You wake up a stranger to yourself [OPEN]

[onerous]

Who: onerous & u
When: IC: 4/10ish
Where: Around the city
What: Yuri goes to work at being a shrine maiden for the first time full of trepidation and no idea what she's doing. Send help.
Rating/Warning: Blanket warning due to the nature of Yuri's canon that mentions of suicide might crop up. See Yuri's general permissions post for more.

---

[it's someone idea of a sick joke, Yuri's pretty sure. Her uniform is nearly identical to the one she wore in ViViD and she's fairly sure it's not an official uniform. Someone, somewhere, is having a laugh at her but Yuri puts it on with a grim resignation, minus the headdress. That can stay at home, but she tucks her Camera Obscura into her robes. You know, just in case.]

[A]

[She hangs around the shrine feeling awkward, just sort of. Hovering along the edges, trying to make herself look busy without actually trying to do anything. This works for maybe two hours before she realizes how bored she is just sweeping the grounds idly.

She spends her time observing the people coming and going, or just passing by and wonders if she should be trying to encourage people to visit. When she catches someone's eye, she starts in surprise and hastily looks away, but after a moment approaches rather stiffly.] Is there anything you need help with?

[Yuri glaces up again with a semi-desperate look in her normally sad-looking face. It gives a effect not too dissimilar to a puppy caught in the rain. Please give her something to do she's going crazy here.]

[B]

[Bringing her camera to a holy (she assumes, anyway) place probably isn't the best idea. It's entire job is to reveal "impossible" things and anyone sensitive to such things will most likely notice or be drawn to the dark pull of the camera. It certainly doesn't feel harmless or friendly; it's a powerful weapon against the paranormal after all.

Hisoka had warned her to be careful with it. Using it had the potential to create links between its user and the spiritual world, the threat of pulling her under looming wide. But, then, she'd been dealing with worse "what ifs" lately.

Yuri's not using the camera, but she sits off to the side on her break, examining her camera with a concentrated expression. It's not reacting to anything, exactly (there are no hostile spirits at the moment so the filament isn't reacting), but she's debating on if she should start taking pictures in the hopes of discovering something.]

[C]

[Yuri didn't really like using her powers. She wasn't ashamed of them anymore, and Hisoka used her own powers openly enough (and had gone out of her way to help Yuri in harnessing hers') that Yuri felt it might be a disservice to Hisoka's hard work to not use it to help those in need.

Still, it was a constant reminder that she just wasn't normal anymore. She was...wrong, somehow. Different.

I'm not sick anymore.

She clung to that thought repeating in her head. I'm not sick anymore. It wasn't an illness, she wasn't crazy or losing her mind or just reacting to trauma (well, she had that in spades too, she supposed, but that was neither here nor there). She was just... different.

But Yuri wanted to be normal again, just once. Just a little while.

Today was not that day, however, and she listened patiently to the crying little girl who told her about losing a pair of her mother's earrings. She'd been wearing them without permission and lost one. 'Can I have the other earring?' Yuri's asked, patiently explaining that she could use it to track it down. The girl had finally relented, and here Yuri was, activating her powers to follow the Trace to its source.

Activating it didn't mark any obvious physical changes, though Yuri's eyes became a little unfocused. The white 'shadow' of a person walked slowly, following the exact path the girl had been walking and providing a lead. She doesn't keep it up long (using it too long usually caught the attention of spirits and she really didn't want to deal with that right now), and most people don't seem to be aware at all.

Depending on someone'as level of sensitivity they might notice nothing at all except Yuri seemingly following a path that doesn't exist, or a vague feeling of 'something' appearing, moving, then disappearing; or hell, they might see the whole apparition when it briefly flickers to 'life' and starts walking, with Yuri following soon behind it.]

[D]

[She's tired. She'd say 'dead tired,' but somehow that seems like a bad joke she has no right to make.

Her eyes hurt, her head aches a little (she hadn't thought to tell the little girl to keep quiet about what she'd done, and unfortunately that girl had a few little friends who had also lost things and Yuri hadn't been able to say 'no'), and she's starving.

Unfortunately she's not really paying attention to where she's going, her movements sluggish and her head bowed. So when she stumbles, or nearly stumbles, into someone, she wobbles a moment before raising her head.]

Ah, sorry... [A tired mumble and she blinks a few times, trying to wake herself up before she falls asleep on her feet. Using mitori on the mountain had been exhausting too, but the adrenaline of being hunted down by spirits had been enough to keep her awake those nights. She didn't have that sense of urgency here, so she just raised a hand to scrub at her face] I wasn't paying attention...

Comments

D

[keep_hope_alive]

I'll say. You look like you would wonder into traffic with the way you walk. Though I guess I'm not exactly the right person to say that.

[He smiles, a little sheepishly, as he places a hand on her shoulder to steady her.]

Are you feeling okay miss Kozukata?

[onerous]

Oh, it's you. [It's said with a tone of recognition and she's too tired to stop her flinch when he touches her.]

