songerein | [07] move along, move along just to make it through

Entry tags:

[07] move along, move along just to make it through

Who: Susato and anyone
Which: Open catch-all log for September + network option
Where: The Wild Harvest garden, but open to other locations.
What: Yujin Mikotoba has left Songerein.
Warnings: Will add if needed.

🌸 A. an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Sender: Susato Mikotoba
To: Everyone
Subject: Reverein's clinic

[ It's short, and to the point. Susato doesn't use the journal often to broadcast like this, but now that she is, she feels it prudent to be as direct as possible. ]

To whom it may concern: For the past couple weeks, the Reverein communal clinic has been without a proper doctor to run it. If you are in need of aid, please be patient, as the volunteers are doing the very best they can. If you have medical experience and would like to help, please let me know. Thank you. Regards, Susato Mikotoba

🌸 B. move along, move along, like i know you do.

[ Within the garden of the Wild Harvest, among the faint hissing of snakes and the lull of the waterfalls, Susato closes her journal and tucks away her pen. She takes a deep breath as she moves to stand from her favorite bench, and she walks with purpose into an area littered with stars that look like stepping stones upon the ground.

For a moment, she stops and simply stares. There it is. A blank star, waiting for a name. Perhaps it appeared some time ago. Perhaps she simply ignored it, but after digesting recent events, she has no time to wallow in the remaining stages of grief. He's not even dead, but she wonders if that doesn't make things worse.

Either way, she doesn't even need a pen. She slowly bends down, spending another moment feeling the rough surface of the starfish with her hand before she commits with her pointer finger.

The strokes appear in a glow, and the end result looks engraved. ]

御琴羽悠仁

🌸 C. wild card.

[ If neither of these fit! ]

(( ooc: Feel free to write your own prompt/starter, or if you'd like me to write a personalized starter for you, hit me up at

yammdere or via PM!

Side note: I would love to incorporate Quest #902. Hug it out if you hit prompt B. uwu ))

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Well. I think I'd like to see you and how you're recovering. Whenever you feel ready.

[ Susato says that she'd like to see how Oriphi is recovering, and the tiefling can't exactly refuse; after all, she would like to know how Susato is doing, too. She may not have come away with the same sorts of injuries as she or any of the others who had fought Eustace did, but the experience overall was still... quite harrowing. Horrifying, in some ways.

She wants to be there for Susato if she needs a listening ear more than anything. It's what she would have wanted for herself, when she was that age and made to see some painful and unsavory things, herself. ]

I'll be by in the afternoon with some potions for the clinic.

[ And true to her word, when Oriphi does arrive at the clinic in the afternoon, she is carrying a basket full of healing potions hanging from an arm as she gently knocks at the door of the clinic before stepping in.

She looks a little less put-together than she normally is; usually, she dresses as if she's ready to go out and venture into the woods at any given moment. But today she's dressed more simply, her hair woven into a loosened braid. Most of all, she looks... Tired. Exhausted, even. ]

Susato...? It's me.

[ The clinic is certainly different without him around. Susato finds herself here a lot lately when she's not at the Harvest. She doesn't know what to expect from Ori's potions, but if they are anything like her berries, Susato knows they will be useful, and hopefully more than enough to tide them over.

Until then, Susato is doing what she does best. Other than cooking, something else she's taken to doing when she is idle is cleaning, and the place surely needs it.

She has cleared out some space on the shelves in clinic's front lobby, and at the desk, there sits a bouquet of deep blue hydrangeas--somehow still as fresh as the day she'd plucked them, despite being months old by now.

There's a turn of her head at Ori's voice, smiling as the door shuts behind her. Immediately she's stopping whatever she's doing, placing a duster off to the side as she closes the distance between them. ]

Ori, it is so good to see you again. I could have come to you. [ She needn't have come all this way. ]

[ Naturally, the hydrangeas catch the druid's notice. The sight of them brings a small smile to her face, which only widens further when Susato emerges from tidying up to greet her. She's glad to see the young woman up and about, although there can't help but look over her appraisingly, as if to gauge how Susato is doing in one glance.

