Date: 4/9 Saturday

Location: Shibuya Station

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for riding with us today, we will be arriving at Shibuya shortly. This is the last stop for this line. Please transfer here for all subway lines. The doors to your left will open." I crack an eye open upon hearing that my stop was coming up.

Stretching as much as possible whilst being mindful of other people, I quickly check my bag to make sure that everything was still there and then I pulled my phone out from inside of me school blazer just to familiarize myself with Ironwood-sans' address again.

As I waited for the train to stop, I couldn't help but listen in on a conversation about the mental shutdowns that had happened a couple of days ago. 'Having black goo spurt out of every orifice doesn't sound like a nice way to go… I wonder why I'm only hearing about this now.' I couldn't give it much thought as the train was pulling into the station.

Location: Shibuya crossing

Shibuya Crosswalk was bigger than I was expecting it to be, but then again the only time I saw this place was on T.V. so I was glad that all I had to do was find the next station I need so I could get to Yongen-Jaya.

After passing under a pedestrian walkway, I felt my phone vibrate a couple of time in my school blazers inside pocket. 'Who would be texting me? I did promise to let mom know when I got there, after all, I lost most of my friends that day so…' Upon pulling it out, I was greeted to seeing my phone unlocked with my map app open, but with a black and red pulsating eye icon sitting above it.

"What the…" I pressed the eye a couple of times with my free hand. "What are you?" I said before bumping into someone.

"Sor…" I stopped when I notice that the person that I bumped into was stood still as a rock, looking around I noticed that everyone else was the same. "What the fuck is going on!?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blue flame licking up against one of the buildings across the way and when I turned to face it, the flames grew higher till it formed into some sort of winged creature and where I believed the face was, a set of red eyes and month appeared and was formed into a wide grin. As I stood there transfixed on the blue flamed creature, a copy of myself walked through the flames sporting a white high-neck décolletage blouse, brown wristbands on the arms, a revealing overbust corset, a black ankle-length tailcoat that faded to red, a black frilly mini skirk, a pair of red gloves and golden eyes.

"What the fucking hell?" In a flash of blue, everything was back to normal, I ran a hand through my hair as I continue to look at the spot. 'What it something I ate? Or could it be that I'm just tied?' Looking down at my phone, the eye was still there sitting above the map. I was tempted to press it again to see it happens again but the fact that whatever it was had installed itself onto my phone, I move the icon over to the uninstall bin and watched it go.

With it gone, I checked the map once more before continuing.

Location: Yongen-Jaya

By the time I get to the Yongen-Jaya, I was really looking forward to sleeping, but as I made my way further in, I started to get a little homesick due to how this place was set out. The tight alleyways and paths that led to nowhere just reminded me of the area I lived in back in Inaba.

It was then that I realized that I had no idea where Ironwood-san lived and the couple people that I asked all pointed towards the backstreets of this area. As I walked towards his house, I couldn't help but listen to the sounds of this place but with exhaustion slowly setting in, sleep was the main thing on my mind.

Finding his house didn't take too long and after getting no response after ringing the doorbell, I had resigned myself to waiting there till Ironwood-san returned home.

"Excuse me?" I heard someone say to my right.

"Can I help you?" I said turning to the voice only to find a delivery guy with a small parcel in one hand and a clipboard in the other.

I watch him walk towards me. "I take it Ironwood-san isn't home?" I shook my head as he looks at his watch. "Well, his café should still be open at this time. Hey, can you do me a favour and deliver this to him, I've got loads more deliveries to make and I don't have time to navigate these streets." He said holding the package out.

"Sure." Taking the package and signing for it, he told me that place I'm looking for is called Leblanc before getting back into his truck and speeding off. 'Great, another task to do… I just want to sleep damn it.'

Finding the café didn't take nearly as long as thought it would seeing as it had a red and white awning above the door with the name of the place on it. Stepping inside Leblanc, the only word I could describe this place was homely, the idea of putting coffee and curry would never have come to mind, but somehow this place made it work. With the only occupants in her was an elderly couple who were more engrossed with the T.V. that sat on top of a cabinet at the other end of the smallish bar and who I could only assume was the manager, who was sitting on a bar stool with a newspaper and pen in his hands.

"A public transit bus was driven down an opposing lane with its customers still in on! The citizens can't live in peace if this keeps up." A tabloid Show Host said on T.V.

