cursebound. (Earinor & Akira)

Both of them, the being before him, they were confused and it was apparent. Genji looked at them and tried to figure out what to do. It didn't seem like this happened before, maybe not even with another vessel? Otoha would have been able to tell him, but not in her current state. "If I had to guess... I'd suspect you both trying to gain control over this body at the same time.", Genji voiced his own opinion, but it was nothing more but wild speculation. They seemed happy, overly so, it was unlike Otoha, maybe more like Mikuni but in this moment it seemed displaced. They better sat down and stayed there for a while and if that wasn't possible, Genji would rather carry them, than letting them go on their own. They didn't seem in the right state to do that, nor did they seem overly bothered with anything going on around them. "Please just... rest... until we figure this out.", Genji implored them, putting his hands on their shoulders only briefly, before he rather shied back again.

Once they reiterated Otohas name, Genji shook his head. "I know that... but I want to talk to her specifically. Otoha... try and sleep for a while..." This was getting out of hand. Especially so when they got up on their feet again. "You don't look fine. I don't want you to trip on any roots or stones. I don't want you to hurt yourself." If Genji didn't know it better he'd guess they were drunk, but they clearly weren't. Instead something far more sinister was happening. Otoha didn't seem as happy the whole day and Mikuni was scared according to her, because all of this was too new to him. He left his for the first time since years and of course it was scary to him. The urgency to get somewhere was gone too, it was eerie, albeit them being so serene and content. Genji didn't know what to do and so he just stood there looking at them.

They had a knack for getting their ass into stupid situations, didn’t they? First, Otoha was only mad at Genji and berating him constantly and now, once she had a desire to actually deal with that, Mikuni was obstructing her from doing so and essentially forcing them both to become one. The result was less than pretty, and a body that was never meant to house more than one soul probably could only do so much to combat the stupidity of it’s own host - just to make everything work again, for better or for worse; they should work together, not against each other, at least for Genji, but they hadn’t learned anything, had they? “But we both kind of don’t want it, that’s the other problem. I think? I’m not sure if I want it.”, they both waffled on. Genji was already pressing them downward and back into a seating position, despite their best efforts to get up and coordinate their little walk just now - but they weren’t making any progress like that, it seemed, not for real, at the very least. Whatever, though, they figured as they sat there and let everything flow through their head once more. How were they going to undo this? Barely. Probably.

“We can’t just rest! Plus, my back hurts from that branch, so we should do something about that.”, they were eager to argue and weren’t going to take no for much of an answer. In theory, it was quite nice to have both of them around, but once the qualities that one could see at first glance stopped, it was quite apparent that this was an unthinkable mess of idiocy. “We are … she is trying. I’d say she’s half asleep anyway.” This scrambled caricature of a person had quite the ambitions and, worse than that, seemingly wasn’t so worried about its other parts, not as much as Genji proved to be, once the two of them had kind of revealed the bind they were in. There was nothing much they could do like this anyway, was there now? Another grin. Another smile. “I’m still trying to process waking up, I’m fine otherwise. I promise. Really. And if I fall, we can heal ourselves! We have that kind of magic, and you know that.”, the vessel argued and leaped forward to grab one of Genjis arms, dragging him closer. “Or do you just want your precious Mikuni back?”

"You're not well... please... we aren't in a hurry...", Genji tried once more. He realized they both wanted to keep going for some reason. He was worried and unsure of what they'd do in a state like this. Not that he thought they'd burn down the forest, but he didn't want to find out what the possibilities were. He sat them back down, trying to keep them there, but also not wanting to hurt them. He soon enough let go again, hoping that they'd just listen to him, without him having to press them down. "I'm sorry, I... uh..." What was he supposed to do about a hurting back? He was barely comfortable touching them. it was easier when it was Otoha, but he didn't want to impose on Mikuni. Well walking a bit would probably help them and yet it felt too dangerous to Genji. One didn't let a child run around the forest either, right? "Then at least take my arm for support...", he offered, even though it felt awkward to him, since he wasn't used to contact to anyone.

"Good... then maybe just give her a moment of rest...", he suggested. One of them had to give in and Genji simply thought Otoha was more in control of herself than Mikuni. "You shouldn't use up your power just like that... and it still hurts you, doesn't it?" Having self healing powers didn't mean they should be reckless. It took weeks to recover Mikunis body and he was in great pain. Genji didn't even want to think about it and he shied away a bit more, only to be suddenly grabbed by his arm. Now it was Otoha talking, definitely and Genjis heart sank to his stomach. Her glowing eye pierced him like a dagger. "N-No... I simply think it is easier for you to control yourself than for him.", Genji quickly answered, but didn't dare rip his arm out of her grasp. Otohas sudden question made him wonder if it wasn't mostly Mikuni speaking before. Maybe he just woke Otoha up by calling out to her.

