[Heart Game - Ed, Maya, Roxy]

[carptricks]

[It's dark. You're trying to move forward, but it feels like your limbs are weighed down by chains and shackles. Still, you push. You push and you pull and those chains are pulled taut and strained until suddenly--]

[Something snaps]

[You tumble forward, wind blowing past your face, until you lose awareness of anything around you. . .]

((another run ran concurrent to this one here))

Comments

[soulping]

[the old man straightens pretty suddenly. he seems to hold himself a bit awkwardly]

Ed-san. . .! Ah, no. We haven't met.

[he bows politely, too]

I am Konosuke Jii.

[fuhrinkaed]

It's nice to meet you.

Would you happen to be the person to ask for information about the surrounding areas? I need information.

[soulping]

[Jii looks taken aback for a moment]

S-surrounding areas? I don't know how much information I can give you, but. . .

[he trails off]

Young master does cause me to worry quite frequently.

[fuhrinkaed]

I can imagine... He's the sort to kind of be a daredevil.

But I'll listen to anything you can tell me.

[soulping]

[he nods. the motion is a bit stiff]

All right, Ed-san. What questions do you have for me?

[fuhrinkaed]

First off... [Holding out the clock hands.]

Do you know anything that may be standing between me and getting these where they go?

[soulping]

Ah. . .

[frowns]

I cannot say there is anything specific standing between you and where they must go, but I can inform you that there is no direct route to the clocktower.

[fuhrinkaed]

...Hm...

Is it on the other side of a path that involves emotional scars, then?

[soulping]

Not necessarily.

[he lowers the pool cue until it's resting on the edges of the table]

There are many ways to young master's heart-- the very core of who he is. You can reach it by going through a difficult area, yes. . .

But you may also reach it by finding that which he loves.

[fuhrinkaed]

So... Aoko or incredibly cool magical capers.

And the clocktower, then, is the core of who he is...

[Thinking...]

That makes sense, considering how it came up.

[soulping]

Not necessarily just Aoko-kun. There are many people he loves, in many different ways.

[another nod]

And that's correct. That is his center.

[fuhrinkaed]

...Alright then. I think I know where to start.

Thanks for the tip--I really appreciate it. I've got it from here.

[soulping]

[he inclines his head forward]

You're welcome, Ed-san. And good luck. . .!

[fuhrinkaed]

No problem. I'll do my best!

[I guess we are flying off back to the tiaboat. If there's one thing Kaito loves, it's his team!]

[soulping]

[time for round 2]