Day 72 :: [OPEN]

[bastionpc]

Who: Everyone
Open: Open
When: Day 72
Where: The Skyway
What: Out on the Skyway is a farm. On that farm are supplies and plot coupons.
Format: action
Warnings: cows

[On day 72, whoever happens to be exploring the Skyway will come across a farm! It is rather large, with several overgrown fields, a huge barn, some chicken coops, and a farmhouse.

It is undisturbed for the moment, though it would be advisable to make any stop here quick. Monsters are never that far away.]






((OOC: There will be several different areas each character can explore and find things. Please choose only one area of the farm per character for your characters to participate in. Your characters can interact with anyone else in that particular area.

Teamwork may be needed to accomplish goals in this post.))

Comments

[individuates]

Ah... Mmm. [He's not sure quite what to say. He feels like it would be really presumptuous of him to comment when he knows next to nothing about Seimei who, by the way, is so wise and all-knowing that he feels even more like the kid over here. He’s holding onto the little bits of information he gets thrown, though.]

We… [he does this thing, sometimes, where he starts speaking in the plural when he talks about the past. He hasn’t spoken much at all about Hikaru since he came to the Bastion, but this is a force of habit.] I guess we were lucky in that although our family wasn’t always there… they were always around, if that makes sense. Very lucky, considering what brats we were. But it was still lonely, even with there being two of us.

[he looks away again, another pout forming on his lips]

I can’t imagine how it would have been to be all alone, though.

[yinyangfox]

[ He smiles faintly, arching a brow and nodding as he listens. Seimei himself never - NEVER - talks about his past or private life. Here, however, in this place where nothing of life before seems to matter, what point was there in being secretive? There was no parallel world of demons hiding from human prejudice that he had to protect, no abnormality, great or small, that would matter to this motley crew. And talking felt better than being quiet, especially when the young man seemed to -need- to talk. About anything. ]

That is alright...Kaoru. [Saying the red-head's name sans honorific felt so terribly inappropriate...but he tries.] I sympathize with the loss of your family. I lost mine at a very young age, but... [He trails off for a moment, uncertain, before continuing with marked hesitation. ] Well, suffice to say it was my own fault.

[individuates]

E-eh? [careful, Kaoru. Dropping that egg in surprise sounds like exactly the sort of thing an Ouran kid might do.] But- How- -

But you’re so nice, Seimei-san. How could it be your fault?

[yinyangfox]

Nice? [ The onmyoji grins, tilting his head to regard Kaoru before chuckling and looking forward again, careful with his own fragile cargo. ] Well, thank you.

My father is...was...a human. My mother was not. She was Kuzunoha, the kitsune. Because of what I am, half kitsune, I see things for what they truly are. But, when a kitsune's identity is recovered, they are compelled to flee. So when I recognized my mother for what she truly was, she left my father and I. And my father was grief-stricken. We went into the Shinoda forest to find her. She granted me the rest of my powers, but could not return. My father and mother left me. I have been alone ever since.

Many hands went into raising me, but after that, no one really mattered.

[individuates]

What- - You- - Eh?

[...Seimei. You need to stop doing this to poor Kaoru. Maybe it's the lack of sleep, maybe it's due to not actually knowing Seimei's full name and picking it up elsewhere, but there's no way he could ignore that backstory.



Hold. Onto. The egg. Kaoru.]

You... you're that Seimei? Abe no Seimei? [in the meantime he has screeched to a halt again while he processes this. You're practically a legend to him. One of those mystical figures of the past. Like Merlin.]

[yinyangfox]

[ Seimei had stopped as well, turning to stare at Kaoru blankly for several moments. He forced a small smile, ducked his head in a tiny nod/bow and questioned the red-head. Rin had known what an onmyoji was, but so far, no one had known -him-. ]

I do believe I introduced myself as Abe no Seimei, but yes. So far as I know I am the only Abe no Seimei of any reputation, at any rate. Head of the Mikado's court of onmyoji. Not that it matters anymore.

[individuates]

Not to me you didn't! [he does a little sway on the spot, freeing one hand to clutch his head dramatically] You just kind of... sidled up and started chatting! By the end I'd already picked up your name from other people and thought it would be awkward to ask!

Explains a lot though. Jeez.

[yinyangfox]

Then that was a grievous mistake on my part and I beg your forgiveness! [ the onmyoji hurriedly bows his head over the chicken crate, rising to stare with raised brows at Kaoru. ] I should not make excuses for myself; I suppose I am just as rattled by this abrupt change in my life. Yes, as far as I know I am "that" Abe no Seimei. Unless there was another one after me...the likelihood is very low.

[ He glances to the side a little uncomfortably, anxious to know whether it was fame, or infamy, that maintained his name into the future of Japan. Would he have stayed a good person, had the world not been ended? Would time have made him a villain? He decided not to ask. Sometimes it was better not to know. ]

I hope you will not treat me differently for that knowledge...

[individuates]

[he can't help laughing a little bit] Seimei-san, we're all going through some Stuff right now. I never introduced myself to you either, so I guess we can let it slide.

