City stroll

[evillurks]

The Shadow arrives at Ichi's apartment by the door, rather than by PINpoint, and his knock is distinctly different from that of Chaz Walters. He is quick to greet Ichi once the door is open, however, trusting the other man to recognize his voice. "Afternoon. Feeling recovered from yesterday?" There is quiet amusement in his tone. He carries two canes, his own with the ebony eagle's head, and another wrapped in paper. Ichi will have a proper red-tipped white cane for the city streets, and the old man has even brought him a pair of dark sunglasses.

Comments

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"James, or Jim." Either of those might be better than having Ichi struggle with the last name in public.

The cane is light and very slightly flexible, and has a loop at one end to make it easy to carry. "The blind in this time usually wear dark glasses... but if you can't stand them, we won't bother." Pulling them out of a pocket, he moves closer to loom in front of him, and carefully slides the glasses on Ichi's face.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Ichi's eyebrows raise up when the glasses are placed on his face. The cane is held at his side, but he lets his grip wander to the handle and holds the longer rod out, gently tapping at a nearby seat. Reaching up, he traces the frames with thick, yet deft fingers, before tapping the dark lenses.

He drops his chin to his chest as he takes all this in, trying to make up his mind on what he thinks of it. He raises the end of the cane to point more out in front of him, before dropping it back to the floor, as if double checking the distance it gives him.

"We'll see. They block things." He taps the glasses. While he can't see light or dark, he's used to air and warmth falling on them. He's uncertain if it will change with them.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"If it's any consolation, I wear the kind for reading." He leans against the doorframe casually, watching Ichi get a feel for things. His schedule has been cleared to allow plenty of time, and he's in no hurry. Better to have Ichi comfortable before he takes him onto the noisy street.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

He takes the opportunity to swing his cane about the room for a few moments, a bit clumsy at first, but soon, learning to loosen his grip on the cane in case he runs the tip into an object. It's strange, yet helpful, having a longer stick. He's used branches with a similar reach before, and it brings back hopeful memories of times he's tried giving up the sword.

"If I don't like them, I'll say it." He smiles as he pauses, facing toward The Shadow.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

The Shadow swings his own cane lightly, and taps the end of Ichi's with it. "Fair enough. Ready to try that on the outside world? It's noisy out there. More than anywhere you've ever been." He includes the Nexus in that statement, of course. It's not simply the volume that he expects to bother Ichi, so much as the variety of sounds.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"As ready as I can be." He nods. He's honestly uncertain about what he's about to experience, and it concerns him. He doesn't want to overreact, but if he can't handle the experience of The Shadow's world, everything in the past few months will be for nothing.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"It's worse in the morning, and again in the evening. They call it rush hour. I've put you in a quiet neighbourhood." He chose early afternoon quite deliberately, hoping to minimize the shock to Ichi's senses.

The Shadow straightens and opens the door, careful to set the lock. At least the hall beyond is quiet.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

There's a certain timidness to Ichi's behavior as he steps out into the hall, knowingly leaving his sword in the apartment. The cane finds a wall, and he reaches and hand to it, as if verifying it's substance while The Shadow locks the door.

"Chaz talked about the elevator once." He has never been in one, and he's trying to consider how it works, or what it even is. "I'm slow on stairs."

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"It's a box big enough to stand on, held in a vertical shaft by a rope. They used to go up and down by clever use of weights, it's mechanical now, but the same basic principle." His voice is quiet as always, but no lower than usual, but to compensate he is speaking in Japanese. The explanation is the kind that he should not have to make to a man of the Twentieth Century, and he does not wish to risk being overheard.

The long, gnarled fingers very lightly grip Ichi's elbow, and The Shadow directs him up the hall towards the lift. It's not simply an aid to guide him, but a way for him to better match his usually swift pace to Ichi's slower one. There are no obstructions in the hall, though.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Ichi catches the low tone, ducking his head as he realizes he's asked a question that might reveal him as a strange visitor.

