Tetrominon !qIDtlWKoxU 2008/08/12 (Tue) 08:06 No. 5536 As you move on down the track, Sanae suddenly lets go of your arm. You look to make sure nothing's happened to her, but by the time your head is turned, she's already taken your hand in hers and is most decidedly not looking back at you. After a second, her cheeks start turning pink. Deciding to take that as a hint, you move your gaze to the man loading up his cart. He's old, but not quite elderly, thin but fit, probably been doing this his whole life, from the looks of it. "Good morning," you call over politely.
He sets the barrel in his hands down before smiling amiably in return. "H'lo there." This is only a hiccup in his rhythm, and he's already moving on to the next one. Looks like he's about halfway done.
You take a couple of steps towards him and try again. "Need any help?"
His grunt as he picks up another barrel might have been part of a response, or it might not. Either way, he manages a more coherent one as he moves back to the cart: "All I can get."
That's good enough for you. A squeeze on Sanae's hand, and she lets you go to make good on your offer. Setting your spear and the wrapped bento on the ground, you grab the nearest barrel and get to work. Out of nowhere, the old man works up a steady stream of chatter as you both move. "Thank'ya kindly. Last market I expect t'see this year afore winter sets in, so I would pick this day of all days t'sleep late, eh? Like as not, gonna be the last to arrive, even with ye'r help. Not that I don't appreciate it, 'course, just... hey, now, no need for you t'..."
"I'll be-- oof! I'll be fine." Turning around from the cart, you see Sanae managing to lift one of the barrels and stagger over towards you. You've seen her lift stone pillars that could've easily weighed upwards of a ton with less effort, but she's putting on a good act.
"Hm, s'pose y'will at that." The work dynamic changes slightly, the old man staying up on the cart to stack the barrels you and Sanae carry over to him, allowing his talking to go on with even fewer interruptions. "Outsiders, are ye? Just arrived recently, too, ain't hard t'say. Well, welcome t'Gensokyo, however long y'decide t'stay. Mornin', good mornin' to ya!" This greeting is shouted out to the young couple you saw earlier as they pass by, returning it in kind, their own cart already laden with baskets of apples. "Aye, take them, f'r instance. Came here, oh, was it already a year ago, now? But aye, decided t'stay on and make the most of it, 'nd that they have. Good folk, came together 'nd they've stuck through it together, fair weather 'nd foul. Not so diff'rent from you two, if I ain't too forward in sayin'." You and Sanae exchange a glance at each other as you pass, but she just smiles. The old man, though, maybe thinks he did say too much, as he lets the rest of the job go by in silence, breaking it only once it's done. "That's the last of 'em, then, thanks for the help. Hop on board, I'll give ye a lift in." He climbs up and takes the central seat on the wide bench at the head of the cart, Sanae taking up on one side of him, yourself taking the other after retrieving your cargo. "Name's Matsutaki, good t'know ye," he adds as he gets the ox started on his way.
"I am Sanae. Pleased to meet you."
"Chulainn, likewise. You said earlier those two decided to stay," you decide to try and guide his rambling somewhat, "so, they had the option to leave?"
"Aye, that's right. Anyone comes from the outside, they get the choice to stay here or go up to see th' Hakurei and get sent back. I don't know what life's like on the outside, o'course, but I gather it must be a good deal easier goin' than we have here. Most folks, they can't get used t' the diff'rence, 'nd so ask t'get sent back. No shame in it, I s'ppose, just bein' they weren't raised for labor. Sometimes, folk like them two come along, 'nd we got ourselves an increase in population. More of 'em stick around than I think I'm makin' it sound like, y'understand, but still a minority. Why, some of 'em been around here as long as I have..." From here, it degenerates into aimless anecdotes and reminiscences. Sanae listens intently without interrupting, but you just can't help tuning it out. Probably he reminds her of that grandfather figure she had back outside, ran the tobacco shop, what was his name? Eh, it'll come to you.
After a while, Matsutaki brings the cart to a stop at the edge of the market square in the village's center. "Well, here we are, made better time than I expected, too. Y'ever need a good deal on rice, s'ppose y'know who t'come to, eh?" Sanae laughs politely as she disembarks, but Matsutaki's hand on your shoulder keeps you from following her. "Hold on a moment, son. You any good with that spear y'carry?"
"I, uh, get by," you say, trying to sound modest. "Why do you ask?"
"Just a couple pieces o' advice, if ye decide t'stay on here. First off, a young man what can take care of 'imself such as ye, could do worse than goin' t'see Keine about joinin' th' village guard. That's Keine Kamishirasawa, sort o' th' village protector, also our schoolteacher, so that's where ye'd find her now. Teachin', o'course, so have t'wait 'til later. But, the other thing..." He leans in close, whispering conspiratorially. "Folks from outside, often times they miss things they had before that they can't get now, ye ken? Well, ain't common knowledge, but things fall through th' border as often as people, 'nd even less common knowledge is, there's a man what collects 'em and holds 'em for sale. Strange sort o' fella, ain't gonna find 'im here at market any day y'look, but runs his own shop out in th' forest, there. Th' gettin' to it's a mite dangerous, what with th' youkai that prowl around out there, but I get th' feelin' from ye, ye'd find it all right. Somethin' t'keep in mind, eh?" With a grin and a wink, he claps your shoulder with one hand, signaling an end to the conversation. Grabbing your stuff, you climb off and find your way next to Sanae. Waving good-bye to Matsutaki with one hand, her other finds its way back to yours as he trundles off to find an open space, leaving the two of you alone again, naturally.
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And that's all you're getting out of me until next week. Open voting, whatever you decide to do. I'm gone.
