eachdraidh | 1 ❀ ( video / action ) open to both courts!

[ well this is a fine few days yukari's been having. first she gets kidnapped and dumped in the middle of some strange forest that doesn't even remotely resemble any of the forests back home (something about it just screams 'supernatural' to her, and not in any way she's familiar with). then she meets up with some odd old woman in the forest who offered her a place to stay and something to eat; you know, the basics to make sure she didn't do something like get eaten by a grue while lost in the woods. at the time it had taken some plying to get yukari agree to staying in a creepy old place in the woods, but after her stomach growled — loudly, as she hadn't eaten anything since before her trip into tartarus — she knew it was useless to try and fight a kind offer.

now here she is making her way through la llorona again, having left the house about an hour ago after a nap that lasted ten days — not that yukari is at all aware of this right now. for all she knows, it's only december second, and where the small cottage used to be now lies broken and collapsed trees. though she felt her heart stop in her chest upon seeing the sudden absence of company in a spot she was so sure she had slept in not hours before, yukari hustles through the underbrush, knuckles white as she clutches her bow in one hand and fiddles with her locket in another. there has to be something about this thing since it was given to her moments after arriving. the imps were no help, laughing and playing keep-away with the object until yukari fell into a deep snow drift, and they vanished before explaining anything, nothing in evidence of their existance save the map that slowly tumbled down through the air to rest on the snow a few feet away.

she shivers in her coat at the memory of it, rolling her shoulders back to adjust the way the coat grips her, hoping to use friction to keep her skin from freezing. ]

Ugh...

[ the video feed opens up with the sound of a shivering, unhappy girl letting out a sigh as she continues to trek through crunching snow and snapping twigs. in the background there's the sound of a creek nearby, and if the continued noise is any indication, yukari happens to be following it, she hopes, out of the woods. ]

I think I can safely say I hate the woods. [ yukari, are you muttering to yourself? you're muttering to yourself. you should see to that. ] Hah, I'm sooo glad our leader never suggested camping as a way to build up team ... team... — [ she trails off with another huff ] Ugh! It's so cold I can barely think! Seriously, who's bright idea was it to drp me out here in my school uniform, huh!?

[ finally, the locket swings around to show yukari in all her pink cardigan'd glory, bright red bow peeking out from under the collar of her coat, brown eyes wide as she inspects the locket and crap, it's active, isn't it? if she's right in her assumption about this thing, then... ]

Oh geeze... How long has this—? [ she shakes her head, snowflakes puffing up from her hair and falling down to her shoulders. ] Hey, my name is Yukari Takeba and... I think I'm lost. [ beat ] No, scratch that. I'm very sure I'm lost. I got dumped out here yesterday [ actually it was ten days ago, but she remains unaware of this fact ] with a map but no GPS so, heh, looks like the map's no good to me if I don't know where I am. [ but she doubts anyone could help with that, so she lets that be ] But um... I do have some questions, so... if anyone could answer them, that'd be... great...

[ something catches her eye and the locket as well; high walls and tall trees and a great big imposing fence surrounding... something. jogging forward and to the side just a bit, yukari catches sight of château du rêveur, and she spends a long moment just staring at the building. ]

... 'Kay, first question: Who builds a mansion like this in the middle of the woods? This's like something out of a western fairy tale...

[ and with that, the feed cuts out! ]

( ooc; open to action to anyone around in la llorona or château du rêveur! )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yeah...

[And it's hard to tell if Steve's talking to Bucky or to her. He watches Bucky for a few seconds more, knowing that something's coming back to him, his own curiosity bordering on desperation. Steve finally blinks and looks over at her.]

Yeah, he's fine. He's just... [Steve sighs, feeling simultaneously like Bucky's story isn't his to tell but he's the only one who can make sense of it.] He sort of has amnesia. We're working on it though.

[ ah, she was thinking it might be something like that, though she knew better to speak on it. almost in anticipation of junpei saying something stupid (he's been far too quiet), yukari tries to surreptitiously elbow him in the side. ]

... That's awful. [ her only frame of reference is the missing data from aigis's programming with regards to ryoji-kun, as well a few other things the end of the world would bring upon them. even so, there's no way the two are comparable, so she can't even imagine what it must be like for bucky and steve to work through this. yukari has a lot of feelings about the loss of memories, but now is not the time to let them out, so instead she remains sympathetic. ] I'm so sorry.

