"Welcome, to the Velvet Room", Vision returned as Rui looked around once more... This vivid dream again, though this time, it felt far more real. It was a strange feeling. The thing he noticed immediately however, was now the room's colour like last time, but that a ways down the table he was seated in, was Kami and Noboru. They seemed to also be aware of their surroundings. They sat at a table, furnished well, smooth finish to a fine what seemed to be mahogany sturdy table. Set upon it was of course, blue cloth and silver utensils, and in front of them were appetizers, small breads and the like. The chair they sat in seemed to be made of the same wood, it was comfortable, soft cushion for both the backing and the seat. The furnishing of this room was grand, or rather, rich. Upon the walls were paintings, the first depicted a blue butterfly standing over a man with one defined detail, which was an earring, the one beside it featured two people, a girl and a boy, hands bound, though their figures stood out, behind them was a mass of darkness like a looming omen, the third featured a single boy walking towards the moon, and the last appeared to be a grand battle between what looked like a deity, and what the people in the room can only describe as a Persona user. As expected, on the furthest end away from the table, was a familiar set of double doors. Not long would they realize that they were wearing some really... Well tailored attires. Everyone seemed to have a different design, Rui was given the great coat over his suit and a long scarf, Kaminari had a trench coat and vest in place of a suit coat, fittingly he looked a little like a detective, while Noboru looked a little like a bartender with the vest and tie set. Noboru, Rui and Kami immediately remembered the voice that brought them here, but it was not a female's voice this time. It was a man, a strange one at that. A long nose, and a fine suit with eyes unblinking, and round like the full moon. "I am Igor, it appears we have our first guests", he begins. "This is the Velvet Room, a place that exists between dream and reality, mind and matter...", beside him stood a familiar lady, the suited lady from before... "Only those who have signed a 'contract' may enter this room... This is the first time we have received so many guests, and would you believe it? There are still yet more to come", he referred to the other empty seats on this large table... In front of the three was a contract to remind them... Yes, this was what they signed, at the beginning of the year. None of them at the same time, but it was definitely before April. "Though I do apologize on the lateness of this invitation, for you see... Preparations were required, or rather, changed, in order to suit our new guests. It appears you have all taken your first step in your journey... You have rescued your friend here, Noboru, who holds the Strength Arcana. An admirable card, for an admirable soul, one who works hard and values more... emotional aspects, of 'strength'". Noboru would look down, and see upon his table was a wine glass, with a beautiful carving of the Strength Arcana card on it. Rui and Kami would notice theirs too. "There will be many more to expect... For now, there are too few of you, to complete this mystery, however... Henrietta", Igor clicked his fingers once, a clean and crisp sound as the suited lady identified as Henrietta, bowed, and then walked by each of the chairs that were seated, and presented the three with a key. It had a distinct design. "You may come here again whenever you wish... You may know of your new power, "Persona"? Merely come here again, and I will inform you of the progress and strength of your Persona, and hopefully point you in the right direction... All the same, you all may meet with one another here, if you so wish. But until next time, farewell".

Rui Shinichi Warakuma Local Hospital

13/4/2015 Monday Noboru was admitted to hospital and was expected to recover well before the end of this week... He collapsed after leaving the Mirror World, and was out cold, but perked right back up after a couple minutes in hospital. He missed school today for obvious reasons as they kept an eye on his health, and it looked like police officers had questioned him too regarding his disappearance. Kazuki had told him to keep quiet about the Mirror World, but he probably would have anyways. It appears he didn't have much information on the attackers, Kazuki appeared rather disappointed when he had no new information on the cultists, which he believes were the attackers. Today Rui went to the hospital to see how Noboru was doing after school. He was wondering though, it didn't seem like the Mirror World had any negative side effects other than exhaustion after first exposure, but honestly he felt it was just natural to go check. He entered the hospital room Noboru was in, Noboru seemed to be in pretty good shape... He might be discharged from hospital much earlier. "Yo, I see you're doing well", he greeted.

Noboru thought about what had happened in the past day. His whole self had been revealed, and all his secrets had shown themselves, whether he wanted them to or not. Sitting up in his bed, he stretched himself out, his muscles sore. He was going to slide out of his bed and stretch when Rui walked in to talk to him. Oh yeah, doing well, if doing well included my deepest thoughts being brought into the open, having my supposed hidden self turn into a monster, and then conking myself out on the floor and giving myself a nasty bump. So, all in all, yeah, doing well. Noboru looked around the small room one more time, feeling the bandages on his head where there were cuts and bruises. These were gonna take a little while to heal up.

((OOC: This is a response to this post.)) -Sunday 12 April, 2015- Leiko Hamada and Saya Ueno: Ueno Restaurant "Aww, really? Bummer." Saya released a disappointed sigh as she slumped on the spare seat beside them, her lips drawing into an apologetic grin. "Sorry, Kotori-chan. Guess I got a little over-excited for some dirt. That's what a weekend shift does to a girl, you know. But not for much longer!" She yelled triumphantly, jabbing a finger at the clock. "Another hour and I've paid off my debt! Oh yeah!" Was she still on about those accursed boots? Leiko pondered in slight disbelief as she watched her friend do some kind of victory dance. Perhaps it was just a strange sentiment to Leiko; her high class upbringing left her wanting for nothing, after all. Paying off any sort of debt was an alien concept to her. "As pleasing as it is to hear that, Saya, I wouldn't hold my breath," Leiko said with a small shrug of her shoulders. "This isn't the first, and certainly won't be the last time you're in this predicament." "Oh, please. I am not getting stuck doing this lame-ass job again," Saya denied with a grimace at the very thought. "I mean, I could be spending my Sunday shopping instead, you know?" "And there lies the eternal conundrum...", Leiko murmured under her breath, before realizing that Kotori was still in their presence and looking somewhat uncomfortable. "Oh, I would like to apologize on behalf of my friend Saya by the way, Shirohane-san. I am fairly sure she was born with her fist firmly lodged in her mouth," she remarked dryly. "Just pay her no mind, and order some food before delving further into our discussion, hmm?" "Sooooo mean," Saya whined pouting slightly as her eyes flickered to the side for a moment. "Oh shoot, I think I just saw my mother lurking around. Better not let her catch me." She quickly got to her feet with an agile and fluid motion, which was impressive considering the wheels attached to her feet. "Don't forget you're coming over later, right Hama-chan?" You promised." She looked over again at Kotori with a thoughtful look. "Hmm. Hey, you wanna hang out at mine as well, Kotori-chan? We can have like a big, girly sleepover!" She clapped her hands together in excitement. "I know you're like, really quiet in school and stuff, but you can loosen up at mine! We'll smuggle some of my dad's sake from the cellar and-" No," Leiko quickly interjected before Saya brought her suggestion to its completion. "I would prefer us not to get inebriated when we have school tomorrow-or at all, quite frankly!" She added with slight colour rushing to her cheeks at her implication. "Shirohane will have a terrible first impression of us both if you keep nattering away-and then I will never get an insight into the common student's literary interests!" "...That's what you're talking about?" The disapproval was dripping from every syllable of Saya's words as she rolled her eyes dramatically. "Gee, should have known that you were doing drama stuff. Can't you chill even on your days off, Hama-chan? Seriously." She looked over at Kotori pityingly. "Wow, I feel kinda sorry for you. She cornered you with this stuff, did she? But I am serious if you wanna chill later. I'm always up for having new friends. Hama-chan too, even if she is a grump about it," she grinned, ignoring the scowl being thrown from Leiko's direction.

