[Closed]

[thevanguard]

Who: Butch Cassidy, Saruhiko Fushimi and Misaki Yata
When: Backdated to August 1
Where: The Near Shore
What: Prayer 40


[ With the Babysitting Job from Hell wrapped up (thank all the gods), Yata and Saru had headed out to the place they were supposed to meet Butch later in the day. Only the quiet street they'd parted ways on this morning was not quite so quiet and empty now. In fact, it looked like half the town had crowded into the shops and stalls set up here, making it seem like there was a sea of people stretching from one end of the street to the other.

Rounding the corner, his hands propped behind his head as he chatted with Saru, Yata stops short and stares at the sight in surprise. ]

Uhh. I think our plans might have just been changed on us. Hopefully, your god can still find you out here because I'm not sure it's possible to find anyone in there.

Comments

[thevanguard]

[ Yata sticks his tongue out at Saru in the most mature comeback ever, but grins up at his god with a laugh. ]

Ahh, just the game we used to get the little monsters into the bath. Although it mostly ended up with seeing how much water we could douse Saru with in the end. Whatever, it got them clean and wore them out enough that we got them all down for a nap before their parents got back home.

[monkeyblue]

You're still going to pay for that.

[He says as he starts making his way for Not Here because screw this crowd.]

It's a bit weird how violent they were. Didn't think kids that small had mood swings.

[lovemguns]

[ He laughs in amusement. Aah, they sound like they had fun. ]

Bath time, 's it? That can be messy with kids. Kids can be violent or wild at times, far 's I remember.

[ Kids can be a hassle but they can also be amusing. Nothing you bring on the Trail, though.

He pauses midstep and it causes him to stumble. ]

Say lads, did ya hear that?

[ "That" could be anything as long as he doesn't specify but after finding his footing he looks around, searching for a particularly loud voice and something he saw out of the corner of his eye. ]

[thevanguard]

Saru was probably both. [ It's delivered with deadpan dryness, even though Yata has a hard time picturing Saru as a kid being any different than he is now. Doesn't mean he's not going to tease him about it, though.

Still in high spirits despite the somewhat-exhausting prayer they'd taken on, Yata pauses when Roy stops, glancing back over his shoulder at the god before quickly looking around. he goes from casually relaxed to alert and watchful in the blink of an eye, even if he had no idea what had surprised the man in the first place. ]

No? What did you hear?

[monkeyblue]

[Fushimi freezes the moment Roy asks if he's heard anything, letting two of his knives fall into his hands.]

Where?

[lovemguns]

[ There are kids that can be both, but they don’t know anything about it and thinking too hard about it might be bad for these two anyway. ]

Ah, no, nothin’ like that. [ This kid sure is quick to look for a fight. Though maybe he would have been too, were he half his age. ] More a’ very loud cryin’ and someone soundin’ like they’re lost.

[thevanguard]

Hah? [ Yata squints, because he hadn't heard anything of the sort, but...

He quickly glances around but there's no one within obvious sight that would be the cause of what the god heard. Which meant... he casts a glance at the packed street and groans. ]

Hold on, I'll take a look.

[ He hops on his skateboard and goes rolling a little ways away, only to hop up on a half wall and skate-jump his way to the lowest of roofs on a nearby building where he stops and crouches, eyes skimming the crowds below for anything amiss. It doesn't occur to him that he has almost no trouble seeing through the press of people now that he has a bird's-eye view, too focused on finding his mark. Which he does a moment later. ]

Ah-hah! [ He stands up a moment later in excitement, flailing his arms above his head to get their attention before pointing in about halfway down the street. ]

There's a kid down there, she's crying but no one's with her.

[ And no one seemed to be stopping to help, either, which he thought was just an asshole move, really. Why would you walk past a crying kid? ]

[monkeyblue]

Tch, how can you see her with all these people in the way?

[Not that Fushimi actually cares. He glances to where Misaki is pointing.]

Not an ayakashi, right? You're not named.

[Even as he says that, Fushimi can't help but spare a glance at Roy. Maybe consider doing that if they need to, boss?]

[lovemguns]

[ HOW DID HE DO THAT, he’s never seen anything like it. Mainly because skateboarding isn’t a thing when he’s from, nor where he was before here.

But once Yata informs them of what’s going on, he realizes that that’s exactly what it is. So that’s what he heard. The words in his head that he can suddenly hear helps in confirming it. If there are not other children who are lost (which there might be) in the area. ]

Best be careful afore it’s certain but she probably ain’t no ayakashi.

[ He can name Yata, but only if he wants him to. He’d never name anyone against their will.

For now though, it doesn’t seem like it’s an ayakashi (can ayakashi even look like people?) and if a child is lost they should help her. ]

Hey lass, [ He crouches down in front of her once they reach her, but not so close as to seem threatening. ] are you lookin’ fer your parents?

