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aboysbestfriendishismum · 7 years ago

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Chapter 47 - Presents, nightmares and billiard balls

In the previous chapter: Meg and Angie have their friends Grace and Laura over at their apartment for a girls-only night. Meg uses Angie as a model for an art project, Jeff and the guys call from Los Angeles, the girls play Truth (without Dare) and it comes out that the other two girls noticed Eddie’s into Angie (and vice versa) too. Meanwhile in L.A., the guys are in a bar, Mike Starr went out in a robe and cowboy boots for a bet, they talk about the girls and the possibility they’d go and see them on tour. Half of them think someone’ll join them, the other half thinks nobody will come, this gives way to another bet and Eddie improves it: they’ll go to the worst club around and the losers will have to dress as The Village People. Angie wakes up alone at home after the “sleepover” with her friends and after a very strange dream with Eddie as the protagonist. As she’s preparing to have a bath she gets one call from Dave Grohl, who reveals he’s dating another girl, and from Eddie right when she’s in the bathtub. Angie’s too embarrassed to tell him what she’s doing so she explains the strange sounds and the need to put him on speakerphone saying that she’s washing the dishes. They talk about the tape Angie made for Eddie and at some point during the conversation Angie realizes she’s been fondling her own boob for a while as she was talking to him and she’s ashamed to death.

***

“I’m alright, I’m the one who kept early hours hanging out in Los Angeles with the guys, I basically came back one hour ago” maybe a little more actually, almost two. The guys went for an early breakfast, I came back to the motel with an excuse… honestly I don’t even remember if I took time to come up with an excuse or not. Surely nobody asked me anything.

As I came here I basically had the phone in my hands already, then I suddenly felt stupid and put it back in place. Than I took it once again and started to dial the number, but stopped halfway because I remembered it was early in the morning after all and maybe I shouldn’t have disturbed her at that time of the day. But I wanted to hear her voice. In the end I’ve been laying fully dressed on the bed for a couple of hours, the phone resting on my belly, counting the stains on the wallpaper and daydreaming about Angie, wondering what she’s doing, if she’s already awake, what pajamas she’s wearing, what she dreamt tonight, uncertain wether to call her or not. When the time seems acceptable, I mechanically pick up the phone and dial her number, luckily finding her awake.

“Hehe I can imagine, are you in your room now?”

“Yes, I’m in bed” I point out and I don’t really know why I’m so specific, maybe to create more intimacy, because telling her exactly where I am and what I’m doing makes me feel like we’re closer.

“Wait, I’m gonna go grab a magazine and read something to you” I don’t immediately understand what she means, it’s because I’m tired or maybe ‘cause I’m focused on her voice and how fucking sexy it is on the phone. I mean, her voice is always good, warm and deep, it’s slightly raspy and goes down from time to time and that makes it even more intriguing. But on the phone, I don’t know for what kind of acoustic mechanism and shit, Angie’s voice always seems more present, more focused, as if it came out of the receiver and directly entered my brain, without going through any kind of external space in between, making me feel completely embraced. And I also have the feeling her voice tends to go on a higher pitch when she’s on the phone, not too much, just a little bit, mainly at the end of sentences. This thing literally drives me crazy and I’m kind of hooked, I always call her and keep her on the phone for hours saying that I need to sleep and she has to respect our deal, when I would easily fall asleep without any help, only because I can’t stop listening to her.

“Oh no no, I don’t need to sleep! I mean, well, I should, but I didn’t call you for that” today I don’t just wanna listen, I wanna talk to her.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure. But what’s this noise? Sounds like water” for a moment I have some kind of deja vu, only it’s not something I already saw but something I already heard. I think it’s an acid flashback, actually I swear I heard the same water swash on Cameron Crowe’s porch on new year’s eve, when I was tripping and Angie was talking to me and I saw her as a mermaid sittin’ on a rock waves were crashing against. Or maybe it’s just that my subconscious does this association so I can think about Angie covered by nothing but seashells.

“Water? Oh yeah, uhm, it sounds like water because… because it is, it’s water, I’m… I’m in the kitchen and I’m washing the big mess of dishes, glasses and bowls we used yesterday” she answers uncertain, maybe a little embarrassed because I caught her, maybe she didn’t want me to know she was doing something else while she was talking to me. I’m not offended at all though.

“Ah I see! Poor you” I show some support and in the meantime I’m picturing my face stuck between her shoulder and her neck instead of the phone receiver while her hands are busy with the dishes.

“Actually, do you mind if I get you on speakerphone? So I can go on, you know…” she adds and my daydreaming bubble suddenly bursts.

“I can call you later if you want, maybe I’m bothering you right now…” maybe she’s not embarrassed, maybe she’s just trying to subtly and very gently tell me that I’m just breaking her balls.

“No!” she yells on the other end and it’s like I can see her panicking so much that the phone’s almost slipping down and as she tries to grasp it she makes a dish or a glass fall into the sink “Err no problem, really, you’re not bothering me, I’m glad to hear you”

“Ok… well, what’s up? We didn’t have the chance to talk much last night” I ask her and as she talks about college and tells me about finally following my advice to not retake the class, I try to understand if she was just being polite or she’s really happy I called her.

“Well done, I’m happy about that. Listen… I wanted to ask you two things…” I inquire, since she hasn’t said anything about it yet and it seems quite strange to me.

“Ok, ask me”

“First, I wanna know if you got something these days” as I talk I’m trying to untangle the phone cord, which I think has got like three year old knots.

“Something? Like what?” Angie’s perplexed voice bounces off the walls of her small kitchen generating a particular reverb.

“Like a little package, in the mail…” I guess she hasn’t got it yet.

“No, why? What package?” exactly what I thought.

“Uhm no, nothing” I bite my tongue because my curiosity and impatience led me to ruin part of the surprise. And to make Angie pretty angry. She screams at me to force me to speak up and almost breaks a glass for real.

“… hehe no, don’t worry, I won’t break anything” she laughs nervously and I don’t know where she placed the phone right now, but wherever it is I know for sure she turned the opposite way, as if I could see her blushing from here. And right now I’d like to see her, approach her from behind as she’s focused on doing the dishes, hug her gently, rest my chin on her shoulder and rub my cheek against hers to feel its warmth. I wonder if she’s in her pajamas and if she’s wearing my favorite robe. I wonder how it would be to slip my hands under the material and…

“Anyway, it’s a little gift, for you, I sent it before I left and it looks like I overestimated the speed of postal service in Seattle” I confess and as I do I’m still doubtful: is it possible she hasn’t received it yet? What if she actually got it? Maybe it was… too much? Or maybe she didn’t like what I wrote.

“A gift? For what?” for what? As if I needed a reason.

“For you, I told you. Can I ask the second question?” I try to drop the subject because I feel that if we go on this way, considering my lack of lucidity and sleep and my fantasies about her, I could end up telling her everything. And I may still not be sure about what to do about my feelings for her, but surely I haven’t kept them to myself all this time to just spit them out like this on the phone.

“Yes…” fuck it, if I gotta do it, I’ll do it in a proper way.

“B-52s?” I smile thinking about the tape I basically consumed since we left.

“Hahaha I love them! Don’t you like them?”

“It’s not really my thing, but yeah, it’s a nice song” did I really have to tell her it’s not my thing? Why do I always have to be a jerk?

“And it’s perfect for travelling” I also knew it has quite a few double meanings, most of which I’d like to experiment with the girl on the other end of the phone.

“I gotta admit I was kinda surprised”

“You just heard the first one?”

“Please, I heard the whole tape during the first hour in the van…” and not just once.

“And what do you think about it?”

“I really liked it but it’s not just that. I repeat, some things really surprised me” I say again and try to explain that it’s not the list of songs in itself that I liked, not only, but I loved the way she put them together and, in general, everything that’s behind it. I mean, you can see there’s some work behind it, a non casual choice an arrangement, a studied order. She took some time to make it, time in which she must have thought about me, and I like the idea.

“… So did i pass this exam?”

“You did, with the highest grades” but if you want to repeat the exam, even more than once, I won’t get offended.

“Thank you, prof. Vedder!”

“And then, you’re there, it’s you inside that tape, it reflects you in everything, so it’s perfect” because you are perfect, that’s the message between the lines, but she doesn’t seem to get it, or maybe she doesn’t want to.

“You said you wanted to know the music that meant home for me. Of course that’s just a part of it, a C60 cassette is too small to stuff everything in it…” maybe you don’t understand I wanna know everything. The things I’d like to know about you, it’d probably take a whole life just to pronounce them… a C60 tape, tsk.

“I expect you to make me some more then, even some C90 maybe, what about that?”

“Hehe ok, deal! At this point though, you should make me one in return, I mean, I’m curious to know your house too” my house’s door is already wide open for you, you don’t even need to knock. But once you see my house, I’d love for you to take me away with you, to live in yours, in your heart and in your bed. Holy shit, I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I only know that if I had heard her last words in person, spoken with that voice, maybe as she offered me her twisted smile, with her hands still in the water, maybe… no, without maybe, I’m certain I wouldn’t have resisted and would have kissed her, touched her, held her tight and if she hadn’t stopped me or rejected me, I’d go beyond that, I’d have made love to her on that fucking kitchen sink.

“Uhm I’ll see what I can do” and among the many things I can do, the mixtape is surely the last one I’m thinking about in this moment, also from the looks of what’s happening in my pants.

Shit.

“I count on that. Listen, you’re playing tomorrow, right?” Angie’s speaking, but I can’t really understand the meaning of her words, also because it’s like all my blood had just rushed down there, leaving the brain totally uncovered, since it’s probably being considered an unnecessary body part right now “Eddie? Are you still there? Are you awake?”

“HUH?! Yeah yeah, sorry, I got distracted…” I briefly come to my senses, quickly adjust myself and sit up on the bed, straightening the pillow behind my back, as if avoiding the reclining position was enough to stop dirty thoughts.

“Were you falling asleep? Maybe you should rest a little”

“Nah, don’t worry, I’m not tired, I’ll sleep when I’m dead” or when my dick will go to sleep.

“Hehe just like Warren Zevon says”

“You know him too? You keep on surprising me” I’m surprised and I try to think intensively about the red hair and beard of Chicago’s song writer to tone down my arousal, but Angie keeps talking and it doesn’t help. What the fuck?

“Everybody knows him and that song…”

“Not really everybody” maybe it’s because I haven’t got laid since… since when? The fact I don’t even remember says it all.

“Anyway, I was asking you about tomorrow’s gig. Are you ready?” she asks with the same tone in which Paul Heaton would ask me to stand up and join the Caravan of love, at least that’s how it sounds to my ears.

“I’m ready, I can’t wait”

“Well, time goes faster if you sleep”

“I don’t wanna sleep. You know what, after I hang up with you I’m gonna go catch some waves, there’s a really cool beach here” clear my head, that’s what I need.

“But do people surf now? Isn’t it cold?” that’s what I hope. Clear my head and come back fresh.

“Uhm no, the temperature is ok. It’s the water that’s pretty cold” an iced bath it’s what I need to cool my jets.

“How do you do it then?”

“Oh you just put a wetsuit on and you can go anywhere”

“Aaaah you go with wetsuits!”

“Hehehe of course, if you don’t want to freeze to death” well it depends actually, sometimes you can find fresh but enjoyable water between February and March too.

“… But what about the parts that are not covered by the wetsuit? Don’t they freeze all the same? I always wondered, your head for example”

“My head is empty, nothing to freeze in there, so I never had problems” it’s less empty right now though, it’s full of x-rated images of Angie with me and if they froze in my mind it’d be a problem.

“Haha this joke was so easy, I expect something better from you”

“You’re right, princess, will you ever forgive this slip-up into low-grade comedy?” I joke as I adjust myself one more time, maybe my hand lingers a little longer than usual.

“OUCH! FUCK” I hear her exclaiming all of a sudden.

“What’s wrong? Are you ok?” I take my hand off my boxer briefs faster than light and I know that it’s impossible, but for a second I’m afraid she might have caught me doing what I was doing.

“Yeah… yes, sorry, I was just… a dish slipped out of my hands! I saved him inches from the floor hehe”

“Maybe I’m too distracting” you have no idea how distracting you are.

“Oh no, you’re not! Anyway, I can let you go surfing if you want” I’m not moving, I’m fucking staying right here.

“I’ve got all day to surf, I can go wherever I want. Now I’d rather talk to you some more, if you want” seriously, I must take back control of myself. Just stop playing porn movies in your head, you asshole! Angie’s not a sexual object, she’s a girl you like a lot, in her whole self. And why do these fucking hormones rampage right now that we’re like a thousand miles apart?

“Sure I want to” she answers with a smile that comes out of the receiver and wraps me up like a warm blanket.

“Great.” I go on, laying on my side and silently praying for Jeff to wait a little longer before coming back to our room “So, let’s talk about Violent Femmes…”

************************************************************************************************************************************

I abruptly jolt awake and although I can’t see myself from the outside, I realize it must have looked like the typical movie-like terrified wake up, in which you open your eyes and gasp and sit up panting as you grasp on the blankets. I remain like that, with my heart beating so fast and a terrible feeling weighing down on me and the fact I figure out it was only a dream is not enough to make it go away. I get up, have a shower and get dressed and I’m clearly still upset because when I enter the kitchen where Meg is, my roommate widens her still sleepy eyes as soon as she sees me.

“What happened?”

“Good morning to you too, Meg”

“Look at your face, what’s wrong?” she insists as she opens the yogurt container and licks the lid.

“Nothing’s wrong, I mean, I have the same face I’ve been having for the last 18 years, why?”

“You look distressed, did you sleep bad?”

“Well, actually yes. I had a horrible nightmare” I reply as I pour cereal and milk in a bowl.

“What kind of nightmare?” Meg takes a spoonful of yogurt without taking her semi-awake eyes off me.

“Mmm no, I don’t really want to tell”

“I won’t try and give an interpretation, I swear!”

“Hehe no, it’s not that. It’s just… it was really bad, you know, I’d rather not talk about it” the idea of telling her itself gives me chills, it’s like telling someone would make it somehow plausible or real.

“Ok. After the shitty night, are you ready for our morning shift?

“Very ready! I love to work in the morning” it’s not because I don’t like to sleep, I mean, Meg and I share this insane love for sleeping, despite the unwanted nightmares. It’s just that in the morning, I don’t know why, times goes faster, at least when you’re at work. Mornings seem endless when you’re at school and they seem to be like 90% of your life, whereas it’s the opposite at work. Maybe it’s because I have to deal with customers: the people who come at the mini mart or, like today, at the diner in the morning have clearly defined ideas, they go out specifically to buy something or have breakfast, they know what they want, are usually in a hurry and don’t wanna waste any time or annoy you just for the sake of it. So you end up serving a lot of people one after the other, you work your ass off and it all goes so smoothly that hours pass and you don’t even notice. Sometimes time runs so fast you don’t even have the time to do all the collateral tasks you were supposed to do.

“You’re crazy” Meg remarks with the spoon in her mouth, looking at me and shaking her messy hair. And this reminds me that…

“Listen, are you busy tonight?”

“Why? Where are you taking me?” she asks, suddenly awakened by curiosity.

“Nowhere, I just wanted to ask you a favor”

“You never take me anywhere!” Meg perfectly plays the part of the neglected wife “Come on, tell me what you need”

“Can you do my hair?”

