<@Mikage> [Date: Monday February 23rd.] <@Mikage> [Taki, Hinako has dismissed you from her apartment. Shizaru has let you know that dinner plans for tonight are off. What do you do?] <@Mikage> [Resume] * Taki got texted by Mikage first, so she'll text back to her first. "I'm sorry, I was buisy earlier, what's this about colleges?" <@Mikage> 2 choices. 1 here. 1 Osaka. But Osaka offers $, but I have to decide like tonight to get it. * Taki replies with. "That's rough. Did Kenji get in anywhere?" (Actually looks up travel times between Tokyo and Osaka. "Two and a half hours by bullet train.") <@Mikage> Yeah. 2 as well. Both Tokyo, but one further out. * Taki sits down on a bench. "Aaah." <@Mikage> I waited 2 long 2 talk to him. He was like "Do what's right for your future." o_o <@Mikage> We both knew the other applied for a few schools. But we figured we'd work it out when the time came. But things got weird. * Taki stares at her phone as she has evadently been doing that oblivious thing again. "With Arai's sister?" <@Mikage> y. <@Mikage> With me really. My stupid reaction. She's very. I don't even have words for what she does, but she's good at it. <@Mikage> Better than me >_< That doesn't mean you have to give up. I mean, you can if you want to, but that's your choice, not hers, or mine, or Kenjis. <@Mikage> I know. But if he doesn't want to work with me to stay... maybe I should. * @Mikage waited a bit before making that reply. I don't know if he's just being polite, or if he really doesn't know how to help you right now. Things have been weird, and the entire time I known him, he's been the least weird person I've ever met. <@Mikage> Yeah. idk. * @Mikage keeps replying to texts, progressively slower, but seems to kind of checkout at this point, at least via this medium. Do you want me to come over and talk in person? <@Mikage> y. I'll be there in a bit. * Taki stands up and texts Shizaru on the way to the train. "Hey, I'm going to go talk to Mikage, how are things going with the first years and have you talked to Kenji?" <@Shizaru> They seen to be settling, with one or two exceptions, now that I'm here in person. <@Shizaru> I've talked some. He feels like she's shutting him out and doesn't trust him. I think he's probably overreacting a bit to Mikage being Mikage, but it isn't as if he doesn't have a point. <@Shizaru> I think the "Nadeshiko" thing really threw him for a loop. Can Mikage be Mikage, if Mikage is being questioned on who Mikage is? * @Shizaru has long been a fast touch texter. She can do it without looking at the phone even, kind of creepy. <@Shizaru> I suppose that's the question. <@Shizaru> [There's a surface Japanese Railways line that speeds to Mikage's place a couple stories above the streets of Tokyo. There's hustle and bustle surrounding her, but the reception is just fine.] * Taki gets in the train car. "I've got a friend of a friend who's very very good at being herself and going for what she wants all the time, but I'm not sure I can get them in contact before Mikage has to make her decision." <@Shizaru> Her decision? <@Shizaru> Oh, right, college choice. She mentioned something like that. She got accepted to one in Osaka with a scolarship, but has to decide todayish. * @Shizaru takes a couple minutes to reply. "Sorry, got distracted. I think Akane-chan is deliberately challenging me. Oh, a scholarship? That's nice." <@Shizaru> If it's todayish, I'm not sure your F.o.F. could help her quickly enough. Wisdom doesn't transfer like that. Believe me, I've tried. * Taki blinks and erases everything she just wrote and sends instead: "Worst that can happen is that her boyfriend gives me that look that he gets when somebody wastes his time. On a different subject have you heard from Paul-san recently?" <@Shizaru> [And Taki arrives at her station, still a few blocks to Mikage's though.] <@Shizaru> Yes. He actually went to a hockey game on Friday. He said that Satoshi-san and Liam-san were awesome. He's not a big sports fan normally, but apparently his roommate is good enough to overcome that. * Taki gets out of the train. "I wouldn't say that Satoshi carried the entire team when I played with him, but he definatly made up for my not knowing what I was doing." * @Shizaru nods. "I don't know, I still appreciate you helping out with the winter festival in your year. You were really cool!" * @Shizaru is then off screen distracted for a bit more before replying. "Oh did you ever talk to my uncle about the kitchen position?" Not yet, Mikage isn't the only one who applied to schools outside of Tokyo, and honestly I think the closest one is also the school I'm least likely to get into. Iron Chef Shimiru would be a nice title to have though. <@Shizaru> Understood. So, you going to go talk with her? Yeah, I'm a block away from her apartment right now. <@Shizaru> Good luck, you might be just the person she needs right now. <@Shizaru> [True as her word, Taki is there shortly. Mikage's apartment is a standard small Tokyo number.] * Taki texts back "Thank you." before she knocks. <@Shizaru> [Mikage's mother, somewhat surprisingly, is home and shows you back to her room. The lights are out and she's lying on her futon with her phone discard beside her. Her mother, a police officer Taki has met once or twice before, seemed eager to show you back and leaves the two of you alone, sliding the door shut behind you.] <@Mikage> Hey. * Taki sits on the floor near her. "Hey. How are you feeling?" * @Mikage rolls over to face Taki but doesn't sit up just yet. Now that she's closer, despite the darkness Taki can see a few different letters and brochures spread around her