Fantasy Clear Crimson Mirror | Private

[LONELYRAIN]

(It's all good c: )

Byakuren's gaze shifted up to look to Ayumi as she had asked what he could suggest, to assure him that she was alright. The soft press of her skin upon his neck was a comforting feeling, soothing the anxiety that was still within his chest regarding her. "I don't know," He admitted that with a tiny tint of guilt in his bright crimson eyes, allowing her comforting touch to continue, leaning slightly into her gentle fingers. "Honestly, I..." He trailed off, the memory of her appearing so broken and unresponsive in his arms during the night caused distress to flare in his chest, causing the oni to frown as he closed his eyes, allowing the memory as unpleasant as it was to linger. "If you're feeling overwhelmed, please... let me know beforehand if you can. I don't want to see you like that again." He felt so powerless to help her, his only choice in handing her over to Jun as much as he disliked the other male, with the feeling being mutual between the two; that was his only option. To be forced to entrust her to another, unable to assist her himself, just what kind of oni was he if he were incompetent to protect his own mate's wellbeing?

His eyes opened slightly, shifting closer to her as he moved his position closer to Ayumi, leaning forward as he hesitantly placed a gentle kiss upon her lips, once... twice. The reassurance of her warmth was enough to flow through him, allowing his anxiety to be soothed if only for a little bit as he leaned his head away slightly, "If you can promise me that, that would be fine. That's all I require of you." Though, he was saying this not only to comfort Ayumi, but himself as well. To convince himself that this would be enough, just a simple promise would be easy for her to take, he couldn't possibly ask of her anything else. His hand had moved away from her own, though he lingered at her side, unwilling to leave her just yet as he allowed her familiar scent to flow over him, his eyes trailing over to try and reassure himself further that she was indeed healthy.

"Do you want to... walk around for a little bit? Though if you're not up to it, we can stay here instead." Byakuren didn't want to push her too much, but getting fresh air would probably do her some good, to try and get her mind off things a little bit. Granted, the oni was trying to position himself so that she'd not look upon the blood stained side of himself, after all that would probably make her feel worse, and if he wanted to protect her to keep her calm and healthy, this was the least he could do.

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi listened quietly as Byakuren seemed to be trying to figure out what to answer her with, though she could tell her touch was having a soft effect on him. He didn't seem as anxious at the moment, and his words had grown softer. She watched as his eyes closed before hearing that he wanted her to let him know when she was feeling overwhelmed. She thought back to what she could remember of earlier last night. Despite his closed eyes and seemingly relaxed form, Ayumi was certain that Byakuren still felt guilty about everything that happened, no matter what words she could offer him.

She watched as he opened his eyes and then began shifting closer, accepting his soft kisses. She sighed gently, a soft smile coming to her lips as he spoke of the promise being all that he required from her. She nodded as she felt his hand leave hers to land on her side. Ayumi moved both hands to gently lay on the side of Byakuren's face, her thumbs moving over his cheeks. "I promise," she murmured gently. "If I can, I will let you know as soon as I can't handle something." The least she could do was make this promise to him. There wasn't much she would really be able to do for him, again remembering her weaker human self. If this promise was what he need, Ayumi would gladly give this.

As he asked about walking around, Ayumi's eyes seemed to brighten to resemble her usual self. "Oh, can we?" she asked, her amber eyes darting to the doorway. "Jun has been fussing constantly about me staying still." She pouted slightly. "I know I needed it, but I can't just lay around all day." Honestly, she couldn't remember the last time she had simply just laid around. It felt almost foreign now, the idea of laying in a soft bed and being pampered like royalty. "I promise not to push myself too far," she added as if she was making sure that Byakuren wouldn't change his mind about the offer.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Byakuren felt relief flow through him at Ayumi's reaction, the brightening of her eyes being enough encouragement for the oni that she was indeed feeling better. As she complained about Jun's rather overbearing attitude toward her, the oni grimaced slightly, looking aside guiltily, "I... probably was the reason for that." He had told him to take care of Ayumi as he had every intention of staying away, to give her space away from him, until she was stable. Standing, Byakuren had held his hand out to her to take hold, a gentle smile upon his face as he chuckled, "I'll make sure you won't." Otherwise he wouldn't have agreed, but if he was with her, there was little chance that she would be able to wander off far on her own without him overseeing and making sure she didn't exhaust herself or get herself hurt. Yes, it was overbearing, but he only had her safety in mind.

Only after she had taken hold of his hand, Byakuren had moved to the door and stepped outside into the hall, granted now that it was day the heat coming in from the surrounding desert was all too quick to greet the two. It wasn't like the Ice nation where the weather was cold, or the Earth where it was temperate. Instead, the burning sun and the desert sands would only serve to make it feel suffocating. Although it didn't bother Byakuren too much, as his body had adapted accordingly, he had cast a worried glance over to Ayumi, keeping a mental note to try and get a spare waterskin if the rebels could afford to hand over one. He was far stronger now for certain, but Ayumi still had her limits. He didn't want to push her too much and make her exhausted or dehydrated.

This mental note was quickly pushed to the back of his mind though, as the oni now was looking at the main hall of the chapel that the rebels had made their sleeping chambers, judging from all of the thin sheets that were now neatly rolled away to the side to provide free passage in and out of the chapel and the statue that still remained within the chapel itself, it probably at one time was frequented quite often prior to the war. Other than a few oni or humans that lingered in the chapel that was late to awaken, there were little remaining inside of the chapel at this time. On the outside however, the activity was bustling, with the sounds of oni and human alike calling out to each other, patrols being sent out and others on guard duty. The breakfast that had been served earlier had since been devoured by most of the people, and with the supplies being rationed out carefully, there were hunting parties that were gearing up to leave. Even if the atmosphere at this moment wasn't particularly unpleasant, and was rather upbeat and lively, there was a lingering sense of anxiety in the air. But, who could blame them? They currently were at the very edges of enemy territory, Fort Highmaul being nothing more than an abandoned village with hastily put together fortifications. They would be lucky to survive a small assault successfully, but a large assault would be devastating. Even to Byakuren's eyes as he slowly took his steps out into the sunlight, this much was obvious.

"...It seems like everyone is busy right now." This was mumbled, though he grimaced as another wave of heat flowed over his skin, "..Granted with how hot it is, I'm surprised how energetic everyone is." But then again, he probably shouldn't. He'd heard from a few passing guards that the main force were to gather here eventually to make movements toward the capital of the Fire Nation, seeking asylum under Girou, their current ally in these lands. But, the troubling words from their brief host in Yuhi was weighing heavily on his mind the more he thought about it. Would they even be welcomed with open arms by Girou?

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi felt some regret at her words as Byakuren seemed to take responsibility for Jun's protective behavior, though he seemed to recover quickly as he spoke of ensuring that she would not overdo it. Ayumi took a hold of his outstretched hand, being careful as she stood to ensure that she did not cause a rush in her head from the motion. She had been sitting for quite some time and the last thing she needed was to faint from standing. That would not help to prove her point. She walked alongside Byakuren, being careful with her footing, though eager to get out and around.

As they exited the room and stepped into the hallway, Ayumi could feel the heat that now wafted over them. They definitely were not in any other nation that they had visited before. The sun seemed intense outside to cause this much heat inside the chapel that they seemed to have set up base within. It was definitely not something she was currently used to and knew that she would probably need to look for thinner clothing soon. She looked at the bedding that seemed to line the halls, feeling a little ashamed that she had received a soft bed to lay in while the others lined the floors of the chapel. It was quiet within the chapel, but Ayumi soon heard the bustling noise as they exited.

