Death 3

> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Saturday morning finds Nagare...well, disturbed to be quite honest. That DAMNED SONG ran through his head the entire night, and did not bring pleasant dreams with it. Thankfully, once awake he finds his apartment as blissfully silent as ever, the gentle ticking of the clock seeming to enhance the quiet instead of disturb it.
* Nagare breathes heavily. That song about restoring hit points and Dis-poison for healing some illness or other just kept ringing. For some reason, that dream also involved the laughing complexion of an old lady with glasses and some sort of Escherian shopping center and ohgod it's starting again. Probably a good time to get busy, then. The teacher decides to pick up the newspaper and his pipe for a quiet, simple morning.
> The newspaper...is perhaps less pleasent then your dreams last night. The headline is something about politics, but one of the other stories concerns one mister Richard Bland. Apparently he's been hospitalized after he attempted to kill himself yesterday afternoon. Well, they can only guess that's what he was trying to do. Nobody seems to think of another reason someone would slam thier own head into a concrete wall over and over.
> thier own head into a concrete wall over and over.
* Nagare lights up his pipe, blinking at the news. This definitely would have to reach the ears of Mykasi and Hikari, and he could very well suspect what was at work at that point. "Better keep this newspaper handy."
> As you read the rest of the stories, there's a knock at the door!
* Nagare raises an eyebrow at the sudden knock. People rarely ever visited him, and even when they did, they were usually solicitors or some girlscout trying to sell cookies (and why would any of those pester people at a Saturday morning anyway?). As he kept pondering over the subtleties of whoever could be behind the knock, the teacher went to answer the door, puffing some smoke from his pipe somewhat distractedly...
> It's...Alice! She smiles up at you, "Hullo! Um...did you hear my knocking? I wasn't sure if you would or not."
* Nagare blinks, and begins rubbing his temples with his free hand - in the process, inevitably dropping the newspaper. "... you can knock on doors. Erm - sorry, and hi! Let me just pick up this mess," the teacher mumbles awkwardly as he picks up the newspaper.
> She steps back, "Oh, um, most people can't hear it when I do, so I didn't really know if I could or not! Maybe it's only people who can see me who can hear me knock and stuff too?"
* Nagare finishes picking up his paper and drops it on the couch, then coming back. "I think the answer to this is pretty much given. Anyhow, come on in - just don't mind if the house isn't exactly pristine."
> Alice takes a few experimantal steps in, "Is it normal for people to be upset if someone's house isn't clean?"
<Nagare> "It's kinda awkward for the person visiting - you want to make them feel welcome. But it's just that I barely woke up and all. There isn't much to -do- besides make my bed."
> "Oh..." she looks a bit down, "Um, should I have not knocked so early?"
* Nagare shakes his head softly, sighing. "Don't worry about that. You're awfully apologetic, you know? Relax a bit, it's fine. I mean, I'm dressed up and all - although you wouldn't know I was an early bird in the weekends too. Anyhow, what brings you here this morning?"
> "Well, you said you would show me your paintings sometime! And...it's been awhile since you came to see me so I thought you'd forgotten about me but then I remembered that you said I would have to come see you sometimes instead and then I thought that's what you were waiting for so...I knocked!"
> Having no actual need to breathe, Alice rambles all of that off in the same breath quite easily.
* Nagare puts down his pipe and snickers. "Heh. I was actually rather busy the last few days, so I wasn't able to really take some time off to talk to you. Not a bad pitch of insight, though - and you actually came at a good time for that. Saturday is when I usually dedicate the day to my paintings, and I've been working on a few things lately. It's odd, but it feels like the motions have been going far more easily lately."
> She nods, mostly just glad that you aren't throwing her out, "One of the teachers in the school I stay at sometimes would say 'practice makes perfect' all the time, whenever a student would complain about something being too hard."
<Nagare> "It's... not really a matter of practice, I think. But I probably should show the change to you in practice. Do you want to get to the atelier now?"
> Alice claps her hands, which oddly makes no sound(like most of the things she does besides talking), "Oh, yes!"
* Nagare nods. "Follow me, then," the teacher says as he begins heading to the atelier. This also begs the question of how can she make sounds when she knocks on a door while being unable to create a sound when clapping, though...
> Alice follows, cheerfully humming as she walks.
* Nagare enters the room in the corner, where the paintings and tools lie. It's dimly, but not uncomfortably lit, with two finished paintings sharing a corner. A single canvas hangs at the right edge of the room, where the incomplete painting of a woman staring at the sea lies. On the remaining corners, a few other paintings and the area for the tools lie. The room seems to almost breathe as it was resting, calm, somewhat soothing.
* Nagare actually notices how restful the room seems to be, though, and stares at the space somewhat blankly. "It... certainly had less pleasant days," the teacher mumbles to himself.
> She immediately starts looking around at the finished and half-finished works, carefully touching nothing even though she probably couldn't actually mess anything up, "So an 'attleyay' is where you keep paintings?"
<Nagare> "Basically the place I use to paint and to keep the works safe. It's probably my little haven in a sense."
> Going over to the incomplete painting, Alice mimics the pose of the woman watching the sea for a moment and then giggles, "This one's pretty, but it looks kind of sad. Is she a real person?"
<Nagare> "May be, may not. Although I tend to use my ex-wife as a base model for most of the women I draw. I don't know whether this qualifies as an obsession or whether Kasumi just looked stunning. I tend to go with the latter."
> "Oh. Why does she look so sad in the painting?
> "
* Nagare takes a gander at the painting, pensively analyzing it for a moment. "... mmmm. When I began drawing the picture, I was actually remembering Kasumi. In hindsight, it's somewhat romantic to imagine a widow of the sea fornlornly observing her beloved's nigh-endless grave... but at the time I began shaping this canvas, I kept remembering her expression at night in the last months of our marriage. That... may have something to do with it."
> "Oh. Um..." eager to change the subject since that sounds very awkward, she moves over to one of the finished paintings, "What's this one about?"
* Nagare looks at it. It's a pretty simple painting - a still life of an autumnal meadow in the early night, with a strong level of details on the movement of the breeze and the leaves, as well as the color layers of the sky. "This one is about as straightforward as it gets. It's basically a meadow in the fall at night. I like the colors and details, though - and sometimes I wonder how did I manage the sky here."
> "Does it have a name?"
* Nagare halts for a moment. A sudden, yet very -obvious- realization has hit him."I actually never -named- my paintings. I just tend to go 'the painting with the burgundy flask' or 'the painting with the awful shading' or 'the painting that's better off donated to an incinerator' for monikers."
> Alice giggles, "Hehe. Oh, I have an idea! Why don't you call it..." she thinks a moment, the idea more being that she could come up with a name then already having one.
* Nagare eyes Alice somewhat wearily. "You don't need to think very hard, really..."
> "'Evening Meadow - Fall'. I think serious names suit you better then funny names. Oh!" she exclaims, suddenly getting an idea, "What if you did paintings of the same meadow for each season? They could be a set! And I think the winter one would be very pretty, especially if it had snow."
<Nagare> "... that's actually not a bad idea, although I'm not very methodical as a painter. I don't know if I'd do very well, though: I've never bothered much with different weather moods - although I could give it a try. That'd take quite a while, and it'd have to wait until I at least finish the one I'm currently working on."
> She nods and looks at the other finished painting, "What about this one?"
* Nagare eyes the painting. It's... actually a face painting of Kasumi. And, even more oddly, one with actually complete, even sharp, features - as it was the first picture he actually finished after his Persona had awakened. Nagare looks at the painting, sighing somewhat heavily. "That's... Kasumi. And also the very first painting of a living person I managed to complete."
> "She's very pretty." Then she looks up at you with a questioning expression, "You didn't paint people before? Why not?"
<Nagare> "I just couldn't get their forms right. Whenever I tried painting a person, I would at least never be able to create a face. Often, they had labyrinthine traces - closer to a Munch painting than to a human. Which may have its merits, but is quite undesirable in realistic paintings."
> "Oh." She pauses a moment, then asks, "Um, what's a Munch painting? Is it a painting you can eat?"
* Nagare snickers, taking the opportunity to take a seat. "No, no. I was referencing Edward Munch. He did a very famous painting called 'The Scream', which you might recognize.'
> Alice shakes her head, "No, I don't. I don't really know anything about art, except for what I learned in school."
<Nagare> "I see. That's not a subject they would approach with nine-year-olds, though, so it just makes sense."
> She looks around the studio a bit wistfully, "I wish I could help. Painting looks fun!"
* Nagare nods with a weak smile, glancing the paintings around the room. "It's a lot of work - and it takes a rather startling amount of patience. I find it very enjoyable, though. Particularly nowadays."
> "I can be patient!" Alice insists...then looks down, "But I can't actually paint anyway, so I suppose it doesn't matter."
<Nagare> "Well, both of those you can apply the practice-perfect corollary to. Painting is a lot about a long-term effort - the most brilliant paintings took years to complete, after all."
> She looks at you crossly, "No, I mean I really can't! See?" She picks up a paint brush...though while Nagare sees it in her hand, he also sees it still in the cup she took it from, and she dips it in some paint...which isn't disturbed even though he sees paint on the brush. Then she runs it over an empty canvas, causing red streaks to appear...(more)
> At least until she steps away from it, when they promptly vanish.
> "See?" She repeats, "I wasn't saying I wasn't good at it, I was saying that I litterally can't do it."
* Nagare blinks. "... I see. Does this happen when you write too?"
> She nods, "Yes. It happens whenever I do anything, really." She drops the brush, and it simply dissapears as if it never was.
<Nagare> "I honestly feel I should be a bit more surprised than I am. Although it has to be disheartening to have your interaction with the world pan out in this way. I mean, a typical ghost usually can't interact with things at all. However, you almost can, but your efforts are instantly erased as if they never were."
