2025-12-29: Returning Gretchen
- Log: Returning Gretchen
- Cast: Yua Ooshiro, Miho Ijuuin, Kimitake Ijuuin
- Where: Miho's Penthouse, Aoba Ward, Sumaru City
- OOC Date: December 29, 2025
- IC Date: Sun, Sep 02, 2012
- Summary: After a disastrous mission for Yua, Miho does her best to comfort her--but Kimitake comes through with an offer of help.
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Miho had to escort Yua to the doctor's, again, following a solo mission. (They made her invoke it, again.) Once again, it's proved that she and her baby are physically fine -- Gretchen's defended her well -- except...
Except the doctor has to ask who Gretchen is, because Yua keeps asking after her, even though she doesn't know.
... and this morning, she didn't get out of bed.
"Gretchen... where's Gretchen?" Yua asks, beside herself, as she lays useless on the bed. "Where's Gretchen...?"
Miho has seen Yua doing poorly without an Evoker to her name before -- but sourcing an Evoker isn't a simple task, even for someone at her level. That technology is difficult to alter; the Order cannot freely produce power such as it. There are questions to be answered for...
Miho had to tell Kimitake that Yua would not be able to attend her rehearsal for the wedding, today. That she wasn't well.
Despite any sensitivity she showed as regards the details, though...
... Kimitake has other ways of knowing.
And that's why he shows up, this morning -- and Miho will need to answer the door, it's Sunday, it's Eiko's day off. She will need to leave Yua's side, in her bedroom, as she stares vacantly at her curled hand. "Gretchen..."
Perhaps he can hear her voice, distantly, in there.
He carries with him a briefcase, when the door is opened, dressed in a suit tailored sharply as Miho's.
"Forgive my intrusion," he says. "I was hoping to introduce this topic with a little more sensitivity... but I've heard why Yua-san's unwell. Please. Let me help."
He sounds genuine, at least.
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
A solo mission. A solo mission, in her state. Miho has had to tamp down her anger to avoid distressing Yua further, but let it be said: she has anger to tamp down. She has considered going to see Rokuro personally... but has been too busy tending Yua to do so. This is likely by design, she thinks. Gretchen...
Miho explains that Gretchen is a friend. It's nothing to worry about; she'll find her.
Miho has shown sensitivity. But today, she opens the door. And Miho blinks in surprise at Kimitake's presence. "You..."
He is aware.
"Very well," Miho answers, and steps back to open the door to him and allow him entry.
If he's aware what's going on, and he wants to help...
Well. Miho will supervise, but she won't stop him. "By all means. This way."
Miho leads the way, and at the door, knocks. "Kimitake-san is here. He says he can help."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Rokuro's harshness isn't something Yua was in any fit state to speak of, when she got back up to the penthouse... but her grief was palpable.
It was -- at best -- an order given with no regard to her circumstances or strengths.
But Kimitake steps inside, nodding to her. "My thanks." He follows her to the bedroom, where Yua lifts her head, for a moment, before it drops right back to the pillow.
"Kimi-san...? Mm... not today... Gretchen's..."
Kimitake goes to the bed, kneeling beside it -- putting his almost-six-foot eyeline more in line with Yua's, as she lays on her back, head turned to gaze at her scarred hand. "You feel disconnected from her," he fills in, sympathetically, without missing a beat. "Yua-san, please, look at me."
He opens his briefcase. There, laid into its velvet case, is another of those revolvers -- an Evoker. Where did he get such a thing? HOW did he get such a thing? (Who did he kill?) None of these are questions Yua asks, as she scrambles up -- luckily, Miho's very experienced at getting her into a nightgown when she's nearing catatonia -- to grasp it in both hands, upright on her knees on the bed. "GRETCHEN!" She cries, as she hugs the gun to her chest. "Gretchen, you'll heed me now, right?! You're not mad, right?! I didn't want to leave you!"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
Gretchen. Of course. But Kimitake apparently has an Evoker of all things, which says--well, it says quite a bit, actually. Miho looks in clear surprise at him, and then steps over to Yua. "That's right," she says. "You'll have her back."
