[02] [open] nemesis identified

[usarinpa]

Who: Mizuki and YOU [open]
Where: The wilderness, a ways from Aldrip in an out-of-the-way little cave (Not Lorentia)
What: In which Mizuki finds out she's been alone all along.
Warnings: Spoilers for AI, IDK—will add if any become relevant.

[ There are thin tire tracks starting at the inn that head out and away from Aldrip today. Curious, isn't it? Were they there before? Have you even seen a motorbike here in Aldrip since you woke up here?

If you're keen to find out, you will follow a trail that is just long enough to make you wonder whether you should turn back. Keep with it, however, and you will find yourself at a small cave nestled in the mountains, the opening of which is surrounded by trees. ]


👁️ i. He was the Universe

[ Perhaps you'll see the bike first. It sticks out like a sore thumb. But walk a little further and inside the cave, there's Mizuki, asleep on the cave's dirt floor.

Her hair is messy with sleep. There is a hair piece that sticks out against her cyan locks, standing out almost as much as her bike does in the wilderness. In her hand is an empty, decorated box with a note attached that wouldn't look out of place in a trash can, as it is. Meager remnants of the few good things that have happened to her here, now that she can't go back.

A subtle, unpleasant odor lingers in the air, reminiscent of a wet dog or wild animal that's no longer there. Somewhere beside her sits her pipe, and at her waist, there is her holstered Evolver. ]

👁️ ii. Ought to Know

[ Alternatively, the trail is still going. Eventually, footprints start to appear in the dirt next to the tire track, suggesting that Mizuki has started walking. Catch up to her, you'll find that her back is to you and she is dragging her bike alongside her.

Why? ...Well, technology continues to be fickle, apparently.

Watch her for long enough and you'll see her stop and try to start it again. Instead, there's that all too familiar, insufferable buzz that makes her cover her ears. Her mouth opens, like she's groaning, but the noise that escapes, if there had been any, is easily swallowed up by the rustling of leaves and the buzzing of insects.

Once that passes, she can be seen pulling out a piece of parchment from her pocket—a map. ]

▶ ooc/wildcard

[ Due to trauma, Mizuki will be aphonic/unable to speak temporarily! Sorry about that. She will still be writing things in the dirt or on the back of her map, probably, and if I feel it's appropriate, I may give her back her voice midthread.

Enjoy the introduction of her shiny new bike, and please feel free to reach out via PM, on the Discord, or yammdere for plotting/ideas! Thank you! ]

Comments

for saito sejima (parasaito) | closed

[usarinpa]

[ In hindsight, nothing about him seemed right from the moment he found her. His quirks, his mannerisms—everything about him that regularly pissed her off seemed different. She largely overlooked this, if only because of his memory issues, yet again. Maybe she was even concerned for a time, but now, holding a familiar piece of parchment in her hand, everything falls into place. Letters making up its contents shake, as if they might literally jump off the page at any second, and in the next moment, they slowly swirl and evaporate, like an illusion being unveiled.

Saito Sejima.
Homicide.

Her hands clench, and she watches him from above as he turns the keys on a bike that is an all-too-familiar shade of cyan blue. Even without her name tag, the Adorabbit sticker gives it away as hers. When the hell did it get there? How? The sound of her struggling to start also should have given her concern; but instead, Mizuki feels oddly numb, like maybe she hasn't quite woken up from this dream.

She leans casually against their second-floor window sill, a window which is currently open. She is just barely able to contain her anger, but at this point, she isn't sure if it's directed more at him or herself. ]

Nice bike.

[ Her voice is raised, but flat. Even-toned, with a healthy dose of sarcasm. She almost wants to laugh. What is even real anymore? Is she dead? Yet she just tosses his parchment down, aiming it directly for his head as she follows up with, ]

By the way, you forgot this.

