The Ties That Bind(Social Links)

[VySaika]

Nagare: Devil 3

> ---------------------------------------------------------
> The four had returned from the Dream, to find it was about as late as they had expected. Quickly and quietly they went thier seperate ways, Mike and Shiro back to the male dorms, Hikari to the female, and Nagare to his car to go home. After a quick stop to get food(as he was in no shape to bother cooking), the proffessor found himself in his apartment.
> Alone, as usual. And after the day's antics, the quiet felt almost strange.
* Nagare roams the apartment, a vague, unsettling feeling. The teacher fiddles, etching his hands into his pockets, almost as if wishing he'd find something in them.
> The key is there, of course. He still had it when they left, as neither Mike nor Hikari had asked for it back yet.
<Nagare> Although it may not have been in -that- set of pants. Nagare probably had the magical nature of that key to thanks, although it probably wouldn't be fond of the washing machine -either way-. The teacher picks the key, looking at the kitchen's k
<Nagare> Although it may not have been in -that- set of pants. Nagare probably had the magical nature of that key to thanks, although it probably wouldn't be fond of the washing machine -either way-. The teacher picks the key, looking at the kitchen's open door. Then he closes it... and opens it again, now with the key, opening the pathway to the Dream... and to the Velvet Room.
<Nagare> As soon as the ocean-like blue of the entrance appears, Nagare enters, heading to the Velvet Room...
> (OOC: The portal is actually swirling purple, it's the VR itself that's blue~ but whatever, Scene Change!)
> As he had expected, Theresa was the only occupant of the Velvet Room this time. With a smile, she gestures to the seat, and pours a cup of tea that was already prepared, "Hello again."
* Nagare picks up the chair and sits in a rather uncharacteristic hurry. It's almost as if he needs to get something out of his chest. "Good afternoon, Theresa. Although I feel the urge to skip pleasantries a bit."
> Theresa half smirks, "Oh really? You always struck me as the sort who enjoyed the little ceremonies expected by polite society."
* Nagare fiddles with air somewhat awkwardly a bit. "We can always pick them up later. But I believe this is important. I'll just skip straight to what I need to ask, since otherwise, I'll just dance around the issue for no reason. It's...," the teacher breathes heavily, then picking up his voice to finish... "... Lilith. Isn't it?"
> Theresa grins and shakes her head, "Sorry, but no. Good guess, though. Much closer then I'd expect on the second try."
> "So, do you want to ask your question now, or have some tea first?"
<Nagare> "Now that my blunder's settled, tea's a good idea. It just sorta unsettled me that the answer could be -that- obvious if true. And that, in a certain way, I'd have sort of cheated."
<Nagare> "Although, if I'm in the right track, the slight sneering at the Eve guess still makes too much sense."
> "Cheated?" She raises an eyebrow, "whatever do you mean by that?"
> Then she laughs, "And I sneered at Eve because I've met the woman and she's the most self-absorbed half-wit I've ever had the displeasure of being stuck in a room with."
* Nagare adjusts his seat, beginning to relax a bit more. "Well. In the Dreamscapes, we blundered - with a little help from fate - into servants of yours. Also, I'd have guessed the very first people to be made would be nimrods."
<Nagare> "Back into the subject, though, it was... almost eerie to see the sheer reverence they had towards you."
> "Hmm." Theresa sips her own tea, not minding the heat or the strength.
* Nagare picks up his tea finally, carefully drinking it one sip at a time... like usual. Overconfidence in the powers of tea is a dangerous endeavor.
> "So, who exactly did you meet? And I hope the visit with them was pleasant?"
* Nagare puts down the tea for a moment, looking up to Theresa. "We met Lilly, the leader of a Lilim cove - we were treated quite well. Also, ask Hikari about how pleasant the visit was - the visible silence alone will make your day. But... seriously... capital 'Her's and 'She's?"
> This causes her to chuckle, "Ah, I remember Lilly. You should be able to trust her, she's fond of her drinks and her pleasures, but also quite protective of her freinds."
<Nagare> "I hope so, certainly. Although, as I said, you might get better stories from Hikari. I'd probably pay live money to see her reaction."
> Theresa's smile grows at this, "Oh I'm sure I don't need to. Lilly can be veeeeery pursausive when she desires."
* Nagare smiles amusedly. "What happened -really- didn't need persuasion. Which makes it all the more amusing. But I guess I shouldn't expect anything else from anyone with a link to you."
<Nagare> "The side effect of being well liked by Lilims I'm rather ambivalent on, though."
> "Oh?" She gives a coy expression, "And why might that be? I've been nothing but a lady~"
* Nagare smirks. "Neither has Lilly. But playful subtlety has been one of your most powerful tools since I've met you."
> "Hmm. Flattery will get you..." she pauses, considers, then smiles playfully, "on second thought, by all means, continue."
* Nagare shakes his head with a grin. "No compliment comes gratuitously from me unless I'm lying, you know. And I know better than to lie to you."
> "I'm reasonably certain you're a horrible liar, anyway."
> As the tea settles into Nagare a bit more, he finds it relaxing him, filling him with a bit more awareness and energy as well. Not alot, but enough to be noticable.
<Nagare> "I used to fare okay at it back when I was practicing. Then my life turned upside down and -that- particular skill was lost. Not that I miss it."
<Nagare> "I also have to add that I honestly needed this cup of tea."
> "You must have used up some of your spiritual energy in there, this time." Theresa notes, "I make my tea with a very, very small touch of Soma extract. Not even as much as was in those pills, but it gives the tea it's strength and it's restorative property."
<Nagare> "If it was just spiritual, it'd have been less unpleasant. But no, there were godforsaken -trees- dropping on me. Flaming trees. "
* Nagare sighs. "Sometimes, I loathe the Dreamscapes.
> Theresa smiles again, a bit more tenderly this time, "They do contain everything. From your wildest desire to your most secret fear, if it can be imagined it exists somewhere in the Dream. The entire land is terrible and beautiful all at once. Now that you've been there, I wonder if you'll be able to look at your own world the same again?"
<Nagare> "I don't think I have even in the more restrained confines of those smaller Dreamscapes. It's... quite jarring, however. I started wondering if -our- world, in fact, isn't just as volatile as the Dream."
> "In some ways it is." She nods in agreement, "The largest difference between the two is that in your world, the majority of people agree on what the rules are. Both the rules of reality and those of society. In the Dream...well, you've seen for yourself already."
<Nagare> "In all fairness, the agreement on rules in -our- world... isn't really all that firm. The true difference seems to be the fabric that holds these two worlds together."
> "Ah," she counters, "but most people would agree, no matter where they are from, that flaming trees cannot maliciously fling themselves at you of thier own will. There is no such agreement on that rule or any other like it in the Dream."
* Nagare blinks. "Wait. So, the fabric of facts is so -fragile- in the Dream that they couldn't even agree on the creations of a single fundamental law."
<Nagare> "Or is it the opposite? Nobody can agree about any rule - thus, the tissue that forges the Dream becomes volatile and mutant."
> This gets a grin, "What part of 'if it can be imagined, it exists somewhere in the Dream' did you not understand the first time?"
* Nagare laughs softly, sighing and scratching his cheek. "Don't mind me, I'm being infected by Mykasi and trying to insert logic where it's a child's trinket."
> Theresa chuckles, "Your world is rational and governed by laws that don't change, so it's in your nature to ascribe them to other things as well. But the Dream...doesn't always follow them. It does in some ways, but that's more something for you to discover on your own."
<Nagare> "I figure there has to be -some- bridging material to keep the Dream afloat even in an inherently fragile manner.
> "Well, everyone at least agrees that it exists. That's something to start from~"
<Nagare> "Besides that, though, all bets are off. The most interesting part is the freedom given to existence in there."
> "It really is." Theresa smiles a bit sadly, "So long as you keep your sense of wonder, you can never get bored in the Dream, there's always something new and fantastic to see."
> "There's a price for it, of course." She shrugs, "But there is for anything worth having."
* El-Cideon is now known as Sierra_Dreaming
<Nagare> "I think I even understand that. Too much contact with the Dreaming could easily disconnect one from reality. And, whether we want it or not, the world of Dreams is still a foreign land where -we- aren't natural."
<Nagare> "We just have the unfortunate coincidence of feeding the material that binds that mess together."
> "Partly that. Partly how in exchange for the infinite possibility of the Dream, you give up the right to be safe. Nothing and no one is safe in there, but it would lose some of it's beauty if it was, don't you think?"
<Nagare> "The same actually applies to our world, though. What we -have-, however, is an illusion of safety. There's a slight irony in that. A place where there is no fact or truth actually exposes its inhabitants to one of the most primal, yet hidden realities in our existence."
> She pours herself another cup and nods, "Illusions are an interesting thing. While Mykasi creates them as easily as he breathes, you see through them equally readily. And it appears that these talents are possesed by the both of you in both worlds, just a little more litteraly in the Dream."
<Nagare> "I figure there'd be a reason why we seem to quibble and mesh so much."
<Nagare> "And that is probably part of it. In a sense, this essentially makes us complete. Somehow. Which is odd, given my own Persona also has a knack for illusions just as much as it has for piercing through them."
> "All Persona have multiple facets, it's how you choose to use them that matters." Taking a long drink of her tea, she sets the cup down and smiles, changing the subject, "So, I'm getting curious. Did you put much thought into your question, or merely your guess?"
* Nagare snickers. "I always put more thought into my guesses than my questions, sadly. At this point, you may slap me for the lack of decor for the question I have in mind."
<Nagare> "But I figure the worst that can happen is that you'll slap me and refuse me an answer. Were you ever a wife, be it by will of desire or will of force?"
> She nods, "I was, actually."
* Nagare scratches his head. "You're even a good sport."
> That gets a snicker, "Oh please, that's hardly an intrusive question."
<Nagare> "You've never been to a Japanese courtroom, I see."
> "Oh, just becuase some stuck up suits consider it intrusive doesn't mean it actually is." she counters.
<Nagare> "It's where I was raised in, remember. It's a nice reminder on -why- the difference in rules between the Dreamscapes and the Landscapes isn't as unbridgeable as it seems to be."
> Theresa nods, "You may still seem uptight compared to some of your allies, but compared to those still living in the land of the courts you've come a long way I think. Even just from the time we first spoke."
* Nagare stretches gently. Theresa's words seem to have hit quite a good spot in his mind. "It's a relief, honestly. Loosening up also doesn't always come easy, but it feels like it was what I needed to actually -live-."
> Then she gets a positively wicked grin, "If you want a bit more help with that, just ask Lilly. I'm sure she'd be MORE then happy to lend a hand or two~"
<Nagare> "I've seen a glimpse of what she can do, really... and I think I'd like to take my steps more leisurely than that. Although Hikari certainly seemed to enjoy -that- lesson," the teacher replies, emulating Theresa's grin with mild at best success.
> Theresa snickers again, "Oh, I'd be dissapointed in Lilly if she didn't. There is no greater shame for a succubuss or a lilim then to have your partner leave unsatisfied."
<Nagare> "I think part of Hikari's post-sobering awkwardness comes -exactly- from the success."
> "Poor thing." Despite the sympathetic words, Theresa's expression is nothing short of amused, "I'm sure she'll come to terms with it in time, but that had to be shocking if she wasn't interested in girls before."
* Nagare grins, tapping his fingers on the table lightly. "Shiro is just as shocked as Hikari is. This is bound to bring some amusement given the presumed chemistry there."
> Theresa shrugs, "Likely a fair presumption. Hikari is an attractive young woman, I'm surprised she doesn't have more suitors as it is."
<Nagare> "I'm honestly not. She seems to have a stern control of her personal walls."
<Nagare> "But this is something I should say to -her- at some point instead of confiding to you if the time comes. And maybe I should consider returning to the real world as well, since time passes almost as unerringly in the Dream as it does in reality."
> Theresa nods, "Well, that just leaves this then," and she holds out her hand.
* Nagare extends his hand to Theresa, in a sense already knowing what to expect. It doesn't stop him from feeling a little rush in his heartbeats, however.
> Nagare knows how this works by now. The moment thier hands touch, the color drains from the room, and time crawls to a halt. The spinning card appears once more, the front still unclear but the back the same as before, appears from a light that originates within Theresa.
> The whispering voice returns to the room, echoing through the small space, 4"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Devil Arcana"
> And in a flash, the card vanishes, and the color and time return.
> Theresa smiles, "That's three. Next time I'll be able to give you a bit more of my power."
<Nagare> "Heh. I'm glad for the assistance. Although just having the chance for these conversations is a reward as is."
> "Aw, you know just what to say to make a girl feel appriciated~" she laughs.
* Nagare smiles. "I needed -something- to at least goad a good-looking girl to marry me once, after all."
> Theresa smiles softely this time, "Why don't you tell me about her next time, hmm?"
<Nagare> "Remind me next time. I think this is worth spending some time on, especially now that I'm far more comfortable with it than before. Deal?"
> She nods, "Of course. And make sure to give some good thought to my little game between now and then as well. I'm quite looking forward to your next attempt."
<Nagare> "Believe me, I'm trying. Wouldn't like to disappoint you in it, either."
> "Well, you still have time. I'm sure you'll figure it out by the end."
* Nagare nods, then gets up, bowing politely to his gracious host. "I hope so as well. Once again, it was a pleasure, Theresa. I'll remember to not call you by capital letters unless absolutely needed."
<Nagare> With that, the teacher heads to the door, waving to Theresa with a smile as he retreads to the reality he came from by crossing the door...
> Theresa snickers, "I should hope not, you're not even of my Arcana, much less my Faction." But as Nagare moves to leave, she stands as usual and bows, a smile still on her face, "Thank you for visiting, have a pleasant evening~"
> And thus Nagare crosses the threshhold and is back in his own kitchen once more.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Hikari: Chariot 1

> ----------------------------------------
> Wednesday, after the fairly mind-numbing(though never from boredom so much as the pure deluge of information) World History class, Hikari goes her seperate way from Mike and manages to make it all the way back to her dorm before her phone rings! The caller ID notes it as Shiro.
<Hikari> "Hello," Hikari answers.
> "Hey. I've got free time in a bit if you were serious about wanting to pick up some martial arts skills. Still interested?"
<Hikari> "Quite. I hardly availed myself well with the sword in our last battles. If I'm going to carry it, I should know how to use it."
> "Alright then. Make sure you don't have anything else you need to do today and then meet me over at the big bookstore on Gekkan, pretty easy to get to where we're going from there. And you might want to take the bus, you probably won't be in any shape to drive afterwards."
<Hikari> That sounds like a challenge! "Is that so? It's not as though I'm out of shape, you know."
> SHiro laughs, "Yeah, just trust me on this one, alright?"
<Hikari> "Very well. I'll see you soon." Hikari hangs up. Whatever he has planned can't be that tough, can it? She's surely faced worse in the Dream. Well, she'll find out soon enough. Having no other immediate plans, she sets out.
> the bus route that heads to the stop on Gekkan is fairly popular with students from the college, as the bookstore in question is the largest one in the entire city, so it's a route that Hikari's taken before and knows fairly well. WHen she gets there, Shiro can be seen wandering around on the sidewalk near the store, stretching and moving to keep himself warm in this infernal cold weather.
> Seeing Hikari, he waves and jogs over, "Alright, let's go." And then he sets off down the street!
<Hikari> "Go where?" Hikari manages before he darts away. Are they just going to run? She could do that on her own! She chases after him, anyway.
> "Freind of mine is actually a martial arts instructor, he's agreed to let us use some of his space." He answers, slowing his pace so you can keep up.
* Hikari nods. It's easier than talking and uses less energy!
> "Garu's cool," he continues, "and you don't have to watch what you say around him. I've filled him in on the lunacy, and he believes me."
<Hikari> "Does he? I haven't considered sharing this with anyone who isn't already involved in it. I can't help but feel it must tkae a strange sort of person to believe all of this secondhand without a question."
> Shiro shrugs, "Well, he was skeptical for awhile, but he bought it after I went into his backyard and moved to the Dream right in front of him. Besides, he's an open minded kinda guy anwyay."
<Hikari> "The disappearing act would be a convincing factor, yes."
> Shiro just chuckles and keeps jogging, leading Hikari to a Taekwando dojo tucked away just a the end of a street in the shopping district. Trying the door and finding it locked, Shiro taps on the glass until he gets the attention of a dark haired man inside who waves, then comes over and opens the door.
* Hikari bows politely. Intorductions are Shiro's job, of course.
> The man, bigger then Shiro(though that isn't really difficult), has very dark hair cut very short, and his skin is a bit darker then most people around here, making him look not entirely japanese. His most distinctive feature, however, is the fact that his face is rather wide and flat, somewhat squished looking...really, there's no way around it. Dude's ugly.
> He smiles and holds out a hand, "Hey there. You must be Hikari Ishigami, yes? I'm Hyong Garu, nice to meet you."
> Then he shudders a bit as the wind picks up, "Come on in, and let's get that door shut."
* Hikari shakes the proffered hand, with a polite smile and a "Nice to meet you too," before gratefully sidling inside. It's cold out there!
> Shiro follows suit and Garu closes the door, locking it again. Then Shiro starts heading for a door in the back wall as he talks, "Thanks again for letting us use the space, man."
> Garu shakes his head, "No trouble, no trouble. Glad there's something I can do to help with this mess you're involved in."
* Hikari follows Shiro--presumably he knows where everything is and is headed for the practice space.
> Shiro pulls out a key and opens the door, which leads into a smaller practice room. Then he looks back to Garu, "You got everything I asked for in there?"
> "Yes indeed. Just make sure to clean up when you're done and put things back where you got them. And there's also a first aid kit in there, in case something goes wrong."
<Hikari> "I am forced to wonder: does this frequently happen?"
> Garu laughs, "With particularly driven advanced students like Shiro? More often then I'd like. But it's not the frequency of accidents that you have to be prepared for, it's that they can happen at all. Best to always be prepared for the worst, I say."
<Hikari> "I believe I have a certain amount of experience with the worst, given recent events. If Shiro can match the worst of the Dream then I have truly understimated him."
> Shiro snorts, "Dunno about the worst, but I've been able to survive everything in there so far at least. Alright, you go in first and get changed. There should be some womens gis folded up on a box in there, dunno your size so just asked him to put a couple common sizes in there. Lemme know when you're done."
<Hikari> "Well, yes. I'd be very surprised if you *hadn't* survived and you were still here talking to me." Hikari heads inside, looking for the aforementioned box of clothes.
> There's a box against one wall that has a trio of martial arts outfits folded up on top of it. Hikari is able to pick out the one that's roughly her size fairly easily.
* Hikari changes, giving a small knock on the door when she's done and sizing up the room.
> The room has some space, but really only enough for two or three people to practice safely, as opposed to the large main classroom out there. No shelves or anything like that, but a few boxes(all with foam padding on all the corners and edges, just in case) are sitting against one wall.
* Hikari stretches a little, limbering up. It wouldn't do to let her body go all stiff when practice is just about to begin, right?
> Shiro comes in when you knock, having apparenly changed out there already, and throws his bag in the corner. Then taking his spot on the mat, he faces you, "Alright, I need to go over a couple things before we start."
> "First, your main focus here is weapon work, right? Especially the sword?"
* Hikari nods. "Yes. We have it, so we may as well make good use of it, shouldn't we?"
> He nods, "Yeah, it's a good idea. And hell, your weapon's actually magic, so you'll probably get some good use out of it. My spear's just a nice spear, but for some reason I can't use most of my techniques in there without it. Anyway, the second thing to note is that this isn't the Dream. You don't have Brynhildr's strength in here, or her protection."
> "So what I need to know, is if you've been in a real fight out here before."
<Hikari> "No. I'm not unused to strenuous exercise, however. Not *all* of my strength is Brynhildr's. I do take time out of my classwork to stick to a regular exercise regimen. I may not have any personal experience with real violence, but you needn't think I'm fragile."
> Shiro nods again, "Yeah, that'll help, but it's still not quite the same thing. See, right now your body is used to that buffer that Brybildr provides against damage and pain. Your body is going to expect the hits you'll take here to hurt alot less then they will, which will ironically make the pain feel even worse then it actually is."(more)
> "What I'll be teaching you here, isn't how to fend off some bullies or win competitions or any of that crap. This is serious 'for use on the battlefield' style martial arts. It's not a formalized style, it's the stuff I've pieced together from everything I've learned in my life, formally or being being hit with it."
> He grins, then takes off his glasses and sets them over on the box, "Long story short, unless you learn even faster then I did, chances are before we're done here I'll have beaten the living shit out of you. Same way I learned, and the only way I know how to teach it."
<Hikari> Hikari doesn't look disturbed by the prospect. Just as serious and attentive as ever. "If the end result of this is that injuries in the Dream seem less significant then they did before, then I consider the pain a worthwhile lesson," Hikari says. "You have long experience with combat, or was the Dream your introduction as well? I must wonder who your teacher was. Garu, I presume?"
> He shakes his head, "Been fighting all my life, actually. First learned from my old man, then from other teachers. Ran into Garu when I moved here, and as far as unarmed goes, he's the best I've worked with. But yeah, I've been beat up with fists, chains and even swung at with knives and shot at once. I didn't grow up in a nice place."
> Then Shiro opens a box and pulls out two bamboo training swords, tossing one to you, "Anyway, we're not here to talk about me. We're here to teach you how to use one of these things. We'll start with basic forms first, so no pain yet. Just a bunch of repetition."
<Hikari> "It doesn't sound like it." Hikari can only shake her head. It sounds like such a different upbringing from her own that she can hardly imagine it. Maybe best not to try? She catches the training sword in one hand. "I observe the form and echo it, I assume?"
> "Yup, that's the idea." And with that, he starts. the basics are, well, pretty basic. But Hikari learns fast, and has the grip, the motions and the stances down in a fairly short amount of time. It feels...natural. Surprisingly natural, as if her hands were made for holding a weapon more then a pencil or a textbook.
> After finishing the forms, Shiro nods approvingly, "Huh, you might be a quicker study on this then I was. Not bad at all. Takes most people weeks to get the forms down right, and that's if they have a background in unarmed combat first. Without it, even longer."
<Hikari> She's noticed this kind of thing before. "I can't help but be alarmed sometimes at how quickly this sort of thing comes to me. It's not exactly what I was brought up for."
> "It's not your upbringing that matters, I think." Shiro shrugs, "It's more about your nature. That's what the Personas are, right? If STRENGTH Brynhildr, a valkyrie of legend, is your real nature? Then it shouldn't be surprising at all."
<Hikari> "I suppose not. I'd just never considered that my destiny lay in fighting supernatural monsters."
> "Take me for example. I was already good at this stuff, but got even better faster then I should have when Red Hare awakened." Then he smiles, "Hey, don't think shadows are the only thing you can knock around with this. Though for more practical self-defense, you should sign up for some of Garu's classes. Chances are you won't have a weapon if some bozo takes a shot at you, and he's a better unarmed teacher then I'd be."
<Hikari> "I'll consider it. I do have a very full schedule right now, what with classes, studying and schoolwork, dungeons and dragons, dream excursions...I've hardly had time for anything else. There are times, you know, that I think perhaps it's a good thing all this happened to me? I have been so much more focused since these troubles started. Isn't that a little terrible? That other people have to meet misfortune for me to find s
<Hikari>  find some sort of calling."
> "Eh. Better then nobody responding to it. Bad shit happens, that's the way the world works. What matters is that there are people who thrive in it, who rise to the challange and kick ass when this kinda crap goes down instead of just rolling over and crying like most people out there."
> "Anyway," Shiro stretches a bit, then moves back on the mat to face you, "Ready for the second part? This is where the pain starts."
<Hikari> "I'm ready, yes." Hikari stands, watching him, holding her sword, trying to anticipate the first move!
> "Here's how this works. You're on the attack first, and don't hold back. I won't tell you what forms to use, or which stances to attack from. Just like in a real fight, make your own calls. But if you mess up, you'll pay for it."
<Hikari> "Of course," Hikari says, deciding that the best time to attack is right when Shiro finishes talking! Maybe he won't expect it? She darts forward with a blunt thrust at his midsection.
> (OOC: I don't see a real need to roll this out? He's basically going to beat the crap out of Hikari this time, as he has 2 ranks each in Melee Attack/Def, she's got none, and this is just a training thing. Just freeform it from here~)
<Hikari> (OOC: sure.)
> Shiro actively grins as he steps back and snaps his weapon down to parry Hikari's...then counters by kicking her legs right out from under her as her lunge carried her in too close.
> That...hurt. Alot more then Hikari was expecting, both the kick and the fall to the ground. Not as bad as some things in the Dream, but still more then her body was braced for.
> Shiro snorts, "By the way, I won't just be using the sword. Shadows don't all use weapons, and some attack with things I don't even know what to call, so I'm not playing by any rules."
<Hikari> "Mmph," is Hikari's elegant response to being knock flat on her ass. "I can't help but think you enjoyed that very, very much, sensei," she grumbles as she climbs to her feet. "Very well. Duly noted: rules are out the window." She tries a wild swing at his head, standing back a bit test his reflexes from a safe (hopefully) distance.
> Shiro just laughs at the accusation and the lesson contiues(more)
> The next few exchanges go much as the first, with Shiro ducking, parrying or otherwise avoiding Hikari's weapon and countering with a strike of his own. Sometimes she manages to dodge those, but usually they connect and hit with far more force then Hikari might expect a man smaller then she is to have, sending her right to the floor more often then not(more)
> However Hikari is a quick study, and despite being battered by Shiro's counterattacks is refining her technique with every missed strike. The misses become less frequent, and Hikari's own strength is not insignifigant, managing to knock Shiro to the ground once or twice herself. Perversely, the attacks that land only seem to put him in a better mood, and the exchanges become a bit more vicious the more damage they both sustain.(more)
> they both sustain.(more)
> Finally, Shiro responds to Hikari's most recent attack in a new manner entirely. CATCHING her weapon with his open hand, wincing at the sting but still stepping in and planting his foot right into her midsection and shoving her back, pulling it right out of her grip.
> Then he takes a couple steps back and laughs as he pants with exhaustion, "Okay, that's enough for today."
* Hikari grunts and staggers back from that last strike with a wheeze, clutching her stomach for a moment before she can get a word out. "I...yes...yes, I think it is," she pants. "I trust you wouldn't try that last maneuver with a real sword? I begin to wonder if there is a gambit too mad for you."
> He shakes his head, "Not...here, no." He takes a deep breath to steady himself and slows his breathing to normal before going on, "In the Dream though? Yeah, I could. And so can a bunch of Shadows. Remember, I'm not trying to teach you how to fight people here.
> Then he considers, "You might be able to get away with a stunt like that in the Dream too, actually. You're about as strong as I am in there."
<Hikari> "What possessed you to try that? Never mind, I'll just assume you saw a shadow do it first. And...yes, Brynhildr is a great help."
> "Nah, I'd been disarmed and didn't have much else I could do. Last ditch effort, but it worked." He explains.
<Hikari> "So you could have died if it hadn't worked?" Hikari tsks. "Really, Shiro. Maybe we can teach you something about caution while we work together?"
> Shiro snorts, "Come on, I'd been hit with weapons before in there and they didn't take parts off of me. My hand isn't any more vulnerable then the rest of me. Besides, I heal insanely quick."
> "Anyway," he changes the subject, "just give me a call when you want to keep training. I'm not free in the mornings, but my afternoons are usually pretty good. And Garu doesn't have any classes after five on the weekdays, so that's probably the best time."
<Hikari> "Convenient. I, on the other hand, have a nice set of bruises to explain away during the next few days. Although at least now I have a reasonable explanation. It was much more awkward when they came from the Dream. All I could think of to say was that I fell down a flight of stairs, and it seemed to convince no one."
> Shiro winces and laughs, "Stairs? Yeesh, yeah, no kidding. That's the oldest excuse for a guy beating his girl in history."
<Hikari> "Yes, and I haven't even got a guy. It was the first time the Dream had left me so obviously damaged and I hadn't considered an excuse before people began asking. Now I have a perfect one, of course."
> "Yeah, advanced martial arts classes are generally good for bruises. Hell, Garu's school here has been getting more people signing up since things have gone to crap. Lot of people wanting to learn some self defense in case someone goes nuts and attacks them or whatever."
> "Anyway, lemme grab my stuff and I'll duck back out so you can change back."
<Hikari> "I suppose I can't blame them." Hikari nods, waits for Shiro to leave and then switches back to her normal clothes, wincing as various injured spots are brushed.
> As Shiro leaves and the door closes, Hikari feels a power gather around her...and the room goes grey.
> A light, red-orange and almost harsh in it's brightness gathers into the middle of the room, and transforms into a card. On the back of the card is a picture of a man, a classic warlord, standing astride a herd of stampeding horses as they run. The front...Hikari can make out the outline of a horse, but there is no color or definition.
> The card spins, and a voice echoes in the room, 7"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Chariot Arcana"
> And as soon as it had come, the card, the voice and the grey all leave.
> Not two seconds later, Shiro opens the door with a surprised look on his face, "Uh, did that just happen?"
<Hikari> Hikari *was* in the process of changing when Shiro barged in, but she was at least mostly dressed. He can get an eyefull of cleavage before she buttons up her shirt, that's about it. "I'm afraid it did," Hikari says in a level tone.
> He doesn't even seem to have noticed, amsuingly enough, "Weeeeird. I didn't think that could happen between Persona users. You don't have these links with Mike or Nagare, right?"
<Hikari> "No, I don't. Not so far, at least. I admit we don't individually spend much time together outside of working on our various mysteries."
> Shiro shakes his head, then laughs, "Well, guess this training'll help out in more ways then one, huh?"
<Hikari> Hikari smiles. Does someone have a camera? "It seems that way, yes."
> -------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Mykasi: Lovers 1

