The ground crunched under his feet - grit and gravel and sand, it must truly get everywhere - as he moved. His hair was short again - as short as it had been the day he had arrived in the Bastion. As short as it had been on the day they had met one another for the first time. Forgetting the length - or lack thereof - he moved to tuck it behind his ears before pushing his hands into his pockets, keeping them out of the way as he surveyed the south wall.

The illustrations there. Fictions to the general public, fairy tales, though Kaoru knew better which were which. Which ones were truly parts of Seimei's life, and which were embellishments.

No mention of the Bastion, but why would there be?

He was almost toward the shrine itself now, flanked by bronze statues worn to a shine by touch, in some places. Tended with care by a figure with a broom, with long, heavy robes. Well that was to be expected in a place like this. Though he was sure that most priests these days wore regular shoes, or split-toed shoes with rubber soles... in fact everything about this person's outfit seemed just slightly off. Maybe it was just that his eyes were better trained. Or maybe it was that he had had more contact with the real thing, because these ones really seemed--

Real. Like... like something Seimei might have worn. Even down to the scent that was carried over to him on a breeze.

God, but now he could barely dare lift his eyes. His voice escaping a choked whisper, one that didn't have to be heard in all of the hubbub at all.

"...Seimei?"