living in the country is pretty boring

[windbreak]

[After a while, the weird becomes ordinary, and the ordinary becomes forgettable. In Yosuke's probably limited experience, that's how it works. First it was the case, then it was the academy - he's optimistic that he'll get used to this universe-hopping thing they get to do now in more or less the same way. It just takes time.

Heck, he might already be adjusting. He only yelps a little bit when his vague sense of disorientation suddenly coalesces around his ankles as so much cold river water.]

Gah, it's freezing! [Forgetting his hospitality for a moment, he splashes his way up the stony riverbank, one hand clumsily thrown up to shield his eyes from the sun.] Oh man, I liked these shoes...

[Once he's past the little stone pier and onto solid ground, he finally allows himself to flop down and start wrestling with his shoelaces. Thank god nobody besides them appears to be hanging around at this time of day, but that only gives him the feeling that some of the discarded Junes carrier bags in the grass are judging him instead.]

Comments

[ascendit]

[Nate can't help but laugh at him as he stomps ashore.] Should've worn your combat boots. [It's nothing short of a miracle that his uniform pair survived the war intact, but he's not about to question it. If they're going universe hopping on technology they're still ironing the kinks out of, of course he's going to wear durable, waterproof shoes. Even if they look a little out of place with his jeans and raglan shirt. Hey, so does his translator, and the lump of his junction device beneath his shirt.

[He scratches just beneath his translator. Being lucky enough to have English as one of his first languages, he's not at all used to wearing one, but they're aiming for Japan and he never learned 'Old Shumi'. At least he can pronounce Yosuke's name and "Inaba".]

So, did we hit the right place? [He's been trying to be cool about the idea of visiting Yosuke's home - or the last place Yosuke lived, at least - but now that they're here, he can't contain his curiosity.] Is this Inaba?

[His hand itches towards the journal and pencil in his back pocket, but he stops himself. Portrait of a Dumbass can be drawn later.]

[windbreak]

Rrgh, none of the other times dumped me in the frickin' river -

[He stops there, though, just as his first shoe squelches loose. That's right, this is Inaba! And somehow this is already ten times more surreal than the first time, pretty much as soon as the Gardens had quietened down, that he'd snuck all the way back to what he could still only think of as the past.

He'll go ahead and blame Nate's fashion sense. His own jacket is a little too thick for late spring even up in the mountains, come to think, although too thick is better than the alternative.]

They should all be at work until this evening, at least... I'll just go in and grab the other pair.

[The prospect immediately cheers him up.]

Well, that aside... Yeah! Welcome to Yasoinaba, Mr. Drake. [He would spread both arms in his mock theatrics, but he still needs to pull the other shoe off, so Nate only gets the one.] The heart of the scenic Inaba region. Population... small. Though it's, uh, bigger than just the river.

[He points over his shoulder without looking, confident that the familiar old rusty sign bearing the river's name isn't far behind him. This place doesn't change. Ever.]

This here's the Samegawa River. Can't see them around right now, but when it's warmer, there's always a few old folks walking along the bank, complaining about how none of the fish are the same any more. In the rainy season, it floods the banks... but lucky you, you get to skip that. That's basically it. It isn't wide enough for boats or anything.

...Fascinating, right?

[...is what he says, but he sounds pretty happy about it.]

the new game had younger brattier Nate!

[ascendit]

I've seen smaller. [And it's true: Ride your brother's motorcycle from Altamonte Springs, Florida to Cartagena, Bolivar and you get a lot of small towns.

[This one's more interesting, though, for its personal connection to someone he knows, rather than just being somewhere they drive through. He follows Yosuke's pointing, then looks around, imagining what he describes.]

Is this where people hang out, or...? [It looks wide enough for the little remote control boats available for rental during the race at Balamb Harbor.]

[windbreak]

Uhh... if you want the occasional old folks to gripe at you instead of the fish. Or if you're super bored. [Or if you need somewhere quiet and spacious to tell your best friend to punch you in the face, but he's playing the responsible senior here. ...He still counts as a senior if their last class took place in another world, right?] Truth be told, there isn't really anywhere for young people to hang out. No real arcade, no real movie theatre, the trains don't come that often... There's a karaoke place way out on the edge of town, I guess, but it's kind of a dump. I've been, like, once. Other than that, it's either Junes, or we just make do. Balamb's less sleepy, honestly.

[Heave ho, up he goes, with rather more effort than necessary.]

On the other hand, no monsters! Technically. Man, it would suck to have to run away from those with no shoes. ...My partner actually suggested that once.

[He shakes his head and gives his jacket a tug.]

Anyways, since we're not doing that, I gotta go grab some dry shoes before we do the whirlwind tour... That okay with you?

[ascendit]

[It still seems better than the town the orphanage had been in. Hey, there's a department store, and a river, and only occasional old folks instead of a constantly nagging nun.]

Yeah, shoes work. Gives me some time to draw the place without you waiting for me. [It's a little fond.]

Gonna go meet your 'partner' [yup, there go the finger quotes] too? [Like, detective partner? Romantic? Secret Japanese cowboys?]