I, ah... Yeah, I'm okay. Sorry. [Yuri forces herself to straighten up] I'm just tired. It's been a long day. [A pause and she continues, for explanation:] It was my first day of work.

[keep_hope_alive]

Ah, no wonder you like zombie. Everyone goes through that.

[He remembers his first time being a vigilante. Ah the memories.]

I was actually about to go grab something to eat, maybe have a few drinks. You're free to come along if you'd like, my treat.

b.

[zitteraal]

[ Adolf is fairly sure that it's not Yuri's intention to stick out like a sore thumb in this city full of technological advancements, but. Well. Amidst the teeming masses of androids and CYbuddies, Yuri's portable shrine and her shrine maiden outfit look like a relic of an old time.

That's not to say that there's no relief in seeing something more reminiscent of something organic. He's seen photographs of Japanese shrines, but never the real deal— he finds himself drawn to it, and approaches Yuri and her tentative workplace with his hands in his pockets and his head canted slightly to the side. ]

...Fighting off evil spirits again?

[ From what he's heard of Yuri's camera, he remembers that it's not just an ordinary object with ordinary uses, so. Is she up to something dangerous again... team mom mode activated. ]

[onerous]

[She feels his approach before she sees him, though she can't tell it's actually him. It isn't like she normally senses people over spirits, but Adolf has a sort of presence around him that makes her want to snap to attention and not disappoint him, or something.

As it is, she sees--feels-- him coming from the corner of her eye, but doesn't look up until she's been addressed.]

I-- [She frowns, wondering why she feels like this is going to be leading down some 'don't be reckless' lecture road.] No. Not yet, anyhow. [because who the fuck knew what the day might bring!!

Yuri sits up straighter and sets the camera in her lap, wondering if she should stand to greet him, if it's too rude to just continue sitting but... she doesn't particularly want to get up either]

I'm not disturbing you somehow, am I? [Was she in his way or maybe he needed something...??]

[zitteraal]

[ He could very well lecture, but he also recognizes that he's not a 'Division Leader' anymore, and he's not responsible for people, not directly—

—so, maybe surprisingly, he takes a seat next to Yuri. This is as casual as he gets with people, even if he leaves a good amount of space between them. (What if he just fell over and knocked Yuri onto the ground again... what if. ]

No. I don't have anywhere to be— the shrine just caught my eye. [ A wave towards the thing in question. ] If anyone's disturbing anyone, I'd be the one getting in the way of your work. Probably.

[ Because he's assuming that this is... work. ]

C

[sacredstoneslicer]

[The usual shrine rounds comprised of mostly the same duties, sweeping and cleaning the area mostly. A home of the spirits had to be presentable to its followers after all.

For a moment, something rings out to him. Like a slight disturbance that ripples outwards in the spiritual plane. Ishikirimaru catches sight of the visage, and calls out to the girl it seemed to be pulling.]

Wait...! Hold up!

[onerous]

[She can't help but be startled at the voice suddenly calling out to her; she tended to try to fade into the background most of the time, so being acknowledged was always an Experience.

She cuts the trace and turns to face Ishikirimaru, mouth turned down in a confused frown] ...Yes? [Why did he sound so urgent, had she done something wrong?]

[sacredstoneslicer]

[Good thing Yuri had managed to respond in time, in case whatever was calling to her was malicious it would be terrible if she had went alone.

Still, for her to be able to see something like that...]

Please let me accompany you. I fear you might be in danger.

D

[oneirism]

[And she ends up stumbling into a fellow portable shrine priestess, though Lapis' outfit is a bit more un-traditional than Yuri's. She doesn't seem bothered at all though, and she reaches to steady the other girl as she tilts her head.]

... Are you alright? You don't look too good.

[While she should be making her rounds and doing whatever they're meant to do, right now she's a bit more worried about Yuri.]

[onerous]

[She wonders, vaguely, why her uniform can't be that pretty instead of a walking reminder of her traumas. Alas.

Feeling vaguely embarrassed that she's worried the other girl, Yuri straightens up and waves her hand dismissively.] Fine, I'm fine. I'm just... I'm just tired. [Her stomach growls rather loudly and she blushes, clearing her throat slightly.] ...And maybe a little hungry.

Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you.

[oneirism]

[Because CEREs sucks and thrives on all our trauma.

Lapis simply tilts her head when Yuri straightens up, still feeling a bit worried despite her reassurances. Then the stomach growling happens, and she has to resist the urge to giggle. Even if she does smile a bit.]

... It's alright, there's nothing to apologize for. Though have you taken a break yet? It sounds like you need one.

b!

[adornmental]

[Kashuu is definitely unfortunate enough to feel that pull, and he's not irresponsible enough to just let something like that go unchecked, either. WHAT IF IT'S DANGEROUS...

And it very well could be?! It doesn't leave him feeling relaxed or happy, so when he sees it in Yuri's hands, he's quick to approach. She'd been a nice person, after all, even if she was dressed a little funky. Best not to let her get into too much trouble.]

Hey-- Did you find that somewhere?

[onerous]

[One day she'll meet Kashuu in an outfit that isn't an affront to fashion. One day.

