[Meeeeanwhile... but not at any ranch...] [Haruko's head hurts. She isn't quite sure why, but she isn't quite sure what's happening, either. The last thing she remembers is walking through the school, looking for someone. Now... well, maybe she should open her eyes.] * Haruko opens and rubs at her head. She's got a groggy look about her. (opens her eyes. She doesn't open her head. ) [Ewwwww.] * Haruko blinks as she looks around and attempts to focus. She tries not to move much, or make any noise as she's a bit worried about what could be going on. [Probably not what Haruko wanted to see was some room she didn't recognize. But even worse is some people she did. The handsome, white-haired Tenjirou Torajima and the kid in the mask who could only be Shingo Ryuuzaki.] ( And gimme a soul roll! ) [Haruko does not fall in love with Tenjirou on sight.] * Haruko shakes her head for a moment and then looks up at the two. "If this is a request for healing, you could have just called." [The room looks like a storage are with musical instruments; Shingo's sitting on a piano bench running his thumb along a sword. Tenjirou is bouncing a lead pipe in his hand and grinning. He's got some bandages on his arms and face.] * Haruko bites her lip for a moment and then tries to stand up. While she does so, she pats herself down to figure out if she still has her phone, she tries to make it look like she's just cleaning herself off though. [Haruko starts to get up, and abruptly is forced to stop. Not by magic but, as she now realizes, she's tied to a chair.] * Haruko tries to wiggle her arms to see how much freedom of movement she has. She also sighs "Perhaps we could dispense with the rope, as there are two of you, and you're both armed." * Haruko also scans the room for any sign of her bag, containing a water bottle, or any other potential sources. [Tenjirou snickers. "I don't think so. Wouldn't want you to do anything before the show starts."] * Haruko smiles faintly as she keeps glancing around. "If you wanted me to come to a performance, you could have invited me." [Haruko sees musical instruments, one door... And Eriko. She looks roughed up, with a trickle of blood running down her forehead and a bruise on one of her legs. She's also tied to a chair near Haruko, but doesn't look like she'll be waking up anytime soon.] [Shingo holds his sword level and looks at the blade. There is no way to tell his emotion behind the mask he wears. "There will be a performance, certainly. But you are not the guest of honor."] * Haruko gulps as she sees Eriko. "We're bait.. for Saki and Katie?" Tenjirou: "That bitch from hell? Not yet." Shingo: "Everything revolves around defeating that one man." * Haruko blinks and looks over at Eriko again, trying to assess how much work it'd take to free her if Haruko was able to free herself. "Oh? Ryuji?" Tenjirou looks over at Shingo. "Don't forget your promise afterward." Shingo just nods. * Haruko looks over to Shingo. "What's your promise? Does Sumire know about this?" Tenjirou turns back and claps his hands behind his head, leaning on the pipe. "Hmph. We take care of that guy, and Shingo helps me get back at the one who did this to me." He smirks. "And I get to keep the women after." * Haruko gulps again. "What makes you think you can win?" * Haruko looks around furtively one more time. This time looking for a sprinkler system. "Is that a joke?" ( None! Visible, anyhow ) * Haruko shakes her head. "With me and Eriko, you're going to be dealing with my group, Saki, and Ryuji. And somehow if you keeping the women is part of the deal, I doubt Natsuko, Takeo or Sumire are backing you up." Tenjirou: "Hm. I almost wish they would show up." Tenjirou: "But one thing at a time * Haruko looks over to Shingo. "What are you getting out of this? Obviously you're the tough guy of you two. Aren't you willing to face Ryuji on your own?" Shingo: "Because this time I can win." * Haruko tilts her head and looks genuninely puzzled at Shingo. "What did he do to you? Scar you? Steal the attention of your girlfriend? What makes it worth gaining so many new enemies?" [Shingo doesn't answer!] * Haruko keeps looking puzzled. "I would have thought you'd be more rational, more inclined to watch your own back. Cruel, yes, taking hostages, sure, aligning with a rapist if he was helpful, distateful but whatever... But even if you beat Ryuji, you can't take on all of our allies together." Tenjirou: "That's why we're getting rid of some of you here." * Haruko looks over to Tenjirou, she hesitates for just a moment before continuing in a voice betraying both anger and fear. "You really think hostages will make the difference? How well do you know Kyon Sorata. I mean he's taken you down before, but beyond that." Tenjirou snickers, then laughs aloud. "You act like they're all going to show up! Do you think they know you're missing? And do you think they would care?" * Haruko sneers slightly, even though her voice is quavering. "I wonder if you'll be still laughing like that when your on fire. 