[OPEN] did you miss me?

[sunshrouded]

Who: Tenka aka "Dad Extraordinaire" (sunshrouded) & ALL OF Y'ALL TBH
When: Sliiiiightly forward-dated to 2/15, so right after the Nexus Code event!
Where: assorted... Kumounji House & entertainment district mostly!
What: Guess who's back (back again), Tenka's back. Tell a friend. -- also he fulfill his dream of becoming a Sidequest Dispenser.
Rating/Warning: just your usual brand of tenka idiocy, maybe some tears, probably some punching

[a. closed to kumounji house residents ; farts back into existence]

[Tenka doesn't have a calendar in his room.

Why would he?

But what he does have, when he materializes in his futon, wearing the same robe that he went to bed with, is a vague feeling of dread. He went through a weird sequence of dreams, he thinks. Sitting through that powerpoint again and then -- after that there was a weird space where he could walk through entire buildings. Where he started to feel... intangible again. It was remniscent enough of the time that he lost his body that he felt chills.

Yet his preoccupation with himself was short. After all, Shirasu was there.

Shirasu was there and wasn't there all at once -- he was in that space, unresponsive even as Tenka yelled at him and tried to punch him. But there was no returning punch, no weary purple eyes, not even a motion of acknowledgment. He was well and truly there and.... not.

So Tenka is tired as he walks out into the living room then, settling himself at their low table and slumping over it, just as he would've three weeks ago.

His first word upon his return:]

Teeeeaaaaaaaa.

[ . . . . . well?]

[b. semi-open to adoptees & others ; emerges from the void for noogies]

[Most people just knock or ring a doorbell. Maybe knock three times in small bursts if they're feeling antsy. But here's Tenka, banging on the door instead, complete with yelling:]

Heeeeyyyyy!! Is anyone in there?! Hellooooo?

[At least it's a voice you probably haven't heard in a while.

Someone clued him in that he's been gone for 3 weeks. So he's got about 3 weeks of visits to make up for, he thinks.

(Punch him.)]

[c. OPEN ; tell me what you see ]

[If nothing else, you might've seen this guy's face around. Yet he appears to no longer be Missing and is instead sitting on a bench somewhere. He seems to be puzzling over something very, very deeply. Feel free to bug him if you know him when he's still in the middle of his work of art (which consists of nothing more than a few brush strokes).

Because otherwise he's going to sit up suddenly and thrust out the page to you. It's definitely the kanji for 'lake'. But here's time for messing with the language mechanism and/or an impromptu Rorschach test:]

What does this look like to you?

[What a quack.]

[d. OPEN ; quest master tenka, disaster in the making]

Hey, you!!

[Doesn't that sound like a promising start to a conversation....

Alas, escape is futile as Tenka completely messes up the rhythm of the closest person's day as he steps in front of them and offers them the sunniest grin. (Don't trust it.)]

You look like you've got some free time. Think you can help a guy out with something?

[Sidequest: start!]

[e. choose your own adventure, hit me with anything, i can take it! ]

Comments

a is for asshole

[deontology]

[When Sousei wakes up, bleary and in bed, he's still exhausted. Relieved, certainly, he's very relieved that he's not fading away, but there's no guarantee that everyone else also made it back okay. And it's that thought that gets Sousei to drag himself out of bed, tired as he is, and stumble into the living room, even as he puts his hair back up into its customary ponytail, and--

There's a really stupid face there, sitting at the table.

Sousei squints.

Maybe he's seeing things now... it wouldn't be the first time, would it? (Because thinking that anything else might be true is just.... well, he never took himself for a blind idealist). And it's that thought which spurs him on to rub one eye, and then shakes all thoughts from his head and moves to stumble right past the apparition at the table. He has to check on the swords and the kids.]

s is for ssssuck it sousei

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . well that was rude. Tenka is squinting as Sousei walks back and.... doesn't pay attention to him? It makes him wave an arm like--]

Hey, did you go deaf again?

[It definitely doesn't occur to him that Sousei thinks he's dreaming. No, he's instead straightening up just enough that he can reach out and grab Sousei's sleeve without standing up. He's still lazy. Then again, even though Sousei hasn't confirmed whether or not he has his hearing:]

Teeeaaaaa.

D!!

[oneirism]

[After everything that happened, Lapis is pretty drained but relieved that she no longer hears that creepy song anymore. So she figures taking a walk to bask in being able to hear things again, and to wake herself up, is in order.

She doesn't stop when she hears that 'Hey, you', thinking that he's talking to someone else, before she blinks in surprise when he steps in front of her. The grin only gets a few more blinks, and she tilts her head slightly in question.]

