Shibuya

[Apollymi]

"Information is like branches Miura-kun. If it's a dead end, we clip and back track until we find the right one~" she mentioned which shed only the tiniest bit of light on part of her mental process. Planning was necessary and more so than that, was finding the right information in a sea of knowledge. Knowing something alone did you no good if you had no use for it. But every bit of information you could get on a person, business, or game would help you tease apart its inner workings. This lad apparently had exactly the knowledge she sought without being the person she was after, she'd entertained that possibility all along and knowing she was right she held a triumphant light in her eyes. She'd finished his puzzle and knew he'd been watching her the entire time.

"I guess that would have been a step too easy. No shortcuts... that's fine though~" she chimed. She watched as the lad unlocked the case which held the puzzle and she looked on with the eyes of an excited child. Her goal was so close to her now she could hardly contain her feelings. He told her a few more things about the puzzle, claiming he couldn't explain anything extra about it, she couldn't help but giggle. She understood already, after all... she'd already completed a puzzle he'd created. "I understand. He's a pretty complex person. And to answer your earlier question I've had several conversations with him... so I figured he wouldn't make it something as easy as finding the right person. It's no problem..." she held her hands ready to accept this puzzle and begin the crazy process of solving one of things in her original body. 'He's waiting for me. Hand it over!' Her mind screamed as she tried to remain serene. Too bad for this lad, Kimiko wasn't made of patience anymore. She could see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel and she fully intended to reach it.

Today was going to be a glorious day! She sat back with this puzzle in her hands. Studying the outside with sharp eyes. Each turn she heard rolling inside so her concentration increased to include that as well. "Sou ka... this would seem pretty impossible... " she mumbled as she turned it more and more. Within seconds she'd mapped the entire outside and understood the reference to 'dovetails' made by the lad earlier. What was more the segments which made it up were also numerous. There was much nostalgic happiness in her, as she remembered sitting around in Atlantis with the white haired lad's head in her lap as she talked herself through the first complicated puzzle she'd completed. 'I guess this isn't so bad either. There's no magic, no locks. no buttons or movable pieces to keep track of, actually....' she looked up at the lad across from her in this moment and she understood why the lad known to her as the Geno Killer wasn't at all interested in this group. She could pull this puzzle apart in her own way. She kept turning it more and more as she received all necessary information from the audio cues within. To solve a puzzle like this one needed to think beyond what was normal. One needed the ability to see a problem and attack it in pieces and as a whole simultaneously. Something like that was apparently not as normal as Kimiko might have assumed it was. She'd solved the first puzzle she'd done by mapping it like a Rubix Cube. That kind of logic could be applied to three dimensional puzzles in general as long as you knew what all went into them. But this puzzle wasn't about simply what was on the outside, it was about what was on the inside. Instead of mapping all the groves outside, she was forced instead to map the inside she couldn't see and figure out how many of whatever was inside needed to be at the end. 'EASY!~' she chimed mentally. There was nothing but the light of victory in those eyes of hers, the smile on her face neared that demonic ecstasy she was known to show those she destroyed. This was actually going to be fun.

[Bloodedge]

"Well, congratulations. That's the most prolific thing I've heard from another person in... days? Weeks? Who knows?" the lad replied. It seemed Kimiko had no real issue with not being able to know the puzzle designer's name, and in fact, she'd shared words with him multiple times. What seemed strange, was the excitement clearly radiating from the raven-haired girl when she took the puzzle from its case. For one who didn't seem the type to have an interest in puzzles, she was certainly holding a high level of interest in this one. She agreed that it seemed impossible, but the young man who designed it would never create something that couldn't be solved. There was a way; could this girl be the one to discover it after knowing Aiba Yugi? Seiji would surely be perturbed if so, but... that would also give him another target to strive for.

"You're not seeming like someone who doesn't belong in this club right now," he said casually, simply offering his observation of Kimiko in the moment. She wasn't truly one suited to the club, but this very moment was reminiscent of the one who created that puzzle. "Guy must have left a pretty big influence on you then, huh? You're sitting here looking like someone just gave you a present instead of a thing that's pissed off almost everyone who's touched it. That's the kind of thing he'd do."

