4/4/2003

03:55 PM

Logfile from Heika.

 

                                    Inn                                    

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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.

Exit: Out (to Konnan)

 

Nuriko is coming out of the kitchen with foodstuffs in hand, setting out the table for any of the seishi that come by. Miaka? She gets half the table to her arrangement, since everyone knows the miko eats as much as the seven of them combined. It's lucky for them that the innkeeper thinks that crazy people should be left to their own devices and after last night's display which included armored Kutouese, he's been keeping himself scarce.

 

Hotohori is descending the stairs, looking rather freshly groomed and sparkling for all of the efforts. Although the statement 'my kingdom for a loofa' has often entered into his thinking, and doesn't seem all that wrong to be there. He looks as though he is about to start for the door, but it is the appearance of Nuriko and the food that gives him pause, "Expecting a small army to happen through?"

 

Nuriko indicates the invisible dividing line across the table's surface. "Seishi this way, Miaka the other." The former emperor is given a happy smile, one of the benches gestured to, "Sit, Hotohori-sama. Eat. Tell me what you're called back in the modern world?" Simply enough question and one he's thought to ask since the Seiryuu arrived and the question of identities was brought up.

 

Hotohori crosses over to where indicated, giving the other side of a table a final curious glance. Resolving the little thing that glomped him last evening and all of that food, he comes up with actual understanding. Another thing that doesn't happen to surprise him. "Gabriel," he answers simply, taking a seat. "Although, I think I'm getting used to being called Hotohori."

 

"I'm Kourin, but then you knew me as that name too," Nuriko explains, sitting down beside him and passing dishes for him to sample. "Actually, in the modern world I'm a woman. Here, the first time, I dressed as a woman as was part of your - the emperor's - seraglio. Oh, and I was in love with you for a while. Hmm, soy sauce?"

 

Hotohori takes the dishes as they are passed to him, eliciting a thank you as they are received. As one is taken when the name is uttered, there is another hesitation as something seems to strike a cord, but thankfully nothing is spilled. This is getting awfully annoying, all of these vaguely familiar names. But it is the last part that actually has him dropping the passed dish to clatter upon the table. More than one person can drop crockery. "I'm sorry. What was that?"

 

Nuriko says, "Iiee!" Nuriko is quick to reach out to the dish, steadying it before the food spills more. "I asked if you wanted soy sauce." The bottle is pushed along. "Do you mean the part about my being a woman in the modern world or a cross-dressing man the first time you knew me? Or the part about having been in love with you?""

"Iiee!" Nuriko is quick to reach out to the dish, steadying it before the food spills more. "I asked if you wanted soy sauce." The bottle is pushed along. "Do you mean the part about my being a woman in the modern world or a cross-dressing man the first time you knew me? Or the part about having been in love with you?"

 

Hotohori is staring at him with consternation, barely restrained at that. "Nuriko," he admonishes with a hint of the old emperor seeping into his voice. Soy sauce is ignored for the most part as he narrows his gaze at him, "I don't quite know where to begin. But... yes, to all three." Breath. "Although if you were cross-dressing then, and are a woman in the modern world now... then I suppose you have my congratulations?"

 

Nuriko laughs happily, "Ah, Hotohori-sama, arigato. Though, your empress looks an awful lot like me. She and I were close friends at the palace. She has reappeared in the modern world too, I think, though she suffers from the lapse in past life memories that you do. I hope that will change, because we need to have you whole again, heika." He pats him gently on the shoulder. "Have no fear,  my love for you was for the sake of my sister and not for myself. Not for Ryuuen. I'll try to explain it again when you know more. You're safe with me. I'm in love with Tasuki. He's the redhead with the fangs."

