thenearshore | [Open and Closed]

Entry tags:

[Open and Closed]

Who: Ayumu Yamazaki, Satoshi, and you!
What: Getting to know the neighbors + attempting to sell Vesta's stuff + Prayer #2
When: March 20 - 23, various times of day
Where: Takamagahara and the Near Shore
Warnings: None currently!

March 20st - Takamagahara, afternoon (Open)

[Outwardly, Ayumu seems perfectly calm as she strolls through Takamagahara. She's clad in a blue haori today, having decided that it'd be better to avoid garments that could restrict her movement outside her temple. She's largely kept to herself since her arrival, far more preoccupied with getting her new home in order and adjusting to living with a child under her roof. It's a big change and grave responsibility, one she takes quite seriously, but it's a daunting task, too. The last youth Ayumu had regular dealings with was Tetsu and he was a good five years older than Satoshi.

Adapting to such a quiet home and cooking and cleaning for two instead of a whole fighting force of rowdy men is difficult, too. She keeps making too much food and there are always leftovers and while that cuts back on the amount of meals she has to prepare, it also cuts down on the amount of time she spends doing her hobby.

Today, Ayumu's chosen to venture outside her temple for the first time since her return following the chocolate affair. She's currently going around to different temples with small plates of daifuku mochi - strawberry-filled pastries traditionally associated with spring. It'd be in her best interests to get to know her neighbors, she thinks, and get to know the layout of the area better.

Feel free to answer her polite knock on the door or intercept her in transit.]

March 21st and 22nd - The Near Shore, various shopping districts, all day (Open)

[ So far, Vesta's pantry seems very well-stocked but it's not going to last forever. With a child in her care, it's imperative that Ayumu take initiative and ward off potential financial problems well in advance.

One positive thing to come of the break in was the understanding that Vesta's temple had valuables that could be sold if Ayumu could find a buyer. But before that, she needs to find somewhere to appraise the items. And that's how she's come to find herself walking down a street of local businesses, carrying a priceless Roman urn in her arms, while she looks for a merchant or secondhand shop.

The Near Shore residents don't seem to be paying her any mind but an old-fashioned Japanese woman carrying an object that looks like it belongs in a museum might catch the eye of any Far Shore residents in the area.]

March 23rd - Near Shore, city hospital somewhere in Shikoku, morning (Closed to Satoshi; Prayer #2)

[The size and style of the hospital building are a little intimidating to Ayumu as they approach the front lobby. She may not know much about the modern world just yet but she does understand the importance of family. Having lost her own due to a strange circumstance very recently, the woman's worries about her mother's health and her ability to take care of her moved her to act on her behalf. She isn't sure what support or comfort she can give but there is solace in working, even if it's different from the type of work she's used to. It's still a job and Ayumu makes it a point to complete those to the best of her ability.

She turns to Satoshi, smiling down at him with a confidence she doesn't quite feel in this situation. The woman's concerns about being unable to support her mother through such a trying time certainly resonated with Ayumu's own doubts as to whether she's fit to take care of a child.]

Are you ready, Satoshi-kun?

[Ayumu's about to ask him if he knows his way around these types of buildings when she remembers that she'd know better than he would. ]

The lady we're looking should be with her mother right now...

[Hopefully, they won't get too lost on the way to her.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Oh, I've been managing! Turns out my goddess's temple plays favorites, but I've been crashing at Deku's from time to time.

[He shrugs.] And hanging out around the Near Shore. There's just more going on here.

What about you? Keeping busy?

[Ayumu nods and laughs.]

Mostly cooking, getting the temple in order, and greeting the others.

[She hesitates. Should she tell him about Susano'o? She's a tough, proud, independent woman and not exactly scared of him but she has to admit knowing that other gods can teleport in and out of her temple at will while she and Satoshi sleep is a bit... unsettling.]

Too bad my temple doesn't play favorites! Maybe it would have prevented a break in the other night.

[Ayumu shrugs.]

I haven't left the temple much but I should. There's so much I have yet to learn about this world. But I have met Deku-kun and visited his temple! It is quite.... large.

[It also seems impossible to defend effectively with a small number of residents, especially with the aid of enemy magic. Deku's place seemed to have many potential hiding places. So home defense may be a subject at the forefront of Ayumu's mind these days.]

Edited 2016-06-10 18:15 (UTC)

I haven't heard from anybody yet who can stand to spend time inside Pippa's temple except for her.

Sounds like that might be useful if we've got breakins going on, though. Who tried to sneak in?

[Axel's glance is a little unsettled. He's no happier to think about people popping in and out of temples without thinking about it; Pippa's might be safe, but Axel doesn't stay there, and he likes his naps unthreatened by possible attackers.]

The burglar called himself Susano'o.

[Ayumu can't think of many other reasons why someone would sneak into a stranger's home in the middle of the night. Unless he was an assassin but that seems unlikely since she and Satoshi haven't been in this place nearly long enough to make enemies and her own enemies are likely long dead.]

