2026-09-24: Retrouvailles
- Cutscene: Retrouvailles
- Cast: Remi Ryuuja, Ayuna Tanaka (family assistant), Elodie Rochefort (mother), Tamahiro Ryuuja (father)
- Where: Narumi Ward, Sumaru - First a mall, then the Ryuuja estate
- OOC Date: September 24, 2026
- IC Date: Monday, December 31, 2012 (New Year's Eve)
- Summary: Remi's plans for a solitary New Year's are made unexpectedly complicated when she runs into elements of her pre-capture life that she had been avoiding. And a subsequent trip home becomes far more complex than she could have imagined.
- Content Warning: Some depictions of the results of Remi's lab conditioning
Winter was a miserable season. Remi hadn't always thought so, of course, but there was no denying how the bitter cold air could infect her blood through her lungs, and how it would latch onto the marrow of her bones and never let go. And yet it was a strange salve, in its own way. An almost singular sensation in the ocean of numbness and detachment she had come to associate with her body. Even when she did her best to combat it, wearing layers upon layers, and a thick coat, hat, scarf, and gloves, she would still shiver uncontrollably from time to time.
It couldn't be helped. And thus it was also not worth worrying about, not when she was busy scanning and evaluating the crowds of people in the mall around her. It was a cacophony of sound and movement, an ever-changing landscape with little room to maneuver.
Someone bumped into her side, and Remi instantly shifted her posture, sliding her foot to the side to steady herself. Her eyes narrowed briefly as her gaze flicked to her side. An older Japanese man about her height, maybe a little taller if he stood up straight, with a salaryman's paunch, hunched shoulders, and a nervous, contrite expression. In his hand was a shopping bag held protectively in front of him, and his other hand was free.
Human then. And not a threat. Just an accident. She saw the man reading her, startled, and knew he must be taking in her wavy, honey-blonde hair, her warmer complexion, her height. There was hesitation as he struggled to switch to an unfamiliar language. "Are—"
Remi let her posture relax, let her eyes and lips widen slightly to convey a surprise she did not entirely feel. In the fluent Japanese she had spoken all her life, she said, "Oh! Excuse me, sir. Are you okay?"
Hearing Japanese, the man seemed to lose some tension as he switched languages to match. "Oh, yes, thank you. I'm sorry, it is very busy today, and I was in a rush."
"Think nothing of it," Remi replied, raising a hand to wave off the concern. "Have a Happy New Year's."
The man bowed his head briefly. "Thank you, and you as well, Miss. And may I say, your Japanese is very good."
There was a flash of heat in her chest, but Remi kept a tight grip on it as she worked her face into a practiced smile. "That is very kind of you to say. Thank you." She turned and kept moving her way through the crowd.
The smile dropped from her face once she turned away. All she wanted to do was to pick up her toshikoshi soba and o-toso sake. And perhaps, if she could find a nice vintage, a bottle of wine; she'd been saving up a little to splurge for the New Year.
Her first New Year since leaving the lab. Eight months spent trying to wrestle with what had been done to her and Yua, learning how to cook, work, and live on her own, and trying desperately to hold onto whatever parts of her soul she could even as the NWO directed her to perform ever more gruesome acts.
And just over four years since she had spoken to her parents or anyone from her family. But how could she face them like this? How could she explain? Not for the first time, she told herself it would be better to stay away, to leave them to whatever resolution they had come to, and to avoid stepping back into a life she was now ill-suited for.
She did, in fact, find a nice red wine vintage to go with her other purchases, and bag in hand Remi quickly made her way to the exit. The sooner she could leave the mall, the better.
A loud gasp drew a sharp, focused glare over her shoulder to evaluate the threat—and Remi froze, tension ratcheting her body tightly as she found herself unable to move or even process.
An older woman, roughly in her early forties—stop it—wearing a look of naked shock. A dark gray skirt suit—don't—that spoke of professional work. Unbalanced posture—this isn't necessary—empty hands and no sign of a weapon.
Gray eyes opened wide in a confused mix of shock, horror, grief, and relief. Remi stop you know who this is.
