The Road to Enlightenment [Yuu]

[Seian Verian]

November 4, 2015

Some things never changed. Or at least, they were highly resistant to change.

Seian's punctuality was one of those things.

Not only had he lost track of time, busy playing video games as he was, he had sorely underestimated just how LONG it would take to walk, or even run, from the dorms to the ramen place he had agreed to meet Yuu at. He'd found someone to guide him around the city, and now he was half an hour late to meeting them.

"Why... Huff... Can't I... Huff... Do anything right..." Though he was running rather low on breath as it was, he still managed to grumble to himself as he sharply turned the last corner to the shop, barely avoiding crashing into other people that walked the streets.

He looked up as he turned, making sure he hadn't gotten lost and the shop was actually there. Since, well, getting lost was extremely likely. He should have tried to ask and see if anyone else in the dorm would give him a ride, but unfortunately, he was still too SHY for that.

Fortunately, he was met with not quite absolute disaster. One of the signs he read, of the multiple establishments in the area, was what he was looking for: Myouhoudou. The name seemed odd, meaning along the lines of "Fancy Way House", but there was probably some context he was missing on the origin or meaning of the name. He didn't care, really.

What he did care about, was that he was half a step from colliding into an unsuspecting woman, who was minding her own business and walking along the street. He attempted to divert his course, leaning away from her... What he ended up doing was brushing into her, causing her to drop her belongings onto the ground while he ran straight into a lamp post.

"Ow..." For a brief, stunned moment, all he processed was his pain. And irritation. And self-loathing. Soon he felt even more of that last, as he realized what he'd just done. "Ah, sorry sorry sorry!" He lapsed into English in his panic, before he composed himself just a little bit. "I'm so sorry... Can I help you pick it up?"

The woman glared at him and shook her head. "You've done enough, thank you. Just go."

Cringing, Seian stood up and brushed himself off, feeling more than a bit frustrated with himself. He'd just took a shower earlier and now he was sweaty, he was late to meet Yuu, he'd just nearly knocked a stranger over, his right arm AND knee were both banged up, and if Yuu had left already on top of all of it he entirely deserved it. It was all entirely his fault.

With a frustrated sigh, Seian finally walked into Myouhoudou and looked around.

Please let him be here...

[Kisaragi Yuu]

Yuu could hear the chime that the door hit as it opened, signifying the entry of another customer. He had been sitting alone on this table for a while now, waiting patiently for this Seian fellow, who he had encountered as a poster in the BBS that he and other people managed as part of the A.HIMEGIMI site. He fixed up his hair for a moment and dusted off the kimono he was wearing, wrapping the very uncharacteristic cardigan over his body a little (for he was feeling a bit of a chill) and turned to see who had entered. He didn't recognize the face because so far, everyone who had entered Myouhoudou was a regular (and Yuu, too, was a regular customer) and so he assumed it had to be the person he was meeting. Yuu sighed and looked at his simple and plain wrist-watch, and found out that he was late by a good thirty or so minutes. Fortunately he was a patient person and could dismiss such things, while mostly everyone else would have lost it at this point and have already gone. After all, the only thing that mattered was that the person he was going to see was alive and wasn't some sort of zombie or something.

Upon further inspection, Yuu realized that this Seian fellow had encountered some sort of accident. Tilting his head, he stood up and approached Seian with a very worried look on his face. Remembering that Seian was new to Japan and probably didn't know very much Japanese, Yuu flipped on his English instinct and tried to talk in English. It probably didn't come out so nicely compared to when he was typing up translated manuscripts. He was holding Tensaibou tightly in his left hand and sighed.

"A, a, are you alright? It's me, the person you're supposed to be meeting here today," Yuu spoke in English. "You're a little late but that's fine, you seem hurt, so please, take a seat with me." he said and basically attempted to guide (but it seemed more like he was dragging the poor boy) Seian to the seat he was at just now.

[Seian Verian]

"A, a, are you alright?"

"I..." Seian tried to get a response out, but he was still rather out of breath. Instead, he just let the young man talk. Oh, so this was Yuu... Unless someone else who could speak English was waiting for someone that was late.

Seian awkwardly followed as Yuu guided him toward their seat, and stammered out a response.

"Th-thank you. It's my fault though... Got distracted, then when I rushed here after realizing the time I nearly knocked over a woman... Crashed into the lamp-post outside trying not to."

It was at this point that they reached the seat, and he sat down with a sigh. "Thank you for waiting, anyway. I was the one that asked for help and then I'm half an hour late showing up... Hah. Doesn't seem like I can... Oh never mind."

