[Day: Friday, March 26th. Time: 4:30 p.m.] [Weather: Cloudy with moderate drizzling. Looks like Haruko isn't really upset, if at all.] [Satoshi just explained what happened during his adventure to find and retrieve the Cup. People reacted in different ways, and the K's left to go home before the others. Kyon's going his own way (he does have a cycle), but Kaede said he'd walk Katie at least partway (probably to the school).] [We find them leaving Satoshi's apartment complex to do just that. Mini Start!] * Kaede sighs as he gets out and slips his laptop back into his kaban, sealing it up. "You okay? You seemed in a rush to get out of there.." * Katie looks sort of dazed. She looks back, almost as though she wants to go back in, but walks into the drizzle anyway. "Don't want my parents to get worried." * Kaede tries not to frown at that. It looks like his face is fighting it but he maintains neutrality in the end. "Yeah. I suppose that would do it." He pushes his glasses up his nose with his index finger. "Come on then. I'll walk you back. Heck, maybe I could fit two people on the bike." * Katie looks back at Kaede and blinks once, lazily. "Okay." * Kaede doesn't manage to hide the frown this time and tentatively holds his hand out for her. * Katie moves her gaze to stare at Kaede's hand. She doesn't take it just yet. * Kaede tilts his head and keeps it out there. He hasn't said a word yet but he's looking at her. * Katie looks back up to Kaede's face, then back to his hand, and she tentatively sets hers on it. * Kaede closes his hand around hers gently. He surprisingly still hasn't changed in expression. He looks rather neutral in fact, but makes sure she can feel his fingers over her hand. * Katie keeps looking at it, and blank confusion crosses her face. "Um. So are we going?" Yeah, we can. But I've been thinking lately. Why rush? * Katie stiffens a little, and she looks up at Kaede. "Rush?" It comes out as a frightened squeak. * Kaede almost jumps back at her frightened tone and stumbles over his words, wide eyed. "Well, I meant...everyone's telling me that I need to be less serious. I don't know what that entails, but I just figure that I'm so busy all the time, it's good to have a little time to yourself." [It's hard to get from his tone whether he actually means that or not.] * Katie swallows, then nods. So are you ready to go? Yeah. * Kaede starts walking then, not letting his grip falter. * Katie keeps watching him, then gets pulled and starts walking, too. * Kaede doesn't look back at her but comments, "So what are you looking for?" Looking? * Kaede keeps slightly looking ahead. There sounds like there may be a slight smile to his voice but it's hard to tell. He's turned away enough so that any slight expression isn't really evident. "You're watching me, aren't you?" * Katie frowns a little, and she tests Kaede's grip. "Yeah." * Kaede sighs, hanging his head a little as he walks. "Will saying I'm not a copy help any?" Not really. But I don't think you're really a copy, anyway. I hope not. You don't? * Katie shakes her head. * Kaede slows down a little so he can look back at Katie now. Then what is it? * Katie is silent, looking off into the distance as she walks. Katie? * Katie takes a breath. "I don't know what to do." * Kaede blinks and stops himself from speaking, the words he was going to say mouthed in the air. He switches his words to "About what?" * Katie shrugs. "Everything." You don't have the time to hear it, I guess. Who said that? I don't remember saying that. * Katie shrugs again. "I bet you don't have time for it. You've got a lot to think about, right? And I have a lot of friends that I can count on. Right?" Don't give me that. I'm your friend too. * Kaede frowns now. "Besides....not telling me doesn't make it any less a problem, does it?" No, I don't think me telling you will make it any less of a problem, either. * Katie focuses on Kaede now. "Besides, what do you care? You have other things. Nanami, Akemi, and Remi. Work and work. Curiosity and things to figure out." * Kaede narrows his eyes at her. "What do I care? What do I CARE? What's this all of the sudden?" * Kaede lets go of Katie's hand. Frustrated, at the least. * Katie lets it drop. She stares at him. * Kaede glares back at her. "Maybe I should. Maybe I should just stop giving a damn. God knows I've been trying. It's not easy." * Kaede rubs his forehead, looking slightly away from Katie but not fully. He looks...well tired. More so than just the lack of a full day's sleep will show. "I honestly don't know