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writings-andstuff · 7 years

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Coincidences Part II (Bucky x Reader)

You guys have waited way too long for this and for that I’m sorry. But here it is, so I won’t start it with my usual long-winded preamble.

Happy Reading!

Pairing: Bucky x Reader (Modern AU thingy)

Words: 5046 (yikes, that’s the longest fic I’ve ever written)

Warnings: The usual tiny bit of swearing

Excerpt: For a moment, you wonder how this became your life. Yesterday, you were just another girl worrying about everything except her lack of a love life. Now that’s all you can think about because you’re flirting with a complete stranger. How insanely insane is that? For all you know, he could be a forty-something year old dude with three ex-wives and a beer-belly that could carry triplets. Somehow, though, you don’t think that’s likely.

Series Tags: @melanie451 @sebstanwassup @colagirl5 @winenighthoe @lovemarvelousfics @gotnotfeature @sebastianst-n @alwayshave-faith @hollycornish @iggytheboywonder

Tags: @langinator @fairchild21

Your name: submit What is this?

New Message from Mr. Catarcs

3:42 a.m u up?

You blink your eyes blearily and shift in bed. The sheet is wrapped around your legs like sweaty vines, constricting your movement. You growl angrily and throw them off, sitting up and relishing in the cool air of your apartment. Despite the frigid cold outside, you somehow still manage to wake up sweating. Maybe you’re a mutant.

Glancing over at your phone, it dings again to impatiently let you know that you still haven’t opened the text that woke you up. Usually your phone is switched to silent because of your job at the diner. There are always so many phones going off that it’s almost impossible to tell which is which. It’s just easier having your phone on silent because then you’re never worried about whether your phone is ringing or if it’s someone else’s. It saves you a lot of unnecessary anxiety.

But ever since last night’s conversation with James, you decided that you wanted to hear your phone ring with a text. It’s the first time in your life that you don’t want to miss a text.

You pick up the offending piece technology and swipe it open. Sure enough, the text is from James and you grin despite the fact that this message is the same one that woke you at—you squint at your alarm clock—3:49 a.m.

Deciding you are both thirsty and in need of some time in the open air of your apartment and not under the suffocating sheets, you get up and stretch. The floors are cold as you pad to the kitchen and fill a glass with water, shooting a text back to James.

3:51 a.m I am now

You wait for an answer while downing your glass of water and putting the empty glass in the sink again. Maybe he fell back asleep when you didn’t answer right away.

For a moment, you wonder how this became your life. Yesterday, you were just another girl worrying about everything except her lack of a love life. Now that’s all you can think about because you’re flirting with a complete stranger. How insanely insane is that? For all you know, he could be a forty-something year old dude with three ex-wives and a beer-belly that could carry triplets. Somehow, though, you don’t think that’s likely.

You have no proof of this, and absolutely no reason to believe he isn’t a creep except for a gut feeling. You resolve to ask his age whenever he decides to answer you.

You think about that. He could lie to you and tell you that he’s 20 when he’s really a lot older than that. The only way you’d truly know is if you meet him in person.

Suddenly you’re a little dizzy. This is just way too much to worry about at four a.m. You decide to just talk to him. You genuinely like his personality, and you don’t have to worry about all that other stuff until you actually meet him. If you actually meet him. That’s a big, neon-colored, flashing sign in the middle of absolute nowhere if.

Your phone dings and you look over from where you’re clutching the counter. You don’t notice how hard you were gripping the counter until you pull your palms away and it stings, lines etching themselves across your palm.

4:03 a.m srry didnt mean to wake u

Before you can even formulate a response, he’s texting you again. A double text. Gasp.

4:04 a.m just couldnt sleep. i was wondring if u wanted to talk

You tilt your head at your screen. He’s up in the middle of the night, and the first thing he does is text you? Why? Does he not have other people he can talk to? A stupid part of you, the same part that wants to meet him in person, thinks that maybe it’s because he wants to talk to you.

Maybe he does. Probably not. It’s too much to hope for. All his other friends are probably asleep. Regardless, not answering is not an option. Well, it is, but it’s not one you’re likely to explore, not when your chest has those freaky bubbles in it and your stomach is doing that stupid flippy-thingy. Nope. This, you decide, feels like High School when a cute boy texted you first and the instinct to giggle shot up to level 12.

4:06 a.m alright. what about?

Capitals, Y/N. What the hell happened to capitals?

You take your phone and pad back into your room, perching yourself up against the headboard with your knees drawn up to your chest and your phone in your hands as you wait for a response. Worrying your bottom lip, your mind drifts to work. You’ll have to get up in about three hours to be at work on time. Man, you’re going to be tired.

It’s then that your phone dings. You decide then that talking to him makes it worth the fatigue.

4:11 a.m twenty questions?

4:11 a.m Fine, but since you woke me up you have to go first.

The three dots that mean he’s typing pop up three different times before the response finally comes through.

4:15 a.m whatd u go to school 4?

You laugh.

4:15 a.m getting down to the nitty gritty personal stuff I see

You think for a moment. Telling him what you do isn’t divulging too much about yourself, so you decide it’s okay.

4:16 a.m lol yup thats me. i want the deep personal stuff. might just ask what ur fav color is nxt

4:16 a.m 1. editing; 2. sorry, that’s sacred info

4:17 a.m 1 ah i understand y ur a grammar nazi now…2 obviously

Thinking for a moment, you decide that favorites are just too cliche. Any conversation anyone has with some new friend ends in questions that start with “What’s your favorite…” You really want to know how old he is, but you figure you need an ice breaker before you get to the actual nitty gritty.

First, though, you must take the bait to piss him off:

4:19 a.m What would you have done if I hadn’t gone to college?

With a yawn, you lie back down and curl on your side, sitting your phone on the nightstand in front of you with your eyes glued to it. Once you realize that staring at it isn’t going to make him type faster, you turn over.

You’re totally not too eager. There’s no—

Ding!

You flip over so fast that you rip the sheet from the other side of the bed and end up with half of it between your stomach and the bed. It pulls from the bottom corner of the bed and is slightly uncomfortable, but you don’t care.

4:22 a.m high school?

4:23 a.m I didn’t go to high school FOR anything

You’re not sure if the use of caps-lock is weird, but you send it off anyways, deciding that emphasis on that one word is crucial to your meaning. He replies within seconds.

4:23 a.m i mean dunno bout u but i went to learn

You laugh, probably louder than is necessary.

4:24 a.m Touche. What’d you go to school for?

4:26 a.m repeating questions isnt alowed

Frowning, you wonder if he actually didn’t go to college. Should you push it? Maybe you should just change the question. There’s a part of you, the curious part that wanted to be a reporter when you were young, that really wants to know.

There isn’t too much time for you to think all of that before he’s texting you again. Usually, you’re the one to mercilessly double-text. James, it would seem, has you beat in this department. Also, you didn’t want to double-text a complete stranger.

Before you even look at the text, it hits you again: this is a complete stranger. The thought of not answering enters your mind again, but you push it down. No harm in just talking if neither of you meet, right? Right?

Right.

4:27 a.m i joined the military right out of HS

It’s a real Oh moment, and you find yourself staring at your screen as if it’s a real person. The military? What are you supposed to say to that? What’s the protocol for a text that you’re not sure how to answer? Should you just leave it alone? No; if you leave it alone then he’ll think he freaked you out. He hasn’t. Your brain is just short-circuiting on an answer.

Should you think him for his service? No. Not yet. You don’t want to call too much attention to it in case he doesn’t want to talk about it or he’s had bad experiences, but you’re still not sure how to respond. Have you taken too long already?

You summon up some courage and type out a message.

4:31 a.m Oh wow. Well, what would you have studied if you had gone?

You cringe, totally not meaning for that to sound like you were completely skipping over the issue altogether. James doesn’t seem to mind though, if his response is any indication.

4:32 a.m hmm history i think. ive always liked ww2 4 some reason

4:33 a.m well you’ve got AP european history girl right here. 1 of only 11 in the whole senior class to take it.

4:34 a.m well, smartypants i get 2 q’s bc u asked 2

You feel that you handled that effectively, and you were already beginning to formulate a plan in your head while he thought about his questions.

See, you know next to nothing about the military or what it’s all about except that it is for valiant people who want to serve their country. You can respect that, but you want—nay, need—to learn more. Convincing yourself that it’s purely for research purposes and not for anything else.

Regardless, you need to know more. It’s probably better to get it from someone who has been through it rather than from some cold, impersonal online source. And besides, you just so happen to know someone who was in the military. Someone who, in fact, lost a limb in the line of duty: Bucky Barnes.

As far as you know, Bucky lost his left arm in the military. You’d asked him before how he lost it and he hadn’t answered you, opting instead to change the subject to Steve and his new (at the time) art studio. It had been suspicious, but you understand that it must not be easy to speak about something like that.

You’ll have to go talk to Steve tomorrow morning to get Bucky’s number, but you think that maybe you’ll treat him to lunch in exchange for him giving you some details about the whole military thing. At the company, you get an hour off for lunch, which is just enough time to go out, interrogate a friend (respectfully, of course), and head back before the hour is up.

The plan was formed and you had your head already set on it. By the time James’ reply comes in, you’ve tuckered yourself out thinking that whole plan out. It is really late—er, early—after all.

4:41 a.m 1 how was ur day 2 how r u likely to spend a friday night

4:43 a.m I feel like I’m taking a Buzzfeed quiz

You yawn again and type out your answers.

4:44 a.m my day’s just begun. it’s four a.m. And probably reading or something

You put your phone down, thinking that you’ll just leave it there and wait for his reply, but you end up turning over and falling asleep.

In the morning, you turn your phone on silent again while you get ready for work, playing some music while you apply some light make-up.

It turned out that James hadn’t answered you anyway, so you would have been up waiting for a text that wasn’t going to come. Good thing you passed out.

Glancing at the clock, you notice that it’s 7:02 a.m and that Steve should be up. You don’t have to be at work until 8 and it’s not a long bus ride to get to work so you figure you can spare half an hour to haggle your best friend into giving up Bucky’s phone number. You wonder why you haven’t thought to get it sooner, figuring that you just never needed it.

You and Bucky only ever hung out with Steve or the rest of the gang. He was a friend of yours, but the two of you had never been too close in the two years of knowing each other. That said, you had heard a lot about each other even before meeting from Steve, and Bucky had expressed in the past how annoying he found it when Steve was constantly mentioning you in casual conversation.

It was the same with Bucky for you. Steve had been talking about his best friend Bucky ever since you had met him. It was in that way that you and Bucky had gotten to know each other sort of inadvertently.

Heading out the door and across the hall, you knock on Steve’s door lightly a few times. He’s a light sleeper anyways, and you don’t want to wake the whole hall with loud knocking. You only opt for knocking this time in case he’s not decent or something. Otherwise, you would have used your key.

Sure enough, Steve answers the door within a few minutes, clad in flannel pajama pants, a white V-neck, and holding a steaming cup of coffee. It smells amazing, and you realize then that in your rush you’d forgotten to make yourself some.

“Got another one of those and half an hour?”

Steve raises an eyebrow but steps aside to let you in. He’s a morning person, so you were sure on your way over here that you wouldn’t receive any resistance.

“What do you need?” he asks you, pouring you a cup of coffee not unlike how he’d done it the night before. He pours in a generous amount of milk and some sugar before stirring it and handing it to you, just the way you like it.

Blow, sip—“Mm,” you hum. “I need Bucky’s phone number.” You say it as nonchalantly as you can manage so as not to raise any flags to Steve, but by his surprised expression you can tell that you’ve raised them all.

“Bucky? Why?”

You shrug like it’s no big deal. “He has some info that I need.” It sounds so covert and cheesy that you almost giggle, but you manage to keep your composure while sipping your coffee again.

Steve tilts his head to the side almost imperceptibly, leaning his back against the counter across from you as you sit at a stool by his island. Said island juts out from a wall to half-enclose the kitchen area like a wrap-around ‘J’ with the island as the tail.

After a few moments of silence, it becomes clear that Steve is waiting for you to elaborate, and when you don’t indulge, he sighs, setting his cup down and crossing his arms.

“Okay, but don’t call him now,” Steve says, already ruffling in a drawer for a pen and paper. “He—he has trouble sleeping, and he needs as much of it as he can get before he has to work. And he’s taking Friday off so he has to log in more hours to make up the difference.” Steve hands you a piece of paper with numbers scribbled on it.

“Got it,” you said, taking the paper and sticking it in your bag. “Thanks, Steve.”

“Yeah,” he smiles at you. “No problem.”

You stand and head to the door, plan in motion and feeling good about it. Then you remember something and turn as you’re walking toward the door.

“Steve?”

He lifts his head from where he’s still standing in the kitchen sipping his coffee. You realize you’ve left yours there, but decide that it’s okay. You’ll survive. Somehow.

“Yeah?”

“Mom is bringing over pasta around two, but I won’t be home,” you can already see his eyes lighting up. “I told her to make extra and that you should be back by then. Can you—”

“—keep it here until you get home?” He knows you so well, it’s scary. “Yeah, but don’t expect me not to try some of it first.”

You fix him with a warning finger. “I’ll be over at seven and I will expect there to be enough for dinner and lunch tomorrow.”

He holds his hands up. “Hey, we all know my metabolism requires a lot of calories per day, and two is just in time for a late lunch.”

“Steve,” you warn.

“Alright,” he laughs. “I’ll leave some of your mother’s pasta for you for dinner.”

“That’s all I ask.”

You walk back over, kiss his cheek, take one more sip of your coffee, and then leave.

You tap your foot on the ground impatiently as you wait at your desk for the clock to turn from 11:29 to 11:30 so you can head for a bathroom break to call Bucky and find out if he’s busy for lunch.

James hadn’t texted you all day, but you figure that’s okay. He doesn’t always have to text you. He has a life. You push him mostly out of your head, or you try to. You fail miserably.

He’s the reason you’re meeting with Bucky anyways. As much as you don’t want to admit it, that’s the truth. Of course, you can’t tell Bucky that. You’ll just sound stupid. And then Bucky will tell Steve and Steve will have some sort of “talking to strangers is bad” intervention with you. You definitely don’t want to endure that.

11:30 hits and it’s officially been half an hour since your actual bathroom break. You don’t want to call attention to yourself in the office that you share with a whole bunch of other people in too-tightly-packed cubicles. You grab the slip of paper Steve had given you and head to the elevator.

By the time you make it to the downstairs bathroom, you realize that you forgot your phone upstairs on your desk. Great. Now what are you going to do? If you go back up to get it, you’ll look suspicious. Of course, you shouldn’t really care what your coworkers think of you, but you do. Everybody says they don’t care about peer acceptance but most actually do.

It’s human nature.

You sigh angrily and look around. The lobby is all marble floors and a little shop where they sell overpriced snacks and drinks. There’s a desk to the left of the elevator bank with one woman sitting in a black wheelie chair making and taking phone calls.

Can you just ask her to borrow one of her phones? There’s an empty seat next to her. Maybe you can explain your situation and just ask this woman if you can borrow the phone.

The only thing is that you don’t know this woman. Your supers rented the office space with the endless rows of cubicles from the people who owned the building. This woman obviously works for the building management, and not for anyone you know.

You decide it’s better that she doesn’t know you. It’s less personal. You can call Bucky, discuss details, and be done with it.

You sidle over and lean on the high desk. Its polished marble top is so high that you have to lean over it a little to see the woman. She’s plump, with dark hair, blue eyes, and a squished face. She looks the opposite of friendly. She’s wearing a black headset that you realize is some sort of Bluetooth.

You wait until she is done speaking to talk to her.

“Um, hello?”

She doesn’t look at you for a moment, reaching up instinctively as if she thinks you’re in her headset before she realizes she’s speaking to a real person. She eyes you.

“What?”

You were right to guess she wasn’t very friendly.

“I was wondering if I could borrow your phone,” you say kindly. “I have to call someone and I accidentally left my phone upstairs.”

She looks bored and eyes you for another second before looking back at her computer screen. “Just go up and get it.”

“It’s urgent,” you lie. Man, this is going to be awkward after you make the call right in front of her and she finds out its personal.

She eyes you again. “You have five minutes.”

You smile at her. “I’ll only need three.”

You wait as she plops one of the black phones on top of the counter, and it’s so high that you have to go up on your tiptoes to see the number pad.

“Type extension 382 first, then the number.”

With that, she gets back to her work and you pull the phone from the receiver. You flatten the paper on the desk and do as she instructed.

You wonder if he’ll even pick up. This will be an unknown number to him, and you know that if it were you, you wouldn’t answer.

It rings three times before a familiar, gruff voice answers.

“Hello?”

“Bucky? It’s Y/N.”

He sounds surprised. “Y/N?” There’s a pause, a honking noise, and then he sounds as if he’s realized something. “Steve gave you my number.”

“Yeah,” you say. “I had to call you from a work phone, though.”

You catch the woman looking up at you briefly and can tell she’s annoyed that this is a personal call. You’re sure this call needs to be as short as you can possibly make it or else you’re afraid she’ll just cut it herself.

“Oh.”

“Listen, are you busy for lunch in, like, half an hour?”

Bucky thinks for a moment on the other line and the lady looks at you again, her gaze becoming more venomous. You’re pretty sure that once she looks at you a third time she’s going to end your call for you.

Just as you’re about to scold him for an answer, Bucky speaks up.

“Yeah, I’m—”

You feel bad, but you have to cut him off.

“Okay, great. Meet me at the Deli down the street from Steve’s studio at 12 sharp. My treat.”

Bucky chuckled on the other end. “Your treat? What do you need from me?”

You smile despite the situation. “Just your brain.”

“Sure you don’t want Banner or Stark for that one?”

“I’m sure,” the woman was giving you her last angry glare. You had to go. “See you then, Buck.”

“Looking forward to having my brain probed. Bye, Y/N.”

You hang up, thank the lady, and make your way back upstairs as fast as you can. 12:00 can’t come quick enough.

Bucky wonders what you want to talk to him about as he drives a company truck to the deli and parallel parks a couple blocks down. The flatbed of the truck is filled with mismatched pieces of junk, from broken computers to the plastic from the top of a printer. It’s all stuff that can be broken down and reprocessed at a plant.

The city is taking down an old building and putting a new office building up in its place. It’s Bucky’s job as the assistant to take all the not-so-useless junk and dispose of it somewhere where it can be reused.

He doesn’t have to be at the plant until two, and he finished loading everything up early, so he has about two hours or so to spare.

Walking into the Deli, he’s hit with a wave of merciful heat and he immediately pulls his coat off. The deli is small with few patrons a small line for take-out. One woman is sipping an iced coffee through a straw while she types madly on a computer. Two men are sitting at a table wearing yellow vests and eating huge subs. Bucky wonders if he would have ended up as one of them, working for the DPW if he hadn’t begun working with the demolition company.

It takes him barely a moment of looking around to find Y/N sitting in a corner flanked by two windows with an empty seat across from her. There’s a wrapped sandwich and a water sitting on the table in front of the other seat.

She’s smoothing out the wrapper of her own sandwich as if the creases in the paper wrapping are offending and should not be allowed to exist.

“Hey,” he says, walking over and taking a seat in front of her.

She looks up at him and smiles. “Hey,” she shoots back, and then nods to the sandwich. “Got you a BLT.”