Ayumi nodded along with Byakuren's words as everyone seemed busy at the moment. Breakfast had long since been eaten and it seemed like patrols were being made and sent out. Everyone seemed to have a job to do and knew that it needed to be done. "At least they don't seem fearful here," she stated softly, her amber eyes taking in the sight of oni and humans rushing about. She knew such a thing would not last long in the area they were now in, but it was a pleasant sight nonetheless. She held to Byakuren's hand as they moved about, though she made sure not to get into anyone's way as they moved. She did not wish to burden them more than she may have already had. "This heat is something else," she added as she glanced into the sky, holding up her free hand to shield her eyes from the sun. "But the fresh air feels nice." The air was warm and the breeze held its own heat, but it felt good to walk around again for a bit.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Byakuren nodded his head in agreement with Ayumi as she had pointed out that the people were not fearful, though that was only for now. He was certain if there was another threat on the horizon that the makeshift fort would delve into chaos... not that he should entertain such doomed thoughts. After all, with Ayumi at his side, all he should focus on now is to remember this woman in full at his side. The comforting press of her hand in his was enough to make him fully at ease as he settled into being her guide to show her around the fort, making notes where things were although everything was still in somewhat of a chaotic mess.

As she pointed out the heat however, alarm flooded through him as he abruptly stopped and looked to her at his side, "Are you alright?" Immediate concern flooded through him as he turned to face her, his hand abruptly leaving her own and coming to the sides of her face, feeling the warmth of her skin against his own and checking to see if she was far warmer than usual. A bit of an overprotective reaction on his part over such a minor comment on the heat, but Byakuren wasn't willing enough to take chances with Ayumi's health. Of course, this tender reaction was enough to cause the activity around them to slow a bit, with curious or stunned glances in the pair's direction.

Considering their relationship alone was unusual, it was bound to grab many people's attention, some oni in particular seemed to almost wrinkle their faces in distaste, a turn of the head or an uncomfortable sudden pivot away to do something else. The humans also seemed to share this sentiment of confusion in response to the display that Byakuren was showing toward Ayumi, though it was mostly stares in Ayumi's direction like she had grown a second head. It was only a matter of seconds for such expressions to pass through the surrounding people, which didn't go unnoticed by Byakuren as the oni's crimson eyes flickered upward to particularly hostile or disgusted glances as he drew Ayumi a bit closer to himself. No one would dare speak, he knew that enough, but if they did...

The thought was suppressed immediately in the oni's mind as his attention dropped back to Ayumi. Forget the other people, they were of no consequence. Ayumi was his only priority, his only concern.

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi's amber eyes grew wide at the sudden change in Byakuren, feeling his hand leave her own to grasp the sides of her face. She looked into his eyes, seeing the new wave of concern that seemed to flood there. Her heart gave a twist at the concern he was showing, but also at the fact that she had already worried him. She caught sight of the glances he was casting around, her own gaze taking in some of the looks and stares they were now getting. This caused her to long for Yumi and Kenshin. She missed her friends and group that helped to ease situations like this. However, they were in a new land with new people. She should have expected as much.

Offering a soft smile, Ayumi's own hands came up to lay on Byakurens. "I'm fine," she stated gently, a soft smile playing on her lips. "I promise." Her thumbs moved over his knuckles, her amber eyes searching his crimson ones. She had no doubt that if something was wrong, Byakuren would waste no time in correcting it. Just as he would waste no time in making sure she was safe. Despite the lack of memory, she thought, his actions still speak of everything we've been through. Of course, she did feel guilty for causing this much worry with how she had shut down, but she was not about to voice that. It would only cause him more worry.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Byakuren's lips pressed in a tense, thin line as Ayumi had assured him that she was alright. The amber of her eyes was sincere, telling him nothing but the truth behind her words. After a few silent, tense seconds had the oni released a pent up sigh as he shook his head at her, allowing his hands to reluctantly move away from her own gentle touch, reserving to hold onto her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze, "Very well." He didn't seem too convinced, but he would allow her to remain where she was at his side... for now. Though, now he was more so aware of the intensity of the stares the two were receiving, causing unease to settle within his chest. He knew quite well that he should reign in any of his immediate overprotective reactions, it would only cause things to become more complicated, though more so for Ayumi.

His gaze shifted amongst their surroundings, eyebrows furrowing as he was attempting to determine a direction to go in. Considering the fort was a rather small area, perhaps formerly a small settlement, there was little to actually explore and discover. Most of the buildings were used as storage for extra weaponry, and the only point of interest that would perhaps prompt curiosity had been the old chapel. Aside from that, with the heat bearing down upon the two, perhaps he should see to it that both he and Ayumi receive more fitting clothes for the weather? After all his was unfortunately already ruined, stained with his own blood. Yet, as he mulled it over within his mind, the only thing he'd seen in the supplies that the fort received had been food. Maybe Girou had only provided the armor I've seen...?

As the oni slowly began to sink within his thoughts, an ever irritating voice - at least to him - had rung out across the busy fort, "Hey!" A flash of annoyance nearly flickered to life behind the oni's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it as he turned his head to see Jun hurrying over, the human waving an arm over his head though lowering it as he approached, noticing all too well the man's eyes shifting only briefly to Byakuren with distaste only to look at Ayumi with warmth, causing the oni's eyes to narrow ever so slightly with irritation.

"Ayumi! Some of your friends arrived!" Huh? This prompted only a tinge of confusion to settle within Byakuren's mind, shifting through blurry memories although only recalling vague events, one in particular causing the oni to visibly tense as he knew full well that perhaps Yumi was among them. Conflicted, painful feelings raged in the oni's chest as he looked away from Jun, forcing his expression to remain neutral, "We should go." He could sort out any discomfort later, right now this was sure to keep Ayumi's attention and keep her mind off from what they had to endure.

Jun looked to Byakuren again as soon as he had spoken, the beginnings of a frown beginning to creep upon his face, but the man had shook his head and waved for them to follow, guiding them toward one of the side entrances to the fort where it seemed as if most of the activity was centered around there. Lines of guards were positioned around the entrance with the sound of excited murmuring and relieved expressions among their faces. Jun had cleared a small pathway for Byakuren and Ayumi to walk, making sure the two were at front. It was here that Byakuren could see the approaching group, though there were plenty of unfamiliar faces among them, his attention eventually settled upon a figure that had paused in approaching, almost stumbling only to change course from the rest and began to rush toward them.

"Ayumi!" The familiar voice cried out, although the figures gait was a bit awkward across the loose sand and charred dirt beneath her, it didn't seem to phase her though it was clear that the other oni who had been at her side seemed a bit exasperated and followed behind, holding Hiroshi in her hands, though at a more careful pace as Yumi had approached Ayumi, flinging her arms around the woman and giving her quite the bear hug as tears were now flowing down her face, "I-I'm so h-happy that you're o-okay!"

Her sister had approached behind her as well, holding Hiroshi securely in her arms as Suki had huffed, "You really are in no condition to be running off on your own..." Relief still flickered to life in the oni's eyes as she looked at Ayumi, "But... I am relieved that you're alright-" Her attention then settled on Byakuren who had been silent the whole time, his expression void of much emotion as Yumi had finally seemed to turn to face him, her tear filled eyes filled with disbelief as she had raised a hand out to him, "B-Byakuren.. are you-" Before she could even come in contact with the oni, Byakuren had loosened his grip around Ayumi's hand and stepped back, a frigidness coming back to his eyes as he looked to Ayumi and smiled, "...I'll let you catch up."

