[Day: Unknown. Time: Unknown.] [Weather: Non-existant] [You're outside the Tower Reversed, which is really a tower reversed. You're there with a plucky old chap by the name of Winston Connery, his adopted grandson Jin, a couldron of tea... That's about it.] [Session Start!] * Katie looks at the tea, at loss as how to split it up. "O-kay." * Haruko has asked her questions and isn't really worrying about the tea, she's just waiting looking fairly content. * Winston sighs and heads into a nearby Starbucks. He re-emerges a few minutes later with some styrofome cups. (*cracks up*) Well, that makes things easier. (Hehe ^^) * Kyon shakes his head bemusedly, and reaches out a hand for a cup. * Haruko smiles a bit and holds out a hand. "Clever." * Satoshi still looks rather out of it. [So does Kaede. He decides to take a nap.] * Winston passes around cups. "Here." * Katie watches Kaede collapse. "I guess having an elevator fall on you does that." She takes his kaban and places it under his head, rather like a pillow, then accepts the cup. "Thanks." I suppose I should've expected this. What, no cups? * Satoshi takes tea. "I didn't mean to have that elevator fall..." * Haruko takes one and fills it with tea. She then offers the full cup back to Winston. * Kyon takes one, and dips it into the cauldron, filling it. He rocks back on his heels as he sips at it gingerly. Well, no matter. * Winston takes the cup. "Why, thank you." * Haruko smiles and bows slightly, "You're welcome." She then takes one for herself and fills it up. It's probably not your fault, Satoshi. Stop blaming yourself for things you don't control. * Katie sips the tea. * Haruko nods in agreement with Katie. * Satoshi just nods. Right, well... * Haruko takes a sip of tea and watches Satoshi with a look of sympathetic concern. * Satoshi turns to Winston. "There's something I want to ask you." I can imagine. Well, lots of things. But the most important ones... am I going to start getting any of Hideo's memories now? And am I going to start manifesting any new powers? * Kyon just watches Winston coolly, drinking the tea. Hideo's memories? I couldn't tell you that; it would depend on how Temperance altered your memories. As for powers... well, your primary powers have already shown themselves, haven't they? * Haruko comments idly. "Wonder if her current incarnation can restore them..." Field sensing, strength, and telepathy, yes. So am I just going to get better at those, or will I get other things, too? I wouldn't know. I don't predict the future. But I can guess that you'll have some way of sentencing Arcana. * Katie looks to Haruko. "I don't know if she would," she says quietly. Your ability to judge them has already manifested, after all. * Satoshi blinks. "It has?" * Katie blinks and turns towards Winston. How? * Kyon rocks lightly forward with a very intent look. * Haruko looks surprised and watches Winston with curiosity. * Winston sips his tea. "Your ability to read the minds of other Arcana, obviously. What better way to judge them than to read their thoughts? Oh. * Katie tilts her head, a small smile of amusement crossing her face. It makes sense... but I wouldn't feel right doing that. * Winston shrugs. "Like it or not, that's what it's there for." * Kyon shrugs noncommitally. "Judging on actions works better." * Satoshi sighs. * Haruko thinks for a moment and then looks at Satoshi. "I have a related question, did you have a follow up?" No, you can go ahead. * Haruko looks at Winston. "So, a lot of Arcana do kill each other." She frowns. "And some think it's their purpose. Anyways, what makes judging different? Do the judged Arcana not reincarnate?" Of course they do. But they may never get the memories of their previous lives. Not until the previous souls finish serving out their sentence, at any rate. Serving their sentence? You mean, the shadows I saw earlier? They're trapped here? Oh... so Judgment gives the next incarnation a chance to start a new, and perhaps improve. * Winston nods. "That's right." * Haruko looks at her Utena booklet. "That explains a few things." And I suppose that's one way to look at it. Of course, without those past memories, an Arcana could be killed without ever knowing why, or how to use his powers, or... Well, you get the idea. * Kyon shakes his head quickly. "But getting the memories back seems to be harmful to some Arcana." * Katie glances at Satoshi, then nods to Winston. "Yeah. It's almost happened to a few of us." * Haruko nods in agreement with Kyon. * Winston shrugs. "I'm not going to argue philosophy with you." * Rowyn is now known as Kaede Do you know what the sentences are? Is it like limbo, or is it something else? No, I don't. I supposed only Judgement would. * Kaede stirs and shifts his head from side to side, his hand instinctively going up to his forehead and rubbing it. * Satoshi shakes his head. "I don't know." * Haruko's mind suddenly changes lanes. "Oh.. and the World, does she always look basically the same when she's grows younger again?" * Katie moves her cup to her left hand and has another sip, even as she puts her right on Kaede's shoulder. * Kyon scowls. "You know if some people just never get them back?" * Kaede opens his eyes and looks up at the sky for a bit, just lying there and listening, a neutral semi-scowl on his face. I suppose