The Secret's Aftermath

[Firebreath Fishslap]

"Listen bub, I ain't gonna reap my owner! And besides. We have a contract," Snowy said. She crossed her little arms and suddenly her aura flared up before dissipating to reveal Snowy's archghost form, the humanoid woman with gerbil ears, feet, and tail. "But if you wanna fight, bring. It. On."

Taffy elbowed Tree. "This is boring. I saw a ramen joint down the street. On me."

"Best idea I've heard all day. Let's go," Tree said. She turned around and started walking off with Taffy.

"Hey! Don't leave me behind you two!" Beatrice yelled, and ran after. "And this isn't over, you bitch!"

Snowy looked back after the retreating Power Trio. Those three really had no attention span for these kind of things... "See? They're fine. And besides, it's people like you who want a fight that cause most of these problems. New York? Dolphi III, Beatrice, Sunny, Hammy, and Fishhook all wanted revenge for random crap in the past. The house burning down? Todd pitching a fit. The old lady? Okay, yeah, we broke into her house. But she was still using her children as projectile weapons. And then devouring them. I'd say we're justified." She facepalmed. These people were more annoying than those bounty hunters. And Lili.

-------------------

Madotsuki flinched when Fujin got up, but she calmed down soon enough. She didn't seem to be bothered by Kosumu's reaction.

[gantzgun74]

Climber scratched the side of his head. "Well... ... ... I guess that makes sense..." This coming from the guy who didn't even know what dancing was until he joined the Endzone tournament and fought his first opponent. "It doesn't look like they want to fight..."

---------------------------------------------

Kosumu, after a bit, was soon sitting on a chair not too far off from where the others continued to converse.

"I'm willing to guess, since Kosumu actually TRIED to read Madotsuki's aura, he read it a little deeper then he actually would've wanted." Metal theorized. "Being that he's some kind of humanoid star, there would be instances where he doesn't even know his own power. So as thus, my previous statement."

[mugenginga]

"...humanoid star? That certainly does a lot for explaining his powers! He is able to recreate the cosmos it seems. It seemed the sort of thing for presentation, but it was quite beautiful. Sir Magus, do you intend to stay here? I do not know the building, so I can not say if there is really room. You seemed as if you might know me, so if you are looking for someone I hope you find them."

Magus thought for a moment and nodded, "For now, I will."

"...I must apologize. I am not in charge of this group and as such I can not choose who may travel with us. They have welcomed me and Kosumu," she turned to Metal and grinned softly, "And I have no place to go, no one who knows who I am or where I should be. But I can not approve you coming with us. You will need to ask the group."

"I have no doubt they'll accept me," Magus said flatly. Metal would catch his gaze momentarily as he looked towards the robot. It was a hint that if the group said no, there would be issues. Metal didn't know their relationship, but Magus had shown he cared for the young woman.

Fujin looked towards Madotsuki. Would the little girl be okay with travelling with her...? The man seemed to at least feel a moderate level of protection for her. She wondered if the man had a sister... her eyes widened.

"Forgive me for my presumption, but is she your little sister?"

(OOC: Because amnesia induced dramatic irony is win. But I've had enough fun, I'll let other respond.

Also, I wanted to tell you where I plan on taking Magus and Schala's plot to allow for you guys to employ dramatic irony. "Fujin" it totally going to develop a crush on Magus. XD Awkward moments WILL ensue, but before anyone goes "D:" it will never go anywhere (cause incest is D:) - But there will be times when Magus comes across as an insensitive jerk for his methods of pushing "Fujin" away. Something the other characters can take note of. XD)

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Snowy crossed her arms. "They're alchemists, not dumbasses. The whole New York incident didn't exactly endear Tree to the world, and she doesn't need more enemies than she's got. Plus, if there's one thing that Tree excels at, it's making enemies. She's got people tracking her down from when she was in grade school."