[Kisaragi Yuu]

Yuu tilted his head and looked curiously at this Seian, now that they were properly seated, he took the time to sort of 'study' him, as he was obviously not from around these parts (given he had to speak English to him in the first place, a language Yuu was familiar with but by no means an expert in). He was definitely different in person than what Yuu expected from the initial meeting online... For one, Yuu didn't expect Seian to be somewhere in the high six footer to seven foot range! This guy was most decidedly a giant, at least compared to Yuu, who probably wasn't even five foot eight! Yuu had a hard time deciphering how someone like this fellow would get into such an accident... He attributed it to Seian being in a huge rush and dismissed it at that. He clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on the desk, over the menus which were placed on the table. "I apologize if I do not look the way you expected me to," Yuu giggled, much like a schoolgirl would after they cracked a very juvenile joke at a fellow schoolgirl. "This is how I was raised, anyway, I understand that you are in need of help? I recall that you needed some assistance with getting situated..."

Yuu was worried about this fellow... He wasn't sure just how much Japanese this Seian knew, and furthermore, he had little idea about the area itself, so... What if something happened to him?! Yes, that would be very worrisome... He couldn't stand the idea of someone getting seriously hurt or someone dying... He didn't want a repeat of when his family were killed. He shifted about and took a glance at the menu; he wanted something different this very day.

"Would you like me to give you a lowdown of the local vicinity? Furthermore, would you prefer to speak in English or in Japanese?"

[Seian Verian]

Until now, Seian hadn't been paying much attention at all. He'd let Yuu guide him to his seat, and he'd talked a bit, but he had somehow managed not to notice how incredibly girly Yuu actually looked. Now that he did, it felt... Odd. While he had no actual problem whatsoever with people looking or acting feminine, (or masculine, as the case might be) he'd never really interacted with anyone like that before. He was familiar with them in fiction, but...

Well, it wouldn't be a problem. He knew he could adjust, and he had nothing against it. It shouldn't make too much difference.

"Oh, yes, I uh, did need help getting situated. And um... Yes, I'd like a lowdown of the vici- vicinity."

Gah... Even in English he couldn't speak properly, it seemed. And yet... "Actually, I think I'd, um..."

*<I think I should get more used to speaking in Japanese. I'm... Not used to it enough, I think. I've only taken two courses on it, so I'm not entirely fluent, but I probably should learn more, and that's easier if I actually speak it.>

He felt a pang of hunger about now, and remembered where they were. "Oh, right..." He looked up at the menu now, and started thinking about his order. None of it was at all like what he usually ate, so it was hard to make a quick decision...


* When speaking in Japanese, I'll put these brackets <> around my speech. Since Seian isn't perfectly fluent, you can expect extra mistakes and stumbles, and the fact that he's foreign to be rather noticeable. The general idea should still mostly come through.

[Kisaragi Yuu]

Yuu nodded solemnly and cleared his throat. "Very well, I suppose it'd serve as good practice for you," Yuu said, speaking in Japanese this time. "Take your time in choosing, you'll need to get used to eating food in these parts, fufufu~" Yuu smiled and settled with his order while looking patiently at Seian, he had to tilt his head up in order to take a closer look at Seian's face. Yes, he definitely wasn't around these parts. Fortunately, he seemed willing to adjust and to try to get used to things around here, so it shouldn't be too difficult to help him out in settling down. "Well, I'll be happy to show you around and help you get situated. If you happen to live nearby, you're also free to drop by my place, I've already told my sister about it." Yuu continued, placing a hand on his chest and adjusting the cardigan around him. He turned his head to the side, giving Seian a view that would have definitely made him question Yuu's gender had he not actually known he was male in the first place.

[Seian Verian]

That laugh. THAT LAUGH.

Seian couldn't help but cringe, something about that laugh sending a chill down his spine. He didn't expect any sort of malice from Yuu, but that laugh just sounded creepy. He shook his head, trying not to dwell on it too much. It didn't matter at all, really. Just... No, stop thinking about it, look at the menu.

The laugh aside, it wasn't as if the advice was necessary. Seian was generally indecisive about most things, and food at any given restaurant tended to be that, at least the first time around. Not only that, given that he was used to American portion sizes (and tended to eat a great deal even by those standards), he especially wanted something satisfying. Quality over quantity needed to apply very much here.

He looked back toward Yuu as he spoke. <Really? Thank you very much. I mean... I didn't expect that...> "Um..." <That is, it's more than I expected when we'd just met. I do appreciate it though, and I'll keep it in mind. I actually do live rather close, just here in Hongo by the Juntendo University campus.>

Suddenly, a decision came to mind on what he wanted. One of the pork dishes sounded good... The spiced ramen looked best, but was one of the more expensive items on the menu. He didn't have money, so he decided to take the plain version instead. He placed his order, and waited.