“Hehe ok. I’ll be home later tonight, maybe you could start washing your hair, then I’ll just give you a trim as soon as I come home, no problem” Meg stands up and throws the empty vase in the bin, then drags herself towards the kitchen door holding a cup of coffee that magically appeared from I don’t know where.

“Ok, thanks. Anyway, I wasn’t thinking about a trim, I mean, I wanted to cut it a little more maybe…” I say raising my voice slightly as I drum my fingers against the table.

“Ok, we can cut it a little shorter along your face like the last time, ok?”

“No, well, actually, I was considering a proper cut, you know. I want to change, fuck, I always look the same, I’m tired of that!”

“How short is a proper cut to you?” Meg slowly walks back and pulls her hair back showing her still half closed eyes.

“Well, a little… a little shorter than usual… something like… shoulder length?”

“SHOULDER LENGTH?? ARE YOU CRAZY??” my friend ungracefully slams the coffee cup on the table and looks at me goggle-eyed.

“Why the hell are you screaming? What’s wrong with that? If I gotta do something, I wanna do it good”

“But shoulder length means this long” Meg borrows the spoon I haven’t used to eat my cereal yet and points it at my humeral head.

“What? Really?! Thank you for the anatomy lesson, Meg” I retort taking my spoon back.

“You’re not funny, Angie. Your hair is almost past your butt and even though you’re short, the length between your shoulders and your butt is still significant. That’d mean cut this much” she explains and shows the approximate length with her hands.

“Is it enough to make a wig?”

“Angie, you’d regret it”

“No, I wouldn’t. I told you, I’m tired of always being… me, always the same. I’ve been like this since I was a child. And I’m not a child anymore, I’m an adult now! I can’t do shit with this hair, the only change is parting my hair over to the side instead of in the middle or put it in a ponytail. It doesn’t even curl, when you do it lasts like half an hour. I wanna change, I’m sick of this doll hair. And the fact I have to take a whole evening off to wash it. It’s like I’m a slave to this fucking hair”

“Your hair is amazing, if you want to add movement you can get a very light perm, what do you think?”

“No! I wanna have it cut, end of the story. But then, aren’t you the one who always suggests changing hairstyle?”

“Changing hairstyle is ok, but I refuse to cut your hair shoulder long”

“Please!”

“Listen, I’ll cut it this long,” she goes on pointing her index and middle fingers as a gun a little over the middle of my back “that’s already a big change compared to now, but not too dramatic. So if you don’t like it, you can always grow it back. No one thinks about it, but hair means a lot in your appearance, hair can change the perception of the whole face, you could even not recognize yourself anymore after such a short cut”

“That’s what I hope”

“I’ll cut it this long, take it or leave it” Meg closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before making her last offer, deciding to ignore my joke, which wasn’t exactly a joke.

“Ok ok, I’ll take it”

“Good girl”

“You gotta dye it too then”

“YOU WANNA CHANGE THE COLOR TOO? Listen, I see you want to change, but the color… no”

“Do you talk like this with the customers at the beauty salon too? You’ll make it go bankrupt”

“You’re crazy, yours is the most lustrous natural dark hair I’ve ever seen, I won’t dare touching it, not even if you pay me!”

“C'MOOOON!”

“And what color would you do?”

“I was thinking… maybe red”

“I’m restarting to suspect you’re taking drugs”

“Or purple!”

“Typical adult color”

“Since when are you a bigot?”

“I’m gonna go get dressed”

“Blue? Come on, maybe just a few locks”

“I CAN’T HEAR YOU!”

“A coloring shampoo?”

After a long bargaining I conducted through the bathroom’s and her room’s door, I manage to get the promise of a middle-length hair cut and some highlights as a start. Anyway, she knows I could as well go to any hairdresser’s in Seattle and have them do anything to my hair. But I know she would never forgive me, so I prefer to avoid it. And maybe she knows it too. Once we’re ready, wearing our 50s style uniforms under our coats, we’re about to leave when we hear the door bell ring.

“Who can it be at this time?” I frown, but my expression changes immediately as soon as Meg opens the door and I see the protagonist of my nightmare standing in the doorway.

“Hey, hi Chris!”

“Good morning to my favorite neigh-” the singer stops the moment I catch him off guard and tackle him in a bear hug.

“What the fuck’s wrong with her?” he asks, probably pointing at me, I can’t see him since my face is still buried into his leather jacket.

“I have no idea, she’s been acting weird since she woke up. She wants to shave her head and have a purple mohawk, she says she had a nightmare, I don’t know”

“I don’t wanna shave my head” I retort, briefly addressing my roommate but without losing my grip on Cornell.

“Uh you changed boyfriend then?” Chris asks, so I focus back on him with a bitter look.

“I didn’t change boyfriend”

“Women usually cut their hair when they break up with a guy”

“I didn’t break up with anybody”

“You’re still with the same guy then?”

“I’m not with anyone” I repeat trying to keep calm and not to get angry at his stupid jokes as usual.

“Is that why you need affection right now?”

“Umph, why can’t it just be that I want to hug a friend??”

“You never hug anyone. At least, not when you’re sober”

“And not when you’re awake” Meg adds and I promptly give her a nasty look.

“Do you know anything that I don’t know?” Cornell ask her curious.

“Hehe no no, it was… I was just saying…” Meg corrects herself immediately.

“Anyway, are you ok? I mean, how’re you doing?”

“I’m fine, sweetie. I guess you still have a fever though” he answers playfully touching my forehead.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” I insist, trying to make him understand I’m serious.

“Yes, Angie, apart from the constant lack of food in my fridge, I’m ok”

“That’s why you came then? Who would have thought!” Meg sarcastically remarks, then walks away into the kitchen.

“Not only for that”

“Can I ask you something, Chris?” I speak in a low voice as soon as we’re alone, still hugging in front of the door.

“I can’t, Angie”

“You can’t what?” I ask puzzled.

“I’m already in a relationship. And I’m not the right kind of guy for you”

“Pfff that’s not what I wanted to ask…”

“Uh no?”

“Hehe no, I’m not interested”

“And why? I’m not bad at all” he retorts pretending to be offended.

“I wanted to ask you if you’re happy”

“Huh?”

“Are you really happy, Chris?”

“No,” he admits, finally serious “I can’t lie to you, sweetie”

“Oh”

“I can fool anybody but you, right?” he adds holding me a little tighter “I’m not happy”

“Chris…”

“It’s a gun I got in my pocket” no, he fooled me this time and now he’s here, gloating for his joke, staring at me with his stupid smile.

“FUCK YOU, CORNELL” I pull away from him enraged, but also relieved, and I hardly stiffle a laugh.

“Oh, now I recognize the old Angie, finally!” Meg comes back right in this moment and she’s holding orange juice and a bag of chocolate cookies. Chocolate cookies?

“Where the hell do those come from?” I ask surprised.

“From my secret stash” she replies giving everything to Chris, who couldn’t wait.

“Thank you, Meg. Anyway, give some cookies to Angie too, abstinence from sugar is doing her no good at all”

“Ha-ha”

“And not just from sugar I guess”

“CHRISTOPHER!” I yell at his face and start chasing him around the apartment while she runs away trying not to spill the juice and the cookies and, at the same time, using them as a shield. Meg’s bent over laughing hard.

“Come on, I was just kidding!” he protests looking at me with pleading eyes from the opposite side of the kitchen table, trying to figure out how to escape, since I’m right in front of him and I’m blocking his way out towards the door.

“You were kidding by making a stupid and sexist joke!”

“No! Stupid, yes, but not sexist! That kind of abstinence can drive everyone crazy, not just you because you’re a woman”

“Shut up!”

“Ok, I give up”

“Yeah, and I’m just waiting” I ask rubbing my hands.

“You can’t torture me if I surrender, I’m appealing to the Geneva Conventions!”

“I wipe my ass with that”

“Hahahaha you’re hilarious, go on please!” Meg’s still laughing outside the kitchen door.

“Ok, listen, I apologize, Angie. I was wrong and I beg you to forgive me, I won’t do it again” Chris puts our food on the table, puts his hand over his heart and the other one in the air to do this kind of plead.

“Ok”

“Oh thank you!” he takes everything back and walks up to me.

“I’ll only give you one single very hard slap” I say as soon as he’s close and I playfully beat him on his arm.

“Hey! Those were two slaps, not one!” he complains as the three of us walk back towards the door.

“Oops”

“Well, this means I’ll keep what I brought for you…” he casually says as he’s holding cookies and juice with one hand so he can open the door with the other free hand.

“Why? What did you bring?” I push the door and shut him right away.

“Did anyone ever told you you can be creepy sometimes?” he asks with a straight face.

“So?”

“Hold these a sec:” Chris hands me the bottle of juice and the bag of cookies and sticks one hand into his leather jacket “the postman must have confused our mail boxes, don’t ask me how, since there’s not a single letter in common between Cornell-Cameron and Pacifico. Don’t know how long it’s been-” he pulls out a small package and I immediately understand what it is. That’s why I literally tear it off from his hands.

“Oh thank you, Chris. I was waiting for this!” I exclaim giving him his breakfast back.

“What is it? Anyway, they do have some letters in common, two letters with Cornell and three with Cameron. How come you didn’t tell him? Good old Angie would have pointed it out for sure. What is it anyway?” Meg follows me as I go first on the couch, then in the kitchen, and finally in my bedroom.

“Hey! Am I not interesting anymore now? Nobody cares about my happyness? Nobody hugs me anymore?” Chris calls us in the distance.

“No! You can go now, thank you Chris!” I answer as I try and close the door of my room behind my back, but Meg puts a strategic foot in between to block it.

“Ok, anyway I have food now. Bye sweetie, bye Meg!”

“Bye!” we say at the same time when I give up and let her in my room too, then we sit on the bed.

“Uh and if you talk to him, tell Eddie I’d like to get a small present too. I mean, it’s not nice to be ignored” Chris reappears all of a sudden outside my bedroom door and Meg and I both jolt on the bed, scared to death. Then he leaves as nothing happened.

“He’s an idiot” I shake my head.

“That’s what you’ve been waiting then! What did Eddie send you?” Meg’s face turned into the Cheshire cat’s grin once again and I know I won’t leave my room before I open this package in front of her. I try all the same though.

“I don’t know, I’ll check later in the afternoon, we’re late now” I put in into my bag and try to stand up, but Meg pulls me back down.

“Do you really think you can get away with it like this?”

“Ehm no”

“Ok, come on then, we don’t have so much time”

“But if we don’t have time…”

“We’ll go by car to spare time”

“I gotta fill it up”

“We’ll take mine. Come on!”

I give up with a sigh and pull out the package and I finally give it a better look. Yellow wrap paper, yellow, the color of madness, something that brings me back to one of our first conversations. He drew a frame made of waves and inside the frame he wrote my name and address with a marker: the A is pointy and narrow, N is wider with short side dashes, G is round and curly at both ends, I is so tiny and invisibly dotted, E looks like an open hand. I don’t examine the rest of the letters because Meg sighs, folds her arms and gives me an eloquent look as to tell me 'I’m waiting’. As I always do, I open the package trying not to tear the paper, but at the same time I try to be quick not to make Meg lose her patience. Once I open it I find another smaller package and an envelope with 'READ THIS FIRST’ written on the outside.

“There’s a letter too, things get even more interesting!” I make eye contact with Meg who winks at me.

“It must be a tape” I follow his instruction and open the envelope, I don’t read loud, but I don’t really need to, since Meg reads it shamelessly and I don’t even try to hide it from her:

Miss Pacifico,

or should I say, Her Majesty? I’ve currently a vision of your face, and you’re smiling. This is because you opened the letter before unwrapping the present, I know that’s what you’re gonna do, that you always respect the rules and you love to do that. But if you decided to surprise me and ignore the rules, your expression would probably be a little frownier, if not angrier, but that’d be an equally pleasant vision for me.

Now… a present for you. It’s exactly 1:01 A.M., Saturday, February 2. We leave at 7:00 A.M. for California and the beginning of our first tour together as a band. I collected this for you with courage 71 minutes ago. Wanted so badly for you to have it as a symbol of this night, of this moment, of that HERE AND NOW I’m so obsessed with and you so deliciously make fun of me for. I’ve got one… you’ve got one… we’re bonded & alive. Again, may this be also a symbol of what we are now and what we’ll be. With a little more courage.

Love, Eddie

“Fuck” I whisper, totally unaware of what’s going on around me.

“OH. MY. GOD.” Meg dramatically spells out “This is.. is…”

“He’s an idiot”

“An id-… why an idiot?” my friend is probably looking at me with a big question mark on her forehead.

“I’LL KILL HIM IF…” I growl as I carelessly tear the paper of the second package into pieces. It’s a small box, I open it on the side and when I look into it I see an old grime-encrusted lightbulb.

“What is it?” I’m so shocked I don’t even take it out of the box, I just hand the whole thing to Meg, stand up from the bed and start pacing my room first, then the whole apartment, cursing and repeating that nobody can be so stupid. And I can’t wait to tell him in person, how stupid he is. With love, of course.

**********************************************************************************************************************

“How long did it take before you figured it out?” I ask Jerry as I put the money I’ve just won in my pocket.

“That you were bluffing? Hehehe five minutes, I can recognize someone who can play pool, even when they pretend to suck” he answers with his signature laughter as he hangs the pool sticks back on the wall rack.

The smokey L.A. bar we ended up tonight looks the same as many others we’ve been through lately and it’s also the last on of the series, at least for now, because we’re leaving in a few hours and I’ll finally go back home to my San Diego. Different places, different bars, different pool tables, different faces, old and new, same ocean. I can’t wait. The others left a long time ago and I don’t mean just our respective bandmates, but also most of the customers of the bar.

“But you insisted all the same asking for a rematch and re-rematch”

“I never give up without fighting.” Jerry crumbles his empty pack of cigarettes and pulls a new on out of his pocket, opens it and offers me one before taking one for himself “Can I ask you something, Eddie?”

“Sure”

“It’s a very stupid question. I mean, you’ll surely find it supid…” he goes on as he takes the lighter to light up his cigarette and mine.

“Try me”

“It’s something I shouldn’t even ask in my position, I mean-”

“You wanna know about Angie?” I ask without beating around the bush as I lean against the pool table.

“Yes. How… ehm, how is she?” he admits and then, noticing my silence, he goes on “I warned you it was fucking stupid”

“She’s ok”

“And what about her exams?”

“She passed, she wasn’t really happy about her grades though”

“Of course. Fucking pefectionist!” he smiles and shakes his head.

“Anyway, she’s fine. And, well, I don’t know what else you wanna know…” saying that I feel uncomfortable talking about Angie with him would be an understatement. It’s fucking embarrassing, I’m talking with the guitarist of the band we’re touring with, and we share managers with, about his ex girlfriend, who’s also casually the one I’d want to become my girlfriend.

“It’s just, I mean, I know you’re friends and maybe you talk sometimes. You talked to her these days, right?”

“Yeah, well, a couple of times on the phone” big friends, Angie and I.

“You must think I’m an asshole and that’s none of my business”

“I don't” I fuckin’ do, but I won’t tell you because I fantasize about your ex and, although you treated her like shit, I don’t feel like digging that knife in.

“Anyway, believe it or not, even though it may sound absurd, I care for Angie. That’s why I’m avoiding her, I know that it still hurts her when she sees me or thinks about me. And if I avoid her, I can’t talk to her and ask her how she’s doing or things like that, you know”

“I understand, don’t worry. And it’s not that absurd” sure I understand you, you were with Angie and you fucked up, if you feel guilty it’s perfectly normal.

