01 [Day: Saturday, September 18. Time: 2:00 p.m.] 01 [Javy's on a commuter train from Ashgate to Hartford. He's going to visit his sister! The trip has been reasonably short - only about an hour - and reasonably comfortable as he got one of the nicer cars with cushioned seats and an outlet with which to plug in electronic devices.] 01 [It's pulling into his stop now, people already getting to their feet and moving towards the doors. The car itself has been packed to about 2/3 capacity; Javy did have someone sit next to him briefly, but only between two stops.] 01 [Mini Start!] 06* Javy takes off his headphones, picks up his bag, and makes his way off the train. He's wearing a dark blue polo shirt and khakis today, with simple tan sneakers. 01 [The train comes to a screeching stop. After some waiting in line - Javy's not really the type to push his way through - he manages to make his way off the train and into the station, heading for the fountain where he and Tomoko usually meet up when he visits.] 06* Javy holds himself up well enough on his way into the stop, and stands near the entryway to the fountain area, looking around to see if he can spot her yet. 01 [His sister is steated on the rim of said fountain as people head up and down the escalators nearby, going through a folder of papers and making notes on a legal pad. She's wearing a dark button down blouse with a shirt underneath it, a pair of dress slacks, and heels. And she absolutely hasn't noticed Javy yet.] 06* Javy smiles, and makes his way through the people over closer to her. "Hey Tomoko." (Tiffany'd probably go for heels if she could learn how to walk in them) 01 [She looks up and brightens. "Javy!" And starts to stand, then scrambles to keep the paper from falling off her lap. "How was the trip?"] 01 (She could ask Christina for pointers!) Okay. Nothing really happened. Just listened to my next piece a few times. 01 ["Oh?" she asks, getting the papers under control and sorted back into her folder. "What's it for?"] The next competition. 01 [She nods. "Is this one I can attend?" Now her work materials are being quickly sorted into the tote she brought with her.] 06* Javy flexes his hands, and nods. "I'm playing with some other people, too. Other of Mrs. Collins's students. And then a solo piece." 01 ["Sounds great. I'll go if I can. Let me know when it is once you get the chance." Everything safely tucked away, Tomoko now stands and gives her little brother a hug.] 06* Javy nods, and hugs her back lightly. "I will." He gives her a little squeeze, and lets go. "I'll give you a flyer." 01 [She grins, stepping away and looking at Javy. "Good. So," she says, picking up her tote and starting to walk out of the station, "how are things?"] 06* Javy follows her. "Uh... okay. It's been... kind of busy. Um. Hectic." 01 ["Yeah?"] 06* Javy nods. "Yeah. There's, uh... I wanted to call. But there wasn't time, and then. I hadn't visited you for a while, so..." 01 ["Well, you're here now," Tomoko says with a smile. "Do you want to get coffee and talk about it? It's too early for dinner, but."] 06* Javy thinks for a beat, and nods. "Or tea?" he says hopefully. 01 [Tomoko laughs. "Or tea. Sorry, everyone at the office drinks coffee, and it's kind of become the default for me." She shakes her head.] 06* Javy nods. "It is bigger. Um... how's work?" 01 ["It's a little hectic right now. We're putting a major proposal together and are about a week behind schedule." Tomoko makes a face as she dodges a man with a briecase.] 06* Javy lets him pass in front of him, and then catches up. "Anything I can help with? Um, while I'm here? I don't mind. We can, um, talk during that, too. If it's not too hard." 01 [She sighs. "No... well, actually, yes. I'd like that. It'd be good to have a forced break once in a while." And the door slides open to the parking garage; it's a slightly overcast day, but not bad. Tomoko starts heading for the stairs and then up, presumably to where her car is.] 06* Javy keeps following along, since she probably knows where she's going. "Oh. We don't, um... we don't have to. I mean, for me to help. If you just want to hang out and forget work. I can do that, too." 01 [Tomoko smiles at Javy. "Yeah... well, it's not like flowers, you know? We're supposed to keep it in the company."] 