1/24/2003

02:45 AM

Logfile from Chase.

                                 5th Floor                                 

---------------------------------=========---------------------------------

The hallway is just as dim as the elevator with walls that are dingy and in desperate need of a recoating of paint. The color is a dilapidated sort of yellow with a filigreed border running along the top edges close to the ceiling. The floors are covered with threadbare carpeting that has a dark track down the center from all the traffic. Metallic light fixtures are affixed to the walls at specific intervals, with most of the lights on and shining.

Ashleigh(#237) is here.

Exits: Elevator (to Elevator)

       501      (to Apartment #501)

       502      (to Apartment #502)

       503      (to Apartment #503)

       504      (to Apartment #504)

 

Ashleigh

An intangible quality rests about this young woman, something that simply can't be quantified by any known measure. Physically, however, Ashleigh's features make a rather pleasing whole. Light sienna hair is shot with blondish highlights, the silken mass falling just past her shoulders with nary a care save the clips that occasionally grace it. Her bangs fall and contour about her face, spidery tendrils just dipping into eyes that seem to be even a shade darker than her hair. Her heart shaped face is completed by an upturned nose with pale lips, though there are a few lines that show that the young woman is more prone to smile more often than not. Barely passing five foot three, her figure still retains a touch of childhood slenderness, though petite curves show that she isn't that far from true adulthood, really.

In a look that screams defiance for the conventional, the outfit that rests upon Ashleigh's frame appears comfortable, if tomboyish. A banal white tank top clings to her torso, more appropriate to be settled under something more substantial. Baggy khaki cargo pants cover her lower half, held up by leather belt at her waist. The pants have seen better days, scuffed here and there by the occasional accident. On her feet are beat-up Chuck's, black and white permanently made a dark grey. The outfit is completed by a rainbow colored knit cap, the only splash of color for the whole affair.

She is awake, but has been staring off into space for 2 minutes.

 

*Ting* With a whoosh, the doors to the elevator open up and reveal a fence of wire... or possibly just the bottom of a wire-frame bed. Shuffling ensues, something of a grunt, and then a long scrape of metal against metal that is enough to raise up the hair on the back of a person's neck..... *Ting* The doors begin to close. "Wait!" One booted foot abruptly darts out to stop the doors from closing. 

 

So much for just run out of the house to get somewhere on time. Not only did she run late within her apartment, she's no running late outside of it. "Where /is/ that elevator. I should've just taken the stairs...." And just when she's about to do just that, the doors of the elevator open.... only for her to find the way blocked. "Awh... damnit. But instead of waiting, she starts heading down the hall. That is, until someone calls to stop the doors from reclosing. "... Crap." Running back, a hand touching the side of the door, it's enough to push it back open, before Ashleigh notes, "It's safe to come out now." So says the little skaterpunk.

 

Chase scoots out backwards, ball cap worn so that the bill shadows his face, with one hand wrapping about the side of the elevator. Keep that door open. Well, until apparently someone else has a handle of it now. Hand transfers as fingers wrap about the metal frame of his bed, and then he is tugging it out of the elevator, interspersed with grunts now and again. "Thank... *grunt*... you... *grunt*

 

Well, it seems someone needs to hold the door open. Hand remaining on the device that will keep the door from closing on the poor guy, Ashleigh waits until he's out, weight shifting to one hip. C'mon..... just a little more, and she can dash into elevator and get out of here before she's any later. "Not a problem," is grinned rather wryly, as she attempts to squirm past the man and his steel wire bundle to get inside. "You need a hand with that?" He's not moving all that fast, and she's got to get out of here.

 

You try to move in all of your worldly belongings and borrowed furnature while you've got grandpa's van double parked outside and see how fast you are after the umpteenth trip back up. Thank the gods for elevators. "Sorry. Sorry. Just need a moment here." *Scrrrraaaaaaaaaaach* Ouch. Painful to the ears. "Just a few more tugs." Yank! It comes clean from the elevator, only to tip wildly at ends... most particularly the end where Ashleigh is standing. "Oh... Oh!"

 

Well, that's what friends are for. Or hired help, take your pick. The bed's sounds against the floor are enough to make her pull her free hand back, to place it over an ear as if that alone would block out the screech. Eh /gad/. It's that very thing that keeps Ashleigh from seeing that Chase's grip on the thing has been lost, and tha tthe thing is tipping dangerously close to where she's standing. "Huh?" is given at Chase's rather oblique comments, until she sees.... eep. Ashleigh skitters back, even as the thing comes to a halt, tipping over... and trapping her in a corner of the elevator. "..... Hell. I'm never going to get to school now. Help?" Please? Can she even see Chase under this thing? If she can, she's glaring. "This really isn't my morning."

 

Chase mutters a couple of curses under his breath, pouncing forward to curl his fingers in the bracing wires and try to yank it back to some semblance of a righted position. "Sorry. Sorry. You still alive back there? Won't be but a moment now." Well, possibly a bit more than that. He is scooting back into elevator, presses his back to the wall and then pushes with yet another of those grunts, finally managing to force the frame out of the elevator. Chase draws in a huge breath, head lolling forward with a touch of exhaustion. Naturally, in this moment... *Ting* And then the doors close. He removes his ball cap, dragging fingers roughshod through dark hair. "Bah, maybe someone will steal it during the trip." Chin tilts and he turns his head to her, "I apologize..."

 

Crapcrapcrap. She is trapped under a bed. How many times in one's would this happen? Probably never, from the look of things. Only Ashleigh, only when she's trying to catch back up with this life, rather than fixing the mistakes of the past. ..... This really isn't going to get any better, is it? "Haalllllp! Get this thing offa me!" Not that it's touching her in the slightest, but she isn't about to try and move the thing, either. Instead, she waits until the thing is finally shifted away, breathing normally at last.... that is, until the doors of the elevator shut. "Noooooo! I needed that thing!" Augh! This isn't fair! Standing, picking up the skateboard she dropped when helping with the elevator, she finally peers over to Chase... and stares. "I... ah.... Ashleigh. I'm Ash." Funny... she was just talking about him last night. Life is starting to get very weird. "Uhm.... you're moving in now?" Okay, hang school. This is a little more important.

