Across The Years (CITRUS)

Twenty Nine - Stranger In A Strange Land

No One's POV

Yuzu stayed in the shower a lot longer than she needed. It was more than the wonderful feeling of the warm water, she felt like she was washing away her 1869 life and persona.

Stepping out of the shower, steam rising from her body she felt like herself again. Wanting to be back to her old self, she put in a streak of blonde in her hair and got dressed.

Back in her place, Yuzu realized she had many things to do.

First of which was to call her mother and tell her she was home. Typically her mother didn't answer the phone and Yuzu had to deal with the rather modern annoyance of leaving a voice mail message.

Next, she opened up the windows and aired out her apartment. After that, she had to run some errands, the first of which was going to the post office and picking up her mail.

Walking to the post office Yuzu wondered if there were any major changes to the timeline at all. The town looked rather as it had.

A minute later she turned a corner and stopped dead in her tracks.

Yuzu stood there and with much disbelief found herself starring at the still-standing 3 Bells Inn, the inn that Mei's father owned, the same one she had her ass pinched so many times when she worked there.

"What the-?"

Thinking back, Yuzu remembered that the Inn in the original timeline had been torn down in 1917 and Mei's house which was behind it was torn down in the 1950s.

Forgetting the post office, Yuzu walked towards the inn. It was painted red and looked like it had been expanded at least one or two times, but none the less it was still standing. As she approached, a happy-looking couple came out.

"Hey!" Yuzu shouted. How long has this place been here?"

The man looked back. "Since the 1860s or something. Best fish and chips in town, always have been."

"Thanks."

Yuzu realized that she changed something that kept the inn open. It was a much welcome sight and better looking than the drab-looking houses that were there in the other timeline.

Curious she stepped inside. It looked much like it had in some respects. The old bar was still to her right but now extended further as the back seems to have been expanded. The little dining room was gone and replaced by a few more tables and some electronic dartboards. The stairs up to the upper level were there, but instead of rooms was more tables for patrons.

Of course, a major difference was a sound system as Yuzu could hear Train in Vain by the Clash spilling out from some speakers around the room. It was late afternoon and a few patrons were drinking and talking, much as they had some 152 years ago.

Yuzu was tempted to stay, but she had things to do. So she turned around and left, making a mental note to find out who currently owned it.

Exiting the inn, Yuzu did note sadly that though the inn was still standing, Mei's old house was not. In its place was a parking lot.

After stopping at the post office, she went to the small grocery store and grabbed some food as she had none in her kitchen.

After running her errands she almost felt like a normal person again, almost. The memories and guilt stemming from her experience in 1869 remained fresh in her mind and she knew weren't likely to go away anytime soon.

Worn out after her ordeal, Yuzu watched some TV, ate a bowl of soup, and went to bed. As much as she thought she might, she didn't sleep well. She kept dreaming about the ever-expanding circle of red on the front of Mei's dress when Mei got shot.