[Apollymi]

Apparently Seiji thought the words Kimiko shared were prolific. She didn't find them so, but they were also her own words. Still, her personality the real one was leaking through as she began the processing the puzzle, and she couldn't help the rather snarky reply she had in mind. "If that works for you... you should probably hang out with some different people~" she mentioned. Though given this lad's personality she expected he didn't interact with very many people at all. She kept an ear open to the lad, but the rest of her was all for this puzzle. Her replies meant very little to her and since they came without thought they were unfiltered. She was too busy completing this puzzle to hide who she was. "Iie, I don't belong in any club. I wouldn't ever, I don't like carrying people either..." she mentioned with finality. Though she had no idea what she looked like in the moment.

She turned the puzzle in her hand hearing the first of the ball bearings within roll towards the other side. She continued to turn it, until it hit the far side. Then she tapped the entire puzzle's outside to move it along to the next path it should take. She turned it again... Following it around through her mind's map. Her eyes closed as she did this, making it easier for her to imagine the pathways she was taking. "I know... he's pretty excitable about stuff like this. I am also excitable but it's a bit different for me... and it is a gift~" she mused. He couldn't know what she meant, but this was likely one of the biggest presents she could receive. She'd get to know who he was, and with that knowledge would come one of the greatest bits of satisfaction she'd ever achieved. She'd have the prize she wanted more than any other... and that was well worth going through any puzzle for. She kept moving that one ball, having to tap it one more time to set it on the last path it had before it stopped moving. Her eyes widened. 'Sou ka... there is a space in the middle for all of the ball bearings,' she thought after achieving this small victory with the first one. Her eyes sprang open as she looked once more at the outside. 'Intervals of three... because of the sides... so are there three, six, nine or twelve?' she questioned herself. 'It took three paths... so three would be too few and 12 is too many potential variations for something this size. Six or Nine then,' she summarized within her own mind. She tapped near one of the segments and heard another ball roll free... 'Each segment is two of the total so Definitely six. I have to get six of these down three paths each towards the middle.' there was a knowing light in her eyes in that moment as she condensed her own thoughts down a great deal. She followed that sound in her mind and began turning the puzzle again. Several taps and a quiet bit of relief as each ball found its home towards the middle. She counted them, she mapped their movements. It was truly much easier than it'd been the first time. Like opening her puzzle the second or third or even the tenth time when she started to use just her telepathy. 'Sou ka, you're really just like this... you want people to understand you. Not use you... but know you. I get that, you're probably the only other person that truly understands that...' the girl thought happily. She'd all but forgotten the lad sitting across from her in these moments. She'd forgotten about school... she didn't care. All that mattered was finishing this puzzle and then it happened. The last ball fell into the middle and she sat it down before her.

"Oh shit!!" was her excited utterance as she felt the shift. This puzzle was now in her lap. What was she to do. It was here now. It was hers... she could have him. She felt relieved and frightened. She wanted this but didn't expect it to happen so fast. She needed to open this, but she also needed to pull herself down before she had a panic attack.

[Bloodedge]

Hang out with different people, she said. It was almost ironic to hear such a thing from one who sought a boy like Aiba Yugi. Seiji laughed. "Did you plan on telling him that when you got hold of him? This is like some weird situation of pot, kettle, and frying pan," he said. Apparently, Kimiko sympathized with the idea of not 'carrying' others such as those who were found in clubs like this one. He, too, could commiserate. Seiji initially quit this club because he was tired of being the go-to person for puzzles too difficult for the others, while they remained content to be stagnant in their ability. That Aiba Yugi was different; he had the patience to improve those who sought it for themselves, and somehow reach a consensus that benefited everyone involved. Could that have something to do with Ashikaga Kimiko? Perhaps.

Either way, there was a puzzle being worked on, and Seiji watched intently. This girl had long since given up on him; he could see that clearly in her face. As such, he remained silent while she approached the puzzle in a very interesting way. Multiple movements, multiple taps. It was interesting to watch, though the progress of such a puzzle was nigh impossible to tell from an outside perspective... and even from most solvers' perspectives. Alas, the level of excitement growing in Kimiko was far too familiar. As he watched, he felt as if she could actually solve the thing. That feeling was right. In one shining moment, Kimiko lowered the puzzle into her lap. Her excited utterance initially seemed like one of failure, but that wasn't at all what it was. Her expression indicated satisfaction, and... something else he couldn't quite pin. Mostly though, Seiji himself was surprised by the idea that she may have solved the puzzle.