[1/2] za past

[parasaito]

[Since the first day, Saito knew whatever kind of magic was applied to alter his parchment would eventually wear off. What he did not know was when it would happen. It was a pivotal part of his impersonation act, though, so he made a daily habit of checking its contents whenever Mizuki wasn't around or looking. Plus, to draw suspicion away from it, he would flauntingly leave it atop the bedside table in their room, only taking it with him when he went out.

Today was no different, except for the part in which certain words on the paper appeared completely jumbled up, parts of its original content surfacing in the place of the fabricated words. Having the alteration renewed was always an option, but it would not fix the other issue: Mizuki wouldn't keep buying his excuse for not taking off that alleged mask forever. She would eventually figure out the truth, one way or the other.

Coincidence or not, when he looked out of the window, there was another surprise besides the disorganized alphabet soup that had become his parchment, right outside the inn. Just standing there, as though waiting for someone to come claim it. The color alone was enough to give it away who it belonged to, but the sticker on it cleared any remaining doubts.

He hoped Mizuki liked waking up to surprises.]

[2/2] za prezent

[parasaito]

[Little did Saito know, though, that he would be facing an unpleasant surprise himself, as well. He initially hoped to be far away from the inn by the time she woke up and read his parchment...

But the bike simply refuses to start, no matter how many times he turns the keys. Kicking it doesn't seem to work, either. And if he just carried it around, she would undoubtedly catch up to him in no time. With a small sigh, he admits defeat. There goes his chance for a double mind-blowing revelation. What a shame.

That's when he hears a familiar voice.

He looks up, but the suddenness and speed with which she hurls his parchment gives him little time to react. It bounces off the top of his head before landing near his feet. He picks it up, but doesn't even need unroll it to know what triggered this hostility.]

... About time.

[The figurative mask he's been wearing the past few weeks breaks, and he gives her a boastful grin.]

Are all of ABIS's so-called "investigators" this incompetent? Or did you learn this from Date?

[usarinpa]

[ Well. Seems like someone was getting tired of the act, too. Every word he's ever said, everything he'd ever done rises up like bile in her throat, and she doesn't bother holding back anymore. She doesn't even remember grabbing the vase of flowers, which sat peaceful on that window sill, just soaking up the sunlight. Before she can even think about stopping herself, she is hurling it at the ground in Saito's direction, though it sadly misses him, shattering with with a loud crash. ]

Fuck you!

[ The bouquet, which had already started to wither since the Day of Devotion, looks especially lifeless. The impact had been enough to separate some of the petals from their stems...

But then, apparently still unsatisfied (or perhaps she's just a little worried about any damage to her bike), she leaps right out the window and lands like a cat. ]

I don't care what timeline you come from, you don't get to talk about him!

i.

[overtid]

[ Given that the available technology contradicts (at least earthly) logic in the range of advancement, it's the newness rather than the possibility of a motorbike that stands out. Yeah, the tire tracks are curious, but Nanami doesn't want to be curious. This may or may not be an afterlife, such that he could accept Aldrip and Expiation for what it seems to be and rest, relax, consider it an overdue vacation now that it's completely impossible to toil on in Tokyo — but a single set of tire tracks isn't likely to lead to the glitch in the matrix, the so-called gods or sham wizards behind the curtain (and that those comparisons come at all to mind, he'd blame on another sorcerer, except for the level of subconscious thought that implies).

But, it's the only thing. It would be impractical to follow too long, as he has no intention of walking hours to another town or region on so little, but useful enough to confirm the direction. Potentially. So Nanami tucks into a satchel a borrowed book that he'd intended to read at a removed spot in the meadows, and follows the tracks.

He does nearly turn back. Nearly, doesn't, and the bike's obvious soon enough, parked and not remotely camouflaged. Of course, if the rider had wanted to be difficult to follow, they might have made some effort to confuse their tracks. Keeping his expectations so empty that he hasn't even readied his nata, Nanami steps into the cave and — for all that he'd tried to expect nothing and anything, finds himself surprised.

