夏目友人帳

It is always nice to have something familiar around….so the crazy situations might not be too far off! 

“Guess I can do that, yeah. Take a left down this street, then a right– then at the end of that block make another left and go three blocks…you still with me?”

A left...then a right...then...another what? Yeah, Natsume was definitely lost.

“Say no more.” She mulled over his words, trying to see if she could gather any sort of malice or negative intent, but without knowing all that much about him – without the ability to know – she could only guess. To her, a guess wasn’t good enough – she needed to know for certain.

Based on his actions so far, he did seem to be telling the truth. For now, that guaranteed him a small window of safety from punishment, though she did have a few words of caution.

She let out an elongated breath and closed her eyes.

“I myself cannot advise putting yourself into harm’s way to help someone, but if it means placing more importance on the needs of the greater good, then I cannot fault you. Still–” Her gaze rose once again and was now set over the boy.

“I sense your intent is in the right place, so I will refrain from lecturing you any further at this time.”

Hadn’t she promised that she wasn’t going to lecture him just a minute ago...? Perhaps he had that coming, Sensei was always lecturing him over something or other.

“S-Sorry, ah, Nyanko-sensei is always telling me not to get involved in other people’s business, but it always just...” Ends up happening. “Erm, was there something else I could assist you with, since you have your mirror back, and don’t need your name?”

The sensation of eyes had been on him, Aichi was wrought with puzzlement for a moment as to where and why. When he’d located the gaze on him, he speculated the reason, though it took hearing it to confirm the other boy’s curiosity.

With a sheepish laugh, Aichi reached up, taking hold of the hanging tresses on his right side. “No, it’s perfectly understandable, there’s no need to apologize. Where I’m from, it’s natural for people  to have hair of any colour of the rainbow. Since coming here, I’ve learned that’s not the case  for quite a lot of people. If it’s not the colour, it’s the style that throws people for a loop. I got it from my mother, though her hair is closer to a dark aquamarine, though I’ve been told I resemble her quite a bit”.

The only people Natsume had ever really encountered with perhaps unnatural hair colors were...well...ayakashi. They weren’t so much of people as...ayakashi.

But his mother had dark aquamarine hair? Natsume tried to imagine it, a world where people with rainbow hair colors was considered normal.

“That sounds very interesting--I can certainly attest it’s not the case where I’m from, as the only people with blue hair would have to had dyed it.” Hinoe’s hair was a sort of purple, right? “How does that work? Is a certain color more common than another?”

Shyarly smiled wide. Finally they understood what she was after. “Now that’s a good attitude to have. I’ll be impressed with your attempt no matter the outcome.” A hand ran over the fish’s scales as it gave it’s last gasping breath. Yes, she was planning to tear away the scales with her hands but a human ought to have more decency. “No but this should work…” She reached up to her mouth, caressing one of her teeth.

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ALRIGHT THAT WAS ALARMING DID SHE JUST--Well he guessed she looked like a shark, but that was STILL VERY UNEXPECTED.

“Ah--uh--th-thanks??”

Was “thanks” even the right thing to say?? Handling the tooth carefully (more out of not wanting to cut himself already than the absolute shock of just being handed one of her teeth), he took the fish as well before beginning his attempt.

“Steady there.” He’s quick back on his feet, and helps pull the boy up. He doesn’t see or hear anything yet. It’s not  his own fear then, this one. That may not make it any less dangerous. 

“Nowhere’s safe in this city. What’s after you and where do you think you can lead it?” He’s ready to run if the boy does now, but he’ll follow after him till he has the answer.

Ah, he didn’t want to have to explain the spirits. But people always demanded explanations, didn’t they? It didn’t seem the other could see the spirit coming after him, which in Natsume’s mind was a good thing. After all, this was the same spirit that cursed Taki just for being able to see him. Thankfully it wasn’t that fast--

“Ah, er,” Natume fumbled for an explanation that would satisfy him well enough to leave for somewhere else. Natsume was worried the other wouldn’t believe him, but then again he had met an actual mermaid in this city already that was visible to others. “It’s...a...spirit, of some form. I...thought I sealed it in a mirror, which, if I can find another one perhaps I can perform the ritual--”

Footsteps. There was no time. Grabbing the other, Natsume started running again.