"You..." he said with slight hesitation. Surely she couldn't have, right? Was there truly someone else, in this school even, who could have been his goal? If so, he was a bit disturbed that it had to be such a random and unexpected person. Still... he may soon be rather excited. "Well? If you've solved it, open it. Whatever's inside is apparently yours, and yours alone."

[Apollymi]

Seiji laughed when Kimiko mentioned that he should hang out with other people. He asked a question which she understood the purpose of but she couldn't rightly answer. Well, she could but the answer likely wouldn't be well received. "Similar people know the truth of each other. To be honest though, I don't really care if he doesn't talk to anyone else, as long as he talks to me~" was her reply. What a strange girl she happened to be. The different aspects of that lad's personality were quite right, she really was greedy. She was fine having all of his attention, and with that out of the way she'd sunk so deeply into the puzzle she didn't even register the other person in the room with her.

So, imagine her surprise when he spoke to her directly after realizing she'd succeeded in opening the puzzle. "So, I really forgot you were here," she said with a slight blush crossing her face. She wasn't used to falling so far into her own mind when there was someone else present. Especially when that person wasn't already familiar with her habits. "Hai hai, I'm going to open it... I know what's inside belongs to me," she said. Though it wasn't simply what was in the box it was everything beyond that. The entirety of the young lad she was looking for. Strangely she took an entire two sections off the puzzle sitting it on the table, and looked down. And found something most unexpected. A single scrap of paper and written upon it was the standard number of digits for a phone number, local. "Sou ka that doesn't really answer my question at all though..." the girl murmured. Still, she wasn't without ways of finding otu the rest of what she sought. She pulled her phone from her pocket and sent a message.

I need you to screen this phone number for me. Quickly. Was the message she sent to her favorite Systems Administrator. She was basically using the lass like a hacker, but given her background she knew this was her preference. Few personal interactions. Given notes, and then back to her computer like nothing happened. Kimiko remained quiet while she waited for the answer and it took a few moments. When she got it her eyes widened. This is the number for the landline of the former Prime Minster.

Kimiko blinked several times that couldn't be right. It'd been quite some time since a number like that should have been active. She'd met that man at least once, she knew her father didn't like him. Beyond all of that, she was quite sure he'd been executed for crimes following the information provided by... his own son. 'FUCK!' She stared at her phone screen a few seconds longer and asked her next question. How dangerous. A number that belonged to a dead man shouldn't still work, but if it did... she could probably have her answer sooner rather than later. Is it still active? That was all. So simple. Yet so loaded. Was she really about to find the lad she was looking for? Was she really about to have what she wanted? Hai. No one's called it in ages, but it is definitely still active. Kimiko's heart was beating out of her chest. She knew who the son of the Prime Minister was, she'd met him once when she was very small. She hadn't known what his face looked like, because well, he was always wearing a mask. But that didn't mean she wasn't casually aware of who he was, a wicked smile broke out across her face. 'He's mine.'

[Bloodedge]

"Mhm..." was all Seiji had to say. Kimiko was hardly even in the same space as him, mentally; she was essentially inside the puzzle... just like that boy. What she had to say about the lad was interesting indeed, and well beyond what he would have expected for one who sought Aiba Yugi. Perhaps this wasn't a simple matter of her wanting him as one of the many connections she likely had. The next thing Kimiko said was unquestionable proof that she'd essentially deleted the outside world when diving into the puzzle, and in response, Seiji shrugged. It wasn't at all the first time his presence had been forgotten, and it wouldn't be the last. If only the other club members could forget he existed now and then. . .

The box was open. Whatever it held inside, Seiji had no right to view it, so he respectfully looked away. In fact, he took the time to lean his chair back again, and work toward finishing his lunch before the bell rang. Though this had been an entertaining experience in a way, it had successfully kept him from a complete meal for most of lunch period. Oh well; he could probably finish before this final five minutes or so ran out. 'Somebody finally finished that damn thing, and it wasn't me... or even anybody from the club. Well, it might be about time for me to quit again. There's nothing left in this room without that guy as a goal, and the key to bringing him in is gone now. Maybe I'll give sports a shot. Culture clubs are kinda shit. . .'

