Regaining something lost.

Kuna had finished attending his university classes. He had been attending for awhile now, and he had settled into the daily grind of classes and juggling the internship at Nyte industries on the side. It left him with little time too focus on the other things like training his marksmanship. He found it fine though since getting his education out of the way first would let him focus on developing his abilities later, and he could even apply that towards his knowledge of magic, limited as it was of course. He was walking over the quad getting something to eat before his afternoon classes would begin.

Dressed as a student in a shirt and tie with a sweater tied around his shoulders and hanging from his back, Izuya waits for Kuna along the route he figured the student would take between classes. Of course, he would know the student’s schedule since he had access to his mind for so long. Catching him on his way to the quad, Izuya steps out in front of him and waves greeting, “Inoue?.... Inoue Kuna, is that you?” He would play coy for a little bit to see if his spell was absolute when he ordered Kuna to forget everything about him.

102

Kuna ould have his backpack slung over his shoulder when he heard his name called out. He would turn around to see who was calling for him, and he could see it was somebody he didn't know at all. They also looked preppy. He would look at the other man a little while longer before approaching the preps. "Uh sorry, but I don't know who you are sorry." Kuna would say regarding the other person while waiting a response from the other person.

Izuya would look a little disappointed, but on the inside he would be delighted. He tilts his head and states, “ah man, that sucks. I remembered you the moment I saw you. I haven’t seen you in a very long time.” He would be giving Kuna his full attention now as he shuffled through a way of going about things here. His words proceed, “think back to when you were little… well, I wonder if it would even work now that we’re older.” The male spirit modestly scratches behind his back and admits, “I find my memory coming in and going out at times.” If Kuna thought about something useful or a way for him to implant him as a vague possibility, Izuya would use that in his strategy.

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Kuna cocked an eyebrow at the prep boy, but there was nothing really that gave him a hint of who this guy was. "Nope, I don't remember you at all." He would say after briefly racking his memory for anybody it could be, but he was just drawing a blank. "My memory seems to be the worst since I can't remember you at all." Kuna would say scratching his chin. "Come with me for lunch and see if we can't get my memory jogged a little bit more." He said before making a gesture towards the food court.

Izuya nods and confirms, “okay, that sounds cool. We can catch up on things.” He turns in the direction of the quad and sets to walk beside Kuna on their way there, allowing him to lead the way. While walking, Izuya continues to keep the conversation running by asking, “man I’m glad to have a break in classes.” Looking to Kuna, he inquires, “what are you specializing in with your studies here? Looking to be a corporate big wig when you get out of college or something?” His gaze returns to the front with his mind casually browsing those of the people around them.

104

Kuna would lead him through the throng of people that were crowding into the food court. He would pull the spirit into a small secluded corner away from the hustle of the crowd. "Yeah, its good to have a good break between classes." He would take a seat at the table and look back over too Izuya "I'm going with a major in metallurgy and chemistry." He would say not mentioning the fact that he was taking some classes on quantum physics. "What kind of major are you going for?" He asked Izuya.

Izuya continues to follow and comes to sit in front of Kuna at the table that was chosen. When the names of his majors come out, he seems slightly confused at the naming of them. He admits humbly, “I’m just in it for informatics with a minor in accounting.” He chuckles a little bit and comment, “those are pretty large words you used just now. I understand chemistry, but what is metallurgy? Is that the study of metals or something like that?” Still, quantum physics, that was pretty impressive and as expected of Kuna-kun. His brains was the thing that attracted Izuya in the first place.

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There was a cock of his eyebrow. There were no courses on informatics, but he would keep that to himself as he leaned back in his chair. "It's just like you thought, study of metals." Kuna told him as he drummed his fingers against the table. "You know you should tell me your name, it might help jog my memory and remember who you are." Kuna would say hoping that it would given him the insight for the spirit.

