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| Obligatory cake. |
| Yay cake! |
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37% |
[ 3 ] |
| The cake is a lie! |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
| The cake is a delicious lie! |
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37% |
[ 3 ] |
| Screw your cake, I want gold. |
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12% |
[ 1 ] |
| No, because polls are stupid. |
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0% |
[ 0 ] |
| This joke is getting old now... |
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12% |
[ 1 ] |
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| Total Votes : 8 |
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 Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 8:39 am
Yuuka cleared her throat, keeping her blush under control. "Naturally, Kazuko is willing to help. I hear she already knows of a student who is afflicted, but she wouldn't tell me who... I think she's taken to watching that one personally. But aside from her... I don't think anyone else is willing to help. They'd rather put the first incident out of their minds for good."
She paused, looking at her own hand. The memories of her own lust for power floated to the front of her mind. "To be honest... I can't really blame them."
---
"Wait--" She looked up from the desk. "You... you can stay... ...Sorry..."
Samantha tugged her hood down, using it to hide her features. "... I just hurt... it's not you." She doubled over in her chair, resting her elbows on her knees. It was a short while before she spoke again, hoping that Heidi stayed.
"... Can I tell you a-- ... A secret?" Samantha winced, the pain in her head throbbing as if she'd been hit with a bat. "But you have to promise... N-Not to tell anyone else...!"
---
"Oh..." Lucy trailed off, fidgeting where she sat. She wiggled her feet back and forth idly, then scooted closer to Maria. "Just be careful with that stuff, okay? If it starts to hurt too bad you should go to a doctor or something!" She wasn't really paying attention to the game, instead trying to think of something to say or do to make Maria feel better. "You know you can always rely on me if something's wrong, right? Oh, how about a massage? That might make you feel better!" The blonde let go of her controller, moving over to Maria's back and putting her hands on her shoulders gently.
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Posted: Tue Oct 15, 2013 3:04 pm
Mo smiled teasingly at Yuuka, but turned serious once she resumed giving her the update on what was going on in the campus with the students. "Ah yeah, Ms. Kazuko is pretty good about finding those with cards right? Something about her senses and all. As long as she doesn't try to eat someone, or something like that, her powers will be awesome to have as help." He watched Yuuka's hand before putting his own free hand over hers.
"If we got through it once , we can do it again, no sweat," He said,"We already know how it works and the warning signs. It won't take long to get things straightened out."
--
"Do you need anything Samantha?" She stopped at the door, and upon being asked to stay, moved back to sit her things on the couch. For as long as Samantha was quiet, she too remained silent, until she was addressed; "Of course, I will listen and be a tomb."
The glassed girl walked around to stand by Samantha's desk."What's the matter? I will help if I can, in any way possible, I promise."
----
"Yeah, I will, Lucy ,promise to be good about my health," Maria smiled at her friend,"And course! You are my closest friend after all."
"Wait what? No wait---"
As soon as Lucy put her hands on her shoulders, Maria let out a small yelp, though managing to cover her mouth and double in the pain. She placed her hands on the bed, breathing a small pant,"Don't do that-!" Her arms were still trembling lightly from the sudden pain,"It really hurts- Just don't touch!"
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Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 5:45 am
"I hope you're right. And I hope that we'll be enough this time..." Yuuka smiled, then slipped her hands from 'Mo's. "The details of the last Incident's resolution are still hazy to me... If I could remember how it all ended, we could have nipped this one in the bud. As it is, we must let history unfold as it will, only countering what we can."
Yuuka paused, her thoughts drifting to a certain face... but she couldn't recall. A name... "H". A red-white... Gone.
She sighed, then used a hand to brush away stray locks of blonde hair from her face. "Come, Mr. Mo... It's still to early to tell how it all will end. Until then... Dinner~?"
---
Samantha felt as if someone (or something) was watching over her shoulder, holding the drill to her skull. Smiling.
"Cards!" she let out a gasp; the pressure and pain seemed to disperse at once, running back to the place it hid. "Cards, a... a deck... weird cards, I..." Samantha panted, looking as if she had just run a race. "Do you... know anything about... a-about cards?" She felt stupid for asking. That woman, Kazuko, claimed there were others, but what would be the chance that this girl, too, was afflicted?
Slowly, Samantha reached up to her hood, and drew it back, showing off a full head of snowy hair. She looked to the side, embarrassed.
---
Lucy recoiled immediately as Maria showed signs of distress. "Maria--?!" Carefully, the blonde crawled over beside where Maria gripped the bed, putting a hand on her arm, being careful to be extremely gentle.