They've never spoken, but with a hair color that distinctive, he thinks he's seen her among the Chosen in town. Her, a young girl, looking younger in sleep. This side of a mess, and while not unequipped, ill-equipped for any prolonged travel.

It's not his business if she wants to get away. He's clearly intruding on that, or on some other distinct purpose, and so should make his way back without disturbing her.

That's probably what he should do. Instead, mindful of the strange looking gun at her waist, Nanami tugs his nata from beneath his jacket. Then leaning down, he picks up a rock of reasonable size to be held in one hand but have heft to it, and tosses it with some force away from her, so that when it hits hard, the sound of it's farther off.

If she stirs, that's when he'll say a simple — ]

Good morning.

[usarinpa]

[ Mizuki doesn't seem to notice his approach, but there is a subtle change in her breathing as she feeling of another presence becomes more obvious. Her eyes struggle to open, and at a glance, it appears like she's having a nightmare; but she's already resigned herself to practically living it.

As soon as the rock is thrown, however, she shoots up immediately. The box in her arms that once contained cookies flips over and away from her. She gasps for breath as her head swivels in the direction of the sound, and then again once she hears his voice. Though he was probably more concerned about Evolver, Mizuki actually reaches for her pipe instead. It feels natural to her as she struggles to her feet, like an extension of her arm, and her mouth moves as she holds it in a defensive position.

No sound comes out. ]

[overtid]

[ The pipe hadn't gone unnoticed, but judged as a weapon (assumed a weapon) he could more easily handle. Watching the box tumble and smack, bouncing, to the ground, and watching as she battled gravity and the disorientation of interrupted sleep to get to her feet, Nanami does reflect that a loud noise might not have been the best way to wake her up. But, simpler options had seemed either inappropriate (hand to shoulder to shake her awake) or inefficient (any gentler sound). ]

My apologies for waking you and in that manner. Here —

[ Whether or not that pipe's only metal or has more to it, stunning capacity or otherwise, he nonetheless holds up his own weapon — a fully wrapped nata — in a mirroring defensive position, before summarily dropping it to the floor of the cave. He then gives it a little kick for good measure, sending it sliding a solid meter away.

Conscious, through that gesture, that her mouth's not just open, but shaping words, unvoiced. That seems so obvious a thing that remarking on it would be at best obnoxious and at worst cruel. Instead, shaking his head: ]

I can't read lips.

[ Lifting his left arm, shifting sleeve, he considers the charm fastened to his watch, frowning slightly. Was it only possible to text through the voice-to-text function? ]

I - NO MY BABY GIRL

[inemeraldfaith]

[As much as Aerith has been cautioned against going this way, that, or the other, she cannot seem to help still trying to poke her nose into places it just doesn't belong. Cloud is going to have some more words for her later on, she's certain. But she suspects he'll also understand. It's just the way she is. She wants to help. She wants to make a difference. She has spent enough of her life feeling a little powerless. If she can do something, she should do something.

That is most likely what has inspired her to action on the day in which she finds Mizuki. The cave is no place for really... anyone, it seems. At least a couple of the locals have caught her along the way, telling her to be careful, which feels like a relatively obvious warning. But if she's not going all the way in, it shouldn't be a problem.

Right? Right.

Discovering Mizuki here seems like a good enough reason to pay it visit. How long she's been here, Aerith can't tell. Looks like she's brought a plethora of things with her, too. Running away? Doesn't she have an inn room? Why didn't she say something earlier?

She approaches as quietly as she can, a thoughtful frown drawn across her features, and at a safe distance, she kneels down. She doesn't want to catch her completely off guard. That won't do her any good at all.]

...Hey, Mizuki?

[No, really. What are you doing out here. A Grue is going to come get you.]

BABY GIRL IS NOT OK

[usarinpa]

[ A what?

