And when our children tell our story [mostly OPEN]

[koukai_kirai]

Who: Hijikata and Makoto; Hijikata and OPEN
Where: Hachiman's shrine; an unassuming street in a relatively quiet part of Shinjuku; a department store; around the Far Shore
What: Meeting up with Makoto to teach him some fighting basics; paying respects to his friends at the former site of the Shieikan; trying to find modern clothes that he actually likes; trying to look badass and dignified while carrying a brightly colored baby duck around the Far Shore.
When: May 4th for Makoto, May 5th for the open prompts
Warnings: Who Hijikata is as a person Tobacco use, general grumpiness, temporal displacement-induced culture shock, grieving for dead friends with potential for PTSD and survivor's guilt to come up in the first open prompt, ???



[Closed Prompt for Makoto - The Far Shore, Hachiman's Shrine - May 4th, late morning]

[It would be difficult to miss Hachiman's shrine, once you know what you're looking for. The small, paved path leading up from the sea into the wooded hills, the wooden torii at the top of the path -- it's unremarkable, in a way, the sort of sight you could see in just about any seaside town in Japan. But that might be precisely what makes it so apparent that it's his -- not many of the new gods' shrines are quite so utterly traditional in design.]

[The shrine itself has a few distinguishing features -- the stables out by the gate, the strip of plain earth out in the front of the main shrine building, the training hall out past the residential building -- but every inch of it would look at home back on Japan's Near Shore, all natural-toned wood and rice-paper doors and old-fashioned minimalism. The grounds are substantially more garden than building, with a large pond full of brightly colored ducklings.]

[Hijikata is sitting on the front porch of the dojo when Makoto arrives, wearing a pair of hakama over his usual black yukata. He's sprawling a little, comfortable, with a lit, hand-rolled cigarette in one hand and an old book propped open in the other. When he hears someone approaching, he pauses with his cigarette halfway to his lips and looks up with dark, sharp eyes, nodding in greeting as he lets the book slip shut.]

[A - The Near Shore, Tokyo, a small side street in Shinjuku ward - May 5th, morning]

[He's found it.]

[Walking around the city is exhausting -- most of the time, it's like walking around a completely alien world, and when he does catch a rare glimpse of something familiar, it somehow seems to just rub in how much the things around it have changed. Everything is buried in the shadows of the skyscrapers, or lit up in the harsh glare of neon lights, and all the things he recognizes seem as if they've just been plucked up out of the Japan he knows and dropped haphazardly into new, chaotic surroundings that hardly suit them at all.]

[Hell, though, maybe he's projecting. Maybe that's just how he feels.]

[Edo was always crowded and chaotic and fast-paced, so why would Tokyo be any different? It's just strange, walking streets that some part of him feels like he ought to know and recognizing so damned close to nothing.]

[He doesn't know why he was masochistic enough to try seeking this place out, but somehow, he almost felt like he needed to. The streets were different, but some of the major landmarks hadn't moved too much...]

[There's nothing left of the old dojo. He wonders if it hurts more this way, or if it would hurt more to find it the way he left it, down to the slant of the roof and the way the light shone through the rice-paper at this time of day and the sound of the trainees going through their drills... There's a sign out front, the main indication he can find that he's even in the right place at all. The Site of the Former Shieikan. It says something or other about history underneath, but Hijikata can't bring himself to focus whatsoever on the words.]

[After a few moments of silence, he turns around and backtracks -- there was a florist's shop around the corner, wasn't there? He's back within a couple of minutes, with an armful of flowers and a packet of incense.]

[Kneeling on the ground at the side of a residential street, he puts his big, sword-calloused hands to work at arranging the flowers at the base of the sign, careful and reverent. Popular in the future or not, no one else who remembers them is alive to really properly mourn the others -- so it's up to him to pay them all their proper respects, isn't it?]

[B - The Near Shore, a department store in Shinjuku - May 5th, late morning to early afternoon]

[Alright. It's time.]

[As capable as he knows he is of pulling off the retro look, he's a good century and a half behind the times style-wise, and that isn't going to stand. After a couple of weeks of meticulous research on his phone and in men's fashion magazines, he's relatively certain that he's got an idea of what he's looking for...]

[Unfortunately, he can't seem to figure out where to get it.]

[He's standing in the middle of a men's clothing section, holding up a button-down shirt with an offensively noisy pattern on it and giving it a look that can only be described as deeply, crushingly unimpressed.]

