[Date: Friday, January 9, 2004.] [Haruko and Wataru have agreed to meet up at a neat little bohemian cafe for card exchanging, possible Utena-related chitchat, maybe a card reading, and who knows what else!] [Haruko actually recognizes this place; she's been a few times with Kenta.] [The meeting time approaches. Is someone early? Late? Let's find out!] [Session Start!] * Haruko walks up to the cafe, her motorcycle parked a few blocks away. She gives it a lookover, confirming that it is the one she remembers. She closes her eyes for a moment, whispering a quiet prayer that she won't run into Kenta on this occassion, before walking in to see if Wataru is already here. * Wataru has arrived early, as a Wataru do. He's more or less a regular here, so he smiles at the cafe's master, a sinewy and prematurely-grizzled man in rumpled shirtsleeves and a vest. He tells the owner that he's meeting a friend, and grabs his usual table, the one near the back with the cozy half-overhang of foliage and the abstract glass mosaic tabletop. His very own bohemian nook. [It's a clear but cold day. Dress for the occasion, folks!] * Haruko is again wearing her grey hoodie with the embroidered back that Wataru doesn't see yet and the front promoting an all weather race. She's wearing navy pants and has a shoulder bag with a few omomori hanging from it. She smiles at the hostess and looks around for a moment before saying. "I'm joining someone, Yamada." She peers towards the back. I'm not sure if he's here yet. [Haruko spots Wataru in the nook!] * Wataru has his deck out, and is leisurely thumbing through it. * Haruko then interrupts herself. "Wait, I see him." She heads towards the back, giving a nod to the vested owner as she passes. "Yamada-san, a pleasure to see you." She approaches and gives a quick bow before sitting down. * Wataru starts to stand, but then she's too fast, so he sits again, fumbling a bow in the process. "Ah. Kinsha-san, hello." He tidies his deck into a neat stack, but turns a shy kind of smile to her. "Glad you could make it." * Wataru is wearing baggy black jeans and a blue-and-grey striped zip-up hoodie, half open over a Waseda t-shirt. * Haruko smiles back. "Thank you for inviting me and you can call me Haruko if you like." "Okay," his smile gets a bit more genuine, if still reserved. "It's fine to call me Wataru, too. I mean, I grew up in America, so I'm comfortable with it." * Haruko smiles and nods. "Certainly Wataru-san. I've been getting to know more Americans of late thanks to Satoshi. Plus one Canadian." * Wataru is amused, and a little nonplussed, at her immediately playing the Satoshi card right out the gate. He chooses to humour her for now. "Yeah? Wait, are you studying in Maine too, then?" * Haruko snorts. "I don't even have a passport. No, I've just talked with Paul-san once or twice and heard a lot about the team." "Oh, I see. That's cool!" He's not sure he remembers a Paul, but whatever. * Haruko nods. "Last I heard they were kidnapping him for a road trip." She looks whistful at that. "Mm," Wataru nods. What, are you testing whether I am actually friends with Satoshi? Girl I am TOTALLY friends with Satoshi. "Yeah, I heard about that. You like road trips?" * Haruko tilts her head slightly at Wataru's question, looking at him appraisingly but keeping the smile. "Yes, and I'm kind of jealous of Liam-san. I've done trips with the Tokyo Tech Automotive club before but never managed to kidnap him." "Oh, you go to Tokyo Tech? That's pretty cool! Studying what?" * Haruko loses the appraising look and blushes slightly. "Well, thank you. We don't quite have Waseda's all around reputation, but..." She then makes a slight face as she decides how to describe her major. "I'm studying engineering. I'm still choosing my specialty, but I'm hoping to research tidal power generation after I graduate." * Wataru has a look of unabashed interest. "That's really cool! Green energy is the future, I think. Is there a lot of potential in tidal power? I guess, Japan has a lot of coastlines...?" * Haruko nods speaking quickly. "Yes, although it's not just coastlines. You need some combination of great tidal range or flow velocity. It's mostly been in Europe and North America, but we do want more green technology, and, well..." She makes a face again. "Nuclear is a mixed bag." * Wataru nods expressively. "Quote-unquote clean until something goes wrong, and then it's a deadly mess for