[Day: Friday, January 31st. Time: 2:50 P.M.] [Weather: Sunnier than it has been, but still plenty of snow on the ground. It's cold.] [Yesterday, the group spent the day tracking Saki, only to get dragged into a fight with a bunch of drug-dealing goons. After, Kyon attempted to gain an alliance with Saki, who neither accepted nor declined, instead telling them to go to the roof today after class. But will the group actually brave the adventure to the roof?] [Find out right now, on Arcana... Session Start!] [Conveniently, you all run into each other in the hall.] * Meimi eyes Kyon. Heya, Meimi. * Satoshi nods to Kyon. Hiya, Sato. * Kyon leans against a wall, wearing his jacket, his sports bag at his feet. He looks over both of them, nodding tersely to both. You guys ready? * Satoshi takes a deep breath. Ready as I'll ever be, I guess. Where's Jiro? I don't know... I wish he was here, though. * Kyon pushes himself off the wall. "Yeah. Should be fine." He glances around the halls for Jiro, and shrugs. * Kyon leans down, and hefts his sports bag. "If he doesn't show, then just going up's best." Yeah. He knows where we'll be, and Saki's not really the type of person I'd want to keep waiting. Still... I'd swear she knew we were planning something yesterday. She did. Let's go. * Kyon shrugs, walking down the hall as he talks. "We tailed her all day. She could've figured that out." * Satoshi follows. "I meant before that. When she was leaving." * Meimi walks along calmly, eyes half closed. I'm almost certain she looked straight at us when she passed us... and I don't like the look she gave. I'm just saying... be on your guard, y'know. Not that I have to tell you two that. Dont' worry about me, after all, I've got eyes in the back of my head. * Meimi turns her head so Sato can see them. ^_~ Heh. Very funny, Meimi. * Kyon smirks. "Nah. Like I'd trust her now." ^_^_v [So, they head to the roof! There's a bit of snow near the sides, but most of it was swept off the roof last night. Eriko and Ryuji are there; Saki is not.] * Kyon comes onto the roof, and looks them over mistrustfully. "Where's the biker girl?" * Eriko is squatting on the ground smoking a cigarette, while Ryuji stands with both hands on the pommel of his katana. * Satoshi nods to Eriko and Ryuji. * Eriko looks up at Kyon. "She's not here." * Kyon rocks back on his heels, and scowls. "You're here for her?" * Ryuji smiles, speaking ever so calmly. "You could say that." * Satoshi folds his arms and waits. * Kyon nods curtly. "Right. You know what she was talking about with us?" To an extent. She informed us that you might be interested in an 'alliance', as you put it. * Eriko scowls a bit, drops her cigarette, stamps it out, and lights another. * Kyon rolls his shoulders, and nods shortly. "Yeah. It seems like a good idea. There's a common enemy." * Satoshi frowns angrily. * Ryuji nods. "I suppose you could put it that way." I want these people stopped. For what they did to Taki... * Ryuji nods. "As do we." * Kyon nods sidewise towards Satoshi, and smirks. "So? What do you say? Going to tell us more?" * Ryuji nods. "What little we know." * Kyon motions with his hands for Ryuji to start. "These dealers have been active, much more than the news realizes. The police have been looking into it, but they have their hands full with the recent disappearances." * Satoshi grimaces at the mention of the disappearances, but decides not to say anything. From what we've been able to uncover, there's at least two groups spreading the drug around. The reason so much is going around is, more than likely, the multiple groups are fighting for control. OH, wonderful. Great. So we've got a terratorial fight going on too? * Ryuji nods. "That is the most probably circumstance, yes." * Kyon shakes his head. "Great. Any ideas who these groups are?" And do they get it from separate sources? * Ryuji looks to Kyon, "None." and than Satoshi, "It's likely. From what we can tell, it's different drugs, but similar effects." * Kyon blows out a breath. "Are they making it, or are there suppliers?" I don't know. * Kyon nods tersely. "How about how big these groups might be?" No idea. It could be anything from two large groups to a hundred street gangs. We're not that lucky. * Satoshi 's eyes widen. "Shit..." It's two or three large groups. It doesn't particularly matter. A hundred street gangs would be too much going in our favor, and besides, I doubt they'd