how Kyon does it." He doesn't. * Katie goes back to walking. * Kaede stays there, watching Katie go for a bit. "Hey wait, you. Wait up!" * Katie looks back at Kaede. She's smiling? Yeah, it's small, but it's there. * Kaede half-runs after her. "What's the big idea? Insult me like that, leave a dangle of mystery, then just walk away? Sheesh." * Kaede 's panting a little, hands on his knees as he catches up. * Katie giggles. "Don't hurt yourself." * Kaede thinks it's his turn to look at Katie confused because he's currently doing so. "Hurt myself? It's not that.." He sighs and rubs his head. "I guess I'm not in the best shape for this sort of stuff. I honestly don't know where it comes from." * Katie tilts her head. "Where what comes from?" The fighting...I mean...I guess it's an adrenaline rush or something. * Katie blinks. I don't get it. * Kaede smiles slightly at Katie. "Come on now. Can you really see someone wearing glasses holding a crescent wrench as a threat in a fight?" * Katie thinks about that. Yeah, I can. I don't think most people look at it like that They should. Wrenches hurt and eyesight doesn't matter that much. * Katie nods to herself. Yes but you're practical. Most people would laugh at the silly little geek So you want to be scary now? ...no? I'm just saying that I don't know where exactly the fighting comes from. I guess necessity will provide. * Katie nods. "Yeah." She pauses. "I still need to learn how to fight." * Kaede chuckles and shakes his head. "It's silly...you want to know how I learned?" * Katie blinks. "Sure, I guess." Well...I was minding the shop one day and we got attacked. Some punks just wanting to trash the place. Nanami wanted to stop them...it..didn't go to well. * Katie frowns but lets him continue. So I came down and noticed what was going on...first thing I did was grab a wrench nearby. I didn't know a thing about it, all I knew is I had to get inbetween them and Nanami... I guess...it was silly at the time...I just pulled out the wrench like some anime show. Nanami always used to watch them, so I got a bit of it leaked into me I guess. And I...well, I guess I learned the hard way. But at least it got them to leave. * Kaede lets out a slight breath and closes his eyes. "Until now, only Nanami knew that story." * Katie lets out a sigh. "This isn't the States, where every other person can have a gun, but... Still, they could have killed you." They could have killed Nanami too. * Kaede 's very matter-of-fact about that. Yeah. Is it bad to put other people at a higher status than my own life? * Kaede tilts his head to look at Katie at that. * Katie smiles a little. "I guess it depends on who you ask." I'm asking you now. I don't think you should put my life before yours. But you do, and I love you for that. * Kaede blinks at that and stares at Katie for a bit. * Katie waits for him to get over it. Uh...are we walking or not? You stopped. I guess I did. * Kaede gets back to walking. * Katie tags along. She's looking around. So why do you want to learn how to fight? * Katie looks at Kaede oddly. "What kind of question is that?" A direct one. I mean...saying you want to learn how to fight means one thing. If you meant you wanted to learn how to protect yourself, well that's different... It feels like the same thing. So how far are you willing to go to protect yourself? I don't know. Before you learn how to fight, it's something you have to ask yourself. Because it's just going to screw you up if you have to decide in the middle of a fight. Really? Do you know how far you're willing to go to protect yourself? * Kaede thinks about that. "To an extent, yes." But you don't really know, right? * Katie rubs at the back of her head. "I guess it depends on what I'm protecting myself from." Well...this whole Arcana business...it makes it harder. I've...well, I've never had to think of seriously hurting someone because I never thought I had the physical capabilities for it...now... Everyone has the ability to do that. The longer it takes, the harder it is to work yourself up to it before it gets tiring and you feel it's not worth it. * Katie frowns a little, thinking about that. "What's that supposed to mean? It's too much effort?" * Kaede thinks about that too. "Well, I guess that's part of it." I guess...what I mean is that it's easy to get angry enough to get one hit in...maybe two. But more than that... * Katie looks at Kaede curiously. "Yeah?" But if those one or two hits can kill someone when you're used to not being able to do so... * Kaede frowns. "It gets