Bucky’s suspicions are steadily growing. He pulls the paper from around the sandwich and lays it on the table as Y/N had done, though he couldn’t care less about the creases. He looks between the sandwich and the girl, eyeing both with the suspicion of someone who thinks he’s being played.

“What’s this about?” he asks.

She swallows and puts her sandwich down, looking like she’s about to ask him a ground-breaking, life-changing question. Her eyes quickly flick over to his arm and he’s suddenly very sure he knows what this is about.

But that’s strange. Yesterday—or really early this morning—he was talking to Y/M/N about him having been in the military. Now Y/N is eyeing his arm like she really wants to ask what happened but she doesn’t want to sound impolite.

Then there’s the fact that they’re both editors. That’s weird. And how Y/N reminds him of Y/M/N.

He’s an apopheniac, he has to be. He’s seeing coincidences where there really aren’t any. It’s his brain playing tricks on him. In truth, maybe he just wants this strange girl to be Y/N. Though, probably not. Then again, maybe this whole time he thought he was jealous of Y/N for being so close to Steve, he was really jealous of Steve for being so close to Y/N.

That thought derails him so fast that he doesn’t hear it when Y/N actually asks her question.

She lets out a breath as if it’s a load-off to finally ask him, and he’s struck with the realization that if he says he didn’t hear her, she probably won’t take it well. He waits for her to say something else, but when she doesn’t he takes a leap of faith based on her glance at his arm.

“You want to know how I lost my arm,” he says, rather than asks. If her expression of shock and discomfort is any indication, he’s screwed up.

Big time.

Shit.

“I mean,” she straightens in her chair. “I guess—it’s sorta part of it? Yeah.”

She sounds so lost and he feels so bad.

He still has no idea what her original question was though. ‘Part of it.’ His thoughts drift back to his earlier conversation with the girl he’s been talking to over text. The military. Could that be what Y/N wants to know about?

No, it’s just too weird. There’s no way. But he has to know.

“The military? You want to know about the military?”

She nods, looking slightly guilty. “Yeah,” he tries not to let his breath of relief show, “I—uh, fact-checking. I’m fact-checking an article.”

Bucky nods slowly, sandwich forgotten. She’s a terribly liar. “You’re a terrible liar.”

Sitting back as if she’s been punched in the gut, she blinks once, twice, three times—“I’m not lying.”

“Your body language gives you away.”

“Is that something you learned in the military?”

Bucky chuckles. “That’s something I learned from a whole lot of spy movies. Seriously, why do you want to know?”

She takes a bite of her sandwich and speaks around it. Altogether, not the most sexy, but that’s okay.

“Research,” she says slowly.

Bucky creases his eyebrows. “For?”

“For a project?”

“If you’re going to lie, at least lie with conviction,” Bucky says. “One of these days, I’m going to teach you how to lie the right way.”

Laughing, she pulls her chair in a little more and sits forward. The picture of seriousness, she says, “Alright, if I tell you, you need to promise me you won’t tell Steve.” She sounds reluctant to tell him at all. This must not have been her plan.

Bucky draws a cross over his heart with his index finger. “Cross my heart or hope to die.”

She shakes her head. “Gotta be stronger than that. You have to pinkie promise.”

He gasps dramatically. “Not a pinkie promise. This must really be serious.”

Reaching over, she swats his arm. “Buck, I’m serious.”

“Okay, okay,” he surrenders, holding up his pinkie. She links hers with his and he’s momentarily struck by how soft her skin is. Then it’s over. “Tell me.”

She steels herself, he can see it. Jeez, it must really be something serious or she wouldn’t be swearing him to secrecy using childish, yet efficient tactics. It strikes him that she tells Steve everything, same as him, so for her to say she doesn’t want him to know must mean it’s not necessarily something good.

He lets himself think for a moment that she might be about to confess that she’s the mystery girl he’s been texting. It’s much more likely, though, that she’s about to tell him she’s got feelings for Steve or something.

Steeling himself as well, he waits as she takes a deep breath.

“I may or may not—”

“You may,” he corrects. She glares at him.

“—have answered a text from a guy who was trying to text someone else—”

This is where Bucky stops listening and his internal monologue becomes one word:

Fuck.

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elliotthezubat · 7 years

Text

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 16

Q_Q dem feels man.