At length, Ori shakes her head, lifting her free hand to wave it dismissively. ]

Ah, it's alright. It feels like I haven't been outside of my house in far too long, honestly, so I was happy to walk around a bit today.

[ Then, she holds the basket up towards the desk, in a silent question for permission to place it on the front desk next to the hydrangeas. ]

Here, I brought some healing potions for the clinic! I thought it might be good to have them in stock...

[ By and large, there doesn't seem to be anything immediately concerning about Susato. Perhaps her scars from the entire affair are more mental than physical, though Ori is probably glad to see her skin is a much more lively (human) color than it was then. A frosty blue...

She smiles, sighing gratefully as she approaches the basket, peering inside nosily. ]

I can't thank you enough. I've received a response from someone who seems willing to take over operations here, but these will be perfect in a pinch... if they are anything like your berries.

[ It's probably a good thing that Ori has taken time to rest, though the fact that she hasn't left her house in a while does catch Susato's attention. Ori definitely seems like the type to be comfortable outdoors. ]

[ What she can see does seem to suggest that Susato is in a much livelier way… And that’s a bit of a relief, although it doesn’t assuage her worries entirely. Still, Ori smiles as she starts to unload the basket and place the bottles onto the desk. ]

Is that so? That’s great news! I was sure there would be at least one other, actual doctor among us dreamwalkers, so it would only be a matter of time before you found someone. Who is it?

[ Her smile widens at the comment about her berries, too. She really is the happiest when she feels like she can be useful to other people, and as such… ]

Oh, and these berries are going to be much better than the berries. If you’d like, I can try and keep a steady supply of them here for you.

[ Eager to help, Susato looks for an opening to pull out some bottles herself, doing so gently as she examines each one. If there are labels, she will read them, and if not, she already has thoughts about making some.

Different colors... ]

Is there anything I can do in return? I could at least help you gather ingredients... [ Ori makes them herself, doesn't she? ]

[ Wait, there was another question in there. ]

Oh. His name is Shigeru... Shigeru Miyata.

[ Ori’s face lights up in recognition when she hears the name. ]

Oh! Shigeru is wonderful, he's so sweet. This place will be in great hands between the both of you.

[ But as Susato inspects the bottles, she’d find that there are, indeed, cute little tags that Ori has even doodled little flowers on, but all they say is "Potion of Healing," some of the larger bottles with an added “Greater Healing” modifier.

She also absolutely creates the ingredients herself, or at least magicks them into being, but there are a few that she has to forage in the forest. But it’s all part of her self-given job, she thinks, so she’s quick to dismiss Susato’s offer with a wave of her hand. ]

No, that won’t be necessary. Please, Susato, you already do so much for everyone here.

[ In many, many ways. That much has only been made clearer by recent events. So many here care for Susato so much - because she cares so much in turn. She’s truly such a precious, remarkable young woman, and Ori finds herself one amongst many who would do anything in their power to make sure that she never knows the kind of hurt that she saw that harrowing evening at the cliffside. ]

Taking care of all this is the least I can do.

[ "Healing" and "Greater Healing"...

The handwriting is warm and familiar. Even the flowers doodled are full of life and character. Susato finds herself tracing them over with her finger, wondering if flowers were part of the ingredients, too. She could do that: gather various flowers. She's done it before...

Perhaps she'll surprise Ori one day, but for now, she'll place the bottle back with the rest. She wants to, but she can't find it within herself to argue about just how much she does or does not--cannot--do. ]

Thank you... [ Again. ] I've already cleared out space on the shelves for them. I think they'll be safe there.

[ ...Though, a part of her does wonder: should they be under lock and key? ]

[ Ori isn’t even entertaining the idea that these might need to be kept safely, somehow. Back home, one need only go to a botanist or apothecary to procure such potions… ]

Alright. If you start to run low, please send me a message on the journals to let me know. Then I can get started on another batch right away!

[ She leans on the front desk a bit, canting her head to one side as she regards Susato quietly for a moment, unable to keep herself from trying to assess the young lady’s condition again.

At length, she decides to just ask outright. ]

How are you doing, Susato…?