messy. * Katie nods. "So you have to control yourself." Yeah... * Kaede gets a little quiet at that * Katie looks at Kaede a bit longer, then goes back to gazing into the distance. "You'll do it." Hmm? You'll learn how to do it. That bothers you, right? * Kaede nods silently. I think we're almost there * Katie doesn't look, but she must have caught the nod, because she continues, "It bothers me, too. Before... it feels like forever ago." She stops. To me too.. I think to all of us * Katie stays where she is, looking down. "You were there when I first found my power. It was one of the scariest things in the world." * Kaede nods slowly and half absently. * Kaede stops when he realizes Katie isn't walking with him. * Kaede is probably quite a distance from her now though. * Katie stays right where she is. She looks up to see him, though. "Kaede?" I was just thinking though...your first powers...they had a physical effect. So even if it freaked you out, you still had time to adjust to it... * Katie nods. When I found out it was just like...another voice in your head...like...well, it feels like you're going insane. I'd already started out my existance by being locked in a room. And... * Kaede shakes his head. "I guess you started out worse though..." * Kaede then looks up slightly. "Although...I guess to me, an unknown fate is worse than one where you know someone's trying to kill you. At least in the latter, you have some bit of control." * Katie stares at Kaede for a moment, then crosses the distance almost faster than humanly possible, wrapping him in a hug. He can feel two points of moisture where her closed eyes touch his neck. * Kaede blinks and tries to turn his head as much as possible to look at her. "What is it?" (She crosses the distance like the VIND!) (Like Linka! Woot!) * Katie doesn't move, but she does half-whisper, "I'm sorry." You--you've nothing to be sorry for... * Kaede seems a little shaken, unsure, and surprised by all this but doesn't move or try to push her away. Liar. I helped make you this way. * Kaede blinks. "That doesn't make me a liar if I believe it. What do you think you helped make me into?" You're trying to do too much. * Kaede blinks and tries to turn more towards her. "Wha--no I'm not. I'm perfectly capable of handling it." * Katie lets go, which gives him the perfect chance to do just that, and takes maybe half a step away. She doesn't look up, though. "I don't know." About? * Kaede closes his eyes and sighs, tilting his head down and pushing his glasses up with his index finger. "Look Katie. Even if it were true, and I WAS takng on too much, that's still no reason for you to feel sorry. What makes you think you'd be the cause of it?" Because I'm here, and I changed everything. * Kaede snorts. "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." * Kaede looks at Katie. "Let me clarify. Essentially you're saying "Because I exist, I'm to blame?" Because that's what it sounds like you're saying." Even if I am taking too much on, it's my choice. Why should you feel sorry for what I choose to do? Because I wasn't ready, because I let her do that to me, and nothing's the same. Everyone's changing. A lot of it's worse. I don't feel sorry for your choice, but it's not one. Not really. * Kaede raises an eyebrow. "No? No. You said you wanted to stop caring, but you couldn't. What kind of a choice is that? * Kaede doesnt' answer that. But his lip quirks in a half-frown. I don't want to be dead. I want... I don't know what I want. But this isn't it. I don't want to be a burden. * Kaede replies almost instantly. "You're not a burden." * Katie meets Kaede's gaze now. Her face isn't wet, so she hasn't been crying, but she looks at the edge. "Don't say things just to make me feel better." * Kaede repeats, matter-of-factly but not quite looking at her. "You're not a burden." * Kaede then turns to look at her and speaks in the same tone. "A burden would imply that no one gets anything out of helping you." * Katie blinks. "But..." But nothing. It's true and you know it. But I take more than I give. * Kaede thinks about that for a bit. "I'm not sure it's something you can really quantify so easily, Katie Andrews." * Katie shakes her head, but she stays quiet. * Kaede watches Katie for a bit and then continues walking some more. * Katie goes back to walking, too. Like a lost puppy? Nah, that's Taki's job. It's a shame it's spring now. Why? * Kaede keeps walking, commenting idly. "No snow." * Katie bites her lip, then says, "Spring was always my favorite." Oh? Why's that? * Katie