[Day: Thursday, March 13th. Time: 4:15 p.m.] [Weather: Cloudy, drizzling, chilly.] [You all get off the subway station near Tokugawa Academy. Remember where that is? Almost directly opposite Sakuragaoka. You're searching for "Mr. Sparkle-smile!" Ryan McNeil. Can you find him amongst the stuck-up snobs? Let's find out.] [Session Start] * Satoshi gets off the train, then waits for the girls. * Taki yawns and streaches as she walks out the doors. You guys remember where this place is? * Taki blinks a few times, and tries to remember. ( Mind - navigation ) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Taki (2d6) and gets 10. * Taki shakes her head, "Sorry, can't remember a thing." ( Gimme sight awareness checks ) Great. We were in such a rush the last time we came this way that I don't quite remember, either. 2d6 (HA included in that or no?) ( Yah ) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Taki (2d6) and gets 9. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Satoshi (2d6-2) and gets 3. 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Katie (2d6-4) and gets 7. [Katie notices, amidst the crowd of people heading for the subway, two people who look familiar.] [But she can't tell who.] [Satoshi notices the same thing, except from a bit to the left and a little higher up.] (*snerk*) ([Taki notices that they are in a train station.]) ( Hey, at least she doesn't think it's an airport. ) * Katie blinks, then angles herself some to get a better look. I guess we ask for directions ...Should be an info desk around here someplace. (Or a giant chicken) * Satoshi looks over at the people. "Why do they look familiar?" Mhm? Who? Where? * Taki looks around the crowds. Over there. * Satoshi points in that direction. [Taki sees a lot of people.] * Taki looks over there, "Still don't see anybody I know." [They get closer, and closer, and then close enough to identify: Takeo Kirishima and Sumire Himeyama.] * Katie frowns slightly, but goes back to walking to the school. And back to not looking at them. * Satoshi blinks, and then follows Katie's example. * Taki eeps quitly as she notices them, and tries to stay behind Satoshi. [They walk by. Takeo either doesn't notice you or doesn't want to. Sumire, however, turns her head and gives a grin, but doesn't stop to say anything.] * Katie flicks her eyes to Sumire: the only indication that she noticed. * Taki lets out a sigh as they pass out of sight, "I'm glad they arn't after you anymore...I'll have to remind myself that I don't have to run or fight them anymore." Yeah. Just wish we'd managed it some other way. * Satoshi shakes his head. "Don't remind me..." * Taki looks for signs pointing to info desks, or maps or other usefull things like that. [Taki spots a map.] There wasn't really a "we" to that. Exactly. Oh yes there was, standing there and doing nothing is what we did, and there's a map. * Taki points. * Katie doesn't comment. She looks at the map instead. * Satoshi stares at the map, also saying nothing. [The map does, in fact, point to the location of Tokugawa Academy.] Okay, so it's that way. * Katie chuckles and walks thataway. * Taki nods. * Taki then follows Katie thataway. * Satoshi goes... thataway! [You go thataway, and reach the school! It's a three-story brown building with a clocktower. The campus is pleasant enough, but nothing compared to Seiryuu High's. Still, the blooming cheery-blossom trees have quite a pleasant effect. There's some students around, but most seem to have gone for the day.] So, where do we find Mister Popular? I haven't figured that out yet. * Katie walks over to the school, keeping an ear or two out for conversation. Wander around looking for girls with stars in their eyes and who keep whispering Ryan-sama to themselves? * Satoshi follows, looking over the grounds, and keeping an eye out for fangirls, red-haired wonderboys, and the like. [No conversation about Mr. Shiny so far.] * Taki follows Satoshi and looks for the fangirls. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kaede (2d6) and gets 8. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Haruko (2d6) and gets 8. And here I was thinking we were going to encounter a screaming mob as soon as we set foot on school grounds. Possibly carrying him off on their shoulders, or at least trying to. Mimi must be on vacation. ( Hearing checks at +4! ) 2d6+4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Taki (2d6+4) and gets 10. 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Katie (2d6-4) and gets 5. 2d6+2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Satoshi (2d6+2) and gets 12. [Katie overhears two male students as they pass. "...'S with those girls? I don't see what's so great about that Ryan guy..." The other one snickers. "I heard they got kicked out of their classroom when a teacher wanted to use it. Guess a fan club isn't sponsored by the schools." They head off chuckling.] * Katie hmms faintly. "Interesting." She walks on into the school. What is? * Satoshi follows. * Taki follows Katie, "You find something?" ( Katie walks into the school. Ow. ) ("A man walks into a bar...") (So this Arcana walks into a bar and ...) The fanclub was kicked out of their room. They're probably grouped inside the school, still. Ahh, okay. That'll make it a bit easier to find them. (And now I'm remembering the episode of Fruits Basket that's all about Yuki's fanclub.) (L-O-V-E!) