Asuryn~

[The following is written in the aforementioned notebook in the evening hours of Asuka's seventh day on the island - more specifically, on the boat as she's returning home.]

If I may say so, I think my concert went spectacularly. I made a couple of small mistakes, but I doubt anyone cares even if they could tell. Everyone seemed to enjoy my performance, and I'm glad about that.

Manjoume and I have promised to keep in touch. I called him by his given name, earlier, when I gave him my private number. He's said that I can for a while, after all, and I think I'm comfortable doing so, at this point. We've been through so much together, after all. I'm not sure how to describe his reaction to my doing so, though - ecstatic doesn't seem to fit completely, somehow.

I think I'll talk to Sakura about Econtra tomorrow afternoon - we've agreed to meet tomorrow, at our favorite café. I'm not sure if she'll believe me, but I think it would be better if I tell her.

Honestly, it feels weird to be going back to the mainland now, back to regular school, practice, the occasional recording session and meeting with Mr. Tsukino, and stuff that's... well, mundane. I mean, I've spent the last year and a half or so in Econtra, and there's never been a dull moment this last week. To go back to a normal life after everything...

But I'll be all right. I've promised everyone - Brother, my Brother, Other Me, and everyone else - that I'll do my best, after all, and I intend to keep that promise.

Fin

[The following is written in the aforementioned notebook in the evening hours of Asuka's sixth day on the island.]

So much happened today. Manjoume and I went to Obelisk so he could face Saiou, and it was a really tough duel, but he won!

I won't write down what happened right after that, though - if I did, I think that would ruin the memory of it.

But anyway. We brought Saiou to Ayukawa-sensei - Manjoume wasn't thrilled about it, but Saiou had been being controlled, and if he didn't get help, he wasn't going to make it, so I made Manjoume see sense. Judai, apparently, has been going around and dueling all of the students so that they won't be part of all of that anymore either - it looks like he's been busy, because I didn't see a single student dressed in white.

Sakura found us, earlier. She's apparently been really worried about me, since none of the crew has seen me for the past few days - she said they were acting really weird and hunting for me all over the place, which is true, but I wonder why she thinks so. I mean, I can't tell, and I'm just glad she's all right, but I thought she would have been, too...

Of course, I only just found out that she has a deck of Duel Monsters cards, and knows how to play at least a little, when she tripped and her deck fell out of her bag. You'd think she would have told me she plays!

I'm going to go to sleep early tonight, I think. Tomorrow's my concert, after all, and with everything that's happened, I'm exhausted.

[The following is written in the aforementioned notebook in the early evening hours of Asuka's fifth day on the island.]

I was really exhausted when I woke up today - it was afternoon when I woke up, too - and I don't have the slightest idea why. I mean, last night, Manjoume and I went over to the Abandoned Dormitory to try to get into contact with some spirits. That's the information I was looking for, yesterday - how exactly to make and work with a Ouija board. It's creepy, but what else were we supposed to do? I can't actually remember much after we started, though - it's like I blacked out or something.

Manjoume won't tell me what happened to me, either - I know he's keeping something from me. But he knows where Daitoukuji-sensei left his key now - I don't know what to make of him. I haven't for a long time.

There's some more good news, too - the Manjoume from my own world is the same one who was in Econtra. I don't know how it works - it's kind of a time paradox, I think - but he just went and got back last night, while I was asleep. And he says he can see spirits again now - I wouldn't know if that's true or not, but if he can, that's a good thing.

We went to where Manjoume said he learned that the key is, and... well, apparently, in our world, Fujiwara Yusuke [a few smudges here, indicating something was rewritten and erased several times] did exist, and he did give Brother Darkness' mask, but he also...

But we met Fujiwara's friend - the spirit of the card Honest, who somehow is able to take Fujiwara's form physically. I don't know how that works, but somehow it does. He gave Manjoume Daitoukuji-sensei's key, so Manjoume said he's going to challenge Saiou tomorrow. Not today, because he needs to do something first - right now, he's off on his own doing something. He wouldn't tell me what, just that it's important.

I wish he would actually tell me important things, like what he isn't telling me.

[The following is written in the aforementioned notebook in the mid-afternoon hours of Asuka's fourth day on the island. Her handwriting today is a little less neat than usual, as though her writing is somewhat rushed.]