so. Having never met her, I wouldn't know. * Haruko nods and grins slightly before slipping into a more composed expression. * Winston nods to Kyon. "Some of the sentences can last a long time, depending. How long, I don't know, but I do know that some are two-hundred, even three- hundred years. * Haruko flips to the front of her booklet. "So, Arcana started around the same time Tarot did?" The Arcana whose past lives were judged as such will not get their memories back within this lifetime. * Satoshi frowns. "I wonder what someone would have done to earn a sentence like that..." * Kyon nods quickly. "But they do continue to get reincarnated in the meantime." Perhaps destroy Hiroshima. * Kaede slowly sits up and feels for his glasses, then looks down at the hand on his shoulder, just sort of staring. * Satoshi looks at the ground. "That... could do it, yes..." * Katie turns to look at Kaede. "You're awake." She removes her hand. * Winston nods to Kyon. "The card can be thought of as a kind of spiritual possession. You can judge a person, but not an object." * Kaede blinks and looks up at Katie. "Is it that obvious?" * Katie grins. "Yeah, I'd say it is." * Kyon points at the Tower without looking. "So, that's unjudgable. Just ended up that way." He smirks. The Tower is what it is. * Kaede shrugs and folds his legs, putting his hands on them somewhat meditatively and looking over at Winston. * Kyon shrugs quickly. "And the Wheel of Fortune. That's what it is, too?" Do you know which Arcana were judged, Winston? No, I don't. Perhaps most of us, given our lack of memories. Given the time period, it could well be more than half of the Arcana. Is there any way we can find out? Maybe you'll find some way to, in time. * Katie nods. "What about Kyon's question. Is the Wheel of Fortune a force, or a person, or what?" * Kaede lets out a long deep sigh and looks over at Satoshi. "If the judgement was actually conscious at the time, then fishing for Judgement's memories would be a way, wouldn't it?" Possibly both. * Kyon rocks back again. "But it's not someone you've met." * Haruko glances over to Satoshi. "But whatever we do in regards to that, even if Temperence could restore them, will be up to you. It's your life." * Winston shakes his head. "I've met precious few Arcana. You forget who I am." I've been to many countries over the course of my life, but never have I set foot in Japan in the real world. * Satoshi looks back at Haruko. "Yeah, but if having these memories can help somehow..." He sighs. "I don't know. I'm going to need a lot of time to think about this." * Kyon waves a hand dismissively. "Met. Heard of. Found connections to. There are ways to get information without going somewhere." I would know that better than anybody. But no, I've never heard of him, her, or it. * Haruko takes another sip of tea and then looks at Satoshi fairly intensley. "No Satoshi, it's your life. Maintaining your own idenity is the most fundamental right their is. You should never feel you have to sacrifice that." * Katie frowns, looking down to her cup. "But why Japan?" she asks quietly, possibly to herself. "The tarot isn't even a Japanese concept." * Kaede looks over at Satoshi and speaks slowly and softly. "Perhaps...but you know, I don't think it really matters in the long run." Another mystery. However, there I have some food for thought. * Haruko looks quizically at Kaede for a moment but then returns her gaze to Satoshi. * Kaede shrugs and looks over at Haruko. "I never thought his identity was in peril." While all of the Arcana have Japanese blood, save for myself, there's also one of mixed ancestry from every major power involved in the World Wars. * Kaede quiets and turns over to Winston. * Katie looks up. "Matthias? And... wait." She blinks. And yourself. (Where's the Russian and Italian ones?) Yes, myself. So there's an Italian one? One part-British, too? And Russian? (Right on target, Kyon. ^^) (France get one?) (I dunno. They're France.) (France, a great WWII power? =P) No, I'm the British... representative, I suppose. ( He didn't say WWII ) ( Yup ) (In that case, I want to know where the Austro-Hungarian one is.) * Haruko keeps her gaze on Satoshi, watching for a reaction. You've neglected to mention France, I noticed. (Yeah, me too!) ( Suppose the Ottoman empire might not make the cut) * Katie grins. "Well, they *are* France," she says, teasingly. ( They weren't in WWII :P ) And you're Japanese. * Kaede snorts at Katie but doesn't respond. Shh, don't remind me. Yes, France too. At any rate, take it how you will. * Satoshi looks up. "So much to think about... sorry, what were you saying?" So you don't know why? Can you at least tell us the other representatives? * Haruko lets her gaze linger on Satoshi for a few moments before nodding and looking back at Winston. (When in doubt, be vague and distracted. ;p) (Satoshi is in doubt a lot!) (Damn straight. ;p) * Haruko takes another sip of tea as she watches Winston. * Kaede shakes his head. "Even so, even with "representatives", it still doesn't explain why Japan is a constant." * Haruko nods. "Particularly as we lost the last war." I can tell you that the Italian is a young man by the name of Akito Garcia, and the Russian is a woman named Hinako Arai. Unless it's ALL a judgement...on the attrocity of Hiroshima... The