> "Nobody would be able to see it but you anyway. I would try to paint or write in school all the time and nobody ever saw me, even when I drew pictures on the board."
* Nagare shakes his head. "Well, yes, but it makes the whole mechanics all the more insulting. Why not even let you have those small memoirs for yourself? Whoever came up with you seems to be rather unkind."
> "I wish I knew who did. Then I could ask them if they made anyone else like me and maybe I could have friends."
* Nagare nods. "The real question is whether the responsible would give you an answer. On the other hand, I guess you've got me for now? Great consolation, though."
> She nods quietly, now in a thoroughly sad mood.
* Nagare sighs, rubbing his temple. Sometimes, Alice just seemed to know how to tug at someone's heartstrings - and Nagare had to wonder how far could she go if she actually had any malice. "... yeah, I'm sorry about that. Although... hey. If you want, you can come back here again. You're welcome to visit me, you know."
> Straightening up a bit, she bows politely, "Oh, um, thank you very much. It is nice to talk to someone who can hear me. When I can't talk to anyone for a really long time I start to wonder if I'm real."
* Nagare nods. "Anyone would, really, even if they were flesh and blood. If you want, I may even start on the meadow paintings sooner than later. I do wish to begin painting, and I prefer not having spectators, so it means I'm... well, saying my goodbye for today. But, as I said, you're welcome to visit me. Just remember to knock on the door."
> She nods, "Um, okay. Bye."
> A moment later she pads out of the room and is simply gone.
> As Nagare watches the empty space where the strange girl was, the color in his studio bleeds away, everything turning to grey, making the entire room seem like a monochrome still life of an amature's atelier(more)
> The voice returns, as he knew it would, accompanied by the same spinning card with guillotine of playing cards on the back, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Death Arcana"
> The card vanishes, and the color returns, though the room remains perfectly still.
* Nagare sighs. "It's like this is a recurring theme. I have to wonder if I should apologize to Alice later, though..."
> ----------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Hikari: Fortune 4

> --------------------------------------
> The previous Wednesday, before all the Shiro unpleasantness, Hikari had decided to play her first real session of Dungeons and Dragons. At Jinai's request, she and Neimi arrive at the gaming room a bit before everyone else so that they can hash out character history a bit.
> Jinai is setting up his GM screen as you enter, and nods in your general direction, "Ladies. Go ahead and have a seat and pull your character sheet out, Hikari."
* Hikari hands it over with the formality of a job applicant turning in a resume.
> Neimi sits down next to Hikari, shaking her head a bit at her formality, then pulling out a copy of the Player's Handbook and handing it over to her. "Here. I've already put bookmarks in it for the rules you'll need to reference the most." Indeed, the book has multiple, clearly labeled, tabs sticking up from the top.
> Jinai quirks a very small smile as he takes the sheet and looks it over, giving a small whistle as he looks over the stats, "You weren't kidding about those rolls, Neimi. Not bad at all. I think this beats out Jean Franc for total modifiers."
<Hikari> "Well, I'm a lucky person," Hikari says with a shrug.
> Handing the sheet back, he picks up an index card and quickly writes down a small list of equipment, handing that to you as well, "Alright, here's what I'm giving you for equipment. The thing you'll want to note is the weapon. It's a +1 Ghost Touch Longspear. This means you can attack incorporeal things like ghosts and shadows or even fog monsters without any penalties."
> He smiles, "This ties into what we're doing with your background a bit. You're wanting to be a Valkyrie from Kenlund, yes?"
<Hikari> "Yes, that's correct. What would happen if someone struck one of those creatures with a normal spear, out of curiosity?"
> Neimi chimes in, "A normal normal spear? It misses, period. A magic spear without Ghost Touch? They have a 50% chance to miss anyway, even if they hit the AC on the attack."
> Then she looks at Jinai, "By the way, you giving her a weapon like this is filling me with a very familiar sense of dread."
* Hikari raises an eyebrow. "So I should assume I'm being given this in order to deal with a specific menace?"
> Jinai merely shrugs enigmatically at Neimi, then looks back to you, "So I was actually planning on doing something with the Valkyries a bit later, but I can intro that plot now since you want to play one. I'll give you a quick rundown of what they do in my world, and you can decide if that's still what you want, alright?"
* Hikari nods. "Of course, go ahead."
> "Basically," he continues, "Valkyries are the sacred warriors of Kenlund. They don't lose control like the berserkers do, they aren't raiders like the vikings are, in fact they rarely concern themselves with mortal opponents at all. Valkyries are specially trained to deal with the supernatural. They hunt ghosts, other undead, wicked fey and even demons."(more)
> "They refer to all of these enemies as Weird Souls, and it's essentually thier job to purify them. Usually by killing them off. Sometimes they work with Druids, but most often they answer only to themselves. Within the borders of Kenlund, a Valkyrie has the right to basically go where she pleases and investigate anything or anyone if she suspects a Weird Soul may be involved."
> "That sound good to you?"
<Hikari> "So we are the supernatural police, or exterminators?" Hikari nods. "That's acceptable."
> He nods, "Close to it, yes. The other thing to note on your sheet is the Valkyrie's Helm. So long as you're wearing that, you get a +4 sacred bonus on your will saves to resist mind control or possession attempts made by anything that would be considered a Weird Soul. It won't help against mortal magic, though."
> Neimi grins, "That's actually pretty cool. Do I know anything about the Valkyries?"
<Hikari> "It's certainly better than nothing," Hikari says, idly wishing she had something like that to prevent her from behaving strangely in the dream after, say, losing a few IQ points.
> Jinai scratches his chin, "Eh, when she shows up I'll let you throw your K:R for it."
<Hikari> "'K:R?'"
> Neimi nods, "Alrighty. And that's Knowledge:Religion. We abbreviate things alot here."
<Hikari> "Maybe I should keep notes..."
> Jinai moves along, "So that brings us to Hildegard in specific. What is she doing in Ralegar instead of Kenlund. The obvious answer is..." he pauses...
<Hikari> "Hunting something that fled?"
> "Bingo. Chasing a Weird Soul." He smiles again, and this time the smile looks a bit cold as the light somehow picks that exact moment to gleam mennacingly off his glasses. Then he hands you another sheet of paper, "There's been a problem in Kenlund lately. Something has decided to start hunting Vakyries back. And it had been very successful for awhile."
* Hikari looks at the sheet. "Obviously my fallen sisters will have to be avenged," she says with a nod.
> "There are only twelve valkyries left. Including you. This isn't nearly enough to protect the country as you used to. There were over twenty when you all banded together to attack the feind en masse. You won...vaguely. The creature fled from your combined might, though you were unable to kill it. And it fled due south, to Ralegar."
<Hikari> "If twenty of us together couldn't kill it, what chance do I have alone?" Hikari says skeptically.
> "That paper contains the details you know on the creature. It's nothing that any Valkyrie had seen before, causing you all to give it it's own new name, The Green Fury. And your job isn't to hunt it down and kill it alone. You and four other Valkyries like you all went to Ralegar and split up, looking for Ralish allies to help you."
> Neimi is now narrowing her eyes suspiciously at Jinai.
<Hikari> "Oh, I see. Alert the locals and enlist them to our cause." She glances at Neimi. "Is something wrong?"
> Neimi shakes her head, "Oh, I just think I see where he's tying this in to previous plot threads."
<Hikari> "Is that something I should know aobut?"
> Jinai shrugs noncommitally again, "If it comes up, you can learn about it in character. For now, you don't know any of the other PCs yet, though once you stumble across them you can peg them as warrior types, and fairly strong ones at that, pretty easily. Especally Duke, for his physique, and Garita, as you know how to recognize a druid when you see one."
<Hikari> "Alirhgt. I suppose if Hildegard doesn't know something then I shouldn't either."
> Neimi nods, "That's usually easiest for new players, yeah. Some players don't really believe in player/character seperation, but Keiko and I are fairly big on it."
<Hikari> "Well, of course, if I did know something I wasn't supposed to, I would be sure not to exploit it."
> Jinai nods, "You did strike me as the type to play fair, yes. Anyway, we still have a minute or two before everyone gets here, so Neimi can help you put all the gear on your sheet and show you where all the modifiers go."
> Neimi proceeds to do just that!
<Hikari> "This will take some getting used to," Hikari says. "It is quite a lot of numbers. Sometimes it looks like I'm studying for a chemistry exam."
> Then Jinai snaps his fingers, "Oh yeah, one last thing. When we start, you aren't with the group yet. You have actually just arrived outside the town of Glasgon via the hidden roads through the Stone Circle. It only took you a matter of minutes to reach the Glasgon Circle from where you and the other seperated, despite the distance, but as it was a strange form of magical travel you feel like you just ran a marathon in full armor."
> ran a marathon in full armor."
<Hikari> "So I'm exhausted. Right. I suppose I should hope I don't immediately get in a fight."
> He nods, "I'm not that mean. You can see the outskirts of the town from the Circle and basically started trudging that way to get to somewhere to sleep."
> Neimi then smiles, "And we, of course, are all at the inn right now."
> Right about then, the door opens. Keiko Noi comes in first, smiling shyly and waving as she sees you. This time...she doesn't seem to have her Giant Bag O'Books.
* Hello-DojimathedralWaddleDee has quit IRC (Quit: -=runbarunbarunbarunbarunba~=-)
> The reason for that is apparent in just a moment though, as Yoro Haragi trudges in after her carrying her bag.
<Hikari> Hikari nods politely to the new arrivals. "There were too many books for one person to carry, I suppose?"
> Haragi hauls it over to her chair and sets it down with a grunt before stretching to pop his back and plopping down in his own chair. THEN he notices you and grins, "Hey, that's a character sheet! Here for real this time, huh?" He leans over to look at it a bit, "So what'd you roll up?"
