thenearshore | [Open]

Who: Ayumu Yamazaki and you!
What: Returning from the dead
When: May 2 - 4
Warnings: Possible mentions of violence and death . Also adding a reminder that Ayumu won't remember meeting your character previously in game and may react to physical contact with violence.

A. May 2nd; early morning; Vesta's temple

[Ayumu opens her eyes to an unfamiliar room, her alarm lessening only slightly at the sight of folding screens and paper lanterns. She sits up in her futon, taking careful stock of her surroundings. Prior to her death, this bedroom had been her private sanctuary and now it's simply a location she's never seen before.

Confusing memories rise briefly to the front of her mind - sweeping on a veranda, crying in front of Toshi, and talking about the mission and other strange words Ayumu didn't understand very well outside context. It's all too puzzling to think about now, especially when she doesn't know where she is.

Had Masuya's men knocked her out and taken her to another location? Ayumu doesn't remember such an event happening but how else could she travel from her target's shop to somewhere else without noticing.

After listening first for the sound of her captors, Ayumu eases out of the futon, as nude as she'd been in Masuya's shop. She doesn't seem to be in any immediate danger so she looks around for a garment to wear. Once she finds a blue yukata, she slips into it and pads to the door, still listening for footsteps. Again, she doesn't hear anything so she proceeds out of the room but not before snatching a hairpin along the way. For now, she'll use it to put up her hair but should someone threaten her, she'll quickly turn it into a weapon instead.

Her footsteps are silent in the corridor. Any shinki coming out of their rooms or visitors to her temple might round a corner and get a sudden surprise.]

B. May 3rd; Takamagahara

[Once affairs at home are settled, Ayumu ventures outside the villa to explore her surroundings. It still looks unfamiliar to her and she finds it hard to believe that she's ever truly been here before. Some of the temples are beautiful, others are simply strange, but none of them stir up any memories. However, she does stop to admire some flowers outside one of the temples. What lovely little blooms.

Whether you're a forgotten friend or acquaintance who's been concerned about her disappearance or someone she hasn't met before, feel free to approach her.]

C. May 4th; the Near Shore

[The next day, Ayumu decides to visit the Near Shore. Just as she had the first time she'd come to this place, she's simply wandering around, studying the changes the modern age have brought to the country she'd left behind. Once again, Japan is a bizarre, alien place to her eyes with its Western architecture and oddly dressed residents. Curiously, none of the people passing her by seem to notice her though she does catch a couple of children staring in her direction now and then.

Finally, her path crosses with a stray cat. It's a thin, scruffy little thing with orange fur and big eyes, not much more than a kitten, really. Ayumu stops to kneel beside it, reaching out to stroke its fur. The poor little thing needs a bath, desperately, and probably a few solid meals.]

Oh, hello there, little one.

[The cat walks right up to her outstretched hand, rubbing its head against her palm and purring loudly. Someone's a little attention starved. Ayumu chuckles to herself and busies herself with petting the cat, seemingly oblivious to all else.]

D. Wildcard

[If you have an idea, feel free to ping or PM me!]

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[Souji has made a habit of wandering around Takamagahara, in between meeting friends and doing duties at the temple, simply because he enjoys exploring the other temples and the gardens surrounding them. He knows his God can reach him, should he need him, and it's probably good to get acquainted with more people around the place.

But... there is something a lot more listless about the way he wanders around, stopping every now and again to stare at something or other, as if he's forgotten where he's going. Of course he'd found out what happened too, it wasn't as if Hijikata was going to keep it a secret from him - and he couldn't have, anyway, with the way he'd been fretting. He's been acting as if it's all his fault, somehow, and Souji isn't sure how to make him see that it isn't. As much as possible, he'd tried to tone down his own grief, frustration, his regrets, because he doesn't want Hijikata to think that's his fault too.

But that doesn't mean that they're not there, or that when he suddenly catches a glimpse of Ayumu, it doesn't knock all the air out of him. He doesn't wait until he can call out to her, doesn't question her presence, doesn't even hesitate. Instead he's running as fast as he can, all but throwing himself at her and wrapping his arms around her as if he's afraid to let her go.]

...Ayunee-sama. [It's a bit muffled against her clothes, and sounds more like a whimper than an actual word.]

[And just as he doesn't question her presence, Ayumu doesn't question his embrace. She simply wraps her arms around him in return, holding him close in a way that wouldn't be out of place with a younger sibling or her own son. She strokes his hair soothingly, pressing a soft, motherly kiss to his temple as if it's the most natural thing for her do in the world.

So much has been confusing her the past couple of days but this, this doesn't. This is a familiar comfort. She just stands there, letting him cling to her and pets his hair, without the slightest care of who might see. Ayumu owes him that much.]