"Maria, if it hurts that bad, you need to see someone! A doctor, o-or maybe go to the hospital, or something! You shouldn't hurt so bad just from a touch! It could be really really serious, ya'know?" Lucy stood, going to where she left her shoes. "I'll even drive you if you want! But we gotta do something...!"
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Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 6:48 am
"Its just an effect of the cards; I myself can't remember much of anything once the power peaked. It seems they can do that and let a third person take over," Mo explained letting go of Yuuka so she could fix her hair with her hand," Some don't experience it at all, like Ms. Kazuko, other get stuck with it... Like Hazumi."
He quickly shook the melancholy off before it settled, and smiled,"Yeah, dinner sounds great. Ihaven't eaten much today so I'm starved!" He pushed aside the cards, and started trying to cheer yuuka up,"Where do you wanna go? Feeling like anything in particular?"
---
"Cards?" Heidi blinked at the sudden loudness of Samantha looking towards her things after a pause. "Uhm... well...."
Once more she blinked in surprised at Samantha's white hair now exposed. She pushed her glasses as she came for a careful look,"Wo-wow.... the cards did this to you?"
Heidi didn't sound particularly surprised about 'cards' doing this...
---
Maria twitched a bit,"W-well thats because the medicine has started working--" She wanted to excuse herself , and after the pain resided a blush replaced it,"I'll be fine honestly, the pain killers haven't started working that's all!"
"Lucy! there's no need to go to the doctor really!"
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Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 7:45 am
Yuuka laughed; she too was trying to lightened the mood. Indeed, there would be plenty of time to be serious when the time came for it.
"Well, I've heard so many stories about your cooking, why don't you cook something for us tonight? I have a fully stocked kitchen and pantry, so we might as well put it to good use! I can also pick some fresh vegetables from the garden...!" She lead the way to Mo's bike, listing off the various options at their disposal.
---
Samantha nodded solemnly, still not meeting the young woman's eyes. "So.... so you know? About the cards, I mean?" She reached into a jacket's pocket, taking out her deck. Her fingertips seemed to sting where they touched.
"They came to me... a little over a week ago. I don't know from where... or why... but they hurt me. I can't get rid of them, I've tried! No matter how much I burn them, cut them, throw them away, they always come back... good as new.!" She threw the deck at the wall, the cards scattering and falling somewhere behind her bed. "... I-It's like they're mocking me... taunting me... I swear I can feel it... they, them, whatever, smiling as I am tortured...!"
She stopped, slumping back into her chair. Great, this girl must think she was crazy now... way to break the ice, Sammy.
---
"Are you sure?" By now, Lucy had her shoes in one hand and a set of car keys in the other. "Are you sure it's okay? I'm really worried, Maria... you seem like you're in a lot of pain..."
With her head hung, she slowly went back over to her spot on the floor, sitting down and setting her collected objects to one side. "Okay... let's play more, I guess... B-But if it gets worse, I'm taking you to the doctor whether you like it or not! Or better yet, I'll tell Kathy on you when she gets home!" Lucy pouted lightly, but it was only out of her great concern for Maria. "Remember when I got really sick last year? The doctor said I wouldn't have survived if I hadn't been really healthy before... but with all this work you're doing, your body and immune system must be ah... erm, really bad! And weak..."
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Posted: Wed Oct 16, 2013 2:56 pm
"That sounds like a good idea! I cook for a big house , so I won't mind!" Mo nodded and smiled walking along with Yuuka, listening to what supplies were available,"Mhhhh, I could make you some stir fry, or a casserole. Nice and warm food."
Once at the bike he preceded to hand her a helmet and get the backpack on the back of the bike, after stuffing it with Yuuka's goods, of course!
"We will see when we get home~"
----
"Well, I did... my own set of research on them," Heidi commented,"My father is a well known psychiatric, and a while back an incident with cards like these occurred. He treated a couple of the afflicted who went on looking for medical attention; dementia, hysteria, schizophrenia.... Things like that, but-"
Heidi pushed her glasses thinking of her words as Samantha sunk back,"Some of the files and records did not quite show symptoms that matched the patient. Not only that but students recorded some effects of the cards. It was hard to find but... but it was real. The cards, their magic, their... danger."
Heidi went and slid her upper body under the bed to pull out and gather Samantha's cards. She spread them on the bed and, knelt before it, began searching all the pictures. "All of them have a theme; a character or person behind them, as well as a central ability. Its almost like a child's game... gone horribly wrong."
"... Rust."
".... Mirror...."
"Sickness."