> Keiko nods, "We met in the hall on the way here, he offered to carry my bag."
<Hikari> "That was gentlemanly of him. And yes, I'm going to give it a try. I trust you'll all tell me when I do something wrong."
> Jinai cuts in, "Leave that to me and Neimi for awhile, since we're familiar with her build. And it's my job anyway."
> Haragi was just about to open his mouth to respond with an "Of course" when Jinai cuts him off and he snaps his mouth shut.
* Hikari shrugs. "In answer to your question, I made a valkyrie. I'm told I was very fortune with the dice." She points at the sheet.
> Instead he does the best upside-down reading of your sheet that he can(as he's sitting across from you), "Fighter, huh? Yeah, guess I could use some help on the front lines. And..." he blinks as he sees the stats, "sweet baby zombies look at those stats!"
> Suddenly interested, Keiko leans over and looks, blinks twice, then turns a narrowed gaze on you, "I hate you so much right now."
> Neimi starts laughing.
* Hikari can only assume that's an expression of enthusiasm on Haragi's part. "Now, we'll never be teammates if you let envy drive us apart, you know."
<Hikari> (Latter directed to Keiko.)
> Wordlessly, Keiko pulls out her own sheet and shows the stats to Hikari. Ophelia the sorceress has an 18(on Cha, of course), a 12(on Dex)...then two 11s, a 10 and...a 6.
<Hikari> "Oh. That's...I'm sorry."
> Neimi keeps laughing, "Hey, you're an experienced player. You can, and have, made those stats work."
> Keiko sighs, "I know, I know. Ophie is great and all. Just...uuuuugh."
<Hikari> "That's all the more reason to work together, though. Individually we can compensate for each other's deficiences, right?"
> Haragi shrugs, "I'm just waiting for Kosuke to get here so I can see the look on his face when he learns that Jean Franc just got knocked off the top of the stat heap."
> Neimi nods, "That is how you run group games. Oh, and Keiko? She's a zone controller, longspear, Combat Reflexes, Imp Trip, the works."
> Keiko's eyes light up, "Oh reaaaaaally now?" Then she smiles at you, "Nevermind, you are now my new best freind~"
<Hikari> "Is it really something to be proud of? It's just a roll of the dice. Anyone could end up on top one day and lose out the next."
<Hikari> "Oh really? What did I do?"
> Keiko nods, "Basically, you're a defensive fighter. You stop the badguys from moving around, and especially from attacking your squishy companions. Ophelia is about as squishy as they come, and our current frontliner does a really HORRIBLE," she glares at Haragi for a moment, "job of stopping enemies from reaching me."
> Haragi shrugs again, "Hey, they can't attack when they're dead."
<Hikari> "That can just as well be said of our companions. I suppose Hildegard will have to lecture him on teamwork."
> About then, the door opens and Kosuke Nabara strides in, looking just as suave as before. A simple polite nod in your direction shows he notices you but isn't making a big fuss out of it as he slides into his seat and pops open his briefcase to pull out his papers.
> Haragi makes a face at your comment, but then points at Nabara as he enters, "Aha! There's the tardy beast!"
> Jinai then clears his throat before Haragi can continue or Nabara can respond.
* Hikari is quiet and attentive. Presumably this is where the actual game starts.
> Everyone stops talking and finishes pulling out their stuff for the game as Jinai continues, "Alright, Hikari's come to play a full session this time, so lets try to keep the usual bickering and OOC antics to a minimum so she doesn't get lost. We last left off in the town of Glasgon where you had just arrived after passing off the count's letter to Pierre...."(more)
> He continues to set the scene, including a breif recap of the last session, and everyone falls into character. Haragi and Neimi both look more focused, like they're concentrating a bit while roleplaying. Nabara doesn't look any different at all, delivering quips and sarcastic barbs as if they come to him with the same ease they come to his character in.(more)
> Keiko is the biggest change, her entire expression and demenor changing the moment she enters character, going from a tiny nerd girl to actually acting perfectly like a rather bored noblewoman with great sorcerous powers. It's a bit uncanny, actually.
<Hikari> OOC? Hikari doesn't remember if she's heard this one before or not. It's not in her notes, at least! She'll ask Neimi to be sure once there's no game to interrupte.
> They roleplay a bit, talking about thier next move, when Jinai looks over at you, "Alright, about this time, Hildegard has gotten from the Stone Circle to the outskirts of town. A man in leather armor starts approaching you on the road. You also note he's wearing a tabard with the same arms on it as the flags flying near the gate."
<Hikari> Keiko's transformation is also less surprising to Hikari than it might once have been. She knows from firsthand experience now that everyone has their own hidden side!
> "The man holds up one hand as he gets near, 'Hold, traveller.'"
<Hikari> "Oh, this is my turn? Hildegard will ask him for a respectable establishment where she can rest."
> Jinai nods, "Yeah, this is you. And rather then saying what she does, try actually talking as her. Also he did just hold up a hand to tell you to stop. How did she respond to that? Did she stop? Did she keep walking up to him?"
> Neimi cuts in, "Okay, how we usually do this, is describe actions, like 'Garita goes over to the table' or something, and then actually talk IC, that's In Character, when teh character is talking."
<Hikari> "Oh, I'm sorry. Well, she would stop when asked. He *is* a representative of the local authorities after all. Let's see, uh...'Greetings, sir guard?'"
> Jinai nods, "The guard approaches," he then alters his voice a bit to speak as the guard, "'Greetings. Aplogies for the delay, but all armed travellers have to declare their names and what weapons they carry at the gate. Your name, Dame...?'" He then goes back to his normal voice, "Common knowlegde here, you know that Dame is what they call female knights and warriors in Ralegar."
<Hikari> "'Hildegard,'" Hikari says. Her speech is very stiff; she suddenly feels incredibly awkward and probably looks it at least a little. "'I've come from Kenlund hunting a...foul beast.'"
> "The man blanches a little, 'Foul beasts from Kenlund you say? Well, I've seen no beasts near the town, but some other travellers have come through recently, perhaps they know more. If you'll show me what weapons you carry, I can direct you to the Wayhaven, I'm sure that's where they're staying'"
> Neimi leans over, "This is where you can just go, 'Hildegard shows him the weapons' or something."
<Hikari> "Alright. 'Only my spear,' Hildegard says, holding up her weapon for inspection. 'I'd be glad for a chance to rest if you could point me in the right direction.'" She sounds a little like someone who never properly understood the meaning of punctuation, at least when saying dialogue. Why was this so kind of thing so much easier in the dream?
> "The guard nods, and directs you to the inn." Jinai then looks over to everyone else, "The door to the inn opens, and a very oddly dressed woman walks in." He looks back to you, "And now for the first true hurdle of roleplaying. Please describe your character, since the oddly dressed woman is of course Hildegard."
<Hikari> "Oh. Um. Hildegard is dressed in armor from head to toe. She has long, flowing blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. Uh. You can tell she's assessing the fighting ability of the patrons as she looks around." Hikari glances around the group. "Is that okay?" She suddenly feels like a very small creature placed in a spotlight.
> Jinai chuckles, "Yeah, that's good enough."
<Hikari> "Alright...I guess I wait for the others to react now?"
> Then Haragi and Neimi speak up near simultaneously. Haragi: "Hey, can I roll my Geography knowlegde to recognize what a valkyrie is? Duke has been studdying Kenlund a bit." Neimi: "So should I roll my K:R now or when she actually SAYS she's a valkyrie?"
> Jinai nods to you first, then at the two of them, "Yeah, go ahead."
> Haragi picks up his grey d20, shakes it a couple times, and rolls it. Neimi does the same with hers(she only has one out in front of her, Haragi has like five).
> Neimi's die lands on a 5, causing her to shrugs and go, "So, that's a 15."
> Haragi's lands on a 1.
> Haragi snorts, "First botch of the session, ladies and gentlemen. At least it wasn't a combat roll."
<Hikari> "Do we always roll to know what we...know, I suppose, or just in certain circumstances?" Hikari wonders.
> Nabara snickers while Jinai looks over at Neimi first, "Alright. That armor...honestly, it's looking really familiar to you. It's kinda bugging you a bit to be honest. Once she says she's a Valkyrie, you'll place it and you'll know the basics. They hunt evil spirts or something."
> Jinai then looks over to Haragi with a smile, "Duke...recognizes that armor instantly. Only Valkyries wear helms like that. They're living goddesses, decended from the heavens to cleanse the mortal realm of evil, and take the most valient of mortal heroes back with them to serve in the personal armies of the gods."
> Nabara's snicker turns to outright laughter, "Oh this'll be good."
<Hikari> "What? What's so funny?" Hikari asks, with some suspicion.
> Jinai then looks over to you, "To answer your question, for common knowlegde, no. For anything strange, very specific or esoteric, yeah. And sometimes, when you botch a check or just fail it too badly, I'll feed you misinformation instead, like I just did to Duke. Part of the challange of roleplaying is acting on this misinformation instead of the real info if your character rolls that badly."
> Neimi randomly rolls a die.
> d20
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls d20 and gets 14."12 [d20=14]
> She then snickers.
* Hikari nods. "I understand. So, I should introduce myself here?"
* Hikari glances at Neimi, always feeling like she's missing something here.
> Haragi speaks up, "Duke's eyes go wide as he sees her, then he takes a couple steps towards her, and falls to his knees, 'V-valkyrie! You're here for me, aren't you?' Duke looks up and flexes his muscles, the guy looks like he could bench press a horse, 'Take me with you! I am worthy, I am ready! Let me prove myself!'"
> Neimi facepalms.
> Jinai raises an eyebrow, "It might help if you described how Duke looks."
<Hikari> "Um." Hikari looks to Neimi, desperate.
