[Last Time, on El WHAT?!: Ichi finally reappeared, tried to kiss Cara, and
promptly got slugged by a jealous Tithian.  Later, they wandered around a bit,
did some talking, decided to betray Tithian, and then betrayed him in a
_completely_ different way than they said they were going to.  Tithian's key
unlocked Cara's tattoo, but she chose to stay with her friends rather than go
home.  Then they all went through a portal to...]
* The group falls through a twisting, turning tunnel rather reminiscent of being
on a neon blue waterslide, only not as wet, and much more slippery.
* After what seems an eternity in this blue tunnel of doom, without even being
to see or hear each other, Shiho is ejected from a glowing blue disc of light
into a back alley.  The portal still hovers next to her,  its lower edge about
two feet off the ground.
[Session Start]
* Five seconds later, Cara falls out of the portal right on top of Shiho.
* Five seconds later, Taro lands on top of both girls, with his hands in some
_very_ improper places.
* Shiho ... doesn't get up.
<Taro> @_@
* Taro scrambles to get upright. @_@
* Taro runs a distance away and starts bowing. "Forgive me!" @_@
* Five seconds later, Ichi slams into Taro, sending them both down on top of the
girls, hands going everywhere in their scrambles for purchase.
<Ichi> Graa--aah!
* Shiho can't move X.x
* Five seconds after that, Daphne, who _had_ been a plushie, is ejected from the
portal, landing on top of Ichi and Taro.  She might want to move her hands, or
she might be comfortable.  They probably are.
* Five seconds after that...  the portal closes.
<Taro> Oog. X.x
* You're all in some sort of back alley.  The place must be fairly high tech,
since the streets are paved with concrete.
<Taro> ... ah, concrete.
<Taro> Good old concrete...
* Ichi tries to work is way out of the pile without touching ...anything
<Daphne> Ough! ...why, 'ello there boys. Having fun are we?
<Taro> .... sharp, painful rock on concrete.
<Taro> Ow.
<Cara> Mrmph.
* The other notable residents of this back alley include a dumpster and ten or
twenty bags of garbage piled beside it.
* Cara squirms.
* Daphne hops off the others before long and looks around.
<Shiho> ... Get off.
<Ichi> I'm working on it!
<Daphne> This is un-Athas.
* Daphne starts laughing.
* Cara tries to wriggle out from under the two boys, but doesn't succeed.
* Taro pulls imself up to his feet
* Ichi manages roll off the pile.
* Cara -finally- manages to get up.
* Daphne spins, still laughing. "It's not Athas! Ha-HA!" She pauses. "Hm. Need
ta' celebrate this."
* Cara extends a hand to Shiho, slightly red in the face. "S-sorry."
* Somehow, Cara's shirt has been torn slightly open, revealing her tattoo.  It's
changed.
* Shiho sits up and gasps for air.
* Taro blinks.
* The alley is a dead end, actually, and you're at the dead end.
* Specifically, Cara's lock has been unlocked, and is now hanging open from its
chain.
<Taro> Hey, Cara. Your tattoo's different.
* Cara looks up. "It is?"
<Taro> ..... and I swear, that is the ONLY reaason why I was looking at that
area of you. @_@
* Cara notices that Taro has been staring at her chest.
* Ichi climbs to his feet, "I wonder where we ...it is?" ::tries to look at
it...and not Cara's torn shirt::
<Taro> I mean.... gah! Not that it's a ba-.... I should just shut up. Talking
just gets me into trouble.
* Cara reddens further and eeps, turning away from the boys.
* Daphne ignores the rest, such is her joy. She walks out towards the street,
praying that she sees a bar or liquor store right there waiting for her.
* Shiho stands up and looks around.
* Cara looks for something that she can change back into her regular clothes
behind.
<Taro> I'm glad I still have my old clothes with me... this stuff wouldn't quite
fit in here
* Daphne comes to the entrance from the alley, and as nearly as she can tell,
there is no liquor store.  Then again, she can't tell what half the stores are
selling, as they're labeled in some crazy asian script.
* Cara goes and hides behind the dumpster, where she takes her old clothes out
of her pack and begins changing. "Nobody look!"
* Daphne frowns, but remains confident that something will present itself. Maybe
a neon martini or something.
<Taro> Okay.
* Cara changes right in front of the hobo behind the dumpster.
* Ichi turns away from Cara.
* Cara sees the hobo and screams.
