Open Log

[wavesoakedlegs]

Characters: wavesoakedlegs, behisstrength, kagayakashi and all the guests!
Location: 12 Olie Street in the Phanga neighbourhood.
Time: Throughout the afternoon.
Style: Whatever you wish!
Status: This is an open log for Gracia's birthday celebrations, so set up threads and mingle with one another. Anybody is welcome! Your hosts and behisstrength will be around, of course but the mundanes won't, so

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[wavesoakedlegs]

[Mitsuhide's immediate thought at her mention of them being alone is to think 'I deserved it.' But she didn't. The gesture was giving her a chance to curb that feeling, when the inevitable happened one day.]

[One day... as far as he was concerned, they would all be returned to their worlds. Different versions of the same one, but still different. Nothing that Motochika had ever said had managed to persuade him otherwise. Back in his own, there was nobody who would miss him. His daughter and his lover, in their own, should not be alone and would not. The ache in his own heart at the thought of it did not matter.]

[His eyes remain strong, though, even as those thoughts run through his mind. He tightens his own grip.]

Breathe deeply, my girl. Nice and steady. You will not need to be alone again.

[In truth, every time he has heard it, a part of him has felt a little unsure of the wisdom of allowing her into battle. How had that happened? Mitsuhide would have done everything he could to shield her from war. Loss, pain, death... there was no need for her to be so directly exposed. Gracia must have made the decision herself, to follow him. How do the people he loves most always end up being so stubborn? It makes him feel a wave of fondness amongst all the sad emotions currently dominating him.]

The Mitsuhide you find there... will be everything I said. A broken man who feels useless, and deserving of his fate. There is a strong likelihood you will be told it is better for you to live a good life without him, for both... logical and illogical reasons.

[He closes his eyes for a few seconds, breathing deeply himself.]

You will face a difficult battle, Gracia. It will likely take a long, long time before you can draw him out of the hut.

[Who would know better than himself, after all? Nearly a year in Vatheon, and still...]

[behisstrength]

[Life is for the living, not the shades of the dead.

The choice of gift says plenty about Mitsuhide: that Mitsuhide had never truly given up on living despite all appearances. Perhaps their happiness will always be tempered by the tragedy they have experienced, but to Motochika eyes, this is a sign that even in their own versions of their land, they will both be at peace one day.]

Yet in time you will succeed, or you would not have been given this gift.

[kagayakashi]

[ Mitsuhide was very much on the dot; Gracia ran away yet again, this time stowing herself away inside a cargo box so she could figure out how the ways of the world worked. Besides that, she very much wanted to help her father, and she believed that by staying home would be no help at all. So even if he tried his best to shelter her away from the war, it was inevitable with her fighting spirit, with her curiosity and total dedication to her father, that she would somehow slip away and become exposed to battle.

The Akechi stubbornness was present in both of them, it seemed, though in different manners. ]

[ She pauses for some time, letting all the words and emotions sink even deeper into her core. A broken man - that was what she would find if she chose to seek him out. A broken man who had all his dreams shattered and had his only support taken away from him. In part, she felt a tad bit guilty. So that was what she addresses first. Gracia glances at Motochika, her red hair slightly veiling part of her face. ]

I shouldn't have left you. When father disappeared, you and I kept fighting. You told me to run to the forest, to escape. [ She bites her lip, though she keeps her gaze firmly at him. ] I shouldn't have gone. I could have saved you. I'm sorry.

[ She closes her eyes, and turns her head back towards their joined hands. Yes, it was the underlying foundation for her wanting to spend time with Motochika in Vatheon. She knew that no matter what happened, the moment she went back home, Motochika would sadly remain dead. He may have been closer with her father, but Gracia had her own bond with him as well. The time they had now was borrowed, but she made sure it was borrowed time well spent anyway. Their time here was everything she would never see when she returned home. ]

[ Gracia feels that fire in her burn even brighter than before. From that despair that pains her heart - to see her father sink into depression and loneliness, to witness the death of a great man without being able to prevent it - she feels something slither out from underneath the ashes and rise...

She is no longer in tears when she turns her chin up. Gracia's frown is no longer completely due to sorrow (though in truth, it lingered still and she knew it would continue to for quite some time) but now, it was also there because of purpose. She rapidly removes her hands from their joint grasp and stands tall, the necklace still gently dangling in her grip. She looks at both of them, sharp green eyes etching their faces so permanently into her mind that it almost feels painful. She takes a deep, quiet breath and speaks. ]

I was too late for Motochika. And I'll never get that back, ever again. [ Another breath. ] But father, I won't let it happen a second time. I won't let anything or anyone stop me from finding you the moment I come home! [ Gracia shakes her head. ] May it be my husband, may it be Hideyoshi, may it be whoever!

[ Gracia kneels in front of the couch, still in between the two men, and starts to lose momentum. The whirlwind of emotion was, admittedly, very draining. ]

I will find you. And I don't care how long it will take me to convince you to leave your hut. Your dream for a gentle peaceful land...as long as you have me by your side, it will happen.