He was right.

And I don't know what was worse: the horrible pain, or... But everything's all right now. Both of us are all right, and that's what's important. Manjoume's back to normal, too - well, for him.

I even got to see Junko and Momoe! They seem to be doing well. They've been staying with Judai and Kabayama-sensei, away from everyone wearing white. I'm glad they're okay.

I can't take too long to write this - knowing Manjoume, he'll get overly worried if I'm not back soon. Everyone agrees that it's not safe for me to go back to Mr. Tsukino and the rest of the crew right now - that creepiness I mentioned? I was right. They'll be looking for both of us - for some reason, they want me to see things the same way they do. It's why last night happened. So I'm looking for some information in a book - Manjoume and I were talking, earlier, and we determined this has a chance to help fix things, at least.

Are those the sounds of a duel I hear outside? I hope Manjoume's all right. I should concentrate on looking through this - if I can, I'll continue this later tonight.

[The following is written in the aforementioned notebook in the early afternoon hours of Asuka's third day on the island.]

This morning, I had another meeting with Mr. Tsukino, this time along with some of the representatives of the stage crew. Something seemed really off about them today - they tried to convince me to change what dress I'm going to wear for the concert, when they know how long it took me to agree to wearing the one we already decided on. They said something about it matching the theme better or something - I was tuning them out by the end, admittedly, but.

I trust them enough to understand that there's probably a reason behind it other than a white dress fitting in better with certain color schemes, but I agreed to the red one - I'm not going to change my mind.

Oh well. Hopefully this afternoon will be better - I'm spending it with Manjoume again, and I've been enjoying that these last couple days. I've always noticed how he doesn't get along with a lot of people all that well, but he can be a really nice person, when he wants to be.

Though... at Econtra, he did say that it was the third afternoon that the thing he kept apologizing for happened. I'm not sure I want to go through what he told me about...

But it'll be all right. I know it will be. I promised I'd do my best, after all.

[The following is written in the aforementioned notebook in the evening hours of Asuka's second day on the island.]

Today was so much fun! Well, at least everything after my early-morning meeting with my manager. I knew Mr. Tsukino wouldn't be happy about the scar on my arm, but fifteen minutes at least of having to listen to him rant on and on about how someone in my career has to be physically flawless, etc.? A little makeup will cover it fine, and even if it doesn't, who's going to notice when I'm on stage anyway?

Besides, it was for a good cause.

But after my meeting, and after practice - I think I did a good enough job so that they didn't notice, but I was practically sightreading those pieces, since I hadn't looked them over in months - I met up with Manjoume, and like he promised yesterday, he was taking me around the school.

Despite the current 'color scheme', if you will (which I'm still trying not to show any discomfort with), it was really nostalgic, walking around campus again. A lot of things have changed, but a lot of things have stayed the same, too. Pharaoh even came up to greet me! I didn't see Daitoukuji-sensei around, though.

In Brother's world, Daitoukuji-sensei was one of the Stars. I don't know if it was the same here or not. I never asked Manjoume about it at Econtra, and when I decided to ask him what happened with all of that after I left today, he changed the subject.

I guess I'll ask him again later.

We had dinner at Obelisk, and I have to say, even though everything being repainted white instead of blue was rather painful on the eyes, it was really quite lovely. Tonight's dinner happened to have a winter wonderland theme to it, so there was all kinds of tinsel and cotton made to look like snowdrifts everywhere, and everything was glittering. So beautiful... even for everything being one color, Obelisk's decorators are still fantastic.

Though, Manjoume was disappointed when I decided on hot cocoa made from milk chocolate, rather than white chocolate. White chocolate isn't really chocolate, though, and if I'm going to have something that could potentially make something bad happen, I'm at least going to enjoy it.

...Not that I was expecting anything to happen, of course. And nothing did happen. Nothing will ever happen like that again. It was being at Econtra that did it, nothing more.

I didn't see Junko or Momoe anywhere, though. I didn't see Judai, either. I guess I'll have to look out for them tomorrow.

[The following, and all subsequent entries in this journal, is hand-written in a small notebook/diary. Asuka's handwriting is rather neat. This one is written in the late evening of her first day on the island.]

I really am back in my own world, aren't I.

