So today the school officially opened, huh? So the school year starts... it brings back memories! The fresh smell of paper and pencils, the studious atmosphere and the opportunity to learn exciting new things. I remember it as if it were yesterday- of course, the school I attended wasn't nearly as interesting as this one. Congratulations, miss Euphemia-- for organizing and getting such a large project started successfully. I'm sure it'll bring on good things.

I'm even looking through the catalog myself! [ Haha! so looking at you, tech courses. ] I'm not so sure I'm ready to relive the basics, I barely passed Algebra the first time around... If anything, I think I'll try expanding my horizons and look into new things.

Hm, I didn't know you were an Alchemist, Fletcher! Hosting an Alchemy class with Al? Don't show off to the girls too much! [ said in totally joking manner mixed with a chuckle ]

Oh, and it's been a few days hasn't it, Jennifer? If you're up for another cup of coffee, I would be too. Is Yuuri attending school here? [ will never tire of Happy Parent Hour ]

[Around Midday, Merlin's Shelter Room | CLOSED]
[ Merlin's spent the morning fast asleep -- quite the lazy one, without Gaius, or bots or the noise of a large city to wake him early. In fact, it's nearly whatever passes for 'midday' in Marina by the time he begins to stir ]

[ he has felt it before, the rush of magic stabbing through his sleep, waking him with a jolt of awareness. But this time is different. This time, the sudden pounding throb of heat comes from within himself. His eyes fly open, bright gold for a moment as power pulses through him again, filling him up. He gasps aloud, his skin tingling with fire as the magic shifts and then finally settles back into place like a sigh ]

[ it takes a moment, of blinking a sudden glare from his eyes, and swallowing down the feeling that something is about to burst from his throat, to work out what has happened. There is a lightness when he moves his legs, that has been absent the past two days; and he lets out a sudden whoop of joy, leaping up from the bed he'd been asleep in ]

I'm free!


[Later, in the shelter | OPEN]
[ all but bounces out into the common area, thrilled and comforted by the return of his magic. He hadn't realised how off-kilter he'd been feeling without it, and now it is back he feels fantastic! And ravenous! ]

[ now he only has to work out how to get to the food. He's standing, looking blankly at what he's sure has to be a kitchen, but which is utterly foreign. Where was the fire and spit, the stew pot, the oven? Where were the hanging meats, the crocks of greens and barrels of grain? ]




[ OOC: First part closed to himself and Amaterasu, while he's in his room. Open to all, later in the shelter common/kitchen area. Apologies for last week's absence, I will be catching up on back tags today, I hope! ]

[Since she hasn't spent much time in the Education Center until now, Rei's decided to explore the surroundings to make sure she doesn't get lost while looking for her classes. She's got her schedule in hand, so she's focussing on the room numbers on the paper, but also wandering a little to get a feel for the place. She's got time, after all, before she peeks in on Ribbons's dance class.

Not that she's taking it. Of course not. She's just going to take a look, maybe watch if he doesn't mind. She just wants to make sure it goes well.

Any teachers or students hanging around who'd like to approach her?]

[HAVE A CHIPPER HIKARU! People aren't always as bad as he believes them to be, and this made him cheerful.]

I hope you all like your school uniforms. You couldn't have had better designers~!

[He feels really cool for this, yeah!]

Anyway, if you liked the paint balloon toss, maybe you'll also play freeze tag or blitzball with us!

I don't know what we're playing yet.

Boring people not allowed.

Also, I'm looking to try a new pasta dish, maybe with some heat to it. Different than pasta arrabiata. Wouldn't that be fun, Kaoru?

“Haha… prison, really? That’s crap. I wonder if I can appeal for execution instead?” [Hidan has just managed to regain his bearings after being torn from his world, listening to the welcome message, and rifling through his welcome basket; after briefly glancing over the brochure, he immediately ripped it to shreds with his teeth.]

[Hidan sits on a bench in a garden of Sector 4, fiddling frantically with the communicator in his hands.] “How do you work this piece of shit?” [-finally succeeds in unintentionally turning on the video function of the device, and raises one eyebrow upon ascertaining that it’s working.] “Hey, what the fuck is this? I mean- don’t answer that. Shit.” [smooths his shoulder-length silver hair back with one hand - he has a basic idea of his situation by this point.] “How unfair… I’m going to kill every person here…” [mutters darkly, quietly, too inarticulately to be heard clearly; doesn’t honestly think such a feat possible and was merely trying to comfort himself. He stares despondently at the ball and chain restraining him from moving as well as he’d have liked.] “Damn, this thing is heavy…”

[Fiddles through his welcome basket, not even considering the possibility that it might be poisoned (he couldn't die from such a thing anyway); withdraws the pretzels and starts munching on them.] “This is supposed to be a prison?” [asks to himself, having apparently either forgotten about leaving the communicator on or deemed it unimportant. He chuckles inaudibly but obviously manically.] “How fuckin’ hypocritical! Welcome baskets, swimming pools, a movie theater? Gyah ha- do you really think criminals deserve such nice things? Why don’t you just kill ‘em all!?” [shouts hysterically to nobody in particular and for some reason as if he wasn’t included in the “criminal” category.]

[ The video flicks on to show a literally devilish woman, wrapped in a dark red dress that reveals a little too much on one side of her. ] ---Hm? Oh - hello? Yes, I think there's some kind of mistake here. I’m totally innocent. I didn’t do any of these crimes. [ a sigh ] How could you be so mean to me? I didn’t even get a trial, or whatever you call it… [ She speaks lazily, like she doesn't even believe herself. ]

I need to go home, I’m busy, see? I’m participating in a game and I was in the middle of an important part of it. If I don’t do my job, everything could go wrong. [Says this a bit more seriously, although there's still that childish smirk on her face.]

…Thank you! Now where is the exit?