synflux | ( OPEN-ISH ) ROAD TRIP: SENDAI

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( OPEN-ISH ) ROAD TRIP: SENDAI

WHO: Yuji, Tsurumaru and their friends/CR
WHAT: A road trip to their hometown, Sendai
WHERE: Sendai and places along the way
WHEN: Weekend of the 6th-8th
WARNINGS: None at the moment!

SENDAI ROAD TRIP

aka boys visit home and hang out with their friends

As summer starts to come to an end and autumn starts to begin, Yuji comes up with an exciting idea: having learned that Tsurumaru is also 'from' the Sendai region and being reunited with many of his friends, he wants to go on a trip. It's not too difficult to plot a route from Neo Tokyo to his hometown, in Miyagi Prefecture.

While some people are personally invited (and they're not allowed to say no, thanks to Yuji's earnest expression and Tsurumaru's natural charm) anyone who is friendly with both are welcome to join in the road trip, to have fun, hang out, sleep at a temple and generally have a novel time exploring what was once home.

▶ 001. FOX HUNT.

To get to Sendai, everyone must cross through forests and mountains while occasionally stopping by ruined and abandoned cities. The further north they go, the colder and colder it gets until they start to encounter snow on the abandoned highways and roads. When they're close to Sendai, the road they're taking will take them through the abandoned village of Zao.

Zao is a small village in the mountains and there is a heavy layer of snow already. While they won't find any people, they will find many foxes running around. They range in colors like white, black, orange, blonde, and everything in between. While most of them seem ordinary enough, some of them are unusually large and have up to nine tails.

At first, they mind their own business but once they notice the group, they'll become very friendly and start to circle them. The foxes will try to cuddle with them and pick their pockets for valuables. Somehow, they even manage to get items that are locked up inside their vehicles. They try to play games with them using the stolen items. They run through the city and seem to change in size, shrinking and growing to escape them. Just when you manage to grab one, it disappears as if you were chasing an illusion the entire time. It all seems to be harmless fun and they'll eventually relent if you offer them food. After they're fed and have had their fun, they'll start to settle and allow cuddles and pets before the group has to move on to Sendai.

▶ 002. SEEING THE SIGHTS.

They'll arrive in Sendai in the afternoon. Maybe because it was once the largest city in the region, the city seems more impressive than some of the other cities they've passed through. While it is largely left to ruin, many of the buildings still stand and the roads are still navigable.

They'll also find a small population of people in the city. They centralize mostly around the station area though people can be found throughout the city. Local families make use of what is left of the city for shelter and live a hunter-gatherer type of life by going out into the mountains and forests to hunt and scavenge for supplies. There is also a group of researchers and military personnel that maintain a small watch station, relaying reports and information from the north down to Tokyo.

Yuji takes charge once they get to Sendai proper, and starts to throw himself into the exciting role of official Sendai tour guide. There are various places he recommends, and they don't have to all go together: he's happy to take anyone who wants to stick with him with him, but people are free to go off on their own and do whatever they want. He's not going to pressure you!

The list of places he offers are as follows:

Zuihoden, the mausoleum complex of Date Masamune.
Sendaijo Ato, castle ruins that date back to the 1600s.
Akiu Falls, a 55 metre waterfall (which is awkwardly frozen, oops!)
The Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, from the Edo period.
Rinnoji Temple, founded by Shodo Shonin who introduced Buddhism to Nikko.
Aobayama Park, the site of the Sendai Castle ruins, surrounded by sakura trees - with the blossoms completely frozen and preserved.
Rairaikyo Gorge, a little hike that offers trees, moss covered rocks and a beautiful view of the frozen rivers.

Many of the tourist attractions from Yuji's time are somewhat abandoned, now, so many of the stores and packed avenues are deserted and empty when they visit. There are still some stores selling souviners and offering gifts to take home, but it's not quite as prolific as it once was - and things are very different from Neo Tokyo.

The people are kind and friendly enough, but due to the isolated and harsh nature of the environment, they tend to be serious and aren't really the types to stick around and have a casual chat. They will, however, answer questions and give directions if asked. By talking to the locals in the area, they can learn they're free to camp out and stay at any unclaimed building in the city if they want to stay. However, if they want to stay somewhere more comfortable, they suggest heading to the coast, where some monks maintain a temple that occasionally hosts guests.

▶ 003. NIGHT AT THE TEMPLE.

When it's time to rest and wind down, the group will decide to follow the advice of the locals and head towards the sea. Before they depart, some locals ask them to help take some supplies to the temple since they're going there anyway. The ride might be a little cramped with all of them and the bags and boxes of food and maintenance supplies but at least it isn't a long ride.

Eventually, they'll arrive at Matsushima City. Compared to Sendai, the city is a total ghost town. It won't take long to find it and once they do, it's hard to miss the large temple complex. It is made up of several buildings that are all carefully maintained by monks that are practicing meditation and training.

Some monks welcome them when they arrive. Apparently the supplier in Sendai called ahead to let them know they were on their way. They'll accept the supplies and if the group would like, they can even help carry the food to the kitchens and some of the other supplies to storage rooms. They're more than welcome to stay, though, they are warned that their accommodations will be humble.

Despite the warning, they are provided with comfortable futons, warm blankets, clean robes, hot baths, and simple but filling vegetarian meals. They don't ask for much in return but are happy to accept help maintaining the temple, whether it be with simple cleaning, doing some repairs, or helping to prepare meals. They are also welcome to worship and leave offerings. For those unfamiliar, some of the monks are happy to explain.