“It’s weird, even being here talking to you, I mean, you’re a friend to her and she probably confided in you and told you all the stupid things I did and right now all you’d wanted to do is kick my ass or something” he finally ashes his cigarette in the ashtray and I’d tell him, please, Jerry, don’t suggest me things. And if only you knew, how weird it is for me too!

“That’s your business, I don’t pry, I don’t want to” as if I’m not involved already.

“Ok, but she must have told you something, I mean, she… uhm, does she talk about me? Sometimes? Not in a flattering way I guess” you guess right.

“Yeah, but not recently. Surely you came up during conversations here and there, but she didn’t tell me that much”

“Sure, why would she? And she’s going out with the drummer now, maybe he’ll make her forget me faster”

“She’s not going out with the drummer, they’re just friends” I don’t even know why I point this out, maybe because I’m bothered by the fact someone simply thinks she’s with that guy? To console Jerry? To delude him? Because I’m drunk? Because I’m a masochist?

“Really? Are you sure?” Jerry puts his cigarette out and turns to face me, extremely interested in my revelations.

“That’s what she told me, I can’t see why she’d lie to me about that” now I’ve also become the official dispenser of gossip about Angie’s private life.

“Good. I mean, good, it’s not like that changes anything for me! I was.. I was just saying” sure, just saying.

“So you don’t wanna try to get back with her?” I’m more direct this time.

“Haha try again? To have her tell me to go fuck myself? I don’t think so!” he answers, pretending to be amused, and I can’t help breathing a sigh of relief, but I almost choke on it right after “At least for now”

“For now?”

“Well, in the future, who knows? It’s not possible at the moment, I’d have no hopes, I fucked up too badly and it’s still too soon. Right now also going back being friends again looks like an utopia to me”

“Friends?” what the fuck is he talking about?

“Yeah, I’d like to be her friend, that’d be enough for me. Have Angie forgive me and want me back as a friend, that’s all”

“But you’d be able to be a friend to her, just a friend? Could you see her only as a friend?” I won’t believe it even if he swears on his guitar.

“Angie’ll never been just a friend to me, but that doesn’t count” that’s what I thought.

“It does count actually”

“I’d like to get back into her life as a positive person, with a sense, someone who’s not just there to remind her of her mistakes and make her suffer, someone who could also make her happy, in my small way. That’s what really counts, not my stupid feelings. I can keep them under control”

“Are you sure?” the same way you controlled your dick while you were together.

“Very sure. When I was with her I was only thinking about myself, also when I was cheating on her, I thought about what would have happened had she caught me and I saw everything black, but only for me. I imagined the possible scenarios in which I’d have been dumped and humiliated and I had no idea something like that would have hurt her too. I know, it sounds stupid, but I assumed I’d have been the only one to lose out, that she’d have kicked my ass and forgotten me the next day. I thought she’d be upset, but not so upset, I don’t know if you understand me”

“Lack of self esteem or pure ego?” or stupidity.

“Hehehe I have no idea”

“And when she’ll have a boyfriend? Or she’ll like someone? How would you take it?” I mention totally casual occurrences, with absolutely no references to actual facts.

“Extremely bad, for sure. But I’d keep that to myself, also because I wouldn’t have the right to say shit. I could just be happy if she’s happy”

“It’s a pretty masochistic kind of friendship you’re wishing for” that is if he’s telling the truth and it’s not just bar talk,

“Hehe yeah, definitely. But, I don’t know, I think someone like Angie’s worth it. What do you think?” I think this poor asshole’s telling the truth.

“Me? Well, yeah, she’s a cool girl” and I’m head over heels in love with her and instead of being honest and confess, I’m here listening to your sentimental confidences, surely prompted by alcohol, playing dumb, like chickenshit.

“Right. Sorry if I put you in the middle anyway” he puts a hand on my shoulder and gestures for us to get out of the pool room.

“Nah, no problem” I shrug and follow him.

“And sorry if I annoyed you with Angie. Layne's tired of listening to me and it’s not something I can talk about with people like Mike or Sean. And alcohol loosens my tongue”

“I guessed that, don’t worry, it’s ok”

“Can I buy another round to make you forgive me?” he suggests pointing at the bartender.

“Hehe no, thank you, I’d rather go back to the motel”

“Already? It’s still early, although it doesn’t look like considering how empty this place is”

“Yes, I know, but we’re leaving at dawn tomorrow and I absolutely need to rest a little, have a shower and call a couple of friends” one of those couple of friends is Angie, but I prefer not telling this to the guitarist, who sits down on a stool at the bar and tells me good night.

When I get into my room I’m tempted to call her immediately, but then I change my mind and go have a shower first, as if I wanted to show up at my best for this phone date. As I exit the bathroom though, I find Jeff focused on a rerun of a basketball game on tv and I curse myself for not making that fucking phone call earlier. I get out saying that I need to go bus cigarettes, an excuse the bassist hadn’t bought for a second, and I get into the nearest phone booth.

“Hello” says the voice I’ve been looking forward to hear for the past four days.

“Hey, hi An-” I don’t even have the time to say her full name.

“IT’S YOU, FUCKIN’ IDIOT!”

“Ehm, is everything ok?”

“NO, NOTHING’S OK!”

“What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?? Well, maybe the fact I’m dealing with a crazy person? How could you do something so stupid?!” she answers slightly lowering her voice and I finally join the dots.

“You got my present” I smile as I put coins into the phone box.

“Tell me you didn’t really go up there, tell me it’s a fucking prank”

“Well…”

“Tell me you stole a lightbulb from some old sign of a random closed club and you sent it to me to see how I’d react”

“Uhm I can tell you if you want, but…”

“I CAN’T BELIEVE IT!”

“Aren’t you ever so slightly happy about it?” I begin suspecting it wasn’t exactly a great idea.

“NO!” the suspect is less vague.

“I went up there for you”

“No, you went for you, to act like the Tarzan of the day, after I had clearly asked you not to do it, just to prove a point”

“Tarzan didn’t climb on skyscrapers, it’s more like the King Kong of the day”

“Don’t correct me over movie references, Eddie, you just can’t afford it right now!” Angie retorts after a long dramatic pause of silence.

“Sorry” when will you join me on this tour? I’m thinking about different ways to apologize to you…

“You scared me to death, you know?”

“How could I have scared you to death if you didn’t even know I had been there? When you knew, I had already come down from the Space Needle for days”

“I don’t know, but you scared me all the same!”

“You care for me then?”

“Of course I care for you, especially now that I know you’re crazy!”

“And what about the message? Did you read it?” I try and direct the conversation towards the most important part, the content of that fucking letter.

“Yes, and-”

“I bet you read that first”

“Yes, I read it first. Are you happy?” very happy.

“Kind of. You read it and…?”

“And what?”

“You said 'Yes, and…’ and I interrupted you. Yes and… what do you think?” I can’t understand, sometimes I think she’s totally oblivious of my feelings, but there are times I have the impression she’s keeping me hanging on purpose.

“… and I think it was a really nice gesture, but I’d preferred if you chose something else as a symbol for our friendhip, I don’t know, something you can find at less than 600 feet height, what do you think?” friendship. She’s not keeping me hanging, my princess simply didn’t understand shit.

“Uhm I don’t know, I can’t think of anything”

“A mixtape for example”

“That was my first idea, but then you stole it. I had to think of something else”

“Hehehe you’re totally crazy Eddie, you know that?”

Yes, for you.

“I’ve been suspecting it, if you say it I believe it”

“How are you doing? What about the shows?” she laughs and asks me, she’s not so mad at me after all.

“Great, we played in Long Beach yesterday and it was cool, the people was amazing and security was slightly less awful than the Florentine one”

“And the next one is?”

“Tomorrow, in San Diego”

“Ah, you’re going back home finally!”

“Yeah, we’re leaving early in the morning. I’d leave right now if it was up to me, I can’t wait to go to my favorite surf spot” I reply as I insert another bunch of coins in the phone box.

“Hehe guess what, I knew you’d have said something like that”

“Am I so predictable?”

“Always, except for when you decide to climb up the Space Needle” Angie teases me but I ignore it.

“Anyway the place we’re playing tomorrow is basically a second home to me, I played there many times with my old bands. The negative thing is that we’ll be doing a show here in Hollywood on Monday, so we’ll have to go back, but you know, it’s just a three hour drive in the end. If I didn’t love Kelly Curtis, I’d say who set these dates is a disturbed person”

“So you’re in San Diego tomorrow, in Hollywood on Monday, and then?”

“On Wednesday the 12th we’re in San Diego again, in Oakland at Valentine’s day, then we basically have one show per night, San Francisco, Sacramento… Then I can’t remember if there’s something else here in California or we’re doing Oregon already”

“I see. Well, tomorrow things start to get serious then”

“Hehe yeah, we’ve been kidding until now, with only two shows, but we gotta give our best next week”

“I’m sure everything’s gonna be alright. After all, you climbed up the Space Needle, this is nothing in comparison”

“Are you gonna rub it in for ever?”

“Yes, isn’t it the reason why you sent me that lightbulb? As a symbol of how much I enjoy fucking around on you?” you can fuck around as much as you want…

“Also. What about you?”

“I’m fine, thanks. And I have some news, but I’m gonna tell you when we meet”

“What news?” I’m suddenly on alert, is it college news, work news or love news? Why does she have news right now that I’m not around?

“Which part of I’ll tell you when we meet you don’t understand?”

“And when do we meet?” I ask full of hope, tomorrow in San Diego would be my favorite answer.

“Hehe when you’re back in Seattle”

“That means in ten days, you’re evil”

“I’ll give you a small hint: I didn’t climb up the Space Needle”

“Fuck you, Angie” I tell her with the same intonation and the same excitement I’d have used to tell her I love you. But now that I think about it, maybe I should have done the opposite, maybe it’d have been more effective to tell her I love you with the same intonation I’d have used to tell her to fuck off.

“Haha I love you too, Eddie” or maybe not.

#pearl jam fanfiction #grunge fanfiction #eddie vedder #chris cornell #jerry cantrell #pearl jam #alice in chains #chapters

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elliotthezubat · 6 years ago

Text

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 117

Duncan: *approaches the library desk* "..." *rings the bell--*

Poe: "EEEEEK!" *falls back*

Duncan: "..." *drops a pile of books* "Isn't there usually another librarian here?"

rowena: she's currently out on a mission.

Poe: "S-She's on a mission?" *picks himself up*

Duncan: "..."

*the books seem to be about weapon abilities...*

Poe: *flipping through the books, and as he scans one--*

Duncan: *spots an image of something called the Holy Sword* "What is--"

rowena: isnt that-

hiro: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! *KICKS THE BOOK INTO A WALL*

Duncan: "?!! I was reading that--"

Poe: "THAT IS DAMAGING LIBRARY PROPERTY!"

rowena: 0____0

hiro: trust me, the less known about that-...that THING...the better!

Duncan: "..." *wipes his eyes*

EF: *enters, panting* h-hiro..h-how do you even run that fast?

hiro: sixth sense.

Poe: "Oh, that's fascinating! Look, Rowena--psychic abilities..."

Duncan: *grabs the books, hugging them close as he walks away*

EF: *notices him* ??

rowena: is that true?!

hiro: only in regards to this subject.

rowena: is that so? could it be....you're a descendant of king arthur pendragon himself?!

*loud steps are heard running into the library*

rowena: hmm?

*the doors kick open--as Arthur slams his foot into Hiro's head*

EF: D8

hiro:......HOW DID YOU GET HERE ALL THE WAY FROM THE 8TH BRIGADE BASE?!

Arthur: "I AM THE KNIGHT KING--MY SPEED IS LEGENDARY!"

Poe: >3< "Shhh!"

EF:.....perhaps it's best not to question it anymore. *sweatdrop*

-elsewhere-

present mic: you guys ever think about having kids?

midnight: *SPITTAKE*

blood king: what brought this up?!

present mic: *shrug*

Aizawa: "...I already have cats and 2 morons."

midnight: oh, i could never have kids. i mean, i could, but i dont think i'd be able to look after small children. they may be cute, but they're crafty little buggers.

present mic: is it cuz your paranoid they'll get into your stash of stuff?

midnight: YOU DONT HAVE TO BE SO BLUNT ABOUT IT!! DX<

Aizawa: -_______-

*knock on the door*

blood king: ??

Shinso: *slides the door open...he's with Yuuji*

Aizawa: "Oh, there you are. Finish cleaning up?"

yuuji: yeah.

Shinso: *writes on whiteboard*

yuuji: well, i've had several younger siblings during my times in foster care, so i think i can handle them well enough.

blood king: *ahem* as i myself was about to say, my sister sometimes asks me to look after her little ones. *shows a picture on his phone of two young boys and a young girl, all with the same hair color and fangs as him*

Aizawa: "..."

Shinso:

blood king: they certainly are popular among my students.

{pony: SO CUUUTE!!}

{itsuka: they look just like you!}

{shouda: i wonder if their quirks will be the same as his.}

{kinoko: dude, that's rad}

yuuji: i see.

Aizawa: "You stop class to show baby photos?"

blood king: -_-; this was during homeroom.

Aizawa: "Still class."

blood king: >n<

midnight: boys, just because we're talking about children doesnt mean you should be acting like children.

Shinso: <Ha.>

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: *lying back in a beach chair* =u=

miyuri: *pokes a hole in the sand with her shovel until a crab comes out* oh!

Crab: "..." *steps to the side*

miyuri: *staring intently, with shiny eyes*

Crab: "..." *steps again to the side, picking at the sand*

sonia: *collecting rocks and shells*

*there's a shiny rock by the tide*

sonia: *picks it up*

*it sparkles like diamond under the sunlight*

sonia: *puts it into her bucket and walks over to chuuya*

Chuuya: *stretches* *looks* "Hey! How you enjoying the beach?"

sonia: pretty good. i found this.

Chuuya: "Wow, that's shiny!"

-near the rocks, the sound of a little girl crying can be heard-

miyuri: ??

sonia: do you hear that?

???: *sniffle* waaaah! mamai! w-whe-where are you? *crying*

miyuri: *goes over*

sonia: miyuri!

miyuri: *peeeeeeks*

-there's a young girl sitting on one of the rocks, her lower half not visible from where miyuri is standing-

miyuri: HI FRIEND!

girl: ?!?!?!? *turns to look*

Chuuya: "..."

sonia: are you alright? we wont hurt you, promise.

girl: um..i-i...i got lost a-and i-i cant f-find my mu-mama. *hic*

Chuuya: "Where did you last see her?"

girl: w-we were going t-to the docks b-bu-but then i got s-swept up in the current.

sonia: ?? !!! papa....her lower half....

-the girl has no legs.....but a tail?-

Chuuya: "...Forgive me being obtuse, but are you a mermaid?"

girl: *nods* i-i came with mamai for her job. sh-she trades pearls with the land people. b-but i-i dont know where she iiiis! *crying*

miyuri:...it's ok! we'll help you find your mommy!

girl: y-you will?

Chuuya: *looking around* "Maybe the docks, but that's some distance."

miyuri: miyuyu....ah! miyuri has an idea! *drawing something in the sand*

sonia: ??

-miyuri has drawn a walking bathtub full of ocean water-

miyuri: TADA!

girl: oh!!

Chuuya: ._.; "That's something alright. Let's help you in, um...What's your name?"

girl: my name's Elodie.

Chuuya: "Okay, let's help you in, Elodie."