...Mizuki's frown deepens, and she turns away from her in protest. It certainly doesn't look like a restful sleep. The box that once contained cookies topples out of her hand and at last, Aerith's voice registers. Mizuki sits straight up suddenly with eyes open wide, and her hands are reaching desperately like they're looking for something.

Then she can see that it's just Aerith. What are you doing out here?

Mizuki's guard lowers once more, and her mouth moves like she's speaking, but even she is surprised when no sound comes out.

Oh, right. ]

[inemeraldfaith]

[It's a familiar box. A bit like the one that Rin brought to her, which makes her wonder if the two know each other. If they do, why not go to Rin...? Rin would have helped her without a moment's pause, after all. She can ask a later time. Right now, what's more important is making sure Mizuki's had some food and getting her somewhere safe. Who knows what the integrity of the cave's interior is like, after all.

She tries not to look too concerned, but it's impossible to keep all of that from reaching her. What's more concerning is that Mizuki seems to try speaking and can't. While she's familiar with like things back home, she gets the feeling whatever's happening here is probably not exactly the same.

Aerith moves to sit with her, careful not to encroach too much on her territory.]

Uhm. Let's try to make this easy for you. I'm gonna try to keep this to 'yes' and 'no' questions. [Drawing in a breath, she wonders how to start. The speech thing might be obvious, but better not to put Mizuki under any strain than she already is.] You didn't have somewhere safe to go? You should come stay with Cloud and me.

[grappler]

[Vi can't just sit still in the city. she's prowling around outside, until she finds...tire tracks?

tire tracks.

she follows them until she gets to Mizuki, and she sighs as she takes her in.]

You know, you look rougher than the last time I saw you.

[but she's going to start forward anyway, ignoring the smell.]

For most people here, it's the opposite.

[usarinpa]

[ It's okay. Vi will find that, thankfully, the smell is not actually coming from her, and it will dissipate over time. For now, Mizuki stirs at the voice and her eyes blink open. She looks a little startled when she sits up, nudging herself back an inch or two with her foot, but it's just Vi.

Ah—

She opens her mouth to protest, though she really has no grounds. No sound comes out, leaving Mizuki to avert her eyes as she runs her fingers along the width of her throat. Damn. ]

[grappler]

[Vi comes closer, before squatting in front of Mizuki and tilting her head. she notices that the girl touches her throat, and looks her over for any more sign of injury.]

Cat got your tongue?

[she pauses.]

You can at least answer if you're alright, right? You don't have to speak for that.

ought to know

[twelfthsong]

[ "Trouble finds me," is an awful lie because it's the furtherest thing from the truth. It's the Doctor who seeks it out, not the other way around. The desire is like an itch he can't help but scratch, a bad habit that has led him down rabbit holes that sometimes results in him biting off more than he can chew and leaving him with nothing but regret coating his tongue.

But you can't live a life as long as he has without collecting some of those. One could say that it simply comes with the territory. The key is in the lessons learned and how you respond to them. Or sometimes in his case, how you actively choose to forget them.

Today's adventure is rather ambiguous in terms of what sort of trouble he'll find. His daily walk has lead to him finding the bike treads and following them well outside of Aldrip where he spots a familiar blue-haired girl. The mystery of the source of the treads is solved, but another presents itself. He approaches, hands in his pockets as he peers over his shoulder. ]

You're finally putting the map to good use, I see. Seems a little bit counterintuitive to be dragging your bike though.

[usarinpa]

[ . . . . .

Mizuki visibly stops. For a moment, she wonders if she should just keep walking. She knows she can't respond anyway. But since the Doctor has so keenly decided to comment on the absurdity of it all (who wouldn't?), she takes that as a sign that she should try again.

She turns the key, and instead of the sound of cranking or the engine turning over, there's just the mechanical buzzing, like before. She flinches slightly, but doesn't even seem affected by it anymore.

...Just shrugs. ]

[twelfthsong]

[ Huh.

