Morimori Mingle!

[not_that_sasuke]

Who: Everyone with an itch to explore.
What: DID SOMEBODY SAY EXPLORATION? Feel free to create your own starters as well!
Where: Morimori Academy, Heart ver.
Warnings: None; will edit as needed.

[The location is only too obvious when he awakens. How recently had he seen that bunk above him? And how often? Six months wasn't a long stretch of time comparatively, but when you've spent a good two years in complete darkness, waking up to such a sight definitely stands out. And even beyond that, there's something about the coloration here...

It doesn't take him long to notice a few key things. 1: that his body lacks any coloration, and 2: that the face peering out from inside the mirror - in full color no less - isn't his.

...So. It's his turn now. A sense of fear begins to constrict his heart, but he pushes aside the feeling as best as he can and makes for the door. The sooner it's over, the better...]

[A - the dormitory hallways]

[When he steps into the boy's dormitory hall to begin investigating, he freezes at the sight of the mirror down the hallway. Even though it's quite some distance away, he can see flesh tones in there, and somebody waving cheekily at the viewer.

His first instinct is to back into his room and try to see if he can't get past the mirror and out the window, but if someone spots him quickly enough, they may just be able to catch him instead.]

[B - the forest]

[Either way, he can later be found walking into the dense forests around the school, all the way to the barrier surrounding it. While he seems initially surprised upon hitting the barrier to the west of the classrooms, his expression quickly changes to one of contemplation. His hand curls up under his chin as he considers what all of this means.

It's definitely a smaller campus than he remembers. That, and... odd, too. Since it's his Heart, he would have thought it would be around... But if it cut off here, there's no way that could be in this World after all. How strange...]

Comments

[soloactor]

[Yeah! S-see?! Harley gets it! ...She may actually be the most mercurial person Lalli's ever met. Like most things in these Hearts, it's really annoying. He's decided that to avoid the possibility of inviting her fury again, he'll just not talk to her unless absolutely necessary.]

[Which is why he casually ignores Harley along with the White Rabbit. He walks away from the group entirely, searching the room for anything that looks even remotely puzzley.]

[apatheticguide]

The human heart is filled with questions it cannot answer on its lonesome. Are you surprised?

[ That was to Harley. He turns to watch Lalli for a moment, now. ]

Unless you're sick, I doubt you'll find what you need in here.

[hesmypuddin]

[Harley makes a sound that's less than pleasant, arms crossing beneath her breasts. Her tail begins to rise, bristling as her anger begins to twinge once more.]

Well I think after pokin' around in Hinata's Heart, there is little enough that could surprise me. [This isn't true. This isn't true in the least. This is like that part in the movie Labyrinth when Sarah tells Jareth his maze and its puzzles are a piece of cake.]

An' sometimes people don't want others pokin' aroun', no matter how well intentioned they are...

[Then her gaze flits to Lalli, who has taken advantage of the Rabbit yakking to snoop around. Harley grimaces as their guide assures that there is nothing in the infirmary.]

Damnit... Where the hell else we have ta still check??

[soloactor]

Hrrrn.

[Then what's left? Lalli folds his arms, thinking. Gym, library, no... Dorms, no... Balcony, there was just that stupid Cat... Entrance hall? Bathrooms? The other two offices?]

[Lots of places, apparently. Lalli has no further interest in this room, so he attempts to slip past Harley, Liao, and the Rabbit, and head towards the entrance hall.]

[800isenough]

[It's always good to follow the scout when exploring new places. Liao notices Lalli sprinting off without a word again and has to suppress a sigh. The lad might be great at mapping out places and figuring out their bearings, but communicating findings to others is an important role of a scout too, and sadly enough Lalli was failing in this.

Well, time to rush after him before he's out of sight. Liao offers a polite nod to the White Rabbit as farewell and thanks, and quickly heads out after Lalli.]

[hesmypuddin]

[Harley half turns as Lalli leaves the room without another word, ears flicking back as her hands tighten into fists once again. She makes a wordless growl, bristly as her anger begins to win over again... and then Liao leaves to follow him and she tosses her hands in the air.]

Oh, we're leaving now? Okay. Yeah, no, I get that. Why bother sayin', "hey, let's go check over here"? [She stalks out after them both, calling back to Rabbit as she goes.]

Smell ya later, Harvey.

[soloactor]

[OH MY GOD, WHY ARE THEY FOLLOWING HIM?!]

[Lalli's strides begin to slow down, eventually stopping entirely. He turns around and fixes them with a glare halfway between 'confusion' and 'fury'. Can't you people let him be for five godforsaken minutes?? Is that hard????? His fingers flex in an odd way, like he really wants to claw their faces off and only... remembers... too... wait.]

[He's a bakeneko.]

[He can totally claw their faces off.]

[Lalli sends the two of them a low warning growl, pulling his gloves off. Words are unnecessary, in his opinion; explanations aren't as important as making them gone.]

[hesmypuddin]

[See, Harley had been willing to play nice... or at least nicer than she had been playing, but the last thing she's really expecting as we and Liao fall in behind Lalli is for him to respond as he does. Well, maybe in some back part of her mind she might've hoped for expected such a reaction, but...

She falls still as Lalli rounds on them and stares, her own ears beginning to fall back at the look. It's the flexing of his hands that draws her gaze, eyes narrowing and posture shifting every so slightly. Still calm... sorta.

Then Lalli begins pulling off his gloves... not only pulling off his gloves... He growls and every bit of fur on Harley momentarily stands on end before a smile begins to curl her lips.

Not the happy kinda smile. No, this is the smile of someone who's perhaps hidden that she's just a bit deranged.]

Okay then...

