[ tell me where to go — and i'll find you. ] { mizuki & eiji }

Mizuki knew those adventurers didn't mean well when they set her on their way. She knew this, but still, off they went. Following the directions given to her because she had no other choice. Asking for something like this was scary. She didn't want to be bothersome. Sometimes it felt like they needed to do things on their own, when she very well didn't have to. Was it foolish? Perhaps. But she'd still go along with it. Because it couldn't hurt to see the fairy. Maybe she could get a few answers, at least. Maybe they would actually be helpful despite the way the others talked about them.

The area is spotted easily in the woods. Isolated, there is that shimmery purple tulle she was told about. It's odd to see something like that in a place like this, but this doesn't deter her from her mission. ...That makes it sound like she's scared. They're not! They're simply... observing their surroundings. It is odd to see purple tulle in the woods, is it not? Whatever! They didn't need to justify their line of thinking! Maybe they were a smidge more nervous than they previously thought.

"Pardon me, is anyone here?"

Green eyes scan the trees for any sign of the fairy. This would be their first time meeting one, actually. They made sure to read up on proper fairy etiquette so she wouldn't fumble when speaking, because that was the proper thing to do when you're trying to strike up a deal. Or- business proposal? She just wanted to learn how to control her powers, they could work out payment, and what to call this arrangement, later.

"I've come to... ask a question, or two, if that's alright..!"

There's always busywork to be done. When there aren't customers, more potions need to be brewed. When the potions are all done, they need to be properly bottled and labeled. When the labelling and bottling processes are done, there's a mess to be cleaned. When there's no mess, there's undoubtedly something else and something else again, so on and so forth forever.

He's in the middle of cleaning up a strange spill in the back of the shop, because one of the passing adventurers had gotten upset and thrown their potion bottle at him in aggravation. He narrowly dodged a face full of glass, but his shop cart wasn't so lucky. Whatever was in there, because it certainly wasn't one of his potions, had started to sear into the wood, which was frustrating enough to have Eiji muttering to themself, when-

Their head perks up, and their full body whips around to face the potential customer. Their elbow leans against the mop they'd been using, and an easy smile settles on their face, before-

Realising the person isn't actually nearby.

His face drops for a second, something akin to tiredness, or perhaps frustration, taking over the friendly air they put off usually. They quietly clear their throat, shaking their head as if it'll shake away the temporary negative feelings just like that, and speak up.

"Right over here~ You have to follow the tulle! I promise, it'll lead you straight to me. I have solutions to any problem you might face, so long as you come right to me."

A burning sense of embarrassment crawls up her neck, right to the very tips of her ears. She knew she was forgetting part of the directions. "R-right, sorry!" She fumbles out an apology before properly following the tulle. It's hard not to stare at the shimmery purple color of it. She wondered where this fairy had gotten it. Perhaps from a shop in town, or maybe a place only fairies knew about? The curiosity played in the back of her mind. She needed to focus on her goal. There was no time for silly questions that weren't very important.

Like the voice said, it does lead Mizuki straight to the fairy. She's breathless for a moment. A fleeting one. She had never seen someone so... beautiful before. She was staring, pretty intently too. How long was she just standing there? The blush burns brighter on her face when she realizes this. "Ah, hello! Sorry, I was just--" Glancing away, she takes in her surroundings. "I didn't mean to stare. I hope I'm not interrupting anything either!"

She gets over herself quickly, regaining composure just as fast. Walking right up to him. "I need your help. You see, I-" She furrows her brows as she tries to search for the right words. "I'm not sure how to... fully control the powers I have, and-- I've heard fairies are pretty good with that sort of thing!" She clasps her hands together, in front of her chest. "So I was wondering if you'd be willing to-- teach me? Or-- tell me what to do."

Desperation is clear on her face, in her voice. She truly didn't care what she had to do to make sure nothing bad would happen. If she could get better control of what she could see, she wouldn't have to worry so much, right? That's what she hoped for.