[Apollymi]

Miura Seiji was looking away as she opened the puzzle. He truly was a respectable individual. He didn't try and steal her prize and seemed to be in deep thought as he finished his lunch. If this puzzle was the only reason he came back to this club what would he be doing now? The girl was excited and happy but she wasn't without perspective. "Miura-kun, you've been pretty helpful today. I appreciate you letting me take up your time... and I'm sorry for stealing your goal," she said with a small smirk on her face. She pocketed her phone and the piece of paper and picked up the 6 pieces of the puzzle. "If you find yourself in need of something or a new goal, and you think I can help... let me know~" she said offering the lad a casual wave as she stood to exit with her prize in hand. School was done for the day. Rather she could have gone through with the rest of her day's classes but she had no other intention but her goals. There was a boy who was waiting on her, and nothing else mattered.

A few moments later she was exiting the school building as the bell rang ending lunch. She had no intentions of hanging around there for the rest of the day. Instead she found herself in an open air park making a phone call, to the house of the former Prime Minister. If the number still worked there was no problem she called it. She was strangely nervous now back on the other end of waiting.

[Bloodedge]

An equally casual wave of Seiji's hand was to follow, dismissing the girl who'd spent virtually all of lunch period in the clubroom. He wasn't bothered by his goal being 'stolen' by her; he simply had a second one now. As for any new goal she could potentially help with, well... maybe he had something in mind. "If I need you, I'll find you. Don't sweat the other stuff. Ja," he said. With that, he went about working toward the completion of his lunch. Sadly, he'd be left with quite a few bites by the time classes started anew. His teachers would simply have to deal with a bit of in-class snacking.

Yugi was still at home, still considering the new developments to this world. He had actually managed to make a bit of headway, and there were a few broken puzzle pieces in the area surrounding him on his 'bedroom' floor. Interestingly enough, these pieces weren't the same ones he'd broken. Each time he broke a piece, he managed to do so in a way that had no positive effect on other broken pieces. As a test, however, he had been tapping pieces with what felt like the other world's application of mana to repair them... and did so without causing 'Wrath' to shatter other pieces. This small usage of power may not have been all he could muster, but he wouldn't be testing anything bigger just yet. In fact, he would soon be rendered incapable of testing anything.

Aiba Yugi lived in a storage box that had been repurposed into a tiny home of sorts. However, there remained a proper, even large home just outside his door. The phone in that very house... it rang. Yugi was alerted via the security system he had routed into his computer, which showed the visuals of a camera focusing on the phone itself. The number calling the landline was unfamiliar, but he knew what it meant for someone to call that number. He would rise from the floor, stepping outside and approaching the house of the former Prime Minister. There were only two options. Either Kimiko had already found the answers she needed, or someone at the Puzzle Club actually managed to crack the puzzle he'd given them. Which one would it be? He'd fine out soon, but first, he had to enter the house he hadn't been in since the passing of his sister. A single turn of a key, and he was able to push the door open and hear the ringing phone for himself. It had been ringing for quite some time, but soon, he reached out to answer it.

"Across the street from Hitachiomiya Palace." This sentence was all he said before hanging up the phone. Whoever it was on the other end, they had all the information they needed. He could wait now, in the dim lighting of his old living room... for whichever person managed to solve his puzzle.

[Apollymi]

Kimiko heard the parting words of Miura Seiji. She wondered if he'd actually end up taking her up on her offer. He probably should, such offers were rather rare from her... Ah but that didn't really matter in the long run. The lad had mentioned playing AoE, and there was at least the possibility she might end up running into him again at some point in the future. Beyond this point, Kimiko found herself sitting on a park bench, waiting on a ringing phone. It took a long time to be answered. She thought about hanging up immediately after she dialed. After all, her social anxiety was quite high and she hadn't given herself enough opportunity to talk herself out of her more impulsive actions. There was still always the possibility he didn't want to be found. The possibility the old number had been repurposed. The reigning fear that it'd all been for nothing because this lad wouldn't actually want to meet with her at all. But just before she could bring herself to pull the phone away from her ear, a voice picked up on the other end. The message delivered was brief and then suddenly the phone on the other end was hung up. Her eyes widened with surprise, she hadn't even had time to properly react. 'Was that his voice? His actual voice!?' There was so much to unpack here. She would have started pacing and thinking and talking to herself... but she was outside already.

