003 - Gathering

[kokuyoyo]

Who: Any and all Awakened characters
What: An invitation for a meeting of the Awakened in anticipation of the newest countdown.
When: June 23/24, especially during the latest applenet post
Where: Chikusa's school apartment at Green Valley
Other: Consider this a mingle log for all Awakened characters to talk freely about the newest batch on the app, the new countdown, and when they get their sweet new duds again!


Ciro Bonavida's apartment is rather easy to find. Not only are the instructions left at the pawnshop written in a neat and clear hand, but the school apartments have a directory of their own, of course. While some of the older members of the group might normally draw a raised eyebrow, well... It's Solstice. The apartments aren't as filled as they normally might be in some areas with their occupants out partying, and the parties that are happening inside draw all sorts. No one, in this particular instance, will look twice.

As a bonus to make sure there's no doubt at all, the door on Ciro's apartment has a small paper sign taped to the front. My roommate is OUT! Around it, small happy sheep are drawn. Apparently he's taken inspiration from someone...

Any one of the Awakened who come over can do so as early as they like and stay to the following morning, if they want- Chikusa is fairly certain that Ciro's roommate is going to stay out for a good long while and isn't worried. Still, for anyone staying overnight (a necessity if they want to stay up for the app post to come up), he'd rather it if you went to crash at one of the many parties going on in the apartment buildings... He doesn't have room for everyone, you know, especially since none of you jerks are coming into his bedroom if he has any say about it.

As a bonus, every Awakened is treated to hot chocolate, tea, coffee, or iced tea in one of Ciro's many... many... mugs. Enjoy.

Comments

[blackdogdown]

A: Pre-App

Gut has finally relented into selecting a mug after his styrofoam cup broke after his sixth refill. He looms way to tall for Ciro's table and has resigned himself to slouching all night to make up for it. His incredibly masculine purse rests on a chair beside him, begging anyone to take it. It takes a while for him to finally speak up.

"We got lucky last time." His voice is heavy but quiet. "We and the group after us, were not prepared for that battle." He takes another sip and nods at Chikusa. "People are disapearing still. We need a plan of attack."


B: Post-App

When the clock strikes 2am, Guts suddenly recoils with a shout hand flying to his face. A stabbing pain shoots from his eye and when he stands, his outfit has changed from a normal black hoodie and jeans to dark black and brown armor with a flowing black cape. A giant black sword hands to his back. Oh, and he's missing an eye.

"Ow f-" There are children here. "-rick..." He taps the sealed spot where a perfectly healthy eye used to be and winces. "Hrgh. Did this happen last time?"

b

[foxhands]

Nakigitsune is in far less pain, having transformed into a harmless-looking fox-eared hoodie, with a katana strapped to his side. Not as much of a battle outfit as Guts and his armor, but it works. He looks up at the giant man, tilting his head curiously, and makes a questioning foxhand (though it might not look particularly questioning, aside from the matching tilt).

"You're hurt?"

[blackdogdown]

The hand comes down streaked with red but an additional poke reveals the eye doesn't seem to be activly bleeding. Years worth of battle experience inform Guts the loss of an eye is usually messier. It's simply as if his had up and vanished.

"Doesn't seem like it. Just an old wound catching up with me." He wipes his hand on his cape awkwardly and looks Nakigitsune up and down.

"Don't think we met during the battle. Who 're ya?"

[foxhands]

Just an old wound, huh...he wouldn't really know what those are like, so he nods, accepting the answer at face value. Old wounds seem like kind of a hindrance. But that makes sense, doesn't it? Being wounds, and all.

The return question is met with a blink, another curious tilt, Naki's gaze not moving from the man's face. It's true, he's not familiar. It was kind of chaotic back there though, so that's not too much of a surprise.

"Nakigitsune." A short pause. "Right now." Another, slightly longer pause. "Who are you?"

[blackdogdown]

"Weird name." Guts please. He hand just can't seem to stop prodding his eye. the lack of depth perception is really weird after so long. He'd be very interested in finding out how Nakigitsune would avoid wounds, if he knew.

"Just call me Guts." He shrugs a little. "I guess my names weirder on second thought, but I don't really have another."

[foxhands]

The magic of being a sheltered display sword...Naki doesn't have any missing eyes to prod at, so he just sticks to curious staring. The guy reminds him vaguely of Tanuki-san...a giant Tanuki-san.

"Is it weird?" Being named after an animal, or innards, or something. Admittedly humans don't usually seem to have names like that, but who's he to judge, right? He makes a foxhand again. "I like it."