06* Javy nods, and smiles back. "Government secrets." 01 ["Exactly." She winks. "I'm privvy to things the common public is not meant to know."] Okay. I won't ask. Even though I want to hear about it. I don't want to tempt you. 01 ["Thanks. I don't want to be executed for treason."] 06* Javy lets out a small yelp of a laugh. "They wouldn't do that!" 01 [Tomoko looks at Javy seriously, stopping in her tracks. "You *think* they wouldn't do that." Then she grins and pulls her keys out of her tote, pointing it at a four door sedan and unlocking it.] 06* Javy shakes his head, and walks to the passenger side of the car. "I hope... well. Don't get too many government secrets. Stay safe." He tries to hold in another laugh, but it shows all over his face. 01 [Upon seeing Javy's face, Tomoko *does* laugh. She goes to the driver's side, gets in, buckles up, and starts the car. It's clean up front, though she clearly has some work stuff piled in the back seat.] 06* Javy gets in, too, sticking his bag at his feet. "So, uh... where are we going? For tea?" 01 ["I haven't found a dedicated tea house yet," Tomoko says, turning on the blinker and checking behind her. She starts backing up slowly. "But most coffee places serve it."] 06* Javy nods. "Yeah. Some of them are good, too." 01 ["Yup. I'm thinking of taking us to Jojo's. They've got a lot of good tea." Now clear, she shifts to drive and starts out of the parking garage and to (presumably) Jojo's!] 06* Javy looks over at her curiously. "Jojo's? Okay. We haven't been there. Have we?" 01 ["Haven't taken you there yet," she says with a grin.] 01 [Blipzoom! They arrive at Jojo's Coffee and Tea, Tomoko having parallel parked into a space just barely big enough for her car. The outside is pleasant enough, with a couple of tables for seating. Inside is very much coffee house: cherry wood paneling, chalkboards for menus, a variety of art on the walls, and an eclectic mix of used and vintage furniture.] 01 [It also looks like it must get fairly dark in there at night, as most of the lighting comes from the huge windows facing the street. As it is, it's not that hard to see. The shop itself is a bit busy but not impossibly so; it's after the lunch rush. Tomoko points out one of the chalboards. "The tea selection's there. Let me know what you want and then find a place for us, okay?"] 06* Javy nods, and goes to look over the board. "Okay. Um... just a genmaicha? And. Um. A cookie?" He looks around at the tables. 01 [She nods. "Sure." And moves to get in line!] 01 [Javy finds an empty two top table against one of the walls, under an impressionist picture of a forest at sunset.] 06* Javy takes a seat at the table, and just looks around the space, waiting. He hums a little to himself. 01 [After a few minutes, Tomoko returns with genmaicha for Javy and sencha for herself. She sets them down, leaves, and returns shortly after that with a plate of two cookies - snickerdoodle and oatmeal raisin. And then she has a seat, too, making herself comfortable.] 06* Javy looks down at the plates. "Thanks. Um, are we splitting the cookies?" 01 ["Sure," Tomoko says, putting her hands around her cup but not drinking yet.] 06* Javy cracks the oatmeal one in half, and then takes a sip of tea. "So, uh..." He looks a bit lost. 01 [Tomoko smiles a little and prompts with, "How's school?"] School. Uh.. Classes are okay. I, uh... the drafting class is interesting. We're starting our first projects. 01 ["That sounds fun. Is it a group sort of thing or...?"] Yeah. Uh, but the first part is... it's just me. We come up with ideas, and then we, um... it's small groups. To put together the plans. 01 [She nods, lifting her cup for a sip.] 06* Javy takes a piece of the cookie, cracking it in half again, and then toying with it in his palm. "Uh... but yeah, the classes, it's good. Um. But..." He trails off, looking at his hand. 01 [Tomoko looks at Javy, concerned. "But?"] No, just... uh. 06* Javy takes a sip of tea. "It's... just friend stuff. Or. Well. Something like that." 01 [She blinks. "Is this about that girl you liked- Tiffany?"] 