A Lost, Lost Cause

[path_of_sword]

Who: Hajime Saitou, OPEN
When: Tuesday all day~
Where: Plaza and around the middle district in general.
Style: Prose to start, will follow as to preference!
Status: Open, ongoing.


     It was becoming more and more difficult to convince himself that this was, somehow, a dream.

     That their ship had somehow capsized on their way to Edo was the most feasible reason that Saitou could come up with, and the least that he wished to think about. It seemed that he had all his belongings, wet as they were, and not much more than the kimono and haori he wore, aside from the pair of swords thankfully secure at his right hip. There was however one strange thing he had found that he knew he had not ever owned before, and yet something told him he should perhaps hold onto the strange object for the time being.

     When mind could not fathom the situation, and words were already reserved, the swordsman trusted his feet to at least keep him moving. Better to do so than stand and stare. His clothing was not as soaked as when he had first come to, and his scarf that he usually had draped about his shoulders was folded in half and resting over one, the sky blue haori marked by white triangular teeth at the sleeves neatly folded over an arm. How long had he been wandering, now? He'd lost track of the time, and it was difficult to tell by the light above, though he noticed that it didn't pain him as much as he should have expected it to.

     ...that in itself was concerning. Another thing that he wasn't sure he wanted to know. The skies, or lack thereof, were wrong. The buildings, the streets, everything was different, considerably lacking in composition of wood and paper. But there were people here, oddly friendly, even more oddly dressed. Nothing they said helped to dissuade him from his initial thoughts of the place.

     The only comfort was knowing that he still had his weapons at his side, and every now and then his left hand would brush over the hilt of his sword as minor reassurance.

Comments

[shippingmath]

After a certain amount of time in Vatheon, it becomes easy to recognize the look of a new person, even one who's not soaked any more. Months into his time in the underwater city, sometimes all it takes Dirk to figure it out is a glance. That's certainly the case here. Not only because he couldn't remember seeing too many people around here dressed the way this man is dressed, but also because of the way he keeps his hand near his weapon. There hasn't been much happening recently to warrant that kind of reaction in an acclimated resident.

He doesn't bother going for a weapon before he approaches. He's a teenager, and pretty inconspicuous compared to this guy in his Japanese clothing. And if the guy is twitchy enough to attack, well, Dirk can take care of himself.

Hopefully it won't come to that, in his opinion. He doesn't do anything close to sneaking up, Instead, he calls out as he approaches. "You're new, aren't you?"

[path_of_sword]

     Thankfully Saitou was never one to be 'twitchy,' even when he felt very much the proverbial fish out of water. Mistakes would always be costly, and even if he was the odd man out in such a place, he was never one to act impulsively.

     He was obviously on his guard as he realized he was being purposefully approached by someone. That alone was enough to make the teenager stand apart from the others he had come across. Pausing, the swordsman looked in Dirk's direction. The question posed was simple, but it made him wonder. He finally responded with a careful nod.

     "...so it would seem..."

[shippingmath]

"Yeah, sure as hell sounds like it," Dirk said, nodding. "But there's an easy enough way to confirm that. You've never heard of Vatheon before, have you." It's a statement, rather than a question. That answer is confirmation enough for him, but confirming is as good a way as any to start giving an actual explanation, since it seems like this guy hasn't seen much of the welcome packet.

[path_of_sword]

     Even if he had seen such information, it was difficult to accept for fact, or perhaps it was just easier to discount. Hearing things from someone of flesh and blood- that didn't smile in such a vague, innocuous manner, while still difficult to believe, would at least be easier to gauge for manner of whether they spoke the truth.

     Saitou slowly shook his head. "That is what this place is called, correct?"

[shippingmath]

"You got it." He shrugs. "Or that's the city, at least. Who the hell knows if the island has a name. Or the world, for that matter." Dirk gestures above them, at the domed ceiling of the bubble. "It's hard to find out, because the people bringing us here aren't exactly founts of helpfulness. Nor is there a way to explore the rest of the world, with the barrier around the island."

[path_of_sword]

     "Island..." Saitou followed the boy's gesture, glancing up at the strange heights above. He frowned faintly. "So...essentially we are trapped," he said.

     That didn't sound like pleasant news. He looked back at Dirk. "From what you say, it sounds like you are not native of this world either. Is this a thing that happens often?"

[shippingmath]

"We're entirely trapped." There were exceptions to that, but none of them were good, and the random disappearances could always be explained later. He nodded in response to the question. "All the time. I showed up here myself a few months ago, and there are plenty of other people who live here who were kidnapped here from different worlds. There's a reason there's a Welcome Center and a brochure."

[xxii_thefool]

Today is a good day - at least, it is so far for Minako, who woke up early and full of enough energy that it seemed like a good idea to get some training in before it got too warm. Mid-morning finds her out in the park to the east of the Plaza, a teenaged girl in modern clothes wielding a less-than-modern naginata in simple, repetitive movements: Strike. Withdraw. Strike. Withdraw. The same motion, over and over, breath chuffing out of her as the polearm's blade comes down, drawing it in again as she steps back to her original spot.