Wasn't it easy to separate the egg from the yolk? In this case, it didn't seem to be - they didn't know what it ways that had hit them, it could have been a brick and they would have accepted it at face value, and yet, they weren't so sure about any of that. Happiness, truthfully, only came from the easy things in life, like annoying Genji or winning in a tournament of wits that nobody wanted to propose as reality in the first place. However, that was that and none of these things were genuinely happening right now - at least they figured that it was a stupid lie that they were telling themselves, and now they were living in it, especially as they sat there, on the dirty ground, contemplating their chances. "We aren't? But aren't we supposed to get away from them?", they expressed their confusion and then tilted their head. Before long, it was their own idiocy that capsized their brain and made little sense of all that happened around them. It was confusing at the very least, and painful at best. "Your arm? For support? I can walk by myself, don't worry so much about me!", they complained, but they still grabbed what was rightfully theirs, now at the very least, as they grinned like an idiot - Genji was like a violet in a field of roses; something special, and yet not uncommon.

A moment of respite, a moment of rest - it only culminated in a puff of anger and the realization that, even if they could exist like this, they shouldn't. After all, they were separate identities and they were committing some sort of blasphemous crime by becoming one, at least whatever part of them that was Mikuni was sure of that. Their assumption wasn't gleeful, not at all, and the moment that hit them in the stomach, they had but one thing they could cling to: Genjis words. Letting go of Otoha, however, wasn't so easy - she was essential to this symbiosis. "Well, yes, but ... still. Not for long?", they admitted with a rather painful smile, but at the very least they made some sort of attempt, one way or the other, while they could barely keep themselves from being an idiot at all. No, they clung to Genji with all their life and smiled, wholeheartedly, with so much more feeling than they had ever been asked to; his arm was their main target, but there was no answer for him, not in any way. "Genji, there's no you in us. We are one. Kind of. Untangling this mess takes more time than it has to. It'll sort itself out.", they claimed eventually. An extra set of arms and another pair of eyes would only make all of this worse.

"It will take time for them even getting back to the monastery, we left soon enough I'm sure. You said the nearest town is a few days away, so let's say two to three days to travel to town, more possibly since one of them was insured, then they need to gather men and walk back up. That gives us at least a week of a headstart, before they can even try and follow us.",he explained to them. They had plenty of time, since they left as soon as Mikuni rested up. Even if they got horses, they weren't much use in a forest like this. Even though Genji was very forgetful, all the common knowledge he gathered in all those years stayed in his head. Especially things that were unchanging. The topography of the world now was somewhat of a mystery to him, he didn't know cities names or countries even, but a forest would always be a forest and a horse would always be a horse. Mikuni and Otoha took his arm despite claiming they were fine, but Genji didn't start walking. He was still too worried they'd simply stumble over their own feet.

"You shouldn't be walking like this.", he claimed and with his free habd secured their two bags on his back. What was going on? Did this happen frequently? Something was off with Otohas powers, Mikuni claimed before that she never took hold of his body like she did the past days and Otoha colkaborated that statement. Genji didn't know how gods worked and for all he knew, he never really made an effort to learn about them, because he knew nothing. For now he decided to swipe them off of their feet to hold them in his arms, supporting their back with one arm and grabbing them under their knees with the other. "Just rest... Both of you.", he mumbled and he felt anxious, holding Mikuni close like this. He was afraid of hurting him somehow, but started walking so they were happy with their progress.

Normally, they coexisted, but currently they were one, begrudgingly so, and definitely stuck in their own ways, too. Otoha had different ideas, much like Mikuni and their brain was wracking itself over working with those different impulses, half of which never worked anyway - sometimes, they cancelled each other out a bit too well, didn't they? It almost hurt to admit, but it was like that and not any different - it never would be again, and the two of them didn't seem to get that they were just making it worse for themselves. Happiness came with a price, but in their little predicament, there was no such thing in sight, oh hell no. "Even with a headstart, we should work on that, and we should get going and not worry about shemantics like this!", one of their voices complained rather loudly and it was definitely Otoha, now that she spoke up and made herself known. Mikuni was such a burden on her, it seemed, that she wanted his body to herself in general. That hadn't worked very well, not with this attempt at least, and she had no other thing to say, no other way to get herself out of this predicament. It sucked.

