Memories [TBTP/CLOSED]

"You're still sulking about the Uno game, aren't you?" Seiichiro asked, one hand shading his eyes from the bright sunlight poking through the oval shaped leaves. Sweet scented lavender and white blossoms hung in thick clusters all around the entire expanse. In spite of summer's early start, the wisteria nearly obscured the massive entwined trunks surrounding the cedar beneath it and nearly hid a short figure scuttling higher into the tangled branches as if it were a rope ladder. His hands found a hold and started climbing after her. Might as well keep her from running off again by keeping her guilt and worry bound that he'd fall and crack his skull open while climbing after her.

A pause and coral red eyes glared down through half lowered lashes. The picture of offended female, she made a little 'hmph!' noise and turned her nose up at him. Transitioned her expression from annoyed to preoccupied as she headed further up the tree's three hundred plus year old branches.

"I'll take that as a yes." He muttered, smirking at the immature display of 'I'm ignoring you'. Grunted as his hand slipped and he hung, precariously, by one hand before finding a more secure hold. "Oi, idiot, what're you even doing?"

He wasn't going to shut up until she gave him some kind of information. She didn't even need her spirit to remind her of that and paused mid-reach. Canted her head and closed her eyes. A soft hum from beneath her palm and knees and everywhere her body clung to the rough bark sending her urgent messages in slow, broken whispers. "Pruning." She called down finally, shifted her weight and started angling off toward the right. Somewhere on this side and about... aha! There. She frowned down at the multitude of new green shoots trying to sprout from the branches. Closed her eyes and sent her senses through the rest of the massive tree. Found seventeen more identical spots along the entire length.

"You know better," Sekai scolded softly. Caressed the bark with a brush of her knuckles as if it were a favored pet or lover. "keeping all of them will kill you, and then who will admire your beauty year after year?"

The gigantic wisteria, nigh unto a deity in her own right, shifted in response. Branches creaked. Heavy curtains of lavender and white and green swayed in an invisible breeze with a soft sigh of protest. The small one was right, of course, she could not support all the new additions to her glory. But couldn't she just keep some of them? They were so cute and new and alive and so wished to stay that way...

Had he heard her right?

Pruning? At this time of year?

Seiichiro paused, glimpsed some of the wet slate and concrete from the several hours prior. "Why now?" He called up, having clung tightly while the not-breeze made the tree move before continuing his ascent. "We did that about four months ago, right before the nasty part of winter." Weird shit and nature seemed to go hand in hand with Sekai. He'd stopped questioning it long ago and accepted that she was probably Okuninushi's chosen favorite. Probably Chikap Kamuy too, knowing the girl's luck. Made sense, honestly, given that she was hiding something major and he was hell bent on prying it out of her.

"Eighteen new runners and she still wishes to make more." Sekai called back. Exasperation within her voice made him grin. "How many did you rid her of?"

"Forty... seven?" He frowned, trying to remember the wide eyed, dazed look on the poor arborist's face.

Fifty two. She corrected with a shift and tap of branches in a slow, steady pattern. And it hurt. Sekai offered a soft coo of comfort to the sulking giant. Hid the smile as best she could and patted the main trunk in acknowledgment. "Fifty two, apparently. They gave you the wrong number. Were they rough with her? She says it hurt."

"Not as much as Okume-hime's throwing seed pods to make them go away did." He'd finally reached the same spot she was at and settled himself comfortable. Eyed an assortment of aforementioned pods clustered all around the two of them warily. Something ricocheted past his head, stung his ear and made him haul Sekai in front of him as a living shield with a yelp from both of the. "Oi! Tell her to knock it off!"

"You know she doesn't like that name." She scolded Seiichiro, leaned down and bit his arm to make him release her.

He did so with a muffled squawk of protest and made a face as she wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "I can't talk to trees! For all I know, she's just changing her name on a century to century basis in order to throw things at us when we do something to make her mad." Anyone else would have probably thought them mad for speaking of the tree as if she were a living, breathing human being. Those born in the village and accustomed to the Fujimura Shrine's legends of the tree knew better.

Most of those who grew up in said village and died in it affectionately referred to the tree in a variety of terms, names, and honorifics that suited her per stage of their short human lives. '-hime', or 'princess', however, always seemed to attach itself no matter what. Everyone agreed she was a majestic example of a proper Japanese wisteria and appropriate symbol of the shrine and village itself. Earliest recorded name that they could find was "Okume-hime" from the fourteenth century and they had referred to her reverently as such ever since. Most of the time, at least. When they weren't referring to her as 'that child' with the same kind of warm affection one might use for a favored great-grandchild or niece of particularly strong will. Or, at least, they had until she'd made it quite clear to Sekai that she was highly displeased with this name and desired her true name be used.

