dearest.

moshi moshi you've reached pako's multi indie rp blog. to leave a message, press 2. i'm really looking forward to rping with you all, so don't be afraid to ask me anything!!!

[habitmademe-deactivated20140501]

♞!pawns of ;*MARCH (march hare)

[habitmademe-deactivated20140501]

He heard him the first time. That’s what Reim wanted to tell the other, but he bit his tongue. If it really was ‘Wonderland’ as the boy said then…he must have dozed off at his desk. It was merely a realistic dream he was stuck in and couldn’t wake from. He couldn’t be in the Abyss, right? ..he wasn’t an illegal contractor, so there was no way he’d get dragged down. Unless something happened and he’d lost his memory too. What a horror that would be….

Suddenly, the boy was closer to him than Reim would have considered comfortable for a stranger and took a short step backwards, narrowing his eyes. Carefully, he took a small glance around him where the younger male was pointing. He hadn’t even considered asking anyone around him for help — but maybe that was because these people didn’t have any presence. Perhaps they weren’t even people at all, like he was saying. Illusions? Or something —  "Regrets? ..may I ask what these Regrets are? ..and why shouldn’t I look back?" The boys words sent chills down his spine. They were too ominous for his liking.

Regrets.

..Reim didn’t want to admit it but he had more than enough regrets..

"I can assure you, I wouldn’t forget my own name. It would take quite a large blow to the head for me to forget something like that. ..I’m not a fighter like Gilbert or Master Rufus but I’m sturdy enough on my own." He didn’t learn all that sword-play for nothing. Suddenly, he twitched with annoyance, “M-my name is not strange! If you must know, its meaning is ‘will of the little moon’. It’s quite a heavy meaning for someone such as I and I bear it proudly." Reim huffed, crossing his arms defensively.

As his ‘host’ began to walk away, Reim looked around nervously before beginning to follow after him, adjusting his coat. Though no one was looking at him, he felt like there were eyes on him. He was told not to turn around, and he wouldn’t but he couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling of the stares. That was until the boy said his name causing the Pandora worker to stop in his tracks, eyes wide.

"…..you can’t….be serious….."

There was just no way. It was impossible.

This boy….was the March Hare?

[einsatzs]

Geez, this guy really was a handful.

He stopped to gaze at the other, blinking once and pausing to think, before opening his mouth. "Regrets are regrets. They're created from humans' regrets, mostly because humans tend to cling to their past." He spoke with little emotion, almost as if he's told the same story over and over again and became bored of it. "They hang around people with no purpose, like you." With a tiny shrug of the shoulders, the March Hare shifted his weight to his side, resting his hand on his hip bone. It was obvious the other was a little shaken by his words. Good. "Well, last time someone 'looked back', the regrets tried to kill that person." Reim didn't need to know that "person" was actually the 89th Alice, and the regrets were more prone to violent acts against Alice specifically. "That's why."

As the other protested to forgetting his own name, Mitsuki couldn't help but laugh a little under his breath. No one wants to forget their name; it's something that happens against your will. You can never account for things like that. "It can still happen, you know. I didn't exactly plan on forgetting mine." A bitter taste filled his mouth; he didn't want to think about those days anymore. He silenced himself and turned away slightly, frowning and rubbing his arm -- anything to show he didn't want to talk about it.

"Gilbert? Rufus?" The March Hare furrowed his brows, but didn't really care enough about those two names to prod further. What was more interesting was the next part: "So you can fight? That's a pretty useless skill here." He paused, scratching his cheek. "Unless, I guess, you know when to fight." When the others' tone switched to annoyance, however, Mitsuki grinned; it was kind of amusing how easily flustered the guy got. "I was only kidding, geez." He rested his hands on his hip, and gave a warm smile. "Your name is your name. You should be proud of it." The rabbit-eared boy paused, temporarily glancing to the side before continuing with a more placid look: "Though, it's still a pretty unusual name, at least around these parts. You're really not from around here, are you?"