The temple also has a direct path to the scenic and renowned Matsushima Bay. It's different from how others might remember it, mainly because the sea freezes leaving sharp and spiky wave formations on the shoreline. As the frozen waves form, they make shattering and clinking sounds. There are also fewer islands than there were in the past because they have been destroyed by past attacks and disasters. However, the bay is still beautiful. There are still plenty of islands to see and there are even some thin paths and bridges connecting some of the closer islands if they want to explore.

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▶ 001. FOX HUNT.

[ During the travel towards Sendai, Yuji designates himself something of an on-board entertainment system for whoever ends up trapped with him. This ranges from trying to get people involved in karaoke, playing games like I-spy and naming things they know and doing impressions from various anime and moves he's seen... Until someone shuts him up, and he spends a bit of the journey quieted down.

Their arrival at the village is exciting, and Yuji is immediately throws himself out into the village, darting here and there as he tries to find all the foxes, getting down on their level and holding his hand out to encourage them to get closer to him. He does usually have a pretty decent way with animals, so...

As soon as one comes close, multiple tails swishing, he practically vibrates with excitement. ]

This is so cool...

[ Until, later, you might see one of the foxes running away with something in its mouth, and Yuji chasing after it. ]

Hey! Give me that back!

▶ 002. SEEING THE SIGHTS.

[ When they actually arrive in Sendai, Yuji is immediately in tour guide mode.

He lists off all the destinations he knows from his own time at home, urging people to go to particular places depending on what they're most interested in, nudging them here and there before he starts to make his own plans. He's excited to try and spend as much time with everyone as he can, and luckily with his natural speed and ability to teleport he's more likely than anyone else to get around to all the different places.

You can find him at various different places throughout the trip: Akiu Falls, trying to leap up to the top of the waterfall and being mostly successful; the Rinnoji Temple, looking around and trying to be as appropriate as possible; Aobayama Park, exploring the ruins and taking polaroids of the frozen trees and at Rairaikyo Gorge, taking part in the hike and photographing the view to take back.

Eventually, he does make his way to the small market spaces, peering here and there to get as many souviners as he possibly can. He has a huge list of people he wants to get gifts for, and he's being as personable as he can be - grinning, introducing himself, bowing, and altogether making himself a more than welcome guest for people who aren't used to his level of... Excitement.

It's also possible to find him just before they set out to the temple, snacking on some candy and looking utterly at peace. ]

▶ 003. NIGHT AT THE TEMPLE.

[ It's not the same as being able to go and find his grandpa's house, if that even exists, but to Yuji... The temple is nice. It's beautiful, and more than good enough to house them for the night.

He doesn't hesitate to throw himself into helping out the monks, carrying the supplies they brought inside, doing a little work here and there to help them out in payment for their kindness. You can catch him doing all kinds of odd jobs and work in the lead up to the evening without a moment of hesitation or pause.

The rest of the evening is spent in various places, so you might have to do your best to catch him!

He goes down to the beach for a while, to clamber around the frozen waves and take more photos, absolutely heedless of the possible danger that might come with it. He wanders around the paths and bridges, crossing over to some of the smaller islands and spending a few hours gazing up at the sky and the stars, in awe of the natural beauty of the world and how warm it makes him feel.

Later, he's back at the temple, helping to set up for dinner and enjoying himself before he disappears off to go and have a hot bath, changing into a simple set of robes once he's done so he can peer at the sky again. It's going to be a late night for him, but he doesn't seem all that upset by the idea, content to settle into some kind of relative peace for a while.

It feels good... He almost doesn't want to leave. ]

▶ 004. WILDCARD.

( As ever, wildcard me as you see fit and I'll roll with it! )

[Ever since they returned home from the last mission, Raidou has been working himself too hard again. All of his free time has been dedicated to training harder than ever. No socializing, no hanging out, just either sparring in the sim room, the occasion meditation session, or out on a long jog. Of course, until the pain glitch kicks in, and he's knocked out of training for a day or two, leading into this trip.

All of the worries that lead him into all that harsh training seems forgotten once they're out on this journey. Part of him was unsure about leaving his regimen behind, but how can he resist a hiking trip through the mountains, led by Yuji? This is the ideal trip for him. Even though he was born and raised quite far from this part of Japan, it makes him a bit homesick; the cool air, endless forests, small villages dotting the mountains.

Yuji's enthusiasm is infectious, and Raidou can't help but be sucked in by it. He's excited himself to visit any and all places in Sendai with him, and everyone, but the gorge is the one he wants to visit the most. A little side hiking excursion with just the two of them.

While out exploring, they come across an old bridge they should probably take care crossing. While peeking down at the river and rocks below, Raidou spots something, and he breaks into a grin.]

Ah. Yuji, look.

[He points down at a formation in the rocks with a particular shape.]

Let's get down there and take a photo.

[ Yuji knows they need this.

Things have been hard over the last few months, for the both of them. With the Underworld expedition and his own failures there, the after-effect still influencing him now, the fallout with Nanami, confessing everything to Geto... It had been hard to remain as optimistic as he usually is. It's one of the reasons why he had been so keen to do this, to ensure that both he and Raidou got away for a while - to give them a real break, to force them to relax.

Not everyone would consider a hike to be a decent break, but Yuji does, and he's more than happy to spend his time with his partner and explore the beauty of nature for a little while longer.

Peering over the edge of the bridge, his eyes widen with delight when he sees it. ]

There's no way... We have to go!

[ There's an urge to leap over the edge of the bridge and just tumble down, but he's not sure if that's a good idea, and he had promised Geto that he'd be good and careful, so... He stops himself, reaching back to take Raidou's hand and tug him along. ]

We should take a photo up here and then go down.

yuji / everlight

2

no subject

▶ 003

no subject

▶ 001. FOX HUNT.

no subject

WILDCARD.

aki / revelation

closed to denji.

temple!

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