[ Well... If Ori isn't worried about that, then Susato won't be either. She gives the older woman a nod, a quiet promise that does plan to keep in touch... even if it is not about Healing Potions. She doesn't question the way Ori seems to watch her as she moves the whole basket closer to the shelves, eager for a new task.

Susato starts filling the empty spaces, organizing the bottle by their labels and by color, but she does stop at the direct question.

.......What should she say? She will still insist that she has more support than she deserves, but after saying as much so to others, she can no longer find it in herself to repeat it. ]

I am holding it together. [ She resumes stocking the bottles in slow, measured movements, before adding, ] Thanks to you and so many others.

[ There is a pause. She probably wants a better answer than that, but before that... ]

What about you?

[ Ori hums thoughtfully at Susato’s answer. Holding it together. That just about captures how she feels, doesn’t it? She doesn’t feel entirely alright, but she’s here. She’s in one piece. They made it through. So at length, she mirrors Susato’s words back at her. ]

I’m holding it together.

[ said with a bit of a wry smile. But she understands, too, that it’s exhausting to have this conversation over and over. Ori is sure the others have checked on Susato, too, and of course her boyfriend and other friends, too. So in the end, she elects not to try and rehash what happened that night like she has with Trahearne or Beatrix. She doesn’t want to talk about all the things that went wrong. For Susato, she wants to talk about something more uplifting.

So, Ori rests her chin on her hands and smiles a bit more at Susato. ]

You know… Your idea with the flower petals was good thinking, Susato.

[ The fact that Ori had used the same words was probably not meant to be funny, but Susato winds up smiling anyway. As much as she wants to support Ori, she also doesn't want to rehash everything from that night more than she already has. When Ori seems to relent, so does she, though it's a bit of a surprise when the tiefling brings up the Dawn flowers.

She looks down sheepishly, cheeks slightly redder than before. ]

Oh... Well, I...

[ Susato doesn't know how much Ori saw, but she's definitely thinking about how she broke the jar. ]

Once the jar was broken, I needed to spread the petals somehow, and quickly. It was my first time summoning wind. It would have been terribly embarrassing if it hadn't worked. [ If only its effect had kicked in just a little sooner. ]

[ Truth to tell, Ori was referring to the fact that Susato thought to bring and give them all the jars in the first place, but the young lady starts to talk about something that she’s… Not sure she remembers. Maybe Ori hadn’t seen it. Or if she had, she saw it through such a haze that she may as well not have seen it at all. Still, she listens to Susato relay the story all the same.

Whether or not she saw it happen, it has no bearing on the fact that Susato managed it, and did what she could. That’s enough. It’s more than enough. ]

Well, it worked, so that’s what matters, hm? I’m sorry I couldn’t…

[ See it. Or help more. ]

Anyway, summoning wind using dreamotion is no easy task, I imagine. When I did the same with the petals, [ well, before she got effectively taken out of battle, anyway, but— ] It was using my own magic. Seems that your dreamotion abilities are expanding!

[ By the end, Susato was the only one left standing, just her, Tifa and Eustace. It felt like a lot was riding on her shoulders, and everything from that point was the most reckless she's ever been. Aerith had practically begged with her eyes for her to leave with Tifa, and Tifa herself had used her own dreamotion to give her the out she needed. Yet she walked through the flames.

When Ori seems to shrink, Susato does so in turn, perhaps realizing her mistake. ]

It... would appear so. I'm happy that things worked out, but I hope that I will not have to be quite so reckless in the future. [ Boyfriend... was not happy.

There is a pause, before she meets Ori's eyes with sincerity. ]

And perhaps it goes without saying, but... you have nothing to apologise for, Ori.

[ By most definitions of reckless, yes, Ori would consider Susato’s actions to have been reckless. However… When faced with such a desperation situation, she wouldn’t fault the young woman for her actions. She did what she felt she needed to do…

And for that, Ori is undeniably proud of Susato.

(Though she is, of course, very very glad that Beat was able to save her. She’s sure Kazuma is, too.)