-elsewhere-

Crona: *lying down* "..."

mami: *sitting next to them* how are you feeling?

Crona: "I feel wiped out--like every bit of energy pulled out of me."

mami: i could imagine.....im just....so glad you're alright....

Crona: *weak smile, sniffles* "I-I'm not sure what to feel."

mami: well. im hoping for the best...*pats their hand*

Crona: "Hee..."

mami:...*gently kisses their knuckles*

Crona: =\\\\= "Mami..."

mami: ^////^ your blushing is different now.

Crona: "Wh-What?!" O\\\\o

mami: *hands them a pocket mirror* the color's different now, see? it's more of a pink color now.

Crona: "... ... ..." *crying*

mami: !!!!

Crona: T~T "I-I can't believe all of this..."

mami:......*hugs*

Crona: *hugging her* "I-I am happy but scared...Mami..."

mami:....it'll be ok....its going to be ok.....

Crona: *nod nod* "*hic*"

-elsewhere-

Asher: *sitting at a fast food restaurant with a box of chicken nuggets in front of them* "..." *has been dunking one in ketchup for a minute*

izumi: hey, you ok?

Asher: "Hmm? Yeah. Why?" *the entire nugget is just ketchup now*

izumi: your nugget....

Asher: "...I was wondering why my fingers felt gross." *wipes them on a napkin* "Distracted."

izumi:...wanna talk about it or...

Asher: "...Just the training camp..."

izumi:.......

Asher: "...You could've gotten killed."

izumi:.....

Asher: "...I wasn't of any help."

izumi: that's not true, you helped zeke.

Asher: "But not to you. I don't know what exactly a weapon is supposed to do when--whatever that thing was attacked..."

izumi:......

Asher: "I don't know that I could've done anything...You seemed to reach her well enough."

izumi:....i guess so.....i could have easily just left her behind, after everything she did......

Asher: "But that's not who you are."

izumi: if i did leave then, i wouldnt have been able to forgive myself...

Asher: *nods* "That makes sense...You're a good person."

izumi: so are you.

Asher: "...Thanks."

-elsewhere-

sonia: there's the docks.

Chuuya: *guiding the bathtub* *looks around*

-a woman in the water is talking to a man in a boat, she seems frantic-

elodie: !!!! mamai!!

Elodie's Mother: "?!!" *turns* "Elodie!" *swims towards them*

miyuri: *waves*

elodie: *jumps into the water and hugs* TT~TT

Elodie's Mother: *stroking her head* "My poor baby! I was scared to death!"

miyuri: miyuri, sonia, and papa found her by the rocks and helped her find you! ^^

sonia:..........

Elodie's Mother: *shaking, looking at them* "Th-Thank you..."

miyuri: you're welcome. ^^

Chuuya: "Y-Yeah..." ("Didn't think I'd see a mermaid.")

-elsewhere-

Monica: -_-# "So, you going to rat me out to Mom and Dad?"

lorenzo: well, obviously they need to know what happened, right?

Monica: >_<# "You don't have to narc on me to them about a two-week suspension! Just make something up!"

lorenzo: hmmm. how about we break your leg?

Monica: "?!! YOU WOULDN'T! R-Right?"

lorenzo: <chill sis> im bluffing.

Monica: -~-; "Ha ha..." <Asshole.>

lorenzo: well, mom and papi are probably still at work, so you want something to eat in the meantime?

Monica: "Duh--I was stuck in the desert and then getting poked and prodded at school all day--I'm starving."

lorenzo: anything in mind? *putting on the apron*

Monica: "Whatever is fastest--even leftovers."

-elsewhere-

Saria: *texting* [i think i'm on house arrest for the next millennium. : p ]

hibiki: [ouch, that bad huh?]

Saria: [the dads were not pleased. but i think they'll calm down with time. how are u?]

hibiki: [death by lecture from the fam via phonecall #riparroni]

Saria: [oh no! i'm sorry. are u alright?]

hibiki: [it's cool. axel + zeke got a lot of shit from their mom, tho. other than that, all good]

-zeke joined the chat-

Saria: [speaking of which...]

zeke: [axel's writing his will as we speak. he wants the space jam theme played at his funeral]

hibiki: [is that meme still a thing? wtf?]

zeke: [memes R forever]

Axel: [it makes my heart soar. like that song]

hibiki: *she sends a pic of herself facepalming*

Saria: [ ^^; i see u 2 are in well enough spirits]

Axel: [i am happy not to be dead]

-elsewhere-

miura: sir? are you drunk? -_-;

Mori: *hic* "I'm so lonely!!!"

elise: sucks to be you.

Mori: TT~TT "So mean!"

miura: -_-; why not call up an escort?

Mori: *sniff* "My favorite blacklisted me."

elise: not surprised.

Mori: "I need to find an-an-another..."

miura: then why not try a dating site?

Mori: "R-Really?"

miura: it's worth a try, isnt it?

Mori: "...Elise, bring me my laptop."

-elsewhere-

higuchi: ...gin, did you feel that too?

Gin: "Oh, yeah."

higuchi: *urk*

Gin: -~- "I'll get the ginger ale."

-elsewhere-

Kid: "Stocking, come to bed--you can continue tomorrow."

stocking: just...a little....*yaaaaAAAAWWWwwn* more....

Kid: *holds her up* "It'll be here tomorrow. Let's get you some sleep."

stocking: =~=

Kid: ^^; *walks with her*

-elsewhere-

Kau'i: *crushes a soda can on his forehead* "That was insane! What the hell was that black stuff?!"

dagon: i'll start looking into it now, sir.

audrey: Q~Q i've never been so scared in my whole life!

Derek: "Quite scary indeed." *shivers* "I don't think that was what Mr. Barret was anticipating on this trip."

lumina: do you think it could have been related to the moon incident?

nisha: that's a possibility.

Kau'i: *suddenly has a giant muffin in his mouth* "Huh? What Moon thing?"

lumina: didnt you see the news? *pulls up an article*

Kau'i: *munch, chew, swallow* "I don't read the news. That's how you end up having to debate people who really think the Earth revolves around the Sun."

Derek: "..." *opens his mouth...then just shuts up*

-elsewhere-

Ragnarok: *gobbling Jell-O* "OH MY DEATH, MY TASTE BUDS ARE INCREDIBLE!!!" *shakes an empty glass* "MORE MILK!"

nurse: how much is he going to eat? .____.;;;

Blair: *hiding behind the nurse* "I don't know--and I'm really scared!" >~<

Crona: .______________.

mami: oh dear.....

Ragnarok: *staring at Crona and Mami* "...Dang, Crona, you look scrawnier from this angle!"

Crona: >_<; "It's not my fault that I had to eat for both of us all this time!"

mami: hmm. that just leaves the rooming situation...

Ragnarok: "... ... ...I don't think the bed is big enough."

mami: you're on the couch.

Ragnarok: "WHAT?! We're not even going to flip Crona for it?!"

Crona: "Flip a coin!"

Ragnarok: "You heard what I said!"

mami: *protective hug for chrona as she GLARES at ragnarok*

Ragnarok: *frowns...then opens his mouth, a giant slithering pink tongue blowing a raspberry and revealing rows of teeth*

mami: ._.;

Crona: O_O; "What the heck kind of body did they give you?!"

Ragnarok: "...The kind that lets me lick the peanut butter out of the bottom of the jar now--WOOT!"

-elsewhere-

Black Star: *holding the broken sink...as the pipe that once connected it is leaking water* O_O;

himawari: D8

tsubaki: what on earth??

Black Star: "I DON'T KNOW MY OWN STRENGTH RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S FREAKING ME OUT!" *steps forward--and his foot falls through the bathroom tile* "SHIT!"

tsubaki:....im calling stein.

Black Star: "This can't get any worse--"

*Black Star crashes through the floor*

Black Star: "AAAAAAAH--"

*BOOM*

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: *studying a string of pearls*

miyuri: *asleep*

sonia:......

Chuuya: *sets them down* "Did you have fun, Sonia?"

sonia:....*nods*.......

Chuuya: "Same. We'll have more tomorrow."

sonia:....im glad....we helped elodie find her mama......

Chuuya: "..." *nods*

sonia:.....it must be nice. being hugged by a mama....

Chuuya: "Sonia..."

sonia:....am i a bad person? for being jealous of her?

Chuuya: "No--feeling that way is completely normal. What we do with those feelings is what matters."

sonia:.....may i have a hug?

Chuuya: "Always..." *hug*

sonia: thanks papa.....

Chuuya: "You're welcome. I love you."

-elsewhere-

Harvar: "Ugh, no one here sees anything..."

kim: they seem a bit hesitant....

Jacqueline: "Give them time to get used to us..."

kim: what are we even supposed to be doing on this mission again anyway?

Harvar: "Locals and their livestock and crops have gone missing."

kim: ah.

Jacqueline: "Disappearances tend to happen overnight, so we'll need shifts to be nightguards."

ox: right.

Thunder: *yawns* =A=

-the next day-

suzune: *yaaaawn*

arisa: wakey wakey! we have a busy day today!

Chisato: *making breakfast*

suzune:.....how long have we been in kamihama now? -_-;;

Matsuri: "Quite a while, actually." *sets out a cereal bowl*

-elsewhere-

Kid: *yawns...reaches across the bed--and finds it empty* "???" *sniffs*

stocking: *looking exhausted* good morning darling. =u=

Kid: "??? Hey. Were you working again?"

stocking: yes.

Kid: ^^ *leads her to bed* "Now, lie down, and think of pleasant, happy dreams."

-elsewhere-

gin: ryuu, its time for breakfast!

Akutagawa: *grumbles*

gin: we're making omurice!

Akutagawa: "..." *walks out* "Coming."

higuchi: looks like theres going to be a night market at the park tonight.

Akutagawa: "Hmm." *nom* "You going?"

higuchi: yeah, might find some nice deals. ^^

Gin: "We could use something to make the living room look a bit more complete. Maybe a sculpture."

-elsewhere-

Black Star: *sticks out his tongue*

Stein: *looking in his mouth* "Well, it's not fuzzy..."

nurse valentine: *taking notes*

Stein: "Well, it's obviously a soul strengthening that is channeling your latent and trained muscular power to exert greater force."

Black Star: "... ...Obviously. Now put it in a way I can understand."

Stein: "Whatever has altered in the atmosphere is giving your soul more power, which is strengthening your body."

Black Star: "..." *rubs his eyes, then looks at Valentine--* "?!!!!"

nurse valentine: what he said.

Black Star: "Nah, nurse--what the hell is that stuff on you?!"

Stein: "..." *looks* "There's nothing on her."

*Black Star is seeing...something glowing around her and Stein...*

nurse valentine: what exactly do you see?

Black Star: "It's all glowy and wavy!"

nurse valentine: *glances at stein*

Stein: "I see...Your soul perception up to now has been pathetic. Now this power boost is letting you see them--"

*SPLASH*

Stein: *dripping wet* "..."

Black Star: *holding an empty glass* "...IT'S STILL THERE!"

nurse valentine: -____-;; i see his mental perception still leaves much to be desired...

Stein: "Small miracles..." *takes a surgical cloth to wipe his glasses, while looking at Black Star...he sees his soul* "But it is as I said: his power is increasing. And given what happened to Crona, I would not ignore the common cause."

nurse valentine: meaning this is related to what happened with the moon....

Stein: "A power...out of madness."

-elsewhere-

atsushi: *yaaaaaawn* -~-;;

Kyoka: "Good morning."

atsushi: i see you're already awake.

sylvia: *resting on the couch*

Kyoka: *sets out rice* "Yes. What would you like to drink?"

atsushi: some milk would be fine.

Kyoka: *nods* *walks to the fridge, looking out the window* "...Oh."

atsushi: *goes over to look*

*Dazai is setting up bricks in the yard*

atsushi: *sigh* i'll go check it out. i'll get the mail too while im down there. *exits and heads over to where dazai is* do i even want to know?

Dazai: *sets a board over the bricks* "Good morning, Atsushi! I'm making a see-saw!"

atsushi: for...?

Dazai: "The baby, of course!" *stands on one side of the board* "See? Then I add the hinge to let it swing up and down."

atsushi: i see. *examining the see-saw* points for innovation, but im not sure it's exactly....child safe. *sweatdrop*

Dazai: "Fortunately, I have determined a good way to test this." *looks up to the tree* "Okay, Kenji--let 'er rip!"

kenji: *waves*

atsushi: O____O;;;

Dazai: *readies himself*

kenji: *drops an old car onto the board*

*Dazai goes flying up--and crashes into barrels behind him*

atsushi: *wince*

Dazai: "I'm okay! ...Oh, I found a mouse--AH, GOD, MY FACE!"

-elsewhere-

chie: *filling up a kiddy pool*

Yohei: "Looking forward to this, kiddos?"

io: yappi!

toru: ah!

Tool: "Careful with that--maybe a floatie is needed..." *holds up a rubber ducky to Io*

io: *squeaks it* *laughs*

Yohei: "Cute." *picks up Toru, carefully putting him into the pool*

toru: *splashes his hands on the water*

Yohei: *rubs his own arm* "You seem pleased."

Tool: "Up you go..." *lifts Io and puts them into the pool*

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: *looking under the bed* "??? Um, Mito? Mito? Where are you..."

mito: *mrrp* *sitting on the couch*

Chuuya: *stands up--and hits his head under the bed* "OW!" *looks at the couch* "Ugh...There you are."

mito: *purrs*

Chuuya: *strokes her back* "Where did you run off to?"

-elsewhere-

Crona: *looking out the window*

lord death: good morning.

Crona: "Oh...Hello, sir."

lord death: how are you feeling?

Crona: "Okay...A little different."

lord death: *nods* i see.

Crona: "...Thank you for this. I never felt I deserve this..."

lord death: it's not about 'deserving' or not.

Crona: "I-I'm sorry--I'm not used to thinking that way."

lord death: it's quite alright. have you had breakfast yet today?

Crona: *shakes their head* "Still getting used to adjusted hunger--as I'm not two people now."

lord death: ah... well, im going to be doing a soul scan for you now, to see how the proporties of your soul have changed.

Crona: *gulps* "I-I see...Or don't. Should I be worried?"

lord death: not to worry, this will only take a moment, and it's painless.

Crona: "..." *nods* *sits still*

-later-

lord death: hmm, interesting.

Crona: .~.;

lord death: seems you have magic potential within you. although given your parentage, i suppose this is unsurprising.

Crona: "...It's a little surprising!" *looks at their hands* "I never tried..."

lord death: never to late to learn, i suppose.

Crona: "Who would even teach me?"

lord death: i can think of a few people...

-elsewhere-

Kimizuki: *staring at his phone*

hyakuya: *taps her foot as she stares out the window* boooriiiiing.....

Kimizuki: "It's called off-time. Enjoy it."

Yoichi: *reading a newspaper*

mitsuba:.....how about we go over to the batting cages?

Yoichi: "Oh, fun!"

Kimizuki: "Hmm...Could be good for aim."

hyakuya: sounds great!

-and so-

Yoichi: *puts on the helmet--and it's too big* ._.;

mitsuba: ^w^ not to brag, but i _was_ on my elementary school's baseball team as a kid.

shinoa: i think i remember that. you were known as the blonde ogress who made 5 boys cry.

mitsuba: >n<#

Yoichi: ^^; *backs away*

Kimizuki: "Checks out."

mitsuba: HEY! D8<

hyakuya: loser buys lunch! *takes her stance*

Yoichi: "Good luck!"