* The hobo screams.
* Ichi turns back around "What's wrong?"
* Cara runs back around the dumpster, only having changed into her underwear so
far.
<Hobo> AAAAAAAAAAAAH!
* Shiho turns around at that, as well.
* Hobo crawls out, trying not to lose sight of Cara.
* Ichi gets an eyeful of Cara in her undies.
* Daphne hears the screaming and turns around, blinking.
* Cara hides behind Shiho.
* Taro is NOT looking, as Cara told him not to.
* Ichi turns bright red and starts mumbling apolgies.
<Cara> There-there's a guy there!  He s-s-s-saw me naked!
* Hobo stands up slowly.
* Hobo stumbles towards Cara. "Here, pretty hallucination..."
* Shiho frowns. "Well, it's your own fault, but..." She eyes the hobo. "Hey,
back off."
* Hobo doesn't seem to see Shiho, and keeps stumbling towards Cara.
* Cara keeps Shiho between her and the creepy hobo.
<Shiho> Hey, Daphne? Hit this guy.
<Daphne> Will do.
<Shiho> Not too hard.
<Taro> I don't think force isn't necessary quite yet... ^^;
* Daphne walks up and slugs the guy in the gut. Not too hard. Just sendin' a
message.
* Hobo falls over.
<Hobo> Uuuuurgh.
* Hobo throws up on Daphne's shoes.
<Cara> Th-thanks, Daphne.  ...ew.
<Taro> ... ick
* Hobo smells strongly of cheap wine.
* Daphne scowls. "Shoulda' hit im in the 'ead."
* Ichi bites off the warning he was going to make and says ick instead.
* Hobo starts crawling back into the garbage.
* Shiho makes a face. "Let's get out of this alley way."
<Daphne> Right.
* Ichi nods and faces a wall for a bit.
* Daphne tries to kick some of the puke off her shoes. Not towards anybody,
mind.
<Shiho> Cara, hurry up and change. I'll watch our friend here.
* Hobo curls up in the garbage and falls asleep.
* Cara runs back and grabs her clothes and backpack, as red as she can possibly
get. She finds somewhere out of sight and finishes changing.
* Daphne shakes her head sadly.
* Daphne looks for anything to wipe her shoes off on.
* There's plenty of garbage.
* There's also a sleeping hobo.
* Daphne uses any relatively clean garbage she can find, since wiping it on the
hobo would just be mean.
* Cara steps back into view, again clad in her skirt and sweater, rather than
Athasian garb. She's still blushing furiously.
* Cara finishes changing and doesn't notice Ichi peeping.
<Taro> I guess I'll change my clotches now.
* Cara studies her shoes. "Sorry...I should've checked to see if anyone was
there first."
* Taro goes to change his clothes.
* Taro finishes, then steps back into view with his normal modern day clothing
* Rocky pokes out of Shiho's backpack. "People get changed in alleyways? I
didn't know that."
<Taro> Okay, next.
* Cara winces.
* Daphne looks. "If nobody else is goin', I will."
<Cara> Going?
<Ichi> I can wait, but I should probibly get out of these. ::thumbs his shield::
<Daphne> Nah. The shield makes a fashion statment.
* Daphne goes and gets changed, then.
* Ichi hmms.
* Cara shuffles her feet a bit, still studying the ground.
* Daphne steps back into view wearing her jeans and jersey. Those shoes were her
only shoes, tho, unfortunately.
* Shiho taps her foot. "Are you ready yet?"
* Taro seems a bit... uneasy. He appears to be in deep thought.
<Daphne> Anyone else?
<Ichi> I guess I'm next.
<Daphne> Right.
* Ichi walks into the sadows and tries not to step on the hobo.
* Ichi returns to the light wearing his school clothes and vainly trying to
shove his armor into his backpack.
* The armor compacts nicely, but the shield is another matter.
* Taro seems to make up his mind, then places a silver coin in the hobo's hand,
trying not to disturb his sleep.
* Ichi finaly gives up on getting the shield into his pack and zips up the
sides.
* Taro steps back to the group after making his silver coin donation
* Rocky rolls his eyes.
* So you're in a blind alley, and all dressed up with no place to go.
* Shiho goes towards the alley's exit, whether the others are ready or not.
* Taro follows Shiho
<Daphne> By the way. Anyone here know Chinese or whatever that is there?
