just a couple kids on a summer street

[socials]

Who: Souji ( socials ) & Homura ( timeshields )
When: 06/28, 06/29
Where: Downtown on the Near Shore
What: Team Izanagi decides to deal with some yakuza and ayakashi in one fell swoop.
Warning: Minor violence

Though Souji is a social creature, nowadays, he understands that his shinki isn't in the least bit. It's in contrast to both Reiji and Akihiko, although they were social in different ways, but, really, he cares a great deal about Homura and her comfort. He's not about to force her into a situation that she's not comfortable in.

Which is why he's opted to take this prayer. She doesn't do well in social situations, but she does do well in combat ones, and stealth as well. This prayer calls for them to at least locate the den, if not deal with yakuza or ayakashi. It feels a lot more appropriate than the prayer they helped Nanako with, even if they all enjoyed it. For the most part.

Long and the short: let Homura do behind the scenes work or fight things, when it comes to prayers. It'll result in less stress for her.

Comments

[timeshields]

Time stop is a useful shinki skill, and she's grateful to have it. The skill complements Souji's skillset well, considering he's already combat proficient. If anybody tries to jump on him, Homura has his back- she's sure of it down to her bones.

Once her vessel name is said, there's the ever odd shift of becoming a shield and locking around Souji's left arm. It's strange but never unpleasant, and being used like this is satisfying in a way she can't quite pin down.

Ready. She starts casting her 'vision' around them, looking out for any potential threats to her god.

[socials]

While every shinki he's been partnered with has worked well with him, between their personalities and abilities, Homura is probably the one that compliments him most. He's still learning how to utilize her as a shield, true. But a shield to his sword is what he needed, and he has a range of skills with his Personae, along with his god ability, but that doesn't include the ability to stop time.

It all makes him a pretty well-rounded, prepared god.

He adjusts where Homura's vessel form locks around his arm, letting her look around as he assesses things. "I'm going to head down the back alleys, first. We'll stop and check corners before we advance on, make sure nothing can spring up on us."

[timeshields]

As long as she's useful to him, she's glad to work with him. She hasn't actually been used as a shield proper yet, but she's fairly certain she's sturdier than she seems at first glance. It would take more than a few blows to break her.

She does the equivalent of a nod in shinki space. Souji's approaching this with caution, and she's glad for it. The caution likely comes from previous experience, and that she gets even without her memories.

Understood. We're clear for now. I can stop time before we turn corners.

[socials]

"Just long enough for us to check," he decides, moving forwards. "If we run into something big, we want to make sure we're at full strength, and we haven't tested the limits before you tire out, if you do."

While yakuza aren't necessarily monsters - whether Shadows or Witches - they should still be approached carefully, and Souji isn't going to risk either of them getting caught in a situation that they can't easily get out of. Homura is strong, and likely sturdier than the delicate design of her shield suggests. He has combat experience, because he had to pick it up, but...

It's not because he wants to dive into trouble. So he'll stop and check the corners before carrying on.

[timeshields]

It's five minutes of stopped time before she needs to recover. If it's a second or two to check corners, that's very little strain on her. If it was longer...

She has faith that Souji can use the extra time she grants well enough. So the moment he looks around the corner is when she uses her power, letting time still around them.

It seems clear.

At least for now, but her guard is still up.

[socials]

While he knows it's five minutes before it wears off, Souji is more concerned about having to use it consecutively. But with his ability for augmentation - only tested with Reiji thus far - it'd be interesting to see if it could be longer, or have a greater range.

Thoughts for another time, or for when things are their most dire, whichever one that they wind up encountering first.

As soon as she says it's clear, he moves, advancing down the alley and deeper into the darker parts of the city. "I had a question for you, Homura."

Well, now seems like as good a time as any to talk a little. Not much, and he's obviously focused on where he's going, reaching to unzip the bag in case he needs the sword, but he's been thinking on it since yesterday.

[timeshields]

They haven't exactly taken the sorts of prayers that necessarily need time stop. She's not sure what Souji's god power is, but she's sure they'll be able to work with it, whatever it happens to be.

For now though her focus is on making certain Souji stays safe. Even without any apparent threats at the moment, she's ready and waiting.

I'm listening.

It's not as though she'd deny him such a simple request.

[socials]

Adjusting the strap on the bag, so that it hands down and open at his hip, the perfect height to draw a sword, Souji figures now is the time to change that. They both have experience in fighting their worlds' monsters, and neither of them balk in the face of danger, something he knows from her memories, the things he caught when they were first partnered together. Fighting ayakashi, using their abilities and experiences.