generations." * Haruko nods in agreement. "In one class my prof. emphasized that modern nuclear is far safer than the accidents of a few decades ago. But it still can go very wrong and all those necessary safety measures reduce the affordability advantage anyways." * Wataru leans on his hand a bit, thinking about this. "I don't know the science of it really, but I had a Socio module on nuclear policy and public opinion. It's a pretty charged issue, in Japan especially, isn't it..." * Haruko nods, suddenly remembering she's speaking with an American. "Yeah, you could say that." * Wataru long ago refused to adopt the national guilt over the WWII bombings. He may be American, but he's Japanese-American, so he feels kind of exempt. August 6th is still a pretty awkward time every year... "Anyway," he says. "If we can figure out something tidal, that would be awesome. Did you want to get a drink or something, by the way?" * Haruko nods and smiles. "I do like the honey ginger tea they serve here." "Oh, you've been here before?" He smiles. * Haruko nods glancing away for a moment. "I've been here a few times. They get local bands in here some nights. Sometimes a little, I guess, twee, but other times not bad for a place that doesn't really have a dance floor." * Haruko's tone has a slight cutting edge for the end of her sentence, although she's not really focusing on Wataru as she says it. * Wataru laughs, standing up to go get drinks, pocketing his deck when he does. "I guess it's not really a dance-floor-y sort of place." * Haruko nods and the enthusiasm returns as she catches herself. "But it's a very nice cafe. I like the earthy feel." She gestures up at the overhanging plants. * Wataru smiles! "Yeah. It feels different than most other places in town, I feel. I really like the table, too," he runs his fingertips over the uneven mosaic. * Haruko takes a closer look at the table, duplicating the gesture. "I haven't really been here in the day before, I hadn't really notice. But you're right." "It's not all of them," Wataru says, discreetly gesturing to the rest of the cafe. "He's got a bunch of different tables, you know? But this one's my favourite, especially with the plants and all. Anyway. Coffee?" He nods towards the counter. * Haruko glances around and nods. "Coffee... uh, sure, thanks. House style, whatever that is." "... All right." And now I'm buying for you, apparently? "I'll be right back," he smiles easily. * Haruko checks out the table awaiting Wataru's return. When he does come back she smiles up at him. "Thanks, can I get you next time?" "Sure," Wataru says. Japan! Right! How can he still not be used to this! He puts a macchiato in front of her (with just a touch of vanilla), and keeps his usual caramel macchiato for himself. * Haruko looks at the pattern across the top of the coffee. "Oooh, fancy." She holds it up, inspecting, but not drinking yet. * Wataru grins. "He's really good at coffee. Actually, this place kind of reminds me of Seattle, I bet that's why I like it! Huh, don't know why I never realized it before." * Haruko glances up for a moment. "Seattle, that's Pacific coast, right? Is that where you're from?" * Wataru nods! "I'm from nearby, not the city proper. But I grew up on that coast, yeah." Neat... and that's, the opposite side of the country from Maine, right? * Wataru laughs. "Yeeaahhh." He chooses to reveal enough about himself to have a bit of a sigh at that! * Haruko sets her cup down for the moment, smiling slightly. "I do hope to get a passport and see Satoshi someday. But I'm going to have to save up for a while to manage the airfare. Particularly since you cross the ocean and then continent." * Wataru nods. "It's expensive, for sure. Takes a really long time, too. I don't go home much." He looks down at his coffee, the composure he's been working so hard to maintain briefly slipping. "Home's here, now, anyway." * Haruko gives an affectionate smile. "I know, well, I imagine it must be hard to leave your home. The big tidal power companies aren't Japanese and the prospect of going to Scandanavia is terrifying to me one one level." She makes eye contact. "I hope we have made a welcoming home for you." * Wataru has an honest smile. "Mostly," he says, and it's true. "--Oh," this reminds him... * Wataru pulls out a postcard-sized envelope from between the pages of a textbook in his backpack. "This is yours." * Haruko tilts her head as she waits and then smiles