[Last Time, on Battle High: Our heroine verbally bitchslapped the horribly
childish Isaac and stormed off, incalculably angry.  Just a few moments later,
owing to one of the many hidden staircases of Battle High, she is high, high
above the ground, at the window of the top floor of Fight Tower.]
[THe window, as always, is open, and a slight breeze blows through the "lobby"
area.
[Ready... FIGHT!]
* The air outside Fight Tower is nice and crisp, with a slight breeze that feels
terribly good.
* Ao-Lang enters, closes her eyes briefly as she feels the breeze, and then
looks around, taking the entire room in.
* The lobby of Fight Tower floor 5 is very plain.  The floor is done in very
nice tilework, and there are circles spaced evenly around the semi-circular
room, five on each side of the door.
* The walls are bare, well fitted and mortared stone, but it looks rather like
this level was kept deliberately archaic looking, for some reason.  Even the
lights are done up as vintage torches, though there's blessedly no smoke.
* The door into the large fifth floor arena is currently closed, and there
appears to be no lock.
* Ao-Lang lets out a little sigh. She walks to the window and looks out,
partially to get more of that delicious breeze.
* Almost as if in response to the admiration, the breeze picks up a little.
* Ao-Lang grins some, despite herself. It looks almost like one of her old
expressions. She peers down, at the school grounds.
[The school ground below are much less... complicated from this angle.  People
are small, though not quite ants, and not nearly so obvious... except for the
random energy blast drawing the eye.  It's very peaceful, and the castle itself
is, in spite of being blocky, rather elegant when looked at from the air, not
nearly so imposing as from the ground.]
* Ao-Lang leans her elbows against the windowsill and looks out a little longer,
continuing to breathe in the fresh air. After some time of this, she turns and
glances over the room again.
* Ao-Lang walks to the arena doors and tries to open them.
* The doors, in spite of not appearing locked, or even appearing to HAVE a lock,
don't budge.
* Ao-Lang frowns a little and pushes harder. She even kicks them after a point,
if they continue being stubborn.
* Ao-Lang does try pulling, too. She's not entirely stupid.
* The doors do not so much as budge, though they do ring loudly for a moment
when she kicks, them, the ring of shoes hitting iron.
<Ao-Lang> Why won't...
* Ao-Lang stops, abruptly. She eyes the doors, then she takes a look at the
handles.
* The handles on the doors are the ancient looped-iron type handles, though in
spite of definitely being iron, they're molded to fit the shape of a hand, even
though it would have to have happened while the iron was hot.  Either that, or
some incredible strength would have had to squeeze the iron into that shape. 
THe iron definitely doesn't look as though it was filed into that shape.
* Ao-Lang reaches up to the handles and tries gripping them, seeing how they
match up.
* The handles line up quite well, honestly, as though they were molded for the
same hands, and they are made so that they fit one person trying to open them...
but it doesn't feel quite right.  Not physically, but... mentally, or maybe
spiritually.
* Ao-Lang gives it another try, then she drops her hands. "Can't really do
anything else but try open sesame. So. Open sesame."
* Yoh laughs.  "That won't work."
* Ao-Lang tenses a little, but she doesn't spin. Instead, she turns slowly
towards the voice.
* Yoh's head is hanging upside down from the top of the window.  Presumably the
rest of his body is attached and on the roof.  "Oi, Ao-Lang.  What's up?"
* Ao-Lang waves a little. "Nothing." It's obvious *something* is up, but it's
not as though there's anything else there but her and him.
* Yoh reaches down with his arms, grabs the top of the window, and swings in. 
"Fifth floor battle arena's off limits until the battle with High Noon High.  It
won't open until one team stands in one set of circles, and the other in the
other, and then Principal Nagawa and Principal Klamm open the doors."
<Yoh> If you look around the school, you can actually find every battleground
they'll be using, now.
* Ao-Lang nods. "They're all blocked like this?"
<Yoh> Yeah.  Don't ask me how the circles show up, I think the Peps arrange it
somehow.
