For Those Left Behind

There's a memorial, slightly out of that way near Alne. Never visited by Landers, and occasionally it might be visited by those who found solace there in the first few days of the Apocalypse.

Often seen at the memorial, when she has time, is a Tanukia that Jazuhanzu has met in the past.

That same Tanuki with a single leaf on her head, slowly sweeping the almost vacant interior. She's humming softly to herself as she uses an old bundle of branches tied to a stick.

Every now and then, that Cait Sith Tanuki does glance up to look over the inside of the church, and those that are in there, before going back to her self-assigned duties. She then stops and pulls the cork out from the bottle gord that hangs at her hip, and takes a deep drink as she supports herself with the crude broom.

The twee and adorable witch-undine that shows up from time to time is here today, yes. She might as well put the word for 'cute' on a sign and hang it around her neck. Most everyone would agree that this is her aesthetic. She's presently padding her way into the memorial, a scroll clutched in one hand, rolled tightly. She's initially a little too unfocused to the notice Himari, more into the process of simply putting one foot ahead of the other as she dwells on whatever stray thought brought her here this time.

A glance up and then she stops, turning to look at Himari more closely. A tip of her head. Acknowledgment, such as it is in all its initial silence, but acknowledgement all the same.

Himari glances up for a moment, and takes a few moments to consider the new comer who use acknowledged her while corking the gourd. She tilts her head to the side, as her ears slowly twitch even though she goes back to sweeing. The leaf on her head seems to almost threaten to fall off as it does move forward and slightly fold on it.

However it doesn't, and Himari stares at cute Undine. She blinks a few times, and then tilts her head to the side.

"I think I saw you a while ago," she offers in a cheerful, sincere and friendly tone. "Actually I'm certain I met you at another memorial a while ago." She leans the makeshift broom to the side, and slowly makes her way towards cuter one. "Anyone in particular on your mind?"

"Hm?" Jazz seems to've once again been not paying terribly close attention. It's not that she didn't hear, it's just that it takes a moment for the words to penetrate. The tips of the tentacles that fall down over her shoulders twitch and lift up slightly as she returns her attention to regarding her.

"Himari, isn't it?" she offers, clearly remembering their last encounter, however brief it might have been.

"You did," she says after a moment, "... and yes. Sometimes, there is," she offers. Her voice...

... Her voice fits the rest of her aesthetic. It's like someone went down the list of anime voice actors and crossed off all the ones that weren't adorable enough until only the most ridiculously cutesy-cutesy ones were left to pick from. It's probably embarassing.

Himari Saito looks surprised when she's remembered, and offers a brillant smile. "I certainly am Himari Saito!" she offers, even though she's been remembered. "I'm glad that you remembered me!" Though she might actually say that to everyone she's met.

"If there is someone on your mind, would you like to light a candle for them and leave an offering, so that you can remember them by it?" she asks, as starts to move towards Jazz.

"Mmmn," is the Undine's reply. Her eyes flick towards the memorials left behind, scanning over them, as if trying to ascertain their meanings. After all, people are going to leave things behind. Tokens thawt help them remember.

"Do less people come these days?" she asks, distractedly, "or more?" Then back to her.

"A candle? I suppose."

Himari Saito purses her lips as she considers what is left. "Oh, some people come back from time to time. Mainly when its a birthday or anniversary," she offers, still in that same cheerful tone. "Others have moved onto other places. Or just seemed to have moved on beyond those that they can no longer see."

She glances downwards for a moment as she considers the Undine again, as her smile starts to turn apologetic.

"I... I don't really have any candles," she admits sheepisly as her face turns bright red.

"A-ActuallyI... I did try making some to save money, and I'm kind of hoping that you brought your own."

Jazuhanzu stares at her for a long moment. She just stares at her.

"Mhm. I suppose we'll have to get you some candles, then, to offer them. But it's fine that you don't. I was going to leave something here anyway."

She bends down to inspect some of them memorials left by the others, still studying them. Her hair droops around her, the ends of it curling upwards and wafting, as though she were underwater even now.

"For some people, it would be too painful to do anything other than let go."

With the staring, Himari glances away awkwardly.

"T-thank you," she offers, sheepishly. "I may have kind of set my camp on fire trying to make them." She then sighs and shakes her head, and mutters to herself. "And everyone else makes crafts and cooking look simple."

She moves over towards the Cute Undine again and considers the memorial she's stopped in front of.

"Everyone took it differently," she comments, finally in a more solemn tone. "All I acn do is try to look after the few memories they have left."

"For as long as they can keep them," replies Jazz, softly.

She kneels down and places the furled scroll amongst the other mementos. "Would that you were here to see it all with me," she says to ... whoever it is this is for. Despite how expressive she *looks*, she is hardly an open book.

"I'm sorry" she says after a. pause as she swivels to look at her, "... did you say set your camp on fire?"

Even though Himari does it on her own whim, she won't ask about anything left behind or even pry after the person leaving them behind is gone. She keeps a respectable level of distance, and silently watches.

"If I get my way, they'll keep them for as long as possible," she says with a bright smile. "It's all I can do."

She then laughs softly, and nods. "Oh, it's embarrassing, but it happens are lot. Sometimes I use too much water though." She sighs and shakes her head. "But it's all part of my challenge. We all have things we're useless at!"

"Your way? Is that why I keep seeing you lurking around places like this?" she asks.

She sighs and this too is so very anime, a fact she seems to recognize given the brief screwing up of her face as she turns to face her more fully after standing.

"Useless, eh?"

"Someone has to look after places like this," Himari Saito replies with a small frown. "Otherwise they'll most likely end up overrun with spirits and things!" The Tanuki quickly shakes her head. "Which would just make a mess when people want to visit them."

She then stares of a few moments when asked if she's useless. "Th-That's nto very nice!I-I'm good at a lot of things!" She then sighs softly. "I'm not completely ueseless!"

"IT's good that someone is," agrees Jazz, softly, nodding to her. She seems agreeable to that, but then the response to her query about 'useless' just has her staringh at her.

"You said all that yourself. I just asked you to clarify," she points out.

"I didn't question if you were good at anything. I only said 'Useless, eh?' You took it the rest of the way there. Perhaps among the things you should be doing is perhaps being a little kinder tou yourself." Her eyes have focused, fully, and finally upon her.