<@Ciara> [Tuesday, March 16th, 9:30 PM] <@Ciara> [In the interim half hour, Kaede, Katie, and Kyon have been working on checking out Council of Mysteries stuff online...] <@Ciara> [Taki and Wataru have been reading over the manuscript of Book Two and discussing it...] <@Ciara> [Haruko has been taking a nap...] <@Ciara> [And Taki served some very delicious strawberry and cream cake which left Wataru extremely impressed.] <@Ciara> [Kaede has noticed something interesting about Council of Mysteries, which is a rather glaring inaccuracy to someone who actually lived through the events:] <@Ciara> [Namely, while there's this whole thing going on with some shadowy mysterious figures, nobody's been trying to get the main characters to join their side or ally with them. You guys got attacked, but there were also attempts (of variying degrees of threatening-ness) to recruit you. That isn't happening here.] <@Ciara> [Haruko, meanwhile, has dreams of a gathering led by an elderly woman with long white hair and a staff. The woman calls fire to her hand and uses it to light a torch, and Haruko doesn't find this disturbing at all.] <@Ciara> [But it's hard to remember what the gathering is for and why she's? there? He's there? Should he be there? And when he? she wakes up, the gathering of people he/she finds him/herself in is confusing.] <@Ciara> [Kyon, meanwhile, gets a business call on his cell phone and briefly heads to another room to take it.] <@Ciara> [Session Start!] * Wataru is currently reading with rapt attention, cross-legged on the couch. He turns another page. * @Haruko stirs from her curled up position on the couch. After being delighted by the cake and she'd been cradling her cell phone in her hand, reviewing emails and then trying to diagram things in her encrypted phone notes. Not long into that effort she dozed off completely. As she sits up, her eyelids flutter and she tries to get her bearings. * Taki has been mostly reading same ten or so pages over and over taking notes. * Kaede comes to one of the forums and then stares, poking at the page. "They're talking about it here..." Folding his arms, he sinks back into his chair. "That *is* odd..." * Katie is sitting near Kaede, eating a slice of strawberry and cream cake (thanks, Taki!) and watching whatever he's got on his computer screen. * Taki looks up. "What's odd?" * Kaede pulls back. "They're talking about how strange it is that none of the main characters seem to have any allies. Not even anyone attempting it..." * @Haruko looks over at Kaede, surprised. She then looks over to Taki and relaxes. She pivots her legs so that they no longer are hanging off the edge of the couch and instead both rest on the floor at about shoulder width apart. * Wataru glances up. Things had been quiet for a while, so quiet that he had been getting comfortable. No Kyon in the room may have also helped. * Katie thinks. "They're right. Except the main characters ally with each other...?" * Kaede nods and then pushes his glasses up. "I wonder if that's deliberate? Or if the person writing just had no idea all the other people who were involved. I don't think I've found anyone resembling Shiraishi-san. The Band is carbon cutouts...there's a lot of...missing details here..." <@Ciara> [As a quick refresher, Shigure was the one to recruit Yukiko in the first book, and all the others seemed already kind of together by that point.] Well, Sho and Ryo arn't in here, and nobody is running around saying that Yukiko is secretly the big badguy... maybe he just went for the factions he knows about? * Wataru tries to remember who Shiraishi is. Akemi? But he quickly gets pulled back into reality from this talk about the Band, and Sho, and all the things he hates the most. So Sho wasn't all up in everyone's business all the time then? I kind of got the feeling he was. Who did he *not* mess with? * @Haruko follows the conversation distractedly and then scoots over on the couch and whispers in a low voice to Wataru while everyone else seems distracted, "Hasebe-san, I seem to have lost my place. What's going on?" * Kaede taps his finger on the keyboard. "Well...the thing is...it's strange, right? To have so much detail in one area and so many glaring holes in other areas. Someone who was close enough to know what happened but completely missed all the other people involved..." His lips thin. "...when did we get so important...?" * Katie glances at Haruko. Hasebe? Well, if we're skipping that far ahead... when Satoshi turned out to actually be Judgment? I'm pretty sure that's what Daichi's big secret's going to be. <@Ciara> [Daichi has actually been somewhat less prominent in this book, interestingly enough.] <@Ciara> [Although maybe they're just gearing up for that Big Reveal.] * Wataru looks at Haruko, and decides that taking her hand is a good idea. "Just take a minute, it'll settle." * Wataru pats Haruko's hand lightly, keeping eye contact if he can get it. * @Haruko looks surprised