[Prydain is sitting on the couch in Gohl's first floor frontroom, in hunched over the coffeetable, which is spread with some damp thin rags that look like they might be cheese cloth, a roll of duct tape, rubber bands, some double sided velcro strips and some other loose scrap materials made of rubber and foam.]

It's like a snowfall of ashes out there, and I'm this close to gagging on the stuff every time I step outside...

So I thought, since this could be a problem for awhile, and especially with Haseo's asthma close to acting up, I'd try to make some breather masks, to go over mouth and nose...  [He holds up two or three makeshift attempts.] does anyone have any better bright ideas on how to put these together?.

I haven't been out yet today, but it's true what you're all saying? The whole city was covered in darkness?

Guess the monsters have been shaken up and lying quiet for now too. I was expecting a lot more. There's no...place where anything fixed exploded, right?

In the morning when the sky clears, I'll head back up to check building damage, but for now I at least think Gohl's still standing. If we've got to it that dumb roof one more time...

I just hope everyone else has got enough supplies to hold out. But we'll get through it. Us here in Discedo always have.

Haseo, Iroh, and anyone else who decided to go out and play rescue brigade, I really hope you plan on getting back in here soon. We'd feel a lot better knowing everyone's accounted for.

There's been a little...rumbling, like something's moving under the ground. I don't like the looks of that.

After those chimera's came up from the sewers and those subways opened up last summer, if there's anything like round two coming up, I wanna be ready.

So to be on the safe side, I'm calling it a stock day today, Gohl. I know it's some....wish-holiday or something, but we can it celebrate later.

If you're free now, come help fill up inventory for the cellar. Report in with what you've got, and 'cause we can't afford any more people getting hurt in house, please go out together with someone. Later we'll talk emergency plans, since there's newer people in the house who've never been through something like big monster seiges before. How to hold down a fort right, like we've always done here.

The rest of you in the city should be on your toes too. We've had trouble from shaking ground before...if you want your evidence, go take a good look at the upstairs on Marshall Street. Make plans with your friends... the worst thing is to be caught unprepared.
( Private- Namine, Yorda, Zoro )

A whole year now, since that earthquake when the Chimera-things attacked, and people got buried underground in that subway tunnel.

And look, Marshall Apartments are still (mostly) standing, somehow.

Looking back on a whole year of memories, its a shame its mostly always the big miserable things that stick. There have been smaller, nicer times, but those don't seem to stay so clear the same way. Only a few....the special ones.

You count up the things that changed, the stuff that's mostly the same, the people gone away and the newer ones now...and then you start wondering if you've changed too, at all.

[His voice is brisk but exhausted, over the quick sounds of boot steps hitting pavement.]

Gohl, I'll be back really quick. There's just something I've got to get back.

All of this has only taught me I've gotta keep a better eye on things. On all of my friends. 

And trust some who I assume are on my side a little less...but isn't that the sort of thing I've always been learning?

[a sigh]

So that was her...

I'm just glad it's not lost for good.

So what exactly has everyone figured out so far about this Monster Temper Tantrum Red Eye Disease-thing? Who's actually got it, and who's just angry that it's going around? Because I'm  pretty sure I'm still definitely the last of those two.

And Lucca? I can't believe you're actually using that brainwashing thing. You really are a crazy scientist just like all the rest of 'em.

Before I make the trip, does anybody who's ever made a run down to the hardware store place have any really tough wood glue? Beat the Incredible Powerkick Genius of Enthusiasm over here has done a good job setting the bolts back, but the doorframe's a little cracked and needs some more work for it to keep holding...

Oh, Riku. Is your friend okay and back yet... and are you coming over here or what?

( [Gohl Lock, also filtered from Hayner and Raidou] )

Hayner!

Where are you?

Just what do you think you're doing!

[He's a little quieter-toned than usual,  reflective. Or...maybe that's just measured, shallower breaths he's taking.]

It's been...a whole year, today, since we came back from going out on the lake. Another memory to look back on and think, 'Wow, its really been a year since then'. A year since everything with Torn and Razor in charge, and all those fights about who got to get their chips out, and the dead sea bird, and the shark-things and the jelly tubes and...all of that. (Umi, that week we went out- I never called you out on it, but...heh, you had all the girls over the building then, didn't you?)

Some of my friends have stayed the same since then, and there's also been new ones. I just never expected so much time to go past. Come a long way since.

Its nice to have memories that are all yours, and real.

...