The words that came out of the other's mouth stopped the March Hare in his tracks. He turned to face the other, "Huh?" He didn't get it one bit; "What's with that face?" Blinking slowly, his former aura of childishness and distance change to that of a solemn curiosity. This Reim character was becoming more and more interesting – why did he react so strongly to hearing his true name? "I'm not lying. I'm the March Hare. That's the name I was given; my role in the game to kill the White Rabbit." He didn't say anything too absurd, did he? The whole ordeal was a little perplexing, to say the least. But the utter shock in Reim's face -- it was almost painful to look at. "Why is that so weird to you?"

[einsatzs]

;♥stronger! 」@naegi

No. -- No! This was all wrong! A high school life of mutual killing? The mere words brought tears to the edges of the programmer's eyes and made his knees feel weak. He couldn't stay here; he just couldn't! Panic rose up to his throat, but he forced it down with a hard swallow. He had to remain hopeful. The boy tried to tell himself that over and over again, but the emptier the cafeteria became after the conclusion of the daily meeting, the harder it was to not break down and cry. But he had to keep his composure. If he was going to do anything to help the others, it would be that.

With a placid smile, he stood, rising out of his seat and placing his hands on the table in front of him for leverage. Chihiro's legs carried him to the exit, ignoring the few glances his way as the boy swayed off. He just needed a few minutes to himself, that's all. A walk through the hallways should suffice. Even if there wasn't much space, and he was sure to run into someone along the way, the action of walking seemed to help clear his mind, if only for a little while. The dark grey coating on the walls seemed endless, and the tap of his shoes against the solid marble floors sent echoes throughout the hall. It was cold here. He wanted to be home -- where it was warm and things seemed brighter. More than anything, he missed the feeling of warmth.

He didn't have a destination in mind; his feet just brought him wherever no one else was. A sigh escaped his lips as he stopped mid-trudge. He stared down at his feet, his vision blurring once again as negativity flooded his mind.

"I knew it. .. I really am useless. .."

He spoke to no one, barely above a murmur. It was true, though, wasn't it? His talent was wasted in this environment, and he couldn't even keep up the illusion of being okay like he swore he would. The others were working so hard to find an escape route, and here he was: moping, crying, weak as always. That's right -- weak, weak, weak. The word bounced inside the vastness of his mind, eating away at the little confidence he had left. Was he always going to be like this? The thought made him cringe; he didn't want that. He had to stop thinking like that. Yeah, he was going to put those thoughts to the side, and think positive! If everyone else can do it, he can too. He'd start with finding a way out, and then, well, he'd figure out the rest later. With a short nod and newfound determination, he wiped at his tears, completely ignorant of the fact he was standing in the middle of the dormitory hallway as he announced to the world:

"I can do this!"

[omnesimul-deactivated20140707]

einsatzs;*

[omnesimul-deactivated20140707]

   No longer could he consider himself out of harms way. Had he honestly traveled that far? His search for his master could not be ceased — not in times like these. Perhaps the only thing the young exorcist could do was shout; shout for the last person he was with.

   "Lenalee!" Both hands cupped his mouth to ensure loudness, but even so — it was all futile. The city he was currently stuck in could not be determined and this was indeed an issue. Not to mention, a growling sound could be heard. The poor cursed adolescent was starving, already. However, shelter and his friends were his priority at the moment. It was a shame to say it but, food had to wait.

   Once his hands fell back to his sides, steps began. How about another search? He’s done this all before—something had to work out sooner or later, right? Albeit bewildered, Allen still kept a close eye on those who brushed passed him. Humans were an easy disguise for Akumas (demons)—that much he was well aware of already. But, due to the lack of focus ahead of him, he collided with another individual.

 "Ouf—-!" Inching away from the other, an apology was in order. "Uh…I’m sorry!”

[einsatzs]

The walk back to the practice grounds after shopping was often the hardest one to endure. She always made sure to buy the bare minimum, but that still merited two heaping plastic bags full of ingredients. The boys all had a ridiculous appetite during snack-time, and honestly, she had no idea what to expect for an actual meal. Yet, she still volunteered to make the team dinner. She didn't regret deciding to join the team at all. It was hard work, and often she was teased, but the others were truly thankful for her, and they made sure she knew. The thank you's that resounded across the field after she passed out snacks or handed out towels made everything worthwhile. The half-smile and tiny words of gratitude Abe gave her each time she helped out, however, made it most worthwhile.

