Oliver and Arthur:

You successfully made a whole in the roof with minimal sound. The hole leads that leads to the ground floor reveals a classroom, just as rundown as the rest of the school. The air is stagnant.

Ryan and Jeanine:

The streets continue to hussle and bussle. Another Heart moves through the crowd and goes down a different street.


(Hint: It's all on you folks)
((Comments: ~Out of Order~))

Jeanine eyes the Heart Perhaps...or we could tail that guy?

yeah well, i didnt know if it was one of thouse concrete ceilings that most schools have or not, if it WAS wood, then he could sort of saw at an angle until he broke through the material. arthur thinks for a bit... "got any ideas on how to check for hearts? im thinking we could knock them out and take their uniforms... you do know presure points right?"

Maybe... but we've stood in one place too long and there are too many hearts here, so we should get moving. Come on. Ryan spins on his heel and starts walking down a side street chosen at random.

"While it is true she never was my friend, she was Pepper's friend, and despite her usual goofball-ery Pepper hasnt shown any ill intent towards me or anything in general. So while no, i didnt trust her personally , i trusted Pepper's judgement." I was beginning to get my emotions in check for the first time in a long time, looking at things more clearly.

"So, your argument is that, she shot us in the backs, got us locked up, but didn't kill us? Granted the Key was left for us,but as for why she did it, only you and she, REALLY know that, I'm not in that head of hers to know what her motives are. . . ."

Now there was emotion in her face, I was beginning to play this conversation out like a chess game, and once she showed anger, I was beginning to beleive I was winning

" Wanted? Could? I said would knowing someone will try to do something, even something that seems impossible should be taken into account, especially considering the fact we do the impossible every day. As far as stealing goes? I don't owe anyone anything, and I haven't made any attempts to take anything from anyone, so maybe I'm not the only one with issues here."

There were certain things to say in this situation, before I was angry and not holding back on it either, but if I said certain things now that I was calm , I really wouldnt be much better than those girls back then.

"Why she did it isn't really something we can talk about considering I dont know just how far the hand's reach extends, considering that she had managed to get away from him once only for him to find her and bring her back, forgive me If I have trouble believing he wont do it again."

What the Hades did she just say to me? Who did this thing think it was acting like it knew me?

"5 seconds? Curiosity killed the cat, but information brought it back, so allow me to give you a quick revive. My entire life was filled with the same things she went through, even going home was a nightmare, i preferred the bullying at school to going home because of how bad it was . I only had finally gotten out of that mess, but lo and behold here we are, so don't act like you know me."

Getting all high and mighty with me? uh-uh that doesn't fly , maybe if I was just being whiny, but don't make my issues seem trivial while trying to obtain sympathy for your own.

Chase:

"No, no, no. Again you fail to listen and instead see through your own colored vision. Listen with your ears, not through the dicombobled mind. I'm making no arguments.

You do seem to grasp the cell that still incases her no matter how far she goes as your still caught up in the prison of your own making.

Her actions have never been her own near the Leash Holder, near the vile thing you call the 'Hand.' She was ordered to kill you. She did not. She instead saved your life. What do you would have happened if she was not there? What do you think would have happened if she didn't put you behind those bars. Death would have awaited, with insurmountable certainty.

And she didn't even let the monster have its way with you for long. You took only a dose of the torture the hand intended, she took in the rest. She's lived your life as well, thrice over, each nightmare stronger than the last. If she didn't, you would not be standing and conversing this with me. You'd be on the floor, drooling, and still there since that boy was certain to leave you.

I Can say without a shadow of a doubt, you've had it easy in comparison. At least you had one to look after you, at least your thoughts were your own. That second where the beast invaded your mind was a taste. You relived your 'terrible' life once. She's lived her's a thousand times over." She's says this all in a matter in fact sort of tone.

"She was strong once, she was brave and felt invisible. Life was a wonder till people started leaving her. First it was her brother through death, next came her parents through disconnect, then her friends through distance, then her hope through the arrival of a monster."

She laughs again. "It's funny that you say you did nothing to take away what she holds dear, because its the truth. You didn't have to. You did nothing and in fact pushed away, what she held dear, what she held hope for that kept her from breaking completely. Then she finally escapes hell, and finds she never had a chance, the red head never hers to call to." She sighs.

"Personally I don't understand it myself, all you humans do is hump at the end of the day."

"'Filled with the same things.'" She just shakes her head. "I wonder if you be singing the same tune if you received with what the other boy did. I'm actually surprised on how well he's holding up. A stubborn one he is. Then again, cliff notes is hardly the real thing."

