A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes

<KiruGM> It's just coming up on noon on a clear Friday at Ohtori Academy.  

<KiruGM> The leaves of the gingko and maple trees around the campus are turning golden and rusty, and this evening a chill is likely to be in the air.  It's a half day of classes today, the day before the long weekend of Autumn Holiday, when some of the students return home to visit their families. 

<KiruGM> You, however, will not be returning to your families.  You'll be staying on the campus, and the rest of the weekend is yours to do with as you like.  Almost.

<KiruGM> You do have one commitment this afternoon: a meeting of the Ohtori Academy Student Council.

<KiruGM> You've got about four hours to spend at locations around the campus, before you'll be meeting in the Tower of the school's main building.

<KiruGM> There are also many people around Ohtori you might want to meet.

* MaxFaust sits in a corner of the library, hidden behind an upside-down book, watching Tesser

* Kamiko , red-eyed, stares fiercely at the memorial plaque in Nemuro, as if daring it to disappear.

* Kseniya made sure to catch up with Issei before he left, but is currently curled up in her own room with a lavishly illustrated book of fairytales.

* Inoki_Aoi sits on the upper level of the library, writing in  moleskine notebook and occasionally pausing to look lost in thought.

<KiruGM> In the last round of duels, you each fought with another student from around the school, most of whom appeared to be entranced in some way.

<KiruGM> Aoi, you fought with Yoko, an ambitious senior who has of late become a bit more easygoing.

<KiruGM> Kseniya battled model-maker Yutaka, and Kiyone battled her dearest former friend, Althea.

<KiruGM> And last of all, Kamiko fought a brutal battle with the school's goth queen, Haruka.

<KiruGM> Now that round of duels is over, with each of you earning a pass to participate in the real dueling game at Ohtori.

<KiruGM> In the next rounds, you'll be fighting each other.

<KiruGM> But that's all in the future!  You're high school students now, and you have a whole afternoon free.  

<KiruGM> What would you like to do?

* Kamiko seems to make up her mind. She heads to Benevento Field, hoping to find Althea.

<Kita_Kiyone> Which is unfortunate, considering Benevento is also where Kiyone has been hanging out, even if club activites have been off for the upcoming holiday.

<KiruGM> Kamiko, you walk down a tree-lined pavement from the conservatory, which wasn't there until just a week ago.

<KiruGM> The sky opens up ahead of you as you step onto the wide, flat expanse of Benevento Field.

* Kita_Kiyone seems to be lying down, reading some romance novel to shield her eyes from the sun.

<KiruGM> It's dotted with students in groups and alone, laughing and taking in the sunlight. 

<KiruGM> Kamiko, you can spot Kiyone, but Althea's tow-coloured head isn't immediately apparent.

* Kamiko makes a moue, and begins a slow circumnavigation of the track.

<KiruGM> Lots of other students.  You see Minoru splayed out in a star shape.

<KiruGM> There's a copse off to the side of the track, shadowed from the sun.

* Kamiko stops, and pretending to stretch, tries to peek into the shadowed copse.

<KiruGM> Althea is sat behind a bush with a pack lunch, a navy hoodie top over her golden hair.  

* Althea looks up at the sound of Kamiko's approach, then quickly back down.

* Kamiko affects her least ojou-sama-y voice, and inquires, "Althea? May I join you?"

<Althea_Stonewall> "What are /you/ doing here."

* Kamiko kneels next to the athlete, and places a hand on Althea's knee. "I was looking for /you/. I wanted to talk."

* Althea_Stonewall shoots a fierce glance at Kamiko.

<Althea_Stonewall> "Talk, then."

* Kamiko smiles, and looks a little sad.

<Kamiko> "How are you doing?"

* Althea_Stonewall snorts

<Althea_Stonewall> "I've literally never exchanged two words with you before today.  Now you're all concerned about me?  Come on."

<Althea_Stonewall> "What do you /want/."

* Kamiko sighs.

<Kamiko> "Kita-chan is too proud too apologize, and wanted me to try breaking the ice as a neutral party. I was hoping you'd be more level-headed about all this."