Hn. Guess Beat's sister coming back has got me all...tch. All mush-hearted today or something.

....Yorda, I'm going to be up to help you, in a little while.

[And now we're back to the loudmouthed confident kid you're used to, although there's an awkward pause or two, a faint short hitch to his breath. Possibly some cracked rib pain he's hiding.]

Uh...So no slacking at Gohl, crew! There's stuff around that needs doing and the front door's gotta be put back on, and...probably some supplies, someone get on that, and...make sure we all know 'bout anything weird going on straight off... Also, say hello to Beat's sister Rhyme and to Alkaid, another one of Haseo's friends from 'The World'. Also, hey, who's getting chips out when again here? We need to know who's expected in and out of commission.

[There's a slight cough and a pained hiss, just before the communicator shuts off.]

Ahn-  Stupid noise things, 'm still shakin' it all off...

[The communicator pans up to show Fortuna's moons over the lake, nearly full, the horizon indistinct, but some stars are pixellated in, and the moonlight shimmers over the water. It's a nice view from someone's opened window.]

It's a nicer night at least. Getting warmer, soon we'll be baking in these stuffy buildings all over again.

[The communicator's leaned up on the windowsill, facing inward and although the dim light only shows blurred dark shapes, these look like fingertips held up close to the camera lens]

Hey look, see? My hands are almost like yours now, Yorda.

[His hands pull away, and he flops back onto his mattress arms behind his head on the pillow, level with the sill. You can just about see the whites of his eyes in the bad light.]

But...now that they're all in those bigger pots I found, I'm...gonna get back on training at the gym mornings now...I'll still help you on my breaks through, okay?

So! Sora's back, surprise surprise. You scientists really can't ever make up your minds, can you?

And would anybody mind telling me what happened with Beat today? I came back from supplies to hear what was that? Who's jumping my housemates now in the street, and who do I have a bone to pick with? You'll be soon sorry, zetta-boy, you didn't wanna start up something like this with my friends.

...That is, unless the police are taking their 'assault and battery' seriously this week or not. Who knows? Tch, so when's the trial for this jerk who killed Kadaj gonna be, anyway?

And Namine, tell me private later when you're getting your- We'd better start planning for how to figure that best so its safe for you and...well everyone.

[And greenhouse-dirt-caked-under-the-butterfingers here reaches over the casually turn the thing off...and the communicator falls over and tips out the window, taking a story fall and landing with a fainst shoomph in the lakeside sand bed, face up and remaining recording.  Prydain fumbles himself halway out the window to squint down and look for it in the darkness, the red light catching his eye quick. His voice echoes a little over the open air]

Tch-OW! [That was head meeting the top of the window frame] ...Well that was dumb of me! Ignore that!

[He dissapears back inside, and the recording eventually times out]

[There is no sound at first but a heavy, shuddering breathing, before a voice mutters low and thick, pained with guilt]

I'm sorry ... I'm really- I'm sorry Yorda...

Sorry... I had to. I know they're yours, my own...my gift, and you'll be mad at me, but It was either that or-

[The voice strengthens a little, a regretful sigh.]

There was a price, a sacrifice, and so I had to do it...I'm sorry. They were nice trees,

[OOC: SO! Everyone in the vicinity of the High School who's used to seeing lush greenery and those freakish elephant trees on the roof may notice a violet-black haze hovering like a blight-aura around them in the night. The apple and other fruit trees remain untouched, but all of the trees from the Christmas stocking seeds have been touched with Dark Firaga, blackened, twisted and shriveled to ugly fat stumps.]

The stars have returned. Slow, but the dark is fading.

I still don't know why. I asked it why, all day, and it didn't answer. My own doesn't feel as strong as it did back in Oblivion...or maybe it's just the rest of me that's caught up. Or maybe the Darkness just doesn't cooperate with me the same way it used to, who knows.

Don't really use it so much anymore, anyway. For hunting sometimes, but not needing it like I used to. Maybe it's jealous or something. I've got other things on my heart lately. I'm sure it wasn't Riku's Darkness covering the whole place, his would have made itself known louder. And Jackie's...his would've come knocking for a personal visit for sure.

And there weren't any more Heartless than usual- I'd feel that.

This can only mean there's someone else out there who knows it, who just set it free again. And I hope they know what they're doing.

Oversleeping. I've already been through a half hour extra on morning drills, just to try and shake myself out of it, but I hate the feeling of being drowsy...Sorry that I snapped at you, Sifu Iroh. I'm just...this makes me frustrated.

