Day 163 // Every plan is a tiny prayer to father time

[fuckthemancers]

Who: Zulf and you
Open: Open
When: Day 163
Where: Throughout the Bastion
What: Well, someone has to take up the kitchen work, and prepare Night's funeral, and write down the history and culture of two different cities...
Format: Anything
Warnings: Nothing immediately comes to mind, although it should be noted that Zulf is in a bad state mentally/emotionally so depending on the conversations, things could be described. Lemme know where you want to run into him!

As soon as he's able, Zulf leaves the hospital. It's not like he deserves to be there, after all, not with the dead, not with the injured. He's fine, isn't he? Besides... There's too much to do. So on the 163rd day of the Bastion's existence, feel free to run into him just about anywhere looking exhausted in nearly every way imaginable.

...Unless your name is Raile, Zia, Rucks, Colin, Rin, Zayna, Zahi, Nathaniel, or Rosethorn. In which case, seeing any of those individuals makes the man startle before immediately trying to find a way to leave the area before conversation can happen. Seriously, he will bolt if he has to, don't make him change from a quick walk.

Periodically throughout the day, Zulf can be found in the kitchens...

With Rin out of commission and Mireille still taking care of her baby, someone has to keep the kitchen up and running. Zulf still remembers the offer he made to her, so of course he's going to keep to what he said. Breakfast, lunch, dinner... He's not in the kitchen the entire day, but he's there often enough. His sleeves are rolled up and he's hard at work like maybe enough cooking will help things. Feel free to interrupt him at any time.

Sometime in the morning after breakfast, it's off to the the Hitachiin-Abe home.

It's something he's been meaning to get to for ages now, really. Seimei had asked about the Tazal Terminals and Caelondia. It's just proper that he finally get to writing all the large amount of answers. He's already holding some things in his arms when he gets there, a thick heavy photo album stacked with papers and crude writing tools- things he's scavenged here and there particularly from the Mancer Observatory. He's passed by the home before, but it's only now that he takes a moment to admire it. Any of the residents can find him waiting awkwardly by the front, not sure how to make his presence known.

Come night, well, that is traditionally the Lorn Mother's time. Anyone still awake... Well, there's a light on at the Shrine.

Honestly, he doesn't know the state of the Gods for all these other worlds that have fallen apart. All he knows it that the Pantheon still has its eye on the scattered fragments that once made up Caelondia, the Terminals, the Wild Unknown... So at least there's that. If she doesn't have anywhere to go or where she's going is worse than that, the Lorn Mother can keep her safe. If there is somewhere for her... Mother guide her home.

Either way, they need to have a funeral. Both to help her soul be free of its ties to the physical, and to help those still alive mourn.

So he gets hard at work, cleaning the shrine with an almost single minded dedication. There won't be any rest until it's spotless... Although he won't lie, he's doing his best to avoid any kind of rest as much as he can. So maybe someone will walk in on him doing that.

When he isn't cleaning, however, he's settled to the side. There's a small pile of salvaged clothing besides him and a sorry excuse for a sewing kit that he makes do with. Red seems to be a theme with the clothes he's picked out...

Comments

Shrine

[aprettyred]

Anna spots him easily enough, and while she starts out with her new Most Important Possession raised, the camera goes down and off after a moment. Zulf's mood - something she doesn't need to try to pick up - is not one to record.

But she still has it with her when she stops next to him on one of those sewing breaks.

"... Who are those for?" She can think of two groups - the one who she can't feel anymore, and everyone else.

[fuckthemancers]

He's so out of it, lack of proper sleep not helping matters at all, that he doesn't even notice someone else has entered the Shrine along with him. It takes her speaking for him to finally come to, shoulders jerking sharply a bit and his eyes rapidly blinking in an effort to drag himself out of his strange mental limbo.

Manners ingrained into him have him try to smile at her, polite but obviously worn down. Manners also say he should properly explain to her. It's just.. The words still won't come even when he wants them to. It's reaching for something that doesn't seem to be there. So instead, he simply gestures to himself and then towards the rest of the Bastion outside.

[earthandpine]

Rosethorn sees the pile of clothing and sits down next to Zulf. "Do you need a hand with the sewing?" She hasn't had to do her own except when traveling in a very long time. Her lover is a stitch witch, after all. Still, Rosethorn knows how to spin and how to sew.

