Can't hurt to hope, sure, but it feels a little weird to leave it to just that... You don't think anything weird would happen if we tried to take them down, right? Maybe we could hide them in our rooms.
[he glances at the portrait above souji's door for a moment, curious at the description.]
You're in the army? Or some kind of guard? He sounds pretty cool. If you ever want to tell me more about him, I'd like to listen!
[nosy once more... his expression softens, though, with something slightly strained in it.]
Ah - I mentioned my fiance when we talked earlier, right? That's him.
I'm a little surprised that he hasn't ransacked those yet, speaking of... But perhaps we could try, mm.
[Qi Rong stop ruining all their shit challenge!! They still need places to hide things! This sweet nosy lad, though...]
I'm in the Shinsengumi. We're something of an armed law enforcement unit, though we've recently become very aligned with the Shogunate's troops. [When you're the police but also the army.]
--We could trade stories, if you'd like? If it isn't something that you would mind, I would like to know a little more about your fiance, too.
WAIT PRETEND I SAID WEEK FIVE IN THE FIRST COMMENT
Do you think he can get in? They're locked to just us back in the hotel, but I guess we don't have keys like we did back there...
[concerning!! but he looks interested in the next part, nodding.]
Yeah, swapping stories sounds good! You can tell me any one you want about him. [but beyond that] So... You kind of went from keeping the peace to more actively fighting, then?
It's best to be safe rather than sorry, at least with important things...
[Like bells, perhaps.
Anyway!! He gestures to his door since they're Right Here.]
Would you like to come sit while we talk? I'd normally offer to make tea and bring out snacks, but... [QI RONG STRIKES AGAIN.] --You could think of it in such a way though, yes. But times were already very terse, so "keeping the peace" and "actively fighting" are more or less the same thing.
Anyway, with a sigh, he'll open his door and let Rupert in! It actually doesn't look particularly lived-in, despite the fact that Souji has been here longer than anyone. Depending on where Rupert meanders, he'll probably catch Souji sleeping in the parlor or even out on the grounds sometimes, instead...
Saizo's also snoozin' away on his bed, though he is very small, so there's plenty of space to sit.]
[in he comes! he immediately gets distracted by saizo for a solid few seconds, looking very excited and endeared, before he realizes he's being spoken to.]
Huh? Oh - yeah, uh, I can start. Is there any particular kind of story you wanted?
[HELP THIS IS SO FUNNY. Souji sits down on the bed and gestures Rupert over, and Saizo, being so fuckin round, just kind of ends up rolling toward the dip that Souji's weight creates. He reaches over to pick him up not unlike a football.]
I forgot - you haven't met Saizo! [Saizo cracks open a piggy eye, staring with his perpetually angry expression toward Rupert.] Saizo, meet Rupert-kun. Rupert-kun, meet Saizo! He's a very sweet boy, don't mind his face.
[HELP. But it does look so very angry no matter what... The vibes of this pig are chill even so.]
Mm - why don't you tell me a story that makes you laugh?
[he immediately loves this incredibly circular pig regardless of how full of righteous fury he appears, and he's holding a hand out to saizo to see if he's allowed to pet him. as for the story...]
Oh, sure! Let's see... there was this one time I almost died? [what the fuck] And I was fine, obviously, so it's not a bad story. But especially right after we met, he was a really serious type of person. Not very good at talking about he felt or what he wanted, and that included not admitting when he cared about something or someone. So he saved me at the last second, and when I woke up, he was all... [imitating a deeper voice] Are you alright, you have to be okay, you're not allowed to leave me! [and back to normal] So I asked him if he was worried about me, and I'd never seen him that embarrassed before. He gave me the whole, nooooo, I knew you'd be fine the entire time, definitely! That kind of thing.
[There's a lil bukii! sound and Souji helpfully adds:]
He says that it's nice to meet you, too!
[Saizo does indeed allow and love pets and pats of all kinds! He's so rotund that he's used to people just not being able to stop themselves from reaching out and picking him up... Souji will put him down for better petting access before focusing on the story. I AKI HATE THAT SOUJI'S ONLY REACTION TO "I ALMOST DIED" IS BRIEF CONCERN but look. Are any of them normal about death by this point. It's fine. Anyway.]
Haha—! Oh, no! People like that are always so funny. [And by funny he means fun to bully and tease and get a good reaction from, because he is a goblin. His favorite people are all like that...] They're so transparent that it makes you wonder why they bother trying to hide at all, you know? But that's such an endearing way to show care, too! But goodness, however did you end up in a situation like that in the first place?
[this sound is going to kill him, saizo can have as many pets as he wants forever. starting now.]
Yeah. He's gotten a lot better about showing it, at least. [because rupert is an affection gremlin who rubs off on everyone around him, it's fine.] Oh, we were traveling through a forest trying to break a curse and it was super haunted, you know how it goes.