have the resources to wage a large scale war. But it is not a war. Not a conventional one, at least. * Kyon looks sidewise at Meimi. "Yeah. It'd probably have to be only a couple groups. Too few people to sell to for much more than that." You'd be surprised what a gang can do. So it's an unconventional war. And I wouldn't underestimate any of them. It's a hidden war, more like. Not so different from two corporations fighting for control of a monopoly. * Kyon looks over at Ryuji. "Right. Any idea why they'd want to control? What do these drugs do?" That, I can tell you. Though I don't doubt you'll be unpleased when you hear. So what is it? Mind control. * Eriko stands up, taking a big puff on her cigarette. * Satoshi blinks. "That... that actually makes sense." * Kyon shoots her a cool look. "Mind control? By who? The dealers?" * Satoshi looks at Meimi. "Think about those thugs that attacked us the other day. They certainly weren't in control of themselves." Mmm. * Eriko looks at Kyon. "It's not really mind control. What the drugs do is increase physical prowress while giving you a high feeling, like heroin. But what the users don't realize is how powerful the addiction is. That's where it's mind control. They come back, willing to do anything to get more. Oh, so it's indirect. But the people using it really seem out of it. * Kyon shakes his head. "That sounds like normal junkie addiction." Normal junkies can still think for themselves. Some of them can actually kick the addiction occasionally. But not with this one. * Satoshi clenches a fist. "These people are monsters!" * Kyon nods thoughtfully. "Can they switch from one type to the other?" * Eriko holds up her cigarette. "Compared to those things, these are a cinch to give up." We don't know. What's in it for them? Do they just enjoy playing with people like bugs? Money, power, whatever. * Eriko shrugs. "Your own private servants, lots of money, people willing to die for you... What's not in it for them?" There's nothing so great about having a lot of money. Or being famous. And I'd never want anybody to die for me. That's you, Sato. ... Well, I can think of a few things to do with money like that. You're not the average person, let alone the average drug boss. * Kyon nods, and smirks at Satoshi. "Think worse of people, kid." * Satoshi ignores the "kid" comment. "I think I'm gonna have to." * Satoshi sighs. Okay, so these people are screwing other people over for money. Or power. Or crap like that. So what are we going to do about it? We're gonna find them and stop them, silly. * Kyon looks back over at Eriko and Ryuji, smirk firmly in place. "Right. And you know it's out there, but not who's selling it. The biker girl seemed to know, though. She not share?" She doesn't know. Saki has been able to find individual dealers, but not the source. Well, if she keeps going after the dealers, the source is bound to find her. * Satoshi mutters, "If it hasn't already..." * Kyon shrugs. "She seems like she can take care of herself." Perhaps that's her plan. I'm sure *she* thinks she can take care of it. She can. * Eriko lights up another cigarette. If they send everything they've got after her? * Kyon shrugs. "Fine. So, they're out there, and we'll find them. Take out enough low level people, the higher ones show." * Kyon nods tersely at Satoshi. "Which is the next point. What about an alliance?" * Eriko nods to Satoshi. "I know Saki. She can take on anything they throw at her." Even bullets? * Ryuji nods to Kyon. "Working together would benefit us, I suppose. But you know it will be dangerous, correct?" Anything. * Satoshi blinks. * Kyon shrugs disinterestedly. "It's dangerous either way. And easier this one." * Ryuji nods. "I simply felt obligated to warn you." * Kyon waves a hand. "Right. I get it. And you all come with the biker girl, too?" * Eriko blinks, then frowns. "What's that supposed to mean?" (Buy one, get two free!) * Kyon shrugs. "I just want to know if by allying with you, I get your allies. Just like you can work with mine." * Eriko drops her cigarette. "Look, we don't need your help--" * Ryuji holds a hand outwards, interrupting. "There's no harm in it. Although as to what allies you'll 'get', it's just us." * Ryuji glances to Eriko out of the corner of his eyes. "Or perhaps I should say, just me?" * Eriko mumbles, "Fine. Whatever." She storms past the group without looking, down the stairs. * Kyon nods tersely, and