To any who knew them, Homura the demi-god, Yamazaki Ayumu and Hijikata Toshizou have all returned home. I'm afraid they didn't leave much when they left and so I cannot give out letters as others do.

[He's quiet for a moment, trying to steady his voice regardless of how much this hurts. Everything is wrong and he can't do a thing to fix it. They're all gone, most of them off to die, leaving him behind, possibly never returning and he knows that he will end his days here without ever seeing them again. Ayumu has returned to oblivion, Homura as well. And Hijikata has gone back without the knowledge of the future so vital to his survival. He can't do a thing to change history or the future and here he is, living out his days in sloth and loneliness.

Despite all that, he almost doesn't want to see them again. He isn't sure if his heart could take it, if his soul wouldn't warp and begin to hate them for leaving him behind. Hijikata had promised to never leave him behind as long as he was useful.

Perhaps it means he isn't useful anymore. He wouldn't be surprised. His swordsmanship is suffering now that he can't breathe as well as he used to and without his swordsmanship, what is he?

.......

As if realizing that his silence is stretching uncomfortably long, he clears his throat and forces himself to be cheerful again.]

If anyone needs help repairing their homes or fixing anything, please let me know. I have little else to do around the house here and I think if we stay indoors any longer, Tammy might start eating the furniture.

...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.]

[Filter to Sokka | 90% ]

Sokka-kun, I am afraid your training will be put on hold temporarily. I will contact you when I am able to resume. It should only be a few days.

[end]

My beloved snow
Is slowly melting away
To a spring garden
-Hogyoku

Ayumu-san. I do not wish to be disturbed.

[With that, Okita locks him in his room and barricades the door because he knows you, Ayumu. The morning after the event ended, he went into Hijikata's room to check if the man was home and found the place completely empty. Having two of his friends leave one after another does bad things to Okita's psyche.]

[He opens his journal and lets out a biiiiig relieved sigh as he stretches his arms over his head. He's outside at the fountain, for those who want some context.]

It's so nice out today! It feels like summer is coming! I do hope there's no rainy season here like there is at home, though. I hate the rainy season - so muggy and gross! Do you have such a season in your homes?

Usually there's so much mold that starts to grow. No matter how much I clean, there's always--

[He suddenly stops talking, as if something distracted him, but the silence is heavy.]

...

It can't be...

[He picks up the journal and wanders off to follow traces of an undeniably familiar scent of tobacco.]

I have a question for those here who followed a strict code of conduct at home.

How far would you follow that code here? In what situations would you choose to deviate from it? Or would you?



Thank you to those who helped me the other week. I'm afraid I have been incapcitated since, so today is the first day I can truly voice my gratitude. I apologize to those I worried. As I promised, I have survived it.

[Written and Filtered to Martel | 60% Hackable]

Martel-san? Did you see Ted-san's post? He is asking to make miniature stations of the Welcome Center out in the forest and I do believe that might be a good idea for those who can't reach us in time. What do you think?

[End filter]

[He switches to voice and he's just sort of rambling as he doodles little shapes in the corner of his journal.]

Mm, I suppose making signs would be a good thing to do what with this cold snap running. Would anyone like to help? I'm in the apartments today but I should be heading out in a bit to gather up the wood.

Oh! And Nagakura-san? Enjoy your explorations! I'm glad you're going out for your turn because I think...I've done more than my share for a bit, don't you? [He laughs and suddenly changes gears]

It's almost spring~ I can't wait for it to come. I've always so loved the spring. The plums would be in bloom right about now, the festivals going on up at Tenjin-san, the faintest hint of the flowers' scents mingling in the air... I like the cherry blossoms, too, but there's just something wonderful about plum blossoms. Maybe it's because of a poem I heard once.

Actually, I wonder if this place has cherry trees. Come April, they should bloom, if they do.

What do your people do in the spring? Do they celebrate it at all? We have a great many parties under the trees and share sake and other treats while watching them. Kyoto had such beautiful trees everywhere. It was like the entire city was dressed in clouds of pink and white...

My, but I'm nostalgic today. How silly of me.

[OOC: Affected, but taken. Please wait for Kohaku amber_archangel to post first? After that you can troll away. Thank you♥]

--so pretty. It's so clear and white and it stretches forever, like it's covering up the blemishes of the world. It's still pure like it's supposed to be.

Like we always wished we could be.

[There's a long pause and the sound of footsteps crunching along the snow.]

It's silly of me to talk to a toy, isn't it? I suppose it is. ...but I do miss you, Saizou. You would have made these longer nights so much easier to pas-

[The sound of coughing and a thud as he goes down and jostles the journal closed.]


( Action )

[He's humming to himself as he doodles in his journal; the sound of crickets chirping indicates it's rather late at night and yet he's still awake. The page quickly fills up with drawings of grumpy looking piglets chasing after butterflies, gnawing on reed shoes, or sitting in the grass and flowers until there's almost no space left. Then, very small in the corner, a grumpy looking man with long dark hair and a Japanese pipe is drawn.]

Funny... I used to tease them all for how loud they snored at night.

...and now I can't sleep if they're not. I wonder how long it'll be until I grow accustomed to this.

[He closes the journal and the sound cuts out.]