a bit too eagerly for a moment at seeing the envelope. She reaches out before adopting a demure expression. "Oh, yes, thank you." * Haruko takes the envelope and opens it, finding her card presumably. "If not for your inquisitiveness I would have lost it entirely. I don't know how long it takes to break in a new deck, but I've had that a couple years and I don't think it would feel the same." * Haruko does take out a beaten card box from her bag, removing the deck and quickly shuffling it after slipping in her card. * Wataru feels almost phyically uncomfortable relinquishing it, but some things just need to be done. He doesn't want everyone to think he's a klepto, and anyway, he promised Satoshi. "So the whole deck is Utena themed? I've never seen one like that." * Haruko picks it up and hesitates for a fraction of a moment before extending her hand to Wataru, deck face up and facing him, open palmed. "Yes, I think it may have been fan made but they did a good job. They renamed the majors, which is annoying sometimes, but I felt more of a connection with it than with the European-style decks." * Wataru nods, but, with respect, declines to handle her deck unless she insists. These things can be very personal! "It's really pretty, I like it..." He smiles. "I think I might get distracted by the anime references, if I were to use it myself, though! Although... maybe it can give you a lens to interpret things through, too. Does it work that way for you?" * Haruko gratefully does not insist and places the card on the table before her, flipping a few cards, the first being the Queen of Cups of course. "Yeah, I don't think I could handle an X deck. That'd be a little too close to home. But Utena..." "X?" * Haruko thinks. "Clamp series. People with special powers try to kill each other in a battle over the fate of the world." I don't really like its take on fate. But Utena, that series always felt more like it was about actual people who had complicated problems. I find that helps when I'm using the deck. * Wataru cocks a brow at that first part, is about to say something, but then just nods at what Haruko says next. "That's why it's so good. Well. That and the songs." Zettai! Unmei! Mokushiroku! * Haruko nods and grins. "Yeah the songs are fun. I also really like Utena, I think she's a good role model." She closes her eyes. "But not one I really did a good job of emulating." "Mm, you said you have traits of Nanami too, right?" * Haruko nods, taking a breath. "I feel like you have me at a bit of a disadvantage here. But yes, not all too obvious I hope." * Wataru chuckles. "Well, I don't really know you at all. It hasn't been obvious so far. I do appreciate the honesty though - and I meant it when I said I had no idea which character I'd be. But maybe you can get a better read on me... sooner or later," he adds. * Haruko nods, spreading her cards, revealing a mix of majors ( http://www.broomstick.org/utena/tarot.html ). "Well, maybe you just need to pick a different series. But, since you value honesty. I mentioned Nanami because I can be a bit bossy, I take protective pride in my, *chaste*, relationship with a certain student council type, and I can be more than a little headstrong." * Wataru has a quizzical little smile, which very nearly devolves into a snort when he realizes who she *must* be talking about, because who else? "I see. Okay, that makes sense, sure. I mean, look, Nanami was trouble but there's no one-dimensional character in Utena." Except maybe the mouse. Monkey? Mousemonkey. * Haruko opens her eyes, cards laid on the table, and looks up at Wataru. "Well, thank you. And if you'll excuse a slight exercise of Nanami-ness, you really did seem rather put off to see Kyon when first we met. Was he a bad lab partner?" Her tone is genuinely curious. * Wataru puts a hand over his mouth to try not to laugh. "He was fine. It-" How do I not piss her off, here? * Haruko rests her elbows on the table and her chin on her hands. "Go on." * Haruko has generally been trying to be fairly open with Wataru and the way she talks about Satoshi is as if she realizes that they have a mutual friend. Also, the way she said 'a certain student council type' made it sound as if she is well aware of some of Kyon's foibles... * Haruko for the moment though is settled in to listen. She seems to be hoping for reciprocal openness and a path for improving Wataru and Kyon's relationship in the future. "Mm... it's