Logfile from Gabriel.
125
Subtle blues and greens tint the walls of this
second-floor apartment, a small alcove holding a coat and shoerack,
the tiled floor easily cleaned of any mud from the streets outside. Several
pairs of slippers of varying sizes rest upon the rack, one pair clearly more
used than the others.
The main living area of the apartment is open-concept,
the neatly-stocked kitchen leading into the living area without a wall or door
to block it off, a small bar-style countertop with several stools set beneath
it seeming to be an eating area, a wide picture window looking down over the
playground outside hung with simple white curtains. A television rests upon a
low table, though it seems to serve more as a flat surface for several
houseplants than any entertainment, while a computer rests upon a desk beside
it, high-powered and up to date. Built-in bookcases hold a wide variety of
books in different tongues, all neatly indexed.
The four cardinal points are marked out in thin sheets of
paper that hang like art upon the walls. The delicate lines of kanji seem
intended for aesthetic purposes and present a sense of calm serenity. For those
with the appropriate sense, however, the strength of these wards is a subtle
but real presence.
Obvious exits:
Exit
Gabriel nods his head to her, but still looking rather
wry. "It is a very good thing they explained it as that. I'm not so sure I
could convince them as to the appearance of a god in the middle of my
store." In fact, it'd be near impossible without getting sent to the loonie bin. And Gabe would really
rather not lie about something like that anyway. Best just to look confused to
the authorities and let them explain it away.
Sayami nods again, handing him
a mug of tea. "Are you hungry? I could make us a meal. I wasn't sure if
you wanted anything to eat yet." So she made tea and snacks instead.
"Gabriel, the two shinken Chichiri
left us with...don't you think we should see about reuniting them soon. I feel
that's awfully important and while I know you're concerned about your building,
this is perhaps more important than that, don't you think?"
Gabriel takes the tea with a grateful smile. "Thank
you. Oh, if you have something around that's fine, I really don't want to put
you out. After all that's happened." He looks a
little hesitant for a moment, and then glances back to her, "It is
important. Very. I've just been a little uneasy with
it. But yes, what you say is true. We should."
"You're not putting me out. You're my guest." And my former emperor and husband. "And as my guest, it
is my duty to attend to your needs, which does include providing meals." Sayami smiles, but it takes her a moment before she
realizes how else her words could be taken. She blushes brightly. It's odd, the
way her past life tendencies leak out like that. "But yes, we should try
to unite them as Chichiri said. You used your powers
against Homasubi-sama and you symbol did glow.
Perhaps the shinken as a whole will only help you
further."
Gabriel smiles faintly, "Thank you for everything
you've given to me. Believe me, it is appreciated." He does blink at her
blush, looking slightly puzzled for a moment. And then with a knowing look, he
nods his head to the young woman, "I suppose it is well past time I've
done that, brought the two shinken together. Enough procrastination." He pushes up to his feet and
heads to the spare bedroom to retrieve them, returning a moment later.
Sayami is anxious, that much is
evident, but there's also an air of excitement too at the prospect of making
the shinken whole once again. "Chichiri mentioned that I could help you in this. You only
need tell me what you wish me to do." She rises from the couch, hands
clasped in front of her, waiting. Hopefully this won't make things go boom. Again.
Gabriel approaches, looking a tad skeptical at first, but
that look seems to fade as he gets a look at Sayami.
Somewhat bolstered by her look, he nods his head in affirmation, "I'm not
even sure exactly what we are to do." He hesitates a moment,
and then hands over one of the swords to her. "Take one please?"
Sayami steps closer, wrapping
her hand around the blade's hilt and holding it tightly. "Perhaps if we
hold them together, as if they were a mated pair?" No, she will not blush.
She makes sure of that this time. "That seems the best way to unite the
two of them, I think. Chichiri seemed to think it
would not be difficult."
Gabriel nods his head, "That was what I was thinking
also. It seems the most... correct." He smiles softly down at her, taking
the hilt of the sword that he holds in both hands too." He draws in a bit
of a breath before closing the distance to her, "Are you ready?" He
rather hopes this will work, or they'll look really silly.
Sayami holds the sword out and
ready, nodding back to Gabriel. "Hai.
Yes." There's a slight nervous quaver to her voice, but she's not about to
back down from this important task. Only she's gonna
hope the entire time that she won't be charred bits at the end. How's that for
optimistic?