06* Javy nods, and blushes all across his cheekbones. "Well, uh... it's not just her. But some of it is. Um... a lot of it." 01 [Tomoko nods and lets Javy gather his thoughts, breaking off half of the snickerdoodle and having a bite.] 06* Javy nods after a bit. "So, uh. I've been hanging out more. With some new people. And... she's one of them, right?" 01 ["Right," Tomoko says after she swallows cookie. She picks up her cup and has another sip.] And... um. There's... okay. 06* Javy looks up at her. "You're not telling Mom or Dad any of this. Right?" 01 [Tomoko looks shocked. "What? No! I'd lose my big sister membership card."] 06* Javy smiles a little, and nods. "Okay. Just... uh. So first..." He shakes his head. "Actually, first... it's, with her, people have been, um. She's been picked on for a long time, I think. And I didn't really notice. Or do anything. And... now that I know, it's just... I..." 01 [Tomoko nods. "You just... didn't notice what was going on before?" She doesn't sound angry at Javy or anything.] No, I... I don't deal with people too much. Right? I saw her sometimes around, uh, the pool, like, around practice, but... there's swim practice, and oboe practice. And helping Nate, and the... the flowers, and all that. I... but I didn't, really. 03* Rowyn is now known as RowynAway 01 [She sips her tea. "Right. And you're feeling pretty awful about this, I'm guessing."] 06* Javy nods a couple of times, and pops his crumbled cookie in his mouth. 01 [She nods. "How's she handling this? Tiffany, I mean."] Which? Uh... the, the... 06* Javy lowers his voice a notch. "The bullying?" 01 ["Yeah." Tomoko frowns. "Actually, what *kind* of bullying is it?"] 06* Javy looks down at her tea, mumbles something, frowns, and then says, "Um. It's... a whole lot. I think. People... they, they say things, and... and this guy knocked her food on the floor, or... and in the stairs, I think, it's... I wasn't there, but it looked like she, she got knocked over... and there's more. She... she said that, that... that wasn't even that bad." 01 ["Ouch," she says sympathetically, then shakes her head. "I never understood why people do that."] 01 ["Do you... um, I mean, I assume she's tried to stand up for herself before, but with that many people..."] 06* Javy nods. "Yeah, I... she has, I think. She can. She's..." He looks up at her, smiling a little. "She's strong. But... it's, I think... she just is, uh. Um... resigned. To some of it." 01 [Tomoko shakes her head. "When it comes to something like that, a lot of the time it's just easier to accept that's the way things are. It's still not right, though." She gets a small smile, too. "You must really like her."] 06* Javy blushes more widely. "I... uh. I guess... yeah. I, ah... I like her." 01 ["Yeah," Tomoko says, smiling more at Javy's blush. She sips a little more tea before adding, "It sounds like you need to help stand up for her, or at least give her a place to go where she'll be safe."] You... but... like where? 01 [Tomoko blinks. "Well... like wherever you are."] So... like, I should keep her safe? I... I mean, I could take her to, um. To the shop, or... but I don't know if, um. She'd... if I tried standing up for her, she'd... I think she might get mad. 01 [Tomoko ohs. "She doesn't want your pity, maybe."] 06* Javy nods, and drinks some tea. "But it's not pity, it's... I just... I don't want that. For her. Or, well, anyone, but..." 01 [She nods. "Yeah..." And then frowns. "If she doesn't want... I mean... yeah. I think you should offer anyway, if you're okay with that. But I think that just making sure she's okay when you're around would give her space to work through her own stuff and also a place where she doesn't have to worry."] 