[It's said in a soft exhale, but either Liao or Lalli might hear it. What they'll see, however, is all visible fur fall back into place before her body relaxes, all tension slipping from it.

And then she's moving, and quite a bit faster than a human might; whether it's the tanuki that she is now, or her own metahuman abilities is anyone's guess. Her movements do t carry her directly at Lalli, though, and instead she snatches up a wooden bucket that's leaning against the wall. Body rotating in one smooth motion, she smashes the bucket against the mirror on the wall sorry Sasuke and sends reflective glass showering to the floor. She snatches a good sized chunk from the remaining pieces still on the wall in one gloved hand, not caring if she's cut in the process.

The grin is still in place.]

Here, kitty kitty.

[Then she's flinging the bucket toward Lalli and rushing him at the same time.]

[800isenough]

[He moves too late to stop Harley, and he watches in dismay as the glass shatters. The gods know what will happen to Sasuke's heart if they smash things up here.

...and the gods know what Harley has in mind for Lalli, that shard of glass in her hand, but it can't be anything nice. The moment she takes that first step, Liao's already on the move. He's not as fast as she is, but years of fighting on the front-line has ingrained the necessity for his body to move before his opponent does, and the moment she raises that bucket is the moment he steps in between them.]

Cease at once, the both of you! This accomplishes nothing!

[He doesn't like that smile on Harley's face one bit. But Lalli could probably sprint off and save himself, which would leave Liao to face Harley's wrath.]

[miseris_socios]

[While Harley is focusing on Lalli and Liao, Ken's come up behind her. He doesn't have a weapon, and this might not end up well for him, but it doesn't matter. Protecting other people is what's important right now. He keeps his steps light and careful until he's close, and then...]

[Wham! He lashes out to kick Harley in the back of the knee, or failing that, the lower part of her leg. If she doesn't move fast, he'll try to do it to the other leg, too.]

[hesmypuddin]

[So focused on giving Lalli a second smile, Harley doesn't see Liao close in until he blocks her bodily. She rolls her gaze up to meet his, still smiling, but there is no questioning that there's something off there.]

Oh, I dunno... It'll make me feel good... That's somethin', right? [Her hand clenches around the glass and this time, there is blood, though not bad enough to release her grip on the shard. It begins to drop from her hand, and run down the glass itself, her gaze and smile turning back to settle on Lalli again.

It's quiet enough momentarily that you just might hear it dripping to the floor.

Plip.

Plip.

And then, as she's preparing to either charge over/through Liao, or take him on first, Ken connects solidly with the back of her knee. She lets out a startled sound as it gives out, half turning and seeing Ken there.

Her attention is temporarily off Lalli.]

Ya shouldn't'a done that, Ken... ain't no Bat Jerk here... [She pushes to her feet and lunges at the same time, swiping her makeshift blade at Ken. She's not looking for any specific cut, just a connection that will bleed.

Now would be a great time to grab her from behind... and for Lalli to take that exit, stage left.] But whoever grabs her should be ready for the struggle of a lifetime... And should definitely get that glass away ASAP.]

[soloactor]

[The hissing continues as Lalli takes a few steps backwards, finally removing his gloves entirely and stowing them away in one of many pockets. Her movements are agile and clever; not like the lumbering monstrosities that wander his own world. More like... shadows. Demons. The monsters that walk dreams.]

[Even if he wanted to fight back against her like he did with the shadows, he can't -- his Luonto is practically in hibernation. No Luonto, no summons; no summons, no physical strength.]

[Lalli strongly considers making a break for it, since Harley had fallen for the bait he (unintentionally) set. He also strongly considers tearing her to ribbons. What he doesn't consider is Liao attempting to break up the fight and Ken coming from absolutely nowhere -- so of course that's exactly what happens. The moment Harley turns on Ken, something clicks in Lalli's mind. Seems that Ken and Harley have made the decision for him.]

[He sidesteps Liao, and in the same motion, lunges with claws extended. He's aiming to throw himself onto Harley's back, using one hand to dig into her shoulder and the other to rake her hand. Hopefully that will make her drop the glass.]

[...And if she falls forward into the glass, well, all the better.]

[miseris_socios]

[Ken lashes out at Harley, aiming to shove her arm away from him - and then he spots Lalli. There's a brief moment of panic as he tries to figure out what to do, and then he gives Harley a hard shove to try to get her out of the way so he can catch Lalli's attack. Given the height difference, it's likely to catch him in the face, but it doesn't matter.]

What are the two of you doing?! We need to work together, and if you can't work together nearby, then split up and divide the work that way! We can't afford this!

[hesmypuddin]

[While she is distracted with Ken, Harley makes a pretty amateur mistake and puts her back to Lalli. The bakeneko is on her faster than she'd given him credit for, but then Ken interferes and the whole thing goes balls up.

He shoves her, knocking her from what would have been Lalli's path, but his claws manage to score a slash across her shoulders, cutting through fabric and the flesh beneath.

Stumbling, Harley goes one knee down in the glass, exhaling in a soft hiss as the sensitive skin responds by welcoming the glass and bleeding. She braces against the wall, that smirk never fully leaving as she rounds so all three are in front of her. Though she responds to Ken, her smiling gaze returns to Lalli as she shifts her weight, digging the toes of her bad leg in against the floor.]

I'm just tryin' ta make nice... friends make sure their friends are always smilin'. I figure he'll smile easier... [She lifts the bloody glass shard, still gripped in her hand, and lifts it to point at Lalli.] ...if I give him a second, wider one a few inches lower. [And she lifts the shard and motions across her own throat, still smiling.] S'what friends do, ya know?

[Her gaze hardens, though her posture still remains tension free and that smile remains ever present.]

It'll only take'a sec... won't lose much time at all... Then we can go back ta run in' errands for the Rabbit.