[ oof! ow, rude... he's not that dumb — junpei just shoots yukari a scowl and tugs the brim of his hat down a bit, momentarily hiding his eyes. (maybe, if chidori hadn't had to... maybe she could have found things to remember?) he gets why this is serious business. ]

Yeah, man. [ he'll let her do all the important talking. ] Good thing you've got a friend, though, right?

[ RIGHT???

as soon as bucky and steve aren't paying attention to them, he'll lean over to yukari and mutter something in her ear, something about "casting patra" though it's hard to catch. ]

[He swallows and closes his eyes, still ignoring the kids. He's fine. He'll be fine. He just... wants to remember this... as if closing his eyes will make the image clearer, imprint it on his memory forever so no one can take it away again.]

'M fine...

[Steve nods at him, even if he's got his eyes closed and can't see it. He looks over, arching a brow at Junpei's whisper.]

Since we were kids. You mentioned being a shield earlier. Bucky did a lot of that for me.

[A pause.]

Of course we weren't a couple like the two of you.

[Steve, no.]

[ aww, childhood friends, how swee— ]

[ wait what. ]

[ WHAT. ]

[ SKDFJLSD HOW... WHY. ]

Wh, what- [ SPUTTERS ??? in disbelief she can't EVEN. ] What makes you think-!?

[ IMMEDIATELY turning to junpei, shoving his shoulder and gritting her teeth. ]

This is all your fault, Stupei! Stop telling people I'm your girlfriend!

[ asdflkjsdgjkl??? junpei realizes what steve's implying before yukari does, and he's already backing away, eyes wide — not that stops yukari. ]

I'm not! Where the hell are you getting the idea that I am?

[ aaaand this grin doesn't bode well, nor does the way he folds his arms up behind his head and laugh, unable to resist this next part. ]

Unless... You're rethinking, aren't you? [ now, feigning indifference: ] Hate to disappoint, but on a scale of one to Chidorin... Nahh.

[ it starts out subtle as junpei starts to grin: the tightening of yukari's fists, the grinding of her teeth, the way her eyes close as her lip curls. the annoyance boils under the surface at a high point, but she doesn't react right away, trying to keep herself calm, remembering bucky's actions minutes before and not wanting to aggravate him any further.

it doesn't exactly work.

with a sharp breath in, yukari squares her shoulders back. ]

[ seconds later, she shifts her weight and slams her heel down on junpei's toes with all the force she can muster, her voice little more than an angry growl. ]

Like you could ever measure up to our leader! There's a reason we chose him instead of you!

[ and after she's sure she's caused junpei all the pain he deserves, she crosses her arms and puts her back to him. ]

[Well all that certainly gets him to open his eyes again, watching the kids with bemusement. He tugs Steve's shirt gently.]

Should we leave them alone?

[He's speaking quietly but he's not really bothering to try to keep them from hearing.]

[All the yelling, the violence. Steve's brows draw together. Maybe he was wrong.

And then he remembers the time that Peggy shot at him. No, he's pretty sure he nailed this.]

You know...maybe we should.

[ oop, that's yukari definitely snapping out of it and whipping around to face steve ]

No, no! Wait, don't go, I have more questions.

[ >:|||||||| ok the dig about him not being a good leader? THAT'S A LOW BLOW. junpei's not sulking, definitely, but he's totally peeved, as you can tell by the way he tugs on his hat and just lets yukari talk. potentially broken toe notwithstanding, that stings less than the dig does. ]

[Oh. Well. He lets his hand fall from Steve's shirt, lifting it and scratching his head slightly.

If it's questions, he's still not going to be much help. Maybe he should go anyway.]

[Steve glances from her to Junpei, noticing the way that he tugs his cap down.]

There'll be plenty of time for questions. Bucky and I are gonna wait for a friend, and unless either one of you has somewhere else you need to be, there's no point in rushing off.

[ a sigh sags yukari's shoulders, but she looks back at junpei for a second, as though to check in with him.

but you know what, she was never one to rely on other people to make up her mind. ]

I'd like to check out the castles but I assume if we're here for the forseeable future... [ she shrugs ] Then I guess there's no harm staying for a while.

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