Gabriel would really rather not be charred to bits. It'll
do nothing for his hair, and it already took forever to get all that dust from
it before. He licks his lips, and then moves to press his hands against Sayami's, fingers onclasping as
if to draw his hands as well around her's. He gives
her a bit of wink from behind his own sword before moving to try to join the
pair.
The effect is immediate, causing Sayami
to gasp but not to, thankfully, scream. She's not that excitable. Well, most of
the time. As soon as the twin swords touch, there is a flash of light -- quick
and blindly bright -- and then there is only one sword, whole and glowing
faintly. The power, at least for Hotohori, is quite
tangible and everything the former shinken he once
possessed was.
Gabriel looks from Sayami to
the shinkens, steadily watching as the
transformation, joining, whatever it can be called, happens. He draws in a long
breath, releasing it just as slowly as the process ends. His eyes open wide
with the realization, "Oh... I think that did it." A smile breaks out
on his face, quite obvious. "That definitely did it."
Sayami peers back at him
expectantly. "Did it do something more than reunite the shinken into one sword?" she wonders, hopeful but
trying not to seem too eager. "Have you remembered, Hotohori-sama?"
A glance is given for her empty hands and she clasps them.
Gabriel finally draws his eyes away from the sword, and
he looks back to Sayami. He watches her for a moment
before nodding head with a confidence that might not have been there much
before. His gaze shifts a little though, almost sharpens as it glazes over
while the man shifts through thoughts and memories. A faintly serious line
creases his lips, "I... I believe so." He blinks back to the hear and now, focusing on Sayami
as he lets his hands fall some. A smile slowly spreads across his lips,
"Something definitely happened there. I don't feel quite as incomplete as
before."
Logfile from Gabriel.
Sayami can't help herself. She
gives a little hop of joy, managing to contain her burst of excitement down to
a mere "That's wonderful!" rather than a silly, girly squeal.
"I'm so pleased for you. The others will be as well, when they hear the good
news. I'm sure, as much as they were glad to have you with them,
it wasn't the same as having you actually remember each of them."
Gabriel probably would have laughed if there was a
squeal, but instead he responds with a warm smile for her. "Instead
of being just barely a seishi, now one in complete?
I can imagine that they would be very happy to hear that. As
am I." He slowly exhales, clearly pleased at the moment.
"Gabriel..." Sayami
takes a step closer, pressing a hand against his chest, the other lightly
caressing his cheek. "You were not 'barely a seishi'.
There is no such thing. Powers or no, being a seishi
comes from here --" she glances down at the hand covering his heart before
lifting the other hand to tap a finger against his temple "-- not here.
Only you doubted yourself. Perhaps I don't know Gabriel that well, but I did
know Hotohori and there has never been any doubt of
who you are."
Gabriel was always a bit tentative in that regard. So the
man looks just a little bashful for a moment before his features solidify into
a look of sureness. He takes another breath, moving his hand to cover over her's and giving it a bit of a squeeze. "I think that
if I don't believe it by now, you have every right to bash me over the head
until I do come to my senses." He follows that with a broadening smile.
Sayami's own smile blossoms. "Gladly and with your own sword, too." Suddenly
shy, she blushes lightly and extracts her hand, stepping back. "I believe this calls for a special dinner, to celebrate. Hmmm, perhaps steak and shrimp. I was just as the store and
picked those items up." She starts to drift towards the kitchen, then pauses. "Oh. Unless you wish to
call the others and tell them now?"
"Special dinner, hrm?" Gabe smirks
just a little, remember what happened last time she
brought dinner. Too bad he didn't get a chance to have any of it. "It
sounds like I am being spoiled once more. I just don't know what I'm going to
do if I finally find another place. More than likely waste away to nothing and
starve pitifully." He seems to consider her words for a moment before
shaking his head. "It is getting late, and I can just as soon tell them
tomorrow morning."
"Then I'll start dinner," Sayami
says, smile widening as she heads into the kitchen. Taking her time getting
things prepared, it's a several moments before she speaks again. "You
know, Gabriel, that you're welcome to stay here with
me. Without obligations of course. I've a spare room.
It's probably not what you're used to, but you shouldn't feel like you have to
rush away. I'd be glad to have you here. That way I could make sure you don't
starve pitifully."
Gabriel isn't much for speaking through walls. So he
moves around to lean in the doorway of the kitchen area. Pressing his shoulder
to the doorway, and echoes her words, "Not what I'm used to?" He
smiles faintly, "Your place is more than acceptable. Trust me in
that." He chuckles though, "I almost think that you seem to like this
arrangement, including cooking."
