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

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[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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[ Is this how rabbits feel before hawks scoop them up? Susato eyes her with a critical gaze, picking at all the places she knows must give it away. There’s a moment where Aerith smiles in a playful manner, challenging the other girl into calling her out, as if it would all be some game they could play. Maybe that’s the best way to view their whole ordeal, in the end, but Susato gets the jump on her.

When they connect in a hug, Aerith lets out a little gasp, and it leaves her without her realizing it. The contact, she realizes, is something that she’s been missing desperately, something that she’s been hoping to feel since leaving Oriphi’s home. Walking alone, going to an empty treehouse, ending up caring for herself for days— it’s been a lonesome few days. She lets go of a breath she didn’t realize was stuck in her and reciprocates with an equally ginger touch, placing her cheek to the crown of Susato’s head, and closing her eyes. ]

I know I scared you. I’m sorry I worried you so much.

[ The gasp is enough that Susato's eyes spring open. Her heart skips a beat. Did she hurt Aerith? Did she reopen one of her wounds? But rather than push back like she probably should have, Susato only closes her eyes again, pulling her closer in shaky arms. Her home may not have been empty, and she may have had the support of many, but a sense of loneliness followed her, even into her dreams.

The nightmare energy... It nearly consumed her. There are no words to describe how it feels, the dark pit that seems to go on forever.

If Aerith is apologizing, however, the look Susato gives in return can only be seen as one of forgiveness. Her voice, brimming with relief. ]

You owe Tifa a date.

[ At that, Aerith laughs, wholeheartedly and unrestrained. She isn’t wrong. She also thinks that’s a good way to get Eustace to come out of it all, maybe, to force him to spend time with them all in some normal capacity. Getting back to normal is going to be a concerted effort by everyone involved, but with someone as bright as Susato by her side? Aerith thinks she’s got it easy. ]

I do. What about you, Susato? Anything you want to do?

[ Eventually, Susato's grip does ease up on Aerith, and she pulls back a little to eye the taller woman. Her gaze then seems to wander in thought, staring at the waterfall rushing into the pond out of the corner of her eye. ]

Well... It will not be my first time, living without him.

[ Letting go of Aerith, however reluctantly, her hands fall to her hips. She sucks in a breath. ]

At the very least, I am better prepared for it. I will move on, and should he ever come back, he will be as proud of me as I am of him.

[ He already said that once. She held onto those words, keeping them close to her heart.

Didn't know that she might need the reminder again so soon. ]

[ In the wake of Susato’s words, Aerith stands silently and respectfully. She can’t think of something more affecting to say than what the girl recounts of her father’s words, and so she lets them live in the air between them for a moment. A private little eulogy, she decides, then reaches out for both of Susato’s hands. Holding them tightly, Aerith nods. ]

It’s your approval he’ll have to work for next. [ With a cheeky little smile, she laughs, and nudges Susato— ] C’mon, let’s sit on the bench. I want to know how you’ve been doing after everything. Tell me all about it.

Oh. [ Aerith's laugh is a bit jarring for a moment, but it's easy for Susato to join her after that. She grips Aerith's hands in return, and since it seems to be what Aerith wants, she will start to lead them to a nearby bench.

Her favorite, as it so happens. (It probably changes every week.) ]

Well... I wanted to give them a little space, but I did finally get to see Tifa and Eustace.

[ There is a shift in Aerith's expression, minut as it is, that reads less like curiosity and more of guilt, or perhaps foreboding. When she brushes it aside, she replaces that look with a more measure smile, something between hard-won nostalgia and regret. ]

That so? How are they doing, Susato?

Better.

[ To put it simply, in a word. Because that is certainly not enough, however, she continues as she takes that seat, scooting so there is plenty of room for Aerith as well. ]

They were at the dog park together the other night. I think Bri is still scared of him.

[ It will take time to earn back that trust. ]

[ She's very much in agreement with that sentiment. Not that Aerith would say it— she tries not to think about the whole ordeal from her own perspective much. ]

She'll come around. She loves him too much not to.

[ Simple as that. ]

They'll make it through this. We should... keep an eye on them. Just to be safe. Right?

[ Susato gives Aerith a firm nod. Keeping an eye on them was the whole idea, though she still wanted to respect their space. ]

You should go see them, too. It may be a while before she comes back to work.

[ She just knows seeing Aerith would cheer Tifa up. On that note, Susato seems to perk up a bit herself. ]

Ah. But that does remind me—I was able to give them both something. I need to give you yours, too. [ She's checking her kimono sleeves... Darn, not that one. The other, then...? ]

…Right.

[ There’s a cautious smile playing at Aerith’s lips now, one brow raised and the other struggling to stay still. She’ll see them, has seen them, but will support Tifa no matter what. In fact, this seems like a good excuse to drag her dress shopping. Later, Aerith will look around for boutiques and seamstresses, make some connections and be a nuisance. For now, she steps a little closer, trying to peer into Susato’s sleeves. ]

[ No peeking!

...Well, Aerith won't have long to try anyway. It doesn't take Susato but a moment to find what she is looking for. What comes out her hand is a gentle fist, which she then holds in front of Aerith. After lingering for dramatic effect, she turns her hand upward before gently uncurling her fingers, revealing the chains of a necklace.

At it's center sits a small glass bottle, splashed with color from the contents inside. Most notably, the lid of the bottle where you're able to twist it open and closed is in a shape of a lily flower. ]

[ Even though her attempt to peek goes nowhere, Aerith smiles smugly, as if to imply it did. Tilting her whole body over to the side so that she has to look up at Susato, she grins, and then stands upright when it’s clear Susato’s found the thing in question: a necklace.

It strikes her in the moment that it is beautiful, a trinket made up of splashes of color and a kaleidoscopic sense of being possesses it, wraps up the little lily inside like it is safe there. She looks upon it and the smile slips away, replaced with awe, and a warm sense of gratitude. Aerith reaches out for it, careful, unaware somehow, and then she curls her fingers back into her palm, as if afraid to take it. What if it broke? It is one thing to be given a gift, but… ]

You made this, didn’t you?

[ It is far too precious to risk, if so. ]

[ Oh. ]

I-- [ Susato hesitates, seeing how taken Aerith is with it. She's not quite offended when she doesn't take it, though she does look a little dejected. ] I... can't take credit for the bottle itself. But... the rest, yes.

[ If Aerith looks a little closer, she will find that the colors come from the tiny origami cranes that have been stuffed inside. ]

...It's a protection charm.

[ It’s a protection charm. She repeats this in her mind, and then she looks from the glimmering rainbow that reminds her of hope to Susato, and Aerith smiles in a gentle, warm way. Her hands reach out to take the necklace, to hold onto it with such precious care, to gingerly cradle it, and then she closes her fingers over it. ]

Thank you.

[ Here, it comes to her chest, as Aerith presses her hands together as if in prayer; imbuing it with her own belief for just a moment…

Only for her to laugh lightly, quirking her head to the side. ]

And you’re not even going to offer to help me put it on, are you?

......

[ Susato watches as Aerith imbues the charm with her prayer. Perhaps it would make the charm even more powerful, or perhaps it wouldn't have any effect at all, but it's important to Susato that she's taken it. There is a smile slowly forming on her face, but--

--then it disappears, almost as quickly as it had begun, when realizes. ]

O, Of course I will! I was merely...

[ Waiting? But Susato doesn't bother to finish that sentence. ]

I mean... [ Ugh. She offers her hand out for the necklace back to do the honors. ] Please allow me.

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

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