<@Ciara> [Sunday, March 28th, 2004. Early afternoon.] <@Ciara> [Haruko and Katie have made plans to head over to Kasai Rinkai Park in Edogawa. It will be full of cherry blossoms and birds and... people. Although perhaps they will get lucky and find a nicer, more quiet spot for snacks and gossip!] <@Ciara> [But first, they need to get there. In fact, first they need to get together.] <@Ciara> [So Haruko's on her way to Kyon and Katie's apartment building, planning on giving a call when she gets there.] <@Ciara> [Session Start!] * @Haruko has been out and about today. she's wearing a nice pair of blue jeans, a blue windbreaker with reflective epulets and waistband, with an omamori dangling from the zipper. She dials in several blocks away while waiting at a red light, having set up the Katie/Kyon apartment on speed dial and hooked her headset into her phone. * Katie picks up after a couple of rings. "" <@Haruko> , I should be there before too long. Okay. I can meet you downstairs? <@Haruko> Yeah, if it works for you. Sure. I'll see you soon. Bye. * Katie hangs up! But isn't as much of a jerk as Kaede, because he like never says bye. * @Haruko drives up before too long. She called a bit ahead, having learned to account for Katie stair usage by now. * Katie pops out of the front doors of the apartment building when Haruko drives up, waving. She's wearing jeans and sneakers and a light jacket, guardian lion charm moved to this one instead of her winter one, with her bag slung over her shoulder and the helmet Haruko gifted her in one hand. * @Haruko pulls up, quietly coasting the approach. She doesn't have a bag, everything is packed into the motorcycles trunk. She smiles upon closer examination of Katie and raises her visor, "Good to see you." She turns her head to gesture behind her, indicating that Katie can mount up when ready. * Katie smiles back before fitting her helmet on and climbing aboard behind Haruko. When she's feeling reasonably secure and balanced, she speaks through the comms: "I'm ready." * @Haruko lowers her visor and gets started, responding over comms. "Any preference on route? I'm guessing Kyon goes for... efficiency with a bias towards neighborhoods of quality." * Katie laughs. "That's pretty accurate. I don't know, a nice drive could be fun." Her tone turns teasing. "Don't get us killed, though." * @Haruko smiles and accelerates gradually. She does not go for efficiency but instead makes some use of smaller side streets with a bias towards hills, slowing a bit as good viewpoints approach, but not feeling the need to announce them and instead trusting the observation skills of her passenger. Her turns are more controlled and precise, flowing through the city with a practiced meditative * @Haruko care. As they get a bit farther along, she weaves closer to the harbor when streets allow. * Katie is clearly enjoying herself and makes pleased noises on occasion! She even remarks on some things, pointing out interesting people she sees, or shops she hadn't noticed before, or (of course) birds. * @Haruko is clearly pleased with her passenger. She doesn't say much, aside from a quiet "ooh" or the odd "wow" at bold or elegent fashion noting the odd shop, but Katie can easily notice her turning slightly to see each thing pointed out and sometimes adjusting the route to allow longer viewing of a bird or a closer look at a shop. <@Ciara> [The day is lovely, sunny and warm, and the route eventually brings them to Kansai Rinkai. Haruko finds a place to park her bike and starts unpacking.] * Katie climbs off the bike. "Thanks," she says once she's taken off the helmet and shaken out her hair. "That was really fun." * @Haruko chose a spot closer to the bird sanctuary than the ferris wheel part of the park. After letting Katie hop off, she removes her helmet and opens the trunk, looking away in an effort conceal a blush that might work on someone else. "An appreciative audience makes all the difference." * Katie lets out a little 'ha'. "This helmet you made me makes all the difference." She shakes it. "I enjoy riding a lot more now." * @Haruko assembles a plastic set of sealed boxes into a lunch bag for ease of carrying. There's also a thermos, likely containing tea water. "I like to think I've grown more realistic on the ability of technology to fix things, but there are times when the right tool really helps." Oh yeah? * Katie stores her helmet with Haruko's and goes about collecting the thermos and any other boxes Haruko'd like her to carry. * @Haruko smiles at the assistance and also hands Katie a rolled up mat for