A look to Kimitake, as Miho wonders, "How...?"
How did he know? How did he get it? Many hows. One question.
It is not her most suspicious hour, or she would be far more specific; she instead seems relieved...
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
Yua would be beside herself, if not for that piece of impossible technology in her hands. Without Gretchen, she is broken. (Or more obviously so.)
But Miho thinks to ask the question Yua is too relieved to ask, and Kimitake looks up to her, a hand on her bed to steady himself. "I'm afraid I was trapped in the machinations of a certain organisation long ago... one I believe you'll be familiar with, given your love for Yua-san." Miho isn't only related to the Order because she's with Yua; Kimitake pretends he doesn't know. "I was... arrogant," he admits, shame clouding his gaze, as he looks down. "When 'those people' came to me, years ago, I did not realise the manner of their thirst... by the time I realised the error of my ways, I was involved in a wretched situation."
It's a lie, but one designed to resonate with his cousin's situation -- and one which rhymes enough with the truth that it's independently verifiable, should she go digging. The factual events are unchanged... and conveniently, his feelings on the matter aren't as easy to objectively document.
Even if he claimed, somewhere, that he was pleased about it -- he could easily say he was lying. Yua's said the same lie, in her life. It's a matter of survival.
Yua looks to him, in the wake of his explanation, and so he addresses her first -- though he's also speaking to Miho. "When you explained a little about your past, I was suspicious... I started to do some digging. I've gained some status with 'those people' to try and protect our family from their schemes, so I was able to find out more about your situation. I got in contact with a rather odious man, a Rokuro Nishiyama... he claimed to have... mm, influence over your actions in the organisation." The way he presses his lips together, brow knit just so, Rokuro never used a word as respectful as influence.
"But when I spoke with him, yesterday evening, he was quite agitated... I became very concerned for you. He said you'd lost something unforgivable, and so I realised he would not have replaced it... no, I suppose he would have left you like this until he needed you next, even though your classes start tomorrow." Also, she's getting married. Kimitake -- perhaps wisely -- estimates that her schoolchildren are more important to her, in this moment, than her show wedding.
"I didn't realise you'd be suffering so much..." Kimitake's frown deepens, looking over Yua. "It makes me all the more glad I put the effort into convincing them to hand this over. They'll think it places me into deeper debt... perhaps they're even right." Technically, yes; it's just the kind of debt Kimitake's eager to take on. It means he can invest. "But your eye seems clearer, now... are you all right?"
"Yes," Yua confirms, still hugging the Evoker to her chest. "Yes, I'm fine now... ohhh, that awful man! He was so angry I couldn't scare an old man and a housewife on my own, even though they had so much help... he hurt me! E-even though I tried so hard to hold onto Gretchen, they were too strong... and you know those people were scared I'd be punished? I couldn't reassure them, but... but I didn't think he'd be that cruel... he said I was a disappointment!"
She's tearing up again...
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
A certain organization... Miho does have other reasons to be entangled, but those aren't important right now. The manner of their thirst, he says; the 'error of his ways'. Miho is paranoid enough that she will check that out later, because it's too much relief she feels when he speaks that resonant lie. And Yua looks at him; he speaks to Yua first.
"...yes," Miho says after a moment. "Our family has thus far not been entangled overmuch with them. But it would seem they have made more efforts than I realized."
Rokuro... Miho narrows her eyes.
"So you've put yourself in a difficult position for Yua..."
Hmm.
"Is that so?" she wonders then of Rokuro. "Unforgivable, he says."
She does not say what is going to happen. But it may yet be that she has to pay him another visit.
A personal visit.
"His expectations are an affront," Miho says. "That he believes he has the right to be disappointed in you is an insult of the highest order." She says it calmly, but she says it all the same.