::points to one of the signs::
* Taro looks at the sign.
* Everybody who is fluent in both Japanese and English can read all the signs. 
About half are in each language.
<Taro> It's Japanese.
* Ichi slings the pack over one shoulder, and the shield over the other and
walks out.
<Taro> And yeah, I can read it.
<Daphne> Keen.
<Daphne> Any of 'em say they sell beer?
* Ichi nods.
<Shiho> It's not Japanese.
* There do not seem to be any liquor stores.
<Taro> No liquor, sorry.
<Daphne> Damn.
* Cara follows everyone to the exit of the alley, and looks at the signs in
confusion.
* Shiho looks for a more helpful sign.
* The streets are pretty much deserted.
* Taro tries to look for any signs that would point towards any place useful
<Taro> Weird. Nobody's here...
* Ichi (eyes his char sheet and beats himself with Itchy's bokken again)
* Taro puts his items in his backpack
* Along the street are several restaraunts, a pawn shop, a motel than can be
best described as 'seedy', and a dealer in musical instruments.
<Daphne> Eh. Anything that *might* serve beer, then?
<Rocky> No
* None of the signs seem to indicate where you might be.
<Taro> Maybe the motel.
* Rocky points to the pawn shop. "But I bet that place has shinies!
<Taro> I think the pawn shop might be a good place, yes.
<Cara> Uh...so...the words are like Japanese, but not?
<Daphne> Motel? I was thinkin' like a restaurant, but whatever.
<Shiho> Sort of. It's pretty unusual.
* Ichi looks around "Thoes look like they might serve something" ::points at a
random restraunt::
* FOr reference, the motel, the musical instrument shop, and the pawn shop have
english signs.
<Shiho> We don't have time for that. It's getting darker.
<Daphne> Excellent. Hmmm. Pawn shop might be good for picking up some money to
spend.
<Taro> We should check the rates at the motel, then see what we can sell at the
pawn shop to match that
* Shiho heads towards the pawn shop. "First, I want to find out what kind of
currency they use."
* Daphne checks around her pack for things a pawn shop would pay much cash for.
* Cara follows Shiho.
* Taro follows.
<Taro> Our old coins should be worth something
* Daphne heads for the pawn shop, too.
* Ichi walks.
<Daphne> Yes. Quite old.
* OldMan looks out from the pawn shop as the group approaches. He is currently
flipping over the "open" sign to "Closed".
<Cara> Awww...
* Shiho hurries up, waving, "Hey, wait a minute!"
* OldMan stops with the sign poised to fall to "Closed".
* OldMan waves you in.
* Taro breathes a sigh of relief. ^^;
<Ichi> Ahh, good.
* Cara smiles gratefully at the old man.
* OldMan starts to get annoyed that you aren't in yet.
* Daphne smiles in thanks and heads in.
* Taro enters.
* Ichi hurries up.
* Shiho goes in. "Thanks."
* Cara goes in.
<OldMan> What're you guys doing out so late?
<OldMan> And what do you want?
<OldMan> Gotta make it fast, or you'll never make it home.
<Daphne> Shopping.
* Shiho nods.
<OldMan> Yeah, well, make it quick.
* OldMan looks at his watch. "You've got ten minutes. No more."
* Shiho looks to the others, since she certainly doesn't have anything worth
selling.
* Cara looks at Shiho. "I don't have anything."
* Taro takes out a silver coin. "How much would this be worth?"
<OldMan> ...
* OldMan holds out his hand.
* Taro places it in hte man's palm
* Daphne looks around for something she might want to buy before thinking about
selling something.
* Ichi looks around the shop while Taro talks.
* OldMan holds it up to the light, flips it around a few times, and hands it
back.
* Taro takes it back
<OldMan> Nothing.
<Taro> I see.
<OldMan> Well, it might be worth something to an art dealer, but I'm no art
dealer.
<OldMan> It doesn't look like any coin I've ever seen.
* Cara sighs.
<Cara> You guys have some other stuff, right?
* Shiho looks in her backpack. "Probably not, but I'll check."
* Ichi walks up to the old man and slides off his shield, "What about this?"
::holds it out::
* Shiho shrugs. "I don't think I have anything we'd want to give up."
<Cara> Me neither.
* OldMan eyes it.
<OldMan> Looks new.  Good condition...
* OldMan takes the shield and looks it over.
<OldMan> Hrm... looks like it's seen use, but it's in VERY good condition for
something that has to be this old...