at this and blushes slightly but is quiet for the moment. * Katie files this Hasebe thing away for later and turns her attention to Kaede. "One thing at a time. Glaring holes are easy if he's getting a partial picture." * Kaede frowns. "That's the other thing. There's no one thinking Yukiko is a Big Bad in any way. Or anyone from the main group." He nods to Katie. "Well, clearly. But the point is that this is probably the most likely path to figuring out the source material...what he missed..." * Kaede gives a long sigh. "If it were the Reversed, it would make the most sense..." * Katie nods. "Right. But I was thinking about it. There are sources that are a lot closer than Reversed, and a lot more obvious. Let's say he's getting information from people at our school who aren't Arcana. None of them would have thought I was some monster out to kill everyone. Or articles Arisu or Chikako wrote. Or even from Arcana like Yorihisa or Remi or Masaru." * Kyon closes up his phone as he comes back into the room, and takes the seat he had before, pouring himself some more tea. * Wataru sits beside Haruko in a companionable way. He has given her her hand back, and he is trying hard to make his body language show him as accessible but unintrusive. For any of them, this makes some sense. I mean, I'd guess Remi was the closest to us, but she wasn't really around that much. * @Haruko smiles slightly and whispers again to Wataru. "I've never seen Yoshiko-san this relaxed before." * Kaede takes off his glasses to look more directly at Katie. "That would know about the incident at the hotel...?" Though he stops himself shortly after the second comment, turning to look back down at his screen, blank. * Katie looks at Haruko for a second, then back to Kaede. "Everyone at school, who paid attention, knew about the hotel. I have the newspaper article in my room." * Taki shifts in the chair and looks down at her notes. * Kaede deflates, pushing his fingers against his nose. "Right...Hibiki was there too. I keep forgetting..." Yeah. He was. * @Haruko looks a little confused at Kaede's latest comment and closes her eyes for a moment. * Katie stands up and goes to throw out the rest of her slice of cake. Sad cake bits. * Wataru looks between the others, trying to figure which one is Yoshiko. Kyon and Katie, they were both women in the past, right? Kyon does seem fairly relaxed, for a Kyon. "We're all friends here," Wataru whispers back. "We're working together. Would you care for some tea? ...Isao-sama?" he adds, on a gamble. * @Haruko notes Kyon's return only now. He chuckles for a moment. "Minazuki- sama is the only one deserving of that title here." She opens her eyes. "The council meeting, I must have fainted. Dreamed..." She looks to Wataru still whispering, "Yes, some tea would be most... necessary it seems." * @Haruko's voice eased closer to her usual register with that last comment. * Katie returns with tea in her hand, because sure, she heard that, and she hands it with Wataru or Haruko, whoever looks most with it. Oh heck, it's Wataru. Here you go, Wataru. <@Ciara> [Taki, you've been noticing that not only has Daichi been less prominent in this book, and that the narrative seems to be pushing less towards Yukiko/Daichi and more towards Yukiko/Shigure, but that when Daichi *is* showing up he seems kind of nervous around Yukiko. It's subtle, but it's there. (You projecting a certain person as Daichi and thinking about how he's acted in the past might be helping.)] * Kyon nods curtly, and frowns at Haruko, before saying to Katie, "If you're thinking it's someone from the school, maybe we should be looking at Chikako. Even if it's not her, she probably knows more about those people now than we do. What they've been doing since." * Katie blinks at Kyon, then she nods. "Finding her won't be hard. It's approaching her..." * Kyon smirks. "I can do it. Should be easier if it's me." * Katie snerks. "Sure, if she doesn't want to kill you." She looks at Kaede. "Would you mind looking up Chikako?" * Kaede turns to Katie, a touch confused. "Look up Chikako? Like current contact info?" * @Haruko has been listening quietly and looking like she's catching more over time. * Kyon waves a hand over his teacup. "No way she's not in journalism still now. Can offer her something that way." * Wataru hands Haruko her tea. * Katie nods at Kaede. * Kaede gives a nod and goes to look up Chikako's current contact info. * @Haruko drinks it. After about half a minute she squeezes Wataru's hand and looks over at him. She's smiling her usual smile, but her eyes appear full of gratitude. She gives him a quick nod before letting go of his hand. * Kaede, as he types, responds with "Why would that be difficult? She's still "so cool" I'm sure." Maybe. Or she could still be so cool like I'm still so nice. <@Ciara> [It really isn't difficult. Kaede almost effortlessly finds an article from the Keio University paper written by one Chikako Ishikawa, first-year