a personality thing, I guess. Not everyone gets along with everyone." That wasn't an answer, and he's aware of it. But he really wants to seem willing, here... * Haruko nods, pushing her hands down with her chin briefly awaiting more description. [Speaking of not everyone gets along with everyone... The door to the cafe opens, and someone walks in. They start heading for the counter, and then there's a pause and the figure approaches the table. "Haruko?" The voice is very familiar. It's Kenta.] * Haruko's eyebrows arch for a moment in annoyance. She quickly loses it adopting a smile before she turns around. "Kenta. Sorry to invade your cafe." Her tone is genuinely apologetic. "Yamada invited me, he's a friend of Satoshi, you remember me talking about Satoshi, right?" [Kenta looks rather apologetic himself. "It's not mine," he says quietly. "I was just surprised to see you here. I thought I'd say hello?" He looks at Wataru, then at Haruko. "Satoshi is... he's the hockey player, right? In America? Anyhow, I just... I'm sorry to interrupt. Please excuse me." He bows and makes to head towards the counter.] * Haruko stands up and bows. "Goodbye Kenta." She then sits down and resumes facing Wataru, waiting a moment or two before asking quietly. "Is he gone?" * Wataru watches this happen, willing to participate in some small talk but blessedly not called upon to do so. In fact, he doesn't end up being addressed at all, and he just watches Kenta go. * Wataru looks at Haruko. Blinks. "Counter," he says, quietly. "Wanna go somewhere else, or...?" [Kenta appears to be ordering a drink to go, for what it's worth.] * Haruko waves a hand. "No, it's alright." She resumes resting her head on a hand, in this case her closed right fist. "So, personality clash..." "Mm," he glances towards Kenta again, but then returns his attention to Haruko. "Yeah. Listen, it's no big deal. We just rub each other the wrong way or something. I'm sure he's a great guy. And he's your friend, and that's cool. I mean, I can't *believe* he ended up being" he shrugs, and looks at the tarot deck pointedly, "but you know, whatever." [Kenta gets his drink, takes one last glance towards the table, and starts heading out.] * Haruko laughs. "That you get used to. Well, I get used to it. Taki is annoyed every single time." She smiles at Wataru. "I do know how Kyon can be, and I can ever help mediate, let me know." Haruko does spare one glance to the door just a moment too soon with an expression that isn't quite sad or angry but more disappointed. [Kenta does catch that last glance, but he keeps moving and walks out the door.] * Wataru is sort of fascinated by the glance, and itching to know what that's all about - he makes a mental note to ask Satoshi later! "Mm, well thanks, I may take you up on that some time." * Haruko quickly looks back to Wataru when she realizes she was impatient. "You're welcome. Kyon does genuinely try to live up to the standards he set for himself. I wouldn't have made it through, all that, alive without him. I mean, that's true of all of them really. But he was the one that made me feel like I could actually get my act together and play the hero." * Wataru rests his fingers on the handle of his coffee cup, but doesn't drink. "Yeah... Kaede told me a little bit about what happened," he says. "I almost couldn't believe it. I mean, there was all this stuff happening, at my own *school* even. And I didn't even know. I had no clue." * Haruko suddenly remembers her coffee with that gesture and sips at it as she listens. Somehow the pattern on top preserves itself as she sips. She must just be that sophisticated despite all other signs. Her tone is a bit hushed. "Well, remember, that is how these powers are rigged. Otherwise everyone would have found out generations ago." "But I had it too. Reiji, I knew. But I didn't even know about his sister, you know? Or that French girl, or ... yeah. They listed a few names, it blew my mind. I'd always thought I was alone." * Haruko nods and keeps a low volume. "We had a monster of sorts at our school. In human form but quite obviously dangerous. So sticking together made sense and Katie did a good job of pulling people in." * Wataru nods, although this is the first he hears of a monster..... Well. Of any monsters, period. There are monsters now? "I...." He looks at his cup again, and then picks it up, drinking most of the cooling brew in one shot. "Reiji tried