[You leave the lab!] * Haruko holds out the map to Taki. "We'll start at Seiryuu and work our way out in a grid. If anything looks vaguely familiar, mark it on the map. Okay?" * Taki nods and takes the map. She looks over it once before stuffing it in her backpack. * Haruko walks to her bike. * Taki opens her umbrella when she gets outside and follows Haruko. * Haruko doesn't open an umbrella. She gets a bit wet, but the larger drops tend to swerve a bit rather then hitting her. Uhm... Haruko? * Haruko glances over. "Yes?" Ca... Can we stop by ... my apartment? So ... I can get something ... a bit warmer and waterproof? Want my jacket? * Taki sweeps her free hand down to indicate her school skirt and mostly bared legs. [Outside, you find two people! Akari Toshibara, from before, and a new girl pinned against a tree. Said new girl is... plain looking, to put it nicely. She's short black hair, parted down the middle, and brown eyes. She's wearing a long-sleeved jacket and a long skirt. She also has a rather pained expression on her face, what with being pinned against a tree by Akari's tentacles and all.] (I take it neither one of us recognizes her?) * Haruko murmurs. "Blast." And runs over to the two. "Akari!" (Is it the girl from the picture?) [It is, in fact, the girl from the picture. Which can mean only one thing: Akari's assaulting a famous actress!] (Gasp!) (Not even celebrities are safe. ;_:) [Akari looks over her shoulder. "Oh, hey! I found her!" She smiles cheerfully, as though nothing's wrong. She turns back to the other girl. "So, are you going to tell me?" The tentacles constrict, and the other girl grimaces.] * Taki blinks, and then blinks again. She starts to wisper something to Haruko, but by this time Haruko's left, so she chases after her. * Haruko keeps a matter of fact tone. "Akari, she's a classmate of ours so under our group's protection. If she's given you good reason to use violence, okay, but if not I'm afraid you'll have to fight us too." [Satoshi shows about now, too.] [Akari looks back over her shoulder. "You're not much of a comedian."] * Satoshi blinks, then runs over. "Hey! What's going on here?" * Taki 's eyes widen and she stops running and instead tries to dig something out of her backpack, while holding her umbrella up. * Haruko glances over to Satoshi and looks slightly relieved. She drops to a defensive stance and looks back to Akari. "I take that to mean you're not going to explain or stop." [Akari glances at Haruko again. "Wait, you mean you're serious?"] Serious about what? * Haruko nods. "Yeah." She glances to Satoshi for a moment. "I'm telling Akari we protect this school." She looks back to Akari. "If you've got good reason, we'll listen. If not, we fight. I'm not going to try to order you around, it's your choice." * Satoshi eyes Haruko. "Look, Haruko, I know *you* think you're in a gang, but don't speak for the rest of us." Then he looks at Akari. "However... can't you just *talk* to her? Is *that* really necessary? You could be scaring her so badly she can't even say anything." ["Protect? What are you some kinda gang? You don't look anything like the Jackals." Akari snickers. "But okay. I'll tell you."] (No, more like a poorly paid, frequently ignored or spat upon security service.) [Akari shrugs. "*I* wanted to talk."] (We're con volunteers? ouch.) (*snerk*) (We're con volunteers. Yes.) (It's a thankless job, but somebody's gotta do it.) (Yup, right down to the fact that occasionally we leave an unexplained body in the street.) (...what cons have *you* been going to?) (ACen.) (Naw. Katsukon. See what you miss Kate!) (Bodies, apparently.) (I hear bodies is good lootin'.) * Haruko nods and looks over to the other girl. "And you didn't want to talk to her?" (This is not an RP... wait. Carry on.) [Akari smirks as the tentacles constrict more. "Don't worry. She will when I'm done with her."] (Hey, is there a field here? Because this might not be the kind of thing she wants people to see.) * Haruko looks back to Akari. "Did she attack you, or is she guilty of something? Or she just shy?" * Taki just stands back and tries to work out what's going on. * Haruko also notes if the strangled girl tries to reply at all. [She's very much so not replying.] (Because she can't?) (Is it because she *can't* due to the strangling, or is she just not trying?) [Akari: "She knows something about that guy with the scythe."] ( She's not trying ) * Satoshi sends to Haruko: ~I'm gonna try and read the girl she has pinned. She could be Arcana.