Kotori Shirohane - Ueno Restaurant | Sunday, April 12 2015 - Noon Kotori really didn't know how to keep up with the waitress - from her energetic self, she deflated into a slumped-over form only to perk back up just moments later. As she apologised for her sudden question, Kotori didn't even have time to say that it didn't really bother her before she already spoke on and gave a sudden cry about her remaining shift. Kotori was left to simply look between Hamada and her friend as they exchanged words that indicated that this wasn't the first time she was working on a Sunday - or, for that matter, the last. As Hamada then apologised for her friend, Saya's, exuberance, Kotori raised her hands to wave it off with a quick "It's no problem, really," whilst she at least had the chance. Getting back on her feet with the threat of her mother catching her with her friend, Saya propped herself up rather quickly - before reminding her friend that she had promised to come over for a sleepover and extending an invitation to the same to Kotori. A quiet "Eh?" was her first reaction to that; complete with a surprised expression - which grew into one of worry as Saya went on to list the things they could do whilst there. Luckily Hamada was going to have none of that though - before returning the flow of conversation back to the original reason for which she and Kotori were here in the first place. Saya's interest seemed to wane for a moment when she realised as much - before turning to Kotori to both apologise for Hamada and to remind her that the sleepover invitation was still open. "Ah, it's no trouble, really," Kotori said whilst shaking her head - whilst it wasn't quite untrue that Hamada had shown up quite suddenly and had a rather forceful way about her, it still had been her own choice to follow along, after all. As for the sleepover - Kotori was... a little apprehensive; if not a little suspicious even. "I'm sorry, Ueno-san, but I'm afraid I have some shopping to do later and have to help out at home," she said in an apologetic tone after bowing her head briefly as she refused the invitation - and whilst her reasons were quite true, she couldn't quite help but feel a slight sense of relief that she had them. Either way though, there still remained the matter of Hamada's questions and lunch - both of which would be solved over the course of the next while; resulting mostly in one side asking questions and the other merely giving answers. Ultimately, Kotori wasn't sure if she could be of much help to Hamada - but the Drama Club President seemed thankful for her input nonetheless, if in her usual manner. Thus they spent a part of their afternoon at the restaurant - with an occasional showing of Saya in between and even more so after her shift's end - until Hamada was satisfied with what she'd heard. Thanking both Hamada for the meal and Saya for the invitation, Kotori would soon after have to apologise for having to leave; her shopping still having yet to be done. As she was on her way to the grocery store, Kotori thought back on the conversation - Hamada certainly was quite an assertive person and certainly serious about her Drama Club whilst also being on quite familiar terms with her friend, Saya. They really were quite different, Kotori thought as she entered the grocer's. Kotori Shirohane - Warakuma Shopping District: Shirohane Residence | Monday, 13 April 2015 - Morning "Kotori? Could you drop these off? They're on your way to school," Tsubame, Kotori's mother asked as she peaked her head around the corner. Kotori, standing up after having just gotten her shoes on, turned to see her standing there with a small bouquet in her hand - a delivery request, no doubt. "Of course. Where to?" she asked, getting a grateful smile from her mother as she handed over the flowers and a small note with the address - it was indeed on her way to school. Usually Tsubame took care of the deliveries before opening the shop or later when Kotori could tend to it - unless a convenient address came up such as today. "I'm off," she announced, getting a wave in return as her mother sent her off. "Thanks. Take care," she said, waiting for her daughter to get out of view before turning back to get ready for the remaining deliveries - such as one order that would be going to the hospital. Kotori Shirohane - Warakuma High School: Main Entrance | Morning Having made the delivery - a surprise gift from the husband to his wife of an elderly couple, as it turned out - Kotori headed to school; arriving at the front gate safely in time despite the small detour. There were other students of all years already there of course; some standing about talking to their friends, many simply heading to their respective classroom. Kotori was clearly of the latter category - though she stopped at the main entrance to glance over the large notice board found there. Hung there she noticed a flyer for the Drama Club - and not far from it, one for the Idol Club; reminding her of the missing student, Noboru. She hadn't heard anything further on the matter since his brother, Aiko, and Toma had shown up to ask her if she knew anything; leaving her little more to do than simply hope he had shown up and was alright as she turned to head to classroom 2-2. Kotori Shirohane - Warakuma High School: Classroom 2-2 | After School "Alright, that's all for today. Class dismissed," the teacher declared as the chime rang to signal the end of the school day. Much like expected, a huge ruckus broke out immediately as a majority of the students in class got up and headed out the room; speaking among each other as they headed off to clubs, friends or other places. Kotori, meanwhile, at hear seat much as usual; writing away in her notebook the last details of the class that had just ended. The small worry at the back of her mind, meanwhile, had vanished - as she'd heard a number of students talking during the breaks; among other things about the return of the missing Noboru. Though she'd only just met him on the same day he'd seemingly vanished, Kotori was still glad to hear he was safe as she packed her books and got ready to head out of the classroom; the largest hustle and bustle having calmed down by now.

