genessia | 001

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001

[VIDEO]

--ike a mirror…

[The feed comes on to show a young Asian woman frowning into the camera, or at least in the direction of the camera. Actually, it’s pretty obvious that she isn’t doing this intentionally, in fact she jumps a little at something—maybe at her own image in the corner? Her brows knit further as she leans in again, eyes focusing everywhere other than the camera. Yep, she has no idea what is going on right now.]

[Something catches her attention off camera, her head jerking up and focusing somewhere above the feed—and then everything is moving before going still and dark…]

[…except it’s still recording.]

[Hello Genessia~ you’re currently tucked inside her kimono…]

[ACTION//around the Bay]

[Tomoe tucks the strange mirror-glass into her kimono and finally places the necklace around her neck as every piece of information she can find states the importance of it. She is moving along the streets outside of the Bay, her posture ridged and eyes somehow dazed and wary at the same time.]

[She can’t quite convince herself that she isn’t dreaming, but she can’t convince herself that this is real either…]

[And more than anything else, there is the overwhelming feeling that she has forgotten something important, and it is at the fringes of her mind, just out of reach behind a white veil.]

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[Kenshin is good at taking things in stride. He woke up in the bay, took in the hologram (but not without trying to poke it, which went uh, well. It's a good thing he was alone.) and even managed to gather his wits about him enough to stroll out of the initial arrival spot.

He did however, almost immediately stuff his phone into his clothes, interest hovering solidly around zero.

He does his best to explore, staying out of the way of most of the hustle and bustle in this part of the city. The sheer size of it, technology and all is overwhelming -- which is why his head is almost constantly peering up, rather than in front of himself. It's likely why instead of visually recognizing the woman he's long since thought dead, he smells a familiar scent instead.

It makes him stop in his tracks, eyes and head lowering back down to people-level. Why, in all of the situations would he catch wind of something so familiar?]

[ Still clad in her Samurai-inspired combat garb and wearing her katana on her hip, Ayame passes by the streets by the Bay for a shortcut to the Nova City archway. Just as Tomoe reaches the edge of the Bay is when Ayame sees her. She had the look every newcomer has, combined with the proximity to the Bay. That dazed look and wary demeanor isn't something one sees often in locals or veterans after all...

She approaches the woman, giving her a gentle nod and a friendly greeting ]

Hello. You seem lost. I'm guessing you're a new arrival?

[ She pauses, giving the other woman time to recover and collect their thoughts before she says anything else ]

[She still can't shake the fuzzy-headed feeling she had when she first woke in the cavern. She still can't place what she's forgotten, or even the last thing that happened. She was religious about keeping the date, she wrote in her journal every day and even that she couldn't recall...]

[She shifted abruptly to the left to avoid walking straight into a strangely dressed man. Of course perhaps she was the strangely dressed one--she hadn't seen anything remotely Japanese. Oddly enough, it was that fact and that fact alone that was convincing her that this was real. She simply did not have this much imagination.]

[She lifted a hand to her eyes. How was anyone supposed to react to this and be expected to just function? The recommendation of finding employment and lodging seemed laughable when one was in the midst of an existential crisis?]

[Tomoe jerked slightly at being spoken to before her eyes focused on Ayame. She can't help the almost instant note of relief that moves through her at the sight of the other girl's clothing--at least there was some vestige of familiarity, finally.]

[She nodded stiffly.]

Yes... I imagine so.

I see.

[ Ayame gives Tomoe a slight smile, hoping to reassure the woman even a little more ]

My name is Ayame. I'm one of the peacekeepers of this world. I assume you're already been briefed at the Welcoming Center? If you're headed to the Commonspace for newcomers, please allow me to walk with you.

[ Having an escort would at least help ease the other woman's worries, she thought. Ayame gestures to the general direction of where the Commonspace is at, trying to deduce what she could just by looking at Tomoe. Ayame might change her mind and instead guide Tomoe to the Amagi Inn ryokan once she finds out that Tomoe is from a much older time. ]

For what it is worth, Genessia is a kind and welcoming place. There is something for everyone in here, even for newcomers such as yourself.

[There's more activity coming from the Bay. Out of one of the other boxes emerges a young man. He looks Japanese, though his clothing is anything but; he has on a shirt with raglan sleeves and a pair of jeans. He seems to be just as disoriented as Tomoe herself is, as he looks around, fiddles with the box he's been given, and starts to wade toward the light leading out of the Bay.

At some point he notices Tomoe, and so he works his way over to her instead.]