~ * Satoshi sends to Haruko: ~Also, there's a field up. I assume it's Akari's.~ * Satoshi keeps his link with Haruko up until after she responds. ~Dang, that's almost a good reason~ ~Go for it~ ~If she's a friend of his I'm not sure I~ ~No, if she's not been violent, she doesn't deserve this.~ * Taki takes a few steps twords the tree. "... I... don't think this... is the best way to ask." * Satoshi sends to Taki: ~Field up.~ * Satoshi shifts to trying to read the pinned girl. * Haruko nods. "Well, he is quite the violent one. We've had a run in with him ourselves. But unless she's actually guilty of more than association, I'm afraid we'll still have to fight. So has she done anything?" Haruko actually does sound sorry but resolute. [Akari glares at Haruko. "Do you know who you're talking to? You don't mess with the Jackals."] (Sorry, Akari, but we've messed with people a lot more psychotic than you.) (Yeah, who do you think managed to take down The Band?) * Satoshi sends to Haruko: ~I can read her, but all she's saying is that she came here to escape and she won't talk.~ * Haruko looks back. "No, I don't. I won't go to your turf and cause trouble. And if you wanted to go after the guy with the scythe or anyone that attacks you first, more power to you. But, respectfully, I will insist on defending our fellow students." Haruko keeps the defensive stance. * Taki nods. [Akari glares at Haruko. She releases the girl, who falls to her knees coughing. Akari then walks towards the gates of the school. "Shame. I thought we could be friends. I'll remember this."] * Haruko keeps a resolute tone. "I'm sorry." She then looks to the released girl and reaches out her hand. "If you let me, I can heal you." * Taki looks at Akari for a moment and then looks away. * Satoshi sighs and watches Akari go. [Akari's tentacles dart out at the girl. She shrieks as they rip off her shirt, and falls clutching at herself. But the reason she wars the long clothes becomes apparent: Her body is covered in tattoos.] (She's Yakuza!) (Can Haruko defend her at all with the shield?) [Akari smirks over her shoulder as her tentacles withdraw into her back. "So much for your secret. Enjoy the view."] Hey! * Satoshi blushes and looks away. ( Bit late for that ^^;; ) * Haruko takes off her coat and offers it to the girl. "Here. You can put this on for now." * Haruko 's tone is sympathetic and she kneels down next to her as she says it. [She grabs at it hastily, clutching it around her shoulders.] * Taki glares at Akari and seems much more awake than she has been in a while. "You didn't have to do that." [Everyone gimme mind rolls!] [Akari smiles at Taki as she disappears around the corner of the school wall. "No, I didn't. Think about *that* next time you get in a Jackal's way."] [Haruko and Satoshi get a good enough look at the girl's tattoos to see why they might be banned: There's a variety of things tattooed onto her, but the naked men and women kind of stand out from the other stuff.] * Taki continues to glare at the corner for a bit and then she just looses focus and turns around to look. * Haruko blushes slightly at the tattoos, but doesn't comment. * Taki rubs her eyes with her free hand and then comes closer. I... I ... Think I've... but I couldn't. * Haruko glances oddly at Taki and then looks back to the girl. "C'mon, we'll walk you to somewhere you can get a new outfit. Are you hurt?" Haruko offers a hand up. * Satoshi blushes even harder when he realizes what the tatoos are *of*. (Prude.) ( Naked woman... naked woman with pictures of other naked women... two naked women... Taki and Katie...) (There are naked men on there too.) (In reality, Arcana's all about the Satoshi/Kaede/Kyon love triangle.) (I figure those aren't the focus of Satoshi's blushing.) (Everybody loves yaoi!) (True, he hasn't had to make a certain soul roll.) [She clutches the coat about herself as she rises. "I'm fine... Thanks for the coat. I'll get it back to you." She quickly makes her way towards the gate!] * Haruko nods and bows at the departing girl. "I'm Haruko Kinsha, a third year." She gives a quick description of where the locker meeting placee is. [She rushes off!] * Satoshi sends to Haruko. ~All she's saying now is to leave her alone.