smiles sadly. "Because that's when the birds come back. And when you can climb again. And it's brighter, even with the rain." * Kaede blinks but doesn't turn around. "So that's why you carve birds all the time..." * Katie tilts her head. "I'm sorry?" Well, all I've seen of your carving has been birds.. You must really like them... I love them. * Katie smiles. "I always have." And it falters. "But I didn't carve one today." * Kaede takes a look at her. "Oh? What did you carve?" * Katie hesitates, then opens her satchel and reaches in, pulling out the wrapped wood. She hands it to Kaede. * Kaede looks at his hand, and then to Katie, and then cautiously unwraps it. [It's not a bird! The carving's actually very small - it fits easily in the palm of Kaede's hand. It's unfinished, as Katie hasn't had the chance to smooth it out, but it's a girl, seated and curled into a ball. Her face is obscured by her knees and hair, and her arms are wrapped around her legs.] [She's wearing a Sakuragaoka uniform, and there's a little satchel over one shoulder. The level of detail is very fine, as one would expect from something Katie spent a good amount of time on.] * Kaede looks it over, turning it in his hand. He doesn't sound like he's sure of what exactly to make of it. "Someone from our school?" * Katie watches, and for the first time, seems actively nervous about someone looking at something she's created. "It's me." * Kaede stops at that and looks at it dumbfounded. "It's what?" Me. * Katie swallows, then adds quietly, "I've never really done that before." * Kaede looks at the carving for a bit longer, then speaks quietly, almost in a whisper (though it probably sounds much louder to Katie), "Done what?" * Katie bites her lip. "Made a carving of myself." Is there a reason for that? * Katie shrugs. * Kaede tilts his head to look at her. "I want to know." I don't know. It's... kind of a... * Katie thinks. I thought it was kind of self-focused, maybe. * Kaede sighs and looks away slightly. "I can't really respond to that." * Katie nods. * Kaede rubs the back of his head. "I'm no good at this..." That's okay. You don't have to be. * Kaede looks at her. "I don't?" Everyone else seems to think I'm your "guardian" or some other nonsense like that... I don't know what to think of that... * Katie looks away. "I'm sorry. I could find someone else to walk me to school." * Kaede blinks and looks at her. "What? No, I like doing that." How can you like something like that? For the same reason I wanted to walk you this far? But it can't be very much fun. Why not? See, if it were winter, I'd have been preparing a snowball and hit you with it just while you were preparing that comment. Because I make you upset half the time. Or worried. And you have to try to calm me down, or help me walk, and... it can't be that much fun. * Katie pauses. "Besides, I would have seen that coming." So? So, you wouldn't have been able to hit me. * Katie sticks her tongue out at Kaede. It would have stopped you from saying silly stuff like that regardless. * Katie shakes her head. "And that's probably why they think you're my guardian." Why? * Kaede pushes his glasses up again. "Honestly, you're worrying far too much about this." * Katie sighs. I guess so. But I want to know what to expect out of you, Kaede. * Kaede looks at her strangely. "Expect out of me?" * Katie nods. "Yeah. I mean, you pretty much said that you want to help, and I believe it, but..." * Katie rubs at her eyes. "I just want to know if you'll try to turn your feelings off or something. Because I- I wouldn't blame you for doing it, but I think I have to be ready." * Kaede looks at her for a moment, and thinks about that. * Kaede then speaks, rather hesitantly. "Whenever...I..." He sounds rather confused. * Kaede swallows a deep breath and tries again. "I think I've learned that..." He falters again and sighs. "I don't know what I'm trying to say. That's never happened before." What's never happened before? Me not knowing what I'm trying to say. It's always been clearcut. If I've needed to say it...but... * Kaede rubs his head. "I think it's because I've avoided it all this time though..." I don't know what to expect from myself. Except...well...that nothing I say isn't without meaning. * Katie nods. "It happens to the best of us. You can think while you walk, right?" She grabs him by the arm and starts leading him to the school. Yeah? * Kaede walks? Okay, just checking. Usually don't you wait for an answer BEFORE you start tugging? * Kaede sounds faintly amused as he says