> Haragi winces, "Right. Derp. Okay, Duke is big. Like, really big. Six foot four, built like a brick shithouse, muscles on his muscles, that kind of thing. He's dressed like he wants to be a viking, in Kend style armor and stuff, but he's clearly from Ralegar. Kinda dirty blonde hair, looks like he's never brushed it. Oh yeah, and huge honking greatsword on his back."
> Nabara speaks up, "Jean Franc stands up from his chair at the bar, walking over to Duke and looking down at him with a raised eyebrow, 'Funny, I could swear you've only had one drink today.' Then he looks up at the newcomer and bows slightly, 'My apologies for my...he must be drunken, there's no other explanation, freind, madam.'"
<Hikari> "Alright. Well. Let's see...'You're mistaken, fellow warrior, but I am looking for, er, strong warriors. I come from Kenlund, hunting a foul beast that has strayed into your lands.' Uh. Hildegarde talks to Jean too: 'Would you or others here help this valkyrie put down the monster among you?'"
> He continues, "Jean Franc, by the by, is a very handsome young man. Black hair, quite curly and allowed to hang almost to his shoulders. A perfectly trimmed goatee as well, which goes excellently with his slightly darker complextion. He doesn't look like a great warrior like Duke, but there is a certain...fluidity and subtle grace to his movements."
> Neimi then speaks up, "The short woman in the corner who has been feeding tidbits to a boar looks over at the commotion. She's dressed very simply, in the brown robes of a druid, a gold stained sickle hanging at her side to complete the outfit. She looks a bit young for a druid, though, there's no grey in her aubern hair at all, and not a single wrinkle on her somewhat round face."(more)
> "She stands up and approaches Hildegard with a small smile on her face, 'Greetings Valkyrie. I was wondering when you would arrive.'"
> Jinai nods at you, "Hilde would recognize druidic garb when she sees it. That's not something anyone from Kenlund needs a roll for."
<Hikari> Hikari looks around. "I'd recognize a druid? Okay. 'You were expecting me? Then has the monster already caused trouble in this area?'"
> Neimi smiles and shakes her head, "Garita shakes her head, 'None I have seen yet. But I felt it's presense, so I called you here. I am Garita.' She then smiles and waits for the recognition."
> Jinai frowns, "Hmm. Alright, Hilde is a valkyrie so she should know about the Kend gods, but Garita is a dead god and has been for awhile. Now you don't have any knowledge religion as a fighter, but I'll let you roll raw Intelligence to know about Garita if you want."
> "Meanwhile, over at the bar," Keiko speaks up, "The rather svelt dark haired woman in a dress that is FAR too nice for this country town sighs and signals the barkeep for another drink, 'Here we go again.'"
<Hikari> "Oh. Alright...which one is that?" Hikari checks her sheet, feeling just slightly lost. All those numbers! "So...this plus one, I think," she says, rolling.
> OOC: you can just roll a d20, yeah.
<Hikari> roll 1d20+1 dump stat!
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 1d20+1 dump stat! and gets 8."12 [1d20=7]
> Neimi frowns, "Man, that would have been a great time for a high roll."
> Jinai shrugs, "So you...kinda vaguely think you know the name, but hell if you can place it."
> Nabara smirks, "No brainwashing for you."
> Neimi sticks her tounge out at him.
<Hikari> "Then Hildegard just continues talking, I suppose. 'Greetings, Druid Garita. I look forward to working with you to, er, purify the weird soul.' Hildegard looks around the room. 'Will anyone else fight for their town's defense?'"
> "Garita frowns a bit, 'Hmph, it seems that the Valkyries are not as well educated as they once were.'"
> (OOC: Gonna go the infodump/sessionwrap from here. Gimme a bit~)
<Hikari> "Hildegard should take offense at that. People shouldn't just defame her order!"
<Hikari> (OOC: Okay, feel free to ignore that, then. >.>)
> Neimi winks at you, "Garita gives you a steely look, 'I would say it deserved when the valkyries forget who they once served. I am Garita, ancient goddess of the earth reborn into this mortal frame.'"(more)
> This causes Ophelia to chime in telling you to please ignore the druid's megalomania, she gets like that sometimes. Garita and Ophelia start bickering in character, until Jean Franc takes control and seperates the ladies.(more)
> He then suggests sitting down and Hilde sharing what she knows on this monster before they even consider facing it. Jinai then directs you to the paper he gave you, and Hikari/Hilde dutifully shares the info on it.(more)
> The name 'Green Fury' causes Garita and Duke to go 'hey that sounds like' and start talking about the warning that a nature spirit gave them...all the way back at the beginning of the game. During this time, Hikari catches Nabara subtly rolling his eyes.(more)
> The discussion of what to do about the Fury goes on a bit, and Jean Franc suggests that this group alone is hardly set to combat it, but notes that you may have just found the right group anyway, as he can get you an audience...with the King himself. And they're on their way to the capital anyway.
* Hikari nods approvingly. "That'a certainly a good place to look for help. The authorities should know if there's a monster loose in the countryside, too. People need to know to stay indoors."
> And thus Hilde joins the party. The group quickly sets out and heads on the way to the capital. The journy is amusing as Neimi notes that Garita is insistant on teaching Hilde about the ancient gods so the valkyries are ready for thier return, and Haragi notes that Duke is still not entirely convinced that Hilde isn't a goddess herself.(more)
> But that doesn't all get RPed out, they just note that the conversation is happening, along with a quick explanation of 'downtime/traveltime' to Hikari. Then Jinai rolls some dice and tells everyone to make spot checks...(OOC: Please roll 2d8 to see what Hikari's dice luck is like. yes you may Divine Relationship this if you want)
<Hikari> roll 2d8
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 and gets 3."12 [2d8=1, 2]
> Hikari's dice are on fire. Figurtively, of course. She picks up the rules specific to her character pretty quickly, and when the weird little goblin things with red caps start attacking and yelling in Sylvan(which Hilde speaks) "Kill the Valkyrie!", she kinda sorta mass trips and stabs and basicaly makes them look like a bunch of chumps.(more)
> The others do thier parts, Jean Franc pouncing on Redcaps Hilde knocks down and using his Sneak Attack to deal gobs of damage, Garita and Ophelia using magic to zap the ones who try to avoid Hilde's area, and Truffler and Duke dishing out the damage, Duke manageing to pull a triple crit chain with Great Cleave causing Haragi to get up and dance(more)
> The Redcaps driven off, Ophelia notes that if the forces of darkness are specifically aiming for you this might be more serious then she thought, and Jean Franc agreeing. You all decide to press on to the capital with all the speed you can muster, and Jinai calls the end of the session.
> Neimi shakes her head, "Okay, Hikari? You can have that set. It NEVER rolled that well for me."
<Hikari> "I can tell this will take some getting used to," Hikari says. "I'm not very good at trying to talk like someone else. At least I was good at killing the monsters?" she adds.
> Haragi blinks, "Wait, those were YOUR dice? How can secondhand dice roll that well!?"
> Nabara rolls his eyes openly this time, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "Ah yes, since dice are these magical things that only recognize a single master."
<Hikari> "Does everyone normally bring their own dice? I don't really see the point in that. They roll the same no matter who's using them."
> Nabara nods, "My thoughts exactly. Some of us are a bit more superstitious then that."
> Haragi snorts, "Say what you want, but did you see that cleave chain? I may be weird about my dice, but they don't let me down in a crunch."
<Hikari> "I'm sure they have at some point. It's really just a matter of probability."
> Jinai laughs, "Yeah, between that and Hikari's luck you guys pasted an encounter three over ECL. Also good tactics there, Hikari. Not surprising if Neimi taught you how to play that build, though."
> Neimi smiles, "Zone control builds are like my specialty. Lancers, chainers, and of course Druids and wizards."
<Hikari> "ECL?"
> "Effective Character Level," Keiko chimes in, "Basically, it was a fight for 9th level characters when we're only 6th. Jinai decided to throw you right into the deep end of the pool."
> Jinai shrugs, "It all worked out. So, did you have fun? Enough that we'll see you next wednesday I hope?"
<Hikari> "That's alright. I don't mind being challenged. It's the best way to learn things. I imagine I'll be back. I've had a lot going on lately. It's good to have a day set aside to relax and do something a little silly." Well, that's not something she would've thought to add previously. But going on *actual* life-threatening adventurers makes meaningless diversions suddenly a lot more attractive!
> Keiko giggles, "Well if it's silly you want..."
> Neimi interupts, "I think the Maid game is a bit TOO silly for Hikari, to be honest."
> Jinai nods, "Alright then. Good session, I'll see you all later. Hikari, if you have any questions on the world or anything, Neimi can fill you in."
* Hikari nods. "Yes. One degree of nonsense at a time, please."
> Neimi smiles and helps you get your stuff together. As she picks the PHB back up, the world goes to grey once again...
> The soft green light appears inside Neimi and spins out in a lazy spiral, transforming into the spinning card, the one with the designs of ten sided dice with faces instead of numbers on the back. The front is...less blurred this time. There's a person on there. But you can't make out any details still.
> Once more, the whispering echo speaks, 3"Thou art I...And I am thou...through this bond, thou shalt have the blessings of the Fortune Arcana."
> And as Hikari feels the power settle into her, the world snaps back to normal.

[VySaika]

Nagare: Death 4

> ------------------------------------------
> Wednesday afternoon finds Nagare returning home with a handfull of papers to grade after his last class is over. It's the last day of November, and the weather is only getting colder. The few people he sees out on his drive home are dressed in even heavier clothing...except for the blond girl in a blue summer dress dancing circles around the mailbox across the street from his apartment.
