fuckingsnakes | THE PROBLEM WITH MIXING TIMELINES [CLOSED]

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THE PROBLEM WITH MIXING TIMELINES [CLOSED]

WHO: Akechi Mitsuhide (

wavesoakedlegs) & Gracia (

kagayakashi)
WHAT: A lonely daughter finds her long-lost father in a mixed-up world... except he's not quite the right one.
WHERE: A wet and windy Yamazaki (with your usual random lava pools and such).
WARNING(S): There is a serious lack of happy within? 8'D

~

[Somehow, he was back at the foot of the mountain. The same mountain where Hideyoshi had won the land, and Lord Motochika had died.]

[Mitsuhide pulled his cloak rightly around him and stared down the slopes. It was currently rather quiet, save for the sound of the wind blowing the trees and the rain hitting the ground. He knew better than to believe it would remain that way. Already the former samurai had been forced to fight several groups of the strange snake-demons that had appeared when everything changed, and there were bound to be more. A lot more. They had looked to him to be scouting parties, which could only mean that somewhere out there was an army.]

[Alone, he would surely perish if he got caught by them. Mitsuhide was one man, and a rather broken one at that; there was nobody to turn to right now, either. Those who were once his allies now saw him as the enemy, the traitor who had killed their Lord.]

[He turned about, and retreated to a small cave in the mountainside. A temporary place in which he could escape the rain, get some rest and think about his next move.]

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[ Deep within that same cave, a particularly fidgety young lady paces back and forth, her thoughts a jumble of what-ifs and what-nows. Gracia retreated earlier that day, realizing in a manner befitting a reckless youth that despite her training and talent, she was no match for a horde of snake demon...things. At least, not on her own. She was lucky enough to have shaken off of her trail a rowdy squadron, and managed to escape - just barely - from another group of violent, gray-skinned monsters.

If not for their presence, perhaps Gracia would have greatly enjoyed the mixed scenery, exploring a new land, meeting new people... ]

[ She stops pacing and sighs deeply. She leans her back against the damp wall, the inner cavern serving as a backdrop for the echoing drops of water somewhere within - a place too deep even for her curiosity to reach. She slowly drags herself down, eventually sitting on dirty ground. She bends her head and hugs her knees for a semblance of comfort and security.

Forced to restrain her instincts to go about and discover, Gracia was more or less completely exhausted from running, and incredibly drained from the lack of friendly faces, and her Father's reassuring warmth to guide her way forward. Fleeting images of his smile flash within her mind's eye, vivid pictures rooted in fond memories. Gracia doesn't stop herself from crying out soft sobs that escape her hitched throat. She was all alone in a foreign, war-torn world, and it was nothing like she had imagined it to be. She wanted Mitsuhide back. Or Motochika. Yet both were gone, and even Ranmaru... ]

[ She lets out a loud, frustrated wail. Gracia forgets to consider that she may draw attention to roaming enemies outside of the cave, or that a certain someone may hear her voice. ]

Ooh, what am I going to do?

Edited 2012-09-13 10:18 (UTC)

[That wail cannot fail to reach Mitsuhide's ears. His expression changes almost instantly, slipping from something depressed into something serious. There is someone else here... someone in distress. Or, at least, it certainly sounded distressed.]

[The samurai hesitates for one moment before bending down to the floor and pulling a torch out from beneath his cloak. It takes a few moments more to get it alight; when its end catches fire, he picks up the bottom and straightens himself fully before going deeper into the cave.]

[How much use someone like him can be is up for debate, but he cannot turn away from anyone in such a state.]

[It doesn't take long for him to locate a small figure sat on the floor. Mitsuhide does not immediately approach, not wanting to spook the... young woman? Yes. It had to be.]

Hello? [He asks softly.] Do you... do you need assistance?

[ Her head jerks up in quick response, eyes wide as soon as she sees a faint light flicker from the distance. She squints, her vision adjusting to the torch's bright flame. Yet she knows, and she knows for certain, despite the darkness that bounced off the cavern's crevices, even amid a chaotic whirlwind of a world. With things like this, Gracia would never doubt herself. That voice - soft, gentle, but is more than capable of booming to a frightening ferocity when provoked...so concerned, so familiar.

