[Afternoon|Open]
[Even from several meters down the hall one may be able to smell the aroma of the shelter kitchen. Anyone who enters will see the steam lightly blanketing the air from the plates and platters covered with food. It looks like someone has been cooking for hours--and she has. Rapunzel moves around with a closed, distracted focus as if she's not paying attention to everything she's doing. The food still comes out perfect--she could do it in her sleep.

But she hasn't even noticed that her smiley face chocolate chip cookies are all starting to frown.]

[Evening|Closed]
[It's after all the baking is done, the food packaged away as best she could--what she could fit anyway--and the kitchen cleaned that Rapunzel realizes that this distracted didn't work at all. She's gone and Rapunzel feels like she's lost all over again. For a moment there had been relief--she could do what she wanted now and Mother's overprotective shadow wouldn't be there--followed by guilt. How could she even think like that?

She goes to the only place that makes her feel safe. The clock tower. Roxas won't mind, will he?]

[Ritsuka is sitting with his feet up on one of the couches (don't worry; he took his shoes off) of the first floor shelter common room with several large stacks of photographs arranged on the cushions beside him. He has paused in the middle of sorting pictures, if the stack still in his hand is any indication, and switched on his communicator. He frowns thoughtfully down at the pictures that have already been organized, then at the stack in his hands, before addressing the video.]

What's the best way to put memories in order? If I organize them by person, I'll get the days mixed up, but if I put them in order of day it'll be harder to find the ones I need of a particular person. [Not to mention Ritsuka's getting increasingly frustrated looking at the ones missing their timestamps.]

If anyone has an idea, I'd like to hear it.

Hey. Did anyone see Anya yesterday? If you don't know her, she's about-- [he holds his hand up, this tall] --with pink hair and red eyes.

I talked to her this morning and I'm trying to help her with something. [doesn't feel right to just say it like that] So-- I guess that's it.

[crappy day yesterday has been compounded with breaking up with Axel today, so he's the least friendly right now, and he looks about as cheerful as he feels. but he is going to get this done, something will go right with one of his friends, he's going to help Anya figure out why she can't remember what happened yesterday]

So rain, was it...

[Her voice trailing off. Not exactly sounding too impressed by that fact as she swirls a spoon playfully around in a large cup of milk before letting it go, only to watch the utensil continue to circle until it all but stops. At that point, she removes it with a twirl.]

... in a facility that is beneath the surface of the ocean.

[Yellow eyes flicker toward the communicator. She lets that hang there for a moment as she takes a sip of her drink.]

And no one finds this out of the ordinary. While the lack of shackle is much appreciated, I think I'd prefer open skies to leaky domes...

[Her conversation with Charles from yesterday had reminded Marianne of how much the silence chafed at her, and she rises up for a little while. Every street, every store front and restaurant, Marianne weaves in and out of the different sectors haplessly until she makes it to her destination.

It only takes her a few minutes to disable the vi Britannia manor's security system, sliding in through the back door and going straight for the kitchen. Somehow, she trusts that her son keeps the best produce.]


((OOC: Closed to residents of the Casa di vi Britannia or those who would have a good reason to be there!))

[ Around noon, the robots that had been swarming the beach scatter, leaving a transformed landscape in their wakes. There are volleyball nets set up in the sand, along with colorful umbrellas and blankets beneath them. Part of the water has been sectioned off for water polo, while inflatable rafts in fanciful shapes are ready for use in the open area.

Ringing the beach are food stands serving street and festival foods: chin chin, takoyaki and taiyaki, aloo tikki, sabikh, empanada, hot dogs, ice cream and shaved ice, and suchlike. There is one stand where a robot serves an alcoholic punch not completely unlike sangria. Several of the other stands also serve non-alcoholic drinks. Clean up robots zoom from place to place, picking up garbage. ]

[It doesn't really hurt anymore. Her stomach has been well treated and wrapped and she's on pain medication. She's lucky.

She's lucky Faith got there when she did. She's lucky they have such advanced medical facilities. She's lucky she'll be able to go home tomorrow.

Euphie isn't sure she feels lucky. She isn't sure what she feels at all. She just keeps thinking about the blood that was on her dress. She's clean and in fresh clothing now of course, but it still seemed like she could see it. Her blood. Wasn't it?]


( OOC )

[ Suzaku's morning is very normal; he wakes up, goes for a swim, heads to the Defense Force, sequesters himself in his office, reads a few personality profiles if there are pending members; he wanders the HQ halls a little bit, listening intently to the network for anyone who might need help and talking to other Force members.

and then it gets to be around eleven, eleven-thirty, and something shifts hard in his belly, making him lurch and cling to the edge of his desk. he slides slowly to the floor, smothered pain as his head pounds, a million seconds' worth of memory slamming into his brain with the force of a speeding truck.

he spends what feels like hours there on the floor, breathing harshly, trying and failing to focus. in reality it's only a few minutes.

and then, slowly, carefully, he pushes himself to his feet again. what... what was that? he-- he's still in his office but it feels like it's been -- days, weeks, months. only he wasn't really there, he was here; he knows he was. fuck, he feels like he's going to-- no, he just wants to be sick. he really... Lelouch really-- they...