Excuse me, ma'am. Do you know where we are?

[She turns at the sound of a voice clearly addressing her, but a glimpse of red hair causes a momentary flood of relief to begin--]

Anat-- [until she realizes that a.) said hair is too short b.) said boy is too tall and c.) the clothing he's wearing is just... as strange as everything else around her.]

[Although she isn't known for emoting she still visibly deflates realizing that this is not her husband and she is still lost and alone. Her jaw sets, she swallows once and gives her head a curt shake.]

No...

Is that so...?

[She answers, though it is more the sort of canned response that comes in polite conversation. Consider her on autopilot.]

[Tomoe follows Ayame's gesture toward the building.]

...

I... suppose I am...

[ Ayame's brows furrow slightly upon seeing her attempts to comfort Tomoe didn't go as planned, but her attention remains focused on the other woman, raising her hand to signal traffic to stop so they could cross ]

The Commonspace has every basic amenities one could need, but I'm aware it isn't for everyone. There are other options however, such as a ryokan here in the city that is also accommodating to newcomers.

[ It's a stab in the dark, really. With how lost Tomoe looks when she saw her, Ayame guessed that she's either from a small town in modern Japan or from an older time altogether, so a ryokan would be more ideal for her than the Commonspace. Rural Japan even in her time can still remain pretty old-school and Tomoe could just be looking so lost because Genessia looks pretty different from even a modern Japanese city. ]

In fact, I might just have to guide you there instead. The Amagi Inn is quite comfortable, and familiar.

[ Ayame continues to stroll beside Tomoe, never leaving her sight. ]

Might I ask your name?

[~~and the mun just realized that automobiles would be a thing oops~~]

[She stiffened with her attention drawn to the... she didn't even know what they would be considered--carriages? She could see people inside some of them but no means of moving them.]

[She hesitates at the edge of the street, not entirely sure she trusts the... whatever they are... not to run them down--but Ayame was moving without a qualm, so she finally took a hesitant step after her, watching the paused traffic like a cornered animal.]

[Belatedly she realized Ayame had continued to speak and she had followed almost none of it.]

Tomoe... my name is Tomoe...

I'm sorry... could you repeat that...?

[Opposite of the of the street, please come faster!!!!!]

[ Times like these is when Ayame feels like she's been influenced by some of her friends here, because she found Tomoe's actions pretty amusing that she tried hard not to chuckle at the other woman's expense. She manages to keep herself just showing a bright grin, taking a couple of steps back to put a hand on Tomoe's shoulder and once again wave at the car in apology. ]

Come on. I'm taking you to a different place where you might be more comfortable, is what I said. I assume a ryokan would be more familiar to you.

Edited 2018-09-21 03:30 (UTC)

[She is torn between simply continuing to follow and maintaining more caution... Was she being lulled into complacency by this small bit of familiarity? It certainly seemed that way...]

[Or maybe she had become too cynical while caught between the dealings with the Yaminobu and the Ishin Shishi...]

Alright...

[She wanted to be back in Otsu... for that short time she was able to forget it all.]

What happens... to the people left behind...?

[What would Kenshin do if he found her missing? So long as they left him in hiding he might be alright. And maybe the movement would fall apart and he might escape his role as hitokiri...]

[And maybe the sun would start to rise in the west.]

They remain there, right where you left them.

[ She answers truthfully, although vaguely. She takes a moment to try and find a way to explain what she's about to say next but that's never really easy. ]

Time stops in our respective worlds once we are drawn here for whatever reason the... kami of this world picked us for. I can personally attest to the truth of that claim. This is the second time I was taken from my home, but when I involuntarily returned, I was right where I was.

Is that so...?

[She frowns at the information. Aside from unbelievable it also sounds too good to be true, but then again, the unbelievable part is right in light with everything else thus far.]

[That nagging feeling that she was missing something monumental rose to the back of her mind again. She couldn't remember what day it had been, let alone what had been happening... though the days in Otsu did bleed into each other in their simplicity.]

...

I... can't recall exactly where I was... Is that normal? To have memory loss here...?

--Eh?

[Shirou can't help but blush a bit. Was she about to address him with a romantic term? ...The only way that would happen is if she mistook him for someone else. He's in a relationship already. He shakes his head to clear that train of thought from his head.]

Er. I mean, I see. So you just showed up here in a box like I did, huh? Have you seen what's outside yet?

Yes.

[She takes note of his clothing and considers the notion that it may not be all that strange to him.]

It's... strange.

