Aquarium of the Americas

[GGJ5]

Located on the famous Canal Street, the aquarium lost nearly all its creatures during Katrina, but through time has been able to once again attain an immense and beautiful collection of fish and sea creatures to delight and enlighten its visitors. It's relatively inexpensive but also one of the highest-regarded aquariums in the nation. The exhibits are unique and cutting-edge, despite hurricane wounds.

[More than Music]

Raiu Wahei

Once again, his sketchbook was slipped under one arm, a sketching pencil tucked behind the very same ear he tucked it behind every time. His purpose was obvious.

He'd come here to draw. What? He didn't know. He'd figure it out.

Wandering along, he didn't look up at anyone, Raiu's intense brown eyes frowning upon all human contact. He wasn't here for people. He was here to draw without a crowd. To not be gawked at or stared at or be the subject of ignorant awe.

Why did people have to try and be polite? He didn't need such stupid things.

That was the main thing that irritated him about the Japanese; they were so polite and worried about other people's feelings so much. No one knew how to just shrug it off and say 'whatever' in their culture. It was "oh! I'm sorry, it was my fault." How stupid.

His face was very calm - as usual -, surveying the place. Raiu couldn't help a smile as he saw the penguins.

Ah, yes. Penguins. He looked at one that seemed quite interested in him. It's black, beady eyes were staring at the young man with curiosity as it waddled a little closer.

He almost laughed - instead producing a slight chuckle sort of a sound.

Yeah. Penguins. Cute.

Raiu watched the creature with a very soft gaze, hands automatically pulling out his pad - this time it was a deep purple color, in a mock-marble patter. The pencil seemed to float into his ready hand, and he leaned his book against the glass to quickly sketch out this adorable creature.

Why? Because there were a lot of depressing things in the world. It was things like this that counteracted that.

The world needed that. People around here needed that.

He needed that.

Alex had needed that.

Raiu's eyes filled with a calm sorrow, an unresolved thought in his mind that haunted him to this day. Something he'd never talked about. Something he'd never cared to stop and explain. He looked at the sketch and a smirk came onto his face. "Very close." he remarked, half to himself and half to the penguin, both ideas - no doubt - seeming strange to all the people walking by. He moved to close it but a little girl came up to him and grabbed his sleeve. Huge brown eyes looked up at him.

"Can I see? I won't tell." she whispered conspiratorially. Raiu felt a smile twitching at the edge of his mouth.

"Okay, as long as you don't tell." he replied quietly, holding the sketchbook so that she could see it. A bright smile overtook her face and she let out a little giggle, which a small hand reached up to suppress.

"That's cute." she told him, her voice's volume slipping up to almost a normal level. She turned a little, almost as if to tell someone, but then she looked back at him with a wide-eyed expression, leaning close to him. "I still won't tell though." She shook her head, emphasizing her point.

Raiu felt another laugh escape. "Okay. Thank you." he whispered, watching as she skipped away. He turned back to the little penguin that was still eying him. "I don't know which is cuter, you or her."

The penguin's response was to tap its feet a little, then waddle away.

His smile remained. 'Every time I border depressed, something pulls me around again.' Raiu's eyes lifted up, looking beyond the ceiling. 'Thank you, God, for reminding me how much I love life and what I see in it.'

He sat down, leaning against the wall, and sketched out another picture. The little girl, looking up at him with those expressive eyes. Eyes that said "I'll-never-tell-your-secret-never-never-never". 'If only other people could see life as simple as she must... We'd all be less depressed.' he thought, looking up from his book with a sigh. 'Yeah, a lot less depressed.'

[hanashyrexchana]

Juliet Echo Eco
Patience was a virtue Juliet lacked. She stood, tapping her foot, staring down the hallway with a half annoyed half bored look on her face. Her mother had told her to meet in front of the Penguins (Mason's favourite aquatic bird) at least half an hour ago, and Juliet was still waiting. She really, really hated waiting. One of the Penguins made its way over to where Juliet was standing, and she couldn't help but smile. "Hey, bud. You're probably more bored than I'll ever be," Leaning in, she rested her forehead on the glass. The Penguin stared at her for a good three minutes, then waddled off. "...if you're attention span allows you to get bored." Sitting Indian-style in front of the glass, Juliet pulled four sheets of origami paper out of her bag and started to fold. It was something she had read on line the night before- apparently, if you make one thousand cranes, you get a wish. Just what she needed. She was only up to thirteen; she figured by the time she got one thousand, she'd know what to wish for.

'It's getting loud...' She looked around and she dragged out her I pod. The ratio of children to adults was about 3:1, not very surprising. Nobody looked very interesting, not the dread-locked old man or the pink haired girl, or even the kid sketching who was almost as close to the glass as Juliet. She had seen it all; it was getting pretty hard to impress her, let alone weird her out. One of the girls from the group of children made her way over to the kid drawing and pulled on his sleeve. Yawning, Juliet went back to folding paper, only to be poked in the arm about a minute later.

"What'cha doing?" It was the same little girl, one of those little kids who wants to know everything, everywhere.

