Chapter 27
Day 5
Fri., Oct. 23, 2009
About 2:30 p.m. Tokyo time
"We are on Mt. Yokotsu," Hoshi says in Japanese, waving at the picture window with a scenic view to the south, overlooking a distant bay and ocean, "in the Kameda Peninsula on the island of Hokkaido in the north of Nippon. To the south is the town of Hakodate and the Pacific Ocean, and in the far distance you may be able to see the island of Honshu on a clear day. Honshu is the main island of the nation of Nippon. Lakes Konuma and Onuma are nearby, also."
Kimiko stops looking around and decides she can do the looking later. She grabs the two cases with her casual clothes in them and follow Aiyara to see where her new room is located.
Aiyara leads to the far side of the living room and through an archway into a hall with picture windows overlooking island and ocean on the left, and some doors on the right that look like closet doors. It's a short walk to the next connected building, and Kimiko realizes that the living room and hallway each have a gentle curve to them. In the next building, they enter a hallway with doors on each side.
"The first room is Ms. Tia's," Aiyara says, waving at the door. "The next room will be Ms. Kimiko's room, and the next room beyond that will be Mr. Johnny's room." She opens the door for Kimiko, revealing a large room with a slightly curved wall of picture windows overlooking island, bay and ocean. The sun is above hills to the west, which is to the right as it is a southern view. The room has a large king bed, end tables to each side of the bed, a desk, a small table and chairs, and two doors, one at each end of the room.
"That is your private bathroom, and that is your closet," Aiyara says, pointing to each door in turn. "It is a walk-in closet, with dresser and chest of drawers and other features you will like, I think. Johnny, please follow me and I'll show you your room. If you would like to freshen up, Kimiko, please do so and be ready for dinner in fifteen minutes. We will see you in the living room."
"Thank you Aiyara," Kimiko says. "Will you give us a tour of the house after dinner?" Tia, I wonder what Johnny will say about you using a teleport without Hoshi being there. Also is this place warded also?
"Yes, of course," Aiyara says. "I will see you later. This way, Johnny." She leads him out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Hoshi was here, if your recall. Tia was an illusion. Are you all right? Is something wrong? I do not detect any mental attacks.
Nothing is wrong, Kimiko says. I was just thinking about us not having the defenses of the wards at our house in Illinois.
I understand. It is a lot to take in a new home all at once. This house is warded much like the house in America, and later I will take steps to enhance those wards.
Once Kimiko has unpacked, she gets cleaned up quickly and puts on a nice blue pastel blouse and knee-length skirt with silk shorts underneath to not show any seams. As she continues to get ready, Kimiko asks, Is there anything I can do to help with the wards?
Do you have abilities of which I am unaware? Hoshi says. Abilities to manipulate powerful energies, passing them through your mind and brain and infusing them into physical objects? If so, then yes, you may. If not, then I am sorry to say that this is something I must do myself.
Not that I know of, Kimiko says. I'm not even sure how you do wards. I thought they might have been designs on paper or surfaces that just get copied in a lots of places.
No, Hoshi says. That is the sort of thing you might see on some television programs, but it has little basis in reality. Such things can be the foci of the energies I speak of, but there are better ways, better foci to use, more durable, and not so obvious.
I think I understand, Kimiko says. So how do you find out if someone is capable of manipulating the energies you mentioned?
First, you must be a trained mentalist. Some would call us mind mages. There are few in the world. A heroine who calls herself Psyche is the only other one I have ever met.
So our powers are based on two totally different powers?
Or systems of Powers, Hoshi says. I believe so, yes. I am a mentalist, and energy manipulator and energy projector... and some would say mage. But it is not magic. It is a series of energies that are not apparent or visible to most people. It is a part of the universe, or, more technically, the multiverse. Your abilities are mostly those infused into your body by the Doctor, and some that are your natural super talents, of which the Doctor may or may not have been aware.
Could it be the only ones successful for the treatment the Doctor and his organization does to people have powers to survive the changes?
Yes, Hoshi says, Blue and I believe that this is so. Did I not say so earlier?
Sorry, Kimiko says. I guess I'm nervous or distracted what with the move.
It is not a problem, my daughter. When we go to dinner, we will walk into town. There is a pleasant though small restaurant there, run by the Ainu people.
Good, Kimiko says. That means low heels since we will be walking, or should I wear sneakers or boots?