[He'll figure out what that means later. It is kind of awesome but he's not going to get stuck on it, like some people he knows. He just starts walking again.] Not gonna lie though, I imagined you'd be a bit different. I thought you'd have a long black beard - the flowing kind, that you'd twirl on occasion. [Hard to remember sometimes that under that ridiculous get-up you're just like a normal person!]

[yinyangfox]

A...A long black beard? [ The onmyoji blinks rapidly, shaking his head as he keeps his steps steady. ]
No, no I don't think so. Maybe if that were the fashion, or if it were more dignified? Do I really look like I should have a beard? [ He asks, laughing faintly and cocking a brow.]
I think not. Besides, I don't have the complexion for it. If I tried growing one in, too much hair on my face and people really would think I was a fox!

[individuates]

Well, there are a lot of drawings of you with one. Not my fault the artist got it wrong. It was a long time ago, any way. I'm sure people assumed a lot of things about how things were then.

[he still turns to look at him though, assessing him.] Mmm, and you're completely right; it would confuse the eyes. Even if it was in fashion, which it isn't. I think those beards have had their time, and that time was long, long ago.

[yinyangfox]

Well, I am from a long, long time ago, at least to some people. So maybe...before all of -this- happened, beards went into fashion and I grew one? If so, I think that was a terrible decision. Maybe that's what caused the cataclysm? [ He jests, grinning at Kaoru. ]
I made such a disastrous fashion decision, all of time and space exploded. Hm? It makes as much sense as anything else at this point.

[individuates]

Generally speaking, beards are associated with scholars. And villains. As for poor fashion decisions, they don't mean the end of the world, Seimei-san. [even Kaoru's not that bad. He's clearly having a harder time dropping that honorific than he thought, though.]

...I'm still far from accepting it's all gone, though. [he can't manage that yet]

[yinyangfox]

A world and all the lives within it cannot simply cease to be, Kaoru-san. [ He purposely emphasizes the honorific as a reminder that the red-head had offered to drop them in favor of friendly familiarity.] Whatever happened has an explanation we simply have not yet received. Energy is forever, and people and worlds are composed of energy. You don't have to accept that it is all gone, you just have to accept that you may no longer be part of it.

[ The onmyoji sighs softly, fingers tightening around the crate of chickens, wood creaking under the pressure before he relaxes his grip. even he has difficulty taking full confidence in his words. His beliefs, once absolute, are challenged by this strange place and the overlapping time frames of those appearing at the Bastion. ]

So long as you believe in something, it is true. If you believe everything and everyone you care about is safe somewhere, then they are. You simply cannot reach them right now. That is all, Kaoru. So you must be strong and endure.

[individuates]

It's a good thing to believe in.

[he has wanted to ask several times today how it is that Seimei is so wise, but now he knows. Or at least he has a pretty good idea. walks along, thinking about this for a second.] Thanks Seimei-sa- uh. Sorry. Just-Seimei. For everything. I'll try to stop doubting.

[yinyangfox]

Its alright to doubt sometimes, Kaoru. Without doubt, its opposing element - faith - would not exist. Besides, if we didn't sometimes doubt ourselves or others, we could never be surprised or strive to improve. [ He smiles, smirking faintly and inclining his head. ]
And you are welcome, though you have no reason to thank me. I should thank you, for keeping me company. You could have joined other friends.

[individuates]

Mmm! [smiles and shakes his head] I enjoy talking to you. I already feel a lot better about things than I did when I first got here. Like I might actually have got me feet under me, finally.

[considering the egg in his arms briefly] You said I should start thinking of names? I don't plan on deciding anything until it hatches, but do you have any suggestions?

[yinyangfox]

Godzilla, evidently. [ The onmyoji remarks dryly. ] If it is a bird, I would name it Suzaku. If it is a reptile, I might name it Seiryu. Or Genbu. However I could be wrong and it might be some other sort of creature entirely. This work does not exactly follow most writ of reason. Perhaps a flying fish should hatch? What then?

[individuates]

[covers his mouth with one hand as he laughs] No, no, Godzilla's a terrible name - awful things might happen! It would only work ironically - say, on something we know is quite small and harmless.

I like Suzaku, though. [but of course those would be names you'd suggest, Seimei. Kaoru should have known.] We'll just have to see what comes out.

[he knows it's stupid, and he wouldn't, but he kind of wants to shake it like a present. For clues. He can be such a kid sometimes, but he is refraining like a real grown up~!]

[yinyangfox]

It -is- odd that I couldn't get some sense of what it is... [ The onmyoji muses to himself, eventually shaking his head and passing it off as being from another realm he was unfamiliar with. ]

Keep your enthusiasm, Kaoru. I believe it will serve you well for whatever is to come of this. It could be a delightful pastime, or a frightening challenge. What are you hoping for? [ He asks, tilting his head to regard the younger man from the corner of his vision. ]

[individuates]

[He laughs. He has the perfect answer for this one]

A delightful challenge!

[yinyangfox]

[ The onmyoji arches a brow slowly, lips curling in a vulpine smile as he flicks his gaze approvingly up and down Kaoru with a nod. ]

Right you are, Kaoru. Keep that mind and you'll do fine here.