[She looks toward the exit where the information stand is waits, and where the woman--was that the right thing to call it?--had spoken. Woman? Apparition? Spirit? She didn't know.]

[ That gets her to hum. Now that she thinks about it, do people actually forget the moments they were taken from? ]

Not to my experience or knowledge, none of the others I've met have told me of experiences such a thing. Perhaps stress is fogging your mind for now. Give yourself some time, it will come back.

[ She'll actually have to ask for that, though she does feel bad for not having an answer to that. ]

Have you learned to use your communication device? It's the mirror-like tablet that was with you when you woke up.

I see...

[She ponders that and is disappointed in the lack of reassurance...]

[She raises her eyes for a moment at the mention of the 'mirror' and shakes her head, moving to pull it from inside her obi.

I do not understand it...

[Oh look... it's still recording... :/ WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY??????]

Ah, then let me show you. It's quite simple, as you'd see...

[ Then Tomoe's definitely from an older time, Ayame confirmed to herself. Nodding in understanding, she takes her own and slows her pace, looking to make up for her lack of an answer about memories and show Tomoe how to use the device. Clear and concise in her instruction as if she's done this before a lot of times, Ayame speaks while demonstrating what she's talking about. She showed Tomoe how to use the video, audio, and text functions as well as the useful apps such as the map. The basics. Tomoe can learn about file sharing and recording later. ]

I'll leave you my contact information. Just press this button and say "Call Ayame", and you will instantly be connected to my device. I'll do what I can to help you. Okay?

[ Even as they walk and Ayame instructs about the phone, she paid attention to where they were walking and made sure Tomoe wasn't bumping on anything. Just as Ayame spoke, they made it to Amagi Inn. It looks like a modern building on the outside, but the entrance looks like a traditional inn's with a genkan and an elevated wooden floor and everything ]

[She watches, and the simple act of having someone show her rather than trying to read information seemingly directed at people who at least quasi-understood hand held devices in the first place made a world of difference. The question of how wanted to escape her lips, but was squashed by the plain and simple fact that it didn't matter.]

Instantly...?

[That part was still hard to believe, especially considering the fastest means of communication she had ever had was a runner or carrier pigeon.]

[She picks out the entrance of the inn almost instantly once it was in sight--in as much as Ayame's clothing calmed her the simple sight of familiar architecture--even if it was just the doorway and not the entire building--was an immense relief.]

[She looked at the other woman.]

Thank you, Ayame-san.

[ She smiles and nods, acknowledging Tomoe's gratitude but follows her within the inn anyway. Just at the genkan at least so she doesn't have to remove her shoes. They were greeted with a bow and a gentle welcome by people who work there, asking what they require and offering to guide them to a room. Ayame did the talking for the newcomer she had in tow, giving the workers the gist of the situation and offering to pay for Tomoe's stay. She turns her attention to Tomoe for a bit ]

New arrivals have a discount but don't worry about having to pay anything during your stay. It's on me.

[ Ayame thought showing some generosity would help Tomoe feel more welcome, even though the deputy is having financial problems right now. Tomoe doesn't have to know though. The inn helper refered to Ayame - a frequent visitor to their inn - as "Sasaki-san", which at least gives Tomoe the knowledge of Ayame's surname now too, instead of just her first name ]

Very well, it seems you should be safe from here on out and I have to return to my duties. They will take care of your needs, and answer of your questions about the devices you'll see inside.

[ Ayame lays a hand on Tomoe's shoulder, nodding before turning toward the exit ]

You should try the onsen.

[ She recommends without looking back, simply waving her hand before stepping back outside of the hotel ]

[It was like entering the Kohagiya again... well, almost. At least she walked into this inn of her own volition instead of being carried in dead drunk...]

[She attempted to object to Ayame's paying for the room, though the objection landed on deaf ears. Instead, her eyes followed the woman as she took her leave before sincerely bowing.]

Ayame-san... thank you very much. I do not deserve this kindness.

[She truly didn't, and she knew it. And she would repay it, as soon as she had her bearings and the means to do so.]

[Shirou peers toward the exit, trying to see what is beyond. It's hard to tell with the contrast in light between out there and in the Bay.]

It sounds like I need to see it for myself.

[He has a hard time believing that anything could be more strange than the place he's in right now.]

What did you see? So I can know what to expect.

[She nods.]

It is... [she presses her lips together and shakes her head. She doesn't have the right words.] Not Japan...