Recipes and concerns floated through the manager's thoughts as she drooped her head towards the sidewalk. Her legs carried her forward and her eyes glazed over with immense concentration. She could only buy the cheapest groceries available, but still had to keep the nutrition values in mind. Chiyo was sure if she went through a few cookbooks, she'd find something, and yet -- She didn't have time to complete the thought. A thud interrupted her, and sent her back a few steps. She opened her eyes to see what the cause was, and blinked.

It was a boy. He seemed a little older than herself, with strangely white hair, and a mysterious marking (a scar, perhaps?) that spread across his left eye. It was rude to stare, but for a few seconds, it was hard to not emerge herself in his presence. He was unlike any person she had seen before; Chiyo wasn't entirely sure what to do, at least, until he started speaking.

"Ah, no, I should be the one to apologize, really."

Chiyo let a small laugh escape her lips, before grabbing the bags in her hands tighter -- whether it was out of nervousness or habit, she couldn't tell, but frankly, that was the last thing on her mind. The girl looked at the stranger with curious, but kind, brown eyes, wondering what brought him to the Saitama prefecture. She wasn't all that popular at school, but she did know a handful of people. Surely someone as diverse as him would be the talk of the town, and seeing as he wasn't, he must have just arrived. At least, that's what she figured. Still, she could ask him those kinds of things later -- for now, how he was doing should be enough to spark a real conversation.

"Are you okay? You didn't get hurt, did you?"

[einsatzs]

█「 :★ALT← @oowada

It was a rainy Sunday morning, and there was nothing Chihiro wanted to do more than to sleep in -- but sadly, his workload wouldn't allow it. Thanks to his obsessive need to finish the coding for project "Alter Ego", the "super high school level" programmer has been pulling one too many all-nighters on that, and not nearly enough checkmarks on his homework assignments. If Ishimaru were to find out, he'd surely get a scolding from the perfect student. The mere idea of that was terrifying enough, he didn't want to witness it firsthand.

The pencil in his hand tapped against the desk as he stared down at the sheets of paper in front of him. The math section of his homework was easy enough: "Let x be the length of side AC." As he read the rest of the question, he immediately thought of how he could solve it. It felt pointless to continue on -- if he knew how to solve it, there was no need to practice. The boy sighed in his seat, and leaned back. It might be best to take a break, and come back to this after some breakfast. With a soft push of the chair, Chihiro stood up, stretching his lanky arms and tiny back. He exhaled, letting his arms fall to his side before deciding to change out of his pajama shorts and t-shirt. He has been at it for a good hour now -- it was okay to take a small break, right? Besides, a little food in his stomach would help with his concentration.

The programmer pulled out his usual outfit from the closet -- his puffy, brown skirt, the white button-down shirt, and the dark green sweater with a ribbon. He took off his t-shirt, exposing his bare, flat chest before neatly folding it and placing it aside. He didn't have a mirror in his room; it was too upsetting to watch himself dress and undress in front of it, so he tried to get everything on his body as quickly as he could. As the rest of his clothes came off and on, he let out a sigh of relief. He always made sure to lock the door before changing, but it was still nerve-wracking. No one at school knew his secret, and although he didn't want to hide anymore, he didn't know how to go about changing that fact. He often wondered if he'd always be living a lie like this -- if he was always going to be this weak and pathetic.

Chihiro slipped on his knee-high socks, using his bed as a bench. He probably still had bed-hair, but he couldn't care less. Most likely, he wasn't the only one who would. As the second sock slid up his petite leg, he let out a soft yawn. He felt a little drowsy, probably because of the rain, but he couldn't sleep anymore. There was too much to do, and not nearly enough time in the day. He then wondered what his friends were up to at this very moment. They're probably just getting up now, if not still sleeping. Maybe he'd run into them on his way to the cafeteria? He secretly hoped he would.