She's been at this for a while now, red headphones over her ears for music to break the monotony of the simple exercise, so when Saito happens to cross her field of vision it's as good a reason as any to stop - relaxing out of her ready stance, she shifts her grip on her naginata so that she can reach a hand up to click off the mp3 player dangling around her neck and begin to lift the headphones off her ears, regarding the new arrival with some curiosity as she does.

It's probably rude of her, it occurs to her to think. But she can't help being curious, especially not when she catches sight of that distinctive blue and white pattern he's carrying over his arm. Should he happen to look her way, though, she makes sure to offer a friendly smile.

[path_of_sword]

     As out of it as he might feel, it appeared he wasn't so much that he wouldn't notice when someone was watching him. In this particular instance however, his attention had drifted towards the girl even before he'd met her gaze.

     For all that she was wearing such unusual, perhaps even Western-styled clothing, she wielded a weapon he wouldn't have thought to find anyone having in possession here. He had caught the last few repetitions of her exercise, and for all that this was quite the strange predicament, he would have had to say that the girl had a good form.

     Catching her smile, he offered a hesitant nod back.

[xxii_thefool]

Encouraged by the acknowledgement, she brightens and nods back. "Good morning!"

Once more she shifts her hold on the naginata, lowering the blade-end toward the ground and tucking the other end of the weapon behind her back - the only halfway convenient method she's ever worked out for carrying it one-handed short of using it as a walking stick, which seems disrespectful - to wander over in Saito's direction until she's reached a more comfortable conversational distance.

"Were you looking for something? --ah," her smile turns apologetic, "I'm sorry if I'm assuming too much. It's just that you seemed a little..." There's a brief pause while Minako contemplates what word to use. 'Lost' seems rude. "...new," she decides at last.

[path_of_sword]

     If she'd opted to mention it, Saitou wouldn't deny that he was lost. 'New' was just a slightly polite way to put it.

     Since she was approaching him, he turned to fully face her. "That seems like one way to put it. This...isn't the place I should be," he said awkwardly, since it was difficult to even fathom how he'd arrived.

[xxii_thefool]

At those words, she inclines her head slightly in sympathy. "I understand. I think that's really true for all of us that have been brought here by the coral... or whatever's really responsible for it. It's a strange situation, and hard to get used to." A momentary pause, and Minako makes a wry face. "Even if you're used strange things happening. Unfortunately, it seems as though even though people have been trying to figure it out for a while, there's not very much information on what's really going on."

[path_of_sword]

     This was far stranger than anything he would have thought strange in his world. He nodded slowly, though Minako's words weren't necessarily helpful.

     "I am not sure I understand how something like that can be capable of such things, but it appears that the questions I would most like answered are the ones without."

     Saitou sighed quietly. "But if there are things that I should know that do have answers, then perhaps that would be the better place to start."

chizuru will be the last to come across saitou! so, late in the evening. 9pm-ish?

[chizuru]

How couldn't she be disheartened? Chizuru was taught to walk with perfect posture, but right now, she was slouching. It was very discouraging to go into what she thought was her realm, her area of specialty, and be completely clueless. The clinic was modern, as Yukio had said.

So modern that it was way beyond Chizuru's knowledge. Everything was.. machinery and foreign. Not allowing herself to give up, Chizuru had been in the clinic all day with any books she could find. So much had changed in medicine, apparently. The girl had promised herself she would simply learn again, and then she'd be able to reclaim her "mastery" of what she knew. It might just take a while.

Those thoughts had pushed the girl through the day, but on the way home.. fatigue and the feeling of being overwhelmed were settling in. Not just the medicine scenario, but the fact she was in a new world and didn't really know anyone.

Since she had been by the park, Chizuru had to go back through the Plaza to get to the Lower District where her new home was in the Coral Corral. It was large, but it was the only one that seemed even remotely similar to what she knew.. as it was all one floor.

And then, there's the back of a person near a shop that Chizuru is really certain she recognizes. Stopping, Chizuru stares at the man's back for a few moments-

"S-Saitou-san!" she yells. Her voice nearly echoes against the buildings in the quieter evening. Running forward only to stop behind him, Chizuru raises a hand. She resists grabbing his arm, as it may not be who she thinks it is, but..

How can it not be? The hair and the attire..

"Saitou-san?" Chizuru repeats, this time much more quietly. There's an obvious tone of hopefulness in her voice. Could those that were dead be brought to Vatheon?

[path_of_sword]

     Somewhere, there was still a sun. The subsiding light made it easier to operate, but he still felt weary from just being here. He'd learned something about this place, but all in all, it was still difficult to grasp. This was beyond the concept of Furies and even Oni...

     Saitou suddenly stops. With how quiet things had gotten around the area, it was almost impossible to miss that shout, though for a moment he thought that perhaps he was hallucinating. Still he turned, trying to discern from which direction that all too familiar voice had called. He heard footsteps coming from behind, and he turned-

     And there she was. There was no doubting that face, that voice that spoke his name again. It couldn't have been very long since he'd last seen her- they'd all been bound on the same ship for Edo, after all. He had just started to doubt the possibility of seeing any of the others here, and yet...

