thenearshore | [Open]

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Who: Ayumu Yamazaki and you!
What: Errand running on the Near Shore
Where: Various locations
When: May 21 - 23
Warnings: None as of yet!

A. The Near Shore, Garden Center

[With spring drawing to a close and the approach of summer, it's time for Ayumu to see what's in season at the market and get ready for summer planting. It's still more satisfying to feel the earth with her own hands and grow her own vegetables. Of course, it's a comfort that even with new conveniences, gardening still remains mostly unchanged.

The same can't be said about Ayumu's appearance today, however. After months of stubbornly sticking to traditional dress, she's finally made the leap to modern clothing. She still sticks out like a sore thumb among the conservatively dressed housewives and farmers in an stylish outfit more appropriate for a hostess club than a garden center. Her long black hair is pulled back into a simple ponytail rather than its usual strict, old-fashioned updo and she's wearing light, natural looking makeup. Ayumu's not used to wearing any of this yet but she's trying her best to adapt.

The Near Shore residents don't notice her as she stands by a rack of seed packets, debating just how much room she has to plant summer crops. At the moment, she's holding packets of okra and lettuce seeds in each hand, apparently absorbed in reading the backs of each.]

B. The Near Shore, Cat Cafe "Calico"

[For all her reluctance to indulge in modern comforts and convenience, this is one Ayumu's quite happy to partake in. She can be found lazing contentedly on a loveseat in the corner with one gray tabby batting at her ponytail and rather massive ball of fluff sprawled across her lap rumbling away. The hot tea she ordered has long since turned cold, forgotten in favor of doting on the cats. A third cat slinks across the floor toward her and jumps up beside her, mewing for attention as well. If a person draws close enough, they can hear her softly singing nonsense about whiskers and paws to the cats.]

C. The Near Shore, various public bulletin boards across Japan

[The time has come for Ayumu to find a job. It's a decision born from boredom more than necessity. She has most of what she needs at the temple but without an undercover assignment and a smaller number of men to attend to, she's found herself with far more free time than she knows what to do with.

Currently, she's standing in front of a town bulletin board, looking through various 'help wanted' ads for anything that might match her skills. However, judging from her dejected expression and frustrated sighs, she isn't having much luck.

What's an old-fashioned kunoichi like herself supposed to do for employment in modern times like this?]

D. Wildcard

[If there's something you want to do that's not listed here, hit me up via Plurk (mimarin) or PM!]

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Oh, don't worry about it. It's my fault for keeping you.

[Ayumu lets her go, giving the felines her undivided attention for now. After a moment, she starts singing again to the cats.]

It's nice to meet you, too, Kairi-san.

[She smiles back.]

That's good! So how's that been going for you? Are you getting used to this place yet?

Hmm. Well, I happen to know how to make a number of meals containing fish if you'd be interested in trying my cooking sometime.

[It's always nice to have an opportunity to cook for others. Without most of her brothers-in-arms around, she misses it.]

I don't believe I've met Okumura-san yet.... But a three-headed dog sounds like it wouldn't be friendly toward other pets.

[Maybe it's some kind of youkai? Or Western equivalent? Satan's an unfamiliar name so she assumes it's another Western deity.]

Ah--that's very kind of you, Lady Yumi, but please don't trouble yourself on my behalf.

[He'd enjoy a good home-cooked meal, honestly. His own cooking skills are rather lacking. But he's sure he'd feel like an imposition if he took her up on the offer, and he doesn't know of anything he could do for her in return.

He looks down at the cat in his lap again. It's now sound asleep. Finally, he can stop petting it.]

My understanding is that the dog isn't friendly to anyone. I haven't met it, and I hope I never need to. Certain texts I've read have mentioned a three-headed dog guarding the gates of the underworld.

[Which is probably something to be concerned about, but Erk seems to view it as more of an annoyance than anything else.]

[Lady Yumi? Normally, Ayumu isn't one to insist on formal titles but it does sort of have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?]

I've heard stories of the underworld before but nothing about three-headed dogs. Nine-tailed foxes and dog spirits, yes, but nothing like that.