...And where the Hell do they keep the decent clothes around here?

[C - The Far Shore, more or less wherever - May 5th, evening]

[In spite of a couple of setbacks, Hijikata's shopping mission has been accomplished. There are a couple of large bags back stashed back in his living quarters now, packed full of his new acquisitions -- a few suit pieces that he can mix and match, some more casual clothes, most if not all of them in his usual color palette.]

[He's taking some of those casual clothes for a test run now -- a pair of well-fitting dark grey jeans and a black, long-sleeved "henley" shirt that seemed a good compromise between the apparent formality of button-downs and the excessive plainness of "t-shirts" -- as he goes for his evening walk.]

[At some point, he hears a noise behind him -- a high-pitched, croaky little quack, one that's more than familiar from around his own shrine. He pauses, turns his eyes briefly to the sky as if in a silent why me?, and turns around to scoop up a lime green duckling in one hand and bring it towards his chest, where it immediately snuggles in against him.]

Did you follow me all the way out here? I'm not your damn mother, you know...

[Hijikata spends the rest of his evening walk casting occasional despondent looks down at the duckling... and raising his chin in preemptive defiance against anyone who crosses his path and looks like they might laugh about a big, tough, angry war god toting around a little, affectionate ball of green fluff that hardly takes up half of his palm.]

Comments

C

[theunluckygirl]

[Long walks around the Far Shore are a good way to get out of her temple and away from her god without making it too obvious that it's the exact reason why she's doing it. It feels good to stretch her legs, and gives her a feeling of freedom that seems like it's been out of her gasp for a long time.

Ah, she really didn't like having her memories, but it was easy to ignore most days. There was always something new to learn or see-- Like this guy with his lime green duckling.

That's... a little alarming?? More because the thing is green and last she checked that wasn't exactly a natural color for ducklings. She doesn't look like she's going to be laughing at him, but she does look extremely concerned. Enough so that, even though she shrinks away from Hijikata's look with the demeanor of a frightened dog, she still forces herself to take a step forward and lift her chin to address him]

E-- Excuse me? Is that duckling alright?

[koukai_kirai]

[He recognizes her cautious posture and halting speech nearly as much as her face, but either way, it's enough to make him ease off the aggressive body language a little -- she doesn't seem like someone who needs to be bullied any more than she already has been.]

[He lifts the duckling up a little higher; it makes another little sound, stretching its tiny wings and looking around curiously, and Hijikata sighs.]

Hm? It's fine. Followed me out here from the shrine, and I guess now it's a little tired.

[He taps its bill with his free hand, with another baleful little look at it; it pecks at his hand in response, rather ineffectually and seeming curious more than in any way bothered.]

[theunluckygirl]

[Jennifer's brow furrows slightly, a bit relieved that it seems healthy enough. Its own color doesn't seem to bother it at all...

But Hijikata's shift in body language helps Jennifer unconsciously relax a little as well and she takes a step closer to see the duckling better.]

But, um... He's green? [She says it like a question, like maybe somehow Hijikata hasn't noticed the abnormally covered bird he's holding. It's an easy thing to overlook, right??]

[thekillerwhale]

[Makoto had never learned how to fight before, so he's a bit nervous about getting trained to do so. Those nerves are coupled with the excitement of meeting a historical figure in person. Even if he isn't really the brainy type like Rei, it's still very exciting.

Makoto is in comfortable clothing for training purposes. Simple gym pants and a t-shirt. He's brought a sports bottle filled with cold water and a towel for sweat. He understands what training entails even if it had never been for fighting.

The fact that it was imperative that he learned to fight at all was a bit unsettling. But that's why he's here.

He lifts a hand and smiles in greeting, being the big, friendly guy that he is.]

Hello, Hijikata-san! It's nice to meet you in person!

[He bows politely. Something that hadn't really changed all too much from the past.]

[koukai_kirai]

You must be Tachibana.

[He sets his book down on the veranda and gets up, nodding his head slightly in response to the young man's bow.]

Found the place alright?

[thekillerwhale]

[He nods.]

It's hard to miss! It's really beautiful.

[He looks around a bit in admiration before looking back towards his new teacher.]

I brought cake. I hope chocolate is okay.

[He holds up a small parcel that has a ribbon tied from the bakery wrapped around it.]

