dissonates | Appointments Post

[Her expression falls the instant Miyabi sees Asch in the state he was in. Her lips purse together into a thin line, but she enters regardless. He already saw her, so she might as well go in to greet her.

Of course, upon taking a seat on the edge of his bed, words escape her. Her throat feels so tight right now, if hurts... Just what happened down there? This time?]

I'm sorry, did I wake you?

No, I was just resting my eyes. [Close enough. He focuses briefly on her expression, then quietly looks away. He hates it when people look at him like that.] Don't start worrying about me.

[Stop worrying? Asch, are you joking? Miyabi frowns, then simply shuts her eyes and sets down something onto his bed. It's a thermos, probably with tea in it.]

If you give me less to worry about, then maybe I will one day. [Lies, but he doesn't have to know that. She nods to the thermos.] It's bitter, and I don't think you'll like this one, but it's supposed to be good for you. It'll relax your nerves...a little. I don't know how to heal, yet, so this is the most I can do right now.

[Hey, he can dream, can't he? Or at least boss her around and pretend she'll listen.

He considers the thermos for a moment, then takes it and pops it open, lifting it to take a drink. His eyes narrow at the taste, but otherwise he shows very little indication that it tastes as terrible as she claims. He's had plenty worse over the years.

...It really does taste awful, though.]

You didn't have to bring this, you know.

[It takes a whole lot of effort not to giggle at the face Asch just made, but the most Miyabi does is glance away as her lips tug up at one corner. She can't help it, it's funny. Still, she is glad he at least tried it, it'd help his body recover some...as bad as it tasted.]

I don;t have to do a lot of things when it comes to you, don't I? [She smiles.] But I think you know why I do the things I do, Asch.

...Hm. [He does know, actually, which is why he doesn't exactly argue much anymore. There wouldn't be much use in doing so, considering all it gets him is a whole lot of wasted breath. He's quiet for a time, just sipping away at the tea she'd brought. Despite the bitterness, it is slightly soothing, so at least that's appreciated.]

[Aha, that kind of makes her laugh a little bit. It's good that Asch knows how much she cares about him, at least. It makes this a little bit easier on her, at least. Seeing him in such a bad condition, not knowing what happened to get him into that state...it hurt. And asking would, too, be a wasted breath. it's not like she could do much more than what was already done.

Miyabi remains quiet as well, looking up at the ceiling lights.]

...Have I ever told you the story of Nagi and Shiranui?

It doesn't sound familiar. [He glances back over at her, swishing the tea around in the thermos absently as if trying to avoid drinking it.]

[Miyabi smiles when Asch says he hasn't heard the story. This makes...four? Maybe. Four people who were still in Luceti, that she's told the full story to. She didn't have her journal or any paper to draw on, so Asch would have to use his imagination to envision the pictures she usually draws with the story.

But that's all right. Miyabi knows Asch has the eye of an artist. however small it may be right now. He'd be able to imagine it clearly, if and when he got really into the story. Closing her eyes eyes, and taking a deep breath, Miyabi exhales and begins her story - Amaterasu's story.]

Long, long ago... A tiny hamlet known as Kamiki lay nestled in a grove of proud and beautiful cherry blossoms. Each and every tree around the quiet burg was honored as a god. [She opens her eyes, still looking at the ceiling, as if she weren't seeing the white tile, but the sun streaming through the pink blossoms.] However, the village was not without its dark secrets.

[Asch won't be interrupting her; he sits quietly while she explains, watching her and listening carefully. One could never say that it's often that he'll really listen to people, but this story... it looks and sounds like it's important to Miyabi, so he'll listen without interrupting as long as it takes until she's finished.

...Unless he passes out. But he should be good. |D]

[It is the most well known and told story in her homeland so you better stay awake for at least the majority of it, Asch. B| Though, if he does fall asleep, she won't be very upset at all. It's better that Asch rest anyway, and Miyabi's hoping her story will get him to relax more, listen, and ease his mind off of his injuries, and especially what may have caused them.]

To satiate the appetite of Orochi, a fearsome, cave-dwelling beast, a young maiden was offered as a sacrifice at the annual festival. [She looks back at Asch's face for a moment or two, then down again, her face getting harder and more serious.] With a body the size of a mountain, and eight heads mounted on necks the size of tree trunks, its blood-red eyes alone were said to curse anyone who gazed into them. ...No one dared disobey the horrific beast.

[HE DOES STAY AWAKE 8| Though as she gets further into the story, her descriptions surprisingly vivid - though, in retrospect, he shouldn't be surprised because of her artistry - and before long he's closing his eyes, allowing his mind's eye to fill in the rest. He'd probably look asleep if not for his unchanged expression, and the slight lift of his head.]