[Saizo is absolutely going to abuse his power to make sure he is the most spoiled round pig that ever graced the face of the earth. He will happily butt his little piggy nose against Rupert's hand!]
Hah, goodness... I can imagine so. [Literally why is Rupert and his sweet fiance just a much, much healthier version of Souji and Hijikata.
BUT ALSO HUH???]
Eh? Oh... Like in a storybook! [Grimm has prepared him for this specifically.] What sort of curse were you up against?
[he will continue to give saizo pets as he tells this story, as is saizo's right.]
Ha... Yeah, we've talked a little bit about how it felt like a fairy tale. [soft... gross... he smiles before he moves on.] Oh, the forest I mentioned - it was full of monsters and the only plants that grew there were either, like, monster plants on account of what I mentioned a second ago, or trees that didn't bear any fruit. So the more it spread, the more it overtook our fields and stopped us from being able to grow food or hunt, and people were starting to starve.
That is very soft and gross and also very cute though help.]
Hm... That's certainly not a good thing. People do tend to get very desperate and very violent when there isn't enough to eat. [The cannibals were on the way to Rupert's canon.] I assume that you took care of it, yes? Did you have to fight something?
[Starvation usually isn't especially since it goes hand in hand with WAR!! Neither of which Souji likes, both of which he's familiar with.]
Oh! Really? Goodness, that's some good news, then. [Finally after 500 years, something NICE TO HEAR.] These things do always seem to be solved by fighting in the stories and whatnot... In real life too, I suppose. May I ask how you fixed it, then?
Ah! There are far too many to choose from! [Said with a little GLEAM IN HIS DEMON EYE...]
But, hm... One of the happiest - let's see. One summer when I was much younger, after I had just finished practicing in the dojo, Kondo-san said that we could take the rest of the evening off to celebrate the work I'd done. Normally I would clean after I had finished, so it was quite a treat, you see! That day, instead of either of us doing any more work, he took me out into town. We bought so many sweets that I got a toothache, hah... Taiyaki and dango, and my favorite brown sugar candies. He carried me on his shoulders all the way back home, after, and we stopped to watch the sun rise in a field.
[having too many happy memories to choose from seems like a good thing! and he smiles as souji continues.]
The sunrise? Jeez, you must've been out pretty late for a kid... It sounds like it was a good night, at least. Memories like that are always really important.
[He thinks he's very lucky to have an abundance of happy memories to cling to as he dies, yes.]
Mm, it was quite late, but I've gone to bed late in the night and woken up before the sun for as long as I can remember... So it wasn't all that different, really. Except that time, I had good snacks and I was able to try catching fireflies in a field with Kondo-san! It was a wonderful thing... And I agree. [A little nod.] If you have memories like that, then you can take them with you wherever you go, you know?
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[he glances at the portrait above souji's door for a moment, curious at the description.]
You're in the army? Or some kind of guard? He sounds pretty cool. If you ever want to tell me more about him, I'd like to listen!
[nosy once more... his expression softens, though, with something slightly strained in it.]
Ah - I mentioned my fiance when we talked earlier, right? That's him.
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[Qi Rong stop ruining all their shit challenge!! They still need places to hide things! This sweet nosy lad, though...]
I'm in the Shinsengumi. We're something of an armed law enforcement unit, though we've recently become very aligned with the Shogunate's troops. [When you're the police but also the army.]
--We could trade stories, if you'd like? If it isn't something that you would mind, I would like to know a little more about your fiance, too.
WAIT PRETEND I SAID WEEK FIVE IN THE FIRST COMMENT
[concerning!! but he looks interested in the next part, nodding.]
Yeah, swapping stories sounds good! You can tell me any one you want about him. [but beyond that] So... You kind of went from keeping the peace to more actively fighting, then?
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[Like bells, perhaps.
Anyway!! He gestures to his door since they're Right Here.]
Would you like to come sit while we talk? I'd normally offer to make tea and bring out snacks, but... [QI RONG STRIKES AGAIN.] --You could think of it in such a way though, yes. But times were already very terse, so "keeping the peace" and "actively fighting" are more or less the same thing.
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[he nods, smiling.]
That sounds nice! Sitting down, I mean, not - you know.
[qi rong's implied reign of terror........]
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[QI RONG'S IMPLIED REIGN OF TERROR...
Anyway, with a sigh, he'll open his door and let Rupert in! It actually doesn't look particularly lived-in, despite the fact that Souji has been here longer than anyone. Depending on where Rupert meanders, he'll probably catch Souji sleeping in the parlor or even out on the grounds sometimes, instead...
Saizo's also snoozin' away on his bed, though he is very small, so there's plenty of space to sit.]
So! Would you like to start?
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Huh? Oh - yeah, uh, I can start. Is there any particular kind of story you wanted?