Hikari: Fortune 5

> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Friday afternoon rolls around, and Mike, Hikari, Mika, Mistia and Neimi have all met up out in front of the school. Mike and Hikari are still a bit tired from all the Dream exploration this week, of course, but it's hard for anyone to notice with fatigue being so easily attributable to the cold.(more)
> Neimi in particular is bundled up in two jackets, actually wearing her work jacket underneath her normal one in spite of her principles, and still shivering, "Gah, I think my glasses are freezing to my face! What is wrong with this weather lately?" Shaking her head, she sighs and looks around, "Anyway, so what movie are we going to?"
> Mistia frowns, "Well...that's the thing. Did any of you watch the news this morning?"
<Mykasi> "I missed it." Mike says regrettably, shivering himself in the cold. "What's up?"
<Hikari> "I rarely watch television. And this morning I only wanted to stay in bed."
> Mistia explains, "Well...I was planning on seeing that new Midnight movie that's so popular, but the only theater here showing it is closed as of last night. Somebody went nuts and started, get this, shooting at the monsters on the screen with a gun!"
> Mika shudders, "It was a sold out showing too. Those poor people."
> Mistia nods, "Yeah. Nobody got hurt apparently, but the theatre's closed for a bit. So," she pulls a paper out of her pocket, "I printed off a list of what's showing at some other theatres, figured we could pick something as a group then."
<Mykasi> "..." Mike grimaces wearily. "Another case? Damn. What happened to the person who was shooting at the screen? He get arrested?" At Mistia's comment, "Good thinking. Whatcha got?"
* Hikari just shakes her head. Mike beat her to the most important question: who did it?
> Neimi takes her glasses off to facepalm, "I didn't watch the news, but saw that on a website. Didn't say the name of the theatre, though." Then at Mike's question, she pulls out her phone and starts pulling something up, "Lemme see if I can find out! Just got internet for this thing, so I may as well use it, right?"
> Mistia hands Mike the paper, while listing the ones that looked good to her on it, "Well, there's a new sci-fi movie out called Strange Journey that looked good. And the sequal to that big medical drama from last year, Trauma Center 2 is out as well. Mika and I are up for either of those."
> Mika nods, "There's also a fantasy romance one, called Let Us Cling Together. I'd like to see that, but I don't know if the rest of you like romance movies..."
<Hikari> "I don't watch many movies, but...sequels are never as good as the originals, aer they?"
<Mykasi> "I'm good with anything - Let Us Cling Together and Strange Journey both sound good." Mike nods, passing the list to Hikari. "I'm the sort of dude that'd want to see Trauma Center 1 first - maybe we can grab a cheap DVD copy for another day?"
> Neimi shakes her head, "As a rule no. And I got it here. Woman actually, name isn't officially public yet but an unnoficial news site says her name is Eirin Uemaro...a government employee. And she was arrested, yeah. Doesn't say what's been done with her yet, but it WAS just last night."
<Hikari> "Either one of those is fine by me. I think I would be inclined to watch fantasy before science fiction, but I will bow to the group concensus here. As I said, I don't know much about movies."
<Mykasi> "Poor woman." Mike shakes his head. "And unless Neimi violently objects it sounds like Let Us Cling Together's winning the day."
> Neimi nods, "Yeah, I'm generally bigger on fantasy as well, though I'm a sci-fi buff too. LUCT it is, then."
> Mika smiles, "I hope it's good!"
> Mistia shrugs, "I hope so too. I've heard it's three hours long, so if it's not..."
<Mykasi> "Same! And eh, I watched all three Lord of the Rings movies back to back to back. I'm not worried."
<Hikari> Three hours seems like a lot of movie to Hikari, but hey, she's a patient person. Usually.
> Neimi asks, "Theatrical release or directer's cuts?"
<Mykasi> "I don't remember. Whichever the longer ones were."
> "That'd be the cuts." Neimi looks over at Hikari, "Have you seen those yet? Your English is good enough to follow movies in the language, right?"
<Hikari> "Yes, I believe so. I haven't watched them, no. As I said, I don't watch movies often."
> "We'll have to fix that, then. I'll see if I can borrow them from Jinai, he imported them awhile back. And he'll totally want you to watch them, too. It's practically required watching for anybody playing DnD." Neimi laughs.
> "Dee enn dee?" Mistia asks, prounouncing the letters oddly, "What's that?"
> Neimi sighs, "...I'll explain in the car. Who's driving anyway?"
<Hikari> "I'll drive," Hikari volunteers.
<Mykasi> "Thanks." Mike nods.
> And thus the five all manage to pile into Hikari's car, Neimi claiming shotgun by virtue of being taller then the other three, leaving Mike, Mistia and Mika all squished into the back. While Hikari drives, Neimi explains what DnD is to Mistia, prompting the expected response of, "No offense, but that's kinda silly."
> Mika, on the other hand, blushes just a touch when Mistia puts it down, but doesn't say a word.
> Eventually, you get to the theatre where Let Us Cling Together is playing!
<Hikari> "Yes, it is," Hikari has to agree. "It's a harmless enough way to pass the time with your friends, though."
> As Hikari pulls into the parking lot, you all notice that there aren't nearly as many cars or people as you would normally expect at a movie theatre on a Friday night.
<Mykasi> "Guess people are scared...?"
<Hikari> "I would guess so. At least there won't be any lines..."
> Mistia nods, "Probably. So I'll buy the tickets, everyone just pass me the money for it. Mika, you know what I want at the concession stand, right?"
> Mika giggles, "You get the same thing every week, so I should hope so."
> Mistia winces, a touch embarrased, "Right."
* Mykasi nods, passing Mistia some cash with a grin. "Eh, consistency's a virtue. One I've never learned well."
> Neimi snorts, "Same thing every week isn't so bad. We've got this one customer at the Crown who seriously comes in every single day for lunch and gets the same order. Never changes at all. Pays in exact change and leaves the same tip every time too."
<Hikari> "Well, at least he actually leaves a tip."
> "True." Neimi nods, "We've got a few who don't, which really hurts the servers since the boss refuses to add in an automatic gratuity on the checks. Says it's dishonest."
> Everyone gets out of the car and passes thier money to Mistia, who goes to buy the tickets. Mike can see the person at the ticket counter give her a reaaaaaally funny look when she asks for that particular movie, too.
<Mykasi> "Ouch." Mike winces. "Yeah, relies on tipping then. Kinda weird - got told before I came here that usually it was factored in, but a decent amount of places here don't. Maybe Western influence is kicking in there."
> Mistia wanders back with the tickets, "What was her problem? Well, whatever. Here you go," she passes out the tickets.
<Mykasi> "Some people pass judgments automatically." Mike shakes his head. "Regardless of the situation."
<Hikari> "What was who's problem?" Hikari wonders, taking her ticket.
> Neimi looks over at the woman, still giving you all an off look, "Suddenly, I'm a bit concerned for the quality of this movie. Well, considering some of the stuff I watch, it can't be THAT bad."
> Mistia shrugs, "Anyway, I'm going to go grab good seats. Anyone have a preferance? Front, back? Right in the middle is where I usually aim for."
<Hikari> "The middle is fine. Just not the front. It hurts my neck."
<Mykasi> "Works for me. I'm easy." Mike shrugs. "You two have any preference?" he asks as a followup, glancing to Hikari and Neimi.
> Neimi nods, "Middle or back, yeah. Same as Hikari, front for a three hour movie? No thanks."
> Mistia nods, "Right then." And she heads in!
> Mika, suddenly visably less comfortable without Mistia there, quickly leads the way in to grab snacks.
* Mykasi follows Mika leisurely, keeping a calm smile up to try and keep Mika at ease.
* Hikari just gets a soda. She's not usually big on soft drinks, but she might need the caffeien for a three-hour movie.
> Neimi considers, "Hmm, anyone wnat to split a popcorn? I never manage to finish one on my own."
* Mykasi grabs some M&Ms, before nodding to Neimi. "It's three hours, I'll probably be hungry again."
> Neimi goes halves with Mike on a popcorn, while Mika gets her and Mistia's drinks(apparently Mistia's weekly order is a small diet soda, no ice, and a cheese pretzel). And you all head into the theatre!
> Mistia's in there, having gotten a seat right in the middle. Which wasn't hard, as besides for the five of you there are exactly three people in the theatre, some high-school kids all sitting in the very back.
* Hikari takes a seat--though not next to Mistia. Presumably that's Mika's spot!
> Mika does indeed sit right next to Mistia, suddenly seeming much more calm once there.
* Mykasi sits ... uh, next to Neimi, who probably will sit next to Hikari. Awkward sitting arrangements go.
> You all get assituated in your seats...and the movie(after much previews) eventually starts!
> Let Us Cling Together starts off with a bang, men on horses bearing down on a small town, and a trio of teenaged rebel types trying to ambush them...and getting thier clocks cleaned. Turns out it was all a misunderstanding, as the knights were goodguys too! And thus they join forces with the rebel kids to go save thier beloved leader who is being held captive in his own castle!(more)
> Of course, this same beloved leader later has the main character TORCH a town full of innocent people and blame it on the badguys(and the Hero's best freind who turned on him for doing this). And the movie really tries to sell that this was the correct and right course of action(more)
<Mykasi> "...that's... not a bad start, at least? Cliche-breaking."
> Also, the romantic tension between the Hero and his...sister...is so thick you could cut it and spread it on toast. Which is leaving Mika's face a nice shade of red from the moment it first becomes obvious.(more)
> Neimi whistles lowly, "Weeeeell, that's. Um. Yeah."
<Hikari> "It is."
<Mykasi> "..." Mike blinks, but leans back, not saying anything for Mika's sake.
> The movie goes on, with the beloved leader commiting more and more atrocities in the name of aiding his country, until the Hero finally turns on him, winning an epic duel with the beloved leader's chief henchman. Who delivers the line that it doesn't matter which of them one. The loser should be blamed for the murder so the winner can unite the country as a hero. All the while with the Hero's sister trying to get the Hero to run away with her(more)
> Eventually it comes to light that the Sister is not really the Hero's sister, and is actually the long lost princess of the entire kingdom! And then now that he knows she's not his sister and stops rejecting her, she runs away from him and gets herself killed trying to be a hero.(more)
> Mistia sips her drink, "This is the most inane thing I've ever seen, I swear."
> Neimi shrugs, "Not that bad by my standards."
> Mistia raises an eyebrow, "You have really low standards."
<Hikari> "I don't understand. Does she not want him any more just because they're no longer related?"
* Mykasi shakes his head almost sympathetically. "Oh, geez."
> Of course, then the Hero goes into stone-cold-badass mode and start working on nothing but uniting the land, by the sword if nessesary(which it is), and his Best Freind from before shows back up with a Big Damn Heroes moment, helping him out in this epic final confrontation with the real badguys!(more)
> Mika sighs, "I thought this was supposed to be a romance?"
* Mykasi shakes his head. "Apparently it got weird billing."
<Hikari> "Well, many romance stories end tragically, after all."
<Mykasi> And at Hikari's comment, Mike visibly winces.
> The movie goes on, with the Hero being crowned king of the newly united nation, and ending with him standing atop his castle, looking out over the land...and seeing his sister's image in the moon...
> Neimi quickly checks the 'net via her phone, "...apparently there's a scene after the credits, too. Something about being the real ending."
<Mykasi> "Mmm. I'd like to see it." Mike comments.
> Mistia eyes the screen, "That would have been a halfway decent note to leave on. So any bets on how they mess it up?"
<Hikari> "'Real ending?' Why put it after the credits? Who sits through the credits of every movie they see? Why not put it in the actual movie?"
<Mykasi> "Hero falls into a timewarp, befriends a dragon, dies fighting the Death Star."
> The credits roll, with a suitably epic but ultimately leaving no real impression song.
> Neimi shakes her head, "She said mess it up, not make it awesome."
<Mykasi> "Dragon Guard's ending -was- messed up."
> Mistia shrugs at Hikari, "No idea. It's a trend to put bonus scenes after the credits, but putting the 'real ending' there is just pretentious."
> Eventually the credits end...and the extra scene starts playing. The camera is on the hero, and moving just a bit...until it reveals a man sneaking up behind him. Who pulls out a gun, yells that this is for the small country that the Hero was fighting for in the beginning that the first half of the movie was set in, and shoots and kills the hero.
> Neimi blinks, "What."
<Hikari> "Hmm."
<Mykasi> "... that's... dramatic."
<Hikari> "I can understand why that would happen, just not why you would choose not to include it in the movie itself." Hikari shrugs.
> Mika frowns, "That was...a really depressing movie. Um...sorry I suggested it everyone."
<Hikari> "Being tragic doesn't necessarily make something bad," Hikari says, trying to make the most of things.
> Neimi looks over to Hikari, "Hey, remember how I was saying that Nabara likes heavy political stuff without much supernatural in it?"
<Hikari> "Yes?"
> "This is basically the kind of plot he'd love. Only the post-credits scene would make him rage so hard."
> "Since," she grins, "Ideally for him, he'd be the one playing the Hero."
<Hikari> "Well, maybe he should run the game instead. Although then I suppose he'd be killing us instead."
> "Yeah, we don't let Nabara run DnD games. For a very good reason." Neimi rolls her eyes at the memory.
<Mykasi> "I enjoyed it, yeah."
> Mistia pats Mika on the shoulder, "Well, it wasn't THAT horrible. Just innane. Hopefully we can go see that Midnight movie next week, I'm sure the theatre will be operating again by then."
> Mika nods shyly, then...actually screws up the courage to ask Neimi a question, "Why is that? Is he really bad at it?"
> Neimi shrugs, "Not...bad, per se. His stories are interesting. Just...he views the whole thing as Players vs GM. Like it's his sacred duty to not let us succeed, and if we do, it's only becuase we outsmarted him to do it."
> Mistia eyes Mika, "You sound like you actually understand what she's talking about?"
> Mika blushes and mumbles, "Um...I've played some games like that...online. On message boards."
<Hikari> "Oh? People play them through text as well?"
> Neimi nods, "Yeah, there are some good sites for it. Never could get into playing online though. Just moves so slowly compared to in person games."
> Mistia gets up, "We should probably move this conversation out into the lobby."
* Hikari stands up. "Yes. Or a restaraunt, if anyone's hungry?"
> Neimi considers, "Actually, the Crown's not too far from here, and I can get us a free appatizer. Especially if anyone likes mushrooms. We've got some fried mushrooms with a curry-yogurt-whatever-dip that's incredible."
<Hikari> "Fine by me. Everyone else?"
> Mistia asks, "The Queen's Crown, you mean? You work there?"
> Neimi nods, "I just bus tables, and clean. But yeah."
> Mika nods her assent as well(and presumably Mike too!) and you all head out.
> The Queen's Crown is an "English style pub" owned and operated by freinds of Neimi's father. On the way there, Neimi explains that they're originaly from England, just like her father, and figured thier food(and more importantly alchohol) was different enough from the local stuff that they might have a market.
> It's not wildly successful, but seems to fare well enough at least. As you make it in and Neimi gets you all a table, you do notice that this place at least isn't hurting for buisness right now. The bar is nearly full and there are only a few tables that are empty, though many have only one or two customers.
* Mykasi nods as the table gets set up. "Honestly? If you guys have braised beef, I'm going to be in heaven tonight. It's been forever since I've had Western food."
> Neimi nods, "We do, but it's heavy and kinda bland. This is traditional English food, remember. If you want something with flavor, go for the rack of lamb, it's fantastic. Also heavy, but not bland at all. And comes with the best mashed potatoes you will ever eat."
<Mykasi> "Duly noted. ...oh, wait. Am I offending any vegetarians here?"
> Mistia looks over the menu, "I'm remembering why I only came here once. I don't really like heavy food..."
> Mika shakes her head, "You're fine."
<Hikari> "I'm sure there's a salad of some sort."
> The waitress comes by and takes everyone's orders. Neimi uses her employee powers to get a free appitizer of those mushrooms she mentioned.
> Mistia and Mika end up splitting a soup+salad combo, with Mika taking the soup and Mistia the salad.
* Hikari is fine with the beef depite Neimi's assurance of its blandness!
* Mykasi gets the lamb rack on Neimi's recommendation.
> "So, Mykasi," Neimi looks over while you all wait for your food, "Do you roleplay at all? Or are we three-two here instead of four-one?"
> Mistia gives Neimi an unamused look.
<Mykasi> "Ah, four-one, though I haven't for a while." Mike comments. "I do know the rules and everything else, however."
<Mykasi> "And Mistia, yeah, it's definitely dependent on tastes. While I'd say give it a try sometime, it may not be up your creek, and that's okay too."
> Mika shakes her head, "Um, well, what I played online didn't have rules or anything. I don't know anything about Dungeons and Dragons."
> Neimi raises an eyebrow, "Freeform? Online freeform? You really have more patience then I do."
<Hikari> "It's not for everyone. It's an excuse to socialize, at least, something I think I haven't had much opportunity to do in the past."
> Mika looks embarrased at Neimi's comment.
<Mykasi> "Heh. I liked the freeform I tried, actually. But..." Mike trails off a bit, looking out to the crowd.
<Hikari> "...But?"
> Mika looks over, suddenly curious.
<Mykasi> "...it was with Xav." Mike says quietly.
> "Oh." Mika looks down.
<Hikari> "Ah." Hikari simply nods.
> Mistia suddenly looks a touch embarrased as well.
> Neimi looks around at everyone, "I'm missing something here, aren't I?"
<Hikari> "I think it's for Mike to share, if he wants to. I don't know if this is the place. That's up to him."
> Mistia shakes her head, "Don't worry about it. So," she quickly attempts to change the subject, "what's the big difference between rules and freeform or whatever?"
<Hikari> "I wouldn't know, really. I'm new to this sort of thing." Hikari looks to the more dedicated nerds at the table.
<Mykasi> "Heh, it's okay." Mike shakes his head. "Sorry, I just made things awkward." To Neimi, "Talk to me later, I'll explain." And then to Mika, "You want to explain? You'll probably do a better job than I here."
* Mykasi also gives a grateful nod to Mistia.
> Neimi eyes Hikari, then Mistia, then Mike, then shrugs.
> "Well...I've never played with rules, um, a system, so..." Mika tries to shluff off having to explain.
<Hikari> "Then how did anything happen?" Hikari prods, not wanting the girl to get away with hiding more.
> About this time, the appitizer comes out! Crispy breaded deep fried mushrooms with a curry and yogurt dip of some kind. It smells weird, but good.
* Hikari is quick to try it while she awaits an answer.
> Mika looks over at Hikari, "Well...sometimes there's a moderater who just decides if things succeed or not. And sometimes it's just...everyone playing thier character and talking and...stuff."
<Hikari> "Hm. I suppose it's like what I've played without numbers or direction?"
> "Usually a looooot less fighting or conflict of any sort in a freeform," Neimi adds.
> "So where do you play, anyway?" Neimi then asks Mika, as the theme seems to be trying to get her to talk.
> Mika quickly shakes her head, "You wouldn't have heard of it. Really small forum."
* Retrieving #personador modes...
> The mushrooms are...good! Well, if you like a really strong mushroom flavor, which they have so much that even a liberal dipping in the sauce can't mask it.
<Hikari> "Well, I certainly wouldn't have. I don't spend a great deal of time on the internet. Is there a particular theme to it, at least?"
> "It's purely a freeform site," Mika explains, "And mostly modern day or fantasy anime style."
* Mykasi enjoys the mushrooms, listening in. "If it's a close-knit community, that can get pretty fun, I'd imagine."
> Mistia half sighs, but smiles a bit, "You do sound like you enjoy it. Okay, why don't you show me the site later and I'll give it a try?"
> Mika quickly shakes her head, "N-no, that's okay! You don't have to..."
<Hikari> "Come on, what could it hurt, Mika?" Hikari says, since apparently more encouragement is needed.
> "R-really...it's fine. She doesn't have to..."
> Mistia shakes her head, "Okay." And then changes the subject yet again, "You're right, Neimi. These mushrooms are good."
> Neimi eyes Mistia, but then nods, "Yup. Probably the best thing on the menu all around. There's nothing else like them around here."
<Mykasi> "They are quite good, yes."
<Mykasi> "... Though, I'm curious - a question for you four." Mike says. "Outside of Japanese - and English, for Neimi - what's your favorite food type?"
<Hikari> "Italian," Hikari says instantly.
> "Thai," Neimi says, also without hesitation.
> Mistia thinks about it for a minute, "Hmm. Honestly, I really do just love Japanese food more then anything else. I'd...probably have to say Chinese, then?"
> Mika half smiles, "Um, I really like hamburgers, and those are American, right?"
> Neimi then reconsiders, "Well...Thai or Indian. I've had some bad Indian, but the good is SO good. Never had bad Thai though."
* Mykasi nods and grins. "Discounting Japanese and American... uh... Probably Mexican, myself."
> Mika thinks, "I've never had that."
> Mistia nods, "Me either, actually."
> Neimi makes a face, "And I never will again."
* Mykasi makes a face back at Neimi. "You lack taste! But yeah, bad Mexican's reaaaaaaally bad. Good Mexican is excellent."
> "Only had it once," she explains, "and the horrible things it did to my stomache could only be explained by H.P. Lovecraft. Ugh."
<Mykasi> "Ooof. Yeah, bad Mexican does that." Mike winces.
> Mistia leans in to Hikari and whisper, "Who's that, do you know?"
* Hikari shakes her head. "Afraid not, no."
> Mika leans over and whispers as well, "I think he writes about tentacle monsters..."
* Hikari simply raises an eyebrow.
> Mistia looks at Neimi with a touch of horror and revulsion...
* Mykasi doesn't notice this side branch of the conversation.
> Neimi blinks at Mistia, "What?"
> The real orders come out about then, thankfully saving Mistia from having to explain that, and everyone digs in.
> As you all eat...Mike and Hikari suddenly notice everything else but the two of them freeze in place. And the color drains out of the world.
<Mykasi> "FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF----"
> The green light that Hikari is used to swirls out of Neimi and comes to rest before her, while two lights, one red, one white, come from Mika and Mistia. Together, these two lights settle in front of Mike, and merge into one soft pink light.
> Then as one, the two lights transform into spinning cards, that both of you can see.
<Mykasi> "... pink. Of course."
> The card before Hikari spins slowly, on the back are two ten sided dice, with faces, each wearing a different mask, where the numbers should be. On the front...the form is still blurry. It's...a humanoid figure...a woman? Yes, a woman. Of some sort. It's still to vague to see more clearly.
<Hikari> Hm. That's different.
> Before Mike, the card is a simple one. Two silhouettes of women, one red, one white, facing eachother with one hand each raised and just lightly touching. The background is split the same, only reversed in color, with the white woman on the red feild, and vise versa. Thier hands touch right on the border between the two. On the front...the image is too blurred to make out at all.
> As one, two voices seem to sweep through the room, coming from everywhere at once. 3"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Fortune Arcana", 13"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Lovers Arcana"
> The cards spin one last time, and the pair feel a power settling over them. Then the cards vanish, and color and motion surge back into the world.
* Mykasi attempts to keep a straight face as the events settle in. "This is good food."
<Hikari> "Yes. Yes it is."
> Neimi nods, "Yeah, the lamb? That's the second best thing on the menu. If you drink, come in sometime and ask my boss about the dark beers, have one of those, the mushrooms and the lamb all in one night and you'll basically have the perfect trio here."
> Mistia shakes her head, "I've tried a couple of western beers, and...yeah, just like most western food, way too heavy. Give me sake or a nice light wine any day."
<Mykasi> "I like cheap beer. But then again, American, it's either that or absurdly expensive stuff." Mike grins.
* Hikari doesn't have much to say about beer. Nothing to say about intoxicating beverages at all, no sir! She's carefully quiet during this part.
> Mika seems a touch uncomfortable at the subject as well. Though presumably for a different reason.
<Mykasi> "Anyway, this was fun. Thanks, all." Mike says, finishing up and glancing to Neimi.
> Neimi nods, "Yeah, this was fun. Not my normal social circle, but meeting people is fine too. Maybe we should get together and check out Strange Journey sometime? I'll look up some clips online."
> Mistia looks over to Mika...who after a moment nods, "Um...maybe, sure."
<Hikari> "Maybe. Hopefully it's shorter than this one. And has a better ending. And no implied incest."
<Mykasi> "Sure. I'd be up for that." Mike nods happily.
> Mistia then passes a quick greatful smile to Mike over Mika's head, and adds, "Alright then. Friday's our weekly movie night, and I do want to see Midnight next week, so maybe the week after?"
* Hikari simply nods.
<Mykasi> "Alright, sounds good." Mike nods.
> With tentative plans made, they finish thier meals and head back to the dorms~
> ------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Nagare: Devil 4

