Listen closely and you should be able to hear

[With the current mode switched on, listeners won't have the pleasure of knowing that Haruka has been getting buzzed incessantly since his time limit became overdue.]

[...] I would like to know more about the scientist known as Ace, or "Sweet One."

Also, about any other scientists that have been in contact with the people who were living in this city for over a year. Not for games, but as people.

[He never took an interest before, but... what sing_nonomori was able to tell him about Ace before has him a little interested. Especially considering what has been happening in the city lately.]

This world is called "Fortuna."

A brand new world. Not just a broken city.

Yet you can only go so far until you get knocked down, injured, stricken by disease or killed here. Starved, brutally ripped apart by monsters, crushed or left helpless without a cure...

Even birds can't fly in the sky with total freedom. Because the sky we see everyday might as well just be an illusion. You can only go so high before you're forced back down to the ground.

Being stuck here is like being trapped inside of a rusted steel cage every single day.

[...]

...this city irritates me.

[There is a pause, though Haruka can be heard humming thoughtfully in the background as he examines the karasu tengu mask he received for Halloween.]

... Oi, Kantarou.

You can have this. I have no interest in holding onto it.

[...] I still don't trust eating this thing. What is it, anyway? It's orange.

Hm. About before... Don't people usually appear on those boxes when they start to work like that? Nothing happened this time. Though the air felt different... I'm surprised that I didn't see any youkai appear.

...and what was that scream? I have a bad feeling about this.

[...] I wonder if Bonten predicted that he would be returning home soon through his Heaven's Net.

[[ooc Strikes = thoughts/unhackable]]

It's been happening a lot lately. People being returned to this city from their original worlds. Sometimes with the memories they had before, and some without.

Even I'm not counted out of that number. I can remember where I've been.

But what I want to know is the reason why; not that I expect an answer. Not from the people who would actually have it. ...Why the indecisiveness? Isn't one time good enough for you, Scientists?
Hell. I can't tell if this is something you do out of convenience, or if all you are doing is laughing at all of us.

[...]

What about you, Hunter? This must be convenient for you. You don't have to look far to find your prey anymore. ...Che.

[The frequency is promptly switched off.]

The messages in the high school... they've disappeared. No one tried to scrub them away, because there are no markings left behind.

[...]

The revivals... they're chosen. With the ghosts that were wandering through the city, how many of you noticed it?

There had to be a time when death stopped for us. Because they weren't so lucky. It's no wonder that they were acting so restless.

( Private to Shinjiro; Hackable )

( Private to the city doctors; Hackable )

( Private to Kantarou; Unhackable )

( Private; Hackable )

It's getting noisy again.

...Humans have been able to survive for centuries in my own world without ever having to rely on magic or special abilities. What makes the people of this one so different? Always begging like animals...

I'll never understand it. How you can you not see that the scientists have managed to keep us under their thumbs with those chips, only to watch us evntually destroy ourselves later.

Do you really think that it is nothing but a mistake? ...It's all so stu-

[Haruka's voice is suddenly cut off as he lets out a sharp gasp, dropping the communicator onto the floor with a clatter. For a moment, he can be heard breathing harshly, and this continues for a minute or two until there is a soft thud as he falls down onto his knees.] Augh... what is-... [His voice becomes strained, as he is obviously trying to hold himself back. But it is futile. In mere seconds, the tengu lets out a loud and agonized scream of pain, as if it doing so will somehow make it all come to an end.]

[There is an even louder thud. The sound of a body collapsing. More harsh breathing can be heard, followed by coughing and a bit of dry retching. It takes minutes for his breathing to become even again, and for Haruka's voice to be heard again... distant, and weakened.]

What in the hell... was that just now...?

There are times when monsters and spirits can be worse than anything that the human race can come up with... and times when just the opposite can be true.

There is no better. But for one to pretend to be the other is just fooling yourself... Yes... I have no reason to change.

...

[Text]

Watari, I'll help you. I think I have an idea of where you can go to look for a washing machine. ...Can you or your partner fight at all?

( Private; Hackable )

It's cold. I think that I'd rather be inside... Especially with all the commotion outside and over the network.

[...]

You were right, Shinjiro. A roof is no place to sleep in the winter. ...Maybe I've just gotten used to falling on old habits.

Stop by for some hot cocoa, if you wish. I think this is one of the few chances that he'll ever be feeling this generous. Or at least the powder won't last forever.

( Private to Shinjiro; Hackable )

( Private; Hackable )

What is going on now? All this talk about yuurei... There's only one that I'm interested in finding right now.

I wonder how yuurei are even brought to this world anyway. It is unnatural for them to be here, without some kind of place to return to like a grave or a memento. Not unless something is keeping Kirie in that form. One that is keeping her from simply being revived like every damn person who winds up dead here.

I feel like I barely know enough about her as it is.

Kantarou, I'm expecting you to fix that problem soon. I'll listen.

Hm. I'd also like to talk to one of the doctors about a certain matter soon, unless one of you happens to know about the situation with Ganta-kun already.

( Private to Testament; Hackable )

( Private to Usagi Tsukino; Hackable )

......

( Fail!Private to Kantarou; Hackable )

Kantarou, if you possess the power to break the seal as you are now, then it shouldn't be hard for you to create one as well.

That boy... I've made my decision.

If the chip inside of my body is ever found, then I want you to take me to one of the warehouses or near the outskirts of the city and seal me within a kekkai. It has to be able to last a week, and so you may have to be there to reinforce it yourself.

To lose control of my powers... I do not know what will happen, or what I will be capable of.

There will be no sense in dragging you, or others down with me for the sake of returning to what I was.