And regardless of the shadow cast by the light in his hand, Gracia could tell who he is. Even if she was unsure - by the tiniest fraction of uncertainty - she would not allow herself to give in to that doubt. She stands to full height carefully, using her open palm to shield her face until she's no longer blinded by the torch. When she finally sees him, her smile grows wider and wider, from what seemed to be a perpetual frown embedded on her pale face. Her excitement builds up from her core up to her chest, filling it with a kind of feeling that made her hold her breath and her body numb. She hesitates in speaking, only because the shock held her down where she stood, at least for the moment. But she does take a few steps forward.

There was hope after all. She wouldn't be alone after all. Of course he'd find her, of course he would. He always did. ]

Father?

[ One word spoken with the purest devotion. He'd bring her home, he'd bring her to safety, and together, they would be unstoppable. ]

Edited 2012-09-13 18:16 (UTC)

[Oh.]

[Mitsuhide tilts his head, sympathy filling his expression. The young woman's voice, her expression... she was looking at him like he had all the answers. Like he would make everything right. Nobody had ever looked at him like that. It was... an odd feeling. But he was now going to have to disappoint her, which would no doubt be very painful.]

[How many poor souls were experiencing this kind of pain in this world? So many had to have been dragged away from their loved ones...]

I'm sorry. [Mitsuhide shakes his head.] I am not he. But I am no enemy either; I promise I will not hurt you.

[The cave was dark, so making such a mistake, especially when so distressed... the yonug samurai could not blame her for it.]

[ At first, Gracia reacts with apprehension. What does he mean he's not her Father? As she closes the distance between them even more, Gracia's more than certain that this man was indeed, Akechi Mitsuhide. Her beloved Father, the man she idolized, adored...whose dreams she wanted to make a reality.

She steps up to his face and examines him up close, destroying what little was left of his personal space. She hums as she moves her head to the left, then to the right, staring at his features from every possible angle. When she finishes, she steps back and shakes her head. Gracia finds her energy again. She places her hands on her hips and gives him a wonderfully bright smile. Gracia was so happy, she wasn't alone, no she wasn't... ]

Did Father hit his head? Of course you're my Father! Akechi Mitsuhide! And I'm your proud daughter! You must be tired from all the fighting...Ooh, and it's so dark in here too. It's alright, though! Let's just leave and find a safe place to stay.

[ Gracia barely gives him any time to respond. She moves to stand beside him, gently gripping his sleeve for comfort. That's all it is; he just got jolted from everything that's been happening. All the snakes and demons and serpents coming out from the earth, destroying everything in sight...yes, that's exactly it. Gracia cannot assume otherwise. She can't assume that Mitsuhide doesn't know her, that he's from somewhere different. ]

[Mitsuhide's eyes widen considerably.]

[He doesn't know her. That is made ever clearer when she gets close and observes him; the young woman is not a member of his family, at least not that he knows of. But she recognises him easily; has seen his face in the light of the fire and still declared him 'father.' Everything about her face and body language speaks of honesty and hope and absolute devotion. Mitsuhide begins to tremble a little, confused and completely unsure of what he should do.]

I am not... I am not Akechi Mitsuhide.

[He shakes his head and closes his eyes. What is going on? What is the magic that crafted this world doing to its stolen people?]

This man has no name of his own, and is naught but a hermit. My Lady, look more closely at my face. I cannot be your father; I am not old enough to have a child of your age.

Edited 2012-09-16 21:01 (UTC)

[ Her smile disappears slowly, and her expression of joy changes to that of similar confusion. And fear. She hasn't really comprehended that he may be a different father, considering how his appearance hasn't changed much at all. Youth? Sure, he had a youthful face, maybe too young to have a daughter as old as her....but she's her Father. And as soon as that registered, Gracia had nothing more to consider. Nothing else mattered.

But to hear this from him, her savior? No. Something was wrong. She shakes her head and steps away from him. ]

A hermit? No, Father, what are you talking about? I don't...I don't understand. [ She looks away, her hands gripping her shirt. ] You're definitely my Father. Akechi - Akechi Mitsuhide. [ She repeats it more to herself, rather than as a response to him. ]

You're him! I don't believe that you're not! Don't lie, please! Father...[ Gracia's anguish is clear. When she comes close again, she tries reaching out to him, hoping he'd see reason. Honestly, what was happening? That's not the welcome she was hoping to receive from him at all. ]

I don't understand either.