But for now she just looks up, startled by his sudden approach and says intelligently:] Huh?

['Find what?' She almost asks before realizing he must be asking about the camera.] What, this? No, it's... It's mine. It came with me from home. [Yuri then trails off uncertainly, watching him, wondering just where that question had come from and where it was headed]

[adornmental]

[WILL SHE REALLY. Hopefully she does, because he's going to offer to drag her out shopping at this rate...

But!! Hm, if it's hers and it came with her from home, that makes things more complicated... Maybe it's a keepsake or something and it just happened to get a little mashed up in the code process, whatever that is and however it works. So, after a second of thought:]

Um... You might wanna get it like, I dunno. Cleansed or something? It feels bad.

[Maybe he can drag Ishikirimaru over here...]

A.

[sayonaradumbass]

[he figures the puppydog eyes are about holy spirit and helping the helpless more than, say, needing her own rescuing.

Kaneda already feels rather...burny in the soul just for being here, but at least she's cute]

Uh yeah, kinda? See, I made a deal with someone who's sort of spiritual to do something if she'll pay off my debts and with the world ending didn't get to it...so I was wondering how my karma is gonna handle that.

[onerous]

[Yuri opens her mouth, then closes it, brow furrowing. Oh. He wanted that kind of help?]

I don't... I mean... [She looks away, feeling awkward, before looking back] I'm not really any help for things like that. But, if our worlds are really gone, it's probably excused? [She runs a hand through her hair, shrugging helplessly.]

...Sorry, I don't really know what I'm doing here. [If you need to be exorcised she's probably your girl, but she's pretty sure she's damned to hell in the first place so mostly she just feels bad she can't be of more help.] What were you supposed to do anyhow?

c

[isolophobia]

[ Though a spirit, fear is not hostile. And since he tends to be around more Japanese swords than you can shake a stick at(though why you're shaking sticks at all is odd) finding himself at a Japanese temple isn't all that strange.

What is strange is seeing Yuri (and yes that's Yuri under all that frippery) Following an after-image toward something.

It was small and light. Most things probably won't have noticed. Pitch wouldn't even have noticed had e not happened to have been pointing the way he was and happened to see. That's not to say that he didn't lean against one of the boulders in the decorative rock garden.

It's still Pitch after all. ]

Bit early in the day for divination.

[onerous]

[The trace disappears in a snap, Yuri's fingers squeezing tightly around the remaining earring she was using to track the other with. Her gaze snaps to him and then away, uncertain.

Their first meeting still loomed heavily in her mind and she purses her lips, swallowing hard.]

It's-- ['Not divination,' she almost says, but that would kinda be a lie. Carefully her fingers unfold out of fear of hurting the earring (or herself, accidentally), and she exhales slowly.] I just got a request. I don't think the others will mind if I take some time to fulfill it.

[Yuri shifts her weight, looking back at him again with open wariness.] ...Did you need help with something?

a

[wolfpuppy]

[Ryuuga had been out and about - he's tired, dark circles around his eyes, and it's pretty obvious that he's seen better days. Granted, he's doing better today than he has been, and he's been keeping himself busy with work.

So when Yuri gets his attention he gives a surprised blink, but immediately relaxes once he realizes who it is, giving a small smile.]

Well, I might need someone to talk to for a bit.

[onerous]

Dougai-san. [She greets him politely, recognizing him. There's no answering smile, but there is a softening around her eyes that turns to concern as she takes in his appearance.]

Ah. I can provide that, I think. [She gestures towards one of the benches on the side of the courtyard, a little out of the way for those who want more quiet.] Do you want to sit down?

B

[itcamefromthe1950s]

[Freddie doesn't want to come off as some weirdo, but he can't help himself when he spots someone with a camera like that while passing by. His face lights up at seeing something so familiar in this world.]

Ah, excuse me! Did you always have that, or did you find that somewhere here?

[onerous]

[For a full 5 seconds Yuri doesn't even think he's addressing her. When she finally looks up and realizes yes, he is, she just stares for a moment.]

I... This? [His question finally registers and she gestures to the camera in her lap. People taking interest in an antique looking camera isn't strange, so thankfully she doesn't feel the need to be wary or anything.]

It came with me, from home. It's a camera. [She adds on that information for his benefit, just in case he comes from a world that doesn't, you know, Have cameras. Look, she doesn't know, okay! She's met some weird people!]

a; sliiiides in here belatedly

[discard]

No. I don't need anything, leave me alone--

[It's an automatic response, and then he Realizes that he actually knows this person, sort of. Or, well, she's vaguely familiar, in that her camera was interesting and.... why does she look like a kicked puppy he swears he hasn't been doing any puppy kicking lately.]

... Oh, it's you.

[onerous]

Oh. It's you. [She echoes him, nodding in recognition.] Leon-san, right?

[She rests a hand on her hip, head tilting as she regards him curiously; the kicked puppy in the rain look is mostly gone (though her default state of being seems to be 'looks like she's very sad and about to cry' so, ymmv).] I haven't seen you since ViViD. You've been... settling in okay?