> -------------------------------------------------------
> Saturday evening. Nagare has spent the day comfortably at home, other then dealing with a call from Hikari in the morning and another conferance call between all three to set up the next day's excursion to the mental hospital, he's had the day to himself.
* Nagare roams his atelier, fiddling with his brushes. After he spent the rest of the day painting, honestly he felt like talking to someone. And the bizarre dream he had in Lily's cove just wouldn't leave his mind. As he finishes rearranging his tools, he picks up the key in his pocket and eyes the door.
* Nagare sighs. "... may as well," With that, he approaches the atelier's door and uses the Velvet Key, waiting for it to open its way to the blue room.
> The door swings open, revealing the swirling portal that leads to the Velvet Room. And once Nagare steps in, of course only Theresa is there. She doesn't rise, but simply smiles from her half lounging position on her couch, "Ah, good evening Professor."
* Nagare smiles as well, approaching the couch and picking up a chair to sit down along the way. "I honestly wouldn't know what to do if I entered the room one day and found Igor instead of you."
> She laughs, "That would only happen if he had something important to tell you, and he didn't trust me to deliver the news over the phone. And you would probably feel the key calling you in. So long as you come of your own accord to see me, it will always be me that greets you."
<Nagare> "I know that objectively, but I am always wary of the Dream's whimsy. Regardless, it's good to see you as always."
> "The Velvet Room...isn't exactly the Dream. It's neither here nor there, so to speak." She shrugs, then pries herself up from her lounge...then reaches down beside the sofa and picks up a tray with a tea kettle and two cups resting on it, "Tea?"
* Nagare scratches his head. "I have to ask. How come you never pulled tea out of thin air before?"
<Nagare> "That said, a sip of your tea is one of the last things any human being worth his weight in salt would refuse."
> Theresa smiles, "Oh, I didn't. I just made it before you got here." She pours you a cup, then one for herself, and sips hers while smiling somewhat mischeviously. And despite what she says, the tea is still piping hot, so it couldn't have been sitting there that long...could it?
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "I could protest about this, but it's hardly in my best interests," the teacher remarks as he gently blows the tea so it cools down.
> She chuckles lightly, "Beginning to just take the strangeness at face value, hmm? So," she sets her cup down and changes the subject a bit, "what brings you here this evening?"
<Nagare> "The fact that I still haven't really grown accostumed to just taking the bizarreness of the Dream in stride, I believe. More precisely...," Nagare sips a small bit of tea, "I have experienced a dream within the Dream."
> She nods, "You mentioned that yesterday. You didn't have it again last night, did you?"
<Nagare> "I... don't -think- so. But I so rarely remember my dreams. Not that it -helps-, considering I keep rewinding it while awake."
> "It was about screaming, wasn't it? It sounds like there was more to it then simple screaming...?"
<Nagare> "The screaming honestly wasn't the most disturbing thing about it. It's... more how it wouldn't be acknowledged. And it would persist slowly, in a muffled manner. Think of it as a slowly closing wound that never quite heals."
> She nods, "I told you about how dreams within the Dream all followed the same rules on any given night, didn't I? What of Hikari's dream? Do you know if hers was a vision, or just a dream?"
<Nagare> "I never found out what her dream was besides something involving Brynhildr. I admit to being quite self-absorbed in this regard."
> Theresa chuckles, "You may wish to, then. Since you dreamt on the same night, and in the same place even, your dreams would follow the same rules. Either both are true, visions so to speak, or both are merely dreams. If yours is a vision...hmm," she shrugs, "perhaps the Master could guess as to what it was, but good luck getting it out of him."
<Nagare> "It -could- be a vision, given its odd familiarity. I can't be quite sure given the state I often was in during my stay in an asylum, but... for some reason, the leitmotif behind that dream feels very familiar."
* Ranmilia has quit IRC (Quit: )
> Theresa laughs a bit, though it's not exactly a happy sound, "You were in an asylum? I'm a bit surprised, though at the same time I'm not. Persona users tend to be a bit, or more then a bit in some cases, imbalanced. Though I really only know much about the places from hearsay, I've always gone out of my way to avoid them."
* Nagare shrugs, his expression going somewhat somber and bitter. "What can I say? My parents didn't quite take all that well from a few things that happened in my life. The whole thing was an overreactive chain."
> "Your parents had you commited?" She quirks an eyebrow at that, "Would that have been due to the incident your Shadow...claimed to have orchestrated?"
<Nagare> "Generally speaking, yes. I didn't protest either. That was quite a blow to Kasumi, however. "
<Nagare> "In particular, she had the divorce files just about ready when I fell... ill, so to speak. She had to give the news while I was locked away."
> Theresa nods, no longer smiling but...not really frowning either, simply looking...sympathetic? "That couldn't have done your mental state any favors. Or perhaps it was just what you needed? A full break with the past?"
> Then she laughs again, "I'm sorry, we still don't know eachother quite well enough that I should sit here psychoanylizing you."
* Nagare lets out a faint, but surprisingly frank smile. "You have no need to apologize. It's even liberating to be able to spell this out," he nods. Then, he ponders a bit further. "Even now, though, it still feels like a bizarre dream to me. I suspect the circumstances may have hit her harder than they hit me, especially considering the way my marriage went. I was the distant one."
> "You do seem to be most comfortable when a bit detatched from things," she notes, "That actually ties back in with little Alice and myself there, doesn't it? Those stuck between worlds...neither here, nor there, so to speak." She repeats her earlier phrase, with a slightly altered meaning.
* Nagare nods uncomfortably. "Can't deny that. A hands-off approach honestly keeps me going. That may very well be why I've been so obsessed with finding a pattern, a key foundation to the Dreamscapes since I began delving into it."
<Nagare> "... although I wonder if this marginal nature is true for me as well."
> "It's at least somewhat true of all Persona Users. Though...unlike beings like myself and Alice, you have the power to choose your place. The Reality you have always known, the Supernatural world you have recently awakened to...or perhaps somewhere in between."
<Nagare> "I honestly think the in-between is the only place where we truly -belong-, so to speak. But it is essentially incomplete."
> That gets another laugh out of her, "Incomplete, hmm? I wonder, is anything truely complete to one who has seen two worlds?"
* Nagare snickers. "This may well be pointless. Some may say being incomplete is pretty much the raison d'etre of a human being.
> "Perhaps. Philosphy is an interesting subject that way." She takes another sip of her tea, then changes the subject, "So. Have you given any more thought to our little game?"
* Nagare sips from his tea... how come it never becomes actually -cold-? "I keep running into walls with it recently. Somehow, I feel like I'm as close to the answer as I was when we started it."
<Nagare> "Although I may well ask another question. Do you have sisters? How many of them? And yes, I know I may be cheating here," he finishes sardonically.
> "Hmm," she smiles, "If you'd phrased that all as one question, I may have let it slide. But yes, I do have sisters."
<Nagare> "Well, I'll keep that in mind when I ask you another question. Although I'll veer away from my last line of thought. Lachesis, maybe?"
> Theresa shakes her head, "Getting colder."
<Nagare> "I'll remember to stay away from more esoteric mythologies, then."
> She chuckles, but simply refills her tea and takes another sip, "Hmm."
* Nagare suddenly blinks and begins laughing. "Also, if you've been pulling my leg all this time and your actual name is Theresa backwards, I'm afraid I'll have to stop being friends with you for a couple days."
> "As...Asereth...no, Asereht?" She tries to prounounce that a few times, then just shakes her head, "No, that's rediculous."
<Nagare> "You understand why I would have to do that were it true, then."
> "I think I'd have to stop being my freind for a few days for that. I never really understood why that backwards name thing became popular?"
* Nagare snickers. "Easiest form of acronym. Great crutch for unskilled writers."
> Theresa shrugs, "I suppose that makes as much sense as anything. Though, if you'll indulge me in a question, why Lachesis instead of Clotho or Atropos?"
* Nagare shakes his head. "I honestly suspect you'd like being the odd one out in the naming scheme. Nothing much of depth besides it. Plus, I also have the nagging suspicion that, if one is incorrect, all three are, rendering which one I chose besides my own logic moot."
> That gets a laugh out of her, "Haha! Such a shallow reason, hmm? Well, I can't say it's entirely unfitting."
<Nagare> "I know it can be quite cruel, but I realize that utilizing simple patterns works better when dealing with the supernatural. Besides, I won't deny I was somewhat second-guessing myself here."
> "So, to date you have determined that I am not Eve, Lilith or Lachesis." She counts the names off on her fingers, then moves to the questions, "Also, my name is heavily symbolic, I have been a wife, and I do have sisters."
* Nagare nods. "Now, to find out -what- distinguishes your name from the name of thousands of other symbolic women. I can't say this isn't interesting."
> "Well, you should still have...say, six more tries after this one." She smiles, the reducing of the supernatural phenomonon to mere numbers clearly amusing her.
> That said, she holds her hand out wordlessly.
* Nagare understands quietly the gesture and picks Theresa's hand carefully.
> The color drains from the room, and all motion stops...even the steam from the tea hovering motionless in the air as Nagare and Theresa become the only things with life in a world of frozen greyscale. The light from within her returns, and transforms back into 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 slightly more in focus. enough to tell that the picture is a biped at the very least.
> As you watch the card, the voice returns, 4"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Devil Arcana"
> And as the card and voice vanish, the color and motion rushes back into the world.
> Theresa smiles, "Now...I believe last time I mentioned that I would be able to give you another gift this time, yes?"
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "Yes. Although I'd have to be very petty to make -that- my reason to visit you."
> Another card materlizes in her hand. The back has the same image of the DEVIL Arcana that is on the spinning card and the Lilim's card, while the picture on the front...is a man? A darkly handsome man, wearing blue jeans, a long leather coat and wearing a wide brimmed hat. In his hand, he carries a fiddle.
> She snickers, "Oh, I know. It's a nice perk though, hmm? Now this, is the second of my servants you can summon. The Fiddler."
<Nagare> "The Fiddler? This one isn't quite familiar to me, I believe."
> "He's...a bit more modern then I think you're expecting. Also from the wrong part of the world. There's a story about a man who challanged the devil to a musical duel and won. Also, the mysterious traveller making his way around the south with nothing but a fiddle, seducing young ladies and cheating at pool along the way is something of a minor modern legend these days."
> She shrugs, "But really, where he comes from isn't quite as important as what he can do. Be wary when you summon him to play. You are immune to his music, but Mykasi and Hikari won't be. And anything that lacks it's own mind will also be uneffected."
<Nagare> "I... understand. Will keep that in mind when calling him out, of course. I have to say Lilim works in a simpler manner. But that may well be the nature of the beast."
> "My lilims are very straightforward, yes. He is a bit less so."
* Nagare nods. "Makes perfect sense. Lilims are... not complex creatures, come to think of it."
> "They're very good at what they do though," she notes in a pleasant, conversational tone that completely ignores the implications of the statement.
* Nagare snickers. "Hikari can definitely attest to that. I have to admit they make me somewhat uncomfortable when they're too close."
> "Haven't felt up to making too nice with them yet, hmm?"
* Nagare scratches his head. "Intimacy has never been my forte. Kasumi can attest bitterly to that."
> She softens her smile a bit, "Well, I'm sure they'll take no for an answer...though expect them to keep bugging sometimes. Lily's a good girl, despite how much she would protest the label."
> "So I don't think any of hers would push too hard."
* Nagare nods solemnly. "That much I definitely can gather from her. But now, I'm beginning to wonder."
> "Wonder what?" she prompts
<Nagare> "About Kasumi, mostly. Talking about the dream and those past events just brought her back into my mind. Which seemed to be a bit far off since I awakened to the Dream."
> "Thinking about trying to get back together with her? Or just wondering how she's doing?"
* Nagare shakes his head with a bitter laugh. "The latter. I'll be perfectly honest, she was a wonderful person, but I never -loved- her. And I've been rather cruel to her in the last few years. Since I got back into a working life, I've been getting roughly seasonal calls from her. I haven't answered once."
> "Well if you do want to talk to her again...I'll suggest that you call her. That way you'll have time to psyche yourself up for the conversation before you have it. The phone only gives you so much time to pick up, after all."
* Nagare scratches his head. "I just wonder, really. I even remember she seemed quite... miserable. Not that she wanted to go back or anything. But the way things ended. Maybe I just kept feeding into her guilt."
> "She probably blames herself. And if you aren't answering, thinks you blame her too."
* Nagare nods. "Maybe I should fix -that- up, at the very least. I never really harbored any animosity towards her. But, back then, I just enjoyed the thought that my continued existence made her miserable. Given the circumstances, -back then-, it'd have been easier if I was dead."
> Theresa smiles sadly, "Perhaps. But it's easy to think that when you aren't the one that has to deal with the consequences of your own death. Aside from the obvious one, of course."
* Nagare sighs. "Maybe you are right. For they that remain, the wounds grow deeper and deeper, as said the gods. But maybe I should stop bothering you with my neuroses for now. You've done far more than you'd probably have to listening to me today."
> She chuckles, "Don't worry about bothering me. But it sounds like you all have more interesting adventures planned soon, so you may want to get some decent rest. And perhaps some dinner to go with that tea."
* Nagare shrugs. "I can be apologetic if I want. But yes, you're quite right. I'll try to watch for that at least," the teacher says, motioning to get up.
> She stands as well, and walks you to the door, "On that note, would you mind bringing something good in with you next time? It's been quite some time since I've had real food."
* Nagare nods warmly. "I'll make sure. I'll warn you that I can't cook even a fried egg, so you'll have to cope with restaurant orders."
> "Oh, that's quite alright. The best meal is one you didn't have to make yourself, as the old saying goes."
> "Hmm, perhaps something Greek, if there's anything like that in your area?" She requests pleasently.
* Nagare bites his lips. "Hopefully I'll find something in that vein. Kanezawa is fortunately not backwater."
<Nagare> "-Anyhow-, I should leave. Until next time, Theresa!," the teacher says, parting with a smile as he crosses the blue door...
> She doesn't give the usual impersonal farewell, merely waves as you step across the boundary and back to your own apartment.
> ---------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Mykasi: Hanged Man 3

> --------------------------------------------------\
> Saturday evening comes, Mike has spent the day...doing whatever he does on Saturdays! After recieving a very unique gift from Xavier that morning, of course.
<Mykasi> Mike hums slightly in a quiet restaurant as he examines the wooden boat in his right hand, carefully flipping it over and over. After a few moments he sighs, before flipping his cell phone open and hitting Xav's speed dial, hoping he remembered to put it on vibrate like his parents were going to try and teach him to do...
> The phone is answered...but immediately hung up without any answer.
> Moments later, Mike gets a text: Call back in 10.
* Mykasi nods slightly and sips on his drink, waiting for about eleven minutes just to be safe before trying again.
> The waitress comes by to ask if you're ready to order yet while you're waiting for it to be safe.
* Mykasi nods and orders a beef bowl with a slight smile.
> She whisks off to put the order in! It comes out...honestly, right about the time the 11 minute mark hits.
<Mykasi> "Heh." Mike nods, thanking the waitress before dialing up Xav again.
> This time he answers, "Um, hi! Sorry about hanging up, I needed to get out of the house first. My parents still don't know I have this phone."
<Mykasi> "That's fine, dude. I kinda figured that was the case. How's it going?" Mike replies cheerfully.
> "Um..." Xav is quiet for a moment, "it's...going, I guess?"
<Mykasi> "...stuff going on that you wanna talk about?" Mike offers.
> "Well...I don't really know what to talk about for it. My dad is just getting really stressed out about the shop, since alot of stuff happened all at once. One of his big suppliers raised it's prices, then one of the contracts we have ran out and the customer didn't want to renew...because they heard that Home Despot..er" he corrects himself, "Home Depot is looking into building a store in town."
> "So he's pretty angry about pretty much everything right now."
<Mykasi> "Yikes." Mike mutters. "Yeah, that... doesn't surprise me, sadly. Just keep your head down for now, I guess?"
> "Later today he's going to call up some other small buisiness owners in town and try to get some petition going to block Home Depot from opening it's branch here. 'Keep Small Businesses Alive' or something like that. I'm supposed to be helping with it."
<Mykasi> "...feh." Mike shakes his head. "On the one hand I have sympathy for your dad, but... Iunno, dude. Does he want you to call around and try to enlist help, then? Or does he want you on some other end of arranging it?"
> "I dunno, he hasn't said exactly what he wants yet. He just had the idea this morning. I thought I'd just be watching the store while he did that, but I guess not."
<Mykasi> "What I'd say is if you'd be more comfortable doing that, volunteer upfront to mind the store while he calls people - since he has business connections, he'd know what to do better no matter what." Mike suggests with a shrug. "Both keeps you out of range of fire from him and lets you do something to help, if that makes sense? Probably more relaxed then trying telemarketing."
> "I guess I can try that, sure. I really don't want to go around talking to people about it and stuff anyway. I mean..." he sighs, "well, the store is important since that's our family's livelihood and all. But...I just can't really bring myself to care about it the same way he does. I'm trying to, but it's just not there."
> "Bill says that's pretty much what I was like before, too."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, honestly." Mike chuckles a bit at this. "You were more interested in figuring out something else to do for a living. But... yeah. You can't force yourself to do this sort of thing- or, better put, you can but you can't force yourself to do it well. And trying to force yourself doesn't lead to anything good... so yeah." A slight pause as Mike sighs.
<Mykasi> "But that's... something your dad never seems to get. Sorry to speak ill of him, but... he's, uh, stubborn."
> "That's okay, he takes it as a compliment. Says what other people call stubborn, he calls determined."
> "Except when it's about something he disagrees with," Xav sighs as he amends, "Then it's being stubborn."
<Mykasi> "Yeaaaaah." Mike shakes his head with a slight grimace. "Determined is being willing to fight for something you believe is right, but being able to stand down when you learn it's not. Stubborn... is fighting for something even if it's wrong, just because it's the way you think should be gone."
> "Yeah, I guess." Xav is quiet for a minute, then perks up, "Oh! Did you get the package yet?"
<Mykasi> "Oh, yeah! Just got it this morning!" Mike says, cheering up himself. "It's actually why I called! Where'd you find this, anyway - it's amazing!"
> "It was in this little antique store over on Jules. Bill says I used to hang out there alot, so he took me there while we were walking around town. Apparently most of what they have there is junk, but sometimes they get really good stuff in. When I saw the boat, I asked Bill if you would like it, and he said yeah, so I got it."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, it's pretty damn sweet." Mike hums, looking it over. "Thanks, man. I remember that store now - if I needed to catch you while you were in a funk, that was the first place I went to."
> "We're actually going back there today, once Sandy gets here. I get Saturdays off, so sometimes she comes down and if Bill can get off as well, we all go do stuff. I wonder if we'll find anything else good in there."
<Mykasi> "Heh, cool. Tell her to... well, I don't know if I'll be awake. Say hi for me - I've been bad on keeping up on email communique. Been busy on this end." Mike says with some regret. "Whatcha doing until then?"
> "Not much, really. Just sort of wandering around. There's...not really all that much to do here."
* Mykasi sighs. "Yeah, they took down the arcade a while back... bah. There was a reason we spent a fair amount of time hiking up in the hills."
> "I guess it was easier when there was a group? I...wouldn't really know, though."
* Disconnected
* Attempting to rejoin channel #personador
* Rejoined channel #personador
* Topic is 'Hikari: 105/105 HP [60/70 EP], Mike: 54/70 HP [79/95 EP], Nagare: 75/75 HP [80/90 EP], Shiro: 140/140 HP [75/75 EP]'
* Set by Gatewalker on Fri Oct 01 18:15:37
<Mykasi> "Yeah, it was." Mike grimaces. "Dunno what to tell you there..." A quiet pause. "...I..."
> "Um...sorry. I keep forgetting that it makes people uncomfortable when I mention my amnesia."
<Mykasi> "No, no, it's not that." Mike says, with a shake of his head. "...I'm kicking myself for not being there for you. But..." A pause. "...but I'm involved in some stuff here now, and I can't leave just yet. Otherwise I'm making the same mistake again, you know? ... But I'll be back. I promise you that, alright?"
> "Hey, don't worry about me, okay? I've still got my family here, and yours too, and Bill, and sometimes Sandy. So just worry about whatever you've got out there, okay?" Then he adds, "So, um, what kind of stuff, anyway? You're doing...robots, right?"
<Mykasi> "Uh... yeah. Robots and AI at school..." Mike says, with a slight pause. "And some other stuff on the side. I'll...tell you more about that some other time - basically I've been helping investigate some strange events over here."
> "Really? Like helping the police? I didn't know you did stuff like that at all."
<Mykasi> "I'd help the police if they weren't terminally incompetent." Mike mutters. "No, there's a professor looking into it and he's got me and another student assisting. It's... a lot more complex than that, but that's the basic gist. As I said, I'll detail it more later - specifically when I've a better grasp on it, ya know?" Another pause. "Basically it's research on a social level, kinda. Good fuel for my AI work, at least."
> "Oh, uh, okay."
<Mykasi> "Heh. Sorry. It's..." Mike fumbles for a bit. "Blah. I don't know quite how to explain it right now. There's been a rash of... peculiar behavior - people going kinda bonkers or acting strangely - and we're trying to figure out why."
> "Alright. Well, be careful, okay?"
<Mykasi> "I will. You take care of yourself as well, alright? Stay chill." Mike nods.
> "Yeah...uh hold on, getting another call. Gimme a second." Mike hears a beep and then it's quiet on the other end for a minute.
* Mykasi chows on his food while he waits!
> The phone beeps back on, "That was Sandy, she's almost here, was calling to see where to meet up."
<Mykasi> "Alright, man. Tell her I said howdy and have fun, alright?" Mike says after swallowing. Mmm, salty.
> "Yeah, will do. We're meeting over by the Farmside Diner for breakfast first, so I've got to run to get over there before she does. And I've got to call Bill to see if he's coming. So...I'll talk to you again later?"
<Mykasi> "Yeah. Talk to ya later." Mike nods.
> "Alright, bye!" He hangs up. And as he does so...Mike can see the color draining out of the room for the second time in one day...
> The motion in the restaraunt goes still, as the soft light rises out of Mike's phone and turns once more into the spinning card.
<Mykasi> "Fffffffffff-"
> The voice returns, as Mike knew it would. 7"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Hanged Man Arcana"
<Mykasi> "-ffffffffffffff-"
> He can feel a power settle into the carved boat sitting on his table again...right before everything returns to normal.
<Mykasi> "-fffffff..." Mike's hiss dulls down as he jams another heaping chopstickful of soy sauce, beef and rice into his mouth, slamming the phone shut.
> Someone at the next table over gives Mike an odd look, then makes a point of ignoring the strange foriegner.
<Mykasi> Mike mentally notes the advantages of being strange already as he continues to dig into his food.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Hikari: Chariot 2

> --------------------------------------------
> It's Tuesday, the day after the adventures with the Basked Mandit hideout. Hikari is still feeling sore after all of that, which was fairly destracting for her morning class rush, but she pulled through somehow.(more)
> Just after her Cullinary Arts class let out(with Yuka giving her odd looks through most of it from the next table over), Hikari's phone rings. Caller ID says it's Shiro.
* Hikari ignores such looks. If someone's got something to say to her, they can bloody well say it! By, for example, calling her on her phone. Which she answers: "Hello?"
> "Hey. I'm heading out to grab some lunch then go practice. Wanna tag and you can fill me in on anything I missed over the weekend? You guys didn't actually go to the Zoo, did you?"
<Hikari> "No. We had an exercise in vigilianteism instead. With, I must suspect, similar results."
> "Is everyone still standing at least?"
<Hikari> "With some effort, yes."
> Shiro snorts, "Sounds like the Dream, yeah. Anyway, meet you over in the cafeteria, or have you got other stuff to do?"
<Hikari> "I have nothing pressing to do but ignore suspicious glances. I'll meet you there."
> "Cool." Shiro hangs up at that.
* Hikari hangs up as well and heads out.
> Yuka starts to follow you out, but then hangs back and you make it to the cafeteria with nobody else giving you any trouble. Shiro's already there, with a bag of food in hand. He walks over when he sees you, "Managed to slide in right before the line got bad. If you like curry rice, I've got two in here. If not, I'll hang out while you get whatever."
<Hikari> If Yuka wants gossip, she can just make something up! There's no way it'll be as strange as the reality, after all. "It will do," she says to Shiro.
> "Cool." He hands you a cup of curry rice from the bag, as well as some chopsticks, and starts heading out, talking as he walks, "I figure nobody else is crazy enough to eat outside in this weather, should be alright to talk there, right?"
<Hikari> "It would take a very determined eavesdropper to follow, yes." Hikari heads outside as well.
> Shiro snickers, "Not worried about active eavesdroppers so much as casual overhearing. It'd take some balls to actually try to spy on me. The last girl who did looked like she was about to piss herself in terror when I caught her." You get outside, and head over to the picnic tables. It's icy cold, of course. Shiro doesn't seem bothered, and you're actually less chilled by it then you used to be as well.
<Hikari> "It's...happened before? You realize I have to wonder who it was and what they were doing, of course." Hikari sits down and starts working on her food.
> Shiro shrugs, "Some chick. I didn't even get her name. I'd just caught her edging close to my conversations, usually with Oda, a few times. Ignored her the first couple, then decided it wasn't coincidence and got in her face about it. She clammed up, bolted, and she's kept her distance since."
<Hikari> "But perhaps she had a crush on you? Think of the lost opportunity."
> That seems to amuse him greatly, "Hah! Probably crushing on Oda more likely. And even if she was into me, if she didn't even have the guts to say something, I've got no interest."
<Hikari> "Well, I suppose there is something to be said for having high standards."
> He starts into his rice as well, but nods, "High standards? Eh, I guess you can call it that, sure. I don't really think about it much, but for a girl to get my interest she's got to have guts and integrity. Everything else is second to that, but I guess my standards for those are pretty high, yeah."
> "Anyway," he looks around to make sure there's nobody around, then asks, "you guys dig anything important up this weekend, or just getting more of a feel for things in there?"
<Hikari> "Did we mention the asylum to you yet? I don't imagine we did. Or this strange creature we found warding people away from it. Or that girl we lost in the dream. Well, where should I start?"
> Shiro blinks, "Uh, yeah, that's all news to me. Just start wherever, I guess? Or summerize it, I can follow pretty easily." He thinks a moment, then asks, "Wait, by asylum do you mean Kana Family Memorial, where that Richard Bland guy is? You get in to see him at all?"
<Hikari> "We didn't see him, but we did find Mike's former roommate. Or what was left of him. A shadow, claiming to be the only thing holding him together, and that he and many other patients of the hospital are, in the real world, often restrained against their will by drugs. Some of them might even be sane, without that. (more)
<Hikari> "It's quite evident that the Dream hospital is overseen by some powerful supernatural presence. It did not welcome visitors and getting out was a task all its own. I think it apparent that whatever its designs, they have some malign influence on the real world. I don't know when exactly we'll go back to deal with it, but I don't plan to wait long."
> Shiro's eyes narrow, "Tch. Sounds like you could use my help in there, but I probably won't be able to get in. I'll try at least, so let me know when you're going back."
<Hikari> "Of course. Likely you wouldn't find it without us--someone or something had gone to some effort to keep visitors away for their own good. I would very much like to know who had done this, but the guardian this individual left behind to deter wanderers didn't actually seem to know."
> "Active interferance, not just the Dream screwing around with the landscape?" he muses, "I don't think I've seen that before. Well, assuming that shadow forest from before doesn't count. Was the guardian hostile?"
<Hikari> "No. No, I'm not sure it could even understand the concept of hostility. It was there to confuse and divert travelers with illusions. A very simple little creature. A...frog shikigami, it said? It claimed its master put it there to keep bystanders from straying into unsafe territory. I don't it was lying. I don't think it capable of lying, actually."
<Hikari> *I don't think
> "A shikigami? Hmm. I...don't think controlling those is a persona power, so that might mean something else is in play." he shakes his head, "I've been reading up on occult stuff since all this crap started, but it's hard to know what's good and what's a bunch of crap from books, so I can't really make any guesses. Damn." Shiro shrugs, then moves on, "Alright, so that's the asylum. You said something about a girl getting lost? What do you mean?"
> You said something about a girl getting lost? What do you mean?"
<Hikari> "We were just walking to Frost's in the dream and encountered a human girl on the road. It became apparent that she didn't know she was in the Dream, and at this point she became somewhat agitated. For lack of any better ideas, we tried to lead her back to the real world through the Velvet Room. She stepped through the door with the rest of us just fine, but only the three of us actually appeared there. We're still not sur
<Hikari> We're still not sure how she got into the Dream or what happened to her. (more)
<Hikari> "I sent a message to her page on...MindSpace, was it? One of those vapid networking sites."
> Shiro just stares at you blankly for a moment before managing to articulate out, "....what? A girl? A normal girl, no shadow, no Persona, no nothing, in the Dream? What the FUCK!?" The look on his face is somewhere between completely befuddled and shocked.
<Hikari> "With the addition of profanity, that was essentially my reaction. And she was as confnused as the rest of us. We know her name, at least. If you run across any headlines about a girl named Noa Tachakana disappearing, let us know?"
> He shakes his head, "Alright, think fast time. Any chance she's still in the Dream somewhere?"
<Hikari> "If she is, I don't know where to find her. Beyond notifying our various friends and contacts there to look and listen for any sign."
> Shiro nods, and stands up, setting down his half-finished lunch, "Alright, I'm gonna find a spot to go through and get the Captain looking for her. Unless you guys already went to him?"
<Hikari> "We did not. Do you want company? Perhaps I could retrieve the key..."
> "Sure. Hell, we can work on more of your swordskills while we're in there if you want. Get some work in using the sword you'll actually be fighting with, with the strength you'll actually have when you use it."
<Hikari> "I had some practice last night, actually, but more would not be amiss. Just a moment while I visit the professor for the key?" Hikari hastily finishes her meal before standing.
> Shiro waits there, while Hikari runs over to Nagare's office. He is in fact in there, and doesn't mind lending you the key.
* Hikari returns to Shiro with the key. "Meet me at Frost's? Using the school to enter the Dream no longer seems safe for us."
> "Hmm? Why's that? And why run all the way to Satomi Tadashi, let's just head over to Garu's dojo, it's closer."
* Hikari shrugs. "Any place we can reliably meet each other in short order works, yes. Probably we've taken to using Satomi Tadashi. Last time we were there, the proprietor saw us enter the Dream and didn't seem to care. Likely best not to push things."
<Hikari> *using St too much, argh forgotten words
> "Huh," Shiro shrugs, "Well, Garu already knows about this stuff, so using his dojo won't be a problem. You can use the key from inside, I'll go through from just outside." He lays out the plan, then starts to take off before skidding to a stop after going not twenty feet, "Wait, you have a car don't you? It's not a long run, but driving would be even quicker."
<Hikari> "Yes, it would. This way." Hikari heads to her car to drive both of them to the dojo.
> The roads aren't crowded on a tuesday afternoon, so it takes little time to get there. You park in the parking lot the dojo shares with the other buisiness nearby and head in!
* Hikari takes out the key. "Shall we, then?"
> As you open the door, Garu inclines his head in greeting, "Ah, good afternoon, Shiro, Miss Ishigami."
> Shiro nods back, "Hey. Just needed a safe spot to go through to the Dream. You don't have class for awhile yet, so you mind if we use your door?"
<Hikari> "Greetings. I hope you don't mind us using your building as a waypoint. We are...passing through, today."
> Garu considers this, before shaking his head, "Ah, go right ahead I suppose. Good luck with whatever you're doing over there today."
> "Thanks man." Shiro heads back out to take himself over, leaving you inside to use the key.
* Hikari uses the key on the front door and steps through, not intending to linger long in the Velvet Room past pleasantries.
> (OOC: Scene Change, the S.Link version!)
> You pass through the Velvet Room and come out in a street of the Dream that is right in front of what seems to be a very serene garden with an oranate fence and gate secluding it from the surrounding chaos.
> A minute later, a whirlwind forms nearby and Shiro materalizes.
* Hikari_Ishigami looks around. "This is actually a very pleasant area."
> Shiro walks over and nods, "Yeah, that garden's always there when Garu's alone in his dojo. Tells you something about the guy, huh?"
<Hikari> "Is that so? The Dream side is different depending on whether or not he's there? What is it like when he's away, or when a class is in attendance?"
> "Different. Not always the same thing, but I don't come here often then. I try to time it for when it's just him, easier to talk that way. Anyway...RED HARE!" Shiro calls his Persona, and the mighty horse forms next to him. He swings up into the saddle and holds a hand down.
* Hikari takes it and climbs up.
> Once you're secure, Red Hare rears once letting out a powerful neigh, then takes off like a shot. One jump puts you on a nearby roof but he doesn't slow down from there. With practiced ease, Shiro races over most of the Dreamscape, completely avoiding anything that might try to bar his path by a combination of elevation, agility and sheer neckbreaking speed.
> After a very short time, you jump down from the rooftop route and land right outside of the gates to the Battlegrounds, the school Parking Lot.
> Slowing Red hare to a stop, he has the horse kneel so it's easier for you to slide off.
* Hikari is fortunately tough enough to not be worried about a little jostling and windblown hair! She hops off the horse, looks around. "Where do you expect to find him, exactly?"
> "This is one of his usual hangouts, so he should be around here somewhere. And if he's not, he might be by either the zoo or the food court." Without dismounting himself, Shiro heads over to a nearby Shadow, a small robot-clown thing balancing on a ball and asks, "Hey, you seen Captain Squiggly around here today?"
> The clown responds, "I will answer your question if you can beat my quiz game! Are you ready? The first question is: what is the..." The clown is suddenly cut off by the point of Shiro's spear hovering less then an inch from it's face, "Um...yes, the captain has set up over that way." he points at a nearby alleyway.
> Shiro nods, "Thanks." then puts his spear back in it's clip and heads over that way!
* Hikari can't help but nod in approval. "Very succinct, good," she says as she walks along.
> You head into the alleyway, and indeed the man made of worms and his cycloptic merman buddy are hanging out there right by a sewer entrance. Shiro nods at the merman as he approaches, "Got work for the captain. Uh, hey, Hikari, want to describe her to him? You know more then I do here."
<Hikari> "Yes. We lost another human during one of our recent visits here. A young woman--about our age? Mike seemed to find her attractive, though I imagine that means little to Dream denizens? She was wearing a heavy coat and a backpack the last we saw her. Noa Tachakara was her name if that helps."
> The Captain squirms some, and the merman asks, "Oy, ANOTHER bloody persona user? How many of you lot does that make now? Anyway, the Captain says 'es up for it, just describe the bird as best you can and tell us where ya saw 'er last and 'ell get right to it."
<Hikari> "We're not sure she was a persona-user. In fact, she didn't even know she was in the Dream until we told her. It was very strange, and she may be in danger if she's still here." Hikari describes the girl as best as she can remember.
> The merman and the worm-man look at eachother before the merman goes, "Roight. Fair 'nough then. We can make it tops on the ol' priority list if you've got the macca for it?"
> Shiro nods, "Do it. I can get the macca."
> The captain squirms again, then breaks apart into hundreds, maybe thousands, of worms. Half immediately flow into the sewer entrance while the rest scatter apart in all directions.
* Hikari shudders a little. "I may never get used to seeing that."
> The merman barks out a laugh, "That's what makes 'im the best, shiela!"
<Hikari> "Everyone he meets is sufficnelty unnerved that they can't help but tell everything they know?"
> "Nah," he shakes his head, "because he can look damn near everywhere at once. Each and every one o' those little worms is 'im, everything they see, 'e knows. Makes findin' stuff fair easy when 'es got a few thousand pairs of eyes t' look with."
<Hikari> "I'm not going to contemplate how they function both as thousands of separate organisms and as a single one. Should we leave and come back later for results?"
> Shiro nods, "Yeah, that's how it works. We either check back in with him, or he comes and finds us. The captain knows the places I hang out, so leaving one worm at a few spots to catch my attention won't be hard for him. I just hope he finds something soon."
* Hikari nods. "Alright. Did you have plans for the afternoon, then? I myself had none in particular."
> "I was planning on going to work out and practice, but we can turn it into getting you some more training with that sword." he thinks a moment, then holds his hand out, "mind if I get a feel for the balance myself? Will be a bit easier to give you pointers if I know how to use this particular weapon myself."
* Hikari materializes the sword and hands it over. "Go ahead. I believe I'm improving with it, but good advice is always welcome."
> Shiro nods as he works with the weapon a bit, "Yeah, you learn really damn fast. There's no way you should even be near my level, I've been doing martial arts since I could walk, but you actually made me strain last time. Do you pick up everything this fast, or just violence?"
<Hikari> "Now that you put it that way, I feel I should be concerned about having such a natural proclivity for it." Hikari shrugs. "It did come to me in a relatively short time, didn't it? But it's a necessary talent to deal with the problems in front of me. I have no choice but to learn fast, do I?"
> Shiro nods again, then flips the sword to catch by the blade and hand the hilt back to you, "Yup. Anyway, the blade's pretty well balanced. Designed to be used in two hands, though we're strong enough to use it in one easily. I'd stick to using it two handed for now though, weight focuses well closer to the tip so you can get some real destructive power into the swings that way."
> Nearby, the merman hops out of his pool, then folds it up, water and all, and tucks it under his arm, "Why don't I give you two some space 'ere?" And he quickly excuses himself from the alleyway.
<Hikari> "Brute force does not seem to be something I lack. It's quite effective when I'm able to connect."
> "It's also easier to move back into a parrying stance two handed," he continues, "You pay much attention to defense, or do you just take hits as they come in?"
<Hikari> "As of last night, the latter," Hikari says with a grimace. "The encounter was ultimately a compelling argument against that habit, I think."
> With a wave, Red Hare vanishes but not before Shiro grabs his spear back from it's clip, "Alright, I'm going to start slow here. This thing isn't magical or anything, but it's sharp, so try not to let it hit you. What you want to do," he explains, "is block with the flat of your strong. That means the half of the blade closer to the hilt."
> "There is never, EVER," he emphasizes, "a reason to take a hit on the edge of the sword. It's easier to block with the flat, and easier to counter from that position. So keep that in mind. Ready?"
<Hikari> "So as with most things, movies fail to convey fighting accurately. Noted." Hikari grasps the sword with both hands and stands ready. "Let us proceed."
> Shiro begins attacking, slowly so Hikari has plenty of time to react to his moves. He keeps up the conversation as the training goes, "Well, that thing's a more western style blade anyway, so it had a broader flat. Which is honestly good for someone with your strength, the sword itself can take more abuse so you can put more muscle behind it. Katanas are cool and all," he pauses to correct your stance then continues(more)
> "But I honestly prefer western style swordsmanship."
* Hikari does her best to repel the strikes with the lower half of the blade, as instructed. "Perhaps one day you can teach me to deflect lasers as well," Hikari says. "This was, unfortunately, what we faced last night."
> After a bit, he stops and nods, "Yeah, you're getting it. Though this will only help you against melee attacks. Blocking ranged stuff is another beast entirely. And I can't really help you there, I've got no range at all. Maybe Mykasi could help out there if you want to practice that?"
<Hikari> "I am sure that Anasni would delight in taunting me with any number of phantom projectiles to deflect."
> Shiro just nods, "I gotta admit, out of the three of you, Mike's the one that scares me most. I mean, I know you've got fire which hits me hard, but a real fight against you would at least be a straight up one. And I'm not afraid of a fair fight with anyone. Mike though..." he just shakes his head, "I get the feeling he thinks fair fights are for suckers."
<Hikari> "There's something to be said for preparation. A real fight begins before blades are actually crossed, doesn't it?"
> He nods again, "Yeah. That's strategy, which isn't my strong suit. I can plan my own actions just fine, but dealing with how others should move and trying to predict the enemy's actions beyond thier direct attacking isn't something I've really done. I'm not used to worrying about anything bigger then my own immediate situation."
<Hikari> "Well, perhaps there's something you can learn from us as well, then? The problems we face are, truly, bigger than any of us."
> "I'm starting to get that, yeah." He summons Red Hare and puts the spear back on the clip and sending him back away, letting the Persona vanish with his weapon this time, "Good enough for today there. I held back alot here, not because I don't think you could take the hits but because I didn't want you to accedentally break my spear with a strong parry. Still it gets the basics across well enough."
<Hikari> "Could I really do that, you think?" Hikari says, with some apparent surprise.
> "Probably. You're as strong as I am, and I can shatter rocks with my bare hands here. Combine that with your sword being magically strong and my spear just being well made?" Shiro shrugs, "I could see it happening pretty easily."
<Hikari> "That's just here, however. I could do no such thing in the real world. We could always spar there instead, with practice weapons, if it's a concern."
> "Yeah, we'll do most of it there. Part of the reason for practicing here though is to get you working with the weapon you'll actually be using. It does make a difference, trust me."
* Hikari nods. "I'm sure I'll get plenty of practice here soon enough, whether I want it or not. Whatever's running the Dream hospital is...less than friendly to visitors."
> That thought makes his eyes go dark a bit again, "Right. Definately bring me along when you go. Even if I can't get in, I can see about raising some hell outside and getting whatever's in there to divert some resources to trying to deal with me, maybe make it easier for you on the inside."
> "Anyway, you can use that key wherever, right? And it'll take you back to Garu's place?"
<Hikari> "Of course. And I don't intend to wait long. As soon as I can talk the others into making another attempt, really." A nod, as Hikari looks for the nearest door. "That's correct, yes."
> There's a door in some building around, yes. Shiro nods, "Cool. I'll just go back from here then, since it's close to the school anyway. And I really want a hot shower."
<Hikari> "Likewise. Goodbye for now." Hikari turns away to make her exit.
> As he sits down to summon the wind and Hikari touches the Velvet Key to the door, the world seems to stop and the color drains away leaving it all shades of grey.
> Two lights appear, one from him and one from her, then as expected, expand out into spinning cards. As one two voices speak, 7"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Chariot Arcana." 5"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Strength Arcana."
> Hikari notices on the Strength Card...it's the same one she saw when she first got her Persona. With the woman wrestling a lion on the back, and Brynhildr herself on the front. The Chariot card's front is still fuzzy, however.
> The cards dissapear and the world returns to normal.
> Shiro chuckles, "Yeah, i was waiting for that. Later."
<Hikari> "This is going to happen every time we practice, isn't it?" Hikari says in parting. "We'll just have ot get used to it. Goodbye."
> ---------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Nagare: Death 5

> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> It's amazing how one can go from fighting dream bandits made of lines and boxes with laser guns one day and be giving lectures on two different sections of law to classes full of distracted students the next, but such is the position Nagare finds himself in that Tuesday. It's nearing finals week, right before the holiday break, and it's his job to prepare his students as best he can, despite his other obligations.(more)
> Classes have wrapped up for the day though, with the odd point of Hikari stopping by over lunch to borrow the Velvet Key, and the law proffessor turned Persona User finds himself in his office with more lessons to plan for the rest of the week.
* Nagare sighs heavily as he jots notes down, picking up the odd graded paper here and there. Roman Law Theory is probably not what a student would like to have as a Christmas gift, but one's got to go with the program. (more)
* Nagare picks up some papers in order to organize things, wondering amenities. For a moment, he stops to consider it's been a while since he last saw Alice. "I have to wonder if she could pick up this kind of thought."
<Mykasi> Mike, meanwhile, is humming away as he works on the search gigas (titled Webspinner after a decidedly uncreative moment). After finishing a particularly annoying bit of code, he decides to call Nagare, pressing the speed dial key as he puts the phone to his ear.
> Nagare's cell rings! Caller ID says it's your friendly neighborhood spider man.
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "However, I don't have to wonder if Mykasi can - I know," he mutters lightly as he picks up the phone. "Uncanny timing, Mykasi. How are things?"
<Mykasi> "Got that program mostly done." Mike replies, typing some comments for it. "Just was calling to report that and check in."
<Nagare> "Honestly, I was just thinking about random things as I was preparing notes for class. Santa is coming in Roman Law Theory dressing for the freshmen this year."
<Mykasi> "Awwww, how nice of him!" Mike grins, working on the program a bit. "What do you have planned for the evening?"
<Nagare> "Honestly, nothing. Although I've been wondering about Alice right now. I haven't seen her in a while, and I know she's rather lonely."
<Mykasi> "Alice...? Oh, right, the ghostly girl." Mike recalls after a moment. "Hey, wanna go track her down? I could use a break and maybe I'll be able to see her?"
* Nagare bobs his head, pondering lightly. "Well... I felt like she could use a visit anyhow. And regardless of whether you see her or not, I have the inkling that someone else even -acknowledging- she exists would light her day. Can't see how this would be bad."
<Mykasi> "Alright!" Mike chirps into the phone. "Where should we meet?"
* Nagare raises an eyebrow and ponders. "I think... mmmmm. There's the restaurant I met Alice for the first time. It's a good place to start. I have to admit it's a bit erratic as to when I meet her, but I have the feeling I'll find her if I'm looking for her," the teacher notes, then giving Mike the coordinates to the place.
<Mykasi> "Gotcha. Meet you there in twenty, it's gonna take me a bit of time to type this last line but then I'll find you." Mike confirms.
<Nagare> "Alright. We could take the moment to have dinner as well. Ramen is a near-magnet for me anyway."
<Mykasi> "Ballin'!" And with that Mike hangs up.
* Nagare shrugs with a smirk as Mykasi hangs up. "Well, this is going to be interesting, to say the least. I'll try to make sure I get there first just so Alice doesn't get startled as much. Not getting startled at all would be a dreamer's desire."
* Nagare then prepares to go as well.
> And thus, the two leave for the Ramen: Six Ways restaraunt. As he drives past his apartment building on the way there, nagare does notice Alice sitting by the mailbox across the street where she can usually be found.
* Nagare stops immediately close to the mailbox, waving to Alice. "It's a bit cold to be hanging around outside without a coat, wouldn't you think?"
> Alice brightens up immediately, but then gives you a look, "I don't feel hot and cold, you know that!"
* Nagare snickers. "And I envy you for that. However, it's quite fortunate that I found you here - exactly the person I was looking for. Want to make company to a surly middle-aged single man for dinner tonight?"
> She claps, "Oh, yay! I would be happy to!"
* Nagare nods. "Hop into the car, then, even if you don't theoretically need to. Want me to open the door for you?," and -that- line, he says with yet another smirk.
> Alice touches the door and is now sitting in the passanger side seat. You didn't really see her move to it, she just kind of entered the car and thus was in the seat or something.
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "I think I'm beginning to understand how you seem to weave through places as quickly as you do. Anyhow, ready?"
> She nods happily!
> As you get back on the road and go all of three streets down to the Ramen place, Nagare sees Mike's bike just getting turned off as he parked mere seconds before you arrived.
* Nagare gets the car moving once again, and heads towards the ramen place where it all started. As he drives, he glances Alice for a moment before speaking. "Just one thing, I'll have a companion for dinner. And... well, he is aware of your existence to a degree."
> Alice's eyes widen, "Really? You told someone about me and they believe you?"
> "Most of the people I've told about me didn't believe me..." she quietly mumbles.
<Nagare> "Well, I'll say this: I know a few people that are just as strange as I am, albeit in different ways."
> She nods! Meanwhile, Mike can see Nagare's car pulling into the parking lot. He doesn't see anyone in the passanger seat, of course.
* Nagare parks the car, nodding to Alice. "Well, we're here. I think it's best you see it with your own eyes."
* Mykasi hums, glancing around for the blonde little girl he's been told about, shivering while doing so.
> Alice nods, touches the car door and appears outside the car. She looks around, "Oh, you're eating here again? Is the food here good?"
* Nagare stubs his chin lightly. "It's a good ramen place, but it's mainly iconic. Felt like a good place to make the meeting, and my -other- companion is a ramen fiend as well...," the teacher completes, looking for Mykasi as he locks the car.
* Ranmilia has quit IRC (Quit: )
> Mike is standing around in the parking lot over there!
* Nagare finds Mykasi and raises an eyebrow. "Ah, speak of the devil."
* Ranmilia has joined #personador
> Alice follows Nagare's gaze, "Oh, is that him?" she deflates a bit, "he can't see me."
* Nagare sighs. "I'd honestly be very surprised if he could. Those would be some inconvenient skeletons to dig from the closet. However, it speaks volumes that he believes you exist before any evidence."
> "It means he trusts you." Alice notes, nodding. Then walking over to where Mykasi is, she curtsies politely, "Um, hello! It's a pleasure to meet you...kind of..."
> "Um, kind of meet you, I mean! Not that it's only kind of nice!" she quickly amends, looking back to Nagare and blushing a touch.
* Nagare nods to Mykasi, then lightly gesturing to Alice's direction.
<Nagare> "I've brought company, Mykasi."
* Mykasi waves to Nagare. "Heya. I-" At Nagare's gesture, Mike's face registers an almost mrf-ish expression for a moment before looking down to about where Alice is. "Hi, Alice! Uh, I'm afraid I can't see you - and if you've said anything, I can't hear it, either, much's the pity - but it is a pleasure to meet you!"
> Alice smiles, "Um, that's okay! Thank you for believing in me anyway!"
* Nagare nods, kneeling to Alice's height. "I can serve as a translator for you if that helps a bit. I think you'll find Mykasi rather interesting, to say the least."
* Mykasi glances to the Professor, before nodding. "That should work. Uh, can we go in? I'm freezin' here."
> "Okay!" Alice nods readily, "Um, I can hear him though, so you only need to translate one way."
* Nagare nods. "Right. Let's go in," then Nagare turns to Alice, whispering. "Honestly? I wouldn't be able to translate some of the things he says if I tried."
<Mykasi> "Alright!" Mike says, leading the way to the door, either not hearing or not deigning to hear Nagare's whisper.
> Alice giggles and you all head in. It's blissfully warm inside and it smells delicious. Ramen: Six Ways only does one thing, but boy does it do it well. And the smells are particularly fantastic today because they have teh door leading into the kitchen propped open so extra heat gets into the dining room.(more)
* Mykasi looks over the simple menu with glee. "Sweet. Beef ramen it'll be, then."
> The place is reasonably well filled, with 3 of the eight tables inside already occupied and two parties standing in the spot near the door waiting for to-go orders. You aren't standing there but a moment when a young man in an apron comes up and smiles, "Ah, Dr. Suiren! Are you eating in or getting it to go today?"
* Nagare salutes the youngster. "Good evening, lad. We're eating in. Do you have a table for three? We're half-expecting a third, so if you could spare the extra chair, I'd be delighted."
> The server, who Nagare vaguely places as the son of the owner, nods, "Of course. Right over here please sir." He takes you to a table and swiftly sets three places, "Are you ready to order, or do you need some time? Or are you waiting for your third?"
* Nagare glances at Mykasi, placing the weight of his decision entirely on how much patience Mike's stomach has. "Your thoughts, Mykasi?"
> Alice sits in the third chair with the placemat and giggles.
<Mykasi> "Ah... I'm sure that Hikari won't mind if we just order first." Mike says with a slight nod to Nagare and a grinning clance at Alice's chair. "I'd like the beef bowl."
> The server nods, "It's our most popular recipie for a reason. And you, doctor?"
* Nagare nods. "Well then. Can you provide chicken noodles for me?"
> "Absolutely. We do have a couple of take out parties waiting, so it may take a bit more time to get your orders out then usual. My apologies if it does. I'll go put those in for you." He zips back into the kitchen!
> Alice looks after where he went, "He really seems to like what he does."
* Mykasi grins at Alice's chair again, head cocked a bit as he speaks in that low casual restaraunt voice. "Apologies if this is a weird question to ask, but what do you do for fun, Alice?"
* Nagare sits back a bit. "He's quite an enthusiastic boy. I have the feeling he'll run this place like a clock some twenty years from now, Alice."
> "Um, fun?" Alice is caught a bit off guard by the question, "I...well, I sometimes go to school! And I sometimes go to libraries and read books over people's shoulders, or go to shops that have television playing."
* Nagare nods and looks to Mykasi. "She goes to school sometimes. Other times, she goes to libraries, reads books over people's shoulder or watches TVs playing at shops. I'll have to add she seemed a bit startled by the question, which is understandable."
<Mykasi> "Heh, neat. I'll make a note to try and leave a book open. There's usually a lot of fun stuff going on at college, though, too! Maybe you could watch some of the robotics students try to make a robot work right before it explodes." Mike grins. "Shiro sucks at this, have I mentioned that? Anyways, hm... Do you ever just go into buildings and look around? I imagine you know a ton about architecture, Alice."
> "Um, well, leaving a book open doesn't help because I can't turn pages. And...I don't like colleges." She mutters and looks away.
<Nagare> "She said that leaving a book open doesn't help; she can't turn pages. And she doesn't like colleges, either," Nagare notes somberly, then glancing at Alice.
* Nagare coughs.
<Mykasi> "Oh. Sorry, Alice." Mike rubs his head. "Though I'm sure I can figure out a way to solve the former problem... set up the pages of a book as a PDF file, then just have them flip through once every two minutes or so..."
> "Um...what's a Pee Dee Eff?" Alice asks, a bit confused.
* Nagare glances to Alice. "It's a type of computer file. Although this is the part where Mykasi may turn a bit dense - don't worry, it's typical. His intentions are in the right place, though."
> "Oh." Alice frankly turns red at the mention of computers.
<Mykasi> "Oh, right." Mike rubs his head again, embarrassed. "Uh, are there any parks you like?"
> "Oh, yes!" Alice grasps onto the topic change, then suddenly looks down again, "Oh, um, no. Not anymore."
* Nagare shakes his head. "She says not anymore... although...," the teacher ponders for a minute and returns to Alice. "Hmmmm. Alice, if you say not 'anymore', there was a park you liked. Can you tell us about that park?"
> About this time, the server comes back with a tray holding two fairly large bowls of ramen. He sets the first down in front of Mike and the other for Nagare. Looking over at the 'empty' seat, he frowns, "Ah, your third still hasn't made it? We can get a to-go order ready for...her? if you'd like?" he offers.
<Mykasi> "Ah, I recall she likes beef bowls as well. If she doesn't get here I'll drop it off for her." Mike says at this.
* Nagare raises an eyebrow, then leaves a light snicker. "Sounds good."
> Mike's bowl...smells like perhaps the best beef ramen he's ever smelled in his life. And he's eaten more then his fair share of good beef ramen.
> He nods, "I'll put that in for you then. Enjoy your meal!" And he zips back to the kitchen.
> Alice raises up on her seat to look into the bowls, "It looks good! I think anyway. I wish I could smell it. Or taste it."
<Mykasi> "Thanks!" Mike says, before glancing to Alice apologetically. "Ah... Well, what about museums? Do you go to any of those?"
* Nagare takes a moment to tend to Alice before beginning to savor the dish. "It's... delightful, to say the least."
* Mykasi is, naturally, already beginning to chow down, but his eyes still linger on Alice's chair.
> Alice looks down, "Um, sometimes, but I've already been to all the museums here and they're boring now. And...um, the park I used to go to was where I met the last person who promised to be my freind but then never came to see me again so I don't like going back there anymore."
* Nagare slowly savors the ramen so he doesn't burn his tongue or lips. As he finishes a portion, his eyes land on Alice. "... I... see...". The teacher then glances at Mykasi. "I don't know if you'll listen, but she said she sometimes goes to museums, but they're all boring now, since she's been to them all. And... the park she used to go was where she met the last person who could see her before me." (more)
<Nagare> "... However, she never came back, so she doesn't like going there anymore."
<Mykasi> "... man, that's a total bummer. Hey, maybe we could track down the person?" Mike says between scarfs of food. "I mean, presuming it's been recently. It would help you get some closure, Alice."
> "I looked for her, even at her apartment, but she wasn't there anymore. It was empty." Alice's voice gets quieter and more sad the longer this topic of conversation goes on.
* Nagare frowns as he notices Alice's growing distance, and sighs heavily. "It... may be better if we don't linger much longer on this topic, Mykasi. Alice is quite sensible."
<Mykasi> "..." Mike frowns deeply. "Uh, okay? What'd she say?"
<Nagare> "She said she looked for her even at her apartment, but it was entirely empty," the teacher notes.
<Mykasi> At that, Mike's frown furrows still further. "Entirely empty? Odd... Look, I'm sorry, I'm just curious as to what her name was. It isn't right that this happened to you, Alice.." Mike places his hand next to Alice's placemat. "I'm sure it wasn't you, alright? And... you don't merit this regardless. You deserve to know what happened, why she had to leave. If she left so suddenly, there had to be something else behind it, r
<Mykasi> there had to be something else behind it, right?"
> Alice fidgets, "Um, okay. Her name is Valeriya. She's really pretty, and has blonde hair like me. But she has a really big scar on her face. I met her in the park and I looked for her at her apartmenet and at the place she worked at but I didn't see her anywhere! She promised she would play with me again and I thought she really meant it but...but...." Alice looks like she's about to start crying at this point.
* Nagare blinks and squints his eyes. The chicken noodles are probably a forgotten realm at this point. "... wait. Valeriya?"
> Alice nods, "Um...that's what she said her name was!"
<Mykasi> "...what." Mike says with a very flat tone, now -looking- at Nagare with a critical eye.
* Nagare rubs his temple. "Okay. One thing at a time. Alice said the name of the lady is Valeriya. Blonde, beautiful, but with a scar running across her face. She tried looking for her in her apartment and her workplace, but she disappeared. And she had promised to play with her too..."
> Alice looks back and forth between the two of you, "Do you know her?" her voice sounds half hopeful, half afraid.
* Nagare sits up, somberly tilting his head. "This... I haven't met her personally, but this seems to match rather precisely the person we've been looking for. Mykasi?"
<Mykasi> "..." Mike's face is twisted up for a moment, before his eyes slowly close. "...Alice... We're going to do our best to bring her back so she can play with you, alright? I'm sure - I know - she meant to keep her promise, but... something's happened to her, and she can't meet with you. We can't... find her. But we'll keep looking, alright?"
> Alice nods quietly...then the server comes by with the to-go order of beef ramen in a styrofoam container in a plastic bag. He sets it down on the table, but looks a bit distressed and ventures a question, "Ah...is everything alright here? Is there a problem with the ramen...?"
<Mykasi> "Oh. No, the ramen's fine. Just... thinking of another friend who can't be here." Mike says simply. "The ramen's excellent, in fact. Thank you."
* Nagare shakes his head. "No need for concern."
> He nods, "Alright then. I'll leave the check here, just come up to the counter to pay whenever you're finished." He sets the check down and goes back to the kitchen again.
* Nagare taps the table, looking at the floor, then at Mykasi, then finally at Alice. "Alice. Are you okay?"
> She nods, though she certainly doesn't look okay. She doesn't make eye contact and mostly just looks down and fidgets in the chair.
* Mykasi has his eyes closed as well until Nagare asks Alice the question, which is when he looks over to Alice somberly, hand back next to that placemat.
* Nagare sighs heavily and gets up, glancing to Alice. "I... think I'll have to tend to this. Mykasi... I'll talk to you tomorrow. I'll cover the bill. I'm sorry, but I think we may have touched a very sensitive matter here."
<Mykasi> "I... of course." Mike bows his head sadly, standing up from the bowl (emptied already) before leaning in a bit toward Alice's chair. "Alice, next time I'll give you a piggyback ride as apology, okay? Hold me to that." And with that he steps away and heads out, the takeout bag in hand.
> Mike steps outside, his stomache full of hot ramen in stark contrast to the freezing air.
* Nagare watches Mykasi leave, then returning his sight to Alice. "... Alice."
> "I'm sorry. I ruined your dinner..." Alice mutters as she still won't look up.
* Mykasi mutters to himself outside as he gets on his motorbike and speeds back home to work. Or get drunk. Or something.
* Nagare shakes his head. "I wouldn't apologize for something I didn't do, and you shouldn't either. You don't have to look as glum as this."
> She nods vaguely, and makes herself look up, but she doesn't seem too convinced.
* Nagare sits back down, tapping Alice's shoulder, whispering. "You know. I have absolutely no idea how to deal with this. I honestly have no idea on how to cheer you up right now. But, for some reason, you compel me to try anyway, and this is both fascinating and unsettling. I'll pay my dues right now, but I want to talk a bit to you as we go back."
<Nagare> "Is this okay with you?"
> She now looks slightly confused, but nods again.
* Nagare nods, goes to pay the ramen's bill and returns to the table, motioning for Alice to follow the teacher.
> Alice follows along!
* Nagare heads to his car and motions Alice to get into the vehicle once again. Then, he opens it, entering himself. "Okay, I think we can talk more calmly now. Listen, Alice. That's hardly the only reason you're upset now, isn't it? It's not just the dinner that you believe you ruined."
> Alice gets in the car as well, but is quiet for a bit before just spilling out all at once, "What...what if she ran away because of me!? It wouldn't be the first time someone did even after they told me they'd come play again, and if she was his freind then he'll be mad at me for her leaving because of me and then...then..." she chokes up a bit.
* Nagare bites his lips before shaking his head and eyeing Alice with stark frankness in his eyes. "Alice, as much as self-pity is easy to understand given your background, it's at least a bit presumptuous of you to think she would have disappeared because of you. If nothing else, if you -had-? Mykasi wouldn't have been anywhere near as caring as he was back there."
> "Well how would he know until he finds her? But what if he finds her and she ran away because she thought she was crazy because she could see me? It...it's happened before." her voice gets very quiet, "it's happened before alot."
* Nagare gazes at the outside from his window, watching the lights flicker by, for a moment unfocusing his sight from Alice. "This... is different. What we can gather from her disappearance is that she didn't 'run away'. Rather, it seems she has been essentially... erased from existence. As if she never was. But we can't infer much more than that. Regardless... it's a blame you can't - and shouldn't - have to carry."
> That makes Alice look up, "...erased? What...do you mean by that?"
<Nagare> "It's as if she never existed. Her registries are seemingly gone. People can't seem to remember her, even those who had regular contact with her before. For your average layman, she may as well have never been born. Yet, she -did- exist until relatively recently."
> "But...I remember her. And so do you and him?" Alice looks a bit confused here.
<Nagare> "I told you we're not quite normal. Mykasi is one of my companions in the Dreamscapes I told you about. There seems to have something about the supernatural there."
> "And I'm...well, me." She nods, and seems to relax a bit, "Um...that's awful that could happen but I'm glad it means she wasn't doing it on purpose."
<Nagare> "I don't think you'd have to worry about that, either. I'll have to admit that this was a bit awkward, but... I just felt that at least being acknowledged beyond the rare people who can even see you could help you a bit. Now, I'm not sure where do I begin to apologize."
> "No, it's okay!" Alice insists, "It was nice to talk to someone else, even just a little bit. And it was also nice to find out that she didn't abandon me on purpose. I wish I could help find her, but I can't even imagine where to start looking for someone who was...erased."
* Nagare shakes his head. "Neither do we, actually. We just keep looking for clues anywhere. But... well, Mykasi seems to have been hit by her disappearance particularly hard. As if her safety was a personal concern of his. Regardless, I think this gives a bit of a perspective on just how damned screwed up my life is at points. But I'm pretty sure you understood that."
> Alice nods, "Uh-huh."
* Nagare pulls up the car right in front of his apartment building, leaving the car. "I guess that's... more or less it for today. Will you be okay, Alice?"
> She nods again, "Uh-huh. I'll be okay."
> "Um...bye." She simply vanishes, without even touching the door of the car.
* Nagare taps the car's door lightly, biting his lips tensely. Then, he silently returns to his home, trying to sort through the thoughts in the back of his mind.
> After she dissapears, the shade of the world turns grey...not that the dark december evening wasn't already largely that color, and the spinning card returns, with the guillotine of playing cards on the back and the blurry image of some kind of person on the front.
<Nagare> "... wait."
> The voice, now so very familiar, echoes through the small car, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Death Arcana"
> And then as soon as it came, the voice and card vanish, and what little color was there bleeds back into the world.
* Nagare blinks. "I almost forgot about -that- detail. Sigh."
* Nagare then finally goes inside home, closing a rather long night.
> -----------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Mykasi: Magician 3