[thevanguard]

Huh? She's right there.

[ He points this out to Saru, as if this were an obvious answer. Even if he seems to just be pointing into the midst of the crowd. Whatever, he can see her and he helps guide them both through the press of people until they reach her.

He hangs back when Roy crouches down in front of the kid though, watching as he shifts from foot to foot and keeps an eye out on their surroundings.

The little girl sniffles and cries harder, rubbing at her eyes. ]

They were right there, I thought, but now I can't find them. Where did they go?

[monkeyblue]

Tch, idiot.

[Misaki, not Roy. Fushimi follows his god, though he goes past him to watch the other direction while he talks to the little girl.]

What do they look like?

[lovemguns]

[ Maybe try to get along a little while you’re in front of an upset kid, boys? Scaring her furter would do none of them any good. ]

Daddy is tall and mommy has short hair.

[ No matter where you go, that wouldn’t be very specific. Unless it’s much more common for men to not be tall or women to not have short hair. He knows far too little about Japanese to know how that is, but where he’s from there are all sorts of people. ]

You remember what they were wearin’?

[thevanguard]

[ That doesn't give them much to work with at all, especially not in this crowd. Thinking of something else, Yata comes and crouches near her, bringing himself down to her size as he motions to the little cat-shaped purse she wears. ]

Or do you have a picture of them or something? We'll help you find them somehow.

[monkeyblue]

[Well, that was a waste. Sigh, why are children so dumb...]

Or their names. Either one would help us out.

[lovemguns]

[ A picture, he didn’t even think about that. It’s pretty good to have people from the modern era around. Kids don’t just carry around photos of their parents back in the day, because taking photos was a whole Thing that not that many people did. Maybe people with a lot of money took plenty pictures, but otherwise it was mainly reserved for Occasions. ]

Yeah, those would prolly be pretty good’a know as well.

[ The child seems hesitant but after a while she nods. ]

Mommy is darling and daddy is dear.

[thevanguard]

[ Yata blinks at that. And then blinks again. And then lifts a hand to smother the sudden fit of laughter he's trying not to have, because it's really not appropriate right now, but still ]

Those are great names. Saru, why don't you wander out there and call for them?

[monkeyblue]

[He dope smacks Misaki for that one]

Better idea--what's your name, girl? How old are you?

[The girl, who's a little amused by these shenanigans, hums for a moment.]

Hanako. M'almost seven.

[Fushimi nods and snaps a picture of the girl before looking around.]

I'll ask around and make them tell me her name, age, and what character's on her shirt before bringing them back. Sound good?

[lovemguns]

[ It’s endearing names, it’s cute, even if it’s not helpful.

But man, taking pictures goes so fast these days. ]

Sounds good t’ me. What ya think, Miss Hanako?

[ She makes a sound that’s probably proof that he failed at pronouncing her name correctly, but apparently it’s funny. ]

Yeah, mommy and daddy will know.

[thevanguard]

[ Yata gives a thoughtful hum and glances over at the god. ]

Maybe if you gave her a boost up on your shoulders, she might be able to spot them over the heads in the crowd, too? It couldn't hurt, anyway. Saru, send me that pic, we can each take a direction.

[monkeyblue]

[Roy tried, that's all that matters. Fushimi nods and does just that.]

I'll go left and up, you go right and down.

[lovemguns]

[ Hanako seems to find that idea, and so does he. ]

Sure. And up we go.

[ He’s lifted enough younger siblings over the years that he doesn’t even have to think about how to most easily lift her up on his shoulders. ]

Your view from up there any good?

Yes!

[thevanguard]

[ Yata laughs and gives the little girl a thumbs up from where she's now perched. ]

You keep an eye out for them from up there now, yeah? [ He glances at Roy and Saru and holds up his phone with the pic of the little girl. ] I'll see what I can find and be back in a few.

[monkeyblue]

[Fushimi nods and off they go, trying to track down this poor girl's parents.

So far, he's not having any luck. There's not even any distressed parents he can approach this way. Tch.]

[lovemguns]

[ And while the two shinki wanders off, Butch and Hanako looks from the area they’re at. A tall man is the main thing to look for, he guesses, but it’s hard to know what qualifies as “tall” to a child.

And if she’s up above the crowd’s heads, maybe her parents will spot her. This far nobody seems to have noticed her or heard that she's shouting for them. ]

[thevanguard]

[ It seems like Yata picked the lucky direction this time since after about five minutes he comes weaving back through the crowd with a harried-looking couple behind him. Lifting his hand in a wave, he tries to get Roy's attention, hoping he's managed to find the right people. ]

Oi! Roy! Saru! I think I found 'em!