01 - Pint Sized Terror Unleashed!

[bittydragon]

Who: Yamato Hotsuin and YOU!
Where: Taurus Ward at night
Summary: Yamato is more than a little disorientated
Warnings: A fire breathing dog. THE FIRE BREATHING DOG. Also Taurus ward I guess.

Yamato's brain felt like it was in the middle of a grand overload.

The bright neon lights, the bustle of people in all sorts of outlandish clothing moving from building to building in groups, the loud laughter and catcalls - it was so alien to Yamato, who had spent his years isolated in a quiet, out of the way mansion, that he found himself frozen in place, his head stiffly moving from side to side as he drank in the gaudy sight.

At least he had his faithful demon companion by his side. Cerberus was looming over him, more than twice his height, the beast's shoulders hunched in a tense way. Its body language clearly stated that it was prepared to lash out at anything that exhibited the slightest bit of threat, a low, muted growl rumbling in the back of its throat.

Yamato took an abrupt, cautious step forward, and Cerberus shadowed the movement. As... bewildering and confusing this was, he couldn't stand still all night. He...had to get to the bottom of this. A calm, detached observation of his surroundings, even if the lack of memory about his arrival here was disconcerting.

So. A child by his lonesome, dressed in a traditional yukata, with a Cerberus trailing after him... in the red light district during the busiest hour. Approach?

Comments

[capitalbackup]

Miyako was at the Pisces apartment in her room, reading a book to herself and mostly relaxing. Tonight, she decided not to go out training during the 13th Hour and will be using the hours leading up to it as she wish.

Until she received both the new arrivals notice and an unmistakably familiar feeling.

Snapping her book shut and put it down on the table, Miyako immediately get off her chair and leave her apartment. Her phone was in her pocket, as always, and it will be enough to cover for her sword. If he was there, she wouldn't need to bring her sword along.

It took her a while, even at her fast pace, to traverse from Pisces to Taurus ward. And once she realised where she's heading to? It's a wonder she didn't break into a run.

Once she entered the ward, Miyako continued to follow where she can sense him at, ignoring the few looks she may have received. Her footsteps came to a stop when she saw Cerberus and a very familiar looking boy.

A very familiar and short boy.

Miyako Hotsuin was quite taken back and confused by this. Which wasn't all that strange the longer she stay in this city, but she certainly wasn't expecting to see her brother as a child. They did discuss about different worlds and timelines before, but the possibility of her brother returning as a child never crossed her mind.

Even if it's technically his first time in this world, to keep the flow of time in perspective.

She slowly approached him and Cerberus, allowing them to notice her, before she stopped at a distance. Yamato may notice she's wearing some casual, civilian clothes. Mostly some clothes from a sports clothes store, even if he wouldn't know that.

"Yamato."

[bittydragon]

At first, Yamato wasn't sure what to make of the woman making her purposeful way towards him. She looked very much like a Hotsuin, pale hair, sharp eyes, and white skin - before it clicked that it was a Hotsuin. A specific Hotsuin.

Miyako Hotsuin. As an adult.

He jerked to a halt, and just stared at her in a bewildered sort of way - showing how disconcerted he was, allowing his face to shift expressions like that. He wasn't sure how to respond. Was this a trick? Was he - no. This... felt like Miyako. Different though. Like the pieces weren't aligning perfectly, but still connecting.

"...Miyako?" he asked, his voice sounding a bit small.

[capitalbackup]

For a moment, she wondered what was Philemon thinking to bring a young Yamato like this. If he want a good pawn in this fight, an older Yamato would be more preferable. But after her discussion with another young boy last month, she merely keep her thoughts to herself.

What matters right now was Yamato. But the way the connection felt was almost disconcerting. Connected but not quite so. Was it the large gap between their ages? Or something more than that?

"Yes, it's me."

But first, they should get out of this ward. It's too distracting and loud, and it's a terrible place to explain to him. She wasn't familiar with this ward, due to having no reason to ever visit here. Miyako wouldn't know a good place to talk in quiet at.

"Come with me. I'll explain after we leave this ward."

[bittydragon]

Yamato didn't move immediately - he looked partly suspicious, and partly confused - but after a long pause, he slowly walked towards Miyako, Cerberus shadowing his steps.