[He shakes his head.]

You can call me Tenkai, but that is merely for convenience. I lost all rights to a true name when...

[And for a moment there, raw pain shows in his expression; his grief at the loss of Motochika flaring up powerfully. The man who had declared himself Mitsuhide's strength. What would he say or do in this situation? The young nobleman dearly wished he knew.]

[Mitsuhide doesn't want to hurt this young woman, or confuse her, but he has to be honest. This world... what was wrong with it?]

That doesn't matter. My Lady, I tell no lie to you. This man, stood before you, has no daughter.

[His voice is cracked and hollow.]

[ His words are all too real and all too painful. The blow pulls her away from him and against the damp cave wall. The cut is swift and out of the blue, cutting her heart open, leaving her vulnerable. Gracia's breathing becomes difficult to sustain, given his reply. Her vision is hazy. Her head is spinning. Her mouth feels dry. Could it be that she was mistaken? That he was telling her the truth? Perhaps this twisted, chaotic world was playing a trick on her? Showing her a man who, on every aspect imaginable, was just like her Father, but in reality, was not? ]

Tenkai...

[ Her tears fall unrestrained. She tries to regain her composure, but honestly speaking, she didn't care for such things right now. Her hands cover her face as she sobs. It becomes clear that despite her effort to accept him as he has presented himself to be, she cannot because her heart is set in the right place. This man - he was Akechi Mitsuhide. He was her Father. There was no mistaking that gut feeling. ]

[ When she speaks again, her disjointed words are muffled against her palms and come out like an incoherent babble. ]

No. No, no no! Father is Father, there is no one, no Tenkai, nobody else but you! [ She rubs at her eyes, and when she looks at him again, her tearful gaze is filled with such pain... ] I'm your daughter, I really am. What kind of magic is making you forget me? Why are you saying these things, I - I'm Gracia! I'm your Tama. [ She shakes her head violently. ] Please, Father, I -

[ It doesn't make any sense. How could it be? She'd have a better time believing the idea of a Father from a different time if she wasn't so convinced that this Mitsuhide was the same one she arrived with in the first place. For indeed, the last memory of her Japan was that she was with Motochika and Mitsuhide. So what happened? Why now, why this facade? ]

[ Her tears have yet to cease when she begins speaking again. ] We were at Yamazaki. Do you remember that? It - it was raining, then. Back home, you had just told me that you trusted me...! Trusted my strength, enough to give me a plan that would help you win against the enemy! And we were going to win! You, me, and Motochika! We would finally make your dream for peace a reality! Father...

[ She inhales deeply yet shakily. ]

Don't you see? I'm...I'm really -

[ Gracia whispers. ]

Take it back. That I'm not your daughter. Please...

[ She can't bear to hear it from him again. She'd rather die than to hear him say she didn't belong to him. To be alone in a dark world such a this was one thing, but to be alone because Mitsuhide refused her, was something entirely different that Gracia would prefer not to think about. ]

[For one long moment, Mitsuhide stares. His mouth opens and closes again; he inhales, exhales... and then sinks to the floor, back finding the cave wall. The hand he has clasping the torch is very obviously shaking.]

[The samurai remembers Yamazaki very clearly, though certain things stick out more than others. Rain, yes, and mud. The cries of the enemy at the defeat of Motochika. Blood on Motochika's clothing, blood on Mitsuhide's hands as he kneeled at his friend's side and took him into his arms, willing him to survive. That will failing him, unable to give life back to the dead.]

[The tossing aside of his own name and title.]

I lost that battle. Hideyoshi won. He...

[Mitsuhide bites his lip briefly, and looks up at Gracia.]

Kuroda Kanbei's attack stopped Lord Motochika. It... it ended up silencing him. I couldn't bear to go on without him at my side.

[His gaze drops. For a long, long moment, Mitsuhide is silent, lost in thought. This is too much to take in all at once. Too many emotions fill his chest; they make it hard to breath evenly. When he finally finds his voice again, it is quiet; barely more than a whisper.]

You speak of a world I do not know. I am sorry, I am more sorry than you can know, but I am not the same man who raised you. I don't understand what is going on here, my Lady, nor can I possibly guess at what kind of magic is causing everything.

[Mitsuhide's eyes close.]

Forgive me... right now, I do not know what to do.

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