[ ain is a simple tentacle angel with simple needs. ]
...... if that's okay.... I would.
[ he nods, the hesitance in his voice condensing into something firm. he came out here with the intention to understand, and - since he's given the chance, he should take it. ]
[ it's not like the cat would willingly leave his side, either; so it works out well. ]
Thank you.
[ he picks up the cat and places it on the top of his head, upon which it quickly climbs past the needles holding his ponytail in place and settles into the unending floof that is his hair. a portable wall for cats to cling on! ]
( Ah, this is really happening. A part of her had hoped he'd decline so she wouldn't have to worry about entertaining anyone but... she doesn't mind. She's become stronger since she first arrived her. Nodding, she extends a hand out to him, )
If it's alright with you, then... I-I'd like to show you one of my favorite places.
( Her fingers twitch, not expecting that sort of feeling. Then again... what had she been expecting? She won't take her hand away, though. Taking a breath, she looks up, giving him a shy smile and nods. )
Then let's go.
( And like that, their setting has changed. They're no longer in the Far Shore but rather, they're in the Near Shore. The air is cool and the sun is shining in the afternoon. There are people taking pictures nearby but no one seems to notice the duo (or trio, rather) that suddenly appeared. In the distance, a white castle looms sharply against a clear blue sky, rising from brightly colored foliage.
As soon as she sees everything, she takes her hand away to hold both tightly to her chest, her breath taken away. They're on some sort of path that presumably would lead up to the castle at some point and she takes a few steps forward. TUrning back to Ain, she smiles brightly-- absolutely glowing, )
Oh! It's all even more beautiful than the last time I was here! Isn't it wonderful?
— that's the first thing he notices, squinting against the sunlight. it's not particularly harsh, but it is very bright to someone who spends most of their time in eternal darkness. it takes a few moments for his vision to adjust, a slight frown brushing his expression before.......... ]
( Ain's reaction isn't nearly as positive as her's but at this point, she's come to understand it some. He's... a much quieter person, isn't he? She isn't sure how to read him but just because he doesn't share her spirit right now, that doesn't mean he doesn't like things as they are. Or does he? It's hard to tell when he frowns like that and she adjusts her mood some, gathering her composure and nodding, )
Yes. ( She's still smiling, eyes bright with excitement despite her calmer demeanor, ) The way the leaves turn from the same greens to so many shades of gold and red a-and everything in between... It's our last chance to enjoy s-such brilliant colors before they go away. Soon the trees will lose their leaves. Like the cherry blossoms in spring, the leaves in the fall remind us how brief our time here can be and h-how precious each and every moment is...
[ there's nothing complex about it, really. it's as simple as night and day, black and white. such things are too bright, sharp and just the slightest tinge caustic against his form sculpted out of darkness.
but, he bears it all the same. pain matters naught, when you feel nothing. ]
... and the seasons pass, time flows on. The leaves trace out the cycle of life and death.
[ he's quiet, that much is true. but there's a calmness in his voice that isn't quite there before, his consciousness fully crystallized in this plane instead of its reverse. ]
( It's a different type of conversation than the ones she's used to having. It reminds her more of the lessons she'd had when becoming a shrine maiden and healer, learning to come to terms with mortality and existence. Life is short and fleeting, especially the lives of warriors... Ah, she doesnt' want to think about that now.
Quietly, )
I'm sorry. This is rather serious now, isn't it?
But you know... fall is wonderful for a lot of reasons! ( She's trying to change the course of the conversation, ) It's the last season of festivals before winter comes. There are a-all sorts of harvest festivals with so much delicious food and gardens everywhere open so people can come see the leaves...
And even if the seasons are coming to their end, things are beginning too! Soon, there will be a festival for children t-to celebrate their growth and health... It truly is a wonderful time, Ain-san.
[ it's hard not to think of this. it's a truth that is written in the underside of his bones - or would be, if he still had them. somehow, it's the first thing that comes to mind; like what one would say if they weren't really here, instead watching this world through a panel of silvered glass.
ain watches her now, his single gaze clear yet unreadable like a pool of deep water. he watches, trying to prise out some sort of guide from her words, the air around them. ]
...... sounds like it.
[ he says this a little slower, hesitant - as if there's something else on the tip of his tongue, straining to break free.
<< I want to be in that world, too. >>
but.... how? ]
It must be nice to watch. [ a nod, as he tries to inject more confidence into his voice ]
( She's hesitant at first, taking one step closer to Ain and stopping short, wondering to herself, "Is this really the best idea?" But after a moment's thought, she reaches to take one of Ain's hands with both of hers. She knows what to expect now so she won't be afraid. Her hold is gentle, one that would be easy to pull away from if he wasn't comfortable but encouraging should he want to stay, )
But first... let's get closer to the castle! It's so beautiful from here, it m-must be gorgeous up close!
( She gives him a small tug, pulling him along with her. )
[ he follows in her wake, surprisingly light - as if she isn't pulling on a person at all, but rather something soft and floaty like a cloud. ]
Okay.
