I just want a bit part in your life

So what does one do with two Kaitou Kid plushies? I'm open to any suggestions.

[Fail!lock to Hakuba.]
Thank you, Hakuba. I really do appreciate you helping me for the duration of that virus.

[You know Henry, right? Dog with decaying flesh? Okay, good. Henry and Issei are out for a walk in the woods. He has a collar and a leash and everything.

Issei finds a nice clear spot, and takes off the leash. In his other hand he has a tennis ball, which he throws a short distance.] Fetch!

[Henry just gives him a look.]

...you really have no interest in toys, do you... This is the third item I've tried. Ah, well, I'm sure I'll discover a way to make this work eventually...

[The figure in the video may not be recognizable at first, because he's bent over with his head in a trash can, rummaging around. This continues for several moments.

Eventually, he finds what he's looking for and the person is revealed: Issei, clutching his Kaitou Kid plushie tightly.]

I swear on my soul, I'll never forget you again and mistreat you in such a way... now, I need to go apologize to my friends for my failure.

[Issei is praying. Anyone who knows anything of Japanese Buddhism will recognize that. Even those who aren't familiar will know that he isn't doing it very well. He keeps stopping and restarting after making a mistake. Eventually, he gives up altogether.]

I'm a failure as a monk... If I cannot purify myself of such base thoughts, of what use am I? I should, should be running the streets rather than living in a temple!

[There's a loud thunk.]

Ow. Even beating my head against the wall will not remove these thoughts, it seems. Dear Buddha, help me...

In Issei's room, the two Isseis stare each other down.

The one in brown - the real Issei - says, "You're not me. You're not even a part of me, like my Shadow was. You broke up with Haruto so you could gallivant around, you viciously attacked my friends - you're the antithesis of my loyalty, what I am."

The one in black - the new Issei - answers, "That's right. And because of that, I'm much stronger than you will ever be. You're weak."

A laugh comes out of the real Issei's lips. "You're the weak one. And I won't allow you to hurt my friends any longer." Then he speaks in another language, and the words have power: "Erlösch."

"Wh-what?" The new Issei starts to fade. "You don't have any power! You can't use magic!"

"That's right, I can't. Even now, I'm copying off of what Tohsaka does. Erlösch." The real Issei smiles grimly. "But I've said it before that loyalty is the core of my being, my Origin. I can do anything if it's loyal enough. You have no Origin. What is your being supposed to be? Erlösch!"

Before the other Issei can answer, he disappears completely.

Issei collapses to the ground.

The video turns on when a pillow hits it. Young Issei and Eisuke are laughing and throwing pillows at each other. Eisuke seems to be winning their impromptu pillow fight.

Finally, the storm of pillows dies down. Issei leans back on one and asks his new friend, "Eisuke?"

"Yeah?" Eisuke asks, blinking.

"What do you think of girls?" Issei wonders aloud.

Eisuke closes his eyes, deep in thought. "Girls are... mysterious."

"So they are," Issei agrees. "So they are."

I have a question - how do you convince your father that just because you've turned nineteen and have a boyfriend, it is not a good time to start speaking of heirs? I love him dearly, but he takes the duties that come from being the head of the temple too much to heart. I haven't even inherited yet, and I'm not old enough to have children!

[Fail!private]
I wish this wound would heal quickly. It's in an obvious place that draws questions, and how am I to explain that the day-to-day affairs of a monk led me to being pricked with a weapon? I'm not even sure of what happened, myself.

((Part 1 of the Mukuro plot is go! ...yeah, part 1's not that interesting. Part 2 comes tomorrow and will be much cooler.))

The temple had a large room with tables and chairs, usually used for meetings between the monks. Right now it had been appropriated for Issei's birthday party, and was full of food and streamers. Guests were milling about, talking to each other and waiting for Issei to arrive.

Which he did, dropping his jaw at the sight. "Wh-what is all this?"

((Feel free to talk to each other and to Issei! Enjoy~))

You know, I had almost forgotten what it was like to have to actually campaign for student council president. I've been running unopposed for so long... I ought to see if the council has made any progress toward finding a replacement for me.

I'd say that I was grateful that my teachers were not normally that strange, except I can't actually decide if Fujimura-sensei makes a more bewildering English teacher than Excalibur-sensei.

Ah, and Kuroba, I was serious about what I said to you on the subject of making sure you could attend one of Kid's heists. I'm more determined to, since Kid is now more likely to listen to my concerns than he was. What is your schedule?