-the ball is thrown-

hyakuya: *swings....letting go of the bat and getting hit in the face* GRF-

Kimizuki: "..." *facepalm*

Yoichi: D8 "Oh no!"

hyakuya: *nose bleeding* IM OUT OF PRACTICE! CUT ME SOME SLACK! >n<

mitsuba: that.....that was the worst baseball fail ever......in the history of literally everything.

hyakuya: YOU ARENT HELPING!!

Yoichi: *offers tissues*

-shinoa's phone dials-

shinoa: ?? *answers* hello~? ^^

Guren: "Mission briefing in 10 minutes."

shinoa: ok. we got a mission

Kimizuki: "Oh, joy. So much for rest."

mitsuba: *pouts*

-elsewhere-

chess: hmm.... im soo booooored!

crowley: *checking his phone* ooh! text from ferid!

chess: oooh! what'd he say!

crowley: you know that guy shahal?

chess: he's in charge of keeping livestock, right?

crowley: well, apparently he's been neglecting his duties as of late, and several humans have escaped.

Horn: "Oh, that's no good. Is our priority to retrieve the humans, or punish Shahal?"

crowley: given how often humans make more humans, i say our main priority for now is shahal.

Horn: "...Flawless logic. Very well."

-elsewhere-

stocking: *checking recipes*

Rin: *tapping his fingers* "So what're you thinking?"

stocking: im thinking a brownie coffin filled with little candies for the desert.

Rin: "Oh, creative! Would definitely appeal to the Death Children..." *opens a book* "How many courses is this again?"

-elsewhere-

Giriko: "Then the entire blob thing went *BOOM* and took out Gruk, too."

arachne: hmmm....this is rather concerning...

Giriko: "What you think it was?"

arachne: *takes out her journal* since i've lost most of my old spellbooks, i've taken notes in here......just as i suspected. it's likely black blood.

Giriko: "Uuuuuum..."

arachne: what?

Giriko: "Isn't that what your dipshit sister worked on?"

arachne: *nods* according to lord death, she's still at large somewhere, supposedly....

-elsewhere-

Medusa: "... ... ..." *rubs her nose* *looks along the forest path*

-it's surprisingly dark and a bit foggy-

Medusa: *holds up a small orb...something shines inside, pointing to the left* "..." *turns left*

-elsewhere-

shinoa: *takes a seat*

-at the other end of the table, a woman seems to be distressed. -

Kimizuki: *holding a notepad* "We received initial details. Tell us about her."

woman: *sniffles* y-yes. about two weeks ago, my daughter, riko was abducted by a vampire.

shinoa: guren told us that one of your maids made a sketch of the vampire, correct?

Kimizuki: *looking*

riko's mother: of course. *hands them the sketch* i-i-im not sure how accurate it is, but-

Kimizuki: "No, this is useful."

hyakuya: hmm. how exactly are we going to find him?

Kimizuki: "Good old fashion sleuthing."

-elsewhere-

-in a room in an old cathedral, a young girl is looking out the window-

girl:......

Shahal: "Back away from there."

girl: *looks over at him*

Shahal: "You don't want to fall down--it's not the best window." *holds up a plate* "Sugar cookie?"

girl:....um....*gingerly takes one*

Shahal: "I hope they're okay. You need milk, Lana?"

girl: t-they're alright....a-and i already told you, my name isnt lana, it's riko.

Shahal: "??? Since when? Is this some phase? Like when I insisted on wearing my shirt backwards--"

riko: erm.... ^^;

???: "Oh, wow--a pet?"

riko: ??

Shahal: "?!" *stands up sharply*

horn: so _this_ is why you've been abandoning your post, shahal?

chess: aww, she's so cute! *grabs her*

riko: *yells*

chess: she's so adorable, i could just EAT HER UP! *bears fangs with a feral fervor*

Shahal: *grabs Chess by the neck--and tosses her into the wall*

horn: !!!!

chess: OWIE! >n< ugh, so RUDE!

horn: such ungentlemanly conduct...

Shahal: "Back away from her. She is not a part of this."

horn: oh? it looks to me that she's the reason for our little visit.

riko: *trembling*

Shahal: "State your business and leave us be."

chess: jeez, if you're gonna be so hostile, maybe we _wont_ tell you that an extermination group is coming for you tonight~ whoopsie~ i let it slip~ *cute fist bonk on her head as she winks with her tongue out*

Shahal: "What?!" *looking out the window* "..." *studying different escape paths*

horn:.....unless you're going to return to your post and hand the girl over as livestock-

Shahal: "Lana stays here!"

horn:....very well, you've made your decision. but when death is at your doorstep and that girl is taken and drained of every last drop of blood in her, dont come crying to us. come chess, let's go.

chess: yes ma'am!

Shahal: "..."

riko: *still trembling*

Shahal: "Hey, it's going to be okay."

-elsewhere-

Crona: *buttoning up*

mami: *waiting outside the room*

Blair: *brings up the wheelchair* "Crona almost done?"

mami: i think so....

Crona: *buzzes the button* "I'm done"

mami: *opens the door*

Crona: *in jeans and a black t-shirt...smiles*

mami:...*hug*

peg: we got this one too. *brings out ragnarok...strapped to a gurney a la hannibal lector*

Crona: *holds Mami close* "Don't look behind you." ^^;;;;;;

Blair: O_O;

Ragnarok: "Hello, nurse." *slithering tongue noises*

mami: ......

peg: mister dont _make_ me put the mask back on. -_-#

Ragnarok: "Look, I just got this body, and I got years of experiences to make up for it. I've already exhausted myself on 2 out of 7 deadly sins--want to go for 3 more?"

mami: *GLAAAAARE*

Ragnarok: "?!!!" *looks away* >_>;;;

-elsewhere-

Black Star: *meditating--under a giant waterfall*

child: mama, what's that guy doing?

Mother: "Oh, I think I saw this in a kung fu movie once! Warriors do that for training to improve their minds."

child: wow cool!

Mother: "I wonder whether it's working--"

Black Star: *collapses under the water*

-elsewhere-

Chuuya: "Careful not to tap on the glass." *looking at the fish tank*

miyuri: *face plastered against the glass* oooooh!

Fish: O_O *swims away afraid*

sonia: *looking*

*there's a hermit crab on the tank floor, changing into a new shell*

sonia: .....

Chuuya: "Really surprising creatures, aren't they?"

sonia: yeah....

Chuuya: "...I think they let you hold a sea urchin..."

sonia: ??

Chuuya: "Those little spiny sea creatures."

sonia: wont they hurt?

Chuuya: "The trainer shows you how to cup your hand so it won't."

sonia: ....

miyuri: WOOOAH LOOK AT THAT THING!

Chuuya: *looks*

-seems to be some kind of whale-

Chuuya: "?! Wow!"

miyuri: IT'S HUUUGE!! IT'S LIKE A WATER ELLYFANT!

Chuuya: "Y-Yes, indeed..."

-elsewhere-

Mori: *seated at the outdoor cafe table, sipping a coffee* "..." *looks around, then at his phone* *texts* [she's not here]

miura: [perhaps give it some more time?]

Mori: [it's already been 20 min]

Waiter: "Refill, sir?"

Mori: "...Check, please."

-elsewhere-

tomura: *SCREECHING* IM MISSING ONE OF MY HANDS!!

Kurogiri: "Okay, take a deep breath, and let's retrace your steps."

Dabi: *whistles* "Yo." *waves a hand...holding a hand*

tomura: *looks*

*two of the fingers are curled into a circle*

tomura: FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF-.....one day i will kill you in your sleep.

Dabi: "Sure." *tosses it*

spinner: bold move, my dude.

shaula: AW SHIT SON HE ACTUALLY DID IT THE ABSOLUTE MADLAD!

Kurogiri: "...I'm confused."

Dabi: "Please, I'm no hero. Literally."

banshee:.....we _are_ professional villains, arent we? -_-;

Kurogiri: "We try."

-elsewhere-

*knock on Kanin's apartment door*

amelia: *peeks out the peep hole*

*looks to be Genny, Duncan, and some others*

amelia: kanin, we have guests.

free: *wave* ^^

Kanin: *cooking* "??? Oh...Hello." *aspects of his werewolf appearance remain but have gradually reverted back to slightly more human*

lei-lei: how're you feeling? we brought some ingredients for a hotpot! ^^

Kanin: "...I'm fine." *takes the ingredients* "...Um...Amelia, can you see about more chairs?"

amelia: *nods*

Kanin: "...I-I'll be busy cooking. Help yourselves to..." *gestures to an old-fashion candy bowl full of what can be described as grandparents' candy choices, as he hurries away*

genny:....

Duncan: *picks a piece of candy--that is stuck to the top of the pile of them* -_-; "Old fashioned... ...You know, maybe he needs help in the kitchen."

-elsewhere-

hyakuya: .......

Kimizuki: *looking through binoculars*

mitsuba: see anything?

Kimizuki: "The door looks like it was forced open."

mitsuba: should we go in?

Kimizuki: "I think when it gets darker."

hyakuya:.....(mika……)…..

{Mika: *sad smile*}

hyakuya: *bites her lip*

shinoa:...akane?

hyakuya: !!!...im fine. dont worry about it....

Yoichi: "..."

-that night-

Shahal: *standing guard*

riko: *asleep*

{???: big brother?}

{Shahal: *shivering* "Yes?"}

{girl: will we be able to eat soon?}

{Shahal: "Yes, soon...Just be patient. Please..."}

Shahal: "Not again...I'm protecting you this time."

-meanwhile-

shinoa: *looks inside* ok, this should be the back entrance...

Kimizuki: "How reliable was your intelligence?"

shinoa: i chatted up some urban explorers for advice. ^^

mitsuba: so far so good.....

Yoichi: *looking at the stairs...they look rotted*

hyakuya: this place sure has seen better days....

Kimizuki: "So keep an eye for debris used for this vamp to hide."

shinoa: and keep silent. our primary objective is to retrieve riko.

Yoichi: *nods*

-crash-

hyakuya: ????

Kimizuki: "?!" *aims*

???: spread out, he should be here somewhere.

???: of course, lady enacotta.

rubile: *grins* (once i claim that traitor's head, i'll go up in the ranks for sure!)

mitsuba: *whisper* shit, vampires? here?

shinoa: this is bad. if they're here for shahal, then riko's at risk as well...

Kimizuki: "...Then we need to find her first. With the stairs broken, he's likely holding her upstairs to discourage people following up."

hyakuya: i'll look for a way up.

Kimizuki: "While we keep the vampires away..."

hyakuya: *nods and heads off*

Kimizuki: *following the vampires' path*

vampire: *looking around*

Kimizuki: *hides behind the vamp...readies his sword*

vampire: ?? *turns*

*slice*

vampire: GRK-

Kimizuki: *stabs them through the chest*

vampire: *SCREAM*

Kimizuki: *beheads*

Shahal: "?!!!"

riko: hnn??

Shahal: "Shh."

riko: what's going on?

Shahal: *quietly* "Come on. Hide in here..." *leads her to a wardrobe in the attic* "Stay here."

-meanwhile-

rubile: *slashing with her sword*

mitsuba: *blocking with her axe*

Yoichi: *behind debris, aiming*

shinoa: take this! *SLASH*

vampire: GRAHH!

Yoichi: *fires off shots*

-outside-

hyakuya: *looking around* (come on, there has to be something...)

*a brick in the side of the building falls, rolling down to her feet*

hyakuya: !! *looks up*

*a vampire can be seen scurrying down the hall--then blood splatters against the hallway wall*

hyakuya: .....*looking around for a way up*

*there are missing bricks in the wall--and a buttress above the window*

hyakuya:...that'll work. *spits on both her hands and rubs them together* here we go. *starts climbing*

*a window she passes breaks, as a vampire is tossed out of it*

hyakuya: OxO;;

*the noise seems to have stopped...*

hyakuya: *keeps climbing*

-inside-

rubile: tch- damn...you humans dont know when to quit...*she's holding her arm, which has been cut along the bicep*

Kimizuki: "Call us stubborn." *aims*

rubile: *lunges at him*

vampire: lady enacotta! we need to retreat!

rubile: NO! we've come this far already, im not going to leave without our prize!

Kimizuki: *sweeps his leg at hers while he swings his blade at her neck*

rubile: !!! *dodge*

*there's a wardrobe*

hyakuya: *looks inside*

Riko: *curled up in the corner*

hyakuya: ...hey, it's ok.

Riko: "Wh-Who are you?"

hyakuya: you can call me akane. *small smile*

Riko: "...Are you a vampire?"

hyakuya:....no, im human, like you.

Riko: "...Like Shahal was."

hyakuya: shahal, that's the one who kidnapped you, right?....wait- so he wasnt born a vampire?

Riko: *shakes her head no* "He keeps calling me Lana. His sister. She died."

hyakuya:....how did you figure that part out?

Riko: "I-I kind of read his journal...Don't tell him I did that."

hyakuya: i wont...did he try to hurt you at all?

Riko: "No--he really misses his sister, and he keeps treating me like her."

hyakuya:.......(mika..........) do you miss your mom and dad?

Riko: *nods*

hyakuya:.....dont worry riko, i'll help you get back to your parents. you can count on us. *smiles*

Riko: "A-Are you going to hurt Shahal?"

hyakuya:....i'll try to talk to him.

-downstairs-

mitsuba: WOAH!

Kimizuki: *crashes into furniture, collapsed*

mitsuba: *charges at him, yelling*

rubile: there you are! *charges at him as well*

Shahal: "..." *leaps just as they are close to him--*

rubile: *has her arm hacked off* *SCREAMS*

mitsuba: *gets her side sliced* GAH!!

Shahal: *grabs Mitsuba by her wrist* "Now leave."

hyakuya: HEY YOU!!

Shahal: "..." *holds Mitsuba up by the arm* *looks at Hyakuya* "Leave, before there is more bloodshed."

hyakuya: let her go!

Shahal: "Of course--" *and flings Mitsuba at Hyakuya*

mitsuba: oof! nngh....

hyakuya: mitsuba, are you alright?

mitsuba: bleeding, but otherwise just peachy.

Shahal: *aims at Shinoa*

hyakuya: leave my friends alone!

Shahal: "Leave my _family_ alone!"

hyakuya: your ‘family’ is dead!

Shahal: "?!!" *rushes at Hyakuya* "What did you do to Lana?!!"

hyakuya: i didnt do anything to her! that girl riko, she's not lana! i dont know what happened or how she died, but your sister isnt here anymore!

Shahal: "WHY DOES EVERYONE KEEP LYING TO ME?!" *swings the blade at her head*

hyakuya: !!! *blocks with her own sword* im not lying!

Shahal: "Yes, you are! Everyone is trying to confuse me! But I remember what was done--and I am not letting you take Lana!" *presses the sword forward*

hyakuya: listen! i know what it's like, to lose a loved one. i've lost my parents, and my adoptive family, and every day it hurts thinking about what i could have done differently to save them, but the past is in the past, isnt it? the only thing left is to go forward. accept what's happened and move on, so quit living in the past and face reality already!!

Shahal: "..." *just staring at her* "...Lana..."

shinoa: *charges*

Kimizuki: *follows Shinoa--*

Yoichi: *gives them cover*

Shahal: "?!"

shinoa: take this!

Shahal: *tries to block--*

-SLICE-

Shahal: *howls in pain*

hyakuya: please listen, i dont want to fight you, but if you dont stop this, i wont have any choice! you were human once, remember??

shinoa: (what on earth has gotten into her...?)