* Althea_Stonewall looks at you like you're from Mars.

<Althea_Stonewall> "We're not going to kiss and make up. That's not going to happen."

* Kamiko tilts her head, and looks curiously at Althea.

<Kamiko> "Why not?"

* Althea_Stonewall shakes her head furiously.

<Kamiko> "You obviously miss Kita-chan, and as a member of the Student Counci with her, I can tell you that you mean the world to her."

* Althea_Stonewall shakes her head furiously.

<Kamiko> "What could /possibly/ be so horrible as to shatter such a close bond?"

<Althea_Stonewall> "I'm never going to forgive her. That's why. I don't care what she thinks anymore."

<Kamiko> "She cares what you think... more than you suspect, I'd wager."

* Althea_Stonewall laughs ironically.

<Althea_Stonewall> "So you're interested in making her suffer, I take it."

<Althea_Stonewall> "I think we can work something out."

* Kamiko shifts to a less feminine pose, and adopts a more normal tone of voice.

<Kamiko> "See, I /knew/ I wanted to talk to you."

* Kseniya closes the book carefully and tucks it inside a bag. Then she heads outside for somewhere less /stuffy/ for reading.  The library, perhaps.

<KiruGM> Aoi and Max are both there, watching the dust rise through the bands of sunlight from the high windows.

* Kseniya stops nearby, still carrying her book, and considers Aoi and Max for a moment. Why doesn't the vampire go after someone bigger for a change?

<KiruGM> At one of the study tables, Tesser is poring over a large book.

<KiruGM> Higher up in the stacks, Dr. Weyland is gathering an armful of books.

<KiruGM> Tesser looks up from her reading and straight at Max, who has been watching her for some time.

* Kseniya transfers her contemplation to Dr. Weyland, who might or might not be a vampire. Jury's still out on that one.

* MaxFaust keeps staring, not pretending to look at the book

* MaxFaust indicates the chair opposite with a glance

* Tesser gives Max a little wave, then looks back down at her book, embarrassed.

<KiruGM> Dr Weyland moves deeper into the stacks, out of view.

* MaxFaust BANGS his book closed and SLAMS it down on the tabletop

* MaxFaust stands up and walks over to Tesser

<Tesser> "H-hi, Max."

* MaxFaust speaks in a quite normal and very audible tone of voice, "Hey. Can I speak to you for a moment?"

* Kseniya drifts nearer, in case someone is going to need defending.

<Tesser> "Uh, yes!  Do you want to step out of the library, or--"

<MaxFaust> "Oh, wherever you like. I was looking for some information, so I came to the library."

<Tesser> "Yes!  The library is great for information!"

* Tesser smiles awkwardly

<Tesser> "Um, but, what did you want to know?"

<MaxFaust> "Shiro, Yoko, Yutaka, Althea and Haruka."

* Tesser snaps her book shut.  It's some kind of photo book of the school's gallery.

* MaxFaust looks at the stuff on the nearest shelf, runs a finger along some spines

* Tesser 's face falls a bit.

<MaxFaust> "What do they have in common, d'you know? You seem to know everyone."

* Tesser looks pensive

<Tesser> "Well...Yoko's been very different lately."

* MaxFaust nods

<Tesser> "And Shiro too, you know.  He doesn't even come to the gym anymore.  They're both out of the clubs they used to be in."

<Tesser> "Althea too, about a month before Yoko."

<Tesser> "I don't know about Haruka and Yutaka.  You never see Yutaka anyway, and Haruka has been absent from her classes all this week.  I think she's got some kind of bug."

<MaxFaust> "I have seen people acting out of character lately. Getting into trouble and so on."

* Tesser looks back at Max.

<Tesser> "I think they all have something to do with the Student Council."

<Tesser> "Why do you ask?"

<MaxFaust> "I was wondering why the sudden changes, is all. I'm on the Student Council myself, you know."

* MaxFaust brushes his shoulders off

<Tesser> "Yes...you know Shiro pretty well, I think."