You know, this is the third time now that the whole city sounds like they've slept and a day or two's gone by unaccounted for. .

I'm starting to think the scientists still have some way to knock us out for that long, so they can slip in here and change things around on us. It makes no sense otherwise, that everyone would sleep through the same two days.

Also....Mag's missing, and his frequency's out. Looks like he's left. I'm sorry Linear...

Hordes of weird strangers.

Well none of you are crashing at our place. There's no room here at Gohl Avenue, you can find someplace else to stay.

...Or go make friends with Real Thing Riku, since he's apparently desperate.

We've only got 8 bedrooms and an attic up here. I mean it's nice we've got a good enough reputation for a few...eh...referralls, but we've already got room doubling and some couch rotations.

So seeing as Endrance doesn't have the house across the street occupied anymore, which is also in decent shape, just needs a bit of work to make liveable on the upper floors, I've decided we should..er...Iroh, what's the word again for-

Annex  [supplies a politely amused older voice]

...Annex it officially, as an extended part of Gohl House's territory juris...

Territorial Sovereignty. [Iroh interjects smoothly]

That. We'll share the same inventory and keep the same guard rotation, be same kind of friends as its always been. It'll just be two rowhouses separate, instead of one. Anyone already in the first house has got dibs on claiming rooms across the way first, it looks pretty much the same inside, two bedrooms and a flat per floor, four floors up. We'll start clearing it out tomorrow, and then...Utena? That...Investigator guy I talked to? You guys are welcome to come live there, if you help out with the clearing, and you're willing to work things out with the rest of us.

( [Private, Gohl Residents] )

Well while everyone else is busy being...sentimental over parents or....whatever. I don't have memories of anything like that, so it really doesn't mean anything to me at all- 

It's becoming way too easy a technique to snap up these gator-shark monsters while they're sleeping in the lake shallows shade. So Gohl's got a good supply of fresh meat again, and Iroh sure knows how to cook this stuff right, so if anyone wants to trade us for something...like chip removals, if any of you doctors are hungry and interested. We've got two girls here who want it done, Namine and Linear.

If anyone else wants...make us an offer.

...I'm glad it hasn't rained and hailed so heavy on us this year, like it was last, around this time.

You've gotta be ready at least, if not prepared, to face anything. If there's one thing I've learned around here, its never to get too comfortable. Especially in who will be around, one day to the next.

Still...moments are nice, when you have them. So be sure to have them.     

So that's all the words of wisdom I have for you today, Discedo. See Iroh for all your other advicey needs.

...oh, and if anyone new around here need to learn how to cure meat, I'm doing hunting today with anyone I can drag together. I'll show you how to do jerky that tastes okay, unless you're picky about eating wolves, like someone-I-know.

Oh, and for the record....those pigs? Not edible. I can't tell you how many hours I wasted chasing some around, only to find out they're fakes made of some kind of data.

Also...I need to build a shelf.

When something keeps rearranging the fridge magnets to spell out "OH YEAH", you know these things have got a weird sense of humor.

But message out front there says "WELCOME HOME", so I guess these spirits are cooler with Gohl than some of the other buildings. Cute, ghosts, real cute. Beat, you have my official permission to get some spraycans and do whatever the heck you want over it, if these things don't dissapear in a few days.

There's some old man ghost in Haseo's old bed, snoring, and....well that's just weird. And we've been hearing giggling, and people in the hallways. Seen them stopping on the landing like they're looking for the stairs, the vanishing away. All sorts of people. Another at the desk where I found that old typewriter I traded a long way back, sitting like they're still using it. Can't seem to shoo 'em out of the kitchen. Iroh's taking tea with one!

Speaking of, Seifer, Zoro, Sanji....where did you guys take off to? The girls (including Hayner, heh) are worried sick here. So get off whatever ghost errand you're on and get back here, we're sticking this one out together.

Haseo's not here. Even his frequency's gone d- ...and after all of that. Sometimes this place makes me wonder, what's even worth it.

I'm just...tired now. It's been the longest weekend, and I'm still not sure what I should be thinking about it all now, and...honestly, for the moment, I'm kind of sick with playing captain. So someone else make sure we're secure tonight, or...something.

I guess this is the part where I say 'I'll be in my bunk'.

[The entirety of Gohl bearing witness to the 'Hayley Stark Sentancing' is out in the street in front of the building, Iroh has the knife heated and all but set to carry out a far harsher penalty than deemed unanimously acceptable at present, and there's a long moment of indecisive tension over the girl's blubbering.