"We can coordinate ourselves, thank you very much!", the chipper voice told the older man, but then again, they were just lying through their bare teeth and any and all attempts they had made, well, they weren't going anywhere, or at least not much of any place at this point, even when they were doing their best to not intermingle too much with one another. Wasn't this just a fullblown mess? Oh, they were, but they seemed to be hellbent on making it work somehow, even if it shouldn't, and even if they shouldn't be doing this, but even then, they seemingly had no other choice in that regard, did they now? Before they could take another step, however, they were swept off of their feet all the same and felt themselves pressed against another body - one side of them wanted to react in disgust, while the other was simply swooning over their demonic prince that swept them up into his arms. What idiots they were, and how simple this trick was. "Fine ... fine. But why? Like we said, we can walk, and talk, and ... basically anything else. You're just making this harder on yourself. Do you hurt anywhere? Can we help you? Will a spell soothe you? Repay your kindness?"

Genji wasn't sure where all of this would lead. He didn't think he'd found himself in a situation like this, he didn't think he'd be around anyone for long, much less a long forgotten love and a young man that was scared of him, yet had no other option but to follow him and his goddess. "You worry too much... I survived all this time, you know? I might not age, but I can still die..." Yet he didn't for over 800 years if he was to believe Otoha and the scriptures that talked about her life at least. Despite not being able to remember much of his past, he was alive and rather well and he knew how to avoid people hunting him down, even if they now also were after Mikuni and Otoha - if they were. It hardly mattered, they'd send half an army in either case, but the woods protected them not only of sight, but if they had to fight the trees would be an advantage as well. How many people would be able to jump on them at the same time in a forest like this?

All this ruckus was too much for Genji, who wasn't used to company. He fled into his own head, trying to sort his thoughts while he carried Otohas and Mikunis body further down the mountain. At least they didn't struggle, but they kept talking in a weird mixture of Mikunis childishness and Otohas feelings and thoughts she wouldn't usually express like they did now. She had no problem telling what she was thinking, but this was a bit much. "I am fine, please do not worry about me.", he replied and he truly was. The curse was only bothering him slightly at this point and the wound on his shoulder felt better already. In all these years he could have picked up a healing spell or two and maybe he did and just didn't remember, either way it wouldn't hurt him, yet it hardly seemed fitting for a monster like him. "We'll keep going until sundown, but then we should rest - all of us."

Scrambled like an egg and mixed together with milk - didn't it feel like that? Neither Otoha or Mikuni could say; currently, they were one and the same and not similar at all. Clearly, they were struggling to get adjusted and trying to keep their body coordinated, but every single time that they thought about even the slightest bit of movement, something in them jerked back and they sighed. This mixed state of mind was a disgusting one, and worse yet, neither of them could admit to the fact that they had nothing but a sense of confusion trailing after them. Every single moment that they spent in Genjis arms felt like bliss to one of them and to some sort of punishment in the others mindset; only that they overlapped now and looked up at Genji like an entirely new being that was willing to share its profound happiness with a guy that, among men, was nothing but a beast. "Yes, that much is apparent, and yet, you still put yourself on the line for us ... why would you? There's no obligation on your part, and worse yet, you act like you have to do this. As we've said, we can walk, we can run, we can move; whatever you'd like. Please let us down.", they urged Genji, but their little spell fell on deaf ears.

There was no thrashing, no attempted escape, but a foreboding silence as they furrowed their brows and stared upward, into the face of a man that could have left his humanity behind, in another realm of existence that abandoned him entirely years ago. As they thought about it, they weren't sure if they felt drawn to him because of that, or if they were irked thanks to his actions. As they stared at one another, neither of the people in this body felt confident in their judgement, or in the acceptance of what had happened. As it all transpired, they were left to rot, and as they thought about it, they questioned if tomorrow would come for someone like them - those two that were cursed by fate, kept at bay by their own thoughts and yet torn to shreds by what they loved most. "We are worrying about you. Both of us.", their shared voice spoke, as if their vocal chords couldn't decide what octave they wanted to rest within. Being scooped up into someones arms felt horrid; powerless and questionable, as they asked themselves how this could have ever happened. "And leave all the work to you? No. Can you please trust us, just slightly? We can walk on our own and be of help."