 

Chase offers Ashleigh a boyish grin, raking fingers through his hair once more to draw the bangs away from his eyes, "Oh, yeah. Kind of obvious, eh?" He settles the cap back on his head, still leaning against the elevator wall as she drops down towards the lobby. "Am I your new neighbor? I swear that I don't normally try to trap defenseless young women on my bed... Err... I mean..." He smirks and then shows a slow smile, "Anyway, yes... sorry about that, and nice to meet you, Ashleigh. I'm Chase."

 

It's just the same. Just like he'd walked up after she was saved the first time. How... weird. One of these days, Ashleigh's going to be able to remember this stuff without staring like a deer in headlights. It won't be today, but darn it she's going to try. "Well, just a little," is said of the moving in. Must call Brice as soon as possible. Maybe having his little brother back will help trigger his memory further. Who knows... maybe not. "I think so. I just live down the hall," is admitted, even as she does pause at that rather.... dubious statement. "I'll leave that the way you meant it," is grinned, even as she nods to the name. "Nice to meet you. Ah.... I have to admit, though, you look familiar to me." For her, it's really hard to see her hair under that knit cap, but traces of brown show here and there. "You a college student too?" Hey, not everyone that lives alone is a rich kid.

 

Chase blinks owlishly at her for a moment and then bobs his head, "Ah, good. Yeah, I'm in..." He frowns for a moment before delving a hand into his pocket and plucking out a scrap of paper, "Five-oh-four." Paper is crumpled back into his pocket, then he is smiling back over to her, "Familiar? Me?" Maybe this is some kind of angle to hit on him? He blinks at her a little more, smile hitching at the corner, "Yeah, over to NYU. I'm just starting and everything. It'll be great." *Ting* The doors open at the lobby and he takes a step back away, "Need to leave here?"

 

"Oh, you really are next door." Since odd numbered apartments are on one side, even on the other. "I'm in five-oh-two. This place isn't that bad, really." To put it mildly. There are certainly worse. However, when Chase repeats that comment on the subject of familiarity, she nods, mentioning, "Like we've met somewhere before. A long time ago." It certainly isn't sounding like a pick up line... but who knows about those New York girls. It could mean anything... or something like that. Anyhow, there's a bit of a smile at the fact that Chase is going to NYU, before she starts with, "You should meet a friend of mine... he's there as we...." Ack. Elevator. "Uhm, I suppose.... hey.... what are you studying?"

 

Chase leans to the side, keeping hand wrapped about that pesky elevator door. "Oh, I don't know yet. I'm a freshman -it was all my mother's idea." He rolls his eyes, flickering her a wry smirk. "I'm sure you know mothers." The young man watches her with soft amusement, dark eyebrows drawing upwards just the slightest at her words. "Uhm... well, possibly? I suppose. I mean, I've been in the city now and again,"  he eases slowly. "I'm actually from the Montana."

 

Anana

A waif of a girl, the delicacy of Anana's build is only enhanced by her large blue eyes, the normal childish roundness of face entirely lacking -- odd, in one who seems so very young, at most, perhaps ten years old. A few fine braids in her hair are woven with ribbons, standing out amongst the oddly pale-pink shade, framing her face and softening the seeming fragility of her features. Standing at just barely over four and a half feet, she seems nearly doll-like in looks, but there's a subtle stubbornness in that firm chin, and determination in those big eyes. (OOC Note: To /anyone/ with any vestiges of chi sense, Anana's anything but normal. She bleeds chi, but never seems to run low on it.)

Rich purple silk has been fashioned into a dress, the design -- picked out in silver and paler highlights of purple -- woven carefully into the material being of snowflakes. The collar is square-cut, and a silver necklace enhances the image, the pendant being a beautifully-crafted snowflake itself. The skirt is wide and ruffled, and black, round-toed dress shoes are upon her feet. Her hair is bunched up in ribbons that flow along with the pink mass, and, in general, she looks too cute for words.

She is awake and looks alert.

 

Ashleigh's arms settle over her stomach, crossed over carefully as she watches Chase; it is like a blast from the past, really. Rural area -- in her mind, at least -- the attitude... it's all beginning to fit. "Yeah. All that talk about getting the best, and then shipping you off before you can get a word out. But I...." Soon enough, there's a soft chime, a repeated sound that can only mean one thing... cell phone. "Sorry....." is given, as the girl pull the phone from her pocket, and eyeing the number. Oh.... oh! "Hello, Anana? You won't believe who I.... hey... you're not sounding so good....." The girl frowns for it, chewing on her bottom lip.

 

The voice on the end of the line is a bit stressed, indeed. "Where are you right now? I need to talk to you about lots of things, and it's important, and then on some less important stuff 'cos... well, I need to talk to someone." It's as though Anana's running while talking, and by the traffic noises in the back, she's somewhere on the street.

 

Chase continues to keep his hold on the elevator door as it rests at lobby level, every so often feeling the tentative push of the door upon the palm of his hand before it stops again. "Mmmmmm, sure." He offers her another of those boyish grins, flickering her an odd glance every so often before peering out at the lobby, not sure exactly what he is doing. And so, he continues to look away from her, doing his level best not to appear as though he is listening to her conversation. Ho-humm.