Tell me more about Pippa-san's temple?

[She can't help be curious about Axel's goddess.]

Edited 2016-06-10 21:09 (UTC)

Susano'o? So was he a god, a shinki, or -- I don't know, a human or something?

Weird.

[Axel shrugs, glancing ahead to see how many people are actually at the stand. Looks busy. Good, they'll have plenty of opportunity to walk off with some skewers.]

Her temple's not too bad-looking. There's this forest that looks like it's all sculpted out of gold and jewels, and a big house in the middle. It's just that the closer you get to the house, the worse it feels.

[Which is a shame, because other than that, Axel would consider the whole place fairly swanky digs.]

Hmm. That sounds like a beautiful home but it is odd that you can't approach it. If you like, I can investigate it.

[It'd give her something to do besides cook, clean, and brood. And it'd be a familiar task in a situation that still feels uncomfortably alien to her. Extending her network here would also be within her best interests.]

Susano'o is the god of the sea and storms where I come from. He is brother to Amaterasu, the sun goddess. But I don't know much about them aside from stories heard as a child.

[As if Ayumu hadn't already been lost in a sea of confusion regarding this place.]

He wasn't at all what I'd imagined him to be.

[Ayumu had always pictured Susano'o as someone more stately and dignified than the scruffy mongrel she'd met.]

Sure, why not? Come by anytime. I'd like another opinion.

[He considers her story. There's plenty of detail in it, sure, but just one thing that really matters to Axel.]

So he's a god? And one of the bigwigs, too. What's somebody like that doing sneaking into temples in the middle of the night?

I'd thought him to be a simple burglar seeking valuables but what you say is true. It is rather strange, isn't it? His claims of being Susano'o could be false but he had magic. He dodged my strike by vanishing and reappearing somewhere else.

[She'll leave out the detail about her attempt to throw fire at him. In hindsight, Ayumu finds her carelessness and lack of control an embarrassment.]

I'll pay my respects to Pippa-san soon and tell you what I find.

Sounds to me like he could be a god, sure. Who knows if it's the same one he claimed? You're all pretty weird, if you ask me.

[A fleeting smirk lightens the sting of his words.]

I'm guessing if he was a bigwig, he was there for information, though. He could've picked up valuables anywhere on the Near Shore.

[Gods are weird? Shinki are much weirder in Ayumu's opinion. She knows they can't help not knowing anything about their pasts any more than she can help suddenly being a goddess. But some of her conversations with shinki have been... well, eerie. She isn't really offended, though. Nothing about any of this is normal.]

Information, hmm? I wonder what he hoped to find. I wouldn't think Satoshi-kun and I would be of particular interest...

[If Ayumu had been in her own time, she'd be a more valuable target considering her relationship to the Shinsengumi and intimate knowledge of Hijikata's spying operation and the inner workings of their headquarters. However, in this place, Ayumu is nobody of note in her own mind, at least.

This person calling himself Susano'o on the other hand...]

What about whoever owned the place before you did? Or maybe he's trying to --

[Waaaait a minute. This isn't that Satoshi she's talking about, is it? Axel blinks.]

You mean that kid? He's your shinki?

[The one who dives head-first into situations and actually argues about how he shouldn't stop doing it?

Axel barks a laugh.]

Too bad for you!

[That one stung a little, Ayumu has to admit. Though it's not as if she doesn't have reservations about her shinki herself. Between Satoshi and the other young people she's seen conscripted into this bizarre circumstance, she isn't particularly impressed with her new 'employers'. Children being forced into the roles of protector or deity doesn't sit well with her. They should be playing and enjoying their childhoods while they still have them, not worrying about any of this.

But she's a proud woman, for better or worse, and she promised Satoshi she'd call for his aid if she felt he could help. They'd agreed to try to figure this out and make it work, even pinky sweared on it.

When she speaks, her tone's slightly stiff.]

Yes, Satoshi-kun is my shinki. I see that you've met him.

Hey, no offense meant. I have met the kid.

Barely talked him into sticking around a shrine instead of wandering around trying to talk ayakashi into being nice, so, you know, good luck.

What's his weapon form, anyway?

[So maybe it was a little offensive. Axel's just as glad he's not the one who's supposed to keep Satoshi from doing anything stupid, though. That seems like a full-time job.]

I don't know. I haven't used him yet.

[Ayumu can't bring herself to. He's a child. She should be protecting him, not the other way around. What Axel just said about him isn't really clearing up any of her misgivings, either. She'd been worried he might try something like that.]

But I'm sure Satoshi-kun can be useful somehow. Perhaps with training.

[She truly does believe that. Her first order of business with him is simple assessment, seeing what his strengths and weaknesses are. Once Ayumu knows him better, she'll be able to figure out to do with him.]