journalism major. Her contact info is at the end of the piece.] * Wataru nods. Good. Welcome back, Haruko. * Wataru can't help feeling a stirring of maternal Ayano-esque pride. Helping! * Taki looks down at her notes... "I'm still missing stuff." * Kaede finishes off the tapping. "Here we are. Keio University press..." He does a final key tap then slides the computer closer to Katie. Or more angled towards her. She doesn't need it closer. * @Haruko whispers over to Wataru one last time. "We saw you as an ally on the Council. I was at a meeting the Queen of Wands was leading and the ritual pyrotechniques weren't frightening. I think we trusted you but also increasingly worried about your influence on Hideo-san." Haruko bites her lip suddenly. She may have been speaking a little faster than her brain was processing what she was saying. * Katie looks at the screen from across the room and takes out her phone, typing in contact information. And then she hands it to Kyon, because that's easier than saying stuff out loud because who wants to cross talk with whispering people? * Taki makes a face. "Uggh. I don't want to think about Shigure or Daichi being that creep Taro, back to trying to figure out who's in the fight." * Wataru's eyebrows dart up. "I knew Hideo?" It's possible that this may have been at something high enough above a whisper that someone who was not otherwise captivated by another task or conversation may have heard. * @Haruko hasn't yet released her bite, but nods. * Kyon looks at the screen, and nods curtly. "So we're good with me contacting her?" I don't want to. * Wataru speaks softly again, but slow, thoughtful. "I didn't know that. Do you usually remember this much?" * @Haruko shakes her head speaking quietly but no longer outright whispering. "It's fading now. I think it was just that you were there when I work up." * Kyon nods quickly, and takes his phone out. "Any objections?" * Wataru nods... "I'll have to try to find out more about that. Anything else you remember? What's this Council you mentioned?" * @Haruko does not object. * Wataru has not been listening to Kyon, Katie, Kaede or Taki *at* *all*. He has no idea who's objecting to what now. * Kyon is more concerned with Kaede objections, anyway. * @Haruko's voice is still low but could now be easily heard by anyone wishing to listen. "Oh, the Arcana Council. I should probably tell everyone. I'm not sure anyone has remembered a meeting before." * Taki shakes her head at Kyon. * Wataru nods with some enthusiasm. "I think that's a good idea, want me to clear my throat noisily or something?" He has a light smile. * @Haruko grins. "Not necessary." She looks over to the group. "I just had a dream of Isao-sama. I think I missed almost everything since I work up. I *think* you're making a phone call Kyon, go ahead and do that, I'll write down what I remember." * Kyon nods curtly, and thumbs out a quick message to the email address indicated - some polite words about it having been a long time, he sees she's reporting at Keio, they should meet and catch up. He keeps it concise, and then sends it off. "Nah. Just an email. Easier for her to control her response." * Kaede doesn't give any objections. He's busy watching the situation between Haruko and Wataru. * @Haruko nods. "Thoughtful." * Wataru wonders who 'she' is, here. Arcana women.... uhh....... Nope, no leads. He sits and listens. * Kyon sets his phone down. "So we wait for her. If it's a Sakuragaoka connection, that should help. Doubt she's the source herself, which helps, too." * @Haruko sips a bit more tea and then notices the slightly look of confusion. She sidebars to her seatmate, "Chikako-chan was the editor of our highschool paper. She wasn't an Arcana, but got caught up in everything. Her subordinate, Arisu-chan, actually could track us somewhat, despite frequent mindwipes but Chikako often just followed the mundane and policing parts of the disappearances. We, uh, she went a seperate path by the end of the crisis, so no one has really been in touch." * @Haruko then sets down her tea and gets to writing. * Katie crosses the room and flops into a chair. * @Haruko then remembers that Kyon isn't calling and describes as she goes. "It was just a brief snippet. Minazuki-sama was leading a gathering and used her abilities to light a tourch." She smiles. "A bit of showmanship, I think. "The chamber was ornate, stone walls, torches, there was an embossed rectangular wooden table. Fancy chairs and the Queen practically had a throne." She grins, looking at Kyon as she mentions that. "That was about it." You mentioned Hasebe. That was the Hanged Man? * Wataru nods. "That was me. Ayano Hasebe." * Wataru glances at Haruko, with a bit of a smile. "It was kind of neat that you recognized me," he says. * Kyon smirks slightly. "Theatricality goes with the territory sometimes." * Kaede gives a nod, frowning. "I'm never sure how far the investigations go whenever I'm dealing with it..." He