"That's not what I was trying to say. I've survived for over 800 years, carrying you won't suddenly kill me. I know my limits and people like those who are following us, even i I can not recall specific events in my past, the experience is still there.", he tried to explain. Why would either of them worry so much? Mikuni was not worrying about himself enough and Otoha didn't recognize the limitations of her new body, which belonged to a boy that never travelled farther than what he could see from his window. His body would grow tired, it was prone to mistakes and even if Otoha could heal a twisted ankle, why take the risk of hurting it in the first place? "But I do have an obligation... For what I did to this body and both of you and for forgetting you and all the mistakes I've made after you died." Whatever these were. Who couldn't recollect any of it, but he knew that what he read wasn't what Otoha had expected to happen after she died. What about all those children they took under their wing and partly even were their own? He couldn't find anything on them. At the same time the things he read about her father felt wrong to him, he couldn't say why, but reading them made his stomach turn.

There was silence, silence in which Genji could think the things he read over again, but it didn't remain silent for long. "There is no need for worry. I am used to traveling.", he replied, but both of them didn't want this and Genji eventually stopped sighing. Two against one was a little bit unfair and he eventually softly put their feet back on the ground. He understood why at least part of them didn't want any help from someone like Genji and he also understood that Mikuni didn't want to be anywhere near him. Otoha was probably just too proud to let herself be carried around. Genji had no intention of handing over one of the bags though, instead he stood there in silence, waiting for them to go on ahead, so he could follow and have an eye on them just in case.

"We know that! But still, we can walk, Genji, we surely can, you don't have to carry us from here all the way until dawn breaks and we fall asleep!", the two of them argued and if it were for them to finally make a stride in their amorphous ideas of how their togetherness worked, now would be a good method to learn this bodies constraints, it's limits and perhaps even more than that. In a way, this would work wonders for them, but otherwise, they'd have to admit that regardless of it all, not only were they tied to a man that would care for them indefinitely, they also had to admit that they wouldn't be able to take a single step outside of his watchful gaze if it were for him. There truly was nothing better or worse at the same time, no matter how cute one part of them would perceive him, as the other suffered through it with some sort of awe, or perhaps disdain, for the giant creature that slumbered within an undying inhuman beings skin. How long had he lived, and for how many hours would he hold watch? They could only guess, but if both Mikuni and Otoha had to come to a conclusion, they both would agree that even the advent of godhood wouldn't be too long for Genji. "You ... but not to carry us! You are fine to let us down, but you won't listen. Why are you so stubborn?", they inquired. Would they get an answer? Judging by Genjis character, probably not.

As they moved, they had to admit that this was probably faster than them figuring out how to move two legs together, or how to be less of a problem and more of an asset to Genji. What could they even do? Not a lot, that much was for sure. In hindsight, perhaps they would be better off if they figured out how to unscramble their conciousness, or maybe they'd do better if they simply spent more time trying to unscramble whatever was left in their brain. "You are, but we aren't. And we get that you just want to help, but you're also out of line, you know?", they eventually decided for themselves. Whatever Genji would try, he wouldn't please both of them, not like that, at least not for the time being - regardless, however, they'd also have to admit that they just made their own journey a bit harder as they finally found some footing on the ground and sighed at the assumption that, perhaps, they had finally shook the blonde awake. Perhaps this was a long shot, but they still looked at Genji and smiled. "Thank you.", was all they could muse together as they reached for the blondes hand, grabbing it firmly between their own, somewhat smaller one. The difference was apparent the moment they had set eyes on him, but ... this was still a bit to take in, compared to their old body - Otohas old vessel. A sigh of disapproval, nothing more followed after as they came to terms with it. "Now, where to? That direction, right?", they pointed to where they had been going initially and started pulling on the hand they held dear - this was but a bit of practice, but Genji proved to be the stronger one.

Genji was outnumbered if it was only Otoha that had a different idea about life than him, but now it was two people at once and there was nothing he could do to change their mind. He let them down, he let them take his hand and he followed them through the woods, making sure they wouldn't trip, fall or hurt themselves otherwise. He was greatly worried about them an the fact that their coordination right now wasn't the best, but their opinion remained the same; they were fine, Genji was overreacting and he was out of line and should stay in his place as Otohas humble knight and Mikunis guardian who should stay well away from him after what he did. Genji could only adhere to their wishes, every now and then pulling them back to the correct path and direction and firmly gripping their hand when they slipped. Right now everything was peaceful but Genji suspected Otoha to be furious, as soon as she regained full control, because she needed so much help to simply move. And Mikuni? His body would ache after a full days march, he wasn't used to this after all.