She lowered one arm. "She's actually a lot more fragile than she looks. She only puts up that infuriating facade because she's afraid of showing her emotions. She's had it tough since she was a kid." She turned to Climber. "You saw how small her wings were, right? She can't fly. Other members of her species can, but she got a rare defect. And kids can be cruel. She took a lot of abuse in grade school. Probably why she ran off to become an alchemist. No, scratch that. Definitely why she ran off to become an alchemist."

The gerbil ghost sighed as a yell came over the rooftops.

"ALRIGHT! I WIN! BEATRICE, YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS! PANTS OFF!"

Snowy poofed back into her gerbil form. "...They had beer at that restaurant. And NONE of them should be drinking it. Does no one check for ID around here!?" She facepalmed before floating off.

---------------

Madotsuki looked up as she realized Fujin was referring to her. She started shivering again.

"...too much like Poniko." Madotsuki mumbled.

[nutcase17133]

Glaring at Madotsuki, Nutcase yelled "Enough with the "Too much like Pokinko" schtick! You're driving me nuts!"

"I thought you were already nuts, Nutcase." Clown Man replied. Slimer began to snicker.

"You know what I mean." Nutcase said as he glared into his P.E.T.

[gantzgun74]

[Forgive me, Nutcase, but I was under the impression that your Author OC was still back at the place where Beatrice and Tree duked it out.]

Metal saw both looks, he could more then tell by the smile that Fujin was starting to get... 'Attracted' to this Magus fellow... However, it was still kinda early for him to tell, and he wasn't the kind of robot to jump to conclusions. As for Magus' stare... One could definately see his unsaid point had been made.

"The more the merrier I always say." Metal quickly waved them off, having said that. "But let us ask the others first, make sure the vote is unanimous." He sat back, looking to the window. "I have every amount of faith that they will, but let's just wait for them to get back first, just to be sure."

-----------------------------------

Climber could only stare at where Snowy flew off, looking a bit confused... I mean, he understood that Tree had emotional issues, but that didn't answer the one question that stuck out in Climber's mind... And that question was;

"Why would Miss Tree want Miss Beatrice's pants off?"

[mugenginga]

Magus actually seemed momentarily angry at Fujin's presumption. However, it quickly settled down into his typical harsh gaze. He shook his head.

"She has attached herself to me... and seems unaware of the dangers of certain things."

Fujin nodded and stood up, "I assure you I mean you no harm... perhaps I have done so in the past, and for that I must offer my full apologies. But I am not that person now, I do not have the memories necessary to be that person..." she had taken a step towards Madotsuki at this point. She was about as threatening as a silk sack of feathers, but...

[Firebreath Fishslap]

"No!"

Once again Madotsuki reached up to her cheek and did what had probably been thought of as some kind of nervous tic: pinched her cheek. Except, this time when she did it, Madotsuki started appearing to fade away. And suddenly, there was a pop, and she was gone. All that was left of where the little girl had been was the few wisps of dream energy that she appeared to practically be composed of.

---------------

Elsewhere, outside the world of dreams, Madotsuki was waking up. She had woken up inside her apartment, and obviously had been in there for a while; her family had left food for her on her desk. She shook her head and sat down at the desk, where she slowly started recording this latest dream.

[11/28

I found a new world. I think I'll call it Neo World, even though that sounds a lot like Neon World. I spent a lot of time there with this girl called Tree-san. Apparently Tree-san's on the run from these things called Doppelgangers. She also looks like a bat! But she didn't die when I stabbed her. A lot of people didn't. It was weird.
Then I met Magus! And then he showed me to Poniko... and I got scared. Poniko was calling herself Fujin and had blue hair, but I knew it was her. I was just waiting for her to turn into Uboa. I think she was about to when I left. I got away just in time.

I think I'll go back there today. I wonder what kind of effects I'll find there?]

She stepped away from her dream diary and looked at the plate. She supposed she should eat something... there really wasn't much to do in this world anyways... She didn't know what she'd do once the other world had no more effects for her.

