[open] If I could store lightning in jars

[oathkeeper]

Who: Sora & OPEN
Where: The mysterious dark forest that appeared!
When: June 1
What: Bright "fireflies” have been luring gods and shinki alike deep into the forest. People are suddenly drawn to the little spots of light and can’t help but follow. There have been reports of screams and unhappy spirits and people never returning. All you know is that the sun doesn’t pierce the treetops and it’s dark.
Warnings: There's lots of creepy demons and stuff!!


[ A ]

[A sudden cold and heavy rain starts. Light and whimsical at first before it starts to pour down in thick sheets. Gray clouds blanket the sky and the sun is nearly blotted out. The atmosphere suddenly darkens and a chill is in the air.

Through the dark Sora notices some sparks of light somewhere near. They’re like candles flickering and dancing through the haze of the rain. A small smile pulls at his lips as he’s suddenly drawn to them like a moth to a flame. All he wants to do is reach out and touch one. They look like fairies.

You might notice Sora wandering through the rain, a blurry image of him slowly walking just out of your reach. Then he vanishes into the dark forest.]

[ B ]

[Perhaps it is you that got drawn into the bright dancing lights. Pulled into the woods as it makes your heart hammer. All you can focus on is the unseen force pulling your legs as you wander closer to the woods.

And suddenly everything is dark.

Sora manages to catch a glimpse of you before you vanish and he calls out.]

Hey!! Wait!! Don’t go in there!

[And promptly chases after you to stop you from falling deeper into darkness.]

[ C ]

[As soon as Sora enters the woods the rain stops. Or so it seems that way. He can still hear the thundering water in his ears but it sounds muted now. Like someone has put a blanket over the heavens and all he can hear is the thin thudding of the rain but no raindrops touch his face anymore.

He wanders through the woods as he looks up at the treetops to find that small beams of light do flicker through. Weakly, but they’re there. The gloom is still heavy.

His feet take him in a random direction until he spots a figure in the distance… Someone already lost here like him, or is that a tortured spirit...?]

[ wildcard! ]

[something else in mind?]

Comments

CW: talk about her death

[kagenonadeshiko]

[A painful memory? How many of those has Ayumu locked away so deep within herself they've never seen the light of day? Everything about her true profession, the things she's done and would have continued to do had Ayumu not been plucked directly from the hands of the enemy by divine power.... none of it's fit for a youngster's ears. But there's something in Sora's expression that's calling out to her, something that touches her core and urges her to speak.

Or maybe she's just tired of living a life that's nothing but emptiness, heartache, and deceit. Toshi had said her death hadn't been in vain, that thousands of lives had been saved because of her sacrifice, but the person Ayumu had wanted to save the most still died far too young and all her loved ones had moved on without her. And she'd just lost the one she'd depended on the most to keep her moving forward along with the shinki whose well-being she'd kept living for.

But despite all the violent turmoil inside her, Ayumu's expression remains mostly placid. Concerned for Sora, weary, but there's still few other visible signs of her grief. It's not that she doesn't feel it, it's that she's often out of touch with it, and has no idea where to even begin expressing it in any kind of constructive, emotional way.

And so when Ayumu speaks, she sounds detached, her confession almost mechanical.]

When I died... I saw Axel. He'd changed.. into that thing. He looked at me but didn't know me, I was just food... There were children. I was afraid he'd hurt them so I teleported us both away but it was all I could do. I couldn't fight him so he picked me up, pulled me toward his mouth... and I guess he bit me. That's all I remember. I'm sorry.

[It's the first time Ayumu's spoken about what happened to her that day in such detail. Toward the end of her confession, emotion does start to creep into her voice in the form of a slightly audible sadness.]

[oathkeeper]

[Sora's face is a blank slate as she speaks.]

Keeping pain inside only burns brighter each day. Do not let it keep smoking until you can no longer breathe, Vesta.

[With that Sora suddenly falls and collapses to the ground in a heap. If Ayumu is quick enough she might see some sort of hazy smoke lift from his body and dissipate.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[For a split second, Ayumu sees a wisp of something coming out of the boy but that's quickly put aside along with the spirit's words when Sora collapses. She's kneeling at his side immediately, checking to make sure her young friend is still breathing and uninjured. It's a small mercy, giving her a physical task to focus on instead of her memories for the moment. She might be able to regain a little of her composure before Sora comes to. Maybe.]

[oathkeeper]

[It takes some time before Sora stirs. When he does his eyesight is blurry and his head aches like fire. He groans softly and sits up and tries to make sense of where he is.]

Where... am...

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Oh, good. He's sounding more like himself. Whether he'll remember anything she just confessed to, who can say for certain? She can't. Ayumu knows very little about spirits or magic.]

You're were chasing fireflies and followed them into the woods. The really scary ones in whispers around the Heavens these days. I saw them lead you here and came in after you.

[She kneels down beside him, gingerly stroking his hair like she might do for a sick younger sibling.]