The silence causes him some pause, but he doesn’t pay too much attention to that so much as he does the flinching. It wasn’t like he had spoken to Mizuki for an extended period of time but she had been certainly chatty enough when they had. ]

You do know that the town is in the other direction, don’t you? If you wanted it fixed, you’d probably have better luck there.

[ Not that he’s met any mechanics that might be well versed enough to fix something like Mizuki’s bike, but discrediting people before they had a chance to try was hardly kind and very much went against any of the cue card Clara had written out for him. ]

Why are you dragging it out this far anyway?

ii

[aintyourdad]

[ Joel follows the tracks because whoever has any kind of motorized vehicle, he needs to question, and thoroughly.

It's Mizuki, of all people. Wait - ]

Where the hell did you find that?

1/2

[usarinpa]

[ Mizuki seems startled. Her hands automatically reach for Evolver at her waist, but in that same moment, she also recognizes the voice. The handle of the gun is gripped for a moment, but she ultimately decides against it as she turns to see Joel.

She opens her mouth to respond, but... ultimately frowns.

[usarinpa]

[ Without a word, she reaches into the little yellow backpack whose straps seem to keep her spare in place. She pulls out a little card with her name on it that came attached to the ribbon that was wrapped around the bike.

She'll point to her name, Mizuki, and then to the bike. It's hers. ]

i

[theleadingman]

[Mechanically-minded as he is, tire tracks were certain to grab his attention in this place, and they do exactly that, standing out as they do. His interest in following the trail is casual at first, a desire to sate the curious itch that its appearance had sparked, and he does pause partway to consider whether or not his time would be better spent elsewhere. Perhaps it would— but as ever, curiosity gets the better of him, and so he follows until the tracks lead him to the cave in question.

Passing strange, but now he's come too far to turn back, and has yet more questions than before.

It is the bike he spots first, bright even in the dark of the cave, but his attention is quickly diverted, the bike momentarily forgotten.]

Mizuki?

[He raises an eyebrow. She's in quite a state, but it wouldn't quite be polite to point that out— especially given she already knows. Instead, his tone is light, cautious, as is his approach.]

What brings you all the way out here?

[usarinpa]

[ Why? Why?

She just wants things to go back to the way they were before. She wants to go home, and she wants to stop Tearer. Instead, there's a voice, and Mizuki will squeeze her eyes tighter, turning her head like she's trapped in a nightmare. She seems to resist waking up despite this, her breathing uneasy.

The only sound she makes is a low whine that seems to escape her mouth in her sleep.

She rolls over, crushing the box that once contained Rin's cookies beneath her own weight. ]

i

[enactors]

( it's been a long time since marc's just been marc rather than 'moon knight' or 'mr. knight'. somewhere at the back of his wardrobe in his house in new york is an assortment of clothes that aren't related to moon knight, crumpled and mostly forgotten. somewhere, there are cargos and khakis and t-shirts that he never wears. here, he hasn't yet amassed enough money to commit to buying a whole wardrobe of the same white suit — the same shirt and the same jacket, waistcoat and trousers and, whilst he would love to wear the same singular suit over and over again, he doesn't.

(or: he does, but it's interspersed with bouts of wearing other clothes whilst he dutifully washes the suit. today is a marc spector day, not a mr. knight day, and he's in the closest approximation of 'khakis and tshirt' aldrip has to offer.

he's not very comfortable in it, if he's honest.)

the tyre tracks catch his attention: he hasn't seen anything close to a motorised vehicle in aldrip yet, and he knows what motorbike tracks look like — he's owned motorbikes before, back when steven and marlene were together and happier, and marc was mostly — not there, only a reminder of a life he tried to leave behind (marc had died, after all). then, marc had owned motorbikes, custom models he'd made frenchie work on, had made frenchie optimise for moon knight.

he'd always done a very good job of driving them into buildings and people.