looks from Ryuji down past her, and back. "Right. Anything else you want to share, then? She didn't seem like she did." I suppose I should mention not to talk about Saki in a negative light in Eriko's presence. Okay... * Kyon raises an eyebrow and smirks. "What, does she worship the ground she walks on?" Hey, you wanna ask questions like that, talk to Chikako about a gossip column. * Ryuji closes his eyes and smiles. "Something like that." So... what now? * Kyon ignores Meimi, and shrugs. "Whatever. So. Anything you need from me now?" Nothing in particular. * Kyon leans down and hefts the bag. "Right. Find anything, let me know." Very well. * Satoshi nods. * Kyon turns, waves dismissively back over his shoulder, and heads back down the stairs. Thanks. * Ryuji nods. * Meimi waves a little and follows Sato out. [And down the stairs, they go!] * Kyon stalks down the hallways towards the newspaper office. * Satoshi follows, deep in thought. [The newspaper office is still standing! Yay!] * Kyon gets to it, and heads inside. [Inside, Chikako is at the editor's desk, because she's the editor and all. Katie is also there.] Katie! Hey! How are you feeling? * Satoshi grins. * Katie blinks up at the group from her seat by the desk. She doesn't look that terrible, but a box of tissues is nearby, and she's holding one of them in her hand. * Chikako looks up and waves. "I've been great! It's so cool!" Um... better? Sorry about not being at school, but I came down with something. * Meimi sighs in relief. * Katie giggles at Chikako. "My parents made me stay home because of a small fever. It's gone now, I think." * Satoshi nods. "Well, I'm glad you felt well enough to come back." * Katie smiles at Satoshi. "Thanks." She also takes this opportunity to sneeze. Uh, whatever that word is. * Kyon drops his bag, and leans agains the wall near the door, looking coolly over the bunch of them before letting his gaze rest on Katie. "Right. No time to be sick." * Chikako nods enthusiastically. "The dance is tomorrow night, after all!" * Satoshi frowns. "Yeah, a lot's happened, even if you haven't... tomorrow?" * Chikako nods. "Yeah. It'll be cool! ... Taki won't be there, though. That's not so cool." * Satoshi sighs. * Katie looks over at Kyon and sneezes again. "'Course not. And it is?" She glances at Meimi. I tried to get them to postpone it, but they said it wasn't possible. * Meimi blinks. * Meimi turns red. Oh no! Yeah, I guess they have all that stuff scheduled ahead of time. Dammit. * Satoshi looks over at Meimi. "You forgot, didn't you?" * Kyon shrugs, and nods tersely. "Postponing it for one person just couldn't work." * Meimi sweatdrops. Then again, it's not like we had much of a chance yesterday. Yeah, I did. It would have been cool if they did, though. I wish they would have. Guess there's no point in me going, is there? Sure there is! It'll be cool! * Katie looks mildly confused, then she blinks and turns to Meimi. "Wait. You didn't ask?" * Satoshi looks at Chikako and shakes his head. "I'm not going to be in much of a dancing mood." The dance isn't until the night, so you've still got time to ask someone out. Cool, huh? * Kyon smirks at Satoshi. "Come anyway. Never know if someone else will lose their date. And if they don't, we'll have someone to watch." * Meimi sweatdrops again. Ah, we sorta got caught up in something, and I forgot to ask him. * Satoshi sighs. "Well, I was gonna go by myself in the first place anyway... and I can make it up to Taki later." Meimi! * Katie pouts. ^_^; Hey, it's not every day we get jumped by a half dozen thugs! * Chikako grins at Satoshi. "Don't worry, It'll be cool!" * Satoshi reddens slightly as he realizes that this means he'll actually have to ask her out this time. * Katie coughs. "" she remarks as she coughs again. "Thugs? Why?" * Satoshi sobers. "Yeah. Thugs." * Chikako grins and pulls out a notepad and pencil. "Yeah, why?" They were part of this whole drug thing. And don't you start writing an article yet, Chikako, we don't have enough info. I'll have it on your desk as soon as I've got it put together. * Chikako grins. "That's enough info right there. Cool!" She takes notes. So, where did it happen? In a really cool place for a showdown, I hope? Chikako, don't. Please? * Kyon heads over to Chikako's desk, and leans down over it, smirking. "Really, I'll tell you more later. Give me a paper?" * Katie shakes her head and grabs another tissue. She