[TWWM] Those Connected by Fate

Location: France

Birds sang overhead, their tiny shadows zipping and dipping across the gentle rolling hills of the French countryside. Kaito and Sauvi had been traveling for several weeks. Riding on boats and trains, and casually traversing the wide open spaces that they'd never even known existed during their human lives. Finally they'd arrived at Sauvi's home country, and following glimmers of memory, and also her heart, she found her way back to the little town she grew up in. Their goal was to find Twyla, but in truth, she wasn't trying very hard yet. She felt distracted by the journey, she was so thrilled to be exploring. "Besides..." she told Kaito, "My old home is on the way, we can go there first."

"Are you sure? That won't be painful for you, since...you know?"
"Yes, I know they took it, I want to find my Father's grave, and say goodbye to the place I grew up."

It wasn't long before they found it, a worn pathway coiled up a hill, a broken gate, and an abandoned house. 

"Oh..." she said, standing at the gate. "I thought they would of sold it...I thought someone...would be here, living, tending the vineyard at least..." She glanced past the house, wincing as she saw the rows and rows of brown and dead vines. It felt a stark contrast to the vibrancy she felt along herself now, the wine flowing heavily over and through the cluster of grapes at her tail. It hung like dew drops on her leaves, and seeped into the thirsty earth. Kaito's water rushed alongside it, darkening the path. They felt alive, even knowing that they were not fully. And this place... it was so quiet...so gone...

"I'm sorry..."
"Its alright. It was my father's heart that kept them strong...when he died, it seems fitting that they died with him." she took a deep breath and stepped through the gate. They wandered up the hill, and standing at the door, they shifted to be smaller, enough to fit inside with ease. Shuffling amidst clutter, their tails swishing softly against the worn wood floor. The house was dim, a layer of dust clung to everything. Most of everything was left as Sauvi had remembered it, certain items were missing or moved. Books and parchments were strewn in the corner, corners gnawed by mice. They floated up the stairs, peering into the rooms. Sauvi saw that which she'd left, as she'd left it. It seemed hollow now, unimportant. She hesitated at her Father's door before entering, but it wasn't as painful as she imagined. It was just a room, empty and hollow. She sighed, relaxing. The paint was dirty and peeling, and the furniture had been removed. Her father was not here. She had expected to cry, to feel his loss again, but she didn't. She smiled inside, realizing that her Father had been with her, in her heart this entire time. 

They padded peacefully out of the house, opting to exit through the back door.
"I feel some closure now. I still might look for my Father's grave someday, but I feel better."
As they turned to go, something caught her eye. In the dirt next to the house sat a pile of clutter, trash that had been dropped by whoever went through the house. Amidst the paper and broken plates though, a glint of gold drew her in.
"What is it?" Kaito asked, padding closer.
"Its..." she reached down, brushing the dirt aside. It was half buried, and so she carefully lifted it. "Its..." her breath caught, and all the emotions that she thought she'd avoided suddenly flooded her. Tears welled up in her eyes as the memories flooded back. 

"This was my favorite tea-cup, I'd had it since I was a little girl!" she sat down softly and cupped the fragile porcelain in her paws. "My mother used to make me a bit of tea with milk in the morning and I always begged to use this cup! Its so pretty." She brushed at the dirty smudges, revealing a soft cream colored cup, decorated beautifully with pink and blue roses, with gold edging. The rim of the cup was chipped badly, and parts seemed to threaten to chip off. "You know, she let me try coffee once, even though I was little. I felt so grown up and special." she giggled.
"I'm...Gonna keep it I think."
"Okay!" Kaito nodded at her,  "its very pretty!" He was glad that she found something special during this visit.
She carefully reached for the cup with a vine tendril, coiling it into a safe little area on her back, hidden by leaves.

// a memory

// a fragment of the past

"Its a shame the old man died, any word on his daughter?" a bent old gentleman shuffled down the stairs carrying a pile of books.
"None that I know. I was just told to help clear out the place." Another man exited the kitchen with a box. "You think they'll resell this place?"
"I doubt it, I heard his debtors were in debt to someone else, and you know the market is just a mess." He shifted the pile, grabbing another book off a chair.
"Yea, my neighbors moved a year ago and their house still sits empty, I don't think anyone is buying right now."
"Yea, Oh, watch it!" he reached out, grabbing at the box as the bottom unfolded. Plates and cups tumbled out. It was a mess of arms and porcelain and spoons. "Oh!"
"What a mess." he crouched, scooping the broken shards back into the box. "Darn."
"Let me help." 

The cup tumbled around in the box, chipping and scratching against the broken plates. As they exited the house, the box gave way again. Grasping, they closed up the hole and carried on, leaving behind the cup... it had slipped out and tumbled into the dirt. Seasoned passed, and it sank deeper into the dirt, resting and waiting..."

// a fragment, fading into the day

She tightened her grip on the tiny cup, feeling warm inside, as the cup once had. "Alright then, I'm ready to look for Twyla for real now." she said, opening her spirit and heart to the spirit realm, seeking out the spirit of that tiny esk.
"Its been so long, but I feel like I'll know her when i sense her." she said. 

Her and Kaito wandered down the hill, past the broken gate and onto the road again.