overflow (september intro).

[polkabrows]

1. travel light

[ so this was it. off to go find a place in their new home, or whatever. while izumo definitely wouldn't miss the cold and barren walls of the space station (looking too much like the lab of gedouin's for her liking), she cannot say she's looking all that forward to being displaced again. with little more than the empty promises of their so-called saviors, and the reassuring smiles of people she's never even met before.

needless to say, she doesn't look all too happy as she steps into the common room (but then again, when does she ever?). as is her nature, she decides to take control of the situation as best she can, and rather than wait for someone to flag her down, she approaches someone who looks like they seem to know what they're doing, and holds her hand out between them, palm up. ]

Just don't get the wrong idea, okay?

2. home sweet home

[ in the market district, izumo weaves through the throng of people like a woman on a mission. though she isn't particularly short, she isn't all that tall either, so it's a bit of a sight to see someone so petite cut through the crowds like she's 6'7" and can benchpress 250 pounds. on her chest, right above her left breast flashes an immovable patch reading: ]

Secretly, I have demon blood, made a deal with a devil, and collect scrunchies.
[ but anyway, who cares about that, she has a mission, didn't you know. and if you didn't, you soon will, because all of her searching is currently getting her nowhere and so she decides she's finally had enough running around and stops you, yes you, in the middle of the market district to ask, ]

Where do they sell the locks?

3. flona cove

[ izumo isn't much of a party person. if given the choice, she'd much rather stay at home, listen to her music, maybe read a book or study. but she doesn't have her music here, or any good books, and anything she'd have to study for got literally swallowed up by a storm, so she's kind of left with nothing else to do. and while the prospect of holing herself up in her room all day sounded nice... she could technically do that any other day. and maybe she's a little curious to see what other kind of... people... her fellow refugees are.

though you won't catch her actively participating in any of the festivities. sure, she's dressed up for it, wearing a fairly standard striped bikini and a long-sleeve white button-up that she's left unbuttoned as a sort of cover, but she's primarily sticking to her little spot beneath a large beach umbrella, staying out of the sun with her knees drawn up and staring out into the beach with a most impassive expression.

in fact, it isn't really until someone wanders by, accidentally (or perhaps purposefully?) kicking some sand her way that she actually reacts, flinching back with a sharp scowl. ]

Watch it, you oaf.

[ welp. every party needs a pooper, right? ]

4. wildcard

[ feel free to catch izumo doing any number of other things! perusing the food at the beach party, fawning over the cute cakes and desserts that are on display, actively (and possibly viciously) turning down whatever poor soul got roped into that Shady Man's Pervy Request, etc... this brave new world is our oyster! ]

etc

this happened once, let's let it happen again y/y?
this too

Comments

[meinwaifu]

[...shit he played himself, the mention of Rin's name has him scowling a little too. But with her looking away, she'll probably miss it.]

I'd much rather that you didn't. [He says with a strained smile and no intention of delving further into that, instead jumping subjects again--]

Ah, but does this mean you've yet to run into Amaimon? He's here too, after all.

[polkabrows]

[ fortunately for mephisto, she doesn't catch anything off about particular response, mostly because she'd been a little too irked to pay all that much attention—

the mention of the other demon only has her irritation spiking. ]

About that—!

[ she sits up suddenly, turning to him so quickly her pigtails spin around her. ]

What's the big deal with sending him in the house beside me? Are you trying to spy?

[meinwaifu]

[Well, that gets his expression to soften at least, even if only in slight confusion.]

Spy?




Do you really think I would have someone like him spy on anyone? He's perhaps one of the least subtle people I know!

[This is probably not the point he should be focusing on but come on, have some faith in him??]

And in any case, I'm his brother, not his keeper... has he done anything to you?

[polkabrows]

[ she is suspicious for a moment, but then recalls their little arrangement, and so simmers down with a huff. ]

Apart from being a giant pain in the ass... no, not really.

