Haru paid little mind to the loud love making taking place in the next room. Animals, even people, had sex. It was a fact of life, and wasn't all that interesting...though he was mildly surprised that Yuanjun had given in. He gave her a nod in greeting when she entered the room, but otherwise did not bother her.

Jian and Hei fared worse than everyone else in the room.

Both of them had balls. Specifically balls that wouldn't have been present if she hadn't just been with Rin. Of course, being with Rin was the only thing keeping her from complete silly goose Yuan.

So she had to make do with glares full of daggers to each woman, and flicking Hei off her.

ZAIO I HATE YOU.
And so, after an hour of moronic magicking, Akira finally got to see something! Yaaay!

Aiko was seated. Her ankles were bound in front of her and her hands were tied together at the wrists behind her. She was also blindfolded. The room was small and relatively nondescript, although the architectural style suggests that at least it was somewhere in Southern Izumo.

Other than that, he saw and heard nothing.

Not very helpful.

"Well that wasn't very helpful, what a waste of an hour." Ryo groaned, he was actually watching the magic man dance around like a moron rather than listening in on the sexy sexings. "What now?" he asked.

Kai scowled at the floor. "Wonderful," He muttered. "I don't suppose that Dragon would let us go to his lake so Haru can try to find some aquatic witnesses of the abduction?"

"I don't think he would even want to see us until we find her, but really we have no other leads so why not try?" He said with a shrug.

"Worst case scenario, he eats us."

Jian smirked at Yuanjun's glare, only for a second though, as to avoid offending her anymore.

Then, regarding Haru, "Since you have already been into the lake before, do you think there would actually be something of help to us there? Other than that, I'm not sure where to go from here, I for one, am not even sure why someone would think it's smart to kidnap a dragon's daughter."

Haru sighed. "Fish have very short memories. I don't know if they, or any seaweed, would give us much information. Also, the dragon would have to agree to me go very close to his home."

Kai sighed. "Well, it was a long shot. It's a shame you guys can't scry the past."

"So we should at least find information about something amidst in the Southern region, right? For example, some cult activity or groups that dislike the worship of dragons?" Hei offered, not that she would know anything about what she said, though it only made sense than to search blind. "Or maybe that psychic fish-thing..."

"Umm guys," Yuanjun drawled - starting to feel a bit more like herself. "Far be it from me to speculate - but can't wizards just teleport? He saw what it looked like, any reason to say why he couldn't just try for that particular room?"

Oh fuck.
Was the ground shaking?

It was.

It was an earthquake.

Like that global one...

Not that bad... just a minor tremor...

But still.

You could hear some screaming and general confusion coming from the city, as well as guards rushing about the palace, likely to protect people. Stuff fell over. And then, as suddenly and strangely as it started, it was over.

What in the fuck.

***

Haru could feel it. Nature was screaming. Something very, very, wrong was happening.
And somehow, he knew, he felt it the way he felt the air, the earth, the sea, the very breath of life itself.

Things are only going to get worse.

How the timeline issues work out for Global Earthquake 2: Electric Boogaloo? Fuck if I know. You're all time lords. Just assume, generally speaking, that at any given moment all the threads are happening simultaneously unless I say otherwise. It's easiest.

Haru was not aware that the ground was shaking.

What he was aware of was the intricate, perfectly woven fibers of nature being torn apart. Not just an aspect of the tree of life, but the entirety, burned with the agony of it.

The feeling was so sudden and so shocking, Haru could not even say anything. He stood up, and staggered to a wall, resting one hand against it for support and another against his heart.

Oh lands and earth, what has happened?

Hei clung to Ryo, obviously, rather tightly. When it was over, she conveniently pushed him out and panicked on her part.

"What was that? We have to get out and help people!"

Kai noticed Haru's reaction, the ninja's face pale, feeling slightly sick. The Druid had lost his ever-present composure. Kai moved quickly to the Druid's side, not even hesitating as he touched the other man's shoulder and looked worriedly at Haru's unhappy face. "Haru, gods, are you alright?"