 

"I'm just outside my apartment. The Mandarin, fifth floor. And, ah.... Tomite." That name is quickly said, murmured quietly, before she says louder, "Is there something wrong?" That worry really isn't going away. Shifting from foot to foot, Ashleigh is wondering if she should head down the steps, before she adds, "I tell you what. I'll meet you downstairs, okay?" There's a pause, before she glances over to Chase, musing, "You need a hand moving?" Looks like she's not going anywhere /near/ school now... and it's all the better to keep an eye on him.

 

Anana's voice catches slightly at this, sounding quizzical. "Did you just say what I thought you said? And I was heading that way anyway... it'll only take me another minute or so to get there." A muttered undertone: "I hate running in skirts. Bah. I'll see you there. And don't worry 'bout meeting me. I'll catch the elevator up if I can."

 

Chase is still peering out into the lobby with acute disinterest, nearly upon the brink of leaving the young woman, except that a word is spoken. Like a jolt to his head. He seems to startle, peering over at Anana with renewed interest. A pregnant pause  and then his head is tilting to the side. Something of an uneasy chuckle leaves his lips as he mutters, "I'm sorry, what was that?" Absently a hand waves back out to the lobby, just a couple of boxes and then I'm done."

...lobby, "Just a...

 

"Yep. That indeed I did. And I meant it. But, you're not that far away? That's good, I'm just going to help a new aquaintence here move. We'll see you downstairs?" Just as well, for Anana can confirm what Ashleigh thinks is correct. Especially at that look she's given. Almost looking guilty for it, she gives Chase a sheepish look, before motioning to the elevator. "C'mon. If someone's able to move that bedframe, more power to them." Eh gad. If they're able to steal it, even more so. Stepping in the elevator, and holding the button, she says back into the phone, "Just wait in the lobby... we'll be there in a second." If Chase comes with her, that is.

 

"Right. I'm there," Anana says, then hits 'end call', patiently waiting. When the two reach the lobby, there's nothing but a small girl, dressed as though for a day out, complete with ribbons in her hair and flushed cheeks. There are, of course, a few things that give the lie to this impression, such as the fact that her shoes are scuffed with running, and her hair seems the worse for a run, plus the fact that she's breathing hard. And tucking a small blue cellphone away in a jacket pocket. "Hurryhurryhurry..."

 

Chase continues to simply peer at Ashleigh, his gaze beginning to turn a little amused at this all. He drops his chin, head bobbing to her, "Oh, you really needn't go to the trouble. I'm sure I could manage. And I'm more than likely holding you up." He releases the door once more, smiling across to her with an almost absent grin. "But I appreciate it. And hear I always thought New Yorkers weren't quite so helpful." He leans back against the wall of the elevator... and as they go down, the begins to frown once more, hand reaching around to rub at the back of his neck. The oddest feeling...

"I don't mind. And I'm really not going far. Besides, we New Yorkers really are bitchy. But I've held you up by getting trapped, so, it's not big deal to stay a little longer. I'm not going too far when Anana gets here." Not after this, she isn't. Just ignore the backpack and skateboard. She wasn't going far, honest. "Besides, we both have to go downstairs, right? It's not like I can salvage the time I've lost." But she can try and work on the past, can't she? Ashleigh's going to try, at any rate, riding the elevator down, and spying Anana when the doors open again. .... Eee. "What happened? Are you okay?" Yes, someone has to take care of the pink haired chibi, and Ash is the person to do it. Stepping to the side, she allows her to see Chase... and get an official opinion. "Anana, this is Chase. Chase, Anana."

 

As soon as Ashleigh's familiar face is within view (and pouncing distance), Anana does just that, latching onto the older girl's waist and seeming very, very agitated. "Nakago and Soi... I was trying to make sure that they weren't going to do anything bad about old rivalries and things, and I had a /plan/, and /everything/, and Hiroshi ruined it. Why do the Suzaku do that? I was /fine/! And now Tori'll be in trouble with /him/, and it's..." Pause for breath, and a distraction is provided. "Ah." Another glomp-target, though this time with less babble. Merely: "Tomite!!" Kerpounce. Congratulations, Chase, you now have a twelve-year-old Hatsui clinging to you. It's /far/ less fun than having a seventeen-year-old version glomping you, that's for sure.

 

Chase is already staring at the doors as they open out onto the lobby, eyes immediately searching for the cause of that distinctly odd feeling buzzing around in the back of his head. And he is simply peering at the girl, and peering just a wee bit closer.  Oh boy. Wait. What was that? "Suzaku?" Grrrrrrrr. That is not name that comes pleasantly to his mind at all. But he barely has a chance to register that when he is abruptly attacked. Gak! He stumbles back a pace, eyes wide, as he is fairly tackled by the girl. What is worse? Being attacked by a bed frame or a Hatsui? "Uhm..."

 

Eep. Chibi pounced. Not that Ashleigh seems to mind it; instead, she attempts to smooth down Anana's hair, almost as if she was trying to help that image of innocence that the younger girl is easily able to protray. "The Seiryuu....? So all the gods are bringing in their own?" Mou. This really can't be good, at this rate. It sounds like everyone's gearing up for a showdown, to the point that they're willing to reincarnate the participants. Hrm. "Well, Suzaku is the god of love, I suppose he was just following dictate." Whereas Genbu is strategy. Find out the weaknesses... /then/ deal with it, including taking someone out. "But you're okay?" That's what she's worried about the most, though it doesn't seem that Anana's clinging long. Once she glomps to Tomite, she smiles, noting, "I figured... but I wanted to make sure. Though, I think only you and I realize who Tomite is, Anana."

 

Anana looks up at Chase, quirking a brow. "You don't remember." It's not a question. Something akin to, but not /quite/, a whine escapes Anana's throat. "Today has just been /so/ bad!!" she complains, then catches herself, shaking her head as she addresses the pair. "Genbu, Suzaku, Seiryu and Byakko. There're people from all four here so far, and there're others from the Yin gods, and their miko, too, if you didn't know about them yet, and I wanted to try and start an alliance with everyone, because if we don't do that, we're /screwed/, and..." She looks at Ashleigh again, then at Chase... and sighs. "You don't remember? And why are you looki... oh. Never mind."

