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

[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?]

[ayu_nee]

[Ayumu pauses when he does, glancing back at him curiously.]

Is something wrong?

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

[Urk- caught. He jumps slightly and then looks up at Ayumu, shaking his head.]

...I can clean. If you need payment for me staying here for a night.

[ayu_nee]

Mm. You can stay as long as you like, without need of payment. But if you'd like to help me with the cleaning, I wouldn't object.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

.... [No, he has to pay. Somehow. Even if he's been abandoned, he still has his pride as the...something of the Okita family. He has no idea. Soujirou lowers his head, then nods.]

....okay.

[ayu_nee]

[She watches him for a moment longer before continuing on toward the kitchen, but pauses herself in the doorway as though a thought had just occurred to her.]

If you'd like to tend to the animals, however, that would be a great help.

[ahappylie.livejournal.com]

....Ani...mals...?

[Souji has like...no experience with those things yet. He just looks at Ayumu for a moment, then sighs.]

...Alright. Where are they?

[ayu_nee]

You know, that's a good question. Tammy is outside in her pen, as she should be, but Saizou— hopefully he isn't getting into mischief.