[Some time's passed since the day they got her out of the other world; it's a Sunday again. Not that he minded, but at the very least he didn't get woken up at a terrible hour like he did last time. Though if he had to be honest, he was still feeling a little tired. It was either the lack of time spent in the other world, or something else -- like him wearing himself thin over the last couple of weeks trying to clean out his homework.
But today, he was going to relax. What better way to do that than pay a visit to the shrine?
Souji gets out of bed, gets dressed and, saying his goodbyes to Nanako and his uncle, heads on over to the shopping district, going straight towards said shrine at a leisurely pace with the intent to pray for his success.]
But, it's the first time she's felt well enough to leave the apartment. She's not been sick, per say; just exhausted. School has been put off for the past couple of weeks, as have much of her other activities. Today she decided she would go out, to a place that had also seen the neglect due to her health.
Not only for that, though. The shrine was an important place for her.
She's not wearing any sort of dress, but her hair is tied back all the same, as she sweeps along the path, past the trees, and so forth. It's early summer now, so she's wearing a blouse and a blue pleated skirt that goes a little past her knees.
But when Souji arrives he'll find her stood by the shrine tree, a hand resting against its bark, broom forgotten in her other hand.]
[The shrine seemed just a little more empty than it normally was...though that was probably because the fox was only there when the rain was a thing. But that was far from bad. The fox was a good friend all on its own, but sometimes he wanted to just sit back and enjoy the breeze that usually hit this place first. Granting wishes was one thing, simply being there was another.
Not that he had anything against it, either, especially when it helped him towards a greater understanding of others. But I digress.
Souji wanders a little, taking in the fresh air for a few seconds before spying Lucina.]
[It takes her a moment to notice he's there, lost in thought, in reminiscance. She's not startled when she does notice him, instead saying a soft,] Souji. [She nods.] A little. More than I expected, but less, at the same time... but it isn't the type of thing to heal overnight.
[He approaches her, raising a weary hand in greeting.] ...It's something, though, isn't it? [Not that it changed how understandable it was. Those friends who were there with him had gone through the same things...]
Mm. A weight has been lifted. [She doesn't raise her own hand, them being preoccupied with broom and resting against a tree. Her hand does flex against the bark in thought, though.] Thanks to you and the others.
[Lucina lets out a long sigh.] I was thinking of my parents. I often come here, to speak with them. Even though they never reply. Not in as many words.
Quite. [It's a difficult question to answer in as many words.] Even though father was often away, for months at a time... sometimes mother, as well. But I did not love them any less for it. When the four of us were together, I was happiest.
[...It must be nice, having a family as tightly knit as that.
A flicker of a frown reveals itself on his features.] ...Do you still miss them? [A rhetorical question, given what she's said. But feelings change overtime.]
He's back home, with my aunt. [And their butler, but Frederick is more than that, it's not really something she can put into words. A comforting presence in a different way to Lissa's smothering one; the one less likely to offer you words of comfort but will help you stand up again.] He has spoken of coming here, but... well, perhaps in summer.
[Even if it's rhetorical, she nods, finally lifting her hand from against the bark of the tree, fully turning to him now, both hands on the broom, leaning against it.] I always will. But it's a dull hurt, now. Perhaps not acceptance, yet... [Time mends a lot of wounds. Her mother was there to pick up the pieces when they lost her father. And for Olivia, she... it was an outcome that was slim, but possible. They had been prepared for it. Not that that made it any better, but letting go had already begun.]
He might. He can be impulsive that way. [Even if Lissa would freak but he'd just smooth it all over with her once he got here.] But he's sixteen in August, so... there's really no stopping him if he does. Though I wouldn't be surprised if Cynthia or Owain at least considered following.
[She speaks of them fondly, but really she fears the idea of just those three coming without the others because there is no balance in that trio at all. They're good people, and they should all continue to be who they are, but... it's not the best representation.]
[On the flipside, at least he sounds like the sort of person who would get along with his best bud...impulsiveness wasn't entirely bad a thing to have.]
[She can hasten a guess to what this might be about.
It's still so very, very vivid. Something impossible, yet... yet it happened. The last time she saw him, she was exhausted, but she distinctly remembers crying until she had no more tears left to shed. And perhaps one from him, as well, when he thought that she had...
But she stops those thoughts in their tracks to focus on the present, tilting her head ever so slightly.]
[He stares at her for a while, regret creeping up on the edges of his expression for a moment before being hidden behind that nigh omnipresent poker face.]
...I feel like I have to. You went through so much before coming here...and it only got worse from then on.
[And he wasn't there to help, to make living here any more bearable.]
In the end, I chose to come here. [She sighs softly.] I may not have chosen what happened to me, but it's not something that you should be held responsible for.
[Reassuring she might have been, but there's still a hint of himself that carries the blame. Was it deserved? Most likely not. Did he find himself wanting to shoulder it anyway? Yes.
Because in that moment, he nearly failed someone he held in good regard. Nearly allowed them to be swallowed up by that goddess' fog.