Except, she wasn't being forth-coming with it or had sworn Sekai not to say it to anyone else.

“Well, maybe if she'd stop being the brattiest princess of the land, we'd be able to make her happy.” He countered sharply, rubbed his ear against his shoulder with a scowl at the main trunk. “Why doesn't she ever throw you out or throw things at you, anyway? I think she's sexist.”

Another seed pod flung itself to smack him right upside the head immediately after. A second followed in the wake to sting his cheek.

He glared at the woman trying her hardest not to laugh at him. “That first one was yours, I felt your spirit in it.”

”You deserved it.” Sekai countered with barely restrained laughter. Turned her attention back to the tree proper and stroked the bark with soothing fingertips, green light trailing in their wake to sink into the tree proper. Sent the trails winding through the bark to the branch trying to sprout new green runners and severed them from the main branch.

The tree protested mightily as the energy used to grow them retracted. Returned to the lifeblood of the tree herself as if it had never happened. She liked that one and had imagined great things for it! How dare she decide which ones could stay and which would be allowed to grow?! She should mind her place and, and---

”You knew this was going to happen,” Sekai reminded her sternly. Parent talking to temper tantrum throwing child. ”that you would try to sneak more in while I was otherwise occupied says that very clearly.”

Well maybe if she didn't leave all the time, she wouldn't have any reason to make new shoots. Had the selfish not-human human woman ever considered that? Of course she hadn't! She was too busy doing mysterious things and not even bothering to send so much as a butterfly to keep her company throughout the cold, lonely nights. Why would that stupid mortal ever consider that she, the great protector and guardian of the small village shrine, might decide to grow even more radiant and magnificent the way she was always destined to when left to her own ambitions?

Sekai's eyes narrowed. ”You're starting to sound a good deal like Seiichiro and Ame.” She informed the petulant tree in front of her. Cross expression flitting across her face in spite of her best efforts.

They might just have a point, came the snippy response.

Amenonuhoko grinned. Found the entire exchange incredibly amusing. Maybe you're just pissy 'cause we all have a point. She offered the option with just the right amount of obnoxious cheeriness to mask something deeper going on. Make your apologies to her and start bartering; you'll lose and get eaten if you don't.

The great wisteria beamed as best a tree could. Dropped a crown of wisteria blossoms atop Sekai's head in gratitude toward the mouthy spirit trying to heal the rift in her favorite human's soul. Sekai didn't look amused at the encouragement of one mouthy individual to another's behavior.

“What's she saying about me now?” Seiichiro grumbled. Expression quite clearly stating his displeasure with being left out and forgotten in the heated argument.

”That you are quite handsome and when she manages to store enough power, she intends to bear you an heir the likes of which will rival half of the spiritually powered humans in the last fifty years.” Sekai quipped without batting an eye. Ducked the sudden barrage of seed pods hurled at her with force enough they whistled through the air and the wisteria trembled in outrage. Laughing at nature's fury was usually ill advised, but the reaction was so appropriate and akin to that of an outraged teenager that she couldn't help it.

Are you okay? She asked. The silver eyed spirit had been unusually quiet and hadn't contributed in the slightest during the exchange.

You tell me; am I? Amenonuhoko countered softly as a pod smacked into a particularly sensitive bit of skin. She chuckled and shook her head at the tree's vehement protests that followed. Tonight.

That wasn't like her at all. But— Sekai protested. Concern intensified the more she felt the 'difference' between her own fairly relaxed state and the growing tension from within.

We'll have time to talk tonight. Face to face. She replied. Cut Sekai off as effectively as a sword hilt or fist directly to the gut. Talk to your family and spend some time with them. Remember why we're doing all this. and the silver eyed spirit fell still. Silence stretched onward between them as Sekai tried, repeatedly, to get her to talk.

“If you're done making faces and being an ass, why don't you tell me what you and Ok- the Princess actually said.” Seiichiro interrupted irritably. Shook her shoulder with one hand for emphasis and to get the distracted, unfocused look off her face.

She'd been doing that a lot the last day and a half. Drifting off to a far away place that no one seemed to be able to rouse her from. Fun to watch, just like presenting her with an overly complex social dilemma and watching her expressions morph from one to another as she tried to find the least offensive comment and actions in order to keep the peace, but otherwise worrying. Felt too much like the stretch of time she'd spent recovering just long enough for the worst of the cuts to scab over. She'd barely managed a whispered good-bye back then before she'd started running.