 

Chase peers over to Ashleigh despite all of the glomping going on here. "Now, that's a pity. I'd sure like a few others to know who Tomite is as well. After all, however can I strike awe into the hearts of men without a little name dropping?" He rolls his eyes, dropping a hand down to tousle Anana's hair -yeah, messing up Ash's smoothing of it. "I remember, shortie." Gaze lifts once more and he offers Ash a teasing wink followed by a most lupine smile. But that isn't to say he is awfully durn fuzzy about the edges.

From afar, Anana grins. Hatsui was seventeen, but only about half a foot taller than Anana is now. Personality-wise, very similar to now.

 

"Well, I'm glad for that," is murmured, even as Ash takes off her hat, leaving brown hair to spill out. Running her fingers through it, she holds the hat as she continues. "Yin gods..... I've never heard of them." But that doesn't mean that they don't exist. "And they have a miko... that definitely isn't good." If she can summon her god, they're definitely screwed. "Hmm... I guess that means we'd better start looking for the rest of our own, too. Oh! Since you're beginning to remember, then I can tell you. Hikitsu's here too." Indeed." Did she see that wink and smile? .... Yes, but, still. Eeep. Some of her other memories are surging up. .... Ack. This really is going to be interesting when she corners Brice again.

 

Anana claps an indignant hand over her hair, making a face at Chase. "I'm not a kitten!" she protests, apparently by rote more than any true annoyance, for there's a definite hope in her eyes, which is answered in the end -- she'd glomp Chase again if she weren't still semi-hugging him. "Brice isn't with you, Ash? I thought he would be and everything, but... he knows things about what's going on, too, and can recognize their priestess, and..." She trails off, making an extremely peculiar face. "I'm /so/ going to  kill Hiroshi for that. He tried to guilt-trip /me/! When he promised he wouldn't interfere!"

 

Chase's gaze remains one lingering moment upon Ash, smile a touch distance as he simply watches her. Abruptly, he blinks a few moments dragging that wayward mind of his kicking and screaming to pay attention to her words, "Hrm? Yin?" Wait now. This is a little too much for him. And so, he simply smiles until another word sparks even more connections in his head. "Hikitsu," he breathes, slowly, realization dawning, albeit cloudily. It takes a moment, and then an almost giddy smile draws along his lips. Throat clears and then he is dropping his hand as if to curl over Anana's mouth to shut her up, "Not that this city isn't already filled with yo-yos and wahoos, but shouldn't we take this inside?"

 

Uncomfortable much? .... Just a little. Fingers twiddling with that cap, Ash really doesn't say anything until Chase's attention has been captured elsewhere. Ahem. Okay, there are some issues she just hasn't gotten over quite yet, and are going to take more time than she realized. "Yes. It appears that someone's after the book that everyone has come from.... gods that seem to be just as powerful as our own." She frowns over that implication, before Chase's comment hits home. "Ah.... yeah. Considering they have no qualms sending people after us... your place, Chase? We can finally get that bed frame in." And plot. Perhaps she can get a hold of Brice there.

 

"I ca-" And as soon as the threat of being quietened by force is shown, Anana falls silent, loking rather embarrassed. A nod is her reply to the question of going somewhere, and as she tilts her head back after moving Chase's hand away from her mouth to look at him upside-down, she barely stifles a grin. Not that she can say anything about that. "We can help you move in?"

 

Chase looks back up to Ash, smile wry for various reasons. "Not unless I want all of my stuff in one piece, you're not. And my place isn't all that set up for me to pay host, but I suppose it'll do." He slips around Anana, shooting her a backwards glance as he trots into the lobby, darts around the corner, and then comes back with a trio of boxes piled high before him. Toddle. Once inside, he hits the button for the 5th and up they go.

 

"It's better than mine right now." Not that anyone's there, but there is a pause in her actually even bringing the place up. Eee. Don't want to go there. Not if Ash can help it. So, with that in mind, she calls for the elevator to come back down, watching as Chase darts around the corner. "I think this is what Brice'll need to, to remember. They need each other." She won't go into her, ah, methods in getting Brice to think -- besides, Anana's seen that already. She's cracking down that wall bit by bit... and now she'll need to do it again. Heading up in the elevator takes no time at all, before she peeks outside the open doors. "Nn. Most people should be gone now... no one's going to notice the deliquents." That being her and Anana.... did everyone else /have/ to be older? >.<

 

Anana stays rather thoughtfully quiet at Ash's mention of remembering, finally shrugging uncomfortably. "Haven't you wondered why he has both eyes right now?" she asks slowly. "I get a really bad feeling..." She shuts up on that topic when Chase comes back, and during the elevator ride. When they're inside, well, however it is, she'll just turn to the pair and say, "What do you want to know about what's going on right now? There's a lot."

 

Chase waits patiently for the door to open, or at least outwardly looks so. Inside, his mind is working in ways that it hasn't worked for... well, a /very/ long time. As the doors open up on the fifth, he walks through, settling the boxes before his door. Key works in the lock as he speaks, "Oh, how about everything. That'd be a great place to start. I'll call for pizza and you can fill me in." So casual. Door squeaks as it opens, taking a long step back to give the ladies the room to enter.

 

"I'm just hoping it isn't going to be something violent, Anana. He was wondering why his memory perception was so skewed...." Lips pull into a soft grimace, something that is smoothed away by the time Chase makes his way back. Nothing is said on the ride up, making sure the elevator door remains open once they open. "Everything.... will take a very long time." And there's still a part of everything that Ash doesn't want to give. Like, what happened after she left everyone. ... BAh. She'll just have to skirt around it some more. "And you can fill me on on what's happened recently." Once inside the apartment, the girl takes out her cell, and dials a number. "C'mon..... nuts. He's not home."

