Maito Gai

Staff quarters, staff quarters, staff quarters! *dances* I get to stay at Hogwaaaaaaaaaarts!!!!

Well, as I only have one solid week here before my Auror classes start in London, I'm going to make the most of it!! *proud green pose* WHO WANTS TO GO FOR AN INVIGORATING RUN AROUND THE LAKE!????


[[Private]]

What a summer..... epic at both its best and worst! Heart-wrenching at times, and yet full of the most unexpected sources of joy. Although... sometimes I could swear this new journal is looking at me. O_O

Gaara's situation... something definitely has to be done. Now, of all times, his friends must stand by him. As long as Neji and Lee are no longer at each other's throats, perhaps they could join together in this endeavor. Hmm... Mytho is also sounding odd lately -- I don't know why it's taken me so long to notice. Stupid journal. Whatever they all got up to over at Ahiru's... I wouldn't have expected them to return separately, and so... muted, I suppose. And Rinali has a chicken?? And all these new faces! I missed a lot, apparently.

WELL!! On to happier matters -- tonight I start my first patrol of the grounds! The whole school looks different now that I'm no longer a student. The first years are so tiny! *chuckles* Come to think of it, I never did get that one's name.... she wants to feed the giant squid, eh? No problem!!! Her COMC teacher will be proud of such fearlessness and zeal!

[[/private]]


[[Johnson-mun, do you have time at all to plot? *big hopeful anime eyes*

BTW, for the sake of clarity, Gai now falls under the category of 'authority' when it comes to anti-authority filters. So he'll now miss out on a lot of stuff. ;_; Feel free to see him around the castle and grounds.]]

Ys thys thyng wyrkyng? -- WYYT, WHYRY YRY YLL THY VYWYLS?????

*taps with wand, mutters the incantation Ryuzaki taught him*

Tysting, testing.... huh, that was odd. But LO!!! This new journal should solve my communication problems completely! MY FELLOW STUDENTS AND ALUMNI, KONOHA'S PROUD GREEN BEAST IS BACK!!! HOW ARE YOU ALL?? *SHINY GRIN*


[[Private, hackable if you're really good]]

No time to search this week. Who knew there would be an assignment right here in London!? And with the old journal acting up... egad, I must have missed a lot. But I will find something before the autumn leaves fall, or else I shall... I shall.... run ALL THE WAY AROUND LONDON FORTY TIMES BEFORE SPRING!!!!

[[/private]]


[[Yes, ladies and gents, this is for all intents and purposes a slightly foxed brand new journal. Gai picked it up in Diagon Alley because his old one had become unmanageable. But LITTLE DOES HE KNOW that this new one has secrets of its own.... MWAHAHAHAHA!!]]

I have never tasted such curry in my life.....

*proudly trying out his new knowledge of Hindi*

MUJHE YEH JAGAH PASAND HAI!!!!

*sitting on a stump at the edge of town* What a festival. And what a wedding!! The enthusiasm, the music, the love and good wishes of this tightly-knit people! We learned some INCREDIBLE new moves; our dancing even woke the murgiyan -- the chickens; they crowed all night and are probably as bleared and strung-out as we are now. Though this has not prevented me from completing my daily warm-up as usual! This great occasion will surely mark a new strengthening of ..Lee, mera pyara chota bhai, how do you say "FERVENT BOND OF FRIENDSHIP"? I think we can definitely consider this trip a roaring success!!!!

*sits up suddenly, ninja-sense tingling*

And... what's this, FIVE OWLS AT ONCE!? *stares in surprise and a little trepidation at the flock bearing down on him* Of course -- they were delayed while GET OFF MY HEAD YOU BLOODY ANIMAL our travels made us untraceable. But... but these are m-my NEWT scores and....

*parchment rustling*

...

*howl of glee* I PASSED!!!! And all my scores are good enough for the Auror program! HOGWARTS, I LOVE YOU!!!! And... let's see, this one's also from the Ministry.....

[[Private, 40% hackable]]

What -- a public service requirement!???? AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! This owl is LATE!! How do I find a volunteer job in only a week while I'm still on assignment!? *PANICS*

[[/private]]


[["Konoha's proud green beasts are VICTORIOUS", "I love this place", and "my precious little brother", which comes from Lee introducing Gai all over town as his big brother. <3 Lee and Gaara, feel free to notice that Gai is preoccupied when he comes in from his morning run.