[Of course that's assuming he knows Japan 8D;]

The buildings are too tall... not made of wood. The ground is hard like stone but too even to be stone... [Guess who's never seen a paved sidewalk or road before? She shakes her head.] There is printed information out there and... something appears when you go near it but I don't know what it was...

[She could also just be completely insane. That is also a viable possibility.]

Huh?

[Not Japan? But Japan has some of those things. There are tall buildings made of stone, concrete, glass, and/or metal, as well as pavement. Was she from a rural village, perhaps?]

But Japan...sorry, never mind.

[There's no point in debating semantics. He'd just have to see for himself. He walks through the doorway and out into the open air.

To him, it looks like a normal city. It's not a city he's familiar with, but it's a city all the same. He notices the information stand, too, and sees that there are plenty of pamphlets and brochures. The only thing he doesn't recognize is the holographic device, so he has no idea what it is as long as it doesn't play its recording.]

This is...refreshingly normal. But it's not home. Where are we?

[Oh Shirou, you need a when, not a where~]

[She side eyes him a bit when he claims it to be normal--but then again the clothing he was wearing suggested as much. She shifted where she stood and clasped at the front flap of her kimono out of nervous habit.]

Somewhere called... "Genessia"...

[Aaaaand she nearly jumps out of her skin at a passing vehicle ~~because apparently there are streets and therefore vehicles? They were in my other thread so I'm going with it~~ because HOLY GOD WHAT IS THIS LOUD HORSELESS CARRIAGE THING OR IS IT SOME KIND OF ARMORED BEAST WTF!?!?!]

Genessia? I've never heard of a city with that name.

[Oh hey, it's a car! And it's driving on the right side of the road. So they're clearly not in Japan or Britain. He turns to look at Tomoe...who does NOT look OK.]

Huh? Hey, are you all right? Did something happen?!

You...

[She looks jerkily between Shirou and the road several times.]

That... Did you not see...?

[HOW ARE YOU SO CALM ABOUT THIS!?]

Edited 2018-09-24 23:59 (UTC)

Did I see... Oh, the car?

[Shirou looks back toward the road. She didn't even know what a car was? What was going on here?]

Was, uh, was that your first time seeing an automobile?

[She just looks frazzled and confused, frowning.]

'Automobile'...?

Uh...it's a machine that's used for transportation. Like...like a horseless carriage that's self-propelled.

A machine... [she looks after the car--and there goes another one. She doesn't panic this time, only watches, and this time she can see a person inside.] The... Is this Western [witchcraft] technology...?

Kind of, yeah.

The first automobiles came out of Britain and America. But they came to Japan soon enough, and several Japanese businesses grew to the point where they became worldwide market leaders in the industry.

[She frowns and shakes her head.]

There... there is nothing of the sort in either Kyoto or Edo...

[Edo. That settles it. Somehow this woman was from the past.]

It sounds like we come from different points in time...somehow. I come from the year 2004.

[Maybe he should elaborate about how he knew?]

Almost 150 years ago, Emperor Meiji moved his throne from Kyoto to Edo and renamed the city Tokyo. That's how I figured it out.

[She shakes her head, both because this was insane--but then again this was all insane--and because the western calendar meets nothing to her. Well, the emperor name was wrong, that was something, right?]

This is maddness...

It was Genji 1--[1864]--I do not know what you mean by 2004.

[She frowns.]

Tokyo...? Why would the capitol move...?

Edited 2018-09-27 15:57 (UTC)

...Oh. Right. I'm sorry, that slipped my mind. In that case, my time is...um, give me a second...

[Time to think back to history class. What was that analogous to, again?]

...About 140, 150 years later...I think.

And...I don't remember why he moved it. Maybe because it was more convenient? I think Tokyo outgrew Kyoto by then...

Is that so...?

[Canned response is canned, because how does one process this sort of thing? She doesn't have the benefit of any sort of interdenominational time-warping magic in her world to predispose her to something like this @_@]

...Sorry. I guess this might be a bit much for you.

Let's move the topic to something else. Oh, I never introduced myself, did I? My name is Shirou Emiya.

Tomoe...

[She hesitates a moment before giving her married name, just because... well, it's complicated]

Tomoe Himura...

[ooc; normally do Japanese order, but we'll match this way ;)]

Well, it's nice to meet you, Ms. Himura.

[Shirou offers a bow.]

And thank you for the help you've given me. I'll have to find a way to repay you.

[She offers a stiff bow in return, still too frazzled to act completely herself]

Likewise, Emiya-san.

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001

[mario voice] HERE WE GO

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Action (and angst) forever~

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