[He can, in fact, touch him! Though there's something kind of odd about the fabric of the shirt. The texture is right, it definitely feels like a normal cotton dress shirt...but the give of it is all wrong. Something about it just seems unnatural, as though the fabric were somehow a part of Shuichi's skin, rather than clothes being worn by him. The fabric also doesn't seem to have taken on any body heat, bur rather feels more or less the same as the air around them. Room temperature, as though the flesh that is both beneath and part of it isn't actually generating any heat of its own.]
[But aside from those two things, the contact is completely normal. The young shade glances down at his shoulder for a second, then looks back up and offers Obi-Wan a very small smile. A real smile, since now he actually has a face with which to make the expression properly.]
[Well how about that. It does feel strange, and not entirely normal, but you know what? It really doesn’t matter. There’s a bit of emotion in the Jedi’s eyes as he’s able to actually touch his young friend. A friend who had expressed such pain, loneliness and fear. For whom he had been able to do little in the way of comfort aside from using his own words. Until this moment that is.]
This is a bit late but...
[Should Shuichi allow it, Obi-Wan will pull him into an embrace. To properly give the boy a hug this time.]
[Shuichi will allow it, but the gesture clearly wasn't what he was expecting. As the Jedi wraps his arms around him, the shade's body goes completely still and stiff. But after a moment, he recovers. His body relaxes as much as something lacking muscles can relax and he slowly, hesitantly, brings his own arms up to wrap them around Obi-Wan in return.]
[For a moment Obi-Wan wonders if he had misstepped and that maybe the gesture wasn’t appreciated. But soon he realizes he may have just surprised him as Shuichi relaxes and tentatively returns the hug.
Their talk in the dreamscape seemed almost distant now, but he remembered it entirely. Did he? Regardless, the Jedi holds onto him for a few moments longer before pulling back far enough to look at Shuichi’s face with his hands on both of his shoulders.]
You are a good boy, Shuichi, and you deserve far better than what this place has given you. But please, don’t ever forget that you are not alone. That there are those who care for you.
[There was Kokichi over there who was sleeping of course, but there was also Obi-Wan. He did care for the boy turned Shade, and he wanted to make sure he knew that.]
[Shuichi looks up into the nymph's eyes once he's pulled away, but he's unable to maintain that eye contact for long. As Obi-Wan speaks, the shade sort of shies away a little, lowering his head as a very small, slightly bittersweet smile tugs the corners of his mouth.]
[Eye contact his hard. Even after all these months, sometimes it's still really hard for him to maintain. And this is one of those moments...though at least it's because he's really touched rather than because he feels inferior or ashamed. So that's...something, at least.]
[Touched, and also reminded forcibly of friends from back home...friends who also reminded him that he's not alone. That he doesn't have to try and shoulder everything by himself.]
[The shade nods.]
I don't know about deserving better, but...I won't forget that. [A slight giggle as he then corrects himself:] I can't forget that. Thank you, Ben-san. For both the reminder and...again, for helping me out of that dream I was stuck in.
[The breaking of the eye contact didn’t bother Obi-Wan, particularly as he saw the smile on the Shade’s ghostly features. He might not know what’s going on in the boy’s mind, but he could tell enough that it wasn’t particularly bad. All Obi-Wan had wanted to do was give Shuichi some comfort. Back in the dreamscape he had been limited in his ability to do so, and now he could make up for it.
Shuichi seemed to realize that sentiment and a smile spread across the Jedi’s face as well. A gentle squeeze was given to the Shade’s shoulders before he pulled back completely.]
Of course, my young friend, you are always welcome.
A-Ah! Right...sorry. I didn't mean to distract you from that...
[The shade turns his head back in the direction of the light switch, which flicks itself back on. In that instant where darkness becomes light, Shuichi's body dissipates. Like a puff of smoke, he's suddenly nothing but shadows hovering in a seated position over the couch again.]
Oh, um... [The shade gives a nervous little laugh, raising an overly large, shadowy claw to rub at the back of his neck.] Well you didn't need to worry about that. I can't drink or eat any more, after all.
[Which explains why he only brought one mug out with him.]