[ not technically anyway. he sort of let himself into her room (after shattering the glass to his own window) but honestly, it's not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.

besides, it's not like she hasn't had to deal with Dumb Boys™ before. ]

[meinwaifu]

[Calling it their ~little arrangement~ makes him sound like her sugar daddy or something smh]

Hm... I'm sure he's just bored. He's had plenty of time to cool his head since that little incident before, so he shouldn't have any reason to attack you unprovoked.

[Not that it's really hard to provoke him. Even just being ignored seems to piss him off.]

[polkabrows]

[ she arches a brow at him. ]

What "little incident"?

[ oh, oops. she hadn't meant to phrase it like a direct question... ]

[meinwaifu]

[IT'S COOL this is nothing she doesn't already know.]

Why, your little camping trip, of course! It'd been some time since I've seen him get so riled up over an opponent.

[polkabrows]

[ oh.

that happened so far in the past (maybe not really, but it sure feels like it) that she actually rolls her eyes in response. ]

If he's so bored, then couldn't he just invest in a video game?

[meinwaifu]

If those exist here anywhere other than Thesa station, I've yet to find any. But he's not quite as easily entertained as I am.

[Because video games are his thing, gosh!! This family isn't big enough for two otaku.]

In any case, feel free to contact me if anything happens. You and I are allies, after all... though I'm afraid I can't promise he'll be as easy for me to contain as last time.

[polkabrows]

[ something about the way he says that...

it's not prying if he's already given up that information himself, right? he opened the door and all. ]

Why not?

[meinwaifu]

[It was definitely intentional on his part, having intended to tell her from the start. But he didn't want to come across as simply looking for someone to vent to, so he figured it would be easier if she were to ask herself.]

...it seems some people suffered permanent damage after being rescued from the Storm. The Natha called it corruption -- and for those who happened to be particularly powerful, the damage is far more notable.

In my case, I've lost nearly all of my powers. I can neither control the flow of time, nor even summon my familiars. And even the abilities I did retain are somewhat unstable.

[He says it coolly, with an even, neutral tone -- but his expression betrays that this is likely the reason for his poor mood.]

[polkabrows]

[ it actually takes a few moments for his words to fully process. cold dread pools in the pit of her stomach, upon realizing there were so many more factors to this that izumo hadn't yet considered. mingling with the dread is an insurmountable guilt, realizing it's been weeks now, and she hadn't yet thought— didn't even consider to— ]

That can happen?

[ she sits still, frozen for a moment, before suddenly she begins to move, glancing around wildly in search for something.

paper, pen— ]

[meinwaifu]

It can, yes. My case doesn't seem to be unique either, if Okumura-kun can be believed.

[He can tell what she's looking for without her needing to ask -- she must have not yet thought to test it herself. But seeing as he can't very well summon some supplies for her, he'll do the next best thing.]

[With a snap of his fingers, a patch of sand in front of them smoothes over, compacting together like a slab of sandstone, before the etching of a summon circle sinks into its face. A bit rudimentary, but it would do the job without blowing away in the wind.]

[polkabrows]

[ the summoning circle stares up at her like something out of a nightmare, izumo unable to shake off a cold feeling of dread that quickly spreads throughout her body. before she can help herself, she looks up and meets mephisto's eyes, and in that brief moment he would be able to see it too, unbidden — the fear.

she grits her teeth, trying to push past it. leaning forward, she lifts a thumb to her mouth and bites down hard on the soft skin there. barely even gives the stab of pain a second thought before aiming the droplets over the circle. the chant she murmurs quietly to herself, the words second nature by now, and though her heart leaps into her throat when the telltale wisps of wind whip around her—

she feels it plummet straight down into her gut again when only mike stands over the sand, glancing around in bewilderment. ]

What is this? [ the fox demon looks between izumo and mephisto (a brief, wary glance that he doesn't dwell in for too long), but most of his attention is pointedly directed at his tamer. ] What have you done?

[ clearly, he senses something wrong too... that summon should have called upon both her brothers, and yet— ]

Th-That'll be all, Mike. Thank you.