06* Javy thinks about this, and nods a couple of times. "Okay. I can... I can try. It's... but I'm really, I'm not around a lot of the time. All, it's... the reasons I didn't notice, they're still... they're still there, too. But now I know." 01 ["Yeah, and knowing is half the battle," Tomoko says, gravely quoting G.I. Joe. She smiles slightly. "Seriously, I think that'd help a lot. It'll probably make a big difference, if she feels like the whole school is trying to hurt her."] 06* Javy nods a couple of times. "Okay. I... I can at least try. I mean... I think I can do it. Like, one way or another." He cracks a piece off his snickerdoodle. "Thanks, Tomoko." 01 ["I know you can." Tomoko has another sip of tea, then adds, concerned, "Just... let me know how it goes, okay?"] 06* Javy pops his cookie in his mouth. "I know. Um, I will. You... I don't want to tell Mom and Dad, so... but I'll definitely tell you." 01 ["Please." Tomoko's silent for a minute, then asks mischievously, "So... you ask her out yet?"] 06* Javy blushes more, and chews his cookie. "Um... no, I, but, I... ah." He looks out the window, and mumbles something, and then after a beat, says more clearly, "I think she, uh... she likes me. Too." 01 ["That's good!"] Yeah. 06* Javy puts his hand on the table, next to the cookies. "Can I, uh... I want to, uh... yeah. Tell you something?" 01 [She nods, now getting some oatmeal raisin cookie. "Sure," she says, before popping a piece in her mouth.] She, uh... just... she kinda... 06* Javy swallows. "She, uh. She did, uh... kiss me. A little." 01 [Tomoko blinks. "Really?" This is followed by a thrilled, "Then she *definitely* likes you!"] 06* Javy breaks out into a embarrassed, relieved smile, and looks at the cookies. "Yeah, I... I think so. Yeah." 01 ["You should ask her out." This is said with much conviction.] 06* Javy nods hesitantly. "Yeah, I... I haven't done that, before, but I... yeah. I should. Maybe." 01 ["Well, let me see." Tomoko pulls a smartphone from her purse and starts poking at it.] 06* Javy looks at her, eyes wide. "What are you doing?" 01 ["Looking up your school event calendar," she says, waiting for something to load.] 01 [Tomoko nods to herself. "Right, here. Homecoming is in three weeks. You could go with her to the dance."] To the... but... 06* Javy looks like he's overloading on that idea. "I can't, uh, that..." 01 [She holds up the phone so Javy can see. Sure enough, the dance is on a Saturday, October 9th!] 01 [Tomoko smiles encouragingly. "Sure you can. You've got a lot of time to work on it, and it's a good excuse anyway. Nobody likes going to those things alone."] Ju, I... that's... I never even... 06* Javy takes a gulp of tea. 01 [Tomoko unsuccessfully hides her grin behind tea.] You... you're, you are enjoying this. 01 ["N- yes. Yes, I am."] 06* Javy gives her an aggrieved look, and then grabs more of the oatmeal cookie. "You..." He shakes his head, and then laughs loudly. "Okay, you... I. Fine." 01 [Tomoko laughs, too. "Yeah. Really, I'm proud of you. You're going to do well this year."] Maybe. I... there's a lot. But I hope so. It's... yeah. I do. 01 ["Yup." Tomoko finishes off her tea. "So, what do you want to do next?"] 06* Javy thinks for a bit. "I don't know. Movie? Or hang out somewhere. Or I could show you my next piece. Um. I didn't bring my oboe, though. But I could play it for you. I did bring some designs I did, too." 01 ["Okay. Let's go to my place, then. I have some arrangements I wanted to show you anyway, and if we want to go out before dinner it should be mostly nearby."] 06* Javy nods, and finishes off the last bit of his snickerdoodle. "Okay. That sounds good. We can just relax." He crunches loudly. "And then, on the way, you can, uh... tell me about if you're, um, seeing anyone, too." 01 [Tomoko blushes slightly. "Well... um, not really-" And then she looks fake-furious at Javy for turning the tables on her. "Hey!"] 06* Javy laughs again, and gets up. "It's okay. We'll talk on the way." 01 [Tomoko stands, too, and reaches over to tweak her younger (but taller) brother's nose. "Brat." She grins, though, and grabs her purse and phone before heading out.] 06* Javy makes a face, and follows behind, feeling pretty light. 01 [Mini End!]