But it's the same for me...there are plenty of teas here that are similar to ones in my world, but there are just as many that seem to be completely absent here. But it was nice to try all the different varieties here, when I still could!
[He hadn't quite thought about that yet, but it did make sense. It also made Obi-Wan wonder if his way of eating and such would be altered. He hadn't been a nymph long enough to really be sure.]
Well, if an occasion ever comes that you can have tea again, I will have you try the blend I made from wild herbs.
Mm! [He nods.] I will, if that time comes. Which...I guess isn't totally impossible, given that it happened once already, thanks to the poachers...
[As much as he hopes they've been put out of business for good...maybe someone else will find a way of changing a person's monster type further along down the line. Shuichi can only hope.]
[Hm, the poachers. They had created quite a bit of harm with all of their activities. This likely wasn't going to be the last they would see of them, though he hoped they would be down for quite some time. Though he doesn't particularly want to go into details about what happened to him recently, so he instead focuses on his young friend while he sips at his tea.]
So tell me, Shuichi. Aside from the incident with the poachers, how has life been for you since we last spoke?
[He had learned a great deal about Shuichi's past thanks to the dreamscape, but didn't know much about what he did with his time here.]
[Shuichi is more than happy not to talk about the poachers. He was lucky enough to not be taken, but the latest mess has still impacted him. Taking care of Kokichi has been hard...not in the sense that it's particularly difficult for him to do, but rather it's just been hard for him to see the damage they did to his closest friend.]
It's been pretty uneventful apart from that, not that I'm complaining. I'm more than happy with uneventful. Mostly I've just been working and spending time at the library or with Oma-kun.
[The answer is not much. He does not do much with his time here, Obi-Wan. Shuichi is kind of a boring kid.]
[Obi-Wan is a bit surprised at the uneventful life that Shuichi seemed to be leading. The Jedi’s time here has been full of things going on that he could barely keep up with it. Though the boy deserved a more quiet life after what he had endured in his past.]
I would have thought you would have more friends. There is no lack of young monsters here, after all.
[The shade's shoulders seem to sag a little bit, but he recovers quickly and gives a feeble little chuckle.]
I've...never been a particularly outgoing person, I guess. [More like the exact opposite. He's almost debilitatingly shy, on top of being the sort of person who doesn't like to bother other people. He's trying to get better about it, but his friend circle is still pretty small.] I do have some friends that I've met here, we just...don't spend as much time together.
I see. You prefer the quiet life then. That is something I can understand.
[If that was Shuichi's way, then he wouldn't judge him for it. Obi-Wan liked to have his peace and quiet as well, though he could only have so much of it. He had to be out there and doing something occasionally too.]
So you like to read then? I haven't been to the library yet, myself. What sorts of books do you like?
Yes...to both, actually. I like pretty much all kinds of books, though. I suppose mystery novels or non-fiction books would be my favorites, but I really enjoy action and suspense stories too.
[Reading about action is more than enough to satisfy him, honestly. He doesn't need to be out living it.]
But, really, so long as it looks interesting and is well-written, I'm willing to at least give it a try.
[Taking another sip of tea, Obi-Wan smiles as that seems much like Shuichi to enjoy mystery novels. He was glad that his young friend had something he could enjoy here.]
Yes, that does suit you. I’ve always enjoyed reading about history, science and other cultures myself.
[Obi-Wan didn’t read just to entertain himself but also to expand his own knowledge.]
You would likely have enjoyed the Jedi Temple Archives. The most vast collection of knowledge in the galaxy, with stories that were stranger than any fiction.
[Shuichi's eyes widen and he gives a sort of appreciative little gasp.]
That does sound like the sort of place I could easily spend hours at a time in. [He giggles.] Maybe even days at a time if there's a whole galaxy's worth of information in there. I've always liked libraries, and I really love learning new things...
[Though he tends more towards history than science, himself.]
[This is said with a chuckle as the nymph took another sip of tea.]
My master used to have me sit in the archives researching things for him. At the time I resented it as other students were running around having adventures. But I came to appreciate it as I learned a great deal.
Well, yes, but hopefully not all at once! [Shuichi is the sort of person who loses great dollops of time at once to reading and researching...but even he isn't so hopeless that he'd let months slip by without his noticing. That's what he meant.]