A

[revolutionfalcon]

[It's still a little unfamiliar to Shun, exploring cities that are whole and where he doesn't have to dwell in alleyways and underground dives to avoid attention. But force of habit and lingering discomfort with large crowds of people drives him to the quieter streets, and though he has little idea of the history here, it's difficult to miss the man arranging flowers at the bottom of a sign.

It's telling how adjusted he's getting to his godly role that Shun's first thought is that it's been a while since he's seen a memorial he wasn't prayed to for help with.

Tactless as he can be, he well knows the importance of memorials, so he watches for a little while as the flowers are arranged before he makes a comment.]

...Seems like a strange place for something like that. [He doesn't sound dismissive, but he doesn't sound more than a mite sympathetic either. There's somewhat of a guarded curiosity in his tone.]

[koukai_kirai]

[By the time the other man says anything, Hijikata's aware enough of his presence not to be surprised by it -- though he doesn't turn to look at him, even after he's spoken to. Instead, he starts working on the packet of incense, lining up a few sticks near the arranged flowers.]

They used to live here, and I'm sure they're not all buried in the same place. Seems as appropriate as anywhere.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun briefly reads the sign again before looking back to the crouched figure. Given his own shinki doesn't appear to be modern, it's not too much of a surprise that someone might be putting something like this down at a place that's been built over.]

I suppose any farewell is better than nothing. [It's a little more morose than his last comment, but still a barely noticeable change in tone. He's always been better at keeping a lid on upset than anger.] You're not the first person I've met who's come a long time forward.

C

[sonofson]

[Walks may not be part of Goten's usual routine but exploring and wandering around is. While he does enjoy the cave-temple that Archie has, he can't really sit still for so long inside. It's then that he usually heads out to drop by the more urban areas and have a look around. With both the far shore and the near shore to explore, there's really no limit to it. But he did arrived a little over a week ago so things are becoming more familiar and common---aside from the stern looking man carrying a duckling.

Goten blinks, doing a double take as he comes to a stop when he passes by Hijikata. He looks at his back for a second before turning on his heels and following after him curiously.]

[koukai_kirai]

[At first, it seems like he might have escaped Hijikata's notice. He continues on his way, talking quietly to the duck now and then.]

What are you even doing awake, anyway? You little bastards sleep at night, don--

[But he didn't live as long as he did by being unable to pick up on the feeling of being watched or followed. He pauses mid-step, his fingers twitching for weapons he realizes he isn't wearing anymore.]

...Who's there?

[sonofson]

[Goten doesn't really bother to answer him, when the man stops he does too only out of surprise. But that only lasts for a good second or so before he trots towards him, stopping beside Hijikata. He tilts his head back, trying to look up and get a better look at what he's holding.]

Where did you find duck all the way out here, mister?

B

[brynwieldr]

If you can find them, please let me know so I don't work Forrest half to death.

[Leo is in much the same situation as Hijikata in terms of "needing modern clothes". He has was Sora's bought him, but it is just not his style.

Except for hoodies. He can appreciate those.

He glances over at what Hijikata is holding and winces]

That...ow.

[koukai_kirai]

I'm starting to think all this industrialization had more than the obvious downsides. No weaver or tailor with eyes and integrity would have wasted hours of his life making this.

[He sets the offensive shirt down, looking around to see if anything in this area is worth his time or if he should move along to another of the nearby shops.]

...Is he much good? I haven't seen his work yet.

[He can't very well get everything from him, that seems unreasonable if the kid has other customers and he's starting his wardrobe from scratch, but at this rate, he's not averse to the idea of just commissioning himself some things.]

[brynwieldr]

He's my son, so I may be a bit biased, but I can assure that Nohrian craftsmen with any training are some of the best--and Forrest is a Nohrian prince.

[Leo really is proud of Forrest]

He has a waiting list, though, so I'm trying to find somewhere that sells something I can tolerate.

[Key word there: trying]

A

[minogame]

( But Hijikata, somewhere out there, there are sword spirits that still remember everything. Nagasone and Kashuu are still alive somewhere out there, surely... Mutsunokami too but he probably doesn't really count, huh? Not that Urashima would know now. If this had been his other life, he probably (definitely) would have been excited to visit just to see the place he'd only heard of from his brother's warmer stories. But right now, Urashima wanders the streets completely practically unphased.