<OldMan> A hundred dollars.  No more.
<Shiho> A hundred? It should be worth more than that.
* Taro blinks. o.o
* Ichi nods, "We've been taking good care of i::gets interupted::
* Cara brightens slightly as she hears the familiar currency mentioned.
<OldMan> It _is_ worth more than that, but I have to make a profit here.
<OldMan> Property taxes gotta be paid, and I gotta have food to eat.
<Shiho> I understand that, but this shield has been in Ichi's family for
generations.
<Shiho> Couldn't you give us just a little more for its value?
<OldMan> ...fine, fine.  Just spare me the puppy dog eyes, willya?  A hundred
fifty.  I can't go any higher, I don't have enough in the register.
* Ichi looks back over at Shiho to see what she thinks of this.
* Shiho nods. "I understand. It's a shame to see it go, but I suppose we will
have to make due.
* OldMan walks over behind the counter and starts punching buttons on the
register. Eventually a recipt is printed, and he hands that and a hundred fifty
dollars to Shiho. It's in small bills.
* Shiho smiles. "Thank you."
* Cara beams at the man.
* OldMan smiles a little.
<OldMan> Go on, get outta here.
<OldMan> I gotta close up.
<Taro> Right. Thank you, sir. ^^;
* Ichi looks at his ex-shield "Thankyou, and take care of it, ok?"
<OldMan> I will, boy, I will.
<OldMan> Now scoot!
<Ichi> Yessir.
* Daphne nods and heads out, glancing around.
* Shiho nods and heads out.
* Cara waves to the old man. "Thank you!" She exits the store.
* Taro leaves
* Ichi walks out of the store.
* OldMan locks up the store behind you guys and finishes flipping the sign.
* Cara smiles at Shiho once outside. "Good job." ^_^
<Taro> Yeah. That was really great.
<Ichi> Wow...
<Shiho> Yeah... I'm sorry I sold one of your things, Ichi.
<Daphne> Hundred fifty. That should at least get us beds for the night, if we're
lucky.
<Taro> Yeah.
* Ichi shrugs "I can make another one."
<Taro> ... it's probably hoping too much if I guess this place is home. ^^;
<Shiho> Let's move.  Judging from the way that guy sounded, there must be a
curfew or something.
* It's steadily getting darker.
<Taro> Yeah.
* Taro heads towards the motel
* Cara nods.
<Ichi> Right.
<Shiho> It's not home, Taro.
<Daphne> Prolly, yeah.
* the motel is obviously still open, as that's what the sign in the window
states.
* Shiho looks up and down the street before following.
* Taro enters said hotel when he gets near it
* Ichi follows people to the motel.
* Cara follows Shiho.
* FatherOfIchi looks up as you enter the motel lobby.
<FatherOfIchi> Can I help you?
<Ichi> D..d.d.ad?
* Daphne walks in after the others.
* FatherOfIchi blinks.
<FatherOfIchi> Excuse me?
* Daphne frowns.
<Ichi> Is that you!?
* Cara blinks, and looks at Ichi.
* Shiho looks to Ichi and back to the man. She raises an eyebrow.
* Taro blinks
<FatherOfIchi> I'm me.  I don't know who the hell you are, or why you're calling
me Dad, but if you try to hug me I'll have you thrown in the slammer.
* Cara looks back at the man, comparing the features.
* There is a _definite_ family resemblance.
<Shiho> It's probably just a case of mistaken identity.
* Daphne frowns more, then shakes her head.
<Ichi> Uh...yeah...sorry. You look just like him. ::continues to stare::
<Ayoba> I'm Ayoba.  You want a room?
<Ayoba> Rooms?
<Ayoba> I don't know what's up with you youngsters lately.
<Ayoba> You could be into anything.
* Ichi turns white.
<Ayoba> But if there's a mess that I have to clean up, I charge you double.
<Daphne> Right, right. How much for a room?
<Shiho> We just need a place to spend the night, sir.
<Ayoba> Fifty bucks a night.  Sheets and blankets are extra.
<Ayoba> So are extra cots.
* Daphne thinks. "I think one'll do." She turns to the others to see if they
disagree.
* Cara nods at Daphne.
* Ichi is too buisy being shocked to reply.
* Taro nods
<Ayoba> Fine.
<Ayoba> First night has to be paid in advance.
* Ayoba holds out his hand.
