[BitP:R] Mortal World 3

[Kuroimaken]

"Hmph, don't I know that." Carmelia says, her voice clearly revealing her exasperation.

She looks at Hasunaga from under the cloak. "It does?" She says, a hint of confusion in her voice. "How am I supposed to take that, given the fact that I'm wearing this cloak?" Her hand moves towards the cloak, lightly scraping it with one of her fingers. It seems like a gesture of annoyance more than anything.

"As for why I'm here..." She pauses, seemingly unsure. Why was she here anyways? She certainly wasn't going to tell him of her sick fascination with him and his ideas. It would be inappropriate, given the situation! But, it wasn't like she could give him a complete lie. After all, he'd probably be able to figure it out within seconds. "...I was under the impression that you expected me here. Didn't you say something about teaching about certain aspects of the mortal realm, or am I mistaken?"

"Your normal appearance has a flowing elegance to it. I think you would look very out of place without some kind of long, flowing garment."

Her hesitation kinda gives it away, but Hasunaga knows better than to point it out. "I believe I did. Where should we begin?"

At this point, he held out his arm for her to take and walk alongside him. Though it's unlikely she would know that...

[Draken]

Valeria looks inward, and down carefully.

"...uhm... Where's it go?..."

"How am I supposed to know, I just reopened this side of the garganta, once inside I will have the trail and will be able to find the exit point to open it as well."

[tgva8889]

"Well, I definitely hope you are. Maybe you guys should wait to go in so my group or the other one can go with yours for extra safety in case either runs into a dead end and has nothing else to do." Unlike Kina, Ken sounded quite composed despite the fact that he was concerned about her group entering an unknown place.

Kina looks towards the rift and Gabi. "Um...I don't think... I don't think we can wait. We'll have... have to go. N-now. Um..." Kina looks up and gives Ken the nearest street address. "I, um, don't know whether that'll help you... in case we don't message back soon."

[nothingclever]

"Alright, thanks. Good luck," said Ken simply.

[Shades of Gray]

<"Pretends? Would you say she's not successful in it, then?">, Mihail asks, mildly curious as they wait for the next course to arrive.

Lobsters. Three kinds of it.

<She can usually fool anyone but me.> Eirene explains, breaking the lobster open with surprising brutality. <She has a good poker face, which is why she's successful.> The lobster suitably mangled, Eirene takes a taste. <Mmm... Korean lobster. Did you know that they flew this stuff out from Korea to Russia for the president when he was visiting Moscow?>

[Frozen_Feet]

Mihail stares at the lobsters. He'd never been too keen on seafood. <"No, I can't say I did">, he replies to the trivia about the president. <"I've never followed... politics very much."> He's still more intrigued by Eirine's comment about her sister.

<"Would you say she's dependent on you, then? Or is there someone else?">

[Draken]

Gabi flaps his wings furiously.

"Ok! Trail is growing cold, move, move, move!"

Then the white bird zips into the rift.

[strawberryman]

Val looks back at the group in shock, then jumps in after Gabi. "W-wait! Gabi!"

[Draken]

Into the Void

Darkness, utter and infinite.

Other than the countless white specs of spiritual matter hovering everywhere, and the translucent white platform on which Valeria lands.

Gabi is flying just in front of her, they are still very visible from the mortal world outside.

"Welcome to the space between spaces!"

"And seriously, don't step off the path. It's a long way down."

[tgva8889]

Kina Yoshimoto - Nakahiro's Group (Day 19)

"Um...shall we?" Kina rushes in after Valeria, not wanting to wait too long to go in.

[Dorizzit]

Nakahiro gives the open portal a long, hard look. His face is as mellow as ever, but it's clear he's somewhat put off by the Garganta. After a few seconds he takes a step forward, pauses, then steps through the Garganta and into the realm beyond. Upon touching down on the path, he looks around in wonder. He peers over the edge before pulling himself back.

"Alright...we ready to go?"

[Kasanip]

Sayaka
[Nakahiro Team]

"Yes. Hold onto these." She said, handing the talismans to the friends.

She took a deep breath and with determined appearance, followed into the 'garganta'.

[Draken]

The platform gives away beneath Sayaka, causing her to fall into the timeless dark void beyond for all eternity.

