Yotsuba!&...

[sunflowerfairy]

Characters: Yotsuba Koiwai and you!
Setting: The meadow, the mailroom, and most of anywhere else.
Format: I'm starting in prose, but I'll match you.
Summary: A catch-all post for the Individuation event.
Warnings: Other than a crying Yotsuba, I can't think of anything right now.

At first, the shadows following her had been a little scary, mostly because Yotsuba didn't know where they came from or why they were following her. But it was kind of fun to have them follow her around, like they were all playing one huge game of follow the leader! So, she didn't mind them following her into the mailroom and laughed a little as she looked inside her mailbox..and pulled out a photo of her Daddy hugging her, Jumbo next to them, and the family next door-Ena, Fuka, Asagi, and their Mommy-surrounding them in the background. Surprised and happy, Yotsuba's eyes shined as she looked at the photograph before showing it to the shadows.

"Look! They're all here! Daddy and Jumbo and Fuka and-"

"Those aren't them. That's a lie, Yotsuba." That voiced surprised her, not because it came from one of the shadows, but because it sounded like Jumbo! "It's not! And why do you sound like Jumbo?! It's a good photo-oh.." As she spoke, Yotsuba kept looking at the photograph, just to make sure that it wasn't a lie..but slowly, it changed so that it showed her in a dying wasteland with her family and friends dead all around her.

"No..everything's gonna be fixed..and I'm not alone.."

Here, Yotsuba could be found sitting here with her sketchbook, crayons and Little Yoba, trying to draw what she thought was going to be the actual future. However, she didn't look very happy, and while she did make an honest attempt at it, it was very hard to draw when the souls of the people you loved kept belittling you. Eventually, while they were still there, Yotsuba mostly just hugged Little Yoba and weakly spoke to Daddy and Jumbo, who kept telling her that they didn't love her, that if Daddy hadn't adopted her, he might have been saved, and that Enoch, Diarmuid, and everyone else was going to break their promise and leave her too, all alone in the horrible place she saw.

This..was way too much for her to handle. Eventually, despite a few optimistic comments to the shadows and asking them why they hated her now, Yotsuba just started crying on Little Yoba and talking to her dolly. "Yotsuba doesn't even know what adopted is..do you know, Little Yoba?"

Yotsuba had a tendency to run around and explore, and this wouldn't change that..but she would be looking for Enoch, answers..and silence. She's pretty much free to bump into your characters, even though she'll be more tired than usual, and even though her collar will slowly become lighter, though Yotsuba herself won't notice until someone else points it out.

Comments

Meadow

[sunflowerfairy]

[Yotsuba had recently gotten into the habit of making nicknames, thanks to her encounter with Lucifel. She wouldn't do it with everyone, but with people she liked with long names, it helped. While she was unaware of how his name could be twisted to sound like 'deer', she wouldn't see it as a bad thing, since animals were pretty cool.]

Okay then..Yotsuba won't give up then. Where can we find the answers? I don't know where they're hiding..but Yotsuba won't give up!

"Are you sure, Yotsuba? After all, giving up can sometimes make you much happier. After all, if Koiwai and I had given up on you, we might have been happier."

[At that, Yotsuba actually..glared a little at the shadows. It didn't mean she hated Jumbo or Daddy, but she could get a little angry and loud sometimes when they tried to steer her in a direction she didn't want to go.]

"I won't give up! After all..I wouldn't be able to see you now if I gave up before."

"Which is why you should have given up. We didn't want to see you again.

[And, at that, Yotsuba would just bite her lip hard and try not to cry. She had to be an adult now.]

Meadow

[oathshackledbird]

[A proud look crosses Diarmuid's face. While he can't hear what the shadows are saying to Yotsuba, considering what she's said they were saying, Diarmuid is sure it's nothing good. Still, this time she manages not to immediately break into tears. That is a big step forward.

He reaches out and ruffles her hair again.]