 

Hotohori is watching him narrowly for another moment before looking back to the food upon his plate. He sighs softly though, the tenseness briefly leaving his frame, "Well then, if ever we leave this place, I will have to find this woman." There is a touch of torn reluctance in his tone that doesn't quite surprise him though. "Perhaps she could be the key to unlocking these memories I seem to be missing, that you are all so instant I have again." He takes a drink before continuing, "Yes. Tasuki. So you and he are..." Uhm. Yeah.

 

Nuriko frowns, "I hope we don't have to wait until you find Houki for that to happen. I'm not sure where she lives, though my sister back in the city knows her name. Still, that is a while to wait, ne? We could need your powers now to accomplish our goal and return home." The comment about he and Tasuki brings forth a blush across his cheeks, "Anou, we are man and woman in the modern day. Here it's been awkward, but we are together. Perhaps not as /together/ as we'd be back home. Due to the changes."

 

Hotohori is looking back over to Nuriko, expression actually rather thoughtful. "Well, it would certainly be nice to know these things as soon as possible. It is getting awfully tiring jumping at every name or sight that seems to... trigger something." He just doesn't know what yet. But then it is a peer back at Nuriko, "Oh. I was under the impression that you and he were..." *twitch* "Yes, that might be a little.. awkward."

 

Nuriko sighs and actually rolls his eyes, "Why does everyone have such an adverse reaction. You know, you didn't behave like that when you really thought I might be gay last time. But no, Tasuki-chan likes women, but he loves me and me happens to look like a man right now." There. Explained.

 

Hotohori is quick to explain. "Well, who am I to question your relationship with him? Clearly if there is love there, then I wish you both all of the joy in the world, anatomical differences or similarities aside." Uhm. "Yes, but you were in love with me then? Right? And I really wish that I had something of an idea of these memories to draw upon right now, so you'll have to forgive me." Another breath, "And Tasuki is taking this change... well?"

 

"Not exactly, but the baka is learning to deal," is Nuri's quick reply, punctuated with a smile. "Now then, as for the feelings I had for you.." The effeminate male seishi goes on to explain the story of Ryuuen and his little sister Kourin and her death and the transformation and everything that lead to Nuriko being a member of the Emperor's harem. Hopefully that will help. "Chiriko is fond of saying that Nuriko is just Nuriko."

 

Hotohori quietly eats the food set before him, listening as the story is spun and at least some things are explained. Confusion and understanding seem to war, evident in his features once more, but the acceptance is there. "Chiriko is very, very smart." A soft smile arrives, "The more that I hear these stories, the more I want to remember them."

 

"Hotohori-sama," Nuriko's voice softens, "You will remember. It is nice to have /you/ here at last. Even if you can't remember everything quite yet. Tell me what Gabriel is like then? Are you in New York yet?" Since the rest of them have either been living there or drawn there, he's wondering now if their Hotohori hasn't been living in Canada or something.

 

"Ah, Nuriko. I will certainly try." Hotohori takes another drink of the tea, smile faint still. "New York?" He actually sounds a bit surprised at that. "I was actually just in the process of renovating a building in the city for my uses. That is were the rest of you are as well?"

Nuriko nods, his smile broadening, "I grew up there, but the others have all come to live there for various reasons. In fact, the seishi of the other three gods have gathered as well. Do you know anything about Chinese/Japanese mythology or the Yin and Yang gods?"

 

Hotohori's gaze lifts, shifting away from Nuriko to watch any of the others that happen to be frequenting the inn. "That sounds familiar, but most of what I do know is only in passing. Second-hand, actually. Possibly a conversation I might have been button-holed into. But other than that... no. Why do you ask?"

 

"Back in New York the seishi have gathered. The celestial guardians of the four gods: Genbu, Suzaku, Seiryuu, and Byakko. Turtle, Phoenix, Dragon, Tiger. Each has seven seishi and they are the Yang gods," Nuriko glances back at him to make sure he's catching all this. "The Yang gods sit upon the thrones of heaven, while the Yin have been cast down to hell. It is not good versus evil. Yin and Yang should be balanced. Emotion/Logic, Love/Hate, Darkness/Light, Death/Birth, etc. The Yin have summoned their own onisenshi - demon warriors - to fight the Yang and set them free. That is what is happening now." Welcome to Nuri's world.