Prydain really can't bring himself to force them all through this. Umi has a good point. It feels a lame retribution to take it all back now, unless its something everyone here can solidly get behind. He's losing them by ever second of hesitation...and finally his eyes fall between Hayner and Namine, a solution dawning. Maybe he can't make them all give her pain...but shame is still an option. He waves off the hot metal with an exhasperated sigh.]

Fine. We'll do this another way. You two... go inside.  Get your markers, the permanent ones. I know you both have them.

[He points to Beat and Seifer next, eyes suddenly fierce and decisive again.]

You two hold her down back-flat. Hold back her hair. Roll up her sleeves. Try to keep her still.

Umi, Haseo...you guys'll be up first. Take as much room as you need, we'll all take turns fill in the rest. This is a crime on all of us.

...Quit crying Hayley, it'll just streak worse, you'll be a big 'ukey' mess.

[He locks eyes briefly with the old man and a nod of agreement before turning his back to the group, and pulls out his communicator, setting a lock before speaking into it tiredly]

[Voice, Locked To Police Force...COMMUNICATOR CLICKING ON NOW]

This is Gohl House, regarding the drug and slice operation on Haseo and Umi last weekend?

We're going to be done with our little sneak attacker Miss Stark in just a little bit here. We can let her go into the city if you'd like, or turn her over to you for questioning...she's a sharp, blubbery liar. Don't put softies on her.  Our statement of her crimes'll be coming along with her, either way. She's not going to need any medical help or anything, and...don't spare her the washcloths or tissues for awhile, as a personal favor? Any more questions, you can send someone by, but we're through with passing our penalties.

...Hey, save some ink for me too, guys!

[Click]

[ooc: Long Plot-Arc short: Hayley, after being held in their cellar most of the weekend, gets her due for breaking in and attacking two Gohl Residents. Branding with steel wasn't a comfortable option....but scrawling their offender head to toe with sharpies before releasing her to the police is! OHH YEAHHH the house of Disco-punks have their justice.]

In order to get something from home, you need a place to call home to begin with. Mine is right here, the only real one I've got.

And you'd all do best to remember that, while you're all pining away homesick. What do YOU do, when your home's threatened by some petty tricky sneak?

Let it slide? Forgive and forget? Wait around till someone else from the outside decides to care enough to take care of it as if it were their own? Hah. Of course not.

( [Locked to Gohl Residents] )

Here is a warning, Discedo. Listen up.

You mess with anyone who lives in Gohl? For any reason, for any grudge, you set foot inside this building and hurt anyone in here?

Congratulations idiot, you've just messed with all of us. And most importantly me.

Specifically, whoever thought it would be brilliant to do that to Umi and Haseo, consider your worst nightmares just beginning.

( [Locked to Known Police] )
( [Locked to Gohl Residents] )

( [Locked to Jackie] )

Struggle was good for a few laughs, I gotta say, but its not serious enough to be my thing Dinky velcro vests...Anyway, Seifer, fair match, still I'm not too bad for a rookie at this, hah! Sorry you're a bat short now. Which is more than I can say for Tidus, but you didn't look the type to play this light and kiddie-safe sort of elbows-off thing anyway. Don't worry about my face or anything, got a sporting little bruise, its nothing. You wanna spar for real sometime? Also, keep me up on that Blitzball thing.

Well now that all that's over with. Hey Straw Hats, you got an update on how that boat's coming, or  did you slackers stop working on it? I've been stocking jerky, so you'd better get on finishing it. Sort of dumb to just hang around this city forever and never even try to go see what's out there, right?

Oh. And Riku's back, shocker of the year. And imagine that, he looks just like me, blahdy-blah. Don't make such a huge deal out it. Its not like I care.

Alright, so maybe I've been thinking a lot again lately, about the person I want to be...but that's more because of what that guy talking about a person's different kinds of souls was saying...secret name, huh. I still don't hear any answer for that.

Dare I ask, what's new now that's got so many people flipping out? 'Tween this and the high school this week...feels like Gohl's on a whole other planet, sometimes.

You kids cleaning out the park...I know I've seen Shadow Heartless creeping around there before, mostly just after dark, but be careful, if you see any of them...they're creeping black things with yellow eyes. Also if you're making any climbing things out of barrels, watch out for where you get those from too. Spider barrel heartless can blow up on you.