With that, the oni had retreated... much to Yumi's dismay as he didn't seem inclined to want to linger around her longer than necessary causing her to look away, sadness as clear as day coming cross her elated mood. It still seemed as if the two wouldn't be able to get along anytime soon, especially after Byakuren's mind had been muddled, with only certain memories being able to stick.

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi felt relief rush through her as Byakuren seemed to weigh her words, and then accept them. She smiled as his hands fell away from her face though one came to settle gently into her own hand. She wouldn't lie: she liked the feeling of having someone so protective of her. It was the other effect, the worry, that she didn't want to cause Byakuren. As they walked on, she was again aware of the stares they were receiving, yet attempted to keep her head high rather than slink away. She was not ashamed of being Byakuren, even if she was weaker and less capable. She just never wished to burden him. She gently laid her head against his arm as they walked, simply enjoying having him near as she recovered. The slow pace was good for her.

Ayumi lifted her head from against Byakuren's arm as she heard Jun's voice, noticing the male coming towards them. It was his words that got her heart pounding, though. Their friends... A portion of the group was here. Her amber eyes lit up and she looked to Byakuren with an excited gaze as he spoke of going to them. She attempted to keep her hopes down, just in case Yumi was not among those arriving, but such things were easier said than done. Oh, how she missed her friend. As they walked, Ayumi had to ground herself with Baykuren's hand to keep from rushing ahead. She had promised she wouldn't overdo it. She had promised to be on her best behavior. The prospect of seeing their friends, however, was almost too tempting for the wellbeing of her health.

As Jun parted the people and create a way for them, Ayumi could see the group that was arriving. It was one in particular that had caught her eyes when she noticed the figure rapidly attempting to come towards them. As the figure came closer, Ayumi recognized Yumi as she was followed by Suki with Hiroshi. Tear sprang to Ayumi's eyes as she barely had time to spread her free arm wide to collect her friend as she came at her with a large hug. "I've missed you!" She said as tears flowed down her cheeks, her hand within Byakuren's offering a soft squeeze. However, when Yumi seemed to realize Byakuren was there, she felt her hand grow cold as Byakuren withdrew.

Ayumi watched him go, hastily wiping tears from her cheeks as she turned back to Yumi. "Please, dont... Don't take it personally right now," she said as she rapidly attempted to wipe her tears away. "So much has happened and... and... Oh, Yumi, there is so much to catch you up on!" Again, her tears began to rush once more despite her best efforts to reduce them. "Ive... I've missed you. So much! And... And it's all been... unbelievable." She pressed her hands against her cheeks as she attempted to calm herself, her emotions a little unstable from the previous, horrific events. She looked to Suki, gently bringing in breathes to keep from sobbing out loud. "I'm so glad to see you all."

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Yumi was quick to nod her head, trying to get a hold of herself as well. Her previous troubled mood being dispelled by Ayumi once more grounding and centering her focus. A laugh bubbled up past her lips despite herself as she had hugged Ayumi again as tightly as she could without hurting her, "I-I can only imagine! Oh I'm just... just so happy to see that you're okay! I was so worried!" She sniffled, releasing Ayumi from her hold as she too was trying to rapidly wipe away her tears that kept falling down her face as she struggled to calm herself, "I-I didn't even think that I would see you here, I-I was hoping... and.." She took in a breath, struggling to calm herself down before her sentences became too incoherent for her to properly relay them. Judging from the fact that Yumi was standing somewhat well enough on her own, her previous injury had healed enough to the point she could walk around safely.

Suki's expression gentled as Ayumi looked to her, though finding her younger sister Yumi to be quite the emotional one, Suki was still quite reserved and composed herself. After all, someone had to be the more cool headed and rational one. But, she still found her eyes beginning to sting, causing the oni to blink rapidly a few times as she gave a sweet and soft smile to the human before her, "Believe me when I say that all of us are relieved that you're safe and sound." She sighed as her shoulders sagged, "I may have been a bit too worried myself, going off to Fire nation lands... that was dangerous, Ayumi!" Suki was unfortunately one of the last to know that Ayumi had went off on her own, and despite the cold air that Suki usually would hold, she was quite frantic herself. Ayumi was only human after all, and even if she had knowledge that Bi-nasu was with her, anything could go wrong. Despite Suki trying to be as rational as possible, and considering Ayumi at first to be someone of interest, that had at least strengthened to where she saw Ayumi as part of her family. Yet another little sister to look after.

"Aw-awmi!" Suki blinked a bit in surprise as Hiroshi seemed to try to utter Ayumi's name, although the little oni was capable of speaking quite a few sentences just fine, it seemed as if the little one preferred pronounce Ayumi's name in his own way. The shifting of weight in Suki's arms had prompted the oni to come closer as Yumi had smiled through her tears with warmth at her son, "It seems like Hiroshi missed you as well." The little oni had unlatched his hold on Suki and was now holding out his arms to Ayumi expectantly, his crimson eyes wide and gleaming as an all too innocent and happy smile was plastered on the oni's face. Tiny hands reached impatiently out to Ayumi as he struggled out of Suki's grip, now all too happy to cling to Ayumi, a sound akin to a tiny purr was emitted from the little oni as he seemed quite content. Of course, Yumi would have been the one to hold Hiroshi herself if her back still wasn't recovering from the all too recent injury she sustained.

Suki looked upward then, seeing that they were still lingering in the pathway of the gates into the fort, she said gently, "We should start moving inside. We can talk more there." Yumi only then seemed to notice as well as she grimaced, "Ah, we probably should... B-but, do tell us what happened while you were gone though!" Regaining her composure, she smiled at Ayumi as she was all too eager to stay at her friend's side, Suki taking up the other side as they were beginning to walk inside of the fort.

Byakuren still was standing a little ways off, watching from afar as Ayumi was with the two sisters. Despite keeping quite the amount of distance, he was still keeping a close eye on them just in case something were to happen, the expression on his face though was quite hard to read. After all, even if they were familiar faces to his foggy mind, too many negative emotions swarmed around Yumi in particular that he didn't want to linger around her for too long. She made him feel... unpleasant. Anger was mostly the word if he could describe it, as well as pain.. though as he gazed at Hiroshi who was clinging to Ayumi, his eyebrows furrowed as he took in the little oni's features. It reminded him of someone...

A headache throbbed in the oni's head as he looked aside, a faint growl rumbling in his throat as a surge of memories settled back in the forefront of his mind as crystal clear as ever. That was right, Yumi and Izumi's child. Discomfort settled upon him as he stepped a few more paces away, not desiring to draw any closer to Ayumi's little group for now, his mind surging with a storm of conflicting thoughts and feelings that he was trying his best to rationalize and contain, though from the look in the oni's eyes, there was nothing but a burning anger that settled in the bright crimson depths. Perhaps his more negative emotions were being intensified in the aftermath of his all too recent resurrection? But, as it was the oni was quickly sinking into a foul mood, though he knew he shouldn't be.

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi listened as Suki seemed to scold her for worrying them all, though it wasn't as if she had much of a choice. Bi-nasu had stated at the time that time was of the essence and she had to act quickly. She had been in a very emotional state when the entire situation arose and simply did what she reasoned was going to be best for her at that point. She had just lost Byakuren and wasn't prepared let him go yet. However, she also could not stand to be on the beach any longer after having witnessed Byakuren's death.

