shroudedinsecrecy | INBOX (IC)

[She let out a small chuckle at his questions, neither surprised nor upset. A single eye peeked open, hardly letting the interruption disturb her currently peaceful state of mind.]

[She'd had nearly a lifetime of experience with this sort of thing, after all.]

Some people can fall asleep their first time, and that's alright.

But the idea is to find a serene state of mind between being awake and falling asleep. That's the trick to meditating.

That sounds kind of hard to do. But I can try it.

[He said before attempting to close his eyes once more. Although now, he was afraid he might end up falling asleep! As he continued to breath in and out slowly, it was clear that this time?

He wasn't doing it quite as well as he did. He just doesn't want fall asleep in Iris's house! That would be embarrassing!

Don’t mind him mumbling a little!]

[Which is precisely why she said it would take time and practice.]

...were you saying something?

[She heard him mumbling to himself, and wondered if it had been meant for her.]

H-Huh? No, I wasn't! I was trying to figure out how to relax! I can't seem to do it again!

[Why is it so hard to calm down anyway???]

[Hmm.]

Usually, when someone is having too difficult of a time relaxing, it's because there is too big of a weight on their mind.

Is it something you'd like to talk about? It might help.

[Honestly, Takeru didn't know how to respond to that. There were a lot of things running through his young mind right now and to say it?

Well, how could he?]

...I kind of do? How do you talk to someone who isn't here anymore? And now that they're gone?

[...Spirit Channeling?]

[Not that she would automatically suggest such a thing. Not even with the knowledge that Mystic Maya was here and it was, in fact, possible.]

You mean, someone who died?

[Takeru shook his head]

No! I think that would be even worse! I don't want Leia-san to die! I don't ever want that to happen to her! She's...she's just not here anymore. I think she might have went back home.

[For better or for worse] And it kind of stinks too.

[Ah. She was beginning to understand.]

You miss her very much.

It's alright. I would too, if someone that close to me was suddenly no longer here.

What would you do? If you suddenly found out that someone close to you wasn't here anymore? Because I know crying wouldn't make her come back and I know she wouldn't want to see me sad either.

[Pause] But I don't know how to stop feeling sad?

[In all truth?]

I cried, too.

It wasn't quite the same, but...a few years ago, I lost someone very dear to me as well. Because of something I...well, something my sister did. I thought I would never see him again, and it hurt so bad that I locked myself in my room and cried until I thought I'd run out of tears completely.

[Takeru didn't respond back. Instead, he just looked at her before he gave her a hug.

While he might not know what happened back in her world? At least he knew she needed someone to cheer her up right now.]

[...oh!]

[She wasn't...expecting the comfort, but it was a welcome surprise. Her expression quickly softened, and she wrapped her arms around the small boy, placing a hand atop his head. Smiling.]

I'm alright, Takeru.

You needn't worry about me. Besides...I found him again. Or he found me. Twice.

Found you twice?

[He said before giving her a curious look. What was that suppose to mean? But then, it suddenly hit him!]

Hey wait! Does that mean he's here right now? Is the person you're looking for in Cerealia then?

[This wasn't necessarily a topic she would discuss with a child...but, since there was no reason to divulge all the horrible details, and he seemed to cheer up a little at the thought....]

That's right. He found me in the first ViViD game I showed up in. That was the second time.

The first time was back home. We hadn't seen each other in over five years, until he showed up at the Temple I lived at.

[Whatever was going on in the boy's head? Well, it seemed to escape his mind as he became more focused on the story!]

Then it sounds like he's really important to you! Who is here anyway? Maybe I know them too!

[If that's what it took, then that's what it took. She would have to fight through the blushing.]

You might. I was told he's been here for...a while now.

Phoenix. That's his name. Phoenix Wright.

Ooohhhh, Phoenix-san! I know him, he taught me stuff about law a while ago!

[And don't think he didn't see that for one moment! Which was why there was a small grin on his face!]

But you like him, don't you?

Very much.

[Somehow, it was much easier to admit as much aloud to a child than...well, to even Phoenix himself. She hardly even blushed.]

What about you? Is there anyone you like very much?

[It was also that much easier to turn the question right around. Not that she was anticipating a real answer. He was only...what, seven? Too young, in her mind, to feel for someone what she felt for Phoenix.]

[Now that made Takeru stop and ponder a little.]

Anyone I like very much? Well, I like you and I like my brother a lot? And my friends and Leia-san too! And Han-san and everyone here!

[How else was he suppose to answer? He knew that liking someone the same way Iris does for Phoenix was suppose to be grown up stuff!

Best to go for the next best thing right?]

[More or less the answer she had been expecting, which was why she nodded without surprise.]

That's wonderful. That you have so many people you like.

Why wouldn't I? Everyone's been so nice since I got here! A lot of people said that CERES is bad but I think there are a lot of nice people here too!

So I don't think it's that bad!

Oh, no, I agree.

[...she had her doubts, of course. Things she couldn't express to a child. Particularly as they were little more than rumours and words spoken by those she hadn't known all that well. She did believe them. It just...wasn't the right time to bring any of it up.]

Even the games haven't all been terrible. This really is an...interesting place to live.

[But the more that Takeru thought about it? The more he hummed to himself a little.]

You know what this place reminds me a lot of? I don't know if you know what the Digital World is but it sure reminds me a lot of it. Where there were a lot of evil Digimon coming and hurting me and my friends?

I don't think it's that much different here!

[Digital...World...?]

Is that anything like the ViViD games? That's supposed to be a...world inside a computer, right?

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