[there's just this loud smacking noise as a communicator gets thrown at Lero's head - pushing the button as it hits the poor umbrella in the face.]

Roooooad-tama!

Be quiet Lero. [lots of clanging - and is that the sound of something burning? Dear God it is]

[Road huffs.]

This is stupid. I don't - [pause as she slams something down violently] It's green. Is it supposed to be-?

[sizzling- and Road yelps in pain.]

Road-tama should be more careful, lero! What would the Earl say if he saw Road-tama like this, lero-

[and it gets cut off as Road picks up something else to fling at the poor umbrella]

I said be quiet!

[ KO ]

ooc: Road is cooking! because who else is going to do it? and trying very hard not to show that she is obviously affected by the absence of the Earl. sob. Action's always open for Tyki.

[Yes, it's evening, but Naoya's still out and about. He wants to - no, he needs to check on something.]

[Which is why he's now crouching at a corner of Mami's farm, where he planted some seeds yesterday. He doesn't dare hope, but it's a different world, so maybe...]

[... There's nothing so far. He knows he should wait, but he digs up a seed, and it sits there in his hand, looking no different from when he first stuck it in the ground.]

[He starts laughing, tearing his communicator off, tossing it on the ground, where it bumps the video feed button.]

[It turns on, clearly broadcasting Naoya sitting on the ground, cupping soil in his hands, laughing sadly.]

[Fortunately, his back is turned, so no one can see his face, because his face is incredibly pained... and sad.]

[Scared formerly omnipotent, omniscient, immortal Q is scared. At the first sign of trouble he transported himself into a common room in the shelter and so far so good, but he's been listening to the network and he's not even a little amused.]

Why is everyone just attacking the symptoms? [By which he means the monsters] Someone needs to go after the cause. [Someone who isn't him.] It clearly must be one of you, right? Unless the AI has sprung a leak. So, just start killing each other until the monsters disappear. Problem solved.

[There. It's like he always has to do all the work.]

[There's a voice coming from the communicator, and it doesn't sound very sane.]

[In fact, it's probably pretty well described as crazy laughter.]

[The laughter's not stopping, even though the video function turns on.]

[... Well. Someone's covered in blood. Naoya's holding a sharp rock in his hand, his hair streaked with red.]

No one told me we had raptors here.

[He smirks, and the video shuts off.]

[[ooc; Yeah, Naoya's pretty much just carving up monsters with a freaking rock. ... He's not going to be able to keep this up for very long, though. He's already burnt through his magic.]]

( Creepy video ahoy! )

((ooc: Possible trigger if you are a big fan of dogs. Or animals. Also note no 'puppies' are hurt in the making of this post.))

[....there's something metal around her ankle. That fact pierces through her disorienting haze, flinging her at whipcrack speed into panic. A panic that falters when flailing her limbs proves the metal to only be on one leg--and it's attached to a ball and chain, not a larger frame. Confusion is swift to replace the surge of adrenaline.

She's on the ground--on grass, and she has fingertips capable of feeling it. There are still rope burns on her wrists and ankles, blood on the arms of her jacket and large, hand shaped bruises beneath the fabric. Cybil's blood--it had been one of the men who'd dragged the police woman's body into the church who had dragged Sharon upright to watch the 'cleansing'....

It's a graveyard, but no church facade lurks in the background--just a large building, almost gleaming in its newness.

This isn't home. This isn't Silent Hill. This isn't her world.

...this isn't fair.]

[Without warning there’s a muffled jingle of metal, and the tail end of a despairing wail as Alessa clutches at her head.]--Mommy….!


(((OOC: Going to sleep now, I will tag all of you lovelies tomorrow~! :D)))

(((OOC: Catching up!)))

[She sounds a distracted and the usual vibrancy of her voice is absent.] I forgot to tell everyone, but Acumen will be delivering the welcome baskets now. I thought it might be best since we never know what will be happening on the days people arrive now, and it's so hard to predict where they will be. I hope no one minds too much. I know it's not as personable, but I didn't want them to be missed.

Oh, and most of the course descriptions are done. Please turn yours in if you haven't already and you're teaching a class. We should get the school started soon.

[There is a long pause before she says what is really on her mind. She thought about making it private, but she's not sure who might know something or who would want to know...]

Cornelia didn't come home last night. I've been trying to call her, but...

[It's serious. She knows that much. She could ask Acumen, but she doesn't want to hear that detached voice telling her that her sister is lost in the destablilizer or in the hospital.]

It appears I have a slight problem.

Is there any brave soul that might be willing to help me out?~

[ Some would think, after last night, the Earl would have gone to ground and spent days hiding away from his enemies.

Though he has never been one to do such things. And nothing in the world could disappoint him. Though Allen Walker spoiled his ultimate plans, the boy's reaction to his reveal had been more than worth it.

And, besides, his darlings can't keep a house, so someone would have to do it! Their living conditions are shameful!

So, there are carpets hanging off chairs outside, the doors and windows are thrown open, and he is bustling around the kitchen in an apron and his favorite top hat -- it has piano keys on it -- cleaning house! Even Lero has a dust rag in his mouth and is helping out. ]

EEEEEEEEooooooooWWWWWEEEEEEEEooooooooWWWWW!

[It's late. Very, very late. A siren-like sound comes on over the headsets that are still on followed by a booming voice.]

Attention lifeforms! This is an emergency!

I'm bored. Entertain me.