Ayumi was distracted from Suki's scolding as she heard the babble of her name. A soft smile broke on her lips as she saw Hiroshi reaching for her. Ayumi let out a soft laugh took Hiroshi in her arms. "I missed you too," she said to the little oni. "Look how much you have grown!" She snuggled Hiroshi close, sighing softly. Her friends were here at last. Oh, how she had missed this. While she relished in the alone time she and Byakuren had been able to have, there was much that she wished she had been able to see Yumi's thoughts and advise on. Not only that, but she had missed having Hiroshi around. He continued her dream of having children of her own one day, though she understood that right now may not be wise. There was just too much going on, especially with the wicked oni and yokai about that were preying on children. Thoughts of the previous night danced at the edge of her memory, threatening to come forward, yet Ayumi allowed her thoughts to be swayed as Suki spoke of moving inside.

At Yumi's prompting, Ayumi drew a deep breath. "Well," she said as she began to move inside with the sisters, holding Hiroshi close. "After Bi-nasu and I left, Bi-nasu began explaining to me the plan she had in bringing Byakuren back. While it was hard to believe at the time, I didn't know what else to do other than follow." She glanced around to see if she could catch a glimpse of Byakuren nearby, but she was currently unable to. She knew, however, that her would not be far. "Bi-nasu brought me to the place where everything was suppose to happen, but did not tell me her own role in bringing Byakuren back." Ayumi's expression darkened slightly. "Bi-nasu traded her life for his..." She still missed the other oni, wondering what advise she would've gave towards the current events.

Shaking her head, Ayumi continued, lifting Hiroshi in the air slightly and putting on a bright smile. "Anyways, Byakuren came back," she said before nestling Hiroshi at her side once more and looked to the sisters. "He wasn't the same though..." She murmured, her bright smile fading. "Byakuren's memories weren't, and still aren't, in tact. He had forgotten all about me and much of what has happened up until now." She looked to Yumi's now. "This is why I asked that you not take his cold demeanor personally right now. I am not sure what he may remember." She gave a sad smile, offering a small shrug. "Its like important details were stripped away from him." She looked back at the camp, willing herse!f not to shed anymore tears right now. "Since then, it hasnt... Necessarily been... The easiest..." She offered, her mind dancing through many of the attacks that they had been through already so far. Her voice dropped lower. "I wish I could tell you that things here are quiet and safe, but Suki was right in the fact that coming here has been dangerous."

 

[LONELYRAIN]

The two sisters were silent as Ayumi had begun to recount her tale, the events that unfolded while they were unable to accompany her. However, when news regarding Bi-nasu had occurred, Suki's eyes seemed shocked while Yumi visibly stiffened as if she'd been slapped, only to lower her eyes to the ground. "She... she's gone?" Disbelief was the only thing she could feel, but with the way Bi-nasu had been acting prior to leaving the island of Illida... maybe she already knew she was going to die. It was a dark thought, and one that Yumi didn't really want to consider as truth, but it was always there, a possibility that the fortuneteller had been ready to embrace death for that reason and that reason alone. If she had known everything was going to play out as it had, part of the oni wished that she would have said something sooner, to find a different path where her life did not have to be extinguished. It was a heavy weight for certain, crushing the previous elation both of the sisters had in regards to catching up to Ayumi again.

"I pray that her soul is at peace." Suki's murmur, soft and somber had spoken, which resulted in Yumi whispering in a pained tone, "I... don't know how Hanao is going to take this." The group that was left behind to follow later had Hanao in it, and the yokai already had been in an uncharacteristically dismal mood. Considering his mentor's death, he had taken it quite hard and it was only through their odd little group that Hanao had been able to force himself to keep up with his previous more sunny disposition. But now, now if he found out and the reason for it was to bring Byakuren back, especially after what Byakuren had done unintentionally to Miho... that was a situation she didn't want to be close to. Wringing her hands, Yumi's expression didn't seem to improve as Ayumi went on to say that Byakuren had been brought back, but without his memories fully intact. More disbelief met Ayumi's words with a heavy silence, only for Yumi to begin looking around as if she could spot a flash of white hair amongst the oni and humans moving about in the camp, but it wasn't difficult to pin point Byakuren again.

Even the oni, despite having been apart for him from a decent amount of time, could tell he had changed and changed drastically he did. The pressure she could feel off from him was immense, granted she was sure Ayumi or any other human could feel it. It felt... alien, and overwhelmingly tense as her eyes locked upon the figure that was not standing too far off from the group. Yet, it seemed as if Byakuren had noticed the feeling of someone watching him as the oni had turned his head, the brighter crimson to his eyes narrowing as they met Yumi's. The woman's heartbeat increased in response, feeling as if a sudden wave of fear had gripped her as she could see nothing but hatred burning within the depths of his eyes. This being directed solely at her, and although this could be a stretch, she didn't want to know.

Immediately, she looked away, breaking eye contact as a bit of sweat had settled upon the back of her neck. But, forcing herself to respond in return to Ayumi's words, she forced her tone to be normal although it was quivering slightly, "W-well, I suppose that's to be expected. I've never been to these lands before, but I've always heard rumors that the environment alone is difficult to live in, much less about the aggressive wildlife here." She shook her head, looking to Ayumi, once more relief had flooded over her as she gaze at her friend, "...But I am still very happy to know you are alive and well. I... I don't want to imagine what would happen if anything bad happened to you."

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi frowned as Yumi mentioned Hanao, thinking of the hurt the young yokai had already been through. Such news about Bi-nasu was sure to hurt. She recalled his hatred towards Byakuren after what had happened to Miho, despite the fact that such things were out of Byakuren's control. She fuzzily recalled hearing his anger and sorrow on the beach, though her own turmoil was raging and clouded the memory a bit. And there is no way to break such news softly to him... She knew all too well the pain of losing someone so close, yet she didn't have to endure hers long. Byakuren had been returned to her, yet Hanao will not have that option or relief. She was unsure whether she wanted to be around when the news reached him, or have Byakuren around at that.

At the mention of the land being difficult, Ayumi glanced up at the sky. "It does get quite hot here," she said as she recalled the feeling of the heat when she first arrived. "However, most villages have not been too bad." She looked back at Hiroshi, gently running a hand over his head as she smiled softly. "Most oni and yokai seem to have a reverent fear of Byakuren now that he has returned." She looked to Yumi and Suki once more. "Bi-nasu told me, on our trip here, about the Demon King." She watched the sisters' features to see what reactions they would have. "From my understanding, many thought of the Demon King to be a figure of the past or a myth. Bi-nasu, however, spoke of Byakuren returning as the Demon King." She bounced Hiroshi slightly, not wishing for the heavy, adult conversation to effect the young oni in any way.

"It would appear that Bi-nasu's belief was confidently placed. Byakuren returned stronger than before, and oni and yokai treat him like royalty." She recalled her first appearance at Yumi and Izumi's palace when Byakuren first brought her to this realm. Those within the palace had treated Byakuren much differently than Yumi and Izumi. She also recalled the memories Bi-nasu had guided her through regarding Byakuren's past, revealing how differently he had been treated then too. "However, Saburo is here. He is lurking around and causing a new sort of chaos." Images from the children threatened to come to the surface of her mind. "But he isn't alone. There are other generals as well, each one horrible. And each seems to have this... this hatred towards Byakuren, even if they had never met before."