So is that where you learned about the Force, then? The Archives?
[You promised you would tell him about the Force, someday, Obi-Wan! Consider: today.]
[Obi-Wan just chuckles, because well, he had spent a lot of time there and not always by choice! Though Shuichi's next question brought thoughtful pause because he had said he would tell him about the Force didn't he?]
Not exactly. I was learning about the Force since I was three years old. When I was brought to the temple and enrolled as a student. The archives were a tool to help in my learning, though.
[He didn't remember a whole lot when he was that young, but it was the truth.]
[Surprisingly, the fact that Obi-Wan was enrolled as a student when he was only three years old doesn't seem to faze Shuichi very much. After all, it's not uncommon for some Japanese parents to send their children to kindergarten at that age.]
[Though he also doesn't realize exactly what "brought to the temple" means...he's kind of assuming it's like school. That he'd go to the temple for a set number of hours a day, then return to his family, rinse and repeat.]
I see. So...what exactly is the Force? You said you could feel the world and life through it, right? So it's some kind of...unseen connection between all living things, then?
[Yes there are some important details there that he is essentially glossing over. They tended to be controversial to those that did not understand the Jedi. They had been accused of being baby thieves before when it was further from the truth.]
Trying to explain the Force is like trying to explain the meaning of life, and quite literally at that.
[Another sip of tea was taken and he took a moment to savor the flavor before going on.]
The Force is life itself, and is a part of all things. It's an energy that binds everything together in the galaxy.
[Shuichi listens quietly, his shadows undulating in their usual slow, steady rhythm.]
I see...in my world, there were many cultures that believed in something like that. A life energy that flows through everything. But nobody's ever found actual evidence of such a thing...so it's never been more than a spiritual belief. But I'm guessing that's not the case in your galaxy?
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[But aside from those two things, the contact is completely normal. The young shade glances down at his shoulder for a second, then looks back up and offers Obi-Wan a very small smile. A real smile, since now he actually has a face with which to make the expression properly.]
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This is a bit late but...
[Should Shuichi allow it, Obi-Wan will pull him into an embrace. To properly give the boy a hug this time.]
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Their talk in the dreamscape seemed almost distant now, but he remembered it entirely. Did he? Regardless, the Jedi holds onto him for a few moments longer before pulling back far enough to look at Shuichi’s face with his hands on both of his shoulders.]
You are a good boy, Shuichi, and you deserve far better than what this place has given you. But please, don’t ever forget that you are not alone. That there are those who care for you.
[There was Kokichi over there who was sleeping of course, but there was also Obi-Wan. He did care for the boy turned Shade, and he wanted to make sure he knew that.]
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[Eye contact his hard. Even after all these months, sometimes it's still really hard for him to maintain. And this is one of those moments...though at least it's because he's really touched rather than because he feels inferior or ashamed. So that's...something, at least.]
[Touched, and also reminded forcibly of friends from back home...friends who also reminded him that he's not alone. That he doesn't have to try and shoulder everything by himself.]
[The shade nods.]
I don't know about deserving better, but...I won't forget that. [A slight giggle as he then corrects himself:] I can't forget that. Thank you, Ben-san. For both the reminder and...again, for helping me out of that dream I was stuck in.
[Yup, he remembers too!]
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Shuichi seemed to realize that sentiment and a smile spread across the Jedi’s face as well. A gentle squeeze was given to the Shade’s shoulders before he pulled back completely.]
Of course, my young friend, you are always welcome.
[And he meant that with his utmost sincerity.]
Now, how about that tea before it gets cold?
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[The shade turns his head back in the direction of the light switch, which flicks itself back on. In that instant where darkness becomes light, Shuichi's body dissipates. Like a puff of smoke, he's suddenly nothing but shadows hovering in a seated position over the couch again.]
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Shuichi there is no need to apologize, but I didn't want your tea to go to waste either.
[Picking it up, he takes a sip and finds that its still plenty warm.]
It's good too. The teas here are a bit different where I'm from, and I haven't tried many of them yet.
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[Which explains why he only brought one mug out with him.]