A hand reaches out to brush over the clothing. "Red for blood and for mourning," she says softly. The echo of Trader customs makes her think of Daja, a foster daughter who isn't here in the Bastion.

[fuckthemancers]

Rosethorn's voice makes him jerk violently in surprise. There's a wide eyed glance to her before he ducks his head, making as if to quickly pack all his things away to leave. It's not really her... It's that just seeing her reminds him of what happened to Raile, of his own mistakes. There's just been too much weighing down on him and he's at a loss at how to deal with it. In the end, it all comes down to basic human instinct. There's no way to fight against his problems... So 'flight' seems to be a good a plan as any to his current state of mind.

In his haste, however he ends up pricking himself with the needle- rather badly at that. He gives a hiss, jerking his hand back. As he pulls it out and sucks at the little puncture, he gives a nod to her observation. Any other time, he'd be interested and impressed that she knows the mourning colors of the Ura and want to know who shares that custom. Right now... Well. Now isn't that time.

[evacuate]

[Zia has already had the experience of walking into the kitchen—she's usually in there helping out anyway—only to have Zulf sprint away from her like a frightened deer before she can even say hello.

Chasing him down didn't work any of the times she tried it, so she'll leave things be for now. But the next time Zulf comes to the kitchen, he'll find a little bowl of stew sitting on one of the counters beside a note card reading "Zulf ♥" in cutesy curlicue cursive, and "Boil for one minute if cold" below it in print. In the bottom corner, she's signed her name in cursive again.

She'll go back to running after him later.]

[fuckthemancers]

[Zia...]

[Of course Zulf has to come back to the kitchen sooner or later- he was in the middle of making food you know. It's just that he's not expecting that little bowl waiting for him. There's an unusual amount of time spent just staring at it, rest of the world forgotten.]

[If Zia's at her little apartment, she'll hear a knock on her door. If she's not, well, that doesn't take away that blue flowers are left by her door. There's a note there, too.]

[Just "I'm sorry for everything" in fine penmanship (because oh wasn't he raised ever the gentleman) and sighed with Zulf's name.]

traveling between places?

[amphibian]

[Guess who's on a sports binge! ...Okay, well, more than usual, anyway.

Aoi's jogging up and down the Bastion, passing a soccer ball between her feet and occasionally stopping to bounce it up between her knees and back to her feet. Sometimes she tries to kick it up and bump it with her head, but she's not a soccer player, and keeps missing entirely. That's when it gets away from her and rolls over in Zulf's direction as he walks by.

It takes her a moment to see where it's gone, but she beams when she sees Zulf.] Hey! Hey, over here!

[fuckthemancers]

[He's already on the move back towards the kitchen and hoping that Zia isn't waiting there he hears the sound of the ball coming towards him. He gives a small jump of surprise, although he's been that way for a little while now after everything, but still slows down enough. He lifts ups his skirts a bit and kicks back after looking up to make sure where Aoi is.]

Hitachiin-Abe Estate

[yinyangfox]

Things have changed, his environment is increasingly more complicated and lately Seimei hasn't been seen wandering the Bastion either. Spending his time in his house, hermit that he is, means that he's neglected to involve himself in the recent drama. He has no desire to be part of it and judges far less than others do so unless someone went to him for advice, the onmyoji has been about as easy to see as a unicorn.

When Zulf arrives at the home, Seimei is busy napping on the deck, surrounded by the soothing rush of the river beneath it. As such, it is the onmyoji's red-headed shikigami that comes to stand in the open doorway, arms crossed over his chest and expression less than welcoming in his fiery blue eyes.

"Are you just going to stand out there all day? The door is open. Take your shoes off and come in. Tch," he muttered, jerking his head to one side over his shoulder, indicating the Ura should come in already. It was the first time since Hikaru's arrival in the Bastion that Taisan had physically shown himself, the summons going entirely intangible after the blow-up.