Hey Yorda! Are those fruits on the Discomas Trees? Ours is growing really fast too, the blooms all fell so I keep picking all this pink out of my hair everytime I come inside (haha, Endrance must love it) And Umi thinks they might be something like.. avocados? But they're still sort of hard and small if you squeeze 'em, so I'm wondering when we should try them.

( [Private: Iroh, Private: Sora]  )

So is there anything we can do about this high school thing, that anyone's working on yet?

There are people I need to get out of there.

It's funny...I was thinking today. It's been almost a whole year now since that big reaver attack. That was just when we'd first started clearing out the high school. I guess this place really does change, bit by bit. We've got the hospital now. I wonder if the scientists will still bring dead people back there again, or if they'll find a new spot now that we've got the doctors over there.

So we helped get you your hospital cleared out, Docs. I'm coming down today to help with hauling everything over. And then we need to talk.

When I talked to Saber, she said that'd be an equal trade, fighting for the medical space, and then you'd help out Gohl with our chips. I promised my friends I'll try and find a way to get those out in safe hands. So I'm willing to negotiate if you expect any more in return, and we'll all be up front with what our powers can do, and everything. We need to go a little spaced apart so we're not short the building guard, and everyone's not puking at once...but once we know who'll do it, we can come up with an order. Umi as soon as we can, probably, 'cause she can take care of our water supply, which is a top priority.

So which one of you are going to work with us?

Yorda's right. Those things grow practically overnight! Fattest trees I've ever seen. Survivor-trees (like us I guess), to grow without soil in the middle of this city that likes to rain down poison every once in awhile. I wonder if they'll sprout anything we can actually use...plant parts. If anything, it's always more firewood. She gave me a few of the extra seeds to take back with me, since the top of the high school can only grow so much...so we'll see what'll take root between the concrete over her, how's that?

So Seifer, have you decided you can stomach the food here yet? Or are you gonna keep puking at the mention of wolf meat? It's really not so bad, once its marinated and dried out. All tastes the same.

Oh yeah. And Vaati. Once you get off the power trip, the attic's yours again, just say when. I'll get the pirates to bunk up somewhere else.

...Its only just started to sink in that Umi really is gone. I mean not having the fresh water's a hassle, lugging it all from the high school, but of course its more than that, after living with someone for more than a year. I almost miss her yelling at us to pipe down and not track mud through her floor. And losing to her in sparring rounds. And watching her freak out about Luffy and Haseo's tongue parasite. Face it, we've sort of been through a lot together.

Memories worth keeping.

We're losing people all the time. Of all the people you miss...or maybe even people you don't miss, who you're glad are gone...or who've come back, forgetting everything. Do you ever regret not telling them something, before they go?

Hey! Hey, anyone in Gohl or headed home, watch out. I'm sure you've just heard it, but I just looked out to check...Our back alley's got a pack of wolves digging around! This means we could have dinner at our door, or that they're up here for square meals, so listen up. We're gonna get up on the fire escapes, anyone who's armed and ready, and see how many we can take out. I think I counted six down there.

From now on we don't just dump any garbage back there. Toss the rotten food in the lake, if its not worth saving.

It's been pretty lousy all around, since the turn of the year, come to think of it. But lately especially, rub shoulders the wrong way and it feels like everyone's on edge. I need to...I'm starting to feel restless again. Gohl's...quiet, which is too weird. Where's a place that could use a little monster clearing? I don't want to get rusty and lazy before the next wave of trouble that decides to come swarming.

Seifer...hey, how you holding up? How long are we covering your watch hours for?

( [Private] )

Hope you enjoyed the party, Umi. That is- yeah, you did most of the work with the food anyway, but...hope you had a good birthday, even though its your second one here, and-

And okay! This is me following up on my present IOU like I promised:

Gohl,(with the exception of our resident fencer/water mage/fantastic cook, who usually ends up maid-ing around up after most of us anyway) I'm hereby declaring it Spring Cleaning Week! So I don't care what everybody's rooms look like, personally, but we're gonna air out the rest of the building top to bottom, do the windows, the floors, get all the trash out of the back alley, everything. Clean out the inventory in the cellar, go through what we need, keep track of our stockpiling for the boat trip. If you wanna claim up any chore in particular, let me know here, or else I'm just going to hound you if I catch you laying around till its all done.

Oh...and while I'm still curious- How's life in all the other apartments going? I'm around at the High School now and then, but what's up with the rest of you?

Also, for the record...Tang. Is a lousy substitute.