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Yumi too had glanced up at the sky when Ayumi had done so; the skies above although relatively clear were tinged with gray, though it appeared to be smoke from who knows where. This most likely could be blamed on all the volcanic activity that occurred the further inland one would travel, but the heat already was quite unforgiving as it was, "I certainly can feel the heat. A change of clothes will be nice soon." No wonder the appearances of Girou and Nefari at the various balls that were held wore clothing that exposed far more skin than the other oni representatives; the land was so hot! She had never visited personally before to see what the citizens wore, but she did perk up slightly as Ayumi had begun explaining more in regards to the civilians treating Byakuren with reverence. This made her expression become unreadable for the fraction of a second, her eyebrows furrowing as Suki's expression remained calm and composed as per usual. At the mention of the tale of the Demon King; both sisters exchanged a glance of bewilderment only for it to turn to slight worry, which eventually evolved into disbelief that the Byakuren that both of them had at one point knew so well had returned as the very same mythical legend.

Suki then spoke, her voice tense, "You don't mean... he came back through.. but that's.." For once, the cool composure she held had slipped as she seemed at a loss for words, lowering her gaze to the hot earth underneath their feet. Although there were many, many legends surrounding the folklore of the first and was supposed to be last Demon King, the feats that the ancient oni had been capable of were both terrifying and yet awe inspiring. But, the awe that came with it was mostly overshadowed by terror. Plenty of heroic deeds were done by the Demon King, but at the same time horrible actions were taken by him as well. Yumi too didn't seem too much better than her sister, her expression seeming a bit panicked for a few seconds though she swallowed back the wave of a chill that went down her spine, "T-that's why he's... different. T-the pressure I feel is... s-scary." She dropped her gaze away from Ayumi, the paleness to her skin becoming a shade paler. She wanted to apologize for feeling such a way, after all Byakuren was still himself at the end of the day, and despite the rift between the two, she still very much wanted to regard him as a friend. But right now... she didn't know how to feel at the moment.

Of course, Hiroshi didn't seem to notice what was going on, having settled his tiny hands close to himself as he was more than content as a bright bit of laughter left him as Ayumi had bounce the little oni in her arms. At the mention of how differently oni and yokai had treated him so far, a dry bit of laughter had left Suki's lips as she cast a glance in Byakuren direction with caution, "Well, I'm not surprised. The Demon King in the stories I've heard was able to command respect just by presence alone. As great as the previous one was... he was both good and yet horrible at the same time." A chilling prospect, but it was true. Although there were many tales alone that she recounted the previous Demon King doing acts that saved the many lands he swore to protect; he also committed grave atrocities that devastated the oni he had supposedly swore to protect as well the greater the power he contained and the older the oni became. "Suki!" Yumi hissed, elbowing Suki in her side, though Suki had hesitated before closing her eyes and shaking her head, "N-not to say that Byakuren will end up the same, he still... seems himself at least. And it's not as if I was old enough to view the previous Demon King's stories myself! It happened far before my time, most of the stories I'm sure are exaggerated."

Relaxing at Suki's words, Yumi's expression darkened at the mention of Saburo, prompting both of the sisters to look disgusted. A growl rumbled in Yumi's throat as she hissed, a bit of anger finally taking over her expression, "I wish he would just return to wherever hellhole he climbed out of!" Hesitation settled in her expression then, realizing she slipped to be a bit too angry, she had forced herself to calm as her eyebrows furrowed, "...Though it worries me to know that he's still wandering around... you really have quite the luck do you, Ayumi?" A weakly spoken joke, her tone trembling a bit as it was sinking in that Ayumi had not just encountered Saburo but one of Osamu's other generals. The oni sighed as she muttered, "You really are going to give me a heart attack one day."

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi could see that even the mention of the Demon King had quite an effect on both sisters. However, hearing of the horrors along with the good that the previous king did cause her brow to furrow. Sure, Byakuren was different now. Having seen him battle up to this point showed that clearly. Yet, did that mean that something darker was now within Byakuren? She hated such thoughts and quickly pushed him away. Byakuren would not do such things. She was certain.

As Yumi spoke of giving her a heart attack, Ayumi grinned. "I don't know if luck has much to do with it," she said as she recalled the looks of worry from both Jun and Byakuren concerning her state the previous night. She still didn't feel 100% but she wasn't about to tell Yumi that. It would only cause her friend to worry and she just got here. No need to set off alarms just yet. However, the heat was baring down and she felt herself slowly a bit. I'm fine, she thought, turning her attention back to Hiroshi. I don't want to go in yet. Besides, they weren't doing anything extensively and she wasn't pushing herself.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Yumi's face broke into a weak, yet relieved smile at the grin that crossed Ayumi's face in response to her joke, "Well, I suppose you're right..." She hesitated as she looked to Hiroshi, the oni was now settling his head against Ayumi's shoulder, peering wide eyed in some direction as if transfixed by something. A bit bewildered, Yumi had been just about to turn her head when the scent that had been teasing her nose had suddenly become far stronger, causing her to flinch back a little at the sudden closeness of Byakuren. The oni was looming silently behind Ayumi, though the female oni could not detect any hostility from him yet, the immense pressure she felt with his closeness was enough to make her knees feel weak. "B-Bya..." She struggled to begin to form the first syllables of his name, as it was quick to die on her tongue. The intensity of his presence combined with the oppressive heat was indeed a sensory overload for Yumi, her eyes shifting to Hiroshi as her son had leaned back, peering wide eyed and curious at the male oni whose face appeared... unreadable. Not even the unusual brightness of his eyes was giving away what thoughts were looming in his head.

"How nice it is for you to come near us again. I fear we had done something to offend." Suki's voice rang out, causing Yumi to turn her head toward her, hissing, "S-Suki, please!" Panic was beginning to rise in Yumi's chest, a fear that she didn't know how to properly suppress. Perhaps it was because Byakuren felt so... different which was causing such an intense fear response in the female oni, though her gaze shifted to Byakuren's sudden movements as he held out what appeared to be... wineskins? The bags were made from an odd creature's flesh, although inside precious water would be contained within, granted there was only two wineskins within the oni's grasp, perhaps that was all that could be spared reasonably until the rebels would begin to move. It was difficult getting water, especially in a location as dry and hot as the lands they currently stood in, and it seemed as if Byakuren had been looking out for them in his own way; though it was primarily for Ayumi's sake rather than the two sisters.

"Here, drink. It'll only get hotter from here, you need to stay hydrated." There was a lack of feeling in Byakuren's tone, cold and detached which prompted for Suki to narrow her eyes slightly at the oni who didn't even seem to be interested in casting a single glance toward Yumi. Although, Suki normally wouldn't try to push Byakuren out of his comfort zone, typically treating the oni kindly enough, this bothered her. She knew quite well how bothered and torn Yumi was over Byakuren's death, the distress in her younger sister being unable to be soothed with mere words alone, and now with him back, he didn't even seem to have it in him to act even moderately polite to her? It didn't matter in her mind whether he was the Demon King or not, this tension between the two oni was ridiculous to her and it was obvious something needed to give soon. "Thank you for your kindness, Byakuren. However, are you going to ignore Yumi the whole time? She truly had been worried about you." The tension in the air grew more tense as only silence had greet her words. The older female had tilted her head to look directly at Byakuren in the eyes, though seeing the icy chill there had left her speechless.

