<div class="floatleft">(http://oi67.tinypic.com/30rp8i0.jpg)</div><strong>Name:</strong>Shizuma Nori (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=257738.msg12729551#msg12729551)<br/><strong>Location:</strong>Cafeteria<br/><strong>Time:</strong>Flashback - a few days before school starts, a little after 7am<br/><strong>With:</strong>Taro + Open<br/><hr/>The dreamy, far away look in Taro's eyes as he contemplated Shizuma's offer made her smile a soft, affectionate smile. She was touched he was even giving it any thought even as he questioned her intent. It came as no surprise as he expressed his doubts, what was though, was the way he held her hand as he told her that he trusted her. Again, her cheeks were colored a rosy pink as a bashful flush came over them.<br/><br/>"I think nothing less of you, Taro, not now, not ever. If there's ANYONE who understands how frightening and ridiculous it is to say 'yes' to the wind that's lovingly wrapped around your body and just leaving the world you know behind..." Shizuma replied, with something unaccustomedly wonderstruck and free resonating in her voice as she described her experience of flying. "... it's me. I'll never forget my first time. It was like I was falling up, or that I got carried away while dancing. It's like swimming, without that heavy, forcing yourself through the thickness of the water feeling," she babbled, trying to put into words something that Japanese, nor any other language, wasn't designed to deal with.<br/><br/>Shizuma then sighed as Taro drew his hands away from her then looked down at the ground as he silently asked for her forgiveness. She reached out and brushed a finger across his forehead and then smiled a small understanding smile tinged with disappointment. "I could repeat all the science that the researchers at the Institute shared in an effort to get me to 'understand my powers better'. Thing is, they were wrong and always thought I was just a silly, overly romantic girl when I told them what things were really like... so I just stopped trying with them," she shared in answer to the question of how her powers work.<br/><br/>"In reality, there's now something about me that the wind likes. It wants to please me and have me with it as close as possible. So when I fly, it's the two of us together at last. I believe if I shared how happy it would make me to soar with my dear friend amongst the clouds that the wind will acquiesce and bring you along with me," she explained in a hopeful tone. "If not, I'll just soar off alone as always," she said with a sigh then added, "I'm not trying to pressure you, Taro. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. I just thought it could be fun trying."