[She isn't particularly versed with myths, preferring to leave spiritual matters to the priesthood. Since her arrival here, she's gained a bit more interest in such things, if only for practical reasons. Turning a blind eye to something she's dutybound to dispose accomplishes nothing for anyone.]

And it wouldn't be any trouble. It'd be nice to have guests over for dinner.

[Especially with how quiet the temple's gotten.]

To be honest, I'd enjoy the company.

[Talking to her cat at home isn't quite the same as talking to a person. Even she knows that much.]

Slowly but surely!

[Kairi starts walking backwards towards the exit, since she assumes that's where Yumi needs to go and they can walk and talk at the same time.]

It's hard not to get 'used' to a place when you have a whole family to go home to at night.

It seems to figure in ancient Greek and Roman beliefs. I don't yet have a solid understanding of who the ancient Greeks and Romans were, but they appear to have shared a very... rich mythology.

[To put it tactfully. From what he's managed to study in the short time he's been here, Erk thinks 'bizarre' would actually be a much better descriptor.

And he glances awkwardly down at the cat again.]

But... er, very well, if you insist. I fear I make for poor company, but if you're sure I wouldn't be imposing... I would be honoured to join you for dinner at your convenience.

[All he wanted to do was find out what this establishment was. Now he's got a cat on his lap and an invitation to a home-cooked dinner. How in the world did that happen?]

Comics? What are those?

[After a moment, Ayumu nods.]

Yes, I'm from Genji 1. From what I've been able to figure out, it was a very long time ago.

[At least, "sailor" is an occupation she's familiar with.]

Is it about a sea voyage?

I see...That makes sense.

[There was a slight frown of bemusement on her face as she mulled over the word 'Genji 1'. It didn't ping anything from Prism, at least, but neither did things like 'Japan'. But at least people from modern-day Japan were familiar with things like texting and cellphones. Or comics, apparently]

Oh-um, they're just stories told with pictures. Give me a sec, it's probably easier if I show you.

[As she moved to stand, Snuffles let out a sulky 'hmph'. He stretched out before she could move him off, as though saying he could move on his own, before he crawled onto Yumi for a new pillow. Psyche's lips twitched a little, before she grabbed the magazine from her table and flipped to 'Sailor Earth', showing a troupe of girls dressed in knight-like magical girl outfits, a cat-like creature at their feet, and a caped figure cradling the world in her hands]

Here. It's about a group of girls who were warriors in their previous lives, who made a pact with that cat in their previous lives for the blessing of the planets to defend their homes. It picks up with them in the modern-world, regaining their memories and pacts, and trying to balance their ancient duties and normal lives.

[Ayumu follows suit, glancing up ahead out of habit to make sure the girl's path is clear. After spending so much time around Souji and Tetsu back home, she's used to looking out for people in such a way.]

I agree. It is a lot easier. Two of my friends from home are here. They have their own temple but I visit them often.

[As for her own temple, it's been a little easier facing the silence since she picked up Tetsuneko to keep her company. Though she hasn't had her cat very long, he's been quick to attach to her.]

How many are at your temple?

[He gives her a smirk.]

Yeah, obviously.

[You're like four feet tall, Killua, it's not obvious at all.]

I'm one of the best ones around too, not to brag or anything.

[She starts counting on her hands.]

Three, one, plus one, plus his shinki, so... six for sure, and other people who just visit all the time.

[Because she basically considers the two-temple group jointly part of her family, so the 'your temple' answer includes Baldr's temple.]

It's by a forest, so doing some gardening there will be pretty easy.

[It's funny how life turns out sometimes, isn't it? Ayumu brightens a bit when he accepts her invitation.]

It'd be my pleasure, Erk-san! I'm free most of the time so whenever you aren't busy with your god is fine with me.

[Really, she has too much free time in her opinion. She still hasn't adjusted to not having a heavy work schedule. Even when Toshi didn't have any undercover work for her to do, looking after the rest of the men kept her adequately busy.]

Perhaps you could tell me more about the mythology then.

