7/16: Shirasu

[randori]

[ There has been an unfortunate number of dead people found in the music room, but Natsuo is there anyways, sitting on the bench of the corpse piano but backwards so that he's staring out at the rest of the room, not really focused on anything in particular. For him, this room is a place that gave him fond memories, not the nightmares others may have come to associate the place with, but... ]

Shirasu... Can I ask you a question that might maybe make you mad?

Comments

[wagashis]

[that sure is a way to start a conversation, natsuo...

shirasu blinks up at him, then carefully sets aside the sheet music he'd been rifling through, coming over to take a seat next to natsuo on the bench.]

... you may. What is it, Natsuo?

[randori]

[ He scoots over, turning so that he sits crossed legged at one half of the bench- not the smartest position seeing as he'd be so easily shoved over, but even though he asked that, he'd never really seen Shirasu angry, so he places his bets. ]

It's about what I saw with you last week- that vision, with that family. The boy that looks around my age... I was wondering, were you the one who taught him how to fight?

[wagashis]

Why would that sort of question make me angry?

[bringing them up does spark a little shift in shirasu's expression, put a little more distance in that polite little smile, but he isn't angry to be asked about them. not by natsuo, especially.

there's definitely something guarded in that look too, though, because he knows there wasn't any real fighting in that memory.]

He mostly learned from and practiced with Tenka, though, not me.

[randori]

[ There wasn't any real fighting in that memory, but if Shirasu suspects that's not the only memory that Natsuo saw, he'd be correct. ]

Oh... I thought maybe it was you because I saw him fighting Sousei, and you guys aren't really friends, huh? You hang out with lots of people, like me, but I hardly see you guys talk.

[wagashis]

...ah, that.

[still not angry, but the mention of sousei makes that smile fade, hand raising unconsciously to the fading bruise on his jaw.]

No, he was intent on being trained by that man, for some reason. I suppose my style of fighting wouldn't have suited him anyway, but...

[he's never really liked it, but it was soramaru's choice.]

[randori]

With a sword instead of barehanded?

[ Swords are cool, but, like he'd expressed with many people before, hand-to-hand was the most practical option in his life, where swords are frankly illegal. ]

I've never seen Sousei fight here, but I can imagine it— he looks a lot scarier than you do. The sort of person that's hard to get along with.

[wagashis]

You aren't wrong. He's... a very difficult person, I believe.

[it's a miracle they took this long to fight, honestly.]

Did you speak with him much, here?

[randori]

[ It's a miracle Shirasu got away with just a bruised jaw.

Natsuo shakes his head at the question- a crestfallen look, because he should have made more of an effort to do that, but it's too late now. ]

Not a lot at all. I barely got to talk to him at all, but I should have! I should have tried harder. Getting along with everybody in the castle is the most important thing anybody can do.

[wagashis]

[shirasu, internally: good

shirasu, externally:]

There have been quite a few of us though, Natsuo... don't blame yourself for not knowing everyone well. There were too many of us for that.

[randori]

[ He shakes his head, because he doesn't believe in that- too many people? no way, he's just not trying hard enough. There should've been a way to reach everybody, and while it's too late for it now, he wants to make up for it. Give everybody a second chance to know everybody. ]

It's the most important thing, especially now that there's less and less people... You know all the objectives I've had? They were all objectives that looked hard at first, but they became really really easy after I made good friends with people. That's... sort of the other reason I wanted to talk to you too, because you're my friend.

[wagashis]

-of course. As I've said before, you're always welcome to come to me.

[he's considering for a few moments, there, before:]

If you're bringing up the objectives, though... have you found one you need more assistance with?

[randori]

Yeah. I need to learn five people's titles. So I thought I'd go to my friends first to see if anybody is willing to share. I know you didn't want to share your objective with me before, but if you happen to have a Villain title, you know how important it is to do them since there's less people, right?

[ they're a dying breed... ]

[wagashis]

I do, but unfortunately, mine count towards a different faction.

[he's quiet for a moment there, considering. it's something he's kept very close to his chest, not to mention that while he thinks natsuo means well, he's not entirely positive it won't end up revealed to the wrong person.

so, finally--]

...I can tell you I'm a civilian, but my title is too closely tied to my ability for me to be comfortable sharing it.

If you have difficulty finding five, though, ask me again and I may be able to tell you later.

[randori]

[ He looks a little disappointed, but the promise to help him if he can't get the five has him perking up again. ]

Okay, that's good enough for me. I'll try my best to find five people so you don't have to share anything you don't want to. Especially if it's an ability like Eichi's... Everybody gave him a lot of trouble for it during the trial, and I don't want it to be the same for you.

[wagashis]

-thank you, Natsuo. I'm sorry I can't share outright, but I will try to tell you when I'm able to.

[while they're talking objectives and titles, though... he's quiet for a moment, considering something.]

There's something I've wondered too, though. The way your title is written in the list... [however that zalgotext translates ic...] Is it still yours? Or did anything change?

[randori]

[ asdfkjh the horror text on his name that I almost didn't see until somebody pointed out to me ]

It's... yeah. I lost all the progress I was making on my first objective, probably 'cause they took ink from me, and had to start over with a new one.

[wagashis]

-fair enough, I suppose, considering you were able to come back. But as long as you're still part of the same faction, that's for the best; I was concerned we may have lost one.

[people just keep killing the villains... it would suck if they thought natsuo was one and he Wasn't.

How many have you completed since then?

[randori]

[ People shouldn't kill him in the first place!!! leave him alone


He grins and flashes a victory sign. aka two. ]

I should be able to finish this one this week, and then I'll have three done! And the other groups, as long as everybody does one, having seven for each won't be a problem!

[wagashis]

You've made good progress, then.

[that gets a nod, and a pleased little smile.]

I don't know about the rest of the civilians, but we have three from me, so only four others need to be successful.

[randori]

Uwah—! I thought I was doing really well, but you're ahead of me already!

[ like it's a competition... If he counts the botched first objective as half, he might be at 3.5 by the end of the week, and he'll sleep well pretending he won. ]

I'm glad, though, not everybody's objectives have been bad. Have you been having fun with yours?

[wagashis]

Maybe four by the end of the week, if I'm lucky.

[but he's mostly saying that to tease natsuo a bit, honestly...]

But yes, mine have been rather interesting. I'm not sure I would call any of them 'bad'.

[randori]

[ Slow down... he would say, but it's better this way. He can rest well, knowing that the civilians are doing fine, and pray that the villains will make it too. ]

Was one of them... Did it have to do with fighting? When we fought?

[ He'd said something about Natsuo being able to "help," or something ]

[wagashis]

I was meant to challenge someone to a duel, yes.

[so thanks for the help, natsuo, he appreciates it!]

[randori]

[ He laughs, because that would have been an objective he'd have fun with, and Shirasu chose a good person to do it with. ]

A missed opportunity! You should've just come up to me and slapped me with a glove!

[wagashis]

Perhaps if I'd had a glove to do it with.

[but he can't help smiling a bit more in turn when natsuo laughs, though he doesn't quite laugh himself.]

But it still worked, didn't it?

[randori]

Yeah, it worked. If you do need help on yours- any of them- just let me know! Even though it says seven for each group, maybe it'd be a good idea to keep going, and we can wish our way out of here!

[ Optimistic! But he's still hopeful. ]