[April 14, 2004. Morning in Orono; evening in Tokyo. 20-40 minutes after Satoshi sent his big e-mail about somehow owning property in Bangor, and all that goes with it, Katie sends Satoshi and IM:] you ok? Hi, I'm doing okay. I actually meant to send that yesterday but it got stuck in my outbox. But yeah, it was strange. The whole thing was strange. it looks strange. I'm thinking about what to say in email but it's a lot to think about. but if you want to talk I can. It is a lot. Take your time. I just wanted to make sure you guys knew. I swear I could feel Kaede wondering where the e-mail was, though. Maybe we still had a partial link up. ^_~ lol. Or maybe you just know him. This is entirely possible. Yeah. I wonder Hideo judged people into shadows in the World Reversed right? That only he could see or something? [There's no response for a few minutes.] I don't know if it was him specifically or all the Judgements over time. From what Winston said, it sounded like that might be a Judgement thing. ok. Because I'm thinking that's a link to the World Reversed & maybe you're more in touch with it than most Arcana are. & maybe you can put other Arcana in touch with it too. Like we know Winston hung out there & probably knows more about it than anyone but... [A few more minutes pass.] It might be a link. I may be more connected. The first time I went to the World Reversed was when Reiji send us all there. The second time, I needed Akemi's help. Right but I mean other people, like when Hideo was going to Judge Saki back during WW2 I remember he was going to do it I think? But I died before I could see & then when we were there later because of Reiji there was the evil other-Saki. who was definitely not a shadow but in the World Reversed. So maybe he did but didn't finish. How did you... I was watching Hideo at least sometimes. I saw him arguing with Isao saying he was going to Judge Death. & then later when she killed me he was there so it makes sense. Mikari, sorry. It gets messed up in my head Oh my god. That was you? ... maybe? I saw that. As Hideo. When he was going to Judge Saki, I... I saw that. I was Hideo. I thought you didn't remember anything. This was when I went to the World Reversed to get the Cup. Isao forced a vision on me. OH. I *don't* remember anything. It's ok. It's not okay. He could have done something. You can't do anything about that. I watched it happen. So? [A few more minutes pass.] I *watched* it happen. I still get nightmares about it, okay? So don't "so" me! [A few more minutes pass, then Satoshi's cell phone rings.] * Satoshi looks at the caller ID. [It's a Katie Andrews.] Okay, look, I need to actually go somewhere more private to take this because my roommate is still half asleep. So give me a minute. [The phone stops ringing.] ok. I need to get tea anyway. * Satoshi grabs his phone and his shoes and his jacket and heads out. Where out? Outside, at least. It's early enough that there still aren't that many people around. [It is pretty early. There's the occasional bleary-eyed student making their way to (or from!) a computer lab, but they hardly notice Satoshi.] * Satoshi texts. "Okay. I'm out." This is the *weirdest* maybe-angry phone call ever. [Satoshi's phone rings maybe thirty seconds later.] * Satoshi answers it. "Yeah." * Katie rasps from the other side, "I have nightmares about it, too." Satoshi might have to turn the volume up on his phone. * Satoshi does that. "Well of course you do!" I can't imagine that's a fun thing! It's not. But it doesn't have a lot to do with you. No, but... ugh. * Satoshi sits down on a bench, slumping a little. * Katie is silent on the other end, then there's a hesitant, "I'm sorry. I didn't know you were getting upset." Up until that point, I was willing to believe that Hideo might not have been as terrible as everyone seemed to think he was. It's okay. * Satoshi lets out a breath. He's already defusing. * Katie rasps, mildly amused, "Maybe he still isn't." Right now we think he's the worst so the only way to go is up, right? * Satoshi lets out a laugh in spite of himself. "He is the worst." * Katie grins on the other end. "See?" * Satoshi makes an amused "hm." I don't really know what to do with this whole Reversed thing, though. Well... * Katie drinks like half a cup of tea before she continues. There isn't a big time limit on it. And you'll be in Tokyo soon, anyway. So whatever it is, you should probably wait until after summer break, right? * Satoshi starts to say "I come home in a-" but Katie gets to it first. I don't know. It might destabilize. Especially if I leave. If it showed up because you were there, it'll probably just do it again when you go back. Destabilizing when you're gone is even good. It means nobody else can do anything with it. But if I attune it, maybe I can keep people out. Do you know that? * Satoshi sighs. "No." It's just a feeling that I got. Then your feeling might not be wrong, but it's better not to move on just a feeling. * Satoshi shifs to a less slumpy position on the bench. "I could go back and look at it again." The ritual? Well, the Reversed room, but yeah. Yeah. But unless you have better evidence than a feeling you probably shouldn't actually attune it. I think maybe if you bring it home, we can look... Kyon's got a small library of occult books. And maybe Wataru could tell something about it? Winston knows more about the World Reversed than anyone else, too. If we can find him. Bring what home? * Satoshi actually snerks. "And finding Winston's a big 'if.'" The ritual? That thing. Finding Winston is hard but maybe if we make chicken every day... It's a bunch of candles and a diagram. I can't just bring that home. You have super strength. Try harder, Satoshi. * Katie uses her serious voice. * Satoshi sighs. "Let me think about this a little more, okay?" Okay. * Katie pours herself more tea. If we can figure something out about it before I leave for the summer, then... You really want to attune it, don't you? Honestly, I'm surprised that I'm considering it. Why? Because. It's a Hideo thing. I should be wanting to run as far away from that as I can, right? Maybe, but... I don't know. You don't? This is something you can do now, for you now. Just because Hideo was an asshole back then doesn't mean his goals were all bad ones. You could use his power to help and protect your friends. And I know that's what you've been wanting to do. I want to do something, yeah. This is something. * Satoshi nods, even though Katie obviously can't see it. "This is something." Let me... I'll see what I can find out about this. Kaede might have gotten some more on it that he just can't get to yet, Wataru might be able to tell me about it... Like you said. Yeah. I won't go rushing off to do something stupid. If we don't get enough on it before I come home, then I'll leave it alone. Okay. I'm holding you to that. Okay. * Katie is silent for a minute, then she asks, "Did Kaede and Akemi have a good visit?" Yeah, it was fun, if not weird during the Reversed part. It was great to see them. Reminds me of how much I miss all of you, though. I miss you, too. And we'll see each other soon. Less than a month now. That's really soon! Just gotta get through the rest of the semester. Yeah. You can do it. Well. Essays and geometry aren't going to wait for Arcana Weirdness. * Katie laughs a little. "Tell me about it." Meeting Kazuko Yamagata basically happened on top of finals. Man, what a jerk. It was the only time. She's busy. But the meeting wrecked my throat and I'm still not really better. * Katie sips more tea. I was wondering if you were sick. Your voice sounded a bit off. Should I let you go so you're not having to talk so much? I should probably get breakfast and get ready for class anyway. Yeah... that's probably best. Text me if you need me, okay? Sure thing. You do the same, okay? Okay. Have a good breakfast. Thanks. See you soon. [End!]