[The feed comes on, showing Kenshin from the side in his living room on a couch with his giant orange cat sprawled across his lap. His right arm is still in the sling and he's awkwardly switched it on with his left--the device likely sitting on the arm of he couch.]

[He looks a bit down--big surprise.]

This unworthy one has been in this apartment almost his entire time in this City... [scratches Orenji under the chin--the cat looks pleased at least.]

He thinks... he is ready to move... but... [Moves the slung arm a bit.] he isn't entirely capable of doing it himself this time...

...

Would anyone be willing to help him?

...

This unworthy one... would like to be elsewhere by the 19th...




[ooc; Yeeeeeeeah... 19th is his anniversary of marrying Kaoru the FIRST time... and she's gone. Again. Emo!boy is emo :/]

This is ridiculous. After all the problems we've gone through, someone now feels the need to murder a guard? What good does such actions do? Whatever the reason was, you've brought upon yourself more trouble than anything you had before.

Bastet, is there anything I can do to help?

Will, Serenity and Geranium; there is food in the fridge if you feel hungry after work.

So, we had lame powers, were attacked by plastic animals, were lied to about being able to go home (hope that wasn't a big surprise there for anyone), it rained blood, and then we made out with each other. That's actually not too bad of a start to the month, I don't think.

Just to check, are there any plant people or forest guardian gods that are going to be upset at me again this year for cutting down my own tree?

I think I deserve a drink.

I'm glad to hear things have finally settled down out there. It seems this place is very good at dealing out harsh lessons in common sense. I'm tempted to go home before I can see what happens next.

Here's to better weather.

Aww~ I didn't even get to kiss anyone. Boo ♥

I hope all the other twins had as much fun as Hikaru and I did, though.

Hikaru- let's go Christmas shopping. And learn how to make fruitcake!

Ugh, I want to get out there and do reports, but the lights are flickering. So unstable, and the network communication in here is iffy at best.

Is anyone even paying attention now? I don't blame you if you aren't.

... I remember curse this from last year.

Hn. It was fairly easy to avoid last time, so this time shouldn't be any different.

[ooc; I missed out on this last time, so I'm affecting him this time around. He's just out walking if you want to run into him!]

[video]

[at the video store, actually, looking very bored, but -- eh, she should at least try~]

Alright. In the spirit of the season, and all, there's a discount. It's a huge discount. Really great.

So come on down to Tanabata video store, and rent your movies at a low price, perfect for a day sn-- [ugh, the word] -- snuggled up...and stuff.

[ooc; ...obviously I expect you to be on this like butter on bread.]

[The feed comes on--the device clearly on the ground, picking up a familiar face. Kenshin is standing a few feet away with his right arm in a sling and bandages visible around both hands and going up his arms under his kimono. His eyes are closed and he was speaking before the feed even came on--and probably hasn't noticed anything has happened yet.]

--ame as Kaoru-dono. "Thank you." That, and "Sorry..."

And "Goodbye..."

[He shifts, turning toward the feed and starts to speak again, reaching out with his un-slung left hand with a soft smile.]

Shall we be going s--

[and right about then he takes note of his surroundings.]

--oro!?

[Blinks widely, taking a step back and glancing around dumbly.]

Kaoru-dono?

[It takes him a moment. A long moment, manages to turn all the way in a circle a couple of times--before stopping to plainly stare right at the carousel behind him, his back to the feed.]

...................................................

[After a good minute of just staring he starts patting himself down, focusing on his sleeves and inner pockets of his kimono, then glances around until he spots the device, a mildly sour look on his face in comparison to calm expression from before. He leans down, picks up the devices, notes it's already recording of course, gives an exasperated sigh and speaks.]

How long was this unworthy one gone this time?



[ooc; he's back! updated to chapter 251, post Jinchuu arc--pretty much fully updated now. And I fibbed a bit, he had his eyes open in the second part of that scene I just wanted him to get the whole line out before going buh-zuh.]

[Open for Action]

[Mistletoe or not, some people are content to go about their daily business. Work at the Hospital, lunch at a little place in the Square, some holiday shopping around town, Brian is out and about, unconcerned.]






[ooc; tags likely to be sporadic. strangers + friends alike, feel free to claim maekouts. <3]

[action/video/whateveryouwantbb]

[Tis the season to be jolly, right? Tis also the season to shop like mad for Christmas presents, and any idiot with a two-inch forehead would know that to start early is key. Unfortunately, Sakura's forehead is way, way larger, and she's also busier than that (complete bullshit), so she is out in town today, scouting for presents.

The mistletoe tailing her everywhere? Apparently the City thinks she's a prude in need of a lay, too.]

Okay, so, purple for Ino...obviously...

[ooc; It's also, actually, her first serious curse ever, so please, please, please break her. Assume action, if you want. There's enough saliva in her mouth to go around. Wait that sounds wrong.]