[ and... that is all he will say, because there's nothing else he thinks worth mentioning. instead, he'll look around while they walk, the cat peering out from his hair like a squirrel from a tree. ]
... I've never... seen any of these before...
[ but they're beautiful and a little nostalgic, in the same way that clouds are when seen from the reflection of water. ]
( Ain must be light because there's no way Sakura is actually this strong. Leading the way, there's an energy in her step, like she's trying to not run ahead skipping down the street lined with trees. There's definitely a contained energy to her, something full of life and happiness bubbling under a calmer surface. In the back of her mind, she still feels nervous-- she isn't sure if Ain is really enjoying all of this. he's a difficult person to read, even more difficult than Takumi can be. )
Never?
( How curious. Even if shinki are without memories, they at least seem to retain some knowledge of the world. For Ain to mention never seeing anything like this before... what did Ain know of the world before now? )
... I-I can show you more places, if you'd like. I'm still learning about this realm b-but it's not unlike Hoshido, where I'm from. The customs and traditions of this realm remind me of the ones I grew up with and e-even some of the places.... ( Quietly, ) feel a little like home.
[ he's unreadable, perhaps because there isn't much to read at all. he's a simple person, made even simpler by his death shredding away his memories - a blank slate, written in the language of the deep rather than the language of men.
yet, he's here, against all odds. so he's trying, despite how being here unsettles his core ]
........ I hope that makes you happy.
[ it's the first thing he homes in on, apparently; his single visible eyebrow creasing a little in a frown, though it's more of concern than anything else. ]
( Does it make her happy? It's more complicated than happiness and sadness. It isn't black and white. There are moments when she experiences things that make her both smile and hurt. Things that make her want to cry but laugh. Places that make her feel closer to home but remind her how far away she is. She is both happy and sad. She supposes that means this is all... what's the word? Bittersweet?
Yes, that's how it feels. )
... Yes. A little sad, if I'm honest but... happy too.
( As they walk the path, she tries to explain. It's okay to tell Ain, right? He won't tell anyone. At least, he doesn't strike her as the type to tell secrets. )
In my realm... I lived in a castle. ( She won't really explain more than that but he can probably assume she either worked in one or well, lived in it. ) "Castle Shirasagi."
When I heard there was a castle in this real w-with the same name... ( Her voice rises, warm and bright, ) I had to see it for myself!
And I'm glad I did. T-truly. When I'm here... I feel happy.
[ he thinks he understands, though only in a transient way, like a bird skimming over water. but - there's another sentiment that he finds, in the way she speaks of the castle in colours of red and gold, a wish of home.
( She looks back at him, tilting her head curiously to one side. It's a bit of a strange question. Is it a place that she belongs to? She supposes so but it's more than just that so she wonders what he's asking. )
Ah... Castle Shirasagi is... ( She has to think, ) It's where I live.
But I think... I think the place I belong to is bigger than a castle. ( Even if the castle in question is huge. ) I belong to Hoshido b-but it's more than just a place.
It's my home a-and my country and my family and all of my people too! ( Hoshido is everything she loves and values and her heart swells, giving her new strength just thinking about it. ) But now... I think it's a l-little more complicated since I've been here...
[ he listens, his form swaying a little like the leaves around them, in the faint ambient breeze. ]
.... I heard someone say, home, is where your heart is.
[ there are several things he wants to say. there's the awareness of how she had held a great deal of worry and fear when they last met - and while he doesn't remember anything, he knows that somehow, that should not happen. it's like knowing the shape of words despite never having the knowledge of speaking them. some vague notion of happiness, too. something about being human.... ]
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...... if that's okay.... I would.
[ he nods, the hesitance in his voice condensing into something firm. he came out here with the intention to understand, and - since he's given the chance, he should take it. ]
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I-I wouldn't invite you if it wasn't okay. ( Except she would. But this is actually okay. ) You're little friend can join us too!
( His cat. Of course he can bring the cat. )
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Thank you.
[ he picks up the cat and places it on the top of his head, upon which it quickly climbs past the needles holding his ponytail in place and settles into the unending floof that is his hair. a portable wall for cats to cling on! ]
.... I'll go where you go.
no subject
If it's alright with you, then... I-I'd like to show you one of my favorite places.
no subject
Okay.
[ he'll just wait and see, he supposes ]
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Then let's go.
( And like that, their setting has changed. They're no longer in the Far Shore but rather, they're in the Near Shore. The air is cool and the sun is shining in the afternoon. There are people taking pictures nearby but no one seems to notice the duo (or trio, rather) that suddenly appeared. In the distance, a white castle looms sharply against a clear blue sky, rising from brightly colored foliage.
As soon as she sees everything, she takes her hand away to hold both tightly to her chest, her breath taken away. They're on some sort of path that presumably would lead up to the castle at some point and she takes a few steps forward. TUrning back to Ain, she smiles brightly-- absolutely glowing, )
Oh! It's all even more beautiful than the last time I was here! Isn't it wonderful?
no subject
— that's the first thing he notices, squinting against the sunlight. it's not particularly harsh, but it is very bright to someone who spends most of their time in eternal darkness. it takes a few moments for his vision to adjust, a slight frown brushing his expression before.......... ]
.... it is. It's.... colourful.