<Ao-Lang> That makes sense.  They arrange everything else.
* Yoh looks out the window speculatively.  "I know there's at least one more in
the basement levels, but I haven't been looking, really.  I bet if you asked
someone who cares, they'd know."
* Ao-Lang looks out the window, too. "You don't care?"
<Yoh> Nah, no point in worrying about it.  It's not like you can affect which
battlefield you're going to fight on.  Once I find out, Amidamaru scouts it out,
and we plan for that one.
<Ao-Lang> Well.  Not everybody has pet spirits.
* Yoh laughs.  "There's always a way to scout, you just have to figure it out. 
I hear you guys did pretty well in your last fight, after all." 
* Yoh winks.
* Ao-Lang sighs. "Yeah, we did our research."
<Yoh> Are you worried about your next fight, then?
<Ao-Lang> A little, but we should be good.  Seeding isn't hard to predict, and
I'm going to study fighting styles.
<Yoh> So what's got you so worried, then?
* Yoh leans against the wall next to the window and closes one eye.
* Ao-Lang smiles a little at Yoh. "A lot. I don't know if you'd understand."
<Yoh> You don't wanna talk, then?
<Ao-Lang> No, it's okay.  I guess it beats doing nothing.
* Ao-Lang walks over to the windowsill. Once there, she jumps up and sits on it,
looking to her side at Yoh.
<Ao-Lang> What do you think of our team?
<Yoh> You guys have potential.
* Ao-Lang nods and waits for him to go on.
<Yoh> You know you've actually caught the notice of some of the sophomores?
<Yoh> They usually keep an eye on the top few freshman teams, you know.
<Ao-Lang> No.  But when we got that reaction in the cafteria, I guess I
shouldn't be surprised.
* Ao-Lang , oddly, doesn't sound horribly thrilled by all of this.
<Yoh> So what's wrong?
<Ao-Lang> I put a lot of work into making sure we won.
<Yoh> You're the tactician behind that plan, then?
* Ao-Lang looks down at her boots as she swings her feet. They're shiny.
<Ao-Lang> Yeah.
<Yoh> So what's the problem?  It worked.
<Ao-Lang> I know.  But they don't care.
<Yoh> Who?
<Ao-Lang> My team.  What's left of it.
* Ao-Lang shudders a little and puts her hand to her eyes. "God, Kairi."
* Yoh nods, understanding.  "Maybe they're just a little distracted?"
<Ao-Lang> No, I mean... they... Mariah took leadership without telling me.  And
everyone backed her up.  Because they *like* her or something.
* Yoh nods.  "Yeah, it's always a pain when stuff like that happens."
* Ao-Lang drops her hand and says, dully, "Yeah."
<Yoh> I don't know what to tell you, really.  I don't really pay attention to
that sorta thing.
* Ao-Lang nods. "I figured."
<Yoh> You should be like me.  Just smile, and nod, and trust that your teammates
are good people.  Even if they're not that bright.
<Ao-Lang> Yeah, but if I were you, we might not've won that fight.
<Yoh> Yeah, maybe not.
* Yoh smiles and nods.
* Ao-Lang eyes Yoh, then slides down from her perch. "Thanks for the talk."
<Yoh> No problem.
* Ao-Lang walks off, not feeling any better and leaving Yoh smiling blissfully.
* The stairway down from Fight Tower 5 seems depressingly short, because
suddenly, there's the ground floor exit.
* Ao-Lang flees the fight tower! Without the running part.
* The whole school is out there, and beyond it, a city, and beyond the city,
open country, and even a nice large lake.
* Ao-Lang stands there. Her eyes fix on the country and lake, and she looks like
she might want to cry again. She mentally calculates how long it would take her
to reach that lake.
* It's actually not that far to the lake.  A quick run straight down the sides
of the mountain, about a mile into the city, take a left, and another couple
miles to the docks, and thus, the lake.  At a full run, Ao could probably make
it in fifteen minutes or so.
* Ao-Lang considers that, taking into account how long it'll take her to do
homework, study the other teams, get some sleep, eat, and so on.