"It's called Origami, see?" Holding up the crane for the girl to see, she continued. "I'm making cranes. If you make enough, you get a wish."

"How many?" The girl demanded, her eyes wide.

"One thousand. I only have fifteen." Juliet finished another as she spoke. "Sixteen."

"That's...." The girl started counting on her hands, but gave up on what looked like eleven."...a lot. Would you show me how?" She dimpled cutely, telling Juliet that she knew how to get what she wanted.

"mmkay, but you have to do something for me," Winking she added "it wont be too hard, you just have to...." truthfully, she had no idea what she should get the girl to do, but she figured she could come up with something fast. Scanning the room again, she focused on the artist kid she had spotted before. She could work with that. "Tell me what he's doing."

"Nu-uh." She put a finger over her lip, as if she was telling someone to be quiet. "That's our secret."

"Hmmm, well, if it's a secret..." Juliet retrieved another piece of paper. "Here, I'll show you, then you go get him so he can show me if he wants, okay?"

After thinking a couple of seconds, this seemed to be a pretty good deal for her. Ten minutes later, the kid ran towards the art boy, proudly clutching a mangled crane.

[More than Music]

Raiu Wahei

Raiu stared at the penguin drawing a bit, trying to pinpoint any problems. After a while, he just shrugged, deciding that it was fine the way it was.

“Hey, hey!”

The little girl was back. Raiu half-smiled at the kid as it showed him something. He looked around quickly for what it could be, seeing a pretty young girl who was folding something similar. Paper cranes. Okay, so... it kind of looked like them...

"See what I made?" she asked, grinning triumphantly.

'It looks like crap,' was his first thought, but he didn't say that. 'She's just a kid. She doesn't know how to take honesty like that yet. But I hope she doesn't think I'm gonna lie to her and say it looks beautiful. Art or no art, crap is crap. Sorry, kid.'

"Cool crane." was all he said as the kid beamed up at him. Then she leaned towards him.

"The pretty girl who taught me how wants to know what you're drawing." she whispered conspiratorially. Raiu smirked, looking over for a moment.

"Does she?"

The little girl nodded. "Yeah, but I didn't tell her. So she wants you to come show her." she continued, making Raiu smile very simply.

"Really?"

'Questions are the best way to avoid honesty, if need be.' he commented to himself.

"Yup." the girl told him, matter-of-factly, looking down at her 'crane' with pride. A voice called out, and the kid turned around to look at the source. "Aw I has to go now." She sent him a smile. "Later!"

"Later." he told her, little emotion coming into his voice.

She started to leave before coming back and whispering in his ear: "Momma says that, when a pretty girl wants something from a boy, he should come. Just so you know."

Raiu felt his smile grow a bit. "Thanks, kid."

Nodding, the little girl waved and went away from him. After a few minutes of contemplation, Raiu stood up. 'What could it hurt, anyway? The worst case is that the girl calls me a creep and tells me to leave. That wouldn't bother me much.' he thought, weighing the pros and the cons. So he wandered over to the young lady.

"Hi." he said, then gestured with his shoulder over to where the little girl was with who Raiu could only guess was her 'Momma'. "That's a cute kid."

He was horrible at conversation.

Shrugging, he didn't know what else to say. "She told me you wanted to see my drawing, but I have a feeling it was just to get her to leave you be while you worked on your paper cranes," he continued, gesturing vaguely to what the lady was occupying herself with. "So, why so many? Going for the one thousand?" He smiled slightly. "I did that once. I wished for happiness, how dumb was that? All that time wasted. I was ten at the time." Another shrug. "Hasn't come yet."

Then he looked at her gently. "But I'm told 'some wishes are like folding one thousand paper cranes...' They take time, right? I don't know about that."

He looked away. 'Time is waiting on something and I'm waiting on time. What ever the hell time is waiting for, I don't know. But I guess I'll know eventually. Maybe.'

[hanashyrexchana]

Juliet Echo Eco

The girl was all smiles as she made her way over to the Asian kid. Juliet couldn't help but smile as she watched her bounce up and down excitedly out of the corner of her eye. She had always been especially fond of children - so innocent and energetic, she was almost envious. Almost. For a little while, Juliet watched the two converse, but she eventually got bored so she went back to her cranes. Nineteen, twenty. Checking again, she noted that the girl was gone and he looked like he was considering it. Good. Twenty one, twenty-

"Hi,"'Aha. Look who finally decided to show up.' Juliet looked up and smiled at him. 'He's not that bad looking, either."That's a cute kid." He added as he motioned to wards Juliet's new friend, who looked like she had been reunited with her mother.

"Right? A bit outgoing, but hey." 'Not like I can talk.' "I hope she stays that way...too many kids lose their love of learning as they grow up, ending up shy or mean. It's a shame, really, but it happens. Anyways, I hope you don't mind that I sent her back your way." She added apologetically.

"She told me you wanted to see my drawing, but I have a feeling it was just to get her to leave you be while you worked on your paper cranes." As he waved to wards her little project, Juliet found her eyes grow wide. 'Rude, much? No... he didn't sound like he was trying to be mean, just.... blunt.'

