[Date: Tuesday, April 20th.] [Life's been handing a lot to Taki lately, but the packing is almost done. She just has two important rendezvous before she can leave town. Funnily enough, both are with the Arai sisters.] [Two important individual meetings that is, and a last send of poker night with friends, where Nicola is expected to run the table on everyone, Mikage forsees it.] [By now, the visit to Hinako's apartment is perhaps getting a bit more routine. She was actually wearing her longer, formal cloak at the door, but after getting in and settling, she swept it off to reveal a surprisingly sensible spring top, and fairly short shorts with a fan of belts hanging down from them, adorning her otherwise bare legs. She settles down by are card spread table.] [She clears it, though not before Taki notices that a few of her friends, along with the Six of Pentacles and the Nine of Wands, are included in a haphazard card spread.] [Hinako sets outs tea and biscuts adorned with jelly. Her purple eyes rest on Taki, expectently.] [Start!] * Taki sets a small cakebox on the table, it'd be rude to show up empty handed after all. "Good afternoon." She's dressed casually in jeans and layerd shirts as the Tokyo summer hasn't arrived yet, unfortunatly fasion doesn't quite extend to the dark circles under her eyes. * Hinako smiles. "Thank you for bringing the treats. Have you been sleeping?" * Taki nods and sits down in one of Hinako's chairs. "Either too much or not enough. I'm not sure. I kinda overdid it a couple days ago and haven't recovered yet. It's embarasing in retrospect." But, not having to go to school every day is helping a lot. * Hinako nods. "You may find the pace of college a bit easier, although my knowledge does not extend to culinary academies." * Taki nods again. "It's going to have a hard time being worse than Sakuragaoka." If those days were returning, trust that I too would have an ashen complexion. What inspired this exertion and embarrassment? * Taki glances at the teapot. "May I?" * Hinako shakes her head and pours for Taki and pushes a biscuit her way. "I would be remiss as a hostess." [The tea is a white one, with no small amount of caffeine.] * Taki takes a sip of tea and holds the cup in both hands in her lap. "Thanks...you. Uh, anyway I was having a rough day because my Dad's started dating again, and he's some how wound up with Toshibara Akari's mom... I don't remember what card she is, but we used to get into fights when everybody thought Katie was Judgment and was going to... do what ever it is his power actually is to everybody." And I still don't know if I'm okay with Dad dating again to start with or if I can handle having her as a sister. * Hinako casually pushes one of the cards at the side of the table forward. There are two figures depicted, and six bouquets of flowers held in cups. "The power of judgment is in the name. To judge and by condemning to banish to the World Reversed." So I called Haruko because this is an Arcana mess and we talked a bit, and somewhere in all this a package showed up... full of dire warnings about how Shuffle is secretly evil and my friends and family are in danger and just trying to scare me into accepting help from whoever sent it. ... And when I realized that they were threatening Nicola from both sides. I just got so, so very mad at whoever sent it. * Taki sets the teacup in front of her and taps a fingernail on the solid block of ice inside of it. "And this happens when I get mad now." * Hinako looks down and nods. "A significant ability, were it controlled. What threats were made against my sister?" Nothing specific, just that everybody was in danger from the secret conspiracy behind Shuffle. So on one side she's in danger from just knowing me, and on the other you, for being part of the whole bring back the Council thing. I wasn't thinking straight at the time and Haruko's burnt the thing. Kinsha Haruko burned a letter? * Taki takes a biscuit. "She gave it to a colligue of her dads to have exorcised and burnt in sacred flame. (I was really upset.) But yeah, she was was in the room with the flame, and was afraid, but faced it. I'm proud of her." * Hinako had listened attentively and showed no surprise at the Council mention, for the record. She nods. "People can surprise us. Sometimes." There was another weird thin... Oh, right! It burnt purple. She said it was because of some chemicals in the paper. * Taki reaches for her teacup, and then puts it back down when she remembers it's solid. * Hinako nods. "A bit of stage magic perhaps." Hinako pours tea into her own cup and then swaps with Taki. "To what purpose I wonder. Even I would have been challenge to anticipate that particular reaction from two Cups." I think... it's somebody who knows something's going on, and that I'm mixed up in it somehow, but doesn't actually know what. I wish they'd just _asked_ like... * Hinako listens. * Taki takes a gulp of the new tea. "Like I'd have tried to help and tell them most of what I'm sure of whoever it was had asked like a normal person and didn't try to scare me. I mean, if they were Arcana. If they wern't I'm not sure what I'd do. Maybe try to play it down? Say I can take care myself and thank them for their concern?" But making vague threats about the people I care about... I have a hard time being nice and friendly against that. * Hinako nods. "But your memory of the threats has faded. No matter. What will you do next? * Hinako eats her own biscuit to give Taki a bit of time. Finish your tea, enjoy cake and my remainig time in Tokyo with my friends and family, finish packing, and try to keep an eye out for somebody being weirdly and dramatically helpful... with the exception of Mikage anyway, she's like that anyway and if this was her, I ... we're gonna have a long talk that I hope doesn't end with a visit from Temperance. * Hinako looks at Taki for a moment, processing that. * Hinako then nods. "A sensible course." How was your chat with Yamagata Kazuko? Were vague threats avoided in that dialogue? * Taki looks down and blushes out of embaresment. "Uh... subtly kinda exploded. Katie was... very direct and firm about her opinion of the end of the book... and I'm pretty sure she hates me right now. I hope her voice has recovered, at least." * Hinako nods. "That is less of a surprise." * Taki shoves the rest of the biscuit into her mouth to keep from having to say anything or collapsing in on herself. * Hinako waits, slowly eating her own and pouring a little tea atop her cup to melt the ice. It turns out she actually has more time than you have refreshments. * Hinako, after a time, also opens the cake box from Taki