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[therewerefifty]

[Makie has had the facts of this place explained to her already, by a gentleman in a... fairly awkward situation.

It doesn't prepare her for the reality of a village with occupants like none she's ever seen before. Some of you aren't even human, Luceti. The hell. She wanders the path of the village from Community Building #1 down toward the plaza still in her New Feather dress, just like a gawking tourist, and spends some time staring at the fountain and plaza itself. Uh.

...right. Okay. Time to begin glancing through various shops in her attempts to find the places she was told her things would be. She finds her clothes with a measure of relief, and her shamisen at the item store-- and after she picks it up, she frowns. It's too light. She doesn't need to open it to know she's missing something.

Eventually, she'll find her way into the forge to pick up the last of her things, pays a visit to the Welcome Centre-- and then finally fetches up at the tea shop, which is the most familiar-looking thing here.

...sort of. Never really loses that dazed and confused look.]

Comments

[etudes]

[ Don't worry, Makie, you're not the only dazed one here. Kotomi is just as dazed, but that's her natural state of being. In fact, while she's making her way over to the library as usually, she's daydreaming so she doesn't really see where she's going..

.. and that's how she ends up bumping right into the woman on the path. ]

W.. wah...

[therewerefifty]

[Taken by surprise enough to stumble. Makie shifts her grip on the shamisen in one hand and puts her other out to steady Kotomi.

...you're Japanese. She thinks.] Are you all right?

[etudes]

[ That's good, at least, it keeps Kotomi from tumbling right over since she's not aware enough to steady herself. ]

.. Ah. Yes, I'm alright.. I just think I walked into something. [ .. she doesn't even realise. ]

[therewerefifty]

[There's genuine amusement in Makie's smile when she responds, faintly teasing.] You did. You walked into me.

[etudes]

.. Ah. Then that was it. [ Belated realisation, but she nods, as if she's willing to believe it.

Then she slowly starts making a bow right after. ]

In that case.. I apologize. I didn't mean to bump into you..

[therewerefifty]

That's all right. No harm done.

[The bow cinches it.] You're Japanese, aren't you?

[etudes]

That's right.

[ She realises this should be the time for a formal introduction, so she makes sure to stand straight and all that. Her words are sort of mechanic, like she's spoken them many times before - or just practiced them a lot. It almost makes her sound like some robot. ]

My name is Kotomi Ichinose, a senior from class A back home. My hobby is reading. When refering to me, please call me "Kotomi-chan".

[therewerefifty]

[...wow, she's familiar with this mechanical mode of address. It's like looking into a mirror. Makie bows back.]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Kotomi-chan. My name is Makie Otono-Tachibana. You may call me what you feel comfortable with.

[etudes]

Makie-chan, then..

[ Despite the other girl being older.. but Kotomi likes putting it that way, okay. Especially if they're going to be friends. .. Ah, wait, at least she's realising now that she's just assuming it, isn't she? ]

.. Since.. I'd like it if we could become friends.. maybe.

[therewerefifty]

[Heh... you're not quite as old as Omatsu. Makie is amused, but she only smiles.]

I think we could become friends. It's good to see other people here from my own country.

[etudes]

There's more Japanese people here, it's not just us. [ In fact, she's met a lot of Japanese people, hasn't she? But then again, she's met a lot of non-Japanese people too, it's all the same to her in the end.. the only way she divides the world is into bullies and non-bullies. ]

I guess the Malnosso like Japan.

[therewerefifty]

I see. [That's... actually good to know. It makes her feel far less out of place.] It's true I've only seen a few people today. Perhaps I will meet more another time.

What part of Japan are you from, Kotomi-chan?

[etudes]

I'm from Hikarizaka City. Ah, I've heard there might be differences in time though for people who are pulled here, so maybe that town is only founded in your future, or it's too far into your past to know of it.. [ .. ] But.. it's a nice town. I like it there.

[therewerefifty]

It's possible. I've never heard of Hikarizaka City, but I haven't travelled much.

I'm from Edo... of... no particular district. [Not anymore, anyway.]

[etudes]

.. I haven't travelled much either.. [ Heck, she's hardly even left her house, how could she be expected to leave the city. ]

Maybe we just lived near each other all this time and never realised. Wouldn't that be weird..?

[therewerefifty]

Perhaps we might have met each other one day, then. [It's an amusing thought.] But in the meantime, I suppose we both now hail from Luceti. How long have you been here?

[etudes]

.. Hmm.. how long, I wonder.. [ Since she's always so out of it she actually has to think about this for a while.. she has no clue how long it's been since all the days are the same to her, but if she puts a little thought into it she can figure it out. ]

Maybe.. one and a half years..? Something like that.

[therewerefifty]

...that's quite a long time. Is your family here?

[etudes]

[ Ah. Awkward topic. Her blank expression actually changes a little because of it as she shakes her head. ]

They're.. dead.

[therewerefifty]

[Ah. Good one, Makie. She glances down.]

I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked.

[etudes]

N.. no, it's okay. [ She still looks a little sad, but at least she's not freaking out about it.. the time here has helped her at least a little bit. .. A really tiny bit. ]

They've been gone for a really, really long time already.

[therewerefifty]

[...]

Do you have friends here?

[etudes]

Ah.. I do. [ At least she can say that. And the thought of it cheers her up a little. ]

I have a lot of precious friends here. I'm really, really grateful for all of them. And I'm even Ikki-kun's precious treasure.

[therewerefifty]

That's good. As long as you have others who can look out for you.

[etudes]

.. Uh-huh. I think it's much better than being alone.. after all, being alone is very, very sad.