Sayami's gaze flickers up to
take in the sight of him standing there, a stain of color
immediately settling on her cheeks. "I've not ever hidden the fact that
one of the reasons I came to the city was to find you. To have you here as much
as possible is, as cliche as it sounds, a dream come
true. I do like this arrangement. It feels...it reminds me of when Hotohori and Houki were together.
Of course, this isn't a palace and I don't recall Houki
cooking many meals, but she -- I -- did know how to cook. Any girl growing up
in a village knew how to cook. How else would you care for your husband. But I... I do know you're
not my husband. Still, it is nice."
Gabriel watches her with amusement. "No, this isn't
quite a palace, nor with all of the trappings and such." His gaze lifts a little
as if looking around the room once more to satisfy himself.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. But I can understand what
you are saying... being a dream come true though..." He trails off,
smiling softly.
Sayami shakes her head quickly.
"You're not making me uncomfortable. I'm making me uncomfortable. I don't
want you to think I expect anything because of who we once were. At the same
time, it's awkward, being around a man that I, as Sayami,
barely know but at the same time as Houki, I see the
man I once loved and never stopped loving. You see the dilemma? I don't want
you to think I'm some love-sick girl who's followed you across the globe, but
at the same time, in some ways, I am."
Gabriel's eyes drop back down to her, and he frowns just
a little in concentration. He considers her words for a moment before speaking,
"I don't think we talked all that much. And I believe I was quite
distracted with other matters at that time. Even though that was an entirely
different lifetime, it is something that I'm sorry happened to you, her. And leaving as I did." He sighs, now failing to find
the right way to explain things, or how to say them.
Sayami eyes the food, then turns away from it. It can wait. Hands are wiped on a
towel as she gives him her undivided attention. "You left because it was
your duty. You died honorably and I was so very proud of you, but the grief --
it was a lot to handle. Kourin's death. Being so newly and briefly
married. Finding out I was pregnant. I didn't handle it as well as I
should have, but I learned. And I never regretted what time we did have, only
it was never enough and that sense of wanting more time with the man she loved
carried through into this lifetime. I look at you and I see the man you are now
and the man you were and the truth is, that despite having just met you this
time, I already love you. I'm sorry if that in any way makes you uncomfortable.
I can assure you I don't have expectations and I hope that you will stay
here."
Gabriel isn't quite sure how to respond to that. So all
he can do is watch her for the longest moment, once again trying to piece
together his thoughts. He draws in a slow breath before speaking to her,
"Before you say anything further, I think you need to know something else.
As much as... as much as your words mean to me, I am not sure if when you spoke
to any of the others, that they mentioned... my brother was reborn into this
world as well, Sayami. He is here in the city
too."
"Tendou?
He's here as well?" To say Sayami is shocked and
surprised would clearly be an understatement. In fact, the woman looks more
shocked by this revelation than she did by the sudden appearance of a god.
"Are you two reconciled?" This thought pleases her and she takes a
step toward him. "I know he regretted how things ended. We all did. He and
I had been such friends and it would be wonderful to see him again..."
Pausing, she begins to shake her head. "Saihitei,
did I not prove back then that you were the man I loved and the man I had
chosen? Why would that be any different now. I
remembered Tendou, how could I not, but fondly like I
would a brother. Not a lover. Did you think it would change how I feel?"
Gabriel nods his head in affirmation, and then looks a
little resigned, "Not... precisely." Grump oni,
surprise kisses, and sword fights that end in your guts being spilt everywhere
tend to have consequences. "There are some other issues that need to be
addressed concerning that, and how the fates seemed destined to try to work
against us." He hesitates before continuing, "I just want you to know
everything before... anything else might happen. I wanted you to be prepared if
you were to encounter him, because if he knows you are here, he could very well
seek you out."
"Who is he? Where is he? Don't you think I should
seek him out, let him know I'm here. He and I were
friends and although I regret what happened at the end, I never stopped caring
for him." Sayami narrows her eyes at Gabriel,
putting a few things together in her mind. "The two of you are enemies
this time, aren't you? I don't understand. I thought... I thought it had been
settled."
Gabriel glances to the side as he responds. "We got
off to a rather poor start, our meeting. He was rather... well, angry, and me
having only vague memories of the man. It did not go well. He's rather
competitive." To say the least. "He is an
artist, and a man who is allied with one of the gods in opposition of ours. I
can tell you where to find him, but Sayami..."
He breaks away from the wall, approaching her. "Please let me know if you
wish to meet him. I don't want him to hurt you."