Whichever you please, though the low heels would probably look nicer.
Think this looks right? Kimiko sends an image of what clothes she has changed into.
That will do nicely, Hoshi says.
Will you show me sometime how to wear Kimonos and when to and how to move in them?
Yes, of course, Hoshi says. It is not too difficult, and you will master it easily.
The bathroom attached to Kimiko's room is large, with a hot tub, locker shower (a shower like in a locker room, about ten feet square, with a bench seat on one side), and a large vanity...
Kimiko's eyes go large as she looks around .oO(I got a lot of room here.)
The walk-in closet has a lot of room, too... many hangers... more than she has clothes. And a large dresser, and a chest of drawers, shoe rack... all built-in. Kimiko goes back through the two cases she brought to see if she got the one with the low heels that go with her clothes. She finds that she has brought almost all of her clothes... and shoes, too. Even the big stompy boots... one of the suitcases being mostly shoes and boots.
A little bit later, Hoshi asks, Are you about ready to go?
Yes just finishing now. Kimiko walks around a litle to make sure she has no trouble with her footwear of choice. She shuts her case and heads back to the living room.
She finds the others waiting for her in the livingroom. Hoshi has changed back to Tia.
"Sorry did I take too long?" Kimiko asks as she sees everyone waiting on her.
"No," Aiyara says. "Not at all. We just got here a moment ago."
Johnny smiles. "Are you ready for dinner?" he asks in fluent Japanese. "You eat like a bird, you know. You're not dieting are you?"
"No, I have a small stomach and eat six times a day to compensate so that I get enough energy each day."
"Oh!" Johnny says, eyes widening. "Some kind of accident?"
"If you don't mind," Kimiko says, "I would rather not talk about it now. It's still a touchy subject of why I'm this way." Kimiko frowns, as what the doctor did to her, especially losing a lot of her memories, did disgust her.
"Oh. Sorry," Johnny says. "No offense. Shall we go, then?"
"Yes, let us do so," Tia says. She leads the way to the door, opening it to the world outside.
Kimiko nods and walks with the group, taking Tia's hand,
Outside, a path leads out to a street... and down the street are more buildings... including a restaurant. There are a few people around who look a lot like Aiyara and Boktu. A waitress seats them in the restaurant... it's small, but nicely appointed with decorations including a large wall-sized painting of clouds and mountains and a very large seaquarium. One thing different is that the tables here are Japanese-style, not American... low to the ground, with tatami mats around the table on which diners sit.
Aiyara kneels, Tia sits lotus-style.
Like before, Kimiko is more or less led as she keeps looking around, breathing through her nose to get the smells of the place memorized and turning her head for each new sound to be sorted. She sits mimicking Tia's style.
The waitress brings menus for everyone. The scents in this place are of many kinds of foods, some of which are totally new to Kimiko, the the people who work and dine here.
Kimiko looks through the menu, which is printed in Japanese, and if she's not sure what it is will ask Aiyara or Tia. "Johnny can you read the menu?"
"Hai," Johnny says, answering in fluent Japanese. "It is very straightforward. Much like American menus. Some differences, but not too many."
"There are some nice smelling foods at the other tables," Kimiko says. "Is there a way we can get several things so we can sample various dishes?"
"Yeah," Johnny says, pointing to a menu entry. "Just order the sampler platter."
Kimiko looks at the sampler platter on the menu. It seems to have a little bit of everything... appetizers and entrees...
"Thanks," Kimiko says. "I missed that before." Kimiko looks through the descriptions at all that's available. There are a lot of dishes with fish, and everything has rice or noodles. She sees that they have a variety of tea selections, mostly unfamiliar to Kimiko. When it comes to ordering, Kimiko asks for the sampler platter (the individual one) and a tea she hasn't had before that seems good.
The black tea is best, Tia says, but the choice is yours to make as you wish.
Kimiko decides to follow Tia's recommendation and orders the black tea.
They serve the food soon... with tea served first... It is pretty good food... different fish mostly...
"So what are the plans for tonight beside unpacking?" Kimiko asks, though she had corrected herself with stopping to say tonight instead of today as the sun was setting.
"Nothing special," Tia says. "What would you like to do?"
"Can we get a tour of the house? Do we have Internet here, too? I would like to learn some things about this area we are living in here."
