Chapter 3: First Moments
The world seemed to go in slow motion as they made their way towards each other. Through the noise and the crowds of people at the station, they found one another. No texts, phone calls, or letters. Just photographs, and the pull of shared blood.
It seemed to Tokiya that he had only just blinked a second ago, but now, here she was.
"Hello. You must be Tanya. I'm your brother, Tokiya Mikagami."
Tanya's silvery gaze seemed to relax. Her energy was still pulsing out, unhidden. Anyone with the skill could have felt it even if he or she was a couple of blocks away from the train station.
This unnerved Tokiya. He expanded his power to envelop her energy, concealing it. He saw her eyes widen as she felt his energy surround hers.
"Don't worry." He said, reassuringly, as he reached for her suitcase. "It's safer if I do that."
She let go of her luggage handle and stood there, looking up at him, drinking him in. He met her eyes.
She shifted her gaze to his shoes. 'Really nice shoes.' She thought.
Tokiya tilted her chin up with a finger so she would look at him again. He smiled. "You must be hungry. Come on, let's go get some lunch."
He easily hefted up her suitcase and watched her shift her knapsack into a more comfortable position on her back. He held out a hand towards her. She stared at it for a moment, hesitant.
It was a good couple of minutes before she placed her hand into his.
Tokiya gripped it protectively, and together, they went out of the train station.
Tanya could not hide her surprise when they got to the parking lot.
"You own a Ferrari?"
Tokiya laughed at her wide-eyed expression. "Yeah." It was a gift for his eighteenth birthday from some weird distant relatives who lived in America.
"Awesome!" his little sister ran a hand down the silver convertible.
"Glad you think so." He unlocked the doors and stowed her suitcase in the trunk.
He waited for Tanya to get into the passenger seat. They both fastened their seatbelts and left the parking lot.
"Whoa…." Tanya watched the sights whirl past the window as they drove along.
"Want the top down?" Tokiya asked.
Tanya's silver eyes lit up as she nodded vigorously.
"Okay then."Tokiya pressed a button on the dashboard. The car's top began to fold back, letting in refreshingly cool air.
"YEAH!" Tanya lifted her arms. "This is so cool!… I mean….." she glanced nervously at Tokiya.
Her brother laughed. "It's okay, yell all you want."
She laughed too, and then let out a cry. "WOOHOO!"
She spread her arms higher and knelt on the car seat.
When the excitement died, Tokiya playfully pulled her back down into a sitting position. "So, where do you want to eat?"
"Uhhh… I.." Tanya shyly fidgeted. "I feel like eating pasta today. "
"You read my mind." Tokiya grinned at her.
Tanya smiled back, eyes glowing with mischievous innocence. "Okay, now your turn to do the mind reading. What kind of pasta do I want?" she shut her silver orbs tight..
"I'm sensing…. That you want baked macaroni and cheese." He said, keeping his eyes on the road.
Her eyes opened in astonishment. "How…you…. Did Sensei Megumi tell you a lot of stuff about me?"
"Of course she did, but she didn't tell me what your favorite foods are."
"Then how did you know I like Mac n' Cheese?"
"A lucky guess?" Tokiya answered, laughing.
Tanya laughed too as she bounced in her seat. "Know what?"
"What?"
"Judging from the picture of you that Sensei gave me, I thought you'd be as cold as an ice cube."
Tokiya turned to look at her, smiling. Where did he hear that phrase 'cold as an ice cube' before?
"Really?"
Tanya nodded, then her expression changed. "Is it really okay for me to stay with you?"
"Yes." Her brother answered firmly.
"I believe I didn't say thank you yet." Tanya said. "I don't normally hug, but I'd hug you if only you weren't driving."
Tokiya surprised himself as he laughed. "You owe me one then."
Silence reigned in the car after that. Tokiya couldn't believe he was warming to her already. Him, telling her she owed him a hug? He barely even knew her apart from everything Megumi told him.
He glanced at her again. She was staring out the window, her back to him. He could see her reflection in the glass: curiosity and amazement. There was also a trace of sadness. That was the one he wasn't surprised to find. He understood how it must feel, moving to a new place. He also took in her physical features. It was only now that he noticed that she had a rather pale complexion.
Almost inaudibly, he asked. "Are you all right?"
Tanya turned to him, looking confused. "Yes. Why?"
"Do you miss your friends?"
Tanya hesitated before she said: "I didn't have much time for any. It was always studies and training first. I had some…. friends, in school, but I never hung out with them much. I always had to go straight home for my training, and then do my homework afterwards."
Tokiya nodded. "I'm sure you'll make a lot of friends here."
She nodded. "I hope so. I kinda wanna know what it feels like to be around people my age, besides school."
They had reached the busier district of the city. Tokiya wove his way through traffic towards Nooza, one of his favorite pizza and pasta places. Thankfully, they only had to wait for one car at the drive-through.
Tanya looked surprised. "Are we eating….umm… at home?"
Tokiya shook his head, giving her another one of his rare smiles. "I thought you might want to have a picnic at the park a few blocks from our house."
Her eyes lit up. "Really?" Her brother nodded.
She extended a pale hand and squeezed his arm. "Thank you."
His smile couldn't help but grow.