Back on his feet, Chihiro walked over to the door, grabbing his dorm-room keys along the way. He shuffled his feet into his white shoes, and unlocked the door. The boy took one last glance around the room, to make sure he didn't forget anything, before pushing the door. It opened with a slight creak, but gave no resistance. There was no one else in the hallway: they were probably either still sleeping, or somewhere else in the school building. Most of the athletic students trained very early in the morning, even on Sundays -- he knew of two in particular that always went to the gymnasium together: Asahina and Oogami. They were such nice people, too. The programmer looked at them with fondness and admiration. Someday, he wanted to be just as strong as they were, if not stronger.

Closing the door behind him, he heard a soft click, meaning the door had switched back to a locked position. It was time to start a new day, he thought excitedly, as he wondered just what might be in store for him. Each day was so different at Hope's Peak -- and yet, it always stayed the same. His classmates never seemed to let a day go past without seeing him -- even on holidays, he occasionally gets a call from Naegi or Oowada to see how he's doing. It was .. nice, for lack of a better word. He couldn't remember anyone doing anything like that for him in his other school -- he couldn't exactly explain why, but it brought a smile to his face each time they called. It was nice, he supposed, feeling like you belonged somewhere other than in front of a computer screen.

His ponderings managed to bring him halfway to the cafeteria without even realizing it. His legs involuntarily carried him as he stayed lost in thought -- which, unfortunately, ended abruptly the moment he smacked into a passer-by turning the corner. The impact sent Chihiro stumbling back a few steps, and although he was able to catch himself before falling, he was immediately pulled out of his thoughts. Panic rose up in his throat; he knew he was the one at fault here, and although he was quite prepared for a scolding from the other, he really didn't want one. At first, the words wouldn't really come out of his mouth -- instead, tiny squeaks and mumbles and nervous fumbling. But he composed himself, and gave the other an apologetic bow as tears formed at the ridges of his eyes.

"I. .. -- I'm so sorry!"

He didn't even have the courage to look the other in the eye.

[habitmademe-deactivated20140501]

♞!pawns of ;*MARCH (march hare)

[habitmademe-deactivated20140501]

Reim turned at the sound of the voice and blinked in surprise at the sight before him. A boy…with ears like a rabbit? Now he knew he was dreaming for sure! People didn’t have ears like animals — unless they were Chains. Chains didn’t look so human; and Alice was the exception. More so, this boy just told him he was in Wonderland. ..another impossibility. Wonderland was nothing but a fairy tale. Surely, he knew now, that he had fallen into the Abyss. Oh what had he done to deserve this?! Was this his punishment for betraying Rufus’ orders or being rude to Xerxes?!

"Wonder…land?"

"That…sounds like a cruel joke…" Reim murmured more to himself than the person before him. He looked the other male up and down, feeling an odd sense of familiarity as he stared. He’d never seen this person before though. Why would he feel such a thing at the sight of a stranger? Unless…those ears…they did remind him of his dear Chain…

"M-me?" Reim stepped back nervously, furrowing his brow as he adjusted his glasses, “Shouldn’t I be asking you that? Telling me this place is Wonderland…did Xerxes put you up to this? Or perhaps Lady Sheryl?" He cleared his throat, sighing. He shouldn’t be accusing this boy. He might be his only clue on returning to Pandora, “I…I’m sorry. I’m a bit frazzled, that’s all."

"My name is Reim Lunettes," He introduced, giving the young man a small bow, “And your name is sir?"

[einsatzs]

He knew it. If he already has a name, there was no way this man was a part of the Rabbit's game. Then, could it be he has a regret that somehow tied him here? The March Hare was stumped; but there was no point in playing guessing games. He didn't have the time, and he certainly didn't have the patience. With a frown, he sniffed in a deep breath, feeling his nose twitch once just like a normal rabbit's would. Mitsuki could only stare at the other, knee-deep in musings. It was high time to answer the confused male, he supposed, but he felt this whole encounter quickly becoming a waste of his time. He still had to talk to the Mad Hatter, and who knew what Shirou was up to at this very moment. He just hoped he was still alive.

"Like I said, you're in Wonderland."

The March Hare took a few strides towards the male, stopping just a few inches in front of him. His hands on his hips, he leaned forward, and raise an eyebrow. "What, you don't believe me?" Bringing his upper body back, he turned to look at the stores lining the street, pointing at the passer-bys without a second glance Reim's way. "See those people? They're inhabitants of Wonderland. They're probably not really people as you know them." The smaller male looked up towards the taller, before continuing to talk. "Oh, and I wouldn't look back around here. I don't know if you have a purpose or not, or if you're planning suicide, but the Regrets are out full force these days." He shook his head, crossing his arms and clicking his tongue once against his teeth. "They're a nasty bunch, those Regrets."