* MaxFaust nods

<Tesser> "Lately he's been hanging out with Ruta and her crowd a lot."

<Tesser> "You know, they have fights and stuff, but nothing official.  Maybe that's replaced the boxing club for him."

* MaxFaust looks surprised, then thoughtful

<MaxFaust> "Such strange connections between people lately. I wonder why?"

<Tesser> "Things are changing around here."

<MaxFaust> "Look after yourself. Take care."

* MaxFaust grabs Tesser's hand

* MaxFaust turns beetroot-red and then scurries out

* Tesser clutches her book to her chest and watches him go.

<KiruGM> A loud thump from the upper stories, like someone dropping a load of books.

* Inoki_Aoi glances upwards from his notebook.

* Kseniya frowns upward, and strides off to investigate the Potential Hazard.

* Inoki_Aoi snaps his notebook closed and strolls casually off towards the upper levels.

<KiruGM> Ayano is lying in a heap in the 700 stacks.

<KiruGM> It looks like she grabbed onto a shelf of books as she fell.  Almost the whole shelf is on the floor around her.

<KiruGM> As Kseniya and Aoi approach, she groans and starts pushing books off herself.

<Ayano> "nnngh"

* Kseniya hurries over to offer her a hand up.

* Inoki_Aoi quietly begins picking books up off Ayano, stacking them neatly next to the shelves.

<Ayano> "Wow...that just...everything got all spinny, like early Damien Hirst."

* Ayano rubs her left arm like it's sore.

<Ayano> "D'you have any water?"

* Inoki_Aoi places a water bottle on the floor next to Ayano, still stacking books.

<Kseniya> "...well, he does. Have you been feeling okay? Or, uh, noticing yourself being more pale than usual?"

* Ayano drinks noisily and pours a bit of water over her face, which drips onto her clothes and the carpet.

<Ayano> "Just didn't get enough sleep last night, I guess.  Lots of work to do."

* Ayano shakes her head like a dog, spraying water everywhere.

<Ayano> "That's much better.  Hey, so, are you two an item?"

* Kseniya stares at Aoi.

* Kseniya stares at Ayano.

<Kseniya> "No. Well, I'm glad you're feeling better! Must run!"

<Inoki_Aoi> "Did you fall on your arm?"

* Inoki_Aoi adds, sotto voce "or your head"

* Ayano smiles broadly

<Ayano> "Nobody comes up here except to make out, so I assumed..."

* Ayano hoists herself to her feet.

<Inoki_Aoi> "Really?  Who were you up here to make out with?"

<Kseniya> "I wish you luck with that, then!"

<Ayano> "*I* have a *project*."

* Kseniya retreats hastily to somewhere less...complicated, for reading.

<Ayano> "Aoi, /you/ wanna hear about my art, right?  I got the idea from bees..."

<Ayano> "Hey, you should be writing this down."

* Inoki_Aoi smiles patiently and produces his notebook.

<Ayano> "The sky: carmine, like flame!  A buzzing fills the air, as of tiny helicopters!  Slowly it becomes the sound of chainsaws, as we begin to see the trees, falling.  The woodland creatures..."

<KiruGM> Ayano continues on in this vein, waving her voluminous bell sleeves around as she gestures.

<KiruGM> You catch sight of a white bandage high on her forearm.

* Inoki_Aoi turns a page, scribbles something, then goes back to recording concept art.

<KiruGM> Kiyone, after lunch you head up to the gym.

<KiruGM> The vinegary scent of adolescent sweat lingers even with most of the students gone.

* Kita_Kiyone looks around, trying to find the sort of people she assumes Faust-kun would hang around with, coaches, student boxers, wrestlers, that sort of thing.

<KiruGM> It looks like the coach has headed out early, but you can see two members of the boxing club hanging out near the heavy bag: Sander Goldbaum and Lalo D'Anconia.

<Kita_Kiyone> "Ah! Mr. Goldbaum!"

* Kita_Kiyone waves, clearly remembering his help at the Gallery.