"Nope, wrong. Thanks for playing. If you must know, it's cause I was bored. Sure, she entertained me for a little while, but I needed to ensure things would stay that way after she left." She shot him a look that hopefully said That's your job.

"So, why so many? Going for the one thousand?" He asked, smiling.

Yawn. "Mhmm. Hopefully, I wont get sick of them before that." Twenty five.

"I did that once. I wished for happiness, how dumb was that? All that time wasted."'Trying to sound cool or what, kid?'

"Not really. Better than ' want to be rich and famous' or something generic like that. Besides, in the end, all wishes are pretty much asking to be happy." She stopped talking to finish another, then studied it. "Yeah... wishes are kinda selfish, now that I think about it, but anyone who says they made a wish to help someone else is a liar." Setting the crane, she started another.

"I was ten at the time. Hasn't come yet."

"Tough. Have you been trying very hard? You can't just wait around for it, you know." 'Come on, Juliet. Play nice. There's a chance he's not a huge jerk, you know' "Besides, seven years isn't very long." She teased. He was older than Seventeen, she could tell, but it was a good way to get an exact age out of him.

"But I'm told 'some wishes are like folding one thousand paper cranes...' They take time, right?"

"...Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense." Putting down her half finished bird, Juliet looked up at him, but he looked away.

"I don't know about that."

Juliet stretched then held her hand out, silently asking to be helped up. "What's your name?" 'I have a feeling I could get to like this kid. Maybe.' "I'm Juliet."

[More than Music]

Raiu Wahei

"That's a cute kid."

She followed his gaze. "Right? A bit outgoing, but hey. I hope she stays that way...too many kids lose their love of learning as they grow up, ending up shy or mean. It's a shame, really, but it happens. Anyways, I hope you don't mind that I sent her back your way." she said, sounding a little sorry. Raiu shrugged.

"I don't mind it. I like how she's interested in art. It's good for a kid her age." he replied, indifference in his voice. "She told me you wanted to see my drawing, but I have a feeling it was just to get her to leave you be while you worked on your paper cranes."

Her eyes went a little wide and Raiu found himself raising an eyebrow. 'What'd I say now?' "Nope, wrong. Thanks for playing. If you must know, it's cause I was bored. Sure, she entertained me for a little while, but I needed to ensure things would stay that way after she left." she said, sending him a pointed look.

Raiu found a small smile twitching at the edge of his lips. "So, why so many? Going for the one thousand?"

"Mhmm. Hopefully, I won't get sick of them before that."

He nodded a bit, understanding this. "I did that once. I wished for happiness, how dumb was that? All that time wasted."

She seemed to disagree. "Not really. Better than 'want to be rich and famous' or something generic like that. Besides, in the end, all wishes are pretty much asking to be happy." she replied, looking at the crane she had just folded. "Yeah... wishes are kinda selfish, now that I think about it, but anyone who says they made a wish to help someone else is a liar."

Another nod. "I was ten at the time. Hasn't come yet." he explained, trying to demonstrate the hopelessness of his situation.

"Tough. Have you been trying very hard? You can't just wait around for it, you know." These words made him raise both eyebrows, a bit caught off his guard, but a full smile slipped across his face. 'I like this chick.' "Besides, seven years isn't very long."

Raiu found himself laughing gently, something he hadn't done in a long time. "Actually, it's been eleven years. But nice guess." he said, finding a bit of a compliment on his tongue. 'What's going on here, anyway? What is this called, chemistry? I thought that was just something you learned in school.' "But I'm told 'some wishes are like folding one thousand paper cranes...' They take time, right?"

"...Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense."

"I don't know about that." was all he could say.

She held out her hand, and it took him a moment to realize that she was asking him to help her up. Shrugging, he took her outstretched hand firmly and rose her slowly to her feet. "Careful," he found himself saying without realizing it. 'Since when do I care?'

"What's your name?" she asked, and Raiu found his smile returning. "I'm Juliet."

"I'm Raiu. But, if it's simpler, you could call me 'Ray', which is how most people mispronounce my name anyway." 'Wait a minute! I'm not like this. What's going on here?' Another slight smile as he surveyed Juliet's work. "How many do you have so far? You look like you've got a nice start here."

'I don't get this at all.'

[hanashyrexchana]

Juliet Echo Eco

The two exchanged comments about the little girl who was now being dragged from the Penguin room from her mother with a pout on her lips, mostly saying how super it was she liked art and learning and all that jazz. Even so, from the tone of the boy’s voice, Juliet had a feeling that she wasn’t the only one who didn’t really care. After all, she would never see the kid again, and chances were she would grow up to be completely normal. Unfortunately trips to the aquarium do not usually impact children’s lives very much. Even if they do involve artists and paper cranes. He soon turned to conversations focus to Juliet, however, by smoothly saying “She told me you wanted to see my drawing, but I have a feeling it was just to get her to leave you be while you worked on your paper cranes."

A bit taken aback by how frank he was being, Juliet couldn’t help but grin up at him. "Nope, wrong. Thanks for playing. If you must know its cause I was bored. Sure, she entertained me for a little while, but I needed to ensure things would stay that way after she left." She stared at him for a few seconds then tilted her head to the side. “Besides, if that was true, I would have asked her to fetch me someone less likely to come, if anyone at all. If that was true, I would have asked her to leave me alone.”