Oh geez, not this again. Least at my height I can spot this problem easily.

Guys, watch out in the stockroom today, that cursed mistletoe is hanging over some of the shelves. Unless you want to end up in a clinch, make sure to go pick up stuff one at a time. I think there may be some out on the store displays too. That may not end well for some customers...

Still, with this going around, I imagine we won't be as busy as usual, so it'll give us more time to fix the displays, okay?

Heh, the one curse I kinda wish he was here, would be fun to tease him...

Thank you to everyone that helped me the night I arrived. I apologize for how unstable I must have seemed, I imagine I didn't help with the craziness of the rips and the blood. But I assure you I'm doing better now- much like the City, it seems. All I needed was a good night's sleep and some food.

Unfortunately, the amnesia is still affecting me- I've had little bits and pieces come back, but they don't seem to mesh with the few things people have told me about myself. I know I'm supposed to be a watchmaker- and I seem to have the talent for it, from somewhere- but it doesn't feel like something I would do.

As such, if there's anyone willing to help me recover my memories, I'd very much appreciate it. If there's anyone willing even to tell me what they know about me, that would be wonderful. The faster I piece this together, the faster I can get back to leading a full life.

[Voice Post]
((Click.))
((There's a cough, a clearing of a throat, another few coughs... Then Cain's voice, scratchy and fatigued.))

I shouldn't be surprised to have fallen ill after everything that happened this weekend. The carousel animals attacked us, a man who claimed to be the architect of the City--or at least its walls--appeared, those walls started to crumble and bleed, I thought I had a chance to go home and I fell through one of the holes in the wall, only to find myself trapped again--and trapped in a grave, which I then had to dig myself out of.

((A brief cough.))

It's no wonder I've fallen ill after a day locked up in a tomb and then buried alive. My aunts would have something to say about the dampness.

And is it suitable enough, I wonder-- ((A moment of quiet... When he speaks again, his voice is quiet, distant...))

But the air never thinned, it never tasted of the inevitable onset of death. And the earth that flooded that chamber was soft and loose, and I could dig my way through it.

((Another pause...))

I knew of someone once who was buried alive and who dug herself out of her own grave...

((Another pause, a longer one... Then a cough and a sneeze and the mood changes, and he's cross again.))

But we're still not given a moment's peace. No sooner have I dug myself out of a grave--my own grave--been retrieved from a trap that either the 'deities' or that architect set up, found the sky healed and mended, and the City restored to whatever one might call 'normal' here but I find myself cursed yet again.

((Mumbles, groans, shuffling--he's trying to make himself more comfortable and it isn't going well.))

No, I am not well enough to receive visitors. I doubt anyone wants to pay a call on me anyway--((His voice dissolves into new round of coughing--!))

((Which passes quickly enough, with a groan and a sigh at the end...))

I can't even close my eyes without seeing this stupid light even through my eyelids. It's impossibly in my eyes. Everywhere I look, there's the light. I'll end up sleeping with the bedclothes over my nose just so I can sleep--if only until midnight--((More coughing--a little harder this time--!))

((But it also ends in due time. And it ends with a sigh or two. He groans a little, rolls over, mumbles something that might be 'To hell with all this'...))

Riff, where are you? I'd rather you were here.

((One final, feverish sigh, another rolling over, and...))

((Click.))
[//voice post ends]

[ooc: This curse just amused the heck out of me. No, Cain is not a happy fellow at the moment--being buried alive does that--but I couldn't resist. He's musing on the things that happened, but he's not talking much about it all yet. He's mostly cranky about his amazing glowing nose yay! Yeah, he's not happy, but I'm loling. Also, YAY NOTIFICATIONS~!!]

[voice]

What id dis?! WHAT DA FU' ID DIS?!

Like being buried alive wazn't bad. Had dirt in my nose for a day, and now dis shit?

[ooc; rednose Tatsuki. rednose.]

[The feed flickers to show a medium sized hole in the ground of the Graveyard. The edge of the hem of a formerly pristine gown is stained by the dirt. Rue collapses, knees shaking weakly, with her disheveled black hair falling tangled with mud and grass while her other hand grips at her golden crown. She's still spitting out the the taste of death from her mouth, looking slightly alarmed as she turns to address the camera.

She just can't believe what close has that been like to be buried beneath the soil. How trapped she has been without any Prince rushing to her rescue, how she has to struggle to survive alone in the end. Because she has to return to Mytho who is waiting for his Princess in their real kingdom. Her. Rue is, however, proud, catching her breath, she asks with only a noticeable quiver.]

A-Ahiru... Fakir? Somebody?

(ooc; Action for whoever is around! Voice/Video to the others!).

I need a parts shop. This fucking city is ridiculous with the stuff it has. You know there's not even a city dump? The hell is that about? Where's the trash going? Whatever. Where can I get parts?