Tomorrow, we have a mission. I'll see then what he can do.

He seemed pretty stubborn to me, but hey, good luck. Maybe you're right and he just needs some time to settle in.

[Axel shrugs, and watches as the cook stacks finished skewers onto a plate that's about to go out to one of his customers. One, two, three, four -- and before the fifth skewer can go on, he snags the plate off the counter and steps back.]

Bingo. Here, have one. I don't know what they put in that sauce, but it's great.

[Satoshi seems stubborn to her, too, which is another worry. There's a time and a place for it. Even if he still had his memories, she would have doubts as to whether he had the age, experience, or wisdom to be of use to her. Without them, she's even more dubious.

The skewers offer a welcome distraction, though, and she takes one off the plate. It certainly looks good. She takes a bite. The texture of the beef feels unfamiliar in her mouth, being more accustomed to fish but it's not bad. Just different from what she's used to. A bit spicier than what she normally cooks, too.

After she finished chewing and swallowing, Ayumu decides she likes it.]

You're right! This is good. What's this sauce called?

[It'd be fun to try to replicate it.]

Edited 2016-06-11 21:43 (UTC)

Beats me! I don't cook.

[Axel waves off the question with a hand, grabbing one of the skewers himself and taking a bite. It's been a while since the last meal he stole. Might as well.]

What about you, are you much of a cook, Yumi?

[If she figures out how to make this stuff herself, Axel might have to come up with excuses to visit her temple, too.]

Yes! It's my hobby.

[Even it originally started out as a skill Ayumu needed for work, she does genuinely enjoy it and it relaxes her.]

I was a cook before I came here.

[She takes another bite of the skewer, trying to pinpoint the flavors. There's soy, honey, maybe some red pepper and mirin? She'll probably have to try more than once to get it right. It could be a fun experiment.]

Hey, I bet the flambe trick comes in real useful for that. Maybe I should take it up too.

[Probably not, because cooking sounds fiddly and kind of boring, but Axel hasn't found anything better to do. If he strings things on skewers, maybe that'll be enough work to get to share the meal afterwards. It sure beats doing dishes.]

Or just visit your place around dinnertime and look sad, huh?

[He's even got the tattooed-on tears for it.]

[Ayumu chews on her skewer thoughtfully. Now there's an interesting idea - practicing with her fire powers while cooking. Precision, timing, and control are pretty key and it's a comfortable activity. And she can get other work done, too. Multitasking and efficient time management at its finest!]

Well, you could try that. Or you could help me out with some things and I'll feed you.

[She's half-joking, really. It's not like Axel's her shinki or she has any real responsibility to keep him from going hungry. But she does like cooking for people and has a tendency to make too much for her and Satoshi to eat.]

Sold! What do you need done?

[Axel smirks, finishing the last bite of his own barbecue skewer. She sounded like she was joking, but he's not: chores for food is fine. He's not going to bug Pippa to front him money for food when he can't get into her temple without winding up with his stomach tied in knots. So, he'll figure it out on his own. And stealing from humans is going to get him in trouble if that's all he ever does, he's pretty sure. They can't all be blind to the dead.]

[Really? Tsk, tsk. Agreeing to perform a task without hearing what it is? How hasty.]

Hmmmm. Thinking!

[Ayumu continues to nibble on the skewer while she ponders. She'd just been playing around and hadn't expecting him to take her up on it but the tactician in her abhors letting a perfectly good opportunity go to waste. Especially since she has a fairly good idea of what he's capable of after their ayakashi adventure.]

Well. I could use a good sparring partner. Need to stay on top of my training!

[It's a bit of a slip and she knows it but it's not like Axel hasn't seen enough to figure out she's more than just a cook. And in a world of teleporting bum home invaders and haunted candies, she does need to step up her game.]

Maybe we could learn some things from each other. You know, with the fire and all.

Sure, why not? I could use the practice myself. And I don't know if our fire works the same way, but I can give you pointers and see if it helps.

[It'd be interesting to see what Yumi's capable of, too. She'd seemed pretty good in a fight back when they were going after those chocolate bugs, but they'd both worn themselves out too fast for Axel to have a real read on her fighting skills. He smirks, intrigued.]

[Ayumu chuckles. She's used to working without guarantees. All she really needs is a starting point and a direction; she can figure out the rest from there. It might take a few tries and experimentation but that's what's practice is for.]

Good. Then it's a deal.

[It's been a while since Ayumu's had an opponent with the potential to best her one-on-one. Of course, the proof will be in the practice. She's not always correct in her assessments.]

Sounds like a fun way to spend an afternoon. When would you like to start?

Let me see what my schedule looks like. You want to get in touch with me, just leave a note at Pippa's place, or Deku's.

[Axel shrugs, casually.] Where's your temple, anyway, Yumi? I ought to get directions if I'm gonna stop by.

[Open and Closed]

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