[blackdogdown]

"Huh? Really?" He looks surprised. "It's a bit morbid in my opinion. You don't get a name like Guts from anything really happy." He honestly doesn't know who picked it out. Probably Gambino? His childhood is one big blur of battles and scrambling for approval leading up to that incident.

He blinks at the fox hand. "What's that? Some sorta sign?"

[foxhands]

"My companions...had names like Stone Cutter and Bone Gnawer." So a name like Guts doesn't sound particularly strange at all, honestly. At least he's not named Kitchen Knife.

As for the fox hand...he looks at it, looks back at Guts, lowers it a bit. "It's a fox."

[blackdogdown]

"Pftahah? Really? I know mercenaries with names like that. "Gernum the Blood Drinker" or whatever. All of them were fucking tryhards." Maybe Naki's friends were a bit more serious then them, but Guts would have to see it to believe it.

He tilts a head and mirrors the sign. "Oh? Huh. How about that."

[foxhands]

Is there something funny about it? Or maybe Guts is just happy. That's easier to understand, so Naki goes with that explanation, nodding at the matched hand sign. Friendship sealed! He wonders for a moment whether there's a tanuki sign he could learn, then remembers this guy isn't a tanuki...probably.

Oh well. More importantly: "Tryhards?"

[blackdogdown]

"Huh? Oh yeah. Guys who talk big shit and pose on the battlefield but don't got a lick of skill to back it up. Just better equipment usually. We had a saying among mercenaries: The thicker the armor, the less the fight."

He lets his hand drop first. "So yeah, they try hard, but they aren't ever on the level of anyone who actually does that shit for a living. Names like that just show it, especially if they aren't earned."

[foxhands]

Hm, hm, that sorta makes sense, he guesses. The more armor, the more well-protected the fighter, right? The show-off name part is a little harder to understand, though.

His hand lowers a little after Guts drops his. "They're good equipment. They've seen more battlefields than I have." In other words, his friends aren't tryhards! Ah, but. There's a short pause. "...Some of them are religious now, though."

[blackdogdown]

"Ah." Guts conveniently ignores the equipment part because thats weird and hes tired of dealing with peoples issues. He gives Naki a rough pat on the back, looking offhandedly sympathetic.

"Yeah. That happens to the older guys. Don't worry to much if they start cursing ya or somethin. Usually they're projecting."

[foxhands]

How is that an issue! Honestly he doesn't understand the sympathy at all, and wasn't quite expecting any backpats. Or that following comment. He has no experience with human mercenaries or soldiers, and his second life as Natsume hasn't exactly added to that.

He looks up at Guts with a vaguely confused look on his face: "Projecting?"

[blackdogdown]

"You know." He hasn't gotten the "your a sword" memo yet Naki. "You boy, accept the word of the holy see and your soul will find peace etc."

He shrugs. "Its all bullshit to me. No old men in some stuffy building are gonna save my soul but these old geezers get it into their heads that if you put your faith in that shit, other people gotta to."

[foxhands]

Ooohhh prayer stuff. That's what he means, right? Naki doesn't do any of that himself, but...it's hard not to believe in spirits and things when you kinda are one. He can remember Ishikirimaru doing prayer and purification and things like that, back at the citadel. Preventing corruption and stuff.

The look on his face turns a very little bit concerned. "...Your soul is in danger?" If they keep preaching about saving you then that must mean you're in trouble, right? Do humans work that way? Don't turn into a killer ghost, Guts!

guts voice: but i always look killer

[blackdogdown]

"Oh the worst." His face is completly deadpan. "I've seen where my soul is going so God can kiss my ass. "

If there were any plus sides to being a sacrifice (hint: there are none). It was the knowledge that no matter what he did he had already been branded for his death to power the god that used to be his best friend. Sorta brought a lotta uncertainty outta the equation: eternal suffering awaits.

[foxhands]

"You shouldn't say that. About a god." Whichever god it is. Maybe he's in trouble because he was rude to them! Maybe Guts will get spirited away by angry spirits someday! Naki is concerned for you, sir.

[blackdogdown]

"Nope." His eyes are flinty. "I've had my damn fill of miracles and magic. God never did me no good turn."

A little late about the spirited away thing Naki. He's not that worried about pissing spirits off anymore.

[foxhands]

Aaahhh that doesn't sound good...he doesn't know why though? Just that a guy like this might have trouble in spirit-filled Japan.

"You've...had trouble with spirits, before?"

[blackdogdown]

"Yup." He's not looking at Naki anymore.

"Didn't use to believe in that crap. Guess he proved me wrong..."