---
"Lucy, i went to the doctor and they gave me this pills I am taking," Maria said," Its not like going now would make a difference. They'd just give me stronger medication or something like that."
She picked up the controller again looking bitterly at the screen,"Its been hurting for a while now."
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Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 2:03 pm
"Excellent! If you cooking is anywhere near what the rumors say, I'll be satisfied either way~" Yuuka took her helmet and fastened the strap under her chin, smiling.
"We can discuss our plan of attack over dinner!" She would join Mo after he mounted the bike, and the two set off.
---
Samantha listened quietly as Heidi explained her own relation to the cards. "Great..." she began, sinking further into her chair. "So I'm to become crazy? ...Perfect..."
She watched Heidi dive under her bed to collect what she threw. She wished she hadn't done that, but also knew wishing was futile; they would reappear on their own anyway. "Do you really believe me...? After all this, I felt like... nobody could understand. This isn't what I am... i-it's not..."
Samantha brought her knees to her chest, cradling them close. "I have these... urges... terrible, horrible ones... L-Like wanting to turn your face inside out... O-Or seeing what you're made of in the worst way possible. That. Isn't. ME..."
---
"But what if you need that stronger medication? And if it's been hurting for a while, why didn't you say anything before? I would have been more careful so I wouldn't hurt you!" Lucy picked up her controller and began playing again, though she still wasn't paying too much attention. She peeked out of the corner of her eye to see Maria's agitated expression, then sank a little further into herself.
"I'm sorry... you know how much I worry about you... But i-if you say it's okay, then I'll believe you! I'll just have to keep an eye on you~"
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Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2013 3:54 pm
"Not exactly. I am pretty sure most of those diagnosis were erroneous." Heidi said as she continue to look through Samantha's cards,"Many people have been part of these card incident; if I understand correctly, one occurred not too long ago, not far. I am sure not everyone who has these are... affected."
She moved to her backpack and took out a small box where she had stored her index cards for history. She dumped them out into her backpack, and brought the little box back to the bed, but she stopped to look at Samantha, and gave her a small smile,"Promise to at least warn me if you are going to do that, please?"
She took Samantha's deck and put it into the box, closing the little box up,"Maybe there is a way to quiet the urges down..... I will try to find something , okay?" Heidi stood and went back to the desk and put the box in front of Samantha. "I know this is not much, but, maybe if you don't touch them directly? I know of many people who had these and had them in little boxes, since ... you can't really get rid of them; playing-card boxes, index card, wallets, you name it."
----
Maria sighed and looked to the side,"Okay, whatever.... If I let you take me to the doctor will you calm down?"
----
"HEY WATCH IT!"
A skateboarder avoided another biker... but ran right into a red headed student, knocking her over along with her belonging. The skateboarder landed a little ways away, her backpack off into a tree's base.
"Ouch-..." She rubbed her head, her jacket at disarray. Standing up, she noticed her knee was bleeding through a fresh tear in her pants. "Oh- Hey, you okay?" She picked up her skateboard and went to help the red headed girl up.
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Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 10:19 am
"Th... thanks..." Samantha picked up the box, turning it over in her hand. It was true... somehow, seeing the cards contained for once, as insignificant as it was, added a sense of comfort. To see them locked up, one could say... their own little cage...
"So... I can come to you if I need help... right?" Samantha quickly stuffed the little box into her coat pocket, putting them further from her mind. "... I want this all to be done. I don't want to be sick anymore..."
---
"Well, I don't wanna make you mad... so I'll just keep an eye on you, okay?" Lucy smiled, trying to ease the tension. "C'mon, let's just have fun and play! We're supposed to be having fun, so don't be grumpy!"
Lucy moved her things to the side and flopped onto her stomach to play the game, her knees bent and swinging whimsically up and down. She moved her character in front of Maria's striking at her avatar idly. "Heeey, you aren't even paying attention!"
---
"EEK--" The red-headed student shrieked as she collided with something much more solid than she. She indeed was sent to the ground, her things scattered to and fro. After the collision, she sat up, rubbing her head, her glasses askew on her face. "Oowwwe...." She groaned, her glasses finally falling to the ground.
"That... was not nice...!" She fumbled around for her things, books papers and other miscellaneous objects. She also didn't notice the young woman's attempt to help her up, instead only focusing on her scattered belongings. "You should be more careful, miss! You could hurt someone like that...!" Taking up her glasses, she turned to the woman who caused the accident, being in direct eye level with her wounded knee. "--Ah, like that! Are you okay, miss...?" She looked up, her glasses sliding down the bridge of her nose, revealing twin amber eyes framed by her vibrant red hair and tanned complexion.