Good girl! I know it hurts, but you are strong and brave. Keep being that way and we will definitely track down those answers. Unfortunately, it's hard to say where the answers will be found. We just have to keep looking everywhere we can. The more we look the sooner things can be fixed and the sooner your daddy and Jimbo won't be upset and confused anymore.

Meadow

[sunflowerfairy]

[What the shadows were saying wasn't good at all, and Yotsuba didn't feel brave or strong at all, even though Diarmuid kept calling her that, and even though the hair ruffling did feel nice. This did remind her of when the glamour was turned off. Back then, Diarmuid didn't have the answers..but Enoch did. Maybe he would know what was going on here. Maybe he would know how to calm down Daddy and Jumbo.]

Okay..Diarmuid, Enoch knew about the glamour when we didn't. Maybe he'll know how to help Jumbo and Daddy.

Meadow

[oathshackledbird]

That is possible. After all, Enoch is a very intelligent man. That is why it is so important to make friends with a lot of people. What one might not know, another may.

[And it doesn't hurt that this particular friend is one of the leaders of the Resistance. Diarmuid has no doubt that if there is anyone who knows something, it could very well be Enoch.]

Yotsuba, would you like to try and find Enoch? I can carry you around the Tower while we look. You know how fast I am and if Enoch has shadows following him he probably could use a visit to help cheer him up. What do you say?

[It's something of a trick. Diarmuid knows that if he takes her around, her shadows won't be able to keep up granting her a little time away from their taunts. Eventually, they will catch up to her, but Diarmuid is sure that even a little time away from them will help her feel much better.]

Meadow

[sunflowerfairy]

[While that was a good reason to make friends, Yotsuba never thought about it when she was making them. She just liked to make friend with people and play with them when she could.]

Okay! Let's all go and find Enoch then! It'll be fun! Daddy and Jumbo would like to meet him!

[Sadly, Yotsuba had no idea of what Diarmuid is plotting and automatically assumed that he wouldn't go too fast so that Daddy and Jumbo would be able to keep up. Even though they hated her now, she still loved them. She couldn't abandon them, not when she had been waiting for them to be found for so long.]

Meadow

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid shakes his head. He's not surprised at her assumption that Jimbo and her daddy could come along. He's also not so cruel that he will let her think that when he knows it's not true.]

I can't carry Jimbo and your daddy too, Little One, and they won't be able to keep up with me. Why don't we let them stay here to enjoy the Meadow while we go find Enoch? If he is sad, it will be better for him just to have friends around at the moment, won't it? You can introduce Jimbo and your daddy to him once everyone is feeling better, okay?

Meadow

[sunflowerfairy]

[Which was good, since Yotsuba would never forgive him for a trick like that. Maybe. Assuming she didn't forget about it or if Dia didn't apologize.]

But..if Enoch saw Daddy and Jumbo, he might feel better, since he promised to find and help them! He wouldn't worry about his promise!

"It's alright, Yotsuba. We don't care if you leave. After all, if you had left us before this whole mess, we might have actually lived. Go."

At that, Yotsuba bit her lip, but she forced herself to not cry at those words. They hurt..but she didn't want to leave Daddy or Jumbo.

Meadow

[oathshackledbird]

Yes, but Daddy and Jimbo aren't well right now, right?

[He gives Yotsuba a gentle look, patting her on the head again to try and calm her.]

You don't want them to accidentally upset Enoch the way they are upsetting you, right? It will be harder for Enoch to help if he is upset, just like it is harder for you to help when you are upset. And who knows, maybe if Daddy and Jimbo rest here a while they will feel better when you get back!

How did I forget the brackets in that post..><;;

[sunflowerfairy]

[While Yotsuba liked being patted on the head, it didn't comfort her as much as it usually would have right now. It did help a little though.]

But..if you can't hear them, then maybe Enoch can't either!

[However, the promise of having her Daddy and Jumbo back to normal again after a good rest was tantalizing, so Yotsuba thought that over a moment before nodding.]