But that would be bad.

"Well, now you follow me and follow me fast, and keep your energy low. We are closer to the hollow world and overt demonstrations can pick the interest of something..."

"... Big."

Gabi zips off through the air, the translucent white trail forming underneath him as he goes.

[strawberryman]

Valeria trails right behind Gabi, and cannot help but make occasional glances to the side. Just as Gabi said, there is nothing...

However, eventually, the exit point opens, and the girl spills over into another alleyway quite literally, falling over on the contact with solid pavement.

"Owww..."

As the others arrive, they might notice a note, not written, but rather pieced together from cut-out-magazine letters like a stereoypical maniac in the movies.

IF YoU WanT TO 5eE THEm AGA1N, mee7 iN tHe WAReH0UsE distrICt @ n00n

[Kayne650]

As the children passed through the portal, it is possible though hideously unlikely that they would notice a figure watching them. The blue-clad woman watched as they ran through, following the odd Hollow bird as they approached...wherever they were going. Whatever they were doing, the fact that they were brave or stupid enough to enter a division between worlds meant that they were getting bolder. The children's power was still growing, and it wasn't clear yet how strong they would grow. They were a threat that needed to be eliminated as soon as possible.

Cassandra watched as they passed, and then created her own portal. Her mission had yet to truly begin. She had her own memories to forge.

[Shades of Gray]

Eirene ponders this for a moment. <More like... she'd have nothing to do otherwise. She doesn't have much else to do with her life than make money. And she doesn't do anything with it, really. It sits there. It gets invested, for the purpose of making more money. She really needs family like me, else she'd go insane. She needs someone in her life to keep her in check.>

[Dorizzit]

[An Alleyway]

Nakahiro gratefully accepts Sayaka's talisman. He jumps a little when he touches it, but has no other unusual reaction. Having already looked over the side and having a long-standing wariness of heights, Nakahiro stays back from the edges of the path and focuses on what is straight ahead of the group.

As they step through back into the Mortal World, Nakahiro looks around suspiciously, his umbrella flicking up into a defensive stance. He soon lowers the "weapon," however, as he realizes there is no threat in the area. He quickly turns his attention to the note.

"Well. That's unfortunate."

He checks his watch.

[tgva8889]

Kina Yoshimoto - Nakahiro's Group (Day 19)

Kina takes Sayaka's talisman. "Um, Thank you." She holds it the entire way through the Gartanta, keeping behind everyone else.

When they pass back through to the other side, Kina lands on her feet and looks about, her hands pulling up close to her in a sort of defensive motion. She shivers a bit, but it stops almost immediately after they step out. Noticing Valeria on the ground, Kina rushes over to her. "You alright, Valeria?"

[Kasanip]

Sayaka
[Nakahiro team]

Sayaka endured the strange emptiness, though actually she was very interested. But it was dangerous, she understood this very easily. So when they exited safely, she breathed a sigh of relief.

The note was not helpful though. The warehouse in maybe an hour or so?

"Why is this note here waiting for us?" She asked, looking at the bird suspiciously.
"I don't like it. But we should call the others and arrange the meeting place." She agreed.

She looked at where the garganta was. The boundary had been fixed hopefully.

[Frozen_Feet]

Eirene ponders this for a moment. <More like... she'd have nothing to do otherwise. She doesn't have much else to do with her life than make money. And she doesn't do anything with it, really. It sits there. It gets invested, for the purpose of making more money. She really needs family like me, else she'd go insane. She needs someone in her life to keep her in check.>

Mihail nods. For a good while, he just keeps eating wordlessly. It seems his curiosity regarding Eirine's sister is satisfied, and he's not coming up with anything else to discuss.

Then: <"Eirine doesn't sound like an usual name around here. How long have you lived here? Why did you come?">

[Shades of Gray]

Eirene thought for a moment, too long, actually. It shouldn't be that hard to remember. <Our family moved here from America about twenty years ago, I think, for business. Originally the Klossners were from Germany though, and moved to America to avoid the war.> Eirene poured herself another glass of wine. <Let's stop talking about me, though. You've been awfully quiet about yourself. Hiding something?>

[strawberryman]

[Alleyway]

Valeria brushes herself off, and stands up. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. It was just a little surprising."