"O-ojou-sama…?" the older woman eventually managed to get out. "I-it can't—"
Remi's cheeks burned with heat. She couldn't—not like this—it would be better if—but she couldn't run, not now—not a threat—no way to neutralize—why was this happening why was this happening why was—
The woman's left hand was covering her mouth, and Remi could see her chest starting to rise and fall in rapid succession. Hyperventilating. But another motion snapped her focus to the woman's right hand—an overfull shopping bag, with at least several bottles poking out the top and who knew what else. It had jerked down suddenly as the woman's hand went slack.
Another jolt downwards. The handle was resting on her fingertips.
One more jolt—
The tension burst. Without thinking about it Remi threw herself forward, snatching the bag out of the air moments before it impacted the ground.
The woman let out a startled yelp, stumbling back a step, and Remi felt another flash of heat rise in her chest. She could see how those familiar gray eyes had suddenly filled with nothing but fear, for just an instant. Standing upright, Remi awkwardly left the rescued bag extended in front of her, as she forced herself to really look at the other woman.
Ayuna Tanaka. The Ryuuja family's assistant. Her assistant, as she had started to grow older, and perhaps once her closest confidante. A woman she had missed far more than Remi had realized, now that hot, burning grief had wedged its way into her conditioned threat assessment. Her voice cracked. "T— Tanaka-san. I—"
Remi speaking had disrupted the eerie stasis of the moment. Ayuna's eyes watered, and in an instant she surged forward to wrap her arms tightly around her former charge. "Ojou-sama— Remi— We thought—"
The sudden contact made Remi's muscles tighten as it prepared to react, but Remi screamed at herself that Ayuna wasn't a threat. After a tense moment she finally relaxed and wrapped both arms around her former assistant and friend. "I know, Ayuna. I know."
Something hot stung her cheeks, stung both of their cheeks as they desperately tried to bridge a gulf of four years.
Neither woman wanted to let go first, but eventually they parted. Ayuna didn't move to take the bag, instead resting her hands on Remi's shoulders, looking the younger woman up and down. "Gods, look at you. Where— where have you been? We were all so worried for you. When you never made it home from Beijing—"
Remi averted her gaze downwards, unable to meet Ayuna's eyes. Her thoughts were roiling. Her heart hammered in her chest, her breathing rapid and shallow. Ayuna is not a threat. But if that was true, why did it feel like the ground was about to drop from underneath her?
"But you've come back to us!" exclaimed Ayuna, pulling Remi back for another hug. "It's a miracle! We'll have to catch you up— I need to call your parents—"
A hot sharp spike drove itself into the numbness at Remi's core, and before she knew it she was pulling herself backwards, out of Ayuna's grip with far more strength than intended. "NO!" The one word took all her breath, and she panted harshly as she clutched her head, trying to still the racing thoughts.
She didn't need to look to know people were staring at them now. Or to see Ayuna's shocked expression. "Sorry—" she said rapidly. "I— I just mean—not here. Elsewhere. Can we talk elsewhere?"
The older woman recoiled again at the unexpected shout. Doubt and uncertainty flickered across her face, but she slowly nodded. "Of, of course, ojou-sama," she said much more softly and slowly than before. "Whatever you like. Where is your car? I'll follow you anywhere you'd like to go."
Remi took a deep breath, lowering her hand from her head to her chest, like she was trying to force her lungs to move more slowly. "I don't have one. I took the train here."
"You took the—" Ayuna looked briefly perplexed but then shook her head to clear the thought. "Then—would you care to come with me to my car? We don't have to go back home," she added quickly. "We can just… find someplace to talk. I just… don't want to let you slip away again."
There was a long silence as Remi fought to put her racing thoughts back under control. There was no threat. Ayuna wouldn't harm her. If she tried—she wouldn't—Remi was more than capable of handling her. "… yes. Thank you."
Ayuna studied Remi for a long moment, brow creased in concern before she finally spoke. "Very well, then. May I have my bag? And… may I take yours, ojou-sama?"
With a slow nod, Remi extended both hands. "… Yes. Thank you, Tanaka-san."
They drove, in silence, until Ayuna found an empty bench facing the sea. And then they sat, in silence, watching the morning sun rippling over the waves. Remi pulled her coat tighter as the ocean breeze bit deeply into her core. She couldn't suppress the involuntary shudder, but it gave her something to focus on as she tried to sort through her mess of thoughts.