... Um, alright. [Pause.] What do you need help with?

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . oh. It takes him a second but he realizes that he's talking to a familiar face!]

Lapis-chan...!

[WELL, HE GOT DISTRACTED QUICKLY.]

Maybe some more jokes? I think my repertoire's running dry, bahahaha! How've you been?

c!

[souredsweet]

[WELL GOSH Kaoru had just been approaching to see if Tenka is really real, but suddenly there's a paper instead, and a kanji?! What is this... IS THIS A TEST. Did they get back some weird version of Tenka instead of the original one? Kaoru's brow furrows, greeting dying away into nothingness in the face of confusion.]

Ah... It's "lake", isn't it?

[More importantly, why is this what Tenka chooses to do with his time after being gone for like a thousand years??]

[1/2]

[sunshrouded]

Right? Okay! So I got it right -- it just feels weird that they brainwashed us with words that I normally wouldn't understand....

[Tenka knows English but not to the extent that he's been speaking it to be honest. So he pulls back the paper to glance at the kanji once more and he nods more certainly. Yep. Okay. He's still a genius. Good to know.

And then he glances over to who he totally just rudely jumped in front of--]

b

[perfectstrike]

[Peko nearly, nearly spills boiling water all over herself (she did that at once a few days ago, does not want again) at the sudden pounding on her door. That's a really harsh way to get someone's attention when she's making tea, after all! Is it another stupid scheme of Jaune's...

No, wait. It may have been almost exactly three weeks since she had last heard that voice, but she recognizes it immediately. Unfortunately, with the strange glitches of the last few days... she doubts it can be real. It wouldn't hurt to check, though, right? On the off chance it is real?

So when she does finally open the door, it's with a less-than-welcoming glare. Even for as much as she wants it to be true, she's still not going to accept anything less than the real thing.]

Prove your identity.

[PEKO PLEASE...]

[1/2]

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . ]

Huh?

D

[emotive]

[Ai Thao was just around in the shopping district trying to get some fresh air after the past few days which were particularly tense. She turns around when she hears a voice that was almost on the verge of being unfamiliar, but...]

Tenka?? Tenka, it is you!

[sunshrouded]

[The surprise reaction just manages to get him to laugh as he gives Ai a sunny smile in return.]

Yep, Ai-chan! I'm here!! Did you miss me?

c. 1/2

[souperb]

[ everything is exhausting. everything is exhausting, and the combination of being sent to whatever place they were sent to the night before, seeing elle and ludger and being inconveniently blind for a couple of days is almost enough to make milla give up on the day.

but she doesn't.

however she is about as functional as a drunken turkey, which means she near walks past tenka sitting on the bench with a thought of wasn't that-- until he's answering her unvoiced question with his sunny, sunny presence.

ah, she's blinded. she's annoyed. she's surprised and not surprised, and wholly unimpressed. a glance to the sheet of paper, a glance to him, a glance to the sheet of paper. ]

Welcome back. Don't move.

[ oh

so sunny ]

[souperb]

[ before she aims a punch at his stupid shoulder for the indirect headaches he's given her because of his stupid partner.

at least sousei can go back to being functional!! again!! ]

b

[particularity]

[Okay. So after everything, after all of the stupid stuff that was happening and being unable to sleep properly for days because of stupid music in his head Hinata was definitely... going to sleep this entire day. That had been his intention.

However, at the first volley of knockings, he reluctantly stumbles his way to it, just in time to hear that yelling. And he stops, staring at the inside of the front door, heart lunging up to wedge in his throat.

A minute or two or three passes before the door will finally creak open, just an inch with Hinata peeking out from inside. He's uncertain, hopeful, uncertain about being hopeful, telling himself off for being hopeful especially with this place and so much has happened and--]

...

[...It's Tenka? For real?]

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . it breaks his heart a little.

Hinata's so wary, so cautious, and Tenka.... is not. Now is the last time that he can be helpful and so when Hinata peeks up at him, Tenka just answers with a smile. A smile that is sad and sorry and relieved because Hinata is okay.

You'll have to excuse him if the first thing he does is open the door up a little bit more and throw his arms around him in a hug.]

Hey, you brat.

d, because apparently i'm making cr with your everyone

[rebelia]

[Seeing this guy jumping in front of him with that wide grin is like seeing the "lost brother" poster come to life. IV recognizes him instantly.]

What do you want? [But what was his name? Something about crabhead.] You're . . . Kumou Tenka, aren't you?

good.

