thenearshore | [Open]

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!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Snuffles, hmm? There's something charming about his obvious grumpiness at being denied her tea. It reminds her a little of Tetsu.]

Oh, don't worry about it. I'd forgotten it was there.

[Is it safe for cats to drink tea? So many discoveries have been made since her time. She's hesitant to just give it to him without confirmation first.]

Please. Sit down. It's been a while since we've spoken, hasn't it?

[Maybe it's just a ploy to get Snuffles within range of petting but maybe it's not.]

Oh-yeah, it has, I guess.

[With how big the Heavens and Near Shore were, it was easy to lose track of people. She eased herself onto the chair, Snuffles still in her arms (and well within petting range), and smiled a little as the cats from before got over the previous spook and circled back for more attention. She idly lifted a hand to stroke a large tabby, who butted her leg.]

It is good to see you again, though. [She smiled and added, after a moment] How's your stray doing?

[Ayumu doesn't waste any time reaching out to scritch Snuffles under the chin. Oh, what a darling this one is. At Psyche's question, her face instantly brightens. There's a bit of a glow to her cheeks, as if she'd just been asked about her child.]

He's much better now. I named him Tetsuneko. He cleaned up really nicely and he's put on some more weight. He's playful and full of energy. A little stubborn about misbehaving sometimes but what can you do?

[Ayumu's learning about proper care of a cat as she goes, just like everything else.]

Tetsuneko's loud but very cute. How about you? How have you been, Psyche-san?

[Snuffles purred under Yumi's attention, leaning his head up to demand more in just the right spot, enough that Psyche could almost feel his body vibrating in her arms. It made Psyche smile a little wider, along with Yumi's answer]

I see. That's really good to hear he's got that loving an owner. I don't suppose you have anything like a pic or something?

[Lots of people tended to have that with their pets, right? ~~Save ancient ninjas~~. At Yumi's question, however, she blinked for a moment before replying]

Not too bad, I guess? I mean, it's been a bit of a lull, with how things work here... [Which is to say, a place where new threats regularly popped up...or that strange journal that'd appeared in her room, somehow. At the thought of the journal, she said, a bit quickly to dispel the thought] So I guess I've mostly been using that as a chance to try and read more. Since I only really know some lettering, and it's not really enough to fully navigate Near Shore.

[Or read through an entire book.]

[Ayumu giggles softly at Snuffles, all too happy to comply.]

Oh, I see. Well, it's good you're learning more things. I usually do well but some of the characters I'm used to have fallen out of use in modern times.

[The unfamiliar landmarks and Western buildings are a little jarring but Ayumu's getting used to them. As for liking them? That'll take more time.]
Have you read anything interesting lately?

Oh...That makes sense. [She blinked a little, remembering their first conversation. A bit carefully] So, you're from further back?

[In response to her question, she started, a bit sheepishly]

Well...I've been going through a lot of comics, when I can find them. The ones meant for teens tend to have supplementary characters and the imagery means I can usually figure out what's going on. A lot tend to be more slice of life romantic comedies, but something called Sailor Earth looks pretty interesting.

[And it had a talking cat, which was a plus.]

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.

[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.

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.]

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.

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.]

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