(no subject)

[aoihitomi]

Hitomi was anxious.

This wasn't atypical for Hitomi; anxiety had become a close friend since she entered the world of Gaea. She found no comfort in the familiar, though, even as the scene in front of her became unfamiliar.

Freid was no longer how she remembered it a few hours before; the city itself was still (mostly) intact, save for the occasional building that looked as though it had been cleaved neatly in half; what was supposed to be on the other side wasn't there. Not just the building's other half, but the environment that was supposed to be there, too.

Paths to Godashim's market now lead to a lush forest that looked as out-of-place in Freid's desert climate as Hitomi did in uniform here on Gaea. A large swath of the city had been replaced by buildings that looked like they belonged in ancient China.

But worst of all was the missing. There were plenty of them. Even if you didn't personally know someone who was missing, you couldn't miss all the people shouting out names in the streets. All this only heightened Hitomi's anxiety. Especially because she was missing all of her friends, too.

Maybe if she could do something about it, she wouldn't feel so powerless. She could douse, yes, but she didn't have anything from Van or Millerna or Merle or even Allen to help her. It was lucky enough that she had her duffle.

She didn't know where to go, so she started looking for the palace; she wasn't as familiar with Godashim as she was Palas. Hitomi didn't know if she couldn't see the towering building from here because she was far from it, or because it had been spirited away with so much of the rest of the city.

It was only when she was walking that her foot knocked into something hard and metal; it bounced off the toe of her shoe with a clank so deep and hollow that if she hadn't felt it, she'd know by sound alone that it was something heavy. Even though the streets were littered with debris from the chaos, all that together was enough to lure Hitomi down the alleyway it had been knocked into.

It was there that she saw it. There was no mistaking it, either. Chid's golden crown. The plumage that had decorated its top was matted with the same sludge that covered much of the cap's precious metal. The feathers lay flat over the cap's curve, wet with something that made Hitomi's nose curl with disgust.

Still, Hitomi snatched it from the ground gratefully. As unlucky as things had become, if the crown had not become so muddied, it may have been recognized for what it was. And if it was recognized for what it was, she would never have found it. She might not be able to use it to find Van or Millerna or Merle or Allen, but she might be able to find Chid. And if she found him, maybe she could find everyone else.

There was no quiet place in the city, but this alleyway was the closest she could find to it. Though she hesitated to sit down, she did; it was far easier to douse that way. She placed the still-dirtied crown in front of her and wiped her hands clean with her handkerchief. She might not have a map like when she doused before, but even just having a direction to follow was more than what she had now.

Hitomi removed the pendant from around her neck, closed her eyes, then let it swing. Every part of her was focused on her memory of Chid. His bright blue eyes. His green tunic. The un-princely way he ran through the palace halls when he thought no one was looking. The earnestness. The scented oils. In Hitomi's mind, Chid was virtually there right in front of her.

At least, until she was interrupted, and that image of him evaporated in an instant.

Comments

[aoihitomi]

"Oh." That wasn't good. It sounded like he might be pretty young. As young as Prince Chid?

Hitomi cast her gaze down at the soiled crown at her feet. She reached down to pick it up.

"If you have something of his, I might be able to help you."

Hitomi unzipped her duffel and wrapped the crown in her gym shirt. She really wish she had some way to clean it, but she definitely didn't right now. And she didn't want everything in the bag to get dirty, either. This would have to do for now. She'd just wash the shirt later.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

"Really?" That was unexpected. Did he have something of Mob's? He had a bag of his own things back at...well, he supposed it was essentially a camp. Nothing he could think that would get them pointed in the right direction (especially with his damned phone getting no reception), but maybe this girl had a few surprises of her own.

"I would be really grateful...but I don't have anything on me to compensate you."

[aoihitomi]

"Don't worry about it," she assured him. "If he's a child, then he really needs to be found by someone who can take care of him."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Hitomi’s kind words brought his worry up further in his throat. He swallowed it back down—he wasn’t going to do anyone any good by losing focus.

“Thank you.”

Reigen gestured back down the path he had taken to get into the part of the city they were in and began walking that way, trailing slightly ahead of Hitomi. “This road turns into forest right after you turn the corner. I left my stuff back that way. I’m actually not alone…I ran into someone else who looked lost.” Lost felt like an understatement. “I don’t have much, but I do have a few things at camp I could split with you for your troubles.”