* Sander_Goldbaum turns away from Lalo, who narrows his eyes at Kiyone, perhaps remembering their last meeting in the tunnels beneath the Rose Croix Theatre.

<Kita_Kiyone> "I'm not sure if I introduced myself at the party that night. I'm Kiyone Kita, Student Council... vice-president, I suppose, currently.

<Sander_Goldbaum> "How's it going, Kiyone-san?"

* Sander_Goldbaum takes your hand and shakes it warmly.

<Kita_Kiyone> "Fine, fine. I was wondering if I could talk to you... and Mr. D'Anconia as well, maybe? It's about Max Faust?"

* Sander_Goldbaum smiles winningly

<Sander_Goldbaum> "Max!  What a guy, huh?"

<Kita_Kiyone> "Yes. He's very.... sincere, I think! But he's my junior, and he's also very... well, I don't want to say aloof, but..."

* Sander_Goldbaum sighs huffily.

* Kita_Kiyone smiles a bit."

* Lalo_DAnconia sighs huffily.

<Lalo_DAnconia> "A weight class all his own."

<Lalo_DAnconia> "Because of all the rocks in his head."

* Kita_Kiyone crosses her fingers in front of her stomach.

<Kita_Kiyone> "Do you two happen to... know anything about him? What he likes, what're his interest, why he's here at Ohtori?"

<Sander_Goldbaum> "I've never seen anything like that left cross."

<Sander_Goldbaum> "But yeah, he's a pretty serious guy.  Don't think I've ever seen him laugh."

<Lalo_DAnconia> "He's a stuck-up prick, as far as I know. I thought he was never going to get involved in anything, until this Student Council thing."

<Lalo_DAnconia> "Too good for everyone."

<Kita_Kiyone> "That's really not very nice, Mr. D'Anconia."

* Sander_Goldbaum looks thoughtful

<Sander_Goldbaum> "I think he's just got some perspective, myself."

* Sander_Goldbaum sweeps his arm, taking in the school grounds

<Sander_Goldbaum> "All of this is temporary.  We'll all be out of here in a few years."

<Sander_Goldbaum> "After that, it won't matter what you did here, or what you were.  Just how prepared you are for the outside world."

<Sander_Goldbaum> "I figure Max is just keeping his head down until he gets a chance to make it on his own."

* Kita_Kiyone places a finger against her cheek, tilting her head.

<Lalo_DAnconia> "He's wasting his time here, is what I think. There's all /kinds/ of opportunities right in this school.  No sense waiting."

<Kita_Kiyone> "And... would either of you know what kind of girl Faust would be interested in? ... not that I-, that is..."

<Lalo_DAnconia> "Big ones, I bet."

<Sander_Goldbaum> "I never saw him go after a girl, actually.  You know, he's actually really young."

<Sander_Goldbaum> "He'll still be here after the rest of us are gone, probably."

* Kita_Kiyone nods.

<Kita_Kiyone> "But... I mean, he would be interested if someone pursued him, right? He's not.... y'know."

<Sander_Goldbaum> "Gay?  I don't think so."

<Lalo_DAnconia> "As if."

<Lalo_DAnconia> "Are you trying to use him for something, then?  Like a bouncer at Council meetings or something?"

<Kita_Kiyone> "Not at all.... I just had some questions, and he just seemed, lost in thought when I've asked him directly."

<Lalo_DAnconia> "I think he might do really well as a boat anchor."

<Lalo_DAnconia> "Any kind of ballast, really."

<Lalo_DAnconia> "Right, I'm off to the Gallery.  Sander?  Gold Room?"

* Lalo_DAnconia raises his eyebrows

<Kita_Kiyone> "But, um.... if you two could keep this quiet from Faust-kun? I don't want him getting the wrong idea about the questions I asked."

* Kita_Kiyone presses her hands together, smile still on her face.

<Sander_Goldbaum> "Nah, I get that. No problem, Kiyone-san.  Well, see you around!"

<Kita_Kiyone> "Have fun!"