"Yes, of course we can tour the house," Tia says, "and we have wireless internet, much like in America. And we can tell you things about this area, and Nippon in general."
Kimiko smiles and nods as she slowly continues eating, making sure to try the various food items.
We can get a take-home bag for any leftovers, Tia says.
I thought so, Kimiko says.
Kimiko stops looking around and decides she can do the looking later. She grabs the two cases with her casual clothes in them and follow Aiyara to see where her new room is located.
Aiyara leads to the far side of the living room and through an archway into a hall with picture windows overlooking island and ocean on the left, and some doors on the right that look like closet doors. It's a short walk to the next connected building, and Kimiko realizes that the living room and hallway each have a gentle curve to them. In the next building, they enter a hallway with doors on each side.
"The first room is Ms. Tia's," Aiyara says, waving at the door. "The next room will be Ms. Kimiko's room, and the next room beyond that will be Mr. Johnny's room." She opens the door for Kimiko, revealing a large room with a slightly curved wall of picture windows overlooking island, bay and ocean. The sun is above hills to the west, which is to the right as it is a southern view. The room has a large king bed, end tables to each side of the bed, a desk, a small table and chairs, and two doors, one at each end of the room.
"That is your private bathroom, and that is your closet," Aiyara says, pointing to each door in turn. "It is a walk-in closet, with dresser and chest of drawers and other features you will like, I think. Johnny, please follow me and I'll show you your room. If you would like to freshen up, Kimiko, please do so and be ready for dinner in fifteen minutes. We will see you in the living room."
"Thank you Aiyara," Kimiko says. "Will you give us a tour of the house after dinner?" Tia, I wonder what Johnny will say about you using a teleport without Hoshi being there. Also is this place warded also?
"Yes, of course," Aiyara says. "I will see you later. This way, Johnny." She leads him out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Hoshi was here, if your recall. Tia was an illusion. Are you all right? Is something wrong? I do not detect any mental attacks.
Nothing is wrong, Kimiko says. I was just thinking about us not having the defenses of the wards at our house in Illinois.
I understand. It is a lot to take in a new home all at once. This house is warded much like the house in America, and later I will take steps to enhance those wards.
Once Kimiko has unpacked, she gets cleaned up quickly and puts on a nice blue pastel blouse and knee-length skirt with silk shorts underneath to not show any seams. As she continues to get ready, Kimiko asks, Is there anything I can do to help with the wards?
Do you have abilities of which I am unaware? Hoshi says. Abilities to manipulate powerful energies, passing them through your mind and brain and infusing them into physical objects? If so, then yes, you may. If not, then I am sorry to say that this is something I must do myself.
Not that I know of, Kimiko says. I'm not even sure how you do wards. I thought they might have been designs on paper or surfaces that just get copied in a lots of places.
No, Hoshi says. That is the sort of thing you might see on some television programs, but it has little basis in reality. Such things can be the foci of the energies I speak of, but there are better ways, better foci to use, more durable, and not so obvious.
I think I understand, Kimiko says. So how do you find out if someone is capable of manipulating the energies you mentioned?
First, you must be a trained mentalist. Some would call us mind mages. There are few in the world. A heroine who calls herself Psyche is the only other one I have ever met.
So our powers are based on two totally different powers?
Or systems of Powers, Hoshi says. I believe so, yes. I am a mentalist, and energy manipulator and energy projector... and some would say mage. But it is not magic. It is a series of energies that are not apparent or visible to most people. It is a part of the universe, or, more technically, the multiverse. Your abilities are mostly those infused into your body by the Doctor, and some that are your natural super talents, of which the Doctor may or may not have been aware.
Could it be the only ones successful for the treatment the Doctor and his organization does to people have powers to survive the changes?
Yes, Hoshi says, Blue and I believe that this is so. Did I not say so earlier?
Sorry, Kimiko says. I guess I'm nervous or distracted what with the move.
It is not a problem, my daughter. When we go to dinner, we will walk into town. There is a pleasant though small restaurant there, run by the Ainu people.
Good, Kimiko says. That means low heels since we will be walking, or should I wear sneakers or boots?
Whichever you please, though the low heels would probably look nicer.
Think this looks right? Kimiko sends an image of what clothes she has changed into.
That will do nicely, Hoshi says.
Will you show me sometime how to wear Kimonos and when to and how to move in them?