"How frightening" the elderly male comments.

"What could be going on? Didn't something similar happen just the other day?" Stated the elderly woman after placing her cup down.

"How frightening." The elderly male commented turning to his wife.

"Vertical is…. the name of a shellfish used for farming pearls…" I heard the manager mutter as he tapped his pen to the newspaper.

'Farming peals? Is he doing a crossword puzzle?' I cough loud enough to get his attention after placing the parcel down on the bar. "It's oysters." I said after he turns to look at me with stern blue eyes and I watch him turn and write down the answer before he looks at me again.

"Oh right… They did say that was today." He said standing to his full height (which he was a couple of heads taller than me) and sets the newspaper down on the bar.

I watch the elderly couple finish their drinks before leaving the café faster than they should. "Four hours for a single cup." He rubs the back of his neck. "So, you're Ruby?"

"I am, I take it you're…"

"Yeah, I'm James Ironwood. You'll be in my custody over the next year. I was wondering what kind of unruly kid would show up, but you're the one huh? Follow me." He turns and heads towards the end of the café and the stairs, I reluctantly follow him

Making it to the top of the stairs I was greeted with an attic/storeroom. There were so many boxes, books and gardening equipment up here it was unbelievable. 'How can there be so much for just a café?'

"This will be your room." I heard James say and a little bit of me died at the thought having to clean this place up. "I'll at least give you sheets for your bed. You look like you want to say something." He said after turning around.

"It's… erm… cluttered."

"It's on you to clean up the rest" He said and that small part of me finally died. "I'll be leaving after I look each day. You'll be alone at night, so don't do anything stupid or I'll throw you out if you cause any trouble."

'Why would I want to add any more shit to the pile already.'

"Now then, I've got the gist of your situation. You protected some woman from another woman forcing herself on to her; she got injured and then sued you. Right?" I nod at the summary of what happened. "Well, that's what you get for sticking your nose into a matter between two adults. You did injure her, right?"

I look past him as I just wanted to get this year over with, but there will always be something that will bring it back up.

"And now that you've got a criminal record, you were expelled from your high school and the courts ordered you to transfer and move out here, which your parents also approved. In other words, they got rid of you for being a pain in the ass."

'Like I had a choice in this, Tai was the one got this deal.'

"You shouldn't talk about anything unnecessary; I am in the restaurant business, you know. Behave yourself for the year, okay and if nothing happens, your probation will be lifted."

"A whole year here." I mumbled and regretted instantly.

"Yes, a year. You cause any problems and you'll be sent straight to juvie. Got it?" His gruff voice was louder than necessary, which led me to feeling like a little kid again.

"Yes, sir." I said bowing slightly.

He then told me that he'll be taking me to Shujin Academy in the morning so that I could introduce myself to staff and what I shipped over here beforehand had arrived earlier today, he then left me in my new room.

I was happy that the box I had sent had arrived with little damage to it, sure there was a crumpled corner and a dent in one of the sides but I made sure that what could break was wrapped up. With a change of clothing, which consisted of a pair of well-worn combat boots, a pair of jeans, a blood-red shirt and a blazer, I set about cleaning up my new room.

The room looked completely different after it was cleaned, the books were all "neatly" piled on both the shelving unit near my bed and the workbench that was opposite the shelving unit. The rest of the junk I had left on a tarpaulin sheet that I found with the sole intent to sorting it out at a later date. James visited me after I was done to see what all the commotion was and even he was amazed by what I did in the short amount of time.

An hour or so had gone by and I had mostly just relaxed on my new bed before I heard James lock the café up for the night. The bed was not bad, better than the one I had in solitary confinement. I changed into some sleepwear (which consisted of a black tank top with a burning heart-shaped design and long white pants with pink roses) after making sure that I was truly alone.

After getting comfortable on the bed, I heard my phone buzz a few times on the windowsill. "What? They should be in bed know." Grabbing it, I once again find it unlocked and with the red and black eye icon sitting there, looking at me.

"What the…? I thought I deleted you!" Moving it over to uninstall icon again, I watch it disappear before putting my phone back and settle down for the night.

Location: Unknown

With the sound of chains rustling and clanging together, I feel myself begin to wake up. It was the sound of metal banging against metal that had me sitting upright in a flash, only to be greeted with a velvet looking wall of a jail cell.

'Where the fuck am I?'