* Sander_Goldbaum waves brightly and walks with Lalo out across the campus, through the lengthening shadows.

<KiruGM> The sun is low in the sky, and the light's starting to get thick and golden.  Time for the Student Council Meeting!

<KiruGM> You all ascend the Tower via elevator, six floors up.

<KiruGM> On the white-painted iron table on the overlook, you find an envelope with a red wax seal.

* Kita_Kiyone picks up the envelope first.

<MaxFaust> "Open it, would you?"

<Kita_Kiyone> "Unless one of you would like to do the honors?"

* Kita_Kiyone opens the message, and then reads it out.

<KiruGM> Tearing open the envelope, you remove a letter, crisply folded.

<Kita_Kiyone> "Well, that was annoyingly cryptic."

<MaxFaust> "It looks like an invitation..."

<Inoki_Aoi> "Invitations traditionally include a when and where."

<Inoki_Aoi> "For convenience, you understand."

* Kita_Kiyone looks at the back, holds it up to the setting sun.

<Kita_Kiyone> "Any suggestions?"

<KiruGM> The letter appears to be a heavy stationary, with fine black ink for the inscription.

<KiruGM> It resembles the initial invitations each of you received to join the dueling game, even down to the oblique signature.

<Kamiko> "Obviously, we're to go to the magic gate."

<KiruGM> The seal is clearly the imprint made by a signet ring like the one you all wear.

<Inoki_Aoi> "Seems reasonable enough."

* Kita_Kiyone ahs, and brushes past Kamiko, holding the invitation behind her, heading to the elevator.

* MaxFaust complains "There's nothing reasonable about a magic gate..."

* Kseniya follows, after another look at the letter.

<Inoki_Aoi> "Everything's relative."

<KiruGM> As a group, you make your way down Ohtori's central walk towards the duel forest, to which Kiyone still holds the key.

* Kita_Kiyone has luckily been keeping it on her person since the duel with Althea.

<KiruGM> At the midpoint, where the Nemuro Memorial Hall ruins stood only days earlier, the Nemuro Conservatory's glass panes reflect the afternoon light.

* Kamiko stares fiercely at the Conservatory.

<Kita_Kiyone> (sotto voce) "Speaking of unreasonable constructions..."

<KiruGM> It's filled with many-colored roses, and the bright brass plaque outside reads "DEDICATED TO OUR FALLEN. YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN."

<KiruGM> Discussion amongst the student body this week has not really touched on the subject of the conservatory.  It's as if no one has noticed it's there.

<Kamiko> or as if it's always been there.

* Kita_Kiyone steps up to the stone gate and places the key in the granite lock and turns it.

<KiruGM> You move on through Benevento Field, through the gate in the wall into the dense forest behind the school.

<Kita_Kiyone> "Honestly, I had sort of expected Kurouto-senpai arriving before now."

<Inoki_Aoi> "I still find her role in this enigmatic, Kita-san."

<KiruGM> In the center, a clearing holds the stone gate that leads to the dueling arena.

* Kamiko mumbles something to herself.

<KiruGM> The gate remains shut tightly.

* Kita_Kiyone under her breath, "not that she's the only one here playing up the enigmatic role, Inoki-san."

<KiruGM> However, when you approach, you can see what lies behind the gate in the clearing, sticking out of a mound of earth.

* Kita_Kiyone kicks at the stone door in frustration and falls back onto the grass.

<KiruGM> Five slim swords stuck point-first into the ground.

<KiruGM> They form a rough circle, below where the dueling arena would appear if the gate were open.

<KiruGM> You each recognize a weapon you've held in your hands before.

<Kamiko> "oh no"

<Kseniya> "Oh. Huh."

<KiruGM> For some of you, the last time you saw these swords was in the broken glass in the locked room in Ohtori Gallery, the room that opened with the same key you used here.  For others, the last time you saw it was when you struck down a classmate, scattering the petals of the rose on their breast.  

* Kita_Kiyone look at everyone else's response, picks herself up, dusts herself off and goes to reach for the sword she had been carrying during her duel with Althea.