sighs, closing his eyes. "We still don't know if the name "Council of Mysteries" is intentional. If the World initiated all of this, it may very well be a ploy there..." * Kaede then looks at the two. "So you've discussed past selves before?" * Wataru shakes his head, smiling. * @Haruko thinks. "I don't remember. When I woke up, thought I was Isao-sama. He felt more in control but I think it may have been more that both of us were confused. Wataru eased me out of it so perhaps it worked like a dream that way. * @Haruko does quite grateful for how Wataru handled it. If Kaede thinks that Haruko still needs to be holding the Hanged Man at a distance and not sharing in secrets, he may have something to worry about here. That said, she seems to treat him as a comrade and not a complete confidant, she isn't likely to say anything about secrets she holds specifically for other people. <@Haruko> But on the point Kaede-san just raised, the Council Chamber actually reminded me of the Chamber of Mysteries. The Council of Mysteries one has a circular table and no throne, but it was a lot more ornate than anything in the lobby of Tokyo Tower. * Kyon nods curtly. "Which'd point to an Arcana source. If he isn't one himself." And a lot of Arcana were involved in the Council, back when. * Kaede nods. "So the question is who, specifically, from the Council would they be trying to call out? Or is this just an open invitation to start it up again...?" So, I don't really know much of anything about the Council, myself. <@Ciara> [Taki's been glancing at her notes and the manuscript during this time, trying to get more details on the big fight scene. Here's something she's picked up: "shadowy figures" seem to be very literal, like they're either covered in shadow or possibly teleporting in and then solidifying. So that points to some usage of power. Which type, she's not sure, but there's either a shadow manipulator or a teleporter on the side.] * @Haruko nods. "Well, we know they've reached out to Takeo-san and Matthias- san. Hirokazu was excluded, but that may have been personal on Yorihisa-san's part. So it sounds like an open invite. Hibiki doesn't go in for that sort of thing, so no idea if he got an invite." * Kaede turns to Wataru and nods, wiping off his glasses. "They've been around for a while. At least back in the War Era. They gathered and thought they could direct other Arcana...basically like a law of judges...or politicians deciding what should be "Arcana Law."" They may have been around since before then but I can't entirely remember. With all the reincarnations... * @Haruko nods. "They probably really want Matthias-san then." I think I'll ask Hinako-san if she'll tell me anything about the council or even from the time before that. All I really know about the beginings of the Arcana are a few offhand remarks Winston made and Soichirou gloating about how we all screwed up." So you think Mrs. Watanabe might be trying to start that up again? Maybe the books are a tool to convince fledgling Arcana that it would be a good idea to be overseen by people like her? * Kaede sighs at Wataru's statement. "It's possible...it depends on if she really is the one on top or just a player in a larger layer of intrigue..." * Wataru runs his fingers into his hair. "Or maybe it's the opposite. The cards did say that Aka was her weak point. Maybe he intends to show the Council as something negative." <@Haruko> Well, the Council Chamber actually had a round table. There isn't an adult leader. Maybe there is a secret chamber that's more egalitarian now, or maybe that's his spin on it. <@Haruko> The Council of Mysteries chamber that is. * Kaede frowns. "It's hard to know where the angle is. Anyone who would recognize the name and make the connection would already have to have *opinions* of the Council, wouldn't they? For it to have any meaning to them..." * Katie shakes her head. "I don't think The World was a part of the Council." Has anybody checked to see if they've dragged a giant table into the Tower Reversed? If she remade it, I bet she'd want to remake it into whatever she'd want. Not a round table. Which I don't really agree with anyway, from what I remember. But you were a part of it and I wasn't. * Kyon nods curtly. "But maybe that's the point. Make it seem cooler. Worth doing again from where we are now. Connecting it to something with buzz. Maybe also to a social media thing." * @Haruko looks over to Katie. "What don't you agree with? Round tables?" No, the... way it was run? * Katie looks confused for a second, then goes 'oh'. "You were being literal." <@Haruko> I was, but the round table is also a metaphor, right? ... Yes. * Wataru has a very small giggle that he mostly manages to hide, but Katie probably hears it. It doesn't seem mean though, just amused. I was a part of it, I think. I don't really remember, but I remember looking after younger ones, and if Haruko does... * Kaede frowns and says quietly to