From what, he could only imagine. But the shadows within her eyes and single minded determination with which she'd bolted without looking back had been telling enough. Though his grandparents didn't seem to share as much of his worry, not that he'd ever admit it, he knew they too had sensed something off. Well, more off than usual, anyway. Not just depression. Not just the anxiety that she'd always been afflicted with from probably birth, knowing her.

He switched tactics. “Actually? Better idea. What the hell is going on with you lately? You keep looking from the shrine to the Princess here and back again. And then you look to the west as if someone's calling you.” No better place to talk, really, she couldn't escape so easily here and would stay until she knew he'd gotten down safely. Of course, the thought occurred to him, she could always just command the tree to throw him into the koi pond. She'd done it before. Twice, actually. Had actually thrown herself into one to escape as well. Stupid cheating shrine maidens and their bullshit god given powers.

”It's a long story,” She began. Already maneuvering her wording to try and get out of the subject.

Grey eyes flashed in annoyance, crinkled at the corners as he figured a new angle to play by. Leaned back and draped his long legs across her lap and his hands folded behind his head. Cheeky grin on his face as he glanced at her fairly blurry outline over the rim of his glasses. “What a coincidence, I'm in the mood for a long story or seven-- and dinner won't be ready for several hours.”

She was seriously contemplating the consequences being worth the gratification of slapping him. She hated this attitude and behavior. Hated it. The stupid rakish entitled 'I'm so good you should just indulge me because I'll win no matter what' grin that seemed to be genetic in the Fujimura family. ”We have matters to attend to-- pruning, maintaining the grounds, ensuring the omamori are fully stocked and prepared,” Sakuya'd had it. Jadin had quite definitely had it and the fiery hair color to match her otherwise notorious temper. And Seiichiro never used to have it until he'd apparently picked up on the fact that she was both weak to those who had it down to an art and absolutely repulsed.

Cheeky grin widened. “You already did the ground maintenance early this morning-- Grandma loves the new additions to her garden, by the way-- and the 'mamori are already stocked. Twice over, as a matter of fact. I saw to it myself.” Settled himself further. Made an exaggerated show of getting immensely comfortable-- as much so as one could be high up in a gigantic sacred tree-- and gave her his infamous 'patient' look he knew she hated. “And you can do the pruning right here without moving while you tell me this long story of yours.”

The look on her face made it increasingly difficult not to laugh. Pressure built in his chest as he swallowed the urge and pushed onward. “Princess here gets to spend time with us both, a win in all situations even if I'm not as attached to her as you are, you get to make sure she's not hurting herself by throwing runners everywhere, and I get the information I want. Everyone wins, really.”

She highly doubted the 'everyone wins' part of it and both expression and aura made that abundantly clear.

”I don't know where to start.” Sekai tried again to weasel her way out of it. Knowing the attempt was weak and she was essentially against a corner. He, and the rest of the Fujimura, deserved to know what happened to Sakuya. And to her as well, she supposed. Closed her eyes and loosed a shaky breath. Nausea churned her stomach and she fought the urge to press against the protesting organ and ease its discomfort.

“The beginning sounds good.” He replied smugly. Entirely secure in his victory.

Her eyes narrowed to slits of ruby red. ”Well, some twenty-six years ago, I was born to Namino Azami and Namino Kotaro of Uen--”

Seiichiro lifted his leg and dropped it back down in a heavy thump against her lap in retaliation at the same time a trio of seed pods smacked in a line down her back and shoulder. “HA! Even she agrees with me!” He crowed. Removed one hand and pointed rudely at the white haired woman in front of him.

You deserved that. Amenonuhoko added, breaking her own silence to remind her that she was listening and present.

This was so not fair, Sekai seethed. Outnumbered three to one, she reluctantly began to explain the events that had transpired since she'd departed the Fujimura Shrine.

She’d forgotten how quiet the mountains were at night.

Wind whistled through the trees. Faint cricket chirps and the steady croak of frogs by the river almost a mile away from the grounds caught her ear. Peace and quiet; a stillness that could not be matched in the bustling city nights in Tokyo proper or Karakura. She stared up into the star strewn sky and felt her thoughts drift.

Night air, thick and humid, filled her lungs as she breathed in and exhaled. No tang of car exhaust or production factory. No salty, mildly fishy odor from the bay or weed choked river faintly reeking as she walked. Just the crisp mountains, fresh, clean, and soul relieving mingled with the faintly sweet scent of wisteria and woodsy cedars.

She reached out, lulled almost to relaxation, to the spirit waiting patiently for her to speak
Are you there?

Always. immediately came the soft echo and stir within her thoughts. Amenonuhoko roused, waited for Sekai to speak again. Silence stretched out. The two taking silent comfort in each other’s presence while at least one of them pretended not to.

