048 [Voice | Action]

[ahappylie]

...oh. They really did leave me in the woods.

...

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

[Souji's back from his mallynap as a kid; a kid totally opposite of what he's usually like. He vaguely remembers Luceti and is wandering around in the woods on the edge of town, confused and dragging his journal around.]

Comments

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

...[Geh. Souji looks at her, bows his head and turns to leave.]

[ayu_nee]

[She starts to turn away as well, talking to the air as she does.]

Ah, that's too bad, then. I'd thought that you might want to go somewhere warm and have something to eat. I must have been mistaken.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

[Hnnnnngh. He stops and looks back over his shoulder. He wants to go so badly, but he has no idea where he is or who these people are and if even Kondou's family had no use for him then why would complete strangers?

His stomach rumbles and he crouches in the snow, biting back a sniffle.]

[ayu_nee]

[She stops when he does, watching him with a faintly curious air until he crouches. At that point she steps closer, crouching down to be more on his level as she reaches out a hand.]

My name is Ayumu. I'm afraid you're very far from home, but if you'd like to come with me I can give you somewhere to stay until you can get back.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

[Welp, Ayumu, I hope you like crying kids because you've got one now. He misses his family and having someone be nice to him is something he hasn't had for awhile. He reaches out for her, trying not to sob openly.]

[ayu_nee]

[Ninja can deal with any situation, even when it involves a crying child who bears a rather strong resemblance to a certain missing captain. She's brave like that. So she'll just smile, all warm and big-sisterly and encouraging.]

My house isn't far from here, so we can go get in out of the snow. Would you like some tea?

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

[That's because ninja are awesome. He buries his face against her lap and nods. He finally says his name, but it's muffled.]

......jirou.

[ayu_nee]

[She hesitates for the barest fraction of a second before resting her hand against his head, lightly stroking his hair.]

Pleased to meet you. Are you from Edo?

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

[He nods again and moves back, wiping his eyes against the backs of his hands.]

.....

[ayu_nee]

I'm originally from Osaka, myself, but I've been living in Kyoto. Before I came here, at least.

[She straightens up, offering him her hand again with a smile. He can take it or not, but either way she'll still lead him back toward house 50.]

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

[And where is here? He just figured he'd been left somewhere and had somehow missed the fact that it was cold and snowing. Maybe he'd been dumped up north. He wouldn't be surprised to be honest. Kondou's mother loathed him.

Rather than take her hand, he falls into step behind her, shuffling along and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible.]

....were you left here, too?

[ayu_nee]

[Ayumu prefers that, really, so she just walks down the path back toward the house, moving a little slower to accommodate the smaller boy's pace.]

Yes, I suppose I was. That's how everyone ends up here, not by choice.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

...Oh.

[He keeps following, clutching at the fabric of his clothes.]

....So there is a place where abandoned people go. I thought it was just a story told to scare children.

[ayu_nee]

[That's as good an explanation as any. And hopefully he'll be back to normal soon enough, so there isn't much point in trying to give him the full Luceti orientation....]

It isn't such a bad place, really. See, up ahead there? That's where I live.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

....Patronizing me won't make it any better.

[Rude little kid is rude and he frowns, looking at the unfamiliar house. It looks...weird. And yet familiar. Why would such a weird house look familiar?]

Why are you being nice to me?

[ayu_nee]

[She glances down at him again with one brow quirked slightly, though she still looks otherwise calm. My goodness but you're a brat, little Soujirou.]

Would you prefer it if I were mean?

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

I'd prefer it if you were honest.

[ayu_nee]

About what, exactly?

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

Kondou-san's family sent me away, didn't they? That's why I'm here.

[ayu_nee]

Not that I'm aware of.

[She just continues calmly on toward the door of the house.]

You're here because the Malnosso decided to bring you here, if you'd like the precise truth. How or why, however, no one knows.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

........................

[Well, that was unexpected. Also, it completely deflates his anger, leaving him bewildered in the snow. What the hell? Malnosso? What were those? Foreigners? Was this woman one of them? But then why would they...]

............

[He gives up and follows after her, going quiet.]

[ayu_nee]

[Hey, at least it stopped him from whining. Ayumu pauses to open the door, offering him a small smile.]

In the meantime, you should get inside where it's warm.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

[Yup, sorry, Ayumu. He's a total bratface as a kid. He looks up at her, as if judging whether this is a trick or not, and then moves forward, stopping at the entrance to bow before stepping inside.]

[ayu_nee]

[Oh, look, manners.]

Would you like to come back to the kitchen with me? I'll make some tea, and I'll see what there is to eat.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

..... [He nods and follows after her, choosing to stay quiet and scope the place out. Strange places might have strange rules and... Wait. There's no tatami? That's...weird.

He stops halfway into the house and frowns. Maybe this place is overseas. What if he was kidnapped to Russia or something?]