* Nagare shakes his head, organizing the papers in a pile - graded ones left, ungraded ones right. The stacks are eerily balanced in size - a glass half-full or a glass half-empty, perhaps? The teacher sighs, eyeing the paper piles, then Alice across the window.
* Nagare gets up, lightly rubbing his forehead. For a moment, he glances at the window again. "Maybe I should nag her. Not like I have the focus to continue grading right now," he decides, heading for the door.
> Alice seems to just be twirling around the mailbox randomly, and you can hear the faint sound of her singing something as you step outside. She does curtsy as the headphones boy passes by her, but he doesn't react of course.
* Nagare observes Alice for a moment, then clears his throat to talk to Alice - more of a small ritual than anything, really. "Has he ever bothered to look up?"
> "Hmm?" She looks up as you approach, "Oh, no, he doesn't seem to do anything besides walk around listening to his headphones. Sometimes he talks to the ghosts over by the old cemetary, but he never talks to me. That's how I can prove I'm not a ghost, you know."
* Nagare blinks. "Wait, he talks to -ghosts-?"
> Then she puts her hands on her hips and looks a bit cross, "Though I wonder why the ghosts never talk to me? I know they've died! They're ghosts! But I can see them and they can't seem to see me. Or maybe they're just ignorning me. That would be so rude!"
> "Hmm?" Alice blinks and breaks off from her mini-rant, "Oh, yes. Didn't I say that before?"
<Nagare> "For your first - you're not asking the right person. I didn't even know ghosts were real. Second question, no, not really. Although now I'm somewhat leery of the things you can actually see."
> "Leery?" Her brow furrows a bit, "You don't believe me?"
<Nagare> "It makes me leery for the exact opposite reason, actually. I've been seeing quite a few oddities lately, but I still reserve the right to maintain a certain comfort zone regarding the supernatural. The existence of ghosts shreds this zone a little bit further."
> "You sound like you would rather not know." Alice notes, then argues, "But isn't it better to know if something is real? That way you won't be surprised if it ever bothers you. I know of some ghosts that have played very mean pranks on people, so what you don't know can hurt you." She nods sagely at the last point.
<Nagare> "You have a point. On the other hand, you could very well blame the unknown on the things you -do- know. It's mostly a psychological effect - the truth tends to be rather unpleasant. But I guess I don't have the room to talk when I've seen inside people's dreams. And they retaliate."
> "You can see people's dreams? Are you psychic?"
* Nagare snickers and shakes his head, leaning his elbow on the mailbox. The teacher then begins to mumble. "It'd be far more convenient that way, but no. It's... a long story. The short version is that, after a very strange chain of events, I became able to enter... a dream world, so to speak, and I get strange powers while in it. And I suddenly feel ridiculous for saying all this with a straight face."
> Alice giggles, "Don't worry, I won't make fun of you!"
> "So what's it like in that dream world? It sounds fun!"
* Nagare sighs. If he wore glasses, he'd be probably obsessively tinkering with them right now. "It... is difficult to explain. There's a huge landscape that's called the Outer Dream, which I've barely seen. Past that, each person has a very different dreamscape that may as well be its own world. Remember the dinosaur and robot weirdness I mentioned the other day?"
* Taishyr has joined #personador
* Taishyr is now known as xorn-exhaustaion
> She thinks a moment then nods, "Oh, yes! Dinosaur knights and robot ninjas."
<Nagare> "Exactly. That was the dreamscape of two eight-year-olds," the teacher remarks, poorly hiding the wince as he remembers Ewan and Keita.
> "Well that's not too strange, is it? Boys like things like that, so I should expect them to dream about it."
<Nagare> "It's a bit more strange when the boys -and- the robot dinosaur thingies are hell-bent on killing you."
> She frowns, "Well boys do like violent things as well. That's still horribly rude, though!"
<Nagare> "It's vaguely entertaining to see how innocently you justify it," Nagare adds with a light smile.
> "Well, you can't really blame people for what they dream, can you?" She asks with a serious expression, "And I've watched alot of cartoons that are supposed to be for boys, and they're all so violent. Even the ones that talk about freindship all the time still always end with beating up a badguy."
* Nagare stretches lazily. "You probably have a point. I'm just very easily annoyed by children. Their Dream mostly reminded me why I'm glad for being essentially sterile."
> "Oh." She goes quiet for a bit.
<Nagare> "Hm?"
> "Um," she looks down a bit, "I'm not annoying....am I?"
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "Alice. If you were annoying me, I doubt we'd be talking -right now-. Believe me, when you annoy me, you will know."
> "Oh." Now she looks embarrassed, "It's just that you said that you were annoyed by children and I know I'm a child too...even though I'm not really alive."
<Nagare> "Case-by-case basis, really - I'm not the most pleasant person to be around, but I'm not -that- intolerant. And we've been over this before - in fact, when we met for the second time, even," Nagare says with a shrug. "Were you this self-conscious with the other people you talked to?"
> "No one else has ever talked to me more then twice."
* Nagare blinks. "In all this time? How many people have even bothered to talk to you at all, just for perspective?"
> Alice cocks her head to the side and tries to think, "Um...it's hard to remember. A few, I know. Most just tell me to go away when I tell them why they can see me, or call me a halucination which is mean. Sometimes they promise to play with me again but forget."
> Then she shakes her head, "I'm sorry, I can't remember a number."
<Nagare> "It's probably a bit much to ask of you when the notion of time is as fluid as in your case. It's a bit eerie, though - as far as you're concerned, you could've been wandering aimlessly like this for decades, or even centuries."
> She nods shyly, "I've never really thought about that before."
* Nagare scratches his head. "I think I might make you think about a lot of things you probably didn't even want to before. It tends to be one of my jobs as a teacher, but sometimes I wonder if I'm not just being horrible when doing that. And, in your case, it's not even on purpose."
> "That's okay!" She quickly asserts, "I'd rather even talk about things that make me sad then not talk at all!"
<Nagare> "I... suppose. We've talked about these things before, and I have the feeling you'd probably at least want to understand yourself a bit more."
> She thinks then nods, suddenly cheering up, "Maybe if we could find out what my What is, we could find other people like me! And I could have more freinds!"
<Nagare> "It's a possibility, yes. But I don't even know where to begin. Well, no, there's a place, but I'm not sure if you even sleep, let alone dream."
> Alice shakes her head, "I don't sleep, no. I've always wanted to sleep, so I could dream. I wonder what I would dream about?"
<Nagare> "One interesting question is whether you'd have a Dream, actually. If a Dream is a mental landscape of a person's thoughts, even if you don't sleep, I'd find it unlikely that you'd be entirely unable to dream. Daydreaming is all the rage these days, I've heard," the teacher nods sagely.
> "I...don't know. I think I daydream alot, though! So maybe I would! Um..." she pauses, then asks, "So how do you go into someone's dreams? Is it like a magic spell?"
* Nagare strokes his chin, pondering as he lights a cigarette. "It definitely involves supernatural cantrips, but it's closer to a ritual fueled by an artifact."
> "An artifact? Do you walk through a looking glass?"
* Nagare snickers as he blows off a puff of smoke. "That would happen -inside- the Dream rather than -outside-, although the literary reference is cute. No, it involves unlocking doors with a one-of-a-kind key and walking through them."
> She furrows her brow again, "Literary referance? Did I accidentally say something funny?"
<Nagare> "Nah, don't worry about it. Although you probably should try reading a certain book I know - you ought to find it mighty familiar."
> "I can't read books unless someone else turns the pages..." she frowns again, "and then it's very hard to read over someone's shoulder when they read faster then I do. Since they turn the pages before I'm ready! That's why I like television more, it just plays on it's own once someone turns it on!"
<Nagare> "Well, I'm pretty sure you could watch the animation movie version of that book - far less interesting language, but what I'd want you to get across is the basic idea."
> "Okay. Um, do you have it? I'll be happy to watch it whenever you want to play it!"
<Nagare> "I... only have the book, actually. I could help you read it, though."
> Alice nods, "Okay!"
* Nagare begins pondering, leaning over the mailbox as he finishes the cigarette. "Then, it's settled. Next time we meet, you can come in and read," the teacher says, then looking back to his apartment's door. "I kind of don't want to go back inside, but I probably should go back to grading papers."
> "Um, is there anything I could do to help?"
<Nagare> "Sadly, no. The help would come in handy, but you'd be physically unable to do the writing work, and you wouldn't be able to understand the content of the papers anyway. But the willingness to help is appreciated."
> "Oh." She looks down a bit, but nods, "Okay. I'll go sneak into the anime club room at the high school and watch anime with them then." Then she frowns, "well, unless they're watching weird things again. Then I'll go do something else."
* Nagare winces. "That has to be a russian roulette. Who knows when they will start cranking up the hentai again. The student council has filed quite a few complaints about that already."
> "Is that where you teach, at the high school? I've never seen you there."
> "But I usually only go to the anime club room and the library."
<Nagare> "... wait, high school. Sorry, I'm a university teacher. In that case, man, I'd loathe to see the person who'd have to deal with the kids watching hentai."
> She giggles, "I don't think they've been caught yet. I couldn't report them! And even if I could I don't think I'd want to because then they might not let them even play regular anime anymore and I like watching things there."
<Nagare> "Well, nature follows its course in those cases. If they -do- get caught, there's always the university anime club, just as a pointer."
> "I'll remember that! Um, bye!" Then she waves and starts heading off towards the highschool, simply dissapearing after taking three steps.
> As she vanishes, the familiar greyness sweeps over the world and time slows to a stop.
> The card reappears in a swirl of grey light, the back depicting the same guillotine of playing cards, and the front...less blurry now. It's clearly a person standing there, but you can't make out any details just yet. It seems to become more clear each time though.
> Once more, the voice returns, echoing through the world, 12"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Death Arcana"
> And as before, the world snaps back into normalcy the moment the spinning card dissapears.