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I forgot - you haven't met Saizo! [Saizo cracks open a piggy eye, staring with his perpetually angry expression toward Rupert.] Saizo, meet Rupert-kun. Rupert-kun, meet Saizo! He's a very sweet boy, don't mind his face.
[HELP. But it does look so very angry no matter what... The vibes of this pig are chill even so.]
Mm - why don't you tell me a story that makes you laugh?
[They could all use a little levity.]
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[he immediately loves this incredibly circular pig regardless of how full of righteous fury he appears, and he's holding a hand out to saizo to see if he's allowed to pet him. as for the story...]
Oh, sure! Let's see... there was this one time I almost died? [what the fuck] And I was fine, obviously, so it's not a bad story. But especially right after we met, he was a really serious type of person. Not very good at talking about he felt or what he wanted, and that included not admitting when he cared about something or someone. So he saved me at the last second, and when I woke up, he was all... [imitating a deeper voice] Are you alright, you have to be okay, you're not allowed to leave me! [and back to normal] So I asked him if he was worried about me, and I'd never seen him that embarrassed before. He gave me the whole, nooooo, I knew you'd be fine the entire time, definitely! That kind of thing.
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He says that it's nice to meet you, too!
[Saizo does indeed allow and love pets and pats of all kinds! He's so rotund that he's used to people just not being able to stop themselves from reaching out and picking him up... Souji will put him down for better petting access before focusing on the story. I AKI HATE THAT SOUJI'S ONLY REACTION TO "I ALMOST DIED" IS BRIEF CONCERN but look. Are any of them normal about death by this point. It's fine. Anyway.]
Haha—! Oh, no! People like that are always so funny. [And by funny he means fun to bully and tease and get a good reaction from, because he is a goblin. His favorite people are all like that...] They're so transparent that it makes you wonder why they bother trying to hide at all, you know? But that's such an endearing way to show care, too! But goodness, however did you end up in a situation like that in the first place?
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Yeah. He's gotten a lot better about showing it, at least. [because rupert is an affection gremlin who rubs off on everyone around him, it's fine.] Oh, we were traveling through a forest trying to break a curse and it was super haunted, you know how it goes.
[d
does he]
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Hah, goodness... I can imagine so. [Literally why is Rupert and his sweet fiance just a much, much healthier version of Souji and Hijikata.
BUT ALSO HUH???]
Eh? Oh... Like in a storybook! [Grimm has prepared him for this specifically.] What sort of curse were you up against?
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Ha... Yeah, we've talked a little bit about how it felt like a fairy tale. [soft... gross... he smiles before he moves on.] Oh, the forest I mentioned - it was full of monsters and the only plants that grew there were either, like, monster plants on account of what I mentioned a second ago, or trees that didn't bear any fruit. So the more it spread, the more it overtook our fields and stopped us from being able to grow food or hunt, and people were starting to starve.
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That is very soft and gross and also very cute though help.]
Hm... That's certainly not a good thing. People do tend to get very desperate and very violent when there isn't enough to eat. [The cannibals were on the way to Rupert's canon.] I assume that you took care of it, yes? Did you have to fight something?
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[he shakes his head, though.]
No. That's what everyone thought we'd have to do, but the answer turned out to be much more peaceful than that. It was nice.
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Oh! Really? Goodness, that's some good news, then. [Finally after 500 years, something NICE TO HEAR.] These things do always seem to be solved by fighting in the stories and whatnot... In real life too, I suppose. May I ask how you fixed it, then?
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Sure! By getting engaged.
[what the fuck]
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—Congratulations! I have never heard of a curse being lifted by such a thing, but it sounds like a very good first-time-for-everything situation.
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[tilting his head, though.]
Okay, your turn now.
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[He just nods... But then:]
What sort of story would you like to hear in return?
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The one that makes you happiest to think about!
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But, hm... One of the happiest - let's see. One summer when I was much younger, after I had just finished practicing in the dojo, Kondo-san said that we could take the rest of the evening off to celebrate the work I'd done. Normally I would clean after I had finished, so it was quite a treat, you see! That day, instead of either of us doing any more work, he took me out into town. We bought so many sweets that I got a toothache, hah... Taiyaki and dango, and my favorite brown sugar candies. He carried me on his shoulders all the way back home, after, and we stopped to watch the sun rise in a field.
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[having too many happy memories to choose from seems like a good thing! and he smiles as souji continues.]
The sunrise? Jeez, you must've been out pretty late for a kid... It sounds like it was a good night, at least. Memories like that are always really important.
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Mm, it was quite late, but I've gone to bed late in the night and woken up before the sun for as long as I can remember... So it wasn't all that different, really. Except that time, I had good snacks and I was able to try catching fireflies in a field with Kondo-san! It was a wonderful thing... And I agree. [A little nod.] If you have memories like that, then you can take them with you wherever you go, you know?
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Wow... You're pretty disciplined!
[amused... he nods, though.]
It's a way to keep people close even if they're not there, right? So you're never really alone.
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