that though, not upset. * Katie grins. "But I already knew the answer." Then shouldn't you know the answer to your other question? When have I ever failed you, Katie Andrews? I don't know about failed. But I was confused, and hurt, and I felt kind of ignored lately... Which isn't fair. You have other things to do. * Kaede sighs and looks past her. "That doesn't make you any less important." I know. * Kaede sighs and pushes his glasses up with his free hand. "Why are you worried about me ignoring you sometimes anyhow? * Katie shrugs. * Kaede looks at her. "You don't get off that easy." * Katie flinches a little. I'm curious. Why are you concerned if I'm dealing with other things? I mean...I'm not used to other people actually even WANTING my attention. And here you are, worried I'm not giving enough... That's not true. You're just not used to knowing it. * Kaede blinks. "What?" A lot of people want your attention. A lot of people want you to help. They just don't tell you. They do? * Katie runs a hand through her hair. "I sound so greedy. Like a needy girlfriend or something." She huffs. Yeah, they do. Well...I know about Remi but... * Kaede runs his fingers through his own hair. He doesn't respond to the girlfriend comment. No indication of whether he heard it or not though... Akemi? Nanami? What about Satoshi? Satoshi wants me to help? * Katie grins a little. "I bet he does." He'll never ask me. Not when I'm like this. And...I don't know about the first two...I just help because...I don't know why I do, I just do. * Katie rolls her eyes. "Because you care about them." * Kaede thinks about that. Alright...I guess I'll concede to that point. * Katie snickers. "Good." * Kaede blinks. "What?" It's good that you conceded it. Okay? * Katie smiles. "Okay." * Kaede looks back ahead. "You're weird, Katie Andrews. But weird in a good way." * Katie laughs. "I hope so." You do? Yeah. It's better than being weird in a bad way. * Katie spots the school coming up. "Are you gonna walk me the rest of the way, or...?" Well. I think I can try giving you a ride. I've never done it with two on a bike anyhow. At least...not since Nanami's grown up. Granted, it's not a flashy motorcycle like Kyon's got...I hope you're not disappointed. * Katie blinks, looking to Kaede. "You think we can do that?" She pauses. "Where would I sit?" * Kaede shrugs. "Handlebars if you want? Might be able to both squeeze on the seat but it'd be awful close. But that's what Nanami and I used to do..." * Katie laughs. "I could try." Which? Either. But I'm worried that if I sit on the handlebars, you won't be able to see. * Katie shakes her head. "No way there's enough room on that seat, though." * Kaede rolls his eyes. "If Nanami or Remi heard about this..." Want to just walk, then? * Kaede shrugs. "I suppose. I need my bike though." He looks at her. "You want me to take you the rest of the way though?" * Katie looks pained. "I don't like walking alone." I know...I won't leave you, Katie Andrews. Okay. * Kaede lets go of Katie's hand and goes over to his bike, unchaining it and walking it up next to her. He hasn't gotten on it yet, just walking the bike with her. * Katie watches him do that. "Thanks." * Kaede blinks. "For?" Walking with me. And talking. And being my friend, I guess. * Katie keeps going. To the home! * Kaede keeps going too. He chuckles though. "You guess?" * Katie grins. "Yup." It's not good to be left guessing all the time. You're right. But sometimes... Sometimes? * Katie shrugs. "Sometimes it can be fun." * Kaede blinks at that and looks at her curiously. "Fun?" As far as teasing you goes, yup. * Kaede rolls his eyes and gets a grumbly/pouty look, turning away from Katie. "So that's it, huh? The whole reason I'm able to help you out is because I'm so easy to tease?" * Katie thinks about that. Yup. Well, I'm glad you get such a thrill out of me being your playtoy. Yeah, but you don't squeak enough. * Kaede rolls his eyes. "What are you, a dog?" * Katie laughs. "Nah. Taki's a dog." Or maybe Satoshi. Taki's a small puppy who likes to be kicked. Right. So, if Taki's a puppy who likes to be kicked, then she's the dog. Not necessarily. Is the impression of a kitten and a cat the same? * Katie smiles a little. It's kind of sad. "Dogs and puppies stick to you more, though." I suppose. I never had a pet. It's what they're known for. Cats are... Kyon's like a cat. He could be a cat. He could be. * Katie nods. Why are everyone animals now? Because you're a squeaky toy. * Kaede snorts. "I thought you said I specifically didn't