He was smiling. It wasn’t very noticeable, but he was doing it. I’m glad you find me amusing, Mr. Secret-Asian-Man. Not many people do, and I’m liking you more by the second. I wonder what you think of Batman, or stripes. I wonder if I’ll ever get to ask you.’

"So, why so many? Going for the one thousand?"

After flashing him another smile and nodding, she turned back to start another. “Mhmm. Hopefully, I won’t get sick of them by then.”

His eyes said he understood. Do you, really?’ "I did that once. I wished for happiness, how dumb was that? All that time wasted." ’You just might.’

"Not really. Better than 'I want to be rich and famous' or something generic like that. Besides, in the end, all wishes are pretty much asking to be happy. Yeah... wishes are kinda selfish, now that I think about it, but anyone who says they made a wish to help someone else is a liar." He nodded, once again. Juliet wondered silently if it was possible for someone to get arthritis in the neck from nodding too many times.

"I was ten at the time. Hasn't come yet." ‘Aw, pity party time. ‘

“Tough.” Juliet said, her voice more venomous than she had intended. She tried making it lighter, forcing a joking tone up her throat. “Have you been trying very hard? You can't just wait around for it, you know." Still pretty harsh but she meant it. After all, she had done much more than just wish for happiness, she looked for it in everything she did. Every hobby she tried, every tree he climbed, every band she reviewed was a prayer for just another smile. Sometimes it worked, but never for very long. Feeling a bit bad for being rude, she decided to throw in a joke. “Besides, seven years isn’t very long.”

This time, he was smiling AND laughing. My goodness, either I’m really that funny or he’s following the ‘laugh at everything she says and you might get lucky’ rule. My moneys on the latter. She hoped for the first. ”Actually, it's been eleven years. But nice guess. But I'm told,” He said, turning the subject back to wishing ” 'some wishes are like folding one thousand paper cranes...' They take time, right?"

Once again, this kid had managed to surprise Juliet. Not from his truthfulness, this time, but from how much sense he was making. Even if he had just heard it somewhere, it was a beautiful thing to say. “… Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense.”

”I don’t know about that.”

She found herself smiling as she stretched and held her hand out towards the boy. After staring for a few seconds, he shrugged and took it, muttering a quick ”Careful.” as he pulled Juliet up, so she could stand next to him. He wasn’t as tall as he had looked looming over her, but Juliet had expected that. Still, he was pretty tall, standing somewhere around Juliet’s own height.

Returning his smile, she asked him his name and told him hers. "I'm Raiu. But, if it's simpler, you could call me 'Ray', which is how most people mispronounce my name anyway.”

Juliet considered it, but decided to risk butchering it. She had watched a couple Japanese dramas before, and she was pretty sure he was Japanese, so she had some confidence in her pronunciation. “Ra… Rey? Ray…Raiu? Raiu.” She liked how it rolled off her tongue. It wasn’t a name you could keep in your mouth. “I like it. I’ll call you by it, if you can tell me what it means….. Raiu….” She couldn’t resist tasting it again, letting it slip through her mouth.

"How many do you have so far? You look like you've got a nice start here." Once again, back to the cranes. ’Okay, so he’s not the best a conversation making. That’s okay. He might open up a bit, with some prompting.’

“Just about thirty. I started last night, after reading about it online. I might be doing it wrong, ‘cause it said you have to write your wish…” Bending over, she picked up an unfolded paper and a pen from her bag, then started scribbling her cell phone number down, not letting Raui see what she was writing “...on the back of the crane, then fold it. Problem is I don’t know what to wish for yet, so I hope that’s optional.” After pulling out the wings, she held the crane out to him and winked. “I’ll let you have this one if you promise not to peek, okay?” Using her free hand to point at his sketchpad, she added. “And don’t you think it’s time you’ve shown me?”

[More than Music]

Raiu Wahei

“Have you been trying very hard? You can't just wait around for it, you know." she said, and Raiu raised an eyebrow for a second before she continued. “Besides, seven years isn’t very long.”

He couldn't help but laugh a little at that, which wasn't really like him. But something about this girl told him that she wasn't normal, and in a good way. In a I-won't-judge-you-just-because-I-feel-like-crap way. And that put him at a little ease. Of course, he wasn't about to hit the wall with emotion, and that much was obvious, but still. A laugh was something he hadn't felt in a long time.

And he rather liked how it felt.

”Actually, it's been eleven years. But nice guess. But I'm told, 'some wishes are like folding one thousand paper cranes...' They take time, right?"

“… Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense.” She seemed a little surprised, and Raiu felt himself frown slightly.

”I don’t know about that.”

She smiled at him and gestured for him to help her up - although, since he wasn't used to being much of a gentleman, it took him a few moments to realize this was the gesture she was making. When he realized it, however, he helped her up with a quick ”Careful.” They exchanged names, which would help him out quite a bit. He could only hope she would pronounce his name correctly...