'Across the street from the Hitachiomiya Palace, huh? No time like the present I guess.' The girl stood up and began walking. All the while she was a ball of endless nerves. She pulled her hood up over her head, having her face disappear underneath a large pair of sunglasses. She also zipped it hiding her school uniform. She was still a very recognizable person, but no need to have any one stop and question her before she did what she was looking for. After a while, she'd find herself, walking upon a reasonably large house across the street from the previously mentioned location. Immediately after she had a bit of a neurotic moment, 'Oh god. This is it! What do I do?!' she thought as she approached the door.

[Bloodedge]

Minutes after hanging up the phone, there was a knock on Yugi's door. He could feel the beat of his own heart as slow, agonizing steps took him closer and closer until... he opened it. There, standing right before him, was an overweight male not much older than Yugi himself. The pudge of the other young man's face shook as he breathed heavily, and that simple movement only served the purpose of accentuating his acne. He was dressed normally as well; was this some new member of the Puzzle Club? No. Nearly an hour beforehand, Yugi had ordered a pizza to be delivered for tonight's extensive gaming session. It just so happened to be the case that this pizza place didn't have a uniform policy, and the pizza was initially out of Yugi's field of vision. "Pizza delivery, dude," spoke the young man who seemed to have walked down the street with Yugi's order. "Sorry for the wait. My car's busted, so I had to walk the rest of the way here," he explained.

"... Right. No bother dude, here," said Yugi, who offered this man a few additional yen for the trouble and dedication. The two exchanged nods before Yugi shut himself inside once more, and the delivery person turned away to walk back to his job. Of course, just as the door closed, this person saw a feminine figure walking toward the house he was leaving. There wasn't a known identity behind those layers, but the shape and general features were there for the world to see regardless. A lecherous grin passed the male's face─ he simply couldn't hide it as his path inadvertently took him closer to where Kimiko stood. He could get away with being a little devious off the clock, right? "Oi, oi~"

[Apollymi]

As Kimiko approached the house, there was someone in her path and it wasn't at all who she was expecting. 'Worker? House person... no... no one would let someone be in their house like that,' she frowned deeply. 'Oh god no!' She was horrified, mortified and absolutely frightened. 'Don't tell me I jinxed myself. Maybe if I don't move too much he won't see me... and I can turn around and disappear into the daylight like a flash of light?' she thought quickly. 'No that's stupid. Stupid, Kimi... Now would be a great time to have invisibility.' Her thoughts raced. She was covered from head to toe. Maybe this guy would pass her by and she wouldn't have to deal with it. Her face was covered maybe just once she could get away with not having to deal with some grossly disgusting dude.

Of course not. This man spoke directly to her. It had to be to her too, because she was the only person standing here. She couldn't keep the disgust from her voice as she replied and aimed to keep walking, 'EWWWWW...' she wanted to scream, but her voice came off as her more usual disconnected one. "Sorry, I don't know you," she said as she aimed to keep moving forward eyes hidden behind those large sunglasses. At times like these she missed her bodyguard. Actually she hadn't seen him at all since she arrived back. She'd seen the lecherous grin, how did people even let themselves look that gross and delude themselves into thinking they would get anywhere. Worst case scenario, this was the man she was looking for and she'd go home and collapse in on herself like a black hole. Her saying she didn't know him would hurt his feelings and he'd never talk to her again. He'd call her a stuck up bitch and she could simply move on with her life. Go back to stealing other rich people's money. No fun, no enthusiasm... none of their adventures. Best case scenario, this strange man was completely unrelated to what she was going to do, she'd get to walk past him and pretend like this never happened and try her best not to inhale too close to him.

[Bloodedge]

She didn't know him? Of course she didn't, but that was not an important fact in this scenario. She could get to know him, as he intended to know her. From the looks of things, the obviously wealthy male he'd so recently delivered pizza to was expecting this girl. Her face was hidden as if she wanted to avoid all recognition, which told him one crucial thing. She was hiding... from her boyfriend! Yes, of course! The mythical 'booty call' was happening here and now, and this whore of a woman would certainly be up for another man to cheat on her boyfriend with. Oh, he was so, so clever!