Takehisa: (tending to their wounds) "You dumbasses really fouled up this time..." Arthur: "Hmph. I blame that dragoness. Vicious creature..." shinra:..........ow................. --In Hibana's room-- Hibana: "Hmph. These children..." gabriella: are you alright? you arent injured, are you? Hibana: (winces) "That stumble..." (looks at her arm) "I hope it doesn't bruise..." -elsewhere- Kid: (rotates his arm) "A hot jacuzzi soak was what I needed..." liz: so what now? Kid: "I will help staff prepare dinner. Please set the table." -the next day- Kid: *yawn* -at school- Patty: "What's the first class?" < > Drawing < > Math < > Training <x> Other Kid: "I was hoping for geography...These forests are all starting to blur together..." -geography class begins- Yumi: "Good morning. I will be offering a guest lecture today on..." Yumi: "Verdant Forest." (Yumi opens her backpack that she brought with her to reveal a relic from the forest) -it's a green jewel- Patty: "Ooo...Shiny! Kid: (raises his hand) "What is that relic?" Patty: "Ooo...Shiny! Kid: (raises his hand) "What is that relic?" Yumi: it’s believed to be a nature stone. Patty: "A nature stone? Where did the DWMA find it?" Yumi: "It was recovered during one of our tours. I actually have a video from the adventurers who found it..." (plays video) person: dude, look at this. pretty shiny huh? Person #2: "Indeed...Captivating..." -something wraps around one person's leg and throws them- person 3: *SCREAM* Person #1: "Oh, God! What the f--?!" (smashed in the face with something) -the video cuts out- liz:........vines? Kid: o___o Yumi: "Yes, vines. You will need to be careful when traveling through this forest..." Patty: (pulls out bugspray) Patty: (and weedkiller) liz: maybe we should give the stone back? Yumi: (nods) "That is your mission. I want you to be careful out there..." (pats Kid's on the shoulder) Kid: (nods) -and so- Kid: (carrying his backpack) "Everyone ready?" stocking: yep. Patty: (holding up her weedkiller) liz: patti! Patty: "What? I don't want to get manhandled by a giant weed monster!" -at the forest entrance- Kid: "..." (looks at the entrance) "I don't sense anyone around yet..." liz:....... *she notices a small altar made from a stump and puts the stone there* Kid: "...I don't sense anything yet." -some of the trees pull back, opening a path- Kid: o_o "I guess...we follow?" -it leads to a grove, where an older lady resides- Kid: "H-Hello?" ???: *she looks back* oh. you must be the ones who returned my stone. the others were just telling me about that... Kid: " 'Others'?" ????: the trees of course. *she smiles* Kid: "...Oh." (looks at them, then back at her) "I am Death the Kid." ????: call me Mirva. Kid: (smiles) "It is good to meet you. This is Stocking, Liz, and Patty." -they converse for a while- Kid: "Mirva, we are seeking assistance with locating the last Sage." mirva: i see. and you have been having trouble finding someone to take up the title, and those who have tried have not fully awakened their full potential... Kid: "So we have heard. However, we need someone...What should we look for in someone who can take on the title of Sky Sage?" mirva: the sky sage will always be a child of grigori. a true child of grigori. Kid: (looks down) "We...lost one such person..." mirva: perhaps another....an angel.... stocking: i tried, but it rejected me. Kid: "I'm afraid we're at a loss. It's not like we can bring back the dead." mirva: i can tell you a presence does exist. someone who could be the new sage. she is kept in a steel prison in the vast desert... Kid: "Which desert?" mirva: a desert where cacti flourish. Kid: "We come from a desert...Death City...You don't mean such a person is back home?" mirva: not quite. but the distance is not too drastic. she lies to the south east. Kid: "Southeast from here, or from Death City?" mirva: south west of your home, young one. Kid: "...Thank you. Is there anything more you can tell us, to advise us?" mirva: one last thing. *she summons a violin and plays a melody* -obtained the forest aria- Kid: (looks to Stocking) "Got that?" stocking: yeah. Kid: (bows to Mirva) "Thank you." -elsewhere- Yohei: "Zzz..." chie: *reading* -meanwhile, at the fear factory HQ- Shinoda: (bites into an apple) "Yum~" grunt: so what's the next course of action, sir? Shinoda: "NoFix set back progress on the re-capture of Yohei at the London Tournament, as well as recruiting some of the robotics experts there..." (shows files on Kepuri and others) "Now that such a debacle is behind us, I think we need to take a new approach to accomplish our goal of Dokeshi supremacy." grunt: and that would be, sir? Shinoda: "Our new plan will be through re-building London. We already have contracted clean-up efforts." -elsewhere- NoFix: "Nice operation around here. So, what'd you got plan for these clowns and those Kishins?" luka: creating an army and selling them to anyone willing to have them in their armies, be it goverment armies, terrorists, whomever. NoFix: "Neat. That's gotta be profitable." (spies on one Clown) "Who's the next client?" luka: we got some orders from a company called 'fear factory'. NoFix: "..." (frowns) "Joy." pierrot test subject: d-doc? i-i dont feel too good....i feel sick in the stomach and my head keeps buzzing.... luka: just a side effect, it'll probably go away. NoFix: "???" (looks at the Test Subject) test subject 2: *a strange yellow substance leaks from their nostril* ahhhhhh...... NoFix: (grimaces) "Oh, shit! That ain't right!" -elsewhere- Kid: (looking out a window) stocking: how're you holding up? Kid: "...I don't know. One more Sage, but I cannot understand who or where they are." stocking: ............... Kid: "What do we do?" stocking: i dont know.... for now, lets try focusing on happier things... Kid: (small smile) "Okay..." (reaches slowly for her hand) stocking: *she smiles and kisses him gently* Kid: (holds her) "Thank you..." stocking: i love you kid, dont forget that, ok? Kid: (nods) "I never will forget...and I will always love you." stocking: mmmm...... *she hugs him* Kid: (strokes her hair and back, feeling her heartbeat and her soul wavelength...) "So warm..." stocking: *she rubs his head and back, smiling warmly* Kid: (kisses lightly along her cheek) -the next morning- Kid: *yawn* -at school- Kid: "Father, Mother, we returned the relic to the Forest." lord death: so i see, kiddo. Yumi: (nods) "Excellent work. I read your initial report about the last Sage's location." (turns to Lord Death) "Any idea where this desert is? What this metal containment unit is?" lord death: i send a search team to investigate the area. Kid: "I wonder whether they will find anything..." -elsewhere- Hiro: "Oh, hey Shinra--?! Ugh...You okay?" shinra: *bandaged* coulda been better..... Arthur: *bandaged* "No kidding..." Hiro: "...What happened?" shinra:......orange juice..... Hiro: "...Orange juice kicked your ass?" shinra:............................(thinking: i'm glad iris patched us up....) *he thinks about iris in an old timey nurse outfit* .//////. Arthur: (thinking something similar about Tamaki in a sexy nurse outfit) o/////o Hiro: "...Hello? Guys? You alive? You need something?" shinra: *NERVOUS SMILE* I'M SHINRA AND IM OK!! Arthur: "!!!" Hiro: "...Hi, Shinra, I'm Hiro, and I'm majorly confused." shinra:.........i need to use the bathroom. Arthur: "...Good idea." (follows) Hiro: "...TMI." -in the bathroom- Arthur: "..." shinra: *banging his head against the wall* stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid! i'm such an idiot! Arthur: "Yes, you are." *checks his eyes* "I did not sleep enough..." shinra: well.....what now? Arthur: "...I think we should avoid Hibana. Otherwise, she will kill us. You really should have stopped me before I went into her room to slay that dragon." shinra: that's what i was trying to do! Arthur: "Then you should have tried harder! And her assistant--she's, like, a goliath! So small, yet able to have such strength! She picked me up with one hand and threw me into the garbage!" shinra: fitting. Arthur: (frowning) "What's the worst that happened to you? Hibana just threw you across the room and Maki--Wait, what did Maki do to you?" shinra:.....i dont want to talk about it. Arthur: "...She hurt your pride, man?" shinra: oh shush. i had to theoretically bury your dignity again! Arthur: (clenches his teeth) "No one asked you to..." -elsewhere- Hibana: "Such brats. Happy they are at school and not here." (examines her GPS bracelet) gabriella: tea or coffee? Hibana: "Coffee, thank you." gabriella: right away~ Hibana: "Hmph. I used to be in charge of my own brigade, my own company. Now I'm basically under house arrest." (softens her face) "I suppose I should ask how you are adjusting to all of this, Gabriella. You had the option to go elsewhere." gabriella: i wanted to be here with you. i couldnt ask to be anywhere else than by your side. Hibana: "..." .\\\\. "Thank you. That actually means a lot." (clears her throat) "Y-You know, because you are so organized...and prepare my coffee how I like it." gabriella: *she smiles* Hibana: "...Why don't you pour yourself a cup of coffee as well and let's talk? I don't really know much about you." gabriella: a-are you sure? Hibana: (frowns) "I said I wanted to know more about you, so sit and tell me about yourself!" (blushes a bit more) "...Please" gabriella: o-ok...w-what did you want to know? Hibana: "Well...What are your hobbies?" gabriella: hobbies? well, i guess...does playing solitare on the computer count? i dont really make much time for doing things like that. Hibana: "You should: I would go nuts if I didn't have hobbies." gabriella: i-i dont mind though. Hibana: (pouts) "We should find you something to do. Do you like cooking?" gabriella: i can microwave instant ramen. Hibana: -_- "Okay. Tell you what." (holds up her wrist) "This GPS tracker lets me beyond 10 blocks of this place. After we finish coffee, we're going to the grocery store, coming back with ingredients, and I'm going to show you how to cook an entire meal. Okay?" gabriella: for real? Hibana: "Yes." (sips) "Hmm...Good coffee." (smiles) -elsewhere- Wes: "Hey, Liz!" liz: oh hey. Wes: "How's your day been?" liz: great. we found the 2nd to last sage yesterday. Wes: "Awesome! What was that trip like?" liz: foresty. Wes: (small smile) "Dressed appropriately for it?" liz: well...... 7-7; Wes: "???" (a little smirk) liz: what? Wes: "Nothing. You just look great in almost any outfit...and you're cute when you're nervous." liz: oh shush you. Wes: (laughs) "Hey, I was wondering whether you were free Friday night." liz: yeah. Wes: "Cool. Up for going out? I was thinking about dinner and..." < > a movie < > a walk through downtown Death City <x> laser tag liz: how about laser tag? Wes: "..." (childish glee) "I never had a chance to play it growing up--and I've wanted to for so long! Can you teach me?" liz: sure thing! Wes: "Pick you up at 5?" liz: this friday? Wes: (nods) -later- Yumi: "Death, which 'steel prisons' are there near this city?" lord death: we did find prisons, but they were made of stone. the only steel building was a labratory facility. 'Nirvana Lab 07' Yumi: "Nirvana? I'm not familiar with any laboratory or company with that name." lord death: neither am i. we'll have to infiltrate and see what we can find. Yumi: "Ideas for whom to include on this infiltration team?" -kid, liz, patti, stocking, clay, akane, homura, gopher, kirika- Yumi: (lists the parties) "Very good. When is the best date for travel?" -how about tuesday- Yumi: "Tuesday, Nirvana Lab 07...I'll send the assignment and ask Auntie and staff to gather all necessary resources." -elsewhere- Yohei: "...Shit." mana: what's wrong? Yohei: "This news: 'Happy Factory lands third contract for re-building London.' Something smells fishy about all of this..." mana: .......... Yohei: "No way that 'Happy Factory' isn't still Fear Factory...but I can't figure out much on this guy leading it, Apple Shinoda." -elsewhere, in the world of witches- Witch Assistant: "Madam Maba, you called?" maaba: nyamu! Witch Assistant: "We have had complaints in the prison regarding the werewolf recently placed there. He keeps going on and on about wanting his froggy." maaba: nyamu? Witch Assistant: "Yes. I am recommending increased security, including another magical barrier tailored for canines." maaba: nyamu nyamu. *nods* Witch Assistant: "Understood...Also, the prisoner has requested...chew toys." maaba: nyamu! Witch Assistant: *sigh* "Very well. I'll put in the order online. Anything else, Madam?" maaba: .....nyamu nyamu? Witch Assistant: "No, we have not had a new lead on Book of Enoch. I was just heading to Intelligence for any updates. Please, excuse me." (departs and runs into...) sephy: hey. *waves* Witch Assistant: "Ah, Sephy. How are you?" sephy: doin' good. making mail deliveres as usual. kerona's been doing well too. Witch Assistant: "Happy to hear. Any mail for me?" sephy: just the usual stuff. Witch Assistant: "...Sephy? I'm going back to see that werewolf..." (glares) "I want to break him." sephy: you and me both. *cracks knuckles* he's got hell to pay for harassing my baby girl! Witch Assistant: "...Maybe he needs a 'visitor' for a few minutes...hours..." -elsewhere- Noah: (his arm his bandaged...and he's holding something in his hand) noelle: [oh?] *When he injured his hand, he reached in, tore out part of his bone, and wore it down to a shiv, which he has hidden from guards* noelle: [o_______o] Noah: *giggling* "Let them come...I'll have my hostage, and I'll escape with the Book..." noelle: [what hostage?] Noah: *blinks* "Oh...I hadn't figured that out...How about that little girl who hangs out with the guy in the mask? She looks weak." noelle: [the pink one?] Noah: "Hee hee...Yeah...Just grab her wrist, hold the shiv to her neck, and the rest of them will back off. Genius." noelle: [sure.] Wrath!Noah: [KILL A LOT OF PEOPLE! *Kermit the Frog arm wiggling with glee*] Gluttony!Noah: [I'm so hungry...] Lust!Noah: [...I got nothing.] -elsewhere- Hibana: (sets the plates before Akitaru and the others) "Gabriella put in a lot of work in this meal, so I hope you all enjoy it." *glares at Shinra and Arthur* (demonic voice) "OR ELSE." shinra: *sweats* yes ma'am! Arthur: (glares at the food) "I don't like fish--" maki: *shoulder punch* Arthur: "Owie!" (crying pout) -elsewhere- scarlet: *loading her gun* scarlet: wind speed seems about right....now, where are you mr burns? Tamaki: (banging on Burns's door) "Let me in, now!" scarlet: oh? Amber: "Tamaki, please, stop!" tamaki: *angry kitty scratching* ugh! what is his deal?! Burns: (opens the door) "...What?" scarlet: *she takes aim* tamaki: why am i being locked here? what's the deal with that?! Burns: "You have been an irritable child lately, Tamaki, and I want that to stop." Amber: (trying to stand between Tamaki and Burns) "Stop this!" scarlet: move brat..... tamaki: i'm not a child! Amber: (trying to hold Tamaki back) "Sir, she's just, you know, having a bad day. Please don't hold it against her." scarlet: aim...... *her phone rings* !!! *BANG* Burns: (steps forward, pulls Amber away from Tamaki) "If you can't fall in line, Tamaki, you know where you'll go..." *GLASS SHATTERS, BLOOD* tamaki: .....!!!!!!! Burns: "!!!!" Amber: "..." (collapses) tamaki: .........!!!! Burns: "Amber!" (sees the window) "Bastards!" (heads out to try to track the assassin) Firefighter #2: "What happened--Amber?! Someone, get an ambulance!" Amber: *shuddering, choking on her blood* scarlet: dammit!...... *she answers* what....is it? Joker: "Hey, pretty girl." tamaki: amber! we're getting you help. Firefighter #2: (removed shirt, applying it to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding) "Please, God, no." scarlet: couldnt pick a better time to call, because thanks to you startling me, i missed my target. again! Joker: "Well, maybe if you put your calls on silent, this wouldn't happen, now would it?" scarlet: .............up yours. Joker: "You first~ So, who did you kill?" *Flames erupt where Scarlet stands* scarlet: some brat from the 1st brig- WHAT THE FUCK?! Burns: "Fire at her, men!" scarlet: SON OF A- *she takes off* Burns: "Not that easy!" (flames his hands--and flies up to the rooftop) "Follow her!" Joker: "Woof! Sounds like you got yourself into a bit of trouble, Red." scarlet: oh no, its just fireworks- OF COURSE I HAVE A SITUATION ON ME! Joker: "Ah, how sad...Need an assist?" Burns: (fires flame just past Scarlet's head) scarlet: ..... *grumble* fine, just get them off my ass. Joker: (snaps his fingers) Burns: (aims) "Got you, you bastard..." *A circle of flames emerge around Scarlet--and they're not by Burns* scarlet: !!! Burns: "What?!" *BOOM* Burns: *knocked back* "Urg!" *Scarlet has disappeared* tamaki: amber, come on, you're gonna be ok! Amber: "T-T-T..." (stops breathing) tamaki: dammit, someone! do something! Paramedics: "We're here!" Ma'am, get out of the way..." (tend to Amber) "She's...I got no pulse. She's--" tamaki: she's alright! she just passed out! Paramedics: "Ma'am. She's gone." tamaki: she's fine! r-really! Paramedics: "She is dead." (nods to paramedics to get Amber to the hospital, clutches Tamaki) "I am sorry." tamaki: y-you're lying! g-get off me! ok amber, jokes over now! Amber: *there is no reply* Paramedics: "Ma'am, please, calm down--" tamaki: STOP IT! *fire forms around her* Paramedics: "!!! We got a Fire Being! Everyone, back away!" tamaki: *she screams* Paramedics: "Duck!" (flames pass by) tamaki: ............*she breaks down* Paramedics: "..." (to the others) "Get her out of here." (approaches Tamaki...and hugs her) -elsewhere, the next morning- Akitaru: (watching the news) "..." shinra: what is it? Akitaru: (turns off the TV, approaches the Brigade) "Everyone, I am sad to report that the 1st Brigade lost one of their members last night." shinra: what? maki: !! iris: *shocked* Arthur: "Th-The First? Oh, God..." shinra: .... *he looks at arthur* Akitaru: (hand on Arthur's shoulder) "Tamaki was not killed. She is...fine." (looks to the others) "It was an assassination attempt, with 1st Brigade Sister Amber Lee McKenzie killed." iris: !!!! *tearful* Arthur: (solemn) "I-I got to call Tamaki--" Hibana: (holds Iris) "Oh, God..." -elsewhere- Yumi: "We have to take this seriously: what if this assassination attempt was related to our investigation coming up on Tuesday?" lord death: according to the reports, there was an attempt on the 5th commander's life as well. Yumi: "Hmm...Burns, Hibana...Who stands to gain from attacking them?" (taps on a board showing the Commanders' faces) "Perhaps increase security at the 8th for both Hibana and Obi, then at the other Brigades. I think someone should contact Hibana as well for more information about this assassin." lord death: that sounds like a good idea. Yumi: (nods) "I'll bring Hibana in. You find someone to question her." -elsewhere- Black Star: "...Assassins. They give people like me a bad name. If I ever find this brat, I'll wring their neck." soul:............ Black Star: "If we weren't on this mission Tuesday, I'd stay here and knock down every door 'til I find this scum. Right, Soul?" soul: yeah. Black Star: "...I need to get some of this aggression out of me. I'm going to work-out for a bit. What're you gonna do?" soul: i'll figure something out... Black Star: "Okay..." (pats his back) "Stay safe, man." -elsewhere- scarlet: .......... Joker: (puffs on cigarette) "Tell me, Red: why did I hire you when you have failed to kill two Commanders? Is your shot really that bad?" scarlet: i had a clear shot on them, but one jumped in front and you screwed me over on the last one. Joker: "...I am mature enough to admit that I may have been slightly responsible for your massive fuck-up." scarlet:.......... spare me a cig? Joker: (taps one out for her) "Light?" scarlet: i got my own, thanks. *snaps her finger and summons a small flame* Joker: (puffs away) "So, they're now going to hunker down, preventing us from getting another shot any time soon. Maybe we need another option..." scarlet: ........ *takes a long drag* now i have to lay low for a while...just great....fan-fucking-tastic... Joker: "Maybe we need something other than you with a gun outside...Maybe we need an insider..." scarlet: oh? Joker: "Know anyone? I'd recommend you, but Burnsy already knows your face." scarlet: i'll see what we can come up with... Joker: (smiles) "Good. In the meantime, practice on your aim." (forms his fingers into a pistol and aims) "Bang." scarlet:....funny. Joker: "Heh heh..." (finishes his smoke, leans back on the couch) -elsewhere- Kid: "The Sky Sage..." (looks at the map) "We're hunting for Sages to stop that monster, and our own allies are getting gunned down. I know this is typical for the life we live, but I cannot help but be afraid and ashamed." (holds a hand to his chest) "Gods of Death do not treat death lightly." stocking:.... *she holds his hand* Kid: "Stocking, I don't want to lose more people...but I can't stop that. If I lost you..." stocking: that wont happen...i promise... Kid: "..." ("How can she know that...") (he hugs her) stocking: *she hugs back* Kid: "Stocking, please do all that you can to protect our friends..." stocking: i will.... Kid: "Thank you. I will as well." (holds her, and just keeps holding her) stocking:...... Kid: *yawns, leans against her shoulder* -the next day- Kid: (tosses in bed, murmuring) stocking: ....... Kid: "M-Mom..." stocking:............. *she strokes his head* Kid: (muttering in his sleep) "I don't want to lose more...M-Maka..." stocking: ............ Kid: "E-Everyone is dying on me...N-No..." stocking: kid. kid get up! Kid: "No!" (sits up, panting, shaking, sweating) "St-Stocking?" stocking: *she hugs him* Kid: "Wh-What happened?" (clutches her, tearing up) "I saw...I saw so much..." stocking: it was just a dream, kid.... Kid: "..." ("No...They are still gone...") *cries a bit* stocking:.......... Kid: *sobbing* "They're all gone...It hurts..." stocking: kid.... i'm still here..... Kid: (clutches Stocking) "Yes, you are..." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: (holds her, slowly calms down) "...It hurts." stocking:.......... Kid: "..." (holds her) "I think I need...a day off from classes." stocking: ok.... Kid: (lies in bed, yawns) -elsewhere- Black Star: "Kid called in sick." soul: ............ Black Star: "He should be ready for Tuesday's mission, but I think that Fire Brigade attack has worn him down." Patty: (in class as well, sad frown) liz:......we should do something for him. Patty: "Like what? A get-together, or get him something on the way home?" liz: maybe a party? Black Star: "Heck yeah! Do that!" -elsewhere- -knock knock- Arthur: "Tamaki? It's me." tamaki: go away.... *her voice is hoarse* Arthur: "...Please? You've been here for days..." tamaki:................ Arthur: "Tamaki..." (leans against the door) "I'm sorry for what happened to Amber. Iris and Hibana have been mourning her loss. I can't imagine what you are going through..." tamaki: just shut up! Arthur: "?! Tamaki?" tamaki: *she curls up, whimpering* Arthur: (hearing her) "Tamaki? Please?" -elsewhere- Kid: *yawns* "That nap helped..." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: *stretches* "How long was I asleep?" stocking: a little while. Kid: *sighs* "I feel stupid for letting my emotions control me like that." stocking: it's ok... *she strokes his head* Kid: "Thank you...What have you been up to?" stocking: i got a cold compress for your head, since you were burning up pretty bad... Kid: (fans himself at his collar) "You're right...That's disconcerting..." *dry cough* stocking: *she gives him some water* here... Kid: *cough* "Th-Thanks..." (sips slowly) -later- Kid: (sipping on soup) liz: doing better? Kid: (nods) "Yes, thank you. Sleep helped." stocking: *smiles* Kid: (finishes his soup, sighs) "I think I'll be ready by Tuesday for our mission." -elsewhere- Burns: "..." (slams his fist against his desk) officer: commander? Burns: "This gets in the way of everything--Everything!" (tosses papers aside) "Where is that assassin?!" officer: we're still examining the rooftops sir. Burns: "A lot damn good that is doing, Soldier! Someone is dead, my life has been threatened, I'm locked in this building like a prisoner in my own home, and all you are doing is checking rooftops?!" officer: !! Burns: (seizes Officer by the collar) "Get out there, round up any lowlife you can find, and get some information! I'm not going to have another member of the 1st dead because of my inaction! Bring them here! I'll make them talk." officer: !!! Burns: "...Why are you still here?! Get going!" (tosses the Officer--through the door) -elsewhere- Arthur: (in the backyard at the punching bag) shinra:..... *comforting iris* iris:............... Hibana: (having a drink with Maki) "I want to find this son of a bitch--and snap their neck." maki: and kick them in the shins! gabriella: and spill boiling water on their faces! Hibana: "Then burn them alive!" shinra: *sweats* Akitaru: (slams fist on the table) "ENOUGH!" shinra: !! iris: !! Hibana: "!!" Akitaru: (inhales, sighs) maki: commander? Takiharu: "I think the commander is pointing out that we will find this assassin and bring them to justice as soon as possible. In the meantime, focus on your work, not on vengeance alone." Akitaru: (sips) "What he said." maki: ....right....maybe we should cool our heads down........ !! i have an idea! Akitaru: "Oh?" maki: we should all go camping! *shiny eyes* Hibana: "..." (yuck face) "Like, in the outdoors? With dirt?" Arthur: "...It could be a welcome break..." shinra: that sounds like a great idea. maki: *squee* trust me, it's gonna be great, as a kid i went camping all the time, my cousins would join in too! Hibana: *grumble* "Gabriella, buy me decent boots and something fashionable for the great outdoors." gabriella: can do, princess. *she smiles* Akitaru: "Heh heh--good idea, Maki! I'll get my RV back from my aunt for this trip." shinra: i think i went camping once during a class trip. Takehisa: "How was it, Shinra?" shinra: welll.... >///>;;;; Arthur: (smirks) "Come on, tell them about camp...Puddles." shinra: ./////////////////////////. Hibana: "???" Akitaru: "..." (chortle) "Seriously?" shinra: oh hush, captain leech-dick. Arthur: o____o "Hey! That's below the belt!" Hibana: (laughing) "No kidding." maki: *snickering* iris: ?????? Takiharu: "..." (smirks) iris: ?????????????? Arthur: "At least I didn't wet the bed!" shinra: I DID NOT! Arthur: "And I didn't get a leech attached to my dick!" shinra: *dials his phone* Arthur: "Wh-What are you doing?" shinra: getting clarification...... Arthur: "Wh-What?! From who?!" Hiro: "Hello?" Arthur: o_______o "Oh no..." shinra: hey there, did arthur really get his joy handle bitten by a leech during a camping trip? Hiro: "...Ha. Ha." (silence) (hysterical laughter) "Oh, God, he was screaming like a baby the entire time! Good memories..." (more hysterical laughter) Arthur: (desperately trying to reach for the phone, held back by Akitaru and Gabriella) shinra: *evil grin* Hibana: "Ha ha ha! I bet the leech didn't get much of a meal off of Arthur." Arthur: o\\\\\\\o "Sh-Shut up! The water was cold!" iris: ?????????????????????????? Hibana: (slapping the table, cackling) Hiro: (still laughing--then a crash) "Ah! I fell out of my chair! Ha ha ha!" shinra: careful, talk to ya later. *hangs up* read it and weep, boyle. Arthur: "Grrrr...Y-You...You bedwetter! I bet you still do it, you jerk!" shinra: you cant prove it. Arthur: "Y-Yeah?! Well, I can prove I ain't small!" Hibana: "Then prove it!" (slapping the table, laughing) Arthur: o\\\\\\\o Hibana: :3 iris: *chop* no. bad sister. bad. Hibana: T___T Akitaru: "Okay, enough making fun of Arthur's size. Let's get packing!" maki: *cough* package-ing. *cough* ............*innocent whistling* Arthur: "Grrr...I'll get you for this, Shinra!" -the next morning- Hibana: "Zzzzz..." iris: sister? its time to get up now. Hibana: "Mmm..." (gets up, wearing her nightie) "Oh. Hello. What time is it?" iris: about 7 in the morning. Hibana: "Hmm...Yes, I guess it is time to wake up. Hmph. Back when I ran my own business, I had an alarm with lights that would slowly turn on to imitate sunlight. And more scented candles." -elsewhere- Kid: (yawns, waking up) stocking: morning babe~ Kid: "Good morning." (cuddles with her) "How are you?" stocking: pretty good. you? Kid: (nods) "Better. My throat isn't scratchy now, and I think my temperature has gone down." stocking: i'm glad to hear that. *she kisses his nose* poor baby. Kid: (hugs her) "I'll get better...It's all I can do." -elsewhere- tamaki:....................... Burns: "She hasn't come out still?" officer: no sir....i'm worried about her. Burns: "I'm open to ideas: how do we get her out?" officer: i dont know...maybe talking to her? but she locked the door. Burns: "Hmm...Well, unless you are suggesting I kick the door down--" officer: dont you have a key, sir? Burns: "Tch. You take the fun out of everything..." (pulls out his key, opens Tamaki's door) "Hello?" tamaki:..... *silently whimpering* Burns: "Tamaki..." (approaches) tamaki: *croaky voice* what do _you_ want? Burns: "You have to come outside. Come on, you need a good meal and a shower." tamaki: why, just to get someone else killed? Burns: "...They were targeting me. If you want to blame someone, blame me--I can take it. But if you don't stop blaming yourself..." tamaki: why? it wont change what a shitty friend i was! i was just so angry that i was locked up here, that i completely swept her under the rug! Burns: "She never held anything against you, you know that. Amber was kindhearted and had the patience of a saint. And she loved you." tamaki: *whimpering* i should have appreciated her better than i did.... Burns: "..." (puts an arm around her shoulder) "Get showered and dress: we're going out." tamaki:................... Burns: (stands up to leave the room) "You got 30 minutes." tamaki:............. -elsewhere- Burns: (standing before Amber's grave) priest: she was a good kid, that one. Burns: "Yes. She was." priest: this world is a truly screwed up place for things like this to happen, let alone to a girl her age. Burns: "...I am sorry. It should have been me, Father." priest: it would be best not to blame yourselves for what happened, all we can do is move on. Burns: "I've been trying to tell that to one of my soldiers...She hasn't taken that advice well." -elsewhere- Kid: (staring at a photograph on the mantle of his mother) liz: ........ Kid: "She was so young, Liz." liz: yeah....just 15.... Kid: "Amber was too young. My mother was too young. All of this death has been difficult." (holds his chest) "It makes it difficult for Shinigami..." liz:.....how old were you when it happened? Kid: "Five..." (picks up the photograph) liz:......... Kid: "I am happy for everyone in my life, and I feel so much love. But that doesn't lessen the pain." liz: ....... *hug* it's ok kid.... Kid: (returns the hug) "Thank you..." *sniff* -later- Black Star: *whistling* tsubaki+soul: *making lunch* Black Star: "So, your bro is taking Liz out for laser tag? What is he, four?" soul: dude, cut him some slack, we didnt get to do stuff like that as kids. Black Star: "...Sorry, man." soul: its fine. Black Star: "...You ever wanted to do laser tag, Soul?" soul: i guess... i did play a few times with you guys. Black Star: "What did you never get to do at home that you always wished you could do here?" soul: stay up late and eat an entire pizza. Black Star: "Oh, come on, you've done that. How about something bigger?" -elsewhere- Yumi: "Death..." lord death: yes, dearest? Yumi: "...I'm scared." (puts a hand on her stomach) lord death:..... *he pulls her close* Yumi: "I know how to be there for Kid...but I've never been a mother. I mean, I've been a mother to him, but not...really?" (puts her head down) "I'm so confused. I just feel conflicted." lord death: how so? Yumi: "...Before you say I am being irrational, believe me, I am aware. I know I can be a good mother. But I feel like I won't be as good as Kid's mother...Sigh. That's awful. I'm sorry." lord death:..... perhaps maybe you and kid could spend a day together? Yumi: (nods) -elsewhere- Ponera: "Is it just me, or does our prisoner seem a bit calmer lately?" medusa: maybe he finally croaked. Ponera: "Grimmy? Nals? Could you check on him?" grimoire: we shall do that now. Nals: "Lead the way, fearless leader..." grimoire:..... -in the woods- Arthur: (cleaning dirt off his sleeping bag) shinra: this is a pretty nice little spot. we even have a firepit. nice. maki: *she finished pitching up the girl's tent* ta-dah~! Hibana: "Hmm...Wish I brought my generator with me." (taps her phone) "Signal sucks here, too." Akitaru: "Great work, Maki!" Takehisa: "...One corner is off, Maki." maki: TnT Akitaru: (frowns at Takehisa) "Come on, let's get some eats." (hands him fishing pole) iris: *she's picking some flowers and making flower crowns* shinra: so, what do we do then? Arthur: "Hiking? Join in fishing? Nature walk? Climb a tree to find where the dragon's cave is?" shinra: i'm gonna go scope the area out. see what there is to see and what not. Arthur: "Hmm..." Hibana: "Want company?" -on the path- shinra:.... *making a map of the camp site and stuff* Hibana: (studying the flowers) "Fascinating..." iris: *she made 8 flower crowns. one for everyone* here. Hibana: "Oh...Um, thanks..." shinra: *he finds a berry bush and takes a picture with a digital camera to show the others* Arthur: (spying a small butterfly) "Hmmm...What a small one." maki: looks like the others are back now. Akitaru: "Come on in! We got food!" (holds up two giant fish) Takehisa: (holding up a tiny fish) maki: awesome! -they would have fish, hot dogs, and smores- Hibana: (struggling to hold her s'more) "So messy." maki: mmmmm yummy! shinra: *cooking his hot dog with fire from his foot* Arthur: "Ew...Isn't that going to affect the taste?" shinra: *nom*......tastes fine to me. Akitaru: "Heh...so, Shinra, you're having a..._foot_ long?" maki: *she breaks down laughing* Takehisa: (facepalm) shinra:...................... *poker face* commander why? Akitaru: "Ah, relax. I'm just...pulling your leg." shinra:......................... maki: *losing it* iris:.....*snerk* hehe... Hibana: "..." (eyeroll) Arthur: (smirks) gabriella: >.>;;; shinra: -_-;;;;; Akitaru: "You didn't get a...kick...out of that gag?" shinra: i'm going to bed. Hibana: "All of the sugar in the Some Mores is going to keep me up...Think I'll look at the stars." shinra: boyle, you enjoy your hot dog. it's leech free this time. Arthur: (chokes on his meat...on his hot dog...) shinra: g'night. Arthur: "I will keep you up all night with snoring, you jerk!" -elsewhere- Noah: (giggling) grimoire: what's so funny? Noah: "Oh, someone just told me a funny joke. Want to hear it?" grimoire:......?? Noah: "Knock knock." grimoire:.......who's there? Noah: "Howie." grimoire:..................howie who- Noah: *snickers* " Howie gonna hide your dead body?" *cackling* grimoire:.....that was terrible. Noah: "Not as terrible as you're going to look." (giggles) "How you want to go? I could make it quick and painful, slow and painful, or something in between." grimoire: that wont happen. Noah: "Parts of me agree with you. Other parts don't." (pauses) "And one part wants to kiss you hard on the mouth." grimoire:.............................................what? [Lust!Noah: "It'd be like making love to yourself...only not masturbation."] Noah: "...Why don't you open this door and let's see what happens: Fuck Marry or Kill?" grimoire:.....no. Noah: "Another time then." *yawns* "The sleepy part of me wants to catch some more winks. The lustful part will have sweet dreams of you, the wrathful part will kill you, and the hungry part wants some more food here in the morning..." -elsewhere- Burns: "..." tamaki: ................. Burns: "How about something to eat? I've been told my homemade chili is pretty good." tamaki:.....*small nom*.................... Burns: "...Good. Oh--" (hands her a glass of milk and some bread) "It's a bit spicy, so--" tamaki: i know...... Burns: "...Anything you need? Salt?" tamaki:............ -the next morning- Hibana: "Zzz..." iris: *snoozing* shinra: *checks his sleeping bag*.... ah.... good. Arthur: (groaning) "T-Tamaki..." shinra: ?? Arthur: (dreaming) "D-Don't cry...It'll be okay..." shinra:..................... Arthur: "..." (hugs his pillow, drooling on it) shinra: *sigh*.... *he looks up at the roof of the tent* Akitaru: *loud snore* Takehisa: *grumbles, puts a clothes peg over Akitaru's nose to make the snoring stop) -elsewhere- Kid: *yawn* stocking: morning babe. Kid: "Morning, Angel." (hugs her) stocking: i heard your mom is taking you someplace today. Kid: (nods) "We're trying to make a day of it. I was thinking a walk in the park, a film, and a late lunch. Any suggested changes?" stocking: that sounds pretty good. Kid: "Thanks. I hope it is a good day." -and so- Yumi: "Ready to depart, Kid?" Kid: (nods) "We will see you later today, Father." lord death: have fun now, you two~ Kid: (smiles) "We will." Yumi: (kiss on Death's cheek) "Call if you need anything." lord death: of course, dear. --And So, They Departed-- *Kid and Yumi on a Bus* Kid: "It's been so long since I took a bus trip around town." Yumi: (smiles) "I and other Death Scythes used to take you on the bus all the time. You would want to stay on all day." -a few people get on and off- Kid: (points to the park) "Here's our stop." (he pulls the cord to get off) -and so, after the park and movie- Kid: (hands her her ice cream cone) "Here you go..." (hands her something else...) "...and, surprisingly, they did have jalapeno sauce..." Yumi: "Thanks!" (covers her chocolate chip ice cream with jalapeno sauce) Kid: ._. "Um..." (keeps quiet, eats his mint ice cream) person: *squick face* Yumi: (glares at bystander) "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?!" person: nothing, ma'am! Kid: 0_0 Yumi: (still glaring, angrily eating her ice cream) "Hmph...This is tasty." (angry eating) "Really tasty. How is yours, Kid?" Kid: "...Excellent, thank you." -elsewhere- Patty: "So, Sis, how was laser tag?" liz: pretty good. *she smiles* Patty: "Who won?" liz: the other team, but we had fun anyways. Patty: "Wes lost it for you?" liz: i wouldnt say that, but in the end, it was a good game, overall. we got dinner afterwards too. Patty: "Where did you go? Was it a good meal?" liz: we went to a burger place. Patty: "Tasty." :3 "Anything else happen on your date?" liz: .............. ./////////. Patty: "Oh-ho-ho...Details, details..." -meanwhile- soul: DUDE REALLY?! Wes: o\\\\\o soul: like...full on the lips or.....just on the cheek or something? Wes: "Th-The lips...mostly." (blushes harder) soul: dude. Wes: "W-What? I haven't dated much." -elsewhere- Yumi: (to a clerk) "Yes, thank you." (picks up the book) "I've been meaning to read this novel for some time." Kid: (nods) "I hope it's enjoyable. What is it about?" Yumi: "It's another Murakami book--someone trying to find a sheep with a star on its side." Kid: "...That's weird." Yumi: "Indeed." -there is a light overcast- Yumi: "Oh, no...We forgot umbrellas." Kid: "Maybe we can purchase ones there..." <> polka dots <> clear <> skulls <> black Kid: "Skulls work?" Yumi: (smirked) "I joined this family, didn't I?" Kid: (chuckles) "Two skull umbrellas, please." -and so- *A bit of rain is falling, as they hold their umbrellas* Kid: "...Mother?" Yumi: "Yes?" Kid: "...I am happy to have you as my mother." Yumi: "..." (nods) "Thank you. And I am happy to have you as my son." *Awkward silence* Yumi: "..." (stops, puts an arm around him, hugs him) Kid: o\\\\\\o (hugs back) Kid: "..." (voice squeaking) "Y-You want to do anything else before we head home?" -elsewhere- Patty: :3 liz: oh shush >////> Patty: "I'm not saying anything! But since you asked, when's your next date?" liz: i-i dont know yet. Patty: "Maybe something a bit more high-energy than dumb old laser tag. How 'bout dancing?" liz: maybe. Patty: "And dinner. Then go back to his place for coffee..." -later, elsewhere- NoFix: "Tch. I would've thought by now you guys would make some cooler type of Clown. Like, one with chainsaws for arms or something." luka: well, the results can be unpredictable at times. perhaps if we used the syrum on a lumberjack or something... NoFix: "Oooooh! Fun! So, what would happen if you used that syrum on a hot super-stud?" luka:.......... NoFix: "..." (frowns) "I was talking about me. Have you ever tried mixing my spinning cells with your clown cells? Maybe make a spinning clown baby?" luka: it would probably end badly for you. NoFix: "...Okay, okay, I'll take your warning. Jeez." (taps glass) "But what am I doing here? I feel like all I've done is bang my old lady over and over and over again." luka: you did repair the generators and speed up the transformation process with some of the subjects. we also got blood samples from you to use. NoFix: "Yeah, but I haven't gotten to kill people in a few weeks now." luka: we have some prisoners downstairs for you. NoFix: "..." (grins) -there are 6 people, of varying age, gender, race, and size- NoFix: "They all look so good, I don't know where to start!" (points at one) "What's the worst way you think you could die?" lady: please....why are you people keeping us here? we didnt do anything to you! NoFix: "You exist: that's enough for me..." lady: wh-what are you doing? NoFix: (opens the cell, spinning his hand) "Givin' you a one-way ticket to your maker..." lady: s-stay away from me! NoFix: (seizes her by the throat) "Sorry, can't hear you over how awesome I am..." lady: !!!! < > Quick kill < > Draw it out <x> Toy with her < > Spare her NoFix: (stop vibrating his hand, rubbing it along her face) lady: w-what are you- NoFix: "It's been a long time since I saw someone like you...Like, a whole 5 minutes." lady: *she doesnt say anything* NoFix: "Want to have some fun before you go?" lady: !!!!! NoFix: "How about a game of Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe?" lady: ?? NoFix: (puts a hand around her shoulder, points to the other jail cells) "I'll pick a prisoner, and if you kill them, then I'll spare your life for one more day. And I get to pick the prisoner. Sounds fun, right?" lady: ........ NoFix: "Great! Let's start off!" (takes her hands, puts a knife in it, and then grabs her hand so the knife points at each cell as he says..." "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe!" lady: ............ < > Prisoner #1 < > Prisoner #2 < > #3 <x> #4 < > #5 *Prisoner #4, who is twice as big as the Lady and looks furious* lady: *gulp* NoFix: "Ooooh...I don't think it looks good for you, ma'am." (whispers) "Better luck next time..." (gestures to Guard to put the Lady into Prisoner #4's cell) lady: *whimpering* Prisoner #4: (cracks his knuckles) "You're in for a world of hurt, little girl. I've survived two prison sentences, killed five meisters, and tortured dozens of people. You think you got a shot with your little knife?" NoFix: "Them's fightin' words! You gonna take that off of him, Lady?!" lady: please...i-i just want to go home! Prisoner #4: "...I'll make it quick." (lunges at her) lady: *SHE SCREAMS AND JABS THE KNIFE INTO HER THROAT* NoFix: "...Shit. I didn't see that happening." (snaps fingers) "Clean up on Aisle #4 please!" Prisoner #4: "!!! Shit!": lady: *she's twitching and choking on her own blood, before her body begins to change....horrifically.