Ayuna sat on the other end of the bench, hands folded in her lap. She kept her gaze on the ocean, though she couldn't help but take glances at Remi, worry and concern plain on her face. "So…" she started hesitantly, as she considered her words. "… are you taking care of yourself?"
Remi took a deep breath and pulled her coat tighter around herself. "Oui," she said quietly. And she was—as best as she was able to, given the circumstance.
There are no threats here. Ayuna is your— friend. Well, assistant. They had always maintained a close but still-formal connection. But not so formal that Remi couldn't allow herself to open up, just a little bit.
"That's good." Ayuna studied Remi for a long moment, taking her time to formulate the next question. "… does… anyone else know you're here in Sumaru…?"
She didn't have to reveal anything sensitive to explain—though as Remi's mind raced through the potential dangers, she identified one potential social snafu. "Miho-chan and Yua-chan do. In fact, Yua-chan is the reason I am here at all…" Remi finally forced herself to look at Ayuna, though she could feel her chest tighten. "Please understand—I asked them not to say a word. I needed time. But as the time wore on…"
"It's okay," Ayuna said soothingly. "You don't have to explain. Whatever you've been through, it was… obviously a lot. So… have they been looking out for you?"
"Bien sûr. Of course. Without them…" Remi shook her head slowly.
If it wasn't them, she'd still be in the lab. But she couldn't exactly explain about that.
Ayuna nodded slowly, still not moving from her end of the bench. "I'm just… glad you're being cared for, ojou-sama."
"I am." Remi looked back to the ocean, watching the waves crashing against the beach. "I… have an apartment in Aoba ward. I care for three potted plants. Yua-chan has taught me to… clean, and cook." A bare wisp of a smile graced her lips for a fleeting moment. "… and I have studied more myself, besides. I… I even have a job. Several, in fact."
The assistant's eyes widened in surprise, and she regarded Remi with new insight, looking at her posture, her demeanor, and how she spoke of her new skills. "… you seem to have taken to it well, then."
Before Ayuna could speak further, her phone chirped in her pocket. Remi watched from the corner of her eye as Ayuna rushed to retrieve it, looked at the caller ID, and the deep frown that temporarily etched itself into her features. "… who was that?" she asked.
"O-oh, it's nothing important, ojou-sama," Ayuna said a little bit too quickly. "Please don't concern yourself with it."
Remi slid her gaze back out to the ocean. "… it was probably my mother, wondering why it has taken you so long to return."
The following silence confirmed Remi's suspicion. Of course. If it had not been for me, she would have returned already. And today is always such a busy day for preparations… Little wonder.
Ayuna opened her mouth to protest, but caught herself and slowly nodded instead. "… yes, it was. I should call and explain, but… I won't tell her about you. Not if you don't want me to."
Remi stared at the ocean for a long moment as she considered the possibility. She could protect herself. Shield her heart from the chaotic conflict, spare her parents from seeing the… weapon she had been turned into.
And all it would take would be asking Ayuna to perform an act of deception. To lie to her parents and withhold the truth. For how long? When she was 'ready'?
She would never be ready. They had carved her fear out of her in the lab and yet she was still… afraid of two ordinary people.
"… you may tell them," Remi finally said, without looking at Ayuna. "If… you would be so kind. And… I should like to see them, if they are willing."
Ayuna regarded Remi for a long moment and then nodded slowly. "As you wish, ojou-sama. Please excuse me for a moment." She stood, walking a short distance from the bench and making a phone call. She spoke in quick, hushed whispers, and with the swift wind blowing in from the ocean Remi couldn't make out what was being said.
Presently, Ayuna returned and nodded. "When you are ready…"
Remi stared at the ocean for a moment longer, feeling her muscles start to coil and her stomach turn upset. She forced herself to stand, shouting at herself for the entire ride home.
'Home' was a sprawling, traditional estate with immaculate Japanese landscaping, though many parts of the interior had been given a distinctly Western treatment as Remi's mother had endeavored to establish her influence. Remi averted her gaze from what had once been her private suite as Ayuna pulled the car in, struggling to keep her heart rate down as they grew ever closer to the grounds.
Once Ayuna parked, she looked over to Remi, her eyes focusing on Remi's clenched hands in her lap. "Ojou-sama," she started, and then her voice softened as she gentled it. "… Remi-san. We will do everything we can to make you comfortable. If you need anything at all—even to leave—simply say the word, and I will see to it."