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Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 3:52 pm
"Mhm! I promise to do some research on the subject, okay? " Heidi smiled at Samantha,"We will have you healthy in no time, you will see. We will find a way to make it all better !"
The glassed girl went back to her things," You should try to pay attention at what causes your pain and when. And you don't have to wear that hood all the time! You can just say you dyed your hair or something!" She pushed her glasses,"Psychologically speaking if you start showing your hair, then more people will get used to the idea and as days pass less and less people will think about it!"
She was doing her best to be encouraging, so she smiled warmly, "Name is Heidi, by the way. "
----
"Ah.... okay, agreed," Maria blankly stared at the screen. What if she really was going to die from the pain? It certainly had felt like that but she always thought she was exaggerating or something! It was like having sharp needles in her back, and as of late the dose of pain killers had not been enough. Maybe she should go to the hospital soon.... Only if Lucy went of course! She didn't like hospitals very much.
Her character screeched as it was hit, making her blink her sight into refocus. "Sorry-" Maria did her best to resume pressing the key of the controller, but even trying she wasn't much good.... Wasn't this lady meant to fly? She had wings!
---
"I'm fine just risks of being on one of these." She held up the skateboard and took the girl's hand forcefully, yanking her to her feet. She went about helping her gather her belongings before retrieving her own backpack.
She was a little bit on the tall side, and her well shaped body was covered by a jacket that had a hood with some fuzz on it. Even under the heavy hood her bright blonde tips were bright in contrast with the black hair that was hidden. The jacket was opened and the short tank top underneath exposed a black tattoo that framed her navel. Most distinct were her eyes; one blue the other a gray color.
"Sorry, I was avoiding a biker and got you instead, you okay, sweetums?" Rather than sweet, she sounded like she had an attitude,"... Wait aren't you in my Greek history class?" What a small campus!
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Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 5:45 pm
"B-But... it's so... unnatural..." Samantha said shyly, using both hands to once again draw up her hood. She couldn't stand being so noticeable, standing out so much. She wasn't the type to do weird things like that. Then again, she wasn't the type to do much of anything...
"Heidi... not a bad name." Samantha curled up into the chair again, rotating herself to face the desk. "... Mine's Samantha... I forgot if you knew. I never get visitors, so if you want... you can come visit anytime." She cringed slightly, and sank a little further down into the chair. "But for now... y-you should probably leave... .... I don't trust myself yet..."
---
Lucy continued trying to play with Maria, but she could tell that the slightly older girl wasn't very interested, or perhaps simply distracted. After a few minutes, Lucy put down her controller and crawled the short distance to Maria, wrapping her arms gently around the girl's waist, hugging her.
"It's okay if you don't wanna play, okay...? I just wanna make you happy, and I'll do whatever it takes! Even if you just want me to hug you until it goes away!" She squeezed lightly, though was careful not to put any pressure on Maria's back.
---
The girl was yanked to her feet, and she let out another small yelp out of surprise. This woman was strong..! She watched timidly as the woman went about collecting her things, but in a slightly aggressive manner... she couldn't quite tell what the woman was thinking.
She took her things from the woman, blinking as she mentioned sharing a class together. "Greek History...? Ah, I do take that class, yes..." She looked the woman up and down for a moment, "But... you don't seem like the kind who would take that... My name is Esmeralda, by the way." The red-headed girl pushed her glasses up, "I suppose it is a pleasure to meet you...?"
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Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2013 8:46 pm
"Some people have white hair naturally, but do what you are most comfortable with," Heidi idly fixed things within her bag. She chuckled when Samantha commented on her name, "It's unusual enough that people have fun saying it as they please."
She would nod, and get her things, "I will visit in a while, my dorm will always welcome you, don't hesitate to look for me if you need help; I will stay on campus during the break." She stepped out, "Have a good night, Samantha."
And closed the door.
----
Maria was so lost trying to pretend to be amused that Lucy's attention brought her thoughts back in a crash. " Maybe you should go to you dorm Lucy, I think I need sleep.... then maybe
I will feel better in the morning."
She was honestly trying to be polite while telling Lucy to go the hell away.
----
"Fronti nulla fides!" The woman laughed," 'Never have faith in the front'; or well westernized and bastardized, 'Judge not a book by its cover' dear Esmeralda!" She used a hand to hold her skate board across her shoulder, "But that is old Juvenal, a Roman philosopher. I must correct myself of the correlation before you do it for me, for I take you to be the kind to correct the slightest errors, uh, Esme?"
