( open ) september catchall

[tosa]

Who: mutsunokami & you
Where: the forest
When: september
What: catch-all log for the month! one open prompt with mutsu thinking about some recent information about the town.
Warnings: none at the moment

(If you asked Mutsunokami how much he cares about his appearances, he'd tell you he doesn't care too much, especially when he's always a little scratched up. That doesn't mean he doesn't take care of himself, though! You can't ignore your human body, after all. That's why it's important to rest and do some of those more boring, mundane human things like doing your laundry...

He's at a stream in the forest that other people in Chroma might also wash their clothes. He's sort of just chilling out while the water runs over his kimono, holding his fingers out in front of him and counting things down. He'll go at it for a little while, tracing something into the dirt next to him every now and then and then--)

How many people d'ya think used to live here?

(What's up, he knew you were nearby.)

ooc: if you'd like to plot anything, hit me up on plurk at eski or discord @ eski#9874

Comments

[extrapolating]

[ Elizabeth nods in understanding, since with that explanation, she finds that she agrees with his assessment. There were definitely a fair amount of people here, and with more arriving every so often. About every two months, if her general idea of the passage of time was right...? It makes the town a little more crowded, but she doesn't exactly mind that.

However, she'd known that by mentioning Chroma in the plural, she'd have to explain what she meant. It's not an ability that she's prone to boasting about, but she'd mentioned it because it was definitely useful information for his theory. ]

It's something I can do. I can create these-- You can think of them like windows or doors. They let you look into other worlds, and here, I always see Chroma, but just a little different. The colors that are restored are different, or there's none at all yet. It's an alternate universe to this one.

[ She pauses her washing to offer: ]

...But I know that might not make much sense. I can show you, but you have to promise me that if I do, you won't try and go through it.

[ She has to Waynes to thank for showing that this is a Bad Idea... ]

[tosa]

( Her explanation is actually fairly easy for him to understand. Sure, it doesn't sound exactly the same and he's sure the concept is still different but... )

Like the same place but in a different time. ( Like Kyoto at all of it's different points in the past. It's neater and more linear compared to what Elizabeth is talking about but it's not too far of a stretch for him to follow her explanation. Instead of the time period being different, there are other things. Is it like a different timeline all together? ) ... Or like the same place at the same time if something had been different?

( Is he right? That sounds like it and he sits up a little straighter, giving her his full attention. He's curious now because that sure is a power. Elizabeth doesn't look like very much but if she has a power like that... she isn't too unlike the saniwa. )

Ya might find it hard to believe but I'm pretty good at doing nothing.

( He's impulsive and reactive and doesn't seem to think things through but even he can be responsible when visiting other places. He knows the rules! )

[extrapolating]

[ Oh, he seems to be getting it fairly easily, actually. At this point, Elizabeth knows that's likely to mean that he's familiar with the concept a little more practically, since it apparently wasn't as rare of a thing as she had expected. It's something she's glad for. ]

It could be either. Where I'm from, it was easier to tell which it might be, but here...

[ She shrugs, since the rather nondescript nature of Chroma makes it harder. Elizabeth stands just after with a smile and a nod. ]

Good. It's-- Well, trying to figure it out, I really just ended up finding out that trying to go through them is a bad idea. It sounds like you're a little familiar with the idea, though. So... It might just be surprising.

[tosa]

( He sure does! )

Here, it's weird?

( Is that what she wants to say? Or is basically getting at? Because he can relate. This place is real weird and never really stops being that, even when he's gotten used to some things. He definitely wants to see Elizabeth's power, though!! )

Not a whole lotta people know this... but I did a lot of traveling back home! ( In more than one sense of the word. ) I've been all over Japan and to a whole bunch of different times. So ya don't gotta worry about me!

[extrapolating]

Here, it's hard to tell. If the times are different in the towns I've seen, there's not much to give you any clues of it.

[ She answers with a little laugh, growing a little more confident in showing her power the more Mutsu explains. Another person that's used to this, then? Or... close enough. She nods, feeling assured. ]

But good. Then I definitely trust you to be careful more than the last person.[ Again, she's teasing. She can't exactly blame Damian for... being Damian, essentially. ] It'll take just a second to find it, more or less.

[ "It," though, that's the part she always struggles to explain. It's something only she's aware of, and it's not something she can see or even really sense. As she reaches her hands out into the empty air, she just knows where to put her hands. She always has, and the lack of explanation for that has always bothered her too.

Elizabeth's fingers grasp into the air like they've found purchase on something, and she starts to pull her hands apart from each other like she's opening heavy shutters to a window. She grunts in effort, pulling at something unseen, but something seems to finally give. Her arms are thrown wide as a shimmering circle of light opens up rapidly around where she had been pulling, and it ends up as the border to a quite flat portal. It's an image of the town in a static-like state. It's identical by all appearances, except the sky is... green, weirdly. The portal itself is definitely easily large enough for someone to walk through, which probably makes her demand for a promise a little clearer.

