059: Let Them All Walk Away

[contract_star]

[Hei is at his hut again. He's sitting on the bottom step, leaning tiredly against the railing. By now it's clear that he's been growing his hair out, as it's now down to his chin.]

[There's a single, half-empty bowl of ramen with him as well as a tumblerful of something alcoholic. A basic, composition notebook is open on his lap and he's idly writing something on one of the pages--though you might notice that "Ryotarou" is written in Sharpie on the front. There's also a pair of black and electric-blue Air Trecks propped next to him on the step.]

[Hei yawns and taps his pen against the paper, frowning a little.]

Comments

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

...believe it or not, that wasn't meant to be a not-so-subtle hint.

I do need to know how to do it, though, if you've the time.

[contract_star]

[Raises an eyebrow.] No?

Alright. I've never actually found out the extent to which we can do this, but... [Shrugs. He leans forward a little, setting the notebook aside.] It takes a lot of practice and there's a trick to it, but...the trick is the sort of thing I can't really explain. You either figure it out or you don't.

Essentially it's like meditation, or like visualization training. It's best to be near the point of merger or near what you want to block out. And it's also best to have something sort of concrete to focus on. Like a wall, for instance. You envision a wall separating you from the point of merger, your world from the other, whatever--it's like a wall between borders, I guess.

The most important thing is that...you can't really think about it. It's like trying to consciously forget about something. You sort of keep it in the back of your mind. Like... [He pauses, rubbing the back of his neck.] It's like coming and going from here. You have to think about it, and yet not--unconsciously, sort of. It's hard to explain.

[He sighs and shrugs again.] It's exhausting, and very time-consuming.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

Shocking, isn't it? I'm not terribly fond of the snow, but London usually has more than its fair share of cold and disgusting weather as it is. And the Gate's been less of a hassle than Padania so far, so. [a shrug]

[after Hei's done explaining:]

...right. It sounds like something the angel and I could probably manage, if it became necessary.

[contract_star]

Rather, considering how much you complain about it.

[Nods.] There's one other thing. The difficulty and the time spent are also dependent on how much the other person wants to hold on to the merger. The time I've done this before...the girl whose reality it was didn't want the merger to end. That made it a lot harder.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

I'm a bloody snake, what did you expect?

[an eyebrow shoots up] An unwanted admirer? I would never have guessed.

[contract_star]

[Deadpan,] Mion was a teenage country girl who ended up taking my place for awhile during the reality swap. She ended up near the Gate, which almost drove her insane. Afterward when I discovered the merger I realized what could happen if I let the Gate into her world. She'd been through enough already. [Not mentioning that Mion had to kill people while she was "Hei" :\]

I was protecting her, but she didn't see it that way.

[CROWLEY, HAVEN'T YOU FIGURED OUT YET THAT EVERYTHING WITH HEI IS HORRIBLE SRS BZNS?]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Oh Hei, why so serious :|]

[Crowley considers this for a moment]

I suppose I ought to be paying more attention to what the humans are doing with the Gate, hadn't I?

[contract_star]

Probably.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

Mm. I'll look into it—or put it on the list, anyway.

[a pause, because this is something he never, ever does:] How's Misaki?

[contract_star]

Mm.

[Blinks, because that kind of came out of nowhere. After a moment he gives a lopsided smile.] I have no idea. She's not telling me everything.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

I suppose that would account for the mood she's been in lately, eh?

[contract_star]

What do you mean?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[He shrugs and stuffs his hands into his pockets again]

She has quite a decent right hook, I mean.

[contract_star]

[Eyebrow raise.] She punched you.

What exactly did you do, Crowley?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

I was only trying to lighten the mood. It isn't my fault if she hasn't a sense of humour.

[contract_star]

What did you say to her? She doesn't...exactly hit people without a reason.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

I...may have made light of her chosen method of transport and its side-effects.

[contract_star]

Chosen...method of transport? [He is completely lost.]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

Teleportation?

[contract_star]

Tele...? Oh. [:|] Mature of you, Crowley.

[Pause, and he frowns.] But why would she need a Contractor to teleport her anywhere...?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

As I said, I was only trying to lighten the mood. Ordinarily I would've thought it obvious—er, no offence.

You're asking the wrong person, I'm afraid. Shortly after the teleportation discussion I found myself being assaulted by a very small, very angry Japanese woman, so... [another shrug]

[contract_star]

[Hei is silent for awhile, frowning at the Plane floor.] Something isn't right. That doctor coat didn't make any sense...unless she was with Kanami, but even then...

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

I'll leave that end of things to you...I've already done enough meddling.

Someone might get the impression I actually give a damn.

[contract_star]

[Smirk.] Haven't we been through this before? You can't fool me, Crowley.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

Ah, but you see, I care that my face is continually mistaken for some sort of punching target. I happen to be somewhat fond of my face.

You, on the other hand, are Misaki's... [he waves a hand dismissively] ...whatever the hell you two are calling yourselves these days.