"Name's Kayla," She dropped the skateboard and made it balance on two wheels by stepping on its tail with her toes, "Pleasure is all mine, lil damsel. "
"Only reason that I mention Greek history is because I was wondering if you'd like a study partner," Kayla continued, "I just got here from Brazil, so I don't know many people 'round here and pops always said teamwork and networking were key to success in real life, so I figured what the hell!"
....She wasn't very shy.
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Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 10:28 am
"Thanks, Heidi... you too." Samantha watched out of the corner of her eye as Heidi closed the door to her room, leaving her "alone".
Her hand twitched. She wanted to reach for her deck, but she forced herself to stop. Instead, she reached to a yellow headset that was plugged into her desktop computer. With company gone, she had little use for the hood and slid it off, then slipped her headphones over her ears. The bright screen before her was a blazing sun compared to the otherwise darkened room. She didn't care.
Samantha lost herself in the white noize for an undetermined amount of time, until she passed out.
---
"What? Sleep already?" Lucy paused to look at the clock on the wall, one of the few features of Maria's room. "But it's so eeaarly!" The blonde sat up, pouting lightly, but complied. She moved to the side and slipped on her shoes while still sitting on the floor, and once finished, passed Maria's car keys back to her.
"I'll be by tomorrow to check on you, okay? And if you need anything, I'm only two doors down! And you have my cell and all that, soo~" Lucy stood up, patting the wrinkles from her jeans and went to collect her backpack near the door. She turned with one hand on the doorknob, "Hey! Do I get a kiss goodnight~?" She smiled brightly, giggling to herself.
---
Esmeralda blinked as the woman, now known as Kayla, went on. Gosh, how pretentious she is!
"Listen, you...!" The red-headed student shouted, which could be comparable to whispering loudly in a library, "Do not lecture me! A-And do not call me 'damsel', or-or 'Esme'! My name is Esmeralda, or... or Emmy if you must!" She clutched her books tightly to her chest, her tanned complexion turning a darker shade, flushed with her temper.
She turned away from Kayla, taking a few deep breaths, then slowly turned back around. "A partner you said?" Emmy spoke in a slightly quieter tone now. "I guess it's okay if we... (what do they call it--) hang... in?" Her glasses slipped, and she quickly adjusted them. "Anyway, I haven't found a partner yet either." She timidly shuffled her feet. "Isn't this... kind of cliche?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 19, 2013 9:49 pm
Heidi took a deep breath once outside the dorm. She closed her eyes and sighed.
"That took a long time, Heidi."
She looked up. Before her was captain of the basketball team, Tabitha Hito, also noted as one of her few friends. Tabitha looked herself a bit out of it, but Heidi knew why; the same affliction that Samantha had, hanged over Tabitha's shoulder. The sun-bleahed haired girl smiled at Heidi and came up to her as they both turned to go down the hall.
"Sorry, Tabitha, I was with my calculus partner"
"Say hi to her for me!"
----
"Okay." Maria had taken her pajamas and gone into the bathroom, closing her door rather loudly,"Good Night Lucy."
.... And that was all before the shower started running inside the bathroom.
----
"Hey hey, don't get sponged!" Kayla chuckled and shrugged a gesture. This red head didn't go out often , that much she knew! "I believe the expression in english is 'hang out,' but I don't know."
Once more she laughed,"Depends what kinda cliche you are looking for. Every genre of movies have their cliches, but I think I know what you mean." Kayla grinned,"I need a partner, you need a partner, we crashed and now fate has united us to do great things!......"
".... Like get an A in Greek History, Am I right?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2013 7:41 am
Lucy felt a pang of cold go through her body, the smile on her face slowly vanishing. She stood awkwardly at the door for a moment, letting the icy chill that stung at her heart and eyes wash across her, before finally opening the door and exiting quietly.
"Goodnight... Maria..."
---
Emmy lazily turned her gaze away from Kayla, lost in thought for a moment and twirling a lock of vibrant red hair with her finger. No matter how cliche the situation was, the woman did have a valid point...
"Okay, deal. But we'll study at my dorm, okay? I have... my systems. My creative processes and focus must be maintained! And no weird stuff, like energy drinks, or... cigarettes ... um... I dunno, just bring you and your books! I have water and juice and food in my room." Emmy quickly hurried past Kayla, then stopped and turned, "Well, are you coming? We have an A to achieve!"
(Shoooort but I'm still figuring out where to go from here xD WE'LL TALK ABOUT IT TONIGHT!)
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