recolle | open || the irreplaceable people in our hearts

WHO: Minako Arisato and YOU
WHERE: Peach Beach and elsewhere
WHEN: August 26th and into September
WHAT: Grieving over the loss of a best friend. A ceremonial cremation at Peach Beach forward-dated to August 30th.
WARNINGS: Death. Message me at

raynestorm if you'd like to work out a different scenario. Also a note: please feel free to create your own threads and/or threadjack for the cremation prompt, just write in the title if you'd prefer not to threadjack.

I. MISTIC
Gym, Utsuki Dojo, Hollingberry Field; August 26th to 29th

[The first thing Minako did after finding out Ryoji died was burst out of the hospital and beat up monsters with her bare hands. She's not quite as self-destructive now, but she's still pushing herself to the limits. You might encounter her either at: the gym, throwing her fists at a punching bag; the dojo, swinging a practice spear in shaky kata forms; or at Hollingberry Field, running on the track with sweat pouring down her face, but not stopping for a break at all.]

II. MEMORIES FROM 10 YEARS AGO
Expressive, Hollingberry Field, outside Minako's apartment; August 26th to 29th

[Otherwise...you might find her sitting at Expressive, nursing a cup of coffee, or at Hollingberry Field, sitting on the swing set. It's obvious that she's been crying, but it's in these moments, after she's physically exhausted her body, that she can truly start sorting through her thoughts and start the grieving process. Perhaps you'd like to join her. She wouldn't mind the company.

If you find her outside her apartment, she'll be sitting on the curb with her eyes closed, soaking up the sun with Koromaru beside her. An isopod plush is sitting in her lap, and if you're close enough, you might hear a quiet crinkle of paper beneath the sections of the isopod when she hugs it.]

III. KIMI NO KIOKU
Peach Beach; August 30th

[Minako has no idea how a real cremation is supposed to go, too young and traumatized at the time of her parents' death to remember. And honestly, she doesn't care. The ashes aren't from Ryoji's body anyways. That...will be for a later time. Today is instead her own personal good bye, and for anyone else coming. She's reserved one of the pits that's off to the side of the beach, relatively undisturbed by happy families spending one last summer day on the beach, and in it, she's burning a black kintsugi bowl. Its pair is sitting nearby.

Once the black bowl is completely burned, Minako scoops the ashes out and slides them into the white bowl before turning to the friends who have come to attend.]

There was a month a while back, when Retrospec was making our phones broadcast all of our deepest secrets and painful memories. Ryoji heard my secret that I...that I was afraid people don't like me unless I'm always smiling. That I hate burdening people with my thoughts for fear that they won't accept me anymore.

And what he did in answer...was to give me two bowls. In Japan, there's an art form of fixing broken pottery by fusing the pieces with gold-dusted lacquer. It's called kintsugi, and kintsugi pieces are considered to be more beautiful than the original, sometimes. He gave me them as a reminder that I...am perfect the way I am, broken pieces and all, because all of that, in the end, is still me. I am good enough. Me, simply being Minako Arisato, was enough for him.

[She's blinking rapidly now, tears forming and falling down her cheeks.]

I know now, seeing you all here, that he was right. That it's okay to rely on everyone else. Because everyone else is going through the same things I am. The same sadness and grief. I will-- [Her voice cracks, and she has to take a moment to collect herself.] I'll miss him so much. He was a part of me, and now that he's gone, I've become irreversibly broken again. But I'll be okay. He left me so many texts. [A watery laugh.] So many texts! And selfies, and notes, and little gifts. I won't ever be without reminders of him. But most of all, he left me the memories of his smiles and laughter. I'll use these to fuse myself together until I'm whole again.

I've burned the black bowl today...as my good bye to him. The two of us who were inseparable, now parted...but the friendship we shared can never be denied or forgotten.

[She turns to the ocean and walks to the edge, the tiny waves lapping at her sandaled feet. Scooping the ashes into her fingers, she gently blows them into the wind and whispers as they float away.]

Ryoji...are you listening? Thank you for putting me back together time and time again. Good bye.

[Anyone is free to come talk to her at any point after the ceremony. She is still nothing like the exuberant young woman she used to be, but she's more willing to respond now.]

IV. BECAUSE I WILL PROTECT YOU
Various; September onwards

[After the ceremonial cremation, Minako is...better. It's still so soon after Ryoji's passing, and there are many times where she'll suddenly hurry away, or hide her face as a bout of quiet crying starts. But she is Minako, and Minako wouldn't be herself if she wasn't helping others. She tells everyone at the cremation that she'll be available to talk to, if anyone else is seeking closure. Talking about her feelings has helped a lot in the past few days, and she wants to extend the same offer to others grieving.

She thinks...it's better to grieve together than alone.

So whether it's at her apartment, in a quiet bench at the park, or somewhere else-- if anyone asks, she'll come.

Or if you didn't want to ask...well. She made a note of who attended the cremation. She's going to check up on you eventually.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Throughout the ceremony, Penelope had stayed by Freya's side, quiet and supportive. It'd been hard, seeing her like that, and to someone as used to being around her as Pen it was startling. She had wanted to reach out, to say something, but she knew what loss and grieving looked like and it wouldn't be right to force herself onto her partner until it was over. They'd separated after the ceremony, Pen going to talk to Minako, but her eyes had lingered on Freya's departing back.

