[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

[feytality]

You've got an audience, now!

And I'm cheering for you... I guess.

[soulping]

Ah, that's very kind of you, Miss.

[he smiles at her]

Do you know how to play?

[feytality]

Um, obviously!

[wait for it] You gotta get the white ball into the hole!

[soulping]

[A BEAT. . .]

. . . I'm afraid that isn't quite right, young miss.

[feytality]

Huh? Are you playing by different rules, or something?

[soulping]

N-no, I cannot say I am. Knocking the white ball into the pocket results in a "scratch," or a lost game.

I believe that is a universal rule?

[feytality]

It's okay, pool guy! I won't tell anyone you're losing horribly.. you don't have to make up rules!

Anyway, what else is going on?

[soulping]

[opens his mouth to argue, but decides against it and just. answers her question instead]

Ah. . . well. As you know, you're in the middle of young master's soul.

[feytality]

[A wise choice]

Yeah! Wait.. why is he "young master"? Is he secretly rich or something?

[soulping]

Goodness, no. It is nothing of that sort. I am merely his assistant, and I was his father's assistant before he passed away.

[feytality]

His.... assistant?

[Kaito seems more the sidekick type]

Passed away...?

[soulping]

Yes. Kuroba Toichi-san was a great magician who passed away when young master was only nine.

The loss truly devastated him, though I'm certain he did his best not to show it.

[feytality]

Magician, huh...

Yeah, that seems like the kind of thing he'd keep secret.

[soulping]

[the man's expression turns a bit sad]

Young master keeps much bottled within him. I worry about him, quite frequently. . .

[feytality]

[Awww pool loser]

Does he know you're worried....?

[soulping]

I believe so. . . [his smile is a bit lopsided]

After all, I am the part of his soul which acknowledges the worries of other people. I am willing to be more earnest than other area of this heart.

[feytality]

So how's Kaito doing, really....?

[soulping]

He is coping.

I would not say he is doing badly, for he has learned how to deal with the things that trouble him. Still. . . [fret fret fret]

I wish he would open up more, that is all.

[feytality]

We gotta make that happen! Right?

[soulping]

Ah. . . I do not think forcing honesty is the proper avenue, here.

But-- [a thoughtful pause] Perhaps if you see more of him, you will know how to approach him outside of his heart?

[feytality]

I was thinking more about bribing him with shiny things!

But, sure, let's go with plan b.

[soulping]

S-shiny things?

[now poor Jii just looks confused]

[feytality]

You know, because he's a dragon.

[IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE]

[soulping]

Ah. . . ah! I see.

[he chuckles lightly]

It is a nice joke.

[feytality]

I thought so!

So how do I get him to talk to me?