4/3/2003
01:44
PM
Logfile
from Hotohori
Inn
------------------------------------===------------------------------------
Typical
of most inns, this one is some distance from the main gates of the city, the
interior cluttered with tables as well as a long wooden bar. Stairs lead to the
rooms meant for traveler use, the walls hung with lanterns to provide
illumination.
Nuriko(#331)
is here.
Exit:
Out (to Konnan)
Chiriko
has arrived from Konnan.
Nuriko
walks out of the kitchen, carrying two bowls of fried rice and sets one down in
front of Chiriko and the other beside him then takes a seat. "Eat up,
Chiriko. Are the others out having a look around then?" Picking up his
chopsticks, he gives the rice a stir, watching the steam rise away from the
food. "And before you ask, I haven't had a chance to talk to Tasuki
yet."
Chiriko
takes a moment to even notice the rice, much less acknowledge the question.
Why? Because he was studying yet another scroll that was just bound to take his
attention. He was listening, though, and Nuriko's words finally register on the
boy. "Hai, arigatou, Nuriko,"
he smiles, not touching the rice for a moment.
"Ooi, I'm going to get a chance to talk to him if I have to stop
him in his tracks first. However, I wasn't going to ask. That's your business,
ne? If you want me to know these things, you'll tell me."
"No,
I assure you, I really haven't a clue what you are talking about," floats
a voice from just without the inn. A brief pause. "That is wonderful to
know but... No, really, I'll just -Thank you. Thank you. I... Thank you!"
Hotohori enters into the inn backwards, waving his hands in almost a shooing
motion to whoever is speaking to him just outside. No sighs of relief as the
door closes, just a blink, and then another. A slow shake of his head and the
man turns about, not looking too worse for the wear already, because that
simply wouldn't do.
Nuriko
picks up his bowl of rice, drawing it closer to his mouth as he begins to eat.
"Hai, Chiriko, but you are my otouto and I love you. My life isn't closed
to you. I've been avoiding him. Well, more so that I've been working in the
kitchen a lot and not necessarily making time to talk to him. Anyway, eat,
alright?" Noting the voice of the newcomer, the sound vaguely familiar, he
turns to regard the man entering the inn. The result? *CRASH* goes the bowl of
fried rice on the floor, the heavy porcelain shattering into pieces.
Chiriko
turns. Blinks. "Hotohori-sama..."
YES! See? He told everyone and no one but Nuriko wanted to believe
him. "I told you, I /told/ you!
Hotohori.." The dropped bowl isn't
even noticed as he stands, making his way to the man to look up rather
happily. "We've been waiting a
very long time for you." That's
the greeting the man is going to get, because it's the truth. "Someone
tried to take your place and nearly had us convinced."
Hotohori
simply hasn't the will to look flustered anymore, because he has long passed that
need. Probably some time yesterday. Now he is just going with it all, or as
best he can. The one with the dropped bowl gets a far-away blinks and an
absent, "Careful there, Nuriko." Beat. A rather confused haziness
comes to his eyes, trying to pick out where exactly that word came from. And
then then chibi in front of him receives a passing pat to the head as he passes
around him, "Me? You don't happen to have a message for me then? Possibly
a cell phone?"
"Hotohori-sama!"
Nuriko all but shrieks, making the inn's few other workers and guests stare in
complete surprise. So much for trying to keep a low profile. The slender man
nearly flies toward the other, glomping onto him and all but squeezing the
stuffing from him. Even tears start to come from his wide, shimmering eyes.
"It is you! Finally!"
Chiriko
shakes his head. "Iie, no phones here, but.. anou.." Blink. Oh, look, there's Nuriko nearly
squeezing the stuffing out of their former emperor. "That might not be a good idea, oneesan, he may not even
remember anything. We aren't exactly meeting under the best of conditions,
after all." Well, he's going to ask even if the newly found seishi is
having his insides compressed.
"Anou, do you remember anything? Anything about us or your distant
past?" It's a start.
And the
oddity of this entire experience continues. But considering this hasn't been
the first time Hotohori has been latched onto in the past 24 hours, he'll just
stand there in a state of long-suffering, and gasp every now and again as he is
fairly sure his innards are being rearranged. "Well... *breathe* Do you
think you could-" Another gasping breath as he shoots a glance down to
Chiriko, "Could you possibly get this person to... stop." Must -
breathe!
Nuriko
says, "Iiee! Gomen nasai, Hotohori-sama," stammers Nuriko as the man
is released and his clothing quickly smoothed. "I'm just so happy to see
you and .. person? It's Nuriko. You called me by my name a moment ago."
Chiriko gets an odd expression at his questions about memories and past life as
the man points out, "Chiriko, we /are/ in the distant past. Again. That
makes that question a little confusing, ne?" But the newly found seishi is
being scrutinized closely as Nuri holds onto one arm, probably making sure he
doesn't bolt. "Do you remember us?""
"That's
Nuriko, and I'm Chiriko," he introduces, giving a bit of a bow out of old
habit. "Iie, not so distant that he'd be who he was then. We still have
our memories of being our normal selves, so..
If he doesn't know who you are, then he must not remember. We'll just
have to explain things and do our best to not make him think we're all insane.
Although, he's right where we are, which just proves who he is, ne?" He's a happy boy. "Let me just say that I'm very glad that you're you and not
the person who was pretending to be you, because I very much want him
dead." Oops.