himself. Well. Mostly to himself. "...the cycle has stopped..." * Katie latches onto what Kaede said. "Yeah." She straightens. "Yeah, I remember thinking that." * Kyon nods quickly. "But doesn't mean someone doesn't want to reform with what we have now." * @Haruko looks to Kaede. "I'm not sure everyone would have opinions. Like Sumire-chan actually was supposed to have detailed memories, but most of us have a few snippets at best." She looks to Katie. "Like do your opinions come from your memory, or is it more that instinctual Ameri.. democratic objection to secret societies running things?" * Kaede turns to Katie now. "No. I mean. What is the most pertinent change since the last Council has been disbanded? It's that. So...either...they could want to gather people to figure out what to do with this being the last reincarnation..." He pauses, then says quieter. "...or intend to revive it somehow..." * Wataru looks at Kaede, and Katie. "Well.... Satoshi and I kind of.. had ideas about that. Him, mostly. I think he'd be okay with me telling you, though." My opinions come from the fact that I got fucked over in a past life by *actually everyone*. I'm not really generous about what I think of any of you from back when. * Taki points at herself and opens her mouth... and then closes it. * Kaede looks curious at Wataru, and a little suspicious. "Of course he'd be okay with that. Why would you think not?" * Kyon thins his lips. "Glad we're not actually them," he says to Katie. * Katie nods to Kyon, then continues, "More seriously, I was spying on the Council and Hideo and everyone else for the World, apparently, and then set up to die. What do you think?" And then she focuses on Kaede. "Yeah, I think so, too." * Wataru decides to ignore this, the most recent of a number of Kaede comments questioning Wataru's opinions on things related to Satoshi. Whatever his deal is, it's not important right now. "Well. So we all know The World has rejuvenations powers, right?" * @Haruko nods and takes in what Katie says, her expression more somber. * Taki nods slowly. * @Haruko nods again at Wataru's comment. So think about it. If you can de-age people... And you know none of us are coming back... And you want to make a Council of some kind to rule over other Arcana like you know better... Who wants to live alone? <@Haruko> That all makes sense. * Kaede gets quiet at that now, yes. Fully quiet. ... She's seriously going to make her friends immortal too? And rule from the shadows? Stuff like that's why Soichiro said the reversed got created in the first place. Yeah, because *they* did such a good job, if we even believe him. I mean, that's our best theory right now. Me and Satoshi I mean. * Wataru after a beat, he adds, "Maybe... Maybe she got the idea, you know, from the Judgment thing." <@Haruko> How do you mean? Ugh, this is going to end with the Black cards actually being a thing. * Katie nods at Wataru. "Same theory I had." She folds her legs under her. "What do you mean, the Judgment thing?" * Wataru looks at her, then at the others. They know, right? They have to know, how could they not know. * Katie just looks at Taki. "What are you even *talking* about?" * @Haruko looks at Wataru. "Sorry, which Judgment thing? Like Satoshi's confrontation with his mother? She then wanted to find a new crew?" * Kaede closes his eyes and adds, for clarification. "She means *which* Judgement thing, yes..." * Kyon just scowls and pours himself more tea. <@Ciara> [Meanwhile, in Maine, a freshman English major sneezes on his way to class.] Well, the Arcana got created somehow to stop the Oni, and we needed to be able to reincarate to do that, and then the Reversed were created to something something something Soichiro's a big jerk, but if we all die before we can stop the World from trying to take over forever, does a third set of Arcana get created to stop the first one? "Um... Not those. Like." Satoshi, if I'm spilling your secrets, by god please forgive me. "The, you know, the thing, where -- what?" He turns to Taki, who saved his life by saying something unrelated. He takes a deep calming breath. I am *pretty sure* what whatever hooded weirdos went and created us, or them, in the first place is either dead now or not doing anything about it, because have you seen what a mess we all are? And the Reversed is a disaster. They went and used their place to try to end the world. If the hooded weirdos were still around, why would they want to make another one? Not that they can't be stupid, because obviously. * Katie waves, taking in all of... everything. Obviously. * Kaede just blinks at Taki. What is this bullshit? * Kyon smirks, and nods curtly at Katie's statement. If I was a hooded weirdo, I'd just wait for us all to implode and die. Problem solved. Hell, I'm kind of waiting for that to happen right now, but some people don't have the decency to kill themselves. * Kyon smirks more fiercely. "If we haven't done it by now." * @Haruko had seemed