"Sorry." He replies lowly in Japanese. The careful grip on his elbow helps Ichi keep a straight path in the hallway as he uses the cane to familiarize himself with the hallway. It helps him speed his stride slightly as well, which puts his mind into a faster pace as he tries to catalog everything at this new rate. "Are we going anywhere specific?" The benign question is placed in English.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"No, although I have a few ideas of areas to take you, quieter places that will let you get more familiar with the city." The Shadow intends to treat Ichi as a newcomer to the country, which covers for both his unfamiliarity with the city and the language, but certainly elevators are just as common in modern Japan.
"I brought my own car, and if it gets to be too much for you, I'll take you to the park." It seems like a fitting reward after he's had a good taste of the streets.

They step into the elevator, which Ichi will detect by the sudden change in sounds. It's a much smaller space, and The Shadow moves away from him briefly, then doors slide shut and box them in. With a little lurch, they begin to drop slowly.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Instinctively, Ichi reaches out for one of the walls of the elevator, finding a handrail, but his grip loosens as the motion smooths. He gives a self-amused snort, it's a strange sensation, but not unlike being lowered down from a ledge.

"Shadow, how do I know where to bring the elevator? If I go alone?" He wants to know now, before he ends up exploring if he gets curious, or his first assignment. The elevator seems to be taking its time, and he has no concept of how high he is in the building. Meanwhile, his cane prods the corners of the elevator, feeling out the size of the small box.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"Ah!" It is a noise of annoyance, but the Shadow intends it for himself. He so rarely overlooks the details, but in this case he has. The gnarled had reaches for ichi's and guides it to the button panel, putting his fingers to the braille beside each number. "This is one, two, three... the symbols besde the one stands for ground floor, and below it s basement, and this is the emergency button." By the time they have gone over these, the elevator is coming to a gentle stop, and the doors slide open. "Your apartment s the fourth floor, I'll guide you back to it later."

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"Ah." He nods, committing the feel to memory, and sincerely impressed that the elevator has braille. He's an even faster tactile learner, and he'll have his numbers down quickly enough. A building with four floors is not unheard of, so he's not surprised by the number, but he does have his own strange fear of heights. The enclosed elevator suddenly makes him feel safer, compared to open stairs.

"I should try to lead when we come back. I'll learn faster." At the sound of the doors opening, his attention perks as he takes in any new sounds.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

"Did you count steps up the hall from your room?" That method of navigation is quite familiar to him, as he tends to navigate the Sanctum by memory of the space, and only turns on a light to read.

This time The Shadow stands at his elbow and waits for Ichi to find his own way out of the elevator, although he'll put out a long arm to keep the doors open if need be. The building is not so nice as to have a proper lobby, but there is a wide hall before them, and the muffled sounds of the city trickle through the closed double doors that lead to the street.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"I guess." It's such a natural habit for him, and he seems to just have spacial understanding naturally in his head at this point, it's difficult to say. All his traveling means he seems to just naturally have a map in his head of anywhere he walks.

The cane and sounds of the door opening lead the way as he steps out into the hallway, keen ears picking up on the sounds of bustling city-life that are muffled through the walls and door.

"It's loud out there." He shrugs, uncertain yet, what to make of everything.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

The hall itself is empty, although there is a set of stairs. The Shadow does a brief bit of listening himself, assuring himself there is no one in the stairwell to hear. All the same he answers in quiet Japanese, in case. "Very, and the vehicles will be unfamiliar. They run on machines, and those make noise, and fumes." Poor Ichi will be assaulted with the scents of gasoline and oil in addition to the beeping and roaring and other myriad sounds of a city in motion.

The direction of that muffled noise should tell him the way out, at least. For the time being The Shadow hangs back, letting him set the pace for his own discoveries.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

He's cautious as he makes his way toward the sound, taking a mindful pace as he eventually detects the stairs. He takes them and finds the door with first his cane, and then an exploring hand. He hangs his head slightly and gives a small chuckle as he feels the door vibrating slightly from all the commotion outside.