APRIL 13 2015, MONDAY After School Sato bit down on his lip hard, nearly drawing blood. The Archery Club was having a quick mini-tournament for the excellent grand prize of free drinks from a local cafe, courtesy of Mika Moriyama, who had hurt her wrist somehow during the weekend and was unable to compete. Second place got someone from the Archery Club to do something for them immediately, which was arguably a better prize. The preliminary round was still going on and the people Sato knew where all messing up in stupid ways. He himself had been doing particularly well, but as usual, it didn’t really matter Since everyone just used the preliminary as a warm-up, anyone who still wanted to compete could, since the whole thing was just spur-of-the-moment and a lot of members didn’t typically arrive in time to join in on the preliminaries. It was really just a formality. After the last person Sato knew went (some third-year from a different class), Sato rose from his seat and joined the crowd of people forming around Rokoru, who was unanimously voted to be in charge of organizing it. The club president stood as tall as he could in attempt to rise above the crowd a bit but failed due to the seniors being of equal or similar height. After a few moments of excited babble, Rokoru cleared his throat and started to list the rankings from lowest to highest. Sato didn’t really pay attention until he heard his own name. It might’ve been just his imagination, but he could’ve sworn that Rokoru said his name with a tinge of malice mixed in. “Seventh, Sato Hashimoto. Sixth, Yuki Yoshino…” Frankly, nobody was surprised with the rankings, as they were pretty much how they always were, with the exception of Yuki placing higher than he usually did. The crowd broke apart after Rokoru dismissed everyone on excuse of a short break. He walked over to Mika and pointed at various points on the list, not ceasing speaking the entire time. Part of Sato felt like they were just doing that awkward thing where they act like a couple but still aren’t, but it struck Sato that he was probably discussing his personal predictions with her. And maybe what they were going to do about those sought-after prizes. Sato wondered off over to the back of the range and leaned against the wall, observing what others were doing. He considered practicing more while he was waiting for the tournament to start up again, but he decided against it for no good reason. There was pretty much a solid line at the shooting line anyway so it wasn’t like he’d actually get much done anyway. Without much else to do, the boy simply leaned back, resting his head on the wall. That second prize really did seem better to him, especially since he wasn’t really feeling getting drinks from that café after what happened on Sunday. People could choose pretty much anything within regular boundaries. Force someone to go on a date with you. Get somebody to be your maid for a day. The possibilities were practically endless.

Rui Shinichi Warakuma Local Hospital

13/4/2015 Monday "You're still alive, that marks as 'being okay' in my book", he responded. He walked over to the bedside and took a seat. "So, has anyone visited? I feel as though someone's going to come bursting in right now too", he commented. He was referring to things like parents and such. He was also sure the news of his hospitalization is already widespread back in school. In fact he was surprised he was the first one here... Then again, he didn't even take a second thought about going, and skipped club entirely. "In any case, glad to see you're okay...", was all he really had to say. He was going to mention the mirror world to him, but he felt it be best to talk about that in a setting where they were less likely to be interrupted or walked in upon.

-Kaminari Sutoraiki: The Velvet Room- The boys eyes fluttered open, awakening from his own slumber, never eternal yet. His eyes slowly adjusted to the room around him, a sea of blue flooded his vision. Once Kami eyes eventually returned to its former vision, he realizes the location for which he was taken to. That place was what was previous time he visited the velvet room, except it was extended by multitudes and was bigger than when he last visited. However, the shades he previously saw had all dispersed themselves, leaving him with a few others occupants. These two others were two familiar faces as he recognized them as the dynamic duo, Rui and his friend Noboru. He found it strange that the other three wern't here, but Sachiko did make the decision of backing out like the others, so he could figure out that they wern't participating in his story. He came up with that deduction for why they decided not to occupy the room, and came up to that final conclusion. The boy looked around the illustrious room, taking note of the wondrous paintings in the room as they painted myriads of stories. He was seeming caught in a trance by the third picture, pondering on it for a bit with his heart be for taking note of the other pictures, mainly the final one. That one depicted what appeared to be a persona user fighting what looked to be some sort of creature, monster or possibly deity. He pondered on what each of these things could mean as it felt as if it was alluding to the destinies of those who end up in this formal room... Maybe... However his eyes were eventually drawn to what he presumed to be the host and hostess of this room. If he could recall properly, those two were Igor and Henrietta. As he took note of their presence, he noticed not only the food but the fact that each of them were dressed up as if they were ready for a fancy ball.Kami then took note of the suit he was wearing, his eyes widening in surprise. He literally looked like a detective, even with the formal attire on underneath. As he finished inspecting his suit, his eyes returned to the two as they began to spoke. This whole explanation left him looking for more answers as they spoke to the trio, making him more bemused at the current situation at hand. However, this whole mystery would be solved in due time, however he was able to get a possible grip on who might be causing this whole chain of events to transpire. As they went on, the beautiful blonde woman was eventually requested by the man with the elongated nose to do something which was unknown until she handed out something that looked akin to keys. Were they used to gain access to this room? As he pondered on it, he pocketed the key while listening keenly to what they had to say. Despite the fact that he felt the case was still complete, he knew that he couldn't bring it to a full close just yet... Not yet, until all the holes had been filled with durable ideas. After the womans final parting statement, she bid them all adieu, and that was when his vision began to fade. -Kaminari Sutoraiki : Warakuma Local Hospital- Despite the fact that he had other plans for the day, he felt the need to check up on Noboru to see how well he fared after that whole ordeal. He may of not known him that well, but even so he was still a friend and or acquaintance to him. Kami wish he could of told his father everything about the mirror world, but it would probably be dismissed until he could provide further proof. Plus, it wasn't exactly the best idea if they were told as this whole mirror world event felt like it was to more or less people with personas. It wasn't the safest place to be, but he might continue studying that other reality, taking notes on it and such to understand it a bit more. From what he could understand, those who were thrown in were to encounter another version of themselves, one that revealed their true selves. Everything in that world mirrored their world, and almost everything about it was symbolic in some way. However, he saved that for another time as he made his way towards the hospital, texting a few of his friends about the current predicament, saying that he is thankful that he's been found and such before saying he would hang out with them later today. After sending a text to Ayano about apologizing that he failed to keep up his own promise of meeting up with her yesterday, he text her to see if they would meet up at the park later on and talk for a bit. After he finished that text, he disappeared into the confines of the hospital. "(That was such a crazy day yesterday, but I guess we are getting started. I hope Noboru-kun is recovering quickly from his physical injuries, but then again I'm sure he can make it through... He has his friend Rui-kun, and both of them are rather strong kids... I wonder what the future has in store for them now that they're together again? Anyways, where did the receptionist say he was at again, dut, dut, dut, hey here it is! I wonder if there is anyone else inside besides Noboru-kun.)" As he entered into the room, he noticed that there were two people inside the room, Noboru and Rui who were speaking with each other about the events that transpired. As he quietly walked in, he observed the surrounding area before looking over Noboru, and speaking to him. "Hey, it looks like you're making a pretty good recovery! I'm glad your ok for the most part, and a few others are glad that you are safe too. Either way, I'm glad your ok."