“Ra… Rey? Ray…Raiu? Raiu.” she tried, and another smile twitched at the edge of his lips.

"Very good." he said.

“I like it. I’ll call you by it, if you can tell me what it means….. Raiu….”

Something about the way she said it made him smile again. She liked saying it, didn't she?

"I'm not really sure what it means..." he began, his eyes flashing as he played with one lock of his black hair. "I'll have to look it up." He looked to her cranes. "How many do you have so far? You look like you've got a nice start here."

“Just about thirty. I started last night, after reading about it online. I might be doing it wrong, ‘cause it said you have to write your wish…” she said, writing something on one of them he couldn't see. “...on the back of the crane, then fold it. Problem is I don’t know what to wish for yet, so I hope that’s optional.” She sent him a wink and handed him the crane, which he accepted with a slight bow. “I’ll let you have this one if you promise not to peek, okay?”

He smiled at her. "Arigatou gozaimasu." he said, letting his tongue roll on the 'r' that way he'd had to practice for hours. Japanese 'r's and 'l's were so difficult...

“And don’t you think it’s time you’ve shown me?”

Raiu looked down at his pad, then winked at her, pulling it out. "It's just a penguin." he said quietly, opening it up to the page he'd had before - getting a quiet thrill from throwing the pages with each one he searched through - and handing it to her. "I can draw something better if you'd like. Like I said, it's just that penguin who was staring at me." He smirked. "Just drew it to draw it."

'But I still kind of hope you like it... for some reason...' He found himself holding the crane very close, almost protectively. 'And I'd give it to you if you asked me to. Then I could have something of yours and you could have something of mine.'

[hanashyrexchana]

Juliet Echo Eco

Everything was going rather well, and Juliet found that she was actually enjoying the conversation, dull as it was. So far, it had been pretty much about children and wishes. Normally, subjects as innocent as these were always rather engaging, but she found she'd rather start learning about this boy. Brats and yearning were eternal and everywhere. He could leave, evaporate, never to be seen again. Juliet didn't want that, for some reason or other. Realizing this conversation could only run so smoothly while they booth had to strain their necks, Juliet held out her hand towards the kid. Sure, she could get up on her own. But where's the fun in that? It took him a moment to realize her charge, but he willingly took her hand and pulled her up once he did. He was even nice enough to throw in a ”Careful.” Once she was up, she told him her name and he returned the favor. Raiu.... She liked the way it sounded. She hoped she wouldn't embarrass herself too much for trying to pronounce it.

“Ra...Rey?” No, that wasn't it. “Ray..Raiu?” There, she was pretty sure that was it. “Raiu.” Yes... she definitely liked it.

Raiu smiled again, and she found herself liking that, too. ”Very good.”

“I like it.” She declared, “I'll call you by it, if you can tell me what it means..... Raiu....” It really was fun to say.

He started toying with a bit of his hair, which threw Juliet off. She recognized the habit, she herself would start braiding whenever she got bored. Though he was still smiling, it worried her a bit. “I'm not really sure what it means... I'll have to look it up.” His eyes wandered down towards their feet again. ”How many do you have so far? You look like you've got a good start here.”

Following his eyes, she shrugged. “Just about thirty. I started last night, after reading about it online.” She proceeded to give him her phone number in what she felt was a very sneaky fashion. After all, only a curious mind would open it to see what she wrote, but hardly anyone would tear it apart until they got home. He bowed as she gave him her number-in-disguise.”I'll let you have this one if you promise not to peek, okay?” She said with a wink.

”Arigato gozaimasu.”

“I knew it!” She almost squealed. “Are you really from Japan, or just showing off?” Smirking, Juliet waved towards his sketchbook. “And don't you think it's time you've shown me?”

After looking down at his book Raiu smirked and returned her wink. ”It's just a penguin” Well, she had figured that much. They were in the penguin exhibit. Nevertheless, she couldn't stifle her gasp when he finally flipped to the page with the bird on it. He was right, it was a penguin. Not a cartoon, or an outline, but an honest to goodness pocket-sized penguin. Her smile dropped off her face for a few seconds, replaced with a look of awe. ”I can draw something better if you'd like. Like I said, it's just that penguin was staring at me.” 'Better? Better thanwhat?' Grinning again, Juliet looked back up at Raiu. ”Just drew it to draw it.”

Shaking her head, she moved her eyes back to the penguin drawing, trying to examine it closer. “It's... amazing. Really. What, do you just draw all day and do absolutely nothing else?” She felt herself gushing and slowed down a bit, trying not to a) Come off as flirty and/or b) creep him out. “If you really want to draw me something else, go ahead, but I'd still like this better I think... I don't like commissioned works nearly as much. It's part of the artist deal to come up with the idea, right?” She hoped she didn't sound stupid, but she felt it. The guy had offered to make her something special, and she had pretty much shot it down. “But... if you just draw whatever, I'd like that too.” Once more she looked up at him, making full eye contact. “It's your choice, really.”