[He looks at her, then, listens carefully to what she has to say, with a pensive face. ...Yes, that was true, wasn't it? 'Then' didn't matter even half as much as 'now'. They got her out of that other world, helped her escape a cruel fate. They helped her face the things she was so hard-pressed to admit, to confront the truth she didn't want to stare in the face.
So what if he nearly failed her?
He still saved her. He still brought her back from the brink. That's what should have mattered.]
No, it isn't. [She shakes her head to emphasise the point.] Everything has it's time, and a time to be revisited, as well. Some more than others. You didn't make a mistake. You did the right thing. That's what you should focus on.
[It's not a hard thing for her to comfort him; it's something you pick up when you have a leader for a father, people he inspires to follow him. The same can be said of her, in its way. Only she's still in progress.
Maybe a bit more progress than a short while before.]
It's given me a lot to think about. Not only for what happened, but... the Persona, as well.
[He nods at her advice. Doing the right thing has always been an important part of his moral compass; he's glad that she's reinforced his hopes on that.
At her other remark, though...]
...Being in that other world can do that to a person. [It's probably done the same for his friends while they were recovering from their harrowing experiences there.] Still...is it along the lines of what you want out of your stay here?
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Rank 5, all aboard the mounting feels train
But today, he was going to relax. What better way to do that than pay a visit to the shrine?
Souji gets out of bed, gets dressed and, saying his goodbyes to Nanako and his uncle, heads on over to the shopping district, going straight towards said shrine at a leisurely pace with the intent to pray for his success.]
choo choo
But, it's the first time she's felt well enough to leave the apartment. She's not been sick, per say; just exhausted. School has been put off for the past couple of weeks, as have much of her other activities. Today she decided she would go out, to a place that had also seen the neglect due to her health.
Not only for that, though. The shrine was an important place for her.
She's not wearing any sort of dress, but her hair is tied back all the same, as she sweeps along the path, past the trees, and so forth. It's early summer now, so she's wearing a blouse and a blue pleated skirt that goes a little past her knees.
But when Souji arrives he'll find her stood by the shrine tree, a hand resting against its bark, broom forgotten in her other hand.]
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Not that he had anything against it, either, especially when it helped him towards a greater understanding of others. But I digress.
Souji wanders a little, taking in the fresh air for a few seconds before spying Lucina.]
Ah. Are you feeling any better?
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[...It must be nice, having a family as tightly knit as that.
A flicker of a frown reveals itself on his features.] ...Do you still miss them? [A rhetorical question, given what she's said. But feelings change overtime.]
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[Even if it's rhetorical, she nods, finally lifting her hand from against the bark of the tree, fully turning to him now, both hands on the broom, leaning against it.] I always will. But it's a dull hurt, now. Perhaps not acceptance, yet... [Time mends a lot of wounds. Her mother was there to pick up the pieces when they lost her father. And for Olivia, she... it was an outcome that was slim, but possible. They had been prepared for it. Not that that made it any better, but letting go had already begun.]
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He pauses, regarding the mention of her sibling coming to visit.]
By himself?
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[She speaks of them fondly, but really she fears the idea of just those three coming without the others because there is no balance in that trio at all. They're good people, and they should all continue to be who they are, but... it's not the best representation.]
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[On the flipside, at least he sounds like the sort of person who would get along with his best bud...impulsiveness wasn't entirely bad a thing to have.]
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...And...if I may say something else...I'm sorry.
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It's still so very, very vivid. Something impossible, yet... yet it happened. The last time she saw him, she was exhausted, but she distinctly remembers crying until she had no more tears left to shed. And perhaps one from him, as well, when he thought that she had...
But she stops those thoughts in their tracks to focus on the present, tilting her head ever so slightly.]
You don't have to apologise, Souji.
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...I feel like I have to. You went through so much before coming here...and it only got worse from then on.
[And he wasn't there to help, to make living here any more bearable.]
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I was the one who gave up. Not you.
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[Reassuring she might have been, but there's still a hint of himself that carries the blame. Was it deserved? Most likely not. Did he find himself wanting to shoulder it anyway? Yes.
Because in that moment, he nearly failed someone he held in good regard. Nearly allowed them to be swallowed up by that goddess' fog.
That is where I could have lost you.]
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[The name slips out, but she doesn't have anything else to add to it.
Except one thing.]
Thank you. You and the others. I never got the chance to say it. But you musn't blame yourself. We're both here now, aren't we? That's what matters.
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So what if he nearly failed her?
He still saved her. He still brought her back from the brink. That's what should have mattered.]
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Mm. Now isn't really the time to be dwelling on things.
[Dwelling had a habit of wasting time they could have easily spent on what they should be doing: preparing themselves for the future.]
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[It's not a hard thing for her to comfort him; it's something you pick up when you have a leader for a father, people he inspires to follow him. The same can be said of her, in its way. Only she's still in progress.
Maybe a bit more progress than a short while before.]
It's given me a lot to think about. Not only for what happened, but... the Persona, as well.
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At her other remark, though...]
...Being in that other world can do that to a person. [It's probably done the same for his friends while they were recovering from their harrowing experiences there.] Still...is it along the lines of what you want out of your stay here?