later seating, finally, she removes a pair of binoculars for herself. They're labeled Seiya Kinsha with bright pink elegently markered characters. * Katie takes it! "Your mom?" she asks, upon seeing the binoculars. <@Haruko> Oh, like when it's a matter of increasing convenience, or doing something that humans are bad at, or using something someone has already invented for a new purpose. And yeah, she had picked it up years agao for some of the larger venues she's worked. She made me promise to keep it strapped around my neck so I wouldn't lose them. * @Haruko gives an easy smile that implicitly confesses that her mom is not wrong to ask this. * Katie smiles. "Cool." She looks at what she and Haruko have, then says, "Looks like we've got everything?" * @Haruko nods. "There should be room in the trunk for the helmets. It's not like anyone will steal them, but if you leave them hanging out there's a risk of bad parkers in a popular place like this." * Katie stows her helmet in the trunk, then! * @Haruko glances around at the crowds. "So, ready to fine a spot to eat? Actually dining in sight of blossoms would be lovely, but we don't have to push it." * Katie nods. "Yeah, it's... busy. Let's see." So saying, she moves to get a better look. * @Haruko looks over a map sign at the edge of the parking lot and then just works to serve as a blocker for any large groups or smaller kids that might otherwise blunder too close to Katie. <@Ciara> [It is quite busy, with bunches of people spread out having picnics under the trees or heading to the aquarium or riding the ferris wheel.] <@Ciara> [Katie sees the signs for the ponds and bird watching and notices that there are actually fewer people heading that way than towards the beaches and the amusement park. If she also looks at the map, there's an area between the two ponds that might offer more privacy if they're willing to walk a bit farther.] * Katie looks around for a while, finding a map, then points out the place. "How about here? I don't think there will be as many people, and we might be able to see some cherry trees still." * @Haruko nods contentedly. "It's a bit of a walk, but we didn't have dance practice today, so I think my legs are up for it." Yeah? How is that going? * Katie actually hasn't heard much about the dance practice, but whatever. She starts walking! * @Haruko gives the quick run down as they walk, leaving room for later follow up. She hasn't definitively made the cast, but has qualified for the class and at least as an understudy. She's pretty excited about the director, although a little worried that she seems to keep fiddling with the script and 'really wanting to nail the themes without being diadatic while showing the diversity on each side' whatever that means. <@Ciara> [The two head down the path between the ponds, and Katie spots a place off to the side that allows for some privacy but has a view of some of the cherry trees. And birds! It's not one of the observation points, but it looks like this is a place where they like to hang out.] * Katie was listening along, commenting on occasion though she really knows basically nothing about what Haruko's talking about, and when she sees that spot she points it out. "Look, right there!" and hurries to it. * @Haruko hustles there and defiantly stands next to a flat spot. She doesn't see anyone nearby right now, but nobody is getting past her until Katie lays down the mat, just in case. <@Ciara> [Haruko successfully guards the picnic spot from a curious crow. It goes "caw, caw!" at her.] * @Haruko is watching you, crow. <@Ciara> [The crow is watching you back.] * Katie gets over there and puts the mat down. She also looks at the crow. <@Ciara> [The crow tilts its head at Katie.] * @Haruko earlier also mentioned that the name of the musical is Shin-Ōkubo Story, but she's been focused more on the actual performance work than the story. * @Haruko lays out the containers and opens one with hand towels, chopsticks, and little plates and bowls. * Katie helps out! It's the thing to do! * @Haruko also prepares the tea cups. She opens the first two containers. One with rice balls containing shrimp in a reddish/brown sauce that isn't a usual form of Japanese rice ball. A second contains buckwheat noodles and tender broccoli with a dipping sauce. Another two containers lie closed for now, but look to contain sweets and fish for later courses. * @Haruko leaves the tea water pouring to Katie. * Katie pours tea, sure. She looks around at the feast. "Did you make all of this yourself?" <@Ciara> [The crow hops around a bit