Suicide, perhaps? Her balcony was rather tall after all.

-----------------

Snowy groaned and looked back at Climber. "Do the words 'strip poker' mean anything to you? Ugh... I'm going after them. Someone needs to knock some sense into those three."

At the ramen restaurant, Tree, Taffy, and Beatrice were, as Snowy had predicted, very drunk. As in, drunk out of their minds drunk. Does no one around here check for ID?
Beatrice was missing her pants, Tree was missing her jacket, revealing what was quite simply the most unflattering T-shirt of a giant orange ever, and Taffy, who had always been the worst at strip poker, was missing everything but his boxers.
"...Alright Taffy, if you lose this hand, you know what comes off next," Tree teased.
"...Y'know, I've always wondered if that tail of yours is real or fake... guess we'll find out now... mwuhuhuhuhuuuuuu," Beatrice said, looking up over her hand.
"...Please go fuck yourselves," Taffy growled. And then Snowy came up behind him and whacked him upside the head with her scythe. His head then landed in his bowl of ramen, which was still half full.
"Alright, there'll be none of that. You two shouldn't even be drinking! How'd they give you beer anyways?!" Snowy growled. All three held up fake IDs, which Snowy snatched up.
"...Tree, this is your mom's ID."
"Yeah, I know."
"How the hell did you get your mom's ID?"
"Friends in high places, Snowy."
"Tree, you have no friends."

[gantzgun74]

All was silent when Madotsuki disappeared... ... ...

The '' emoticon appeared in Metal's visor as he waved a hand in the space Madotsuki once occupied... "It's... It's as if... She never existed at all..." He contemplated the happening that just occured, trying to figure out what just happened... After a second, he turned to Magus. "Has that girl, Madotsuki, ever demonstrated strange abilities?"

Kosumu appeared to finally snap out of his rut before looking around. "Wh... Where that girl go?"

----------------------------------------

Having been left by the others back at the town gate, Clibmer sighed before turning back to the town, and starting a quick run back, he thankfully knew his way back to the house from here. "I'd better go see if anything's going on back home..."

[mugenginga]

Fujin caught herelf before letting out a scream. Her hands had gone to her mouth and she suddenly looked like she was going to collapse. Magus was up like a shot, completely dropping his weapon. The scythe hit the ground with a dull thunk, indicating it was far heavier than his light way of holding it implied. He was next to Fujin in a second, his arms wrapped around her.

Metal would notice a few things. It wasn't an "embrace". Far from it, it seemed more like he was merely trying to comfort her. There was nothing romantic about it, rather the opposite to be truthful. Magus looked angry again, but at what wasn't clear. Also a bit awkward. As if he felt this position wasn't the way it was supposed to be. That and he seemed unused to physical contact.

He'd also notice a slight tint of pink come to Fujin's cheeks. She'd been about to cry but now looked extremely awkward. Her eye had gotten wide, but they still seemed like they were watering. She closed her eyes and pushed Magus away. By that time the blush had already faded. She looked at where Madotsuki had been.

"Did I... was that my fault?" she sounded depressed again.

[Firebreath Fishslap]

Snowy took her scythe and hooked the IDs on it before grabbing Tree by the ear. "I'm confiscating these for a month. Bea-Bea, you know someplace we can crash at tonight? Tree needs to sleep off her hangover."

Beatrice, being easily the most sober of the three, said, "Yeah, follow me."

While they walked, Beatrice explained exactly what she'd been up to, which somehow lead to another fight. After Snowy broke them up, Tree said, "So he complimented my skills? Sweet, that means I've got more approval points than you. You know how many you've got?" Tree made a zero with her fingers.

Beatrice responded by punching her in the face.

[nutcase17133]

"Well, at least things will be SOMEWHAT quiet." Nutcase said in a dry tone. "Now would be a good time to find out what to do next. We can't sit around here. That doppleganger psycho hag's out there and if worse comes to worse she could target Gantz or any of our friends if they're out there."