-Monday 13th April, 2015- Morning Leiko Hamada: Ueno Residence The weekend left as swiftly as it came, the latter of which was spent at Saya's home. It wasn't the first time Leiko had stayed over, but she still marvelled in the difference between Saya's family life and her own. The Ueno Residence was...chaotic, to say the least. Breakfast was rushed and sloppily presented, goodbye kisses were hastened and fleeting, and all the while, Leiko could hear nothing but the distressed sounds of Saya's little brother wailing in the distance. It should have annoyed someone so prim and proper like Leiko, but truthfully...there was a gnawing sense of jealously that brewed within her whenever she stayed there. Despite the pandemonium that was Saya's family life, everything was so bright and full of life that it almost dazzled her. Compared to her own home, with its empty, stagnant rooms, politely scripted conversations, and predictable routine, it was difficult to miss it. Not that Leiko made a habit of complaining about her lot in life. She was very privileged to have the life she had, and she would have no one infer otherwise. "Goodbye, sweetie. Have fun at Archery Club today," Saya's mother smiled good-naturedly, kissing Saya's cheek at the doorstep as she saw the two high school girls off. "And it was a pleasure to see you again, Hamada-san," she added warmly, giving a formal bow in Leiko's direction. "Please continue to watch out for our daughter." "Geez, Mom, stop embarrassing me," Saya whined, tugging Leiko's arm as they headed to school. "Let's go, Hama-chan." She was oblivious to the slightly jaded smile that crossed her friend's lips as she followed suit. --- -Monday 13th April, 2015-After-school Saya Ueno: Warakuma High- Archery Range The school day had been a fairly eventful one, as the student body stirred with rumours that the missing student Noboru Yamamoto had finally been found. The gossiping grew wilder and more outlandish as the day passed by, with some of Saya's friends even suggesting that the boy was currently hospitalised from whatever ordeal he had gone through. Saya didn't really know whether or not to believe that Noboru had been found in such a state, but it was nevertheless a relief to know that her classmate had been found. She only hoped Noboru was recovering quickly and that he would join them all again soon. Stretching as the bell tolled for club activities, Saya got up from her desk and bid Hama-chan and her friends farewell before making her way to the range. Hama-chan was planning a study session in the library with some of their classmates, and for once, Saya was more than eager to be excluded. She had more important things to worry about...like practicing her Archery skills. However, as soon as Saya stepped onto the range, bow and quiver mounted over her shoulder, she noticed that something was off. The object of her affections, Rokoru Ishiara, was crowded by a bunch of club members, and there seemed to be some sort of commotion, which was...strange for the usual nature of the club. Were they holding some special event that Saya had been unaware of? Feeling slightly sheepish at her obliviousness, Saya searched the range for someone less...intimidating to ask, and finally her eyes fell on a boy slouching against the wall by himself. Oh! Saya immediately recognized his face, having been introduced as the Vice President of the Archery Club before. She'd never spoken to him before (nor could she recall his name), but he seemed kinda nice. He was bound to have some sort of clue on what was going on. Straightening her shoulders, Saya walked over to where the male appeared to be brooding, and cleared her throat quietly to catch his attention. "Umm...Vice Prez?" She spoke up cheerfully, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as her eyes flittered to where the group of excited people were starting to disperse. "Sorry if this is kinda a dumb question, but what's going on?"

Ayano Wakahisa: Wakahisa Residence

It was hard to believe it was Sunday only yesterday and school had once more rolled itself back into their lives. The thought made Ayano grumble in her head, she was still half-asleep and groggy from last staying up late until it was 2:30 in the morning. In hindsight, it probably wasn't the best of ideas, but there was a special event in the game she was playing. She and friends couldn't have afford to miss it. When the alarm emitting from her cellphone began to play a song on loop for about 2 minutes, Ayano sat up on her bed and stretched. It was Monday, a day that she loathed unlike any other. With a small yawn, she slowly approached her bathroom to get prepared, who knows...Maybe today will be somewhat better than the rest? Nah, that sort of thing never happens. Dressing in her school uniform she entered the kitchen to see nobody...That's weird, usually at this time, her mother would be preparing food and/or washing the dishes. Her father would be reading the local newspaper and her brother would be eating or probably be asleep, but not today. Looking around for anything that her parents left her, she searched the kitchen and found a small note attached to the fridge. "Me and your dad are out shopping for groceries, breakfast is on the table. Also, try to smile more often, dear." After reading the note, she crumpled it up and threw it in the nearby trashcan. Eating all alone...It was nice, awfully quiet, but that's just the way she liked it. After eating, the girl grabbed her bag and left for school.

Ayano Wakahisa: Warakuma High

The bell signaling the day was over had rung, it was sweet music to Ayano's ears, nothing exactly exciting had happened over the course of their classes however, she did hear something from her classmates...Ones saying that Noboru was back. There was even talk that he was saying the hospital, most likely because of what had happened. This made the girl curious, who saved him and from what? Was it police? Was the so-called cult responsible for his abduction? Was it something else completely different? The bottom line is: Yamamto is safe and sound. A second bell had rung moments later, this time for the club activities. Shrugging, Ayano remembered that she hasn't even applied for a club yet...Although, not having one would mean getting home early, but maybe it would be best to join one? After all, common interests are one of the key components for making...Friends. After asking for directions and wandering all over the place, Ayano found herself face to face with the door that lead to the Anime & Manga Club. Hopefully they're still accepting, she knocked on the door repeatedly, hoping for someone to open it.

As the crowd became more organized, a slightly familiar girl, her equipment slung onto her shoulder, approached Sato. He couldn’t really remember who she was or if he actually even knew her at all, but she seemed to remember him as she referred to him as “Vice Prez”. Sato broke away from the wall and stood next to her. He noted, as he straightened his posture, that she was just barely shorter than him. It seemed odd that something like that was one of his immediate thoughts upon one of his first meetings with this girl he apparently had met before.