to pull me in. He reached out to me. But I was scared. I didn't understand anything that was going on, not to myself, not... not why he called me out on owning a tarot deck... none of it. So I hid." Wataru sighs, suddenly powerfully uninterested in his coffee. "I don't know if things could have been different if I hadn't run. He might be better, you know?" He sort of looks at nothing. "I tried to tell this to Kaede, when he... he doubted that I'd be able to help. I tried to explain why I wanted to, but I didn't tell him this." He glances up at her. "I don't blame myself, but I can't help wonder. And if I can help him now, I will." * Haruko listens and thinks for a moment. "Takeu-- Kaede's standards are rather exacting. But there are people even now that I wonder if I'm neglecting." Her expression is pained. "Acting, sticking your nose in, didn't always have a better outcome than staying out." She frowns. "But I think Kyoko-san could desperately use our help, even if it would kill her to admit it. And Reiji..." * Haruko gathers up her deck to better make room. She doesn't quite know how to continue that sentence yet. * Wataru has a slow exhale, nodding. "You guys told me what happened. Man. I mean, I'm glad he's alive. But..." He makes loose fists, rubbing his fingertips against his palms. Thinking. Then, he seems to settle his mind. "I don't even know what hurt him. I don't know what you were all fighting, or even why. I... There's just so much information missing, here." He looks at her earnestly. "I'm trying to reach out to you guys, but it's like everyone's playing charades with me. I get that you don't trust me and that you have your secrets. Probably, I'd be the same way. I just..." He looks away, then back. "If you're doing it on purpose, then that's fine. I get it. But if it's just that you're all so used to having all this common ground, that things just get assumed... I thought I'd speak up. Like, sooner or later, if ever you choose to have me be part of the conversation, or help Kyoko-san or Reiji or whoever, I think I'll need to share some of that common ground." * Haruko listens for a moment and then replies, her tone quiet but quick. "The first thing to understand is that while there were common enemies we spent a lot of time fighting each other in what was, at its worst gang warfare. We did hurt people, *mostly* bad people, but they were still people and that made enemies. It's all calm now but it's scary talking about this to someone new because there are ways to judge us and hurt us with what you learn." * Haruko glances around again, just verifying that this is a place where she won't be overheard. [There's been a reasonable stream of customers, but the table is nicely isolated in its little alcove. Apparently Kenta must like that particular spot if he'd thought to look there.] * Haruko pauses briefly before continuing. * Wataru is relaxed and focused, and nods, taking it in. It's not the first time he hears this - that they mostly fought among themselves. "I... I understand. I also understand that nothing I say now will make you trust me, and I think that's fair. I mean. Good intentions are one thing, but you probably won't be surprised to hear I don't entirely trust all of you yet, either." He balls his hands, expression still fairly light. "Old habits." * Haruko nods. "But if Satoshi vouches for you..." She frowns. "Readings are one person affairs, but to do this right you do need to know what I know about Reiji. We have to trust each other for this to work." She reaches out to touch his clenched hand. "Ask me what you will about him, I'll answer honestly, and I'll need you to believe." She looks intently at him. "We both want this quite badly I think, and now's a chance to prove ourselves to each other." * Wataru swallows, but he nods. He wants this. For Reiji, for himself, for Satoshi. He lets his hands relax - the one she's holding first. "Okay." His voice is quiet, direct. "Reiji dissapeared, and he came back insane. What happened to him?" * Haruko takes Wataru's hand, gingerly, not gripping tight. "There were four artifacts, these items of great power, one for each suit. Reiji retrieved the Pentacle. However, their power came with great danger. Just touching one that you aren't aligned with and you risk going mad." "And he wasn't a Pentacle." He makes sure he's speaking very low, isolated nook or not. * Haruko matches the tone. "I bore the Cup a few times. I