It'd help a lot of people.

He pauses, waits until they're sure the next corner is clear, and then rounds it, speaking again only then. "The Heavens don't know who, or what, is bringing us here, or who's attacking all of us. That ignorance is going to get people hurt, or worse. But if we can do something about it - protecting Amaterasu, or starting an investigation - I'd like to, if you would, too."

[timeshields]

The thing about Homura is she cares immensely about the few people she considers her friends. Here she can count them on one hand. Souji. Nanako. She's not in the market of finding more people to care about, even if she's willing to put up with others.

Everybody else? She could not be bothered if they died or were injured. They're simply not in her scope. The problem becomes the two people she cares about most also care about people as a whole. She doesn't understand personally, but it makes them into who they are. She can accept it.

She falls silent as she considers.

You matter to me. If you start investigating, I want to be there. If only to keep him safe.

[socials]

Rather than pressing for an answer, Souji continues his investigation, allowing Homura her time to consider the question. He knows what kind of person she is, has seen it, has felt it as she reacts to things strongly enough to give him an impression of her emotions. She's exactly like the cats he picks up off the streets to rehabilitate - her trust and care aren't given out freely, but when they are, she's loyal to the one that she's decided to give it to.

He gets it. Not to the same degree, but enough to understand her and how to approach this.

"Thank you," he tells her, moving to set two fingers on the edge of her vessel. "For caring about me, and Nanako. I know we're in good hands with you."

[timeshields]

She's slow to warm up to most people, but for the few she's decided are hers, she would defend them to the end of time. There's a sharp flare of protectiveness, happiness and thankfulness when she thinks of the siblings.

How did Nanako put it...? You're my... family. Even if she's not quite saying it, it feels odd to state. Friendship is an odd enough word to her, and family is even more foreign. But certainly she is close to them both. Certainly she would do her utmost to ensure both their safety.

[socials]

It's easy for him to go from a touch to placing his hand over the face of the shield, as he does when he rubs his palm against the top of Nanako's head when she sleepily bumps into his hip before bed. Building a family is something that he values, above all else, when his own had been so absent when he was young.

If he can include Homura in that, and make her feel loved and welcomed, then he will.

"I'm glad you think so." And he really, truly is. "We haven't been partners for too long, but I treasure that, and you. It's why I always want to know your opinion - because family cares about what you think."

[timeshields]

She doesn't know if she had a family in her life. If they cared about her, if she had friends. Who she cared about when she was alive. She doesn't care to dwell on it. Here she has people she cares about who seem to care about her. There's nothing she would trade about her god or his little sister.

Again she falls silent, but there's a strong, steady pulse of adoration. She cares so much about them.

Thank you.

She doesn't know what else there is to say.

[socials]

When Souji first started staying with the Dojimas, he remembers the first time where his uncle had to go back on his promise to spend time with them. How Nanako had said that she was used to it. He remembers thinking of his own parents, who had promised to come home early from work, instead of focusing on their projects and overtime, and waiting hours and hours only for them to never show up. They care about him, he knows that, in his heart. But he doesn't want others to ever feel unloved, or to ever be alone. He wants them to know that they have people that care for them. That they won't be forgotten.

His teammates, the Dojimas, the bonds he made in Inaba. The people here. His shinki, who was alone, who has been through so much.

"You're welcome." He doesn't quite mean it in the conventional sense - more that she's welcome to be part of their family. Always.

[timeshields]

The farthest back Homura's memories go is to the first day she met Souji. When they were first testing out her powers and wasn't quite sure what to make of him. How could a person trust somebody that easily? She was a stranger to him- but she can't find it in herself to begrudge him for it.

He is her partner, this is their partnership, and Homura will do everything she can to keep it intact. Souji, Nanako and her... they make up a family. An odd word she's still learning the meaning of, but for these two she wants to try.

If she could stay with them forever, she'd like that.

[socials]

Slowly drawing his hand away from where it rests against her shield, Souji drops it back down to the hilt of the uchigatana he has tucked away in the bag. It's a comforting gesture, although he usually had his swords unsheathed when he carried them in the Midnight Channel. Everything seems... peaceful, a reprieve after the fire, set in the middle of what is a potentially dangerous prayer.

But it's all right, so long as Homura is there with him. The feeling of adoration warms him, and he's glad that she gave him the chance that she did when they first met. It's led to something good, he thinks.

And he thinks the same thing, in a way. If they find a way home, after all of this, he'd like to be able to take her with him and Nanako.