"Sorry if this is kinda a dumb question, but what's going on?" She asked, a pleasantly cheerful tone being used. Sato glanced over at Rokoru, who was busy shouting off things to people about whatever. He couldn’t actually here the older boy talking due to the increasing volume of those around him, but it didn’t feel important. Likely just talking to or about who’s going first. Sato rubbed the back of his neck before turning back his attention to the girl. Her face seemed so… Ueno! Saya Ueno, who was one of the new recruits.

“Everybody got bored, so we decided to have a little tournament instead of just monotonously practicing today.” Sato gestured over to the people that were already starting, posing themselves with their bow and getting ready to shoot. “We already had a ‘preliminary’, but that’s just for fun and anyone who still wants to can participate in the real thing. Believe it or not, we’re actually giving out prizes to the top two winners.” He brushed his hands down his side until he found his pockets, shoving them inside as soon as his hands located them. His thoughts weren’t really organized for explaining what was going on and he took a moment to formulate what else he wanted to say. “Don’t worry about signing up or anything though; we just put everybody’s names on a list randomly and that’s how we decide match-ups. If you don’t want to join in just say so when Rokoru calls your name.”

After a brief moment of silence, Sato pointed over to the line of members that were currently going. “And speaking of Rokoru, he’s going right now.” The club president stood in the middle of the line of five people. His jacket was thrown off, as he usually did, and he seemed to be wearing the same thing Sato had seen him wearing the previous day, exposing his bulky arms fully, shoulders included. Rokoru’s choice in that department was a little concerning as he had been covered in sweat when he stopped to talk to Sato, and there was no doubt that it had lead to an equally as drenched shirt.

Sato focused in on the older boy’s shot. It seemed lined up when he aimed, but it was off when he fired. The arrow lodged itself half-way between the center and the outside, which wasn’t that bad. Unfortunately the next shot was a little worse, and Sato predicted it. Rokoru’s stance was all wrong and the second arrow landed in the most-outer quarter of the target. Looking around quickly, the others hadn’t done much better, besides one guy who did pretty decently. Not a strong group to start off with. Though, one would’ve expected that Rokoru Ishiara, head of the Archery Club, would’ve done a little better than that. It wasn’t hard for Sato to guess what had the boy so distracted.

“Not bad for your senpai,” Sato commented (in an almost joking tone) to Ueno. Almost immediately after the five archers cleared from the front of the crowd, Rokoru’s voice called out from the back of the room in the loudest volume the teen usually mustered.

“Next up is… Ibuki Watanabe, Shota Fujiwari, Hitomi Yamazaki, Rento Nakai, and Saya Ueno.”

At the call of her name, Sato lightly bumped her shoulder with a closed fist. “Just go up to the front, shoot two arrows as accurately as you can, and hope everyone else sucks.” He tried to say it in an encouraging voice, but Sato decided the words sounded better in his head. ‘Hope everyone else sucks’ doesn’t sound as good as ‘Hope you’re better than everyone else’, in hindsight.

- Warakuma Local Hospital Chiaki left school as soon as possible. She heard from the other students in her class that Noboru had been found and hospitalised, the chatter made the situation out to be extreme, Chiaki had many questions but first, she went to find Noboru's room. She asked the nurse hanging around the reception area and got the usual "Friend or Family?" After filling out a form, Chiaki was told where to find Noboru, the nurse said something about him being a popular patient. Walking along the hallway, she could smell the disinfectant and see a lot of people wired to machines and other medical equipment. Chiaki did not like hospitals that much, they gave her bad memories. Once she found the room, she knocked and opened it, assuming she wasn't interrupting anything, with a cheery hello she realised she, indeed, was interrupting something. Heeell-ooo Noboru-kun! ... Oh, you have other visitors, sorry for the loud intrusion She closed the door behind her, walked up to Noboru and held out a small bag with sweets and a get well card. For you! I'm glad you're back! She smiled and turned towards the other boys in the room. She had seen one of the boys before, in the hallways of the school. The both wore the male school uniform, so they had to go Warakuma High. Chiaki changed before going to the hospital, she keeps spare clothes in a room in her class, without telling the teacher of course. You boys are from Warakuma, friends of Noboru I take it. Its nice of you to visit him. She looked at Noboru with a scrunched up face. You had me worried! Don't do that again you fool!

Noboru-Warakuma Hospital

Noboru sat and thought about Rui's remark. Sure enough, he was 'okay', but it still didn't sit right with him. Sure, yeah i'm okay. But during the night I couldn't sleep whatsoever. I was awake nearly the whole night, wondering what would've happened if I didn't accept it. What would've happened if I kept denying it? It's not as if you guys could've kept fighting it. On top of that, All my hate bottled up into one little thing. It bothers me that I kept that for so long, and you guys still decided to stick around after it. You could've walked away, no one would've known the better. I don't know, I guess i'm just rambling on. Not shortly after his small speech, Kami walked in, apparently checking in on him. He gave a few words of encouragement, but they felt slightly empty, since the guy didn't even know him all that well. The silence became deafening as they looked and sat with each others' company. Breaking the silence came a familiar voice entering the room, adding a brightness to the room again. Chiaki walked in with what appeared to be a card and some candy. Giving a hello to the others in the room, Chiaki turned to him and voiced her complaints. With a sly smile he turned back and replied to her. What ever do you mean? I don't remember doing anything dangerous, let alone worrying anyone. Now, is there any other people who eould like to enter this room? no?

After the second day of school Matt had headed off to work again, he planned to join up for the kendo club and see if there was some agriculture club around but that would wait until tomorrow, for now Matt had work, he still needed to have some form of income as his family could not support him. “Hey be careful that looks heavy” one of his co-workers called out as he snapped back into the now. “haha this is nothi-” as if he Jinxed it matt dropped the box he was lifting and collapsed. “shi- you ok someone call an a-” that was the last thing he heard before falling unconscious. Matt didn’t wake up till the day after next in a hospital room, at first it was hazy but over time it was explained to him he had been neglecting his health and pushed his body over its limit causing him to collapse. Also due to having no one to look after him it was suggested to stay in the hospital for a few days to let his body recover. Of course not many people knew him so no one turned up, but it wasn’t all bad there was some sexy nurses there. Matt was finally allowed to leave the hospital today, so he had dressed in his work clothes and left his room he did kinda wish he had different clothes though. He cheerfully walked down the halls, he would finally be able to return to school tomorrow, which meant fun.. He would probably have to barge into a club to join it though. Nonchalantly without really paying attention he walked past an open room where he realised people were wearing his uniform so he decided to backtrack to the room to see what was going on. As he walked into the room he recognised one of the visitors… and the one they were visiting, it had been that guy with the bad mood in the shopping center. “oh hey..noba… Noboru? so you were hospitalised as well huh? your not in too bad a mood today are you?” Matt wore a mischievous grin as he said the last part.