After what needed to be said had been said, she followed her girlfriend down the beach, already knowing what she'd find. Freya expressed anger and regret a lot like Frank, so the frustrated howl was no surprise. She held her distance, keeping well back until her partner finally seemed spent. As much as it pained her to see her like this, people had to grieve in their own way, and no matter how close one was to another person, you had to let them.

When Freya sagged a little, Pen approached with strips of white cloth held in her hands.]

Let me wrap those, Freya.

[She hadn't noticed her partner's approach, but at the same time, Freya's not surprised to hear her speak up. She lifted her head, first to look at Pen, then up to blink a few times at the sky. A long, slow breath to steady herself, then she turned about to face Pen properly.]

[The seemingly innumerable trials of late obviously had been weighing on Freya; while her complexion's returned to normal and her wounds all nearly healed, Pen of all people would be aware she's barely been managing to sleep. Even still, turning away from that now-scorched post with bloody hands, Freya looked... better. Standing a little taller, a little bolder. Like herself again.]

[The white stripes drew a wry chuckle from her.] ...That predictable, huh?

[Wasting no time in gently wiping some of the blood off with a wipe pulled from her purse, Pen quietly sets to work covering Freya's knuckles. Gingerly, so as not to sting, but as firm as need be to cover them up tight.]

I saw you walking away. I know you, and how angry you can be.

[Stooping, she kisses the first hand before starting to tie off the makeshift bandage.]

And I've lost before. Figured you'd turn to an old standby, instead of eating Ben and Jerry out of house and home like Vaan. Or picking up a new hobby like me.

[She looks up.]

The fire's new.

[She naturally flinches at the sting of the wipe, but otherwise sits still. Freya does glance away in a familiar tell, though.]

Yeah. Started bein' able to that in the swamp. Thought it was just that heating power evolvin', or something, but I haven't been able to heat a thing since everything settled down.

[Freya looks back at Pen, sighing through her nose.] Thanks. For everything. You've been puttin' up with a lot from me, the last week.

It's no trouble. You put up with me and my shenanigans all the time.

[Pen huffs a laugh and ties off one hand before moving to the second.]

Funny, that. You're the firefighter, and you make fire. I learned a new spell myself, out there. [Waving up at the sky.] I can throw water magic around now. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

[Slowly wiping the other knuckle, she looks up at Freya, kissing the bruised skin.]

Magic spells aside, I'm just glad I can do something to support you like you support me. I'd be a shitty friend if I took and never gave anything back, and an even worse girlfriend. I'm with you, Freya.

[Her mouth curls into a half-smile.] Some irony, alright. [If the mood were lighter today, she might've made a joke about job security.]

[Instead, her fingers curl gently around what of Pen's hand she can reach without disturbing her girlfriend's work, or splitting the skin further. She's already expressed her gratitude, and it'd be redundant to keep saying it. She's sure Pen can see how much Freya appreciates her in her face.]

Does it bother you? [The taller woman asks, her voice low. How had Pen phrased it?] How angry I can be?

[She can, absolutely, and she shakes her head quickly.]

No, because you're always justified. You have a temper, but you don't get mad for no reason.

[Rubbing Freya's arm, her smile dims a little.]

I think that no matter how angry you get, you're always in control. Dad was like that, he had a temper like a volcano, but he kept himself in check. Mom...would always say that was why she loved him, because even at his worst, she could trust that he'd never hurt anything but this old punching bag.

[A laugh, somewhat strained.]

I know you're like that too. You are in control. [A smirk]

And you've never seen my temper...

Mm. Guess I haven't.

[Freya watches the shorter woman for a moment, not sure what she's looking for, before tilting her head skyward.]

Doesn't always feel like I'm in control.

[In the wake of her emotional extremes fading, her abused hands become more prominent in her mind, throbbing fiercely with a deep pain. She's having some regrets.]

[Well she has earned those regrets.]

I know you'd never hurt me, even if you were angry. Or anyone you care about. That's in control enough for me.

[Smiling, she runs her thumbs along the back of Freya's hands.]

I may have some ointment back at the house, if you're done here? It'll help them heal better.

[She absolutely has, yes.]

If you don't, I've got plenty somewhere.

[Freya tugs her hands free only to step forward and wrap her arms around Pen's shoulders in a grateful hug, careful not to move her fingers too much.]

...I think I'm good, now. Or as good as I'm ever gonna be in regards to this. Guess that's a pretty shitty thing to say at funeral, when everyone's still mourning. [Her failure to do anything for Ryoji still hurts, but... Freya's finally managed to temper it, and beat it into resolve.]

No, everyone processes things at their own rate. Their own pace.

[She pats Freya's wrist and turns, tugging her off back towards the cars.]

But I think...most people are kinda packing up. We should too. If you're really good, I mean.

[Freya pauses, casting a look back in the direction of the fire pit. All she could see was dunes from here, but that was hardly the point, was it?]

[She wouldn't let this happen again, not while she was there and breathing. She'd learn from this, so Ryoji wouldn't die from nothing. It's always the ones you couldn't save, she remembers someone saying.]

Yeah. I am. [Freya says steadily, turning around and walking beside Pen.]

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