* Nagare scratches his head. "It definitely never gets noticeably less weird. Although I probably should look into Alice's Dream theories now..."
> -------------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Mykasi: Hanged Man 2

------------------------------------------------------
> Friday evening, Mykasi is back in his room cooling down(or warming up more like, it IS frikking cold out there) after an afternoon run with Shiro and Oda. Suddenly, his phone rings! The caller ID say's it's Bill...
* Mykasi flips open the phone. "Howdy, Bill."
> Bill's voice on the other end sounds...tired as crap, "Hey guy. Uh, has Xav called you in the past couple days?"
<Mykasi> "...no?" Mike says, suddenly concerned. "Why?"
> "Great, great. He was talking about calling soon, probly be tomorrow then. So...look, I gotta talk to you about something, guy. I really don't know what I should do here."
<Mykasi> "... what's going on? You sound exhausted." Mike comments, leaning back.
> "Yeah, just got put back on the night shift, so I'm about to hit the hay after this. Anyway..." he pauses, breathes a bit heavily and then spits it out, "look, Lupe's back in town. I ran into him the other day, and...I don't like the way he looks these days. He looks like one of those rough guys you don't wanna meet in a dark alley, right? He was asking about everybody, I don't think he knows what's up with Xav yet."
<Mykasi> "..." Mike grimaces, before vocalizing a grunt. "Okay, yeah, that's a... that's a big issue. I don't know how to address that, but I don't think we can stop him from finding out, for one. Give me a second to think."
> "Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I dunno what to do there. Lupe...I mean, you know I never liked the guy, right? But this is different. He's not the same guy he used to be. And he dodged my question when I asked him about Sammy, too."
<Mykasi> "Kch. Yeah, he was okay to me at least, but that was before he dropped out - and I didn't hear anything good about what he got into when he did. Nothing at all." Mike swallows. "...and he wouldn't hesitate to try and... okay. I think I need to call Xav later today, before they run into each other, and... shit. Any chance you took a photo of him with your camera?" Mike asks hopefully.
> "Nah, didn't think about it. Sorry."
> Bill mutters, "Never wished Amy was back here so much. He's scared shitless of her..."
<Mykasi> "It's okay." Mike shakes his head, beginning to pace. "...Shitfuck. And of course he'd be up to no good when the gang's mostly disassembled, yeah. I'd say threaten him with Amy still being around, but... again, he'll find out she isn't. Short term solutions cause long term problems."
<Mykasi> A pause. "Hey, do you know if the old martial arts place is still open? The one about fifteen minutes down Drake Avenue?"
> "The one Amy went to? Uh, I think it is? Haven't heard of it closing anyway."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, that one." Mike muses. "...I really hate to even tread this line of thought, but he lacks a lot of the mental defenses that we have, having forgotten a lot of these people, and... Lupe was always decent at acting nice when he wanted something. Having physical defenses might be wise for him, if you get my drift."
> "Maybe talk to Xav about taking classes? Though I'm more worried about Lupe trying to con Xav into helping him do something stupid and getting himself in trouble then about him actually being violent. ...do you think that's really likely?"
<Mykasi> "It depends precisely on -what- Lupe's been doing." Mike comments bitterly. "If he's just ye old usual addict, yeah, the con will be the problem. But depending on what he's taking... he may not be entirely rational, dude."
> "He seemed kinda high when I talked to him. And I could smell the weed on his clothes. Dunno if he's doing anything else though...he more looks like...I dunno, some kinda gangbanger or thug, you know?"
> "Bandana, tattoos, leather jacket, all that crap." Bill snorts, having a fairly low oppinion of people who try to look 'tough' like that in general.
<Mykasi> "Okay, so he didn't get into heroin like I had heard." Mike mutters. "Then yeah, I'll talk to him some over the phone... and then likely send him to my dad and mom for a brief 'Just Say No' class. Lord knows if anyone can do it, those two can."
<Mykasi> "Sorry, I'll talk to -Xav-." Mike corrects. "I'm willing to talk to Lupe but it will consist of 'if you even think twice of getting anyone I know into trouble I will get the Japanese Mafia to fly over and carve your fucking ass into sushi, capiche?' so."
> "Yeah, that sounds good. Want me to call your dad and let him know about Lupe, guy? I gotta admit, if you didn't have any ideas, all I could think of was letting Mr. Wolfe know Lupe was in town, since I'm pretty sure he'd keep Xav well clear of him. But he'd probably keep him well clear of me and your folks at teh same time, you know?"
<Mykasi> "Yeah, and that's pointless for now. Should be a last case measure. And... sure, go ahead and let my Dad know what you've seen, tell him to call me if he wants. I've got to crack down and figure out why the hell this program's returning triple results half the time and no results the other half, wouldn't mind hearing from him - and he'll be up at this hour, you know him."
> "Right. Alright, I'll give him a call then. Later guy."
> And with that Bill hangs up.
* Mykasi shakes his head and cracks knuckles, before confirming that it's not 4:00 AM in the morning or earlier. (His dad would still be up regardless, but sending a text to Xav telling him to call when he gets the chance would be best - presuming that phone plan went through.)
> (OOC: Time slip~)
> Suddenly, music! At 5AM in the morning! "Never gonna give you up~ Never gonna let you down~ Never gonna turn around and desert you~"
> Kyo looks up with a grunt, "...the fuck...?"
> The music is, of course, coming from Mike's phone.
<Mykasi> "Chrissake-" Mike grabs the phone and rolls out of bed, barely stopping himself from a hard slam into the floor as he grabs his t-shirt. Flipping the phone open, Mike scurries into the bathroom. "Hey, Xav." Oh well, he didn't need sleep anyway.
> Xavier's voice is a bit subdued, "Hi. Um, did I wake you up? Sorry, this was the only chance I had to call, since I'm on my lunch break. And your dad said to go ahead and call even if you were asleep, so..."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, it's cool, my dad was right on the money." Mike replies with a nod. "Don't worry about it. You talked to my dad, then?"
> "Yeah, I'm over here right now. Well, I'm in the backyard since cell phones hate the inside of your house for some reason."
<Mykasi> "Haha, yeah, my dad rues the design of the house for that. Anyways, apologies for what probably seems like a pretty huge freakout all of a sudden."
> "Yeah...so, who is this Lupe guy? Your dad said I should ask you about him. Huh? Oh yeah, he also wants me to ask what his full name is since he doesn't remember?"
<Mykasi> "Armaldo Lupe Rojas." Mike notes first, spelling it out for Xav and his dad. "And... oh geez, Lupe. To give you an idea, I was the one of us five who got along with him, and that was because I was willing to 'help' with some homework sometimes. He dropped out in ninth grade and began running with the gangs pretty early, to give you an idea."
> "...how well did I get along with him? Did I at all?"
<Mykasi> "You and he didn't talk too much - mainly since, well, he didn't get along so well with any of us outside of me, and Amy freaked the hell outta him so he tended to stay away unless he needed to talk to me." Mike shook his head. "The few times you two talked weren't too friendly, as I recall, but he was always good at being nice when he wanted to be. 's part of why I wanted to warn you."
> "I guess I'll keep clear of him, then." Xav pauses a bit, then half laughs, "You know, it's a bit funny. I hear so much about 'the gang' from Bill, and all the fun we used to have. I never really thought about it before, but it makes sense that not everthing I forgot was so nice."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, not all of it was." Mike says with a slight nod. "...I'm willing to tell you about those times, too, if you want to hear them. It's just... I think it's instinct for us to want to give you the good memories first, at the very least, you know?"
> "That's fine. Unless it's important I'd...well, I'm kinda okay with not remembering the bad stuff. I need to keep in mind that life before the accident wasn't always happy, but I don't know how it would help to know the specifics."
<Mykasi> "Heh." Mike grins. "Fair enough, dude." A slight pause. "But... yeah. Just... use your judgment and stay away from him when you can, alright?"
> "Right. Your dad said he likely won't be in town long anyway, so it shouldn't be a problem." He pauses a bit then, "Oh, yeah! Uh, did Bill tell you? I told him not too, but you know Bill, he kinda forgets stuff like that sometimes."
> His voice sounds excited rather then nervous as he changes the topic.
<Mykasi> "Bill has told me that Lupe's back in town and to expect a call from you - that's it. What's up?" Mike asks, a slight grin on his face.
> "Well, I was wandering around town getting to know it better, trying to remember things, stuff like that. Sandy was down so she was showing me around. And apparently I used to like to hang out at some antique shop over on Jules? Anyway, I found something there that...well, I don't know how, I just knew you'd want it."(more)
> "So I picked it up, and Bill paid the shipping for it. He said that he still owed you money from a pool game or something anyway so he considered that paying you back?"
<Mykasi> "Haha, alright." Mike grins. "Thanks! I take it it'll be a surprise for when it gets here, or will you tell me now?"
> "I'll let it be a surprise. Well, unless you really want to know now. Um...do you like surprises? I, well, I don't remember, you know?"
> Man, now he's even picking up some of Bill's patterns of speach..
<Mykasi> "Maaaaaaaaaaaaan, you're even sounding like Bill now. Granted, it could be worse." Mike chuckles. "But yeah, I like surprises, so I'll wait. Thanks, dude~."
> "I am? Uh, is that a bad thing? I mean he stops by the store alot so I talk to him three or four times a week, so I guess it's not surprising. I was told by my doctor that I'd pick up unconcious habits from people around me really easily since I don't remember any of my own."
<Mykasi> "Nah, it's fine, dude. I can think of far worse people to pick up habits from. Lupe, for example." Mike comments dryly. "And that makes sense, sure. You're still adapting."
> "Uh, anyway, I have to start heading back. Only an hour for lunch and I'm supposed to pick something up for my father on the way back too. So..."