* She should have plenty of time, provided she doesn't spend more than an hour
or so down at the lake.  The water'll be a tad cold for a skinny-dip, though.
* Ao-Lang pulls out a notepad and scribbles a note to Ryo, telling him that
she'll be out at the lake for a while if he needs to find her. She tears off the
sheet and holds it out for a pep. "Take this to Ryo Wildfire," she says clearly.
<Ao-Lang> (Even more if she decides to eat out.)
* The note disappears.
* Ao-Lang grins, again something approximating her old expression. She
stretches, hops a couple of times, then takes off at a dash down the mountain.
* as Ao comes to the bottom of the mountain, she looks ahead and realizes...
there's traffic on the road, and she's got a "DON'T WALK" sign.
* Ao-Lang doesn't *want* to stop, so she doesn't. She keeps running, dashing
right into a gap between cars and springing the truck and sedan in the next two
lanes. She lands easily on the opposite sidewalk and continues on her way,
ignoring other pedestrians.
* Several blocks pass by in a flash the same way, and a few minutes later,
Ao-Lang comes to the other major street intersecting the main strip.  Five lanes
wide and fairly busy this evening, it'll take a bit of a stretch to jump... but
there's always the option to wait for the cross sign.
* Ao-Lang frowns a touch upon seeing this one, but given she doesn't want to
bother recovering from getting hit by a car (and possibly kill the person *in*
the car), she slows and eventually stops at the crosswalk.
* It takes about thirty seconds for the light to change, but eventually the
light DOES change, and it's Ao's turn to violate the speed limit.
* Ao-Lang does, as she takes off at a sprint again. She doesn't even look
particularly tired.
* The turn to the docks is pretty deserted, the docks aren't a very popular
place during the fall and winter, unless you're one of the few youth gangs that
call this place their turf.
* Ao-Lang slows once she sees the lake: first to a jog, then to a walk. She's
totally unafraid of such youth gangs; wonder why.
* Up ahead, the lake appears in Ao's vision, along with the docks on this beach. 
There aren't many ships left, most of the personal boats are in storage for the
winter.
* Ao-Lang walks up to the beach. What sort of beach?
* It's mostly pebbly, though there's a more touristy sandy beach about a mile
down the shore.
* Ao-Lang perks at seeing that, then jogs on over to the sandy beach.
* The sandy beach itself is nice and clean, which isn't that odd, considering
nobody's been here for several weeks.  THe sand is fine grained, perfect for
building sand castles and other such.  In fact, it resembles the pebbled beach
so little, it was probably imported.
* Ao-Lang walks out onto the beach. She pauses for a moment, then pulls off her
precious boots and tucks her socks in them. That done, she sets them aside and
steps into the cool sand. Now her feet are going to be dirty.
* Ao-Lang then rolls up her pants legs to her knees.
* Ao-Lang tests the sand a little, then walks on over to the lake, stepping in.
* The water is cold.  Almost unseasonably so.
* Ao-Lang shivers, then steps out. "You'll make me sick," she tells the water.
That said (because it totally had to be said, she backs away a bit and plops
onto the sand. Now her pants will be dirty, too!
<Ao-Lang> (End parens after said.)
* The water burbles unhappily, and a wave slides up the sand towards Ao's feet,
stopping a few inches shy.
* Ao-Lang snickers, and she sticks her tongue out at the lake.
* Ao-Lang looks up and out over the water, idly tracing shapes in the sand. Then
her attention wanders, and she starts making a lump in said sand. Why not?
* Ao-Lang manages to fashion the lump into a nice little dome, and she draws a
cross-square pattern on it. This is followed by her making other, smaller lumps,
connecting to it in front, two on each side, and one in back.
* Ao-Lang pokes little eyes into her turtle.
* Surprise!  It's a turtle!
* Ao-Lang makes another one. So it's not lonely.
* Ao-Lang did make turtles! They don't look particularly sad, given they don't
have mouths, but maybe they are. She's presently just a little farther down the
beach so she doesn't trample them, both tessen out, and absorbed in a dance...
or maybe practice. It looks about the same. Her boots are where she left them.