[ She leans her forehead on the edge of the couch. Her words were now reduced to small whispers. ]

Nobody deserves to feel alone. Especially not you.

[wavesoakedlegs]

[Mitsuhide waits for Gracia to finish before speaking, pondering on her words. Her husband? Mention of a husband is not actually surprising to him, though he cannot imagine choosing a match for her would have been easy, and besides, it is not the time to question her about such details. Mentions of Hideyoshi dwell on his mind a little more. He can vividly remember facing the man one-on-one, and the words both of them had said then. The leader of the Toyotomi spoke both harsh words and surprsingly gentle ones. Accusations of indecision and weakness, but also a promse to rule the land well one day. Mitsuhide had been allowed to flee when word of Motochika's defeat had been announced across the battlefield.]

[Even now, Mitsuhide could not fathom why Hideyoshi had let him do so. Punishment or mercy? Maybe both? Perhaps things were a little different in Gracia's world, but he would likely not be an obstacle, provided his other self was kept out of sight.]

[But no matter what, Gracia is strong; a lot stronger than he himself was, even if she felt otherwise. It is something to feel proud of, and he does. She is definitely going to be okay, in Vatheon and beyond. Time, and her own fire, would ensure that.]

Stay strong, keep safe, and chase your happiness, my girl. [He touches her shoulder gently as she sinks down.] You have spirit and stubbornness just like Lord Motochika, so I know you can.

[Mitsuhide manages a smile, but in truth, he is getting worn down himself and it's beginning to show just barely in his expression. The strength he'd utilised to hold his mask in place was draining, overwhelmed by a flood of negative feelings.]

I have faith in you.

[It was not really him she was making her vow to, after all, but the Father from her world. The Father she was speaking to would be alone, when he returned to Japan, and that was that.]

[behisstrength]

[Motochika doubts that; he may not have experienced the same loss at Yamazaki as Mitsuhide and Gracia had, yet he knows himself. He would not have sent Gracia away if they'd stood any chance of turning the tide of battle.

Not that any good would come out of saying as much, so Motochika does not voice it.

What's done is done.

Some good has come out of it, at least -- Gracia's resolve is the kind of legacy that honours the departed.

Motochika raises his eyebrows a fraction at mention of a husband, but that's a matter for Mitsuhide to address first, and a glance at the younger samurai reveals that Mitsuhide's thoughts are elsewhere.

Motochika recognises that expression. Silently he places a hand upon the small of Mitsuhide's back.]

The promise of a better tomorrow... there is an additional reason to celebrate. [Dwelling will do no good now; it's an unsubtle hint.] The day is not done yet.

[kagayakashi]

[ Gracia stares at the cloth of the sofa. ]

Father, you're part of my happiness. I want you around, always.

[ Somehow, her birthday became bittersweet. She was supposed to be happy today, to enjoy herself, but now...now her mind was filled with other things to worry about. Still, she couldn't allow the hardwork put into the party to go to waste, so she leans back straight and puts on her necklace quietly. ]

I'm almost an adult. One more year to go, and I really won't be a child anymore. [ Gracia smiles, though there was little mirth. ] I hope I'll still be in this city by then. [ She looks at the two, sadly. ]

I hope I don't have to leave. This place is like the land you've always dreamed of. Nobody is fighting, everyone is at peace. The curses are bad sometimes, but they go away after a while.

[ She bites her lip. It was extremely selfish on her part, but Gracia couldn't seem to bring herself to care. She says nothing else after that. Her words, her expression, they all imply what she truly desires. Perhaps it wasn't to stay in this city forever, but for her family to be happy once more. And in a large way, Vatheon brought them that happiness. She takes a deep breath again and stands, gathering her presents into her arms. Well, as much as she can carry at least. When she smiles back at them, it's not as melancholic, but it was at least genuine. ]

I'll take these up to my room, now.

[ Before she turns her back completely, she looks back and the smile has disappeared. ]

And I'm never going to take off this necklace. I promise.

[wavesoakedlegs]

[Gracia has echoed one of Mitsuhide's own desires: to remain in Vatheon. Where else can he be with those he loves? Not in his Japan. Never again in his Japan. Who knew if he'd even get to keep his memories of Vatheon there? He could forget his daughter, this child of light and hope. He could forget his love for Motochika and the fact the other man had loved him back. Those who had left and returned had said different things, so it was a matter of chance...]

[With a last surge of strength, Mitsuhide offers Gracia a warm smile before she leaves and says:]

You will be happy. Everything I see in you, and heard from you today, tells me this is true.

[A nod.]

Lord Motochika is right. There is much of the day left; your friends will be here soon, I am sure. Keep smiling, Gracia.

[He waits long enough for her to leave and get to her room before speaking again. Glancing at his lover, still sat at his side, he lets his mask slip and asks:]

Do you think that was the right thing to do, my Lord?

[behisstrength]

[There is only one answer Motochika can give to that question. He answers with certainty.]

Yes.

[A life untouched by sorrow was impossible for those born into their age. The necklace had brought deep-seated pain to the surface for both father and daughter, yet it also gave hope for the future. It was ultimately a resounding step forward.]

For Gracia, and for yourself.