12th Memory [March 15th, daytime][Action/Voice]

[memoryboxes]

[Sayo hadn't been getting out as much as usual, of course.

It was a simple pattern for her. She would nod off silently at her loom, and then wake up with a crippling jolt that left her unable to get up for a few minutes—she didn't want to bring them up, those remaining, fractured memories, even though the plagued her so. Nami had helped to distill a little bit of her pains by easing her guilt, but it didn't fix the waking nightmares she'd had recently, and while she would never admit it she'd fallen into a small depression that was hard to break free from. Loneliness, sudden panic, the desire to simply sit and wait for a new day...

This wasn't usual. This was irregular, and she hated it.

She goes to work and keeps up her cheery look, but she feels sluggish and tired so often lately that she wishes she could sleep it away. It's not right, she tells herself, for you to feel like this... Why is the draft still bothering her? The others—they're strong, and they got over it, so she needed to, too. Remember? You'd done well, there. So why now—

She's been going for late night walks at 12, 1, 2 in the morning, on the bridge near her housing. This particular night, she finds herself watching the stars a little earlier than she usual has been--is it really only 8?--and recalls her conversation with Ginko, the night she'd learned of her husband. And before she knew it, she was leaned over the railing, hands clasped tightly, crying her eyes out.

It's so difficult.

Why won't I forget what I want to forget?

.  .  .

The next morning, on her way to work, she she hears a little shuffling noise behind her—followed by quiet chirps. When she turns to look at them, she finds four baby... quails? They were quails, but she didn't know what they were at all. All she did know was that they were babies.]

...Oh, dear...

[She walks clear across the village with them trailing her, and finally she stops... and despite her worry for where the heck their mother is, an appreciative smile breaks across her face. A little while later, she breaks the depressed routine of sitting and hoping for something good to happen, she asks a question to the public:]

[Voice]

...What sort of creatures do you have in your world?

In mine, we have little creatures that not everyone can see with their eye... They're called mushi, and they cover the forests from top to bottom. I've heard they have many roles and different ways of living... but I've admittedly never been able to see them. I wish I could, though... I think such types of life would be amazing to see.

Comments

[voice/video]

[beaglenapper.livejournal.com]

Oh! I've tribbles where I'm from. Here---this is Nellie:

[Scotty holds the small cooing ball of fur up to the journal's video camera, so that Sayo can observe her.]

Re: [voice/video] Google tells me that these are so cuuuute *.*

[memoryboxes]

Tribbles....? I've never heard of those before!

[Hey there little fella!]

O-oh, but where are its... eyes... and face...

YES.

[beaglenapper.livejournal.com]

Nope! No eyes! No face! No external bits, apart from the fur, really. [The ball of fur vibrates happily.]

[memoryboxes]

What? Really? But... how does it know where it's going, though?

[beaglenapper.livejournal.com]

Ah. To be honest, she doesn't really go, lassie.

[Voice]

[paradoxwraith.livejournal.com]

Which would you prefer to hear about first: the living or the dead?

Re: [Voice]

[memoryboxes]

... I-I would think the living is the only thing people know much of.

[Voice]

[paradoxwraith.livejournal.com]

[If they only knew...]

The two dominant creatures during the time of my rebirth were vampires and humans. Most of the vampire clans had been hunted down to near extinction, having grown far too feral and primal to survive. Those were offspring of my brethren grew stronger yet twisted depending on who ruled their particular clan.

Re: [Voice]

[memoryboxes]

[Holy crap, a little at a time, bro, she's not as savvy as some are.]

Ah—vampires? What are those?

[She kind of forgot about learning of them, prior. :|a]

[Voice]

[gomugomunopwn.livejournal.com]

Hey, there's a creature in my world called Mushi too! It's called a Den Den Mushi! You use it to talk to each other kinda like the journals here.

Re: [Voice]

[memoryboxes]

Really? And you can use it to... speak to each other? How does one speak through animals, though?

[Because animals are far different than books. 8|]

[Voice]

[gomugomunopwn.livejournal.com]

Ah... [He has no idea how exactly it works.]

I don't really know exactly how it works. You talk to one of them and then it sends a signal to the other and then that one tells the other people what you said.

Re: [Voice]

[memoryboxes]

Amazing! I've never heard of a creature capable of that!

[Should Ginko ever tell her about the letter-sending cocoons in her world, she'll make it a literal note to tell you, Luffy-san. 8D]

And those are your way of speaking to each other at home when you're far apart?

[voice]

[simplestgift]

Weevils. Rats. Flies. Mr. Styles.

Re: [voice]

[memoryboxes]

Oh, I definitely know what flies are [today]! And rats, too—I'd just learned about them recently, actually!

... Though I've never heard of Mr. Styleses. What are they like?

[voice]

[simplestgift]

No-no, Sayo. Mr. Styles is someone I knew. I was jesting.

Re: [voice]

[memoryboxes]

Ah, I see! [She manages a little laugh at that, her mood already improving since opening up her journal.] Who's Mr. Styles? A fellow soldier from home? Or perhaps just a friend?

[voice]

[no-use-running.livejournal.com]

I suppose you mean the youma and pierrot.

Re: [voice]

[memoryboxes]

Youma? Pierrot? You'll have to tell me about them, Ami-chan! I don't think I've ever heard of those before.

Re: [voice]

[no-use-running.livejournal.com]

They were monsters. Our enemy used them. They were even able to turn humans into youma.

[There's the faintest catch in her voice. She takes a breath and goes on.]

But that's past now.

Re: [voice]

[memoryboxes]

Oh, I see... Humans were able to turn into them as well? That sounds like it made your work a lot more dangerous for you.

[Action]

[oda-hates-me.livejournal.com]

[Sayo, you might be good at hiding your emotions, but your boss is also observant. And he's been taking careful note of your progress ever since the return from the war.

The smile he sees never falters, but the memory does. More and more Sanji has had to gently remind her what to do, where to go... and through it all a heavy sort of exhaustion refuses to leave her face. It's a rather jolting change from the youthful vibrancy he's used to, and if he didn't know of her condition, would send her home to sleep.

He's tempted to do just that anyway, when she drops by for work. Instead he smiles and greets her like always, keeping the worry off his face] Good morning, Sayo-san!

Re: [Action]

[memoryboxes]

[Tired as usual, but she'll be extra peppy for you, Sanji!]

Ah, good morn—

[It's 12:00. :|a]

Good afternoon! How are you, Sanji-san?

[brb, putting up my coat.]

[Action]

[oda-hates-me.livejournal.com]

Huh. So it's afternoon already... [Time flies and all that. But it also means the rush is coming]

And wonderful, now that I have such lovely company in my sights~! [He does seem a bit zealous today; Maybe Sayo's not the only one with something to hide]

Was your morning alright~?

Re: [Action]

[memoryboxes]

Oh, just fine! A group of little—well, I'm not sure what they were, but they were so cute!—followed me to work, but I managed to find their mother not too far away.

[So that at least brightened her a little.]