sneezes. * Chikako sighs. "Fine. It's cool. But I'm only doing it 'cause you asked." She hands Kyon a copy of today's paper. "Here you go." * Kyon takes it, and starts scanning it. * Satoshi thinks of something. "Hey, Chikako, have you seen Shingo lately?" Who? The kid who made Ken back down back at the beginning of the year. Shingo. The kid who hung out with us for a while. We haven't seen him in a couple of days. * Chikako scratches her head. "Someone made Ken... You mean Jiro? They had a fight, I think. It was cool!" ... * Katie blinks at Chikako. No, this was before that. Shingo. No, the kid genius type. The short kid with the scarred face. * Chikako leans back in her chair, and taps her glasses. "You mean Shingo Ota, the freshman? He doesn't have a scar, though. But he's kinda cool." * Satoshi starts to get worried. "You know everybody, Chikako. You knew who I was before I even met you. But you can't remember Shingo?" * Chikako blinks. "Sure I do! Shingo Matterson, from the track team, graduated two years ago. Or Shingo Takahashi, from Tabuki Junior High. He's thinking of coming here next year." * Katie spends this time digging around in her satchel, then pulls out a sketchbook. She flips through it a bit, then hands it to Chikako. "Him?" * Chikako pulls off her glasses, rubs them with a tissue, then puts them back on and peers at the picture. * Chikako giggles. "The cat on his head is so cool, Katie." * Kyon calmly puts down the newspaper, and looks at Chikako curiously. "Yeah, but the kid, Chikako. Know him?" * Katie smiles weakly. "I thought so. But it's a portrait; he actually had it on his head." I don't think so. Really? Huh. * Kyon tilts his head, and his eyes flash as he says quietly and intensely, "I saw you give the kid newspapers. And you don't know?" I did? * Kyon nods tersely. "Yeah." * Satoshi has gone completely silent, and looks very worried. * Chikako scratches her head. * Katie takes the sketchbook back and tries to put it back into her satchel while she has a coughing fit. * Kyon shoots Katie a quick look before turning back to Chikako. "Nothing?" * Chikako looks at Kyon and shrugs. ...that's not like you, Chikako. Wait, are you guys trying to trick me? You've got the best memory I've ever seen. I bet you can still remember the text of my first article. * Chikako pouts. "I fell for it, I'm so gullible. That was cool guys." The one about the fish? It was pretty cool. * Meimi shakes her head sadly. * Katie frowns, then sneezes. "I've got to go. See you at the dance, Chikako." She gets up and heads for the door. * Chikako pouts. "This joke isn't funny anymore." * Chikako waves to Katie. "Bye! I'll see you there! It'll be so cool!" It's col, Chikako. * Meimi follows after Katie. * Katie smiles shakily and waves back. "Yeah, it will be." ...sorry, Chikako. * Katie heads out. * Kyon straightens up slightly and glances sidewise at Katie. "" * Katie comments as she steps out the door, "" And she leaves the room. * Satoshi frowns. "I'm gonna try and catch up with them. See you Chikako, Kyon." * Chikako waves. * Satoshi calls to Katie and Meimi. "Hey, wait up!" [Everyone else is outside the newspaper office. Time: 3:45 p.m.] * Katie walks briskly to the school exit. She sneezes occassionally, but doesn't seem ready to stop. [It's starting to snow outside.] * Satoshi sighs and runs after her. * Katie opens one of the doors and peeks outside. * Meimi walks along beside Katie. * Satoshi catches up to the girls. It's not going to be just Chikako, is it? Something tells me it isn't. * Katie walks over to the ramen stand. Whatever it is, it's got to be pretty powerful to mess with Chikako's memory. * Katie nods as she walks. "She's got the best memory I've ever seen." She shivers and sneezes again. * Chef waves as the students approach. "Hi every-bo-dy!" Yeah. It's almost scary. * Meimi waves at the chef. * Katie smiles at the chef as she pushes the worry from her face. "Hi. I ordered ramen from here a couple weeks or so ago, remember?" * Chef nods. "I re-mem-ber, though I get lots of cus-to-mers." * Chef points to the others. "You were just here yes-ter-day!" Yeah, that's right. * Katie grins. "Great! Do you remember the boy I was with? Short kid, scar on his face, burned his tongue on hot chocolate?" * Chef shakes his head. "No, ma'am. But I get lots of cus-to-mers, so I may have forgot-ten. You kids sure like ra-men. * Katie nods, the grin fading. "All right, I