* NoFix: "?! What the what?" Prisoner #4: "Hey! Hey, man, get this chick out of here! What's happening?!" -the creature then begins to scream and sink its teeth into the man- Prisoner #4: "Fuck! Get off me, you bitch!" (slams his arm against the wall, trying to shake the Creature loose) NoFix: "Tch. If I had a nickel for every time I said that..." luka: oh mother- GET A CONTAINMENT TEAM IN HERE, STAT! NoFix: "Aw, come on! This was just getting good!" Prisoner #4: (shrieking) "What's going on?!" -elsewhere- Kid: "We're home." Yumi: "Hello?" Yumi: "Anyone here?" liz: hey. lord death: welcome home! *he kisses her forehead* Yumi: (smiles) "Happy to be back. It was a very enjoyable day." stocking: hey babe~ *she hugs kid* Kid: (blushes) "Hello yourself." (hugs back) liz: so how was the outting? Kid: "I had fun: we took in the sights around town, picked up a new book for Mother..." liz: ah. Kid: "It was a good day." (smiles at Yumi) "It will be only get better." Yumi: (smiles) stocking: so what do you want to do? Kid: *stomach grumbles* "...Maybe a snack?" Yumi: *louder grumbling* "Y-Yeah..." stocking: yeah. Kid: "What would everyone like? Something savory?" (smirks at Stocking) "A little bit sweet?" stocking: yes please~ Kid: (smiles) "I'll whip up something good..." Kid: "Liz, could you help me?" liz: sure thing. Kid: "I'll get to work on cookies--could you prepare a small dish for all of us, something not-sweet but filling?" -and so, elsewhere- Hibana: (slaps at a mosquito) shinra: nice shot. Hibana: "I hate these pests...Gabriella, don't you have anything to deter bugs?" gabriella: i have bug spray. Hibana: "That will help, thank you." shinra:....*he looks over at arthur* Arthur: "..." (poking a stick into the dirt, drawing dragons and a cat-ear princess...) shinra: you ok? Arthur: "Wh-What?" (sweats, smiles nervously, unleashing his inner-Shinra) "F-Fine! I'm fine!" (pause) "I'm going to climb a tree now. Excuse me." (proceeds to try climbing a tree) shinra:...................... Arthur: (about halfway up the tree, slowly climbing like the world's most nervous grizzly bear) Hibana: "...Huh. We found someone weirder than you, Kid." Arthur: ("Damn...these big-ass trees...") iris: will he be ok? shinra: define 'ok'. Akitaru: "..." (looks at Hibana) "Welp, I think we better put in a call to Leo when we get back home." Hibana: "Agreed. This is just sad." Arthur: (at the top of the tree, shouts) "I will let you know if any dragons are approaching the camp!" shinra: i feel so reassured. Takehisa: (shouting) "Don't fall: it'll take too long for an ambulance to get here and you will die painfully from a broken neck." maki: D: Akitaru: "...Well, who's up for a swim in the lake?" shinra: sure! maki: hell yeah! Hibana: (laughs) "Good thing I brought my swimsuit. Gabriella, you will join us?" gabriella: of course ma'am! Hibana: "And you, Sister?" iris: i'll pass, but i can watch like a lifeguard or something. Hibana: :3 "Whatever you say~" -and so- Hibana: (in a white bikini, splashing at Gabriella) gabriella: ah, haha! Takehisa: (in floaties and a bathing cap and old-timey one-piece men's swimsuit) "..." shinra: *in fire print trunks* cold water.... Akitaru: (slaps Shinra on the back) "Aw, come on! Cold water builds character!" [also in trunks] maki: *splashing around* haha! *she is in a two piece as well* Takehisa: (glances at Maki) -\\\\\- Hibana: (splashes at Maki) "Cute swimsuit." iris: *she's watching them, wearing capri pants and a t-shirt* maki: thanks, i got it this summer. Hibana: "Hmmm..." (stares at her GPS bracelet) "If I wasn't under house arrest, I'd go to the beach...unless the 8th could make an exception as they did for this trip to the woods..." shinra: doesnt takehisa have the tracker at the campsite? Takehisa: (nods) "I don't see a reason why a beach trip is not possible, assuming you remain in our custody." Hibana: "Oh, good. I could use some work on my tan." (eyes Gabriella) "You could, too." -elsewhere- Yohei: "..." chie: *she is sitting next to him* Yohei: (slides his laptop away) "How you feeling, Chie? Awake?" chie: yeah...... Yohei: "...Want to talk?" chie:....i'm worried. you havent slept in a few days..... Yohei: (rubs a hand along his face, feeling the stubble) "Yeah...Sorry. My mind's stuck on workaholic mode since we haven't found NoFix..." chie:.... *she places a hand on his cheek* i want to find him as much as you, but you shouldnt deprive yourself of sleep over it... Yohei: (shudders a bit at her touch) "S-Sorry...I'm just...NoFix got into my head...I don't want him doing that again to anyone else." chie:........ *she hugs him* we will find him... Yohei: "...Chie? How 'bout we have some tea...then I'll try to sleep. Okay?" chie: sure thing. the kids are asleep now anyway... Yohei: "...That's good." (gets up and goes to the kitchen, yawns) "Chie, actually...Could you help me? I don't want to burn the room down boiling water 'cause I fell asleep..." chie: of course. *she smiles* *One brewed tea later* Yohei: *sips* "This is good..." chie: thanks. Yohei: "...Chie?" chie: yeah? Yohei: "...There's at least one other reason I haven't been sleeping." chie: and whats that? Yohei: "Night terrors." chie:.........*her expression is solemn* Yohei: "When NoFix got into my head, at least two times now, he..." (sets his teacup down, removes packet of cigarettes...and slides them away from him towards Chie, to keep away from him) "It doesn't stop." chie: .............. *she holds his hand* Yohei: "It's one major reason I don't feel comfortable sleeping...He's out there...and I think he's getting into my head again." chie:.... *she hugs him* Yohei: "..." (cries a bit) chie:.... *she rubs his back* Yohei: (crying a lot more, trying to collect himself as he holds onto her) chie: just let it out....i'm right here....we're all here... Yohei: (keeps crying, as he starts to calm down, as the images of the past start to fade away...and he just focuses on who is holding him) "Th-Thanks..." chie: of course. *she smiles warmly* Yohei: (nods, yawns, starts to lose consciousness...) chie:.......zzzzzz..... Yohei: (holds her as they both sleep...) -elsewhere, the next morning- Yumi: "Zzzz..." lord death: zzzzzzzz........ Yumi: (hugs him, resting her hand on his chest) lord death: *purrs* Yumi: (yawns, smiles) "It's like having a full-grown cat in my bed..." lord death: *yaaaawn* mornin'.... Yumi: "Good morning, Love." (she kisses his lips) lord death: mmmm~<3 Yumi: (hugs him...) "Oh!" lord death: you alright? Yumi: (blushes) "Y-Yes...I just forgot about..." (looks down) lord death:..... *he rubs her stomach* morning little one~ Yumi: (sighs) "February feels a long way off..." -meanwhile- Kid: (sighs) liz: you ok? Kid: (stretching) "Yes, just thinking..." liz: the mission tomorrow? Kid: (nods) "I hope for the best: we could be on our way to finally stopping that menace." liz: yeah. Kid: "...I think we all will need a good night's sleep..." (looks nervously at some papers) liz: *she looks at them too* Kid: (sighs) "Liz...I was reviewing...my will." liz: !!! Kid: "Just...wanting to be thorough in case..." liz:........ Kid: "I'm sorry. I'm just...worried after our last mission." liz:....... Kid: "...I will have them submitted back to the family lawyer today. I made no revisions...I had earlier..." liz: ah........ Kid: "...When did you last review your will?" liz: O___________O;;; Kid: "S-Sorry...I just was curious..." -at school- Arthur: "..." shinra: *looking at papers* Arthur: (looking around the room) "Where is she...?" shinra:....*shrugs* Arthur: "...Maybe I should see her, when Commanders Obi and Hibana visit Burns today." shinra: sounds like a good plan. Arthur: (nods, returns to schoolwork) -at lunch- Kid: (trying to get through his meal...) stocking: *worried* Patty: (silent) liz: ................ Kid: "...We'll be fine." liz: i just hope you're right... Kid: "..." (puts an arm around Stocking, one around Patty) Patty: (grabs Liz's hand) -later- Kid: (holds Stocking's hand) stocking:...... Kid: "Stocking, I...I don't know what to say." stocking: you dont have to say anything if you dont want. *she smiles* Kid: "..." (hugs her) stocking: *she rubs his back* Kid: (sighs) "I don't want to lose you, Stocking..." stocking:...... Kid: "..." (holds her) "I want to get stronger..." stocking: and you will. i believe in you. Kid: "..." (nods, kisses her cheek) -elsewhere- Yohei: "Zzzz..." chie: *napping next to him* Shotaro: (in another room) "Hey, where're Yohei and Chie?" mana: they're taking a nap. Shotaro: "Well, that's good--Yohei looked like he was going to collapse." Tuhl: (stretches) "Hey, you two--the fridge is telling me that we're low on kiwi juice." (hands them some money) "Go get some, and some more milk." mana: ok then. Shotaro: "Woot! Good deed!" (takes the money and runs with Mana) Tuhl: (glances at Yohei's room) -elsewhere- Hibana: "We are here from the 8th." (nods to Akitaru and Arthur) "We are here to see Commander Burns." officer: right this way. Arthur: (looks around the area) Akitaru: "How long you been here, Officer?" officer: about 2 years now. Hibana: "How do you like it here at the 1st?" officer: it's nice i guess. big building. Hibana: "Hmm..." Akitaru: "...We are sorry for your loss, Officer. Amber was a great person." officer: it's pretty fucked up. kids her age shouldnt be dying at all, let alone like that... Hibana: "..." (flashbacks to the nuns dying in flames...) Akitaru: "...If you ever need to talk with someone, we're here." (looks at the Officer...and also Hibana and Arthur) Hibana: (small blush) Arthur: "...Officer, where is Tamaki?" officer: she should be in her room. Arthur: "...Permission to see her, sirs?" Hibana: "...I would ask the Officer..." officer: you can try, but i dont know if she- Arthur: "I'll try anyway." (salutes, walks off) Hibana: "And where is Commanders Burns?" -and so- Arthur: "..." (knocks on Tamaki's door) tamaki: !! what do you want?! Arthur: "It's me..." tamaki: !! w-why are you here? Arthur: "Commanders Obi and Hibana are meeting with Burns...and I wanted to see you." tamaki: i-i'm really not- Arthur: "...'Not' what?" tamaki: i'm a little bit in the middle of getting dressed right now! Arthur: "..." o\\\\\o "Um...Can we talk when you finish getting dressed?" tamaki: .......... Arthur: "...Please? I want to talk." tamaki:......fine. just....let me get ready first. Arthur: "..." -and so- Arthur: "...Hi." tamaki: hey.... *she's in a nice crop top with a bow logo on it and jeans* Arthur: "...You look well." tamaki: ...... Arthur: "...I'm sorry." tamaki:....you didnt do anything.... Arthur: "I'm sorry for your loss." tamaki:........ *she tenses* Arthur: "..." (awkward pat on the shoulder) tamaki:.......*she curls up* Arthur: "..." (puts other hand on her shoulder) tamaki: w-wha? Arthur: (pulls her in for a hug) tamaki: o///o !! Arthur: "You're going to be okay. I won't let you get hurt..." tamaki:........ o-oh sh-shut up... *she's shaking* Arthur: "Tamaki, I mean it...Just as I know you would make sure I don't get hurt..." tamaki: *she doesnt reply* Arthur: (holds her, pats her back) -elsewhere- Akitaru: (pours drinks, slides one to Burns) Burns: (sips) "This is unnecessary." Hibana: "You're safety is a top priority: you and I both had assassination attempts. That is no coincidence." Burns: (gestures to an Officer) "Any updates for Obi and Hibana that we can provide them?" officer: just a sketch of the assailant. Burns: (gestures to show it to Akitaru and Hibana) Hibana: "Hmph...Not much in the way of style with this one. So, no known name for this assassin?" officer: not that we can tell. Akitaru: "I trust that, if you get more info, you'll share it with us, right?" Burns: "..." (smiles) "Of course." Hibana: -_- ("Oh, sure--I know an insincere smile when I see one...") -elsewhere- NoFix: "...Well, that happened." luka:............... *irrate and drinking her coffee* NoFix: "...What? At least I finally got to see some people die! That was freaking sweet! It's been a long time since I saw someone turned inside out!" luka: count your blessings you weren’t bit.... NoFix: "True that. So, what're you gonna with Prisoner #4?" luka: he survived, but is still comatose. we'll begin testing once he wakes up. NoFix: "Well, if you ever need me to turn prisoners against each other to help expedite unleashing horrifying mutations in them, I'm your guy!" (smirks) "I'm pretty much everybody's guy..." luka:....... NoFix: "...So, it's 2:10. I've managed to get someone killed, and I need to fuck." luka: tmi. NoFix: "So, no volunteers in this room? No?" (looks at his hand) "Well, it's just you and me, Lefty." luka: *hurk* NoFix: (holds up his right hand, which now has a face drawn onto it as a hand puppet) NoFix: (high voice for the right hand) "Oh, I see--cheating behind my back, huh?!" NoFix: "No, I cheat on you in the front: I may be gifted, but I ain't that gifted!" NoFix: (left hand puppet, falsetto voice as well) "We could make it a threesome: two hands are better than one!" luka: goodbye. *she walks away* kinuta:.......fourway? hell lets make it a fucking orgy in here! NoFix: "...Finally, some privacy..." (starts unzipping his pants) "Come to me, you vixen witch you!" -in the other room- Solence: "..." -in another building- Asura: (pats Mikan's back) "Better?" mikan: *she nods, cradling heibito* Asura: "Hungry?" mikan: *she nods* Asura: (pats her back) "Very well." (examines the offerings...) mikan: let see.. eenie...meenie...miney....you. *she wraps her hair around the neck of one person* Victim: (choking) "P-Please..." mikan: are you willing to die? Victim: (trying to shake their head) "Don't kill me..." mikan:.....nope. *she continues to tighten her grip* Victim: (choking, eyes bulging until...) mikan: nighty night~ *SNAP* -the other sacrifices wince- Asura: (smiles) "Why must you play with your food?" mikan: their horrified expressions amuse me. Asura: "I like you looking amused..." (kisses her forehead) mikan: hehe~ Asura: "Well, eat up: you need your strength." (looks at Heibito) "Both of you." heibito: *hungry crying* mikan: *she smiles and pulls a breast out to feed him* eat up, sweetie. Asura: (smiles as his child suckles and grows sleepy) mikan: *she smiles* Asura: "Rest. I'll watch over you." -elsewhere- Kid: "..." stocking: you ok? Kid: (shakes his head) "I'm trying to focus on our mission..." stocking: i'm nervous too... Kid: "...All we have are our skills, our bonds with our teammates, and faith. And there is something that worries me whether that is going to be enough." -and so- Yumi: "You all have your instructions. Please double-check your equipment before departing." liz: yes, ma'am. Yumi: (hugs Kid) "Be careful." Kid: "...I will." -and so, they get onto the dirt bikes- Kid: (riding a dirtbike, thinking) liz:...... Patty: (in a side car, silent as well) justin: we're just about there now... Black Star: "Good. Getting tired of getting sand in my mouth--Pfft!" soul:..... Kid: (spots something) "What...?" -there is a large, metallic structure ahead. it looks abandoned...from the outside, at least- Kid: "...I think I'm sensing something..." stocking: what is it? Kid: "...A soul? But it is not typical...I have felt it somewhere before..." (eyes widen) "When Christa..." stocking: ?? Kid: "This feels like...a mutated soul, screaming in agony...and laughing." stocking: !!! -another soul is inside. a lonely, mournful soul. a sorrowful winged soul- Kid: (gasps, falls onto his knees) liz: kid? kid?! Kid: (shuddering) "Such...sadness..." stocking:...... Kid: "...I think someone is imprisoned in here." stocking: i bet that's our sage... Kid: "How should we proceed? I suggest we have one party infiltrate...but should someone stay here?" -and so- Gopher: "..." (looking along the walls at the writing) -there are several terminals with written logs on them, presumably from researchers who long since abandoned the facility- Kid: (examines one log...) entry #12: the woman that was brought in a few weeks ago finally began to comply, but progress is rather slow. however, we did reach a small breakthrough. with the research we uncovered, we will begin with 'project Couturier'. Kid: " 'The woman'...'Couturier'..." (looks to Gopher and Kirika) "What does this mean?" kirika: *shrug* Kid: "...Be on your guard." (puts the log into his backpack) liz:.... *she looks at a camera, long since broken* Patty: "Maybe there's a security room, you know, where all the footage is kept..." liz: maybe. Kid: (brushes hand along one terminal) "What did they do to people here?" stocking: from what i can tell, human experimentation... Kid: "How long ago?" liz: looks like since the 80s, maybe early 90s? Kid: "Yet I am sensing at least one soul..." (points to another room) liz: ?? Kid: "...Be ready." (approaches the door...) -the door is closed, but the screws seem old and rusty- Kid: (clutches the knob, to see whether it will open...) -it appears locked- kirika: alright, step back. *she uses her claw weapons to break the screws, causing the door to fall over with a loud THUD* Kid: (gestures for him and Kirika to go in first) kirika: *she looks around* Kid: (looking as well, seeing lab equipment...and an examination table) kirika: creepy. Kid: "I doubt even Stein would feel at home here..." (finds a broken bench--and claw marks) -there are several tools on a tray, covered in rust....at least you _hope_ it's rust...- Kid: (covering his mouth) -there is dust and red stains on the walls- Kid: "My God...what happened here?" -there are a few corpses along the walls, most of them in lab coats- Gopher: (gags) Kid: (shuddering) kirika: *she looks at one of the ID cards the corpses have* Gopher: (trying not to vomit) "W-Who are these people? What does the ID say?" kirika: ..... 'Dr Ivan Faustus. Wing Delta' *she looks at the walls* wing delta..... Kid: " 'Wing'...What could that have to do with the Sky Sage...?" liz: i think it means a like a building wing. *she points to a map terminal* Kid: "...Oh. Um...So, what are the other wings to this building?" liz: wing Alpha, wing Beta, wing Gamma, wing Omega and this wing, wing delta. Kid: "I hesitate to break off into teams...but I also worry that the longer we are here, the greater danger we face..." stocking:.... !!! there's someone down there... Kid: (gestures for all to follow Stocking to the person) stocking: *she finds a cell with a woman inside* ???: ..... !!!! Kid: "It's okay. We are here to help." ???:....... stocking: *she summons her swords and slashes the lock, which falls off* Kid: (opens the door, sets one foot into the cell...) ???: *she stands up, stumbling slightly* Kid: (approaches, offering his arm to steady her) ???: t....thank you... Kid: "You're going to be okay." (tries to turn on communicator to outside team) -and so, they exit with the woman and a few files that were dug up- Kid: "Justin, retrieve the first aid kit." justin: *he removes it from the side of the dirt bike and hands it to kid* Kid: (cleaning wounds, applying bandages) "You're going to be safe. We are with the DWMA." ???: *she looks at stocking*....what was the name you were given? stocking: ??? Kid: "Ma'am? What are asking?" stocking: m-my name is stocking. stocking pheles. why do you ask? Kid: "..." ????: *she smiles, crying tears of joy* so he found you... Kid: "..." (light bulb) stocking: what do- -the woman hugs stocking tightly- Kid: "..." (steps back) stocking: !!!??? ???: you've grown into a lovely young woman... Kid: ("It's her...") ???: my name is Felisia....you probably wont believe me, and i cant blame you....but i'm your mother. stocking: !!!!! soul: well that escalated quickly. Patty: "..." (pulls out cell phone, about to hit the "DUN DUN DUN" button) liz: PATTI NOT NOW JUST GIVE THEM A MOMENT!! TT~TT Patty: "...I'm gonna press it later." Kid: (practically crying) stocking: y-you're lying.... Kid: "???" felisia: .......i understand if you dont believe me, i wasnt there for you when you were small. stocking: oh really now?! NO SHIT! Kid: o_o Patty: "...Now may I press the button?" felisia: stocking, please, i'm sorry- stocking: really? well then that fixes everything! oh wait a second, no it doesnt! it doesnt change everything i was put through. all the ridicule, the torture, the abuse. even after my dad found me, i still suffered torment from others. and this is BEFORE i found out i was a half blood monster! Kid: "Stocking? I think you may want to--" stocking: *her eyes went red* JUST STAY OUT OF THIS REAPER! Kid: "..." (heartbroken) "Stocking..." stocking:...........*she breaths heavily and her eyes go back to normal*.....kid....i think....i want to go home now... Kid: "..." (frowns) "Fine. Justin, please escort Felisia: she will need additional treatment when we get home." -later- stocking: *in her room, silent*.......................... Kid: "..." (outside her door, hesitating to knock...) \she probably hates you now\ \disgusting trash\ \you should just die\ \despicable\ \kill yourself scum\ \worthless\ Kid: ("...You motherfucker.") (knocks on the door) ("I'll show you who isn't worthless...") "Stocking?" stocking:............. Kid: "Would you like some water? Something to eat? ...To talk?" stocking:.................. Kid: "Stocking? May I come in?" stocking:...................... -the door appears unlocked- Kid: (turns the handle, opens just a crack) "Stocking...I'm here if you...want me here." stocking: i dont feel like talking to anyone... *her tone is cold* Kid: "...Okay. I'll bring you some water." (starts to close the door) stocking:............................ \see? i told you she hates you\ \why not slit your goddamn wrists while you're at it?\ Kid: ("...") "Back in a moment..." (walks down the stairs. "Oh, here's an idea: shut up, because I am tending to her, not you.") \why bother when she probably doesnt love you anymore? you worthless worm\ Kid: (fills up the glass of water... "Okay. Let's entertain your idea. Why do you think that a relationship somehow ends--that love stops--in the face of adversity? No: I am with the person I love through easy times and hard times. I was before, I am now. And you can go to hell.") \how can you be certain those feelings arent one-sided?