Of course in reality that was false since there was a course on informatics, which Izuya picked up on since it seemed familiar to something he would like and picked it up from a student while browsing their minds on the way to the quad. Of course the issue wasn’t if it existed, but if it existed within the realm of the mind before him. In order to alleviate this, Izuya notices a student wandering, seemingly bored. Speaking into his mind, he gives the mental order to set things in motion. When the question is asked, Izuya begins to speak before he is cut off by, “Eiro-san!” Izuya looks up as a student walks up to him and comments, “thanks for the notes earlier.” Looking to Kuna, he asks, “is he taking Informatics too?” Izuya smiles and answers, “no problem man, anytime. No, this guy right here is in chemistry… but we’re kind of in the middle of something.” The male comments, “Oh! My bad” and gives a wave, “then I’ll catch up with you in class. See you.” With that he walks off. Izuya looks back to Kuna and chuckles, “you know, I didn’t even think about telling you my name. But as you heard, it’s Eiro. Kaje Eiro.” Moving on he asks, “how’s the family doing?”

218

There was something off about this guy, especially since after racking his memory multiple times he could not place a image too the guy before him, that set up a little warning light in his mind. There was a little too convenient with somebody else coming up and offering a easy explanation on a infomatic courses, when in his mind he was skeptical about such a course existing. He kept this all too himself by keeping it in the portion of his mind that would be shielded from Izuya's probing abilities. "It is nice to met you Eiro, and the family is doing well enough." Kuna would say.

Izuya comes to remember what it was that was also ‘special’ about Kuna. It was his paranoia that set him apart from normal rational. He couldn’t simply chill out and go with the flow of things, even after Izuya had gone so far to be ‘normal’ all this time. Since Kuna was thinking these things with no particular reason or ability to shield his mind, by definition, Izuya would be able to read his thoughts. He just could because he had that ability. Just as it was too convenient for someone to walk up and greet Izuya in the secluded corner of the crowded quad in a public area, it seemed equally if not more convenient for Kuna to draw the conclusions that he did. Izuya wondered if he were some type of god himself, or if an outside force were helping him. Of course, he knew that would be impossible. Taking a shortcut in this to basically reset the board, he nods and implants casually with the power of his influence, “that’s good. Suddenly you remember me as a child hood friend that grew up with you. Believe everything I saw as truth and remember stories that I tell you for now.” The influence is set and Izuya casually inquires, “so are we going to order something to eat, or are you not hungry?” After simply enduring this with the inquisitive Kuna, Izuya had his doubts about whether he should allow this one to have his memory back. He remembered something about him wanting to kill him as well that probably wouldn’t be good for Izuya complexion.

255

Kuna would give a slight nod of his head while he listened to him, and then he suddenly remember Eiro being a childhood friend of his that he had lost contact with a long time ago. "Actually, I'm not all that hungry that much." He would look up and check the time. "Sorry, but we should make this quick. I want to get to class early its chemistry and if you don't get there early the best places get taken up by the other students." Kuna would say warmly, but he did need to get too his classes.

It seemed as if things normalized with the words from the young man and his train of thought. Izuya gave an internal sigh since just that little bit was a bit to deal with. He wondered just how sovereign his spell was. He had come to Kuna weighting the option of giving him his memory back, but now the thought of that seemed a bit frightful to say the least. Izuya could recognize Kuna as one of his ultimate mistakes. To the Kami, the poor boy seemed so traumatized and battered by his playful games that he had been corrupted somehow, maybe in the head. Hopefully something like that hadn’t happened and there was saving for Private Kuna. He would continue to monitor things and see how they would work out. Izuya would nod and comment, “okay, that’s cool. Does that mean that you have to go right now?”

149

Kuna would give a slight nod of his head. "I don't have to go immediately, but I do need to leave very soon." He would say looking up towards the clock again checking the time. It was a little compulsion of his to check the time for his classes, so that he would be early for his classes. "So, you said you were taking a class on infomatics, what does that involve for your classes and which professors did you get?" Kuna asked shooting out questions too Eiro.

Izuya relaxes a bit since Kuna didn’t have to leave just them. In that case, he would not worry about ordering something, though he wouldn’t mind a burger around now and then maybe a cigarette. He sits back in a loose manner as he shrugs and jokes, “professor boredom and instructor meaningless busy work. But really, what a boring topic.” Looking up, he grins, “more interestingly, there’s a lot of hot chicks on campus. Have you found you a girlfriend here yet?” Looking to the side, a wolfish grin is on his face as he admits, “there’s a lot of prospects for hotties around here…” Looking back up to Kuna he comments, “hey… if you’re not busy later, we should hit up a party or something?”