think you might recognize it were I to call it a . It could heal and when I used it I felt like I was pouring myself out, devoting myself entirely to healing. I don't know what would have happened if I lost control, it might be there wouldn't be any of me left. But Reiji, as you say, he was a Cup like me." They're all gone now. They were destroyed in the process of invoking the ritual to defeat the oni. If Reiji hadn't found the Pentacle things may have gone very differently. He paid a terrible price but he did help save the world. * Wataru nods slowly, continuously, wheels turning in his head. Artifacts. Monsters. A whole web of Arcana, past and present. This is beginning to take up dimensions he never would have imagined. And... "Oni...?" Like those Japanese ogre demon things? * Haruko nods. "Do you remember in late spring of 2002 when there were mysterious statues appearing in intersections and the like in Tokyo? Those were the oni. They made a pentagram in their own right." Haruko seems strangely proud of that fact. "We didn't have to face their allies until the very end, in the fight I think you witnessed." * Haruko folds one leg over another as she speaks, grimacing briefly afterwards but finding a new comfortable position. * Wataru nods, tentatively at first. "Yeah... I think I know what you mean. So what were they doing? Trying to destroy the world? Like--" he makes sure to bring the tone of his voice down again, it's so easy to let curiosity make you louder -- "like actual demons? From what, Hell? Jigoku?" Pentagrams, really? "What does this have to do with Tarot?" Frankly, we're getting to the limit of what I understand there. Winston Connery explained that they basically sought to end us. I think they may have inspired parts of religious myth, but it was really a hodgepodge. Supposedly we Arcana were first created to defeat them and then the Reversed were created to keep us in check. Kyon has a book that can explain some of this better. * Wataru has a spark of exultant covetousness frizzle in his brain. Must. Get. Book. Must befriend Kyon, then, tragically. THE THINGS WE DO FOR KNOWLEDGE. "Okay," he says. "So this goes way back. - Also, seriously, if I ever see Mr. Connery again, with all due respect I may ask him why he told you guys so much and me basically nothing." Huff. * Haruko giggles. "That was over like a half dozen meetings, most of them equally frustrating. Also, to be honest, it probably only sounds like it makes sense now because I'm leaving out something I've forgotten." She then pauses. "So can you tell me anything more about Reiji from what you knew? He had worked with Kyon before he went off and was fairly distant. He was sometime harsh to his sister though at the time he had his reasons." But I didn't really know him in many ways. * Wataru stares with dead-fish eyes. "He knew *Kyon*?" * Haruko flinches slightly at that but then grips Wataru's hand for a moment. "Kyon was the most experienced of our group. He discovered his powers first. There were others who knew before him in our generation of reincarnations, but it's all relative. He led up the effort to find the artifacts, including going to China for the Sword." (aaaassshhoooooollleeeeeee says Wataru's inner voice) * Haruko then eases her grip, letting Wataru pull away if he wants. "I see. I just... I didn't know Reiji and Kyon knew each other at all." He sighs. "Never mind. Um. The Reiji I knew... He was my classmate, but we were never close. one morning, I was walking my usual route to school when I heard some voices. They were coming from a construction site. Inside... Well, it seemed to me like Reiji was being given a hard time by ..." He looks up. "At the time I had no idea who he was, but much later, I saw him die. We all did. But even then, he didn't seem right to me, so something inside me made me intervene and get Reiji out of there. Bug him about getting to class and stuff, act.... I mean... just get him away. Right after that, Reiji cornered me - I think he identified me as an Arcana, but I don't know how. That was when I refused to get involved. I denied everything." * Wataru doesn't pull his hand away. * Haruko nods. "That must have been frightening for you, even if you didn't understand who your were dealing with. That consturction site was also just wrong somehow. I should check and make sure they properly blessed that place when it opened." * Wataru nods vigorously! "It always