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . oho.

That's an ego patting desperately needed in a day where mostly it's just been a lot of people smacking him and crying on him.]

That's me!!

The great, the famous, the strongest -- Kumou Tenka!

b;

[immobileyes]

[ Mary wanted to sleep. Mary just wanted to curl under her blanket and sleep off the past few days and the trauma that gracelessly accompanied them, and yet... she can't, because someone's banging on the door.

She's rumpled and tired-looking, not quite registering the voice as she opens the door.

... And then promptly squeaks and staggers backwards, because guess who she did not expect to see- ]

[sunshrouded]

[Oof.... That makes Tenka rub the back of his neck sheepishly. He immediately crouches right where he is on the doorstep then, so that he's looking up at her and offering out an arm for her to curl into and a smile, heart in hand.]

Hey, brave girl. I guess it's been a while, huh?

d is for dad

[journaler]

Huh?

[Leia's wandering the entertainment district, as is usual for her on days where she works. He probably caught her near the Game Center, where she nearly bumps into him before her reflexes (now back to normal) allow her to catch herself.

She hadn't realized he'd been talking to her until then, and what he says goes out the window, because...]

Mr. Crabhead, you're back!

[...oops]

the daddest of all dads

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . wha--]

Hey! Who're you calling Mr. Crabhead, huh?! Who taught you that?

[Tenka's already answered his own question in his head thought.

sousei's such a shit even when he's miserable, apparently]

d;

[psycholawgy]

[ it doesn't sound like a promising start to a conversation at all, but it's enough to get athena's attention, who at the moment, is still frazzled. everything might be "over" for now, but what she had experienced in the nexus code was still on her mind. ]

Ten... ka?

[ she just. stares at him for a few good seconds, and then tears fall from her eyes. ]

Oh my god! You're- You're alright?!

[sunshrouded]

[And then there's suddenly a crying girl.

Oh no.]

A-Athena-chan...?! [WHY ARE YOU CRYING. He's panicking a bit now and looking back and forth and WHAT DOES THIS EVEN LOOK LIKE, HE DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE HER CRY.] Hey now, hey, yeah!! I'm fine, don't cry. You don't need to be crying over me. Look at me, I'm fine...!

a.... of course.......

[prehensible]

[ what tenka gets in response is the sound of something shattering. souza is standing in the doorway to the kitchen, and there are pieces of his cup all over the floor. for several moments, he stares, mismatched eyes wide and stunned and disbelieving. .. this.. isn't possible. tenka was gone.

but then, so was thatch, and he's back, too, isn't he?

this just doesn't happen to a spirit. he's accustomed to losing those he loves-- having them returned to him is unheard of, absurd. his breath hitches, and suddenly, his eyes are wet, tenka's profile blurring in his vision. tears spill down his face, and before he realizes what's happened, his knees have gone out from under him, and he's kneeling in the middle of broken porcelain and spilled tea. ]

T-- [ he sucks in a shuddering breath, voice trembling, barely daring to be hopeful. ] Tenka-san..?

[sunshrouded]

[what is going on, why is souza so distraught over him asking for tea

Those are the Incredibly Intelligent Thoughts that Tenka is having as he's scrambling up from where he's sitting, immediately alarmed as he goes next to Souza, already concerned. One hand goes to the sword's shoulder and the other to his arm, gently pulling him away from the mess as Tenka is ready to take his weight if necessary. It was such a quick fall and Tenka has no idea what could've caused it--]

Hey, yeah, it's me.... Souza-kun? You okay? What happened...?

[Ah Tenka, if only you knew.... you happened.]

B for... i cant think of anything. bPUNCHES shut up

[mermaiding]

[Oona has rather firmly become someone who spent most mornings sleeping in-- most afternoons too, for that matter. So when the insistent pounding finally drags her sorry butt from bed (and to an ungraceful heap on the floor), she's already not in a good mood.

His voice doesn't fully register until she pulls the door open and glowers-- There's a sudden burst of recognition and the door gets slammed in his face. She has to take a few seconds to figure out exactly what she's feeling, or what she's going to do here. There are plenty of avenues of reactions here, and her mind runs through all of them lightning quick.

Sousei had told her, once, that she'd needed to control her temper, especially following her destruction of a mug against their wall.

She opens the door and scowls, immediately raising her fist and throwing the punch.]

You-- Idiot! Stupid! Stupid, stupid!

[Violence wasn't the answer, but it sure as hell made her feel better, even as her anger turned immediately to a muffled sob]

[sunshrouded]

[It connects.