friend. "Dumb." She snorts. "I foretold this would happen. Leaving again." She sighs. So, you've made up your mind? * @Mikage flops over onto her back. "Maybe?" <@Mikage> I mean, my dear Kenji isn't wrong really. But, I really thought. I thought he'd try to convince me to stay. Well, he's got Shizaru right there as proof that long distance relationships can work, and you'd only be three hours away. * @Mikage rolls her eyes. "If you think that's his thought process, it's just as well you can turn to me instead for psychic powers." * Taki laughs. "You've known me for a year, I'm lucky if I know what I'm thinking." <@Mikage> [As Taki eyes adjust, she does note that the room is still fairly orderly. Mikage's closest is quite eclectic but most everything that can be hung up is hung up, with the exception of a half dozen belts of varying sizes lying on the floor by the mirror. There's homework on the desk that's still mostly uncompleted.] * @Mikage laughs. "Well all the more reason you need me. Want to come to Osaka?" Uh, I did send an application to Tsuji, but I haven't heard back yet. With my luck I'll wind up in Nakamura and live the furthest south of anybody I know. * @Mikage nods. "Yeah, I mean it does make sense. I talked to Shizaru about it, and she made some of the same points. Although, as I predicted she's going to Waseda, so it isn't like she *knows*." So, have you predicted what school I'm getting into? Or do I get to spend the next year working for her family? * @Mikage sits up at that and looks over at Taki. "I didn't really want to predict for you or Kenji-kun. I feel like it might be abusing my powers." She grins widely, "But if you like, I totally could." Well, let's start with who's going to actually send me acceptance letters. * @Mikage nods and grabs the crystal ball from the velvet box near her futon. She lights two candles in the room and uses one of the belts on the floor as a head band, pinning a large feather. She then sits down. * @Mikage stares into her ball, positioned between herself and her friend. She loses herself in the reflection for a long moment, though that's nothing new. * @Mikage frowns. "There is too much flux, clouds form and part only to show deeper confusion." <@Mikage> But the dice are weighted and the deck is stacked. You will not leave Tokyo, new opportunities beacon and inertia rules you. But your letters... <@Mikage> You are afraid, but it is not rejection that haunts your nights. Those fears tie you down. * @Mikage frowns and looks away from the ball, straight at Taki. "I can't see your letters, not clearly. But this city is a cold but jealous lover. To achieve your dreams, you must threaten to want more than you are." * @Mikage puts the ball away. "But it appears I will see no more tonight." That... well, it sounds like I won't be joining you in Osaka, sorry. * @Mikage nods and lies down again, still wearing the belt around her forehead and the feather pinned. <@Mikage> Would have been fun. <@Mikage> I'll miss you. We can still talk on the phone, and if you come visit me, I promise cheap food, if I can't wrangle free. * @Mikage smiles. "Thanks. Osaka's supposed to be pretty good for that too, if you make it down." I'll have to try, even if I can't escape for long. <@Mikage> I'll find some sort of almanac for you. Best times of the year to leave. That sounds helpful. <@Mikage> On that note. You should go or be prepared to stay for dinner. My father will be home soon and there won't be a polite way out after that. * Taki nods. "I'll be on my way then... Oh. There is one thing before I go." * @Mikage glances over from prone. "Oh?" * Taki glances at the pile of belts on the floor. "Do you know who Shiraishi Akeimi-chan is?" <@Mikage> [A few of the longer ones appear to be men's belts. Some the smaller ones of various flamboyant styles that Mikage has warn before.] <@Mikage> She's like an idol, right? Well, maybe more of a model, but I hear she acts. Yeah, the acting thing is new. I wouldn't go so far as saying there was anything resembling guilt involved, but a certain older sister, did say that the two of you meeting would be benificial. * @Mikage raises an eyebrow. "So, like do you have a vistor's pass to the clubhouse of the improbably hot women, now?" More like one of my old friends is her boyfriend/manager... and I can't even begin to describe how that happened. * @Mikage nods. "Maybe Kenji-kun should come too. Show that I trust him." * @Mikage sits up. "You should know, it's been bothering for me for a bit, but Arai-san the elder is familiar to me, but I can't say why." Well, you do have similar interests, maybe you saw her in a store when you were younger? * @Mikage comments distantly. "I was different when I was younger." <@Mikage> But yeah, I'm game. I'll tell Kenji. You can set it up, right? I don't think I can just call her like that. Yeah, I'll warn you that it could be a bit, they're really buisy, but, I've got her invitation, so I can strong arm him with that. * @Mikage smiles. "There's the spirit." She stands up to walk Taki out. "Just, be careful around the elder Arai-san." * Taki nods. "Yeah." <@Mikage> I know she's got her particular idiom down and that counts for a lot. But I wouldn't be sure that you like all the company she keeps. <@Mikage> Like you say, I have seen her type before. * @Mikage opens the door. * Taki nods and manages to fully surpress the shudder as she thinks about some of the people involved in the Arcana war. "I'll try to keep my eyes open." * @Mikage nods. "Good, I won't be here to protect you." Shee walks Taki to the door, dabbing distractedly at her eyes with the back of her wrist. <@Grysar> [End!]