Shahal: *holding his arm* "Lana...stop this. I'm not human anymore--but I need to protect you!"

hyakuya: im not lana either! if you keep deluding yourself like this, you're only going to hurt yourself even more!

Shahal: "I'm willing to get hurt if it means my sister can live! I can't let her die!"

hyakuya: she's already dead!

Shahal: "She can't be!" *approaches Hyakuya* "Stop lying!"

-SLASH-

Shahal: *stares wide-eyed*

riko: *collapses*

hyakuya: *stunned* !!!!!

Shahal: "N-No!" *cradles her* "Why would you do this?!"

riko: i-it's ok....it wasnt that deep of a cut...

hyakuya: riko....

Shahal: "...Riko..."

riko: *smiles* im not mad at you, shahal. because i think, despite everything...you're still a good person.

hyakuya:....*shaking slightly* mika.....

Shahal: *crying* "How can you think that? I thought..." *holds his head* "I'm so confused."

riko: you took care of me and made sure i was safe, and you never once bit me or drank my blood.

Shahal: "...I just wanted my sister back."

riko:....but im not her. i dont know how she died exactly, but im sure she misses you too...

Shahal: *sobbing* "I can never see her again..."

hyakuya:...........yuu.....chihiro....ako....kouta....fumie....taichi.....

Shahal: *looks at Hyakuya* "Who...?"

hyakuya: my siblings....ferid killed them....i was....the only one who got away.....(liar...mika was.....)

Shahal: "...Oh God...I'm sorry..."

hyakuya: ever since then, i've hated vampires....and wanted nothing more than to kill every last one....but after seeing....my one sibling....mika....turned into one of them....and seeing this...i....i dont know what to think anymore...

riko:.......

Shahal: "...You end them."

hyakuya: ??

Shahal: "You don't leave one standing that can and will hurt humans, eventually."

hyakuya: ......

Shahal: "You can bring them peace...to let them die and reunite with their lost family."

hyakuya:...are you...asking me to kill you?

Shahal: "...Yes."

hyakuya: but what about riko-

Shahal: "She deserves to be with her family."

hyakuya:.....*bites her lip, clutching her sword*

-as the sun rises, hyakuya screams out, piercing her blade into shahal's heart-

Shahal: *shudders, coughs...starts to disintegrate at the heart...looks at the sun with a smile* "Lana...Thank you."

hyakuya:.....

lana?: big brother!

-a spectral girl seems to be waving to him-

Shahal: "?!!!" *reaches up, his hand disintegrating as he does...*

lana?: i've been waiting for you for so long now! come on, i have lots of people to introduce you too!

-soon enough, they are both gone....-

hyakuya:.............

mitsuba: hey....akane....

hyakuya: hehe...hehehehe....hahaha..HAHAHAHAHA!! *cackling madly*

Kimizuki: *grabs her by her shoulders* "Hyakuya! Hyakuya! Damn it, Akane, get a hold of yourself..."

hyakuya: *sharply inhales and starts hysterically sobbing into his chest*

Kimizuki: "..." *holds her, letting her cry*

mitsuba:.....

shinoa:.....we should probably give riko first aid.

mitsuba:...yeah....

Yoichi: *holds up the kit*

-elsewhere-

Kid: "Absolutely adorable."

shiori: *in a new little jumper* lookie!

Kid: *shivering* "IT'S SO CUTE I COULD DIE!"

stocking: ^^

lord death: TOO CUTE FOR WORDS!

Yumi: *snaps a photo* "Indeed."

-elsewhere-

Monica: *buried under blankets* =_____= "I'm boooooooooooooooored!"

mrs ramirez: mija! your friends are here!

Monica: "... ... ...YOU DIDN'T CHECK THEM FOR KNIVES AGAIN, DID YOU?!"

mrs ramirez: first thing i did, honey!

yolanda: jeez mrs R, have some faith in us. -_-;

Zarya: *grunts*

Monica: -_-; "You here to rub it in before you go off to school?"

yolanda: just wanted to see how you were?

Monica: "Bored out of my f--" *spots her mom* "...freaking skull. I need to dunk someone's head into a toilet now!"

mrs ramirez: that reminds me, that nurse from the hospital, mrs albarn, wanted to have coffee later and to chat. she's your friend izumi's mother, isnt she? ^^#

Monica: "... ... ...She's not my fucking friend."

Zarya: "... ... ..." *takes one giant step back away from Monica*

mrs ramirez: .........

stephanie: welp we're totes late, bye! *RUNS*

Monica: "?! YOU TRAITORS--"

mrs ramirez: monica, i'd like to have a little talk with you. in private. ^^#####

Monica: D8 *loud whimpering noise*

mrs ramirez: monica rosa-marie ramirez, you arent going anywhere! *smiles with a demonic glare*

-elsewhere-

Asher: "... ... ..." *small smile*

cassidy: asher? you ok?

Asher: "...I think I feel lighter."

cassidy:...

-elsewhere-

kyouko: hey rin, is shiemi doing alright? last i saw her, she seemed kind of down.

Rin: *sighs* "I think she's trying to figure out some stuff with school."

kyouko: hmm....is she having problems?

Rin: "Kinda. She's leaving the exorcist class."

kyouko: wait really? what happened?

Rin: "She said she wanted to focus on what she can do for now--without getting in over her head. It's rough when you really want something but are not sure you're ready."

kyouko:.....

-rin's phone starts going off-

Rin: *checks*

-text from renzou-

Rin: *reading* "...??? It's from Renzou Shima. He's...ranting about diapers?"

kyouko: i'd rather not know -__-#

renzou: [CODE OMEGA! I REPEAT! CODE FUCKING OMEGA!!]

Rin: "Neither do I . But now he's yelling 'Code Omega.' I think his bro told me that means to meet up." *looks at the key hooks* "Tell the old man I'm stealing his keys."

kyouko: ._.

-and so-

Bon: *holding his stomach* "Ugh...I hate traveling with keys." >~<;

izumo: you guys got called too?

Shima: -_-; "Yep..."

Rin: "WOOOOOOOW! It looks so different at this time of year!"

izumo: we were here last year around summer, in the longest fucking summer ever -_-;;;

shiemi: im surprised we were invited to juuzo and mamushi's baby shower.

unagi: it'll be nice to see my family members again.

Shima: "Don't curse in front of my fam, Izumo--I want to keep a good impression with them."

shura: yeah, so behave yourself.

izumo: sure thing-....wait.

konekomaru: how long were you-

shura: kunoichi skills bitches.

izumo:.....-___-;

Bon: *shoves Shima* "You're one to criticize anyone, spy."

Shima: ^^; "Former spy?"

shiemi: well we better find the restaurant then.

shura: you kiddos go on ahead, im gonna have a quick chat with the okumura bros for a minute, kaaay~?

Rin: "What?! But I'm starving!"

shura: *waits for the others to go* welp, now we can talk.

Yukio: "What is this about?"

shura: yuri egyn. your mother.

Yukio: "?!"

Rin: "...What?"

shura: it was around the time i met shiro...

{-knocks-}

{yuri: who is it?}

{shura: *flailing* putmedown! pummedown!! >n<#}

{yuri:.....is...is that a kid?}

{Fujimoto: "Um, no. It's obviously a new species of mountain rat. A smelly, dirty mountain rat--"

{yuri: .___.;}

{shura: I'LL BITE YOUR ANKLES IN HALF!}

{yuri:....why dont i make you something to eat? ^^;; }

{Fujimoto: ^^; "I actually have some tasks to attend to, so that would help me--OW! DID YOU JUST BITE ME?!"}

{shura: *HISSSSSS* *STOMACH GURGLE*.........food please.}

{Fujimoto: T^T "What do you even eat, kid?"}

{shura: squirrels mostly. sometimes birds. hachirou got me a boar once.}

{yuri: .______. shiro....where did you find this girl exactly?}

{Fujimoto: "In the mountains. Meet the fabled wild child of Towada. I've named her Shura."}

{shura: offer me food, mortal!}

{-...-}

{yuri: eat up!}

{shura: *ravenous eating*}

{Fujimoto: ^^ "Better than tiny squirrels with hardly any meat on their bones, right, kiddo?"}

{shura: *pulls the food closer and snarls* MINE!}

{yuri: goodness, she's got an appetite. ^^; }

{Fujimoto: "And needs to learn some manners..." *sniffs* "Ugh...and a bath."}

{shura: a what?}

{-...-}

{shura: *asleep*}

{yuri: so, what are we going to do about her?}

{Fujimoto: "Mephisto ordered me to keep an eye on her, and after seeing that Hachirou thing, I don't want her going back to it. After that? I'm not sure..."}

{yuri: maybe she could stay here? it gets lonely up here, so it'd be nice to have some company. ^^}

{Fujimoto: "??? For real? Mephisto was pretty insistent on not letting her out of my sight..."}

{yuri: you could stay here too, if you'd like. it'd be like a family.}

{Fujimoto: "..." *pulls out a cigarette, lights up* "Don't say it like that."}

shura: from what i remember, she was a really kind woman, she had eyes like yours, rin. and lots of moles, like yukio...and that concludes story time with shura for today!

Yukio: "..."

Rin: "...YOU COCKTEASE! DON'T STOP THE STORY THERE! TELL US MORE! What did she sound like?!" *grabs her by the shoulders* "Why didn't you tell us this before?!"

shura: now if you boys excuse me. im gonna go hit the bar. cheers! *walks off*

-later-

torako: <enjoy your stay with us.> *walks back to the front* !!!! <ryuuji!>

Bon: <Hey...>

-a child runs up and tackles shima-

child: <ANKO WENZO!>

Shima: <OW! ???>

woman: <ten, sweetie, there you are! what did mama tell you about running off?>

ten: <sowwy mamai>

woman: *looks* !!! <renzou!>

Shima: <?!!>

izumo: you know this woman?

woman: <oh, you must be renzou's friends. koneko and bon know me already, but im Jun Shima. renzou's sister.>

unagi: <a pleasure to see you again, ma'am'>

jun: <unagi! i was surprised to hear that you enrolled in true cross. how are you doing?>

unagi: <im very well. i've been learning a lot of english.>

???: <UUUUUUNAAAAAAAGIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!>

-a woman comes barreling down the hall and clutches unagi-

woman: <MY SWEET BABY GIRL! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?! HAVE YOU BEEN EATING?! IS YOUR TEMPERATURE WELL?! DO YOU HAVE ANY INJURIES?!>

uwabami hojo: ^^; <easy now, orochi, she's just fine.>

Bon: <We've been keeping an eye on her, ma'am.>

unagi: <hello mother, hello to you too uncle.>

Konekomaru: *sad smile, steps back*

girl: <hey sis, do we have any more- !!!! k-k-k-k-KONEKOOOOOO~<3 > *TACKLE* >///w///< <3<3<3<3

Konekomaru: .\\\\.; "Um..." <You can let go now?>

girl: <KINZOU TOLD ME YOU WERE HERE _LAST_ YEAR TOO! WHY DIDNT YOU TELL ME? I WOULD HAVE BAILED ON THE CLASS TRIP TO EUROPE IF I KNEW!!>

Konekomaru: ^\\\^; <We were a little busy on an investigation and--well, things got away from us. Sorry.>

Rin: -_-; *has a big handprint slapped on his face* "Freaking boobzilla..."

Yukio: -_-; "Please don't embarrass us more while we're visiting someone else's house."

jun: ?? <more friends of yours?>

Rin: <He gets that a lot.> *waves at the child*

girl: <hey. you smell different koneko, are you using a new bodywash?>

Konekomaru: >\\\\\\< <Wh-Why would you sniff me?!>

ten: <mamai! this guy has a tail! is he a kitty?>

Yukio: *facepalm* <Oh good lord...>

jun: .....^^; <why dont we help uncle gozo with the garden, ok?>

ten: <ok!> *runs off*

Yukio:

-outside-

nishiki: *eating watermelon shaved ice*

???: <over here sir?>

Tatsuma: <Yes, that's a good spot for it.>

???: *sets the statue down, wiping sweat from her brow* <yep, i reckon that's a mighty good spot for it>

Tatsuma: <Looking good! ...Maybe rotate it a bit more towards the morning sun.>

torako: <tatsuma! yoshikuni! bon and his friends are here!>

yoshikuni: <REALLY?!>

Tatsuma: <!!! My baby boy!> *gets up quickly--and throws out his back* >n< "AH!"

torako: D8

Bon: *steps out* <?!! Old man!> *runs up*

yoshikuni: <LIL RYUU! long time no see!>

Bon: <?!! Yoshikuni?!>

izumo: another friend of yours?

yoshikuni: <im his fiancee~>

izumo: O/////o W-W-WHAT?!?!??!

Bon: -_-; <Yoshikuni, please.>

yoshikuni: <LOL! JK JK! it's just a joke!>

izumo: *beet red*

Tatsuma: *trying to sit up* <Ha ha ha! ...I don't know what 'luul' means.>

Bon: <?!!! I will have you know I am desirable to people who like men with a strong will, you stubborn mule!>

izumo: <BEEF HEAD!>

Bon: <POLKA-DOTTED MUTT!>

izumo: <ROOSTER HAIR!>

Bon: <HA! I STOPPED DYING IT, SO YOU CAN'T EVEN USE THAT ONE ANYMORE!>

torako: <my my, they're acting like me when i was that age.>

{young!torako: <GET BENT, BALDIE!>}

{Young!Tatsuma: <Babe, I _shave_ by choice because it makes me look cool!> *wink*}

torako: <so persistent.> *sigh*

Tatsuma: <And yet still so beautiful.>

torako: >/////< <oh stop!>

Bon: <OW!> *slapping his hand on the ground*

-elsewhere-

Kanin: *puts bento boxes of leftovers into their lockers* "Okay. I'll see you for lunch after morning classes."

genny: *nods*

Kanin: "... ...Well..." *rubs the back of his head...he's managed to revert almost back to human appearance*

genny:....i-if you want to talk...a-about anything, you can-

Kanin: "I-I appreciate that...M-Maybe later..."

genny: .///. r-right...see ya! *runs*

Kanin: "..." >\\\< *knocks his head against his own locker--and instantly hulks out into werewolf form, ripping his shirt* "...Aw, man..."

marie: kanin? are you alright? ._.;

Kanin: "?!! S-Sorry, Miss Marie! I'm fine, really! I'm not going feral..." *struggles to slowly revert to human form, as he takes off the torn shirt and opens his locker to retrieve a new shirt* "J-Just, you know, typical teenage hormonal stuff..."

marie: do you want to talk about it?

Kanin: "..." *nods* "Did other students ever deal with this kind of thing?"

-elsewhere-

arisa: so what do you guys want to check out next?

kanami: im kinda hungry, maybe we should get lunch?

suzune:..... !!!

arisa: suzune? you oka-....OH.....MY....G!!

kokoro: hmm?

masara: *looks* !!!!!

arisa: Y-YOU'RE KOKORO AWANE!!

kokoro: yep, that's me alright.

arisa: do you remember me? im arisa narumi!

kokoro: oh right! you're that girl from back then!

arisa: you were so cool and inspiring that i became a magical girl too, see? my friends are-

-CLANG-

suzune: *blocking masara's knife with her sword*

masara: what are _you_ doing back here, magical hunter?

suzune: im not here to fight, honest.

masara: a likely story. im not about to let you hurt kokoro.