( For archive purposes, Gai's NEWT marks )

[[Private, 20% hackable in the last paragraph]]

Only two more weeks.... *fretting like whoa*

Something's happened to Sir Integra, and she won't say what. Her shoulder is stiff in a certain way -- I've seen that type of movement before. How could she have sustained an injury like that? ..Who would attack a teacher!?

..It's just starting to sink in.

I'm graduating.

I'm going to leave Hogwarts.

This is the END.

*clutches hair*

My studies are going well. I can afford to hold off for a time. It would be a TRAVESTY to spend the last days of this GOLDEN PERIOD OF MY LIFE with my nose stuck in a book, cut off from the marvels with which my alma mater abounds. I am a wizard at Hogwarts! That is cause for CELEBRATION!!! I hereby resolve that I will spend my final days in this NOBLE INSTITUTION in close communion with nature, the castle, and my CHERISHED, PRECIOUS FRIENDS!!!!!

[[/private]]


( Filtered to Kimimaro )


*strides out MANFULLY into the castle corridors, his every sinew vibrating with FERVOR AND DETERMINATION*


[[*grumbles at comment notification lag* And now I get all the comments. Aaaargh!!! Hogwarts denizens, prepare to encounter Gai!!! Cella, we still need to do that spar. And Kage, if you'll be online later today, let's talk. Mwahahahaha.]]

THERE'S AN ALIEN IN THIS SCHOOL WHO WANTS TO EAT OUR BRAINS!!!!!!

Whew... she's stuck to the... big rolling whatever-it-is. That should put paid to her VILE SCHEME!!!!!


[[Private]]

HAH, I have finally succeeded in properly filtering this journal!!

We're getting used to this strange world. When Sir Integra finds out where this castle is, we'll be able to send for help (but I still think we should get messages out right away, now that we've found the owls). Thanks to the spell-books in the Library, we're learning spells like WILDFIRE, but people keep getting lost (even with the new map) or stuck to that giant ball of STUFF that's rolling around. It's even caught that blue-haired villain who threatened Himawari. *growls* Why can't it catch all the missing-nin as well??

There are so many people here... from different places and times. I can't figure it out -- Lee-kun, Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke are all much older than I remember them, and Gaara of the Sand is somehow Kazekage (at his age!!!!), but Naruto is still his old self! And there's no sign of my other two genin....

Or of Kakashi. Sharingan Kakashi, the genius Hatake, my eternal rival, who would move heaven and earth to be here if he knew his students were in danger. I have to wonder, now, whether he still lives.

[[/private]]


[[Filtered to Gai's Group]]

Our corridor is now warded against menaces! If anyone wants to roam the castle, DON'T DO IT ALONE. Stay together and keep practicing defensive spells, and we'll all come through this trial with FLYING COLORS!!!!!

[[/filtered]]


[[Thanks to a group effort, anyone entering the fourth floor corridor with bad intent will receive an electric shock, have his gravity reversed, and end up stuck to the ceiling under a pile of piping hot croissants. Forgive them; they're just working with what they've got. XD And Gai still hasn't read his whole journal, so there may be more surprises in store for him.]]

*stares out the Great Hall window into a wall of dampness*

Fog?? Heh -- one must expect such things during spring in Scotland. It'll be a challenge, getting to class through the outer portions of the castle. We'll probably have to use Point Me to get down to the creature shed for COMC.

Lee-kun!!! Even though you're preparing for OWLs and I'm preparing for NEWTs, it's never worthwhile to neglect one's health. Prepare yourself for some self-defense training!!! Meet me in the Whomping Willow courtyard before your afternoon classes!


[[Private]]

Sir Integra.... is reading a novel. Unbelievable. She even said she'd lend it to me when she's done. It's long, it's archaic, and if I don't get through it in record time, I'll start over in the original Japanese!!!!

She's so different at this age -- so quiet and unconfrontational. She doesn't even react when Snape glares at her. It's... almost like when Gaara turned young again.... What could cause such a change in a person? Is it something in her past -- something that's now her future?

I wonder what she'll remember later on....

[[/private]]


Where is Chizuru, anyway? And has anyone seen Tatsuki?? Why is everyone disappearing around here? I know it's a foggy day, but this is ridiculous!


[[To prepare for Lee's DADA OWLs, Gai will work with him on blocking various jinxes, hexes, and curses through using taijutsu and working with his environment. Lee's job will be to lose Gai in the mist, lure him under the Whomping Willow, catch him off-guard, and otherwise counter his magical attacks.]]

