thenearshore | -Overflow- for 015

[ Continued from here! ]

[ He’s beginning to see firsthand that she’s going to be a problem—but not as dire a one as most of the other morons he runs into around here. He watches her withdraw a little into herself and feels a pang of…guilt? Ugh. When she meets his gaze he realizes that he hadn’t intended to refuse her anyway, for whatever it was.

At least she isn’t too irritating. He might even venture to say that she isn’t any harm at all. ]

I suppose that wouldn’t be too much trouble. [ He does want to get away from this crowd for a little bit—find some nice quiet area with which to quietly survey the festival for any signs of danger. He glances around, wondering if there might be a nice tea house or some other quiet place to hide in, but with the crowd jostling and pushing around them, he doesn’t get to stick at it for very long.

Instead, he turns around. ]

Come along, then. And be sure to remain close by. I don’t have time to come looking for you if you should lose me in the crowd.

[ And with that, he begins pressing forward, parting the crowd to make room for her to follow him. ]

( It's okay, Jakob. She knows she's a burden, at least, compared to her older siblings. She isn't strong like them, not nearly as certain, and so much more inferior to them in so many ways. And she's so certain this is how others see her at times, if she knew what Jakob was thinking, there would only be resignation. Even if she was aware of her own strengths, it was easy to forget when thrown into a new realm like a fish out of water.

There's a sigh of relief when he agrees and he can probably see the stress physically leave her as her shoulders relax a bit.
Even without his memories... he was reliable. It gives her some hope for their future interactions. )

Th-thank you.

( And when he moves ahead, she's quick to follow close behind. And she does a pretty dang good job at it, just so you know! She doesn't get separated from him once! Though, there's still the occasional apology whenever someone else brushes into her. )

[ At least she doesn’t need constant babysitting, he’ll give her that. And he’d certainly have a far better opinion of her had he remembered who she really was.

Regardless, he’s not so callous as to walk too fast or allow her any opportunity to fall behind. He’s quick to bark at passerby if they’ve jostled her too hard, and halfway through their journey he’s even taken to offering her his hand to make sure they both don’t lose one another.

Eventually, he does manage to find a more secluded teahouse at the outskirts of the festival, quickly ushering her to a similarly secluded table at one corner of the large and fragrant room and ordering some tea for the both of them.

He doesn’t say much to her, otherwise, and even spends the next few seconds merely sipping the proffered tea before he makes a face at it, and places his cup down. ]

I suppose you were looking for your shinki. [ Was it that obvious that she was new? Welp. Wouldn’t be the first time he’s had to guide wayward gods around the rather overwhelming culture of the Far Shore. ]

( She doesn't want to take his hand, at least, she wants to try to get by on her own as much as possible but after a moment, she takes it with a whispered thanks. Once they're free, she expects him to send her off on her way but no, he takes her to a tea house, and treats her too?

As they wait for their order to arrive, she sits in silence, hands folded neatly in her lap but head bowed down.... nervously? In embarrassment? Both? She can only thank him for his help once more and apologize for troubling him in the mean time. What more can she really say? She can't help but feel like she shouldn't get too close right now, like maybe she should leave for Jakob's own safety in this realm.

The tea arrives and she places her hands around the cup delicately, letting it warm hands that have gone clammy and cold in all of her anxiety. )

I... ( Her cheeks turn a shade of pink and she nods once, ) Yes. W-was it that obvious?

( She really isn't cut out for this goddess thing. )

It’s written all over you. [ His gaze is disapproving as he sizes her up. Skittish and soft-spoken all throughout, yet she probably commands untold power… It’s not hard to wonder if this might spell a disaster. ]

And I must say, the heavens could do a better job of uniting both master and shinki. But they never seem to do anything right these days.

