<@Grysar> [Date: Thursday May 6, 2004. Evening. The weather is humid, though there's a bit of a breeze if Taki wishes to leave the window open.] <@Grysar> [Taki's doing her baking to accompany the Akari letter, we'll let her describe what she's doing and how it's going. But it's going to be her activity for much of the evening.] <@Grysar> [Mikage is hanging the laundry up on the roof of the building, the laundry facilities are up there as are clotheslines. She'll be occupied for most of the evening and this has settled into a pretty good time for Nicola calls as a result.] <@Grysar> [That said, she doesn't normally get off classes until a little later in the evening, so it may be a bit of a surprise when the phone rings.] <@Grysar> [Start!] * Taki is making macaroons, they're going to be adorable round octopuses when she's done, but for now she's been beating egg whites with a hand whisk for what feels like hours, but has probably only been a few minutes. The high humidity isn't helping. So it's a releaf to able to do anything else. * Taki sets the whisk against the edge of the bowl, washes off her hand and picks up the phone. "Hello!" <@Hinako> Moshi moshi! * @Hinako had indicated that she may check in sometimes this week. She does always seem to be able to find a time that's free, or, well free-ish. * Taki sets the bowl down. "Your timing is as good as ever, I was just wishing I had something else to do." * @Hinako's tone remains cheery. "I do try." <@Hinako> How are you? My hand's a little sore from beating eggs. How are things in Tokyo? * @Hinako sighs. "I hope it will not hurt your opinion of me too much if I confess that I failed to forsee the way that a Council seat and my mundane vocation may combine to be quite wearying." Ah. Well, you're better at telling how things are than how they're going to be arn't you? But if you think some macaroons in a few days will help cheer you up, I can send you a few. * @Hinako mms. "Well put. And tempting, though my sister may disapprove were I to exploit you thus." The refusal is not a merely polite one, but it is not an especially firm tone either. Then clearly I shall have to buy two more eggs and send her some too. * @Hinako laughs. "Oh, so she was not your initially intended recipient?" Hu... Oh, uh yeah. I still owe Toshibara Akari a return gift and I saw a way to make these really cute cookies, so that's been my project for this evening. * @Hinako mms for a moment. "Thoughtful of you. Well, you have much on your plate. So, if I am to make you buy more eggs, it's only fair I do you a favor in turn. Do you perhaps have a question for me? A complete answer seems a fair exchange, so long as you choose wisely." * Taki starts to pace in the kitchen as she thinks. "Aahhm. Hmm." * @Hinako is quiet. There's a faint sound of flowing liquid from the other end of the line. Not at the headset exactly, and it doesn't last too long. Can I have a few days to think about it? I can't come up with anything particularly wise right now. My brain's just going on about shipping prices and needing addresses and when the market down the street's going to close. * @Hinako mms for a longer moment. "I am afraid not. There will be other chances and you need not be afraid to ask a question during any of our talks in any event." * Taki abruptly stops pacing. "In that case, I shall spend it on the totallay frivolous! What are your two favorite flavors and least?" <@Hinako> Apple, anise, and cilantro. Ah! Thanks. * @Hinako sounds a little puzzled. "You're welcome." There's a faint sipping sound, she gives you a bit of space to choose a topic. Well, you're kinda sorta family, so knowing what you like and don't like is important. And I really couldn't think of anything better to ask, being able to see what's happening far away is really helpful for problems I'm not dealing with right now. * Taki picks up the bowl and starts to slowly whisk it to keep the eggs from setting. <@Hinako> True. It is a safe choice. Neither outright spurring the opportunity nor particularly revealing regarding the problems you are dealing with right now. * Taki really hopes that Hinako can't see how guilty she looks right now. "Well, okay. If I could see where you are right now I could... probably not hand deliver these actually. Nevermind. I'm not sure where I was going with that." * @Hinako laughs. "You may not quite be ready for evasion yet, Taki Shimiru." * Taki laughs nerviously and stirs harder. <@Hinako> So may I ask you a question? It's a bit harder than yours, but I would not object if you give me a partial answer or none at all. So long as what you do say is unvarnished truth. * Taki glances up at where Hinako might or might not be watching from. "Uh. Sure. Okay." <@Hinako> [Taki sees traces of the sunset, where Soleil may or may not also be watching from.] <@Hinako> Why do you think that none of your companions have asked to speak with me? I certainly don't intend to force my company on them. I'm just surprised. And that surprise makes me think that I may be deceiving myself. * Taki sets down the bowl again. "They have a hard time trusting peo... I mean, we were all on the same side at the very end, but before that it was little pockets of people fighting each other, and whichever side you were on wasn't friends with ours. So they're super cautious and want to deal with everything on their own. I mean, I'm the foolish too trusting one who wants to leave that behind, but it's hard to let go of feelings that kept you alive." <@Hinako> Is that so? I would have thought our cooperation in the... no matter. <@Hinako> But you are perhaps being unfair to yourself Taki Shimiru, you are not too trusting. You are often reticent, unsure, and indeed afraid of those you are dealing with. * Taki laughs. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." <@Hinako> I would not say other than that which I think is true. And I do know that it sometimes pains you to spend time in the space between fight and flight. Thank you for spending some of that with me. * Taki's voice looses the frivolity. "You're welcome." <@Hinako> And I should go, lest my sister be truly cross with me. A fate we should all endevor to avoid, but I'll need to know where to send these cookies before you go. Unless you're going to be home by the weekend? * @Hinako gives the address of a high school office. "Though my apartment would also do. Oh, and to answer a safe question you might have thought if you had more time. Dropping off cookies directly is not outside the realm of possibility. And the price you would have to pay may not be irreperable, though I do think it would be sufficiently that you should take care in testing your boundaries and rely on the mail system for now." * @Hinako repeats her goodbye after saying that and hangs up before Taki has a chance to further comment. * Taki stares at the phone. <@Nicola> [The phone rings!] * Taki starts and nearly drops it, she still has to juggle it a bit before bringing it to her ear. "Moshi moshi?" <@Nicola> Good evening. * Taki grins so wide it can probably be heard from the other side of the phone. "It certainly is. It's good to hear your voice." <@Nicola> It is good to hear yours as well. * Taki picks up the bowl and resumes beating eggs. "What are you up to this fine evening? I'm making macaroons for sisters and girlfriends." * @Nicola laughs softly. "Girlfriends? Is there something I should know?" Yes, I'm afraid you're dating somebody with bad grammar. * @Nicola still sounds amused. "The horror. But I am also curious about sisters. Mine is not exploiting your baking abilities, is she?" I was already making them whe she called, and I was already thinking about sending you a few if they turned out well, so maybe a teeny tiny bit, after all it'd hardly be fair if my potential sister got some and your actual sister didn't? I don't want to descriminate. * @Nicola hmms. "It continues to be that serious?" Yep. I've only talked to Dad a couple of times since I moved out, and they're still together and he hasn't burnt the apartment down accidentally yet. So she's doing something right. When I was first concidering coming down here I was worried I'd have to come back every weekend and fill up the fridge so he wouldn't try cooking for himself. <@Nicola> Well, if you need advice on how to deal with sisters, I can provide. Though I think mine is rather... unique. Anywhere's a place to start, Mikage's my only friend with siblings and she's the older one. <@Nicola> Is your prospective sister older than you are? By a couple of months? I think? I never asked what her birthday was. I should do that. <@Nicola> Months is different than years, but older siblings enjoy providing the reminder that they are older. * Taki nods. "That sounds right." <@Nicola> At any rate... have you met her, this potential sister of yours? Or simply heard about her though your father? * Taki checks the consistancy of the eggs as she tries to come up with a good answer. "We, uh, met a few times before I transfered schools, and never on good terms, but she sent me a letter saying she was willing to let bygones be bygones for our parents happyness, and that's pretty much how I feel about it. I wanted to talk to her in person before I left Tokyo, but I got sick." <@Nicola> Does your father know about your past encounters with her, then? A little, They said that if I was really against their relationship, they'd break up, but I'd hate to do that to Dad over a petty grudge. I just want him to be happy and safe... which makes me sound like I'm the parent here. * @Nicola makes a quiet sound. "I think it's sweet. And they're so considerate of your feelings." Yeah, I'm really proud of my Dad, and maybe my new Mom, I... I'm thankful at least. * @Nicola is quiet for a moment, then says, "May I confess that I am feeling somewhat frustrated with my parents right now?" Sure, I can't give you a hug from Osaka, but I'm always willing to listen. If there is something else I can do to help, I'll try. <@Nicola> They have been increasingly making noise about my lack of male companionship. Perhaps finding me a nice boy from the motherland. <@Nicola> I am not interested in boys. Or men. Ahh. I'm sorry I couldn't find you a date for that party, maybe if I had they'd be less insistant... or maybe more. Suddenly imagining if there was a boy they thought you were interested in and constantly puhing with a specific goal. <@Nicola> It is not too late, actually. The party was rescheduled due to a sudden illness of one of the guests of honor. Ah, I'm glad they recovered. <@Nicola> I did not wish them ill, exactly, but... I would not have entirely minded if they took somewhat longer to recover. * Taki nods. "Well, I offered to help, so I'm ... going to ask Kyon if he knows anybody. He's the only other person I know who'd know people who go to things like that." Pretty much everybody else I know, I'm just picturing them standing awkwardly in a corner. <@Nicola> The... baseball player? <@Nicola> I met him at graduation. Yeah, him! His family runs a