It connects mostly because when Tenka had the door slammed in his face, he was thinking of ways to get her to open it up again. Oona's always been one of the most volatile of the kids that he looked after, so he's not surprised but rather all the more determined to take care of her. So he's facing the door again and raising his own hand to open the door--

And instead he gets punched. Tenka's not superhuman in his defenses, he gets hurt just like anyone else. So he winces and rolls with the force so it doesn't hurt too badly, but the hand that was about to knock on the door instead just catches her wrist.

His other arm is already reaching to wrap around her shoulders and pull her in close.]

I know.

I know....

A

[reprizesal]

[When Sayo woke up, he just tiredly walked out of the Samonji bedroom without getting himself ready. He'll get dressed and tie his hair up (more like Souza tie his hair up for him) later. Right now, tea sounds nice and it almost seems like someone echoed his thoughts for some tea.

Someone whose voice sounds like... Tenka...

Sayo stopped when he entered the living room, his eyes widening when he saw Tenka sitting there without a care in the world. He didn't take another stop, only that he starts to talk, quiet and uncertain.]

Tenka-san...?

[Is he still asleep and dreaming, only this time it's not one of those terrible nightmares?]

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . ? Tenka turns to the voice and tilts his head inquisitively. Why does Sayo sound so confused to see him?

But rather, he just yawns and extends one arm out to him, welcoming the other to come sit in his lap and wait for someone to get the both of them tea. That's just how the household works, he thinks. In the morning, there are other people far more awake than them that can handle the other stuff.]

Hey Sayo-kun. Wanna sit with Ten-nii?

d saster

[bewrightback]

[Phoenix freezes in place as he finds the familiar face addressing him.

Oh no. It's that weird guy from the bartending clan.]

Me? Free time? Oh, I'm not sure about that, there's so many other somethings that I should really be getting to...

[He scratches at his head nervously.]

[sunshrouded]

[Nnnnnnnnah.]

Well, we all gotta learn about multi-tasking sooner or later, right? [Tenka, no.] Say, what do you know about opening up a business around here?

a

[ailingsoul]

[ when tenka isn't around is when soramaru feels the weakest -- and that, in turn, makes him feel even weaker. he can't do much without the light of the sun guiding him - he's found himself living to be praised by him every day, he's noticed that he's incapable of cooking one less serving of food, even with the inflated number of people in their house.

and so -- when he's here again after being gone for so long he stares, before crossing the distance between them and silently burrowing his face into tenka's back. ]

[sunshrouded]

[That's not tea, that's a Soramaru.

Still good though.

Even though Tenka's blinking and shifting from where he's slumped on the table to raise an eyebrow at his brother. Then, wordlessly, he tucks Soramaru underneath his arm and pulls him into a one-armed hug. Maybe he had a weird dream the night before too.

Whatever, it's fine.

Tea can wait a little longer.]

a

[heiwana]

[ That voice was certainly unmistakeable. Kousetsu was wondering if, and when, Tenka would return. But his features remain as they usually do when he walks out from his own room after his morning prayers and meditation. He stops short as he looks back at Tenka with a slight...tilt of his head? Yes is he seeing things or? ]

...Tenka-san?

[sunshrouded]

[ . . . . Tenka just lifts his head from where he's slumped at the table then. Yes? Why are you saying his name when there doesn't appear to be tea ready yet?]

Kousetsu-kun....?

[He yawns.]

What's up?

[For fuck's sake, go look at a calendar, Tenka.]

B!

[beaconed]

[ When Jaune opens the door, noticeably wearing an apron from cooking, he freezes upon seeing his visitor. It's Tenka... that bastard who disappeared and now just shows up again like it was nothing. Why...

Jaune balls his fist, shaking slightly and then out of nowhere punches


himself.

Just to make sure this isn't another Nexus code thing. He had already seen the ghost of Pyrrha a day ago... ]

Tenka!!??!

[sunshrouded]

Jaune?!

[HE THINKS HE SHOULD BE THE ONE MORE CONFUSED HERE

he grabs Jaune's wrist in the next second just to make sure that doesn't.... happen again....]

Hey, hey, I know that I haven't been around to beat you up in a while, but that doesn't mean you try to take my place!

b

[firstcloud]

[ He's not getting punched.

But when Kagemitsu opens his door he reaches up to take hold of Tenka's cheeks and tug at them. ]

[sunshrouded]

[asd;flajksdf]

Kahemihu-han?!

[ANCESTOR, WHY]

d.

[overgrowth]

[ kanda tries to escape, but fails due to too-high concentration of people in the area. dammit. ]

I don't have time. [ LIES. ] And who the fuck are you?