They walked for hours and eventually Genji tried to make himself known after being silent for most of the day. "It's getting dark soon. We should find a place to rest.", he suggested. He could probably walk through the night, but Mikunis body wouldn't. Genji was pretty sure Otoha didn't feel any aches he might have, but if his body simply collapsed because it had no energy anymore, she would need to use her power again, to make this body move. An what if she needed to sleep? Would that body crumble? "We should find a cave and we shouldn't light any fire. I am sorry." It would only lead people to their location, people who were undoubtedly searching for them. Genji could only hope that they didn't leave too many prints and that they'd have to comb through the whole forest for a chance to find them, if they even realized they were gone by now. For today they probably went far enough.

If one stirred through their shared conciousness, what would they find? Neither of them had a concrete answer, no matter what. As much as Mikuni wanted to be recognized for what he did, as much did Otoha care for but herself, which was one trait that she couldn't share with anyone but the world that surrounded her; in a way, one grew hateful and strained towards the mortal realm the more oneself distanced themselves from it, but on the other, perhaps he was simply scared of all the after-effects that this would have on them. Death was a common part of life, but for an immortal god to toil after the strains of a human, wouldn't it hurt? Otoha could only do so much with what she was offered, only escape as many grips with what she had and not a single one of them was Genjis - instead, he ate from her hand, formidable and admirably, almost obsessively; sucked on her loins and tender flesh to keep the white bones clean and force rot aside. No matter what, she figured, they'd figure it out, but even then, someone sat in the back of her mind, his wants and needs almost incessant and obsessively carved into their every step; Mikuni existed for a reason, not just to be the host of a body neither of them could ever share for more than a night.

As day slowly turned to night, they could only wonder for how much longer this rhythm was going to work for them. No matter what, they thought, they'd make it; somehow, they'd be able to fight through it all for themselves, they'd relinquish themselves in a moment that only they could and would accept as a reality they wanted to live in, but even then, even here and now, neither of them managed much. The sores, the tiredness; all of it came back to haunt them, came to nag away at them and free itself from what had initially gone on to hurt them. "Can't we walk all night?", they asked, quite surprised by the statement, but fully aware that, perhaps, it was for the better to take a break, no matter how small it would be. Was there any way they could outsmart or rather outtalk Genji yet again? Not a chance. That seemed to be too much of a lofty goal. "What are you sorry for?", they asked, their keen eyes searching for something that they could hide beneath; a crack in a stone, or anything that would prove to be amplke shelter, even for a stormy night. "Going outside after so long is exciting, and if it's cold, well, we can deal, we think! You're there after all, aren't you?", they giggled. Of course Genji would be there, just for them.

"I'm pretty sure your body has to rest. You never travelled this far before...", Genji carefully answered. They both, or whoever he was talking to at the moment seemed easily upset, or at least quick to argue against Genji. "And I too have to rest... eventually.", he added, simply because he believed that Otohas part of this conciousness would care more about that fact. He was able to keep going for tonight and probably through tomorrow, but it was true, that he eventually had to sleep as well. The curse neither made him invincible, nor did it make him immune to basic human needs. He needed to sleep, eat and drink. Depending how far the curse spread, he needed less food and rest, but right now, thankfully, it didn't spread far and was just a nagging shadow following Genji wherever he went. They had maybe two weeks was his guess, before he'd have a hard time controlling it, before he rather was far far away from Mikuni and Otoha. Until then, hopefully, they could find a save place and if Genji had to, maybe he'd just have to sneak away, since Otoha seemed very reluctant to leave his side.

"I... yes I am, but I doubt all of you want to be near me...", Genji mumbled, not sure how else to phrase it. Mikuni was scared of him, maybe even hated him and he was right to do so. Otoha obviously didn't care about any of that, but Genji didn't want to ignore Mikunis wishes - again. Their crude awakining in the monestary had been awkward enough. Genji eventually spotted a suitable spot for the night and pointed at it. "Over there." It wasn't a cave but a huge fallen over tree stump which provided shelter as well. He wasn't sure if that met anyones standards though. "I could try and find something better while you wait here...", he offered once they got closer. Otherwise they'd need to lay out some blankets. Genji didn't worry too much about wild animals. He had a light sleep if he slept at all, if anything would come even near him. Right now the curse wasn't as present, birds were still singing around them, but he knew he seemed intimidating, at least to animals.