"...Are you going to take it? Or is it going to go to waste?" His voice was cold, clearly not answering the question which made Suki bristle, obviously getting more angry on her sister's behalf. Her lips opened in perhaps the beginning of a scathing retort, but Yumi had moved, grabbing hold of one of the wineskins in Byakuren's grasp, the female oni unable to look Byakuren in the eyes as she said quietly, "Suki. Enough." Suki's expression tensed, though she could see Yumi's hands beginning to tremble, prompting for Suki to drop the subject. The woman's shoulders sagged in defeat as Yumi had shifted away from Byakuren, holding the wineskin close to her as her previous mood had obviously dropped severely, the sight worried her. It had been hell to try to get Yumi even slightly more cheerful after the events on Illida, and she truly wasn't sure how to go about it again.

Byakuren's expression remained unyielding as he looked upon Yumi cowering before him.. an unfamiliar sight to his eyes, but expected. What he hadn't anticipated was Suki actually getting angry. Usually the other oni, being the eldest of three was cool and collected, he never spotted anger in her eyes before now. But, he was not moved by it, instead as the two sisters had backed up from him, the remaining wineskin filled with water he had every intention of giving to Ayumi. Turning his gaze toward his mate, he had begun to speak, "Ayumi.." Before he could muster up the sentence to try to get her to drink some water, a tiny hand had suddenly touched the oni's outstretched arm, causing Byakuren to immediately tense in response, surprise filtering through his expression as it seemed like Hiroshi had curiously reached out to him. It wasn't as if Byakuren had ever allowed himself to be near Yumi's child before, considering the oni had been imprisoned for three years. This was quite literally the first true interaction he had with her son. The tiny hand proceeded to pat at the hardened skin and muscle of his arm, though the oni had remained as still as a statue to not cause any sudden movements.

Then, much to his surprise and confusion, Hiroshi had wiggled about in Ayumi's arms, suddenly outstretching his tiny hands to Byakuren, "Bwya..!" Byakuren's eyes retained nothing but his confusion as Hiroshi impatiently gestured to him, though to anyone else, it would seem like the little oni wanted to be picked up by Byakuren, clearly oblivious to the tension in the air. Though, before Byakuren could even react, Yumi had suddenly moved forward, putting the wineskin she was holding abruptly in Suki's grasp as the female oni had suddenly taken Hiroshi into her arms, a visible flash of pain crossing the female oni's face, "D-don't bother your uncle, Hiroshi!" The oni had huffed, her posture awkward and almost rigid though, this didn't seem to go so well as Hiroshi's expression turned rather upset, little tears beginning to build in the crimson eyes of the little oni before he began to bawl his eyes out. Yumi's eyes widened in response, "H-Hiroshi!"

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi noticed a shift in Yumi’s attention before she felt Byakuren’s presence behind her. At first, a light smile graced her lips as she turned to see that he had returned to them, though her smile did not last long. Something was off. She listened as Yumi could hardly speak him name, noting the renewed pressure that seemed to ignite in the air. This was different than before. Her eyes traveled to the wineskins that Byakuren was carrying, putting together that he had come to ensure that they had something to drink in this heat. Yet, events did not unfold in the way Ayumi expected.

First, it was Suki’s anger. Ayumi had never seen the oldest of the sisters show much emotion, and her out burst towards Byakuren took her by surprise. Ayumi stood still, holding Hitoshi close as her wide eyes took in what seemed to be Suki’s defiance towards Byakuren. She didn’t entirely blame her for her reaction, but Ayumi was was equally as surprised at Byakuren’s seemingly emotionless response. She felt the sting of his words, even though they weren’t directed towards her in any way. “Byakuren…” she seemed to chide softly, though she doubted her words would have much effect. Before Suki could say another word, Ayumi watched as Yumi stepped forward to take the wineskin, keeping her gaze down.

Then Hitoshi reached out to touch Byakuren. Ayumi watched with curiosity how such a thing would unfold. While she has always dreamed of having children of her own, she had never seen Byakuren with many young children. Of course, there was the events with Hanao, but even then, Bi-nasu had taken him under her wing. She realized she didn’t even know if Byakuren cared to have children of his own one day, and the thought made her heart twist. It twisted even more, however, when Yumi rushed forward while Hitoshi seemed to be reaching out towards Byakuren.

The combination of Hiroshi’s outburst of tears coupled with Yumi’s visible pain made Ayumi move quickly towards her friend’s side. “There, there, Hitoshi,” she cooed as her worried gaze went to Yumi. “You’re still hurting. Are you sure you should be lifting?” Her amber gaze shifted to Byakuren before going back to Yumi. “Perhaps we should go in. You are in pain.” While she didn’t quite like the idea of being cooped up again just yet, she didn’t like this situation even more. Byakuren appeared so cold at the moment that she wasn’t sure what was going on with him. He was so gentle earlier…

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Yumi forced a smile on her face, her eyebrows furrowed in a sign of stress as the pain lancing through her back was clear enough to remind her that what she had done was hasty, "T-this is nothing, I'm fine." It was a lie, obvious enough by the oni's pale skin seeming almost a shade paler as she shifted Hiroshi in her arms, the little oni still crying his little heart out much to Yumi's dismay. Of course, the commotion was attracting plenty of confused or startled eyes in the small group's direction, which made Yumi feel both a little worse and more so embarrassed. Suki had stepped closer, looking to Ayumi, "We probably should move somewhere out of the sun," She paused, her gaze turning to Byakuren who was silent, his eyes avoiding the pressure of Ayumi's amber gaze and instead still remained on Yumi. The depth of his crimson eyes held no answers to what was possibly going through his mind, but eventually a tinge of annoyance managed to creep through as he turned away, his grip tightening slightly around the wineskin in his grasp, "...I'll just hold onto this, let me know when they're settled in, Ayumi." Obviously, he wasn't going to accompany them, but perhaps this was for the best? With the pressure and discomfort that the situation had left them in, the oni wasn't helping things by his foul mood.

This response, being quite chilly had made Yumi bite her bottom lip, feeling as if she wanted to hide on the spot from the iciness she could feel radiating off from Byakuren as she helplessly could only hold onto Hiroshi, trying her best to comfort her child although it was clear that she was deeply hurt, even if she couldn't bring herself to say so. Eventually, Byakuren had withdrawn elsewhere in the throng of both humans and oni that made up their rather unwanted audience which made Suki release an angry hiss, "He never was this bad before! What is his problem?!" She had viewed Byakuren in his rather angry or irritated moods prior during his childhood, but this was just insufferable. Looking to Yumi, she spotted a bitter expression crossing her sister's face as she mumbled, "Maybe he... only remembers unpleasant memories of me." Suki's heart dropped, seeing how crushed her younger sister looked despite the oni trying her best to not appear so hurt, "Yumi..."

A wince of pain was quick to follow, breaking the female's previously crestfallen expression. She looked up between Suki and Ayumi, forcing a smile on her face, "I'm fine, I swear. I just... need to sit down." Forcing herself to stand a bit straighter, a bit more pain would greet the action, prompting for Yumi to nearly crumble as Suki had quickly moved closer to her sister to support her, "Let me hold..." She trailed off, seeing the look in Yumi's eyes, obviously enough the female oni would not relinquish her grip on her son anytime soon which made Suki sigh, giving up before she could even begin. Yumi was always rather stubborn, so she wouldn't push. It would be a losing battle.