* Shiho shrugs and hands the man $50 of the hard earned cash ;_;
<Ayoba> Any extra charges will be assessed when you leave, if you leave without
checking, we report you to the police.
* Ayoba rings it up on his register and hands the recipt and a key to Shiho.
<Ayoba> Room 311.
* Shiho nods. "When is checkout time?"
<Ayoba> Noon.
* Daphne nods.
* Shiho nods and heads up the stairs.
* Taro follows Shiho
* Daphne follows, humming to herself.
* Cara follows Shiho.
* Ichi manages to tear his eyes away from his not-father and hurries out of the
room.
<Ayoba> * The room is small, it'll be cramped with five of you in there. 
There's one bed, one table, a nightstand, and not much else.  There's a communal
bathroom with a shower just down the hall, and an ice machine, but it's broken.
<Taro> .. hm.
* Ichi slumps down onto the bed. "That was my dad...but it wasn't my dad...but
he was..."
<Daphne> Yup.
* Shiho puts her bow and arrows on the table, but keeps her pack. "Don't over
react, Ichi."
* Ichi fails to wrap his mind around paralell universe theory.
<Daphne> So we're not home, but we're somewhere like it. Huh.
<Cara> Well, we've met two elves who look exactly the same as each other in
different worlds, so why not humans?
* Shiho nods.
* Daphne nods. "True enough."
<Taro> Eh?
<Ichi> But...but...
* There's also a phone book on the table.  It's labeled in English and Japanese,
"Tokyo Telephone Directory, 1999."
<Daphne> Back in a bit. Gonna clean these shoes some more so they don't stink
the place up too much overnight.
* Taro shakes his head.
* Daphne sets her pack down and heads for the communal bathroom to depuke her
shoes.
* Cara peers at the phonebook. "Tokyo?
<Taro> Hm..
<Shiho> Tokyo in 1999.
<Taro> Yeah.
* Taro looks through the phone book for any indications of anything that MAJORLY
sets this world apart from his home. Like a section for "Alien infestation
exterminators" or "Cleaning mages" or anything weird like that
<Ichi> But...but we didn't live in Tokyo in 99...or ever...
* Shiho eyes Taro. "Becareful over there. Don't touch my bow."
<Shiho> I did.  Briefly.
* Taro picks up the book, and carries it while flipping through, then
* Cara scratches her head. "I've never been to Japan. Is there usually this much
English here?"
* There aren't any such entries.  Strangely, or maybe not, the only entries
under police are for "Global Police Precinct N", where N is a successively
larger number each time.
<Taro> ... Global Police Precinct?
<Shiho> They don't have THAT, I know for sure.
* Taro looks through the book for any information on them.
* Daphne comes back with somewhat clean shoes, which she sets down next to the
door.
<Cara> Sounds like some police state thingy.
<Taro> Yeah.
* Daphne frowns. "Police state?"
<Ichi> I don't think we had one of thoes either...
<Daphne> Hell. I hope they don't have laws against minors drinkin'.
<Taro> Not in Japan.
* Daphne has some nectar as she says that.
<Taro> ... at least, Japan back home
* Shiho heads for the door. "I'm going to go take a shower."
<Taro> I think we should be very careful here. We don't know what's legal and
what's not yet.
<Daphne> Yeah, but this isn't our Japan. Our Japan didn't have your father
runnin a sleazy motel, did it?
* Now that she's said it, _everybody_ feels the need for a nice, long, hot
shower.
* Well, maybe not hot.  But long, definitely.
<Cara> I call dibs on the shower next!
<Taro> ... yeah, a shower sounds good. Might wanna be careful with time, though.
<Taro> They might charge us for the water.
<Ichi> Uhm...no...never.
<Daphne> Shower. Oi, that does sound good.
<Daphne> Our Japan prolly didn't use dollars, either.
<Ichi> So.... ... who's Japan is this then?
<Cara> That too.
<Daphne> Anyway. We'll see what we see tomorrow, when we know for certainl it's
legal to be on the streets, eh?
* Taro nods
<Cara> Maybe Japan got taken over.
<Daphne> ...I hope, anyway. Although if the law says you sleep 'till noon, I'm
fine with that, too.
<Daphne> Prolly, yeh.
* Taro looks through the phone book to check the number of precincts.
<Daphne> ...by the way, how'd you guys get us here, anyway?