Even though I knew I was returning, I guess it only really hit me when I got here. Poor Sakura - she came in and saw me crying, and it took me a few minutes to stop. I guess I couldn't really help it. I didn't tell her what had me upset, though, even though she asked.

Maybe someday I will tell her about Econtra - she's a good friend, after all. That's why she came - she volunteered to help with setting everything up, even though she didn't have to. She might not believe me, but then, a lot of what happened is pretty unbelievable.

When we got to the island, though... At Econtra, Manjoume warned me about it, but it was still really strange, to see almost all of the students wearing white uniforms. Especially him - I've only ever seen him wearing the blue Obelisk uniform or the black one he got when he transferred to and from North School. It's such a sharp contrast, and a little scary.

I won't let anyone know that it feels uncomfortable, though. I'll be all right. I promised Brother, Other Me, and everyone that I would do my best, after all.

Manjoume said he's going to be showing me around tomorrow, after practice, to show me everything that's changed, and everything that's stayed the same. I'm looking forward to that, regardless of my discomfort. Maybe I'll get to see Momoe and Junko again, somewhere. We've been friends since grade school, but I haven't spoken to them since... well, it would be nice to catch up with them, anyway.

[During the recording, her voice is wavering ever-so-slightly - are those tears? Yes, yes they are and almost on multiple sides of the fourth wall, even....]

It's over. The war is over, and... and most of us survived. Everyone's going home soon...

I...

I'm glad, that everything is at peace now. I can't say that I'm not going to miss everyone - I'm going to miss everyone a lot. But...

But I'll always remember everyone. I'll go back home, and I'll perform my concert, and I'll do my best to make everyone proud.

Especially you, Brother. I...

...Thank you, so much, for letting me see you again.

Oddly enough, I've got the sudden inspiration to paint something. I don't know why, which probably means it has something to do with everything going on...

I don't think we have any paint around, though...

[The communicator turns on, and for a minute there's quiet. But then Asuka takes a breath in to steady herself, and says quietly,]

All right, here goes...

( And she begins to sing. Her voice is professional, though slightly not as in practice as it had been the last time - after all, she hasn't sung since before the Keepers came. Her tone can be described as quiet, almost timid at first, though it gets stronger as it goes on. )

((ooc: Song is "A Lullaby for You" by Jyongri, using the English version - you can hear it here. Also yes, this is the first time she's sung since before the Keepers came.))

( Private )

And just when things seemed to be starting to calm down, too...

Is there anyone who knows how to fix shattered windows, or to make new replacement windows, and would be willing to fix or replace the ones in Paj-Ennea that were shattered?

Brother, other me, everyone...

[A bit of a slight hiss of pain.]

I'm fine. I'm fine, I'm fine... just a few cuts, nothing too big. I'll be staying here - probably safest. I mean, the windows all shattered, but if I stay further in like I am right now, I should be fine.

Everyone... just be safe, all right?

...and people are fighting with each other again, it looks like. Great.

( Private // written // only hackable if you're extremely good at it, or possibly if you know Asuka well )

[And after the above private stuff, made public is another recording of practicing on the ukulele. She's getting better - certainly nowhere near professional yet, but obvious improvement's been made since the last time she recorded it.]

( Screened to Ryou )

( Screened to Fubuki )

((ooc: This was posted at approximately midnight, between January 5 and January 6. Sorry for the journal spam - I just didn't want to go back and edit the previous one.))

( Private )

Maybe I should do something like that more often. I got to meet some new people, and it was fun, too. At the very least, it was able to keep my mind off of things for a while.

( Private )

I'm going to be baking cookies, if anyone wants to come help to either cook them or decorate them or what have you. Paj-Ennea.

And please... please no one who will cause any trouble or hurt anyone.

((ooc: strikes were deleted just after they were written.))

( Screened to those people Asuka trusts - it should be more or less obvious who those people are and/or aren't, but if there's any question about it, IM me? Either way, it's fairly unhackable to anyone else. )

Christmas is coming soon - in two weeks. It's hard to believe. Time's been flying by fast lately, hasn't it.

I wonder if getting a group together to go caroling would be a good idea this year or not. I mean, it's hard to trust anyone you don't know, without these cuffs, and it's been so tense lately... Even though it would be trying to lighten the mood, who knows who would take it the wrong way.