Xerxes? Lady Sheryl? He never heard of anybody named either of those. It was now obvious this man wasn't a resident of this place; if the confusion written all over his face didn't give it away, it was the rapid questions. You can't fake that kind of emotion. At least, no normal person could, and this glasses-adjusting bookworm-type didn't seem so out of the ordinary when it came to controlling emotions. In other fields, sure: in fact, the March Hare was quite interested in what hidden potential this man had, but placed it to the side for now. There were more important matters to discuss -- specifically, what this stranger was doing here.

"It's fine. It's pretty obvious you're not from around here, so being confused is normal. But at least you remember your name." 

A small grin broke out on Mitsuki's face. He adjusted the hat on his head slightly, before bringing himself even closer to the other. "So, Reim Lunettes, is it?" A small chuckle escaped his lips. "That's a weird name." The March Hare rubbed his nose, turning around to put his back towards Reim. He brought his arms to his back and interlocked his hands, taking one, two steps away from the other. He didn't want the other to see the conflicting, sad feelings he tended to reveal through the microexpressions of his face. Mitsuki didn't regret anything; no, he did all he could have in the past. However, things were changing. He wasn't as weak, as helpless as he used to be. The March Hare was going to play a role in the game to kill the White Rabbit -- a role bigger than what he was assigned. "Shirou gave me the name of March Hare. But you can call me Mitsuki."

[kalikimaka]

★sk8er boi◟*» █ @beat

[mesdoram-deactivated20131030]

The pinkette was obviously riled up with the realization of not having money, but when Beat paid the store owner for her meal, it was easy to see that she calmed down. Truthfully, he didn’t know much about the situation she was in — that was, whether she actually had money and forgot it, or if this was some kind of ploy. From the looks of her, though, the skull-capped male highly doubted it was anything like the latter choice. She seemed honest enough, if not just a little quick to anger .. but then, her anger was justified, wasn’t it? Beat had been in a similar situation once or twice before — and he could remember being just as upset with himself when it happened. Though, at those times, he’d had Neku to bail him out in time, whereas this girl had no one. Or so it seemed.

It wouldn’t have been right of him to leave her there. He was hard-headed at times, but the skater had a big heart. He cared deeply for his sister and his friends, but in situations like this, the care extended to complete strangers. It was the right thing to do, and he knew so; he even felt a bit proud of himself when he saw that he’d managed to make the girl smile.

“Heh, ‘s no problem — an’ you don’t gotta worry about it.” The blonde shrugs off her offer to pay him, as though it was the least of his concerns. Truthfully, his little stunt had emptied his wallet for the next few days — and he wouldn’t stoop so low as to ask his friends or his sister for money. But the girl before him didn’t have to know that, and he’d feel strange taking her money. Especially when he was only doing her a favor. He’d find a way to make up for the lost money .. eventually. When she brought up her friend paying him back, it only make him shake his head even more frantically. To take her money — Beat felt strange enough about that, but now she was offering to give him another stranger’s money in compensation. Stranger of a stranger .. or something like that. “I’ve been in y’ shoes once or twice before; I know how it is. ‘s on me, a’ight?”

Still, her words managed to strike a little curiosity in him. So she’d been waiting for someone here — a friend, or a relative, or something? As she pulled out her cell-phone, the skater took another good look at her. Her manner of dress was pretty similar to some of the other girls in the area; after all, Shibuya’s shopping districts were filled with different, unique types of fashion. What Clover wore was wasn’t too much like the things he’d seen around the area of his home — nor was it similar to the things worn around his school district. Beat could attest to that much, anyway; there weren’t too many girls that he went to school with that dressed like that .. 

.. On-campus, anyway. In truth, that might have just been on part of the uniform policy. And besides, Beat didn’t speak to too many girls, besides for Shiki, Eri, and, of course, Rhyme. He just wasn’t good with them; they’d giggle at the way he spoke, and it’d make him nervous. In turn, he would start to stammer, and his slang would get even worse. Eventually, he’d just turn and walk away, so as to save himself from any more embarrassment.

