[b]July 25th, 8:00AM [i]Suzumiya Estate[/i], Residential Los Angeles[/b] "[i][b]Aaahhh,[/b][/i]" Nana yawned as she raised her arms into a far stretch above her head, but almost immediately shrunk back in on herself with a wince as her skin pulled taut against her spine - a stinging reminder to be more aware of her body. Her lips placed themselves into a small frown, but she shook off her discontent quickly as her Uncle spoke to her from the other end of the formal dining table. "I think it might be best if you took some time off from school. With the recent shooting I cannot allow you to go back. It's much too dangerous." Her Uncle spoke firmly, as if expecting an argument from her. Nana hadn't been there the day of the shooting, but even the thought of being there sent her hands shaking. She balled them into fists and hid them in her lap to avoid her Uncle's watchful gaze. She bowed her head for a moment, staring blankly at her half eaten strawberry crepe. "[b]How long?[/b]" Nana asked finally. Before he could answer, a man in a crisp black suit came in and leaned down to whisper something to her Uncle. She felt her eyebrows furrow. She didn't like the men who worked under her Uncle, and she liked them even less when they whispered to him. It always meant no good. The man in the suit stood back to his full height and backed away slightly, promptly folding his hands in front of him as if waiting to escort her Uncle. Nana suppressed a sigh. They rarely got the privilege of sitting through an entire breakfast together these days. "I'm sorry my dear, I must be heading out. Chie will take care of you while I'm gone." He dabbed his mouth briskly with his napkin and departed without a glance back for his niece, the suited man following closely behind him. From the corner of her eye she could see the slim figure of Chie approaching the table. "[b]I don't want to eat anymore. I'm going to my room.[/b]" She muttered darkly, jamming her finger against the button on the arm of her hoverchair. The chair whirred to life, propelling her swiftly from the dining room and away from the concerned shouts of Chie. --- [b]July 25th, 8:30AM[/b] Inside her room, she sat in a pool of sunlight spilling in through the several arched windows lining the walls. She stared up at the sky for a moment before closing her eyes and slipping a large ring-like device over her head. [u]Login:[/u] [b]Username:[/b] Seventh [b]Password:[/b] *********** The familiar and fond sensation of melting away from true reality came over her, and she opened her eyes to find herself in her preferred reality: the Cloud. Before her, a maze-like garden with rose bushes forming many paths stretched out. Other people would get lost hopelessly within it's confines, but she was not other people. In here she was Seventh, and Seventh knew all of the paths of this garden like the back of her hand. This place was her's within the Cloud, after all. She reached out to pluck a rose from a nearby bush, then raised it to her face to inhale the scent deeply. Her lips quirked into a smile, the Cloud could cure all of her bad moods. "[b]I wonder if she's on at this time of the day?[/b]" Seventh thought out-loud, looking at the rose quizzically. [i]'I bet she'd like this!'[/i] She clutched the rose to her chest and skipped down the middle path. A feeling of falling came over her and she was suddenly in Bar-None, a popular social forum of the Cloud. Today it was more crowded than usual with other Shells, most of them were people she was acquaintances with at the very least, and quite a few of the ones she knew better gave her a smile and a nod as she passed by. She returned the gestures absentmindedly as she scanned the room for the person she was hoping would be here. "I heard that it was a forced suicide." Somebody from a nearby couch said loudly, trying to talk over the others sitting there. Seventh paused in her tracks, curiosity calling her to listen in. "Forced or not, the little bugger done blew 'is own 'ead off, I say good riddance y'know?" Came a gruff voice from a rather effeminate looking male Shell. [i]'Kimora, isn't it? Well, he's chipper today huh?'[/i] Seventh thought to herself and started to walk again. She considered asking them about the incident, but discarded the notion. They were a rather unpleasant lot, the worst gossips of Bar-None, meaning they knew things other people didn't. The price for information though, that was what caused Seventh to walk away. She wouldn't lower herself to their level. [i]'Ahhh, I haven't seen her in a few days but it feels like forever!'[/i] She held onto the rose even more tightly, to remind herself it was still there. That was when Seventh spotted the vibrant red of the slinky dress her friend wore in one of the most dimly lit corners of the bar. She started rushing over but slowed down when she noticed that her friend was with an unfamiliar person dressed head to toe in nondescript clothing, with the hood of their jacket pulled up to hide their face. They were huddled together, whispering back and forth fervently, as if in a heated discussion. The hooded person noticed her approach and quickly cut off the woman in the dress with a hand signal. "[b]Um, lo-long time no see, Cirvy.[/b]" Seventh said awkwardly as her friend, Cirvennextra, stood with a look of impatience on her face. "Seventh, I'm busy right now. What do you want?" Cirvennextra folded her arms under her generous bosom and raised an eyebrow. "[b]I um... I got this for you. I thought you'd like it.[/b]" Seventh held the rose out for Cirvennextra. Something in her friend's expression softened for a moment as she took the rose from Seventh. "Go away now, Seventh. I'll talk to you some other time." Every word Cirvennextra spoke was another dagger in Seventh's heart. Cirvy never acted like this, why was she being so weird? When Seventh turned to leave, she heard the hooded figure say something about "Adrian". [i]'Isn't that the name of the kid who shot himself?'[/i] She had never heard so many people talking about the death of one kid, suicide or not. Why was this topic so popular today? Maybe it was just coincidence, that they were whispering about somebody with the same name? Seventh looked back at her friend and something welled up inside her. Curiosity, suspicion, excitement? She was getting more and more intrigued, that much was certain.