squeak." * Katie giggles. "No, I said you don't squeak enough." I've never squeaked. Uh huh. I haven't. So what are you anyway? Um... * Katie thinks. "Not sure. I shouldn't pick mine out, anyway." Why's that? Because I can't look at me like someone else can. Sure you can. You analyze other people don't you? Might as well apply it to yourself * Katie furrows her brow. "But it doesn't feel fair. Besides, I don't know what to pick for me." Well, you like birds. How about a bird? * Katie tucks some hair behind one ear. "I guess so..." I'm not sure if it really fits though... * Kaede thinks. "I...don't think in terms of animals." Yeah? What do you think in terms of? * Kaede smirks. "Ones and zeros?" * Katie laughs. "Okay. So am I a one or a zero?" * Kaede blinks. Then considers that. "One?" Okay. What's that mean? It means I'm making things up as I go along * Katie chuckles. And she switches languages, singing with a pretty, but untrained and quiet voice, "" o/~ * Kaede looks slowly over to her. "What's that?" * Katie blinks. "Oh, a song. You've never heard- of course you wouldn't. I'm not a very good singer, anyway." I don't know...it's hard to tell when you can't understand the words. It's a song about how one is a lonely number. * Katie thinks, trying to translate from memory. "Two can be close. It's the second loneliest number. And... no is the saddest time." She laughs a little. "I think something gets lost in translation." I think so too. * Katie looks at Kaede. "Do you still want to learn English?" I've been... * Kaede frowns. "Well, I think it's necessary now." Why necessary? Well...uh... * Kaede seems hesitant to expand upon it. * Katie tilts her head. It's nothing. It's something. * Kaede looks at her uncomfortably. * Katie blinks. "What?" I..don't really want to talk about it * Katie opens her mouth at that, then closes it and faces forward again. "Okay." Are you sure? You don't want to talk about it. So, I can guess. What then? * Katie hesitates, but she does continue. "It's about her." Her who? The one who isn't me. She knows English, too. * Kaede blinks and looks at her incredulously. "Wha? No!" * Katie flinches and says, in a quieter voice, "Okay." * Kaede looks down. "Sorry...but no. It's nothing to do with any of this...this mess. It's just..." * Kaede rubs his forehead. We were doing so well too.. * Katie bites her lip and doesn't say anything to that. * Kaede moves his bike over next to her and looks over. "Sure you don't want to ride?" * Katie looks at him, then the bike. "I don't know where I'd sit." Well, you can try it yourself. * Katie seems rather doubtful, but she nods. She looks at the seat. "Not really..." Switches her gaze to the handlebars. "If you could keep it steady, maybe." When's the last time you've fallen off a bicycle? When I was six, but I've never ridden on handlebars. I don't think I've really tried that either...I mean, when we were kids, we definitely weren't the best bike riders anyhow... * Kaede looks at his bike. "We'd better not after all. I don't know.." Let's try it. You sure? * Katie nods, a grin coming to her face, though it's hard to tell if it's forced or not. "Yeah. The worst that could happen is we get scraped up a little." And your bike could break, but you can fix that. Or make a new one..it might be about time for a new one See? There's your excuse. I suppose so.. * Katie goes to climb on, hoping Kaede holds it steady enough for her to do so. * Kaede holds the bike steady as she climbs up, yes. * Katie does so with little difficulty and tries to make herself comfortable. She manages, somehow, to keep herself up. "Okay." * Kaede starts the bike and manages to go a little ways before the bike starts to wobble. * Katie lets out a startled sound: something between a yelp and a laugh. "Steady!" I can't! Gah! * Kaede loses control of the bike and it's wobbling more and more. * Katie actually does laugh this time, doing her best to keep her balance, but she's in definite danger of teetering off. "Stop, stop!" You think this is funny? * Kaede plants his feet down and stops it, letting out a deep breath. * Katie lets go when he does so and pushes herself to the side, landing on her feet and stumbling to catch her balance. She's giggling. I guess I'm out of practice from when I was younger. Maybe I'm too heavy. I didn't say THAT. * Katie grins. "I'm not eight anymore." I didn't know you when you were eight. Nope. I was in another country. * Katie goes back to walking. Today's experiment... failed. [Everyone deserves an ending. So here's yours. End!]