\ Kid: "..." (finishes filling the glass...then smirks) "You're right. I don't know whether those feelings are one-sided." \then just die\ Kid: "No, you misunderstand." (looks at his reflection in the water, and smile sincerely, if sadly) "I don't know whether those feelings are one-sided. And I persist. Because that is the definition of faith. I have faith in Stocking, and you should too." \she is ours. and ours alone. you dont even deserve her\ Kid: (takes the glasses upstairs. "She is her own person, with her own choices, and I will thank you to remember that. She deserves whatever she wants to make us happy: this is her choice...") (knocks on the door) stocking:...................... Kid: "I have water...I can set it out here if you wish." stocking:.............................. Kid: "...I'll leave it here...Stocking? I-I love you..." stocking:........................................ \she doesnt\ Kid: (2x heartbroken) "...I'll see you in the morning. Good night." (turns and starts walking back to his room) -the next morning- Kid: (crying into his pillow in bed) liz: kid?....... Kid: "L-Liz!" (wipes his face, puts on a smile) "G-Good morning..." liz:.......... Kid: "How are you?" liz:.......you know, i can tell when you're faking it... Kid: (fake smile persists...and then the tears start falling) liz: kid....... Kid: "I'm an idiot...I feel all this self-pity, when it is Stocking I should feel badly for..." liz:.....want to talk to her? \selfish bastard\ Kid: (wiping his tears) "Sh-She won't talk with me..." ("STOP.") liz:........come on. Kid: "Wh-Where?" -at stocking's door- stocking:................... Kid: "...Liz...I can't..." liz: kid, just suck it up and talk to her. she trusts you. Kid: "..." (knocks on the door) "Stocking?" -its open- Kid: (looks at Liz) "I..." liz: *she nods, as if to give him permission to go in* Kid: "..." (pushes the door, entering) stocking:......*she's curled up on the bed* ......... Kid: "..." (approaches, sits on the bed) stocking: *she looks at him with a sorrowful expression*................hey....... Kid: "...Hi." (eyes softening) stocking:.......................*she pulls her legs closer to her*................ Kid: "...Did you sleep?" stocking:..........barely...... Kid: "...You should try to get some more sleep. Would you like some medicine? Tea? Milk?" stocking:.....i dont know......... Kid: "..." (awkwardly puts an arm around her) stocking:............. *she leans into him* Kid: (holds her, silently) stocking: i............................i'm sorry kid......i was just so upset...........i lost control and took it out on you.............i must be a pretty shitty girlfriend, huh? Kid: "No. You are a person with emotions. I understand. And I forgive you." stocking: .......i just.... i'm just so mad at her.....that she wasnt there when i needed her......she barely knows a think about me....who i am....anything..... Kid: "...Stocking? If you had the chance to know your mother, and you never took up that opportunity...how would you feel?" stocking: i......i dont know.......i dont know how to feel.....i-i'm scared... Kid: "...You are brave. You will get through this. Just give it time." stocking:.....i'm not sure if i want to call her my mother yet.... Kid: (nods) "You don't have to. But...I think it would help you to talk to her, when you are ready." stocking:............i'm sorry....... Kid: "It's fine. I forgive you." (holds her...and cries a bit) "I'm sorry." stocking:............. Kid: "I'm sorry this has all happened." stocking:......................... Kid: "..." (holds her for a bit) "Are you hungry?" stocking:....a little..... Kid: "Care to join me in the kitchen?" stocking:....ok... --In the kitchen-- Kid: (slicing a bit of cake) "Would this work?" stocking:....i guess..... Kid: (passes plate to her, slices a bit for himself...eats slowly, silent) stocking:..... -elsewhere- Spirit: "Naigus, what can you tell me about the patient Kid's team brought in?" nygus: well, she isnt human, and apparently she is stocking's mother. Spirit: "Hmm...What injuries does she have?" nygus: external or emotional? Spirit: "That bad, huh? Let's start with bodily." -later- Yumi: "I'm worried." lord death: about kid? Yumi: "And Stocking...to find her mother again..." lord death: ah..... Yumi: "...I...can't entirely blame Stocking..." lord death: oh? Yumi: "...There are people in my family I do not want to see ever again...That's awful. But it's what I feel..." *sniff* lord death:...yumi.....*he hugs her* Yumi: "...I don't want to lose a family. Not again." lord death: *he lifts his mask up and kisses her gently* Yumi: (returns the kiss, holding onto him, her eyes a bit wet) lord death: *he strokes her back* Yumi: "...If it was you...if you were Stocking...would you see your mother?" lord death:............................ Yumi: "..." (buries her head) "I'm sorry." lord death: it's fine. Yumi: "..." (hugs him tighter) -elsewhere- Yohei: (wakes up with a start) chie: ?? yohei? Yohei: (pants) "I--I saw wings..." chie: wings? *confused as heck* Yohei: "S-Sorry...I had a weird dream...Like...someone with wings..." chie: huh. Yohei: "...Maybe I need to quit smoking." chie:..... Yohei: "...I need a shower." (brushes his face) "And a shave. Th-Thanks, Chie...for letting me sleep here." chie: no problem. Yohei: "..." (blushes) -elsewhere- Ponera: (putting an ear to Medusa's belly) medusa:.... Ponera: "...Hang on...I'll hear the little babe kick..." medusa:...... -a scream is heard- Ponera: "...What was that?" grimoire: ....... !!! Noah: "Aw, what a fun new toy..." (tossing his bone-shiv up into the air) medusa: !!! milia: l-let me go! Ponera: (furious) "Unhand her!" (stands between him and Medusa) milia: *terrified* Noah: (draws the knife along Milia's dress, dull side towards her dress/body) medusa: *covers her stomach* Nals: (hidden in shadows, watching...waiting...) milia: *tearful and afraid* Noah: "...Oh, hey! Skank! Haven't seen you in a while since you LEFT ME TO ROT!" (slices the blade along edge of Milia's dress, tearing off part of the sleeve) medusa: unhand her. shaula: *scorpion hair tail mode* you wanna fuckin go?! Noah: "Sure." (points the knife at Medusa) "When you give me what I want?" (glares at Shaula) "...Who the fuck are you?" shaula: your ex's sister, did ya really forget about me? woooow rude. Noah: "...I am greedy, acquiring the best I can. If I don't know you, you must be worthless." (brings knife back to Milia's throat) "You want me gone? You want this bitch to live? Then you give me Medusa, give me my child, give me my book, and let me out." milia: *whimpering* medusa:.......... Ponera: "You are not leaving here alive, you abomination." (holds Medusa's hand) Noah: "...Then say goodbye to your witch." (brings the knife closer to Milia when--) milia: *SCREAM* ???: "No!" (slash) medusa: !! milia: ah- Noah: "..." (looks down--at a sword through his chest) "What the...?" Nals: "...Let her go." milia: !! Noah: "..." (smirks, backhands Nals, who still stands but is hit hard) Nals: "Ugh! A little help, Grimoire!" grimoire: with pleasure. *grins* -and so- Killbell: "...Oh no. Am I gonna have to clean that up?" (points to blood on the wall) shaula: amazing he isnt dead yet. milia: nalsie you saved me! *glomp* ~<3 Nals: (clutching his side) "Stop...I'm in pain there..." Ponera: "Good work, all." (stamps her heel on Noah's groin) Noah: "Ug..." -later, grimoire had to seal noah in the book of enoch, and placed a barrier seal on the book to prevent him from escaping- Ponera: "..." (pats Grimoire's back) "Thank you." grimoire: at least he wont be as noisy now. -in the other world, inside the book- Noah: "Arg!" (slams his fist on the barrier--that fails to break) "Let me out!" noelle: seems that guy is pretty powerful, no wonder the index is so enamored with the guy. Noah: "Shut up! I am far stronger--or _we_ are, if you all were joining me in this battle!" -elsewhere in this barrier world- pandora: and the prodigal asshole returns. [Noah: "You kiss your mother with that mouth?"] Mad!Kid: "Hmph. This location got decidedly more unpleasant." -elsewhere, not in the book- Yumi: "...Stocking." stocking: yes? Yumi: "...Would you like to help me with something in the garden?" stocking:.....sure. -In the garden- Yumi: "I'm happy with how these are growing...It took a long time to get them to mature." stocking: *she nods* Yumi: "To grow well, it takes patience, effort...and forgiving yourself when you don't do as well as you wish you could." stocking:.......... Yumi: "Anything worth having requires work. It doesn't mean the result will be as you want it to turn out." (pulls a weed from the garden) "I had to screw up on a lot of gardens to figure out how to make a good one. It's not enjoyable to see people are not imperfect, that they disappoint themselves...and others. But they're only human...mostly." stocking: ........... Yumi: (finishes her work, smiles) "Well, that wraps it up. Thank you, Stocking." -later- Kid: (cleaning his room, vigorously) liz: you ok? Kid: "F-Fine. Just cleaning. Cleaning. Everything needs to be cleaned." (stares at the wall) "Do you see any fingerprints left?" liz: ??? Kid: "Just want everything to be absolutely clean. Has to be perfect. Perfect. PERFECT." (nosebleed) liz:......... Kid: "..." (collapses) liz: k-kid!! Kid: (bleeding from the nose, overwhelmed by mess) "I-I need...order. Everything is better in order. Nice and tidy and clean. Clean. Clean it all. Clean clean clean." -SLAP- Kid: o_____o "...SERIOUSLY?!" liz: kid, just snap out of it! Kid: "At least slap the other side to make it symmetrical!" -SLAP- liz: kid....just calm down...come on, breath in... Kid: (breathing steadily, calmly) "Thank you. I needed that." (gets up) stocking:...... Kid: "...Stocking?" stocking:......... *she hugs him* Kid: "??? ..." (returns the hug) stocking: it's ok, kid... Kid: "Y-Yes, it is...Are you okay?" stocking: j-just worried......i love you kid.... Kid: "I love you, too." (holds her more tightly but still gently) -that night, she laid next to him- Kid: (holds her) stocking: i'm sorry....... *whimpering* Kid: "It's okay." (holds her at the waist) "I understand." stocking: i shouldnt have taken it out on you..... Kid: "You were upset, so I can understand that frustration. And I forgive you, as you have forgiven me countless times." stocking: i lost control of myself.....kid....there's something frightening inside me.....something i dont know how to control....and im scared................kid..........if i ever lose control......and i end up too lost to be saved.............i want you to be the one who strikes me down.... Kid: "Wh-What?" (he sits up) "Stocking, that is never going to happ--" stocking: kid.....please..... -she's trembling- Kid: "..." (holds her steady) "Okay. I will. But it is never going to come to that. I will make sure of it." stocking:.....*crying into his chest* Kid: "..." (holds her, letting her cry, as he pats her back and smooths her hair) stocking: ........... Kid: (kisses her forehead) "I love you. I have, and I always will." stocking: *slowly falling asleep in his arms* Kid: *yawns, slowly falling asleep* -the next morning- Kid: "Zzz..." -later- Kid: (in the kitchen, preparing breakfast silently) stocking: ..... *drinking her milk* Kid: (finishes the waffles, bringing them to the table) "Would you like one?" stocking:... *she nods* Kid: (puts two waffles on the plate) "Any toppings?" stocking:..strawberries please... Kid: (smiles) "Okay." (sets out strawberries) -later, at school- Patty: "You guys okay coming back to classes?" stocking: yeah. liz: looks like tamaki still isnt here... Arthur: (overhearing) "..." Kid: "...We should focus." (opens his book) -during class- Spirit: (leading class, his arm no longer in the sling) "That is why it is important to practice a healthy diet as a weapon. While you are transformed, difficulties with your human form can compromise your abilities in weapon form." mio: .... tsugumi: *writing things down* Meme: (glances at Mio, whispers) "You okay?" Anya: ("Fascinating..." writes more notes) mio: yeah. -at lunch- Kid: (brings water to Stocking, smiles) stocking: *smiles* thanks babe... Kid: "You're welcome." (sits next to her, sad smile, quiet) stocking:........*She leans on him slightly* Kid: (flinches, then relaxes...puts an arm around her) stocking: *she seems content* Kid: (quiet) "May I get you something else to eat or drink?" stocking: i'm ok. Kid: (nods, slides a plate towards him...with a slice of strawberry cake) "I guess this is just for me then..." stocking: QAQ Kid: (holds the fork to her) "Just kidding~" stocking:.........*nom*............ Kid: (smiles) "Another bite?" stocking:....... Kid: (holds some cake on the fork to her) "Maybe?" -after school- Kid: "...What would you like to do, Stocking?" stocking: i dont really know.... Kid: "Tired? Maybe nap?" stocking:.....yeah..... Kid: "...Okay. Anything you want me to do?" stocking:.....could you hold me close? Kid: "...Of course." -in stocking's room- stocking:........ Kid: (holds her close) stocking:........*nuzzles* Kid: (strokes her back) stocking: mmm...... Kid: (kisses her forehead) stocking:.........*sniff* Kid: "You're okay. It's going to be okay." stocking: *weeping into his chest* Kid: (stroking her back, holding her, humming lightly) stocking: *hic*.....*sniffle*....*choking back tears* Kid: (silent, holds her) stocking:......... *she starts to calm down a little* Kid: "My angel...You're going to be fine." stocking: t-thank you kid..... Kid: "You're welcome." *Yawn* "I am here..." stocking: mmmm..... Kid: (kisses her cheek) stocking:....zzzzzzz..... Kid: *Yawns* "Zzz..." -elsewhere- Arthur: "..." maki:...... Arthur: "..." (taps the table) "Useless." iris: *she brings in the drinks* Arthur: "...Thank you." (takes a glass of water) shinra: any progress? Arthur: "...She still is not coming to school. I suggested therapy..." shinra: .......commander? Akitaru: "Well, I--" Hibana: "Burns is trying to get through to her, and it is not going well." Akitaru: "...I think he was speaking to me." -_-; shinra:.....yeah. Akitaru: (clears throat) "As Hibana said, Tamaki is taking her time to cope with what has happened in her own way. I think it is important for you all to be there for her when she needs it." iris:.....*she nods* Arthur: "I don't know...Tamaki seemed like there was something else keeping her there..." shinra: like what? Arthur: "...Is there something about Burns that seems off to anyone else?" shinra: ?? Arthur: "What do we know about him? Why is someone trying to kill him? Maybe they have a reason?" Hibana: (slams her glass down, glaring at Arthur) "...And what about me? After someone tried to assassinate me? You really want to go there, you little shit?" iris: sister, just breath. gabriella: easy now, princess. Hibana: "You tell me to calm down when I had someone try to..." (pushes away) "I need air." (leaves) Arthur: (frowns) "Tch. Looks like I touched a nerve--" -elsewhere- Spirit: "..." (outside infirmary) justin: good evening. Spirit: "Good evening, Justin. I was wondering how the latest patient is doing?" justin: disheartened, mostly. Spirit: "Do you think I could speak with her?" justin: i suppose it'd be ok. felisia:............. Spirit: "Pardon me, ma'am?" felisia: ......hello.... Spirit: "My name is Spirit. I'm a friend of Justin's, the man who accompanied you here to Death City." felisia: ........... Spirit: "...I wanted you to know that you are safe here, and as someone with the Death Weapon Meister Academy, I wanted to offer any help that I can provide. Is there anything I can get for you?" felisia:......... Spirit: "...I'm a parent, too. And I lost her..." felisia:.......oh.... Spirit: "And if I could see her again..." (sighs) "I...hope Stocking comes here soon." -later on- Kid: "Zzz..." -the next morning, at school- Spirit: "...Um, Stocking?" stocking: yeah? Spirit: "Glad to see you in class. You finish your homework?" stocking: yeah. Spirit: "Good...I was wondering if you could do something for me. You have any flower recommendations?" stocking: flowers? Spirit: "Yes. I wanted some to brighten up my room." stocking: hmmm.... maybe some marigolds? Spirit: "Aw, that would help. Thank you! I'll be sure everyone who sees them knows that you recommended those flowers." stocking: thanks. Spirit: "Well, think I'll go to the florist now. Have a good day!" -later- Spirit: (knocks on Felisia's door) felisia: it's open. Spirit: "Hello." (holding marigolds) "I thought you could use something to brighten up your room." felisia: ah. thank you... *small smile* Spirit: "You're welcome...Full disclosure, these were recommended to me by Stocking." felisia: .......*sad smile* Spirit: "...I was wondering whether you had some time to talk." felisia: of course. Spirit: "I was wondering whether we could talk a bit about your past. It's not every day I see an angel." felisia:................ Spirit: "...We can talk about something else, if that would be better." felisia:....*nod* Spirit: "So...Um...Maybe I could learn a bit more about you. Do you have hobbies?" ("I'm in over my head. Help me, Maka. Help me from beyond the grave.") felisia: hobbies? i havent found the time for them, but i did some sewing a long time ago. i even made stocking her little doll. Spirit: (smiles) "She still has it." felisia:....*she smiles a bit* Spirit: "Maybe I could bring you something to pass the time--do you also knit?" felisia: not really. Spirit: "Would you like me to bring something for sewing? I have a sewing machine that's just been collecting dust." -elsewhere- Kid: (eating lunch) "Hungry, Stocking?" stocking: a little.... Kid: (looking at desserts available) "Any particular flavor you desire?" -meanwhile, elsewhere- Ponera: "Feel better, Medusa?" medusa: a lot better now. Ponera: (smiles) "So, need more baby clothes? Toys? Maybe decorate the room for future baby Medusa?" -meanwhile- Noah: "..." noelle: feeling any better? Noah: "No...I want it all. All is not here. All is out there. All was taken from me..." noelle:...... Noah: "I'll take all from them." -elsewhere- Yohei: (stretches) mana: we're back! Yohei: "Cool. You get what I asked for." Shotaro: "Yep!" (holds up bags of groceries) "Here, Chie!" chie: thanks. *she smiles* Yohei: (pulls out cigarettes, staring at them...them puts them back in the bag and slides it away from himself) "I'm done with my work for the day. What're you up for today?" mana: well, rent on the room is just about up... Yohei: "So we either move or get some money. Is that what you're saying?" mana: basically.....but there is some good news. *she places a pamphlet on the table* Yohei: "What is this?" chie: 'affordable living space, work opportunity....' death city? Yohei: "...Huh. You're serious, Mana?" mana: it seems like a pretty good deal. Yohei: "I guess so: probably need some tech people, some helpful people...whatever services useless people like Mana can provide." (smirks) mana: exact- HEY! Shotoaro: "Ha ha ha!" mana: oh stuff it. Yohei: (reads the brochure) "So, how do we apply for jobs and housing? Any visa to enter the sovereign nation of Death?" -elsewhere- Kid: "Stocking?" stocking: yes? Kid: "Is there anything I could offer to help? Maybe run a bath for you?" stocking:...i would like that. Kid: (smiles) "I'll warm up the water and set out the soaps." -and so- Kid: "The water is ready." (opens the bathroom door for her) stocking: *she gets in* Kid: "..." (clears his throat) "I could give you your privacy, if you prefer." stocking: could you help me with my hair? Kid: "You mean, tie it up?" -later- Kid: (brushing her hair) "Better?" stocking: yes. thank you. Kid: (smiles) "Good. May I get you anything?" stocking: some hot cocoa would be nice. Kid: (smiles wider) "I'm on it." (stands up and exits for the kitchen) stocking:.......*she hugs honekoneko*........... *A few minutes later* Kid: (enters with a tray of hot cocoa for both of them) "Here you go..." (looks at Honekoneko..."Wasn't it her mother who...?") stocking: thanks. *she takes one* Kid: (sips along with her) "Honekoneko is really well designed..." stocking: *small chuckle* i thought she was too asymmetrical? Kid: "I've grown accustomed to her." (he smiles) "Familiarity can lead to appreciation." honekoneko: >:| Kid: "..." (feels chill coming off Honekoneko, which makes him tense) "Um..." (nervous smile) "So, you've had Honekoneko as long as you can remember..." stocking: *she nods* even if i misplaced her, she's always find her way back to me. Kid: "...It is a good gift that someone gave to you." stocking:.......................... Kid: "..." (sips on his cocoa) "Stocking..." stocking:......i wanted to know her.....my mother.....and as soon as she showed up, i cast her out.....i must be a huge hypocrite, huh? Kid: (sad smile) "To be fair, I've hardly met a person who is not a hypocrite in some way." stocking:.......i dont know what to do...i was just so upset..... Kid: "...When I discovered my relation to Asura...I hated my father..." stocking:...... lord death: *listening* ....................... Kid: "It took me far longer than I wanted to forgive him...Stocking, if I hadn't, if I lived a lifetime of anger and not thinking of all the love I have for my father, I would have lost someone important to me. And I'm scared that if I let that anger fester..." (looks at her) "...I would lose the love of others." stocking:.......*trembling* Kid: "Stocking..." (approaches, opening his arms) stocking: *she cries and hugs him* \yet you cant ever forgive yourself.... how pitful~\ Kid: (frowns...holds her closer) "You're going to be okay, Stocking. You are loved, and you are a person who deserves to be happy." -later- Kid: (lying in bed) "..." stocking: *asleep in his arms* Kid: "..." ("What should I do...?") *yawns* -the next day- Kid: "I'm almost done with breakfast...Anything else to add to your plate?" -after school- Kid: "...Stocking?" stocking: *she nods* -they enter the room- felisia: ........hello stocking. stocking:............... Kid: "..." (stands back) stocking: h-hey....m-mom..... stocking: listen......i-i wanted to apologize for how i acted........i just felt so upset and..... felisia: it's ok. i understand. i wasnt there most of your life. Kid: "..." felisia: ....mephisto came by earlier today. he told me about all the things you have been through. *she smiles* i'm glad he's been looking after you all this time. stocking:......