Listen closely and you should be able to hear

Before, you said that things would be fine.

There are things that I wanted to make you see, but it's pointless now. Both you and your "Master" are now gone.

If you were still here, I doubt that you would be able to say those words so easily as you did then, Testament.

[Click.]

[Off-Network // Mariner High School, Rooms 103-105]

Kantarou, you said before that we should try and go somewhere and make ourselves as safe as possible before.

I hope you have a plan.

The air is changing again.

Here, the weather has been been sunny and clear. Some of the healthy grass grows near the lake and in the forest, but has a harder time in the city. If there are any wild flowers, then they don't live long either.
There's not enough water or shade, or else the earth is too rotten.

While back home, it wouldn't be long before the rainy season would be upon us.

[...] Sometimes its unsettling to me, just how different things are here. You can only look at the mountains from here...

[Voice]

One... two... three...

There are thirty of them altogether, including this one.

[The telltale clinking sound of a glass marble rattling around in a now-empty bottle of Ramune is picked up over the receiver, as Haruka tilts the bottle from side to side.]

...

[Clink, clink.]

Why would they give this to me? ...Ah- [A random thought slips in.] ... Subconscious thinking?

[After a long pause, Haruka scratches his head with a free hand, sighing.] How stupid.

... Oi.

[Video]

[The video recorder is switched on, with Haruka putting the bottle of Ramune down harshly upon the table. The camera can focus on that for awhile.] Tell me how I can get the marble out of this thing.

--shit!

[CRASH! Something wooden collides with a hard surface and shatters upon impact. Haruka pauses for a moment, and sighs.]

Stop it. You're just wasting your energy, and destroying the bar.

Well, if you didn't dodge the chair, it wouldn't be broken!

[And the clicking of heels running at full force. The communicator falls out of Haruka's pocket, and shows an interesting view from the floor. Anemone's lunging straight at Haruka, a broad grin on her face. She takes a swing at his head.

( Click here for more BAR FIGHT! [Not an IC cut] )

Uh... Haruka, was your communicator always over there--

[The bar door swings open behind the two, to reveal dontcallmegol, in his rather colorful wardrobe.

...talk about awkward.]

[[ooc This is what happens when you jinx it in front of Anemone. Thanks goes to the mun for the awesome fight scripting!]]

[BZZZZAP! The communicator emits its periodic shock. A transmission is coming through and it is fiercely smacked away by a hand, where it tumbles across the floor only to end up on its side.]

Ugh...

[In that small view, one can see that the room has been entirely wallpapered with ofuda. Nothing more than a mass of paper and ink. But that's not all. Among the sounds of the jingling scales (and there are quiet a few of them in this room), Haruka can be seen crouched down on the floor. Obviously anguished by something unknown, if not in pain.]

S-... stop it...

[Slowly, he pushes himself up to stand on his feet, breathing harshly and trying not to look up at the walls. Almost deliberately. He brings a hand to his mouth, sounding as if he is going to be sick.]

You bastard...!

[When he finally looks up, his eyes look as if they've changed from their calm hue to something more predatory. Even his teeth look slightly more sharpened when he speaks, as raw electricity can be heard crackling around him.]

DISAPPEAR!

[Suddenly a powerful shock of thunder rips through the room in a bright flash and a jingling from the rings of his shakujou. The view of the room disappears in this light, until--a few seconds later--only Haruka can be seen holding onto his staff among a scattering of black feathers that disappear like illusions. The walls are scorched and blackened. Burned as if they've been sliced apart by a lightening bolt.

Wearily, he looks up.] An... illusion?

Heh. Stop... screwing... [He starts to topple over.] ...around. [THUD.]

[[ooc Haruka just got a taste of his own medicine forgotten memories, compliments of the Medicine Seller's chip event. Expect a delay in any tags as he's not going to be feeling so hot.]]

It's been more than a day already... and that feeling... What the hell was that?

Hmph.

Youko, I'm going out to look for Kantarou. Watch the place while we're gone... I'll bring him back.

Definitely.

[One of the main doors of the high school creaks open, and a pair of giant wings can be heard unfurling. As if they were from a large bird. They beat together, and soon there is a rush of wind as he takes to the skies.]

Where in the world did you go...?

[The sound of his wings can be heard beating together occassionally, until the recording times out.]

[[ooc An unfortunate thing happened on the way to the forum cafeteria, and this tengu is none the wiser.]]

[The transmission cuts in to the sound of shifting fabric and a lone pair of footsteps hitting along the asphalt. It must have turned on in one of his jacket pockets by accident.

Out patrolling the streets, there isn't much else to be heard past the occassional breeze or the distant howl of one of the wild wolves.

Suddenly, he stops. His breath hitches, and his fist comes slamming down against the side of an abandoned building with an audible WHUMP.

After a few seconds, a bit of crumbling rock can be heard falling to the ground, and the walk continues on until the feed times out.]

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.]

Hmph. [A powerful wing beat is picked up by the microphone. Muffled, but still there. It lasts only a moment before a soft thump can be heard. The sound of a pair of feet landing on a rooftop.]

[Haruka breathes out a sigh, before walking forward a few steps and sitting down.]

I hardly feel any different from before. Except now I could use a drink.

...If anyone had any words for me over the past few days, I hope you saved them. I didn't have the time to listen before.

[Filtered to the Northern Lights Bar "staff"; Hackable]

I'm coming back to work after dawn.

( Private to Testament; Hackable )

[Filtered to the Northern Lights Bar "staff"; Hackable]

I spoke too soon. It's just one thing after another in this place...

I'll have to take the week off. Call it returning the favor from before.

[/]

( Private to Shinjiro; Hackable )

( Private to Johnny; Hackable )

( Private to Kantarou; Unhackable )

[[ooc Secret planning. Text-mode for not wanting anyone to hear him suspiciously coughing up a lung and more in the background. Anyone who is currently living with Haruka and Kantarou are also free to comment/commentlog with the tengu before his departure. He won't be back for awhile.]]