<Taro> Brian
* Cara smiles proudly. "I tricked Brian into touching my tattoo."
* Shiho comes back about now.
* Daphne grins wide. "Ooohhhh reeeeally? You sly girl, you."
<Cara> Then he dissappeared, and the Lady showed up, and she opened a portal for
us.
* Daphne frowns. "Lady?"
<Cara> The one Ichi saw the one time when he turned into a plushie.
<Ichi> Yeah, The Lady...the one I saw when I was plushie.
* Ichi goes back to wraping his mind around the concept of two Tokyos.
<Shiho> She had the answers but not the time to tell us.
<Cara> And she said that Brian was one of the people who sent us, or summoned
us, or whatever.
<Taro> Hmm...
* Daphne frowns more. "I see."
<Cara> So Shiho was right, and he -was- a bad guy.
* Daphne nods.
* Cara looks at Shiho. "Done with the shower?"
<Daphne> I got the shower after Cara.
<Cara> Uh...what did you use for a towel?
* Shiho shrugs. "The towels are provided."
<Cara> Oh, okay. ^_^
* Cara gets up and heads to the bathroom.
* Taro continues trying to count the number of precincts, as well as trying to
figure out how they're divided.
* Ichi wonders out loud if his mother or sister are here.
* There's a map in the book of the divisions.  There seems to be no rhyme or
reason to the numbering, and only one pattern in the shapes.  They all have one
corner at Tokyo Tower.
<Taro> .... hm.
<Taro> Take a look at this
* Taro shows everyone the precinct map
<Taro> Tokyo Tower seems to be the center of it all
* Ichi stops pondering the exsitance of his relatives and takes a look.
<Shiho> I'm sure they have their reasons.
* Shiho sits down against the wall near the table.
<Daphne> Huh.
* Rocky just pouts. "Paper money isn't shiny."
<Taro> Hm. I wonder if it's crime, or the global police that's causing this
world to be like this
* Daphne shrugs. "Why not both?"
<Taro> I suppose it could be.
<Taro> Still, there had to have been a reason for a Global Police to be formed.
* Cara returns, looking refreshed and relaxed. "What're you talking about now?"
* Taro shows Cara the map
<Cara> Oh, neat, they're all by Tokyo Tower.  I wonder if they're protecting it
from something.
<Cara> Or preparing for something...
<Taro> Yeah...
* Daphne shrugs, gets up, and goes to shower.
<Cara> Hmm.  Mysterious conspiracy of the Global Police Precinct. ^_^
* Taro looks at the map for indications of a library or something
* Libraries aren't marked on the map.
* In fact, not much other than major streets and the precinct HQs are marked.
<Taro> Hmm..
* Ichi looks at Taro looking at the map "Where are we anyway?"
<Taro> Not sure.
<Ichi> Ohh.
<Taro> Only major streets and precinct HQs are marked.
<Taro> If we could find out the street this motel is on, though, we could
probably figure it out
* Taro blinks, then looks outside.
* Shiho gets up and peers out the window.
<Ichi> What's that? ::moves to the window::
<Cara> What're you looking at?
<Taro> Blue and red flashing
* The flashing proves to be from the lights of several police type cars. 
There's also one heavily fortified, unmarked van.
* Cara goes to see what everyone else is looking at.
* They're pulled up in a semicircle around the entrance of the alleyway you came
in from.
<Cara> Huh?  Police?
* Shiho frowns and keeps watching.
* Ichi wonders why'd they bother looking in a place like that, but doesn't say
anything.
* The officers are quickly getting out of their cars and using them as shields
from the alleyway, as they aim what appear to be some sort of gun towards it.
<Cara> If they're centered around Tokyo Tower, they might be some sort of
mystical police.  Maybe...maybe they noticed that we came through the portal.
<Taro> Maybe.
* Cara chews on her lower lip.
<Cara> I don't like this...
<Taro> Neither do I...
* Daphne gets back, squeeky kleen and humming to herself. "So, who's next?"
* Dark figures emerge from the unmarked van and move carefully towards the
alleyway, waving instruments of some type at it.
* Taro looks at the goings on very, very carefully
<Taro> Something's happening down there.
<Ichi> You might wanna look at this.
<Daphne> Eh?
* Daphne comes and looks.
* Shiho mutters. "Eagle Sight." She watches the event intently.
* Daphne frowns. "Police raid?"
<Daphne> "On an alley? ...Hrm."