[HE BETTER B| Because she glances in Asch's direction, lingering her story for only a moment, to let the image sink in a bit more. This would be where the turned the page onto a new picture, so with a breath, she paints anew, this time with words instead of ink.]

When the night of the sacrifice drew near... [A smirk begins to pull up on her lips, and her eye hood with that knowledge of knowing what Asch does not.] A mysterious white wolf appeared outside the village. This wolf, its coat as brilliant as snow, was dubbed Shiranui. The wolf kept a watchful eye on anyone who ventured outside the village, and made a habit of patrolling the streets at night.

People assumed the wolf to be a familiar of Orochi. ...One villager took it upon himself to face the fearsome Shiranui.

..."Nagi"? [It's a quiet guess, and his first interruption; Asch keeps his eyes closed, holding on to the visual. But it's probably good to make sure she knows he's still awake.]

[Despite Asch having his eyes closed, Miyabi nods and smiles, but adds verbally a moment later--]

That's right. ...The warrior Nagi attempted many times to challenge the wolf. But his attempts were thwarted by Shiranui's swift movements. [Another pause, and she closes her eyes again and leans back in her chair. The tone of both her voice and the story change after a second, the chair creaking ominously.]

Before long, the night of the accursed festival had arrived. A white plumed arrow heralded the coming sacrifice. Piercing the sky, the arrow sunk its shaft - [Wham! Her hand slaps against the wall on her left side. Sorry, bro, but a narrator makes use of all things around to tell a good story.] - squarely into the home of Nami, the village's most beautiful maiden. Nagi, harboring a secret love for Nami, was enraged by this sign. Determined to put an end to Orochi once and for all, Nagi traveled to the beast's cave in place of his beloved.

[At the sound of her hand on the wall, Asch jerks upright, eyes opening to shoot her an irritated glare. Sudden movements hurt those broken ribs, goddammit. It's a good thing she'd continued the story by then, because he'd have told her off for that one. He's keeping his eyes open from now on.]

[Er, ahem...whoops. Miyabi hunches her shoulders with a sheepish smile and mumbles an apology, leaning over to check on his injuries. Finding nothing too bad, the girl apologizes again, promises not to do that again, and goes on with the story.]

The Moon Cave, a place as dark as evil itself, served as Orochi's home. As Nagi stood bravely before the entrance... A beast appeared, eyes glowing crimson upon eight thrashing necks. [Her eyes narrow slightly, at the description of Orochi. She'd always wanted to really try and paint him, and not just his shadow or silhouette, but it seemed just...a bad idea. Call it superstition.] Orochi stood tall before him, anxious for another sacrifice. Nagi leapt with incredible grace, swinging his blade valiantly. On and on he sliced, well into the moonless night...

[And her tone drops again, as does her head a little. Miyabi's eyes go to the floor, before she closes them. It's like telling a piece of very bad news.] But Orochi's hide was like steel. The blade left nary a scratch.

Edited 2012-01-04 06:53 (UTC)

[A beast that no sword can pierce? Ha, wonder how he'd like a fonic arte or two... or four...

...Or a hyperresonance. Heh. That'd make a story.

He politely keeps his mouth shut, though; this is obviously the climax of the story, and there's no tarnishing something that is obviously so important to her. He's a jerk, but not that much of one.]

[Climax...perhaps one of them, maybe. It's definitely a dramatic scene, certainly, but the story is far from over. Miyabi quiets her tone, and looks to Asch again. She's tempted to ask if he's enjoying the story, but the fact that he's so quiet, and listening so intently...she hopes that means he's enjoying it. He hasn't interrupted her yet, or told her to stop.

And so, with a tiny smile, she goes on, but the smile fades and in replaced by her narrator's tone of dismal and dark.]

At long last, Nagi, his energy spent from the intense battle, dropped to his knees, fatigued and gasping for breath. He knew he was staring death in the face. It was then...that the wolf appeared. [A smirk makes its way to her face.] As if to protect Nagi, it stood its ground before Orochi. In the darkness of the cave, the wolf's coat shone brilliantly.

Alas, it was Shiranui, the wolf that dwelled outside the village. Bearing its fearsome claws, Shiranui leapt toward Orochi! Orochi reared its terrifying heads, readying its fangs for battle. [Her tone quickens as she retells the battle, and she even makes a face, as if baring her own teeth. Miyabi was used to telling this tale to children, so the theatrics were a little high. Old habits and all that.] The two beasts struggled wildly, thrashing in the darkness.

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