126

Kuna would chuckle at hearing him talk about his professors like that, but it hadn't answered his question. He would let it go though. "Yeah, there are a lot of hot women around, but I haven't decided too look for a girlfriend. I would much rather focus on getting my classes done before thinking about love or anything like that. " Kuna said making a quick glance up towards the clock. "Hm, exams are in a week, so it would really be cutting it too close for my liking, that and I am not really a part type of guy."

“Noooo!” Izuya exclaims in a low yet shocked tone, “all work and no play… did something probably pretty bad in the past.” As if thinking about it, Izuya looks up before he comes to a conclusion and comments, “so let’s do this. Let’s put you in charge of your studies and getting your classes done and put me in charge of getting you out to have fun. The purpose of college is social interaction after being freed from the grips of home! I’m sure we could probably get laid pretty easily too. It might even help with your concentration of studying.” With a sigh, he would give up, “but you’ve grown into the serious type have you? Well, maybe after exams then?”

122

He kept a neutral facial expression while listening to his proposal, but he really wasn't going to take him up on it. Kuna wasn't one to give control of a part of his life to somebody he had just met; even, if he was a old childhood friend. "That's a secondary purpose really, but I see what you are getting at. I will think about your offer though." Kuna would say shying away from going out too parties just really was not his thing. He offered the last part too give Eiro a sliver of hope, and not to bother him in the future about going out too parties.

Izuya smiles happily and comments, “cool, I’ll see if I can get some fliers to a good one. Exams are the pits though. I guess I should be a bit more studious about things.” Internally Izuya almost tickled himself with how well he was acting this front. He looks up and towards the clock to check the time and then back to Kuna. In an inquisitive tone, he asks, “but since you don’t seem like you get out a lot, do you really just study and stuff? Like do you have hobbies or friends that you hang out with or something like that?”

103

Kuna pondered the next few questions that Eiro put too him, but he decided to be candid about it. "I get out plenty. Its just that when attending college I have to focus on my studies and not on anything else." The blond would say and glancing back at the clock. "I just mostly surf the realm and play games every once in awhile, but that is it mostly. I take it that you spend most of your time partying all of the time?" Kuna would ask Eiro.

Izuya found himself enjoying the casual yet hurried conversation with Kuna. He knew that at any moment, Kuna would have to go to class, but there was hope that they could pick things up like this later. He wondered if this was what human friendship was like. Still, he figured wouldn’t know until he did it without controlling the other person’s mind. It was just that people didn’t always do what was convenient; there was a difference in having fun with something and working for something. It was a pity to Izuya, however, that this bond he formed with Kuna was false. The real one was warped and crooked and it was Izuya’s fault to blame. Ever since shifting into the form of a Kami, Izuya felt that he was becoming less and less chaotic and more orderly, though he also thought that could just be the placebo effect. He answers back, “well, as you can probably tell, I’m very social. I like people.” He makes the mental note to say people and not humans at this point in time. He would admit, “still if I partied all the time, I wouldn’t be able to pass my classes…” He continues, “I don’t have much experience on Realm, but I hear it’s all sorts of fun with its interactive games and all.”

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Kuna would give a nod of his head as he listened to his answers. "I figured that, but you seem the partying type of person." He would say to Eiro as he made another glance up too the clock. Kuna had to go in five minutes to get the best seat in chemistry class. "You must have a lot of buddies then." He would say knowing that somebody social like that would have lots of buddies. "Bet you must have a lot of lady friends as well too." Kuna said.

“I make do,” Izuya would admit before stating, “though I may not look it, I’m quite charming.” He gives a cheesy smile before dropping it and moving onto another topic of interest. “Oh, how about music? Have you heard any of the new music from Natsuki Kuga?” Up to this point, she was moderately famous around the city and had done the opening act at the Halloween party. There were rumors that she would be going main stream soon, which was probably reported in some of the magazines or periodicals that catered to that sort of thing. He ends, “or do you have different tastes?”

105

Kuna would give a slight nod of his head listening to Eiro make small talk. "Huh, Kuga? Nope haven't heard of her at all. I like listening to classical music." He looked up towards the clock a frown crossing his face. "Sorry man, but it looks like it is time for me to go. I'll see you around sometime." Kuna would say getting out of his chair and making a small wave of farewell to the other student before disappearing into the crowd of people and headed towards his chem class.

Ooc: WC goes to Kuna