> -------------------------------------------------------
> Tuesday evening, Mike has finished eating with Nagare and Alice, and has found out something he...well, needed to know but hearing it wasn't exactly easy. Thankfully traffic was light so getting back even in his mood wasn't hard, and upon getting back to the dorm room he finds...his roommate actually there?(more)
> Kyo is set up at the tiny excuse for a desk with his laptop, 5 textbooks and what seems to be a twenty-four case of canned espresso drinks sitting next to him. As you enter, he looks up for a second, "Yo." then goes back to staring at one particular page of text in his english book.
* Mykasi bites his lip, attempting not to grin at this (not hard with the thoughts racing through his head). "I see you're prepared to be up all night."
> He nods, "Yeah. I've heard horror stories about the final for this english course, so I'm gonna cram hardcore. How 'bout you? Cracking down, or not sweating it?"
<Mykasi> "Horror stories? Haven't heard a good one of those in a long while." Mike chuckles, stretching a bit. "I'm probably studying a bit before each final, but I've done pretty well thus far and understand the material - well, except some of the Japanese stuff but the honorific crap always goes over my head."
> Kyo nods again, "Yeah, 'snormally how I do it. But this is THE main class for my major, and we're getting two exams in it. Verbal and written. The written is supposed to be brutal from all reports too, and better yet, Dr. Dakkan doesn't believe in grading on curves ever."
> "So," he cracks open his first of the espresso drinks, "here I am."
* Mykasi raises one eyebrow, before plopping down. "Okay, I got a better idea. Practice with me. Alternately ask me for help, but... either way, I ain't doing anything constructive tonight."
> Kyo considers, then passes you the book he'd been reading out of and starts speaking in English, which he's not too bad at all things considered, "Alright. The words, um, passage I think, in yellow highlight? Read that for me?"
* Mykasi takes the book, scans it, then blinks. "Wait, you're reading... shit, this is pretty hardcore. Okay, give me a minute."
<Mykasi> "If it is all that time, one hundred and fifty seven coins spun... consecutively have come down heads - " "One hundred and fifty seven consecutive times, and all you can do is play with your food."
* Mykasi shakes his head and leafs through the book. "Seriously? 'Rosencratz and Guildenstern Are Dead'? Please tell me he doesn't intend to have you write an essay on this in English, too. It gives migraines to college students back in America..."
> That gets a laugh out of him, "Yeah, our TA has said some native speakers wouldn't pass his class." Then as you read it, he listens and tries to mimic your pronunciation, "Con-sec-u-tive-ry. LY. Con-sec-u-tive-LY. Arl..ALL." then back in Japanese, "dammit I WILL learn how to say that letter right."
> Then he nods again, "And yeah, that's what the essay's on too. He pulls no punches."
<Mykasi> "Hah. For L, use the tip of your tongue; R, use the middle. Don't try using all the tongue to make either sound, it gets more complicated that way." Mike comments before shaking his head. "Okay. I can't directly help on the essay - literature isn't my suit - but if I remember Bill's bitching right, it's a Dadaist play - which means that the meaning (more)"
<Mykasi> "is incredibly wide open as to how much of the play -actually- happens. In other words, it's subject to interpretation."
> He stares blankly at you for a moment, "Um...what?"
> "I don't...what?" he stares at the book, then back at you, then back at the book, "so wait, he's going to be testing us on something that's open to interperetation. That's...ugh."
<Mykasi> "Oh right, sorry. Let me see if I can't put that in Japanese..." Mike thinks before swapping over. "The play is focused on Rosencratz and Guildenstern, who die... fuck, this was eleventh grade for me. I think offscreen? It's called a Dadaist play, because the events seem pointless due to that."
<Mykasi> "Oh. Yeaaaah." Mike shakes his head. "In that, he sounds -exactly- like the teachers back home. There's a reason I'm no English major."
> Kyo shakes his head, "Yeesh. Yeah, the verbal part I'm not too worried about. I just need to get some pronunciations down and prove I can speak it. I'm better at that then the written part. Especially when I'm not sure what the hell the written part is even going to be asking for. I know it's on this play, but that's it so far."
* Mykasi flips through the pages a bit more. "Uh... guh, I still can't believe it's on this. Let's see... Oh, right. This jogs my memory a bit. Rosencratz and Guildenstern are indistinguishable to reflect their status in the original play - they didn't have identities outside of that." Mike pauses and eyes the text. "Kinda like... Shadows of people?"
> "Shadows of people? Like they're there but not there at the same time? Or something?" He shakes his head, and pulls out another can which he hands to you.
<Mykasi> "...oh, uh, yeah, kinda." Mike shakes his head and accepts the can. "They're facsimiles. Uh... fuck, gimme a sec." Looking over at his own laptop Mike pulls up Google and searches for good crib notes...
> "Man, I didn't get into this to study this bizzare shit. I got into this for communications, and I can get needing to learn the history to get that, but this?" he shrugs.
<Mykasi> "Yeah, it's kinda lame. There's a distinct difference between people interested in communications and interested in literature - one would think colleges would tailor their classes to this." Mike shakes his head.
<Mykasi> "Hm. Oh, some theories go that it's them dead and in Hamlet's head this all happens..." Mike muses, glancing at the laptop. "Bah. Don't know what else to tell you."
> "I talked to Dr. Dakkan about that, and man he was insistant that you have to be exposed to stuff like this to get the culture. I'm not sure WHY but he's the proffessor so end of the day it doesn't matter if I agree or not."
<Mykasi> roll 2d8 COMP CHECKU
* Hatbot --> "Mykasi rolls 2d8 COMP CHECKU and gets 10."12 [2d8=6, 4]
<Mykasi> "... Not really. Dadaism died out a while back and the only end result is Americans hate thinking a little bit more." Mike glibly replies. "Oh- right. One of the main themes is that existence is meaningless outside of what we assign to it."
> "Huh." Kyo leans back in his chair and thinks, "You know, he's always saying stuff like 'you will get out of this class only as much as you put in' and other stuff like that. Maybe he just likes those kind of themes."
<Mykasi> "Probably. Write to his biases there and you'll probably do well." Mike grins, drinking from the can without really noticing the taste.
> "Play the opponent, not the game." He nods, looking a bit more focused then he was before, "Yeah, that's something I can do. Figure out why he likes this story so much, probably that stuff right there, and write to that. Should be something I can work in no matter what the actual topic is."
<Mykasi> "Right." Mike nods agreeably. "I mean... yes, it's important that you learn, sure. But to paraphrase him, if you learned what you needed to, the tests are pointless - you got what you put in. That's just busywork."
> Then Kyo laughs, "And hey, if I can bullshit in english well enough, it still shows my proficiency in the language. Which is what this class is SUPPOSED to be about."
<Mykasi> "There's that, too, yes!" Mike laughs as well.
> "Now it's just the spelling I have to worry about." he eyes the book wearily again, "since the essay is one-hundred percent in english of course. I think I hate the spelling rules for your language as much as you hate the honorific rules in mine."
<Mykasi> "Possibly, yeah. If not more." Mike ruefully grins. "Since English is a bastardization of multiple other languages, a lot of the spellings correspond to their native languages. Any words in particular you need major help on?:
> He picks up another book on his desk. A college edition Mirriam-Webster dictionary. "That's what I bought this thing for. There's a bookstore that specializes in imports over by Kanazawa U, I hit it up every now and again and saw this on a shelf last time."
> "Sometimes I think I should have just gone to Kanazawa U instead."
<Mykasi> "Niiiiice." Mike grins. "Just make sure you check for silent starting letters - like knight/night - and you'll be good to go."
<Mykasi> After a moment, Mike tilts his head. "Any reason in particular, there?"
> "Better english program," he answers matter of factly.
> "But," he adds on, "Hokuriku does some study abroad programs, which Kanazawa U does not. You'd know all about those, though, right?"
<Mykasi> "Ah." Mike says. "That's true, yeah. And no chance at taking a few classes over there?"
> "I could, but both schools make you jump through flaming hoops to do it. They're kinda competetive, which is a pain in the ass sometimes but what can you do."
<Mykasi> "Guh. That's frustrating." Mike shakes his head wearily. "America doesn't care so much, there. ...Hm, that's an idea. I know some universities in the US offer online courses. Try signing up for one of the English as a Foreign Language ones online? UC Berkeley doesn't even require you to register, as I recall."
> "Hmm," Kyo considers, "talk to me again in January about that? Don't want to get destracted before finals with it, but it doesn't sound like a bad idea there."
<Mykasi> "Gotcha." Mike nods. "Should help if you're willing to push yourself. Online classes can be a pain for the unmotivated... but then again I suspect neither of us have that precise issue..."
> That gets a laugh out of him, "Yeah, I don't really dabble in stuff. I either just do it, or don't bother at all. Halfassing isn't my style."
<Mykasi> "I dabble, I guess? But I tend to go in the directions I'm interested in and learn what I need to." Mike says. "More just I get straight to what I need and work from there."
> "Pick up what you need and move on?" he nods, "yeah, I can see that." Then he picks the books back up and sets them back on his desk, "Alright, that helped alot. Not what I was intending to do, but I've got a plan now. Just need to read the play a couple times to get it, and keep the dictionary handy just in case, but I shouldn't need help for that." he pauses, then adds, "except for some pronunciations here and there."
> "How about you then, need any help with your japanese final prep?"
<Mykasi> "Ah... sure, that couldn't hurt." Mike nods. "Get ready to laugh, though." Then shaking his head, he switches to Japanese honorifics, "Would you most graciously aid me in the comprehension of the differences between honorific and plain structure?"
> Kyo winces slightly, "Right. Okay, to be clear here you got that mostly right I'm just wincing at it being said in your accent. Your voice and honorific structure just does not work for some reason."
* Mykasi snerks. "There's a bloody reason I don't try honorifics often!"
> "Alright, just go over the phrases you're supposed to have and I'll correct where you're wrong. I'm actually good at this stuff since my dad was police, he was pretty insistant on formality sometimes, especially when we were around any co-workers."
<Mykasi> "Right." Mike nods, before listing out the phrases, attempting to get the voice to be a bit less... painful? Something like that.
> Kyo corrects where nessesary. The problem seems to be more Mike having difficulty pronouncing them right then remembering what goes where, except for a few odd instances.
<Mykasi> "... Alright. That... I think that all makes sense. Though I still question some of that shit." Mike shakes his head after they finish. "Irregularities in languages, they buuuuurn."
> "Yeah, my brother thought I was insane for majoring in one. I think the phrase was 'do something easier, like Law or Medicine.'"
<Mykasi> "Hah. We'll need translators forever, though - AI aren't learning languages anytime soon. Sentience is easier, for crying out loud." Mike shakes his head.
> "Man, are you actually learning about AIs?" Kyo shakes his head, "Just try not to be the one who invents the inevitable robot overlords, alright? I don't want to be the one who has to say 'yeah, I roomed with the guy who accidentally took over the world.'"
<Mykasi> "There's only one real mistake in that statement there." Mike notes.
> "Lemme guess," Kyo smirks, "the 'accidentally' part?"
<Mykasi> "Bingo." Mike crosses his arms with a grin. "I make those dudes, you better bet it's intentional. Which reminds me, wanna be ambassador to England or Australia? I wouldn't recommend the US."
> "I'll pass, I'm allergic to responsibility for anything beyond my own well being."
<Mykasi> "Fair 'nuff." Mike grins. "Though I'm not sure I'd want to rule the world, either. Get someone who -can- and is -capable-... that's more tempting."
> "See, the way I figure it," Kyo notes, "is that anyone who could successfuly run the whole world, would have to understand how much of a shitty job it would be and wouldn't want to."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, pretty much." Mike ruefully smiles. "Everyone complaining that their breakfast is too warm, or the air in Kyoto is too clear or too rainy or too smoggy... Human nature's a bitch, sometimes."
> Kyo nods and looks back at the desk, "Eeeeh, I'll study for math later. Never had any trouble with numbers, doubt I'll magically develop some just in time for finals. Should study a bit anyway, but that one's basically in the bag as far as I'm concerned.
* Mykasi nods a bit. "I'll leave you to that, then. I've got to try and figure out this program."
> Kyo gives you a funny look for a moment, then shrugs, "You're on your own there, I couldn't program my way out of Pac-Man." He stands up and stretches a bit, "I'm gonna get something to eat so the coffee doesn't get bored and chew it's way through my stomach. Thanks for the help, man."
<Mykasi> "No prob, dude. Thanks for the Japanese guidan- I mean, I thank you very deeply from the bowels of my stomach for the assistance rendered on my quandaries almost too petty to mention to you." Mike grins.
> That makes him wince again,
> "Okay, you did that on purpose."
<Mykasi> "Yup."
> Shaking his head, he chuckles as he heads out. And as soon as he leaves, the color fades from the world and all motion seems to stop.
> A light spirals out from Kyo's books, transforming into the spinning card. The hard eyed young magician on the back with the front still...being too hard to see even a solid outline for yet. The voice, that damned voice, comes 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"
> The card dissapears, the color and motion snap back into place in the room.
* Mykasi sighs and shakes his head. "I'll never get used to that stupid thing."
<Mykasi> "And who the hell voice acts for fucking -stillframes in space-time?!-"
<Mykasi> With that, Mike turns to his program and begins working, muttering under his breath.
> ---------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Nagare: Empress 1

> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Sunday evening, after returning from Yomi and the realm of Okuninushi. Thanks to the medicines supplied by the god, Nagare has recovered from the state that the land of the dead put him into...at least physically. As it always seems to be at his apartment, it's a quiet night, the place feeling quite empty.
* Nagare fiddles with his cellphone unsettlingly. After the bizarre experience in Yomi, his already existing urge to actually contact Kasumi felt far stronger than usual. He eyed the number in his mobile's screen, fiddling with buttons without actually pressing them. And the seasonal call hadn't -happened- yet.
> The clock on the wall ticks rythmicly. The only sound in the apartment aside from what Nagare himself makes.
* Nagare sighs. The "call" button was a quick movement away, but he just felt uneasy. Although that was a bit pointless to ponder about once he actually -had- pressed the button. He started hearing the ringing tone, a knot began to slowly tie his stomach into two neat halves.
> The line rings. Once.
> Twice.
* Nagare begins regretting the movement. However, he also didn't have the heart to turn off the call. The teacher waited.
> Three tim...the ringing stops. "Dr. Ryouzaka's residence. Hello?"
> That's her voice.
* Nagare stays silent for a moment. The teacher sighs, and says as blankly as he could possibly say, trying to not betray his own confusion. "This is Nagare Suiren."
> "..." The silence echoes for a moment.
> "N-nagare?" Kasumi practically whispers the name.
* Nagare pointlessly nods. "Yes. I didn't actually think I'd hear your voice again until about just a couple months ago. This..." The teacher bites his lips. "This... is quite awkward, I have to admit."
> Kasumi half laughs, an old nervous habit of hers, "Ah...yes. It is. How..." there is another moment of silence before she finishes the question, "are you?"
* Nagare sighs with a half-smile, recognizing Kasumi's ticks one by one. "I'm standing on two legs, which is about as good as I can ask." Then, he actually has to stop for a few seconds to follow through. ".... and you? How have you stood up for the last few years?"
> "I'm...doing well. My practice...is helping." You can almost see that very feint quarter-smile she gets sometimes. "It's hard sometimes, but any work that's worth it always is."
* Nagare nods half-heartedly, just like he would upon seeing that smile. "This is good to know. Are you in good spirits, at least? Are things going okay outside work?" And there, he fell into one of those old habits with her - walking circles to reach a point.
> Kasumi laughs again, "I don't really have much outside work right now, to be honest. It's a very hard season, and the clinic is keeping me quite busy. But I'm making a difference here, so there isn't much more I could ask."
> She as well fell quickly into the old pattern. Simple chit-chat, about safe topics. Like work. That was always safe.
* Nagare coughs. "I understand. Not even a love life or somesuch? I'd... honestly be hard-pressed to think you wouldn't have managed at least a small date at a coffee shop." And here, he cracked a pattern open. Nagare wasn't talking to her for a safe net or chit-chat. At this point, he firmly believed there was a barrier to break, a wrong to right. And that drive was what he wanted to see from Kasumi as well.
> Kasumi was quiet for a long moment.
> "That...is not something I would have ever expected you to ask about." Her voice sounds odd, like it's surprised and...hopeful all at once.
> "I am, actually. His name is Hyoma, he's a gardener. And...I've been seeing him for almost a year now, to be honest."
* Nagare nods quietly. The news struck almost eerily blankly into Nagare's heart... which honestly seems to fit rather well with his assessment of how he felt about Kasumi. "This is good to hear. How do you get along?" Once again, a circle. But he was getting closer.
> "Rather well. He's quite passionate about his plants, and I'm afraid unless it's vegitables to go on the table I don't share it entirely. So sometimes I find myself just smiling and nodding along. But really, when that's the worst I have to complain about I'd say it's going rather well."
> She's quiet for a bit, then sighs slightly, "I...don't even have to ask, do I?"
* Nagare nods. "About me? I've been alone since I got back to my feet. I'm fine with that, honestly. But... Kasumi, this isn't why I called. This isn't about our love life, or our life together. It's... different. Certainly, your seasonal calls weren't for simple pleasantries... or were they?" His tone was inquisitive, unsettling. Like he rarely ever was with her.
> "No." She says simply, her tone settling into quiet and serious, "I...to be honest, I just needed to know how you were. I needed to know if you were alright. If perhaps you'd...gotten better."
> "It sounds like you have, though. You aren't sounding like the Nagare I knew. Like any of the Nagares I ever knew. Which I'm hoping is a good thing."
* Nagare bobs his head lightly. "I suppose. Much has happened. But... you needn't concern about me at this point. I just wanted to hear if you were okay. And..." Nagare sighs deeply. "If I could talk to you again."
* Ranmilia is now known as Ransleep
> "Remember who you're asking not to be concerned." Kasumi says with one of her rare genuine chuckles, "But I understand. I'm doing well. And I'm glad to hear that you're taking care of yourself. And..." she pauses a bit, "well, we were freinds first, weren't we?"
> "I wasn't exagerating when I said I didn't have much time outside of work right now, but I'm sure your own isn't any less demanding. But...if you still want to talk, then we can always just play phone tag until we both have the free time."
* Nagare nods. "Indeed. This should be fine. Gives us both time to mull over some things. And to kick off old habits. Speaking of which, 'phone tag'?" He finishes with a light chuckle.
> "Ah," she laughs again, "one of Hyoma's phrases. For when busy people just call back and forth until they stop getting eachother's voicemail."
<Nagare> "Sounds like usual, then. But it's all good. But... it's getting a bit late, and I'm sure both of us will need to be up early tomorrow. I won't take over two years to call you back, I promise."
> "I believe you. Well...good night then."
* Nagare pauses for a moment. "... good night. Also, Kasumi. Just one more thing."
> "Hmm?"
* Nagare sighs heavily. "... I... no. Nevermind. I'll be able to talk about this better later. But... thank you for not hanging up the phone. Good night. Hopefully, we'll talk again in less than a year."
> "I'll call to wish you a merry Christmas if you don't call back by then at the very least." She says calmly, simply letting what you may or may not have almost said there go.
* Nagare snickers. "Otherwise, I'd entirely forget Christmas itself. Thank you, Kasumi, once again. I hope we talk again soon. Good night... and don't worry so much, okay? Until later... and good luck." He then finishes, and slowly closes the phone. He knew he might extend himself indefinitely if he didn't hang up at that point.
> As Nagare closes the phone...the color drains from the room.
> The sound of the clock stops, and his apartment is bathed in that by now familiar silent shade of grey.
> A light...soft, gentle golden-white in hue rises from the phone in Nagare's hand, and transforms into a spinning card.
> As always, the front of the card is obscured. But the back...depicts a regal and motherly woman upon a throne, leaning down to offer her hand and her smile to the masses gathered about her feet.
> Then the voice speaks, right on cue. From everywhere and nowhere all at once, 8"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Empress Arcana"
> The voice ceases. The card vanishes. And the color returns to the apartment.
* Nagare blinks. "Wait, you can have those via -phone calls-? This is just bizarre." Then, he sighs. "This... was actually far less unsettling than I thought. Maybe this will be fine."
* Nagare then shakes his head with a faint smile in his face, heading to his bedroom. Monday would be a busy day and he still needed rest from the misadventures in Yomi.
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Mykasi: Hermit 1

-----------------------------------------------------------
> Sunday evening, after having spent the night in the realm of the god Okuninushi to recover from the ordeal in Yomi. Mykasi finds himself without his teammates, as the three split up to do other things. And Hikari took the key with her.
* Mykasi considers this quietly for a moment, sitting in a cafe and sipping at his (horrendously bad) coffee for a bit, before dialing Dami's number on his cell phone. Something to do, at least.
> After about three rings, Dami picks up, "Ah, hello?
<Mykasi> "Hey, Dami." Mike says. "Outta curiousity, do you want to try and get more work done on that connection? I don't have the key, but we can try adjusting things on this end to see if we can fine-tune the process at all."
> "...oh, Mykasi." It actually sounded like he didn't recognize your voice for a moment. "Ah...yes, that would be quite helpful. I can go to the access area to adjust things there as nessesary while you moniter changes on the transition point."
<Mykasi> "Alright." Mike replies, apparently not phased by the lack of recognition at first. "I'll be there... thirty minutes or so, if that's okay?"
<Mykasi> OOC: Strike
<Mykasi> "Alright." Mike replies, apparently not phased by the lack of recognition at first. "I'll be there in... thirty minutes or so, if that's okay?"
> "Ah...I'm not actually at home right now, so give me an hour please."
<Mykasi> "Oh, sure. Sorry." Mike nods apologetically. "In an hour, then?"
> "Yes. Ah, I'll see you then."
<Mykasi> "Alright." Mike says, before hanging up and eyeing his coffee with a disgust normally exhibited only when glaring at Nagare.
<Mykasi> Mike then pulls out his laptop and works a bit more on the search program before heading over to Dami's.
> You take your bike over to Dami's place, having the road practically to yourself. Having checked the weather while on the laptop, Mike noticed that is has in fact gotten colder, so it isn't just that it feels worse after having come back from Okuninushi's realm and Yomi(which oddly wasn't cold at all).
> You remember which door is his in the apartment building fairly easily.,
<Mykasi> Mike knocks, shivering as he waits, bundled up. It seems that traffic is getting to be less and less nowadays, too... is it just because no one wants to go out in this, or...?
> The door opens fairly quickly, and you can feel the heat from inside the building. Dami waves you in quickly, "Well timed, I think I've been back only three minutes."
<Mykasi> "Oh, sorry I didn't give you time to settle in." Mike shuffles in quickly. "Barely any traffic, as usual nowadays. Wonder if that's just weather related, or if it has another cause...?"
> Dami shuts the door behind you, "Between the weather and the madness, it's not surprising people don't want to leave the comfort of thier homes unless nessesary."
<Mykasi> "True..." Mike says, shaking his head a bit. "Alright, let's get cracking?"
> Dami nods, "Ah, yes. Well, there are a couple of issues that I need to work on, but neither is really my area of expertise." he heads back into his bedroom as he speaks, "the first is the connection speed, of course. It's rather bad, but I don't really know how to get it going any faster. The other is communications. I can...sometimes get instant messaging working. But that's all thus far."
> Heading over to the computer desk in his room, he shows you the mirror on the floor where the cords are coming through, "Here's the transition point. I...would ask that you let me know before you touch the cords at all, if you need to do that."
* Mykasi nods. "Alright. The first is likely to, if modifiable at all, to be modifiable by tweaking connections - both physical and software. The second sounds kinda like a router/firewall issue. And yeah, definitely."
> "I'll grant that computers, especially hardware, is not my forte." Dami notes, "Combined with the, ah, dimensional science nature of the project at hand and I'm rather surprised I've gotten as far as I have. As for the connections..."
> He shrugs, "I'm not sure what to do there at this point, as I said. Though it being a physical or software connection issue...could be fixable? If I'm not using the right kind of cord, or need programs upgraded...as I said, this isn't my forte."
> "If the problem lies in, ah, cross dimensional lag, for lack of a better term, then I really have no idea how to fiz that." He adds that last with the barest hint of a chuckle.
<Mykasi> "Electronics and computers are finicky. Don't worry too much - I've been working on a program for what, two, three months, and it's still not operating as I want it to." Mike says. "I'll look over stuff as we're testing and see what I can spot."
> He nods, "Well, I suppose connection speed is somthing that can be tweaked while working on the other project. Ideally what I want to accomplish is making verbal communication possible between the dimensions. Ah...I wrote down an idea on how to do that...let me find it, and see if you spot any glaring faults?
> "
<Mykasi> "Sure thing." Mike nods.
* Mykasi glances at the wires without touching as Dami looks, trying to figure out what he's using.
> He begins rooting through the drawers in his desk until he grabs a paper, "Ah, here we are. Internet phone, that's it. Setting up the remote units to make an internet call, via a program like skype or something similar, back to the computers here, one in the dream the other here. And having those computers talk to eachother and effectively transfer the call along."
<Mykasi> "Mmm." Mike muses. "Theory's sound, but Skype won't quiiite do it? Unless you set up two accounts, since you can't have two phone calls out at once on that. Best bet is something homebrew for the Dream - or, no, use Google Wave, have Google Wave call Skype, have Skype call out. There'll be lag but nothing unmanageable."
> "Ah." Dami nods, "I have not used those programs at all, so I was not aware of that limitation. And going between the two programs causes lag? I wonder how much more going through the mirror will cause on top of that."
<Mykasi> "Well, Skype itself has a bit of lag - the program's doing another redirect. Skype to Google Wave will add a bit more, if we try to custom it it'll be ten times worse really since efficiency will be difficult to get." Mike replies. "My dad and I use the two programs to talk - he's a Skype holdout - so yeah, can testify we'll have some lag. Our focus should then be, once we know it works, to fine-tune the connection."
> Dami nods, "The other question would be, can you install those programs on a normal phone? Or will we need to set up custom remote units just for this?"
<Mykasi> "See, what we'd need to do is be able to dial the Skype numbers from the Dream. Which, yes, means we need to broadcast somehow, thinking on it." Mike pauses. "So this will require a bit of custom firmware to get the phones to send out on a frequency we set an antenna to or something similar. Damned overreliance on satellites...."
<Mykasi> "...hm." Mike says after a pause. "Actually, that's an idea. Figure out what the damned Binary District uses for non-wired communications, propogate that to wherever this is in the Dream."
> "Hmm..." Dami sits down on the edge of the bed and thinks, "that...is a possibility. Ah, I'm afraid I have little knoweldge of the Binary District however. I'm aware that there is a large block of streets by that name which is stable, but that's all."
<Mykasi> "We've visited it in our info searching. Hikari's got a familiarity with it now, so we might be able to wheedle out more information." Mike says. "Worth a look into later. They're effectively the dataland of the Dream." With that, Mike hums. "It shouldn't be hard to get a low-power antenna working, we'd just need to go buy the materials, it's all pretty easy homebrew." (more)
<Mykasi> "Stuff like that's how my dad got me into electronics, though I've got a better idea on the software end nowadays. Anyway, let's tune up the connection first?"
> Dami nods, "Very well. Ah, give me just a moment." He moves back to the desk and pokes the comp out of sleep mode and keys his password in, "I suppose you should go ahead and install Google Wave on this machine. And...is it possible to put Skype on a flashdrive so I could install it on the computer on the other end from that? Downloading things directly from there is...problematic, to say the least."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, sure." Mike nods, pulling out a flash drive. "Yours or mine? Regardless, I'll prep that first before downloading and installing Google Voice."
> Dami digs one out of a drawer and sets it on the desk, "If this isn't large enough, use yours I suppose. It's four gigabytes?"
<Mykasi> "We could download a thousand Skypes onto that." Mike grins, sticking Dami's thumb drive into the computer and tossing Skype on it.
> The connection from this side is good at least!
<Mykasi> And so Mike ejects the flash drive when done and hands it over! "Okay, I'll get Google Wave going on this."
> Dami takes the drive and nods, "I'll move over and IM this machine from there, assuming it's working today. If I don't get a response after awhile...I suppose I'll come back over and see what to do from there."
<Mykasi> "Alright." Mike nods, checking connection info while the download's going. "I'll see what I can spot from here."
> Dami walks over to the mirror on the wall, touches it...and vanishes.
<Mykasi> And Mike gets to work on trying to fine tune!
> Connection info from this side seems pretty stable. Except for one, a physical line running from this machine to one called Raven2. That line, despite being a LAN connection, is flickering between brief flashes of good...and large amounts of nearly none.
> OOC: Roll computers if you want, diff is pretty harsh here as DIMENSIONAL PHYSICS are involved and all.
<Mykasi> Hm. That's interesting. Mike checks the Persona users forum to see if there's any previous attempts at doing something similar as he gets to work trying to streamline here.
<Mykasi> roll 2d8 IN-DIG-NAY-SHUN
* Hatbot --> "Mykasi rolls 2d8 IN-DIG-NAY-SHUN and gets 6."12 [2d8=3, 3]
> Mike checks the rabbit hole! Nothing he can find on it in there at all, but the whole Dream vs Physical World bit is unique to your Incident, so that's not too surprising.
> While checking the connections and trying to muck with it, Mike does notice some basic software bugs and innefficiencies that Dami has going on. Pretty basic stuff, but nothing someone who wasn't a computer nerd would ever likely catch. It would take some time, but you think you could at least fix those problems.
<Mykasi> Right. After making a list of them for future reference, Mike begins fixing them as he waits for a message.
> It takes some time, but eventually an AIM pops up from the uncreatively named account Raven2: "Testing."
<Mykasi> "Message received." Mike replies, after a moment following with "Ironing out some connection issues."
> After some time, while Mike spends it futzing with the issues he spotted, the IM beeps again. "Skype installed." And then a minute later with the number.
* Mykasi generates an account/number for Google Voice at this and almost uses it to try and call the Skype number... before realizing there's no headset out on this end. Instead, he simply sends an instant message to the Skype number with Google Voice, giving that number to Dami.
> The mirror ripples and Dami steps back out of it, "It, ah, just now occured to me that I am not in possession of all of the hardware nessesary for this test." He looks a touch embarrased.
<Mykasi> "Heh. Don't worry about it. If Skype and Google Voice can IM each other, there shouldn't be any major barriers outside of the magical for them to converse with each other." Mike says.
> "The...magical, would be the concern, yes." Dami sighs, "I don't suppose Hokkuriku offers courses in Dream Science?"
<Mykasi> "Not as far as I know, sadly. We'll have to figure this out mainly from the Dream end." Mike shakes his head. "I suspect part of it might be that the connection's best when the Dream's more in synch with here. This being said I don't know precisely how to account for this... I'll try to figure out a test."
<Mykasi> "...logically, have this computer stream a set of known data to the other computer, see what patterns if any crop up in differences..."
> Dami nods, "That sounds reasonable. Ah, how are you going with the fixes you mentioned, by the way?"
<Mykasi> "Oh, uh, here. Lemme show you." Mike says, handing over the list. "There were a bunch of minor things I caught - things no one thinks to check or knows how because Microsoft hides them insanely well - like this connection relay thing here..."
> Dami looks over it, and you spend some time explaining things to him while continuing to work on the issues. He has a veeeeery basic grasp of computers, but learns quickly and asks for quite a few clarifications. Before you know it, you've been there a couple of hours.
* Mykasi nods after a bit, putting the sheet next to the computer. "Feel free to try and tweak some of these if you want. It's been... a long weekend, and I've got to go get my own work done before tomorrow rolls around."
> "Ah, yes, you have finals to prepare for don't you?" Dami shakes his head, "I must say, I'm thankful this didn't happen while I was still in school. Keeping up would have been something of a problem."
<Mykasi> "Yeah. Not... worried worried? But still need to study for them." Mike nods. "Tests, at least, I do good at - it's projects that get me."
> "Yes, most of the time tests were simply a matter of memorization, which is easy. But...limited in it's worth, compared with the difficult task of innovating. Which a good project should be trying to do at least in some small way."
<Mykasi> "Yeah. ...doesn't help that if I get into a project, I try to do it as well as possible, including features not originally requested for. Part of why the program for the Professor's taken so long."
> "The other part being...well, the mess, of course."
<Mykasi> "Yeah." Mike shakes his head. "... kinda hard to believe, still, you know? But, yeah, I should get going." Mike sticks his hand out to Dami. "Talk to you later, alright? We'll get this working when we can."
> Dami nods and shakes your hand, "Certainly."
> And suddenly. The room goes grey.
> Dami, however, seems to retain his color. Much as Hikari did while you were at the restaraunt with Neimi, Mika and Mistia. He looks around, letting go of your hand. "What...?"
<Mykasi> "... God. Damn. It."
<Mykasi> "Cutscene power, ignore it and pretend it goes away."
> Then a color appears inside of him. As one does with you. The ball of light coming from Dami is grey...oddly reminicent of the greyscale of Yomi in-fact. While the one from Mike...can't make up it's mind on what color it is at all. It's practically prismatic.
> "Cutscene power?" Dami sounds confused.
<Mykasi> "You'll see." Mike is disgruntled but resigned, though Dami's color is... interesting.
> The lights float out of your bodies...and become spinning cards, just as you expected. The back of Dami's card has an interesting picture of an abstracted cityscape...and it takes you a moment to realize that some of the patterns between buildings make an old looking face. The front is blurred and impossible to make out at all.
> But Mike can clearly see his own card. The back...is exactly what he drew for his FOOL card in the class over at Dreamweavers. While on the front, clear as day, is Anansi. Back in the classic tophat and monocle.
<Mykasi> "Lemme guess, the front of your card is Raven?" Mike asks with slight amusement.
> And of course, right on cue, comes the voice. From everywhere and nowhere all at once. 3"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Hermit Arcana." 13"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Fool Arcana."
> Dami nods, "Indeed. And as that implies you cannot see mine just as I cannot see yours, I would surmise that your card holds Anansi?"
> Then he starts a bit at the voices.
> But they leave...as do the cards. And the color returns to the world.
<Mykasi> "Yep." Mike says. "...That reminds me. I've done some asking into Social Links, and I do have one request for you."
> "Social Links? Is...that was that was?"
<Mykasi> "Yeah." Mike nods. "And... I don't care if you try to avoid getting one with Toshio. I wouldn't blame you. But do continue to keep in touch with him. One thing I have figured out is that keeping a good contact with someone... makes you safer from being neverwas'd. It'd help protect both you and Toshio. ...Consider it. I know you've got a lot on your plate as well."
> Dami is quiet...and nods slightly after a moment, "I will keep that in mind."
<Mykasi> "Alright. Anyway, take care, alright?" Mike says with a wave, heading for the door.
> "Ah, yes. You as well."
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Hikari: Fortune 6
Mykasi: Lovers 2

