☆` i've never been to space before.

[kagayakashi]

Characters: Gracia and vatheon.
Location: Nostalgia Nook.
Time: Right now, baby.~
Style: I'll start it out in prose but feel free to change this, and I'll follow your lead.
Status: OPEN ♥

Comments

\m/

[behisstrength]

As per Mitsuhide's request, when he made his way over, Motochika carried two towels; once in reach he draped one around Gracia's shoulders, and the other over Mitsuhide's, before he stepped back.

"So you have returned to us, Gracia."

Motochika glanced her over, assessing the differences for himself.

Just gimme a heads up if Bell's tagging next, or if there's an order? :D

[kagayakashi]

Speak of the devil.

Gracia held back a small sneeze and was grateful for the towel to dry herself off with. But the moment she heard the deep, commanding voice that on more than one occasion gave her the answers she needed on the battlefield, she felt the sudden sharp jabs in her chest return.

Stepping away from her father, her small yet nimble hands carefully holding up the towel around her shoulders, Gracia approached the Lord of Tosa.

"Motochika...you're here," Gracia attempted hiccuped her tears away. Unfortunately, her efforts failed against the heat of the moment.

"You really are alive...The both of you..." Gracia held the towel lamely across one shoulder as it slowly fell thanks to gravity. She started crying, with one hand covering her face.

How long had it been...?

When she had decided she was all alone...?

Bell ➟ you ➟ me? Or you ➟ Bell ➟ me, depending on who tags next? XD

[behisstrength]

"We stand before you as indisputable proof."

Motochika shot Mitsuhide a brief glance, then reached out to catch Gracia's slipping towel, pulling it firmly round her shoulders again. He placed his hands upon them, keeping the towel in place.

"Do not cry. Now is a time to rejoice."

Bell ➟ Lexi ➟ Von! x3

[wavesoakedlegs]

Mitsuhide would have to talk to Motochika alone later, and pass along more of what he had been told. For the moment, he pulled the towel around himself and gave the other man a grateful smile.

"Thank you, my Lord."

His attention turned back to Gracia. Everything about him now was soft, kind, reassuring.

"As Lord Motochika says... we are here and we live. The details can be discussed more later, my girl. For now, we should get you home. A towel is fine, but what you really need is a change of clothing. We don't want you getting ill."

Awesomesauce~!

[kagayakashi]

The muffled sobs died down after a while. Gracia, after wiping herself clean of tears, glanced at Motochika and then at her father; they were right. Now was not the time for sadness. It's true that back home, she had things to help take care of, but what could she do about it now? Vatheon was not hers to command. For now, she should take advantage of the time she had with her father, with Motochika.

After all, who knew when she would see them like this again when she returned home?

A small smile tugged at her lips, slowly, carefully, like a blooming flower. Eventually, Gracia was able to see the beauty of the moment and nodded enthusiastically. She stepped back and gave the two samurai a bright, carefree smile.

"Let's go, then!"

She couldn't wait to re-discover the undersea bubble with them. She wasn't able to remember everything about Vatheon as clearly as before yet, but Gracia was more than certain she was fond of the city, and all it had to offer her. Curses and all.

[behisstrength]

Motochika smiled in turn, pleased to see Gracia's mood lift. What she had been through would come to light in time; right now seeing her settled back in took priority, as per Mitsuhide's thoughts.

Their little family was reunited.

"Very well," he said, leading on.

[wavesoakedlegs]

Mitsuhide walked just behind Motochika, glancing over at Gracia now and then just to make sure she was alright. Her room, at least, was still full of the things she had left behind. Clothing, furniture, the gifts she had received during the 'Christmas' festival.

"I have entered your room only to clean it," he said eventually. "So everything is where it should be. Your warderobe is currently biased towards shades of green, I should tell you."

He'd often wondered if that colour fondness was related to the Saika... which was a point. Had this version of his daughter spent any time following Magoichi around?

[kagayakashi]

Gracia, a naturally curious individual despite all circumstances, easily lost herself at the foreign beauty that was the city. She truly felt like she belonged in Vatheon. And the more they walked across the crowded plazas, busy restaurants and quiet alleyways, the more the memories returned to her; the clearer they became. It wasn't quite the vivid picture yet, but it was getting there. It made her smile and gape in wonder, as if moments before, she wasn't crying or worrying her hair off.

She continued to walk towards their home, feeling reminiscent more than ever as the passed her favorite spots and areas of interest. At the pique of her renewed enthusiasm, she was hit with a rather strange notion. Shades of green? Her clothing? Gracia turned her head towards her father in confusion

[behisstrength]

Motochika rose his eyebrows, once again glancing across to Mitsuhide in silent question.