<Cara> Uh...Shiho...magic might not be a good idea. ^^;
<Daphne> Magic might be a really not good idea. They just might be lookin' for
us.
<Shiho> They are, in fact.
<Taro> Eh?
* Taro blinks.
<Taro> How do you know?
<Ichi> Huh?
<Daphne> Oh, goody.
<Shiho> Those guys in black? Dimmensional Police.
<Cara> ...
<Daphne> ...beg pardon?
<Taro> Who?
<Cara> Okay, so maybe it's just interdimensional stuff, not magic.
* Daphne goes back to her pack and gets one of her boozeskins out. She drinks.
<Ichi> Dimmensional...Police?
<Shiho> That's what the badges say.
* The men from the unmarked van come out of the alley dragging your poor hobo. 
One of them is holding something up in the light of one of the headlights. 
Whatever it is, it's small and shiny.
* Shiho curses. "Taro! That bit of silver you gave the hobo is going to get us
in trouble."
<Taro> ... dammit.
<Cara> Eep.
* He apparently is satisfied with his examination and drops it into a baggie and
seals it.  He takes a moment to write the date on the information band at the
top.
* Daphne resumes looking. "Yeh, that it is."
* He starts barking orders to the rest of the people.
<Ichi> I wonder if they're gonna find my shield next.
<Shiho> Only if they check the pawn shop.
* The regular police start spreading out towards your side of the street,
beating on the doors of each establishment.
<Cara> Uh oh.
* They're now mostly out of your sight.
<Daphne> Bloody hell.
<Taro> ... that's bad.
<Cara> What're we gonna do?
<Ichi> ...I'm not going to get my shower am I?
<Daphne> I think it's time we got ourselves to bein' somewhere that's not here.
* Shiho goes to the table and gets her bow.
* Taro looks to see if there's a way out of the room other than right through
the main door.
* There are two ways out of your little room.  The window and the door.
* Cara goes to her backpack, and produces her sketchpad and pencil before
slipping the pack onto her back.
* A three story drop down to the stree the cops are on.
* Cara 's eyes are wide, and she's very pale.
<Cara> We...we gotta get out of here!
<Daphne> Hallway. There's another window there, might lead out somewhere safe.
* Taro nods.
* Daphne heads for the door and puts her pack on.
<Daphne> Well, relatively safe.
* Shiho opens the door and looks around. "That, or the roof."
<Ichi> Ah...right. ::grabs his pack and hurries out::
* Cara follows Shiho.
* Taro follows.
* Police appear at the end of the hallway.
<Police> Police! Freeze!
<Ichi> Now what?
* Police aims something resembling a gun at Shiho.
<Daphne> Shit!
* Cara quickly raises her hands.
* Taro complies and raises his hands
<Police> Put your hands in the air!
* Shiho holds up her hands. "What? What'd we do?"
* Ichi puts his hands up as well.
* Daphne gives Car and Taro a LOOK, then raises her hands, grumbling dark
things.
* Cara winces at Daphne's expression.
<Cara> S-sorry.
<Police> No talking!
<Police> Up against the wall!
* Taro complies
* Ichi complies.
* Cara moves up against the wall.
* Shiho moves up against the wall.
* Cara sniffles a little.
* Daphne gets up against the wall, seeming relatively used to this sort of
thing.
* CaptainBester steps around the corner. He's the man who had the silver piece
that Taro gave the hobo.
* Daphne eyes the Captain as best she can.
* CaptainBester speaks with a slight Russian accent. "You can relax, all of you.
Unless you're here as invaders. Then we'll have to imprison you."
* Taro relaxes, and looks relieved. X_x
* Shiho relaxes. "That's a relief."
* Daphne relaxes. "Eh?"
<CaptainBester> That would be... unpleasant, though, so I would prefer to avoid
it.
<CaptainBester> You are the dimensional travelers, yes?
<Ichi> That's good. turns around.
* Cara slumps a little, and lets out a sight of relief.
<Taro> Yeah...
<Taro> We're trying to find our way home.
<Daphne> 'The'?
<CaptainBester> You gave us quite a start, coming out of a previously unknown
dimensional portal.  There shouldn't have been one in that alley.
* Cara turns around and looks at the Captain.
<Taro> Sorry... ^^;
<CaptainBester> You will come with me, yes?
* CaptainBester quirks his eyebrow as he asks his question.