For her part, Elizabeth takes a step back to look at it too, no worse for wear. ]

Like that. And... that's why it's kind of hard to explain. It's quicker to just show the Tears usually.

[tosa]

( Even if she's teasing, he can't help but look a little smug at having some faith in him! Of course he's going to do a good job. He tries to not make trouble on purpose, you know!

He watches her curiously, tilting his head and squinting to see what she's reaching for. Is there something there to begin with? But there's definitely something there and he becomes more alert, feeling something. There's some sort of change-- something different where whatever Elizabeth is working. He almost wants to ask if he can help because whatever she's trying to do seems like it's terribly heavy but he knows it's pointless and

There's a light and loud sound and suddenly something has changed. Coming closer, he can see what she's revealed-- a whole new world? Except it isn't totally new. It's Chroma. He can recognize that once his surprise wears off and he takes a step forward and turns the other way and turns back to look at her.

He's stunned. Absolutely surprised by what he's seen, he has to give Elizabeth one more look in a different sort of light. This sort of power... is strong, isn't it? )

How'd you... ( He doesn't finish the question. There's no point. However she did it, what matters is that she was able to do it in the end. And it's easier to show than to explain so perhaps she can't truly explain it either? ) Can we go?

( Inside? )

[extrapolating]

[ She laughs a little at first as she shakes her head, though the laugh itself is dry. ]

I don't know. I just have always been able to. More or less.

[ The last part is muttered to herself more than said to Mutsu, since the fact that her powers faded for years but then returned here... That's complicated. And to be honest, it doesn't give anything more in the way of answers as to "how."

She steps forward towards the Tear and crouches so that she can reach through and pluck a flower. It's red like a rose, but it looks more like a daisy. Elizabeth stands again, then holds it out to Mutsu. ]

You can reach through and grab things. That seems to be fine. But when people try and go through them... I don't know. The town, or whoever controls this place, it kicks you out. Violently.

[tosa]

( He takes the flower, turning it over in his hand and seeing what she means. He's never seen a flower like this before in Chroma and he looks back into the portal-- at the green sky and the flowers and all of the things that seem different but also look the same.

So what happens when they try to go in? They just get kicked out? Well, he isn't afraid of getting bumped and bruised! But he promised he wouldn't try to go through it. :(

It definitely looks like he's considering it, though!!! The only thing that really stops him, (besides the promise itself) is how she'd raised her voice at him the last time they met. He can be good. He'll prove it. )

So ya tried to go through before?

( Assuming it was Elizabeth who went in. Kneeling down, he touches some of the flowers but really, he's just sort of trying to get a feel for what he's seeing. It doesn't feel like anything to him? Is it really dangerous? )

[extrapolating]

[ As soon as Elizabeth sees that he's considering it, her expression immediately turns to one of much more concern. Without even thinking about it, she reaches out to grab his sleeve tightly, as if to stop him from going forward if he tried. ]

Don't.

[ Her voice is definitely more pleading than commanding, but it softens as she explains ]

It's not just going to push you out. It-- I don't know how, but it gives you these horrible, awful visions. I saw people I— [ Her throat tightens as she remembers, and Elizabeth actually lets go of his sleeve to hug her arms close to herself as she looks down. ]

You don't want to have to see people you love die. I think... I think that's what happens every time.

[tosa]

( She tugs at his sleeve and he looks down at it and then at her. How is he supposed to run wild and ignore all of the rules when she's got him like this? His curiosity doesn't pass but at least his drive dies down. His shoulders slump, relaxing and when she lets go of his sleeve, his hand falls easily to his side.

He's listening to her but more than her explanation, he's listening to how tight her voice sounds. She's kind, isn't she? He can't make a kind person like her upset. Reaching for another one of those flowers in the portal, he'll get up and turn to face her, holding it out to her, )

No one's gonna get hurt.

( Because no one's going to be going through any portals. )

I don't go outta my way to see people get hurt. 'Specially not people I like.

[extrapolating]

[ Her grip tightens on his sleeve as she reaches forward, since after having to deal with the Waynes (in particular, Damian) not exactly listening to her warnings, she wouldn't be surprised for Mutsu to not do so either. She may not be strong, but she'll definitely do her best to pull Mutsu back, she thinks.

But luckily, she doesn't have to.

Her grip relaxes when he just plucks a flower, and by the time he brings it to her, she's let go completely. Her expression is lightly admonishing, as if saying "don't scare me like that" through her expression alone, but she takes the flower carefully. ]

And I don't either. Maybe eventually it won't be... quite so bad. But for now, we should only grab things that are right in front of the Tear.

[ Elizabeth looks down at the flower, then back to the portal that's still shimmering away oddly. This one does seem more stable, so maybe she's getting better at this. ]

I think it's the town's way of keeping us here. Because... Well, if you went through it, you could be free. It's usually the same place where I open it, but just a little different, but every once in a while, it's a completely different time and place. There wouldn't be any coming back, I don't think, but... I know some people would be fine with that.