[fuckthemancers]

At least Zulf doesn't seem to be much offended at the greeting or the look on the other man's face. In the current state of his mind, Zulf figures he deserves whatever comes to him. So there's just a simple nod and a bit of shuffling in place. He doesn't want to bother putting down his small pile just in case it's more of a bother to gather it all up again. It's as neat as he could make it, but, well, it still might topple over or get blown away by a passing breeze. After a moment, he finally takes a step forward and behind him coming out from behind his skirts are a pair of discarded shoes.

He makes sure to give the redhead plenty of room as he passes by to stop inside the home. There's a glance about as he tries to figure out on his own where to go.

Hitachiin-Abe home

[superdrowningskills]

...Be sure to remove your shoes if you intend to go inside.

[Don't be too startled by the sudden voice behind you, Zulf. It's just Alucard coming back from his daily wanderings on the Skyway.]

[fuckthemancers]

[Too late, he's startled as shit.]

[He gives a surprised jerk, and there goes everything he was carrying... There's a surprised glance to Alucard before he crouches down and immediately starts to gather everything that he possibly can.]

Shrine

[hellpyre]

... she liked red.

[That's going to be a familiar voice, Zulf. And one you can't get away from, because there really isn't where else in the shrine for you to run to, and Rin in all her tiny, still bandaged form is effectively blocking the doorway.

Not hiding this time, buddy.]

Yoru-- ... Night. Her flames were red, too.

[fuckthemancers]

[There's a startled jerk at the sound of her voice, Zulf nearly stabbing himself with the needle. He immediately gives a glance around as if there's a way out he simply hasn't thought of, but no, cornering him the shrine was a good move. He shrinks into himself, shoulders hunching up almost defensively.]

[Just a nod at her statement.]

Shrine

[followsthevoice]

[What do you say to a man who's seen too much? From the day he'd had his incident, Zulf hadn't been acting the same; Raile knew he'd been popping in while he'd been asleep to leave him food, but that wasn't good enough for the young Cael, he wanted to see his friend. So, against anything remotely close to better judgment, he had grabbed an IV stand and used it as an impromptu walking stick as he left the hospital and made his way out into the Bastion; he didn't have to guess where Zulf was...with someone dead, there was likely only one place he would be.

As he guessed, it only took a few paces into the shrine to see Zulf's head; not that he could creep up on him with the clinking of the metal stand on the stone floor and his breathing...his lungs were still healing after all. At any rate...he might as well call out to him, he seemed preoccupied with something or other.]

Figured I'd find you here.

1/gagtag

[fuckthemancers]

[This Shrine needs fucking windows he can jump out of to avoid all you people cornering him here]

2/real deal

[fuckthemancers]

[He'd actually been sort of hoping that Raile would just stay in the hospital and recover. You know. Safely and in good care. So when he hears the clanging sound of metal, well, he assumes it's someone dealing with salvage. He keeps thinking Raile won't be that reckless.]

[But of course he is.]

[The sound of his voice nearly makes Zulf stab himself in surprise for what is quite possibly the third time tonight with his sewing needle. He's already looking around for the way out, but, well, it's certainly not happening here. So instead, he just hunches in on himself with his shoulders nearly up to his ears.]

[Yes hello he is trapped]

shrine

[evacuate]

[It's late, but Zia's still awake. There's too much on her mind. She's moved back into her own part of the tower so as not to bother Rin, but the emptiness is crushing.

So she's back to hunting down Zulf.

She's sneaking about the Bastion in her pajamas—a too-big sweater and striped pants—and every time she passes an open doorway, she leans her head in just enough to see if anyone's inside the building. When she inevitably finds no one, she scuttles off on silent feet to the next place.

When she pokes her head into the shrine and finally finds him, she goes still. As long as she's quiet, it should be easy to make sure he doesn't sprint away from her again. One slow step at a time, she walks into the doorway and stands in it, hoping to keep him from hustling out of it.]

Psst.

[fuckthemancers]

[Leaving the Shrine is starting to become a suspiciously good idea at this time of night.]

[Zulf is... exhausted after everything that's managed to happen in one day. By the time Zia tracks him down, he has bandaged fingers and bloodshot eyes that hint tears have been spilled at least once tonight. His shoulders are slumped. All this lack of proper sleep is doing horrible for his coordination- he has to keep redoing what he's already done for the mistakes. He needs to go to sleep, but it certainly isn't something that's going to happen on his own.]