The only lucky thing about that day was that he and Mob had been on their way to an assignment that involved camping. He at least hoped wherever the kid was, he still had his supplies on him.

It was less than a ten minute walk, and the trees were soon back in view. Reigen had the presence of mind to leave markers with chalk that hadn’t disappeared—a good sign that things weren’t going to warp even further he hoped. He came upon a small clearing by the water. He signed in relief that everything was still intact, even the tent. Leaving the kid alone had felt risky but he didn’t have much of a choice. He didn’t seem well enough to be on his feet for long. It looked as if he was still asleep, so Reigen entered the tent as quietly as he could to snoop around for something—anything—that would have belonged to Mob.

’Ah-ha!’ Mob’s notepad. It was what he had the kid take notes on whenever Reigen was struck with some sudden brilliance that couldn’t afford to be lost. It was full of Mob’s handwriting as well as his random thoughts aand doodles—he hoped that counted. Reigen backed out of the tent and returned to Hitomi, handing the paper pad over. “Will this work?”

[aoihitomi]

"It should," Hitomi said. It looked well-worn, so it must have meant that it was used by his student a lot. That would make the dousing way easier.

She glanced over at the open tent and at the bit of sleeping body she could see inside. She couldn't see much, but she could tell with just a look that there was definitely a man inside. It made her nervous knowing there were two men here alone with her in an unfamiliar forest, but so far Reigen had been very nice to her. And transparent about there being someone else here, too. So she'd try to give them both the benefit of the doubt.

"Is he okay?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen had the sense not to say something flippant like ‘that’s a good question’ but…that was a really good question.

“I’m not sure. I ran into him pretty soon after I ended up here. He seemed confused.” Reigen rubbed his neck. “Actually, I was going to ask you if there was a hospital or something around.”

[aoihitomi]

"I'm not sure about Freid, but if I can find the person I'm looking for too, he might be able to tell us."

Hitomi brushed a patch of the ground free of leaves and sticks with her free hand and then sat down, dipping her hand to tuck her skirt beneath her. Then she placed the notebook in front of her.

"It'd really help if you could sit down with me," Hitomi says. "It works better the more people there are to help."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

So Hitomi had someone she was looking for too—it made sense. He already had plenty of questions, but for now, Reigen did as he was told. What did he have to lose? “I’m at your command.”

[aoihitomi]

"I need you to hold this," Hitomi said, offering Reigen Mob's notebook. "Clothes your eyes and focus on your student with all of your being. Try to picture his hair, his clothes, his expression."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

'Divination, huh?' Even if Reigen wasn't capable of such a thing he was well-acquainted many concepts from the occult. He couldn't market the aesthetic with smooth-talking alone. And then there was Mob...

Even without prompting, Reigen's thoughts kept going back to him. Mob came to his mind clearly--his pin-straight black hair, his plain uniform, and his even plainer face.

Reigen was hit with a pang. He missed him.

[aoihitomi]

Hitomi took the pendant from her pocket and grasped the free end of the notebook; the chain dangled from her hand, letting her grandmother's pink-red pendant hover above the ground. It'd be better if they had a map, but they didn't have that luxury now. Even if she did have a map of Gaea, it probably wouldn't prove of much use at all. Not when the land had been so obviously altered.

Hitomi too closed her eyes; she didn't know Mob, but she tried picturing him just as Reigen described him. The fuzzy, cartoon-like picture she had of him in her head grew clearer and clearer, until she could see him just as if he were standing there right in front of them. Even the background came into view as more details drew themselves into place over one-hazy colors.

A Japanese neighborhood?

Hitomi felt the pendant swing, and her eyes snapped open. "There," she said, pointing in the direction the pendant pulled itself. "The person you're looking for is in a neighborhood in that direction."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

A jolt ran through him--Mob! It wasn't until Reigen opened his eyes that he realized they had been closed...but it felt so real in the moment.

Right. There was no mistaking his gut. This girl was the real deal.

Reigen followed her finger. "Could you tell how far?"

