Event Eighteen.

[awashmods]

Who told you so, dilly dilly, Who told you so? ‘Twas my own heart, dilly dilly, That told me so.

ouch is one of the most intimate, romantic ways to be close to someone else. The Town knows this very well -- the Town wants everyone to be as close as possible. Perhaps that's why this bonding is so...aggressive. Because you're in for quite the shock on this otherwise peaceful day when you brush against the next person on your path. Maybe you're going out of your way to touch people. Maybe you've got a terrible urge to just see what's lurking in someone's heart. Maybe you trip over a conveniently placed rock -- whatever the cause, you're getting an up close and personal look into someone else's heart. Welcome to Awash's eighteenth event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. You are welcome to make your own logs and posts for this event! If there are any questions, please ask them here. Thank you!

Comments

[good_ideas]

[The little heart self definitely already knows, but she stays silent as she turns to look at Shiho.

Maybe it's her own guilty thoughts that she's hidden this for so long but Shiho squirms a little as she stands where she is. It's fine. Everything was going to be fine, she thinks as hard as she can at her own five year old self. She isn't that child anymore (except some part of her still is the little girl who thought her world would crumble into dust if she was anything other than good).]

...It's fine. [Is that at Akira? Or at the little Shiho? A little bit of both and with that said, her younger self is carefully climbing down from her chair, her book held close to her with both arms like a shield. Another look... and then she's holding out her hand for Akira to take.]

[theshowsover]

[There are secrets in his heart Akira doesn't want Shiho to know, has to keep from everyone for the sake of others, but right now he thinks it's fine. Right now, he just wants Shiho to know he trusts her.

It's alright. She's his friend, after all.

So he reaches out and takes the young Shiho's hand.]

[good_ideas]

[What he gets though as he holds the younger Shiho's hand is a thought that echoes in his head and very obviously sounds like Shiho.

He... did it. He actually did it. Holding a psychometer's hand....

The younger Shiho looks up at him with a quizzical look, unaware that she's acting as a telepath for all of her older self's thoughts.]

.....Well... keep a good hold on her. We're going. [And then again there's a thought: Have to keep him safe in here...]

[theshowsover]

[What... is that?

It takes him a moment to realize, these are Shiho's thoughts. It's almost like he's the psychometer, able to hear the thoughts and intentions of the girl whose hand he's holding - or at least the girl she'll become.

He looks up at her, giving a nod.]

Don't worry. I'll be alright.

[Also meant as a tip-off that he can hear her now. But he doesn't let go of young Shiho's hand.]

[good_ideas]

I'm not-

[Wait.

Shiho glances down at the little girl who pauses and then almost half pulls her hand from Akira's grasp before stopping as Shiho reaches up to massage her temples.]

.....I'm not worried. But-... it can be dangerous inside people's minds, you know? Kaoru-chan would be worried if you got hurt. [And then there's a thought again from the little girl who's acting as telepath for her older self's thoughts:

I'd be worried too.




You heard that, didn't you?]

[theshowsover]

[There's a pause before he nods. She might as well know it's happening.]

I did. Ever since we held hands.

[He looks down at younger Shiho, smiling for a moment at her, before looking back up at the older Shiho.]

...It's good to hear you'd worry about me too.

[His smile stretches a little more into a grin.]

[good_ideas]

[She should tell him to let go.

But at the same time there's a part of her that is touched to see someone holding her younger self's hand. When she was little she was lucky if adults didn't flinch away from her.

So with a huff that could be a sigh (but which she also hopes can be seen instead as a "how dare he know my thoughts" kind of huff) she crosses her arms and looks away.]

Well.... we're kind of friends, aren't we?

[And for once, her thoughts are the same as what she says out loud.]

[theshowsover]

[He chuckles.]

Kind of.

[Whether Shiho meant to or not, she has reached Full Friend Status as far as Akira is concerned. But he won't push the issue.]

Is this alright?

[The hand-holding/thought-sharing.]

[good_ideas]

[How dare he chuckle at her.]

....It's fine. We're going now anyway. [Too bad the younger Shiho isn't here to make sure that the thoughts are running both ways.]

[theshowsover]

Alright. Lead the way.

[He'll keep holding on to younger Shiho anyway.]

[good_ideas]

[The door comes up much faster than it should, seeming to be in the distance for a moment and then in another few steps it's in front of them.]


....I think you can let go now. [Because it's too embarrassing to have someone read my thoughts.]

[theshowsover]

[He does let go, giving a last smile to the little Shiho before turning his attention back to present Shiho. Despite his very short time reading minds, it's almost strange when he can't hear her thoughts anymore.]

Guess we did it. [He assumes they can leave now?]

[good_ideas]

Guess we did. [Because as soon as the little Shiho lets go to open the door for them, they're back in the real world.]


....Good job.

[theshowsover]

Thanks.

[It wasn't like he did much, besides trust in his friend.]

Are you alright?

[good_ideas]

Of course. [Her reply comes a touch too quickly and she winces before she tries again, a little more softly.]

I'm fine. What about you? You're okay, right?

[theshowsover]

Yeah, I'm fine.

[He's a little concerned by that first answer, but he won't pry. Instead...]

Wanna come back to my cafe? I can make you some coffee if you want.

[good_ideas]

Coffee, huh. I guess I could go for some of that. I have... some stuff I should probably tell you too anyway. Maybe.

[Depending on how good the coffee is! (Or maybe no matter what, she had decided to tell him anyway and she couldn't keep putting it off for another day, right?)]

[theshowsover]

Then we can talk over that.

[Then he'll take her there! So she can tell him whatever she wants. He has a lot of questions, but he'll let her lead.]

[good_ideas]

[Coffee is distracting, at least and Shiho needs some of that. As well as just something for her to hold in her hand and read with psychometry to assure her that there was still something in this world that she could easily understand.]



Kaoru-chan talked to you about espers, right?

[theshowsover]

Some. She told me about the different levels, stuff like that.

[Also about her being a super powerful esper in the future.]

[good_ideas]

Did she... talk to you about the different types? Psychokinesis and ESP?

[theshowsover]

Not really. But I assumed there were different ones, since you guys seem different.

[At least, he's never seen Shiho fly around like Kaoru does. But maybe she can fly? Hm.]

[good_ideas]

People in general are different. [And all those differences are what enable there to be so much variation in powers and levels.]

But powers back home are usually two different types. Psychokinesis which affects the world around it and ESP which affects something more intangible. And even within those, you have a lot of variation like pyrokinesis, bodily function control, precognition, that sort of thing.

[theshowsover]

[He nods along. It makes sense, at least from what he's seen.]

So yours are ESP?

[If he understands right.]

[good_ideas]

...Yes. It's psychometry and I can use it to read people's minds. And well, read pretty much anything. People, places, things.

[She never likes talking about this but it does help that Kaoru trusts him and that she has also learned to trust him too.]