amused by Katie's earlier comment but loses that amusement as she continues. She's not really buying that Katie's earlier comments weren't serious. * Kaede focuses on Wataru here. "The thing where what now?" * @Haruko sighs and writes something on her paper. She then scratches out a bit and writes something more. If Wataru glances over he can probably figure out that she's trying to put together a sentence to say to Katie but he's probably to distracted to notice. * Wataru bites the inside of his cheek. Oh, fuck you, Takeuchi. "Well, you know. If she's actually planning to recruit suitably obedient Arcana and keep de-aging them so that they're effectively immortal..." He waits to see if someone will finish the thought, and reassure him that he's not making a huge mistake! * @Haruko nods. "Right, that makes sense. We don't how often she can do that, but it is quite a temptation. Particularly if you don't know her child rearing methods." Haruko scowls. * Kaede gives a nod, then sighs. "That track was apparent when we started talking about it. But yes. That's another method of reincarnation..." He blows out a breath and adds, a little less stoically. "...and also would be hell on Watanabe-san..." * Taki starts to reply but can't manage to string three words together without having to stop and correct herself. * Wataru deflates a bit. Thank god, they know. "I haven't said anything to him about that particular idea yet." * @Haruko nods at Wataru's comment. "I think that's a reasonable call. It's still speculation at this point. If we start seeing more evidence we can talk to him about it. I think he doesn't want to unnecessarily deal with World stuff but we shouldn't leave him out either. * Kaede nods. "It's only fair..." He responds quieter. "He has a chance at a life not bogged down with all of this though...we should support him in that..." * Katie just looks at Taki for a moment, then the people still talking. She gets to her feet and walks off into the kitchen, gathering plates as she goes. Once she's there the faucet starts up. * @Haruko looks over to Kaede. "You're a good friend to him, Takeuchi." * Kyon shrugs quickly. "She could be pulling the strings, but I doubt it. She should know more. And why exclude us from the invitations? Why focus the books that way? It's weird, with her connections. But could be she's allowing autonomy to others below for now. So it's not out." * @Haruko nods at Kyon's comment. "That makes a lot of sense." * Wataru has a bit of a wince. "Yes and no. I think - I mean, you all know him better, but... He also really hates being left out. I agree that we should do everything in our power to let him pursue the life he's worked so hard to get, but he hates the idea of not being able to help us in this. He, uh, he had me promise we'd keep him in the loop, and call on him if things got bad." He sighs, softly. "Still, I agree that this particular hypothesis, we should probably ease him into, and only once we have more evidence." * Kaede gives a small shrug. "I just do what is needed..." He turns to glance at Wataru, then sighs. "I don't know if 'hates' is the right word...he feels...powerless, perhaps. But if he does want us to keep him in the loop..." He nods. "I still do try to stay in touch...when I can." * @Haruko nods and looks at Kaede with new found respect. She also then flits her eyes over to Wataru, we'll see if Kaede notices. * @Haruko then suddenly turns her attention over to the woman washing dishes with a bit of a gusto. "Katie..." * Kaede glances over to Wataru, maybe at that, maybe not. But it's more to say "Stating that we know him better doesn't mean you can't know him as well, Yamada-san." * Wataru is somewhat surprised by that, somewhat shied. He inclines his head to Kaede, acknowledging. * Katie probably shouldn't be able to hear Haruko over the rushing water, but she's Katie, so she does. She looks from the kitchen at the other girl, plate and sponge in her hands. * @Haruko sighs. "I think we've impugned on your hospitality long enough Kyon and Katie." She gathers her things. "And speaking for myself and Isao. We were in positions to protect you both in this life and the past. In both, despite our high ideals we failed you. We don't seek forgiveness, but we do seek to learn and be the friends you deserve." * @Haruko bows and gathers up her stuff and leaves. * Kyon pushes himself up from the table, and takes some of the remaining things from the table back to the kitchen, as well. "Take care," he tells Haruko. The rest isn't his to respond to. * Katie just looks at Haruko for a long moment, then she goes back to washing dishes. * Kaede shuts down his computer, not quite as elegantly as Haruko, and stands slowly, readjusting his glasses. "Whoever would like this third code, please send me an e-mail. We could do to do further research on it. And three entry points at the very least gives us a lot of play..." And then he makes his way out. <@Ciara> [Session End!]