[ the byakko snarls, his suspicions confirmed. ] Listen here—

[ but before he can say more, she shoves a hand across the sand, breaking the circle. ]

[meinwaifu]

[He won't look away when she meets his gaze, his own almost a bit cold as he sees that fear reflected there. So she really hadn't tested it, then.]

[Nor will he say anything when Mike appears, alone and bewildered -- no doubt anything he could say might only aggravate what must be a very strange situation for the demon and he already got his jollies scaring off Yamantaka earlier anyway tbh.]

[As the circle is dispelled, he considers what he knows of Izumo, trying to assess where her mind is right now... she might run off after a shock like that. And he can't have that happen without at least assuaging her fears -- whatever they may be.]

[Maybe it's a bit strange for someone like him to think in such a way, to feel a desire to reassure another person like this. But after that somewhat thoughtless remark from Rin earlier, he feels more inclined towards something akin to kindness with Izumo. They have something in common here, after all.]

...Kamiki-san. There's an area of Thesa station devoted to all manners of creatures that have awoken from stasis, both normal and mythological. Amaimon's own familiar is being kept there alive and well -- despite him being unable to summon it.

Humans weren't the only ones saved from the storm. If your other familiar is not simply still sleeping, it's possible he may be there.

[polkabrows]

[ it had been a hasty exit, the banishment of her summon, made all the more desperate given her own inability to escape right at this very second; she's fairly certain if she tried to stand, her knees would give out on her. she will likely not hear the end of it the next time she's to ever call upon mike, but better his irritation than his rage.

or worse, his disappointment.

dimly, she is aware of mephisto speaking. she has yet to look up from the sand, but his words eventually trickle in, like light through a fog, slowly making sense. she works to steady her breath, her voice. ]

Y..You said the damage was permanent.

[ her hand clenches at her feet, fisting around warm sand. it is difficult for her not to automatically blame herself, to think it is some sort of failing on her part. mike never does anything without uke, and vice versa; if one has gotten well enough to awaken, and so should the other. and why would the orbiters release only one of her summons?

and so she turns it inward, wondering if, perhaps, the flaw in her redesign isn't just lost memories, or a different timeline altogether; could it be that she also lost the strength and will to sustain her own summons? ]

[meinwaifu]

...my apologies. I misspoke.

[He hadn't realized at the time, nor even considered, that Izumo would have also been affected. It doesn't count as a lie if he doesn't know, right?]

The damage itself is permanent. But whether the side effects of that damage remain indefinitely or can be corrected in time is another matter. Or at least, that is what the Natha relayed to me when I asked.

In my case, the sheer amount of strength I lost means it is likely permanent, hence my choice of wording. But for you to still be able to summon one familiar certainly implies that you could eventually summon the other in time.

[Though he can't help but wonder if that's truly the case or not. Perhaps if she had allowed Mike to stick around, she could have asked where he was before he was summoned -- if it was on Thesa station, awake, then it would make sense. But if he were asleep, or trapped in another plane of existence--]

[Ah, he'd rather not think that far right now.]

[polkabrows]

[ her silence lasts for a handful of minutes, during which she neither moves nor makes any true indication she actually heard him.

it is a deep, pervasive thing, the instinct to turn the blame inward. but every now and then a voice rings out past her own, and today, for some reason, is it the voice of a demon who had, up until just a few weeks ago, meant little to nothing to her. and vice versa.

they still didn't mean much to each other now... but still more than they had before. and perhaps that's all that it takes.

she stands, eventually. finally. dusting off the sand from her legs, turning already to head back, away. ]

I'm going to the station. There's still another half hour left on the umbrella. Use it if you want.

[ thanks. ]

[meinwaifu]

[The silence that falls between them is almost too comfortable. Like the silence between two people who don't need to speak to understand. And even when she does, he can easily read the meaning behind her words.]

[The change was ultimately something very small and subtle. And it's not as though they had much of a relationship before to compare it to. But for Mephisto, it was glaringly obvious a change had taken place... but why? What it really just the nature of their contract that caused this?]

All right. Until we meet again, then.

[Good luck.]