Inexplicable Loss

There was no set destination in mind after the Sōhei had said their farewells, and Kai had given Mizuki a rather pointed look before disappearing into the trees with his kin. There was one thing though that both Mizuki and Ryō could agree on, and that was that there was no way on any land that they were returning to the village Miwa's establishment was located in. It was too risky, and Mizuki felt uncomfortable putting their new charges under hostile eyes.

The white-haired male was concerned by the appearance of the new crest, worn in plain sight by what had been two very nervous looking warriors. Their goal in the area had been achieved, so it was back to their normal wayward lives...whatever normal was for a deadly assassin and his brother.

The light of the morning had started to peek between the tops of the trees around them, bathing the four of them in golden light. It also, unfortunately, highlighted the apparent need for cleanliness in all but one golden eyed traveller. Mizuki had to admit that they were a sight for sore eyes, with the two foreigners covered in matted blood, dirt specks and hair as greasy as the fish he'd eaten many nights ago. Once they were far enough from Meitou he would search for a nearby water source to wash away their filth, however it seemed for now they would have to tolerate it just a bit longer. Even if Mizuki's nose felt like it was going to burn itself off his face. He grimaced behind a veil of white hair once he picked up the petulant stench of Ryō. What is it with humans and not cleaning?!

"Mikky...You stink." A strangled noise followed after the soft tones of their only female companion, and Mizuki perked his ears up to listen in with curiosity.

"Well, that's not my fault! Have you smelt yourself recently at all?!" he watched with quiet amusement as Michael leaned towards his sister and made a dramatic face. What came next even startled the ever so silent Ryō into a chorus of coughs and chuckles. As Michael had tried to pull away, Evelyn's face twisted into a sly smile that put even Mizuki's to shame, and in the next moment had slapped her whole hand over the front of his face and just [pushed]. It was almost comical the way he had fallen, with eyes wide open in disbelief as his sister just gasped out her laughter.

"Oi, oi, oi!" He squawked, landing heavily on his backside. "That was uncalled for!" Yet there was a flicker of a smile pulling at his lips the moment he said so.

"Nope. You totally deserved that!" Ryō, now beside Mizuki, was having a hard time not sniggering at their antics and his friend just couldn't help the twitch of his lips as even he tried and failed to hide his emotions. Piercing blue met molten gold for a brief, but explosive, moment and Mizuki felt his insides tremble in response. "I told you months ago not to get in my face like that!"

"Well, I didn't think you'd react like that!!" Michael heaved himself off the ground, fingers brushing dirt and leaves from his person. "Where the hell did you learn [that]?" Evelyn blushed quite hard and shrugged her shoulders in nonchalance.

"Frank got irritating. So, I just improvised..." Her brother scoffed as they continued to stroll through the trees, soon turning away with a glazed look in his eyes. Evelyn felt her heart clench at the sight and nudged him gently with her elbow. She could just see the tiny little wheels turning and cogs clanking in those familiar deep ocean blues, and she couldn't help but notice with stark realisation that he had yet to process whatever the hell had happened to them. Her head still had trouble wrapping itself around the fact that nothing was right, yet she knew in one of the coming days both of them would have to face the reality of the situation. Even if it meant that what they knew had turned itself upside down.

"We need to tal---"

"I'm fine." There was no malice in his tone, just overwhelming sadness.

"You're not, and I'm not...but Michael," she laid her arm around his shoulder and stopped walking, watching as their new travelling companions continued for a little while longer to give them their space. She flashed a small smile then turned back to her only piece of family left in the world, watching his shoulders sag further down.

"We have to deal with this before either of us gets anymore lost than we already are..." her voice trailed off at the glistening tracks running silently down his face.

"I know...it's just my wife and daughter..." he turned to wrap his whole body around his sister and buried his face in her neck as she felt his frame shudder in silent sorrow. "...my life, Ev." There were a lot of things Evelyn could have said in that moment, about how everything would be fine, that they'll find a way back but for once in her life she couldn't say it. Why? Because she had no idea whether whatever happened could be reversed and logically thinking, all of it was absurd and straight out of some fantasy novel. She felt like she was dreaming, but wide awake at the same time. Almost as if it was a waking dream. So instead, she settled with a soft murmur in his ear.

"We'll get through this. Just like mum and dad, we'll survive..." she gave him a squeeze as a drop of salt water slipped down [her] cheek and soaked a small spot on Michael's shoulder.

"Mph phure u miph phank..." Evelyn sniffed noisily and drew back with a confused look on her face, watching her brother quietly gather all the pieces of himself back together before he looked up with mirthful dewy eyes. There was a breath of relief, then she prodded him in the chest demanding he repeat. His eyes were red and puffy, yet the sadness that had drowned him so fiercely was nowhere to be seen. Buried and hidden, much like his memories of their parents. His lip twitched.

"I said: I'm sure you miss Frank." He had expected a slap and at the very least a shove, but the wistful expression surprised him. He took the bait. "Oh Ev! You do miss him!" Slap! There was the reaction he had hoped for. He grinned toothily and swatted his sister away with a weak chuckle, watching her stamp off towards their new-found company in a huff. She glanced back and Michael could have sworn he saw a very brief smirk dance at the edge of her mouth before it was smothered by a smile. At the very same moment, Michael saw Mizuki turn at the commotion, followed by Ryō, and observed the way he looked at his sister. It was curious to say the least, because he was rather certain there was a glimmer of softness glowing in that golden eye of his. Curious indeed.