and eventually flies to one of the nearby trees.] * @Haruko smiles with a bit of pride at the question. "It wasn't too bad. Mom and I hit Tsukiji market in the morning. The actual preparation was fairly simple under her guidance, it's not hard to make fresh food taste good." Haruko then glances at the rice balls. "Although I'd never made a before, I wouldn't have tried that if she wasn't in the kitchen working on her own meal." * Katie laughs. "Even if it's fairly simple, it's still a lot better than I could do. I can tell already." She settles onto the mat, picking up her chopsticks with an "Itidakimasu." Look at that, Katie learning cultural things. FINALLY. * @Haruko echos the Itadakimasu. "Were it not for your firm stand on truth telling, I'd accuse you of flattery. I don't see why you'd be any less capable." She starts out with one of the brocolli pieces, dipping it in the sauce and seeming pleased with the result. * Katie rolls her eyes. "You've clearly never seen me cook." She grabs a shrimp rice ball and dips it a little bit. "I do it, but I'm not that good at it." And then she has a bite. <@Haruko> [The rice ball actually has a creole sauce on it. It's competently executed, which is enough to make it quite tasty if you like that sort of thing, albeit perhaps a bit surprising. The spice is notable, but still on the mild side of cajun cooking." * Katie makes a little mmph sound, then swallows. "I wasn't expecting that!" And she eats the rest of the rice ball. * @Haruko takes a moment to let the fact sink in to her mind that she's actually genuinely better at Katie at a thing that isn't want of her weird specialties. She bites her lip, "Mom said it was an American fusion dish that sounded super fun. I told her that I thought you were from a different part, with more corn, but she didn't think it would matter." * Katie laughs. "This is kind of southwestern, yeah. I like it, though." She nabs some broccoli. "And more corn is right." * @Haruko tries a rice ball herself, taking the time to savor it. "And Satoshi's in a totally different part in the East, right? I've studied the maps some, if only to get my head around the time zones." Yeah. He's in New England, which is northeast. I'm from around the center, but my dad's from about as south-central as you can get. Texas. Wataru's from the northwest. It's... a really big country. * @Haruko nods. "Yeah, I do want to visit someday, but either I'm spending a lot of time driving or I'll be seeing less than I originally thought." Haruko's initial plans must have been pretty ambitious, because it sounds like that may be enough driving to possibly dissaude even her. * @Haruko helps herself to some of the buckwheat noodles. They're fairly filling, but there's only about a serving each so they don't crowd out the rest of the meal. * Katie tilts her head slightly. "Like visiting Satoshi and then touring?" You might want to pick just one or two cities to visit, or something. * @Haruko nods. "Yeah, maybe I can convince him to come with me on a tour. One or two cities are probably smart. But the tickets are *so expensive.* I know he's fancy suit Takeuchi-san now, but I was really surprised he could do it on such short notice. It's an amazing gesture." * Katie sighs, picking up some noodles and more vegetables for herself. "Yeah, it really is." <@Haruko> I don't remember if I told you, but your advice on dealing with him has really helped. I don't think we're on the path to friendship or anything, but I'm doing a better job of staying out of his way and noticing when he's trying to stay out of mine. * Katie smiles. "That's good. I'm glad." Really glad, I mean... I know you guys haven't gotten along basically ever. * @Haruko nods. "He'd actually given some helpful advice too, that I had followed for a while and neglected. Basically to assume he wasn't trying to be insulting rather than figuring that if someone says things that are pretty hurtful, it probably isn't an accident." * Katie nods. "Yeah, he..." She pauses, trying to figure out how best to continue. I don't think Kaede is anywhere close to as impartial as he likes to think he is. * @Haruko reaches to take another rice ball and listens, curiously. But he's pretty bad at saying the right thing in the right way. * @Haruko grins slightly as she chews. After she finishes, she comments "The thing about always logical Vulcans is that they can have emotions as powerful as anyone else, more so even. Sometimes he forgets that, I think." * Katie snerks. "Yup." Just gotta live with it. * @Haruko nods. "I know I screwed up too. I offered