The fact remains, however, that Susato shouldn’t have been put in that position in the first place. If they were only able to hold Eustace at bay better, then the others might not have had to step in at all. But Ori underestimated herself, and her own fears, and once Phantom and Beat departed to find the neckless - necessary of a task as it was - it inadvertently spelled the end for the rest of them. ]

I… That’s sweet of you to say, Susato, but… I know it may not look this way, but… I have a lot of experience with fighting. I know I could have done more. I didn’t, because I— I was afraid. But I should have known that hesitating would mean that others would get hurt.

[ She draws in a breath and sighs deeply. ]

I’m sorry to your boyfriend, too. I’m sure he was incredibly upset about what happened. But he has my word that if, gods forbid, we were in this situation again, I’m not going to let anything like that happen to you or anyone else.

[ Kazuma's voice rings soundly in her head: You're a civilian. Yet mention of her boyfriend makes her think of Diluc in turn. She almost feels bad for not asking how he is doing sooner. No doubt he was no more pleased than Kazuma was, but a part of her still feels like it's not her place to know.

At the very least though—after that night—perhaps it feels more her "place" than before. ]

It was a very difficult situation... but Ori, something like that is not your job alone. [ Nor Kazuma's, though he would probably argue the point. ] Anyone would be afraid. Anyone would hesitate.

[ If she hadn't, and wound up severely hurting Eustace--then what? ]

...Besides... I am sure Mr Diluc was equally upset.

I… I know.

[ She has never truly been capable of much on her own, after all. It’s not a self-deprecating thought by any means, either - it’s just fact. She’s strongest when she has companions she can trust by her side, when she can support and help them be the best that they can. She knows that she wasn’t able to do that the other night for many reasons…

But now, at least, she knows that she can do better next time.

She won’t bother belaboring the point. Most importantly, they need to make sure that there won’t be a next time. And that’s where Oriphi knows Susato can help the most, with all of the work she’s already done just keeping things together with the clinic and everything else. ]

We all have to work together so this doesn’t happen again. Or if it does, that… That we’ll be more prepared. I know we can find a way.

[ Determined as she may sound, though, her expression turns a bit rueful. ]

Well… He was, of course. [ he totally still is ] But in a way I think… It’s brought us closer. He and I are in a similar situation to Eustace and Tifa, after all. This world is all we have together. So… We have to do everything we can to keep each other safe here.

[ All Susato can do is listen, though she can feel a connection to Ori through her words that seems even stronger than it was before. Susato herself hadn't thought she could do much on own either. She has always been in a supportive role, and well-protected. This was probably the most dangerous thing she has ever done without someone like Kazuma, or even her father, for guidance. ]

I will do everything I can.

[ To stay prepared. The Glowing Dawns are a good start, though she seems to be turning over Ori's words in her mind.

......This world is... all they have?

When she and Kazuma someday wake, they still have a world to go home to together. Perhaps they will no longer see each other the same way... perhaps it will be a while before they would even see each other at all. But they would have the comfort of knowing that they remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what.

Knowing this, she still wonders if they would ever have something close to what Eustace and Tifa have, or Ori and Diluc. Eustace, tease though he may, had always encouraged her to go at her own pace. ]

Perhaps it is fair to say it has brought us all closer together, that even those uninvolved can feel the effects. If nothing else, I suppose I can be grateful for that.

[ If Ori knew of the thoughts going through Susato’s mind, she would try to assuage them. What she and Kazuma have here is entirely singular and precious and it’s just as special as what Eustace and Tifa have, or what she and Diluc and Thoma have (or had, in the latter’s case). It’s special because it’s here, in this realm of dreams. It’s not a race. No one relationship is more important.

As it is, though, Ori is left listening to Susato and agreeing. ]

Ah, I agree. Then… Instead of saying sorry… Will you tell Kazuma that I’m thankful he was there for you that night, after you all went home?

[ Susato has always been sensitive to the feelings and thoughts of others. As such--even though those sentiments are never voiced, the look Ori gives her as she listens is a comforting one. Susato visibly eases. ]

I...

[ ...She nods. ]

I will. You have my word.

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[07] move along, move along just to make it through

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🎀