[sunshrouded]

[Whoa... Grouchy ponytail guy... Tenka's getting some pretty fierce flashbacks at that.

It also inspires the bit of arrogance--]

Oho? You haven't heard of me? What rock have you been living under? I'm the great Kumou Tenka...!!

[his reputation matters far less here but look at him, still trying]

C

[buildyourworld]

[ He definitely thought Tenka was gone for good but it looks like CERES isn't done with him yet. Honestly surprised by his reappearance, Tieria actually feels a little relieved to see him again. So instead of answering that question or even look at that paper, he's just going to give him a slight smile. ]

Looks like a Tenka. [ Haha. Lame. ]

When did you return?

[sunshrouded]

Tieria-kun.... I didn't know that you tried to tell jokes....

[Keyword: tried. But he sounds pretty proud anyway??? Welp.]

I actually just got back this morning! You could tell I was gone, huh? Did you miss me?

[Let his ego inflate.]

b

[unluckless]

[So the truth of the matter is, when Tenka disappeared so shortly after inviting Komaeda into his weird little herd of adopted lost baby sheep, Komaeda figured it was his luck's fault in the end.

So when there's commotion and a familiar voice at the door, he's somewhere between surprised and suspicious. Honestly he didn't used to be so paranoid. His string of abductions to terrible places has really ruined him for being trusting.

Still as he cracks open the door it looks like Tenka. And stranger things have happened than short disappearances, so he summons up a smile, opening it further.] Ah... I suppose this is a surprise. Are you looking for Hinata-kun? I can see if he's in.

[sunshrouded]

[Ah Komaeda..... One of the more recent additions to their family and yet-- it still earns him a surprised blink when he asks if Tenka's looking for Hinata. Well, he's quick to set that straight as he reaches out a hand to ruffle Komaeda's mop of a hairstyle.]

What're you talking about, Komaeda-kun? I came to visit you too!!

Are you trying to get rid of me again so soon?

d

[roboticists]

[ Does she have a quest marker over her head or what? This is not the first time Aura's been approached in this manner - but then again she is a tall lady with purple hair and a robot trailing her most of the time so she probably would be one of those quest giver folk.

She cocks her head, puts a hand on her hip and looks at Tenka critically with an eye. ]

Depends on what it is.

[sunshrouded]

Oho, a lady with a discerning eye. I can respect that!

[But he doesn't seem daunted at all.

Just mildly distracted as he cares very much about introducing himself first. Always focused on establishing relationships with people, this one.]

I'm Kumou Tenka, 14th Head of the Kumou Family. I don't think we've met before.

c I CHANGED MY MIND

[impheired]

[If Tenka stopped by Kuzuryuu's apartment when he went to see Peko, he'd find that the heir did not appear to be home. Clearly off doing whatever it is teenage yakuzas do. Maybe something shady but probably not because it's Kuzuryuu.]

[But he's not gone gone, so really it was only a matter of time till their paths crossed. Or rather, till Kuzuryuu happens to recognize Tenka and walk over to his bench. What's going on over here?]

...lake? [He seems confused. What else is it supposed to look like? Moving on though:] So when'd you get back then?

[sunshrouded]

[Tenka is pulling back the paper, apparently satisfied with Kuzuryuu's answer because if it looks like 'lake' then that means Tenka hasn't gotten rusty with the weird language system here. Good.

But the question that comes after actually has him looking at the person that he thrusted the paper at and--]

Whoa, if it isn't Kuzuryuu-kun!!

I got back this morning -- I saw Peko-chan already but you weren't around when I visited. Good thing I caught you here.

c for contributing to this thread pile

[finatic]

[There's very little thought behind Kagami approaching Tenka at precisely this moment, other than "oh, it's the big Kumou -> I wanna hit him"... He's never been one for solid plans. But he is very abruptly there, and then just as abruptly has a paper shoved in his face.

.... what?? Plan: Hit In The Face ruined, as he boggles vaguely at the paper and Tenka at once. Kumous are unbelievable.]

Are you putting up posters now too, Kumou head? [stare.... get out of his face...]

[sunshrouded]

[why is tenka not surprised the kagami is illiterate

except he didn't completely realize who he was shoving the paper at until he started talking??? not a lot of people recognize tenka as the head of the Kumou here before he introduces himself and so he blinks as he realizes who he's.... talking to....]

Shark man?!

[ . . . . though he does frown a moment later--]

You're here and you still can't read.... Wow....

[he just gets more pitiful every time]