"It's been boring talking to you boy. Your prose were weak, unimaginative, and lacking curiosity. You spend so much energy defending yourself when that's the problem, I'm sure your spirit would agree. Maybe if you look at the problem from the real angle, you might be able to discover it in the first place."

Alice's eyes stop glowing, she swaggers a little and gets back on her knees. She then sits there unmoving.

Ryan and Jeanine:

Ryan heads off into a new street way with Jeanine in tow. The travel down the street till they reach the edge of the town looking down into the mountains valleys. On the edge is a old house. On the porch is the most blatant hippie you have ever seen. Long shaggy hair, scraggy face and skinny body, tie-dye shirt and a peace sign necklace with pants that belong in the seventies. He seems to be talking to a heart. And by talking, I mean being pushed around by. He's clearly being asked questions he doesn't know the answer to and is sweating buckets.

Oliver and Arthur:

[color=orange]Pressure points are a 'no' for various reasons.[/com]

The hole is a little drafty. Smells of dirt and earth vaguely come from the stagnant air.

(Hint: Go for it, do your thing.)
((Comments: Sorry for lateness, cartoons.))

Jeanine grits her teeth in anger at the sight of the hippy being pushed around but she stays put. Should we move on? I don't see it being a good idea to intervene. 

arthur immeditly pulls back on the idea " scratch that... they might start trying to kill us..."

An awkward silence is filling the room now, I don't know if Alice was conscious of that conversation, but I'd best proceed as if she was.

I sit down again, having conversed with the spirit gave me some things to think about. Everything was coming together like a puzzle now, I knew it before, I just didn't want to see it. The girl in the dream was pepper, she had been Alice's one source of hope this entire time, and regardless of how much I was unwilling at first, I gradually took Pepper away from her in her eyes. If she really only thought of her as a friend, then obviously wouldn't think i stole her away, It was probably how we acted at that bottle spinning thing.

"Hey, Alice . . .I don't know if you can hear me, or if you even want to, but I have been assuming things, without really knowing all that much. In fact ever since I got these powers I haven't really been myself. . . What I'm really trying to say is that I'm sorry, You, deserve more respect than I've given you, and . . .yeah."

I slid my 3DS over to her while she was still kneeling, I didn't want to provoke karma by getting to close to her now, and I didn't wanna sound fake by giving her a million apologies.

"We're all pretty much in here together for the long haul, even after we beat hand, more than likely someone worse will take its place, so I cant go making enemies where I could have had a close ally."

I grabbed my arm, this next part was really touchy

"I- I know how you feel about pepper now . . . and to avoid any further snafu's , I'll tell you personally, that yes, I have, regardless of my previous efforts not to, gotten somewhat emotionally attached to her. I saw your dream, about you, about how you were treated, about pepper, and about me. I'm not trying, and i wasn't trying to steal anything from you, I didnt even know anything about you until a few moments ago. I didnt think you had feelings for pepper, I actually actively avoided pepper for most of my time her until i got called down to the office that day."

Emotions and gobbledy gook arent my thing, much less indirect confessions, but seeing how things were going, teetering on the fence wasnt going to cut it, and sending mixed signals was only going to make things worse, so I had to be direct and clear, even if I could probably never do that in front of pepper.

"My point is, I was a jerk, I know that, but I'd rather have you as an ally at the very least than an enemy, especially considering how many we have now."

Start? When did they stop?

Oliver decides to bite the bullet and slowly lower himself through the hole. He stops once he's completely inside, and flattens himself against the ceiling with his power supporting him.

Oliver and Arthur:

Oliver lowers himself, the only sound he makes is a little russle as dirt moves. He can see the full classroom now, unclean and stagnant. The door to the hallway is half off its hinge and artificial light shines dimly through the door wall the rest of the school is dark.

Jeanine and Ryan:

The Heart gives the man a finale shove and starts to walk away. He has a 50/50 chance in heading your two's direction.

Chase:

Alice remains quiet and unmoving for a little. Chase almost thinks she isn't going to answer back till her voice finally peeps up. "I-I'm sorry." she says very quietly. "Your not a jerk. I-I'm just an idiot for believing in a fantasy to keep me safe, when it is others that need to be kept safe from me. It's O.K. to hate me. All I do is hurt those that get close, because I'm not strong enough.."

She struggles to her feet, and hobbles back to her bed. I'm used to the hate. I've cause nothing but trouble for you and Pepper and her friends. I'm going to be nothing but trouble to Ryan to, and now he can't get rid of me.