him a lot of socially correct pity and got angry when he didn't provide me with reciprocity. All the while I was giving him things he didn't want. I *think* I might be able to avoid that mistake with Kyoko-san." * Katie blinks. "How are things going with that?" * @Haruko has her last stalk of brocolli. "Oh, better than you'd expect. I mean, Wataru was a little shocked when she put up a field and vented some frustration with a spear. That said, Takeuchi has an idea for next steps and we'll get together before too long to hear it and get started." * Katie nods. "Good." She pauses, then says, "Let me know if you need me." * @Haruko nods in return. "Will do." She looks contemplative for a while. "I am tempted to dwell on my mistakes further, with regards to you and him. But that may be indulging myself more than it's actually doing anything for you." * Katie shrugs slightly. "Can't know until you try it." She gets another rice ball. They're good, if a little weird! <@Haruko> I think, I know, I hurt your friendship after some of his darkest moments. And I don't think my impulse was wrong. But... * Katie looks at Haruko quizzically. * @Haruko takes a moment to think, holding her last rice ball. "When he was talking crazy in the bad old days about weird hypotheticals. I went to you, which was the right thing to do. But I sort of wanted you to give me carte blanche to handle things or to tell you everything. Life's messier than that, but I was overcorrecting for past screw ups." * Katie blinks. "Okay...?" * @Haruko eats the rice ball. When she's finished she looks at Katie, "Am I making any sense at all?" I... think I know the time period you're talking about. And you're right; I really didn't want to give you the power that you wanted. But... oh. * Katie sighs. "Well. He was saying some crazy stuff." * @Haruko nods and takes a moment to open up the next container. Bite size bits of cod in a miso glaze. The black skin is attached on half of them. * Katie quietly eats the rest of the noodles she'd taken. * @Haruko nods. "But none of us should be defined by by our lowest moment or the most foolish things we say." She lets out a breath, "But it was wrong of me to ask for that power, as you say." * Katie shrugs. "I don't know." I think then - maybe even now, but especially then - we really disagreed on how to go about doing stuff. Who gets to make the decisions, and why, much less what those decisions were. * @Haruko nods. "And I don't apologize for that. But sometimes I tried to dodge responsibility for my choices by clinging to rules or just seeking assurances that I wasn't at risk of being a bad person, a failure." She snorts, "Based on what I've learned studying safety engineering, that's a terrible idea. There are always judgment calls." * Katie says, softly, "Yeah. Pretty much." She sips some tea. * @Haruko sighs. "I'm being a bad picnic partner. I'm sorry. Dating Hibiki has sometimes been a lot of fun, but it's also resulted in a lot of time contemplating what I'm doing wrong and why. And he's straightforward in some ways so my mind wanders from that to other mistakes..." * Katie snerks. "Ken's straightforward, all right." Then: "We've all made lots of mistakes, Haruko." * @Haruko drinks some tea. "Thank you, and yeah, he and I are still figuring one another out. It's nice to talk to someone like you, who does just get me even when you don't always necessarily like me. Not that he doesn't get me often enough, but sometimes he pouts about it." * @Haruko makes a face and has a bite of fish with skin. * Katie laughs. "He's pretty serious about you, isn't he?" * @Haruko smiles a little, "In his way, yeah." She makes a face, "So last time, I was trying to maybe seduce him a little." She holds up a hand with two fingers near each other and then expanding the space between them. "And he accused me of *trying too hard.*" * Katie laughs harder at that. " What did you do?" <@Haruko> And it's not that he's wrong, I mean the last ten minutes make that obvious, not to mention the rest of my life. But maybe when I want to drive somewhere and make out, I'd prefer that fact to be appreciated rather than mockingly deflected. You should've just kissed him. * @Haruko has another piece of fish, no skin this time. * Katie gets a piece for herself, not really caring if she nabs one with or without skin. * @Haruko makes a pondering expression as she eats mumbling something before stopping out of embarrassment. When she finishes she just comments, "He was driving, tactically speaking, easier to show a bit of skin without risking distracting him *too* much." She twirls her chopsticks. "Although that might just mean I picked the wrong battlefield." ... You flashed him? <@Haruko> What? No, give me some credit. What, you're the one who said stuff about showing skin! <@Haruko> Well, I just borrowed one the dresses Akemi suggested after the photoshoot and was leaning forward to talk to him. That's totally different. * Katie grins. "Okay, totally different." * @Haruko takes another piece of fish. "Actually, from what he said, maybe I did show more than I intended, but whatever. Why is he teasing about this and not flirting or something." * @Haruko is definitely feeding herself with sharp motions and chewing with a bit of force. That'll show that fish not to mess with her. Maybe teasing is how he flirts with you...? * @Haruko slows her chewing as she considers that. "... Maybe." She sips some tea. Though if it's about you trying too hard, maybe not. He's probably poking at the fact that whatever you were doing didn't seem natural. * @Haruko nods and frowns. "I think the fact that I'm going to Kyon to try to overcome my fire phobia hurt his feelings. That and I know I'm spreading myself too thin and don't have the time to devote to people that I'd really like to. So I wanted to make it count, to do something special." * Katie nods and chews on a piece of fish, followed by broccoli. Are you going to tell him? * @Haruko tilts her head. "What I just told you? Yeah, I could. It's not like he'd think I'm more of a doofus." No, I mean about the other stuff. <@Haruko> Like all we went through or at least the parts that mine to tell? * Katie looks at Haruko for a second, then says, "Any of it." * @Haruko sighs. "I don't think he wants to know yet. I've offered to share, but he dodges away." She looks up at Katie. "I've gotten a bit better at detecting that over the years. But I think I should respect his decision." Okay. But you are spread thin, and that's... I don't know. Some of it is avoidable. Some of it isn't. That he's jealous of your time is kind of a good thing. It means he cares enough. * @Haruko nods and her tone is calm, "Yeah. I mean, let's be blunt, this may not work out. But I do think he's good for me and I hope I'm good for him. The fact that I've got a lot of guy friends and am a bit of a flirt isn't really going to change, but I'm willing to give him time to figure out what he feels about that." * @Haruko tilts her head back and forth. "And it is as much the schedule as the guys, but the outcome is much the same." * Katie nods. "Yeah." * @Haruko's tone is rueful. "Let's just hope my parents don't fall in love with him, only to have it fall apart." * Katie shrugs. "Part of the deal." She smiles a bit, wryly. "I don't really have that problem." <@Haruko> Aww... well, sometimes he grows on people. * @Haruko briefly had an expression of surprise at that comment, but it didn't last after a few moments of reflection. Did for me. * Katie looks at Haruko for a second, then says, "You, too." * @Haruko laughs. "True. The fire scared me at first. That and you were still in the process of taming him." ... What, like a tiger? Are we going to the circus? * @Haruko grins and looks at Katie for a moment with amusement. "Playing tha naif? Very well, I'll explain. No, not like a lion, Baseball notwithstanding. Like a fairy tail beast who was at the same time a proud prince." * Katie snorts, a little. And helps herself to more lunch. "I guess the money's pretty princely." <@Haruko> Money? Please. The money helps but there is a nobility about him and his family, for better and worse. If, Kami forbid, the brewery went bankrupt tomorrow, that bearing would be slow to change. ... That's true. * @Haruko spreads her arms a bit, settling into her seat and setting her chopsticks down by her plate. Okay, so Kyon's the Beast. * @Haruko nods, "So I see you need further elaboration, well..." She raises a hand for a theatrical whisper. "I don't see anyone nearby that would observe a bit of a watery shadow play between the two of us, but do tell me if footsteps approach, yes?" * Katie eyebrow raises, but she nods. * @Haruko expected no better than dubious permission and continues to speak as a small amount of water creeps up through the grass from the pond. She closes one of the now finished boxes as a stage balcony. "This beast," She creates a simple muscled figure about ten centimeters high with a lion's mane though no other Heirophant like characteristics. "Ruled his realm, but it was under dark threat. * @Haruko Some of the people of the realm rose up to defend themselves from outside threats