 

Anana lingers out in the hallway briefly, removing her coat before entering Chase's apartment. That's likely enough to catch Brice's attention. "Everything?" she asks, plunking down on the floor. "But... that'll take a while. You remember everything? Up to what happened with the Suzaku?" Yes, somehow, Anana knows about that -- though it's not /her/ memory, per se. Not something she could do before, and not something she can really do intentionally now. "'Cos

After the little counciling session got interrupted by Lee's call to action, Brice's first thought was to go home and go to bed - but the coffee made him too awake (not to mention the rum), so he headed over to Ash's building. He got in the elevator, rode up, and made it there just in time to see Anana's hair disappear inside another door that definitely isn't Ash's - and that awakens enough of his curiosity to make him approach the door and knock, wanting to know what's going on.

 

Chase wrests the boxes full of who knows what into his place, pushes them over to a corner, and then is trotting back out into the hall. That damn bed frame. He simply sighs at it for a long moment before beginning the long and arduous process of tugging it through the door, completely with all of the proverbial grunts from him and metalic squeaks of protest from the bed. Alas, and eventually, it is drawn inside. He moves over, placing a hand upon the door's knob, shutting it behind him, "Uhm. I suppose I'm a little fuzzy. But every time you folks say something, another thing is jogged." He moves away from the door, moving towards the bedroom with that bed frame and entering within as he hears the knock, "Can one of you get it? Probably the super."

 

                               Apartment #504                              

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Sparse living at its finest, or worse. The wood flooring once had a luster to it, but has now faded with time to match the same dull facade that gives eggshell-hued walls its worn appearance. As the home of a student, books are an obvious presence. Threadbare couch, simple table and chairs, a tiny kitchen and an even tinier bathroom, A door that leads to the bedroom is off to one side. But it is the additions that seem to give this places its character. Like the expensive stereo system just over there flanked by a couple of towers of CDs, or the dreamcatcher by the window that overlooks the fire escape and the street below, or even the simple bow propped up near the door, and the clearly old and hand-crafted quiver settled beside it.

 

Ashleigh has arrived from 5th Floor.

Anana has arrived from 5th Floor.

Brice has arrived from 5th Floor.

 

"Well, maybe we should at least start with the beginning. That might be able to jog the rest. Like how we all met each other, or something." A hand rubbing at the back of her head, she remains near the door as Chase pulls in the bedframe; don't mind her as she winces at the darn thing. Nearly smushed her and made her a miko pancake. It's only afterwards, just as Brice nears the door that it's shut by its owner as Ash moves to lean against the nearby wall. That phone put away, she takes a look about what is settled in this place so far... interesting. "I'll get it," is said about the door, even as the girl opens it up to see.... "Brice! Eee! Come in, come in!" Not that the poor guy gets a choice, as she grabs his wrist, and tugs. C'mere, you. Little brother has made it home.

 

Anana, being the last one in through the door, turns back to get the door only to discover that Ashleigh's beaten her to it. "Okay, well... um..." How convenient that her storytelling is interrupted by Brice's arrival -- and Anana grins. "This'll jog /both/ your memories! Lots better'n I could!" She trots into Chase's bedroom and, if he doesn't resist, latches onto his wrist as Ashleigh has done to Brice, and tugs. "C'mon. Meet Brice!!"

Yeah, he has little choice about it, but you wouldn't think Ash could yank around a six-foot guy that easily. But apparently she can, as he gets jerked through the door. "Whaaaaaat the hell?!" Aww, looook, he's startled! "Ash, what're you /doing/? What're you doing over /here/? And Anana, too." Somehow he manages to catch his feet, looking down at his miko in a very puzzled manner. "What's going on?"

 

Brice

This guy is Hikitsu, and looks it in pretty much all physical aspects, he is the exact same as the ex-seishi. Except for the small factor that he has BOTH EYES (lets see how long that lasts, shall we?). He still has long, gray white hair he grew it long in his old town to tick off the other people around him. He doesnt look quite so foreboding, since the eyepatch contributed a lot to that, but he still doesnt look like a guy youd just randomly go mug on the street without some backup or a weapon. Hes six feet tall, fairly well-muscled, and in pretty good shape. He does tend to smile more than his precarnation, which is a good thing for him.

Brice is most often seen sporting a comfortable yet moderately stylish look that faintly reminiscent of the yuppie form of life but hes nowhere near that lifestyle. He just likes looking good, so hes not likely to appear in public in, say, a torn t-shirt and jeans. He wears non-holey t-shirts and comfortable nicer shirts with khakis and other business casual pants a lot, and a leather-like longish jacket in the winter.

He is awake, but has been staring off into space for 60 seconds.

 

Chase peers about the room, gauging the best place to set that bed frame down and leave it there. He yanks off his ball cap, tossing it negligently over in a corner. Ahhhh, and let the cluttering begin. "Yeah," he calls out from the bedroom, "Might as well run through it all. I-" Ack, but he is being latched onto and drug by the little one. "Hatsui, I... uh..." Fingers comb roughshod through his hair at the moment he is tugged into the main room, stumbling slightly in the girl's wake. And then he is left to drink in the appearance of someone who is most assuredly not the super. He simply stares, amazement and maybe a touch of awe in his features. But in the next breath it is gone and a crooked smile returns, "Would you look at what the cat drug in..."

 

It's the miko factor.... /deal/. If a miko can't lead her seishi around, what good is she? ... Don't answer that. Pushing the door shut with a boot, Ash continues to drag Brice in until he's fully settled within the place, giving a rather chesire grin. "Well, we found a surprise. Remember Tomite?" She knows he's got a fuzzy recollection of the archer and designated little brother... now, Brice gets to see him in person, as she takes a step back. "Brice.... this is Chase, my next door neighbor... and one of our missing." Hopefully this will trigger something between the two.... looks like it has with Chase already.