"I know I don't have the right to ask for forgiveness, but please allow me the one thing I can be certain that I still have something human. I'm sorry."

(Hint: Doin good.)
((Comments: Talking scenes are talking most of the post. Yeash))

Truth be told i felt sorry for the girl. She looked like a puppy who bit her owner because it stepped on her tail.

I felt simpathetic, and kind of pathetic for treating her like I did, but I didnt want to look like I was at the mercy of my emotions. What was i supposed to do? Hug and and have a disney sitcom family moment? No, I'd figure out how to give her a little hope.

"You're wrong Alice, The only thing we all need protection from is that hand, and alone its guaranteed we will lose against him, together isn't even a guaranteed victory, but its a much better shot don't you agree?"

Spectral energy forms a dome around my hands, the first thing I was going to learn was shielding, an offense with no defense gets you killed.

"Trouble isn't the issue Alice, you should have told us, we could have helped you, before this mess got so bogged down. In fact, we probably could have saved you back then if you told us, he had no hearts, no barriers, just him. If we had been ready we could have launched an offensive, i cant even begin to think what the queen is gonna say if we get back. As for you, nah , you're not haven't been for a long time, and neither have I, we're spectrals, super-humans. However, we're still people, if that's what you mean then obviously we're still people."

That last bit sounded either really good or really bad. Either way, i was continually trying, and failing, to expand my spectral dome

Seeing no enemies, Oliver lowers himself to the floor, and approaches the door. He peeks out, to get a quick look at the hallway outside.

arthur peeks in slowly and quitely sais"anyone?"

Jeanine tugs Ryan back the way they came and into the nearest alley. Crouching in the shadows behind a rubbish bin.

Ryan and Jeanine:

Jeanine manages to get Ryan to the side safely. However, the bin is rubbish. The Heart turns and goes down the opposite direction down the side road.

Oliver and Arthur:

Oliver peeks down the hall, he can see large piles of dirt in the hallwayand that the floor looks like its been ripped into. Construction lights are scattered throughout the hallway. No one is visible, and no sound but Arthur's voice.

Chase:

"I-I was not able to say a thing." Alice replied. She tapped her head. "He thought of that a long time ago when I almost escaped when I was ten during a 'trip'. I'm sorry."

She turned her head as she finally made it back to her bed and sits down. "I can't divulge anything without permission. My thoughts get scrabbled if I try."

She turns and see's him practicing his bubble. "Umm, I think your doing it wrong. She gets meeker with ever syllable.


(Hint: Prepare for the bang)
((Comments: Pepper should be hitting the field pretty soon.))

" Wha-huh? W hat am I doing wrong, really don't get it" I was actually holding out my hand and focusing on it, like a rasengan or something.

Oliver lowers Arthur into the room.

My power doesn't have any problem attacking around people, so you'll scout around corners and I'll cover your back. Be as quiet as possible.

"alright then"arthur jumps down into the class room and peers out the door before continuing

Jeanine peeks around the corner, turns back and says Coast is clear.

Chase:

"Youse putting too much effort inta's it. Youse look like ya havin a hernia." You hear the new voice as Mouse crawls outa bed. "Ya gotta relax. 'Flex without flexing.' Let it come naturally." She effortlessly demonstrates her point.

Alice just politely nods.

"Where's the otha's? I swear there were like five of youse guys, including the hot one."

Oliver and Arthur:

Arthur peers down the hall and can see where the dirt came from. There is a wide hole in the floor going down in around 20-35 degree slope into the ground, with construction lights lining the hall and down into the tunneled path.

The other way leads to around a corner and presumably more classrooms.

Jeanine and Ryan:

Asssprite hasn't posted for a while, hope he's okay.

The hippie takes a deep breath and slumps to the floor. Now what do you want to do?

(Hint: Do stuff)
((Coments: Dun dun dun.))

Jeanine lets out a tiny gasp when the man falls down. She looks around, back to the man, at Ryan, man, area, Ryan, area, Ryan, man continually in a rather anxious manner before gritting her teeth. Aw screw it! I can't just leave him like that! I'll be right back! she runs to the man and kneels down beside him, patting his face repeatedly and saying Hey! Mister! Wake up! Come on get up!

Sorry, guys, I stopped getting the emails alerting me to the topic replies and didnt think to check until now.
Ryan is busy trying to shower himself off a little bit. He nods vaguely at what you are doing.

arthur heads towards the corner, making sure to cover the whole floor before moving on to the next. he carfully peers around the corner