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kaede (2d6) and gets 4. * Taki goes back to looking for the fangirls. * Satoshi looks for a group of angry girls... wait, that's a bad thing. * Satoshi hopes they're not really angry. Mildly annoyed would be better. Less scary. * Katie just looks for a) crowd of girls, or b) red-headed boy. * Taki would settle for existing. * Taki pauses for a moment and then looks around for a small group of grumbling girls. Uhm, do either of you remember if the page said how many members they have? No, I don't. * Katie shakes her head. "I didn't get a good look." d3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Brett (d3) and gets 3. ( Taki, gimme a body roll! ) 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Taki (2d6) and gets 8. [As you turn the corner, Taki bumps heads with someone: a rather short girl dressed in black pants and a shirt, with short black hair and awfully pale skin. Taki falls to the floor; the girl falls too, but grabs hold of the wall and stops herself.] Yipe! * Satoshi helps Taki up. "Are you okay?" * Taki rubs at her head, "Yeah, I think so." 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Haruko (2d6) and gets 4. 2d6+3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kaede (2d6+3) and gets 9. * Satoshi looks over at the girl. "And are you okay?" ( Gimme mind rolls, +1 ) 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Taki (2d6+1) and gets 9. 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Satoshi (2d6+1) and gets 9. 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Katie (2d6+1) and gets 10. (Heh. DR1) 2d6+1 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Katie (2d6+1) and gets 7. * Katie blinks. [Katie's the only one who notices that "grabs hold of the wall" is quite literal.] * Taki stops rubbing the sore spot on her head long enough to apologise for not looking where she was going. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kaede (2d6) and gets 3. * Katie blinks again, then offers the girl a hand up. 2d6 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Kaede (2d6) and gets 8. * Girl gets up. The wall doesn't look any worse for wear. So you're all right? ( Gime hearing checks, -2 bonus ) 2d6-4 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Satoshi (2d6-4) and gets 6. 2d6-2 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Taki (2d6-2) and gets 4. 2d6-10 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Katie (2d6-10) and gets -3. * Girl speaks in a whispy, quiet voice, "I am fine, as far as 'fine' can be defined in this despairing world." (Ack, a goth! Run away!) ... Good mood, too? Uh, yeah. * Taki blinks, "There's got to be something good around here." ( There's a doughnut place down the block ) (See!) * Girl doesn't say anything to that. Well, um, despairing or not, have you seen a bunch of girls? Possibly annoyed ones? * Girl speaks in the same whispery-voice (and will continue to do so even though I won't be typing it), "I have seen several girls, many of whom were annoyed. I cannot blame them." Could you tell us where they were? Please? If you could show us who the whole group is fawning over, that would be even better. Yeah, the annoying people we're looking for are following this guy with red hair. * Girl looks down a bit. "Oh." She looks up again and stares at Satoshi long an hard, before saying again, "... Oh." * Katie tilts her head. "Is something wrong?" * Satoshi blinks at her. "What is it?" "Something is always wrong." What's wrong with us asking? If you don't want to say, it's allright. "There is always something wrong with the world." Well, yeah. I guess we really can't help you, then. "No, I guess you can't." * Taki nods, "But if you don't tell anybody what is wrong, nothing will be done." * Girl begins reciting a list: "Global warming, deforestation, society, clashing cultures, the wealth gap..." Hmm, I'd say we can do something the third and fourth ones, work at the fith one, and hope there's something left by the time we're old enough to deal with the first two. But that's just my opionion. I'd say she doesn't want to be talked out of it. * Katie holds her hand out to the girl. "I'm Katie. You are...?" There's many more problems than that; Quoth the raven, "Nevermore." In that case I see it as our duty to have as much fun as possible in the time we have left. I am called Miho Ryokama. * Katie smiles pleasantly. "Nice to meet you, Miho." * Satoshi nods politely to Miho. * Taki maks a shallow bow, "My name is Taki Shimiru." Satoshi Watanabe. "Indeed, it is a fleeting moment of light in this world of darkness." * Katie keeps