"I'm willing to pay any amount. Whatever you need-- I promise I'll make it worth your time."

Eiji waves a carefree hand, a twinkling laugh falling out easily at the silliness of the stranger.

"No need to worry!" he announces, placing the back of his hand under his chin. "I don't mind a little staring~ Oh, if only there were some way to make one's visage last longer in the mind! I'd encourage it in a - heart-beat."

Heart-beat is accompanied with a metronome-like movement of a finger and a giggle, followed by them turning their whole body in an exaggerated motion. They sigh with an almost dreamy look on their face, then look at the stranger with a friendly gaze.

"The trees truly are beautiful in this lighting, don't you think? The sun hits each leaf in just the right way and they just look...glittery. It's wonderful. This is a nice location."

He hums quietly, content, as if he hasn't skipped over all of the stranger's questions entirely. They then stand upright, rolling their neck and their shoulders, outstretching their hands to the stranger, then to the sky. Or, rather, the roof of the cart.

"I'd be happy to help, but you've skipped another step, dear," he says, still looking up at the roof. There's a stray weed up there, somehow having made it to the top and is now growing through the wood. He narrows his eyes, reaching up to tug it loose, then runs it over his fingers. "What powers are we talking about? I can't give you the precise help something like magic requires without knowing what I'm dealing with."

They flick the weed into a traveling cauldron within the cart, and it bubbles in a way that almost sounds like a scream.

He rests his elbows on the counter of the cart, leaning out of it and towards the stranger with a curious expression.

"Say, what's your name? This will be easier if I have something to call my client. Here, I'll even go first to make it less, er... stressful. First introductions, first impressions, all that."

He juts a hand out, finely manicured and delicate, and grins.

"I'm Eiji Date, but please just call me Eiji. I'm not one who likes to stick with stuffy honourifics."

Fairies are tricky to deal with. Mizuki, foolishly, believes she has everything handled. She won't slip up. She won't lose focus just because this person was extremely pretty. ...Okay, that's not helping. She huffs quietly to herself. Get your head in the game, girl.

"...It is very nice. I like the purple tulle very much, actually." It was fine to have a pleasant conversation. Nothing about this was distracting despite the fact that nothing she said was addressed, until it was. And she's met with a roadblock in her plan. Gently, she presses a hand to her her throat. "I... am not able to tell you directly, but I assume-- fairies are the best kind of people to ask for this sort of thing, if you know what I mean." Desperate still, but tinged with a bit of melancholy. "If-- If you still don't understand, that's okay." But it wasn't. It wouldn't be, ever. She needed him to know.

Life or death. The world was forced into her hands.

She opens her mouth. Then closes it "Before I say it-- Are they true? The warnings about giving your name out to fairies?" She read, a long time ago, that names were important to fair folk. It gave you a lot of power over a person once they knew it. And they'd do anything to get it. Maybe she was being paranoid or overly cautious. She still had to hope that they would help her.

...Then she feels silly even asking such a question, because there they go, giving out their full name. She should do the same, right? It'd be incredibly rude if she didn't. "N-never mind! My name is Mizuki. Just Mizuki is... fine with me." She smiles very faintly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Eiji."

"How silly to ask a question before disregarding yourself. And what if the warnings had been true, mm? I'd be able to make you do whatever I want now, Mi~zu~ki~"

An almost cruel laugh, one that shifts to sound like bells, then a warning, then thunder crashing, then a very plain laugh, echoes out. He then sighs, considering Mizuki's words from before. He hums, distantly, then pouts.

"Can't say, huh? What a downright shame..." They tilt their head every which way, considering Mizuki's implications, then shakes his head. "No, no, I can't say I do know what you mean. Very, very sorry. Oh so truly." He leans back into the cart, rolling their shoulders. "What, a curse? A malady? Or perhaps you want to make someone fall in love with you, but you know it feels wrong, so you refuse to say it outright? My goodness, could you want my help with baby's first sin?"

He glances over her, before realising she's human.

...And familiar.