compared to his life in new york, aldrip is quiet. there are fewer chances and opportunities for marc to focus his thoughts and energies on something that isn't himself, and he hates it — though, given the parchment, he supposes that might be the point.

the tyre tracks are easy to follow and, though the walk isn't short, marc's been on longer, more meandering, more absolutely fucking pointless journeys through less interesting terrain in the marines. when he eventually finds himself in the clearing with the bike and the entrance to the cave, marc is — not exactly relieved, but it adds a sort of finality to the trek.

the bike's nothing like what he would own. where his had always been built for speed and agility, this is more for utility and comfort, but he pauses, just for a moment, before heading into the cave and spotting mizuki.

he stops, attention sliding from the bike to mizuki and back again, to the empty box and the weapon. if she was awake, she'd be gifted the sight of marc's features flitting between hesitance and indecisiveness, before finally, eventually, he takes a seat on a rock a reasonable distance away from her.

it smells like wet animal and though the girl looks okay, that's not to say that it'd stay that way if something less well-meaning followed the tracks to the cave.

he waits until she starts to stir, then— )

There are more comfortable places to sleep. ( it's more soft-spoken than marc looks: his nose is slightly crooked as if it's been broken (once, or twice, or more times), his left eyebrow has a scar separating it in two, and the dark circles beneath his eyes speak of a habitual lack of sleep. he holds a hand up — empty, palm facing out towards mizuki. ) —Sorry, ( he adds, before gesturing towards the entrance. ) The bike's easy to follow.

[usarinpa]

[ When Mizuki stirs, she looks neither at peace nor well-rested. She is sweating, though the cave appears to be a cold, dark place, and when she sits up, it is sudden. She looks like she's just woken up from a nightmare. Her eyes are wide with paranoia as she regards Marc; her breaths ragged like she's been running a marathon, and she scoots a couple inches away from him.

Her gaze follows his gesture towards the entrance. Her bike.

She could make a run for it. Maybe her bike would start this time, maybe it wouldn't. But her head is still foggy with sleep, and though the paranoia remains, so does she.

She opens her mouth to speak. Who is he? Why did he follow her? When no sound comes out, however, she simply closes it again, averting her eyes. Why bother. ]

part 2 (backdated to 03/07)

[parasaito]

[The missing poster that came up in the network the previous day was just a ruse, planned on a whim. Needless to say, Saito wasn't worried about Mizuki's well-being in the slightest. His sole worry, if it can be called that, was to lose his stable source of entertainment (and annoyance whenever the girl would misbehave, but it was a cheap price to pay). The truth coming to light was, naturally, an inevitable part of the plan; its climax. And it marked a new beginning in their relationship (or lack of thereof).

Even if other Chosen could hardly provide him with valuable information, it's not as though he was completely clueless about her possible whereabouts. Not to mention that bikes were nonexistent in Aldrip, so any tire marks were obvious indicators of the path Mizuki had taken. Following the marks led him to a familiar cave, the bike stopped nearby the entrance a confirmation she ought to be inside.

It's ludicrous to think that, perhaps now, with her world turned upside down, she felt the company of the offspring which lives she both ruined and rescued would give her some kind of solace. With her forgotten gifts in his hands — but still carrying the Evolver and a knife on him, Saito heads inside with measured steps, as though he's approaching a wild animal protecting their territory and children, ready to pounce on him... if he doesn't strike first instead.]

[usarinpa]

[ Neither piglet is with her.

Whether it's because she found another place for them or because she never found them again in the first place remains unclear. It is just Mizuki, sitting along the back of the cave wall, her pipe in her hands as Saito's footsteps echo faintly throughout. Her posture straightens, alert, though she looks anything but well-rested as his figure becomes more obvious.

She stands unsteadily with a stare that could kill, a stare that only sharpens when she sees what is in his hands. That accursed scarf, and though she doesn't see it, no doubt that charm she stole right off him. ]