His conversation with this girl seemed to be going well enough, though. She didn’t seem to mind his manner of speaking, and he wasn’t all that nervous. Hopefully, he wouldn’t mess it up now.

Then, suddenly, she was speaking to him again — and she confirmed the idea that she wasn’t from Shibuya. “So .. you was waitin’ for someone here?” He had to admit, Shibuya’s busier districts probably weren’t the smartest places to want to meet someone. This ramen shop was off one of the side-streets, so it wasn’t terribly crowded .. but it could be a pain to find the place to begin with, what with all the intersecting streets and the crowds of people. He remembered getting lost plenty a time when he was younger, and a lot more careless. Once, the blonde had gone so far from home that he was out the entire night, and his parents actually had to go out and search from him. They found him a long ways from home — sitting outside the Sunshine Fast-Food Restaurant past the Scramble, tears smeared all over his face.

It was silly of him, but it was for that reason that when she stood to leave, he jumped out of his seat after her. “Woah, woah, wait a sec — lemme walk you t’ where you’re headed, at least!”

He blurted the words out before he’d thought them over, and he could only imagine what they sounded like to Clover. Still, he headed over to her, a nervous smile breaking out on his face. “It’s jus’ .. I don’t want you to get lost or nothin’ — not while you’re s’pposed to meet up wit’ someone. You’d worry ‘em. An’ I know this place like the back o’ my hand, you feel me?”

Clearing his throat, he continued on to say, “So .. Let Beat see that y’ get there alright, yeah? .. I mean, let me .. — I mean, I’m, uh .. ‘m Beat. Eh-heh.”

.. Yeah, there was no chance of him not looking ridiculous here.

[einsatzs]

It's funny; as thankful as she was for his generosity, she couldn't help but feel a little skeptical. For all he knew, she could have just been using him, and yet he paid her meal anyway, without a single care. What was it with this guy? Was he just born stupid, or did he have an ulterior motive, or was it -- ? There was more to consider too, she started thinking, like if he was saving that money for something, or if he could really afford to let that money go. It was a simple act of kindness, but the pinkette found herself deeply immersed in it. You could see the workings of her mind in her eyes. There was a sour taste in her mouth as the other spoke; truthfully, more than anything, she felt guilty. It was her mistake, no one else's, and yet he paid for it. It wasn't right. Even if he tried to justify his reasoning, she wouldn't have it. She couldn't tell you why, but she just wouldn't allow it. The bitter, unpleasant taste from before flowed into her throat as she swallowed involuntarily. She knew she had a tendency to over-think, but somehow it felt justified this time. Somehow.

"But still!" She protested, nearly stomping her foot on the ground. "I can't just up and leave knowing you're down whatever the price was because of me." She balled her fists, pouting slightly as her voice softened a bit. "C'mon, at least let me help you out with something. Y'got a leaky roof or a messed-up window?" Truthfully, she'd probably be better off doing something more domestic like laundry, or running errands -- but all of those required going into the other's personal life, and honestly, she'd rather do no such thing. She planned to leave immediately after repaying her debt: washing and folding his underwear and socks before saying goodbye would just make things too awkward, even if she were to never see him again. It would be better to just bang a few nails in and call it a day, she concluded.

Clover hadn't really noticed until now (mostly due to her blinding rage) but looking at him closely, the boy was kind of cute. His blonde hair seemed unkept and messy, probably due to the fact that it was always beneath that skull-cap, and his mannerisms were completely different to what she initially expected them to be. With his muscular build and punk-ish attire, she honesty thought he would be way less gentlemanly, but, that wasn't the case at all. He was a complete enigma to her, and frankly, it was sort of intriguing. Clover wasn't the biggest fan of mystery novels or the like, but there was something to be said about meeting a complete stranger: you can't help but think about every minute they spent living before meeting you. This boy's childhood, his dreams, his morning habits, and what he does before going to bed at night -- she knew nothing. Ever since the Nonary Game, Clover has been much more aware of others' existences and the delicacy of a life. Meeting strangers, placing their life in your hands, realizing how insignificant your own life is in the grand scheme. .. Still, this was no time to be philosophizing. She had to think on a more realistic, resolving level.