Looking to Ayumi, Suki's expression seemed apologetic as she swiftly spoke, "I'm sorry for acting... rude. That was wrong of me." She bowed her head a bit to Ayumi, after all Byakuren was still Ayumi's mate, and it was quite rude of Suki to be reacting in such a manner... even if his cold responses in her opinion was rude as well. She gave one more glance to Yumi at her side, with Hiroshi now clinging tightly to his mother, seemingly reduced to upset sniffling, "Is there anywhere that's available for us to rest for a little?" Suki did see the large chapel in the center, the very same place where Jun had taken Ayumi to take shelter for the night, but she wasn't too sure if it was the dedicated area to sleep or rest. The many different conflicting scents that were heavy in the arid air made it difficult for her to determine if it was or not.

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi watched as Suki spoke of moving inside and out of the sun. She looked towards Byakuren as he moved away from them, seemingly distant and annoyed. She didn't understand the shift and frowned lightly in confusion. What was going on? She listened as Yumi spoke of perhaps only unpleasant memories that he possessed of her. It was possible, but even before he did not act this way toward her. They were still civil, to say the least. One thing was for certain, however. Yumi was tired and Hiroshi was now upset. Perhaps moving indoors was not a bad idea. It had been a long journey for the group and situations have not been favorable so far.

Ayumi was shocked, however, as Suki apologized to her, going so far as to bow her head towards her. "P-please," she stammered, "I should be the one apologizing! I have no idea what all that was about." Addressing her questions, Ayumi nodded her head quickly and directed the groups toward the large chapel. "Jun took me there to rest yesterday," she said as she attempted to usher them there. "It appears to be the resting area for everyone. I'm sure Jun will be willing to help us find a place for you." She glanced around as they made their way there, looking to see if she could spot Jun anywhere in the group.

Silently, she was worried. Byakuren had reacted in such an annoyed and bothered way toward Yumi, Suki, and Hiroshi. This bothered her. Suki and Yumi were her closest friends, and Hiroshi was the closest thing she had to a child around here. Having Byakuren at odds with them, at least to this extent, was not going to make anything easy at all. She hoped that whatever was going on got solved quickly. Being stuck between her mate and her friends would not be a comfortable place to be.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

At Ayumi's words regarding her response to Suki's apology, the oni's expression had gentled as her posture had relaxed. Nonetheless, feelings of bewilderment still settled in her chest as she looked past Ayumi and to the direction Byakuren had walked off into. So, even Ayumi doesn't know what's going on. This caused Suki's expression to tighten slightly, her eyebrows furrowing although she knew not what was exactly wrong with Byakuren, she didn't think she had the right to pry. If anything, from what Ayumi had told both her and Yumi, it seemed as if changes were indeed happening in Byakuren, though she hoped his attitude now wasn't permanent, the woman wouldn't be able to bear with it for much longer if it was.

Mention of Jun's name had caused Yumi to look up, although her expression was slightly pinched with pain, the name was familiar enough although the face associated with the name was blurry in the oni's mind. It had been three years since she had been around Jun, and it wasn't as if the two had been close or well acquainted as she always felt on edge around the human due to him always looking at their group with distrust - aside from Ayumi of course. "R-right." She was quick to follow Ayumi, pausing briefly to look to Suki who was looking off in some other direction, "Suki?" Her voice strained slightly, saying her sister's name which caused the oni to turn her head, spotting the tired expression on Yumi's face which made the oni move closer, a mumbled apology leaving her older sister's lips as the two kept close to Ayumi, though Yumi was noticeably moving slower as she held Hiroshi tightly to her; her back flaring with bits of pain with each step as she did so.

Luckily, it seemed for their small group that Jun was still in the opening as he was telling the few guards he still had under his command to begin settling in their new arrivals, at least until they were ready to leave the fort. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked over the small groups beginning to filter in through the entrances, though the people themselves seemed weary. We'll need to hunt down more food... Food and water, something that was beginning to be stretched thin with every single day. They would run out soon if they didn't secure their hands on more food and water, though hopefully all the people would be gathered before they reached that point. A huff of breath left his lips as his arms crossed, the guards beginning to disperse and guide the tired groups of both oni and human alike into the excess buildings that had yet to be claimed, abandoned from whoever had once lived in Fort Highmaul years before.

Lifting his head, Jun had spotted Ayumi once more, though with some familiar faces tailing behind her which caused him to tilt his head in bewilderment as he tried to place names with the faces. The man had begun to step closer to them, a friendly enough smile crossing his face as he looked to Ayumi then back to her companions, "I see that you've reunited with some of your friends." A polite enough beginning, he didn't want to be too rude... or rude at all. Although, he still questioned Ayumi's trust in these oni, he wouldn't voice his opinion out loud in front of her friends, though he did notice two of them seemed the worse for wear. Concern flashed in his eyes as he leaned a bit closer, seeing the mother and child duo, Yumi holding her son close to her as her son was sniffling still, the female's expression tightened with pain although she seemed to be trying to smile her way through it, "Are you alright?" They didn't get attacked on the way here... did they? No one reported an attack yet, nor do anyone else seem injured..

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi walked alongside Yumi and Suki towards the large chapel, her worry growing with each wince that Yumi gave as she walked. Hiroshi seemed to have settled down, resorting to simply sniffling to himself as his mother held him close. She felt for the little oni. She wondered if Byakuren would give him a chance. Before everything that happened, Ayumi was sure that he would. With his previous reaction towards Yumi, however, she found doubts. If he could only remember harsh memories about Yumi, surely he would only remember harsh memories of Izumi. With Hiroshi being their son, would Byakuren look harshly upon the little oni? It nearly broke her heart to think such things as she adored Hiroshi so.

Ayumi looked up as she heard Jun, relief coming at the fact Yumi could soon be getting the help she needed. She noted that he seemed to be trying to be polite, though she could hardly dwell on that fact at the moment. "Jun, do you have a place my friends can rest?" she asked, reaching out to gently smooth Hiroshi's hair as he continued to sniffle. She would offer to help Yumi, but she was afraid of touching her friend in the chance that she would cause her more pain. "Yumi has an old injury that is causing her pain from the journey." Her amber eyes traveled over Yumi, still able to recall how she was bound to the bed upon the ship after being slashed on the back at the Water Nation. The memory sent shivers through her at the horrid event.

She looked back at Jun. She was grateful that Jun seemed to be in at least decent spirits. She was certain that if he heard what had transpired between them and Byakuren, he would not be so happy right now. Of course, she had no intention of telling him. For the most part, she was also sure that Byakuren would be keeping his distance for some time. He had mentioned letting him know when they had settled so she was sure that he intended her to find him eventually. With things being so uneasy between him, Suki, and Yumi at the moment, she had no desire to add Jun to that mix.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

"A place to rest?" He echoed her question, his eyes still settled on Ayumi's companions as his mind was going through the different occupied buildings. Of course, there was the old chapel, but the chapel was already filled to the brim with soldiers. And if one of her friends was injured, sleeping on the hard wood floor certainly wouldn't do them any favors. Eyebrows furrowing, the man's arms crossed as a frown crossed his face, "I would have offered the chapel's floors, considering all of our rooms within it is taken up by other soldiers, most of us have been making due by sleeping on the floor. But considering her injury-"

"T-there's no need to make a big deal out of it. Really, it's nothing." Yumi's voice was quick to interject, though Jun could already tell that the oni was trying to cover it up. The woman wasn't even looking directly at Ayumi and putting on such a brave face which made the man sigh in exasperation. He'd seen fellow humans acting so foolish before, to see the same of an oni was a bit of a surprise, but it was something he wouldn't allow to slide. Not now when it was clearly showing through that this young woman was in pain, "Listen, as much as I appreciate the show of bravado, it's not necessary. If you're in pain, it's better for you to rest in a location that won't agitate the injury further." These words caused Yumi's expression to falter, though she looked down at the desert floor beneath her, "..I apologize, I just..." Jun's stance relaxed, waving his hand dismissively, "It's fine. I understand, no need to elaborate further."