"Heh, nerves." He pushes on the door slightly, the sounds of the city suddenly rushing in to meet him through the small crack and he pauses, taking in the cacophony as his overloaded brain tries to make sense of everything. His fall into the Nexus has certainly helped prepare him for this moment, but it's still different, and the stink of engine exhaust and machinery begins to make its way in through the door. He just stands there for the moment. He wants to go the other way, but he also finds his own curiosity edging him onward.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

His footsteps are silent on the hard floor, but suddenly there is the quiet, looming feel of The Shadow at his back. He does not push him in any way, merely waits patiently behind Ichi while he tries to take in the surge of sounds. At once he has both cut off any chance of escape, but also made himself a protective presence.

Car horns beep, engines roar, there is some distant staccato noise of road work, and of course the yells and curses and conversations of the people. If he listens carefully however, he may be able to pick out familiar phrases of English;
"I'll meet you later then!"
"Watch where you're goin' buddy!"
"Hot dogs!"
Mingled with the smells of exhaust and concrete, subtly familiar scents that sometimes cling to The Shadow's work clothes, there are also perfumes, sweat, and something unfamiliar but undeniably food wafting deliciously on the air.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

Thankfully, the glasses now serve to hide the most obvious signs of a wince to anyone simply passing by. He lets the door close, and takes a hissing breath, sighing. He can feel The Shadow blocking his escape route, and he has half a mind to swing at him with a cane, simply to alleviate the trapped feeling it gives him. He's feeling defensive, on edge, and his usual reaction is to either get out of the situation, or lash out. Neither is an option here.

He utters a low, frustrated swear in Japanese as he sets his hand on the door again, and shoves it open.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

Even from behind, The Shadow can tell how tense he is, and already anticipated that sense of being overwhelmed. Were Ichi to take a swing at him now, it would simply be lightly intercepted. He can feel the fear that underlies the blind man's body language.

"It's only sound, and scents. No one here means you any harm." This time he speaks in English, but pitched low and quiet in a way that somehow cuts through all the background noise. His voice carries a calm the din outside cannot vanquish.

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

"Only sound and smell. Have a big light put in your eyes and say it's just light." Ichi snorts quietly, irritated, as he forces himself out onto the pavement, the cane tapping down. He's thankful for the quieter break as he hears it hit the hard ground, and he pulls the cane in close, to keep any other pedestrians from tripping on it. He reaches back, verifying the location of the door, and that it's closed. He takes a breath, the air in his chest is tight from the odd smells, the scent of gasoline fumes and ozone burning his unaccustomed senses.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

The Shadow moves to his side once they're out of the building, keeping a wary eye out for the things Ichi can't. This is certainly not the quietest street in Manhattan, but it's very far from the busiest, as well. After a few moments of quiet while Ichi orients himself, The Shadow murmurs back in Japanese, "I have. It's usually followed by shooting. That won't be the case here."

[blind-masseur.livejournal.com]

((ARGH! Ten days later, I'm so sorry for the immense time between posts, but I'm back and good to keep going.))

"Good to know." He nods, his head swiveling about as he tries to pinpoint sounds as best he can in the din. He's trying to decide what he can tune out for the moment, he's been to busy, loud cities before, but the new sounds are difficult to determine if he should ignore them, or be aware.

After a minute, he gives a rather loud sneeze, the fumes getting to his sensitive nose.

"Sorry." He sniffles, before tapping the hard cement with his cane twice in nervous fidgeting. "We go walking now?" He summons a nervous smile, swinging the tip of his cane only so far as his own feet.

[evillurks.livejournal.com]

((I'm just glad to see you back! I know things have been busy for you.))

"Yes, I'll tell you when to turn." He seems willing to let Ichi take things at his own pace, but this may be only because he can see that he's trying to adapt as quickly as possible. The sounds of the cars are a near constant, and each one is subtly different.

Watching him sneeze, The Shadow has a brief moment of worry that too much exposure to the city runs the risk of dulling Ichi's senses, but there's not much to be done about it. He's managed to keep his own senses sharp despite decades in the city and the subtle damages of old age, and even his could not match Ichi's from the start. A moment later a man passes by them smoking a cigar, and The Shadow gives a few rattling coughs in response, ending in a wheeze. There are times the city is hard on him, too.