seemed wrong to me." So after Reiji came back he was obviously off. He was briefly lucid sometimes before he had disappeared again. * Haruko gives a crooked smile. "He was actually briefly staying with Satoshi. Both Reiji and Jin for a period. He ran sort of a home for wayward Arcana." He really is a good guy, the best of us in a lot of ways. "Oh man! Maaan, that's not fair, why couldn't I have hung out there? I like all those people." Those are, arguably, the three Arcana he has liked the most so far, for deep or superficial reasons. * Haruko laughs. Yeah, no curfew, liquor cabinet, good guys when Reiji was lucid. Well, maybe we can get everyone together if this works. * Wataru has a goofy grin... "You know... Sometimes, just hearing that someone is still alive makes me happy. Like Jin. I never even met him face to face, but it just makes me feel so good that he's alive." Maybe because I did that. He's alive because of me. * Haruko verifies again that no one is listening before turning back with a smile. "That's not strange at all. Believe me." She then thinks a moment. "So he disappeared again." It turns out he was kidnapped by Sho's operation. Many of the kidnappings involved various drugs and ways of exploiting Arcana as if we were battaries to be drained. * Wataru frowns, expression drawing closed... * Haruko nods. "We saved him and a bunch of others. It was messy, but we did get them out. But recovering was hard, even for those that were sane going in. That's a second layer to his pain." * Wataru exhales. *Messy*. He can only imagine what that means... He nods. "So there's psychological trauma on top of the magical damage there, too." * Haruko then idly reminisces. "We can ask Satoshi if he has any insights on Reiji later. I'm sure he'll be glad to help." She then ponders. "He probably misses them sometimes when he's alone in there." She then shakes it off. "Right. I'm not sure which is easier to address first. "What has been done already?" * Haruko looks down and then looks back at Wataru. "I'm a healer, it's part of my power. But he's beyond me. We tried a reading but we didn't find any clear answers. I'd like to say we eliminated all sorts of possible treatments, but to be honest we just physically tended to him as best we could and were stymied to find a way to do more. I've got some ideas from my psychology class, but the Kami alone likely know if that helps on the mystical stuff." * Wataru rubs his palms again, thoughtful. "All right. So how do you want to do this? Do you want me to try a reading, and you help me interpret it? Or what?" * Haruko nods, squeezing Wataru's hand before letting go. "I think so, unless you have a better idea." * Wataru nods, a little dazed. He get out his deck, in its little bento box, and lays it on the table. "I think I can do this. I mean, it might give us nothing. But I'm feeling right for this." His mind is swimming with thoughts of Reiji... * Haruko nods and drinks part of her coffee and gathering her thoughts, no longer preserving the remaining foam as she does. "You can do this. We might not have been able to be friends to them then. But for better or worse we can find a way now." * Wataru opens the box and takes his deck. The back is black, with an elegant border design in cold; the faces are all Art Nouveau style. * Haruko's eyes widen as she watches. * Wataru closes his eyes, feeling the cards with his fingertips. Remembering Reiji's scared face, that day at the construction site. Remembering the sun in his hair. Remembering a hungry, tired, hopeless night seen through another's eyes, the Ace of Pentacles flipped over and over, showing him the way. * Wataru recalls the connection he had, that night, recalls the two rubber bands that had once held Reiji's deck, and whose sympathetic link he had called upon, the last time he tried to save him. And he remembers Sho. The way he filled up whatever space his occupied with power and control. The way he fell, screaming, to his death. * Haruko grips the mosaic edge of the table but keeps her eyes open, it's important that one of them does that when in public. She recalls her few early meetings with Reiji, her later attempts to heal him along with the other captives. * Wataru shuffles as he remembers, and begins to lay cards out. A soft warmth fills him, a comfort. He's just a conduit, he thinks to himself. Then he lets those thoughts go, too, all thoughts, down into a soft warm lightless abyss