<Mykasi> "It's okay, go on. And take care of yourself, alright?"
> "I will. You too, okay? Everyone agrees that you're the worst person in the whole world about working yourself into the ground."
> "Huh?" his voice is a bit distant, like he was lookig away from the phone for a second, then it returns to normal, "Oh, and your dad says he wants you to call him once we hang up.
<Mykasi> "... I'll do my best to keep well rested." Mike grins slightly. "Later, dude- ah, alright, gotcha."
> "Alright. Bye for now." You say your goodbyes and hang up.
* Mykasi shuts the phone off, waits about thirty seconds, and then calls his dad.
> It picks up near instantly, "Heya Mikey. So how are you holding up out there?"
<Mykasi> "Well, the dream ninjas riding dinosaurs almost got eradicated by Tokyozorr, but a last minute interference by the Clueless Band managed to save the day and rescue the two brats who were promptly thrown in a dumpster for being ingrateful. In other news, I'm fine, just wondering why my program is being cranky when I fine-tune it and trying to balance school and social issues. And staying warm."
> "Yeah, I check the news for your part of the world every now and again, and I've heard talk of record lows there." Then he adds with a deadpan, "Nothing about the dream-ninjasaurs though, but that's probably not news to the Japanese."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, old hat here. One of the first phrases they had me learn in Japanese is 'oh, look, Godzilla is destroying the city again', remember?" Mike grins. "No clue on the record colds, though..."
> "Anyway, on to the matter at hand. I'm talking with a local detective fairly often as part of the research for my new book. I could bring Lupe up with him, see if he's got a warrent or anything out and have him picked up, if you want. I'll leave that as your decision, though."
<Mykasi> "...only if he tries to start shit." Mike shakes his head. "He leaves us and ours alone, I don't end up caring. But if he tries anything, go ahead if he's got anything on his head. Fuck, if you can get the phone number for Lupe, I'll call him myself if he starts something and warn him off. He'll probably listen to me, especially if I magically know he has a warrant all the way from Japan."
> "Hmm. No idea how to get the number, but if I ever run into him I'll ask him for it so you can call him. And alright then, I'll keep my ears out but lay off him for now."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, just saying, mystical Mike powers plus he listened to me at least a little might help, if it ever works out. But... this is another problem I can't deal with head on." Mike shakes his head. "So... thanks, Dad."
> "Not a problem, Mikey. Between your mother, myself and Bill, we can handle things on this side of the Pacific. I'd rather you be free to keep your focus on yourself out there."
<Mykasi> "Look, all I'm saying is, approximately ten trillion tons of force should move Japan over to California, solve both the cold issues and these pesky distance issues with one fuel-burning stone." Mike comments.
> "Oh, so is THAT what you're really working on out there?"
<Mykasi> "Sadly, no. Just working on a program to sift through any source and pull out references based on relevancy and accuracy at a rate about a hundred times faster than the current common search engines."
<Mykasi> A beat.
<Mykasi> "Well, and entering magical dream worlds to beat up freakish monsters and meet ancient gods, but you know. Japan. That shit happens here."
> "Obviously."
* Mykasi exhales. "But yeah. Everything still going alright there with Xavier?"
> "Well enough. He...works hard at the store, so Davis lets him have his free time. Bill seems to have done a very good job in convincing the Wolfes that he's still okay and maintains few ties with us, which frankly impresses me."
<Mykasi> "Bill's picked up a few tricks." Mike comments, sounding impressed even to himself. "But is there a reason you hesitated on saying he works hard at the store? They overworking him or something?"
> "It's just that he never wanted to work there, so seeing him apply himself so hard now is...a bit distasteful to me."
<Mykasi> "... well, he's doing so in order to work himself free, so to speak." Mike comments. "Subversive attention to duty - which is actually a fairly Xavier thing to do."
> "It rather is, yes. Like some strange form of passive-aggression." Stephen laughs a bit, "I suppose I'm not so clean of that particular vice myself, though."
<Mykasi> "Avoidance of problems until he can't avoid any further, then pretty much engaging until they're worn down to the dirt... yeah." Mike shrugs. "Give it time, see how this works out. From what I understand he's not terribly enthused about working there -now-, but..."
> "It's less that he objects to the store, more that Davis isn't being very subtle about trying to control him, I think. But even now, you still likely know him better then I do."
> "And for the record," Stephen states, "to counter-balance your mother's grudging acceptance, I'll make it very clear that should you rekindle this relationship in full when you come back, or decide to stay in Japan and convince him to move out there with you, you have my full support. So long as you're happy, I really don't care what you do or who you're with."(more)
> "Well, so long as you're happy and not hurting anyone. Anyone who doesn't deserve it at least."
<Mykasi> A low chuckle. "I've been trying to help people as I can, here. And as for Xav... oh, geez, Dad. I... I don't know yet. I honestly don't know. All I do know is that I want to make sure he can reclaim something of a life - and I don't care if that life, in the end, can't be with me." (More)
<Mykasi> "If it can, awesome, if it can't or if he doesn't want that, then that's okay too. That too, like with Davis' control, has to come down to Xav's decision in the end - not mine, yours, mom's, or Davis's. And that's the choice, the decision, that I want Xav to be able to make in full, without feeling obligated to choose any one way." (More)
<Mykasi> "He knows now that if his family drives him too far, he can let go and walk away - and he's smart still, damnit, he's likely figured out he no longer has as many connections to anyone now. He chooses. Not them, at this point. That needs to be his right - not only to try and remember, but to try and remake himself."
> "Well said."
<Mykasi> "Thanks. I've been grinding my monologue stat."
> "Speaking of grinding, I need to go pick up some more peppercorns. Making those black pepper coated porkchops for dinner tonight."
<Mykasi> "..." A slight whimper escapes from Mike's throat. "Damnit, Dad, you're gonna make me try and hunt down something like that here and I won't be able to find any!"
> "Surely you can make it yourself. Unless Japan mysteriously doesn't sell black pepper, vinegar or porkchops?"
<Mykasi> "Pork is insanely expensive here." Mike mutters. "Poultry, fish or beef."
> "Well, you can make it with chicken. Just never try to make it with fish. You can't taste the fish through the pepper at all."
* Nagare is now known as Hello-DojimathedralWaddleDee
<Mykasi> "Ngh, it was more a case of 'urge to have some pork, rising'." Mike mutters. "But I'll keep that in mind, maybe give some to my roommate."
> "He'd probably appriciate it, with the weather the way it is out there. Alright Mikey, I'm about to head off. Take care of yourself, son. And don't hesitate to let me know if you need anything."
<Mykasi> "Alright, Dad- Oh! Right. Something to tell Mom that might make her happy."
> "Oh?"
<Mykasi> "I think I found God again. Doesn't mean I agree with her on anything still, but I think I'm willing to acknowledge he has a high probability of existing at this point. ...though you may just want to phrase it the first way. It'll keep her happier." Mike is grinning madly, rather glad his dad can't see his smile at this point.
> "I'll look forward to hearing your evidence sometimes. I know you a little better then you think you don't have any."
> *sometime, even
<Mykasi> "Some other time, sure. For now, talk to you later."
> "Talk to you later, Mikey."
> And with the goodbyes said, you both hang up...leaving Mike awake at five-something in the morning.
<Mykasi> "...ffffssssssgh." Mike hisses, closing his eyes for a bit, before stumbling back out and into bed, muttering to himself in Miwok softly.
> And thus Mike goes back to sleep. At least until Kyo's alarm goes off.
> ------------------------------

[VySaika]

Nagare: Devil 2

> -------------------------------------------
> Thursday evening. Classes are all done with, papers are all graded, and Nagare finds himself alone at him. It's quiet, as usual. Only the tick of the clock breaks the silence of the apartment.
* Nagare eyes the clock wearily. "The evening's dull as usual, I see."
* Nagare shuffles his pockets, pacing around. For some reason, the lack of things to do somewhat unsettle him. As he shuffles, he picks up the Velvet Key, which was lingering on his suit pockets for -some- reason.
<Nagare> "... I need to be more careful with these things. Although I guess it...," the teacher stops, then capitulates. "I might as well."
* Nagare shrugs, picks up the key and uses it on the kitchen's door. As he opens it, the teachers braves "the endless ocean that rises before him" and enters the door.
> Nagare steps through the door and swiftly finds himself in the Velvet Room. Once more, Igor is not there, only Theresa sitting on her couch. She doesn't stand to greet you this time, but smiles, lounges back and gestures to the chairs, "You're back."
* Nagare puts up a smile as Theresa gestures. "Well, after you suggested I should visit more often, I thought it would be a good idea. Plus, the apartment, for some reason, felt somewhat oppressive this evening."
<Nagare> "I do not remember when did I get so careless as to just put the Velvet Key in my suit's pockets and wander around with it, though."
> She grins, "The Key...sometimes has a mind of it's own. Now that you've established the DEVIL link, you'll likely find that it's with you whenever you seriously think about visiting."
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "That might end up somewhat inconvenient for the others. On the other hand, I feel a bit relieved for that."
> "Well, at least they'll always know where to find it?"
* Nagare nods, lightly knocking on the table. "You have a good point. It doesn't matter much who has the Key as long as it's with us when it means business anyway. Anyhow, I have to wonder. What have you been doing as of late?"
> Theresa shrugs, "Not much in here to do, I'm afraid. I've been looking more into the matter of dissapearing people, but there's only so much I can do from here, even with the Velvet Room archives. Otherwise I keep an eye on you three whenever you go into the Dream and annoy the Master alot."
* Nagare folds his arms, taking a more pensive stance. "While the idea of annoying Igor sounds amazingly entertaining, it's probably not nearly as amusing when there's nobody to bounce it off. Igor probably could outstare a mountain with eyes painted on it, come to think of it."