Should I go to the waterfall or the tree? Maybe the shrine itself? Sekai suggested. Chose three places that might be good shelter in case of their talk going completely wrong and ending in a fight. Waterfall would allow for meditation and purification of the soul proper, and would hide the blood rather well if aforementioned battle did commence.

Amenonuhoko shook her head firmly. A sense of longing potent churned their gut. Clouds bubbled softly into existence there in the eternal expanse of sky. Home.

Sekai’s gut clenched. She swallowed hard as she turned to face the innocuous storeroom she’d sealed off. Things had… not gone well the last time she had set foot there. To put it mildly. And she wanted to just render it down to rubble and pretend it never existed in the first place. Pretend the scars inside wouldn’t remind her of Hi-to and what had broken things so completely between the two of them. Pretend that it still didn’t hurt even after they had met by chance and cleared up what they could between them.

I think the tree is a better option. And the shrine itself is our home. Seeing the damage wrought all over again wasn’t something she wanted. The broken memories and pieces of charred happiness scattered throughout a place she’d called home.

You asked. I want to go home-- to OUR home. It’s ours and not even some fucking stupid temper tantrum throwing, emotionally stunted Shinigami with a stick up his ass is going to take it away from us. She retaliated stubbornly. This was our safe place; our refuge. We need it back.

Good gods, but Amenonuhoko was insistent. I told you, the shrine is my refuge-- our refuge. The storehouse was just one of many private spaces we had available. She countered. Found herself less and less convinced. We also have the Shrine of the Forgotten there in--

The world tilted. Flickered in and out of focus. Sent her stumbling into the structure with a hand pressed against her temple and snowy lashes blinking rapidly in hopes of regaining focus. Leaned heavily against the faux wall and tried to quell the roil in her stomach.

I let you run away from the others and didn’t fucking push you. Takua especially. Amenonuhoko’s voice was quiet in its viciousness. I let you dodge all that bullshit with the Captain Commander, Hi-to, Miyuki, Jian, Dew, Marshal, Nazomi, and Raphael. I will not, will not run from what we need. Not again. Not when we’re gonna ‘talk’ to Obsession and we need to deal with some of the shit we haven’t yet.

Sekai gnawed her lower lip in worry. Gut clenched and shame burned in her ears and cheeks at some of the names. Three of them had been resolved. Sort of. She didn’t know what to do about Miyuki or what lingered with Nazomi. The latter seemed incapable of properly communicating what he wanted to tell her and she didn’t have the slightest of clues as to how she could help him. But the former… the former she wanted to spend more time with. Get to know her the way she hadn’t gotten to their last time around--and it worried her with everything building up in the world around her. Worried that she had come too late and that there was nothing she could do for her now the same way she hadn’t been able to back then.

Things with Hi-to, however…

She still remembered black sands and sunrises the color of pain and passion. Of the massive blue eyed phoenix that roosted within the depths of the rumbling volcano there in an otherwise lonely tropical paradise and his stern, quiet voice so similar to and yet so different from Hi-to’s own. The tears she’d shed upon meeting the spirit who’d protected her that night and warmth of the flames as she’d rested her forehead against his massive beak. Of the knowledge her perception, her belief in Hi-to hadn’t been wrong after all-- but that the pain and mistakes wouldn’t go away so easily either. That painful twist of her heart when she thought of him still and the simple matter of their relationship unable to return to what it had been; and the uncertainty of what it would be now.

She started to wonder if she had a weakness to the color blue as a whole-- especially when it came to the eyes of those she liked.

I’m not... she began in protest. Stopped. Sighed and let her head smack into the hard stone behind her with a solid thunk of impact. Closed her eyes and tried to figure out a way to make them both happy. ...it’s hard. Sekai admitted finally. I don’t know what to do or how to do it. I always just…

Always just did what you usually do; pretend like you’ve moved on so those around you don’t worry. She finished for the white haired hybrid. Her mouth twisted in a wry attempt at smiling. I know, remember?

”I hate that part of myself.” Sekai mumbled. Closed her eyes again as the starry sky blurred and swam.

I know. Amenonuhoko reminded her again, the smile a little less forced this time. You are everything I hate,”

”and so I am to you.” Sekai finished the mantra. Felt her legs buckle and drop her to the ground Awareness faded. Darkness consumed and left her drifting, falling downward through a cold dark sky with no end. The earth around her trembled as Asgard erupted to catch and encase her within the safety of his own body. Pink eyes shaded to a bright, glowing red of alarm as he shifted and took the two of them within the destroyed structure.

Safety came first and foremost; and he would guard her while she communed with the other half of herself.

--
WC: 3917
GP: 52