* Saki lashes out suddenly, gripping Haruko's neck with one hand. She sits up, 
wincing, but glaring. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't crush your neck like an 
empty can."
* Haruko looks shocked and winces slightly but then finds herself again, she 
speaks quietly but forcefully. "It's my fault you were shot. He controlled me, 
yes I'm weak because of that. And I'm probably a fool for coming. But even when 
I was under his power I tried to haul you to safety afterwards. So judge me as 
you will."
* Haruko winces at that and calls out to the other room.
* Saki glares, but then finally drops her hand. Whether it's because of what 
Haruko said or because she just doesn't have the energy to do anything right now 
is anyone's guess. In fact, she can't even sit up any longer, and falls back 
down.
* Haruko keeps up the conversation while she's at this.
<Satoshi> (So.  In doorway.  Glaring.)
* Haruko looks up as if oddly enough she's not all that intimatible at the 
moment. "Guessing. Did I say that I'd see them? Did I even do more than think 
about the possibility?"
<Satoshi> You sounded pretty damn certain to me.
<Haruko> It's how I think Satoshi.  ::she sighs:: Is changing how I act, whether 
I guess, how strong evidence I need before I speak not enough for you?
* Haruko keeps healing Saki while she's speaking to Satoshi. She doesn't break 
eye contact with him though.
* Satoshi sighs and leans back against the doorway. In a remarkably Kaede-like 
gesture, he rubs his forehead. "No, I just... I thought you *knew*. And I got 
all worried there, and I was ready to head back out that door to go save them, 
and Kaede was going to go with me even though he's in *no* shape to do that. 
Because we wouldn't leave anyone there."
* Haruko nods. "If I was right the cops are there by now, they'll be okay." She 
looks over Saki's wounds for a moment before turning back to Satoshi. "I know 
the way I think can be hard for you, but I don't think I can change it. If you 
ever need to dig deeper or just eavesdrop a while to get a feel I give you full 
permision."
<Satoshi> I wouldn't ask you to change the way you think.  I just... well, next 
time I'll ask for confirmation before going off on something.
<Satoshi> Sorry.
* Satoshi turns to go.
<Haruko> Wait.  You don't need to apologize.  None of us were top tonight.  And 
if you hadn't told me, I wouldn't have learned that I should try to be explicit 
between what I know and what I think when you're in my head.
* Satoshi turns back and nods. "Okay. I guess that's one good thing to come out 
of this."
<Haruko> Got the headband?
<Satoshi> Yeah, it's in the living room.  Want me to go get it?
* Haruko shakes her head. "Just be sure it's safe, I'll be here a while."
<Satoshi> Okay.
* Satoshi heads out.
* Haruko goes back to tending to Saki, making contact more directly with the 
skin by the bullet wounds. She says softly to herself "Good work Katie."
* Saki grimaces. It's not even clear if she's conscious or not.
* Haruko speaks in a somewhat quiet tone of voice. "This will take more than a 
day I think. If you feel like strangling me again next time I come you've earned 
the right."
* Katie walks in like she owns the place. Glance at Haruko, then Saki, and then 
she's rooting in her closet and dresser for a clean change of clothes.
* Haruko looks back. "Who should I tend to next you think?"
<Katie> Kaede, then Satoshi.  Taki's after that.  She's hurt, but mostly 
drained.
* Haruko nods. "How are you?"
* Katie starts to head out, then pauses at those words. She thinks them over.
<Katie> Clear.
* Katie looks Haruko in the eyes. "For once, I feel like I'm so sane, I must be 
crazy."
* Haruko keeps eye contact. "I thought that might happen, I just didn't imagine 
it would be like this."
* Katie shrugs.
<Katie> I just want it to stop.
* Katie goes to shower!
* Haruko sighs and looks back to Saki. "It won't. Not even once the worst of 
them are dead."
* Haruko finishes healing Saki for the day. "I'm going to go look after the 
others. If you need any care or medication just call. I'll be able to do more in 
about a day."
* Haruko heads out after giving Saki one last lookover.
<Brett> [Haruko realizes that, ignoring the bandages around her chest, Saki's 
technically topless.]
* Haruko made a mental note that she's probably never going to be considered for 
the school modeling contest but didn't react in any other way.
* Katie steps back into her room, sometime later, and starts putting away the 
dirty clothes. She wrinkles her nose. It smells *awful*.