[ that's a good thing for the living, right? ]
You like this colour?
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Yes. ( She's still smiling, eyes bright with excitement despite her calmer demeanor, ) The way the leaves turn from the same greens to so many shades of gold and red a-and everything in between... It's our last chance to enjoy s-such brilliant colors before they go away. Soon the trees will lose their leaves. Like the cherry blossoms in spring, the leaves in the fall remind us how brief our time here can be and h-how precious each and every moment is...
no subject
but, he bears it all the same. pain matters naught, when you feel nothing. ]
... and the seasons pass, time flows on. The leaves trace out the cycle of life and death.
[ he's quiet, that much is true. but there's a calmness in his voice that isn't quite there before, his consciousness fully crystallized in this plane instead of its reverse. ]
no subject
Quietly, )
I'm sorry. This is rather serious now, isn't it?
But you know... fall is wonderful for a lot of reasons! ( She's trying to change the course of the conversation, ) It's the last season of festivals before winter comes. There are a-all sorts of harvest festivals with so much delicious food and gardens everywhere open so people can come see the leaves...
And even if the seasons are coming to their end, things are beginning too! Soon, there will be a festival for children t-to celebrate their growth and health... It truly is a wonderful time, Ain-san.
no subject
ain watches her now, his single gaze clear yet unreadable like a pool of deep water. he watches, trying to prise out some sort of guide from her words, the air around them. ]
...... sounds like it.
[ he says this a little slower, hesitant - as if there's something else on the tip of his tongue, straining to break free.
<< I want to be in that world, too. >>
but.... how? ]
It must be nice to watch. [ a nod, as he tries to inject more confidence into his voice ]
no subject
( She's hesitant at first, taking one step closer to Ain and stopping short, wondering to herself, "Is this really the best idea?" But after a moment's thought, she reaches to take one of Ain's hands with both of hers. She knows what to expect now so she won't be afraid. Her hold is gentle, one that would be easy to pull away from if he wasn't comfortable but encouraging should he want to stay, )
But first... let's get closer to the castle! It's so beautiful from here, it m-must be gorgeous up close!
( She gives him a small tug, pulling him along with her. )
A-and maybe we'll see...
no subject
Okay.
[ and... that is all he will say, because there's nothing else he thinks worth mentioning. instead, he'll look around while they walk, the cat peering out from his hair like a squirrel from a tree. ]
... I've never... seen any of these before...
[ but they're beautiful and a little nostalgic, in the same way that clouds are when seen from the reflection of water. ]
no subject
Never?
( How curious. Even if shinki are without memories, they at least seem to retain some knowledge of the world. For Ain to mention never seeing anything like this before... what did Ain know of the world before now? )
... I-I can show you more places, if you'd like. I'm still learning about this realm b-but it's not unlike Hoshido, where I'm from. The customs and traditions of this realm remind me of the ones I grew up with and e-even some of the places.... ( Quietly, ) feel a little like home.
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yet, he's here, against all odds. so he's trying, despite how being here unsettles his core ]
........ I hope that makes you happy.
[ it's the first thing he homes in on, apparently; his single visible eyebrow creasing a little in a frown, though it's more of concern than anything else. ]
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Yes, that's how it feels. )
... Yes. A little sad, if I'm honest but... happy too.
( As they walk the path, she tries to explain. It's okay to tell Ain, right? He won't tell anyone. At least, he doesn't strike her as the type to tell secrets. )
In my realm... I lived in a castle. ( She won't really explain more than that but he can probably assume she either worked in one or well, lived in it. ) "Castle Shirasagi."
When I heard there was a castle in this real w-with the same name... ( Her voice rises, warm and bright, ) I had to see it for myself!
And I'm glad I did. T-truly. When I'm here... I feel happy.
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where is home, though? what makes a place home? ]
.... is it, a place you belong to?
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( She looks back at him, tilting her head curiously to one side. It's a bit of a strange question. Is it a place that she belongs to? She supposes so but it's more than just that so she wonders what he's asking. )
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[ he nods, just once. some things are not yet comprehensible to him, so he has to ask ]
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But I think... I think the place I belong to is bigger than a castle. ( Even if the castle in question is huge. ) I belong to Hoshido b-but it's more than just a place.
It's my home a-and my country and my family and all of my people too! ( Hoshido is everything she loves and values and her heart swells, giving her new strength just thinking about it. ) But now... I think it's a l-little more complicated since I've been here...
no subject
.... I heard someone say, home, is where your heart is.
[ there are several things he wants to say. there's the awareness of how she had held a great deal of worry and fear when they last met - and while he doesn't remember anything, he knows that somehow, that should not happen. it's like knowing the shape of words despite never having the knowledge of speaking them. some vague notion of happiness, too. something about being human.... ]
It's....
[ something I want, he thinks. ]
... it sounds like a beautiful place.