 

Hotohori is listening, that is for certain. Every now and again the young man is offering Nuriko a glance before looking away once more. His brow comes down for a moment, apparently troubled at this news. He must have some sort of tenuous grasp of Hotohori's sense or memories, otherwise the man would be chuckling at the impossibility right about now. "If all of this is occurring in the real world, then why am I here? Why are /we/ where?"

 

Nuriko glances around the inn as well, nodding politely to another guest who is apparently staring at Hotohori from behind. "Chiriko thinks we're here to get a scroll. Perhaps our summoning scroll or perhaps something to aid us in the real world. We're not really sure and we hadn't expected to be sent here. Miaka, Taka, Neil and I were all in the Hard Rock Cafe, eating dinner when it happened."

 

Hotohori turns his head to watch Nuriko once again, "Well, then I would like to be involved in this. Hopefully I will be able to do something, instead of looking like a deer caught in the headlights every time one of you people pounce me." His smile is wry once more, "Taka.... Tamahome." Oh, he made that connection all on his own.

Nuriko chuckles, "You have the name association down quite well. That's something at least. Hmm, maybe we should play the name game? Can you remember the name of the seishi who heals? Or the one who is our sorcerer?" It's worth a try at least.

 

Hotohori frowns thoughtfully at Nuriko, peering at him through the wayward curve of his hair. "A healer? I'm not quite sure. Someone... large? Possibly." A cat keeps fitting into that picture, but he is immediately dismissing it. "As for a sorcerer..." He is shrugging his shoulders. "Not a clue in the world, you know? I'm sorry. Perhaps when I see these two it will become more clear."

 

Nuriko can't help but giggle softly, "You're on the right track. You'll know then when you see them, I think. When the Seiryuu were here, did you recognize any of them." He's thinking of the tall blonde man specifically, but offering hints would be cheating.

 

"The Seiryuu was that group that arrived rather dramatically last evening? They certainly know how to make an entrance." And if anyone knows how to make a good entrance, that'd be Hotohori. His gaze slants away though, thoughtful. "It was quite confusing at the time." Sake was needed. "Possibly..."

 

"How do you mean possibly? Any one of them in particular." Prod, prod goes the Nuri mental stick. Food is eyed enough times that the man's stomach growls suddenly. "Gomen, I haven't eaten yet. I think should." And he will, helping himself to the dishes.

 

Hotohori looks down at the food being dished out, still thoughtful. "Nakago," he answers simply, a touch of force in his tone. A glaze is slanted to Nuriko, and then the shrug, "There was a twinge. And if you tell me that man is in love with me as well, I might just have to consider keeping this memories well away."

 

Nuriko's hands still and tremble, the bowl being set down before it clatters to the table. "No, that man is certainly not in love with you." He turns to regard the other man, sighing, "He was the one we fought against when we were here last time. Which, according to Chiriko. was eight years ago by Konan time. Nakago was the Seiryuu shogun at the time. You and he fought. He won." Nuri winces as the news is delivered, his eyes darkening to near purple. "Gomen, Hotohori-sama."

 

Hotohori watches Nuri, his head turning to the side and allowing the wealth of his hair to slip over his shoulder. "He won?" There is a flicker of annoyance once more upon his features and then an almost resigned sigh. Hands press upon the table and the man is pushing to stand. He steps away, only to press a hand lightly to the other man's shoulder, "Thank you. I need to think on this some more. If you'll excuse me..." And he starts for the door.

 

Nuriko rises as well, collecting dirty dishes and heading for the kitchen. His gaze follows Hotohori until he disappears outside and then he sighs, shaking his head, muttering softly, "Damn," before continuing onward.