"Ooooor, aha! Yes, ohohoo, could it be?" He smacks his fist against the counter, then points at Mizuki. "Youuu want some kind of spell that can crush your opposition! That's what humans do, right?"

He twists his finger in the air, clearly "cycling" through things humans like.

"Yes, yes... Money, fame, winning, congratulations, love, the things most people enjoy."

He leans out again, gradually getting closer to Mizuki until they can - "Boop!" poke her nose. "Just kidding!"

They pull back rather quickly, giggling to themself, before fully cracking up.

"Did I getcha? Huh? Huhhh? Did you think you were hope~less for a sec there? Hmmmm? Of course I know what certain humans come to fairies for! I'd be broke if I didn't know!" Another delighted giggle, before they continue. "You need help with spooky scary big bad visions, don't you? No- don't tell me, don't even try. I know." A pause, and then another giggle. Dickhead. "Oh- Oh, that's right! You can't tell me!"

They take a moment to calm their laughter, clearing their throat and taking a deep breath. He smiles and narrows his eyes, tilting his head.

"I think I have just the thing to help you."

Mizuki certainly isn't used to being spoken to in such a manner. She gets it, though. She's just... another silly human looking for help from someone who didn't need to accept.

The laughter makes her feel... bad. No matter what it sounded like, it was still directed at her and her alone. Was her situation so hopeless that it was funny? Her stomach twists in knots at the assumption she makes, which, she knows she shouldn't do. But this was serious. But she wasn't being treated seriously.

He says things that aren't right, that aren't true, and in that moment she had half a mind to leave right then and there. Of course she couldn't talk about it. Did he know what kind of fate would befall her if she did? No, no. He didn't. But that wasn't his fault, was it? It was unfair to get upset. It was rude to suddenly leave without saying anything. So there she stood, taking everything he said. Staying silent. What could she even say?

She blinks in confusion when he boops her nose? "Huh..?" Oh, there was that laughter again. She smiles despite herself. It was rather silly, wasn't it? So silly that she doesn't know what to say, again. Until he's teasing her — mocking her. She tries to take it in stride. All she had to do was be brave. "..Oh? You do?" She's skeptical, of course, but she's willing to listen. Willing to see what it was. She knows she can't give him much to work with, so it was a blessing he even agreed to help. How could she refuse?

Oh? You do?

Gotcha.

Like the jaws of a bear trap, Eiji snaps down around the hint of interest he's given. Digging in, holding firm. Their expression shifts through something like scrutiny into something far more placid, settling on subtle amusement.

"Of course I do. It'll do you some good in the future to never doubt your only option, you know."

They quickly turn, busying themself with various bottles and strange looking spices and jars near the back of the cart.

"Yes, yes, hmm... No, that's not it... Frog breath, tears of a mother, fast-acting love spray, slow-acting love spray, stray horse hair, none of these are- Oh, oh- Hold on, is that-" Eiji lifts a bottle triumphantly into the light, the bottle glimmering a brilliant red and reflecting crimson light onto Eiji in such a way that almost makes them appear sinister --

Only for their face to drop.

"Ugh. This isn't it either. Unless you have plants at home that you want to grow wildly fast at the certainly-non-zero percent chance of suddenly becoming a horrible man-eating creature that might want to create some new super-species of itself." They place the bottle on the counter then pat the top carefully. "I'll leave that decision up to you."

After a bit more rummaging, Eiji pops back up with more excitement.

"Now we're in business~!"

A similarly red bottle rests in the fairy's open palm, though the bottle is much shinier than the first. As if it's been carefully polished again and again just to keep it pristine.

"Now, a rather large part of controoolling your power to seeee the future! comes down to concentration, yeah? But that's not all there is to it. Hardly at all, really. That's just what the guys who've got it allll figured out already waaant you to believe! A greater seer than thou will hoard the secrets until they die." Eiji waggles their finger again, winking. "Buuut, you have me! And I know all those geezers' secrets. It's this stupidly rare root that cost me a fortune to get even one of, that must be distilled into liquid form. Something about absorbing it through the blood quicker via liquid, you get the gist! Andd, you're in luck." Eiji snaps their fingers, pointing at Mizuki with a grin. "I'll sell it to you at a total loss. 3000 yen, no more and no less, and you'll be a step closer to your goal."

Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. See if she's buying it...

Sink the teeth of the trap deeper. That's what it's designed for. When the prey struggles, it embeds the sharp edges further and further into the limb until the only choice is to abandon a part of yourself.

"One drawback, though. Two, perhaps, if you worry what people think of you. It's sort of a... program. You have to consume a large quantity of the root, but if you drink more than this amount in a single week, your skin gets all green and flaky and will crackle all gross-like. Lots of pus, it's hideous. So it has to be done consistently over time, in smaller doses. You'll pay less on subsequent visits, of course, I'm not trying to wring you of everything you've got! The second is simply the required ritual that comes with it. Very long, very complicated, toooop secret if you don't plan to accept though."

Eiji leans onto the counter with one elbow, holding their hand out to Mizuki.

"Do we have a deal?"

It'll do you some good in the future to never doubt your only option, you know.

Mizuki has to hold back the urge to reach up and clutch at her chest, like those words alone had injured her very soul. Some good... in the future. You don't know. You don't know. The only futures I see are never good. But I so desperately want them to be. Do you understand that? Can you understand that at all? I.. almost want you to understand. But I would never wish this fate on anyone else.

It doesn't matter. In the end, things will always be as they should be.

She releases a breath, like she was waiting for something terrible to happen. Eiji turns away to look for something and Mizuki tries to feel hopeful. All she can do is try. Try, try, try again. The bottle of crimson almost reminds her of something, something she once saw in a vision, but it slips away. She looks down at it with a wary expression after Eiji explains what it does. "I, uh... I think I'm good. I'd rather not... cause trouble."

Green eyes lift from the intimidating bottle to look at the new one. Shiny. Like an apple, almost. There's something to be said here about a garden and a serpent. About a girl and an apple. About knowledge that doesn't belong to you but you want it anyway. What could it hurt? What could go wrong?

Her attention is immediately back on Eiji and she listens to their words carefully. Considering. Hearing someone else talk about her powers is jarring. When her mother did, she always held Mizuki's face so gently, with both hands. Foreheads touching. Eyes closed. "This is a special gift. It may scare you, but you will always be safe here. You don't have to let it be stronger than you are, my flower. You were blessed, even if you do not believe so." And she didn't. And she doesn't. She could never view this power as a blessing even if she wanted to. Going through life seeing terrible, terrible things. With no way to stop them. She tries. She tries. She tries. But she can only grasp at sand and let it hopelessly fall through her fingers every time.

Why can't it be easy?

I want it to be easy.

"Ah... I see." The price wasn't the issue. It never was. Trusting strangers? That was a completely different story. She had to trust that people wouldn't lie to her, wouldn't trick her. And that was scary in itself. But currently, Eiji was her only hope. Eiji was the only person she could rely on right now. She didn't know anyone else. "That's... that's fine, I can do that-" Oh. A drawback? There was always a catch, wasn't there? She smiles. Timid and small. She felt small. Which was funny, given her height.

"A program..?" She makes a face as he describes the terrible outcome of drinking more than you were supposed to. "R-right, okay. I figured I would have to come back anyway, so... that's okay. I can- I can handle that. There's, uh... no need to worry about me not following directions, if that helps any."

Mizuki looks at the hand offered to her.

Then at Eiji.

What other choice do I have?

She gently takes their hand into her own, gripping it loosely.

"Yes. We... have a deal."

And in comes the true purpose of the trap; it is not the jaws themselves that are designed to kill, but rather to leave the prey's neck open, ready for the final blow.

Mizuki's hand slips into their own, and he cannot help a knowing smile. The axe falls, and Eiji grips her hand tightly, almost painfully, shaking it hard enough to jostle her completely. They pull away from the contact just a bit too quickly, sliding their hand across the counter smoothly. Discreetly.