<Kita_Kiyone> "So, what, free-for-all?"

* Inoki_Aoi steps up and pulls "his" sword out, holding it point down.

<Inoki_Aoi> "I was under the impression this was rather more formal than that, Kita-san."

* Kamiko starts digging into the ground inside the circle.

<KiruGM> The forest offers you no more answers, only the sound of the leaves in the breeze.

<Kita_Kiyone> "Well, we had prelims, whhich were at least direct enough."

<Kita_Kiyone> "Now he get a riddle and a mound of dirt with swords jabbed into it."

<Kseniya> "I suppose this is supposed to be the clever part."

<Kseniya> "I mean, where we're clever."

* Kita_Kiyone hms.

<Kita_Kiyone> "Well, we're duellists, and to duel you need a challenge so...

* Kita_Kiyone holds up her sword straight and points it at Kamiko.

* Kamiko looks around for any other disturbed earth.

<Kita_Kiyone> "Shimabukuro-senpai, I challenge you."

<Kamiko> "/What/?"

<KiruGM> You hear a distant, metallic sound, like a gate clanging shut, and then the sound of bells.

* Kita_Kiyone waits, seemingly expecting something to recognize her.

* Demi_Kurouto steps into the clearing from the path.

* Kamiko draws "her" sword from the ground.

<Demi_Kurouto> "Hello, Duelists!"

<Demi_Kurouto> "I see you've made a start."

<Demi_Kurouto> "The first official match of this Dueling Game will take place next week, in the arena, at sunset."

* Kamiko stops before clubbing Kita in the back of the head with the guard on her sword.

<Kamiko> "So... not now?"

<Demi_Kurouto> "Kamiko Shimabukuro will face Kiyone Kita for the possession of the Rose Bride and the power to revolutionize the world."

<Demi_Kurouto> "For now, take your swords.  Prepare yourselves.  These battles will be for everything."

<Demi_Kurouto> "And, Kiyone-san?  If I can have that key back?"

* Kamiko slowly puts her sword down and steps away from Kita.

* Kseniya re-acquires her sword.

* Kita_Kiyone walks over to the gate, keeping the sword pointed at Kamiko still, reaches for the key in the stone gate and tosses it towards Demi.

* Demi_Kurouto smiles

<Kita_Kiyone> "Wasn't totally sure that was going to work."

<Kita_Kiyone> "Do your best next week, Shimabukuro-senpai. I don't intend to lie down now."

<Kamiko> "I will destroy you completely."

<Demi_Kurouto> "Challenges between duelists are always respected.  However, be mindful of what you might lose, as well as what you can gain."

<Inoki_Aoi> "What /might/ they lose, exactly?"

<Inoki_Aoi> "The stakes of this little contest have been a bit mysterious."

* Demi_Kurouto smiles at Aoi, holding the key between her palms.

<Kita_Kiyone> "Loss changes who we are, same as it ever does, Inoki-kun."

<Demi_Kurouto> "I look forward to a fruitful round of duels.  You are all exceptional, in your own ways."

* Demi_Kurouto bows and turns to walk out of the forest.

<Kamiko> "Demi-chan!"

* Demi_Kurouto turns on her heel

<Kamiko> "How did you do it?"

<Demi_Kurouto> "Do what, Kamiko-san?"

<Kamiko> "The Conservatory."

* Demi_Kurouto puts her hand to her mouth, laughing.

<Demi_Kurouto> "*You* did that, Kamiko-sempai.  And you'll be able to do more, if you are successful."

* Kamiko grinds her teeth.

* Demi_Kurouto turns back around and walks out of the forest.

* Inoki_Aoi murmurs "You should feel accomplished, Kamiko-sempai."

<KiruGM> Each of you takes your sword (or not) back to your dwelling when you leave.

<KiruGM> As night falls on Ohtori, you each begin to prepare for what is to come.

<KiruGM> A good night's sleep will be essential.

<KiruGM> ~TO BE CONTINUED~