Yes, of course, Hoshi says. It is not too difficult, and you will master it easily.
The bathroom attached to Kimiko's room is large, with a hot tub, locker shower (a shower like in a locker room, about ten feet square, with a bench seat on one side), and a large vanity...
Kimiko's eyes go large as she looks around .oO(I got a lot of room here.)
The walk-in closet has a lot of room, too... many hangers... more than she has clothes. And a large dresser, and a chest of drawers, shoe rack... all built-in. Kimiko goes back through the two cases she brought to see if she got the one with the low heels that go with her clothes. She finds that she has brought almost all of her clothes... and shoes, too. Even the big stompy boots... one of the suitcases being mostly shoes and boots.
A little bit later, Hoshi asks, Are you about ready to go?
Yes just finishing now. Kimiko walks around a litle to make sure she has no trouble with her footwear of choice. She shuts her case and heads back to the living room.
She finds the others waiting for her in the livingroom. Hoshi has changed back to Tia.
"Sorry did I take too long?" Kimiko asks as she sees everyone waiting on her.
"No," Aiyara says. "Not at all. We just got here a moment ago."
Johnny smiles. "Are you ready for dinner?" he asks in fluent Japanese. "You eat like a bird, you know. You're not dieting are you?"
"No, I have a small stomach and eat six times a day to compensate so that I get enough energy each day."
"Oh!" Johnny says, eyes widening. "Some kind of accident?"
"If you don't mind," Kimiko says, "I would rather not talk about it now. It's still a touchy subject of why I'm this way." Kimiko frowns, as what the doctor did to her, especially losing a lot of her memories, did disgust her.
"Oh. Sorry," Johnny says. "No offense. Shall we go, then?"
"Yes, let us do so," Tia says. She leads the way to the door, opening it to the world outside.
Kimiko nods and walks with the group, taking Tia's hand,
Outside, a path leads out to a street... and down the street are more buildings... including a restaurant. There are a few people around who look a lot like Aiyara and Boktu. A waitress seats them in the restaurant... it's small, but nicely appointed with decorations including a large wall-sized painting of clouds and mountains and a very large seaquarium. One thing different is that the tables here are Japanese-style, not American... low to the ground, with tatami mats around the table on which diners sit.
Aiyara kneels, Tia sits lotus-style.
Like before, Kimiko is more or less led as she keeps looking around, breathing through her nose to get the smells of the place memorized and turning her head for each new sound to be sorted. She sits mimicking Tia's style.
The waitress brings menus for everyone. The scents in this place are of many kinds of foods, some of which are totally new to Kimiko, the the people who work and dine here.
Kimiko looks through the menu, which is printed in Japanese, and if she's not sure what it is will ask Aiyara or Tia. "Johnny can you read the menu?"
"Hai," Johnny says, answering in fluent Japanese. "It is very straightforward. Much like American menus. Some differences, but not too many."
"There are some nice smelling foods at the other tables," Kimiko says. "Is there a way we can get several things so we can sample various dishes?"
"Yeah," Johnny says, pointing to a menu entry. "Just order the sampler platter."
Kimiko looks at the sampler platter on the menu. It seems to have a little bit of everything... appetizers and entrees...
"Thanks," Kimiko says. "I missed that before." Kimiko looks through the descriptions at all that's available. There are a lot of dishes with fish, and everything has rice or noodles. She sees that they have a variety of tea selections, mostly unfamiliar to Kimiko. When it comes to ordering, Kimiko asks for the sampler platter (the individual one) and a tea she hasn't had before that seems good.
The black tea is best, Tia says, but the choice is yours to make as you wish.
Kimiko decides to follow Tia's recommendation and orders the black tea.
They serve the food soon... with tea served first... It is pretty good food... different fish mostly...
"So what are the plans for tonight beside unpacking?" Kimiko asks, though she had corrected herself with stopping to say tonight instead of today as the sun was setting.
"Nothing special," Tia says. "What would you like to do?"
"Can we get a tour of the house? Do we have Internet here, too? I would like to learn some things about this area we are living in here."
"Yes, of course we can tour the house," Tia says, "and we have wireless internet, much like in America. And we can tell you things about this area, and Nippon in general."
Kimiko smiles and nods as she slowly continues eating, making sure to try the various food items.
We can get a take-home bag for any leftovers, Tia says.
I thought so, Kimiko says.