Ugh, that's right, she forgot. The other's curiosity, as innocent as it was, only managed to re-spark her anger from earlier. With a frown, she began to recall Junpei's voice as he called her to cancel, particularly how distant it seemed. "... Yeah. I was." She huffed, "And it wasn't a boyfriend or something stupid like that, so don't get the wrong idea!" The moment the words blurted out of her mouth, she regretted it. Of course he wasn't going to think that! A blush crept its way to the surface of her skin as the words floated through the room, never feeling so embarrassed before in her life. Nevertheless, the show must go on, as they say. She paused to think, the redness leaving her ears and face; the girl gazed down at the floor as she sighed heavily. Clover didn't notice until now, but she suddenly felt exhausted. "He's just a friend. A really bad one." She frowned, her eyebrows creasing as she continued her explanation, "Shibuya's almost a midpoint between our two places, and we haven't seen each other in a while, so we thought it'd be a good idea to meet up here." She crossed her arms, pouting before hitting the punch-line of her misfortune. "But he just called me a little while ago. Said he can't make it; something came up." She had a real good idea too as to just what that something was, but the boy in front of her didn't need to know everything. Clover knew how important Akane was to Junpei, and she could understand why he did what he did. She just wished he'd stop. No matter how much he searches, he's just not going to find them. The Kurashikis wouldn't slip up like that; she knew that better than anyone else. Her arms tensed, and her pout turned sour, along with the taste in her mouth again. All of a sudden, her head started hurting too.  "So now I'm here, wallet-less and frustrated as hell."

The other's sudden action startled her, to the point she immediately stopped moving. Walk her to where she's headed? It was another simple, kind gesture; yet it still threw her off immensely. It wasn't as if she was a complete stranger to kindness, though: she had seen compassion in her brother, and even through Junpei. She knew humankind was capable of it, but it became so far and few between that she eventually stopped looking for it. Still, this person in front of her .. As he smiled, a teeny bit more distrust shed from the fortress she endearingly called her heart. There's a chance he's trustworthy, she determined. It was small, realistically, but there is a still chance he really is just a kind person concerned for her safety. Maybe it would be alright, then, to open up a little. Maybe it'd be alright to even let her guard down a little.

"Well, if you insist. It sure would help, with all these crowds of people." Ah, wait. She had to pause before speaking again as she tried to find the right words to say. With no money, going to the train station would be pointless. She didn't really have a destination in mind anymore. "Actually. .." She started, bringing her nail to her lips in thought as her eyes drifted to the side. "To be honest, I don't really have a destination. Without any money, I can't really head back home, so. .." Trailing off, she looked him right in the eyes, almost hoping her gaze could somehow hypnotize him into letting her stay the night at his place so she could properly think of a solution -- but that would be unrealistic on too many levels. "I'd get my friend to drive me back, but he's been working all week. He's a detective, so you can imagine how tired he must be." Even if he was available, she doubted he'd come all this way for her anyway. Honestly, Seven was just as bad as Junpei: when he wasn't solving murders, he was trying to find the Kurashikis too. Light couldn't come get her either, that much was obvious. There was only the question of Lotus, then. Clover hadn't heard from her since they escaped the Nevada Building, so even locating her would be too much of a chore. She'd have to figure out a way home herself.

As Beat clumsily stumbled over his words, Clover couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "Beat, huh?" She placed her hands on her hips, smiling as her puffy hair bounced lightly with the small amount of movement. "Well, thanks. You really helped me out today." Her smile grew a little more as her arms fell to her side, feeling her body relax naturally. "I owe you big time, Beat."

[habitmademe-deactivated20140501]

♞!pawns of ;*MARCH (march hare)

It had been forever since Reim had a dream where he was falling. But here he was, falling down through the blackness of his mind, staring up into never ending darkness. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a nightmare like this. Actually, he didn’t think he had ever had a dream like this before. Strange… It almost felt real. Reim sighed and tried to wake himself up, or at least change the scenery of his dream, but whenever he squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, everything remained the same. What time was it anyway? Not like he could check anyway. It was more that he wanted to wake up as quickly as possible. 

