[Ardweden] May 2, 2004. This afternoon, Kaede, Haruko, and Wataru met with Kyoko Ozora to help her brother, Reiji. They expected a simple talk and maybe a hex to shed some insight from Wataru, but they got much more than they had expected, as Reiji sent them into the World Reversed. There, Kaede awoke, thinking he was his past self, Masaki Tsumioji, who was looking for the Pentacle. They discovered that the World Reversed was falling apart, maybe at the seams - or subway lines. And they also met Winston, the Hermit, who informed them that broken cycles are destroying the World Reversed, and also that Reiji was tied to the now destroyed Pentacle. Restoring it would make it possible to reverse the process that shattered his mind, but it would also give them a live Artifact... and return all Pentacles to the cycle of reincarnation. Kyoko has since brought the group back to Tokyo Upright, and after some Grade A Genuine Haruko Healing, the trio walked with her to her apartment. By the time they get there and are reasonably satisfied as to Reiji's condition (he had fallen asleep on the couch, and when Kyoko woke him up he muttered something about omelets), it's gone from early evening to Capital E Evening. It is in this state that we find them, now without either Ozora sibling, outside and together under a thankfully lit streetlight. It's well past ten, maybe bordering on eleven. The residential street is quiet; the night is cool. They just had a really long day. But some questions still remain: What are they going to do? Who are they going to tell about all of this? When? How much? And, maybe, why? --- [Grysar] Haruko hasn't been smiling and has been lost in thought as she considers what to do next. "We need to tell everyone about Reversed World. I don't know what to do about the Pentacle, but I do know we can't rush there and especially if we decide not to create it or to destroy it, secrecy is paramount." She pauses and picks her words carefully, "I think we should let people know that we've learned more and that we're grappling with it, but that the path forward isn't nearly as hopeful as we'd imagined. There's stuff the Kyoko and the three of us have to work through in our heads first and we don't want to add to anyone else's burden unless they want to be involved. So if specific people want to opt-in, we can tell them more, for those that don't want to be involved, the fewer people that know the better." --- [Rowyn] Kaede himself has seemed thoughtful as they head out, fingering the pockets of his coat. His head has been down for some time, before he lets out a breath. "...the power of knowledge is a dangerous thing indeed." His head lifts up as he responds to Haruko's words. It's clear he's not entirely pleased with the whole situation, but his whole face is a mask. "People do need to know about the state of the Reversed World. The decision on the Pentacle though..." He pauses to consider himself. "Is that something we can really even decide on? People will have their opinions. But we can't...we just can't..." For a moment, he looks down and seems *angry* but it only lasts the briefest of seconds as his fingers grip the inside of his coat. "...who else knows about this? If Winston knows, surely the knowledge is out there..." And then he turns his gaze on their unspoken companion, Wataru. "What do *you* think?" --- [Grysar] Haruko mms at Kaede's worry about whether we even have the right to decide. She seems unfazed by his natural flash of anger and turns to Wataru to listen as she considers her own response to his point. --- [Jihatsu] Wataru looks between them, frowning thoughtfully. "I mean... We need to tell the group, don't we? This is.. It's huge." --- [Rowyn] Kaede frowns, mulling over the decision for a while, but not disturbed by the wording Wataru said. More that he's trying to consider all the options here himself. "....maybe," he finally relays. "Eventually. I don't know. The problem is once that information is out there, it doesn't exactly _disappear_, now does it?" He considers for a moment, almost pacing in his own mind. "It's not as if every decision has to go through committee. Knowing that you can start the cycle again....well...you can't just erase that knowledge. By choosing to act or not act on it, you have made a choice...and you have to continue living with it...." His voice lowers to a hushed tone as he adds in, "Winston, you bastard..." --- [Grysar] Haruko glances up at Kaede, surprised. The day is catching up with her and after a long and somewhat sweaty day, the faint rain burn scars on her face are accentuated in the moonlight. "Rude." She observes, "I see Kyoko-chan's objection, but this is something you'd have figured out on your own, maybe the--" Her mouth then hangs open for a second as she processes what she just said. The corner of her mouth twitches upward for a second, showing her bemusement, but she quickly returns to the topic at hand. "If Katie or Kyon won their council seat and told me that there would be things she'd need to keep secret, knowledge he'd think should best stay buried, I could respect that. But it would be a lot easier if they'd given me some warning, hinted at their reasons." She frowns, still unsure what to think. --- [Jihatsu] Wataru shakes his head, but more like he's trying to clear it than in disagreement. "I mean, Katie at least needs to know. I'll write to her tonight." These two couldn't object to that, could they? That would be mutiny! --- [Rowyn] Kaede again, considers, first looking to Haruko. "They still plan on doing that?" Then he breathes a sigh, shaking his head. "Katie's one to be biased..." He puts his hands in his coat. "If Katie knows, then Kyon knows and Kyons has opinions. He'll think we should decide..." His eyes close carefully, responding to Wataru. "Katie knowing we can restore the Pentacles, though maybe not the Swords? Katie knowing that it's even possible to start up the cycles of reincarnation again? Are...are you comfortable with that...?" His tone isn't particularly _objecting_. He's just laying down the facts as he sees them. --- [Jihatsu] Wataru's expression is confused, maybe slightly troubled. "...Yes...? Are you seriously considering keeping information from her...?" --- [Rowyn] Kaede frowns. "She doesn't need to know *everything*..." he says definitively. Then runs fingers through his hair. "Only thinks she does..." With a pause, he paces now. "I'm not against it. Just saying that once shared, it will get out to the group. And not acting is acting. Every