Remi took a deep breath and then forced her hands to unclench, nodding slowly. "Thank you, Tanaka-san. You are… as indispensable as ever."
That earned a small, genuine smile from the older woman. "Thank you for saying so. Then, whenever you are ready?"
Walking through the estate was almost a surreal experience. Everything was as she remembered it, but now Remi couldn't stop her mind from mapping out escape routes and identifying defensible positions, despite her best efforts. She did her best to shove those thoughts aside. This is your home. Or it was. There is nothing here that can threaten you.
She wished she could let herself believe that.
But the route they were taking was both clear, and familiar: her mother's study, a place she had spent much of her formative years in. Remi drew in a sharp breath as she stepped into the plushly-carpeted room. It was decorated in a distinctly French style, with dark wood furniture, European antiques, and several large bookshelves. At one end of the room was her mother's desk, and next to it an armchair she had all but lived in, for a time. Remi would converse with her mother, in French, while her mother worked, or simply curl up with an old French novel.
And if not by the desk… Remi's eyes alighted on the fireplace. A fire was already crackling, and Remi could feel the warmth finally starting to reach her body, though still distantly. Around it were a couch and several chairs—
And her parents.
Remi froze. A woman, slightly shorter than herself, physically fit, in a simple dress that would restrict her movement— Stop that. Her mother, Elodie Rochefort, a woman in her late 40's, with the same honey blonde hair Remi had, and striking green eyes. She drew in a shocked breath as her eyes fell on her daughter for the first time in four years. "Ma coccinelle!"
She stood quickly to rush forward, but the man sitting on the couch next to her reached a hand out to lightly grab her arm. "Elodie," he said gently. Tamahiro Ryuuja was just slightly taller than Elodie, with brown eyes Remi had mostly inherited from him. His affect was often more stoic and calm, but in this moment Remi could read the cloudy storm brewing behind those eyes.
And both were observing her, as well. Remi's body was tightly wound as she stood in the doorway, and she had elected not to remove her outer coat, though she had let it hang open. It always took her body far longer to warm up these days, especially after being outside for so long.
Remi took a hesitant step into the study. Her voice broke as she spoke. "Maman, Papa, I—" Tears were already stinging her eyes as she slowly lifted her arms.
Elodie rushed forward then, drawing Remi into the tightest embrace. "Oh, ma chérie! Comme tu m’as manqué!"
Letting out a choked sob, Remi wrapped her arms around her mother, burying her face as she let the tears flow. "Toi aussi tu m'as manqué."
Tamahiro remained on the couch, and Ayuna quietly took her place by the door, hands folded neatly in front of her. Remi and Elodie embraced until long after the tears had stopped flowing.
It was a hollowing feeling, one that left Remi utterly gutted and numb. For several heartbeats, Remi lost track of the world, until she suddenly felt a hand on her cheek. She jolted upright, blinking as her eyes focused on the white object being offered to her.
"Tiens, chérie," Elodie urged gently, offering the tissue. "Viens t'asseoir," she added a moment later, gesturing to an empty armchair that sat facing the couch. She tried to keep her voice warm and soft, but it broke slightly as she added, "S'il te plaît?"
Remi reached out to take the tissue, giving a small nod. She could barely trust her own voice, which came out in a hollow whisper. "D'accord, Maman." She retreated to the chair, sitting down in it heavily as she slowly dabbed at her face.
Elodie retreated to the couch, and Tamahiro reached out to take her hand to give it a tight squeeze. The two exchanged a troubled glance, though Remi did not see it. Elodie placed her other hand over Tamahiro's, and sagged against her husband. Both watched their daughter with naked worry, but neither of them rushed to speak.
They'll want to know what happened, Remi thought to herself. Almost immediately a ringing bell nearly split her skull with sharp, white-hot pain.
Protect our assets. Do not endanger your cover.
Remi grit her teeth, face contorting for a brief moment. I know! I know! I have the cover story! She took a few ragged breaths as the ringing subsided, though a painful echo still lingered for a while longer.
Elodie squeezed Tamahiro's hand, drawing in a sharp breath. "Remi-chan, darling," she murmured, switching back to Japanese. "Please, is something the matter?"