[More than Music]

Raiu Wahei

She handed him a paper crane, but not before scribbling something on it where he couldn't see. Raiu felt another smile twitching at the edge of his lips. What was it with this girl? She knew just how to amuse him, but she probably didn't have any idea. Was this what people called a deeper connection? He hadn't had many friends. Especially not girls. He didn't know how to act, so he just did what he felt best.

”I'll let you have this one if you promise not to peek, okay?” she told him, winking. His smile won, though it wasn't a radiant smile; it was a normal smile, a slight smile.

”Arigato gozaimasu.”

“I knew it!” she cried, and Raiu felt a tiny laugh inside that wanted to break free but didn't quite have the emotion needed.

"What?"

“Are you really from Japan, or just showing off?” she questioned.

"My parents were Japanese, so I learned their language as... I don't know, in honor of them?" he tried with a shrug.

“And don't you think it's time you've shown me?” Juliet reminded him, pointing towards his sketchbook. 'Oh yeah...'

He sent her a smirk and a wink; a combination he was sure would make her smile. ”It's just a penguin,” he warned her, opening it up and showing the page to her. She looked shocked for a few moments, looking at the sketch with wide, childish eyes that stirred something in him. He wasn't sure what it was, but there was just something about her that made him want to smile... What the hell was wrong with him? He wasn't fazed, no, but just... not sure what was going on. ”I can draw something better if you'd like. Like I said, it's just that penguin was staring at me. Just drew it to draw it.”

Then she smiled up at him, shaking her head, then looking back at the drawing. “It's... amazing. Really. What, do you just draw all day and do absolutely nothing else? she asked, and Raiu finally felt that very small laugh slip out.

"Yes, actually," he admitted. "I'm getting ready to attend college here but haven't gotten up the courage to check it out. So, I've just been... drawing all day and doing absolutely, nothing else." He met her eyes, his own deep brown eyes sending her a look of a little joy.

“If you really want to draw me something else, go ahead, but I'd still like this better I think... I don't like commissioned works nearly as much. It's part of the artist deal to come up with the idea, right?” she asked, and Raiu nodded. 'But sometimes it's just better to get an idea. An artist gets inspiration from the smallest little word... it's strange.' “But... if you just draw whatever, I'd like that too.” Their eyes met straight on for a second, and Raiu moved a little closer.

'What's going on in your head, Juliet? Are you trying to inspire me? Or is it just that we naturally mesh?'

“It's your choice, really.”

Another small smile. "Okay." He slipped down to the floor, crossing his legs so his book laid in his lap. Raiu glanced over to see if she had followed suit; he wanted her to stay close. "Hold still." His hands moved quickly for the rough draft - which looked nothing like her, but what the hell, it worked for a first draft - and he soon began doing the details. Finishing her face, he wasn't quite satisfied with the fact that paper couldn't quite capture how the light caught her eyes just so, but he could live with that. For some reason, he kept looking over at her as he worked, almost as if... almost as if he were looking to her for approval.

Done, and in pretty much no time because her face was so fresh and thoroughly imprinted in his mind. He handed it to her, slipping the pencil behind his ear again. "What do you think, Miss Juliet? Is it a close enough likeness?"

'Why am I asking her? Since when do I need someone to tell me how good I am? This is crazy.'

[hanashyrexchana]

Juliet Echo Eco

She was hoping he lacked willpower. That as soon as he got home, he would quickly unfold it. That he didn't go by that stupid 'Three day rule' all boys thought was a good idea, and he would call right away and ask her whether she liked pepperoni or sausage better on her pizza. Mostly, she hoped he wouldn't throw it away as soon as they said their goodbyes. But he was smiling as she handed to him, and she hoped this was a good sign. ”Arigato gozaimasu.”

So he is Japanese! “I knew it!” She had thought so, but he didn't have the accent.... ”What?” He asked, more amused than confused by her outburst. Stroking her chin and glaring at him with fake suspicion, she asked “Are you really from Japan, or are you just showing off?”

"My parents were Japanese, so I learned their language as... I don't know, in honor of them?" He shrugged.

“Huh, that's cool. I tried learning Japanese, but once again, I got bored. I do speak a bit of Latin, though, as my dad is a huge fan of ancient stuff. That's where I get my name; Juliet from Romeo and Juliet, obviously, and Echo from the Greek myth about Narcissus. Just like my dad to give his first born daughter two names who's namesakes were unlucky in love... I blame him for my relationship troubles.” Laughing, Juliet realized she had been rambling again. “Sorry, sorry. Enough about that. Don't you think it's time you've shown me?” Raiu smiled and winked, and Juliet's own smile grew even bigger. 'Oh, please [/i] call back.'

”It's just a penguin,” He said as he flipped open his sketchbook. And that it was. Juliet felt her mouth drop open a little as a miniature version of the bird stared back at her, made with insane detail and mad skill. As she looked up at the artist, her grin returned. “I can draw something better if you'd like. Like I said, it's just that penguin was staring at me. Just drew it to draw it.”

Juliet shook her head in disagreement.“It's... amazing. Really. What, do you just draw all day and do absolutely nothing else?” She had meant it as a joke, and thankfully he laughed with her.
"Yes, actually, I'm getting ready to attend college here but haven't gotten up the courage to check it out. So, I've just been... drawing all day and doing absolutely, nothing else."