and one of the beast's own helpers." * Katie makes a faint 'ha' noise, but she's pretty quiet otherwise. * @Haruko creates three figures standing on the mat by the box. Two wearing dresses and a third taller in pants. One of the figures is a bit more elaborate and her dress is made of real-world-scaled feathers, some three to four centimeters long. "The beast offers them his protection, if they swear fealty. But instead, something unexpected happens." The beast figure gesticulates, but only with clipped movements and what appears to be an exaggerated shoulder roll. * Katie was peering at the tiny feather-figure, and then she laughs at the shoulder roll, because *really*. * @Haruko watches the laughter for a moment, but her expression remains intent. "Instead our heroine, for merely to call her a beauty would undersell her other beauty, resists." The feather dressed figure holds up an arm to signal stop to the beast and then she climbs on the box herself, with some reluctance, the other two follow. "She will work with him, but only as an equal. For she was raised * @Haruko in a far away land, a republic that put no stock in princes." The beast is obviously flabergasted by this turn of event, but then turns around to stand at the head of the group, as if this arrangement is one he intended. * Katie smiles at the tiny figures. "I see." She glances up briefly, then goes back to looking at them. "That's not the way that fairy tale usually goes." * Haruko looks up at Katie, "Well you know those heroines today, not satisfied with old roles." More water flows up the hill, one lands on the box as a puddle that forms another figure in the dress. The second is a figure in pants dragged up to the box by our heroine. They commence to glare at one another as Haruko continues. "And so, together there were many trials. And the beast, being challenged and being understood, learned that he was also a man." The figure changes, standing more upright, less muscled and more elegent. * Katie laughs. "I *really* don't think he'd put it that way." * Haruko grins. "Storyteller's perogative." She pauses and gazes down at her liquid menagerie. * Katie waits to see if there's more story. * Haruko looks a little distant as she gazes down. "Although perhaps I should say he remembered what it was." She looks up at Katie, her expression still quite intent and her tone sadder. "Do you wish me to go on?" If you want. You've gotten really good with water. * Haruko banishes the melancholy from her voice, but it still shows in her eyes. She nods in acknowledgment of the compliment but it does not change her focus. "By all rights, the story should end there. But instead the beast's curse struck at the one closest to him, in the form of a creature as wicked as she was caring and as insidious as she was creative." The figures dance a slow spinning dance and as they turn away from the heroine, the some of the barbs of the feather dress are pulled. She collapses and suddenly the ensorcelling dance stops and the figures all rush together, although the other four are smaller and the focus is on the beast and the heroine. * Katie blinks, and she glances at Haruko. * Haruko frowns. "We need not dwell on those dark days. The trials resumed, the companions were befriended, admired, argued, and stepped away." They turn and face in one direction after another. The heroine does gather up the barbs, but then loses some more as she narrates as the beast temporarily moves to a different box, "And for a time, the beast himself left for a distant land." After he returns, the barb pickup resumes, but with more help this time. "And it was no longer enough for him to be tamed. For him to to strive to protect. He had to offer understanding in return." * Katie says, softly, "Yeah." * Haruko pulls back the other figures to the edge of the box, letting them sit guard at each of the four corners. "And together, they defeat the threat to the kingdom. But the story does not end there either." The heroine has a fair number of barbs in hand. The companions hold a few more, the one dragged up earlier the most. The beast stands firm as she leans against him. "What will become of them now? Time will tell, but even in a world without happily ever afters..." The heroine slowly recreates her feather dress. The barbs are sometimes in at new angles but the feathers have a new strange beauty, different but not merely an echo of what came before. * Katie watches, and then she reaches over and tries to touch the watery feather girl. * Haruko allows the companions to fade and focuses her energy