Sayami frowns. "You think Tendou would hurt me? Truly?"
That's certainly not the man she remembers and part of her wants to march right
out, find him, and set him straight (yeah, bad pun, I know). "Perhaps I
could call him first, let him know I'm here in the city. I would like to see
him, but if you think it would be too dangerous then I will refrain. But, is
worrying about Tendou all you intend to say about
what I said? You said your words mean much to you, but in what way? Please,
Gabriel, if you wish to refuse me or tell me that what passed between us before
is not the way of it now, do so. Then there can be no misunderstandings."
Gabriel sighs slightly, "Physically, no. But... he
might say things that might hurt you. And that is something I wouldn't want you
to go through." He frowns, so wanting to protect her now, so it takes him
some time. "I'll give you his number and address for you to do with what
you want. Just please be /careful/. I have no doubt that you can handle
yourself, I just don't want you hurt." He takes another breath before
speaking, "I don't really know, Sayami. I...
Thinks are different. I haven't the same obligations, nor am I the same man. I
want to do well for you. I do."
"Do well for me? What do you mean by that?" she
asks, voice soft, tone puzzled. "I realize things
are different. It doesn't, I'm afraid, change the nature of how I feel. I think
of us as being two halves of a whole. I thought that perhaps, before... but did
you only choose me out of obligation? Or because I resembled Kourin?" While that last thought had occurred to her
before, she'd never voiced it. Not until now.
Gabriel closes the distance to her, moving hands to her
shoulders. "I am not sure what I want now, Sayami.
I think... I think I might need some time to discover this for myself,
ourselves. When I look at you, I see a woman who I know was so very important
to me. Who I once cared deeply about. And I simply want
to know if, just maybe, the woman who stands before me today, who says that
she... loves me, is the woman that I might just love as well. I lept into thinking I loved someone so quickly last time.
That she was my country's salvation. My salvation. I
want to be sure now. Can you grant me that?"
"I said I loved you, that I do love you. I didn't
say it was exactly the same. How can it be when we've just met again?
It's...strange, having memories of being in love with a man you haven't met in
this life. I would like to find out if those feelings are still true, as I
think they are, and that they could grow into something more." Sayami tilts her head to look at him, sighing. "Of
course I can grant you that time. I wouldn't think of doing otherwise. I never expected
you to see me again and to sweep me off my feet. I promise. You have your duty
first. You always did."
Gabriel chuckles softly, and then moves as if to rest his
forehead against her's. "I don't mean to read
more into what you were saying. I suppose that comes from assuming everyone
loves me as much as I do." He waits a moment before (despite the close
proximity) adding in a teasing wink. "I might have a duty, again. But I
also have my freedom, and I plan on making the most of it." He draws back,
"And I think I also just heard my stomach growl there."
Sayami laughs warmly, lifting
up on tiptoe to kiss the tip of his nose. "I'm not sure it's possible for
anyone to love you as much as you love you. I am happy to hear you willing to
embrace your freedom. That is good news. Now then, you mentioned being
hungry?" Slipping from his semi-embrace, she returns to seasoning the
steaks, putting them under the broiler while she works on stir frying the
shrimp and some vegetables.
Gabriel smiles, leaning a hip against
the counter. "I mentioned quite a few things there, and I'm sure
being hungry was definitely one of them. But as long as it isn't uncomfortable
for you, I will accept your hospitality. Although if you ever get tired of me
cluttering up your space, shoo me out at the first opportunity. I'm sure
someone will pick me up off of the street and take me home."
Sayami is unable to hide the
brief flash of frown his last words cause and she covers it by trying to look
as if she's concentrating on the meal. "No need to worry about that. You
are welcome to stay here as long as you wish. It's nice to have company. I
wasn't yet used to living on my own, so having a roommate is far more ideal.
Besides, you could hardly be called clutter."
"Well, considering how long it might take to put a
roof back on my building, clean up the damage, create a floor again, let alone
everything else, that might actually be awhile. As soon as I can get a
contractor, and have the clearance to send a work crew in there... it might
well take months." Oh, what a headache that is going to provoke for poor Gabe. "Is everything alright?"
Sayami glances up, hmming in question.
"Oh, everything is fine, fine. You really don't have to worry about being
made homeless. Besides, if you didn't stay here, one of the other seishi would offer you a place I'm sure. So
all is well. But if you do decide you'd like to be elsewhere, just let
me know. Until then, I should give you the spare key." Ah, so polite.
Dinner is checked on, but otherwise left to cook a bit more.