"...Well. Thank you, Kimitake-san. This... means a great deal."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"I would not be much of a man were I unwilling to protect a woman I meant to make my wife, even though it's a performance we're putting on," Kimitake insists, and his nobility at least seems genuine. He's backed up his concern with verifiable acts... he's always careful to have proof. "I've noticed our family is largely untouched, as well... but I chose to engage in dealings with them to protect our brethren from their clutches. And is Yua-san not family now, too?"
Kimitake looks concerned, though, as he looks to Miho. "Though... it seems they've caught you, too. I'm sorry, cousin... they seem to have forgotten to tell me," and his approximation is a noble veil for his distaste, made a little more blatant for Yua's benefit, because she scowls, too. "They do forget these things all too often." Us, them... he knows Miho has these issues with paranoia; he's very deliberate, when he places them on the same team.
"I am sorry," he says, looking to Yua, again. "I don't have a power like yours... so I can't make that man answer for what he's done as directly as I'd like. But I am moving to take his power from him... I'm afraid their old-fashioned ideas are a large part of my argument, but I mean to protect you."
"Is that what he meant...?" Yua wonders, thinking of how less kind Rokuro was, saying it. ... but Rokuro is an unkind man. "That's a relief... I thought something more frightening would happen."
"He wanted to frighten you," Kimitake seems to realise, and he is grim. "... unforgivable is right."
Kimitake straightens up, finally, taking a step back to allow Yua her space again. "You are welcome," he nods, to Miho, in turns. "I am pleased I had the power to help you, today. You must have been worried," he adds, with concern for her, and this too seems quite genuine. "We'll cancel the rehearsals for today, you'll want to care for her... Yua-san, will you be able to make it tomorrow, before your classes?" He asks, gaze turning down to her again.
"Yes!" Yua insists, nodding firmly. "S-sorry for the trouble..."
"I will make them understand," he insists. "You ought to have some time to rest."
And he seems quite concerned for her, all in all.
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
A performance. True... but at least, that is what Miho would expect of a decent man of her family. "I have... other means," Miho says, "of protection." But they didn't tell him. Of course; they. "They do," Miho agrees. "Hmm..."
But he doesn't have that power. However, he seems to be on board with making him answer directly. On the other hand, that too could be...
"Indeed," Miho agrees. Unforgivable.
"I was," Miho admits, worried. "...Very well."
"I appreciate this, cousin," Miho says. "...It is good, to tend to her needs. She is in a delicate condition, as well..."
She reaches out to take Yua's hand.
"I will ensure she is well. And tomorrow, we will come."
<Pose Tracker> Yua Ooshiro has posed.
"Methods beyond mine... I'm glad you're able to protect her," Kimitake nods, in understanding. (He knew, already; but it protects him to have been plausibly told.) "From what I learned... Yua-san's truly someone in need of stern shelter."
And he does, indeed, seem to support the idea of direct retribution. He must know what that means, if he's involved with the Order...
... and he's encouraging Miho to do it.
Yua lays her Evoker in her lap, to let her take Miho's hand in both of hers. "I'll be okay," she promises, looking up to him. "Mimi's here, so I'll be okay! But... how can I repay you for something like this, Kimi-san...? I don't..." ... have the money on her own, but that protest dies in her throat, as she realises that an artifact such as an Evoker isn't something which can simply be bought with money.
He shakes his head, hand clasping to his chest as he bows to her. "Please," he insists, quite nobly. "Consider it a wedding gift."
"A... a wedding gift?" She asks, looking down at the revolver-like apparatus in her lap. Her face softens to a smile. "Oh... thank you!"
<Pose Tracker> Miho Ijuuin has posed.
"Yes," Miho agrees. "She quite is."
Encouragement... Maybe her family member can be an ally in this. She'll have to verify, of course. And keep certain things secret, for his sake if he's an ally after all. But...
Yua takes Miho's hand in hers, and when Yua promises, Miho smiles. Something to be repaid...
But a wedding gift. Miho turns to Kimitake, thoughtfully. "A timely gift," she says.
"...I will remember this, gift or not," Miho says.
She can show him out when he's ready... and then, it's just a matter of attending Yua.
She will not be entertaining calls to go out today.