“Oof!” Reim gasped, finally hitting something, and harder. Harder than he thought. Wincing, Reim shut his eyes a moment and then blinked in confusion. Sun? …wasn’t he supposed to be in bed though? And that was the sound of….people?

The Pandora worker sat up, looking around nervously as he realizing that he was in the middle of a cobblestone street, people wandering past without even glancing at the man who was sitting in the middle of the road. Where…was he? This wasn’t his room. This wasn’t Pandora Headquaters. …was Xerxes playing a trick on him? No. That was impossible. He was just dreaming a moment ago. Then…was this a dream too?

“H-hello?” Reim asked, standing up, adjusting his jacket while looking around. Wait. I wasn’t wearing my jacket to bed… Shaking his head, the brunette looked around again and frowned. No one was answering him. In fact, they were downright ignoring him completely. What sort of dream was this?

“I have to wake up.” Reim whispered, patting his cheeks and then proceeding to pinch them, only to find the results were nothing short of unsuccessful. So, he was awake? In that case…

“W-where….where am I?”

[einsatzs]

It wasn't often the March Hare paid a visit to the Mad Hatter. In fact, this was only the second time the crowded streets of Wonderland would be graced with his presence -- the March Hare, after all, was given his own set of rules to abide to in this game to kill the White Rabbit, and they hardly included socializing. In fact, the cobblestones rarely got to feel his boots hit the pavement at all; Mitsuki was to look after Alice in case the White Rabbit was killed, he couldn't put himself in too much danger. Besides, his friend's mental state was steadily declining -- he had to make sure the other stayed alive. Shirou gave him his name, after all. That was the most anyone's ever done for him, sadly.

He continued walking. Waves of people passed by, but the March Hare pressed forward. The 89th Alice was in town, he heard; but honestly he didn't care at all. It was Alice's fault Shirou became the way he did. It was Alice's fault Wonderland turned upside down. Everything became Alice. Alice, Alice, Alice. That was all he ever heard. The name sickened him, and gave him a sour taste in his mouth. Still, he had to keep moving. He needed to talk to the Mad Hatter, even if it consequently meant seeing the 89th Alice too. As much as he hated that guy, he could understand the Mad Hatter's role: he had to protect Alice, just as Mitsuki had to protect Shirou and, therefore, Marianne too -- .. A glint caught his eye, distracting him from his thoughts. He came to a slow stop, staring amazed at the falling figure as it hits the ground with a thud. Initially, he worried the figure had died on impact: it wasn't moving. But the Hare's concern subsided as the person started shifting, before sitting up and looking around. Mitsuki blinked, too surprised to really process much, if anything at all. But as the inital shock left, he took in the sight, and began analyzing the scene playing in front of him.

It was a man; and a very studious-looking one at that. The rabbit-eared boy watched curiously as the dazed blonde in front of him began to speak. Of course, none of the inhabitants in the area would listen: they instead continued on as if no one was there -- as if no one had just fallen from the sky at all. Mitsuki hummed softly to himself, pondering if he should be the one to break this poor soul the news of, literally, his fall. With a quick glance around, however, he soon noticed he had no choice: the March Hare was the only one around with the capacity for such actions. He would have to take this little detour, and possibly scrap his meeting with the Hatter altogether. After all, it didn't rain too often in Wonderland, but even rarer than that, it didn't rain people.

Mitsuki made his way over to the stranger, stopping just a few feet away to fold his arms behind him and smile wide. Hopefully, this would be enough to let himself be noticed by this uninvited guest; "Ah, that's an easy one." He jested, letting a slight chuckle escape his lips, "You're in Wonderland, of course." A pause filled the gap between the two males before the Hare spoke again, this time with a much more curious expression. It was odd, to say the least; Mitsuki could feel that this stranger was out of place -- he didn't know why, but this man in front of him wasn't supposed to be a part of the Rabbit's game. Soon, he found himself wondering, why then was he here? Now intrigued, but answer-less, he pouted, leaning forward with his hands on his hips childishly. "Say, what's your name?" He figured some preliminary questions would help clear things up.