French one, you'll have to find yourself. Do you know what cards they are? Nope. * Katie has another swallow of tea. * Haruko 's eye's light up for a moment and she seems about to ask a question, but she supresses it and keeps sipping. * Katie flicks her eyes to Haruko for a brief moment before asking, "How about the man who saved me and Haruko? The one with blue hair. Can you tell us who he is?" * Haruko nods and looks curious. The Queen of Cups. * Haruko's jaw drops. Ummm, no? I thought you said I was the only one who had the card wrong. * Kaede looks up at Winston with one raised eyebrow. He starts to ask then looks over at Katie and Haruko. * Winston rolls his eyes at Satoshi. (Aaah! He's Kyon!) Oh? The reversed one? * Kyon turns to look at Haruko sidewise with a bemused look on his face. "So... what version are you?" * Satoshi mutters, "I'm getting really tired of that." ( Haruko: "4.3. I need an upgrade." ) Regular, uh, I think! ::Haruko flips through the Utena Tarot book. And looks at it for a bit.:: * Katie blinks. "So he's the Queen of Cups. Then what's Haruko?" The Queen of Cups. How can there be two? One's Reversed? * Haruko nods and grins. "Good. 'cause I just got the jacket, and it'd clash with another rank." * Kyon turns back to regard Winston sidewise, and his face goes back to the cool look. Do you believe in ghosts? * Kaede rolls his eyes and folds his arms. "This whole thing is needlessly complicated. Weren't the people creating Arcana more organized than this?" (*snerk* I wholeheartedly agree.) If I have to. Reversed me's a Christian... guess that fits.... Oh, ghosts, like spirits? Sure. * Katie snickers. Feh. This is nothing compared to tax forms. (No, I can actually handle tax forms. ;p) (Yeah, really!) ( Good. Do mine this Spring ^^ ) * Kaede rolls his eyes slightly. "I think not. I haven't had a problem yet." Maybe British ones are needlessly complicated then. * Haruko waves her hand dismissively. "No matter, I wanna hear about other me, or reversed me, or ghost me, whatever. Has anyone ever told you you're annoying, boy? * Kaede snorts. "Many times. On several occassions." * Kyon nods bemusedly. "Never get tired of it, though." I already know that. * Haruko was taking a sip of tea and snerks. And then coughs a few times and whipes off her mouth. It was rhetorical. I don't do "rhetorical" * Katie coughs, trying to hide a grin and failing. That's too bad for you then. * Satoshi actually laughs a little. * Haruko then grins. "Enough about Kaede's issues. I wanna hear about the other Queen of Cups." * Katie finishes her tea, sets down her cup, and breaks out the sketchpad and pencils. She looks up to the sky, hmms, and starts on something. * Kaede curls his lips in a grimace/frown and looks over at Haruko. Now, where was...? Ah, yes. Isao... that's his name, Isao Komine, was the Queen of Cups, and a Catholic priest living in Hiroshima at the time of... you know. * Haruko nods and looks intrigued. "So he's a spirit now? Watching over me or was that a coincidence? Should I set up a little shrine for him or would that be insulting to his religion?" As I recall, he was heavily involved with... What? No, that's not exactly right. He's more like a memory. A previous life then? He died long ago, but because of his nature and certain circumstances he still exists in this world. * Haruko tilts her head. "So... past me, not reversed me. Certain circumstances?" It's a complicated story. Wait, how is reincarnation possible if the other life force technically still exists? Yeah, that's what I was wondering. * Kaede adjusts his glasses and looks at Winston curiously, and almost a bit apologetic. You tell me. * Haruko shrugs. "Don't really care about the theology of it, but I'd like to hear the story, even if it complicated." Is it...a split? Like what happened with Saki? * Katie keeps sketching, not even looking up at the conversation. No, it's actually quite different. So what is it, then? * Haruko comments in a whisper. "Starting to understand how I make you feel Katie." I'm getting to it. Hold your bloody horses. * Kaede grumbles. "YOU'RE the one that said to "tell you." * Haruko nods and kneels down sipping her tea. "Take your time." * Katie smiles. Very faintly, but she does. * Winston glares at Kaede. * Kaede falters a bit and looks off to the side. Maybe I was wrong after all. You're so confrontational, maybe you're a reversed Arcana. * Kaede looks up and blinks. * Haruko keeps looking patient. * Kyon rocks back on his heels and smirks. "Nah. Just that balancing is too stressful." * Winston takes off his hat and wipes his brow. "I'm old; I shouldn't have to deal with uppity brats." * Kaede looks at Kyon and his mouth opens and shuts for a second before he turns his head off to the side, drawing his legs up. * Winston sticks his hat back on his head. "Anyhow... Where was I?" That it was different than Saki. * Katie picks up a different gray. "Telling us why the old Queen of Cups died, but didn't." Ah, yes, Saki's rather unique to... Er... Well, to do this I'll have to relate the entire story of what happened in Hiroshima. It may take some time. We've got time, don't we? * Haruko nods from her kneeled position. "If you are willing to tell it I would be very grateful." * Winston nods. "Very well, then... Now, how shall I begin?" [Session End.]