~ (Arcana has the most ungrateful people ever.) (Yes.) * Taki looks up at Satoshi. "Uhm..." ~Figures~ ~She better give back that jacket, I'll miss it when I ride~ ~Everyone around scyther seems to be loners~ * Satoshi looks at Taki. "Yes?" * Haruko thinks for a moment, not to be repeated unless Satoshi is listening, and focuses a bit more on keeping the rain off of her. (He's not listening.) * Taki blushes and looks away from Satoshi several times while she speaks."Her... tattoos... They're... I mean they're of ... and... that's not... They're the cards too." Really? I, uh, didn't really get a good look. ^^; * Haruko then gets out her phone and types up a quick text message to both Kaede and Katie. We protected Yuki Ijumi from Akari's bullying. No fight, but Jackals may want one later. * Haruko grins a bit and comments quietly. "Ah, I didn't put it together. Nice one Taki! Guess she's got the kind of deck Hirokazu likes." * Taki looks down. "I... er... thanks." * Haruko chuckles. "Well, do you want to swing by your apartment for clothes, or are you guys not feeling up to doing the watchers now?" Do you think we have time? * Haruko shrugs. "It is getting late and it isn't that urgent." * Taki checks her watch. (A: is it moving? B: What time is it about?) * Haruko looks off into the distance. "Well, we were probably going to have to fight the Jackals sooner or later. I just hope they back off once they see we can hold our own." ... Ha... has that ever worked? * Satoshi just sighs. (And I need to go soon, but it looks like things are wrapping up here.) [It's roughly 5:00.] Well, the Jackals don't seem to be the obsessive type. They just like fighting. * Taki nods slightly. "But... Saki." * Haruko grins. "I put that in the whatever makes them happy category." She then hmms. "Which reminds me, I should call Eriko and see if she wants to hang out this weekend." * Katie responds, sending a text message to Haruko! It's the end of the world. ok. still looking at watchers? (It's Saturday.) (Right, well, there's the evening and Sunday.) (When you have class on Saturday, Saturday daytime isn't weekend.) * Haruko replies on her phone. Doesn't look like it. It's getting late, Taki's tired, and the rain is bothering her. * Taki looks up at Haruko. "... It's late." * Haruko nods. "Want me to give you a ride home?" (What sort of a lunatic wants to ride a motorcycle in the dark, in the rain, in a skirt?) * Haruko gives a quick apologetic look to Satoshi, but he looks less miserable. (One that wants to get home fast. :P) We can try again tomorrow, or Monday. * Haruko nods. (Or if you're Haruko, when wouldn't you want to ride? ^_~) * Taki nods. "Or after dinner... I'm not going to get anywhere in that book tonight." * Katie types back, after a long few minutes: yorihisa's taking time. still waiting. stuff to do tonight after waiting as long as i can, so won't be home. Okay, will you want a ride to the apartment then? * Haruko replies to Katie. Good luck! Please let me know how it goes. * Taki listens to the rain for a bit and then nods. "Wh... what are you going to do Satoshi?" * Katie replies a little faster. Seems she's getting the hang of this! Or it's just short. ok. movie on sunday? Want to get dinner somewhere? * Haruko thinks for a moment. Should work. Beer? ;) Sure. * Taki blinks at Satoshi. "... My dad..." What about him? He... I ... shouldn't let him cook. Well, would he mind having us over? * Katie responds: ha. maybe. I could help. * Taki shakes her head. "... I don't think so... and thanks." * Haruko grins as she looks at her phone. [End!]