brewery, so he'd have connections, but at the same time he'd probably be the worst possible person to bring because it'd just encourage your parents. <@Nicola> And we most certainly do not want that. Also, I know nothing of baseball. Hit ball with stick! I actually watched him play yesterday and only get some of it. It's really awkward feeling when your friends are playing against your temporary home team too. <@Nicola> I did not know you liked baseball. I don't, but I'd feel like I missed something if he was down here to play and I didn't take the opportunity to say hi. <@Nicola> Oh, so you met up with him at the game? And then talked some here at the apartment, it's kinda hard to have a conversation about anything with and entire stadium of people around, or even hear yourself think. Half the audience was singing songs for the players on their team or clapping and cheering in time. It was fun, but I was completly lost and nobody ever did anything like that for my hockey games. <@Nicola> Well, there is a difference between professional baseball and high school hockey, no? But I would have cheered for you. Thanks! That means a lot to me. Hockey really isn't a popular sport here, so we'd be lucky to have parents for all the players show up. <@Nicola> I still much prefer figure skating when it comes to ice sports. Mhm... I think figure skating is more fun to watch, I'd get all nervious out there on the ice alone. <@Nicola> It is fun to watch. Perhaps the next time you are here, we can curl up together and watch. That sounds like a wonderful date to me. <@Nicola> Excellent. * @Nicola pauses for a moment. <@Nicola> So... <@Nicola> You really will ask about finding someone for the party for me? Yes. I'll actually do it this time. <@Nicola> This may very well be one of the strangest requests ever. We're young, I'm sure something weirder will come up. <@Nicola> I am somewhat disturbed by the prospect. Just off the top of my head, at some point in the future I'm catering some big fancy party, but the dogs gets into the trash cans but I know somebody who can help so I show up at your clinic with a catering truck full of dogs that are full of chicken bones and other things they're not supposed to eat. <@Nicola> ...you have a very... *very*... active imagination. <@Nicola> [It's really too bad they're on the phone because Nicola's facial expression here is priceless.] Uh... yeah. I uh, got a little carried away there. Sorry. <@Nicola> But I would try my best, if such a situation were to arise. [And from the entrance to the apartment, Taki can hear Mikage making her way back with the first load of laundry.] Thanks! And I'm sure the hypothetical dogs would thank you too, if they existed. Ah, sounds like Mikage's nearly back. <@Nicola> Should I go, then? On the one hand you're more important than cookies or roommmates, on the other, I need to finish these. I'll call you back when they're in the oven? ... The cookies, not Mikage! * @Nicola laughs. "Thank you for the clarification." * Taki laughs nerviously. "Right, I love you, I hope you enjoy the cookies, and I'll call you back in an hour!" * Mikage calls out a quick greeting upon her return and proceeds to hang up her laundry and leave Taki's folded up with her stuff. <@Nicola> I will look forward to it. * @Nicola hangs up. * Taki sets down the phone and returns Mikage's greeting. * Mikage heads to the kitchen after setting out this first batch before her return to the roof. "Smells good in here." It'll smell better when I actually get something into the oven and you arn't just smelling eggs and sugar! * Mikage grins. "Ooh, my evening plans just got more exciting." She then glances at the phone, then up at somewhat flushed Taki's face, and keeps the grin, holding a hand to her forehead, palm out. "I sense that the oven may not be the only thing heating up. I'll get back to the roof." No, don't worry about it, I'm going to finish these and then call her back. It'll be my turn to hide on the roof. * Mikage nods and her grin fades into a smaller, sadder smile or a moment before reasserting itself. "Alright, then I'll finish up fast." * Taki blinks. "You've got time, I'm just glad I finally got these eggs beat. Mixers are waay to expensive, but so useful." * Mikage nods. "Oh, okay. Would you like me to put your clothes away too? I can probably figure out your system." She wanders over to look at the eggs. "Easier than that, I'm sure." * Taki wavers with indecision for a bit. "Thanks for the offer, but you can just leave 'em on my futon." * Mikage watches quietly as Taki decides and then goes back to work. "'kay. Lemme know if you ever change your mind." Sure, just not used to liveing with somebody who's not Dad yet. * Miakge snorts, "I think you're doing fine. You're a lot less demanding than some of the people I grew up with." I'm pretty ignorant in the ways of extended family. Should I be teasing you and making unrea... actually you're doing nearly all the chores already, I'd have to come up with something super extra. * Mikage makes a bit of face on the mention of extended family, but doesn't elaorate. She rolls her eyes. "Yeah, except for that whole feeding me thing, what do you do around here." She then laughs, "I don't think your really capable of all that even if you wanted to. You're not bad with a backhanded compliment, but I forsee you getting all flustered and guilty if you tried to actually exploit someone." * Taki laughs. "Yes, I think your foresight is completely right." And don't you forget it. [End!]