Laughing again, she met his gaze for a second. “You really need to get yourself a girl, mate.” She felt pretty awesome about dropping hints by quoting Captain Jack Sparrow. Lowering her eyes, she remembered he had offered to draw her something else.“If you really want to draw me something else, go ahead, but I'd still like this better I think... I don't like commissioned works nearly as much. It's part of the artist deal to come up with the idea, right? But... if you just draw whatever, I'd like that too.” Raising her eyes back to his, she shrugged. “It's your choice, really.”

”Okay.” Raiu sat down, and Juliet followed, sitting Indian style with her right knee touching his left. ”Sit still.” She sat up straight and gave him a quick salute. “Yes, sir!” His hands were quick as they made their way across the paper, and Juliet could tell he was experienced. Feeling a bit guilty about watch him work, she shifted so she could look at his face. He was concentrating, she could tell, though every once in a while he would look at her. ' Don't be so surprised. He needs reference, right?' After some time, he handed her his book as he put the pencil back to its place behind his ear. "What do you think, Miss Juliet? Is it a close enough likeness?"

Once again she felt her jaw drop, which was weird because she didn't think that even happened in real life. It was like a mirror... no, it was prettier than a mirror. And not as shiny. Juliet didn't have self-confidence issues (when it came to her face, at least), but she could honestly say the girl on the page was too gorgeous to be her. Yet it was, she saw the curls, the braids, the eyes and the ridiculous chin. Finally, she looked back up at Raiu, beaming. “It's... wow...” She looked back and forth from Raiu to the picture.” ….thank you.... wow....” Laughing, she brushed a lock of hair that had fallen in front of her face. “Mad skills, Raiu. Mad skills. How long did that take, even? Twenty minutes? Half an hour?” Sighing, she concentrated on the detail again. “I love it.”

[More than Music]

Raiu Wahei

"My parents were Japanese, so I learned their language as... I don't know, in honor of them?" Shrugging, he didn't really know. He'd never thought about it much. He just knew he'd wanted to learn it. And that was why he went by his family's last name instead of his adoptive parents' last name.

“Huh, that's cool." He was a bit amused by this. 'huh, that's cool'. A small smile was on his face for a moment, then it faded as he listened to her. "I tried learning Japanese, but once again, I got bored. I do speak a bit of Latin, though, as my dad is a huge fan of ancient stuff. That's where I get my name; Juliet from Romeo and Juliet, obviously, and Echo from the Greek myth about Narcissus. Just like my dad to give his first born daughter two names who's namesakes were unlucky in love... I blame him for my relationship troubles.” She laughed and Raiu smiled slightly.

"That's kinda stupid, but whatever," he said, quietly.

“Sorry, sorry. Enough about that. Don't you think it's time you've shown me?”

He sent her a smile a bit wider than his usual one, and even added a wink. He rather liked that she'd reminded him to show her the sketch. That meant she was actually interested. Raiu liked that.

”It's just a penguin,” he told her, his tone casual and uninterested. 'I don't want you to care about what's in the drawing. I just want you to like it. Don't tell me stuff about it not being 'very good' or that you 'could never do something like that'. That's not what I want. I want you to like it because I drew it. Is that so bad?' “I can draw something better if you'd like. Like I said, it's just that penguin was staring at me. Just drew it to draw it.” 'Do you understand?'

Juliet shook her head, looking pleasantly surprised at the drawing. 'Ha! She likes it, she really does! But is it because of me or because it's cute? I don't want her to like it because of how it looks... but how do I say that? Why can I always find the words in my head but never really when I talk? Why do I always give the wrong impression?' “It's... amazing. Really. What, do you just draw all day and do absolutely nothing else?”

He found himself laughing, which wasn't normal for him, but it was only a small laugh so he didn't sweat it too much. At least that was like his normal self. He didn't like it when people changed him. "Yes, actually, I'm getting ready to attend college here but haven't gotten up the courage to check it out. So, I've just been... drawing all day and doing absolutely, nothing else."

Raiu really liked Juliet's laugh. It told him that she wanted to be comfortable with herself. “You really need to get yourself a girl, mate.”

He smiled, shaking his head a little hopelessly. "Thank you, Captain. I'll remember that." 'Really. I will.'

She looked at his sketchbook again. He liked that too. “If you really want to draw me something else, go ahead, but I'd still like this better I think... I don't like commissioned works nearly as much. It's part of the artist deal to come up with the idea, right? But... if you just draw whatever, I'd like that too.” She met his eyes. 'D***. I like that too. I like a crazy lot of things about you, Juliet? Do you feel like that about me? I would really like that. Maybe even love it... Wait, what's this? I don't like people changing me! I like the way I am. I do.' “It's your choice, really.”

"Okay," he said, mischievously. He sat down on the floor and she followed him. He felt her leg against his a little, and he glanced over for a second. 'I like that too... Move a little closer.' ”Sit still,” was what he ended up saying instead, though. She sent him a salute and proper posture for a moment.

“Yes, sir!”