He could understand not desiring to be a burden on others, but he wasn't going to allow the poor fool to hurt herself further just because she didn't want to show that she was complaining or feeling any pain. "Anyways, I think I do have one building available, granted it'll be a tight squeeze if more of your friends come. There's no telling when we'll be finally leaving this place, but it's better than nothing." Waving for them to follow, the man had walked northward, past the chapel and toward the other end of the series of buildings scattered about. Suki had followed, though mumbling, "I don't remember him being so... nice." Yumi was slower to follow as Hiroshi now had settled into merely laying his head on her shoulder, still looking quite dejected but at the very least his crying had fully stopped. Another visible wince had crossed Yumi's face as she huffed, "Maybe... being out here caused him to- ow.." She grunted, causing Suki to stop and move back to Yumi's side, gently trying to steady her younger sister as they trailed behind their guide who now realizing they were beginning to lag behind had slowed his steps, concern being quite obvious in his eyes.

"Maybe," Yumi began again, reattempting her sentence, "He's a lot more relaxed around... oni in general now?" It was not unknown to Yumi that the official second in command of the rebels didn't like oni or yokai like his leader, Rose. The two were quite frigid toward their oni and yokai counterparts, prefering human companionship and it showed. However, it could be possible that Jun's stance had relaxed due to his experiences being sent away from the main force and living in the Fire Lands for so long. It probably was a stretch of the imagination, but it could be possible. The words spoken had caused Suki to snort, shaking her head, "Wishful thinking... but I certainly would hope so." Having both the leader and second in command with such a personal bias was not a good position to be in. But, Yumi's condition was by far the more important thing on Suki's mind right now, anything else was secondary.

Eventually, Jun had stopped before what had seemed to at one point been a small home. It wasn't too large, barely large enough to house more than four, and even then that was a bit of a stretch. But it was shelter, something that was desperately needed. Jun turned toward the small group, "Well, here it is. I'll let you settle in while I go see to it that you get some spare blankets." There was a few abandoned beds inside of the home, though these beds were a bit worse for wear, it once again was better than sleeping on the hard wood floors that seemed to make up every building so far in the makeshift fort.

 

[Keylyn May]

Ayumi listened to the exchange that occurred between Jun and Yumi. Despite his distrust of oni, Jun seemed to be at least putting his best foot forward. He seemed to be keeping his own biases to the minimum as he focused on the fact that Yumi was injured. Ayumi had disliked the idea of Yumi sleeping on the floor also, though she didn't have much of a say around here. Besides, she had only just gotten here also. She smiled slightly as Jun stated there was an available building. It would also be nice if they had some time to take everything in, away from the swelling crowd of people.

Ayumi moved along with Yumi and Suki as they followed Jun. He took the lead and Ayumi followed steadily between him and the two sisters. Yumi seemed to be slowing, her pain becoming more obvious. Rest will do this some good, she thought as her mind wandered slightly. Jun had mentioned the building being a tight squeeze once the others arrived. She wondered how soon or how long that may take. She wondered how all of them were doing. Yet, something within her began to worry at the thought. Something was changing with Byakuren, and she hated to think of he would have other negative reactions toward other members of the group. She didn't hold it against him, knowing that this was not his fault but rather the fault of his shattered memories, yet she didn't like the feeling of being stuck in the middle. Similar to now. She loved Byakuren and wanted nothing more than to spend her last breath with him, but she also adored Yumi and Suki who had become like her own sister; her own family.

Ayumi's wandering thoughts began to gather again as Jun mentioned that they had arrived, and spoke of going to gather up some blankets. Her eyes glanced over the structure, seeing that it wasn't in the greatest shape but knowing that these were not times to be picky. Before Jun could begin to move away, Ayumi gently reached out to touch his arm. A soft smile played on her lips. "Thank you," she offered, knowing that onis were not his favorite people. "Now, what can I do?" Her gaze bounced between Jun, Yumi, and Suki. She didn't like feeling like she was just filling empty space. She was almost certain, however, that Jun would be objecting to allowing her to work. He had been so careful with her earlier. Of course, there was also Byakuren, who had dropped into worry when she had simply mentioned the heat. Yumi and Suki did not know of her earlier state, though she knew how proud Yumi could be.

 

[LONELYRAIN]

Relief filtered through Yumi's eyes as she gazed upon the building, the oni limped closer to the appealing shade inside, "..Thank you, Jun." Of course, before Suki or anyone else could stop her, Yumi had settled herself on the floor, a breath of relief flowing from her lips as she continued to cradle Hiroshi close to her chest, her eyes dull with pain. Suki was quick to rush to her younger sister's side, extending wordlessly the wineskin filled with water so that she and her son could drink first from it, the sight alone although was pitiful had also caused a feeling of sympathy to reflect in Jun's eyes. It truly seemed that not only the humans suffered from this war, the oni were suffering as well... perhaps they weren't as monstrous as he believed before. Yumi and Suki seemed almost normal, granted he wouldn't put it past them to suddenly switch up their attitudes eventually.

Turning away from the exhausted group, Jun had paused as Ayumi reached out to touch his arm, a questioning expression crossing his face only for him to grin at her words of gratitude, "It's no problem." He paused however as Ayumi had asked what she could do, the man's gaze settling upon the empty building as he considered what she could possibly do that wouldn't put too much strain on her. "Hmm... maybe you could try and see if there's any debris on the inside and try to clear it away? This building is a bit old, so I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few discarded pieces that were left behind here and there." After all, on the inside it seemed as if there was a bottom and top floor, the stairway leading up on the second floor was perhaps a bit old, the floorboards would perhaps be creaking if any weight was placed upon it. Granted, all the buildings had been searched beforehand when the rebel group had been pushed back to this location, so there was no risk of any traps lying in wait. Perhaps whoever had once lived there had left belongings behind that was overlooked? Regardless, that was the only thing that Jun could think of that wouldn't cause much stress on Ayumi's body, a simple enough task to keep her busy while she was still in the company of her friends.

"I'll be right back!" Jun had spoken in a light tone, turning on his heel and moving away from the building to secure blankets, leaving Ayumi alone with the two sisters. Yumi had spoken up then, though her gaze was now focused on Hiroshi, tipping the wineskin to her son's lips to give him some water, which the little oni was eager to accept, all of his crying seemed to have tired him out as well as the harsh heat being a drain on the small group, "You don't really have to do anything, Ayumi. I can do it myself-" Suki interjected, "No, you can't. You've already pushed yourself a bit too much today." The oni had then turned to Ayumi, giving her a faint smile, "I can help you, it wouldn't be fair if you'll be doing this alone."

It seemed the floor they were on had little to any debris left behind, no doubt done by the rebel guards far before they had arrived. However, that wasn't to say of the upper floor, granted the room was small if they went to the upper floor, but it was littered with old papers as well as dust and sand having settled in the corners. A broken window as well would be the only light that would illuminate the upper floor, being yet another entryway for the heat from the outside. It certainly would take a bit of effort to clean it further to provide enough space to sleep comfortably.

 

[Keylyn May]

{{ Hey so sorry it is taking a while for me to respond. I am still here and will respond when I am mentally able }}

 

[LONELYRAIN]

(It's all good, take your time! There's no rush! Hope you're doing well ^.^)