 

Anana seems rather triumphant, indeed, as she watches the two men, having released Chase's hand when he stopped. "Tomite, meet Hikitsu. Hikitsu, meet Tomite. Again," she says, beaming. "Or... Chase, meet Brice. Brice, meet Chase." As wonderful as her blood family is, there's another one entirely for Anana: the people she lived, and in some cases, died with a lifetime before. She sidles over next to Ash and reaches for her miko's hand. "Only four more of us..."

 

Physical checklist time! Jaw: dropping. Breathing: stopped. Thought: also stopped. Current state: astounded/shocked. The face, the voice, the stance... Everything matches the fuzzy images Brice has in his memory, more of which are surfacing just by looking at ...Chase, was it? Chase. He's in awe a bit longer than his "little brother," not quite believing it. "To... Tomite?"

 

And that is a cue for Ashleigh to step back. Leave the brothers their time, for it seems the young woman's hunch a few nights ago really is doing the trick. At least as far as Tomite's concerned. It seems the more connections Brice makes, the easier things get for him. Sure, there are worries, brought on by the comments that Anana had given in the lobby about that eye.... but she won't think on it for now. Hand taken, she glances from the pair down to Anana, before musing, "And hopefully just as easy to find. We're doing good so far, I think." Infinitely, considering.

 

Chase watches Brice with a speculative gaze, curiosity evident along with the mischievous hint of amusement. He takes a casual step towards Brice, that very same grin still there. A long, low whistle follows, flickering a glance to the others, "I think the old boy is in shock. Tip him over with a feather, I could. I like that." He stops though, quirking Brice a wry grin, voice softening a touch, "How are you doing in there?"

 

"I want to find Namame," Anana says, slightly wistful now. "And Urumiya and Uruki and Inami. They'd know what was going on." She peers at the two men, then blinks at Brice. "That's not very good for you, Brice. You'll suffocate," she says in a mendacious tone, savouring each word -- even if she does have a soft smile upon her face at the pair. "It's so nice to see you both together."

 

More and more is pouring into Brice's brain, until he almost feels on overload. Sure, it's one thing to hear Ash say he has a "little brother" out there somewhere. It's one thing to know that he cared so much about this little brother to ignore his own feelings for Takiko completely in an effort to let him be happy. It's one thing to know that he was one of the people he would have gladly died for - and did. But it's quite another to have him standing in front of you. So, please forgive him - he's being overloaded. Brice doesn't say anything, but rushes forward and nearly bowls Chase over with a brotherly hug. He /just/ now realized how big a gap there was in his life, just as it got filled.

 

That's twice! Chase blinks owlishly as he is suddenly pounced by Brice. Durn it, why couldn't Ash have done that as well? Maybe because she was being attacked by a bed at the time? A laugh escapes him as he claps his hands around Brice, an ice warrior feeling something of a warmth at the reaction. "God, I missed this," he murmurs. He draws in a shaky breath, "Hikitsu?"

 

"Is there a reason that you want to find Namame?" She is honestly teasing Anana, but she can't help it. If she's slowly facing up to her shortcomings the last go round... everyone else needs to as well. Soon enough, though, her attention and gaze goes back to Brice and Chase. Watching the hug brings a slight smile to her features; see, Ash decided to give Hikitsu's reincarnation a good clubbing. A part of him was keeping back information from himself, and she was hoping, after all was said and done, what she did didn't hurt the brothers' relationship. Apparently... it hasn't. Which she's glad for. But no glompings from Ash.... she really didn't glomp even Brice in the beginning... must be the cynic in her. "And I hope triggering memories will be as easy."

 

Noooooo, Ash didn't glomp him, only got locked in a room with him (blame it on the pink-haired chibi) and kissed him. But that's not now, and he pulls away from Chase, grinning as widely as his face will allow and clapping a hand on his shoulder. "Where have you /been/? Do you know what a freakin' hard time I was having remembering you? And yeah, it's me. Even if I don't seem much like him, I'm Hikitsu." Holding back information has always been one of Brice's bad points - otherwise the doomed love triangle in their past lives would've never happened. But he's going to make up for it now, he's going to do things /right/ this time around. Stubbornness can be a good thing at times.

 

Anana makes a face at Ash. "You know why," she informs her miko, then releases Ash's hand in favor of trotting over to Chase and Brice, grinning. "You two are happy to see each other again? 'Cos I have to explain stuff to Chase, I think. And..." Oh dear. She has to explain things to Brice, too. She's in /so/ much trouble.

 

Chase's dark eyebrows drift upwards just the slightest as he watches Brice with obvious amusement. "Where have I been? Stuck living with my grandmother, that's what. And if you knew her, you would understand why I haven't really been..." He trails off, shaking his head from side to side, "Come now. Sit. Sit." And he is quickly ushering the others to chairs, boxes of unpacked things, a bright and beaming smile on his face. He gives Brice another strong pat on the back, something of a wink, then he loosk back to the ladies, "What's this now?"

 

Brice takes a seat on whatever's handy, still slightly bemused. "What's going on, Anana?" His face darkens perceptibly. "Does it have anything to do with those Yin gods you mentioned?" Mental note: get to the library right away and do some good, old-fashioned research. "Have they done something else, or have you found out something else?" As if in response to Tomite, his big brother instincts for all of them - in a way, including Ash - are springing up again, majorly. If anyone tries to harm /any/ of his friends, they're so dead they won't even have time to scream.