a straight face. "Meeting us is that great? I'm honored." Yeah, me too. Glad we could provide a fleeting moment, if nothing else. We can but try. So it is... So, is there anything small we could do for you? (Would you stop stealing words out of my mouth? :P) (Anyway, I was wondering if you could perhaps help us, or if there was anthing we might be able to do for you) (I'm reading your mind. ;p) (:P) "I require nothing at the present time." * Katie shrugs. "All right. So, do you know where Ryan McNeil might be right about now?" "Indeed, he always leaves here when the bell sounds. He participates in none of the clubs, and who can blame him since it is all pointless anyhow? He perhaps wants to leave this forlorn place as soon as possible." Ahh, that does make it difficult, and having answered one question, two more rise in it's place. * Satoshi nods. "So, do you know where he might go?" I have no idea, although I would guess to his home. Makes sense. * Taki nods, "That's where I end up when I have nothing to do...My home, not his." ( Taki, is there something you're not telling me?) (Taki is sleepy and realizing that she can be h-parsed) Indeed, I often return to my own place, pondering the miserable existance of the world locked in my room with the lights off. Sounds fun. Do you eat chocolate cereal while you do that? (*snerk*) Wouldn't you spill it...and then not be able to clean it up because it's dark? (It is not chocolate! It is filled with angst!) (It's *dark* chocolate.) I prefer vanilla. That's not really angstful. The pale color of the cereal is far more depressing than it's brown counter-part. But does it taste good? I never thought of it that way before. It tastes as pleasurable as one can expect in a forgotten world like this. * Katie pats Miho on the shoulder. "So, I have another question. How did you do that thing with the wall?" Right... wait, the wall? * Taki makes note to cook something for this poor girl if vanilla cereal is the best she's got, and then gets sidetracked by Katies comment. What about the wall? * Taki looks at. * Katie ignores Taki and Satoshi, keeping her attention fixed on Miho. * Miho looks up (yes, up, she's short) at Katie. "I am unaware of what you are inquiring about." (Whoo! More short people!) The wall. You caught yourself on it... literally. Like you were stuck to it. * Taki blinks. You are mistaken. * Katie nods. "Of course I am. And in that case, I have another question. Which one are you?" I aspire to be a vampire, if such things exist. In fact, I have heard there is one at your school. I should like to meet her. If you ever have the time, maybe you can. * Satoshi blinks. "Who? ...oh. Yeah." I don't think she likes people calling her a vampire though. Indeed, she wishes to keep her identity hidden. * Katie pulls a tarot deck from her pocket and idly shuffles. "Wouldn't you?" Naturally * Katie holds the deck out to her. "Pick one, please?" * Miho takes a card: "The Five of Pentacles. Grief, dispair, sorrow. The natural state of life." * Katie smiles faintly. "So you know something about tarot?" She takes it back, has a look, and puts it back in the deck. Back to shuffling. * Taki watches Miho and Katie. As well as witchcraft and devil-worshipping. Do you actually practice devil worshipping? * Satoshi blinks, and mentally upgrades Miho from "creepy girl" to "very scary girl." I've never seen the point of it. * Katie holds the deck out again. "I found it interesting, but more like just something to read about. Pick again." * Miho blinks at Taki. "You're very insightful." * Katie snerks and bites her lip. * Taki shrugs, "Must have been a fluke." * Miho draws the same card. Huh, interesting. So you're the five of pentacles. I am dispair embodied. ...So if the five is dispair...what is it reveresed? Euphoria? * Katie chuckles. "Apparently." She takes the card and makes a short bow. "Page of Swords." Indeed. You, too, are cursed. Mhm, you can call it a curse if you like, I'm alive right now because of it. We all are. * Satoshi sighs. "Yeah, we are." Do you know very much about it? What is there to know? There will be no salvation. How about the why. I beg your pardon? * Katie shrugs. "If there's no salvation, I would like to know why." Maybe we just keep getting reincarnated untill the end of time or something...but then what happens? * Miho begins again, "Stockpiling neuclear weapons, war over diminishing oil supplies, endangered species, corrupt politicians..." Ahh, the world ends. I should have known. Yes, but not before several hundred years of torment where people risk death by radiation, disease and war just to gather a few bread crumbs. So it has nothing to do with our curse. Except that there's a good chance we'll be there in some way. All curses surely attribute to the collapse of civilization, or at least the image of civilization we portray. * Katie shakes her head. "All right. We'll see you around, Miho." Indeed. Our paths will surely cross again as we spiral downward into oblivion. [Session End]