practicality

The scene opens on a wood-beamed room, with tatami mats and paper-screened walls. It looks a lot like the interior of the Dojo, actually, though not like any room in particular. From the current vantage point, it looks like a number of women are seated neatly around a low table - you see the backs of long-sleeved, flowery kimono, and fancy up-dos. Some of the shoulders inside those kimono look rather broad for women...

( ... )

[New handwriting on the journals! This one is neat but plain.]

This place is pretty weird.

[Pause. Yeah, okay, that was obvious, but it’s at the top of his mind, right now]

I’m Momotarou. I know the name’s a little silly, but it’ll serve for now.

It looked like an ordinary enough high school classroom - chairs tucked neatly under the desk, clean chalkboard, a vase of fresh flowers on the sill by the window. There was nobody here, though - no sound of footsteps in the hallway, nobody on the field outside. He glanced across the desks, and spotted something out of the ordinary. A pencil case, pink, with a star and little wings on the sides. It looked handmade, and felt... important. Something he should keep safe.

He tucked it into a pocket, and went to slide the door open - revealing yet another out of place oddity. A bouquet of nadeshiko blossoms, with a vine of wisteria twisted around them. He gathered them up in one arm - for a brief moment, the scent was powerful, almost overwhelming. At the same time, though, it was somehow not unpleasant, twining around him like an embrace. And then it was gone again, leaving him alone in the hallway with flowers in his arms.

He started checking the other rooms off the hallway, looking for... something. Other people, other things out of the ordinary, perhaps - he wasn’t quite sure. All of the classrooms were neat and tidy, until he came to the last one. There, perched on the teacher’s desk, was a large peach, perfectly ripe. Propped up against it was a long white pinion feather. He picked the feather up - it was softer than it looked, somehow, and he ran his fingers along the edge of it before tucking it into his breast pocket and picking up the peach instead. He examined it for a minute, and then took a bite. It was delicious - easily the best he’d ever had, and that was plenty enough reason to ignore the juice that was dripping everywhere from it. Another bite, and another, and there was the peach pit. He looked at it, and it seemed to fill his vision until he awoke, abruptly.

Souji

[The name is written a touch larger, with a little more flourish than usual. Like someone trying out a signature. Below it:]

You can still call me Daitou, though, if you want. And this costume is very silly.

[Complete with beard and eyebrows, no less]

I found Sniper-san. He's in his home, asleep in one of those clear cocoon-things.

[...]

I didn't think it would be good to move him, so I just left a blanket on top of the cocoon instead. People wake up on their own from those, right?

1) Haircolor: ANY, including rainbow. (shelled - slightly iridescent outside, with a soft, juicy pulp that tastes like peaches)
2) Voice change - either direction (look like a blue-greenish melon, similar to cantaloupe in flesh and flavor)
3) Feathers - any place, any color! (pale, heart-shaped fruit. Taste is like a cross between a plum and peach)
4) Glow in the Dark (light, smooth-skinned fruit - almost like a white eggplant, but with a sweet flavor)
5) Moonwalk (large, purple berries - flavor is a cross between blueberries and strawberries)
6) Flavor Switch (look like reddish-brown mini-mangoes, taste like maple-glazed bacon)
7) Sparklepire (Large, translucent berries with slightly veiny flesh. Taste of sugar with the barest tang of iron)
8) Facial hair (Large, yellow raspberries - very tart)
9) Numb mouth (small green berries with a shell of leaves, like gooseberries. Taste slightly like bubblegum)
10) Assorted 'normal' fruit.

I taste like sake and chocolate now.

[Pause, pentaps]

I guess it changed with my body.

Sailormoon-san, I'm sorry, but I [Pause, a few small flecks of ink as if the dip-pen he's using is being shaken] can't come into work today, I'm not feeling well.

[The handwriting is a little larger and messier than usual. There's a few thoughtful pentaps before the entry begins.]

Well. I suppose I should be glad I'm not a baby, at least.

[OOC: replies coming from iwasnine]

The clatter of geta on wooden floors and Daitou's voice. It sounds like he's talking to himself.]

"Yes! I want some too!"

[The footsteps stop abruptly, and Rain's voice comes in among a burst of static]

"Where are you going?"

"Um, you know, [static] healthy food doesn't taste so good..."
[There's a pause while someone - most likely Daitou - coughs, somewhat wetly. He sounds a little breathless when he speaks again]
"So every once in a while... I want to eat sweet stuff..."

[Rain is having none of this, and that much is clear even with voice alone.]

"Then I'll bring something to your room. You shouldn't be out in the cold air until your fever goes down a little. And your throat doesn't sound good, either."

[Dai, clearly dejected-] "Oh... Well I want to eat, but... How can I say this..." [He sighs softly and then continues.] "...Look. Everyone's over there... It's been so long... I want to be with everyone... You know?"

[There's a long pause as Rain considers this, then the sudden clatter of geta again and Daitou's triumphant cry.]

"Now's my chance!!"
"Running is bad for your health!"
"I'm fine!!"