He laughed very quietly - almost inaudibly. "You're the Captain, remember?" He sketched her quickly, using all his skills to make it as realistic as possible. Glancing up at her every so often, he could feel her watching him eagerly the entire time. 'You're exactly the kind of person I like to draw, Captain.' He held up the sketch triumphantly and tucked his pencil back behind his ear, where he'd all but worn a place for it. "What do you think, Miss Juliet? Is it a close enough likeness?"

The look that crossed her face reminded him of why he'd always wanted his 'mom' to see his drawings. Her mouth fell open and she looked beside herself, like she was incredibly flattered. “It's... wow...” Juliet looked between the artist and the art, like she couldn't believe he'd done it. "…thank you.... wow....” She laughed again, brushing a curl out of her face. He frowned and he felt his brow furrow a little.

"Now you ruined it," he muttered, reaching up and pulling the hair back into her face.

“Mad skills, Raiu. Mad skills. How long did that take, even? Twenty minutes? Half an hour?” She sighed. He looked at the watch on his wrist.

"I'd say about that."

“I love it.”

Raiu looked up at her again, his wrist falling against his side, a smile on his face that spoke his bliss in this moment. He knew his face wasn't that expressive, but it still seemed to get across what he felt. "Now, how come no one else I know talks about my art like that?" He shrugged. "I guess no one else I know has the time to... sit with me like this." It took him a moment to realize that he'd said that aloud, then he shrugged again. "It's kinda nice." He met her eyes, nodding. "This is nice."

'I like you, Juliet. You're pretty cool.'

[mystmoonstruck]

OOC: Yep! This is another open scene! If you have an interested charrie, feel free to introduce him/her to Cat. BIC:

Easy "Cat" Tanner

In his entire life, Easy had never been to an aquarium though he had seen a few classroom-size ones, the sort that usually had a couple of goldfish and nothing more. He could not say why he had become curious about Aquarium of the Americas except for seeing several posters during his meanderings. Eventually, he had found his way to this curiosity-inducing site, uncertain what denizens of the deep he might find interesting. At least he could tell his guardian that he had been furthering his education, especially in light of having skipped his final two classes, escaping out onto the streets of this new city that awaited exploration.

He drew the front of his jacket together, scowling for a moment as he savaged today's choice, his latest attempt to find some sort of style beyond what he had worn so far: jeans, T-shirt and jacket or black suit with linen or cotton shirt. The suits all were worn till they no longer held a shape and tended to hang on his thin frame. The jeans and footwear weren't at fault, but he actually had worn a sweater of sorts, more like a fuzzy shirt with a sunburst symbol on the front. The knit felt wonderfully soft against his sensitive skin, but he feared it looked~How should he put this?~stupid, maybe ridiculous. Why had he bought the thing?! Maybe it was to dare to try something very different in this new environment before they knew what to expect of him. He had spent most of the day wanting to sink down through the floor or to somehow achieve invisibility. He couldn't say that anyone had said or done anything to make him self-conscious, but every glance seemed to have a double meaning. Every time someone laughed, he feared that it was at his expense. Chances were that no one even noticed the new kid, but had he ever been that lucky?

Suddenly angry at himself for hiding, he removed the jacket, tying the arms around his waist, a style he had never particularly liked because it disguised too much of his body. Here, where there was no need to display himself, he supposed it was convenient. It felt odd not to have the violin with him, but he hadn't anticipated ditching classes. In fact, this was as empty-handed as he had been for a very long time. Generally, in Paris, he had carried at least one satchel for his sketchbook, cameras and anything extra. Today, he had only the money in his pockets, which wasn't a bad sum thanks to doing some time as a street musician. Maybe he should routinely carry the violin, but he wasn't certain how that would go over in school traffic. Once he knew Chance and Jamil's schedules, he would know when it was safe to stop by the house. He needed a place of his own, one of his lairs/nests, at least one hideaway where he could keep extra items. That shouldn't be too hard to do in this city that had buildings in disrepair, unoccupied for the present but likely sites for drifters.

Now, he stood among those lined up at a railing before a rather awesome sight, watching creatures he had never thought about, never even considered being part of the world, swimming about with dreamlike movements. Wrapping his arms around his lean body, he shivered though it was not uncomfortable in the building. Perhaps it was the almost luminescent blue-green light or the thought of the cold ocean's touch, which he had felt a few times in his life. Being a non-swimmer, so much water always unnerved him. But, he liked the cavelike feel of the building, so he tried dealing with his mixed emotions, losing himself in the fish, turtles and other creatures going about their business, unaware of the watchers~or so he supposed. Maybe this was what school actually was like: Easy Tanner on the edge of things and the others busily going about their daily swim. They were as oblivious to him as these creatures were to their observers. He pictured tapping the glass (if he could reach it) to see what they would do, but then he glimpsed a sharkish-looking fish and decided against attracting attention. Anyway, hadn't some kid in some class at some school once told him that, if you tap the glass of the aquarium, the fish would die of shock?

Becoming mesmerized by the flowing movements, he was unaware as the crowd kept changing, leaving him the lone lingerer until he completely lost track of time.