[Well, that certainly sounds like bragging to her. It's cute though. It reminds her of Tetsu, complete with tiny stature.]

Is that so? What kind of fighting do you do?

[She is genuinely curious now. And of course, gathering information on a potential opponent is a habit. It's what shinobi do, after all!]

[A delighted smile surfaces when Snuffles moves over to her lap. What a charmer.

When Psyche returns, Ayumu peers at the picture with great interest.]

What cute outfits.... Impractical for combat and hard to clean blood off of but cute.

[Ayumu... still doesn't quite have a solid grasp on this whole conversations with 'civilians' thing.]

It sounds like an interesting story. Very different from the ones I've read.

By a forest, hmm? That sounds nice. I don't have anything like that by my temple but I suppose that's all the more reason to plant some gardens!

[Kairi seems like a friendly girl. Like with Sora, it's refreshing to see a little sunshine around.]

Just be careful not to plant too close to the trees so your garden will grow better.

[She smiles.]

So it sounds like there's another god and his shinki in your family, too?

Well, to be fair, enemies don't really bleed as much as explode into dust or combust here.

[Psyche said, with a trace of amusement. Granted, there had been the chapter where one of the girls had...lost her head, to one of the monsters. But no blood there, just a discretion cut.]

It's pretty enjoyable. I sort of find myself keeping an eye out on when the next issue is, whenever I come to Far Shore. I'm almost done this one, actually, if you want it.

[She'd already given Jakob her other magazine, anyway, so it wasn't like she had a complete set at the moment anyway.]

[Kairi nods and takes note of the advice. It makes sense.]

I think the forest came with Artemis's temple, since she's a god of game animals. That's Roxas.

[Her gaze gets a little far away and she's just lucky there's no one behind her.]

Yeah, next door is Baldr. His name's Sora. They both welcomed me in and treat us all like we're friends and family, allowed to go between the two temples as much as we want. Baldr's is a beach.

[He lifts his shoulders in a shrug.]

Just, you know. Regular fighting? I've got a couple people I spar with, but nothing serious.

[A frown.]

Hand to hand, I guess?

If you don't mind me having it... I'd be glad to read it.

[Enemies that explode into dust sounds interesting. Quite unlike anything Ayumu's heard of. Modern entertainment sounds so strange compared to how it is in her time.]

I suppose the lack of blood does make them a little more practical. And with a little effort, one could conceal weapons in such clothes.

How nice of them. I move pretty freely between Hachiman's as does his shinki but I knew both of them before.

[It's definitely a good thing that Ayumu's paying close attention to the path ahead on Kairi's behalf then.]

A beach sounds really lovely, too. I've always loved the ocean.

Actually, they have a whole chapter about that here. Most of the time, the characters here just summon their weapons from a portal but their magic got shut down for a meeting with one of their enemies. So they spend a lot of time thinking about how to smuggle in weapons with them while infiltrating the meeting grounds.

[It was more elaborate in the manga but Psyche thought a good knife worked well enough for something like that. As useful as magical abilities like hers were, there was only so much you could rely on that. After a moment]

Um, what sort of readings existed in your time, if it's okay to ask? Since you said it was very different from here.

[Prism had a lot of reliance on digital readers (tablets, in this world?) but the stories were very different.]

Before?

[She comes to a stop just before they're about to get to the check out counter.]

You knew both Sora and Roxas before... when?

Oh, my. How did you discover that?

[It's fascinating to her the way that shinki stumble across old skills. The notion of retaining abilities without memories intrigues her. What a strange way to live.]

Was it when you were fighting ayakashi?

Oh. I don't know either of them.

[Though she does know Sora, she just doesn't know him right now.]

I meant Hachiman and his shinki. We're all from the same world.

[But not the same time period. The Toshi she knew had been quite a bit younger than he is now, with much longer hair. Souji didn't look a day older than when she'd seen him last but he's always had a cute babyface.]

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Aww, crap, I forgot this is before she remembers who Sora is orz

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Remembers? :c

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Yeah, at the time of this thread, Ayumu still had death-induced amnesia that made her forget her CR.