[Kisaragi Yuu]

"That's not too bad," Yuu nodded as he too gave his order to the guy directly by the bar-like counter, who Seian can probably figure was a friend of Yuu's. "I'm studying over at Toudai under their Psych department myself, and it takes me about 10 to 15 minutes of walking to get there, so we could easily meet up if I biked over to Juntendo or something." Yuu yawned and decided he should probably get to know Seian a bit better. "Anyways, why don't we use this time to get to know each other a bit better? I mean, we just met..." Yuu suddenly brought up, waiting patiently for the meal to come 'round, Yuu had ordered some manner of spicy seafood ramen, well, it was what he usually ordered every time he decided to stop by Myouhoudou. Yuu fidgeted about with his person to see if he still had everything with him, and nodded to himself. "So, where did you come from before you decided to move here?" Just as he asked this question, the food had arrived. Yuu received the bowl of ramen which had a healthy sprinkling of chili spices on it, mixed with various seafoods, crab meat, and vegetables alongside the noodles themselves. Yuu sort of giggled at what Seian ordered.

"Well, I suppose you like simple food, huh?"

[Seian Verian]

Yuu seemed to know the person working here. Did he come here a lot? Well, it did make sense. Yuu had been the one to suggest meeting here, so it was natural that it'd be somewhere he was especially familiar with.

He perked up as Yuu mentioned where he went to school, and then decided to comment on it when Yuu suggested getting to know each other better. <Toudai? That's pretty impressive, actually. Though, if I'd waited another year or two, maybe I'd have got a scholarship for there... It would have been interesting going to school together, no? ...At least, I think so. Maybe my thinking is off today. Er, just... Ignore me.>

"Hah..." Still stumbling over his own words and thoughts as always. Maybe if he had a bit more confidence... Then again, that wouldn't make his mind more organized, would it?

<Where I come from...? Well, I was from the United States. Missouri, specifically. I came here because I had qualified for a rather generous scholarship at Juntendo. Adjusting has been... Difficult at best. With all the "help" I get transitioning, I had trouble just getting the free time for today...>

Wait. How had he gone off on that tangent? He couldn't go for any length of time without insane babbling, could he? <Er, sorry... I tend to babble from time to time. Don't pay too much attention.>

It was around now that their food came. Just as Seian was about to start eating it, he heard Yuu speaking to him. <More that I like cheap food. I don't have much to spend, since I don't have a job and my scholarship doesn't come with all the outside food I can eat. My dad left me some funds, so I get about twenty thousand yen a month after exchange rates and legal junk cuts it down, but that goes by quick.>

[Kisaragi Yuu]

Yuu was idly nomming on his food, paying some amount of deep attention to what Seian was saying, and was wondering if he'd hold up fine when adjusting to a new life here in Japan... It didn't seem like it'd be very easy for the poor guy, anyway. In between slurps of noodles and chewings of delicious seafood, Yuu was nodding and trying to think about how he could seriously help, but then he decided he had another question in mind... "I apologize if this comes out all of a sudden, but there's something I need to bring to your attention before we set out after our meal," Yuu said, suddenly adopting a very concerned, yet serious expression on his face. "Recently, people in the neighbourhood have apparently been attacked... I'm not sure by what, it must be some form of phenomena, but I received an e-mail detailing these attacks that came from some sort of otherworldly beings... I know it must be hard to believe, but I just want to warn you in case it's actually true." Yuu said, sighing. "I'm not sure whether to believe it myself," he continues. "but I'm trying my best to be cautious as well, especially at the night time. You should be careful, as well."

[Seian Verian]

Otherworldly beings...? Interesting where the conversation had turned to. Seian had taken off nearly a third of his bowl in the twenty seconds or so he'd gotten before Yuu brought it up, but he looked up as soon as his current noodles were slurped into his mouth.

After swallowing, he replied. <Well, thank you for concern, I suppose. I wonder what it really is though... If it's animal attacks, maybe something escaped on the way to a zoo or something? Though I don't know if there's much of that here in Tokyo... Of course, it would be rather interesting if there were otherworldly beings involved, but...>

He paused for a moment, before he asked. <Actually, what's crime like in the area? Could it be a gang or something of the sort trying to scare people in the area? What exactly happened in the attacks?>

[Kisaragi Yuu]

Yuu tilted his head as Seian asked the question about "crime rate" and "gangs" and "wild animals" and the like. Unfortunately, if it were as simple as that, Yuu would not have brought up the warning at all; wasn't that common sense in the first place to be careful in the area if the crime rate was quite high? "No, when I say otherworldly beings, I really do mean otherworldly beings. Stuff like demons? Zombies? Those kind of occult stuff. I mean, that's what I heard from some user accounts who mentioned that they were attacked but barely escaped... I don't know if they are making it up, but some people posted pictures of their wounds because they were being silly..." Yuu trailed on, sounding like some sort of concerned mother at this point. "It was quite the strange phenomena, so I decided to do some studying up on the subject, and I found out there was a particular group of people who were dedicated to investigating these recent threats on innocent life, a group called SEES, but that's all I know about the situation. That's why I want you to be careful, because I don't want you or anyone else for that matter getting hurt, or worse..." Yuu had just barely eaten half of his noodles at this point; he tends to eat slowly when he talks. Yuu then suddenly procured a set of photos printed on glossy paper from his handbag and passed them to Seian.