----------------------------------------------------------------------
> (OOC: Whistling along to the hollow tune of...Scene Change love~)
> Friday evening, Mike, Hikari, Mika, Mystia and Neimi all snag one of the tables in the library. The last week before finals is over, and this is thier last real chance to groupthink before the big tests. All around you, you can see various other groups doing much the same.
> After hearing about it, and considering that he shares many classes with Mike and Neimi, Shiro had invited himself along as well...or at least he had planned to, but had to cancel after getting a phone call telling him he had to go back home for the weekend again.
<Mykasi> Which is too bad. Shiro and Mika would probably get along like a house on fire, considering what Shiro did to Mika. Anyways, Mike quickly opens his books. "Alright. Language first, Robotics later."
> Neimi plops down in her seat and sets her bag down and pulls out her language book, "Sounds like an idea, since it's the only class all five of us are taking. Even if we have it different periods."
<Hikari> "As I have no knowledge of or interest in robots, I approve of this plan."
> Mika nods along with Hikari, "Yeah. Robots...are over my head."
* Mykasi gives a very odd look to Hikari, but nods to Mika. "Yeah, I can understand that."
> Mystia laughs, quietly of course, "I think they're over everyone's. Even the people that study them."
> Neimi gives her a look, "Hey!"
* Mykasi chuckles. "To be fair, Neimi, she... pretty much has it right, no? I mean, even the professors get mixed up."
> Neimi shakes her head, "Yeah, because it's a new field. We're practically pioneering it here, not just learning the same things passed down from generation ad infinitum."
* Mykasi nods. "On the other ha- actually this discussion can wait until after the language part, since isn't stuff like that part of the theoretical section? "Purpose of robotics and the field therein"?"
> Mystia opens her mouth to respond...but stops as she sees Mika giving her a pleading look.
> Neimi nods, "Alright, sure. I'm not too worried about the open ended stuff like that anyway. Prime spots to just make stuff up, right?"
* Mykasi nods. "It isn't as if they're language professors... Anyway, tenses."
> Mika gives Mystia a small smile, then starts studdying!
<Hikari> "Shouldn't we quiz each other?" Hikari suggests. "Language is by nature verbal information, after all."
<Mykasi> "Everyone okay with that?" Mike asks, looking up from his text.
> Neimi nods, "Yeah, that sounds good. Hikari, you wanna start? You've got the formal conjugation pretty much down."
> Mystia adds, "Let's just make sure to keep it down. I'd rather not get thrown out of the library."
> Mika giggles very quietly
<Mykasi> "What, no yelling 'Objection'? Sadface."
<Hikari> "Why would we yell, Mike? We're in a library."
> That gets a half surprised look from Mystia, "You've played those games too?"
<Mykasi> "...never min-" Mike looks up to Mystia with a grin on his face. "Yep!"
> Mika explains for Hikari, "It's from a game about lawyers. I..haven't played them, but I know the referance."
<Hikari> "Ah. Games. I see."
> Neimi shrugs, "Don't worry, you aren't missing much. I played about half of the first one before I got bored out of my skull."
<Mykasi> "Yes yes traditional disdain for new media." Mike grins. "Anyway, conjugation?"
<Hikari> "Yes." Hikari proceeds around the table testing everyone in turn with verb tenses. She's pretty good at the subject in general, after all.
> Neimi and Mykasi seem to have the most trouble with that subject. Mystia struggles a bit here and there, but does fairly well. While Mika basically aces it without any hangups at all.
* Mykasi does his best to answer, though being a non-native speaker probably makes him the worst at the table on the subject.
<Hikari> "Well, those of us who don't spend too much of our time on videogames seem to grasp the basics, at least."
> Now it's Hikari's turn to get a Look from Neimi, "I do not play that many video games."
<Hikari> "I could replace that with 'watching indecipherable television programs?' D.r What, or whatever?"
<Mykasi> "The 'basics' of an insanely specific variation of a nasty dialect. Besides, most of the time I'm out running around doing shit, not gaming."
<Mykasi> This causes Mike to choke momentaraily. "...Dr. Who."
> Neimi blushes veeeeery faintly, but protests in an even tone, "That's just for keeping up on my bilingual skills."
> Mystia rolls her eyes, "Right."
<Hikari> "Well, I suppose there is something to be said for immersion," Hikari concedes.
* Mykasi chuckles softly. "Anyways, we've got the noun variants stuff too." A pause. "... damnit, I may need to marathon Dr. Who after finals when I don't feel like doing much."
> Neimi nods, "Always fun. Well, depending on the doctor."
<Mykasi> "Skip the ugly ones." Mike says in a near-stage whisper.
* Hikari can only look blankly at this entire exchange.
> Mystia shakes her head, "How about we skip talking about something with no relevance to any of our classes? So nouns, right? Mika, you want to take that?"
> Mika freezes up for a second...before nodding, "Um, okay. So..." she begins to quiz everyone in turn about noun variants.
> Neimi does far better on this then on the formal conjugation. Mystia does well, and Hikari basically aces it without issues. Mike struggles a touch, but nothing too bad. Good for someone who wasn't raised speaking it anyway.
* Mykasi replies as best he can, feeling better on this! Nouns are easier for Americans anyway. Used to asking for cheeseburgers.
* Hikari makes sure to answer without hesitation (well, when she knows the answer, but that's probably most of the time), largely to encourage Mika.
> Mika gets into the groove of it soon enough, and before long you all finish that.
> Neimi shakes her head when you're done, "There's a reason I'm not a lit major. so anything left for this, or do we move on to different subjects?" there's a hint of pleading in her voice there as she asks that
* Mykasi exhales. "Right. Hate this stuff, but I think I get it. Okay, I think that's actually it? I can't remember any other main topics, and we spent fucking forever on conjugation..."
<Hikari> "Sufficient for you to master the conjugation of profanity, even. Yes, let's move on?"
<Mykasi> "That I picked up on before coming to Japan..."
> "And perfected after having Shiro Asakura for a lab partner only once," Neimi adds.
<Mykasi> "Shiro could probably make a mountain blush." Mike shakes his head.
> Neimi puts away her lit books, and pulls out her Inst Al books. "Soooo, while we're doing this, would one of you mind quizzing Mykasi and me about this? I've got some page markers in there, this is pure memorization. Just read an instrument and we'll say what it does and what that data is used in?"
* Hikari takes the book, flips through it out of mild curiosity. "Sure."
> Mystia looks a bit relieved when Hikari offers to, and chats very quietly with Mika while that's going on.
> The instrumental analysis book, as Hikari flips through it, is...exceedingly dry and technical. And yeah, looks like pure memorization, nothing else.
* Hikari flips about randomly, tosses out questions with air of temporary authority granted by having the book of answers.
* Mykasi takes turns with Neimi replying, feeling more confident about this. It's stuff he gets! ...but it is incredibly boring.
> When it comes to pure power of retention, Neimi simply isn't a match for Mike at all. By the time Hikari's done quizzing them, she's looking more then a touch embarrased.
* Mykasi shakes his head at the end. "I've got a good head for pure memorization - it's patterns like the Japanese that make me fall on my face."
* Hikari raises an eyebrow. "Perhaps Mike should be giving the quiz?"
> "I reaaaaaally hope I don't fail this." Neimi sighs, "This subject is just. So. Boring. It's hard to study for it."
> "Is is required for your major?" Mystia asks, without a hostile tone for a change.
> Neimi nods, "Ooooooh yes. If it weren't I don't think anyone would take it."
> "Ever."
<Mykasi> "There's a lot of courses in the engineering and robotics field that most people would avoid simply because they're both unproductive and uninteresting, yeah..."
<Hikari> "Regrettably, not everything useful can also be interesting."
<Mykasi> "Sadly it doesn't fall under either category. We have manuals for a reason."
> Mika looks back and forth between Mike and Neimi, "Is...it at least useful?"
> "Oh." Mika looks down as Mike answers her question the moment she asks it.
> Mystia yawns, "I'll admit, just listening to that bored me. How about we take a break for a bit?"
<Mykasi> "No..." Mike shakes his head with a small smile. "Wish it was. And sure."
> Mystia nods, and with a quick look over at the library aide who doesn't seem to be paying too much attention, pulls a juice box out of her bag and opens it up. "So what are you all doing for break? Going home or spending it here?"
* Mykasi doesn't immediately reply, instead glancing out the window and letting others respond.
<Hikari> "I am obliged to play host for my sister during the break. With luck, we will both survive."
> Mika smiles, takes a drink of the juice, then puts it back in front of Mystia. "Um...I'm staying here, so...maybe I could help? How young is she?"
<Hikari> "Sixteen," Hikari says. "She is very sixteen."
> Neimi looks dramatic for a moment, "I..am going home." then she grins, "which happens to be in town, so yes. I'm going home and staying."
> "Oh." Mika says.
<Mykasi> "...likely calling home and talking to people there, then just getting some work done and some running in." Mike says after a bit.
> "Considering all the crazy stuff going on here, I'm surprised your folks don't want to bring you home." Mystia notes, "Or are they trying and you're telling them to knock it off?"
* Hikari shrugs. "She's not the impressionable younger sort, no. Would that she were."
<Mykasi> "...Oh. Any of you heard of a Noa Tachikara?" Mike asks after a moment. "A friend's looking for her but I've not heard the name floating around."
> Neimi shakes her head, as does Mystia.
* Hikari can only adopt a blank expression because, well, yeah.
> Mika thinks, "I...know a Maya Tachikara. She's a model. But not a Noa."
<Hikari> "Oh? You know her personally?"
> Mika shakes her head quickly, "I...um...I met her once. At a convention. But that's all. I...um, read her blog, though."
<Hikari> "Is that so? Anything interesting in it lately?"
* Mykasi stays quiet, listening to the two talk.
> "I...haven't checked it in awhile, actually." Mika admits.
> "A couple weeks ago she was talking about a possible role in a TV serial she was auditioning for, but couldn't give any more details." she offers.
<Mykasi> "Mmm. The name isn't common, but you don't remember her mentioning a sister?" Mike asks. "Ah well. I'll keep asking around some."
> "Sister?" Mika thinks, "I...think she did at one point. But not by name. Is this Noa Maya's sister?"
<Mykasi> "Iunno." Mike says. "As I said, Tachikara isn't a common name, I thiiiink, and I didn't really get many details from my friend."
> As Mike is talking to Mika, Neimi leans over to Hikari, "Hey, so about your sister. When she gets here, I can either clear out and let her have my bed or stay and give her a floor mat or something. Would you rather I stick around to make it more tolerable?"
<Hikari> "She can cope with the floor. Maybe she'll learn some humility? Or maybe she'll complain more."
<Hikari> "Of course, if you're leaving, she'll assume the empty bed is for her. So it's up to you whether you don't mind a stranger using it."
> Neimi smiles, "I'll stick around then. I game with Haragi and Nabara and work in food service, complaining I can handle."
<Hikari> "Well, we'll see. I only hope your experience has you up to the task."
* Mykasi shakes his head. "But yeah, I don't know. If you find out Noa and Maya are related, let me know? I suspect my friend didn't even know - as I said, he was mainly just going off a name."
> You note that Mystia never seems to touch the juice box. Mika drinks from it, then puts it back in front of Mystia. After a bit, the library aid comes over and tells Mystia to toss it with a short lecture, which she listens to then gets up and does without batting an eyelash...while Mika looks a touch embarrased but doesn't say anything.
> Mika nods at Mike, "Ah, okay. If you want her blog, I can give you the url?"
<Mykasi> "Ah, sure. I could toss it to him. Thanks."
> Mika quickly scribbles down the url for you on a piece of scrap paper.
<Mykasi> "Thanks." Mike nods, pocketing it and not commenting on the juicebox thing.
> Neimi eyes Mystia's talking to but doesn't say anything about it, just nodding to Hikari, "Don't worry about it. I'll be fine, and even if she really is that bad, it'll only be for a bit right?"
> Mystia comes back to her seat, "Well...should we get back to studying?"
<Mykasi> "Sure." Mike nods at that.
> You all study for a while longer, brushing up on everyone's problem subjects eventually. And for all that she's clearly very intelligent...Neimi does seem to consistantly be the least studeous of the lot of you(or at least less competent at bullshiting through the need to study then Mike).
> Mystia and Neimi continue taking veiled shots at eachother, but knock it off any time someone changes the subject or Mika gives Mystia another pleading look. And eventually you notice it's gotten quite a bit later then you intended.
> Then...the world goes grey.
<Mykasi> "... for the love of..."
> As before, red and white lights come from Mika and Mystia, then merge into a single pink light before becoming the spinning LOVERS card. And Neimi's green light is very familiar to Hikari by now.
> The front of the LOVERS card is still too blurred to see, but the outline of a woman on the FORTUNE card is growing more clear. Still no detail can be seen, but the outline is coming into focus nicely.
> And of course, the voices return as well.
> 3"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Fortune Arcana", 13"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Lovers Arcana."
<Mykasi> "I JUST WANTED TO STUDY!"
> And thankfully after Mykasi's outburst, the feeling of power settles over you, and the color returns to the world.
> Mika...gives Mike a concerned look, "Are...you okay?"
<Mykasi> "...Thinking I'm ready for a break for the night." Mike grins after a moment.
> Mystia looks at her watch, "...uh, yeah. Wow it's almost 10. We were here waaaaay too long."
<Mykasi> "Yeah." Mike shakes his head after a long moment. "Sorry 'bout that. Thanks for coming, everyone."
> And you all shuffle off to your own rooms or other pursuits.
> -------------------------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Nagare: Devil 5

> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Nagare works unsettlingly on preparing the finals exams for the entirety of his classes. For something that could be quite simple - just a few open questions with wide space for interpretations - this is quite a lot of work. Particularly because Nagare obsessively lists his own answers to the questions he comes up with.
* Nagare eyes the clock. Already half past midnight on an otherwise sedate Wednesday. At this point, he picks up his pipe - how long has it been since he could actually stop to smoke at home? - and shuffles his pockets, as if looking for a reprieve.
> Nagare's hand happens on the Velvet Key in his pocket.
* Nagare smiles quietly. The teacher grasps the key and picks up his tobacco materials, getting up from the chair. At least one of his exams was done - he could make up for the small misdemeanor next day, after all. And he hasn't seen Theresa in a while.
<Nagare> That said, Nagare swiftly moves to the door of his atelier and uses the Velvet Key to open it, already expecting the usual ritual of the Room.
> The key opens...and Nagare enters the Velvet Room.
> It's blue, as it always is. And just as you expected, Theresa is alone in the room. She smiles, not bothering to stand from her lounging position on the couch, "Ah, hello there."
* Nagare waves, holding a package of tobacco on his left hand and awkwardly arranging the pipe with his right hand. "I really hope you have an ashtray handy. It's been a while, Theresa."
> Theresa nods, "Less time then it seems, I'm sure. You've been rather busy lately." She reaches down under the table and pulls an ashtray out, setting it on top.
* Nagare smiles, sitting down and putting the tobacco squarely on the table. "Your resourcefulness is astounding. But, seriously. It just feels like much has been happening. Including things that don't relate to this Dreamscape madness."
> "Normal life doesn't exactly stop just because you live in two worlds now, does it?" She laughs.
* Nagare shrugs as he draws a puff of smoke from his pipe. "It's not like I had -much- of a normal life to begin with. But no, this just has been more revealing than normal. But visiting the land of the dead and then talking to your ex-wife after two years of estrangement does that."
> "So just how did that conversation go?" Theresa sits up a bit as she pries.
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "Surprisingly peacefully. It did help solidify a few suspicions I've always had, though. Mostly about myself."
> "Self reflection is good." Theresa nods, "Better when it actually provides some answers."
* Nagare nods. "It was quite odd to realize mid-conversation that my suspicion about -never- having loved her were true, though. It is a bit cruel, when I think of it."
> Theresa shrugs, "It's...less cruel then going on trying to convince yourself you did. Especially when it comes to base emotions, it's best not to live with blinders on."
* Nagare shakes his head. "That's the thing. I'm not sure she ever knew. I know I hadn't told her, at least."
> "You misunderstand, I wasn't talking about her knowing the truth. Truth about someone else is...subjective, and not always nessesary." She gives an odd smile as she states that, "truth about yourself is something you should have, though."
* Nagare nods. "It does make sense. As much as it does seemingly still longing for the sleep of the dead, at least, if Yomi's resonance is correct."
> "You have died before," she notes, "so the realm believing that you belong there isn't too farfetched."
<Nagare> "Well, I do have to admit that I felt an uncanny affinity towards it myself. It was almost as if I was -home-. Mykasi and Hikari were quite non-plussed about it as well." The teacher finishes the sentence as he realizes he needs to refill the tobacco on his pipe.
> "Hmm. Well, maybe it resonated with your MOON nature?" she offers. "But regardless of why, you did make it back out. For which I'm personally quite glad. I'd hate to think you found that place more appealing then our little conversations."
* Nagare snickers. "I openly dodged a bullet there, then. I just can't put my finger on what drew me to that place so fiercely. But then, Hikari and Mykasi quite literally dragged me out of the place. Odd situation, that. But... I guess this is enough about me. How have you been doing in the in-betweens?"
> "That eager for a subject change, are we?" she grins a bit, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Oh, I'm doing just fine. Going to some movies, doing a bit of gardening. And of course shopping, can't forget the shopping."
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "When did you start shuffling out of the Velvet Room?"
> "I haven't."
* Nagare reaches for some more tobacco herbs and fills his pipe, the smoke rising as he lights it. "Then, I have to question the size of this place if you can go to the movies, gardening and shopping. And now I realize you're probably being facetious and now I feel like a twelve-year-old."
> "I've also taken the time to paint the cieling in a nice shade of gullible." She adds, neither her voice nor face betraying a thing.
* Nagare looks up at the ceiling. "The color gullible is remarkably similar to velvet blue. Is this supposed to say something about this place?", he finishes sardonically.
> "It says that don't actually get to leave at all, so how I've been in the meantime is the same as I've always been." She softens the michevious smile a bit, showing no bitterness or malice, "nothing really changes in here, without Persona Users coming in and out."
* Nagare sighs. "This is actually more static than the deadlands, then. Theresa, how -did- you end up here? I can't really imagine this was your life plan."
> "That's...." she sighs as well, "a very long story. Suffice it to say that calling me a prisoner here isn't entirely accurate. But it's not innacurate either. I certainly didn't become the Assistant of my own free will."
* Nagare adjusts himself on the chair, drawing a heavy cloud of smoke from his pipe, pondering. "... which probably draws into the game we're playing, no?"
> "The reason I was brought in here does have something to do with my real name, yes." She smiles, "I'll give you that one for free."
* Nagare smiles quietly, scratching his head. "I'll take that clue with your graces, then. I'd never figure I'd end up playing a mock Rumpelstiltskin game in my life, though."
> "Well, I don't spin straw into gold, but I think I'm a fair bit easier on the eyes, so I'll say you're getting the better end of the deal then the poor sap in that story."
<Nagare> "Well, you also gave me a couple nifty cards as well! So far, so good. But, actually, this is a good segue for me to ask."
> "Hmm. Shall we recap what you know then?" Theresa asks.
<Nagare> "Please. My brain is still half-fried from the last few days -and- burning the midnight oil on the finals."
> "Well," she begins counting off on her fingers, "You have confirmed that my name is highly symbolic. I do have siblings. And I have been married. You have also discovered that I am neither Eve, Lilith, nor Lachisis."
<Nagare> "Yes - by default, I also discovered you're highly unlikely to be Clothos or Atropos either. Anyhow... I hope you don't take this personally. But were you always female or were you ever from a different gender, species or anything like it - possibly even being genderless at some point?"
> Theresa smiles widely, "Well well. Not a question I was expecting so soon. I'm impressed."
> "To answer, no. I am not always nessesarily female."
* Nagare taps the table lightly. "... then, suddenly I feel a lot less afraid to make the guess I started brewing at some point in my mind. It may be wrong anyway, but it's not entirely bereft of foundation. So... anyhow. Might your name be Lucifer?"
> That makes her snort, "Hahaha, Lucifer? Wow. Um. Just...wow."
> She breaks down laughing for a bit.
* Nagare coughs. "... I suppose I'll leave until you have your breath back."
> After a few moments she recovers, "Ah...whew. Sorry, no. But you made me picture that guy as having been a wife, which...just..." she starts snickering again.
* Nagare coughs. "... I suppose it's a bit like Buddha having been a housewife as well, if you're going to draw into stranger comparisons."
> "Easier to imagine that, actually. Balance, many ways to enlightenment, etc. While Lucy could pull off being female if he wanted, you wouldn't catch him doing it unless he had no other choice. Illusions sure, but real transformation? Nooooot likely."
<Nagare> "I have to honestly wonder how do you -know- all those people on a first-name basis."
> "Hmm." Theresa grins.
* Nagare shrugs lightly. "Another facet of the game we're playing, I'll gather."
> "Really, when you're trying to guess my name, isn't every part of my past a facet of it in some way?"
<Nagare> "Not only the past, really. But yes. Also, do I get a moral victory for making you laugh uncontrollably with this guess?"
> "Oh, you really do." Theresa laughs again, "Lucifer. Haha. The only thing more amusing then that is trying to imagine him in his aspect as Satan as a wife. THAT is just mind breaking."
* Nagare blinks, but then shrugs with a smile. "Oh dear. I've unlocked a terrible spark in your imagination, it seems."
> Theresa shakes her head, "Not much to do here but imagine, really. And that's a good one."
* Nagare shakes his head. "I'll keep that in mind. Hopefully, I'll have a suitably entertaining guess next time as well."
> "Well, if you aren't aiming for right, entertaining is a good second option." Theresa smiles.
> "And I suppose that brings us to this." She holds out her hand.
* Nagare slowly takes Theresa's hand, already knowing what to expect. Only this time he has a pipe firmly entrenched in his mouth.
> The world goes grey as you take her hand. And the light returns, then turns into the spinning card. The front...is getting clearer. It's...a humanoid of some kind. Male or female is still a bit hard to tell, but it's clearly a human outline.
> And as before, the voice returns, 4"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Devil Arcana"
> It vanishes, and the color returns to the velvet room. Theresa smiles, "And five. Halfway there."
> "Also," she chides, "you forgot your promise to bring me some dinner. I'll be expecting dinner AND desert next time, Doctor Suiren."
* Nagare scratches his head. "I... god, I actually did. I'll make up for this next time. And if I don't, you can take my stillborn child from me."
> "Didn't I just tell you that I'm NOT Satan?" Theresa smirks. "And it's alright. Fortunately for you, I don't need to eat, I just like to."
* Nagare snerks. "Well. Rumpelstiltskin would take the woman's child from her if she failed, at least in one of the stories. Given I'll never have a -living- child... but enough with the poor fairy tale references. I'm on my way now - hopefully, to return soon. And to hopefully bring a tasteful dinner. Thank you, Theresa." With that, the teacher salutes Theresa, heading slowly towards the door back to the real world.
> "Farewell," she singsongs, "And have a pleasant morning."
> -----------------------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Nagare: Sun 1