“I wouldn’t let you come along if I did,” she chuckled. It was him that offered in the first place, anyway, so there wasn’t much of a reason for her to decline it. She was in a mood to talk to someone, and maybe he was the perfect candidate for that.

“Oh? Well, I’m still rather new to the holiday too, but I’ve been learning more about it as time went on.” The concept of it wasn’t too hard to grasp, and she could see why so many were appealed by it.

“We’re hosting a party for the city… if you’ve ever heard about it. It’s understandable if you haven’t, since it seems like you’re unaware about the news in the first place.”

A party? No, he certainly hadn’t heard anything. But then again, he’d only arrived recently, so it wasn’t that surprising.

“That sounds nice, I can’t say I’ve heard of it or been to a party similar to that at all.”

The last few “parties” he remembered attending nearly involved him or others dying, if they didn’t actually die. Usually from being eaten.

That’s rough, buddy.

“Sucks. But maybe its a good thing….shit gets crazy here, wouldn’t wish that on anyone I know.”

Maybe he had a point. As much as he hoped he’d find someone anyone though maybe not Matoba, he wouldn’t wish being stuck here on any of them. Even Matoba.

  madamsharley  [ Update: All...

WHOOPS I MISSREAD ah sorry

  [ Update: All Natsume threads have been replied to...

i think you missed ours?

A...cell phone? Upon returning to his apartment for the evening, Natsume found the phone lying on top of his bed with a note explaining he’d earned it.

Earned it? By...being stuck here for a month? And apparently he was a “citizen” now. Huh. He’d never had a cell phone before, and had never wanted to ask the Fujiwaras, regardless of how convenient it may have been at times when he was stuck away from home due to an ayakashi.

Maybe...maybe he could call them now. He could let them know he was okay, at the very least.

Hesitantly, he enters their number into his phone before hitting the green button. Bringing his phone up to his ear, he isn’t even aware he’s holding his breath. To hear Touko-san, to know she’s alright, and Shigeru-san, to even know what happened to Sensei--

A click, followed by a robotic female voice telling him the number he’s trying to reach is not available. He drops the phone, and lets out the breath at the same time without noticing. It doesn’t mean anything, just that...the Fujiwaras are somewhere else. Somewhere he can’t reach them.

The scientists had said something about different worlds...

Dammit. Those ayakashi were back again, and of course they had to be the ones he really didn’t want to deal with. And of course Sensei wasn’t here. Of course.

While the spirits following him didn’t exactly look like much, just shaggy brown things that seemed a little too keen to eat him, he knew how much trouble they were when they ganged up. As they were now. He had been running through the streets, hoping they’d be more focused on him than anyone else. The last thing he wanted was to cause anyone else any trouble.

They’d caught up to him once already, which is why he no longer had his voice. He doubted he could force them to lift the voice sealing curse on him this time without Sensei’s help, so he’d likely be unable to talk for a week.

Panic naturally makes Natsume more prone to tripping, which he does, very narrowly avoiding knocking into someone. He stands up to apologize quickly to her.

“...”

[ > sees all the cool kids doing it   > realizes Natsume is like the only muse I can make because the rest have weird character design quirks that makes it impossible

“Sorry! I’m just not used to big spaces like this. The Isle was so tiny and…well, not like this place. If you don’t like me holding your hand, could I hold onto your sleeve? So we don’t get separated before we reach the train?”

“No, no, it’s fine,” he quickly attempted to reassure her. It wouldn’t make much of a difference if she were holding his hand or his sleeve, either way he was unaccustomed to close physical contact that meant him no harm.

Uh oh. He’s been caught staring.

“Uh, sorry for staring. I--I was admiring your hair. How did you get that color?”