complementing: (✿ the bond is broken [ ATTIS ])
minako arisato ([personal profile] complementing) wrote in [community profile] recolle2017-08-26 06:19 pm

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 [plurk.com profile] 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.]
redarm: (sad)

[personal profile] redarm 2017-08-28 05:02 am (UTC)(link)
[He won't flinch or pull away from the shoulder touch, a sign of how comfortable he's grown with her]

...About the same, really.

[Sometimes the pain still felt fresh, and sometimes...none of it felt real.]

I remember how he wanted to get ice cream with us, so...

[That's why he asked for this]
redarm: (thoughtful eating.)

[personal profile] redarm 2017-08-28 06:29 am (UTC)(link)
[He'll walk along with her, not at all bothered by the pace. He's tired as well and...honestly, after three years of running after monsters- it felt good to take it slow]

Probably Rocky Road, but I'll eat any kind.

You?
redarm: (what?)

[personal profile] redarm 2017-08-29 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh yeah, that does sound good ... and girly, yeah.

[Not that he really cares that much about things being "girly". Food didn't have genders man. Just tastiness.]

Really? I didn't know you had a brother.

[Noah you could fill a library with things you don't know.]
redarm: (thoughtful eating.)

[personal profile] redarm 2017-08-29 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Really...? A twin?

[Though something seems a little wrong...usually people mention their twin, or doesn't have such a long pause before responding. So...he opts not to ask too many question.]

I'm a little jealous. I wanted a sibling, but my dad would say weird shit like "You give me so much light in my life, anymore and I'd go blind" or whatever whenever I'd mention it to him.

[In other words, his dad was not ready to deal with two children as high maintenance as Noah.]
redarm: (hrmph)

[personal profile] redarm 2017-08-30 05:11 am (UTC)(link)
Tch, I said a sibling. Not reenact Cheaper by the Dozen.

[He pauses as they keep walking. Talking about kids reminds him though...]

...Hey, have you come across a kid named Pharos?
redarm: (hate u master)

[personal profile] redarm 2017-08-31 04:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, he did.

[He gives a little nod.]

I've never heard of an app account passing to another person before. It's fucking strange.
redarm: (hrmph)

[personal profile] redarm 2017-09-03 06:08 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah...I guess you're right.

[He makes a small face at that. He can agree about looking after kids, but...he don't like kids that much.]

It's weird and kinda fucking morbid, but....the way he kept chatting me up even though I was a stranger, it...

[He shrugs] I dunno, I guess it reminded me a little of how I met Ryoji in the first place.
redarm: (that's not cool)

[personal profile] redarm 2017-09-04 05:07 pm (UTC)(link)
[That makes him give a surprised look in return. He had thought he was just being morbid, seeing patterns that weren't there because he missed his friend, but...]

Huh? You too?

[He frowns, worried]

I dunno...what do you mean by "done something"?
redarm: (what?)

[personal profile] redarm 2017-09-07 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
[......

Noah meanwhile, wants to know. But at the same time...he might be just chasing ghosts. Just because the kid has similarities to Ryoji doesn't necessarily mean anything...]


...Y-Yeah, okay. He seemed nice, for a kid.
redarm: (hrmph)

[personal profile] redarm 2017-09-09 01:34 am (UTC)(link)
[Yeah this matter is completely settled and it will in no way come back to haunt us]

Oh, right. [he got distracted ok] Let's go.