> "Almost certainly, yes." She agrees, "Wouldn't surprise me if he has before."
<Nagare> "For how long have you been doing this again?"
* Nagare coughs. "I'm sorry, but I've been growing a bit of an interest on the passings of time in terms as volatile and hard to fathom as the supernatural's."
> She smiles, "Longer then I'd like, really."
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "You've learned well from Igor, I see. But it's just been starting to get me. I think I had this same conversation with Alice in a fashion."
> "Now there's an interesting topic. I wish you could bring her in here, I'd love to meet her."
* Nagare ponders. "I'm wondering if she even has a Dream as it stands, actually. And... hmmmm. I think she'd be ecstatic herself to meet you - she craves for interaction, and I'm sure you'd make her feel very welcome. But I wonder if it's even possible. Heck - are you able to exit the Velvet Room yourself?"
> Theresa shakes her head, "No. But...that's for an entirely different reason."
* Nagare snickers. "I gather it relates to your shenanigans with Igor or is this history unrelated to you? Forgive me if I'm being nosy here."
> "Hmm." She smiles slyly and stands up, "Ah, I'm being a horribly rude hostess. Would you care for some tea?"
* Nagare nods, smiling. "I'd be delighted. It's even a good opportunity to switch to amenities - makes for better tea."
> Theresa chuckles and vanishes into the back, returning a few minutes later with some of her normal insanely strong and hot tea.
> Sitting back down, she pours you a cup, and another for herself.
* Nagare lightly blows the tea's steam off, waiting a little until it simmers down. "There's a little ceremony for drinking this tea, come to think of it."
> "What's that, waiting until it won't burn your mouth off?" She asks, before taking a sip of her own...without waiting for it to cool at all of course.
<Nagare> "Yes, but I'll take any ritual measures I can get. My lips are neither supernatural nor made of steel. Nor am I Mykasi, for that matter."
> Theresa laughs, "He is an odd one, isn't he?"
<Nagare> "Certainly odd enough for me to nag at him, but not odd enough to disallow banter. The sense of humor is certainly appreciable, and you get used to the head-in-the-clouds demeanor," the teacher nods, finally deciding to take a sip. "It's still quite hot."
> "That may well be what allows him to handle the Dream. Much like your...detatchedness, if that's even a word."
* Nagare stops to ponder for a minute, as he takes small, careful sips from Theresa's tea. "There are always some ends loose that allow one to withstand the Dreamscapes, I guess. Although the merits of this as a blessing are debatable. The detachment could be easily seen as a vice, for an instance."
> "There's no rule that says a vice and a virtue can't be the same thing."
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "Really? I'm honestly not sure if I agree. Although I've never been quite strict on moral codes."
> Theresa laughs, as if your response really amuses her for some reason.
<Nagare> "I'm aware of the irony."
> That only makes her laugh harder.
> "No, no, hehehe, I assure you, you have no idea what makes this so funny."
* Nagare keeps a calm smile, nodding. The phrase both unsettles and pleases the teacher, but he keeps the lighter side above the surface. "Oh, good, this means I won't have to enter a pointless diatribe about how law isn't about morals or right and wrong."
> "Oh, absolutely," she calms down, though the laughter is still apparent in her eyes, "Laws are about control. For good reasons if you're lucky, and ill if you're not."
<Nagare> "I'll argue to death that the law is a necessary evil for a social animal such as the human being. The unfortunate - or maybe not even so unfortunate - casualties are mostly a side effect. That's usually the part where the idealistic freshmen raised on Sailor Moon break down crying."
> She nods again, "Even we supernatural entities have some laws that govern us. Fewer, of course. As there are are far fewer ways of enforcing these laws on beings that defy conventional reality, as I'm sure you can guess. But they still exist."
<Nagare> "Even things beyond our kern follow a set of internal logic mechanisms, really. Come to think of it... this gives the Inner Dreamscapes I've seen make... more sense."
> "Shadows...are interesting. They spring into existance with thier own internal set of rules and laws that they simply cannot break. But what they are changes from shadow to shadow." She takes another sip of her tea before continueing, "The Shadows of people are based on the person, of course. But lesser shadows...sometimes there is no rhyme or reason to them at all."
<Nagare> "Wouldn't that make sense if they're born from the collective of dreams? Pardon me for trying to apply elementary logic to the Dream, but they can only become something that... well, their source already is, in some fashion. Being very crude, often the Dream has no rhyme/reason to it."
<Nagare> "Thus, it makes sense that Shadows may have none of that either."
<Nagare> "Although I feel like I'm bludgeoning a fascinating subject into the ground here."
> "I suppose that will suffice for an explanation this time, as much as you can explain any of this," she shrugs and half nods.
* Nagare scratches his cheek, slightly embarrassed. "I probably could stand to try to let my imagination run a bit wilder than that, I suppose," he says, then reaching for the cigarette pack in his other pocket. "Do you mind if I smoke? I realize I should've asked this last time."
> Theresa laughs, "Doesn't bother me at all, no."
* Nagare nods, still a bit embarrassed. "I just wonder where do the ashes go to. Do you have an ashtray? It hit me that I was awfully rude last time just now, and that borders on childish from my part."
> "It's not a problem. The Velvet Room has seen worse then a few ashes before, and I'm sure it will again." Lounging back on the couch again, she smiles...and it looks very slightly predatory, "So. Care to indulge me with a little game?"
* Nagare breathes heavily. "I suspect this is a rhetorical question. But sure."
> She laughs, "I won't force you to play, but if you win I can promise you'll get quite a prize. Here's the game," she sits back up, eyes alight with something akin to mischief, "every visit, you get one chance to guess my name. My real name. Theresa, as I'm sure you've already guessed, is just a name I use. To help you out, you get to ask me one question each time.(more)
> "I may not answer, mind you. And I might be infuriatingly vague," her smile grows wider as she says that, "But whatever answer I do give you will be true."
> "Are you up for it?"
* Nagare scratches his head, letting out a snide smirk. "Before I say 'yes', I will just note that I've always been very bad at playing games."
> "That really just makes it more fun for me, you realize."
<Nagare> "Well, this means at least -one- side inevitably makes the most out of the game regardless of what happens. And I knew I had signed a deal with the devil as soon as the link began - and didn't mind."
> She grins, "Well then, why don't we start now? What question would you like me to answer?"
* Nagare scratches his chin pensively. "Let me see. Is your real name heavily symbolic?"
> She smiles, "In a way, yes."
* Nagare snickers. "It's a start."
> "It is!" She agrees enthusiasticly, "So, since you don't lose anything for guessing and you get one guess per visit anyway, care to take a shot?"
<Nagare> "It's certainly going to be absolutely hopeless, but, let's see... Eve, since we're playing the heavy-handed symbolism card? May as well make sense within the very little I have."
> "A decent guess, but no, I'm not Eve."
<Nagare> "Could've been worse. If Mykasi was in my place, I vaguely suspect he'd ask if your name was Adam."
> She snickers, "Oh god, that guy. I'll give you a freebie, I'm not Adam either."
* Nagare smiles. "That's good to know."
> Theresa pours herself another cup of tea, "Not a bad question for being put on the spot either. Makes me wonder what you'll come up with when you have some time to think."
<Nagare> "Probably still not enough to guess it right. I just hope I don't end up offending you and saying your true name is Edward Longhorn in the middle of the game."
<Nagare> With that, the teacher once again does his "ritual" of letting the tea simmer a bit.
> "If I got offended easily, the comparison to Eve would have done it already, trust me."
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "Thank you for reminding me of the razor line I walk with you."
> Theresa just smiles and sips her tea.
* Nagare eyes his own tea, blows lightly on it and begins to slowly sip as well, nodding. "Still, thank you for humoring me."
> "Oh, the pleasure is all mine. This is really the most fun I get to have these days."
* Nagare nods. "Likewise, Theresa. Likewise."
> After being silent for a moment, Theresa muses, "Hmm. I wonder if I asked the Master, would he let Alice come in with you sometime?"
<Nagare> "I'd honestly would support the notion myself. Alice already has a notion of the Dream, and I've been honestly thinking about whether she could have any resonance within it, so to speak."
> "It may go better if you petition him for it yourself, to be honest." She notes with a half-smile.
<Nagare> "I will, even if to just hear a 'no' - and I'm grateful for your insight," the teacher finishes, smiling as well. "The tea is beginning to feel a bit softer, by the way."
> "That's you getting used to it. That or your tastebuds dying, one or the other." Closing her eyes for a moment, she smiles, "Well, I think it's about time."
> Then she hold out her hand.
* Nagare nods, and takes her hand, as if he already knew what to expect.
> The color fades from the Velvet Room, though it's hard to notice the time stopping effect in here. The light from within Theresa returns, floating out and becoming the spinning card with the image of a giant woman with glowing eyes, one red, one black, holding a hand over a pair of nude people trying to stay together as they fall. The front of the card is no more clear then before, however.
> The whispering voice returns as well, echoing through the room, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Devil Arcana"
> As the card fades, the grey retreats, and the Velvet Room returns to normal.
> Theresa smiles and lets go of your hand, "And that's Rank 2."
<Nagare> "It's quite odd to think of this in terms of ranks, no?"
* Nagare then scratches his head, shaking it as he smiles awkwardly. "No, nevermind that. Anyhow, I guess I should go back."
> She smiles as you move to leave, standing and bowing like usual, "Farewell, and have a pleasant evening~"
* Nagare waves to Theresa as he enters the door. "It was a pleasure, Theresa. My best regards!"
> A laugh behind him is all Nagare hears as he passes through the portal and returns to his apartment.
* Nagare enters his apartment once again, Theresa's laughter echoing in his eardrums still. "I have to wonder what makes her laugh so freely... and why she does it, really."
> ---------------