Slimer looked confused by what Nutcase had ment, and while his speech was more or less indecipherable gibberish, one could tell he asked "What doppleganger?".

Nutcase turned to the ghost and said, "Well, it's a long story Spud. I'm sure Beatrice could enlighten you if you really wanna know." The loon then turned to Beatrice and said, "And do please be patient with him if he asks about Ms. Dopple or anything else you may know. I will admit he's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but most ghosts of his kind are more instinctual than intellectual, so he has an excuse."

[gantzgun74]

Metal put away the factors of the physical contact shared, and immediately, new theories appeared in mind. It was now safe to assume that Fujin's feelings were otherwise completely one-sided, though for what reason, Metal wasn't sure. He would have to keep his eyes open from here on out, in order to figure out just why.

"Makes sense, if you ask me." Came Metal's response to Nutcase, before turning to Fujin. "I highly doubt that was you Fujin." He turned to look at where Madotsuki disappeared, thinking hard. "Maybe it was an ability of her own. I noticed she pinched her cheek or something before she vanished... Not sure what that has to do with anything, but it might be connected in some way."

Kosumu ran up to Fujin, deciding to comfort her himself. "Wasn't you, Fujin... Didn't use magic." He smiled a little. "Energy come from girl... when vanished... She did it."

Knowing Kosumu was better at sensing magic auras, Metal took his word for it. "She must've teleported away or something when she became frightened... Yes it makes sense."

Climber was the last to come through the door, looking around. "Oh! Miss Beatrice!" He walked up to her and the others, smiling somewhat. "So... Are you and miss Tree friends again now?"

[mugenginga]

Fujin looked distraught but turned away. She hadn't meant if she had caused it via magic. She was afraid she had scared the girl off. Magus opened his mouth but shut it, turning away to pick up the scythe. He'd never been good at the warm fuzzies, even before his aura became "tainted" as the Gurus and anyone that could sense them put it. And comforting others fell into the category of warm fuzzies as far as he was concerned.

"I'll sleep outside," Magus said, leaving through the door before anyone could object.

Fujin watched him go. She sat down and tried not to look depressed. She failed.

"I still have great worry that I was a terrible person before I lost my memories. What if I had done something to that girl? What if I am this Poniko she spoke of?"

(OOC: Gantz, Metal would probably know this. Amnesia tends not to cause basic personalities to change. A kindhearted person with amnesia is generally one who as kindhearted before it. At least from what I'VE read.)

[Firebreath Fishslap]

"The doppelgangers? Wait, they attacked you!?" Tree asked incredulously.

"Yeah. It turned out that 'Chip' was actually some chick named Ms. Dopple. And then the real Chip showed up, beat the shit out of Ms. Dopple... and stabbed out my own heart. I'm lucky to be alive," Beatrice said.

"No shit! You were on the List, Beatrice!" Snowy yelled. She pulled out a tiny piece of paper. "You have no idea what this means!"

"I fucked with fate?"

"Okay, so maybe you do know. AND YES."

Tree was looking away from the others.

"Hey, Tree, is something wrong?" Taffy asked. "I mean, I know the doppelganger thing's been a problem, but..."

"No, it's nothing."

It was probably a good thing Climber appeared at that point.

"No," Tree and Beatrice said simultaneously at Climber's question. They glared at each other. And then the door opened. Tree moved to the side as Magus came through the door. "Hey, that guy was with Mado earlier."

"Yeah, that little girl was clinging to Drow-boy like you wouldn't believe. Hey... where is she?" Beatrice asked.

Tree ran past Beatrice into the room where Metal and Fujin were talking. "Hey, where's Mado? Little girl, yay tall? Oh, I'm Tree. You're obviously Metal Sonic, and you're obviously Schala. I mean, I don't even play that many video games, that's Bea-bea's thing, and I can see that!" She pointed to the two of them as she said their names.