"Take a look at these pictures, I wanted to see if there's anyone who would believe me after these."

The pictures shown to Seian consisted mostly of terrible wounds on various people, such as unnaturally deep gashes, bite marks that seemed to have come from strange creatures, scratch marks, the works. Basically, there was no way a normal gang or a Yakuza member would ever do things like that to normal people. "Can you seriously tell me that some gang or some hostile vandals would be capable of wounding people in this manner? The last case of legitimate animal attack I knew of was several years ago, even..."

[Seian Verian]

Seian listened as Yuu went on, a bit annoyed at the tone he'd started with. Had he been unclear somehow? He knew what "otherworldly beings" meant, and he'd said nothing to imply otherwise. He'd just been thinking of alternate explanations. It didn't sound like Yuu was blindly believing what he'd heard though.

Did I make a mistake in something I said...? I don't have all this down yet...

He did take note when Yuu showed the pictures. That, was intriguing. As was directed, he looked at the pictures intently, still eating absentmindedly as he did. He was only halfway through glancing at them before his bowl was empty, but he was too focused on the pictures to notice.

"These..." <If these are real, that's more than intriguing. If these are the survivors... No human weapon could cause these wounds in combat, and I don't think these could come from any one animal. I know the Yakuza would never mutilate a corpse in such a manner even if these were pictures of the dead... That leaves rather few possibilities, doesn't it? Maybe there would be some way to see if these images exist elsewhere on the net. If they don't, that would probably mean...>

He trailed off, and shook his head. <Sorry if I seem a bit... Involved, in these. I want to try and understand things, and this is rather fascinating. It could be a hoax of some sort, but... I honestly want it to be real. Things beyond our current understanding, that we might learn from... I just, well, find the idea rather interesting, and I have a rather strong connection to fantasy anyway.>

[Kisaragi Yuu]

Yuu shook his head. "Nope, I've done traces through the Internet to verify their authenticity, because I needed to check for myself if these really were victims of such brutal attacks..." Yuu sighed. "And to my surprise, I find that these aren't edited or doctored images... These are definitely genuine, and taken from some sort of digital camera..." Yuu has just about finished his own meal about now. Yuu had remembered that he too had access to some sort of otherworldly phenomena when he had called forth Hathor to save his family way back when, but obviously, he didn't want anyone to know about it. That's why he was being a bit skeptical about the situation, but refused to dismiss it entirely. "Well, that's why I want you to be careful. I'm open to the possibility of these creatures actually existing, and I don't want anything bad to happen to you... You just moved in, after all..." he continued. If Seian were astute, he would note that Yuu did not mention himself at all just now, as if he had some plan for it... "Sigh. I want to help you out mostly because of that."

[Seian Verian]

Definitely genuine.

Those words... When Seian heard them, a feeling of shock, mixed with almost a strange hope welled up within him. Was Yuu serious? Was there no margin for error? Was this... If this was true...

Wait. He'd just met Yuu, and was already trusting him this much? Was that really the best idea? He'd been roped in by people before... Really, the first eighteen years of his life had consisted entirely of him being roped in by his mother. Could he really trust so quickly...?

But then, Yuu seemed so caring. He'd waited for half an hour after the scheduled time. He'd shown such concern for Seian's safety... Was this really someone who would get a kick out of toying with a newcomer to the country? It didn't seem like it at all.

...Where the hell was the line between stupidly paranoid and way too trusting? It seemed quite like he walked it a good portion of the time. Reading people's motives was not something he was amazing at. Sure, he could imagine ulterior motives for such things as just being nice... After all, he knew his mother had nothing but those. And yet, he...

No. Enough. Why was he thinking about this now? He always gave the benefit of the doubt on things like this. He wouldn't be stupid about things, and wouldn't just walk into dead end dark alleys without a care in the world. But he had no reason to start being suspicious of this person who had acted like nothing but a friend.

And now, he realized that Yuu had been talking. He had caught... Not nearly enough to get even a basic idea of what was said. <Oh! Sorry... I didn't get any of that. What were you saying? ...Er, anyway though, maybe we should pay and get going. We can talk while you show me around. ...Oh, as soon as you're done of course.>