"I am simply—" Remi couldn't bring herself to look at her parents. "I am simply… overwhelmed. This is… very trying. Please understand."
Tamahiro and Elodie shared another, longer glance this time. They didn't speak, but the worry was etched ever-deeper on their faces. Tamahiro turned to look at his daughter. "… of course, Remi-chan," he said gently. "Please, take your time. We're just…" He struggled for a word. "… relieved, to see you again."
"As am I," Remi replied, still feeling numb. She could barely pull her thoughts together.
All she had to do was make a vague allusion to being trafficked, and then state that she wasn't ready to say more—she doubted they would press for details. And then she could try to tell them some positives to put them at ease, like she had done with Ayuna.
She opened her mouth to speak, but then a young voice cut through the room. "Maman! Touchan!" Moments later a toddler burst into the room, tiny legs carrying him right towards Elodie.
Ayuna gasped and started forward, but in her surprise her hands just missed him. "Ah— wait!"
Elodie instantly let go of Tamahiro's hands, reaching out to scoop the toddler up. "Ah, mon caneton, ce n'est pas le bon moment." Her voice was soft and soothing, but frantic. She stood, taking a step towards Ayuna. "Tanaka-san—"
"Of course, ma'am," said Ayuna rapidly, stepping forward. "Please come with me, young master." Tamahiro had halfway stood from his seat, ready to take any action.
As Ayuna reached for the toddler, a harried woman opened the door. "My apologies, ma'am, I only looked away for a moment—" She cut herself off as she saw the woman in the armchair. Everyone paused then, the adults all looking towards Remi with alarm.
Remi's heart froze in her chest. All she could do was to stare at the small child. He had Tamahiro's dark hair and skin complexion. Male, so one day would be a better, more 'acceptable' heir to the family's legacy. And the timing…
Her mother hadn't been pregnant when she had been taken. Remi was certain of that. With all of the health issues surrounding her own birth, they had never tried for more siblings. So to try again…
Every muscle felt like a coiled spring. Remi's lungs burned, and she forcibly exhaled so she could suck in fresh air. Her eyes, wide and questioning, slowly drifted from the child's face to her mother's.
Elodie could only turn her face away and give a silent nod.
The child, however, looked over to Remi and studied her curiously, tilting his head. He lifted a hand to point. "Maman, c'est qui?"
Reaching out to gently fold the finger down, Elodie quietly tried to hush the child. "C'est pas poli, mon chéri."
The toddler withdrew his hand into his lap. "Pardon! C'est qui?"
A pained expression crossed Elodie's face as she glanced to Remi. Words died on her tongue as she struggled to form the sentence.
Remi stood, her gaze never leaving the toddler. Out of the corner of her eye, she clocked her father standing up straighter, and the sharp way his hand suddenly tensed, fingers curling into a fist. Remi stopped, and placed a hand on her chest. "Je suis ta grande sœur, Rémi. Et toi, tu es...?"
The toddler instantly responded with a bright reply of "Tamashi!" He lifted an arm to wave energetically. "Bonjour, Rémi!"
And a name that was utterly, distinctly Japanese. Of course. Remi forced a smile to her face. "Enchantée, Tamashi."
"Ma'am, please allow me," said the caretaker, stepping forward. "Come along, little one. Why don't we go get you ready for the New Year?" She quickly made an exit with Tamashi, and a silence fell over the room.
Ayuna took her position by the door. Elodie, Tamahiro, and Remi all sat, though none of them could look at each other.
Remi sagged. She was reaching for that hollowness now, the surge that had filled her muscles evaporating like mist. Thoughts and questions circled endlessly in her mind without resolution: How was she supposed to react to this? What was she supposed to say? What did this mean for her place in the family?
What kind of place could she possibly have had even without Tamashi present?
While Remi stewed in her thoughts, her parents retreated within themselves, no longer sitting quite as close on the couch. Tamahiro reached out to put a hand on Elodie's shoulder, but the latter silently shook it off, and the former drew his hand back to his lap.
When Elodie finally spoke again, her voice was quiet and trembling, and she still couldn't bring herself to look at her daughter. "I'm so sorry, my darling. We were going to tell you, just… not like that."