[For those who have currently decided to view the video feed, the image in front of you is slightly muddled with static for a moment, but then the figure slowly materializes on the screen. It’s a strikingly beautiful man, one that many of you might be familiar with. He’s holding his hand to his neck, a bit of blood showing between his fingers as his eyes dilate slightly. His skin is paler and his eyes are filled with the sort of despair that takes years to matriculate. A sadness that lingers indefinitely in one’s conscience, slowly crippling the mind until the heart becomes almost completely barren.

And then he looks up, blinking at his surroundings before some measure of recognition evolves in his expression. His head falls back, the hand pressed against his neck wilting as it does, to show that the wound has been healed. His eyes flutter closed and his lips twitch open to reveal uneven breathing. His head hurts, he feels nauseous, and he can barely form an articulate thought, but he knows where he is. Kaname’s pale lips slowly drift into the barest of smiles.]

I guess this means… I've returned.

[There's a bit of noise in the computer lab. High-pitched, tinny voices are coming from inside, along with the characteristically calm but rather amused tone of one Lacus Clyne. She's spent the last few days working on the new haros for Lyle and Orihime, and is almost done!]

( Fun with Haros! )

[Meanwhile, Lacus activates the video on her communicator, and in the background everyone can see the multicolored haro stampede.]

Good morning, everyone. If you see some haros come your way, please let me know! They're not quite complete yet, but very friendly!

((OOC: Feel free to run into any of the haros near-ish to the computer lab or to Lacus in [action] threads, or answer on video!))

[Step inside from the drizzle into the arcade and you'll be greeted by a bit more decorations than usual, and perhaps a bit more noise than the usual bloops, bleeps, and music. Streamers are hanging from the walls and ceiling, mostly in a deep violet colour, and occasional crudely-cut Steel Samurai decorations made out of construction paper (though it may take a little imagination to see them).

All the usual arcade favourites are there, ready to play, like Alley Fighter, Outzoom, Berserk Monsters, Apartment of the Unliving, Chomp-Man, Meteors, Ordeal, and so on. Not to mention older-style games like skeeball, bowling, whack-a-mole, and so on.

Towards the middle of the arcade, a number of tables have been pulled together with various food offerings, particularly snacky foods like chips, Samurai hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, and so on but no ramen sadly. The bots even mixed up a bowl of red punch which sits prominent on the chain of tables.

At the end, of course, is a big sheet cake divided into a few basic flavour quadrants (chocolate, vanilla, lemon, strawberry), frosted with "Happy Birthday!" written on the top, ready to be cut.]

((OOC: Everyone is welcome! Maya will be all over the place, so feel free to make threads finding her in different areas of the arcade! And definitely feel free to party with each other! Threadjack away!))

[ Good morning, Marina, Adam is smiling and waves a little into the video screen ]

Guten Morgen, meine Freunde!

I thought, to celebrate the end of the worry of the last few days, as well as dear young Euphemia's school plans moving forward, I would bake. [ He laughs ] I do love baking, but it is best to have an occasion!

[ The video pans across the shelter common area to plates and plates of pink frosted cupcakes and white frosted chocolate cupcakes. There are also various teapots nestled among the sweets, as well as cups. ]

Please, come and eat!

Also, if anyone is interested in attending the German class I am teaching, please come; I would be pleased to discuss the curriculum with you. [ Conspiratorially ] To be honest, I have never taught a class before, so I am very excited!

[ She tries to hide the worry behind exasperation, but it doesn't quite work. She hasn't seen Minako since yesterday and...maybe she really had disappeared...it seemed like a common occurrence here. ]

If you're still here Minako-chan - then please answer.


ooc: action = everywhere

[ yaaaaaaaaaawn, sound of someone stretching ]

So. Who wants t'explain to Lavi what an "internet" is? Small words, though, guys; I'm a century behind most of you.

[ Filtered to Black Order folks ]

Dunno if anybody heard, before... but Acumen confirmed the Earl's still hangin' around. Though, after yesterday, don't think anybody doubted that.

[in a super good mood, all the sick people are getting better, things are looking up~ so here, have a pretty panoramic view of high up on a building, and then Roxas swings the camera around to look squarely at it]

So, hey, what kind of foods do you all like? I can't eat sea-salt ice cream every meal, and I just heard there's other flavors of pizza.

What's your favorite? Pizza, or -- favorite food in general. Or... I don't know. If you just woke up, maybe do you have a craving for something?

You'll all be pleased to know I have parted ways with my ball and chain and even more favorably some meager semblance of my powers has been restored. I'm now almost as powerful as a Norwellian dung beetle or a Tranoville flea. [This is sarcasm, kids] But at least I'm not cursed with human-like abilities anymore. [No, really.]

How do you muddle through? Everything is so...time consuming. [Genuine interest.]

Also, you should really see what you can do about this sleeping problem. You're even less interesting to watch while you sleep.

(OOC: Norwellian and Tranoville are just planets I've made up. Any resemblance to actual or fictional planetary systems is incidental. But HE is not making them up.)

[The communicator clatters to the ground, turning on the video feed, and there's a startled sound from the girl it came with, "Ah!" She scrambles a little to pick it up, and the video turns on her. Some of you may recognize Orihime: she's a little worse for the wear, slightly bloodied, some of her white clothing torn, eyes still red from tears. But her expression is serious.]

If this is some sort of illusion, please stop it! Ishida-kun needs my help right away.

I-- I'm not going to play games with you.

Since it's so well into the morning, I think I'll just leave you these. Let's see if you all can figure them out.~


When is it bad luck to meet a white cat?

Take away the whole and some still remains. What is it?

You have a barrel of oil, and you need to measure out just one gallon. How do you do this if you only have a three-gallon container and a five-gallon container?

What is broken every time it's spoken?


Let's start out simple, shall we?