Rui Shinichi Warakuma Local Hospital

13/4/2015 Monday "... No you were a little bit of a pain", he commented mockingly, as Noboru responded to Chiaki. Kami was here too, but there wasn't much they could talk about, since Chiaki was here, they couldn't mention the mirror world. Only a few glances and expressions and short comments could be exchanged before another boy walked into the room, though by the looks of it he was a patient here, but he knew Noboru, and looked like he might be a student... Does this boy go to Warakuma High too? "Who're you?", he asked, and rather directly too.

- Warakuma Local Hospital Geez, you could at least play along. To think I took time out of my ever so busy study filled schedule to see you, and you talk like that? Talk about ungrateful! ... Just kidding! Just as Chiaki finished talking to Noboru, another person entered the room, the person was male, seemed to be another patient... He also seemed to be familiar. One of the occupants of the room asked who he was, it was then that Chiaki realised who it was. Oh, My. Gosh. Its you, Matthew, the foreign fellow from a few weeks ago. I wondered what happened to you. How on earth did you end up here? I assume you did something dangerously stupid.

(OOC: Continuing from last post in the old thread) Akane Hanazawa // Warakuma Shopping District April 12th, 2015 After picking up the groceries, he caught her off guard with a question, freezing her in her tracks. Apparently she did it again as she stood there giving a nervous laugh. Sometimes she'd slip every now and compare certain scenes and people to those in various mangas but those times she was able to get around that since they weren't paying attention but looks like he did. ...Wait, he actually knows about Guts? "So you know about berserk, eh? It's just not everyday you come across someone who'll admit in public to liking things like manga and what not. And Berserk of all pieces, which isn't exactly for your everyday reader." You're not exactly a person one would peg as one who reads manga. Akane didn't add that part. Not long after she replied, the guy apologized before introducing himself. "Whaa-?!" she said in surprise. He's.....an high school student?! And at my school no less?! Ahh, to think characters like these in schools outside of the 2D world... Clearing her throat, she begins to introduce herself. [color=Firebrick]"Ah, I'm Hanazawa-" Cutting herself off as her eyes wander onto her watch. Shit, I totally forgot to grab this weeks shounen jump! How to get out of this.... "I sincerely apologize for how abrupt this is, but something urget has came up and requires my attention. Once again, I apologize. Maybe we'll bump into each other again." With her groceries back in her possession, she takes off down the street. Heading for the store nearest to her apartment to pick up the latest copy. --- Akira Kirigakure - Warakuma High, Archery Range Monday, April 13th, 2015 After School Having skipped the last class of the day to catch up on some sleep, he got up, stretched and made his way to the Range. The last few days were boring and uneventful, maybe he can take his boredom out on something or someone. Having changed, he walked onto the range and seen that there was a crowd of people gathered at the range. What have we got here... Standing in the back with his equipment in tow, he watched on as he seen several more people line up and take their shots. After asking one of the other members, he found out they were holding a mock tournament for the hell of it, apparently there was also 'prizes' to be awarded to the top two. He became highly interested in the 2nd place prize. Looking around the range, his eyes rested on Sayo for a moment before stopping at Rokuro. "Heh," An endless amount of possibilities... As he moved in closer, it was Rokuro's turn in front of the target. But something was off, it seemed like his mind was in space or something. It was clear something was up when he took his stance. It was like looking at someone who never fired a bow before. As he took his shots, it kind of looked like it. Something one expected from a newbie, but from him? He didn't look like he'd be fun to mess with today. Walking behind Sayo. "With this bunch, you might even pull off an upset. Pending you don't shoot someone. Then again, you might even get extra points for it." he teased

You're not in too bad a mood today are you The way he asked the question slightly irked Noboru. Nonetheless he responded, if not a little passive aggressive. Well gee I dunno. Going missing for a day and half, plus the problem of bring cooped up in a hospital for two days and possibly more upcoming, on top of the fact that I can't evem work out. That would put me in a bad enough mood to blow a punching bag or two off their chains. Oh well. Noboru looked around to see if there were any nurses. If possible he would have loved to sneak out of here and actually do something, and hospitals made him uncomfortable in general.