Wood flakes away. Splinters.

They don't notice.

"Now, now, if we are to carry out this fated dealll..." Eiji lifts the bottle once again, dangling it tantalisingly close to Mizuki's face. "You'll have to fork over the pay first and foremost. How can I trust you won't take my services and run, hmmm?"

The bottle slips from his hand for all of a second, and he smirks as it drops. As the hope slips. As the only option falls away, leaving Mizuki-

"Oops! Slippery fingers!"

They swipe it out of the air, balancing it on their palm next to their head.

"All O-K! Yeeesss?"

. . . That's enough fun. He clutches the bottle tightly, then taps the counter with a closed-eye smile.

"Anywho! Paaaayyy~ment time. Now, preferablyyy. I do not have all day."

.

They... kinda do... so long as no other customers show up (they never do this time of day).... He's just being rude againnn.

Ow. Mizuki holds her hand to her chest, looking down at it, like something had changed. It didn't, but it felt like it did. Like she lost something she couldn't get back. The lingering feeling of dread.

This will be worth it, she tries to convince herself.

She feels a bit dizzy from being shaken so harshly but she keeps her mouth shut about it. It wouldn't do her any good to try to start something when she needed the help. It's always about help. It's always been about helping others. If she can control her power, maybe she could change things for the better.

She looks at the bottle warily.

"Oh, right, of course-"

Mizuki almost cries right then and there.

Mizuki almost falls to her knees right then and there.

But that doesn't happen, because the bottle is safe. Her breathing had hitched, but it was okay. Hope was still in her reach.

"...Y-yes. Of course." She reaches into her bag to pull out the money she needed to pay. It was all there. And then it was on the counter. Her hands shake as she pulls them away after leaving the payment. "There."

People will always take things that are not theirs. It is the nature of 'being alive', by any definition. And they will grip tightly. And they will not let go, no matter what you ask of them.

Hesitation, subtle distress, worry -- all of it paints Mizuki as clear as day. And Eiji is nothing if not cruel. He laughs, merciless, and he doesn't care if his amusement gives away the 'mistake' as something deliberate.

"Ahh, too easy~" Eiji purrs, and it holds too many meanings to parse the real one. Before Mizuki gets the chance to think, to wonder if she's been tricked, to take back her agreement to purchase, he swipes up the currency.

They continue to withhold the product, though. Making a show of it. He starts to bring the bottle towards her, before tugging it back, tutting. He counts the money. Squints. Hems and haws. Considers. Stalls.

Wasting her time.

Wasting her oh-so precious time.

You came to get something to alter what you were given, so you'll pay any price. You'll waste anything you have.

"The weather has been lovely lately," they muse, re-counting the money. Re-counting. And yet again-

"Hmm, yes, that's sufficient. You'll have to forgive my thoroughness! I've been shortchanged far too many times, by people who view themselves as too financially powerful to be willing to pay full price. Which truly is ridiculous. If they wanted to pay less, they should have played their hand at bartering!"

... Not that bartering with Eiji Date ever worked. It is, historically, the number one path to pay more than you're due.

"Now, for that ritual. I'd let you run off, drink the potion, and just write down the instructions for it, but... well. A supervisor is sort of requiiired. Unless you want to accidentally go blind, that's really up to you! But I'd rather be safe than sorry, wouldn't you?"

So, it's not your choice after all.

On that note, Eiji finally steps down from the cart, carrying the potion as he does (as well as a couple mystery items, possibly to help with the whole ritual thing.) and he is immediately-

Hm. Is intimidated the right word? No. Caught off guard, perhaps? Yes. They are immediately caught off guard by how tall this princess is. He has to crane his neck in order to look her in the eyes, something he's not entirely unused to, just- Well. They act so timid! And small!

He can't possibly hide the surprise, and mentally kicks himself for this, but quickly shakes his head to try and move past it.

". . . We will begin whenever you're ready."