 

It's not quite as fun as Anana'd thought it would be, being the one In The Know, so to speak. Settling upon a box labelled 'kitchen stuff', the girl looks uncomfortable. "Okay, well. You know that we were the first of the Four to be born and called together. Byakko came next, and their priestess' name was Oosugi Suzuno. She summoned Byakko and went back to her... this world, and died, from what I've been told. The problem doesn't start with her, though, but with the next two. Yuuki Miaka and Hongo Yui were both priestesses at the same time, with all their seishi, and so Suzaku and Seiryuu fought, because that's what Seiryuu does, and anyway, both Gods were summoned, and the world's s'posed to be going on without it. I don't know. But anyway, we're here now, and it's not to live normal lives." She pouts slightly at that, but doesn't seem /too/ put out. "There're four other gods, Yin-aligned, and they have /one/ priestess alone. That's Lexie. There's something about Tenkou I don't know much about. But anyway. Something /reaalllly/ bad-" She gestures widely, nearly toppling off of her imprompteau seat at this and regaining her balance with a quick grab at the nearest steady object. "-is going to happen if she unseals and summons all of those gods. Which means, I think we have to work with all the other of the Four Gods' people." A deep breath. "It's not gonna be easy. I, um, was having tea with Nakago and Soi of the Seiryuu." That's like saying you had tea with the Devil, but all the same, Anana's got to say it. "And Nakago was a minion of Tenkou before or something, and I'm trying to make sure that he won't be again. But he's a sorceror." That's Bad News for Anana, given her chi-augmentation abilities. "And Chiriko of the Suzaku -- Hiroshi, he's my age -- interrupted me when I was trying to see what side they were going to land on, and it's /not/ good, and I'm mad at him now." So maybe she's still a kid in a lot of ways, and it shows in the even more mercurial moods.

 

Hey.... Ash wouldn't have even thought of kissing if Anana hadn't mentioned it. Don't let the chibi facade fool you; Hatsui can be pure evil when she wants to be! ... Ahem. Hands settling in her lap once she sits, she still grins over to Anana, noting, "Uh huh. Well, hopefully we'll find Namame soon." And someone'll have to face the music. Shifting back and forth, waiting for Anana to relate to Brice what is going on, and to elaborate more for herself, she sighs, hands rubbing at her thighs anxiously. This is becoming... well, more like what she remembers, back then. Everyone gathering together, and plotting out a course of action, after getting all the appropriate information.

 

Chase combs fingers through his hair once more, taking up position near to Brice as he simply puzzles at Anana, and then puzzles some more. Oh my. Three seishi, a blast of memories, and now this. How many people wanna bet he doesn't get any sleep tonite? Hand reaches up to rub at his forehead as he hears all of this, doing his level best to try to understand it.

 

What the hell...? All right, it's official, Brice is never letting Anana out of his sight again. She gets in all sorts of trouble when he does. "So... let me get this straight..." He shakes his head a bit to clear it. "They have have four gods, they have one miko, and they may possibly have the ex-enemy group of everyone else on their side...?" Oh lord, isn't this a fun way to end the day. "Do we know who any of the seishi are? And what about Seiryuu no Miko, surely she'd have some say in which side they fought on..." Ack. Confused much? It's quite a bit of information to absorb at once, but he's doing his level best.

 

"There's a scroll on display at the museum, and it's like the Yin-gods' copy of the Universe of the Four gods. It's got hints and things for Lexie. I don't know if they know 'bout it yet. But either way... Hiroshi's translating it for us, and will distribute copies when he's done." Anana's expression is uncharacteristically bleak, as though it's just sinking in that she's sort of... alienated Hiroshi at the moment. But she's a Genbu. She can't let it bug her too much. "But at the moment, 'cos of what happened earlier, I don't think that the Seiryuu are going to be happy with us right now. I don't know. Most of them don't want to fight, or didn't. But one of the yin gods' seishi tortured one of the Seiryuu seishi, and, um, his twin brother's /not/ happy about that, and I don't know if I can keep things from going any worse right now, /'specially/ with what happened with Nakago and Soi." She looks at Brice, shrugging helplessly. "Of the Yin gods? I don't know for sure, but I /think/ I recognize some. But I say this: Lexie doesn't seem to want to harm anyone else. It's just her seishi."

 

Seeing as Genbu is all for strategy, that means Chase is all for it too. Of course, his perception of such is like this: just do it. And so, those words are spoken, "So why doesn't someone just hike their arse on over there, take that scroll, and hide it away from them? Destroy it. Whatever" Sounds simple to him. There you go, problem solved. He pushes up from where he sits abruptly, moving towards the kitchen to hunt for glasses.

 

Brice has to seriously keep himself from jumping up and yanking Chase back by his collar - a manuever he now remembers performing on Tomite a few times. Somehow he manages to keep his seat, raising his voice so Chase can hear it in the kitchen. "We can't, though. First of all, there's breaking into the museum in the first place - you can't try and steal it in broad daylight. Second, there's the guards. Every museum worth its artifacts has at least a few lurking around. Third, there's getting in the case or whatever it's stored in. Fourth, getting out. Fifth, keeping people from realizing it's gone. Sixth, keeping them from coming after us if they do. And I'm probably missing about seven steps somewhere." Yep, stealing is definitely out of the question. "And do you have any coffee?" He'll be a caffeine addict at this rate.

 

"Um, Chase? It's being studied by researchers. We can't steal it." There's a point to which Anana won't go, though Brice does get a relieved grin. It's a lot easier to take comments like that from a guy than a little kid. Hopping off her box, she follows after Chase. "Chase? I'm also Anana now. Or Ana. Just /don't/ call me Banana, or I'll kick you in the shins and make you /really/ miserable." And, by her expression, she really means it. "Anyway. The Suzaku. I still have to yell at you /both/ for what you did to their miko."