It's not a bad street, he thinks, taking a sip from a drink bottle he'd purchased from a nearby vending machine. It's a lot quieter than the busy main streets and it's nice to catch his breath a bit before diving back into the crowds to go back home. Dressed in traditional clothes-- a pair of dark jinbei-- he's probably a little easier for someone like Hijikata to pick out from a crowd when he's on the look for something a little more familiar. But he doesn't stand out so much that he can draw attention from anyone he passes.

That said, when he sees a familiar man with long dark hair, he wonders if it's the same man from the cherry blossom viewing. The one that gave him candy? Urashima is a quiet for a moment when he realizes what HIjikata is doing. Actually, he isn't really sure but it looks serious and kind of personal. But he's really, really curious so after a minute, he asks, )

... What're you doing?

[koukai_kirai]

[He's more or less done arranging things by the time Urashima speaks up, though he's still turning one of the last few flowers over in his hands, trying to find a good place for it in his impromptu arrangement. He glances back long enough to recognize the shinki from the picnic, then shrugs a little, looking back at the flowers again.]

Making an offering.

[That's what it boils down to, isn't it? An offering of thanks and reverence to his friends, a prayer for the peace and happiness of their souls. He's never been very pious, but that only seems right to give them.]

[minogame]

Oh.

( That's it, just, "oh." It seems (and feels) like he's stumbled onto something personal now and he isn't really sure what else to say. Lingering for a second, he takes an uncertain step forward-- like he isn't sure if he should turn around and give Hijikata his space or if it's kosher to satisfy his own curiosity for a moment. But he's taken that one step forward and there's a second and another until he's next to Hijikata, checking out the flower and then the sign. )

A dojo? ( And some names that don't sound familiar at all. ) Hmmm... it's special, huh?

( Or else it wouldn't have a marker at all, right? But he doesnt really get why this guy would feel the need to make an offering here. Unless the offering is just because its a special place? Hmmm, he doesn't know. )

B

[kissthegoddamncook]

...Put that down.

[He walks up to it and shakes his head. He was going to get some workout gear but everything here... well, this is where they should have set the fire back from the last picnic.

Just saying.]

What are you looking for?

[koukai_kirai]

Everyday wear in dark, neutral colors that's well-cut and not made of anything uncomfortable to touch. Apparently that's too tall an order for this place.

[Maybe he should keep sticking to yukatas. It's not as if he planned to abandon them entirely anyway, but they're starting to look like the only option he's confident in, even if they do make him look pretty obviously old-fashioned.]

[kissthegoddamncook]

Then we're not going to find that here.

[Pointing to the similar clothing everywhere.]

We'll go somewhere else.

[Because now he's babysitting you. You're welcome. Asshole.]

B

[shufu]

[It just so happens that Horikawa is coming up the escalators of the department store at the moment Hijikata picks up the offending article. The haunted nature of his present temple meant that it was often easier to simply run his errands in the near short like he was now.

That being said, some time has passed since their paths first crossed and even now, seeing the god incites that strange, though not altogether unpleasant feeling. He can at least spare a moment for a greeting.]

That's not really your color...s.

[Okay maybe a bit more than a greeting but he has a hard time imagining Hijikata attired in any fashion other than what's traditional. It suits him; even his demeanor strikes Horikawa as old fashioned though in a way that's to be respected rather than ragged on as he's doing now.

Still, if he's trying to fit in, he can do a lot better than what's surrounding him now.]

[koukai_kirai]

Horikawa?

[Well, it's good to see that he's around and seems to be doing alright. It's been a pretty chaotic couple of weeks since their first chance encounter, after all.]

[Still dressed in one of his black yukata, he turns towards the shinki and heaves a little sigh at the garment in his hands.]

I don't think this is anyone's color. It should probably be a crime of some sort.

B

[sweetdeath]

Hey, there's nothing wrong with Hawaiian shirts! They're great for the beach!

[Tsuzuki snickers, eyeing the brightly patterned shirt in Hijikata's hands. He's really just here for a couple replacement shirts himself, but if Hijikata's used to yukata, he probably needs some pointers with Western clothing.

And the sales attendants aren't likely to help him out if they keep forgetting he's there insulting their shirt selection.]

At least that one hasn't got ruffles on it.

[koukai_kirai]

Are there ones with ruffles?

[This isn't rock bottom?]

...No need to show me if there are.

[He sets down the Hawaiian shirt, looking a little bit less than hopeful about this whole clothes shopping venture.]