Flatly. "It's fine." It wasn't fine, but Remi didn't have anything left in her to sell the line. "It's…" She shook her head. "… I know now." When she looked up, it wasn't to her parents, but Ayuna. "Tanaka-san. Could I have something stiff to drink?"
Elodie sat up sharply, her voice full of reproach. "Remi-chan! Absolutely not."
Remi didn't modulate her voice at all as she looked at her mother again. "Mother, I'm 23."
The words hit Elodie like a shock. She slumped backwards, hand covering her mouth. "… you are right. My apologies, dear. Tanaka-san, if you would be so kind, make that two."
"Of course, ma'am," said Ayuna crisply. "Ryuuja-san, for you as well?" Tamahiro nodded silently, and Ayuna gave a polite bow. "Very well. I will return momentarily."
A few moments later, each family member held a shot glass in hand. Remi stared into hers for a moment, studying the clear liquid within. She looked to her parents and raised her glass. "Cul sec." Without hesitating she tossed the glass back, draining it in one go. It burned on the way down, but Remi relished the sensation. Once it hit her gut the warmth spread through her body in a way that the fire still hadn't quite managed to do.
Both parents followed suit, and the three of them sat in silence afterwards.
Remi sat her glass down on a side table. "I should go. You doubtlessly have many preparations to make, and I have my own to see to, as well." The situation was too uncertain. Remi wasn't sure how she related to her parents anymore, to say nothing of her extended family, and the mere anticipation of prolonged social interactions was driving alarm bells in her mind.
Her instincts all screamed for retreat, and Remi couldn't disagree.
"Wait—" started Elodie, a bit too fast. "Are— Are you doing well?" Her eyes were full of fear, but also a small, desperate ember of hope.
Considering her mother for a moment, Remi slowly nodded. "As well as I can be, yes. I am… living my life."
Elodie let out a soft, shuddering breath. "Good, good. That's… all I wanted to know. We won't keep you, dear, just… we would like to be part of your life again. If there is space for us."
"Maman, I—" Remi's voice trembled slightly as she considered all the things that might mean. She glanced away. "I cannot be your heiress."
Tamahiro finally spoke up, leaning forward. His expression was still stern and stoic, but there was something that had softened subtly around the eyes. "We do not need you to be our heiress, Remi-chan. Just.. our daughter. If you would care to stay, we will celebrate the New Year with just the… four of us."
There'd been a slight hitch before her father had said 'four.' Remi mulled that thought over. "You have obligations," she pointed out. "It would not do for me to keep you from them." She still remembered how seriously her father took those kinds of things.
"Yes, I do," agreed Tamahiro with a short nod. "I do. But… I have an obligation to you, as well. You have a place here. Your mother and I both want you to know that." He glanced to his wife for confirmation, and Elodie nodded emphatically.
"Absolutely. We know things cannot be as they were, but we could never…" Elodie's voice caught in her throat. "We could never abandon our child."
Remi sat in silence. Part of her mind was still crafting escape routes—out into the hallway, a set of stairs in either direction; out the window, onto the trellis—but she scrounged up the last of her mental reserves to try and set those worries aside. These were her parents.
And what did she have to look forward to? A night spent alone, in her apartment, with no one but her plants to talk to? Drinking an entire bottle of wine herself in an attempt to drown out all the racing thoughts and endless concerns about her life?
She let out a long, weary sigh as she sagged into the chair. "… Maman, Papa, I… I would like to try. At least for tonight. I… happen to have a nice vintage of red wine with me. Perhaps we could share it?"
Tamahiro allowed himself a momentary smile. "Of course. And thank you, Remi-chan." His voice snapped back to crisp command a moment later. "Tanaka-san. Would you please contact my parents and extend them my deepest apologies? Tell them we will be by tomorrow."
"Of course, Ryuuja-san," said Ayuna with a deep bow. "I'll see to it right away." She started to turn, to leave, but paused when she heard Remi's voice.
"Tanaka-san," said Remi, finally looking up from her contemplations. She looked at her parents, then her long-time assistant. "When you finish that, if you happen to know of a spare otoshidama…? It would be much appreciated. I assume you know Tamashi-kun's tastes."
Ayuna offered Remi a warm smile and a bow of her head. "Of course, ojou-sama. I will return shortly." And with that she slipped out, leaving the room to silence and a crackling hearth.