this is a gift; it comes with a price;

[soulsrest]

Who: Takaya and OPEN.
When: Evening, the 22nd.
Where: The Coral.
Style: Whichever.
Status: Open.

[The last thing he had remembered was pain - pain and the voices of the members of SEES around him. Death was close, and Nyx was coming. She would bring her salvation to everyone.]

[And yet… he feels somewhat damp. That is strange - strange enough that he opens his eyes and looks around. He seems to be in a plaza - but that cannot be. He was dead, even if they had managed to stop her - which was impossible no matter what they believed. No matter how much he wished to make sure her arrival was prepared… he was unable to stop them.]

[At least he would have some peace… though it appears now that he is denied it for the moment. He feels in his pocket, clasping his hand around the pills. There aren't many left. Why would he have need of them where he was going? But in this situation… this could be a problem.]

[He snatches up his gun and shrugs his shoulders, attempting to gain feeling back in them where they are starting to go a little numb and cold. He will explore this place… and find the answers that he seeks.]

Comments

[golden_gloves]

If I knew, I'd probably be on my way back to Iwatodai.

[So he can stop you from letting the shadows and the Dark Hour continue.]

[soulsrest]

[Yeah good luck with that one. :| ]

What else do you know about this place?

[He knows damn well he's pressing his luck with trying to get info from him, but he doesn't have much of a choice right now.]

[golden_gloves]

[Akihiko narrows his eyes.]

I think I've told you more than you deserve to know.

[soulsrest]

[Now that won't do. He lifts his gun and cocks it, just smiling.]

Are you sure?

[golden_gloves]

[He's confident he can dodge the attack, though not entirely certain.]

Go ahead and try it. You don't have the Dark Hour to help cover up your crimes. People will know something's wrong as soon as you fire.

[soulsrest]

[He's from endgame. You're from midgame. Do you really want to test that agility stat?]

The Dark Hour adds a layer of convenience for what's commonly seen as crimes, true.

[He shoots off a round, aiming for the other teen's leg.]

But you act as though I fear retribution - or indeed what any of you think.

[He lowers the gun, a smirk still on his face.]

[golden_gloves]

[He does, he really-

Well, crap.]

Hngh!

[Akihiko drops to the ground, clenching his leg. It hurts like hell, and he bites his lip as he watches the blood run down his to his ankle and stain his sock.]

Damn it...

[soulsrest]

[Hm. Well, he likely won't be any use for information in that state. Perhaps he's been too hasty.]

[... Nah. It's at least a start on the payback for his defeat.]

[He turns, and heads the opposite direction. He'll find someone else to give him the answers he seeks.]

open to any member of SEES

[golden_gloves]

[Well, there went his winning streak. He fumbles for his SFC inside his pocket, pulling it out and searching for the first SEES member he can think of while his other hand clenches his leg.]

Nngh, I can't believe it.

[He'd shot before Akihiko even realized he was preparing to do so. Was he that slow in reflexes?]

H-hey. We've got trouble...

video; hijacking! also time shenanigans i guess, i'll say yukari doesn't know about takaya yet here

[tsundyne]

[......

It's hard to tell what's going on with just Akihiko's face on the screen when she picks up the call. But she can tell he's in pain.]

S-Senpai?

[the heck did you do--]

okay!

[golden_gloves]

Strega's leader is here. You need to tell Arisato and Mitsuru.

[Oh, just bleeding all over the ground. Relaying info is more important, right?]

[tsundyne]

Wh-What?!

[She's been here for over a year without Strega, and he's going to suddenly show up now??

Akihiko wouldn't lie about that.]

What happened? Did he hurt you?

[golden_gloves]

I'll be fine. Nngh. Just tell them. This is serious.

[tsundyne]

I will. But you need to let me heal you first...

Where are you?

[golden_gloves]

In the plaza.

...That bastard...why...?

voice

[invoker]

Akihiko, This is Mitsuru. Please respond.

[She's worried, of course. Mainly because she woke up and this was the first thing she woke up... to... well. This wasn't good.]

voice

[golden_gloves]

Mitsuru?

I'm here...ch...

[Good, he got a response.]

G-guess who's here...

voice

[invoker]

I don't have time to play guessing games Akihiko, you sound injured.

voice

[golden_gloves]

[It's merely a flesh wound!]

That's not important. Strega's leader is here.

voice

[invoker]

[There's a moment of silence before Mitsuru speaks again, her voice calm and firm.]

Do not engage him. I repeat, do not engage him.

[Wait, this was Akihiko.]

... Any more than you have done already. Are you able to make it back to the dorm on your own?

video; oh sup

[messianic]

[He is surprisingly calm, all things considered, mostly because he knows Mitsuru and Yukari are both on it.

So instead--]

Akihiko-senpai. What happened?

[He'll be a leader. Because he needs to know what's going on.]

sup bro!

[golden_gloves]

Takaya's here in Vatheon.

We need to do something...

[messianic]

You're hurt. We should take care of that first.

[Really, senpai. Mitsuru-senpai will have their hides if they don't.

But here's that Determined Protag Gaze.]

We won't let him hurt anyone, though.

[golden_gloves]

[The determined protag gaze is what he likes to see!]

Do you think Yamagishi can track him here?

[messianic]

[...He just nods once.]

I'm sure she can. Vatheon isn't that large, either.

But you have to recover first, senpai.

[It's like the start of the game all over again!]