 

Chase smirks. Loudly. Can you hear that from the kitchen? "Bah, you make it sound far too complicated. I didn't sit in a cave on top of a mountain for Genbu knows how long without knowing a few ways to get past something protected." Of course, things are a wee bit different now. The sounds of rummaging, and then... wait for it... yes, the snort. "And I have a bit of a bone to pick with them. We give them the damn necklace and they can't even get out of the temple before they /loose/ it. What a group of dumb-assed, incompetent..." And it basically goes down hill from there on out.

 

Brice rolls his eyes, hits his forehead with the heel of his palm, picks up a stray sweatshirt left out, balls it up, heads to the kitchen, and hurls it at Chase's head. "Shut up. What he /means/ to say, Anana, is that we had no choice - if she couldn't free herself, she didn't deserve the shinzaho." Yay! The weird word is back! "And she freed herself and we let her have it." Although... "I do have to admit though, that /was/ one of the stupidest things I've seen. If she'd just put it on or put it in a pocket or something it wouldn't've been stolen!"

 

"Soap. Mouth. And don't think I wouldn't try to do it, Chase," Anana says severely, folding her arms across her chest and trying to look stern. Yeah, that /really/ works. "And I know. They're not good at thinking anything through. So /impulsive/." At least when she acts on impulse, she can think up a plan, or at least has a good reason for doing so. Most of the time. "Coffee. Do you have any?" She points over her shoulder at Brice. "And you're /not/ stealing it. That would be a /really/ bad idea, 'cos what if the police decided to find you? I mean... try to explain to /them/ what's going on. And you /still/ made her undress! I mean, I know you'd been /stuck/ there for /how/ long, but /still/!!!" Ahem.

 

Chase is boffed in the back of the head with a shirt, so that at least stops some of his tirade. "It was a test." Or something. "What else are we supposed to do in there? I'd like to see what you would have done to amuse yourself all that time? And the fact that she actually did it..." Gullible. He returns, without coffee. "I haven't been to the store yet. You get soda." Yes, cans of soda pop. Slightly warm at that. And he tosses them at each person.

 

Ehhh, it's caffeine, if not a type he typically likes most of the time. He pops the top on the soda but doesn't drink immediately. "He's right. Two hundred years, you get a little desperate." At least /he/ wasn't the one to order Miaka to strip - Ash'd kill him if he did. He grins. "Especially two hundred years with the same pain-in-the-neck." Yep, the brotherly luv is back. "Anyway, what's your life been like so far, Chase? Where're you going to school? How old are you?" Ooh, someone's feeling loose and chatty tonight - too bad Ash isn't there to draw him out.

 

Anana catches the soda out of reflex, gives it a neat tap on the top to keep it from fizzing over, and carefully opens it, taking a gulp of the fizzy, sugary caffeine. "I'm /so/ not going to tell anyone about that, no. Especially not Miaka herself," she mutters to herself. "And Chase isn't a pain in the neck!" Loyal, sometimes. "He's just... Chase."

 

Chase drops a step back, leaning to rest against the wall. Walls that need scrubbing and a good coat of paint. "What do you mean pain-in-the-neck? You couldn't feel anything. You hardly even had a neck to complain about." Ahhh, ethereal forms. "Oh, its has been good. Been in town for a couple of months now. Like I said, living with the grandparents, but... uh... things changed." Uhm. How to avoid not telling big brother about his current (questionable) career choice. Simple, don't bring it up. "Yeah, I'm a student at NYU. Just enrolled. Freshman." Thus, he is eighteen. Wait... "Miaka? She is /here/?" *twitch*

 

Anana settles back down -- on the floor this time, her dress' skirt neatly tucked under her legs. "Hmm. You'll run into a few of the Suzaku, then, s'far as I know." Pause. "Um, and if you're taking any psychology or philosophy classes, you'll have, um, Nakago as a professor." How messed up is that? "And haven't you listened to anything? /Everyone's/ coming here. But Tamahome isn't with her, so I don't know what's going on there. What I remember-" Or rather, what Chiriko remembered. "-says that they were inseparable."

 

"Yeah, that's why he's a pain in the neck," Brice says with a grin at Anana. It's like polar opposites tonight - first major depressive with Lee, then giddy-happy-kid with these guys. He could learn to like the second part. "Oh, you're at NYU? So'm I. Picked a major yet? As a matter of fact..." He frowns a little, remembering the subject of his earlier conversation. "Cat's there, too. A Byakko - Subaru. And Trevor, I think - Suzaku, Hotohori, one of the two we didn't see. He told me about Miaka." Wait, take that in. Double take. "... Wait a minute. You mean I have /Nakago/ as my major professor?" Three... two... one... "/****/!" Yes, very loud, very emphatic expletive.

 

Chase grins wryly, and then grins even more wryly. Its a small world after all... "Really?" he drawls. "But it isn't like any of them are worth spit. Just a bunch of-" *ring-a-ding-ding* Or some other spiffy electronic song sings from Chase's pants. He blinks and reaches for the phone, eyeing the number on display with a smirk. Damn. A finger lifts to the pair as he steps away, murmuring into it. A moment later and he is returning, looking almost embarrassed, "I... uh... I've got to go. See, its a job and the rent won't pay itself?" Smile. Grin. Look innocent.

 

It's a /very/ good thing that Anana's sitting on the floor as it is. She's definitely not used to Brice swearing. Or rather, Hikitsu swearing. "SOAP!" she yelps, juggling her can of pop so that she won't drop it. "And I can't help it! He's not that bad a person, really, it's just that I don't think he likes me very much anymore or he likes me too much because I could help him like I used to help you if you would just remember things, and... oh wait, I can do that again, can't I? But anyway, he's really smart and things, you just have to be careful about him, I guess." This random rant earns Chase a reprieve from Anana throwing something at him, as she's more focused on this. "We should get going, then, Brice, if Chase's got a job."