"What's the meaning of this?" he burst, obviously too impatient to wait for his answers.

[capitalbackup]

Good. Miyako didn't have the patience if he didn't want to come along with her. She waited until he's close enough.

"We're from different points in the timeline. Visitors like us, non-natives to this world, can come from different worlds and timelines, regardless of who we are."

It's the simplest explanation for this. She turned around, starting to walk and fully expected him to follow.

[bittydragon]

"Tch."

Yamato bristled a bit when Miyako strode off, knowing that he was being pushed into the subordinate role at the moment. Having to follow Miyako in her footsteps, and defer to her - it stung a little. But he swallowed his pride and walked after his sister, struggling a little to keep up with her strides in his wooden geta.

But he'd sooner bite off his tongue than tell her to slow down.

"So... have we been kidnapped?"

[capitalbackup]

She wouldn't normally do this, as Yamato was generally both her equal and her superior. But while he's here, she get the rare opportunity to be more knowledgeable and skilled than him...and the experience that came with being older.

"We are. We're taken to this world to be pawns in a wager between Philemon and Nyarlathotep."

Which she's still miffed about, but the longer she stay in this city, the more dulled her annoyance grew. It's a waste of energy to stay annoyed, when she have other things to focus on.

[bittydragon]

Yamato logged this away.

"I see. How troublesome," he said. It was troublesome, but being a pawn - that was nothing new. Those of the Hotsuin family were born to be valuable pawns, it was just that Yamato was a pawn to Japan, not some silly wager between two supernatural beings.

"Anything important that should be known about this world?"

[capitalbackup]

"We're granted the power of Persona in order to aid us in this world. It's also a common power among a number of the citizens in this city."

She saw some people using their Personas for tasks outside of battle. The greenhouse project was one example of their use. Idly, she wondered if Yamato would have Kali as his Persona, or summon a different one to account for his experiences and age.

During their walk, while it's still night time at the moment, the streets wasn't completely empty. There were demons walking around, along with some people minding their own businesses.

"The government provide both a room and some money to all Visitors. We're going to the government office about your residence and to get your citizen card."

Speaking of which, while Miyako would be fine with Yamato living separately from herself, that's only when he's older. She knew very well at his current age, her brother don't know a lot about the city and the culture. She can think of a few options.

Allow him to live on his own - which already have a few cons to it compared to the pros - stay with herself or...put him in Alcor's care.

[bittydragon]

"My residence?" Yamato's nose wrinkled briefly, disliking the thought of being shuttled off into some room away from the only familiar thing in this city. Well, he had Cerberus to protect him, but his demon was tied towards Yamato's mental state. If something damaged him enough to dispel Cerberus... he'd be fully exposed to attack.

"Will we share a room? We are siblings."

[capitalbackup]

"If we send in a request, we will."

It would be foolish for the government workers to reject it, when they can plainly see they're siblings and his young age. It would be simple enough to convince them to believe Yamato's better off in her care.

ARGH I DID NOT GET THIS NOTIF

[bittydragon]

"Hm..." Yamato was giving Miyako a narrowed, contemplative look. "You've gotten comfortable here, haven't you?"

[capitalbackup]

Grown comfortable?

In a sense, she did find herself growing more and more used to life in Hinoto-Ri. Any obstacles she face can be overcome from asking for information. The only problem she's facing was finding a new sense of purpose.

"I've grown used to living here. There are some initial difficulties, but nothing I couldn't handle."

She won't mention how her own emotional state at the time, ah, may contribute to it.

[bittydragon]

Yamato wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"How shameful," he muttered, turning his face away from his sister, as if he couldn't look at her. "Hotsuin have a duty to Japan, not Hinoto-Ri."

[capitalbackup]

After he turned away, Yamato missed the dry, humourless smile on Miyako's face.

"I'm well aware of that."

And how she upheld that duty, even after they declared their side for their ideology. She fought for what she believed was Japan's, and the world by extension, superior future, and lost spectacularly. Miyako haven't truly resolved her feelings about her loss, when Hinoto-Ri has been a very good, willing distraction. But she hasn't committed herself to this city. No love or obligation, other than repaying her debts.

"I only owe this city a debt. But my duty haven't changed."

Or her loyalty, to him and to meritocracy.