Leiko Hamada: Warakuma High- Library "I wonder what happened though." The hushed words of Leiko's friends crowded around her as the girls leaned closer over the small oak table that they shared. "He was gone for days. Even his brother was out looking for him. Did he just run away from home?" "And I heard he's in hospital right now. Maybe he caught pneumonia or something? He probably slept rough-" Bam. The solid thunk of Leiko's textbook hitting the wooden surface of the table jostled them into silence, shared looks of confusion amongst them as they watched Leiko warily. "Umm...Hamada-chan?" "We're supposed to be studying, not discussing Yamamoto", Leiko reminded them with a steely look. "If I realized that we were just gonna gossip about people we don't know, I would have suggested the mall." "But aren't you even a little curious, Hamada-san?" One of her friends spoke up as she met Leiko's line of sight boldly. "I mean, Noboru-kun always seemed so happy. People really liked him. Why would he even do something like this?" Honestly...Leiko would be lying if she denied being curious about the Drama clubmate's recent whereabouts. To show up so suddenly (and if the rumours were to be believed, in hospital) had stunned her as soon as she caught wind of it, and she found her thoughts helplessly drifting back to his first audition and his flawless, confident, practised performance. Acting was in his blood, she supposed, but in the end, that was all it was. There wasn't a shred of Yamamoto to be found on that stage, and she could still remember the shadows of doubt that lingered in her mind back then. And then he disappeared. "I'm not." Leiko suddenly broke her own silence, turning a corner of her page purposefully as her eyes drew back to the desk."Now can we get back to studying?" In any case, she would most certainly give him something to think about if he missed Drama Club again tomorrow. --- Saya Ueno: Warakuma High- Archery Range The Vice President made a funny expression as Saya caught his attention, as if he was trying to place her face from the growing amount of archery club members. Saya couldn't really blame him for that, and she opened her mouth to follow suit with an introduction, but he cut her to the quick with a straightforward answer to her question. "A tournament?" Saya reiterated with a blink, glancing over to where the boy was pointing. Indeed, people were loading their bows with arrows and standing in an orderly line for one of the lanes.. So the 'preliminaries' were already over, apparently. Well, it would have been nice to have practiced instead, Saya thought with a slightly dejected pout. There was no way she was ready to take part in some kind of tournament, let alone win any 'prizes'. It was a shame, but at least she would have the chance to watch Rokoru-senpai in action again. And then the Vice President's next words made Saya's fleeting fantasies grind to a screeching halt. "What?" She gasped, her eyes widening like saucers at the fact that her name had been opted in already, without her consent. "B-But wait! I haven't practiced! A-And I suck!" She protested with a wild shake of her head. "Ahh, but I can't just tell Rokoru-senpai that!" She despaired, more to herself to the boy in front of her as she looked over at the Club President standing proud over the other members. If she refused now, Rokoru would think she was just completely pathetic for not even trying. And then he would never like her back. "And speaking of Rokoru, he’s going right now.” The Vice President's words jolted through her like a live wire as Saya broke out of her panicked thoughts, her mouth slightly agape as she watched her senior make his way to the marked line. He looked as ruggedly handsome as he always did in her eyes, and the thick frame of his body straining in the tight cotton of his damp shirt did not go unnoticed. However, as Rokoru started to sling his arrows, Saya's mind went into overdrive. Everyone would be watching her. Counting her shots, judging her every move. It was so much pressure that Saya wasn't even ready for yet. Informal or no, this was still a test of her skill, and Saya had practically none so far. Skin turning ashen, Saya watched silently as Rokoru stepped away from the line, the Vice President following through with some kind of joke. Honestly though, Saya had barely paid attention to what Rokoru had actually scored. She was too busy being distracted by his wet shirt and her own impending doom to even care. Once Rokoru started calling out the next archers, and inevitably reached her name, Saya felt like the world was about to end. So much for having a chance in hell with him now. She was going to make a complete fool of herself in public, and he would never take her seriously. Her shoulders sagged dejectedly, and only the Vice President's punch on her shoulder broke her out of her slump. His encouraging words, as well meaning as they were, felt a little hollow to her, but Saya was still strong enough to press a smile on her lips. "Thanks. They're gonna have to suck really badly though," she laughed self-deprecatingly, her eyes glancing down at the range warily. "Well, I guess-" "With this bunch, you might even pull off an upset. Pending you don't shoot someone. Then again, you might even get extra points for it." "Huh?!" Saya jumped, very nearly knocking over her Vice President in the process as she whipped around to the voice that sprung behind her. "Y-You!" She gasped at the sight of Akira, the boy that had upset Rokoru-senpai before, and the guy that had caused her so much trouble in the first place. His words were highly sarcastic, accompanied by a a teasing gleam in his eyes as he waited for her reaction. She swallowed thickly, trying to keep her cool as best she could in front of Warakuma's famed delinquent. "Y-Yeah? Well, maybe that's your approach to things, Kirigakure-san," she sniffed. "But I don't want to hurt anyone. And...And I don't want Rokoru-senpai to get the wrong impression if he sees us talking," she added in a hushed whisper, her eyes fraught with dread as she looked over the lanes once again. "A-Anyway, I...I have to go." Taking a deep breath to motivate herself, Saya rewarded the other boy with a grateful smile before marching down purposefully to where a small line was forming. Standing at the very back, Saya noted the way that the other members were conversing and laughing like this was any other club day. Perhaps it was, and she was just overreacting? Yes, perhaps that was it. Two names later and that attitude was quickly starting to wane. The ones before her were hardly slacking on their shots, and Saya could swear she could feel eyes burning into her from everywhere. Her stomach knotted with nerves as she felt a wave of nausea wash over her, reminiscent of that one and only time Hama-chan had forced her into the Drama Club. She had to recite a play by some Greek guy, and within ten words of her soliloquy, she was throwing up more than just words. Needless to say, Hama-chan didn't invite her to the club again. One more person left, and Saya was really starting to feel the pressure. Her body was starting to tremble, her palms were becoming clammy, and she was pretty sure she was as pale as a ghost. Still, she refused to back down in front of the guy she liked, and when it was finally her turn, Saya stepped up to the mark with an almost impressive degree of determination. When she got there however, she immediately felt the need to bolt away and never come back. The target looked impossibly far away, the arrow felt slippery on her sweaty hands, and she felt like a million eyes were watching her every move. Letting out an audible gulp, Saya raised her bow and arrow, her arms shaking from the combined force of the taut string and her own shot nerves, and after an excruciating second, let go of the arrow with a weak twang. The arrow didn't even reach halfway the lane, and Saya couldn't feel any more embarrassed. Refusing to look or listen to anyone around her, Saya quickly turned and reached for the second arrow, desperate for the moment to end so that she could curl up under a rock and cry. Loading her bow with the second arrow, Saya tried to blink back the tears as she vainly attempted to line up the sight of the target with the point of her arrow. Biting her lip, Saya shut her eyes as she let go of the straining arrow with as much force as she could muster. A distinct thunk against wood told her that the arrow had found its target, and Saya's eyes immediately snapped open at the sound. What she did see however, made her pinch herself in disbelief. The arrow was securely lodged in the dyed red centre of the target. The more Saya stared at it, the more impossible it was to deny it. It was her shot, and it was in the centre. Numbly, Saya slung her equipment back over her shoulder and walked away from target lane, completely shell shocked and unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Ueno offered a weak and shallow thanks for the equally as weak and shallow encouragement he gave. She began to make her way to the line-up, when yet another vaguely familiar face approached and offered his own ‘kind’ words. Though, Sato was a little quicker to remember Akira due to his rather unforgettable streak of actions in the Archery Club. The words Akira gave weren’t particularly hurtful (at least, in Sato’s opinion) but they were both rude and uncalled for, especially when Ueno was obviously on edge due to being ‘forced’ to participate in the tournament. Ueno herself was clearly upset by the comment though, and she blubbered off a few things Sato didn’t quite understand. Not soon after, Ueno made her way away from Akira and over to where she needed to be, equipment in hand. Sato watched her and the people in the line for a bit before walking past Akira, pausing as he did so. “Don’t be an ass,” Sato said with a lazy glare. It wasn’t exactly the epitome of a good retort but people like Akira got off on seeing people get mad over comments like that. “We can kick you off for disorderly conduct you know.” Happy with his own words, Sato walked off from Akira and to the other side of the room, where he could get a better view of person that was currently shooting. Sato found a comfortable position against the wall again and kept a focused eye on the competition. He had missed the first dude’s shots, but he caught a good look of the arrows before they were pulled out of the target. An alright attempt, from what Sato could tell. The next three people went after and they did pretty decently all-around. The hope for Ueno he once had slowly died out by the time that she got to the front, bow and arrow in hand and ready for her first shot. Which was an unfortunate flop. Pretty much literally, too. The arrow seemed like it just fell from the bow, not even going halfway to the target before crashing into the ground, seemingly burning up into nothing in everyone’s eyes. It wouldn’t even stick even if it got to the target. A crushing silence fell over the previously raucous crowd and Sato couldn’t help but feel embarrassed for her. Even if she could manage to get the next shot done well, there was no way she’d be able to salvage that mess of a shot in the long run. Ueno poised up for her next shot. She visibly gave more power to the shot, and for a brief moment, Sato had a little bit of hope for this girl. Maybe she could get not last! It would be a wonderful day for all to see this happen. But, what did happen was far from Sato’s— and everybody’s— expectations. The arrow flew out of the bow’s notch with little grace. Fortunately, the arrow found itself straight into the target, and Lady Luck was on nobody’s side but Ueno’s. The underdog of the show had managed to get the best shot so far, a perfect bulls-eye, right after she had made the worst shot. Another silence fell over the crowd, but a stunned one instead of a pitying one. Nobody knew how to react. Not Rokoru, not anybody, and especially not even Ueno herself. Soon, however, someone started clapping. It slowly started up until it became a resonating sound, every clap like one on the back for this girl who showed up a week ago and just pulled off a bulls-eye. The applause was a bit short-lived but it was pleasant while it lasted, and soon Rokoru ended up stammering something over the crowd’s murmuring. “W-well, next up is Ai Aibe, Kuro Funai, Madoka Koyanagi, Osamu Mae, and Mari Hayakawa…” An awkward path in the pool of people opened up and the called persons emerged from the waters, making their way up to the front, giving a few wide-eyed stares to Ueno as they passed her. It was clear that nobody was really sure if they could top that, besides maybe Mr. Perfect whom had recently arrived, as Sato knew very well. “… and because he took first place, that leaves second place to our lovely Saya Ueno! The wonderful grand prize of coffee courtesy of my wallet has already been taken, so all we can over you is one free wish from anybody currently in this range. I’d like you to decide today if you could, just for everyone’s ease.” Rokoru leaned back in the stool he sat on until the back of his head hit the wall, preventing him from falling. Mika had such a way with words when she wanted to. A fantasy of going out with her distracted him from the words the girl was saying, but it wasn’t like he didn’t already know what she was saying. So and so won expectedly, Ueno deserved to win one of the prizes for that happy accident, and then she’d go on to list the full rankings. He himself had gotten a mediocre score, placing somewhere in the middle, but it wasn’t like he really cared much in the first place. First or second place would’ve been nice though, especially since Mika would have to accompany the winner in the case of the first place prize, and that would be his second place demand minus the hassle of actually asking for it. After a little bit of waiting through the rankings, Rokoru rose from his seat, not bothering to unfold his crossed arms, and walked over to where the Ueno girl was. He quietly cleared his throat before looking straight at her. “Nice job,” he said, giving a legitimate smile, which felt unfamiliar on his normally stern face. “it was impressive.” After he gave his compliment, Rokoru wandered off from the girl to the front of the crowd. He replaced Mika and readdressed the eyes waiting for more words from him. “First place, go talk to Mika regarding your deserved victory spoils.” “Second place, it’d be nice if you could decide who’s doing what right now. Or, at least before I leave.” Rokoru shot a glance in Ueno’s general direction in a weird attempt to make sure she was paying attention. She seemed to respond to his attention rather well. Well enough to be able to use to his vantage in situations like the current one.