[ A preliminary warning? Perhaps. Don’t take this too hard, Sakura; you already knew how much he disdains most people in general… ]

( She expects nothing less from Jakob which probably helps her endure it all in this moment. She nods,
agreeing that it's written all over her. If she does have any strength, it'll take more digging to find. She helps herself to some tea before it goes cold, )

E-even so... there's no use in complaining, i-is there? ( What's done is done andn nothing can go back ad make things easier now. ) I just hope they're okay until I find them...

( She has no idea who her shinki might be but if they're anything like her.... )

If I may ask... h-how did you find your partner...?

[ In spite of his attitude he feels his opinions of her soften up just a bit with her concern over her shinki. At least she won’t be a bad master, for whoever ends up getting her.

But when she asks him about that he finds himself immediately freezing up and looking away. ]

That…is a complicated question. [ He doesn’t want to lie to her—or to any god, really—but it’s not an easy thing to talk about considering that he’d gone through at least two masters by this point. ]

( It doesn't go without notice and immediately, there's a twinge of regret. )

I'm sorry. ( It's an immediate apology and she looks down at her tea cup. ) I didn't mean to ask about anything sensitive.

Regardless... I'm sure everything will work out in the end. Y-you know what they say... the first step is sometimes the most difficult.

( Taking the first step, going to her first banquet, fighting her first battle, leaving her home against careful advice... Everything had sorted itself out in the end, right? And isn't that the case now? When she was lost and overwhelmed, she'd found a familiar face in the crowd. Granted, he didn't remember her but... Ah, perhaps they should introduce themselves. )

Ah... ( She sits up right, folding her hands in her lap, ) I'm Sakura. ( And she bows her head in proper greeting, ) I-I've been told I'm also to be called Konohanasakuyahime but... it's a little long, d-don't you think?

( She tried to lighten the mood. An attempt was made. )

I suppose… [ he trails off, once again recalling an even older memory—his first step to becoming a butler, long ago at the doorstep of Castle Krakenburg. His only memory of the past. But she quickly breaks through his own reverie with her introductions, and despite himself there’s this quirk to his lips that might’ve been an attempt to smile, but who knows with him, really. ]

And quite the mouthful, Lady Sakura. But I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. I am Jakob, shinki to the god Henir.

[ He stares at her for a brief moment, brows creased in thought as if he’s trying to remember something, before continuing: ]

And while I might not be able to locate your shinki for you, I can borrow from my god’s extensive resources to aid you in that endeavor.

[ AKA that little holographic search engine that masquerades as a cat-cube. It does defer to Jakob anyway, so why not? ]

( "Lady Sakura." She can't help but smile. This really is Jakob... Jakob in a different circumstance, considering he apparently has a new master... a god named Henir? The name sounds foreign, like something she'd hear in Nohr or like a spell from Leo's collection. )

It's nice to meet you, Jakob.

( A very special hajimemashite to you. She looks up at the offer for help. )

It... it wouldn't be too much trouble? ( She isn't sure how Jakob will help but if he's offering... well, he's always been reliable. For all of her meekness, she seems hopeful right now. ) I'd... like that very much, thank you.

Edited 2017-05-04 17:44 (UTC)

[ It does warm his heart a little bit, to see her smile that way. But she’s still a stranger to him, after all, no matter how nicely she greets him. She’d just seemed so…lost, and… ]

Think nothing of it. [ He pulls out his smartphone, under the pretext of contacting said floating holographic assistant, but mostly he’s trying not to keep too much of his attention on her. This whole playing nice thing really isn’t his style, though he does want to be nice to her, if only because there are certain kinds of people he can’t help but be nice to.

Especially after remembering what it feels like to be so lost and alone… ]

We can’t have gods blundering about without their shinki at a time like this. And vice versa.

( And the Grinch's heart grew... She watches as he takes out his phone, eyes watching curiously as he texts away. What is that? She'd been given one herself but she hasn't had the time to figure out how to work it. But here's Jakob,
just working away... )

R-right... ( She has to ask, ) Have you... been here long...?