[aoihitomi]

Hitomi shook her head. "Sorry, I'm not sure. But... I got the feeling he's safe where he is."

She hoped that helped to hear at least.

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

Reigen didn't get the sense she was just saying it to calm his nerves. He released a breath he didn't know he was holding. Even if they weren't any closer to finding him...it meant a lot to know he wasn't in harm's way. From the sounds of it, maybe he was even home safe and sound.

He started to turn back to Hitomi to say a few words of gratitude but stopped short before he could. There was something else that wasn't there before that captured his attention. "...Oh! Y-you're awake."

Not only awake--the strange kid was sitting upright at the threshold of the tent with his legs pulled up to his chest like he'd been watching them for awhile.

[espresso_doppio]

"Oh...sorry." Doppio rubbed his face, his eyes, and fiddled with the track suit that hung a size too large over his frame. "Was I interrupting something?"

[aoihitomi]

Hitomi shook her head, then put her pendant back on. "No, we just finished up. Are you alright?"

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

When Doppio nodded, it was so automatic that Reigen hoped he was just being honest. However, that hope was dashed pretty quickly when the kid tried to stand just to succumb to gravity.

"Hey, take it easy...! You've been out for awhile." Reigen hurried over and crouched by his side to right him back up. Man, it was lucky that he hadn't been gone long. He glanced back at Hitomi. "How about some lunch before introductions? On me."

[aoihitomi]

Hitomi had to admit that she was hungry. She hadn't eaten since all of this happened and she didn't have any of Gaea's currency on her. Traveling with royalty meant that she didn't have to worry about any of this until now.

"Sure."

[espresso_doppio]

Mumbling an apology, Doppio did as he was told and remained seated while Reigen started working a small propane stove to heat up a kettle. He wasn’t able to keep focus on the man at work for long before his head began to dip. His head ached and his eyes were dry and it was hard to think about anything else.

He felt like he had closed his eyes for only a moment when the smell of something warm and savory perked him back up. The man was offering him…soup? It was in a styrofoam cup topped with a wooden stick. There were noodles and vegetables floating in the broth. Doppio accepted it and gazed down at it for awhile. When he realized that both strangers were staring at him he smiled awkwardly, unable to think of doing anything else, before taking a sip. It was awkward without a fork but he managed to get a few noodles down his throat.

‘Hot!’

The pain registered but it was eclipsed by his hunger that he realized had been gnawing at him as soon as the food touched his tongue. He would ordinarily be embarrassed by his table manners but it was only a minute before he had downed the whole cup. Energy and clarity began to return to him then, and he dabbed at his mouth with his sleeve.

“Thank you, um… …I’m sorry, who might you both be?”

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

‘He just…attacked that thing.’ Reigen’s sensitive tongue was burning vicariously at the sight of it. He hadn’t even touched his own yet.

“I’m Arataka Reigen.”

“Arataka?”

“Just Reigen is fine,” Reigen quickly said as he tried not to cringe. Even if he could understand this kid, he clearly wasn’t Japanese.

[aoihitomi]

"Kanzaki Hitomi." How long had it been since Hitomi had cup noodle? Probably not since her mother left to stay with her grandma when she was sick.

"What's yours?"

[espresso_doppio]

"I'm... .. ..."

'Huh?'

It was such an easy question, but he couldn't answer. When he searched his memories, there was only a void of static. "Um..."

'Oh!' Something emerged from the white noise. "Doppio."

[mp_strikinglyblessed]

The fact that he had to think so hard about it was...unsettling. If he had brain damage, what could Reigen do about it? Nothing at the moment...but it was useless to get whipped up into a panic about it. He was upright and talking. Maybe a little more rest and reassurance was all he needed.

"Sounds Italian." 'Isn't that a coffee?' "Your Japanese is pretty good."

[espresso_doppio]

"Eh? Oh, I don't know Japanese."

[aoihitomi]

"You don't know Japanese?" Hitomi may very well have been speaking exactly what she and Reigen were thinking.

Still, it wasn't like Hitomi hadn't experienced this before herself.

"Before I came here, I ran into someone from this world." Literally, in fact. "I understood everything he said, but my friend Yukari and my upperclassmen Amano couldn't understand him at all. Maybe that's what's going on now."