* Daphne shrugs. "What for?"
<Taro> Good, bad, you're the guys with the guns. ^^;
<Cara> Uh, okay.  I think.
* Taro puts his hand behind his head and laughs nervously.
<Taro> Ahahahahahahah... ^^;
<CaptainBester> We're going to take you to the local dimensional nexus and send
you on your way.  You have no objections, true?
* Taro blinks.
<Taro> Where will it take us?
* Daphne rubs her head.
<Shiho> ... That depends where you'd be sending us, yes.
* Cara blinks.
<Ichi> Uhm...no?
<Cara> You can send us, just like that?
<CaptainBester> We don't know precisely where you'll end up.  The world on the
other side appears to be similar to ours, but sometimes it changes.
<Taro> Howso?
* Daphne frowns. "Changes?"
<CaptainBester> Nothing to worry about.
<Cara> As long as we don't go back to Athas...
* Daphne doesn't look reassured.
* Taro frowns...
<CaptainBester> You are free to remain with us, of course, but you will be under
heavy guard at all times.
<Taro> I don't suppose you could tell us a bit more about this world? ^^;
* Shiho folds her arms and weighs the options.
* Cara looks to Shiho.
<CaptainBester> That will not be necessary.  You will be on your way soon, and
if you choose to stay, you will not need any information, as you will not be
free to interact with the general populace.
<CaptainBester> You will come with me now.
* CaptainBester turns his back and waves for you to follow him.
* Taro follows.
* Shiho shrugs and follows.
* Cara follows Shiho.
<Ichi> So I'm not going to get a shower today then. ::walks along::
* Daphne scowls and follows after the others, muttering a string of curses under
her breath.
* CaptainBester leads the group out under guard to the unmarked van and motions
for them to climb in the back.
* Taro enters.
* Shiho enters.
* Cara gets in, nervously.
* DPolice motion for the group to sit down on a bench in the center of the van.
* Ichi climbs in and looks for a place to sit.
* Taro sits
* Cara sits down on the bench.
* Daphne gets in last and has a seat.
* Ichi follows the directions of the police and finds on.
* CaptainBester slams the door shut and climbs in the front.
* Shiho sits on the bench.
* A voice crackles from the speaker.  "Bester, have you apprehended the
travelers yet?"
* CaptainBester picks up a microphone and replies, "Yes, Sir, we have them."
* The speaker crackles back, "Good.  Bring them to the Tower Square.  We have a
little problem."
* Taro blinks.
<Cara> Huh?  Wait a second...
* Daphne keeps her scowl going.
* CaptainBester replies once more, "Yes, sir. On our way," and puts the mic
back, motioning for the driver to get moving.
* Ichi wonders what the problem is.
* About five minutes later, the van pulls to a halt.
* CaptainBester gets out and opens the back doors. You can see the markings
where Tokyo Tower belongs. Unfortunately... it's not. There, that is. Tokyo
Tower is gone.
* Taro blinks.
* Cara stares.
<Taro> ... what happened to Tokyo Tower? @_@
* Daphne raises an eyebrow.
* Ichi boggles.
* CaptainAl sees the group arrive and runs over. He's a very... heavyset man,
bordering on morbid obesity.
<CaptainAl> 'bout time you got here, Bester.
<CaptainBester> Sorry, sir.  We went as fast as we could.
<CaptainAl> Anyway...  I'm sure you can see the problem.
<CaptainAl> The Tokyo Tower Dimensional Research Facility has vanished, and as
nearly as we can tell... it took its rift with it.
* Cara continues to stare.
* Daphne smirks.
* Shiho watches the conversation.
<Taro> o_o
<Taro> @_@
* A van marked with a large "Channel 6" stenciled on the side screeches to a
halt about half a block away.
<Ichi> O_O
<Taro> O_O
* Cara scratches her head.
<Taro> B-b-b-... the tower...
* A woman gets out, she's shapely, with red hair, and wears a yellow jumpsuit.
* AprilONeal runs over, followed quickly by a cameraman.
<Cara> How d'you lose Tokyo Tower?
* AprilONeal poses next to Captain Al, and the camera has you all in full sight.
* Taro is still @_@
<AprilONeal> I'm April O'neal, live on the scene with Captain Magnusson of the
Dimensional Police, asking the question everybody has on their minds right
now...
<AprilONeal> "Where in the world... is Carmen Sandiego?"
[Session End]