where there is only the infinite potential of the cards. * Wataru doesn't really open his eyes at all during it, leaving them loosely closed. He lets the right cards present themselves to his fingers. [Wataru's first card is the Eight of Cups. That one's not a surprise.] [The next three are the Queen of Cups, Two of Pentacles, and the Hanged Man. Each of them has a particular weight when Wataru pulls them. Like... honestly, the cards are being extremely literal here.] [And the last one is the Star. Have faith in yourself, have faith in those who are walking this path with you, and you will find the way.] * Wataru's eyes flutter open. * Haruko watches with interest, always curious to see herself depicted in a new deck, and smiles slightly. "Well, this is quite literally hopefully." [The cards ended up in something of an arrow formation: the Eight of Cups at the bottom, the Queen of Cups/Two of Pentacles/Hanged Man in a ^ formation above that, and the Star at the top.] * Wataru feels almost like he just woke up from a nap. He looks at the cards.... Cocks a brow. That's more literal than usual. "Who is the Two of Pentacles?" Takeuchi Kaede.  [Wataru gets one last insight: Reiji is a Cup who touched the Pentacle... so it's going to take the combined efforts of a Cup and a Pentacle to right it, combined with something only he can provide.] * Haruko gives a somewhat morbid grin as if amused by some black humored joke. "Maybe that's why we coudn't figure it out before. Though it appears your help will be key as well." "You, and Kaede... Cup, Pentacle," he says, sharing his insight. "And me... Maybe because I knew him before?" It's more than just that, otherwise Kyon could do it. Perhaps something about your powers or if there's anything else about your relationship that's different. * Wataru thinks about the fact that he had a crush on Reiji for approximately three and a half minutes, and then dismisses it. "Maybe the fact that I knew him as a non-Arcana? Like, he was just my classmate? Maybe that can remind him of who he was, you know?" [The Star seems to pulse for a moment, and Wataru can almost see the solution: a healer, a designer, and a caster, all working together to perform the ritual.] * Wataru feels emboldened. Fate has fucking spoken, Kaede. How's that for "doubtful". * Wataru's eyes twitch for a moment, then, as the Star speaks to him "...Wait," he says, perhaps to Haruko. "Wait." * Haruko listens. "Maybe...." She then does pause, looking at him. "What is it?" "Do you know a ritual. A ritual for three. A healer, a designer, a caster." He seems, if not troubled, quite powerfully distracted. * Wataru 's fingers brush against the card of the Star again. [Sorry, no more insights right now.] * Haruko thinks. "Not... immediately. We can check Kyon's books and I can look to my father's library." She ponders. "If there's a designer, perhaps it's one that Takeuchi himself needs to craft." (he was just caressing it. Not seeking anything more. It's been more than generous.) * Wataru frowns. "That would make sense," he agrees. He feels himself coming a bit more back to his senses. "So... that makes me the caster?" * Haruko nods. "Healer is likely my role unless you fancy it for yourself. It's not Takeuchi's role unless he's going to be engaging in neural rewiring and I think that's beyond even his electrical engineering skills. But he definitely can design, so you casting seems most straightforward." * Haruko reaches down into her bag, removing one old charm from a chain. "We can research it and reconvene. I think we've made an excellent start." She then lays the charm out in front of Wataru, avoiding his cards. "And one token of my thank. I don't know if omamori against the curses and the like help against the worst of the Wheel of Fortune, but it seems relevant. I've used this one for some time, and in many ways I was the luckiest of our group." * Wataru stands, accepting the omamori graciously. "It's very kind of you. Thank you, Haruko-san - and ... thank you, truly, for talking with me honestly. I'll play my part in the ritual, and I'll gladly meet with you again." [And so, the path ahead is laid out: to help Reiji, a ritual must be performed with the cooperation of the Queen of Cups, Two of Pentacles, and the Hanged Man. A ritual that needs to be researched, and designed, and requires a lot of working together.] [Good luck, you three!] [...you're going to need it.] [Session End!]