[Even if she had made a noise, Zulf likely wouldn't have noticed. Even the 'psst' doesn't immediately make him start. It's a belated reaction as he looks up at her only to suddenly jerk away in surprise a second later. He starts to get up, clearly intending to bolt, only to realize his situation. There's the barest flicker of annoyance in his gaze, but it's gone quicker than a heartbeat and he just sinks back into his seat. His shoulders slump once more and he averts his gaze while his arms fold in front of his middle so he can grip his elbows.]

[shrine]

[narrativestranger]

[ The first time Rucks notices something's wrong with how Zulf's acting - beyond his silence - is when he rushes out of a building nearby, after watching Zia enter a moment earlier. The same happens again a while later; and before long, he figures out he's being avoided, too.

Well, don't that beat all.

That's why he keeps tabs on Zulf's location until nightfall, when he enters the shrine; and Rucks moves, unexpectably silently, to settle in the doorway. He already sized the place up; no escape for Zulf. ]

[ He stands in the center of it, using his cane for support, and just calls out - ]

Zulf.

[fuckthemancers]

[At the sound of that familiar old twang, Zulf's shoulders jerk harshly in surprise. He breathes in sharply, until it's nearly more a hiss than anything. He gives a twitch of his head that's just enough to take in the situation. His lips thin out as they always do when he's aggravated.]

[There's no reply, at least nothing spoken. Every bit of his body language lets out that he's on the defensive, however- shoulders tense and his whole body leaning away like that will help any. Before Rucks had made his presence known, his hands had been trembling anyway. Anyone even a little observant probably can tell that he hasn't been sleeping much or, if he has, then it hasn't done him much good. Now, however, they shake more than anything although he still tries to continue on with his work.]

[Ignoring Rucks isn't going to solve anything but he seems determined to do it regardless.]

Shrine

[gianthobo]

[AZ is not a man of faith, and never has been. He's heard the legends of Pokemon from all different regions, and seen a few of the masters of elements himself - some closer than others. Still, he recognizes the need for people to have a ceremony for themselves more than for the dead - and he knows just how much rage can blind people.]

[The Shrine is the obvious place to look for preparations - and truth be told he hasn't been sleeping very much these past few days. He's tired, but it's more bone-deep than mere lack of sleep. He feels his age, and it's not something that lets him sleep lightly. So he goes to the shrine. The gods here are real, at least - the gifts at the festival were proof of their existence if nothing else. Unless they didn't prove anything at all. He's open to options.]

[It doesn't really surprise him that Zulf is there. He'd known the stories about the gods here. It makes sense that he'd be involved in this. The man's silence worries him, but it's not his place to draw him out. He's not Zulf's friend... though he'd like to think he's not his enemy, either. He watches for a few moments, trying to figure out what Zulf's doing, and once he realizes he's separating out the red fabric he sits.]

[It's easy enough for him to apply the necessary force to rip the seams, and he does it slowly enough so that he doesn't damage the fabric. He carefully folds the fabric in a pile in front of Zulf for easy access, not saying a word.]

[fuckthemancers]

[Zulf can't help but jump a little bit when he notices someone sit near him. The jumpiness is actually fairly normal considering the past few days. At least unlike many others Zulf has been taking great pains to avoid, AZ doesn't bring out the flight instinct. After the initial reaction, Zulf just stares at him blearily for a moment with his worked stopped.]

[He's... expecting words. Everyone else has been talking to him, or trying to get him to talk. So, that's what he's expecting. When there's still nothing but silence and the sound of cloth, his shoulders seem to lose some of their tension. He goes back to working himself, adding to the pile of red.]

Shrine

[kyotoprincess]

[Since Rin isn't in the best shape right now, Bon has taken it upon himself to prepare things. Or rather, he would be, if he hadn't run into Zulf at the Shrine. He wasn't expecting to find Zulf cleaning everything.]

What's all this for?

[fuckthemancers]

[Coat set to the side, sleeves rolled, yep, he's definitely hard at work at making everything as spotless as he can make it. Apparently Serena isn't doing as good a job as Zulf would prefer.]

[Nothing is said, but Zulf does take a moment from scrubbing to wipe his chin with the back of his hand and point at Micia's sigil. You've been keeping up with your foreign religions, right, Bon?]