[ ~~THE GRINCH’S HEART DID NO SUCH THING~~ ]

About, oh, three to four months. [ He looks up from his phone, somewhat reluctantly, to meet her eyes. ]

Er, how do you spell your other name?

( Almost a quarter of a year. It's hard to imagine when she only just arrived and clearly remembered Jakob being back home as well. )

My name...?

( Her cheeks turn pink. It's such a long name and she's sorry for it but she spells it slowly for Jakob, stopping every now and then to make sure he has it, )

Ko-na-ha-na-sa-ku-ya-hi-me.

[ He types the information in as she pronounces each syllable, then hits send. There. Sometimes technology can be helpful. ]

Thank you. [ Pocketing that phone. ] I will let you know if I hear from him.

[ Right. He should elaborate on who exactly “he” is. ]

My god’s, er, assistant, that is. Though searching for your shinki in the thick of the festival would also speed up the process somewhat, if you feel you are up for it again.

( Back into the crowd? It isn't something she's particularly jumping at a chance to do again given her anxieties but she doesn't have to think of her answer, )

I-I'd rather not. ( Because she isn't. ) But if I think about them.... alone in a strange place... It would be selfish of me to not try j-just because I'm afraid...!

( Her mind was made up the first time she threw herself into the crowd and it's exactly why she's willing to throw herself into it again despite everything. )

[ Oh…guess this wasn’t enough of a breather for her, huh… Well, all right, then. ]

It’s very noble of you, I’m sure. [ And there’s only the vaguest hint of sarcasm in it. He’s trying to be patient, he really is; it’s just that these festivals make him so antsy with how unpredictable they keep turning out to be. ]

But I will accompany you, if it’s any consolation. I don’t much care for the crowds myself, but duty requires that I be in the thick of them, nevertheless.

( It's never enough of a breather because she never likes crowds, Jakob. This conversation is beginning to feel familiar, like she's had one like this once before with him. )

I... ( She'd hate to trouble him more than she already has. )There isn't anything else you should be doing now?

Supervising the festival is precisely what I should be doing right now. [ But hey, he needs this breather just as badly as she does, albeit for entirely different reasons. ]

Though I suppose that this is a good time to warn you that such gatherings can be…unpredictable.

Then... Then I wouldn't mind searching a bit longer w-with you.

( Only for a little while... She really doesn't want to be a bother. But his ominous warning gets her to look up properly, clearly interested, )

How so...?

[ Well, he can’t stick with her for very long if he wants to, anyway, but he’ll try to stay close for as long as he can. ]

These events are ripe for the occasional ayakashi attacks, or other disasters of that nature. Hence why I am here.

[ Just in case she gets the funny idea that he’s here to enjoy the festival or something that silly hahahaha… ]

( She's troubled. She's visibly troubled by this and she frowns. )

Ayakashi? Th-those are...

( The bad spirits in this place. Things to be purified and destroyed according to what she was told, before they caused harm to others. And disasters? What does that mean? Sudden bad weather? It sounds like Jakob is implying something much worse than a sudden storm. )

. . .

Then... we should be going.

( It's curious how about danger seems to compell her to dive into the crowd instead of flee. )

I-if there's anything that I can do to help, then I'd like to. ( She's setting aside her tea cup and ready to go! What if somethign happens and she still hasn't found her shinki!? But there's also a half second where she remembers that Jakob doesn't remember her and she adds very quietly, ) I... I'm not very good at fighting but I-I'm a healer.

You need only focus on your shinki for the time being. [ Not that he’s missed her sudden resolve here, but he does think she’s relatively useless unless she can use her shinki to rend the pesky things.

But then she mentions that she is a healer—a healer and not a “doctor” or whatever modern equivalent is there—and he nods, briskly, already filing her away in his head as a useful ally for his god. This teahouse date has definitely been worth it. ]

But you needn’t trouble yourself, Lady Sakura. I can heal as well as fight if I need to.

-Overflow- for 015 | Sky Full Of Stars

Sakura

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