Hotohori
draws in a thankful breath, hand immediately reaching up to smooth back his
hair. He peers down at Nuriko, gaze almost studious as he examines the man,
before dropping to Chiriko with equal scrutiny. "Deja vu," he
mutters, confusion showing up once more in his gaze. "Remember you? Should
I have? I'm sorry if I've forgotten your names. We could have crossed paths
before. Possibly." The boy is getting another frowning glance, "I'm
rather happy that I'm me to, even if a slightly confused me."
Understatement. "Pretending to be me?" Okay, there is skepticism in
his tone that time. "I find that hard to believe."
Nuriko
frowns slightly as he looks up at Hotohori. "How about if I ask you who
you think you are? Do you recognize the name Hotohori? Do you recognize where
you are now?" Simple questions first it seems. He still hasn't let go of
the man's arm. At least he's not rubbing his face against his shoulder and
muttering his name endlessly, ne?
Chiriko
nods at Hotohori's question. "Hai,
pretending to be you. You're very important, even if you may not know it yet.
You'll remember eventually, but the fact that you're here means you are who you
are." If he could be any less confusing..
"Hai, we've crossed paths, but it's the first time we've done so in
this lifetime. ..anou, Nuriko? Would you mind letting go of Hotohori-sama
please? We might be making a scene."
"I
think that I am either hallucinating or have found myself at the wrong end of a
practical joke, that while amusing I'm sure in its own way, I'd really rather
have done with it and return to the real world. Not that this setting isn't
charming and very well done," Hotohori notes, the ring of truth in his
tone. But once more confusion clouds his gaze, "Hotohori?... That was what
you said before? I'm not so sure about..." Annoyance returns though, more
at himself than any attachment of Nuriko.
Nuriko
glances around the inn, looking at those watching. As soon as his gaze meets
theirs, they turn away and pretend they weren't watching or listening.
"Too late," he says with a grin. "Besides, Chiriko, I'm not
letting him go anywhere. Except perhaps to sit down? Hotohori-sama, would you
care to sit and let me get you something to eat and drink?" The former
emperor is gently tugged toward the table, the effeminate seishi practically
beaming back at him.
Chiriko
would facepalm, but that wouldn't do any good. "Anou.. you don't remember
/anything/? This isn't a joke, I'm afraid, and if it is.. it's a very good one
that the gods have played on us all."
The tugging of the other sieshi is given a shake of his head and a half
grin as he makes his way back to their table. If Nuriko wants someone to sit,
they sit, no need of help from short, scholarly kids.
"That
would be nice. Thank you.... Nuriko," Hotohori responds, allowing himself
to be tugged along, mostly because he probably couldn't stop him, although all
of that beaming is getting something of a curious look. "What am I
supposed to be remembering? Maybe if you told me, I could remember it?"
Sound reasoning there. "But if this has anything to do with that week on
Cyprus, I doubt I'll be recalling any of it."
Nuriko
gets the man seated and disappears into the kitchen to fetch another bowl of
fried rice, chopsticks, and tea for the heika. He returns with all, balanced on
a tray upon one hand. In the other is a broom for the mess previously made.
Once Hotohori is served, Nuri cleans up, saying, "I think perhaps Chiriko
could explain it better than I. He is the scholar of our group."
Chiriko
blinks at Nuriko, looking a bit surprised. "Anou! I was hardly there for
anything.." Wait, that argument doesn't work. He knew about what was going
on. "You don't remember? You're
Hotohori, a seishi of Suzaku, and your job is to help protect our miko,
Miaka." If it's short and simple,
and filled with key names, he might be able to trigger a few memories. "You were once emperor of this country,
and you were very good at looking after it. You don't remember any of it? Ooi,
we have to trigger some kind of memory before you meet Miaka."
Hotohori
is seated, and given local fare but before he starts in, he speaks, "Thank
you again. Please, sit." Hand waves to indicate the other seats. Tea is
held for a moment, but he is hesitating once more, peering across to Chiriko
with another confused glance. There is a flicker of recognition in his eyes
though, causing him to glance away momentarily, searching for an explanation.
"I am not so sure..." he eases slowly. "An emperor?" This
provokes a soft smile, almost wistful. "Now, wouldn't that be
something."
"He
is rather old to not be remembering, Chiriko. Unless he's been tampered with so
that the other come take his place." Nuriko does sit, propping up his chin
on one hand. "Hotohori-sama, this is Konan and you /were/ emperor here.
Hmm, do you remember the names of Houki, your empress and Boushin, your
son?" He is trying for anything here. "There's also Tamahome, Mitsukake,
Tasuki, Chichiri - they're the other seishi of Suzaku. Hmm, how about Nakago.
He was a Seiryuu seishi. A real jerk too."
Chiriko
shakes his head, pointing to Nuriko.
"You weren't so willing to face your memories, ne? The only reason
I was able to accept mine was because I was afraid of not remembering and
failing everyone again. So, if Hotohori-sama doesn't have any reason to not be
afraid of not remembering.." The
thought trails off as Nuriko speaks and he nods at both seishi. "Hai, you were emperor, it's the truth.
We're all coming together again to protect our miko, and she /really/ needs the
protection. Trust me on this. She tried kidnapping one of our enemy with a lamp
as a weapon."
Hotohori
is watching the pair of them with barely-restrained unease. The oddity of this
entire situation has not escaped him, that is for sure. Hesitation is obvious
as another flurry of names causes him to pause, eyes darting down while he
searches for an explanation once again. "Houki... Boushin?" A blink
later and the man is looking back up, "Konan?" There is something
there, but he seems to be unable to quite grasp it. "This is all very
odd."