Okay. Maybe they'll like a good rest!

"Just as long as you're not around." "Well, we will have to see her again soon, to remind her of what she did. After all, she does have a poor memory."

..Can Yotsuba hug them before we go though?

*Pats* It's okay. I didn't even notice! :-)

[oathshackledbird]

Perhaps, but sometimes it is best to not risk certain things. You really don't want to risk making Enoch sadder on accident, right? Besides, most people feel better after a good rest. Hopefully, that will apply to your daddy and Jimbo too!

[An unsure and somewhat worried look crosses Diarmuid's face.]

I don't know if you can touch them, little one. However, if you wish to try I will not stop you. Just...be careful.

Ah, alright then..^^;

[sunflowerfairy]

Oh..that's true! Enoch said that when we were practicing slinging! And Yotsuba doesn't want to make him sadder.

[Yotsuba, in contrast, smiled a little, even if that smile was much weaker than usual.]

Okay..I'll be careful!

[With that, Yotsuba would wander over and try to give Shadow Jumbo a hug before moving onto trying to hug her father's legs. Of course, she just passed through, but she didn't seem to care.]

"You don't have to hug us, Yotsuba. Just take your things and go. It's a bit too late for a separation, but that doesn't mean I want to see your face again. If we had separated, Jumbo and I might have lived. You're horrible."

Yotsuba just took the words silently as she stopped trying to hug her Daddy, looking rather melancholy. "Yotsuba will be back soon, so don't worry!"

With that, she would quickly run over to Diarmuid again and try to start climbing up his legs so that she could reach his shoulders. It was both something to help elevate her and an activity that she was doing to try and not cry.

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid recognizes what she is doing. Too often his own boys would busy themselves with a flurry of activity to try and hold back or hide their own tears. He helps Yotsuba settle onto his shoulders and starts to turn to leave. However, he pauses and looks back at Yotsuba's shadows for a moment.]

I hope when next we meet you are in better moods. Yotsuba is a precious treasure and should be treated the way you are treating her. You know better than to act as you are.

[He doesn't give the shadows a chance to respond. Instead, he turns and head out of the meadow. While he's moving fast, considering how fast he can go, it's not all that fast. That way, he can still talk to Yotsuba.]

Where shall we go looking first, little one? Got any ideas?

[sunflowerfairy]

[As Yotsuba settled onto Diarmuid's shoulders she put her hands on top of his head and was about to remind him that Daddy and Jumbo weren't acting nice because they weren't feeling well before they ran out of the meadow. While the speed made Yotsuba smiled and laugh a little, she thought about that question for a moment before replying.]

Oh! The library! Enoch said the books were nice gems, so he might be looking for some!

Do you want to fade out on them looking or do you want to keep going a bit?

[oathshackledbird]

Nice gems?

[The description confuses Diarmuid for a moment. It sounds more like something Tohko might say since books were food to her, than something Enoch would say.]

The library it is! Hold on tight and cross your fingers! Hopefully, we will find him. If not, be thinking of someplace else we can check, okay?

It's fine if you want them to fade out!

[sunflowerfairy]

Yeah! Gems and treasure!

[It might have sounded something similar to what Tohko usually said..but since Enoch described the library like looking through treasure in the sand, Yotsuba had instantly thought about gems.]

Okay! Yotsuba will do both! Let's go!~

[Even though she didn't know how it would help, Yotsuba held on tight to Diarmuid's head and did her best to cross all her fingers. Sadly, she could only cross the first two on each hand, but she was trying.]

Okay! :-D

[oathshackledbird]

[Despite all that is going on, Diarmuid can't help but smile slightly. He's glad to see at least a little bit of her normal cheerful nature returning. He knows it probably won't last for long as long as the shadows are around, but hopefully this break will make it easier for her to deal with them later.]

All right! Hold on. Here we go!

[And with that he takes off toward the library.]