on the beast and the feather girl. The latter does not ripple at Katie's touch but instead bends at her guidance and so long as the touch is light reacts like clay. * Katie pulls her finger back. * Haruko finishes. "...sometimes, those with will and wisdom can make a new story and can play more than one role for each other." She pauses to look up at Katie. "And thus I end my tale." * Katie looks back at Haruko. You've given this a lot of thought. * Haruko nods. She lets the other figures bow to both girls, bows in return herself, and then they march down to the pond. She keeps the beast and the feather girl for now. "When I try to understand what other people do and feel, I sometimes try to tell myself their story. I often don't get it right, and I certainly have my biases, but I try to revise those stories as I go." * Katie snerks. Thanks. I know... I mean, I don't always agree with you. But I appreciate you trying. * Haruko smiles a little. "You offer a lot of attention and listening to others. That, and not some silly mystical field, is one of the traits that draws so many to you. You deserve it in return, as best I'm able." * Katie nods, quietly. She looks at the little water figures again. * Haruko shifts her position again, kneeling and turning her palms upright in a meditative position. The figures stay as they were for Katie's inspection. * Katie is silent for a little while, then she says, softly, "Sometimes I think you see me as a better person than I am." Perhaps. I long saw myself as a person better than I was. Now, I strive to the honestly see what is best in my friends and share that story with them. * Katie tilts her head. "So are you working on a story for someone else, too?" * Haruko closes her eyes. "I've been working on Taki's forever. And well Hibiki and I our trying to figure out our stories." She opens her eyes again. "So yes, but also no, nothing quite so elaborate. But then, you two are my favorite." * Katie blinks. "We are?" And then: "Thanks." You're welcome. And don't worry, I like your story together, but I'm not so blinkered to think that that means you should always stay together unless it continues to serve both of you. * Haruko closes up the other two open food boxes at this point, absent Katie objection. She then opens up the last one which contains simple red bean pastry treats. * Haruko then settles back into kneeling and shores up the beast and the feather girl. * Katie doesn't object! She does, however, grab a red bean pastry. "I like our story together, too." She glances at Haruko. "You can let them go now." * Haruko has the two bow and curtsy and then walk off to sit and then melt at the base of the closest tree. * Haruko helps herself to red bean pastry as well. You've been practicing with your powers a lot. I'm not anywhere close to that good with air. Would you like to practice together sometime? We do have danger roof, although there's probably a lot of places you can work on fine control. ... A danger roof? Oh, Taki found it. A rooftop that's not easily observed from nearby buildings and the top few floors go mostly unused. We have some simple equipment up there but nothing identifying. The name's a joke. Don't fall off. * Katie is maybe not joking. * Haruko nods. "There's a meter or so wall around the edge. But that's more for stress and conflict. If you wanted, we could just practice technique." Haruko brightens suddenly, "Maybe before or after I work on my phobia with Kyon." * Katie smiles at this. Maybe, sure. How is that going? * Haruko lets out a breath. "About what you'd expect probably, but I'm a worse case than Kyon realized. But we're keeping at it." We're all pretty bad cases. It's... hard. * Haruko places her hand by Katie's. "I'll never claim it's not. But sometimes we can share one another's loads." * Katie pulls her hand away as she curls up, folding her arms around her knees and looking at the cherry trees. "Maybe." * Haruko looks neither offended nor particularly surprised. She takes her last pastry as long as her hand is over there. "I'll leave that choice to you. But if nothing else, I can offer company and sometimes a bit of well- earned escape." Yeah. * Katie is silent for a moment, then asks, "Do you want to look at the birds when we're done?" * Haruko nods. "That's why I have these." She holds up the binoculars around her neck. She grins. "I'd be shocked if I could spot even one before you, but they can give me a closer look at the ones you see." * Katie smiles at Haruko. "I'll try to find some fun ones." [And they do, but first, remaining treats!] [End!]