* The waves would dance, but they're not entirely capable.  Instead, they...
er... wave, pretty much.  It's getting on towards early evening, which means a
bit of a chill is starting to set in, even without the early winter.
* Ao-Lang spins, slicing the air with the fans, snapping them closed or open
according to some music *she* no doubt hears. For all that she complains about
cold, normally, Ao doesn't seem too bothered by the chill. Maybe it's the
workout. Her footwork's getting fancier, too; it's a good thing she's away from
those sand turtles.
* Ao-Lang lets the dance wind to a close, and she ends facing the lake. She lets
out a breath, her eyes and tessen closed, and bows. The lake had better
appreciate the show.
* It's really hard to tell, honestly.
* Ao-Lang straightens and opens her eyes again. She stares in the distance
thoughtfully before the wind hits her. She shivers, the tessen vanish up her
sleeves again, and she rushes for her boots, brushing sand off her feet and
pulling on her socks and boots in that odd one-footed hopping way people have at
beaches.
* There on the beach, by her turtles, is Ryo, for once out of both suits of
armor.  He's sitting there happily shaping something on the back of one of the
turtles.  In fact, one of them already has a flowerpot, complete with a couple
flowers, on its back.
* Ao-Lang stops mid-hop to look at Ryo. She blinks. "Hi?"
* Ryo looks up.  "Oh, hey.  You looked like you were having fun, so I didn't say
anything."
* Ao-Lang hmphs a little, but she doesn't seem displeased. She pulls on her
footgear a little less frantically now. "What're you doing to my turtles?"
* Ryo holds up a little bouquet of flowers.  "Flowers.  On turtles.  That makes
sense, right?"
* Ao-Lang grins. "Not really. But they probably like them anyway." She finishes
with her boots and sets her foot in the sand again.
* Ryo shrugs, then stands up and brushes sand off his loose and entirely too
light clothing for the season.
<Ao-Lang> Aren't you cold?
<Ryo> Not really.  I've got plenty of heat inside.
<Ryo> Comes with being a strong fire.
<Ao-Lang> Lucky.
* Ao-Lang rubs her arms. "I must not be, because *I'm* cold."
<Ryo> c'mere, I've got plenty left over.
* Ao-Lang can't help but laugh a little at that, but she does go over there.
* Ryo wraps his arms around Ao and lets out a little heat.  It's kinda like
sitting right in front of a heating vent, only less windy.  "You feeling less
homicidal now?"
* Ao-Lang sniffs a little, then leans into her nice, warm boyfriend. "Yes," she
says, letting herself be cuddled. "I had to think about some stuff."
<Ryo> Good.  I'd hate to have you expelled.
<Ao-Lang> I dunno.  Other people seem to get away with it just fine.
<Ryo> Really?
* Ao-Lang closes her eyes. "Yeah. Like with Kairi." She pauses a brief moment.
"Hungry?"
<Ryo> A little, yeah.  I really don't know what to think about Kairi.
<Ao-Lang> I think what we really need to do is *to* think about him.  We're not
invincible, and we've got to remember that.
<Ryo> Yeah, but no witnesses, no leads... how do you figure out who did it? 
It's like the perfect murder.
<Ao-Lang> I dunno... there's got to be something.  We were talking about spirit
detectives and stuff.  I've got to get on it and convince one to come over here.
<Ao-Lang> Think Arthur can afford a round trip plane ticket?
<Ryo> Dunno.  Where from?
* Ao-Lang shrugs. "Maybe Japan. Not sure yet."
* Ryo whistles.  "That's a long way.  I think."
<Ao-Lang> Longer than China, I hear.
<Ryo> Probably, yeah.
<Ao-Lang> But the principal's not going to do anything about it until we have
proof, so that's what we need to get.
<Ryo> That really doesn't sound right.
<Ao-Lang> It's *not* right.  He should get on it.  They have the money.  Get
some people out there and do the fucking work.