artifact we choose not to repair is a conscious decision we make...do you really want that decision on our shoulders?" He glances, now, at Haruko. Help him out here... --- [Jihatsu] Wataru pushes ahead. "No - I'm - I'm not saying that we need to decide, and certainly not now. I - I have a lot of self-reflection to do before I even make sense of what the hell I think about this whole situation, myself. But - I mean, not telling Katie... that... that just seems reckless." --- [Grysar] Haruko nods curtly at Kaede's earlier inquiry, they're still doing that, she's still the campaign manager. Although with both candidates gone to Aomori she's been a little grateful at the slow ramp up. As Kaede and Wataru went back and forth, Haruko was content to observe, for once seeing an argument within the group where she did not have the strong feelings. Kaede's look startled her, though she endeavors not to show it. "I think, for once, time is on our side. Kaede is right that one cannot unblow a horn. Katie can keep a secret quite well, but I also think both of you have the right to not want the information that you can create an artifact shared any more than absolutely necessary.." Haruko crosses her arms, "But, perhaps this is just the sting of being recently yelled at, but I feel fairly certain that she'd want to know and would be grumpy, to say the least, of being left out. I think we can afford a night to think things through, but I also want to make sure we respect the way she's tried to be transparent with what she learns." --- [Rowyn] Kaede snorts at that, just a little. "Katie Andrews can afford to be a little grumpy," he responds, folding his arms, considering all that has happened tonight. Then sighing. Deflating a little and rubbing the bridge of his nose. It's been quite a night. "...when did this turn into something about her though? This is about helping Reiji Ozora, not about Katie Andrews. If we turn that decision over to someone else..." He lets that thought go unfinished, processing it over in his head. He then looks at the two of them. "I'm not advocating keeping anything from anyone. I'd like to at least give it a bit of time to really think about. To process everything we've gathered here today. If you'd like to consult with Katie, that is your own prerogative. But to act like she needs to be told everything..." he takes in a deep breath. "Have we really become a group who can't think for themselves? That seems more reckless than anything else..." And then he turns to Haruko, lips thinning. "...not always. Just like all of us... She's human, after all..." His tone isn't unkind. A little melancholy really. --- [Grysar] Haruko listens to this and loses the polite, slightly amused, distance she'd been keeping herself at. Her eyes widen a bit at Kaede's request and she mms to herself after he finishes before looking to Wataru. "Right. Like Kaede said, it's your prerogative. But, one time, when Katie had a chance to talk to Masaru for a bit and I asked how he was doing, she gave me an answer that said I'm not telling you everything, but I think giving him a little space right now is a good thing." Haruko frowns again, rubbing at her temple. "This isn't necessarily analogous, but Kaede's right that we have a dangerous secret and the three of us have chosen to take on a special duty to Kyoko and Reiji. I... don't know what that means right now, and what obligations I owe to who. I've messed this sort of thing up before, and I see why Kaede wants to take a little time to think about it." --- [Jihatsu] Haruko can tell that Wataru seems just bewildered at the notion of hiding anything from Katie, specifically. But maybe if they had the leeway to just be vague, or to tell Katie "stuff is going on and we're trying to work it out" and give Katie a good reason why they are deciding not to tell anyone, including her, the details for now....? --- [Rowyn] Kaede looks surprised himself and there's a little bit of a breath, heavier than intended, which comes out. A relaxation of tension he didn't even know that he had. Not something that he was expecting, exactly, and it's clear on his face. "Obligations are hard things..." There's not much there. But there's a note of appreciation in his voice. And he's quiet now, somewhat lost in his own thoughts. "I'll have to chew on this a bit..." --- [Jihatsu] Wataru nibbles on his lip. "I still feel really uncomfortable not telling Katie. Secrets... I mean, secrets ruin friendships, among other things. But I understand our responsibility to the Ozoras...." He shakes his head. "I don't think I'm okay with making a decision like the Pentacle thing on our own, though. I don't know. It's been a long day." --- [Grysar] Haruko sighs, "That reminds me of an email I need to send." She rests drums her fingers on her cheek. "It is late, we don't have to solve this all tonight. I don't think we're going to take any action on our own. If you're both comfortable with the idea, maybe tell her that we learned some things about what it would take to help Reiji that we need a little while to work through on our own. And then if any of this World Reversed stuff suddenly becomes urgent, like Council candidates start talking about it or whatever, then she..." Haruko glances over at Kaede, not sure what he'd think about the end of the sentence that she was planning. --- [Rowyn] Kaede sighs. Longly. Rubbing his nose. "It's not," he agrees, mulling it over. Then he turns to Wataru. "Tell her as a friend. That's perfectly fine. You're right. Secrets destroy friendships. I should know..." He pauses at that. "But it's not like one person is responsible for this. _No_ one can make that decision. But at some point, we will have to..." Taking his coat and wrapping it around himself. "I think I should head off though. Tonight has given me a lot to think about..." He starts to head off, though not too quickly. If someone still wanted to pull him aside. --- [Jihatsu] Wataru nods. "Okay. Yeah. Thanks, guys." He seems calmer, relieved. --- [Grysar] Haruko flinches a little at the secret talk but nods. "I can send the group email about the rest, I'll keep the Pentacle part vague for now, but if anyone wants more, I'll let you guys know and we can tell them one-on-one." She yawns, covering her mouth a half second too late. "Oh, and please don't forget my open house! Kyoko will probably be there too." --- [Jihatsu] "I'll just email Katie with some general stuff too, then." Wataru actually smiles brightly! "And I'm super looking forward to it." Party!!! [End!]