Chisato: *gestures to her own weapon* "Let's all calm down. This is not a place for any fight."

masara: how can you be so calm when a murderer is among you?

suzune:.....

Matsuri: "This is about giving people another chance, you know?" ^^ "She may have done bad things, but that doesn't make her a bad person!"

suzune: matsuri....

Matsuri: "Just give her a chance."

kokoro: easy there masara. sorry about my friend, she can be a bit protective, but she means well. ^^;

arisa: i take it you met suzune before?

kokoro: yep. say, you mentioned being hungry, right? it just so happens we know a great restaurant called 'Walnuts'. ^^

-elsewhere-

Monica: *glare*

izumi: .___.;;;;;

Sachiko: ^^ "I always come by here--I didn't know you managed it!"

mrs ramirez: well, assistant manager, but still. ^^

Monica: *takes her drink, sips--and crunches on the ice loudly*

izumi: ._.;;;;;

mrs ramirez: mija, dont you have something to say to mrs albarn's daughter?

Monica: "..." *mutters something*

mrs ramirez: speak up honey, no one can hear you when you're muttering.

Monica: *inhales* "I SAID 'I'M SORRY'!"

izumi: um...thanks..f-for apologizing...*shifts in her seat*

Sachiko: *uncovers her ears* "Y-Yes, thank you...How about you kids get a treat?" *hands Izumi some money* "The cookies looked good."

-elsewhere-

Rin: "So, Konekomaru, who's the girl?"

girl: *clinging to his arm* ^////^

konekomaru: this is yumi, shima's younger sister.

Rin: "Ah, so you all grew up together?"

yoshikuni: pretty much. <so you guys really defeated the impure king last summer?>

Bon: <We...did the best we could.>

Rin: <Well, us and my girlfriend, too.>

konekomaru: <come to think of it, where were you?>

yoshikuni: ^^

Juzo: *fretting back and forth in front of the building*

gozo: <easy bro, she's not due for another two months yet.>

Juzo:

gozo: <take a deep breath and chill.>

kinzou: <yeah, you're gonna give yourself a hernia!>

Shima: <Yeah, don't think of dead babies--that thought'll stay in your head forever.>

Juzo: *GLARES AT SHIMA*

-elsewhere-

Kanin: *staring at the tea* "I don't know. I never had these problems controlling my appearance. But since that...thing got in my head and down to my soul..."

marie: perhaps it was an effect of madness from that clown.

Kanin: "I think so...But it hasn't gotten back to normal. I don't know when it will, if ever."

marie:.....

Kanin: "I don't know who could even help."

marie: i can think of a few people...

-elsewhere-

mami: lunch is ready!

Crona: "Smells great."

mami: the doctors recommended this to help you regain your strength.

Crona: *nods*

Ragnarok: *has on a bib* "AND FOR ME?"

-elsewhere-

naoya: how is he?

kouyou: still locked up in his office, crying. how unprofessional. -_-;

miura: -___-; *patting mori's back*

Mori: *head resting on a pillow* TT~TT "It's like I'm cursed."

elise: wouldnt be too shocked if that were the case.

Mori: "I need some good luck..."

-elsewhere-

Kimizuki: "..." *sets down a bottle of water*

hyakuya:.....thanks....

Kimizuki: *nods* "You're welcome...The ride will be here in another hour."

hyakuya:........

Yoichi: *packing the first-aid kit* "Any more cuts and bruises?"

riko: i-im ok....

Yoichi: ^^ "That's a relief."

riko:.....

Yoichi: "...Happy to go home?"

riko: i guess so....

Yoichi: "That man...did release you."

riko:.....do you think....he's in a better place?

Yoichi: "...I like to think so."

-elsewhere-

arisa: mmm~ this is so yummy!

kokoro: i know right?

masara: *eating, not taking her eyes off suzune, staring intently*

suzune: *looking down at her plate, sweating nervously* ._.;;;;;;;;;

Chisato: "...Masara, how is your meal?"

masara: *nom, still staring at suzune* delicious.

suzune: *gulp* ._.;;;;;;;;;;;

Chisato: "...So, what are everyone's plans this afternoon?"

kokoro: well, masara and i were going to go hiking for a bit later.

Chisato: "Ah. It'd be good to get into the outdoors."

-elsewhere-

Guren: "Welcome back."

hyakuya:...*nod*

Guren: "We'll begin debriefing...You look like a mess. Go lie down."

hyakuya: *grunts and walks off*

Guren: *looks at the others* "Shinoa, walk with me. I'll start the debriefing with you."

shinoa: right.

Guren: *walks with her into the interrogation room* "What happened to Hyakuya back there?"

shinoa: she took the vampire down...

Guren: "I've seen her take down vampires--I haven't seen her acting like this."

shinoa: i'll speak with her about it when i can.....she has been different since our encounter with ferid....

Guren: "And that can be a liability. We need her in the field--and if her head is not in this, that will be a danger."

shinoa:....understood.

Guren: "Tell me about this vampire and child. Why did he take her?"

-shinoa explains the situation-

Guren: "Hmm...I knew vampirism can do things to the brain, but this is something else entirely."

shinoa:...perhaps vampirism has nothing to do with it....

Guren: "??? Explain."

shinoa: based on my observations, his reactions seemed rather human. perhaps relating to his previous life. sadly, without any official documents on him, we can only go by word of mouth for information.

Guren: "Hmm. So, what, he got confused, had memories of his pre-vampire life, and those influenced his mind? That still sounds dangerous."

shinoa:......

Guren: "I'll ask C3 to check on this--they may have a bit more information on neuro influences after the transformation."

-elsewhere-

Rin: *pats his belly* =w= "Tasty meal..."

torako: <you seemed to enjoy it. ^^>

orochi: <will you be staying the night?>

Rin: *pats Bon's shoulder* <But I'm sure Bon would be happy to stay with family for the night!>

Bon: -_-# *twists Rin's arm* <We're studying for exams right now.>

Rin: Q_Q *slapping his hand down on the floor*

shiemi: ....

Shima:

izumo: *GLARE*

Shima: "?!!!!" *averts his glance* <Granted, that also depends on whether your own family wants to see you...> >w>;;;;;

-elsewhere-

higuchi: *washing Q's hair*

Q: >~< *whining*

higuchi: ^^; the water wont hurt you, and that visor is supposed to keep the shampoo out of your eyes.

Q: "It feels slimy!"

higuchi: ^^;

Gin: *sets out a towel* "It's that, or your hair will get covered in dirt, disease, and fall out, leaving you as the youngest bald person on this planet."

Q: Q_______Q "What?"

higuchi: .-.;

Q: *flailing* "AAAAH! PLEASE WASH MY HAIR, MOMMY!"

higuchi: *getting all wet from the splashing* ah! ok! ok! >-O;;

Gin: "My work here is done." *turns away*

Q: =~= *relaxes*

higuchi: *sigh* *mutter* next time _you're_ in charge of bath time...

Gin: *walks into the living room* "Kuniko, Ryu, your chores?"

kuniko: dishes are about 78% done!

Akutagawa: *uses Rashomon on a dish towel to dry*

Gin: "As for homework?"

-elsewhere-

Mephisto: "Then we use this key to open the closet, and..." *opens the closet to reveal Death City from the top of a building*

shion: bwoah! *shiny eyes*

Mephisto: "Impressive, yes? You can see our house from here! And there's Mephy Land!"

shion: ^o^ dada! dada!

Mephisto: "Hee hee--that's my head on that ferris wheel! But you need to be a bit taller to ride the roller coaster."

-elsewhere-

sonia: *eating ice cream*

Chuuya: *hands out napkins*

miyuri: *LICK LICK LICK* >~< GYEEK!

Chuuya: "Brain freeze?"

miyuri: miyuri's head feels bad! >A<

sonia: you shouldnt eat it so fast.

Chuuya: "Try putting your tongue on the roof of your mouth to warm it up."

miyuri: *does so*

Chuuya: "Feeling better?"

miyuri: *nods*

Chuuya: "That's good. Now, eat more slowly--we got plenty of time."

-elsewhere-

Hibana: =_____= *sneezes*

mikami: are you feeling alright, commander?

Hibana: "No--I haven't been sleeping."

ryuuko: do you need to see a doctor, or would that be too much?

Hibana: *groans* "Why would I need that?"

ryuuko: it's important for one to look after their well-being. perhaps some tea and meditation might help? that's what my father does when he's stressed.

Hibana: "I already do that--I set aside 5 minutes for meditating in-between the 10 AM and 11 AM meetings, and some tea when I get home at 9 PM."

Rino: *holds up a schedule* "She's booked solid 8 AM to 8 PM. She's killing herself. _It's not going fast enough_."

mikami: rino!

gabriella: princess, please rest.

Rino: >_>;

Hibana: *slams her fists down* "I have work to do! I have some genetic experiments out for my head! I have to figure out what the hell Haijima is doing with those kids! I--I--... *collapses*

gabriella: D8>

Rino: "?!!!" *tries to hold her up* "Jeez, she's heavy..."

Hibana: *unconscious*

-elsewhere-

sasori:....

nana: so, is sasori your actual name?

sasori:...not really.

ivy: is that right?

ria marcelo: yeah.

Joker: "Well, a lot of people change their names. Take Red for instance."

scarlet: ........

nana: and my name is seven.

Joker: "Nana, what did we agree? Your name is Nana now."

nana: EAT SHIT.

ria marcelo: .....she seems to have high regard for you.

Joker: *sniffs, wipes his eye* "I know--makes a father proud."

scarlet:.... -_-;

Joker: "So, Ria, ready to scope out Hibana's latest work?"

ria marcelo: im listening...

-elsewhere-

Hajiki: *somehow stuck behind the vending machine*

hito:......why.

Hajiki: "I don't know--I was trying to get food, then I forgot what I was doing, and I ended up here."

hito: have you tried shimmying out?

Hajiki: "Let me see..." *shifts--and the vending machine starts rocking*

-elsewhere-

Asako: *runs out of a patient's room* "EEEEK!"

vivian: ??

*fire shoots out of the patient's room*

vivian: !!!!

Patient: *frowning, lobbing another fireball* "THAT THERMOMETER WAS COLD AS HELL!"

vivian: OwO;;;

Asako: >~< "That's only if you pursue the Dantean understanding of Hell--"

Patient: *throws another fireball, this one nearing at Vivian*

vivian: *dodge* gyah! how rude!

Patient: "I didn't want to be some fucking second generation flame person!"

Asako: >~< "Third-generation pyrokinetic, sir!"

Patient: "SHUT UP!" *tries to get out of bed--and falls face-first into the bedpan*

vivian: ._.;;

tao: owo~? what's going on here?

Asako: *sigh* "We've had more patients coming in awakening pyrokinetic abilities. And he's been the nicest of them..." -_-;

-elsewhere-

Kimizuki: *carrying a tray of food to a room* *knocks*

hyakuya: it's open....

Kimizuki: *enters* "Hey. Brought your dinner."

hyakuya:..thanks...

Kimizuki: "I wasn't sure what you would like, so if you want more of anything, I got more on the stove to heat up."

hyakuya: *nods*.....kimizuki?

Kimizuki: "Yes?"

hyakuya: did i do the right thing?

Kimizuki: "...Our job is to neutralize vampire threats. Who knows what he would have done next."

hyakuya:.....i saw mika in him.....

Kimizuki: "...So when you see Mika again..."

hyakuya: NO! i cant....i have to get him home....i just.....ever since that day my head's just been all tangled up...

Kimizuki: "How do you convince him? He's not the same kid you knew back then."

hyakuya: what would you do if you were in _my_ position? if it were mirai that was a vampire? would you just kill her without a second thought?!

Kimizuki: "?!! Okay, that's a low blow! It's not my sister that is a vampire, now is she? This is your friend who is suffering--and that's the reality you're dealing with!"

hyakuya:.............

Kimizuki: "...I'm sorry. I don't know what I would do either."

hyakuya:...h-he's my family....*curls up into fetal position* i already lost him once....i cant lose him again....

Kimizuki: "...Then let's bring him back."

hyakuya: *looks up at him*

Kimizuki: "We figure out how to convince him, we figure out what C3 has already done about containing vampires without imprisoning or killing him. If he's that important to you, then I'll help."

hyakuya:...thank you......sorry....about what i said-

Kimizuki: "It-It's fine. If it was me, I would've said something as...passionate.”

hyakuya:...heh...you jerk...*wipes her eyes*

Kimizuki: "Me, a jerk? You're a jerk yelling at me like that..."

hyakuya: *laughs a bit* yeah, got me there....

Kimizuki: *small smile* "Then I win."

hyakuya:....*hug*

Kimizuki: "... ..." *pat pat, hug*

hyakuya:....*looks at him for a bit*

Kimizuki: *looks into her eyes*

hyakuya: kimizuki...i-

shinoa: *opens the door* hey guys~!

hyakuya: *YELLS AND PUNCHES KIMIZUKI IN THE FACE*

Kimizuki: "?!" X_X *knocked to the floor--flipping over the food tray onto Hyakuya*

hyakuya:......

shinoa: oh goodness. was i interrupting something~?

hyakuya:....nothing. nothing at all. -_-#

-elsewhere-

Jeje: "Johannes has not left the basement in days."

metsu: should i check on him?

Jeje: *hands her a taser* "Stay armed."

metsu: *nods* i need to bring him his dinner anyway.

Jeje: *nods, as he rummages through a box of vials*

metsu: *heading downstairs* johannes?

Johannes: *curled over his desk, looking at blood samples*

metsu:....i brought your dinner. *sets the tray down and collects the dishes from the last meal*

Johannes: "Huh? You say something?" *looks up--and has a long white beard*

metsu: ......... ._______.

Johannes: "What's with that look? ..." *glances down* "Oh, right--" *grabs the fake beard, rips--...then covers his mouth to let out a tortured scream* "I forgot the glue!!!"

metsu:........im not even going to ask. *heads upstairs*

Johannes: "Thank you for the meal! Bring down body wash!"

Jeje: *pulls out a vial...swirls its contents into a mug of hot chocolate*

-elsewhere-

Rin: *lies down*

-knock knock-

shiemi: rin? may i ask you something?

Rin: *sits up* "Hey, Shiemi--what's up?"

shiemi: well, pardon if it's intrusive, but i noticed you and yuki werent talking much during dinner....you two didnt have a fight, did you?

Rin: >_>; "That's...kind of personal. It's nothing..."

shiemi:....ok. well, good night.

Rin: *grunts* "Night..."

{Rin: "What brought this on?"}

{yukio: dont you want to know about our birth? according to the knight of true cross, she was the one who bore satan's sons, and most information on her is classified. but i want to know more about her...}

{Rin: "After what we've heard so far, and what we've gone through? No, it can't be a good story. Just knowing that she was a kind person is enough for me."}

{yukio: why are you trying to avoid this? dont you even care? this is our mother for god's sake!}

{Rin: "..." *frowns* "Why are you needing this so badly?"}

{yukio:......he...heheheh...haha...AHAHAHA!!}

{Rin: "?!!! Yuki? Wh-What's wrong?"}

{yukio: HAHAHAHA.....that's right....we can never truly change how we think, right? we're both right and both wrong......it's funny.....we're twins, yet we're total opposites....well....just....just forget we had this talk, ok? come on...the others are waiting...}

Rin: "...What the hell, bro."