She looks down at the note, then to Sayaka. "This is starting to look less like coincidence..."

[Frozen_Feet]

[Prohibitively expensive luxury restaurant]

Mihail shrugs. <"I don't consider myself to be a very interesting person. I've just been wandering about, trying to pursue my dreams while I still can."> He stops to regard Eirene, thinking of what to say. <"Have you ever felt you're living in the wrong place and time?">

[Shades of Gray]

Eirene blinked. Where did that come from? <Uh... Several times. But then it usually passes. Not like we can do much about it anyway. No matter where I've gone it's been the same; very little changes when you look at it. But I like the stability; it's comforting. It's why I'm such an optimist, everything will work itself out in the end, from what I've seen, so there's no real reason to worry any more.>

[Dorizzit]

After looking at the note for a few seconds and listening to the opinions of the rest of the group, Nakahiro steps a few feet away and pulls out his phone. He rapidly punches in Kaito's cell number and lifts the phone to his ear. While it's ringing, he looks back at the others.

"Can someone call Rex's group and let them know what's going on?"

[Frozen_Feet]

Eirene blinked. Where did that come from? <Uh... Several times. But then it usually passes. Not like we can do much about it anyway. No matter where I've gone it's been the same; very little changes when you look at it. But I like the stability; it's comforting. It's why I'm such an optimist, everything will work itself out in the end, from what I've seen, so there's no real reason to worry any more.>

<"I suppose you're right. But that's the deal - where ever I go, the world stays the same. Stable, reasonable... but it's not what I want. I want toil. Turmoil. Adventure.">

The man sighs. For the first time, his eyes seem to narrow for a moment as his thoughts drift. <"I suppose it's a selfish thing to desire. Even today, many people suffer and would like nothing more than the stable world we live in. And here, there are people like you who would not like that stability to suffer - it would be unfair to rock the boat.">

<"Yet I can't help but feel the world has lost something in this stability. People walk from day to day as if there's a veil over their eyes - like they can't see... see things that in the past, were common knowledge. It's like they've forgotten the meaning of this life.>"

[InyutheBeatIs]

"Your normal appearance has a flowing elegance to it. I think you would look very out of place without some kind of long, flowing garment."

Her hesitation kinda gives it away, but Hasunaga knows better than to point it out. "I believe I did. Where should we begin?"

At this point, he held out his arm for her to take and walk alongside him. Though it's unlikely she would know that...

The figure-that-is-Carmelia appears to look off to the side ever so slightly. "Well then...thank you." She says, somewhat begrudgingly. She then looks down to Hasunaga's arm, confusion obvious just by the way she tilts her head. She feels like she should recognize the gesture, but unfortunately the meaning escapes her. "...What exactly is that supposed to mean?" She asks as she points to Hasunaga's arm.

[Kuroimaken]

"Oh? Ah, this. It's a gentleman's gesture. It's meant for me to offer for you to loop your arm around mine, so that if you trip or something comes your way, I can pull you back." Hasunaga notes, with some small degree of embarassment. "It's fine if you don't want to take it, though. I just thought I'd offer. My parents taught me this as the right thing to do." It seems fairly obvious Hasunaga isn't entirely sure how to behave in this situation.

[KnightDisciple]

After looking at the note for a few seconds and listening to the opinions of the rest of the group, Nakahiro steps a few feet away and pulls out his phone. He rapidly punches in Kaito's cell number and lifts the phone to his ear. While it's ringing, he looks back at the others.

"Can someone call Rex's group and let them know what's going on?"

Kaito's group had been moving around the area more slowly, keeping their eyes open for trouble, but with little guidance on where to go.

When Nakahiro called, Kaito's tension nearly made him drop the phone before he recovered and pulled it open to speak. His voice was tense when he answered.

"We've got nothing here. What's your situation there?"

[Dorizzit]

Nakahiro speaks quickly once Kaito picks up.

"We lost the trail, but found a note that was pretty clearly left for us. It says, 'If you want to see them again, meet in the warehouse district at noon.' It's probably a trap, but...if we play our cards right, we may be able to spring a trap back on them. We should probably all meet up somewhere and consider our options."