Alexei Dragunov // Warakuma Shopping District April 12th, 2015 The girl seemed surprised that he knew of the reference she had used, or maybe, as was apparent from her reply. He didn't seemed the kinds who would appreciate a manga. He listened to her silently as he kept things back in the bags before flashing just a small smile as he replied " I didn't know that reading manga also has types. I mean, it is art and everyone should be able to appreciate it for that atleast. As for Berserk, both the setting and the pace suits my reading preferences so I am a big fan of the franchise. Though my absolute favorite would have to be Nosferatu Zodd." finishing putting the spilled groceries back were they belonged, they got up together. Suddenly, the girl glanced at her watch and like Cindrella, left their meeting abruptly. Well, atleast she gave part of her name, Hanezawa! sounded like a name from the Yakuza or the Samurais of yore. Still he just waved her goodbye as he turned and went about his business. People here were certainly strange, really friendly and warm almost like the polar opposite of what the big city was like. He felt again, that moving into the country was possibly the best decision he had made in a while. --- Alexei April 13th, 2015 The school was the same old routine. Inoue was still unwell and so with the sheer lack of numbers and Sagat's own lacking will for sparring, Alexei was left to dawdle the school halls for sometime before his shift began. He went towards the notice boards to check on any other clubs that were still recruiting. On there he found a club to his liking. "Anime and Manga" Club. One that reminded him of his meeting yesterday. He didn't have his hopes high but he thought that maybe he'll see that girl in this if he could find her. But then it dawned on him that he didn't know where she studies, so it was a rather long shot. But still maybe the members were cool since they didn't bother to post a recruitment drill. He decided to check it out. As he reached the club room, he found a beautiful Japanese girl standing there apprehensively, clearly contemplating something. He decided to maintain his distance so as not to startle her and ask in a low voice, which sounded a lot like a low growl, "Do you need help with something, miss?" as he proceeded to knock the door and put his hand on the handle, twisting it in its bearing to open the door. He looked at her hoping for an answer before he went inside to meet the members.