"You were inspired by a friend," he offered into the conversation, a moment later.

What he did not say was by her first friend, from what she had previously told him, on the chance that she had forgotten more than her love of green and shared the same guilty streak that Mitsuhide possessed. If the former was the case, then he knew it would come as a relief to Mitsuhide -- there would be no more need to worry about Magoichi's intentions, or Gracia's happiness wearing the Saika mon.

"I'm certain that your father loved to have you dressed in purple, throughout your childhood."

[wavesoakedlegs]

"It is as Lord Motochika says," said Mitsuhide.

This was so strange. He had thought earlier that perhaps this Gracia had somehow inherited the previous Gracia's memories. She was clearly not the same one, after all, and it was the only explanation he could think of.

"If you prefer purple, however, getting new clothing should not be a problem in the future. I am biased towards it myself, though my Lord has... encouraged me to try other colours on occasion."

He laughed quietly.

"Mostly shades of blue."

As per Motochika's thoughts, Mitsuhide was beginning to believe that perhaps this Gracia really hadn't spent too much time in the company of Magoichi, something he would be silently grateful for if it were confirmed to be true. The adoration she'd always shown for the mercenary had never been something he'd approved of.

[kagayakashi]

"Inspired by a friend?" She made a mental list in her head, counting down possibilities as to who could have inspired her to wear greens. Beyond the castle walls and her little adventures with her father, however, Gracia couldn't even fill the list very high. Her friends were limited, and she supposed that was why she was so eager to make them wherever she went

[behisstrength]

"I shall keep that in mind."

That she was proud would doubtlessly be good for Mitsuhide to hear, but it did make Motochika wonder -- Gracia had loved her family, but had she not also run away, feeling trapped by the restrictions placed upon her? Was she more content with her role as a samurai's daughter now?

"Saika Magoichi," he answered bluntly.

SORRY FOR THE WAIT. *shakes fist at LJ*

[wavesoakedlegs]

Mitsuhide's mind also drifted back to the Battle of Kizugawa, though there was little positive in his memories of it. He remembered Nobunaga ordering the execution of the men who had surrendered, and his own reaction to it. Magoichi's reaction and his oath of vengeance. Motochika's words in response.

"Yes," he said, following on from Motochika's statement after a moment. "The leader of the Saika mercenaries. He favoured green, as did his men."

A shadow passed behind his eyes, before he shook his head and smiled again. As he'd thought earlier, and said, this was not a time for thinking too much on such things.

"But I am glad to hear you say such words."

it's fine :) <3

[kagayakashi]

Needless to say, their responses as to who that particular green-loving friend was left Gracia completely shocked. She didn't expect that at all!

"Saika Magoichi?" She repeated, bewildered. "Why would I wear his kinds of clothes? He's our enemy isn't he, father?" The young woman looked back and continued to walk with them, though she slowed her pace considerably, due to deep thought.

"Are we friends?" That one name made things blurry; how could they claim such a thing when both of them fought with him in Kizugawa? Gracia and Magoichi as friends? It didn't make much sense, especially considering they only see each other on the battlefield. And they don't do much talking or chummying around -- they fight!

It made Gracia wonder, and it reawakened a memory about her father and Motochika; or at least, the ones in Vatheon. It had something to do with universes. Or timelines? She wasn't quite sure, but Gracia was overlooking something about the two samurai.

[behisstrength]

Motochika looked to Gracia at her bewildered tone -- her reaction gave clear answers to his unspoken questions. It stood to reason that if she had never run away, then she would never have come to know Magoichi. It was clear that she had already met himself in her time, too, which implied that this new background of hers must have been closer to the past that he and Mitsuhide had lived through.

"You were, in one lifetime."

He softened his tone.

"Do not be alarmed. This sort of confusion is ordinary enough within Vatheon's boundaries. Isn't that right, Mitsuhide?"

He couldn't be sure how much his friend had already explained to fill in gaps in Gracia's memory where Vatheon was concerned, so he left it in Mitsuhide's hands.

[wavesoakedlegs]

Mitsuhide's brow wrinked in thought then. He stopped walking for a moment, turning to face Gracia fully.

"It is."

He raised a hand to pull a lock of his long hair between his fingers.

"As I said, my girl, this place pulls in people from different times, different places, including different versions of the same world. When you were here before, it was not the same 'you,' but a Gracia who had formed a friendship with Magoichi. She did not know my Lord Motochika before coming here either. I can only assume that the confusing nature of Vatheon means that you have somehow inherited her memories of the place."

His smile became a little less wide.

"I told you that when I came here, I was surprised to see Lord Motochika because he had died in my time, at the Battle of Yamazaki. But as far as he was concerned, he not only survived that battle where he came from, but won it for us."