*biting her lip* Kid: "..." (puts a hand on her shoulder) stocking: i must be such a terrible child.... felisia: stocking.... Kid: (bites his own lip) stocking: *she hugs felisia and cries* felisia: its ok sweetie... *rubbing her back* i'm here now... Kid: "..." (steps back towards the door) -later- Kid: (waiting outside) stocking: *she exits* ...... Kid: "Stocking?" stocking: yes? Kid: "H-How was it?" stocking: better now. we talked about how things are happening. about my dad. Kid: "Oh...Are you...going to visit her again?" stocking: yeah. Kid: "...You are brave." stocking: i'm not. Kid: "Yes, you are. You just faced fear." stocking:.......*small smile* Kid: "Should we go home?" stocking: not yet. Kid: "???" stocking: can we have a little date? Kid: "..." (smiles) "I would love that." -and so- Kid: "What would you like to do?" stocking: how about we go to deathbucks? Kid: (smiles) "Okay." (holds her hand) "Lead the way." -at deathbucks- Kid: (pulls out her seat for her) "Ma'am..." stocking: hehe~ ???: welcome to deathbucks, may we take your order? Kid: "Yes, I'll have the chicken sandwich and a small coffee." stocking: i'll have the peppermint latte and some tea cake. ???: coming right up~ Kid: "...Wait...Haven't we met?" mana: hmm? oh yeah, you're those kids from the tournament. Kid: ("Kids? She looks about my age, if not younger.") "...How are you and your friends? What are you doing here?" mana: well, for your information, we just moved here recently. Kid: "Ah. Your friend, Yohei, he is here, too?" mana: yep, all of us. Kid: (smiles) "When you see him, please let him know we are still grateful for the help you all provided us..." (holds Stocking's hand) mana: can do. Kid: "Thank you." (looks back to Stocking) mana: come to think of it, i think we were here before a few years back? Kid: "You were?" mana: or at least showtaro was... Kid: "Hmmm...I wonder whether we saw him..." stocking: oh! i think i saw him, i asked him to bring you over to talk to me after.... .////. Kid: "???" stocking: n-nevermind. but it brought us closer together. *she holds his hand* Kid: "...Okay." -later- Kid: (dabs napkin) "Tasty." stocking: thanks for the meal. Kid: (holds her hand) "You're welcome. Feel better?" stocking: a lot better now. *she smiles* Kid: "Well, we paid the bill. Where to next?" stocking: how about a movie? Kid: "I'd like that. Anything you've been wanting to see?" stocking: im down for whatever. Kid: "Hmm..." (looks at movie listings on his phone) -and so, elsewhere- Yohei: "Well, I aced the interview with Death Tech. How 'bout you guys? You get jobs yet?" mana: i got some work at deathbucks. Tuhl: "DWMA took me on, after what we did in London, Vegas, and IC Prefecture." Shotaro: "I got a job shipping stuff." (points at Chie) "I ship you with Yohei." chie: how do you- n-nevermind. >////> mana: wrong definition. Shotaro: "No, the best definition." (proud smile) Yohei: "Heh heh..." (pushes Shotaro's head down for a noogie) "Okay, get back to work, you all. We still got to finish unpacking." mana: what about you chie? Shotaro: "Yeah!" chie: i got a job at the shopping mall, just doing a few odd jobs like modeling and handing out samples. Shotaro: "Oh, wow! Modeling would be great for you! Right, Yohei?" Yohei: "..." .\\\\\. chie:...... -BWAP- Shotaro: (floored) -elsewhere- Wes: "Thanks for meeting up for coffee, Liz." liz: no problem. *she smiles* Wes: "It sounds like the mission was frightening. Based on what Soul told me, you all got out okay...mostly." liz: yeah......but looks like stocking is getting better, based on what kid told me.....i'm not sure if i could be as brave as her.... Wes: "...If you had either of your parents here, I think you'd do what you have to do." liz:............ Wes: "..." (holds her hand) liz: i can sympathize with felisia though.......... Wes: (nods) "Yeah. From what you said, it doesn't sound like she had much of a choice." liz:.......*frowns* Wes: "...How old would your child be now?" liz:..........around julie's age, i guess.... Wes: (nods) "...Liz..." liz: *tearful*....... Wes: "..." (puts his arms around her) "It's okay." liz: *she hugs him* Wes: (pats her back) liz: do you think....he would hate me? Wes: "...As angry as Soul is with our parents, I know he loves them. No child can hate their parent..." liz:............. Wes: "I'm sure your son will understand, when he's ready." -elsewhere- Kid: "I thought that was enjoyable." stocking: hehe. *she smiles, holding his hand* Kid: "Anything else to do before we head home?" -elsewhere, at the 5th HQ- Kishiri: "When does boss lady get back? Or is she still under arrest?" miwa: she'll be back soon hopefully. in the meantime, she asked us to watch over things here. Kishiri: "Tch. So, 'New Boss,' what am I supposed to do?" miwa: for now, we're going to try keeping things running. Kishiri: "Yeah? That include the things Boss Lady didn't want getting out to the public?" miwa: we'll leave that to the 5ths head scientist. (thinking: aka dr conehead.) Kishiri: "Hmm...I guess I'm out on patrol, then? Or did you have something else in mind for me?" miwa: i need you to run these files by Dr Sugihara if you get the chance Kishiri: "Seriously? That doc kind of creeps me out." miwa: i dont mean the doctor of the 5th, i want you to bring these medical files to dr sugihara. the squad 0 medic. Kishiri: "..." (devious smirk) "Well, that's different..." miwa: so you'll do it then? Kishiri: "Sure, why not?" (takes the files) -in the medical exam room- Kishiri: "Doc? You in here?" Serina: hmm? oh, hello Mr Kishiri. *she smiles* Kishiri: "Got some papers for you from Miwa. Where you want them?" serina: just put them on the desk for now. Kishiri: (does so) "So, what're you working on?" serina: just reviewing medical files and organizing them. i've been pretty busy lately, especially since a lot of the 5th's soldiers seem to be getting injured a lot recently. Kishiri: "Not me--still going at it, strong and hard!" (flexes his arm) serina: that's good to hear. *she smiles* Kishiri: "Need some help tending to patients? I've been told I have an awesome bedside manner." (pops his gum) serina: i appreciate the thought, but i think i can handle things here. Kishiri: "...Oh. Um, fine. I'll get back to work then." -elsewhere- Kid: "We're home." liz: welcome back you guys. lord death: hello kiddo. Patty: (waves) Yumi: (smiles) Kid: "Happy to be back." (smiles at Stocking) stocking: *she nods* Yumi: "Dinner should be ready soon." stocking: thanks. *After dinner* stocking: today went pretty well, i think. Kid: "I agree. You took an important step today." stocking: *she nods* it's still weird to call her my mother....but i can only try my best... Kid: (nods) "Give it time." stocking: thanks for being there for me.... *she hugs him* Kid: (returns the hug, patting her back) -elsewhere- Black Star: "Get off your butt, Soul--I need to clean under the couch cushions." soul: *standing up, reading* Black Star: "What're you reading, anyway?" soul: just reading something maka always read. Black Star: (looks at the title of the book) -Brave- Black Star: "...Good choice, bro." soul:.....*small smile* Black Star: "..." (goes back to cleaning, then enters the kitchen to prepare a meal) -elsewhere- Shotaro: "Done washing the dishes!" chie: good job. Yohei: "Yeah, you managed to break only three dishes this time..." Shotaro: "Hee hee...Yeah." chie: i did manage to clean them. *she has a bandaid on her hand* Yohei: (glancing at her bandage) "Well, I guess that's it for the night. Got work tomorrow, right?" -the next morning- Kid: "Zzz..." stocking: zzz.... Kid: (in his sleep, moves closer to her) -at school- Kid: "Stocking, are you going to see her?" stocking: yeah, after school. Kid: (nods) "I guess we should head to class. What is our first course?" Tuhl: "Hey. I'm Tuhl. I'm filling in for that guy with the screw in his head." -and so the class begins- Tuhl: "So, I'm a kappa. And we're supposed to be able to talk to the spirits of living things. I'm like typical kappa, but the principle is the same. I'm going to teach you about how to anticipate the moves of animals." *Tuhl brings in a kitten* Tuhl: "Now, you see this small fur-covered creature and think, 'How do I anticipate what it will do?' Well, first--" *The kitten claws at Tuhl's face* Tuhl: "AAAAAAAH!" -after that- Patty: "...Maybe the school needs to reconsider hiring options." Tuhl: (bleeding on the floor) "Someone...get me to the infirmary..." Arthur: T_T "If Tamaki was here..." (whimper) -at lunch- Kid: (one plate of cherry pie with whipped cream) "Could I interest you?~" stocking: yes please~ Kid: "Say ah~" Patty: (whispering to Liz) "Good to see them getting along again..." liz: yeah.... -after school- stocking: hey mom. felisia: hey sweetie. *she smiles* Kid: (overhearing, smiling) -later- stocking: and suddenly everything makes sense.... Kid: (sitting in the hallway, looking around) "...These walls could use a cleaning." stocking: you ok? Kid: "Yes. Just distracted by the walls." stocking:... *rubs his back* Kid: (smiles) "How was your meeting?" stocking: pretty good. i learned a few things about honekoneko's origins. -elsewhere- Wes: "Soul? You here?" soul: yeah? Wes: "Hey. You hungry? I was thinking of going out for a bite." soul: sure. mind if tsubaki and black*star come along? Wes: (smiles) "Sure!" -and so- Wes: "Dig in!" (pizza) Black Star: "Sweet!" (grabs two slices) -elsewhere- Nals: "So, how are you feeling?" milia: better now. ^^ Nals: "...Good." milia: *hugs* thanks for saving me~ Nals: "..." (awkward hug) "Of course." -elsewhere- Yumi: "Death, what have you learned from Felisia regarding who was holding her?" lord death: seems this organization, 'Nirvana Corps' wishes to 'advance humanity' by using genetic experiments, such as using clothes as weapons much like the people of arcadia do. Yumi: "Hmmm...Is that why they wanted Felisia? To learn what Arcadia could accomplish?" lord death: perhaps.... Yumi: " 'Nirvana'...I wonder where else they have facilities. If we could find one of their associates, we may get a lead." ("That poor woman, to lose her child...") lord death: according to the notes we found, it's important we locate them as soon as possible, lest we face a greater threat... Yumi: "Death, what do you mean? What 'greater threat'?" -elsewhere- NoFix: (in a schoolgirl uniform) luka:......................................................................i'm almost afraid to ask. NoFix: "What? You guys are making living clothes--thought I'd try one on!" luka: that experiment went bust after the harime incident. besides, that's just a normal uniform. NoFix: "...What?! So I'm in a girl's uniform for nothing?!" scientist: come to think of it, i think that's the same uniform the girls at the local school wore. well, used to anyway... NoFix: " 'Local school'? Where?" scientist: the Lysandra High School. however, it's been abandoned after the incident which wiped out most of the residents of the city. NoFix: "...Kept any of the corpses?" scientist: yes, most of them have been used in experiments. NoFix: "Cool...So, you like me in this suit?" (poses) -elsewhere- Yohei: "Okay. If I did it correctly, this device should pick up Dokeshi..." chie: wow. Yohei: "Now to test it. Hide somewhere in the house, I'll try to find you with it." (attaches the device--which is a watch--to his wrist) chie: ok. Yohei: (waits a few minutes, then starts following the trail) "Hmm...Signal is fainter here...Stronger in the kitchen..." (points to a cupboard) "...Seriously?" (opens it--) **Someone falls out of the cupboard onto Yohei** Yohei: "UNf!" Shotaro: (sitting atop Yohei) Shotaro: "..." (holds a box of cookies too him) "Want one?" Yohei: -_- "It works." chie: *snickers* -she's in the basement- Yohei: "Mana! Take care of Shotaro!" mana: -CHOP- Shotaro: x__x Yohei: "Thanks. Now back to finding Chie..." chie: *silent* Yohei: (follows the path to the basement stairs) "Hmmm..." (the signal points to behind some boxes) "You there, Chie?" chie: rawr. Yohei: "..." (chuckles) "Hey." chie: so it works? Yohei: "Yeah, you confirm it, and so does Shotaro. Right now, it's range is limited to 500 feet, so I'm going to need another week to expand its range to maybe the radius of a city." -elsewhere- Kid: *yawns* stocking: bedtime. Kid: (shuts his book, stretches) "I guess so. How about you?" stocking: *yawn* Kid: "I'll take that as a yes. Better brush, floss, and get to bed." -the next morning, at school- Tuhl: (bandaged, staring at Marie) "How do you people do this for a living?" marie: it takes a lot of hard work and patience. Tuhl: "I got attacked by a kitten in front of 200 students. You don't get through that when students now look at you like some wimp." marie: you tried your best. Tuhl: "Not good enough. I'm better at getting robots to listen to me than students." (points to a Kick Me sign on his back) -elsewhere- Spirit: "You're looking better, Felisia. Anything Justin or I can bring you?" felisia: some books if you could. Spirit: "Oh, sure! I'm great at that! Read all the time! Um...anything in particular?" felisia: something to pass the time. Spirit: "O-Okay. Give me a few minutes." *Spirit returns from the library with variety of books* Spirit: "Some fiction, some science, some history..." felisia: *she smiles* thank you. Spirit: "So...I heard Stocking has been visiting." felisia: she has. Spirit: "...How is it going?" felisia: quite well. Spirit: "...I wish I had that chance." felisia: ?? Spirit: "...My daughter was killed." felisia: !! Spirit: "It was in the battle against...W-We didn't have the best relationship." felisia: ....... -elsewhere- Ponera: (holding up a baby's mobile...consisting of snakes) medusa: how.....cute Ponera: "Thanks! I made it myself!" (part of the mobile falls off) medusa:..... Ponera: "W-We can hot glue that." Killbell: (has random objects glued on his shirt) "I don't know how to use the glue gun good..." -elsewhere- Kid: "Any plans for afterschool, Liz?" liz: i might do some work at deathbucks to make some extra cash for the holidays. Kid: "...Oh. I forgot how quickly Christmas was coming." Patty: "I better call Wes to let him know where you are...and what you're wearing. :3 " liz: patti! ????: um, excuse me? Patty: "Who said that?" -there is a girl in a school uniform, long dusty-orange hair in two braids and glasses standing before you- ???: pardon me, but do you know where i can find the 8th brigade HQ? Kid: "Yes. You can catch it by taking the Route 14 Bus." ???: ah, thank you very much. i'll be on my way then. Kid: (points) "Actually, those students work at the 8th." ???: oh? -later- shinra: that girl with the braids has been following us a while now... Arthur: "Perhaps it is an elf, disguised as a human, who is following us so they may kidnap the princess..." (seizes his hilt) shinra: dude, no. Arthur: "Hmph. Okay, Smart Guy--who is she? What are we supposed to do, just confront her and ask her?" shinra: maybe she just happens to be taking the same route we are? -this continues until they arrive- shinra: she followed us all the way here?! Arthur: "I am really getting freaked out. Maybe if we go inside, she'll leave us alone." -she knocks on the door- Arthur: "SHE'S STILL FOLLOWING US!" Akitaru: "???" ????: um....excuse me...is...commander...oubi was it? is he here? Arthur: (hiding behind Hibana) Hibana: -_-; Akitaru: "Yo, I'm Oubi. What's up?" ???: um...i....i-i would like to join your brigade sir!...p-please.... Akitaru: "...Oh. Um, well, the entrance exams were last month, and exceptions are up to individual commanders. So, tell me, kid, what's your name?" ????: my name is Nozomi Harada. i'm not sure if i'll be very useful to you, but i'll try my best not to be a burden. Akitaru: (grabs her hand with a vigorous handshake) "Pleasure to meet you, Nozomi! Tell me, you a Fire Being?" nozomi: no, but i do have a bit of science knowledge and medical knowledge from what my dad taught me. Akitaru: "Well, we don't have much in the way of a science department here--we're pretty bare bones. Just about everyone here has basic first-aid training." Hibana: "And Iris and I have our botany lab, so we could use more help there." nozomi: so then, is that a yes? Akitaru: "Call it a trial run, see how you do. I will need to look at your resume, though." nozomi: ah! right! Akitaru: "Let me take a look at it. And do you have any references? Bosses?" (studies her) "How old are you, anyway?" nozomi: 17, sir. shinra: same as me. Akitaru: "Any teachers to vouch for you?" nozomi: dr itou could do so. -and so, elsewhere- Wes: "H-Hey, Liz..." liz: hey wes.... .////. Wes: "I-I was stopping by for c-coffee..." ("That dress...") liz: what would you like, the usual? Wes: "Y-Yeah, that'd be great. H-How is work?" liz: doing well. Wes: "That's good. Do you have plans for Thanksgiving?" -later- Kid: (entering a candy shop) "Hello, I wanted to place an order for an imported dessert?" clerk: imported, what kind? Kid: (opens a brochure) "This one--the dark chocolate Mediterranean fig." clerk: oooh. Kid: "Could it be here by Christmas?" clerk: lets seee.... seems like it. Kid: (smiles, pulling out his credit card) "I will take it, and I will pick it up here. Please have it gift-wrapped as well." clerk: very well sir. Kid: (picks up a few boxes of sweets) "And I'll take these now." ("I wonder whether Stocking's mother has a sweet tooth...") -later- Kid: "I'm home." stocking: hey babe. *she smiles* Kid: (kiss on the cheek) "Hello, Love. How was your day?" stocking: great. i got to show my mother some pictures. Kid: (smiles) "That's good. Which photos?" stocking: a few from when i was younger. Kid: (smiles) "When you were super-adorable? Not to ignore how adorable you are now~" stocking: hehe~ Kid: "I'm proud of you." stocking: *she hugs him and kisses his nose* Kid: (holds her) "I love you, no matter what." stocking: *nuzzles into him* Kid: (strokes her back) "What were you up to here before I came home?" stocking: just setting the table for dinner. Kid: "Need help?" -later- Kid: "Excellent work, Ellen! That meal was delicious." -the next day at school- Arthur: (looking around the school) "Where is she...?" nozomi: who're you looking for? shinra: his girlfriend. Arthur: -_-; "I'm just curious where Tamaki has gone..." iris: i think she's still at the 1st brigade HQ... Arthur: "And not in school...I miss her." shinra:...... Arthur: "I wish I could convince her..." iris: maybe we should visit her? Arthur: "I would like that..." shinra: then it's settled. we'll go see her after class. Arthur: "..." (mutters) "Thanks." -in class- Patty: (drawing) liz: *reading* Kid: (reviewing history book) -later- Patty: "How was work, Sis?" liz: i went pretty well i'd say. -meanwhile- shinra: soooooo how do we get there again? Arthur: "Take Route 7B, then walk." shinra: ok then. on this bus? Arthur: "That's the one." -one bus trip later- Arthur: "Here we are..." nozomi: it's so big. shinra: yeah. Arthur: "Best check with security..." guard: just move along, kiddos. Arthur: (frowns) "Not likely: we are here to see our friend Tamaki." guard: shes busy with training right now and cant be disturbed. Arthur: "Then when will she be done training for the day? When is her break?" guard: after that, she'll be on a mission. Arthur: "Oh, that's convenient! Come on, man!" guard: sorry, we cant let you in without the proper clearance. Arthur: "..." (starts to turn away--then grabs the guard by the neck) guard: !! shinra: woah, dude! Arthur: "We're going in. Now." -later- Arthur: "..." nozomi: *bandaging his wounds* maki: honestly, what got into you? Arthur: "I am a man in love! And I will not let my lady be--Owie!" (pouts) "That peroxide stings!" shinra: *points* AHA!! Arthur: "And where were you, Squire?! You ran off with your tail between your legs!" shinra: using the phone booth. Arthur: "Why?! To rip off the phone and use as a blunt instrument?!" shinra: to call the others to stop you from doing something stupider. Arthur: "...I could've defeated those five security guards if you hadn't butted in." shinra: -_-; Arthur: "We'll have to find another way to break into the 1st. Maybe a hot air balloon..." shinra: that might just work. i'll get a balloon for you to breathe into. Arthur: (biting his lip and glaring at Shinra) "Well, why don't you--! Um...Why don't you...Shut up!" shinra: *smirks* Arthur: "Hmph. Maybe I could text Tamaki..." shinra: maybe. Arthur: "Wish I thought of that before..." (pulls out his phone, texts Tamaki: "hey. tried to visit today") -no reply- Arthur: "Maybe I should try calling?" -no reply again- Arthur: "Damn it!" shinra:...... Arthur: "...I think I'm going to bed." -the next day- Kid: (purrs) stocking: hehe~ Kid: "Sleep okay?" stocking: yeah. Kid: "Same." (stretches) "What's today?" stocking: looks like the weekend i think? Kid: "Oh, good! Any plans?" stocking: not really. Kid: "Maybe go for a walk today? A little holiday shopping? Get some lunch?" stocking: sounds good. maybe i could get my mother a nice housewarming gift. Kid: (nods) "That would be good. Has your mother decided where to live?" stocking: my dad is having her move in at his place. Kid: (nods) "That should be good." -later- Kid: "What do you think your mother would like as a gift?" stocking: maybe something for her new room? Kid: "Like something to look at, such as a painting, or a candle?" stocking: or maybe a decorative pillow? Kid: "Oh, that can be good! Is your mother on her feet yet?" stocking: soon. Kid: (nods) "It's good she has support..." (looks at one pillow) stocking: *she looks as well* Kid: "Perhaps one like this? It feels comfortable, although I'm not sure about the color." stocking: *she looks at a clerk* are there other colors for this one? Clerk: "Of course! It comes in black, white, blue, red..." stocking: blue might work.... Clerk: "Very good!" (pulls out a large set of swatches) "Would that be midnight blue, light blue, sky, Cambridge, Carolina, sapphire, steel..." Kid: (eyes glazing over) "Too...many...colors..." -and so- Clerk: "Are you pleased with your choice, ma'am?" stocking: looks good. thank you. Clerk: "You're welcome. Thank you for your business!" Kid: "So...many...colors..." (shakes his head) "So, another shop, then?" stocking: sounds good. Kid: (points to bookstore) "I was thinking of some books for Father and Mother...and Little Sister." stocking: lets do that. *In the bookstore* Kid: (flipping through botany and gardening books for Yumi) -elsewhere- Yohei: (walking into Deathbucks) "Yo, Mana." mana: hey. what can i get ya? Yohei: "Coffee and a scone, thanks. How's work?" mana: doing well. you? Yohei: "Still fiddling with this." (points to Dokeshi Sensing Watch--which goes off) "...Huh." mana: ??? *she looks at kepuri* Kepuri: "...What the hell are you looking at?" master: *raises a brow* Yohei: "..." (approaches Master...the watch stops beeping...approaches Kepuri--and it starts beeping wildly) mana: ..... Kepuri: "Wh-What?!" Yohei: "Huh. So, what's your Dokeshi condition?" Kepuri: "..." (looks away) Kepuri: "...I'm stuck at this height, okay?! Happy?!!" mana: so? Kepuri: "So what?! I'm short! I don't like it!" -elsewhere- Black Star: "Okay, so I got my gift for Tsubaki." soul: i got stuff done too. Black Star: "Cool. Anything you're getting for Wes?" soul: not sure what to get him... Black Star: "...A hug?" soul: *chuckles* Black Star: "It's free, probably something he doesn't get enough. Or maybe you get him a gift card to that laser tag place." soul:....sounds good. Black Star: "Cool. Still figuring out whether I should get one more thing for Tsubaki." soul: like what? Black Star: "Jewelry? Maybe something else?" -meanwhile- Wes: (checking his mail, smiles) "Good--it came!" ghost: what is it? Wes: "A gift I got for Liz..." ghost: oh? Wes: "Something that I hope she appreciates..." -later- Kid: (brings out tea and a cupcake) "Here you are, Angel." stocking: thank you~ Kid: "I'm sure your mother will enjoy the gift...and I hope you enjoy your gift, too~" stocking: hehe~ *she kisses both his cheeks* Kid: (holds her hand) "I have already gotten to work on an excellent Thanksgiving dessert. And something cranberry related..." -meanwhile- Tuhl: (grading papers) nygus: so how did it go today? Tuhl: (shrugs) "A bit better. At least their essays are getting better." -meanwhile, at the 1st HQ- Burns: (examining photographs...) "Where is that assassin..." soldier: sir? is everything ok? Burns: "I've been interrogating multiple persons with no luck..." (his knuckles are bloody) soldier: ....... person: *bloodied and whimpering* Burns: "Get this dirtbag to a hospital." tamaki: .............. *walks back to her room* Burns: "Tamaki, wait..." tamaki: what? Burns: "...Take a walk with me." tamaki:........ Burns: "Please?" tamaki:........fine..... *They depart* Burns: "Just another block..." tamaki:....... *They are at a cemetery* tamaki: *bites her lip* Burns: (puts a hand on her shoulder) "I know it is difficult. But I think you should go forward." tamaki:.........h-hey....sorry i havent visited.....just been thinking a lot.... Burns: "..." tamaki: i just dont know what to do....they've been keeping isolated there for days.....i feel trapped...... Burns: (clenching his fists...) tamaki: i just wish you were here to give me some advice....make it feel less lonely.... Burns: (looking around...staring at one building's rooftop...narrows his eyes) tamaki: ...........i miss you.......i wish i could have been a better friend to you.... Burns: (light blinks at the rooftop, his eyes widen as he starts charging a flame...) tamaki: ?? Burns: "Down!" tamaki: *she gets down* *Fire blasts around Burns* Burns: "Damn!" (redirects the flames back at the source) tamaki: WHAT THE HELL?! Burns: "Another assassin?! Too afraid to show yourself?!" tamaki:...... [<x> try fighting them off <> try to sneak away] Tamaki: (joins a flame towards the Assassin) "Face us!" ???: *turns to flee* Tamaki: "Oh, no you don't!" (roars, fire-claws on her hands as she rushes at the Assassin) ???: *starts running* Tamaki: (leaps, roaring again) < > Catches Assassin < > Misses Assassin <x> Scratches Assassin ???: ACK! Tamaki: "Stop!" (rips off part of fabric and some skin) ???: *they fall over, screaming* Tamaki: "Got you now, you bastard!" (rushes at the Assassin) ???: w-wait, dont kill me, please! Tamaki: (tackles them, holding flame to their face) "Who sent you?!" ???: p-please, i'll talk, dont hurt me! Tamaki: "..." (tosses the Assassin down to Burns) "Interrogate this fucker." -and so- Burns: "So, care to talk?" ???: ........ Burns: "No? Fine by me. I got plenty of other work I can do." (pulls out a stack of papers and a pen...starts clicking the pen slowly) ???: ...th....the 8th.... Burns: "???" ???: t-the 8th brigade sent me.... Burns: "..." (sets down papers) "Who in the 8th?" ???: t-the commander.....c-can i please leave now? tamaki: *listening* ?! Burns: "You attempted to assassinate us: you are not getting out of her. You are going through the legal system." ???: ........... Burns: "And we have more questions. What did the Commander give you in exchange for trying to kill us?" -meanwhile- Patty: "Julie! Time for bed!" julie: *yaaaawns* Patty: (picks her up) "You wash and brush?" julie: *nods* Patty: (frowns) "Let me smell your breath, young lady..." -she did- Patty: (smiles) "Good girl!" (sets her in bed) "Bedtime story?" julie: yay! Patty: "How about Cinderella?" julie: *she nods* Patty: "Or how about Rapunzel? The girl with the super-long hair and the person trying to reach her?" julie: *shiny eyes* oooooh. Patty: "So, a long time ago--like, at least 50 years--there was as girl named Rapunzel. And she was a little spitfire--always getting into fights, not taking nothing off of any jerk who tried to harass her or her homies!" julie: *listening* Patty: "But then a warlock--that's, like, a really powerful magician but less powerful than a witch--thought the girl needed to be protected from dangers in the world, so he put her in a tall tower and wouldn't let her out." julie: oh no. Patty: "I know, right?! And she was all alone--her friends gone, separated from her. Including this one really cute boy she kept making googly eyes with before Big Nasty Warlock put her away." julie: D:> Patty: "But this boy was a knight! He had shining armor! A big, sharp sword! He tamed dragons to be his pets! He climbed tall walls! He ran faster than other people! He could open 18 jars of pickles without getting sweaty!" julie: wow. Patty: "Yeah! And he was a hottie, too! You should see his eyes and his abs!" julie: ??? liz: ._.; uuhhhh, kid? Kid: (chops Patty) "Keep this story PG rated, please." liz: you wanna take over? Patty: (pouts) Kid: "Very well." (clears his throat) Kid: "The Shining Knight missed his friend, Rapunzel, so he did what any rational person would do: he went to the giant tower--because obviously someone would be locked in a giant tower that anyone could see with no problems." liz:....... Kid: "...What, Liz? Am I wrong?" -elsewhere- Shotaro: "Zzzzz...." chie: so how was work? mana: found out that kepuri chick is a dokeshi, so that's there. Yohei: "And that was after increasing the range of the Dokeshi Watch by another three blocks. By the end of this week, it'll be ready to hunt through a radius of an entire city." (stares at Chie) "..." chie: .......... Yohei: (clears throat) "Y-Yeah...So, I could use some help to track a Dokeshi or two in the city. I don't suppose you could get off from work this weekend for Death City Hide and Seek?" chie: i suppose i could find some spare time. Yohei: "Th-Thanks..." ("...I wonder how she looks when modeling...") -elsewhere- maki: night everyone. Akitaru: *yawn* "Night, Maki. Night, Gabriella." gabriella: night. come along now, princess. *she smiles* -later, in shinra and arthur's room- Arthur: "..." (tossing in bed, not sleeping) shinra:......... Arthur: (punches his pillow) "Damn." shinra: you ok? Arthur: "No. Tamaki still won't answer my texts or calls...I'm worried I'm scaring her." shinra: well, the commander did mention we'd be going on a mission to the 1st soon. Arthur: "About time..." shinra: said something about 'taking the tour'? Arthur: " 'Tour'?" -the next morning- gabriella: kishiri and the recruit from squad zero should be here soon. maki: joooooy. Hibana: "Hmm. Haven't seen Kishiri in a while. I wonder whether his behavior has improv--" *KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK* ???: "Let us in!" shinra: ?? *he opens the door* Kishiri: "Yo yo! Hey, Commander! Gab! One-Punch Hottie!" maki: -_-; does he have to come with us? ???: fufufufu~ ???: in the depths of despair. when all hope is lost. when justice cries out. i will be there. Hibana: "...Hi? Who are you?" Kishiri: (eyebrow wiggle at Maki) -a 15 year old girl with black hair appears- ???: Sayu Hirano, hero for hire, reporting for duty~! *wink* maki:..... *steps away* shinra: o_o -_- o_o ~? (thinking: hero for hire? oh, she must be the squad 0 kid...) Hibana: "...At ease, soldier. So, you have the details for this 'tour'?" sayu: just what commander miwa told me. juggernaut: noooooo what if it's too scary? Hibana: " 'Scary'? Kid, your in the Brigade: you have to face fear." juggernaut: 8< Kishiri: "When you got beautiful ladies having your back, what do you need to be afraid of?" (eyes Maki) shinra: (thinking: he kinda reminds me of that weird kid that follows kure around) maki: i feel safer already (sarcasm) nozomi: ^^; Arthur: "...Let's just go." -and so- Hibana: "What is the first step while we are here?" maki: juggy, arthur, shinra, nozomi, sayu and the other guy will take the tour, and we'll keep you posted. Hibana: "Be safe in there. Don't do anything stupid." maki: can do. *she glares at kishiri* shinra: yes mom.....i mean ma'am....i'll just go now. Kishiri: "..." Arthur: "..." Hibana: ._.; shinra: let's just go -_-; sayu: right behind ya big bro shinra. shinra: *wince* juggernaut:...... Kishiri: *yawns, trying to put an arm around Maki* -SMACK SLAP PUNCH- Arthur: o_o "Jeez." Kishiri: (twitching on the floor) "Worth it." -and so, they took the bus there- Arthur: "...Man." shinra:.... Guide: "Greetings and salutations. Welcome to the 1st! We have been expecting--" (cringes upon seeing Arthur) "Oh God, it's him..." shinra: ?? Arthur: (glares) Kishiri: "Uh...J-Just let us in, please?" Guide: (sweating) "Just keep some distance between me and him--I don't need him attacking me like that security guard..." maki: we'll keep a good eye on him. Arthur: "Hmph." sayu: *picture snap* Guide: "Well, here we are at the entrance, which has intricate architectural design by..." Guide: "...Blake Williams, whose designs of fire reminds us of both its cleansing and dangerous natures..." (still nervous around Arthur) Arthur: (death glare) Guide: o_o; "A-And the 1st has an extensive set of items from various religious orders surrounding the worship of flames..." shinra: ..... *looks over at karim, who gives him a judgemental glare* *nervous smile* Kishiri: "Yeah, I'm really devout. Super religious. Religious as fuck, man." maki:....... Kishiri: (smirks) "Want to pray with me, babe?" juggernaut: um.. m-miss guide? is there a bathroom nearby? maki: shoo you. Guide: "Yes, just around the corner on the left, dear." juggernaut: t-thanks... Guide: "Well, while we are waiting, I can point to the facilities we have here. The East Wing leads to the Medical and Science Division..." nozomi: ...... sayu: ooooh. Guide: "And the North Wing leads to the Commander's Office." shinra: is he in? Guide: "Yes, but--" shinra: can we see him? Guide: "...No?" shinra: oh.... Burns: "Tamaki! Get back here!" -CRASH- tamaki: o-ow.... Arthur: o____o; tamaki: *she looks down and sees his hand on her chest* o////////////o -SLAP- Arthur: X___X (nosebleed) tamaki: U//////U# shinra: so...that happened Kishiri: "Oh, hey, Kitten. How you doin'?" tamaki: up yours. shinra: um. hi tamaki. tamaki: T-T# shinra:....>u>;;;;;; Burns: "Tamaki!!!" tamaki: !! Burns: "I am not done with our meeting about--" (trips over Arthur, lands on his face) "...Ow." shinra: *bites lip to avoid laughing* Kishiri: "Sir!" (salutes) Burns: (gets up) "At ease." (studies the group) "What are you doing here?" (looks at Shinra and Maki) maki: we're taking the tour for extra credit. Burns: (studies them) "Very well. Proceed, Guide." Guide: (nervous salute) tamaki: ....... Burns: "Come along, Tamaki. Now." tamaki: ...... Burns: "Well? You coming or not?" Arthur: "Tamaki, wait--" (reaches out to her) tamaki:....fine.... Burns: (glares at Arthur) "Follow, Tamaki." Arthur: "Wait just a damn minute!" tamaki: ?? Arthur: "Tamaki, I've tried calling you..." tamaki: ......*she drops a slip of paper as she and burns exit* Arthur: "???" (looks at the paper...then slips it in his pocket. "Better not let Guide see it.") Guide: ^_^; "Shall we continue with the tour? We have a wonderful cafeteria..." juggernaut: *nods* Arthur: "...Fine." Kishiri: "Good--I'm starving!" (smirks at Maki) "Care to share a root beer float with me?" maki: .....nah. -later- Kishiri: (he had a root beer float on him...in that, Maki dumped a root beer float _onto_ him) -_-; iris: how was the trip? Arthur: "...Fine." (opens the paper to read it) -cant call, burns has my phone charger and my battery died.- Arthur: "...That's it? What, she can't use someone else's charger? And why would he keep her charger?" shinra:....*shrug* Arthur: "..." (smirks) "Hey, Shinra? I need a favor." shinra: what is it? Arthur: "You need to mail a charger for me." shinra: huh? Arthur: "What? If I send it, Burns will know what I'm up to." shinra:......how about if hirano sends it? sayu: can do, big bro shinra! *salutes* shinra:...... Arthur: "Even better!" (hands $30) "Buy the charger, pack it, and mail it!" sayu: alrighty then! -elsewhere- Wes: "Soul, could you pass the salt?" soul: sure thing. Wes: "Thanks!" (adds it to the pizza sauce) -later- Wes: "...It's bad, isn't it?" soul: it's.....edible. Wes: "...Well, better get better at it before Christmas...I don't suppose Black Star will eat this failed experiment?" soul: well.... Wes: "???" soul: nevermind. Wes: "Hmmm...Maybe the dog will eat it." soul: dog? Ghost Dog: *BARK!* soul:....ok then. Wes: "Who's a cute ghost dog? You are! Yes, you are! Yes, you are!" -elsewhere- kirika: *playing games while mocha sits on her head* Patty: (coloring with Julie) stocking: can you believe its almost december? Kid: (nods) "It is surprising how quickly time feels like it is passing." (holds her hand) "Have you considered how to spend Christmas with your parents?" stocking: my dad's throwing a huge party this year. Kid: (smiles) "That should be fun." stocking: yeah, i think it's to make up for the one missed last year..............*she frowns, trembling* Kid: (holds her hand and puts an arm around her) "It's okay." stocking: *she holds him, calming down a little* Kid: (pats her back, hums a song) stocking: mmmm..... Kid: (keeps humming...) "Stocking..." stocking: *closing her eyes* Kid: (kisses her forehead, carries her to bed) stocking: *drifting off to sleep* Kid: (lies next to her, holds her as he falls asleep too) -the next morning- Kid: (slight snoring) stocking: mmmmn, kid...... Kid: "H-Huh?" stocking: *nuzzling her body against him* Kid: "..." (smiles, holds her) "How are you?" stocking: warm. *she blushes* Kid: "..." (blushes as well) "Um...Are you..." stocking: am i what? Kid: "..." (blushes harder) "I just...like being this close to you. Thank you." stocking: hehe~ *she kisses him softly* Kid: (kisses back softly, just holding her) -at school- Kid: (holds her hand in class) Tuhl: (staring at puppy in a crate) "O-Okay...I can do this..." puppy: *happy pants* : D Tuhl: "Now, when you deal with creatures, remember to treat them like another person. Just because they look different doesn't mean they aren't deserving of respect." (holds out hands to puppy to see what happens) puppy: :3 *nom* Tuhl: o__o; "Ow." -at lunch- Patty: (shoveling bread in her mouth) soul: so how was the tour? shinra: alright. Arthur: (frowning, studying his soup) maki: you ok? Arthur: "Just impatient." maki: about what? Arthur: "...When I can talk with Tamaki again." maki:..... Black Star: "...Maybe just punch down a wall and go inside?" shinra: and get arrested, maybe. Black Star: "What? Who here doesn't have a criminal record?!" soul:...... Patty: (raises her hand) "How do you think I got here?!" -that night, at the 8th- Hibana: (swinging at punching bag) "I don't see what the problem is." gabriella: *timing her* Hibana: "Burns has always been a control freak over his soldiers--" (punch punch punch) "--so how is this any different, Maki?" maki: we're worried they're keeping her there for a reason.... something just feels off about it.... -in arthur's room- Arthur: "..." (looking at a photograph of Tamaki--who is beating him and Shinra into the ground) -dink- Arthur: "???" (looks at window) -a girl in a hoodie is standing there with a ladder- Arthur: "???" (carefully opens the window) "Tamaki?" tamaki: *she makes a motion with her hand to say 'open the window'* Arthur: "...I did open it...What are you doing here?" tamaki: *she puts the ladder to the window and starts climbing up* Arthur: (looks around the room...) -empty save for him- Arthur: (holds a hand out to her) -she climbs in, dropping the ladder in the process- tamaki: ah.... Arthur: "Oh...Um...Is-Is that going to be a problem?" tamaki: if it didnt cause too much noise.............y-you.....*she hugs him tightly* i missed you idiot! Arthur: "I-I missed y-you too..." (holds her) tamaki: h-hey! dont start crying on me! Arthur: (wipes his eyes) "I'm not crying! Something blew in from the window!" (holds her more tightly) tamaki: y-yeah...i should close that.... Arthur: "...I don't want to let go..." tamaki: .....*sigh* jeez, you're such a wimp... Arthur: "Heh. Like you crying as soon as you see me?" (shimmies with her over to the window to close it) Arthur: "...Princess." tamaki: i was not! tamaki: it was the rain, that's all... Arthur: (closes the window, and just holds her) "There's not a cloud in the sky out there, Tamaki." tamaki: it was raining when i left... Arthur: "..." (smirks) "Okay..." (pulls back) "How long before Burns finds out?" tamaki: he probably knows by now......no doubt he has people looking for me... im not gonna sugar coat it, but in case you havent figured it out, i ran away. Arthur: "But what makes you think he won't look for you?" tamaki: he will.......and i bet he is already.... Arthur: "...He'll start here...What do we do?" tamaki: i just need to hide...lay low.... -knock knock- Arthur: o___o (whispers) "Hide under the bed." tamaki: *she does so* Arthur: (answers the door, just opening it a bit) "Y-Yeah?" shinra: hey, one of burn's goonies is here saying tamaki's missing. Arthur: (bad acting) "What? Really? No!" shinra:.....well, just thought i'd keep you posted... Arthur: "Th-Thanks, man. I appreciate it. H-How about we go look for her?" shinra: sounds good. Arthur: "O-Okay! Let me just get something." (slams door in Shinra's face) "Oh boy..." tamaki: shit. Arthur: "I-If I can get them away from here, maybe they won't know you're in this room?" tamaki: ........ Arthur: "!!! The ladder! Let me get down there and hide it!" -outside- shinra: oi! tamaki! Arthur: "Here, Kitty Kitty!" (picking up ladder, hiding it) shinra: dude really? Arthur: (hid the ladder) "What? If she was out here, and I said that, she'd already be out there ripping my head off, right?" shinra: ......*looks at the person from thr 1st* anything yet? 1st Officer: "Nothing. I see some footprints, though." (points to them) shinra: do you think it was a burglar? 1st Officer: "Do these footprints have...kitty paws on the bottom?" shinra: ??? Arthur: "Th-That just looks like cat's prints. Ha ha ha! Don't be silly!" (nervous laughter) shinra: yeah, i guess it was just a cat... Arthur: (nods vigorously) "Wait, I think I heard something over there!" (points away from the 8th Brigade) shinra: ?? Arthur: "I think I saw someone in the bushes! You should go check! Take your time! I'll be over here!" -shinra and the officer go look- Arthur: (slowly tries to inch back into the building and back to his room) shinra: *examining the bushes* Arthur: (back in the building, trying to get back to his room--) <x> Arthur gets to his room without a problem < > Someone stops Arthur Arthur: (enters his room, sighs, then checks under his bed) tamaki: ?? -she's playing neko atsume on her phone- Arthur: "...So, keeping yourself preoccupied?" tamaki: *she nods* thanks for the charger. i missed my widdle babies.... Arthur: "...'Widdle babies'?" (smiles) "Cute." tamaki: oh shush. Arthur: "...They seem to be heading elsewhere, away from the 8th...Is there room under this bed?" tamaki: a little bit... unless you want me to move to the closet? Arthur: "..." (reaches a hand to her) "Even my closet is small, and Shinra is bound to find out. How am I going to keep you here without them knowing?" tamaki:......i dont know..... Arthur: "...What if we told the Commanders, Obi and Hibana? Maybe you could transfer here." tamaki: maybe, but i doubt burns would let me.... Arthur: "Obi and Hibana can be very persuasive, though." tamaki: you dont know burns the way i do... Arthur: "What do you mean?" tamaki:...n-nevermind.... Arthur: "...Has he hurt you?" tamaki:......not physically.... Arthur: "But he's said things to you?" tamaki: no....he's....ever since the incident at the 5th, he's been....overprotective. Arthur: "...Is it safe for him to be in command?" tamaki: of course....i know, he wants the best for his soldiers.....but he didnt need to keep me trapped there...... Arthur: "Then I think that is enough to make a case to Obi." tamaki:...................

#death city days

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