* Ao-Lang relaxes a little. "But that's the way it is."
<Ryo> We'll figure it out.
<Ao-Lang> Yeah.  We will.
<Ryo> C'mon, wanna grab dinner?
* Ao-Lang opens her eyes. "Yeah, that sounds good."
<Ryo> Got anything in mind?
<Ao-Lang> Not really.  Wanna try someplace new?
<Ryo> Sure.
* Ao-Lang shifts. "I guess this means you have to get go?"
<Ryo> Yeah.
* Ryo does, in fact, let go.  It seems quite a bit colder now.
* Ao-Lang shivers involuntarily. She grabs for Ryo's hand.
* Ryo reaches out and takes Ao's hand, then grins a bit.  "I'm gonna eat soon
anyway."
* Ryo closes his eyes and concentrates hard, and the air warms considerably.
* Ao-Lang sighs and relaxes again. "Sorry. Not used to cold weather."
<Ryo> Heh.  No biggie.  Like I said, I'm eating soon.  And just wait'll the snow
hits.
<Ryo> Then you'll -really- be thankful.
<Ao-Lang> Snow?  I've never been in snow.
<Ryo> You'll love it.
<Ryo> Especially on top of a mountain, where the cars can't despoil it.
* Ao-Lang laughs. "Okay. But I bet I won't love it as much as I would if it were
warm." With that, she starts walking back towards town, hand still around Ryo's.
* Ryo walks along side Ao, laughing.  "Maybe."
<Ao-Lang> I talked to Yoh today.  When I was up in one of the fight towers.
<Ryo> He's a cool guy.
* Ao-Lang nods. "He's all right, but he can be kinda frustrating."
<Ryo> I suppose.  What'd you talk about?
<Ao-Lang> Just what's been bugging me lately.  I figured, why not.  He was
offering.  But he didn't understand at all.
* Ryo shrugs.
* Ao-Lang shrugs back.
<Ao-Lang> Like I said, all right but kinda frustrating.
<Ao-Lang> How're things going with you?
<Ryo> Eh, not bad.  Classes are a real pain, especially with trying to prepare
for Wukong.
* Ao-Lang winces. "I guess I'm not helping things."
<Ryo> Nah, we were doing homework tonight.
<Ao-Lang> Then I'm not helping things with your homework.
* Ao-Lang looks around, taking stock of their location and other passers by.
* You're almost back to the main strip, surprisingly enough.  Traffic is dying
down quite a bit now, and the neon lights are really starting to glow.
* The sidewalks are pretty much deserted, even in a town this size, people
mostly drive where they want to go.
* Ao-Lang looks around a little longer, then suddenly says, "I need to get out
more. Take my homework with me and practice and figure out strategies, but
still, get out. There's more to life than Battle High."
* Ryo gives Ao-Lang an odd look.  "That's crazy talk!"
* Ao-Lang looks amused. "Isn't it?"
<Ryo> Yeah.  C'mon, let's try this place.
* Ryo tugs Ao-Lang gently towards a place advertising itself as fine
middle-eastern cuisine.
* Ao-Lang looks at the sign curiously and lets herself be tugged. "But it's
*true*. I won't say it doesn't matter, because it does."
<Ryo> Sure, but there's not a whole lot else to do.  That's why they put it
here, I think.
<Ao-Lang> Yeah.  But at the same time, you're locked up with all sorts of people
you don't like, and what they think about you actually matters after a point.
<Ryo> I dunno.  I don't much care what they think.
* Ao-Lang frowns a little. "I don't, either, but at the same time I was starting
to." Pause. "Don't tell anyone."
<Ryo> Sure.  No problem.
<Ao-Lang> It's just that... I'm not used to having to rely on other people,
besides my family, for *anything*, much less winning a fight.  Or grades.
<Ryo> Is that so hard?
* Ao-Lang is silent for a long moment, then she says, "Yes."
* Ao-Lang pushes open the door to the restaurant.
* Ryo follows Ao in, because he's lazy like that. 
[Emosession... END!]