<Brett> [Katie realizes Saki's eyes are open and following her.]
* Katie keeps herself busy. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"
<Saki> Probably.
* Katie nods. She turns, heading to a dresser to pick up a brush, then starts 
working out the tangles in her hair. "You can stay for another two days, or so, 
if you need to. My parents aren't coming back soon."
* Saki shakes her head. "No offense, but I'm out of here as soon as I can walk."
<Saki> Gotta find out what happened to my bike.
<Katie> I thought so.  And I don't know where I was, really.
* Katie frowns. "I don't... remember. The last twenty hours?"
* Saki turns her head to looks at the ceiling. "Some stupid kid's basement."
* Katie sighs, then grimaces and clutches the side of her head. She sinks into 
her chair. "<Damnit,>" she whispers in English. "I hate not remembering."
* Saki laughs. "Yeah. Me too."
* Katie lets out a heavy sigh. "Get shot before?"
<Saki> Not... so badly.
* Katie nods. "Haruko healed you as much as she could. It speeds things up, but 
I don't know if you'll be out of here tomorrow. He almost hit a lung."
<Katie> If you're not, I'm going to have to explain things to Ryuji and Eriko.
<Saki> ... That would've sucked.
* Katie chuckles. "Yeah. Then we'd have to take you to the hospital."
<Saki> That also would've sucked.
<Katie> You don't like white very much, do you?
* Saki blinks. "Huh?
* Katie shakes her head. "Nothing." She gets to her feet, brush still in hand.
<Katie> I'll let you rest.
* Saki gives Katie a confused look, then shrugs it off. Which she quickly 
regrets, since the shrugging motion causes her to wince.
* Katie gets a faint smile. "And don't do that."
<Saki> I'll try not to.
<Katie> Let me know if you need anything.  It looks like we'll be roomies, and I 
know where everything is in this house.
* Katie 's eyes twinkle. "Unlike Haruko."
<Saki> ... Could use a drink.
<Katie> Sure.  Anything in particular?
<Saki> Beer.
<Katie> I don't know if that's good for you right now, but I think we've got 
some in the fridge.
* Katie finishes untangling her hair, sets her brush down, and walks off.
* Katie enters once again. Now with alkyhol! She checks to see that Saki's still 
awake.
* Saki is! She looks more bored than in pain. Or in pain from being so bored.
* Katie pops open the beer. "Bottle or glass?"
* Saki groans and painfully pulls herself into a sitting position. "Bottle."
* Katie holds it out to her. "Don't hurt yourself."
* Saki chuckles as she takes it. "Been through worse." She takes a swing, and 
doesn't stop to breath for almost a full minute.
<Katie> You're not the only one.
* Katie waits half a moment, then chides, "Don't drown, either."
* Saki shakes her head. "I've had enough practice."
* Katie sticks her tongue out a little, then flops into her chair again and lets 
Saki drink.
* Saki drinks. Does she ever.
* Katie is silent for a bit, then she speaks up with, "Would you know how to 
stop the Chariot, or is he as good as invincible to you?"
* Saki laughs. "If I knew how to do that, he'd be dead."
* Katie nods.
<Katie> Ryo.  Do you know anything about him?  Besides that he's an annoying 
brat who throws around energy waves.
* Saki shakes her head. "Never seen him before."
* Katie sighs. "Okay." She rubs at her eyes. "He claims he's Sho's brother."
* Saki blinks. "Who?" She thinks about it as she takes another drink. "Oh. That 
guy."
<Katie> Yeah.
<Katie> I don't know if they're working together or what.  Ryo showed up one day 
and asked me and Kaede to join up with him.
* Katie pauses for a moment. "I guess he asked the... other... the one who 
looked like me the same thing, and she stabbed him, because I don't remember 
doing it."
* Saki finishes the bottle. "He didn't ask the other me. He's still got all his 
limbs."
<Katie> Yeah.  I guess mine isn't as hungry.
* Katie eyes Saki's empty bottle.
* Saki follows Katie's eyes, then holds it out. "Oh. Here."
* Katie takes it. "You're settled, then?"
* Saki nods. "It'll do."
<Katie> Okay.  Don't need them wondering where it's gone.
* Katie gets to her feet and walks out again, this time with an empty beer 
bottle!