01 [January 3, 2004.] 01 [Wataru and Satoshi have had quite the day, meeting up at a coffee shop and then going to Satoshi's place to talk Arcana business. After that, they had tasty but messy meat-in-a-bun at Freshness Burger. It's early evening, but it's also winter, so that means it's quite dark as they make their way to the subway station. It's a cold but clear evening, and the streets have regular foot traffic but aren't packed.] 01 [Start!] 06* Satoshi walks along. It's been a very interesting day, to say the least. Every so often he looks over at Wataru as if he wants to say something, but then he looks away. Finally, he says, "It's getting late, and I should go, but... there's one more thing I should tell you today, I think." 06* Wataru glances at him, feeling weirdly lonely at the announcement that Satoshi needs to go.... Almost panicky. It's been... a really intense day. Even if it wasn't easy, he finds himself wishing it didn't have to end. "Yeah...?" It's Arcana-related. We don't really have time to talk about everything tonight, but there is something about me you should know. "Okay." "Go for it. Unless uh, you'd rather talk somewhere more like, private?" 06* Satoshi looks around. Are there many people in the vicinity? 01 [There are people! Nobody's paying attention to them, though, as they're walking quickly through the cold on their nightly business.] Well, uh, if you believe me this will actually make some things much easier. 06* Wataru cocks an eyebrow? I'm a telepath. But I swear, I've never read you and I certainly wouldn't without your permission. Wataru's second eyebrow comes up to meet the first! "Seriously? That's... wow." He seems into it! "So you can actually -- " He looks around, and lowers his voice. "You can actually read my mind?" 06* Satoshi actually gets a mischievous grin. ~If you let me.~ Wataru hears his voice, but Satoshi's lips certainly didn't move, so he's either telling the truth or he's actually a ventriloquist. 06* Wataru finds this stupidly sexy. He blushes, trying to control his thoughts. "Gimme a second," he mumbles. He tries to think about, uh... horses. Fat little horses, jumping over fences. In a fluffy field. "Okay." He looks at Satoshi! 06* Satoshi looks at Wataru. Then he frowns. "I'm not picking up anything." 06* Wataru looks slightly alarmed. "I... I was totally thinking of something!" ~It works more like having a conversation. Except don't say the words out loud. Just... think them.~ "Oh!" Wataru looks sheepish. "Okay. Sorry." Um. ~Ummmm. .....Hello? .....Like this?~ ~Yeah, exactly like that.~ 06* Wataru beams slightly! "Wow," he grins! "It almost gives me shivers." ~So we can just talk like this? Can you do it with anyone, or just other Arcana? Does it have to be directed at you, or can you pick up the thoughts of passersby? And I guess you need to like, turn it on for it to work? Sorry! I just have so many questions, argh I'm so sorry, I...~ Wataru laughs, hiding his face with a 06* Wataru hand! "Sorry. I'm a huge nerd. You don't wanna be in my head." 06* Satoshi laughs. "No, it's fine." ~It's just with other Arcana, and I have to initiate it. I mean, if I met another telepath, I guess they could start it, but I haven't yet. I can have a conversation with one person, or I can send something really short, like a warning, to several people at once.~ ~Okay, cool. If... if you don't mind questions: how far can you be? Like, if I'm across the street, will it still work? What if I'm in another city?~ ~Across the street, not a problem. I've never really tested the limits much beyond that, though. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be telepathing you while I'm in Maine.~ 06* Wataru chuckles. ~Bummer,~ he smiles.... "This is kinda fun," he says. ~I can see how it could be useful. Was... was it scary, figuring out what you could do?~ ~For the longest time I had no idea I could do this. I mean, seriously, who actually tries to be a telepath? But I was accidentally projecting myself to Kaede and eventually we figured out what as going on.~ "Wow." ~I mean, wow! Sorry.~ He has a sheepish grin. ~So does everyone else have powers too? I mean that's what I'm assuming, but no one's really talked about it.~ ~Yeah, but I'll let them tell you about theirs.~ ~Of course,~ Wataru replies quickly! ~This stuff seems pretty private. I mean, I haven't told them about mine, either. Except I'm pretty sure Katie saw me use it once.~ He shrugs. "What can you do, right?" ~It's weird, because I'm finding it so much easier to talk to you and trust you, than her. But I know you're all a team and stuff. Right? How do you think I should be behaving with those other guys, while... You know? (While you're away)~ 06* Wataru isn't really aware he sent that last sentence. It was sort of a thought to self, but it was in there, and it's a sad one. ~Keep an open mind. They know what they're talking about. I know it's hard to do, but offer them some trust. And, uh, if you still have Haruko's card, please give it back to her. She'd like to have a full deck again.~ He switches to speaking out loud. "And we can still talk. You've got my phone number and you've got my e-mail address. And I have a webcam now!" "Yeah, I meant to give her the card back right away, but then all kinds of stuff happened and I legitimately forgot! Next time I see her, for sure." He smiles. "It must be agonizing not having a full deck." ~And.... It would be cool to talk, too. You and me I mean. I should get a webcam too! I bet my aunt would buy me one.~ Grin. 06* Satoshi looks at the subway station entrance. "I should go. It's a very long day tomorrow. I mean that literally. I'm going to be leaving on the afternoon of the 4th and arriving in the evening of the 4th while spending sixteen hours on airplanes and in airports." 06* Wataru has a crooked smile..... "I... I'll miss you," he confesses, simply. "I'm glad we had today. Maybe it... ended up being something even better than a date." He looks at him.... 06* Satoshi looks startled for a moment, and then he smiles back, though it's kind of shy. "I'm sorry I'm leaving so soon," he says. "I'm going to miss a lot of people. I..." 06* Wataru reaches out and touches his shoulder, gently. "Webcam," he says. "And you'll be back. Go be a hockey star," he grins, not quite managing to keep the emotion out of his voice. I don't want him to go! ~I can't be a hockey star if I don't go.~ 06* Satoshi waves to him. "I'll let you know when I get back to Maine. Take care, Wataru." ~That's right.~ Wataru parts, taking his hand back, letting the space between them grow. "You too, Satoshi. We'll talk soon, yeah." ~Bye...~ 06* Satoshi heads for the subway. 06* Wataru stands still like a statue, until he can't, until the tears claim him. Stupid, hopeless tears, the tears of almost having something and seeing it taken away. He turns and stalks off into the crowd, without really thinking about a direction. Tears of wanting something so bad and knowing there's nothing you can do to have it. The anonymity of the Tokyo crowds hits him like icy water, the warmth of his connection with another human being now lost. Wataru's isolation smothers him again, all the worse now for that he knew, for a few hours, what it was like to aspire to companionship. But Satoshi has his own destiny to pursue. And him... Well, his mission hasn't changed. He still has the rest of Katie's gang to pester for answers. Maybe he'll even find friends among them, one day. But he doubts he'll ever find love. Wataru pulls his coat around him as the tears chill and dry on his face, and he heads down the bustling sidewalks towards home. 01 [End.]