Suzaku scrubs a hand over his face, his eyes. it's too much to process all at once but he knows one thing with crystal clarity: he is going home early today. ]


((ooc: canon update! PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TALK DF BUSINESS, TAG THE FIRST THREAD. if you wanna find Suzaku sick in his office, tag the second! and housemates are more than welcome to tag on for the third, but there may be some sexy times in that thread so viewer beware!))

Fine, if loving my daughter is a crime, then lock me away!

[ Already the theatrics are practically oozing from her voice. ]

Obviously I deserve it, how dare I treat a young woman with love and respect? Oh, you're certainly teaching me a lesson. Never again will I be a loving parent, is that what you want from me? I've seen the light, the error of my ways, how dreadful of me to look out for her well being.

[ Her dramatics swell, dropping almost immediately, and she sounds agitated. ]

Are you happy now, is that what you wanted to hear?

[Lelouch has spent much of the last 24 hours in his room, pretending to be very busy with -- things -- and unable to talk to anyone. Maybe it's the arrival of the newbies or maybe he has just gained a newfound serenity (hahaha), but he has started unwinding enough that he has ventured out of his room and down into the kitchen.]

[To cook. And he will cook so many things.]



((ooc: Casa de vi Britannia, go! Let's talk about dreams and dramas. Open to the household and to anyone who has reason to drop by; mingle post, so feel free to set up your own thread and tag each other.))

[The feed opens on a clean, lonely cot in the abandoned clinic, the once white sheets now a faded gray, but still stark in comparison to the dark figure huddled in the middle of the cot. His name is Ritsuka, though he doesn't know if he should even be calling himself that anymore. His face is far too young to wear this expression: his brow knotted with worry, exhaustion hollowing his dark purple eyes. He sits with his knees drawn up to his chest, his bandaged hands hugging his shins along with a sleek black tail. Two cat ears lie almost flat against his black hair, all the more bizarre for his additional set of very human ears. The contents of the welcome basket are strewn about him, jelly beans dotting the sheets with little buttons of color, and the pamphlet lying in a wrinkly mess at his feet.

He glances at the communicator and turns his face away once more, his cheeks flushing with color as he frowns very hard at his knees. It's taken him a while to get enough courage to turn on the communicator, and he will not ruin it all by crying now.

He breathes deeply through his nose and speaks in a voice trembling with forced calm.]

If anyone's there, can you tell me where I can find a place to stay?

[Some fumbling. Some quiet cursing, and the feed clicks on fully.]

[Have a shot of Rider's right shoulder and hands.]

I do not think I am using this device correctly.

I will learn in time, I suppose.

[She pauses to gather her thoughts, and shuffles the camera view around a little bit more. Have a shot of her forehead and hair this time.]

But I have two questions for all that can hear this: one, how may I speak with the person who imprisoned me here? And two...has anyone by the last name of Matou been seen in this facility?

((OOC: this is so I don't end up forgetting. I'll get to replies sloooooowly as finals are...ending sooner than I thought. /derps into infinity/))

[The feed clicks on rather suddenly, on a close up of fabric.]

- loads of new people, of course. I do hope some of them are fashionable; I'm dying for some more clients, you know.

[Rarity steps back from the dress form, showing her latest creation on the form.]

Hm... I'm not used to working with such dark fabric, but I do think it looks nice.

[There's a tiny girl staggering under a mass of fine blankets and fancy pillows. She totters over to a larger pile of similar objects by the railing and tosses what she's carrying into it. Maybe this is the beginning of a Super Special Awesome Pillow Fort? It looks like she dropped a pink frilly pillow somewhere near you.]

[Incidentally, tiny!Nunnally has picked a prime location to throw small squishy things at people on the floor below.]


((OOC: Your character can be either normal age or younger, and tiny!Nunners can be persuaded to leave the pillow fort and the unsuspecting adults alone for other kiddie fun and games.))

[[Charles]]

[A little boy in an elegant suit is crouching here on the ground, curled in on himself. He is furious -- or crying -- or both. A parade of adults in fancy clothes glide past him, ballgowns and wingtip shoes brushing by, their owners either not noticing or not caring about him. Powerless. In the end he's always -- powerless.

A massive figure finally pauses in front of him, and Lelouch's head jerks up, and he forces himself to his feet. The man towers over his childish height, easily three times his size, maybe more.

"You can't do this!" he shouts desperately. "You can't toy with people's lives! You can't decide for the whole human race!"

The man just shoves him back to the ground.]


[[Suzaku]]

["Why do you always have to make things so difficult?" he tells Suzaku, even though he knows that he's the one who makes things difficult. He's frustrated. "Why do you listen to me? Why do you give in? Why don't you fight for yourself?"

He closes his eyes. "--It wasn't a mistake," he says, finally, and draws a step closer to slip his arms around Suzaku's waist.