understand. Thank you." She turns and heads back for the school. Good-bye every-bo-dy! Bye. Bye. * Katie makes it just inside the doors and leans against the wall, sliding down with a sigh. If we figured out where the orphanage was, and we asked, they're going to have no record of him, I'm guessing. * Katie nods dully. What could do that? If that man remembered me, he would have remembered Shingo. That boy stood out much more than I do. You really want to konw what I think? Yes. [The old man appears, for just long enough to say: "Wouldn't you like to know?" Then he's gone!] ... Go away, hallucination, we don't need you now. If I want a hallucination, I'll MAKE a hallucination! * Katie flicks her eyes to where the man was. "Him again?" * Satoshi sighs. "I'm going insane." He come around a few times a day to insult me. Oh. How nice of him. You're not going insane, Sato. I see him too. We're all going insane, then. One of these days, I'll have to introduce you to Takeo, Sato. Then you'll know what insane is. * Katie chuckles weakly. "That's the price for getting closer to reality, I hear." She falls into a coughing fit. Closer to reality. I'm afraid you're right. Anyhow, my theory on what's happened to Shingo can be summed up in one word... Hmm? * Satoshi closes his eyes. "Judgement." ... * Satoshi opens his eyes and stares off into space. "I really, really hope I'm wrong." * Katie sighs. "I was thinking that, too." She opens her satchel and pulls out a notebook. Sho... would have no real reason to, right now. I can't imagine that bastard would consider Shingo a threat. I don't think he considers any of us much of anything. Except possibly Kyon. * Katie nods as she opens the notebook and skims a few pages. "And Shingo had that dream just a couple days before he vanished, when he rambled about Chikako having powers and me being Judgement." She blinks, then shakes her head. That must've been strange beyond words. I'd love to know what else he dreamed about. * Katie sighs and leans against the wall again, looking up at the ceiling. "I hope we can find out from him," she says quietly. Me too. * Katie pulls her notes up to look at them from her current position. "But... if it's the same reason as the other vanishings, which we think were Judgement too, then why are people forgetting about him? The others got in the paper." I'm not sure. Maybe they weren't Judgement after all. Just Saki. * Satoshi laughs harshly. "Heh. 'Just' Saki." Saki behind the disappearances? I'm not sure. I'm really not sure. Any attempt to make sense of this ends my head spinning in circles. * Katie holds a finger up. "One of them," she says. "Though whether-" she coughs "-or not Saki was in control, or if that was really Saki, or... my headache's getting worse." What the hell are you talking about? You're making no sense at all. * Satoshi blinks. You didn't know? I thought we'd told you. Know what? Hmm? Don't "hmm" me. What are you talking about? Saki attacked us. Once. But she didn't seem to quite be in control of herself. And before that... I see. She was eating a student. ... A part of one, anyway. ... Katie and Shingo and Taki found her... yeah. * Satoshi shudders. I... I'm really sorry. I thought I'd told you. I know I've told this to someone before. It may well have been me. I don't think I particularly want to remember that. I must've told Jiro and thought I told you too... and, yeah, it's not the sort of thing you'd want to remember. Back to not remembering, though... The police have been investigating all these disappearances. And Judgement, as far as we know, deals only with Arcana, right? As far as we know. I'd think that the existance of the Arcana would want to be kept secret... so what better way to keep a secret than to make a person completely disappear. Erase all traces of existance... * Satoshi snaps his fingers. Shingo's school records. Is there any way we could look in the school records? It'd give us an idea as to how far-reaching this is. Kyon might be able to look immediately. Beyond that... I could do it after hours, possibly. Do you want to look for Kyon now, or wait? * Katie flips the notebook pages through her fingers and nods. "They may be gone. But my picture of him is still here..." She considers. Yeah, but you made the picture, and you're Arcana. Plus, a drawing isn't exactly proof that someone existed. * Katie nods. "Still." She pulls a tissue from her pocket and sneezes. [Session End]