Fifty-Seventh Theory [Written/Voice/Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[It's sunny and warm and spring, and Don can't wait to get outside. Or he wouldn't be able to wait, if he didn't have such impressive self-control.]

[He diligently starts the morning with his usual exercises, then sits down to leave a few messages in his journal before leaving the house.]

[Tutoring Beast in reading has made Don reconsider his own literacy skills, and after much thinking he's decided to do something to improve them. To that end, he easily constructs a filter, then labors through writing a brief message:]

Filtered from Housemates | Unhackable

[In translation-shielded kanji:] I WANT PLEASE: SOMEONE IS ABLE TO TEACH TO READ JAPANESE A SLOW STUDENT.

[There. Anyone who can't read that is automatically disqualifed as a teacher; anyone who can should immediately see the need for some teaching.]

[Reminding himself that lack of knowledge is not a cause for shame, but an opportunity to learn, Don closes that filter and opens another.]

Filtered to Leonardo | Unhackable

Hey, Padawan. If you ever take a break from mastering the Force, call your otouto and let him know you're okay.

[And finally:]

Filtered to SHELL members | Unhackable

The world visit experiment should be happening soon, if we can believe anything that blue man says. After that I'd like to have another meeting.

I'm taking nominations for other topics of discussion or club activities.

[Don will check for replies later - for now, he closes the journal, takes his gear, and quietly leaves the house. He'll be spending the next few hours meandering among the cherry trees, looking for early blooms.]

[Anyone who meets him may notice he now wears a silver chain around his wrist, half-visible where it laces through the leather wrappings.]

Comments

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

Mm. [Aside from the fact that he grows up to be evil, the temporal mismatch is just weird.] Say what you like about Turtle Luck, but we got off pretty lightly on the timeline thing.

[Action]

[fearless_leader]

We did. We're lucky, compared to some here in that respect. [But unlucky in others, like how they're the only ones here from their world.]

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

Do you think you'll be home soon? Or will we have to meet furtively a while longer?

[Action]

[fearless_leader]

I should be, yeah. I'm not going to stay away forever. [Nice as Luke and Anakin are, they're not family.]

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Good. Don likes it better when you're nearby.]

[He slows as they approach the turnoff for House 55.]

This is my stop.

[Action]

[fearless_leader]

[Leo likes having his family nearby. Leaving, even temporarily, had been a hard decision to make.

He slows to a stop too, looking in the direction he knows the house is. There's a part of him that wants to keep going with Don, there really is.]

How's things at the house? How's Robert doing? [He looks back to Don.]

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

Fine. I think he misses his cleaning buddy.

[A safe answer. He would share all the intimate details if Leo asked, but... he's not sure his brother really wants to know.]

[Action]

[fearless_leader]

I hope he's keeping the place good and clean.

[Ew, no. He doesn't want to know. That's your business, not his.]

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[On some level, that hurts. But Leo has been reasonably tolerant about the whole thing, so Don will respect his desire to not know any more.]

Of course. He doesn't want you to come back to a messy house.

[Action]

[fearless_leader]

[A part of Leo wants to know. Don has experience that Leo's likely to never have, and Leo briefly considers asking for a moment.]

Good, tell him thank you from me.

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

... I will.

[He holds Leo's gaze a moment, then turns to go.]