But it's the same for me...there are plenty of teas here that are similar to ones in my world, but there are just as many that seem to be completely absent here. But it was nice to try all the different varieties here, when I still could!
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[He hadn't quite thought about that yet, but it did make sense. It also made Obi-Wan wonder if his way of eating and such would be altered. He hadn't been a nymph long enough to really be sure.]
Well, if an occasion ever comes that you can have tea again, I will have you try the blend I made from wild herbs.
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[As much as he hopes they've been put out of business for good...maybe someone else will find a way of changing a person's monster type further along down the line. Shuichi can only hope.]
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So tell me, Shuichi. Aside from the incident with the poachers, how has life been for you since we last spoke?
[He had learned a great deal about Shuichi's past thanks to the dreamscape, but didn't know much about what he did with his time here.]
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It's been pretty uneventful apart from that, not that I'm complaining. I'm more than happy with uneventful. Mostly I've just been working and spending time at the library or with Oma-kun.
[The answer is not much. He does not do much with his time here, Obi-Wan. Shuichi is kind of a boring kid.]
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[Obi-Wan is a bit surprised at the uneventful life that Shuichi seemed to be leading. The Jedi’s time here has been full of things going on that he could barely keep up with it. Though the boy deserved a more quiet life after what he had endured in his past.]
I would have thought you would have more friends. There is no lack of young monsters here, after all.
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I've...never been a particularly outgoing person, I guess. [More like the exact opposite. He's almost debilitatingly shy, on top of being the sort of person who doesn't like to bother other people. He's trying to get better about it, but his friend circle is still pretty small.] I do have some friends that I've met here, we just...don't spend as much time together.
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[If that was Shuichi's way, then he wouldn't judge him for it. Obi-Wan liked to have his peace and quiet as well, though he could only have so much of it. He had to be out there and doing something occasionally too.]
So you like to read then? I haven't been to the library yet, myself. What sorts of books do you like?
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Yes...to both, actually. I like pretty much all kinds of books, though. I suppose mystery novels or non-fiction books would be my favorites, but I really enjoy action and suspense stories too.
[Reading about action is more than enough to satisfy him, honestly. He doesn't need to be out living it.]
But, really, so long as it looks interesting and is well-written, I'm willing to at least give it a try.
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Yes, that does suit you. I’ve always enjoyed reading about history, science and other cultures myself.
[Obi-Wan didn’t read just to entertain himself but also to expand his own knowledge.]
You would likely have enjoyed the Jedi Temple Archives. The most vast collection of knowledge in the galaxy, with stories that were stranger than any fiction.
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That does sound like the sort of place I could easily spend hours at a time in. [He giggles.] Maybe even days at a time if there's a whole galaxy's worth of information in there. I've always liked libraries, and I really love learning new things...
[Though he tends more towards history than science, himself.]
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[This is said with a chuckle as the nymph took another sip of tea.]
My master used to have me sit in the archives researching things for him. At the time I resented it as other students were running around having adventures. But I came to appreciate it as I learned a great deal.
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So is that where you learned about the Force, then? The Archives?
[You promised you would tell him about the Force, someday, Obi-Wan! Consider: today.]
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Not exactly. I was learning about the Force since I was three years old. When I was brought to the temple and enrolled as a student. The archives were a tool to help in my learning, though.
[He didn't remember a whole lot when he was that young, but it was the truth.]
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[Though he also doesn't realize exactly what "brought to the temple" means...he's kind of assuming it's like school. That he'd go to the temple for a set number of hours a day, then return to his family, rinse and repeat.]
I see. So...what exactly is the Force? You said you could feel the world and life through it, right? So it's some kind of...unseen connection between all living things, then?
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Trying to explain the Force is like trying to explain the meaning of life, and quite literally at that.
[Another sip of tea was taken and he took a moment to savor the flavor before going on.]
The Force is life itself, and is a part of all things. It's an energy that binds everything together in the galaxy.
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I see...in my world, there were many cultures that believed in something like that. A life energy that flows through everything. But nobody's ever found actual evidence of such a thing...so it's never been more than a spiritual belief. But I'm guessing that's not the case in your galaxy?
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