PREPARE YOURSELVES, DENIZENS OF HOGWARTS -- KONOHA'S GLORIOUS, PROUD GREEN BEASTS WILL REJOIN YOU THIS VERY EVENING!!!!!

*NICE GUY POSE*

Have you got everything, Lee? We don't want to lose track of Maito-kun at the station. Though he'd probably find us anyway! *shiny grin* First stop, the underground to King's Cross. We'll have the Hogwarts Express practically to ourselves -- just us and whatever school cargo is being shipped tonight. YOSH!! What a MAGNIFICENT COMMENCEMENT of our TRIUMPHANT RETURN!!!!

Thank you all, mediwizards of St. Mungo's! Your noble, ceaseless efforts on behalf of our recovery will NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!!!!!


[[Private, unhackable]]

I'm glad the mediwizards haven't cleared us for Floo travel yet. After being nearly crushed by a wave of sand, the sight of a jar of Floo powder gives me the shivers. I can't imagine what it's like for Lee. But that's a phobia to work on when we have time.

Still haven't heard what's going to happen with Gaara. The poor boy... trapped by the hatred of a parasite he never agreed to host. What do you do, when you wake up having almost killed someone you care for? And Lee, with the knowledge that he can't go near the person who was once his most precious friend.... They need to talk, but it would be madness to risk the creature taking control again. Perhaps... an exchange of messages through the journal system?

I want to talk with Dumbledore. He's a great man, but on complicated matters like this, it's possible for even a genius to miss the boat. By hook or by crook, I will know what's going on.

[[/private]]


[[Totally made that up because I'm in the mood for a nice long train ride. It would be SO GREAT if Kimi, Gaara, and Temari were coming back on the same train.

Remembering that Osaka gave him pet rocks on Valentine's Day, Gai sent her a box of rock candy. He also sent Oruha an origami rose, both for her birthday and as a tribute to her singing.

Since I didn't manage to post yesterday, let's assume Honey's box already made it to London. The convalescents received, among other things: photos of Hogwarts and its people in the winter, photos of Kimimaro's kitten curled up with Rinali's kitten, a plush Chinese dragon for Lee, a potted plant for Kimi, and various stuff from Osaka, Haruko, and others. Feel free to have sent a card of object along.]]

I'm currently installed in small hotel near St. Mungo's. If the paint is peeling... a lot... and the dust bunnies are lively enough to gnaw my leg-warmers to shreds... and the splits in the insulation are too wide to block off even with The Big, Huge, Massive Compendium of Magical Self-Expansion.... at least it has a marvelous view of... a bunch of chimney-pots, or would if there weren't so much fog!!!! But the best part is I'm on the fifteenth floor, so I get a lot of exercise between visiting Lee and Kimi!!!! Why waste Floo powder when I'm only three doors away?

..I miss my common room. *lip wobbles*

Lee was able to sit up today. He's eager to get back into his regular routine! I've had to promise threaten extra stamina work next week to get him to stay still. His MAGNIFICENT RESILIENCE is TRULY INSPIRING!!!!!


[[Private to Honey, hackable by Lee's friends]]

Honey, your idea of sending Lee a stuffed animal is grand!! What do you think of a giant Chinese dragon, representing his heritage and magical ambitions? And speaking of which, I've ordered Eiji's present. He should be getting it any day now. *shiny grin*

[[/private]]


[[Private to Temari]]

Temari, how is Gaara holding up?

[[/private]]


[[Honey and Gai got Eiji one of these for his birthday. Ph3ar teh sparkly cuteness of the seventh-year Hufflepuff. Gai also ordered a tortoise for Honey's birthday, to go along with Usa-chan.]]

Gad, I'm done in. This physical therapy isn't half as effective as the exercises I learned on the job, but at least my spine is back to normal. If I never see that brace again, it'll still be too soon.


YOSH!!! GUESS WHAT!? I'M ALMOST COMPLETELY RECOVERED! WE'LL ALL BE BACK AT THE CASTLE IN NO TIME!!! Tsukasa, I'm looking forward to that chess game. And HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EIJI!!!!


[[Filtered to his other favorite Hufflepuff troublemaker]]

All right, Haruko, what's going on!?

[[/filtered]]


[[Private, 30% hackable]]

Got about half my homework done. Most of the teachers are very understanding. But Lee... Lee's taking the bone regrowth potion tonight.

That Gaara. I've made little progress researching the Dark Creature that's sharing his soul. They say he's on the other side of the hospital, hardly injured at all.

I hope he's too far away to hear my poor boy scream.