and begins slowly splitting the contents. This may be just a way to deny the Knight of Cups something else to reach for in the meantime or perhaps she's just hungry. * Taki flails for something to say. "Uh, what else happened recently... Satoshi played an important hockey game and lost and I wish I'd been able to cheer for him? But America's kinda really far away... maybe when I'm an old lady I'll be able to go that far, but right now just across Tokyo's pushing it. I wish I could afford to just buy plane tickets and go." * Hinako is a little saddened by that news. "I am sorry Watanabe Hideo was not able to find victory, please pass him my sympathies." She then looks at Taki, "My sister would also be unknowingly gratified were you to better master distance, but that is not the power that troubles me." Well, railpasses are affor... Uhm... may I ask which the troubling power is? * Hinako taps at her slushy tea cup. Ah, yeah. Uhm. This was the first time it's gotten that bad. Before I've always noticed when I've made things just a little bit cooler. I froze that solid deliberatly. * Taki looks down again. "It's why I quite hockey though, I wasn't sure I could resist the urge to cheat if we were loosing." Your emotions are often hidden, not through discipline, but because the bulk exist beneath the surface. * Taki nods. "Do you have any advice? Being good at controlling my emotions would be a very good thing. I mean I try, but I mess up a lot too." * Hinako looks at Taki for a while. "I do. Are you sure you want it?" * Taki blinks and takes time think about it. "Yeah. I can't promise that I'll follow your advice, but it's something I need to work on in." You carry a great deal of shame. I suspect that you push your feelings down because you would prefer not to honestly face them and what they may say about you. * Taki blinks. "Erm..." * Hinako waits. "You disagree?" Not after actually asking for your help, it's just painful to hear from the outside too. It gets worse. Should I stop? [Hinako is not without pity though, she does serve out the contents of Taki's gift box at this point. What's inside?] If I suddenly dissapear or drop us both into a field you should. {Box contains a small and simple cake with white frosting around the outside. when cut the layers of white cake are held together with orange colored and flavored frosting. No attempt at Artful & Gracious} * Hinako nods and stops for a moment, having a little cake. If she's going to be thrust into a field, she wants cake first. She then takes a moment, shuffles through some cards, and then glances at a few without showing Taki. "Would you say that you are a person that is easy to share a hard truth with?" * Taki balls her fists up under the table. "I... don't like dealing with them, so no." Indeed, I would say that your companions tend to coddle you, lest you over do it; ignore your feelings, lest they be drawn in; or lash out at you, when ignoring is no longer an option. * Taki opens her mouth to protest and then slumps. "I! ... Is that because I asked for it, or because it's true, because I needed somebody else to say it, or because yes the whole thing?" * Hinako has another bite of cake. "I believe you already know the answer." * Taki puts her head on the table and says quite softly. "I don't actually, I just know the ones I'm absolutly terrified might the truth." Your life is not built of lies. You have had many hard truths forced upon you. Reality has no reticience. But everything I said is the truth, as well as I am capable of seeing it. Whether it is what you had to hear? I do not know. * Taki doesn't lift her head, just deadpans. "Yay." * Hinako is here to protect her sister and eat cake. She actually has a few bites of cake left, so it's quiet for a while. * Taki drags herself into a sitting position again. "I'm not ready for the next one, but please go ahead." [When Taki eventually lifts her head, the room is changed. The table, her share of cake, the empty cups and plates are still there. As is Hinako, bright eyes shining in the shadow. But the rest of the room has vanished. The walls, floor, and skylight ceiling no longer constrain you. Instead the night sky surrounds you with a clarity and fullness that you've never seen.] * Taki rubs her eyes. Okay, less ready than I thought. They're amazing. * Hinako looks at the Knight and smiles slightly. "Have you steeled yourself?" Hmn? Oh, right. * Taki collects herself back into her chair and sitting upright. My last statement is perhaps worst of all. I am not as confident as I once was. I fear I am in over my head with the Council, but that it is the only way to bring peace and allow us to see through our fate. We both know there is much I have not and will not tell you, but if you find it in yourself to trust me, I need hard truths too because there are things that I am missing. * Taki stares at the stars, most of which she's only ever seen from her Grandparents home. "I... How much do you ... No, that's the wrong question. I don't know what the right question is. I may have some truthes you need, but I don't know if they're mine to give. I can promise that I'll think about what you've said." [In the distance there's specks of dust approaching the globe and burning out in a series of small flashes.] * Hinako nods. "The choice is, of course, yours." Would you be troubled if I asked for the advice of the people who trusted me with those truths? * Hinako takes a deep breath. "Sometimes projecting confidence is all the Heirophant has. Seek what advice you need, let discretion flow both ways. Just remember that I am asking Shimiru Taki, not for a consensus opinion. Someday, we may be family." * Hinako then blanches for just a fraction as she process something said earlier, but she recovers quickly. * Taki nods seriously. "I once caused a great deal of trouble by keeping a secret I should not have, and ... it is one of my great shames. I don't want to make that level of mistake again." * Hinako nods. "Who to trust and how much is one of the most important decisions we make." I m.... *she shuddes* Ugh. *and then takes a gulp of tea to get the taste of that thought out of her mind* I will continue to try and improve myself and the world, both a little bit at a time for your sister, and yourself, and my friends and family, and even myself. You can tarry here a while, if it helps you prepare. Thank you. [When Taki is ready to go, and has finished her cake (if she's not that hungry, Hinako will provide her with a little bag, being a good hostess is important) then the Heirophant asks Taki to close her eyes again, when she opens them again, the room is restored.] [End!]