I think we should leave now, Sora-kun, as soon as you're able to walk.

[And this experience has only reinforced her desire not to leave without him.]

[oathkeeper]

[He looks confused as she explains. Sora remembers the faint blurry glow of something in the distance... But then...]

All I can remember is seeing the glowing and then everything going black and then... Waking up to see you, Yumi. They really led us in here?

[Sora frowns but her stroking his hair calms him down easily. He turns to her and then suddenly hugs her, wrapping his arms around her gently but firmly like she might vanish on him.

Then tears start and he suddenly doesn't understand why he's crying or feeling protective of her. It's confusing but it feels needed. When he pulls back he smiles genuinely at her.]

Let's go, time to go home.

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu continues to pet his hair soothingly, returning his embrace. It's not the same kind of caring she'd had for Axel, but it's still strong and warm and it drives away the haunting chill of death. When he pulls back, she smiles back. It's a little brittle but it's genuine as she wipes away his tears with her sleeve. Releasing him from their grip was worth sacrificing a few secrets for.]

Yes, let's go home. Maybe we can have some of those cookies you like.

[She likes them, too, after all. And somehow sitting with a friend eating cookies feels like the right thing to do right now.]

[oathkeeper]

I'd like that.

[He nods and gets to his feet. He glances up to the treetops briefly to notice a sparkle of fireflies overhead. But this time they don't feel menacing as he follows them with his eyes. They seem to lead his gaze to a sparkle of sunlight in the distance. Sora points.]

I think we should go this way to get out.

[He's not sure how he knows that but it feels right.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

[Ayumu notices the change in them, too. Somehow the air here feels a little less sinister now. Whatever spirit that had gripped Sora seems to have been satisfied enough to let him go without further incident. It's kind of a relief. She's still new to fighting supernatural threats and having magic of her own to combat them. Facing off against that sort of opponent armed with only an umbrella and minimal understanding really isn't ideal, not that most of the dangerous situations she winds up in are but there are obstacles even she can't overcome on her own.]

I think we came in from that direction.

[She confirms with a genuinely friendly smile. And after a moment, she adds almost as an afterthought. Somehow this feels more appropriate now after what had happened.]

By the way, my real name's Ayumu. Yumi's just another name I go by sometimes.

[oathkeeper]

[Sora takes a step in the picked direction but stops and turns to Ayumu with a slightly surprised expression.]

Really? Oh!

[Then he smiles softly. There's no judgement from Sora.]

Yumi is still really cute for a nickname. Can I keep calling you that?

[kagenonadeshiko]

[The lack of judgment is a relief and it's visible on her face. Hiding her true name and occupation from friends and allies isn't something she does out of malice or ill will. It's habit born out of survival and self-preservation. Such is the fate of someone raised to be a spy from birth. Her own smile softens at his request; it's not entirely unexpected. It'd be kind of weird if he started calling her 'Ayumu' after all this time. With Axel, it'd been different; she'd spent very little time with him as 'Yumi' before making the transition.]

Sure.

[She really doesn't mind. She wouldn't use the name as an alias if she didn't like how it sounded.]

But only if I get to call you by a nickname, too, Sunshine.

[It's what Sora is to her after all. A ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark landscape.]

[oathkeeper]

[No judgement at all. People had their own reasons for everything and who was Sora to judge on which name she picks to use and give people? Ayumu is Ayumu no matter what name he calls her.

He grins brightly.] Sunshine? Heh, I like that. But only you can call me that, okay?

[He's got a reputation of being a tough guy to uphold after all. not

The trees start to part and soon there's more sunlight filtering through the tops. They'll be out soon. Which is good, he feels tired and he's sure that Ayumu is too. He watches her with a little bit of concern. For some reason he still feels really drawn to her like he wants to protect her.]

[kagenonadeshiko]

'Kay. I'll make sure I'm the only one who does.

[Possibly with a thwap with a washcloth or tossed vegetable at the offender. Ayumu's all to happy to help protect Sora's honor. That's what a good shinobi does, after all - protect the honor of other by doing the necessary things that would stain or shame them.]

It sure is good to see the sun again. Who would have expected a forest could get that dark?

[She is tired and hurting still but on the surface she seems her usual, cheerful self who's quick to smile and tease others.]

[oathkeeper]

[Sora lifts his face to the sun. The warmth and energy from it feels amazing.]

Feels like I haven't felt the sun in years and years.

[He lets out a small breath and then turns to her.]

Yumi... Thank you. For helping me out back there. I don't know what would have happened if you weren't there for me. We should get you home.

[kagenonadeshiko]

You're welcome, Sunshine. That's what friends are for.

[She softens, reaching over to fondly ruffle his hair. Sora really is a good person, she thinks. One of the few she's confident in labelling as such. And it's good to be reminded that she's not alone and not everyone in what little ragtag family she's found here is lost.]

You should get some rest, too. We can always meet up and have cookies together another time. I'm not sure what I have in my pantry right now...