(no subject)

*Blackness will quickly engulf them. They'll be disoriented and feel like they're being tossed around...and then all is still. There won't be anything to see, but Maru will /feel/ the way back as though the afterlife has tied a towrope to him. If he concentrates, he'll find another such "towrope". It's faint, hard to feel, but there, and he'll know it leads directly to Yuuta. As he follows Yuuta's towline, the line back to the afterlife stretches and thins...for Maru, being so new to death, it'll vanish completely. Kage can feel it and his connections there, though - he can get them back later. The change is sudden with no warning at all, but one moment they're moving through nothingness, the next they're in the Decker Room standing together behind Deckard and before Yuuta. The whole team is there and everyone looks....very down. McC is actually sitting quietly by GM...not in Maru's old spot, just beside the biker cop*

*Yuuta and his sisters are in a sobbing huddle on Yuuta's desk – of the three of them, Azuki's actually the one most obviously upset, Yuuta as well as Kurumi concentrating on comforting her over their own grief. GM has already has his (first) bout of rage-grief.  Duke and Power Joe tracked him down – riding along the cliffs north of Tokyo – and coaxed him back home.  He's lying on his on his desk, face buried in his folded arms. Deckard is at his desk, elbows on the table and face in his hands, Duke sitting by him with a hand on his shoulder.  Power Joe and Dumpson are huddled in the far corner on either side of an inconsolable Drill Boy.*

Maru: *gazes around the room, /stricken/ by everyone's deep grief, torn as to who to go to first . . . finally, softly*  They've already suffered one loss.  They /can't/ take another . . . especially not Mini-Boss.  We /need/ him.  …/they/…need him…

Kage: *nods* We'll do everything we can. The Wise One said it would be a car accident and sometime tomorrow. We just have to work hard on keeping him safe from that until then. *he looks around at everyone* We...we /need/ to figure out a way to communicate with them. I...I tried to do so with you, but I couldn't...maybe together we can, though...

Maru: *nods*  My life didn't depend on you being able to.  *is thinking more generally, with Kage having been gone and looking out for him all these months, doesn't know – and doesn't occur to him to wonder – that the Wise One told Kage ahead of time, like she did with Yuuta's . . . looks around, and tries to poke GM in the shoulder, concentrating /really/ hard*

Kage: *looks away, a guilty look crossing his face. Yes it did...did it not work even then because it truly /can't/...or was some part of his heart being so selfish and wanting to see Maru and be seen again that he sabotaged himself...and let his brother die? He shakes himself and will come up by Maru and try to help, /concentrating/ to try to touch GM's shoulder right beside where Maru is...their hands go into the BP and he doesn't seem to notice, though he might shift a bit as though uncomfortable after a few tries. He'll get up and walk out.* *Kage's jaw clenches and he looks at Yuuta.*

McC: *almost looks a little hurt that GM got up and left...he'll move his seat back to his desk and be with his team.*

Maru: *cares /dearly/ for Yuuta, but if he had to pick one person he felt the most connection to outside of Kage, it's GM, so he'll follow, continuing to try*

Kage: *goes with Maru.*

GM: *stalks out, but...can't go anywhere. So he stops in the hall, head down.*

Kage: Shadowmaru. I have an idea. Instead of both of us trying to do this, how about you concentrate on giving me your energy--we're spirits now, all we are is energy--lend me your strength and I'll try to reach him. I...have more practice at being a ghost than you do.