<strong>Time:</strong>~ 1:50 - 2:00 PM<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Akihabara (Chiyoda), en route to Tokyo University<br/><strong>Tagged:</strong>Miki, Hideyoshi<br/><br/>Travel on foot proved more difficult than usual. It was less that there were<em>more</em>people outside, and more a result of those people not having anywhere to go or knowing what they should be doing. Rather than walking with a purpose, a clear destination in mind, people were milling about aimlessly, many of the waiting for cell phone reception or the power to come back, others simply lost--as Hideoyshi surmised, public transportation had ground to a halt, both figuratively and literally, when power and communication just... died. Cars were still running, but traffic lights are all out as well; the resulting mess of traffic has caused mercifully few accidents, but it seems that going by car would actually be slower than walking.<br/><br/>Nobody seemed to have any idea what was going on, though loudly-spoken rumors abound. It was an EMP; it the Earth's magnetic poles had shifted; it was a terrorist attack; the Imperial Palace was gone, and there was only a crater where it had been; it was Godzilla attacking.<br/><br/>Nothing, however, that seemed the least bit credible.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><strong>Time:</strong>2:12 PM<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Ioa's Apartment (Toshima)<br/><strong>Tagged:</strong>Ioa<br/><br/>Ioa had no difficulty in returning to her apartment, or preparing her meal. Her reading, however, was interrupted by a loud<em>thump</em>from the floor below. Silence followed for about a minute, and the another noise, this time a long scraping and then a heavy thud--rather like someone moving furniture, and doing a particularly klutzy job of it. While probably annoying, it likely wouldn't be particularly high up on her list of concerns (compared to, say, the lack of electricity).<br/><br/>That might, however, change when, a few such noises--and about five minutes--later there's a distinctly terrified scream, followed by a crash, a thump, and... total silence, after that.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><strong>Time:</strong>2:36 PM<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Ikebukuro (Toshima)<br/><strong>Tagged:</strong>Caine<br/><br/>Caine received what was probably a long stare from the dog, though it was hard to tell, considering that its eyes were covered almost completely under the thick, dark fur. It cocked its head to one side in a distinctly canine fashion, and he got the impression that it was probably as confused by the situation as he was, if for different reasons. After a few moments it spoke again, the words difficult to decipher from what was essentially one long rumbling growl.<br/><br/>"By the ancient rites I was called, and bound by contract to serve you. I shall protect you, as is my duty." There was a lengthy pause, before it shifted to lay on the ground, its head resting on two of its shaggy paws. "You are my summoner. That much I know. There is no mistake." Though Caine not knowing<em>how</em>he summoned the demon did seem to be giving it pause. "...But I must rest. This world is..." the barghet's nostrils flared, "...Dry. I await your call, summoner, and shall wait ready to protect you."