> -------------------------------------------------------
> Friday afternoon...after a hellish week of giving and grading exams where nobody, professors or students, was in top form thanks to the reccent downward spiral of events, Dr. Nagare Suiren finds himself in his office...still grading papers. (more)
> The atmosphere in his classes lately hasn't been particularly pleasant, as he's overheard more then a bit of griping when the student's don't think he can hear them about the way alot of his questions and prompts are phrased. But they still did...well, part of you doesn't want to think this was thier best, to be quite honest. Not with some of the results you're looking at.
> Though a few students still managed to do well, a couple of them exceptionally so. Though Nagare has yet to get to the essays, one student in particular is standing out as likely getting the highest score in both of your classes he's in. That being Rikkuto Oda.
* Nagare impatiently taps a pen on the wooden desk. The teacher glances a paper, then glances his cigarette pack, as if he desperately longed for a cigarette break.
* Nagare then realizes that the paper -actually belongs to Oda-, shrugging off and continuing the grading process. "That might as well be a break as it stands."
> Grading his paper, you notice a few minor mistakes here and there, but nothing that would cost him major points. In fact it doesn't look like he got any of the answers completely wrong at all, simply didn't elaborate on the right parts or cited the wrong precedent case on one.
> And...as you're grading, there's a knock on the office door.
* Nagare blinks. "It's open. Enter at your own pace."
> The door opens, and two of your students step into the office...and as if summoned by the grading of his exam, one of them is Oda. The other, Shinjo Tanegashima, is one of the harder working, if not particularly gifted, Law majors.
> "Uh, excuse us Professor," Oda starts. Tanegashima picks up from there, "if you have a moment, we have some questions about the corperate law exam?"
* Nagare scratches his chin, slightly surprised as his students enter the room. "Well. I'm currently grading, but I can spare a moment, certainly. What do you need clarified, lads?"
> Tanegashima takes the lead, and asks if you could clarify what exactly you were asking on two of the questions...two which according to the papers you've graded thus far about half of your students struggled with.
* Nagare cringes as he reads the questions. "Re-reading this makes even me wonder what I was trying to convey there. My apologies, men."
> They both visibly relax a bit and Oda breathes an audible sigh of relief, "Okay, it wasn't just us. Ah, thank you." Tanegashima nods appriciatively as well as you clarify things.
* Nagare shakes his head. "I may just end up cancelling these two questions from the test and see what can I substitute them for grading purposes. I probably wouldn't have noticed this either if you didn't show up. Rather fortuitous."
> Tanegashima looks even more relieved, which doesn't surprise you too much, this isn't teh first test he's come to ask questions about. "Thank you very much for your time, sir."
* Nagare nods. "I see. Anything else I can help you with, boys?"
> Oda...goes from looking relieved to seeming uncomfortable for a second, before speaking up, "I...uh, have another question, if I may? Um," he looks over at Tanegashima, "you can go first if you have something else though?"
> Tanegashima shakes his head, "No, that's all. Thank you again." He half bows and excuses himself from the office.
* Nagare bobs his head, waving to Tanegashima as he leaves, and then looking back to Oda. "Well. Seems we only have your question left. If you may."
> "Well..." he hesitates a moment, then shrugs and just starts talking, "forgive me if this sounds presumptious, but...Shiro mentioned to me in passing earlier that he and Mykasi Werfel have been helping with a civil project that you've been working on? And I wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help at all?"
* xorn-depressiongataosenai has joined #personador
* Nagare blinks. "... oh. I... well, it is a bit of a complicated story. I'm not sure you could help out - not without asking them first, at least."
> "I...see," he looks down, "it...it's something dangerous, isn't it?"
* Nagare bites his lip. "To say the least. And certainly hazardous to your mental health. I still struggle to wrap my head around it at a near-daily basis."
<Nagare> "However, I will note that you may get more from them than you'd get from me regarding -that- matter - at least at first."
> Oda looks up, then shakes his head, "Maybe Mykasi, but whenever he's getting into something dangerous again is the one thing Shiro tries not to talk to me about."
> Realizing his somewhat disrespectful tone there, he bows his head again, "Um, sorry..."
* Nagare taps his fingers on the table quietly. "... that does make things complicated, yes. Wait a moment."
* Nagare bobs his head. "Do you have an idea of what this... project might entail, Oda? Now I'm curious to know what you -do- seem to know."
* Nagare coughs. "Also, you don't have to worry about being too terribly polite outside of a controlled class environment. Dealing somewhat regularly with Shiro and Mykasi does harden one's senses."
> Oda is quiet for a minute, then half shrugs, "I can make some guesses, but I don't know anything for certain. Besides that whatever it is isn't safe to be involved in. And Shiro doesn't want to talk to me about it, so...I don't press. He'd tell me if I cornered him, since Shiro, well, he doesn't lie about things. But..." he trails off a bit.
* Nagare nods and gets up, picking up one of his books in a nearly thoughtless manner. Then, he eyes Oda. "You worry about what he is doing, that's for certain. Well. I... guess I -could- begin to tell you - he -does- trust you, from what I've seen, and I also have reasons to trust you as well, Oda."
> He half smiles, "Um, thank you. I...figured it wasn't that he didn't trust me, he just didn't want me getting into anything dangerous too. But...if my guess is right, and your project involves...well..." he hesistates a moment before going on, "all the crazy things going on lately?"
> "The people going insane, and that stalker from before, and..." he trails off again, looking half embarrased about how rediculous that sounds.
* Nagare nods somberly. "To a notably close degree, in manners we still haven't began to figure out. Although it makes me curious. Do you have any guess as to why those things have been happening?"
> "I...really don't," he admits. "Nor can I really guess how two robotics students and a law professor are trying to do something about it, but...well, like I said, if there's anything that can be done I want to help as well. This is a problem for everyone, and I don't like sitting around knowing that someone is doing something about it while I'm not."
* Nagare snickers. "Idealistic. I have to wonder if that's the main reason you decided to study Law, in which case I'd almost say you're taking a heck of a detour. But I have to appreciate the drive." The teacher stops for a moment. "I have to beg a question from you, Oda. Which -does- get, even tangentially, into this."
> "Okay," he nods.
* Nagare sighs, and then tosses the question. "What are your thoughts about... the dreaming? If any?" For a moment, Nagare also tries to muster another question, but stops mid-thought.
> "The...dreaming?" Oda blinks, confused by the question.
<Nagare> "Yes. Dreams, and what may entail from them."
> "I...don't really know," he answers, "I don't dream. Or...I don't think I do, at least. If I do, I don't remember them."
* Nagare nods. "More or less how I thought them until this 'project' started. I'm still getting disabused of the notion as we go. As of now, suffice to say that we're delving into a territory that is more or less governed by the wilderness of the mind. More precisely, dreams.
* xorn-depressiongataosenai has quit IRC (Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client)
> He's quiet, waiting for you to continue.
<Nagare> "And... well. It seems like a multitude of dreams -is- capable of creating a world of its own. That's... that's where this so-called project happens. I won't blame you for thinking this is entirely too far-fetched - it's a leap of faith to even assume that reality is anything but what we can grasp. But. If you -do- want to help, the first thing is to actually believe - even if forcibly - the notion, so to speak."
> "It...sounds rediculous...but would explain why Shiro really doesn't want to talk to me about it. And," he sighs a bit, but offers a lopsided half smile, "I'm more willing to believe that then that my freind and my teacher are liars."
* Nagare snickers lightly. "Your thinking methods regarding this matter are somewhat fascinating, I have to add. It's not the kind of thing I see explicitly on your essays."
> "Well, those are about logic. And this...whole..." he struggles for a word then settles on, "thing. Uh, doesn't seem to care much about logic. Nothing makes sense around here lately. Why are there these outbursts of insanity popping up, why do the police and news keep using those same canned responses that translate to mean they have no clue what's going on?"
> He shrugs, "I can't make heads or tails of it all myself, so I'm willing to consider just about anything. SO long as I trust the source at least."
* Nagare nods. "This is good to hear. I'll be frank and say we'll need all the help we can get, but trusting someone in this matter is quite... problematic, to say the least. Shiro would also be quite relieved."
> That makes his give the half bitter chuckle again, "I...doubt that. But he'll get over it. So...uh, what can I do to help then?"
* Nagare ponders. "Well, for starters, I need to touch upon this conversation with Shiro and Mykasi. Once -they- are aware that you are aware in a sense, they should soften up to the notion somewhat. Besides that... well."
<Nagare> "You could help us out with a few unusual information gathering matters, or just listening to my rambling about how this whole thing makes absolutely no sense. There's a part of this whole issue that I doubt you'll ever be able to take into your hands, but it'll turn clearer as we elaborate on it."
> "I'll take your word on that," Oda nods, "so...well, I'll be going home over break, and my father may not want me coming back here considering the news, but I'll do my best to make it back and do whatever I can to help. I don't leave until monday though, so...well, if I could get the whole story from everyone this weekend sometime, that would be great."
* Nagare nods. "If you corner either of Shiro or Mykasi, they may end up coughing it out straight. I can elaborate further if you wish as well, but... well, you do know my linguistics gymnastics. If you have the patience for them, I'm not going anywhere. Just be careful - both in these parts and with your father."
<Nagare> "I understand from personal experience how much of a wall a parent can be."
> "I'll...talk to Shiro and Mykasi tomorrow, we all go running on saturday mornings." Oda decides, then nods, "And I will. I think maybe he'll be excited enough that I'm staying in the law course that he'll let me."
* Nagare snickers. "Hopefully. If you want, I can even give a written note on how you are the best student in my classes, although that seems excessive."
> He looks a bit embarrased as you say that, "I...don't think that's nessesary, no."
* Nagare raises an eyebrow. "You'd be surprised at how often my father asked for those. But he was... rather unique."
> "I..uh..." he doesn't really seem to know how to respond to that.
* Nagare begins laughing. "Don't worry about that. I had the same reaction -you- did back then. Anyhow, I'm sure you're going to have a busy couple of days, Oda. Feel free to keep in contact in case you have any questions. Anything else?"
> "No, that's all. Thank you for telling me what's going on."
* Nagare nods. "No thanks necessary, Oda. You're free to go. Have a good time back at your home, and see you next year, or at least I expect."
> "I'll make sure to come back," he nods, then excuses himself from your office.
> And then...the color bleeds out of the world and all motion seems to stop.
* Nagare deflates - just as he was starting to tap the tabletop with his pen. "... oh dear."
> A light appears, the color of pure and untarnished gold, which transforms into a spinning card. The front, as you expect, is blurred and impossible to see. But the back is magnificent. A sun in glory, simple but powerful, shining gold and silver in color and with no other adornments then a stylized border to distract from the main piece.
> And of course, the voice makes itself known. From everywhere and nowhere all at once, "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Sun Arcana."
> The voice leaves, the card vanishes, and color returns to the world.
* Nagare blinks, shaking his head. "I have to wonder if I'm actually becoming far too social for my own good."
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Mykasi (Hanged Man 4)

> ----------------------------------------------------------
> A few hours after exiting teh Velvet Room and parting ways with Hikari and Nagare, Mike finds himself back in his room. With Kyo gone for the holiday, it feels alot more empty, despite the fact that his roommate didn't have much in the way of belongings.
<Mykasi> Normally, this'd be a time for personal enjoyment, but... "Damn, the city's attitude is beginning to rub off on me." Mike mutters after a moment, kicking his shoes off. "Can't even enjoy free time and some space to myself in Japan, of all places." With that, he sits on the bed, exhausted.
<Mykasi> After a moment, he empties his pockets, pausing at the cell phone and staring at it.
> The cell phone doesn't move. It just sits there.
<Mykasi> "Guh." Mike says, putting the phone down on the table next to his bed before taking his shirt off... and eyeing his phone again. After a moment, he retrieves the phone and hits Xavier's speed dial, muttering to himself softly.
> It rings three times before being picked up, "Hmm? Hello? Mike?" Xav sounds half zombified.
<Mykasi> "Hey. You alright?" Mike says, checking the time.
> "Yeah, I'm good." He yawns, "Just...was up late, tha'sall."
<Mykasi> "Mm. Well, don't get caught with this if you're at the house." Mike auto-chides, before softening. "Sorry, impulse. Anyway, what kept you up?"
> "Um..." he hesitates a moment before muttering, "...youtube."
<Mykasi> "Oh dear. Yipdog flying through space?" Mike replies sympathetically.
> "And...don't worry about me getting caught right now. I'm actually not home." His voice sounds a touch embarassed about that.
<Mykasi> "Oh, fair enough. Where are you at? Uh, if you don't mind me askiyyaaaaaaaaaaaa" Mike yawns, before, "Feh heheh."
> "At...a freind's house. It's...something of a long story.
> "
> Last Mike had heard, there wasn't any way Davis would let Xav out of his sight long enough to have slept at someone else's house.
<Mykasi> "... is everything alright, Xav?" Mike asks again, concern leaking into his voice.
> "Yeah, everything's fine. I'm...well, just a little..." he trails off. Knowing Xav like you do, this is very clearly hesitation due to embarrasment then anything else.
<Mykasi> "You can talk to me, dude. It's alright." Mike soothes.
> "Yeah, I know. Just...it's kinda...not something I'm really proud of. So," he takes a deep breath, "Sandy was down a bit ago and...suggested something that might get my dad off my back a bit. I'm ashamed to say it worked like a charm once she talked me into it."
> "See, she introduced me to a freind of hers, uh, Kayla? Dunno if you know her. Brunette, wing tatoos on her shoulders, plays guitar? And...I kinda let dad think that we're...well..." he trails off again.
<Mykasi> "..." Mike pauses for a moment. "..."
<Mykasi> Then, "Oh, -right-! Think I had a class with her junior year? Sophmore? Something like that."
<Mykasi> "Anyway, that did the trick?"
> "Yeah. I spent the night over here last night. She has a computer, so she lets me use it. And so long as I either cook something or buy her breakfast, I'm basically welcome over whenever. She was pretty cheesed when Sandy explained what was going on to her, so...count one more person who practically hates my dad."
> he didn't exactly sound enthused about that last line.
<Mykasi> "Hm. Well, at least it leaves you another freedom for when you need it." Mike nods. "That's pretty awesome at least. ..." A pause as Mike crosses his legs. "... I don't quite know how to ask this."
> "Ask what?"
* Mykasi exhales. "I realize a lot of us have... bluntly put, animosity toward your dad. ... I'm sorry if it's bothering you; I can try to restrain myself and my family, at least. It's not something you need to deal with regardless of your own position."
> "It's...alright. I'm not really happy about it, but he's bringing on himself. If someone was angry at him for something he didn't do, I'd defend him, but..." he sighs, "I can't get mad at people for justifiable feelings."
<Mykasi> "It sounds like it's uncomfortable for you, still. And... making you uncomfortable is kinda the precise fucking opposite thing we're trying to do, yanno?" Mike offers.
> "Yeah, but having people walking on eggshells around me would make me more uncomfortable. I'm amnesiac, not retarded."
* Mykasi actually laughs at this. "Fair, though that was hardly my intended implication."
* Hello-RarithedralWaddleDee (~lolcirno@189.27.29.140.dynamic.adsl.gvt.net.br) has joined #velvetroom
> "Yeah, I know. I'm just...a little tired of being treated like an invalid. My mother's the worst, but people at church aren't much better. Dad at least puts me to work, even if I hate it, and expects me to be able to do normal person things. I'm not really sure how, but that's better then being treated like I shouldn't be expected to be able  to do anything."
<Mykasi> "That makes sense, yeah." Mike nods, leaning against the wall. "I... can kinda see why they're doing it, but ... yeah. Figuring out how well you can push yourself and keep going is better than never knowing until it's too late."
> "I figured you'd understand." you hear something else on the line, then Xav says, "It's Mykasi, calling from Japan. ...yeah it's like a twelve hour difference or something so he can only call really early or really late."
<Mykasi> "Kayla?" Mike asks.
> "Yeah. She heard me talking and came out. I'm sleeping on her couch, it's like a one room studio apartment."
<Mykasi> "Aaah." Mike nods to himself. "Tell her hi for me. ...she's probably remember what class we actually shared..."
> "He says hi. And...wonders if you remember what classes you had together." she says something and xav goes, "...oh. Uh...she says 'detention hall'."
<Mykasi> "... ... Riiiight, I totally forgot that! Shit!"
* Hello-RarithedralWaddleDee is now known as Nagare
<Mykasi> "Anyway, yeah, that was due to a series of pranks I played on the administration, just to catch you up."
> "That sounds like something Sandy would approve of. And Bill would have halfheartedly lectured you over."
<Mykasi> "Pretty accurate, yeah." Mike grins. "No one liked that teacher, and it wasn't a case of him just being picked on - he was a full-fledged asshole to pretty much all his students. Outside of you - he contracted with your dad - Amelia, because... I don't know there, our theory was he was creeping on her but I always thought he was intimidated - and Chaz because his dad was Mr. Namingway's best friend."
> "Mr. Namingway? Was that the teacher?"
<Mykasi> "The teacher that... kicked it off, yeah."
> "It went past him?" you hear more of Kayla's voice on the other end.
<Mykasi> "To a few of the officials supporting him, yes." Mike shakes his head. "I kept in line, mostly, but a few of the administration members got unhappy about it as well so I kinda extended the game a bit. It ended junior year when I no longer had him and one of his own outbursts to a different student got him put on probation. The administration never forgave me, tho. Had to keep in line after that."
<Mykasi> "...or at least give the illusion thereof."
> "Kayla says that you and Amelia have become local legends at the school already. The guy who the administration could never quite get the better of and the girl who scared even the gangbangers into giving her the right of way."
<Mykasi> "...wait, seriously?" Mike... half hesitates at this. "I mean, it's nice to know someone's going down as standing up to them..."
<Mykasi> "..." Mike remains quiet for a bit longer, before, "I'm... I'm glad you're getting some more latitude in your actions."
<Mykasi> The sentence is choked out as Mike stares at the ceiling.
> "...are...you okay?"
<Mykasi> "Yeah, yeah... at least right now I am." Mike says, looking up. "... look. My hope for you is that you become able to do as you want, that you push yourself and find what you want to do. And I think you're honestly on your way to that."
> "Um...thanks? Are you sure you're okay, you sound really choked up..."
<Mykasi> "..." Mike pauses, staring at the ceiling a bit more. "...yeah. I... -will- be okay. Just take care of yourself, alright? It's all I can ask."
> "I'm doing my best. How are things going for you, out in japan?" Xav blatently tries to change the subject in an attempt to make Mike feel better.
<Mykasi> "Eh, decent. Roommate's gone for the holidays, so I've just been putting time into th- into my personal projects. Cold as hell, though."
> "Built any working robots yet?" there's a bit of a laugh as he asks that.
<Mykasi> "I've gotten some to be wheeling around on the floor detecting objects! Trying to get them to pick stuff up tends to result in them tipping over, though." Mike says with mock chagrin.
> "Like...roombas?"
<Mykasi> "Yeah, pretty much! A bit more intelligent in how they move, though.
> "It's...funny how if you were still here you'd probably be spending so much money at my dad's store with the robotics that he'd have to like you."
<Mykasi> "Well, we'll see if that happens when I return. Presuming he doesn't ban me from the store." Mike says with a chuckle.
> "If it happens, just look him in the eye and say 'should I go to Home Depot instead?' and he'll let you buy whatever you're there for."
<Mykasi> "Hahahahahaha, okay, fair." Mike grins.
> "He's doing everything he possibly can to fight off the encroachment of 'big buisiness', it's...almost scary. The idea of the store going under I think terrifys him as much as my accident did."
<Mykasi> "I can't terribly blame him, even though I think that the way he's fighting it is a bad one." A pause. "...-that's- an idea. Talk with my dad and see if you two can cook up an online service setup, letting them send you guys stuff to repair or furnish or letting them order from you direct, then pitch it to your dad?"
> "...I think the only person my dad likes less then you is your dad. And the feeling's pretty mutual. But...maybe Bill would know someone else who could help? It's a good idea at least, and he'd like that I'm suggesting something for the store."
<Mykasi> "Yeah, it's why I suggested you pitch it to him." Mike nods. "And... actually, if you're interested, you could probably begin teaching yourself the internet work."
<Mykasi> "You'd probably still want someone to help you out so asking Bill's a good idea, too, but if you can maintain it you can keep it lifted off the ground without your dad needing to hire anyone else."
> "That would be good. Actually...he wouldn't mind a new hire, if we could afford it." more of Kayla's voice, "Huh? Um...yeah, my card's in my wallet. Should still be in my pants pocket. Just orange juice and a hashbrown, thanks."
<Mykasi> "Just be careful with letting others have your card, though it's- why am -I- doing this to you?!" Mike curses himself out for a moment. "Sorry. But alright, that's good at least - just be careful, as a fair few will charge a ton for internet work."
> "Oh, Kayla's just taking my card to go get breakfast. The deal is that I buy it for staying over. And...I'm pretty sure she can be trusted, she is Sandy's freind."
<Mykasi> "Yeah which is why I chastised myself." Mike replies. "I'm just paranoid some days."
> "No problem, I hear you've pretty much always been paranoid."
* Mykasi snorts. "Well... um... ... damnit, don't have a response to that. I'll think of something witty and reply to it later. Haven't slept in forty hours... give or... take?"
> "....what." Xav sounds suddenly annoyed, "And you called me instead of going to bed?"
<Mykasi> "...wanted to hear your voice, and I'm honestly not tired yet." Mike replies. "Just... humor me tonight, alright? ...I'll explain more later."
> "...alright. So what kept YOU up so late?"
<Mykasi> "One of the personal projects that kinda devolved into a flaming mess." Mike replies. "And before that I'd been cramming a ton to prepare for trying to get some other stuff working, buuuut flaming mess needs repairing first before the studying pays dividends." A pause. "Or at least that's the condensed version."
> "...flaming mess bad, yeah." You can almost see Xav shaking his head, "That was real eloquent."
<Mykasi> "Look, I wasn't ever an English fanatic, okay? I can bluff being polite, but eloquent was outta my league."
> "No, no," he stammers, "I meant my response. Seriously, 'flaming mess bad'? Didn't even fit an 'is' or anything in there?"
<Mykasi> "Oh. Well, it's a far more concise explanation than I managed!" Mike laughs.
<Mykasi> "Anyway, thanks for humoring me. Have a good day, alright?"
> "Yeah...I will. Got a shift later, and will have to sit through dad giving me knowing looks that are entirely wrong, but hey. It's...kinda funny, even if I feel bad about lying. And you, you go to sleep."
<Mykasi> "You do what you need to. If that's lie, lie; if it's the truth, then speak it. Alright? Do what you need to. Me, yes, I need to fall asleep. Talk to you later.
> "...yeah. Later."
> You hang up...
> and the world goes grey.
> From your phone a light twirls out, and the light transforms into a spinning card, the HANGED MAN.
<Mykasi> "Kch."
<Mykasi> "Theresa, I'm blaming you for this today."
> As expected the voice returns, as it always does. "Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Hanged Man Arcana"
> The voice vanishes...but the card turns back into a light and floats over to the little wooden canoe on Mike's desk. Then it sinks in, and for a brief moment the canoe glows before all color returns to the world.
* Mykasi stands up and wanders over to the canoe, hefting it slightly. "...Thanks, Xav. Iunno if it'll help me in what's to come, but..."
<Mykasi> And with that, Mike walks evenly back to the bed, before falling down onto it. And beginning to snore immediately.
> ------------------------------------------------------

[VySaika]

Hikari (Chariot 3)

> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> A few hours after leaving the Velvet Room and parting ways with Mykasi and Nagare, Hikari's cell phone rings. The caller ID says it's Shiro.
* Hikari answers (taking a quick look around to see if sister or roommate are listening, just in case she has to edit herself while speaking). "Hello?"
> Aiko is in the room, but has her headphones on. And the music on them going loud enough that you can almost hear it. Neimi is off at work.
> "Hey. It safe to talk on your end?"
<Hikari> "Safe enough."
> "Right." he gets straight to the point of the matter, "I'm thinking it's best to strike hard and fast. Go back in today, take out Hell Rider before he gets wind that we're going to hit him. I dont' entirely trust what he said about Rider not being affiliated. You get anything good from the guys you went to talk to?"
<Hikari> "Largely that what they always claim to be unable to tell us may in fact be outweighed by what they don't actually know in present circumstances," Hikari says, leaning back in her chair. "The situation appears more a mess than even we'd considered. I think we need to have a long talk with a devil summoner once immediate problems are dealt with."
> "Man, I'm almost glad I can't talk to these guys sometimes. They sound pretty damn frustrating. Anyway, you want in on running down Rider? I've got a plan but I need either you or Mike for it."
<Hikari> "One of us is more viscerally attuned to dealing harsh retribution than the other," Hikari says," and with all due respect to Mike, I believe it is not him."
> "Yeah, you're kinda the better fighter by miles. And if Rider happens to pull a flamethrower out of his horse's ass, he can't hose the both of us with one element like he could me and Mike. Half of why I called you first. Anyway," he moves on, "I'm over at the Achibara shopping center, where it leads into the food court. Meet me over here when you're ready?"
<Hikari> "Of course." Hikari hangs up and wastes no time in getting ready to head out again.
> Aiko looks up as you get ready, "Off again?" Looking at the clock she raises an eyebrow, "So...at this hour, you're either heading out clubbing, in which case I'm coming too. You're off to one of those games, but Neimi's not here so I doubt that. Or..." she grins, "you've got a date."
<Hikari> "You're not coming," Hikari says as she pulls on her coat, "from which you may draw whatever conclusion you prefer."
> He grin grows, "Is he cute?"
* Hikari considers this. "There are worse adjectives to apply. Although he woul likely prefer not to be caught in the same room as 'cute.' Only one of them would leave walking."
> "A tough guy, huh?" Aiko laughs, "Well, have fun. And...nevermind."
<Hikari> "'Nevermind?'" Hikari wonders, not willing to just leave it at that. "Not your type?"
> "Just..." she shrugs, "you know, be careful? You're not that big, and if he's a rough sort...just forget it, okay? Have fun."
* Hikari laughs. "Size isn't the only thing that matters in a fight." Having given Aiko something else to be confused about, she opens the door to head out!
> You leave and make your way to the Achibara shopping center. It's easy to spot Shiro when you get there. He's the guy in a green hoodie and running pants who's shadowboxing in an empty part of the parking log.
<Hikari> "Your opponent appears to have fled," Hikari observes.
> He stops and looks over at you...then you notice his glasses weren't on as he pulls them out of his pocket, "Heh. Just trying to get loose before we head in. You ready? I know you need an outside door, so we should head over to Noiro. The guy who works nights will let you head out the back, no questions asked, if you slip him some cash."
> Noiro...is a liquor store.
<Hikari> "I am not obligated to by something?" Hikari asks. Actually, it might be a bad thing to unwind after the fight, but good luck keeping a bottle intact during a battle.
<Hikari> *buy
> "Not that I've seen." Shiro shrugs, "But if you want to, go for it."
<Hikari> "Maybe on the way back. Shall we go?"
* Hello-RaritythedralWaddleDee (~lolcirno@189.27.29.140.dynamic.adsl.gvt.net.br) has joined #personador
> He nods and leads the way in. Surely enough, slipping the register guy a few bills has him jerk his head towards the backdoor and not say a thing about your activities. Shiro heads out first, so you can see it leads into a very small alleyway. Then you use the key and pass through to teh dream.
> (OOC: She don't, she don't, she don't need no Scene Changer~)
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> You step into the foodcourt. Shiro arrives a few moments later in his usual gust of wind, and in an instant Red Hare forms beside him.
* Hello-RaritythedralWaddleDee (~lolcirno@189.27.29.140.dynamic.adsl.gvt.net.br) Quit (Ping timeout)
> Mounting up, he offers his hand down, "And the reason this is a two person job is that Red Hare can't carry three. So...how's your aim from a fast moving platform?"
<Hikari> "I wouldn't know," Hikari says. "I am sure I'll learn quickly enough."
> "Probably," he agrees as he pulls you up on his Persona behind him, "Just keep your legs anchored and keep one hand on me. Use the other for fighting. Let me worry about keeping you from falling off, you worry about hitting your target."
> "It's a simple strategy, but I don't have any ranged attacks at all so I can't do it alone. He's gonna run, but I can keep pace. And you just pop shots after him until he either falls down or turns to fight."
<Hikari> "Yes," Hikari says with a nod, wrapping an arm around Shiro's midsection. "Let us hope he possesses no resistance to fire."
> "I bet Biker does, so who knows. Anyway, here we go. Now to find the bastard..." Red Hare trots forward a bit, then suddenly lunges forward and upward, onto the sky route Shiro is so fond of. And he begins moving as fast as a car on the highway over rooftops looking for a very specific shadow.
* Hello-RarithedralWaddleDee is now known as Nagare
* Hikari keeps an eye trained on the streets below. When they are streets and not, say, forests, that is.
> For some time you go, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, dodging flying or other upwardly mobile shadows, until you are very quickly coming up on Mab's Domain in the distance. But as you get closer you can see over the wall into the battleground before the gates, the 'parking lot'...fewer shadows then usual are there, but amoung them is a man on a horse. Wearing a cloak. Carrying a scythe.
> "Aaaand that's him. Hold on tight, I'm going in for a hard landing."
* Hikari hangs on with both arms! Purely to avoid falling off, mind.
> Red Hare picks up more speed! And then...JUMPS! Sailing over the street, then over the wall, the equine Persona decends into the parking lot and lands with a hard impact, perfectly between Hell Rider and the gate out.
> The DEATH Arcana Shadow turns, as does nearly every other Shadow in the area, to stare at the newcomers.
> Hell Rider, from close up...looks more like a grim reaper impersonater then the real deal. The skull face is quite clearly a mask, though a very nice white metal one, and his cloak is donned over what looks like modern police style body armor rather then robes. Fairly muscular, he seems to be made of something solid, not just bones.
<Hikari> "You seem to be running out of opponents." Hikari summons Brynhildr to loom next to her. "Perhaps we can help with that problem."
> Shiro does draw his spear, seeming to need no hands to stay mounted, "And here was was expecting you to be out in the streets. Thanks for cornering yourself for me, saves us some effort."
> Hell Rider takes a few steps backwards...or at least his horse does. He seems just as in tune with his mount as Shiro is with Red Hare. In a raspy, yet deep, voice he spits out at Shiro, "Well if it isn't the wind rider. Can't beat me alone so you've brought a girl to help you? Hah."
<Hikari> "The better to stop you running away again."
> "Your taunting might have more effect if we werne't standing outside the castle of a 'girl' who could probably nuke us all into next week in ten seconds," Shiro counters, "or if I came here to fight with you."
> Hell Rider pauses. you can't see due to the mask, but he's probably blinking in confusion, "You...aren't here to fight me?"
> "Man," Shiro readies his spear, "This isn't a fight. I'm here to exterminate you."
> Rider readies his scythe as well, "Cornering DEATH isn't the smartest move you've ever made. Come and find out why, mortals!
> "
> (OOC: Init time~)
<Hikari> roll 2d8+11
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8+11 and gets 24."12 [2d8=6, 7]
<Hikari> "We've met DEATH," Hikati says. "Cosplaying him is not a fearsome thing for the reasons you think it is."
> roll 2d8+9 Shiro Init
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8+9 Shiro Init and gets 20."12 [2d8=3, 8]
> roll 2d8+10 Rider init
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8+10 Rider init and gets 17."12 [2d8=3, 4]
> 4INIT ORDER: Hikari > Shiro > Hell Rider > Random Shadows
> (OOC: keep in mind, you aren't the only ones in the battleground. Other shadows may engage at random points just for shits. Anyway, hikari is up!)
<Hikari> Experiment time, first! Hikari points ot the Rider: "Brynhildr? Set him alight."
<Hikari> roll 2d8 vs 12 FIRE
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 vs 12 FIRE and gets 7."12 [2d8=3, 4]
> roll 2d8 vs 11 defense
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 11 defense and gets 12."12 [2d8=6, 6]
> (OOC: damage him up)
<Hikari> roll 2d8
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 and gets 10."12 [2d8=3, 7]
> 4INIT ORDER: Hikari > Shiro > Hell Rider(11 damage) > Random Shadows
> The fire connects, roaring up from under his horse. But he only rears and snarls, seeming largely unimpressed.
> Shiro responds to this by taking the one chance he'll have to move in, swinging his spear high overhead to avoid hitting Hikari before bringing it around in a powering side arc as a ball of wind gathers around the blade, "Baofengyu zasi!"
> roll 2d8 vs 11 tempest crash
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 11 tempest crash and gets 11."12 [2d8=4, 7]
> roll 2d8 vs 7 defense
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 7 defense and gets 5."12 [2d8=1, 4]
> Somehow the Rider jerks backwards in time to avoid the blow, then brings his scythe across in a powerful swing at Shiro before lunging away to make more space.
> roll 2d8 vs 12
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 12 and gets 9."12 [2d8=1, 8]
> roll 2d8 vs 9 shiro defense
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 9 shiro defense and gets 13."12 [2d8=8, 5]
> roll 2d8 damage
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 damage and gets 10."12 [2d8=4, 6]
* Retrieving #personador modes...
* Gatewalker changes topic to 'Hikari: 110/110 HP [70/80 EP], Mike: 70/70 HP [95/95 EP], Nagare: 90/90 HP [100/100 EP], Shiro: 130/140 HP [75/75 EP], Dami: 70/70 HP [175/175 EP], Carlie: 50/50 HP [75/75 EP]'
> Shiro snorts at the impact, "Man, the damn professor's got a harder swing then you."
> The gathered shadows edge around the conflict for now, not interfereing on either side...(go Hikari)
<Hikari> "Do you know from that experience, Shiro? Was I not here for one very interesting day?" As she speaks, Hikari calls on Brynhildr to weaken the Rider even further.
<Hikari> roll 2d8 vs 13 Betrayal
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 vs 13 Betrayal and gets 10."12 [2d8=2, 8]
> roll 2d8 vs 11 defense
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 11 defense and gets 6."12 [2d8=1, 5]
> Brynhildr's strike is on the mark, but Hell Rider is nearly as dodgy as Mike, and evades at the last second.
> Shiro grunts, "No, but I've seen the prof drop things. That hit couldn't have bruised a pixie. Anyway, hold on tight."
> That's all the warning Hikari gets before Red Hare goes UP. The Persona launches nearly thirty feet in the air before coming down straight at the Hell Rider, Shiro bringing his spear down whirling, "Fengjia, rind the wind!"
> roll 2d8 vs 11 wind ride
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 11 wind ride and gets 4."12 [2d8=1, 3]
> roll 2d8 vs 7 evasion
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 7 evasion and gets 8."12 [2d8=7, 1]
> roll 2d8 damage
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 damage and gets 7."12 [2d8=5, 2]
> 4INIT ORDER: Hikari > Shiro > Hell Rider(70 damage) > Random Shadows
> The spear connects and the Hell Rider is sent sprawling...rider and horse alike get knocked down and flung backwards. Never once does he lose contact with his mount.
<Hikari> "Are you sure you needed my assistance for this fight?" Hikari wonders.
> Scrambling back to it's hooves, the horse rights itself and Hell Rider with it, a great gash visible across his armor where Shiro connected. Whirling his Scythe overhead, he send the blade flying towards the pair of you...then while it's in the air, turns and BOLTS for the gate.
> roll 2d8 vs 10 flying scythe
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 10 flying scythe and gets 12."12 [2d8=8, 4]
> The scythe misses...and boomerangs in the air...coming back for you...
> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 1d100 and gets 50."12 [1d100=50]
> Various shadows nearby continue to watch the fight...or what's left of it as the Rider turns tail and flees.
> Shiro spits, "Yeah, cause I get one good lick in and there he goes. And watch the scythe, it'll keep coming until it connects." (Hikaris up)
<Hikari> "Then we'll have to stop him first." Hikari sits up, waves towards the fleeing Rider. "Brynhildr! Cut the coward down before he escapes!"
<Hikari> roll 2d8 vs 13 Helreio
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 vs 13 Helreio and gets 7."12 [2d8=4, 3]
> roll 2d8 vs 11 dodgy
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 11 dodgy and gets 8."12 [2d8=3, 5]
> He isn't quite at the edge of your range as Brynhilder streaks out, but she slashes just where he was. Hard to hit a moving target.
> Red Hare lurches forward as Shiro kicks it into high gear, "Time to run this sonnova bitch down." And run he does. It's hard for him to get close enough to strike...but keeping within Hikari's range is no issue at all.
> But as you go...the scythe returns.
> roll 2d8 vs 10 homing scythe is a bitch
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 10 homing scythe is a bitch and gets 12."12 [2d8=6, 6]
> again it barely passes you by...but spins and starts in once more.
> (OOC: Shiro is keeping you in range for now, Rider will have to try some antics to shake him, so neither he nor SHiro are making rolls for the time being. Until Rider varies it up, it goes you then scythe then back to you)
<Hikari> "Like all thugs, you run as soon as the odds turn against you! Stand still and accept your punishment!"
<Hikari> roll 2d8 vs 13 Helreio
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 vs 13 Helreio and gets 13."12 [2d8=5, 8]
> roll 2d8 vs 11 moving target defense
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 11 moving target defense and gets 8."12 [2d8=2, 6]
> Brynhilder sweeps in for another strike, but the Rider jukes to the left and her spear crashes into the ground. And the scythe sweeps back towards you...
> roll 2d8 whirly scythe
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 whirly scythe and gets 13."12 [2d8=6, 7]
> But the fast moving Red Hare is just as hard to hit as the Hell Rider. Rushing through the streets, going around and over traffic as needed, neither side has gained any ground just yet...
<Hikari> Hopefully Shiro isn't producing mass amounts of roadkill as they go--though that's hardly something Hikari can be concerned with as she directs her persona to strike again.
<Hikari> roll 2d8 vs 13 yeah, spammage
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 vs 13 yeah, spammage and gets 15."12 [2d8=7, 8]
> This time Hikari's aim is off and Bryhildr shatters a cart full of tomatoes with teeth that the Rider had just rushed past. The tomatoes do not take kindly to this, but you're gone before they can pull themselves together enough for an attack.
> All the while, the scythe, also moving at nearly sixty miles an hour, sweeps back in again from behind...
> roll 2d8 vs 10 will this attack ever hit
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 10 will this attack ever hit and gets 9."12 [2d8=7, 2]
> OOC: Okay, yes. Hikari, it's after you this time. Defense.
<Hikari> roll 2d8 defense
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 defense and gets 11."12 [2d8=8, 3]
<Hikari> roll 2d8 reroll don't hold it againt me I'm not linking with yhou Neimi
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 reroll don't hold it againt me I'm not linking with yhou Neimi and gets 10."12 [2d8=3, 7]
> roll 2d8 damage at least you have phys defense
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 damage at least you have phys defense and gets 9."12 [2d8=4, 5]
* Gatewalker changes topic to 'Hikari: 90/110 HP [70/80 EP], Mike: 70/70 HP [95/95 EP], Nagare: 90/90 HP [100/100 EP], Shiro: 130/140 HP [75/75 EP], Dami: 70/70 HP [175/175 EP], Carlie: 50/50 HP [75/75 EP]'
> The scythe grazes Hikari, but the armor provided by her Persona softens the blow. However...it's still enough when she's not exactly used to riding at these speeds...(OOC: body check or be unhorsed.)
<Hikari> roll 2d8 vs 12
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 vs 12 and gets 6."12 [2d8=3, 3]
> Making the right adjustments, Hikari stays on! The scythe clatters to the ground...but she blinks and suddenly sees that it's *back in Hell Rider's hands* ahead of you.
<Hikari> Solution: deprive him of hands!
<Hikari> roll 2d8 yeah more slugging away
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 yeah more slugging away and gets 7."12 [2d8=3, 4]
> roll 2d8 vs 11 dodgy
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 11 dodgy and gets 13."12 [2d8=8, 5]
<Hikari> roll 2d8 about damn time!
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 about damn time! and gets 3."12 [2d8=2, 1]
> 4INIT ORDER: Hikari > Shiro > Hell Rider(121 damage) > Random Shadows
> roll 2d8 body check
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 body check and gets 16."12 [2d8=8, 8]
> Brynhildr comes in from the side...and body checks Hell Rider straight into the side of a building. Then stabs him for good measure.
> Rider slams into the wall and between the impact and the spear thrust, he gets knocked down hard. He struggles to get up...but not before Shiro is already on top of him.(Shiro had to use his whole turn, but you are now in melee range. Rider is still down. Hikari's turn)
* Hikari would finish this personally and dispose of him hand-to-hand with the lightsword...but he's shown himself to be too good at evasion to allow that. No, she'll watch for escape attempts and hang on to Shiro while Brynhildr continues her brutal work.
<Hikari> roll 2d8
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 and gets 7."12 [2d8=3, 4]
> roll 2d8 vs 7 dodge penalty while prone
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 7 dodge penalty while prone and gets 16."12 [2d8=8, 8]
<Hikari> roll 2d8 damage, right!
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 damage, right! and gets 10."12 [2d8=2, 8]
> 4INIT ORDER: Hikari > Shiro > Hell Rider(142 damage)
> Stepping up Shiro begins slowly spinning the Blue Dragon replica at his side. It picks up speed, more and more until it's nearly a blur with a ball of wind at the tip whipping in a fast circle. Wordlessly he brings the spear down on the prone Hell Rider.
> roll 2d8 vs 13 tempest crash
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 13 tempest crash and gets 9."12 [2d8=7, 2]
> roll 2d8 vs 3 I suppose he does get a defense roll
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 3 I suppose he does get a defense roll and gets 9."12 [2d8=8, 1]
> roll 2d8 damage
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 damage and gets 4."12 [2d8=3, 1]
> 4INIT ORDER: Hikari > Shiro > Hell Rider(201 damage aka really fucking dead)
> The spear connects...and the ball of wind transfers from the spear into Hell Rider, bouncing him off the ground, horse and all, and carrying him well over fifty feet into the air. Possibly closer to a hundred.
> Quickly Shiro dismounts Red Hare and dashes over, planting the spear firmly on the ground, tip in the air.
> Hell Rider comes down.
> And is predictably and messily impaled on the Blue Dragon Replica, Shiro managing to keep his feet despite the mass crashing down on him.
> A gurgle later, and the Rider disolves into shadowstuff, fading away.
> "About fucking time." Shiro spits on the ground where the larger part of his enemy disolved towards.
* Hikari dismounts, walks over to Shiro. "Messy but effective. A good warm-up, no?"
> "Yeah." He shakes his head, "Well...I'm still in good shape. How about you? Up for doing something really stupid?"
<Hikari> "It would not be the first time," Hikari admits. "What did you have in mind?"
> "Well...you know my stance on deception, right?" Shiro shrugs, "And I did tell Hell Biker I'd go see him after I finished off Rider. I say we go pay him a visit. Don't go in the garage, just outside. Make him come out. Give him a test run, see what he's got for moves. Then hightail it out of there...unless we seriously think the two of us can take him."
<Hikari> "You didn't say you had to visit him *immediately* afterward, did you?" Hikari shakes her head. "I would rather not go without the entire team available to help--after all, if we fall, they're on their own, and without any knowledge of what happened to us." Hikari considers for a moment. "Are you sure you could get us away in time if it came to that?"
> Shiro nods, "He might be faster on the ground, but I'm the 'Wind Rider', remember?" He grins, "Let's see him take that bike across rooftops. Sure, he might be able to drive it up a wall, but I can leap right over the streets. Him? I'm willing to bet my life he can't."
> "It's got another purpose, too," he adds.
<Hikari> "Perhaps, but I'm not willing to bet everyone else's. If the two of us can't take him and fall somehow, we leave the others in a dreadful situation. IT's rather far to go for intelligence."
<Hikari> "Oh?"
> "We hit him now, he'll start looking for us. Means we can set up a battlefield of OUR choosing, rather then bracing him in his own lair. Hang around, wait for him to get the word. He comes to us."
<Hikari> "Well...it's not without merit...But we leave at the first sign of real danger, agreed?"
> Shiro nods, "Yeah, we take one hit and we scramble. Mostly I want to see what powers he has, help us plan."
<Hikari> "Fire and violence." Hikari makes an educated guess. "Very well, let's be on our way before I come to my senses."
> "Heh," he gets back on Red Hare and swings you up behind him. Then takes to the rooftops once again, heading back for the Hell Biker's domain...
> Taking the rooftop road, you take awhile but find the deserted area again. And rather then risk the crumbling rooftops there, Shiro lands back in the streets.
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
> The deserted area is much as you remember it. Despite having been here earlier that day, that's no garuntee the Dream won't change things while you're away. Or perhaps it's simply the stabilizing influance of a nearby Power at work.
> Red Hare's hoofbeats seem to slowly echo through the streets as you go, Shiro not picking up the pace for once. "You fight better on foot, or want to stay mounted for a faster escape?"
<Hikari> Pity, the place could use some more life. Well, maybe it'll improve once the current landlord's been dealt with. "Mounted," Hikari says. "This is for advanced intllegence, isn't it? The opportunity for escape must take priority."
> "Got it." Shiro nods, "And just as a warning, if I say it's time to go and start running, don't bother attacking and just hold on for dear life. I might have to get fancy with the escape. Fancy by Mike's standards."
<Hikari> "This was your idea," Hikari reminds him. "IF anyone calls for retreat, I expect it to be me. Let's get on with it."
> You continue on, navigating the same path through the streets as before until the abandoned parking garage is looming before you.
> Red Hare stops, Shiro having no intention of going inside. Taking a moment to stretch and take a deep breath, "Got anything you want to say to this guy before I call him out?"
* Hikari summons Brynhildr. "Nothing that is better expressed in words."
> "Got it." Shiro raises his voice and calls out, "Hey, Biker! Hell Rider's been axed, so here I am."
> There's a short silence...and then you hear the dim rumble of a motor. A motor that sounds like the screams of the damned.
> The rumble gets louder and louder...and a headlight can be seen approaching from the darkness of the parking garage. It draws closer...until Hell Biker rides out into the open.
* Hikari takes this stray moment to wonder what exactly he does down there when he's not riding down other Powers.
> Putting one foot down to stop his bike, the DEATH Power speaks, "I will give you one more chance to tell me who, if not Messaiah, gave you your Personas. Speak truely and you will leave here alive."
* Hikari considers this for a moment. "Witty commentary is not my area of expertise. Pretend Mike was here saying something snarky with an inscrutable cultural reference and we'll proceed."
> Shiro chuckles.
> Hell Biker shakes his head, "So be it then." And flames roar to life around his wheels.
> (OOC: Thaaaaaat's init)
> roll 2d8+14 Hell Biker init
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8+14 Hell Biker init and gets 22."12 [2d8=5, 3]
> roll 2d8+11 Shiro Init
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8+11 Shiro Init and gets 20."12 [2d8=2, 7]
<Hikari> roll 2d8+11 that is a lot of init
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8+11 that is a lot of init and gets 21."12 [2d8=2, 8]
> 4INIT ORDER: Hell Biker > Hikari > Shiro
> The screeching of damned souls grows louder as the Biker revs his engine and the flames from the wheels erupt to cover his entire machine! Peeling out from a full stop, he guns it and attempts to ram directly into Red Hare!
> roll 2d8 vs 14 he wants to take you for a ride
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 14 he wants to take you for a ride and gets 11."12 [2d8=4, 7]
> roll 2d8 vs 9 Shiro defense
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 9 Shiro defense and gets 11."12 [2d8=4, 7]
> roll 2d8 damage
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 damage and gets 15."12 [2d8=7, 8]
* Gatewalker changes topic to 'Hikari: 110/110 HP [70/80 EP], Mike: 70/70 HP [95/95 EP], Nagare: 90/90 HP [100/100 EP], Shiro: 72/140 HP [75/75 EP], Dami: 70/70 HP [175/175 EP], Carlie: 50/50 HP [75/75 EP]'
> 4INIT ORDER: Hell Biker(20 damage) > Hikari > Shiro
> The bike grazes the horse, and Hell Biker blurs off past you after his hit and run. Shiro grits his teeth from teh flaming impact, but keeps both himself and Hikari seated.
> (OOC: Hikari.)
* Hikari sends her persona racing after the Biker as he wheels away!
<Hikari> roll 2d8 vs 13 Helreio
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 vs 13 Helreio and gets 8."12 [2d8=5, 3]
> roll 2d8 vs 14 Biker defense
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 14 Biker defense and gets 9."12 [2d8=6, 3]
> Brynhilder gives chase, but the biker is the master of the streets and easily slide away from her charge.
> Shiro half snorts, "Alright, let's see how you handle this." Like the Biker before him, Red Hare launches from a full stop into full steam ahead, only instead of charging at the Biker, he leaps up to the nearest rooftop!
> roll 2d8 jump check
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 jump check and gets 7."12 [2d8=4, 3]
> The bike turns, and Biker looks up at his quarry now far above him. "So this is to be a three dimensional battle." A chain of black fire appears in his hand, and as the bike rests on the street he whirls the chain above his head, picking up more and more speed until it appears to be a circular blur of dark flames...(Go Hikari)
<Hikari> "Seen enough yet?" Hikari mutters to Shiro. "At the very least, attempt to keep myself between him and you. Without the horse, neither of us get out of here." For now, Hikari sends Brynhildr to sap the Biker's strength...if that's possible...so that whatever-that-is stands a better chance of missing them.
<Hikari> roll 2d8 vs 13 Betrayal
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 vs 13 Betrayal and gets 12."12 [2d8=8, 4]
> roll 2d8 vs 10 defense
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 10 defense and gets 5."12 [2d8=3, 2]
> Brynhildr approaches, but Biker quickly leans to the side to avoid her strike, carefully making sure the chain gets caught neither on the ground nor the appraoching valkyrie.
> Shiro nods, "Yeah, this is enough to make a plan. Red Hare, let's move!"
> The Persona lets out a powerful neigh, then takes off running from rooftop to rooftop at breakneck speeds.
> But even as he runs, you can hear the distant echo of the Biker's voice, "GET OVER HERE!"
> And...across such a distance as to be absurd, the chain of black fire is chasing after you.
> roll 2d8 vs 10 hikari you're behind shiro on the horse so this targets you
* Hatbot --> "Gatewalker rolls 2d8 vs 10 hikari you're behind shiro on the horse so this targets you and gets 5."12 [2d8=3, 2]
<Hikari> roll 2d8 vs 8
* Hatbot --> "Hikari rolls 2d8 vs 8 and gets 7."12 [2d8=1, 6]
> From nowhere Brynhildr appears, and slashes the chain as it is mere inches from Hikari's back!
> Shiro doesn't have the energy to spare to look back to see what happened, he only knows Hikari is still holding on so he keeps running, "I'm making for the Food Court! Let's see if hes got the nuts to follow us into Seiryuu's domain."
* Hikari hangs on with both hands, occasionally stealing a glance back to check on their pursuit.
<Hikari> "He's already killed one Power, I wouldn't put it past him to start with another."
> (OOC: a bunch of chase rolls are about to go down. Considering it's NPC vs NPC I'm going to just roll them myself rather then clutter up chatlog with things a player has no control over)
> As Shiro takes the rooftop road, Hikari doesn't need to turn around and look for Biker. She can hear him, the roaring motorcycle making a very distinctive sound. But...he stays on the streets. If he can drive that thing up walls, he's choosing not to.
> Occasionally looking down you can see the Biker gaining ground. Slowly but surely. Then...pulling ahead. Shiro keeps running, jumping easily from rooftop to rooftop, between buildings and even over streets as needed without trouble.
* Hikari wonders how much collateral roadkill is progressing down below them. "He's ahead of us," she points out. "It may be time to consider another route."
> Until the Hell Biker roars forward...and Shiro begins to run out of roof. Ahead is a major street, at least 8 lanes wide. And Biker has just pulled into the middle of it, revving his engine and waiting for Red Hare to hit the ground.
> Shiro grins, "Yeah, we'll see about that."
> Red Hare charges off the roof, and Shiro draws his spear, "HOLD ON!" Twisting around in the air, Red Hare spins so Shiro faces the building you just dove off of...and Shiro slams his spear into it, the ball of wind gathered at the tip striking the building...and sending Red Hare FLYING inthe opposite direction. Over the street.
> and clear over Hell Biker's head.
> Managing to get control just in time, Shiro grabs the ledge of the rooftop on the other side of the street, then pulls himself, the horse, and Hikari all up at once.
* Hikari does indeed hang on, hopefully not with quite so much strength that Shiro stops breathing, but it's hard to concentrate on that given the circumstances.
> From here, the Food COurt is in sight. And as you keep going that way, Hikari can see Hell Biker slow and stop the pursuit.
<Hikari> "Good enough," Hikari says. "Or at least there are just some fights he's not ready for yet."
> Shiro doesn't respond until you land in the food court. Where he proptly falls off Red Hare onto the ground, breathing heavily.
* Hikari staggers off as well, more than glad to be back on terra firma. "What is the saying? Any landing you can walk away from...?"
> "Yeah...haha...ha...man. That guy...hits...HARD." Shiro is half laughing and half panting with that observation, while some Shadows hanging out in the Food Court eye the pair of you curiously.
<Hikari> "As expected." Hikari stumbles in little circles until the world stops spinning. "We need...something to protect us against fire if we're to make another attempt. I don't know how or where to find that, or what it might be, but..."
> "Yeah. Me and Mike are about screwed. Still...I've got an idea of how he fights now. We can make a plan. And maybe that Master Frost dude will know how to defend against fire? Sounds like he might have to do it himself sometimes from the name, right?"
<Hikari> "Yes...Yes, I'll suggest that to the others next time all of us meet."
> He nods, then pulls himself off the ground and dismisses Red Hare, "Sounds like a plan. Hey, you had dinner yet? I haven't eaten since breakfast, so I'm gonna grab something while I'm here."
<Hikari> "Well, I suppose it wouldn't be a proper date without dinner, would it?" Hikari says quietly. In a normal tone: "Certainly."
> Considering the lack of reaction, Shiro probably didn't hear the first part, as he's busy looking around the foodcourt. "Cool. Let's see...chupaqueso...too heavy after that. Kabobs? Eeeh...still have no idea what a 'geen' or a 'toopna' are. Melon riceballs...that looks safe enough."
> "Melon riceballs sound good? Or do you want to try the mystery meat kabobs?"
<Hikari> "There's only one way to find out, isn't there?" Hikari says. "I am feeling adventurous. I believe I will discover what a 'geen' is, for our mutual enlightenment."
> The kabob vendor is....a floating cloud with mass of snakes on top of it. The snakes seem to be able to use thier mouths like hands fairly easily though, as you see the thing turning kabobs on a grill. "Yesssss? You like kabob? Geen or toopna?"
> Shiro walks over there with you, "You try one, I'll try the other?"
<Hikari> "Geen?" Hikari requests.
> "I'll try the toopna then." Shiro pays for the kabobs and one of the snakes hands each of you a different stick with meat on it.
> Geen meat is apparently light green in color.
<Hikari> "I hesitate to remind myself what meat this color would indicate back on our side," Hikari says, before bravely taking a bite.
> Hikari gets a very slight static shock as she bites into the meat. And...as she chews, it almost tingles, like the meat itself has a charge in it. The flavor isn't bad, but it's not really great either. Heavily spiced and a little overcooked.
> But the electric texture doesn't go away, it's in every bite.
> Shiro takes a bite of his as well...and looks at it oddly, "It looks normal...but it tastes like eating burnt water. That doesn't even sound like it makes sense, but that's the only way I can describe it."
<Hikari> "Electric eel?" Hikari speculates for her own. She reaches up to see if her hair is standing on end.
> It's not, but as you run your hand through your hair it clings to your hand like hair does to staticy things.
> Shiro shrugs, "I asked this guy awhile back what geen and toopna were, and he just looked at me like I has asked him what a cow was and went 'it's geen and toopna!'"
<Hikari> "Hmm. Perhaps we're better off not knowing."
> "Probably. So long as it's not soylent green, you know?"
<Hikari> "I don't know what that means," Hikari admits, "so I'll assume it's worse."
> "Something from an old movie my old man liked to watch. Dystopian future, overpopulation, all that crap. Suddenly some miracle food comes out and solves all the problems. Turns out it's made from people." Shiro doesn't seem phased thinking about that as he takes another bite of his kabob.
* Hikari nods, and continues eating. Having just fought an incarnation of death, her standards for being disturbed are somewhat more elevated than anything a movie could produce.
> "You know, before if I'd gotten fire rammed like that, I'd have at least flinched. I mean, it hurt like a bitch, don't get me wrong. And the guy just grazed me at that, but I might not have reacted so fast." Shiro takes another bite, "But after awhile ago, hits stopped hurting as much. Think it might be that link, since the timing's right."
> "Kinda like how after I started getting that Justice Link with Garu, darkness and light attacks got the bite taken out of them." He shakes his head, "Damn weird how these things work, huh?"
<Hikari> "So I'll have to try harder when sparring from now on, is what you're saying?" Hikari wonders. "Just as well I've grown stronger too."
> "Hah, if you've been holding anything back so far, you've been doing it wrong." He shakes his head, "Nah, just kinda wondering about how this stuff works. The Personas, the links, all that crap. Funny now how school's over for me I'm starting to think like the scientist my class choices would make you think I was."
<Hikari> "Scientist, is it? I wouldn't have expected that at all. I would've expected more...well, it's hard to imagine you focusing on something that isn't physical, honestly," Hikari admits.
> "Well, I was in the robotics track. Right there with Mike, we had most of the same classes." Shiro shrugs, "Though you've got me on the physical part. My whole idea was to get into it to try and learn how to make better prosthetics then are available now. So athelets, fighters, and other people who do alot of physical stuff wouldn't just have to give up if they got fucked up too badly."
> "Turns out I'm not actually that smart. Think I passed Robotics by the skin of my ass, and InstAl...yeah." he snortts, "I didn't pass that one. I'd have better odds of surviving slapping Cerberus across the mouth then passing that class."
<Hikari> "But it would be a different kind of match if they competed with the assistance of a device, wouldn't it?" Hikari shrugs. "Reality has done a fine job of sidetracking both of us, hasn't it? You know, there are times I'm not sure what I would be doing if all of this--" she gestures around to the Dream in general, "--hadn't found me. There are times I think I owe Dami an apology."
> "Why, been holding it against him?" Shiro shrugs, "No idea who did this to me, but if I did I'd have to thank them. The idea of all this shit going on and being helpless to fight back if it came to me...you can probably guess how I feel about being helpless, huh?"
<Hikari> "I did at first," Hikari says. "It was an effort not to resort to violence on meeting him. Ever since, however, I've found being presented with so many problems gives on e astrange sense of purpose. I almost worry what I'll do when it's all over."
> "Hell, for all I know it was that Messaiah guy and the best way I could thank him now is by revoking Biker's liscence. With a spear."
<Hikari> "A whole arsenal will be needed based on what we saw today."
> Shiro nods again, "I feel that. Wonder what 'all over' is even going to mean? Are the Personas going to go away? Will we stop being able to come to the Dream?"
<Hikari> "We may be able to answer those questions sooner rather than later. We're not the first, you know--Mike found others. We've yet to communicate with them further. That should prove an interesting day. Perhaps career counseling will ensue."
> "Heh. Yeah, I'd like to hear how they handled going back to being mundane after going toe to toe with nightmare monsters." Shiro muses a bit, "Wonder if any of 'em are in the area at all? If there's anything they could do to help here?"
<Hikari> "We'll ask, of course. I can't help but imagine it playing out like war veterans returning to civilian life..."
> Shiro give you an odd look after that line...then finishes off his kabob and stands up, "Yeah... Hey, I'm gonna head back and see if Garu's got some time kick my ass around the dojo. Need to burn off some tension and can't risk heading out to trash Shadows right now."
<Hikari> "Yes. And I should head back before my sister makes too many untoward assumptions. She surely has enough of them already."
> "Well at least we've got a good reason to stick to the normal world for awhile," Shiro shrugs, "Give me a call if you want to practice more, or when you guys are calling a planning session. I'll try to work out what I think Biker's weakspot is from what we know."
* Hikari nods. "I think it a very safe assumption that it isn't fire, which leaves me rather sidelined. Ah well, we'll learn. Very quickly if necessary. We haven't much choice." Hikari nods, half turns, then pauses for the inevitable...
> Shiro finds a good spot to sit down and summon the wind. And as he does so...the color bleeds from the world. Everything except for the four large colored squares where you stood before when speaking to the Seiryuu.
> "Heh. Was wondering if that was going to happen."
> A light appears inside Hikari, and another inside Shiro. The lights slowly spiral out, and float over to the other before becoming the spinning cards.
> And as one, the voices return, 7"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Chariot Arcana." 5"Thou art I... And I am thou... Through this bond, thou shalt have the blessing of the Strength Arcana."
<Hikari> "It's amazing what one can become accustomed to," Hikari says in response.
> "It really is. Alright, catch you later." Color and movement returns to the world, and the wind finishes encircling Shiro. A moment later, he's gone.
* Hikari heads for the nearest door to go back home.
> You make it back to your dorm eventually, and as expected Aiko was waiting. She grins as you make it in, "Have fun?"
<Hikari> "Well," Hikari says, "you may observe that I am uninjured and then proceed to make your own assumptions. I could hardly stop you."
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