Tuned In

"There are hundreds of different radio waves being broadcast all around you from distant stations. At any given instant, your office or car or living room is full of these radio waves. However if you turn on a radio, you can listen to only one frequency at a time; these other frequencies are not in phase with each other. Each station has a different frequency, a different energy. As a result, your radio can only be turned to one broadcast at a time. Likewise, in our universe we are tuned into the frequency that corresponds to physical reality. But there are an infinite number of parallel realities coexisting with us in the same room, although we cannot tune into them."
Professor Steven Weinberg, Nobel Prize in Physics (1979)

"However, what if we could tune into a parallel reality? What if?"
Silverwing013, author on fanfiction (2011)

Written Thursday, December 13, 1990 of this world

When I was out jogging today, I heard a light tip and then…"You're slow."

Needless to say, I was startled. I glanced over, bringing forth an image of one of the many shields Master Genkai had shown me. I think I blinked in higher surprise, because of who was loping along beside me.

Possibly the world's best running partner to push my limits. Second place would go to my first running partner, Jesse Reed, from the boys cross country team.

"True. But I'm only jogging now."

And then I changed gears. He took the bait and kept up with me. Yes! Hello new running partner! After a year and a half without one, I have someone to run with!

And might I say the most unexpected running partner too. Hiei isn't exactly…known for being social. But! At least he is competitive and…currently bored. Or annoyed. Not too sure on the real reasons there.

After sprinting at the end of the road (he kept up, I didn't lose him)—then I slowed down to walking for a bit.

"Aaah! I haven't been challenged by a running partner since…far too long."

"You should." I turned and blinked. Really, I was expecting him to scoff off the idea of a partner or to say I was slow, much like how he treated Kazuma in fighting. "There are those here who could catch you, if they wished."

"I…I'm sure there is."

I think I took his first sentence too well, if that second one surprised me.

"You…" I looked over and he glanced away. "You came alone?"

"No. Kazushi is here. Oh! He's the one who… He's my… I stay in his family's house while here."

He fidgeted a bit and I couldn't figure out why until he spoke again. "No one else?"

Oh.

"Yukina wished she could come to search for her brother." His head snapped back over at me at that. I realized then, that I shouldn't have probably said her first, but I continued on. "So she stayed at the temple. Not sure if Master Genkai would come to watch Yusuke." I wonder how his foot is doing… I hope it's healing well. "Oh, Kazushi's family stayed behind too."

It was around then I asked why he had run beside me. Something about don't get the wrong idea and noisy humans and enclosed spaces and idiots. Idiots was most definitely in that answer. Personally, I think Hiei was aiming for the "You came alone" question when he saw me running.

At least I left him with something to enjoy. I wish I could see if and when he does that. Kazuma makes the best faces whenever I pull one over on him.

"I defeated the owner of Cookie."

Hearing Hiei, of all people say that…I can only hope for a very, very good description of his reaction to that.

Besides, better to linger my thoughts on my new running partner then compared to when I finished running tonight, with the odd tension between the god child and Kazushi. I wonder if Koenma has any idea what his father did to Kazushi. He must have some idea with his interactions with Kazushi. Still… I'll prefer to squeal over the ultimate running companion. And imagining Kazuma's face. He makes me laugh, the golden goof.

Thanks to Counting Sinful Stars.