-elsewhere-

gozo: <tatsuma, sir, are you in?>

Tatsuma: *reclining in a chair, a book resting on his lap* "???" <Yes?>

gozo:

Tatsuma: "..."

gozo: <nothing much yet, but we are researching it at the india branch's underground library. sadly, we havent yet found a way to summon a demon possessing another person.>

Tatsuma: <Hmm...> *holds up his book* <I'll have to finish this reading on exorcising Karura from Todo so to resummon...>

gozo: <there is a problem. based on renzou's observations from aomori on todo's appearance, it seems karura is bonding to its new vessel...>

Tatsuma: *sighs* <Then it is up to me to hurry. Thank you for this information. Please, continue your investigation.>

-elsewhere-

Fire: *yawns* *gets out of bed, looking out the window*

kim: .....

Jacqueline: "??? Fire?"

Fire: "I think I see something."

kim: ??

Fire: "I saw something glowing and moving in the forest."

kim: *looks to the others*

Jacqueline: "...Maybe wake the others." *nudges Kilik*

-elsewhere-

Kanin: *tucks Amelia in*

amelia: good night.

Kanin: "Good night, Amelia. I'll see you in the morning." *walks away...*

amelia:.......

Kanin: *gets to the door* "...Should I leave a light on, or...?"

amelia: im fine.

Kanin: "O-Okay...Good night." *closes the door*

-elsewhere-

Crona: *lying awake in bed* "..."

mami: *asleep*

Crona: ("It's so quiet now...I used to hear his voice even when he wasn't talking...It's hard to get used to.") *looks at Mami* "..." *hug*

mami: *she seems quite relaxed*

Crona: *closes their eyes, sighs quietly*

-morning-

Bon: *walking through the temple*

izumo: *cleaning*

Bon: "??? What, Mom has you working?"

izumo: i volunteered, for your information.

Bon: -_-; "Well, thanks--it's looking better."

-elsewhere-

Relan: *walking with his shoulder in a sling* *cringes*

iris: how are you feeling?

Relan: "The meds help, but it still hurts a lot."

iris: hmm...

Relan: "Enough of that--another day is ahead of us...How did the talk go with Mr. Fulham from the 1st?"

iris: well....

-she explains what happened-

Relan: "I'm so sorry. This can't be easy on everyone in the Church."

-elsewhere-

Yoichi: ^^ "Welcome back to work!"

hyakuya: morning.

shinoa: oh, that reminds me, riko's family invited us to their mansion for a celebration. ^^

Kimizuki: "What's to celebrate? We did our job..." *awkward glance at Hyakuya*

shinoa: they wanted to celebrate the return of their daughter, of course. so get your formal wear~

Yoichi: "Yay! ...I don't have really good formal wear, so I may need to shop a bit."

hyakuya: i dont have any formal wear!

Kimizuki: *sighs* "Looks like a few of us are shopping."

-elsewhere-

Monica: *in the cafe uniform* -_-# "Welcome. May I take your order?"

girl: i'll have a Frappuccino.

guy: do you still have the shamrock shakes?

Monica: "...It's June. Not March. So no. Is there something else you want to order?"

guy: can i have a mint green mocha then?

Monica: "..." *writes it onto a cup* "Sure. Name?"

-elsewhere-

Harvar: *looking at footprints* "Well, someone was here."

ox: or something....

Fire: .~.; "Like the thing we're supposed to find?"

kim: most likely...

Jacqueline: *following the steps' path--that lead to the edge of a cliff* "..."

-elsewhere-

*a man in a monocle opens his car door*

???: mr dragulsec i presume?

Dragulsec: "???" *turns--*

-WHAM-

*Dragulsec is knocked to the street*

Dragulsec: *groans, sitting up* "L-Lighting?!"

lewin: salutations, doc!

Dragulsec: "What the devil is wrong with you?!"

lewin: word on the street is you've got connections to the illuminati.

Dragulsec: "Balderdash! Your 'word' would tell you I already entered a contract that would prevent me from cooperating with them!"

lewin: but that's the mystery i need to solve. after all, not many people can get away with a massacre and stay in the same line of work for over a decade...

Dragulsec: "Absurd! Hollow reasoning! You have no idea how such a massacre continues to affect me!"

lewin: talk is cheap, doc. but i'll still need a bit of proof. teyonebuse and so on...

*something buzzes around Dragulsec, striking him*

Dragulsec: "GAAAH! Stop this!"

lewin:...mortem.

Dragulsec: *screams, as his collar is ripped*

lewin:....so _that's_ it, huh? welp. thanks for your time, doc. im gonna vamoose, as it were.

Dragulsec: *coughing* "Y-You won't get away with this! I'll report this! They'll lock you away, Lightning, you madman!"

lewin: funny you should say that. i intend to have you prosecuted~

-elsewhere-

Lucy: *waves to the cafe manager* "Hello!"

manager: good morning, lucy. ready to start the day?

Lucy: *smiles, nods* "Ready!" *grabs the apron* "I wonder how busy it'll get."

*the door opens*

manager: welcome.

Q: ^w^ *waves his doll's hand* "Hello!"

higuchi: *nods*

Lucy: ._.;

-elsewhere-

kirako: ok, i brought everyone's orders. ^^

Kyoka: "Thank you." *smiles*

Kunikida: "Thank you very much. That was very kind of you."

fukuzawa: .....

Kyoka: "...Sir? You aren't touching your food. Do you anticipate it is poisoned?"

fukuzawa: im more concerned for miss haruno.

kirako: sir, im fine, really.

Kunikida: "Did you make sure to buy a meal for yourself?"

kirako: just something light.

Kunikida: "I see..."

Kyoka: "Can always have my fortune cookie." *holds up hers*

kirako: thank you kyouka.

sylvia: *noms her food* t-thank you!

Kyoka: ^^

Kunikida: "How did your check-up go?"

kirako: well, i did get a good report.

Kunikida: "Oh? That's great."

-elsewhere-

nana: *intently staring at a book*

Ria marcelo: "It's okay--try saying it aloud."

nana: hmm......aaa....pp...ley?

Ria marcelo: "Apple?"

nana: yeah, this thing. *points to a picture of an apple in the book*

Ria marcelo: "Right. It's a fruit that comes in a variety of colors and flavors varying by sweetness and tartness."

nana: uhhhh.....huh?

Ria marcelo: "It's food."

nana: oh. ok.

Ria marcelo: "And it's a common word when learning English and other languages because it starts with the first letter in the alphabet, 'A.'"

nana: ah...which one is 'A'?

Ria marcelo: "The first letter." *circles the "A" in "apple" with her finger*

nana: oooh! i see.

Ria marcelo: "..." *small smile* "There are some other words that start with 'a,' too."

-elsewhere-

Kimizuki: *looking at ties* "Hmm...Red may be too intimidating."

shinoa: alright, we've picked out our dresses.

hyakuya: 7,7;

Yoichi: "Great! This'll be fun, like playing dress up!"

mitsuba: wouldnt be my first formal dinner party.

shinoa: same.

Yoichi: ^^; "I'm out of practice on formal dining etiquette."

mitsuba:...*glances at kimizuki*

Kimizuki: "Hmph. I'm familiar enough with the dining practices." *picks out a black tie*

-elsewhere-

Saria: *walks up to the counter* "Hello! I'll have--" O_O; *hides behind Lukas*

Monica: -_-# "Just give it to me."

lukas: um... ._.;

Monica: "SPIT IT OUT! I DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!"

Saria: >_< "Iced tea, please!"

-elsewhere-

kyouko: ......

Fujimoto: *reading, looks up* "Hey, kiddo--feeling a bit bored?"

kyouko: a bit stressed from studying and work, i guess. *sigh* i havent been this exhausted since working to pay off your medical bills.....

Fujimoto: "...You know, you had been saving up some money for a bit of travel..."

kyouko: ?? are you sure?

Fujimoto: *nods* "I think you need a break. Maybe I can help with your trip..."

kyouko: hmm.....

-elsewhere-

mami: feeling any better?

Crona: "Still lethargic, but less affected by whatever happened...Ragnarok has been a bit more unhinged but nowhere near as mindless when we were together."

mami: i see. do you need anything at the moment?

Crona: "...I'm kinda hungry." ^^; "Maybe pudding?"

mami: ok, two puddings coming up. ^^

Crona: "Thank you..." *looks out the window* "Maybe we could go out when I'm a little stronger."

mami: *nods*

*giggling is heard in the hallway*

mami: *looks*

Ragnarok: *in the apartment hallway, talking to a neighbor* "--then I said, 'It's supposed to be flat--it's roadkill!'"

old woman: ._.;;

Ragnarok: "So, how long you been living here? Since Peloponnesian or Trojan War?"

mami: hello mrs onozuka. he isnt bothering you is he?

mrs onozuka: hello mami, dearie. is he a friend of yours? ^^;

mami: more of a permanent house guest. 7_7;

mrs onozuka: that reminds me, how is chrona? i heard they were in the hospital.

mami: they're doing much better. i was actually about to make some food for them.

Ragnarok: "Not since they pulled me out of Cro--"

mami: *shoves ragnarok back inside*

Ragnarok: >_<# "You jerk! I'm making headway with that octogenarian!"

mrs onozuka: if you'd like, i could bring over some of my homemade ohagi. ^^

mami: that would be lovely, thank you. ^^

Ragnarok: "MAKE ME SOME TOO, MRS. O!"

-elsewhere-

kim: ugh...feels like we've been walking forever!

Jacqueline: *looking at the trail* "Maybe they are trying to confuse us--meandering."

kilik: ......

ox: *shivering*

Harvar: "This is the part in the horror film where someone gets pulled away screaming to their death."

ox: can you not? im cold enough as it is!

Thunder: *striking a stick along the trees*

-something growls-

Fire: O_O;

ox: EEK!

kim: ?!?

Harvar: *gets in front of Ox*

-something comes charging at them-

kim: jackie!

Jacqueline: "Right!" *transforms*

kilik: fire, thunder, let's go!

Fire and Thunder: *transform*

-a large green creature charges-

creature: *GRRAOOOOOOO*

Jacqueline: "!!!"

Fire + Thunder: "HOLY MOLEY!"

Harvar: "??? Are we in The Green?"

-the creature swings a fist at them-

Jacqueline: *lets out a fire in the air* "Get back, Kim!"

kim: *jumps back* jackie, blast it!

Jacqueline: *blasts it*

creature: *SCREECHES*

Thunder: "??? Are they upset we're on their land?"

kim: why dont we try asking it. OOOI! WHAT DO YOU WANT!

creature: *SHRIIEEEK*

ox: *dodging* ?? hey! there's something in it's back!

Harvar: *looks*

-in the creature's back is a black shard that looks like glass, but has an orange glow to it, similar to the creature's eyes-

Harvar: "Looks magic-y."

kim: *looks* !! we need to get it out!

Jacqueline: "Touching it directly may be dangerous. It may be safer to use a weapon to dig it out. I suggest using Harvar."

Harvar: -_-; "Thank you for your concern."

kim: and after we get it out, we need to destroy it.

kilik: you recognize it?

kim: *nods* it's a binding shard. witches use them to control living beings sometimes.

Jacqueline: "Who wants to be the distraction?"

kim: hey you big lug! over here! >XP

creature: *ROARS and attacks*

Jacqueline: "Oh boy..." *blasts up to let Kim fly over*

creature: *swings a fist at them*

Fire + Thunder: *charge up*

kilik: *runs at the creature*

Fire: "FIRE FIST!"

Thunder: "THUNDERSTRUCK!"

-SHAFWOOM-

creature: *SCREEEEEEEEEEEE*

Harvar: "Ox, now!"

ox: HYAAAH!!

*direct hit*

creature: *SCREEEEEEEEE*

Harvar: "Now get back!"

ox: *jumps back*

Jacqueline: "Kim, what happens now to it?"

kim: we need to smash the shard!

Fire: "Punch it!"

-POW-

-SHATTER-

Thunder: ^o^

-the beast stops. then a blue light appears in it's eyes, staring at them-

Jacqueline: "Did it work?"

Harvar: "No, the beast got contact lenses."

Jacqueline: -_-#

-the creature looks at them, letting out a low growl, as if to say 'thank you', then walks off-

Fire: "Bye bye!"

kim: well, i think that's case closed...

kilik: guys....i think that thing may have been the forest guardian...

Thunder: "Huh--that would make a lot of sense."

kim: i thought forest guardians looked like huge bucks?

kilik: in some cases, they do. the appearance of the guardian changes depending on the state of the forest it protects.

Jacqueline: "So this mossy forest..."

kim:...we should probably go now.

-elsewhere-

Black Star: *huffs, puffs* "...OKAY! AGAIN!"

Hyde: *operating a wrecking ball* "Okay!" *swings the wrecking ball--*

Black Star: *stares...pulls back his fist, and--*

*CRACK*

tsubaki: what on earth?!

licht: idiocy. idiocy is happening.

Black Star: *knocks the freaking wrecking ball away--as it flies off the chain and towards Licht and Tsubaki*

ochako: *gravities the chain and sends it up*

Hyde: "Woot! Look at that sucker fly!"

Black Star: "Damn! I can't believe I knocked that thing away! Looks like I'm getting this strength thing under control!"

Fitzgerald: "THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING WITH MY WRECKING BALL?!"

Hyde: "..." *runs for it*

ochako: YEEP!!

Mr. Uraraka: "Oh, hey kids! Careful on the equipment."

Fitzgerald: *picks up a pebble, throws it--and it smashes Hyde into the ground*

ochako: D8>

licht: ?!?!?

Hyde: *buried*

Fitzgerald: "Hmph. Not even worth $25."

-elsewhere-

Tetsutetsu: *staring at the list* "So many flavors...So many desserts..."

pony: they all sound so delish!

Sen: "Hmm...Maybe just something simple--like fudge ripple..."

Tetsutetsu: *staring at the sundaes*

Yosetsu: "Just a little bit before our training kicks into high gear!"

nirengeki: maybe i'll just get something small.

reiko: i suppose i'll treat myself to the chocolate fudge.

tokage: you sure, yanagin? it's a bit pricey.

reiko: *nods*

Hiryu: "Ibara, you want anything?"

ibara: i'll just have vanilla.

kinoko: dude, that's rad.

Hiryu: *nods* "That red velvet is calling my attention..."

-elsewhere-

mina: you think horses have dreams?

Jirou: "??? Probably. Animals make noises when they sleep and all..."

mina: what do you think they dream about?

eijiro: horse stuff i guess?

Hagakure: "Like winning the Derby?"

mina: maybe.

-elsewhere-

Todoroki: "??? What happened to your friend?"

Hyde: X___X

ochako: antics happened. ^^;

licht: *staring at todoroki*

Todoroki: "...Oh. Hello, um, 'bro.'"

licht: hello again brother, angel of the frozen flame.

Todoroki: -_-; "Not the moniker I intend to use for superheroism, but poetic."

-elsewhere-

Rin: *sitting under bamboo, has a monkey on his head* "I don't see what the big deal is..." *hands a grape up to the monkey* "The baby isn't out yet, so you still got time..."

Monkey: ^w^ *eating*

izumo: i guess they wanted so celebrate anyway.

Rin: "Yeah, but I mean his panicking over something that isn't happening yet--still got time to learn diapering, burping, cholic, warming up milk--"

izumo: how do you know about all this stuff?

Rin: "The old man kept seeing mothers all the time, so someone had to look after the kids while he was doing whatever with them."

izumo: i see...

Bon: "What a mother."

-elsewhere-

#death city days

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