'Cause he'll know, he keeps track of us, and he'd sooner... he'd sooner burn us both before letting anyone think making an hostage of an ally would work against him." * Haruko is now tremoring a bit while keeping her gaze steady on Tenjirou. Tenjirou laughs again. "Then I guess we'll see who handles being burned alive better." * Haruko keeps tremoring but glares at Tenjirou with even more fervor. "Big talk... considering your a dead man once Shingo has no further use for you. If Kyon doesn't take you down and if Shingo doesn't kill you out of pity the next guy will, and he won't spare your life this time." Shingo: "I intend to keep my promise, once that man is dead." * Haruko keeps shivering and looks like she desperately wants to hug himself, but she manages a fairly macabre grin. "Hope you got him to promise to protect you from this day on Tenjirou... Because we'll all be going into the fire soon enough." Tenjirou: "Yeah yeah, world is doomed... You're just like that other one." He snickers. * Haruko giggles, more than a little manically. "Oh no, I just meant you and me. World should be fine." She presses herself against her binding as she says it. Tenjirou pauses for a second, then looks over at Shingo. "Hey, why don't we call her in here, eh?" Shingo goes back to polishing his sword. "Do as you like." * Haruko shakes even more and struggles against her bindings. "What's the matter? Can't handle one conscious tied up girl? You need to call in brainwashed Saki to make me shut up?" Tenjirou beats his pipe into his hand again. "Oh, I've got a way to shut you up, all right." * Haruko rocks her chair slightly from trembling alone and makes one final look around the room, for grates, ventilation ducts, anything of that sort. [There's a vent in the ceiling] * Haruko notices the vent, sighs, and then looks at Tenjirou and specifically his pipe and gives one last shaky grin as she begins to waver around the non- clothed edges as her skin turns opaque and bluish. Tenjirou raises an eyebrow. "The hell?" * Haruko calls out as she melts. "Hope you enjoyed your what passed for your masculinity while you had it." As she finished her voice has a ripply sound and shortly thereafter she resolves herself into a puddle on the floor. Shingo rises, and Tenjirou rushes forward. * Haruko's now wet clothes land on the chair. Haruko herself tries to flow under the door. ( Gimme a body roll. ) ( I know it sounds dumb, but do it anyhow :P ) (boost. :P) [Tenjirou dives, but Haruko slips under the door. There's a crack as Tenjirou collides with the door.] * Haruko's puddle ripples and babbles a bit. Almost seems to be giggling. She stays in water form for now and tries to get further away, ideally going upstairs while she's at it. [Haruko doesn't see any stairs. She's in a large room with a bar counter, a small stage and a dance floor. There are several tables with the chairs put up on them; evidently, the bar isn't open for business.] * Haruko tries to find an exit then, trying to find cover by cowering behind the bar or in dark areas while she's at it. ( Perception check, +2 ) [Meanwhile, the door bursts open. Tenjirou is about to rush out, but Shingo calls, "Leave her. We've still got the other one."] * Haruko doesn't change her strategy. [Tenjirou stops running, but points at Haruko. "Stop that puddle!"] [From overhead comes a quiet: "What?" "You heard me! Stop her." "... ah...."] [Tenjirou goes back into the other room. And Miho drops down from above, and rummages behind the counter.] * Haruko stops moving towards the counter, and pauses for just a second, she then tries for the door by a different route. "Like other girrlll, makes sense." [Haruko finds a route! Meanwhile, Miho emerges dual wielding a sponge in one hand, a mop in the other. She gives chase!] * Haruko spreads a bit wider across the ground as she moves, flowing at the top speed she can manage. ( Body roll! ) (Fail by two) [Haruko reaches the door... but it's closed. Now what? Oh, and Miho's catching up.] ( Gimme a melee defense (improvised weapons) roll ) ( While I sit back and laugh at how absurd this is. :P ) ( Make by one! ::Haruko feels justified in training against improvised weapons::) [Miho thrusts the mop at Haruko, but she evades!] ( Haruko's gonna get killed by a sponge ;_; ) * Haruko coalesces partially as she tries to reach up for the door knob, she only gets a bit above the ground though before she begins the process of materializing into the shape of an underdressed girl, desperately trying to take off any lock and then open the door. [It's a pull open door, so all Haruko has to do is pull it open. Meanwhile, Miho freezes in shock. O.o] * Haruko rushes out the door, looking around desperately for an automobile, ideally one with an open window or something. [And so Haruko runs out of the jazz bar without any clothes on. Session End!]