"Of course it wasn't," Suzaku agrees, immediately. "I lo--"

Lelouch kisses him, because he hates those words.]


((ooc: Both are open regardless of past CR but for Suzaku please ask me! Tag in at the end after the scene(s) described and we'll play through as far as you like!))

[Dream 1 | Fun and Games | Open]
[The room is lavish and elegant. It's spacious and not just because the furniture within is proportioned for a child. There are dolls, toys, books, and games all neatly arranged within the space. There is also an area set up for a tea party. Maybe you were invited? Or you could play with the realistic dollhouse or the dress up clothes or the puzzles or the chess set? Really, anything at all is fine with the little girl that occupies this room. She loves having visitors.

There's only one rule—don't open the door.

But you wouldn't do that, would you? No, it's better to stay in here. Stay away. Stay safe.]

( OOC 1 )

[Dream 2 | Revealing | Open]
[Suddenly you're dancing and across from you is a girl in an elaborate ball gown. Her face is hidden as is yours, but the long, pink hair might give her away. You're in a magnificent ballroom and there seem to be other people around, but her eyes are only for you. There is just something in the air, isn't there? Dance, talk, have some punch, and follow wherever the night leads.]

( OOC 2 )

[ has never been one to forgo a cat nap, no matter what time of day it is. when she begins to nod off while playing with Beagle, she kisses his little head and then curls up on Lelouch's bed, perfectly content. ]

[ the one-room house is small, but cozy and well-kept. it seems even smaller because of the dozen or so people milling about, their attentions centered on the bed in the corner by the window. a handful of adults mind the children -- who keep running up to the bed and grasp at the hands of the old woman in it; they call her Oma and hand her flowers that look like they've been pulled from the meadow outside, dirt still clinging to the bottoms. the old woman just smiles and accepts them, curling wrinkled fingers around them.

a few of the adults have dark hair and gold-colored eyes, though others appear totally ordinary. one little boy has green hair and blue eyes. all different color combinations, but they all faintly resemble the old woman. she seems familiar to you, too, despite her wrinkles and pure-white hair; her unremarkable forehead. and as you look around, you notice a few things that seem out of place -- a plush toy in a corner, faded and well-loved. you might remember it being bright orange, last time you saw it. there's a smell of pizza being made on a stone over the kitchen fire, though no one here looks worldly at all. an aged beagle dozes at the foot of the bed, undisturbed by the children who occasionaly play with his ears.

eventually, she notices you -- and smiles, her eyes filling with happy tears. she reaches out a frail hand for you, and the adults shoo the children away to make room by her bedside. ]

((OOC: Open to castmates and any current CR! She will recognize you and be happy to see you maybe she's senile, if you didn't have that good of a relationship in Marina.))

[Has Subaru ever mentioned he's not that great of a public speaker? Because he's not. He's going to do his best, though! He's in the process of taking breath when the feed clicks on, and he offers a bright, if nervous smile.]

Um-- Hello! I-- some of you know me, but if you don't, my name is Subaru Sumeragi! Um-- since there's a church now, and it's open to everyone, I'm-- I'm going to be offering some omamori for everyone!

[he seems less nervous when he's talking about things he knows, brightening considerably as he talks.] Omamori are small amulets that you can tie onto your bags or your communicators or anything like that, and there's different kinds that help bring good luck and things! You can get them to help with good health, or help on a test, or to help bring you love! They're usually from shrines and temples, back home, so I think it will be okay to offer them at the church.

A-anyway, I just wanted to ask if there's any in particular you want help with, so I know which omamori to make! So if there's something you're hoping for, you can have one. They'll just be at the church, so-- you don't have to tell anybody what kind you're taking, when you go to get them!

Ah-- thank you!

[If you've taken notice of any of the fliers posted around the shelter and school, you'll know the Student Council's first official meeting is today. Nunnally's kind of nervous, but in a good way. She has many fond memories of time spent with the Ashford Academy student council, and hopefully Marina Academy's version will help cheer people up, too.]

[...for those of you who need bribes to make an appearance, she's brought a big plate of homemade chocolate chip cookies.]


((ooc: Replies will probably be delayed; I'm having serious connection issues but this needed to go up. Feel free to threadjack and please remember to put before/during/after in the subject heading.))

[Orihime is in the playground in Sector 4, idling on a swing in a kimono top and leggings, rocking back and forth a little and spinning in a slow circle. Edward is chilling on the swing next to her.]

[She's supposed to meet Sasha here so they can do some baking together back at her house, but she rather likes this place. The empty playground sort of suits her mood at the moment.]

[Still, her voice is unfailingly energetic when she asks,]


What kind of ice cream would everyone want to be in a real ice cream parlor? I know we can get ice cream in containers at the store and everything, but we need a 31 Flavors or something so you can actually go and get all sorts of ice cream treats and where the ice cream is made fresh every day~

So what kind of ice cream would you want? And what other treats? I'll get a list together and then I'll ask Acumen for it so he can see how many people want ice cream!