Souji, I'm sorry I went away. It won't happen again, 'kay?

[She's left him twice already and she's determined to not let it happen a third time.]

[If he'd had his memories, perhaps this would feel more strange, because the parameters they acted within had out of necessity been different back home, for so many reasons. But without any memory of that, all Souji knows is how to act on his impulses, on how he feels, and Ayumu had quickly become a fixed and steady point in a world that is still new and overwhelming to him. She's a safe space, a source of kindness and affection, but also of unwavering strength - and she's important to the person he cares about the most, too.

Speaking of... He finally looks up, a red mark on his cheek from where it's rubbed against her clothes, blinking just a little too fast.]

Have you seen Hijikata-san? [He doesn't even notice his slip there.] He's been so scared for you ever since you went away. He's not sleeping or eating properly, and I worry about him. [That's as close to reproach as she'll get from him. Mostly he's just genuinely concerned.]

[Ayumu's so used to hearing that name from Souji's lips, it doesn't strike her the least bit out of the ordinary. For a second, her mouth quirks up slightly in amusement. Oh, Souji worried himself sick? It's exactly as she'd suspected. Toshi's been running himself ragged again.

She smiles down at him.]

Don't worry. We've already spoken and he knows I'm here. I'm sure you've been doing the best you can for him.

[It's always seemed that way to her for as long as she's known Souji.]

He's very lucky to have you looking out for him!

[Souji nods, for a moment not quite able to speak past the lump in his throat. He'd tried, he really had, to make things better for Hijikata, to soothe his feelings at least somewhat. But while he definitely has an instinct for it, he doesn't have the experience and the knowledge he'd had the first time this happened - doesn't know that this isn't the first time. So he can't tell for sure what it is about this that haunts Hijikata so deeply, and it's hard to save someone from something when you don't know what it is.]

Good. I'm glad. He really cares about you so much, and I think... I think he blamed himself, and I didn't know what to- [No, this isn't about him.] I'm glad you're safe. I care about you too.

[Although it doesn't really answer the question of what had happened, not really. He frowns, and then asks:] Where did you go?

I'm not sure. It seems I've forgotten some things, including where I went and why. But I'm sure it wasn't your fault or Hijikata-san's.

[Another gentle stroke of his hair. She truly can't fathom a situation in which either of them could be blamed. It's obvious to her that neither of them had any part in whatever it was that had happen from the way they both reacted to her disappearance. Not that she would have suspected them, anyway.]

I care about you, too, Souji. Both of you and I'm glad to see you both as well as can be expected.

That kind of thing can happen to Gods too?

[He tilts his head in thought. Hijikata had seemed pretty certain that she was dead, that something had happened to her when that nora turned into an ayakashi. So when a God dies, they forget some things but not all? Maybe that is just as well. Who would want to know how they died, after all?

Just the mere thought of that causes his blood to freeze with discomfort, and he quickly dismisses the notion, leaning on her as if her presence can ward off anything frightening.]

If that's how it is... we're all going to have to look after each other, right? If we're all trying to make sure nothing like that happens again... [Then it still might. But he's not going to accept that thought right now.] Well, it's the best we can do.

Of course. We'll take good care of each other here, 'kay?

[She supports his weight easily. It's comforting, really. This situation would have been so much more frightening without familiar faces and having someone to care for helps to. Looking after the Shinsengumi comes naturally to her; it's been such a big part of her life for so long now. Without them, surely she'd be lost.

Perhaps it's better that Ayumu doesn't remember much about her previous time here. She can't imagine it would have been happy or pleasant.]

And Hijikata-san, too.

[They were all family, after all.]

Of course.

[He laughs a bit, bumping one shoulder against her playfully, as if to show that really, he's very happy right now. That it's okay now. She went away, and it hurt, but as long as she's back again it can't be so bad.

She doesn't need to remember. They do, and they can look out for anything that might hurt her again. Warn her, if needed.]

He tries to take care of everyone, after all. So he needs people to look after him more than anyone, right? [He gives her a mock stern gaze.] It's pretty hard to do all on my own, so try not to get in trouble again, okay?

[Ayumu chuckles a little at that. Toshi's a handful, it's true. And she's not going to complain about doing something she would have done anyway.]

I'll help you keep an eye on him. And I'll be sure to take care of myself, too.

[Then she shoots returns his mock, stern gaze with one of her own.]

Of course, that goes for you, too, Souji-kun! It's a big job looking after you both and my shinki, too.

[It wouldn't do to have Souji pushing himself to the point of collapse looking after Toshi either.]

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