     "...Yukimura...?"

[chizuru]

"Yes, yes," she replied, unable to hide her excitement as she grinned at him. Bouncing back and forth between feet for a few seconds, she then lunged forward to wrap her arms around him and hug him tightly. Remembering this is Saitou, she doesn't hold it too long and releases it.

"I'm so.. I'm so thankful to see you again," Chizuru continues, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "Uhm, I know in Vatheon that people can come from different times.. and I come from late 1869.. but you were already.. .. already..."

Already dead. As one of the tears roll down her cheeks, she attempts to gather herself. Wiping the tear, she remains all smiles.

[path_of_sword]

     He was too stunned to feel embarrassed at the abrupt although brief contact, and for a good moment he continued to stare at her, even after he was released. Chizuru was acting like she hadn't seen him in ages, but surely that couldn't be...

     Even though Saitou found it increasingly difficult to understand anything of this place, he forced himself to listen as Chizuru spoke again, brow knitting in his growing confusion. If she was speaking the truth, then it would have been nearly a year for her. Saitou found himself shaking his head slowly, even as he tried to wrap his head around this information. Different times? It had been hard enough to grasp the concept of other worlds.

     Perhaps that wasn't important now. The girl's words soaked in, the implication behind the unfinished sentence more than obvious, even without the tears shed.

     So that was what happened, in the future. He found himself feeling oddly numb at the news, but at the same time accepting of it. Such was the path of a warrior, a follower of Bushido. Their lives could end at any time, during any battle. His head tipped in a single, almost imperceptible nod.

     "...I see."

[chizuru]

The tears are already gone entirely, and Chizuru stands there for a moment as she simply collects herself fully.

"..Bringer of bad news, huh? Sorry about that," she starts, stumbling a bit in her words as she looks downwards. Best to move onto another topic. "When did you arrive, Saitou? I have been here for a few weeks.."

Chizuru thinks. Saitou would need a place to stay. She knows he could stay at an inn for a week, but then he'd need to find residence, anyway. Wouldn't it be better for him to live with her? She thinks it over as she looks at him, unable to help but continue smiling softly.

[path_of_sword]

     There were better ways to welcome a person, but given the unusual circumstances of their meeting, Saitou really couldn't of think of just how anything could make this better or worse.

     He shook his head. There was no point in worrying over what's been said. It was a little hard to believe that Chizuru had been here for that long, even if she did say that there were some discrepancies with time. "I...do not think I have been here longer than a day..." he said carefully as he thought back to when he'd first awoken here.

     "You said you have been here for a few weeks, what have you been doing? Are you well?" Maybe it was a silly question to ask- the girl seemed as hale as when he'd been with her...however long ago that was now. This was confusing.

[booyaka_boom]

Selphie was on her way into town for the usual, boring grocery trip. Such trips were usually rewarded with some description of sweet treat, and that could account for the fact that she didn't look like she was troubled at all. In fact, she was quite absorbed in thinking about what cakes she might take home, that she almost walks into the stranger.

There was a small giggle from behind him as she realised her near-mistake, glad to have averted disaster at the last moment. Her eyes were drawn to the hand by his sword, and she smiled to herself, "Hey - don't worry about it - you're not gonna need that here. Not yet."

[path_of_sword]

     He had been too caught up in his thoughts that he only noticed the stranger in his immediate vicinity somewhat belatedly. Turning, he blinked at the young woman, and for a moment he was unsure of what she meant by her words.

     It didn't take him long to realize what had caught her attention, though he seemed no more inclined to remove his hand from his weapon.

     "Is there anything dangerous to watch for, here?"

[booyaka_boom]

Selphie continued to just casually glance the newcomer over, though her eyes did keep going back to the hand by his sword. She didn't feel threatened, nor did she want any new people feeling threatened either. Smiling, she gestured towards herself with open palms.

"I dunno - do I look dangerous to you?"

[path_of_sword]

     It wasn't that he felt threatened by her either, but at her gesture and words, he sighed, finally letting his hand fall away from his sword.

     "No... My apologies. I am just... It is a lot to take in."

[booyaka_boom]

Selphie gave a genuine, friendly smile and nodded her head. "I know how ya feel. But it'll get better. You're in Vatheon now, and it's not so bad! You shouldn't need your sword anyway. A loong way from home." Glancing him up and down carefully, Selphie tilted her head slightly, "Lemme guess... You're from Japan, and you're some kinda samurai or something?"

[path_of_sword]

     That was a tough thing to say to a man whose life basically was the use of his weapon. Even before he had arrived here, that had been shaken by the fact that more modern weapons were being employed by their adversaries, but to live by the blade, and perhaps even expecting to likewise die by it, was what he had adhered to for so long.

     The reminder of just how lost he was certainly made him feel no better. Saitou fell silent again, glancing down. Yet Selphie was able to once again grasp his attention as she made her accurate assumptions.

     "...that's... Yes, that's right. You are not from Japan as well, are you?"