"No need to be like that! I know why you're here," said the repulsive male as he turned on his heel, following closely behind the girl who passed him so casually. His hand even reached out to get a nice feel, a very thorough rubbing even, of her rather scrumptious-looking posterior. This man was salivating, and it was strangely audible to anyone nearby as he slurped his own saliva. "C'mon, princess. Let's see something, at least. I'll make it worth your while before you even go in that old house!"

[Apollymi]

Gross. Everything about the man she passed was absolutely gross. When he continued talking she knew for certain he wasn't the lad she was looking for, which gave her an extreme amount of comfort. No one could be hiding anything so grotesque for that long. As relieved as that thought made her, this man's speech also disgusted her, she could hear him slurping in his mouth. "Eww!" was the only reaction she could give. "There is nothing you can give me and nothing I want from you. Get the hell away from me." That was about as polite as Kimiko could be as she made her way towards the door. Everything she'd learned about her own defense said running triggered these types of people so she remained calm. 'This is what bodyguards are actually for, huh? I've never actually encountered someone stupid enough to approach me in public before. I feel like I owe Hoshimi an apology, maybe if he ever shows up again. I'll do that and stop ditching him to shop,' the girl thought as she reached towards the doorbell.

Strangely though if this man got too close to her, he'd find himself unable to interact with her directly and then blown back violently by the shockwave which would happen when that time was restored. The back of Kimiko was aligned with a strange power one which she didn't yet completely understand but one which could protect her from such ill-advised advances. Whatever the case her finger met the doorbell and she listened for the coming sounds.

[Bloodedge]

Sadly, the doorbell of this building had long since been disabled. Kimiko's finger pressed into it, but nothing came of the action. There was one saving grace, though, but all positives came with negatives. Try as she might, Kimiko could not properly shun the portly male who desired her attention in a less-than savory manner. He could see himself committing all sorts of vile acts that would make one's mother blush, and he intended to see them to fruition. Since she hadn't acted violently against his touch, he'd hazard another. What a shame it was when suddenly, some unexplained pulse of a foreign energy sent him careening into one of two fountains beside the walkway.

And then, there was the positive side of that repulsive approach. The doorbell didn't work, but the sudden tremble and following splash in the fountain were hard to miss. One could only assume the delivery guy had a bit of a mishap on his way out. How annoying. In a matter of moments, the front door swung open. Inside was Yugi, sporting his grey cargo pants and red vest, albeit this time with a black A-top shirt underneath. "Dude, what the─" he called out, only to cease everything the moment he saw the girl standing on the other side of the door. That wasn't the pizza guy at all, though he was still very much on the property. This face, though, was quite unmistakable; it belonged to Ashikaga Kimiko. So then, it was her who solve the puzzle after all. He figured she would have the easiest time doing such a thing, but he hadn't been around to discover whether she'd even made it to the puzzle club thus far. Apparently... she had. "... Oh," he said, his eyes wide with shock. To say the least, this wasn't at all how he expected this meeting to happen.

[Apollymi]

"In my defense, I did tell him to get the hell away from me," Kimiko said after looking up at this lad. He really was quite familiar and she realized in this moment why his face was strangely one she knew. "You're in my home room," she said with a small smirk. "Let me in, Yugi~" the raven haired lass said. She'd really lucked out here, him not being a fat ugly bastard and not being an exceedingly good looking snobby type. He did have the general dress appeal of a hoodlum but that was hardly worth worrying about, he had a reasonable face, a bit like his Avatars though it was like those were made to make him... pretty. That wasn't at base how she'd describe him, but pretty men were a bit strange outside of anime so, this was also fine. There was visible relief in her soul in this moment and she was happy her instincts hadn't let her down, and glad her life in the new world hadn't let her fall for someone completely fake. Beyond all of that though, she had no real desire to explain that she'd almost been the victim of a strange hentai plot, nor that she well and truly missed her bodyguard right about now. Strangely enough, she was quite pleased with that random use of power... and felt more relaxed with that guy slammed into a fountain. Now if she could get out of the watchful eyes of the public she could have a good day reuniting with this young man.