( OPEN )

[swordsitter]

Who: swordhaus + cr
When: throughout june (+ the end of may, because i missed a month oops)
Where: the three apartments swordhaus uses..
What: june (+ may) catch-all
Rating/Warning: probably nothing, but i'll edit as necessary.

---

[ sword mafia at home. ]

Comments

B -- and let's wait for Loki to get here.

[dishevelment]

[Oh-- hi, friend!

Koumei just smiled warmly at the one man who had made any semblence of sense in this city over the last couple of months.]

This is my younger brother, Ren Kouha. The Company saw it fit to bring him here this time.

I am here!!

[roughcut]

[Good call, Cao Pi. Wouldn't want to start things off on the wrong foot.

Kouha looks up when they're approached, grinning at the stranger.]

Friend of yours, Mei?

[That's an interesting development. Koumei isn't usually the type to open himself up easily, so this guy might be something special. To Cao Pi, he continues:]

Nice to meet ya. Are you another one of the guys rooming up here, or something?

/o/

[pure_havoc]

[eyebrows UP]

Ah, one of the famed brothers I've heard so much about. [yet, he doesn't bow, only inclining his head slightly to Kouha] I live on the floor below. Cao Pi, Lord of Wei.

[dishevelment]

[Construe things as much as you want, Gentlemen. Koumei simply knew that it was better to form alliances in this city.]

Lord Zihuan holds a similar political and social standing that we do, Kouha, [Koumei explained, ignoring any silent signals that were happening between them.] Additionally, the culture of his homeland is not dissimilar to that of our own, unlike many of the soldiers in these apartments-- they're more similar to the Kingdom of Kina, with the Seven Sea's Alliance.

You can speak with him freely. He understands what this world is like.

[roughcut]

[It's okay to admit you have friends, bro!!

The lack of bowing might have gotten a look from Kouha, but luckily, Koumei cuts that off at the pass. If this guy's a lord, no wonder he doesn't bow his head.]

Is that right? "Lord Zihuan", it is, then.

[Unfortunately, this is the most openly rude of the brothers, so his demeanor doesn't change a bit. He's still sitting with his feet on the couch, smiling up at Cao Pi.]

Guess that explains how you two got to talking. Seems like hardly anybody here comes from a country like ours. It was starting to make me kinda homesick! And all this new technology's kinda crazy, too.

[pure_havoc]

[There's a brief smile, of all things, in Koumei's direction before Cao Pi finds himself dealing with such a refreshing difference. Oh Kouha.]

Zihuan is my style name and I have given Master Koumei permission to use it. [and he can already guess that he's going to have to accept it from kid bro too] We've talked at length and it seems as though our homelands are similar enough to be brothers from different worlds. Something like that.

[dishevelment]

[Apologies, Cao Pi. Kouha is indeed the rudest of the Kou Royal Family, but he's also one of the most sincere. Unlike many other parties in the family, Koumei himself included, everything expressed by the seemingly delicate young man can be taken at face value.

In many ways, that makes him a most excellent addition to any battle party.]

Lord Zihuan also understands the nuances of how the events that happen in one world can affect another, although his experiences and understanding is wholly different from our's. It's refreshing, to be able to speak plainly with someone who understands and can provide another perspective.

[roughcut]

[You got it, new friend. In keeping with his rude pattern, the implications about him overstepping some boundaries go completely ignored. Unless he's directed told not to (and even then it might be a stretch), he'll keep on doing what he likes. Being told that speaking plainly is acceptable between them just makes it worse.

The "brothers" comment gets a raised eyebrow, though, because he gets the feeling that the weirdness of saying that to the guy's actual kid brother is going unnoticed. Then again, that might just be Kouha's protectiveness of his own title showing through.]

Huh! You've got experience with this kinda thing before? That's pretty lucky... Or unlucky, maybe, if you've been dragged away from home more than once. But I'm glad somebody so interesting is around to talk to! Better chances for all of us if we work together, right?

[pure_havoc]

[Hey, rude honesty is still better than Sima Yi being polite to your face and plotting the downfall of your dynasty behind your back...]

Indeed. Working together is the only way any of us are going to survive this place, in the long run. It seems comfortable and luxurious enough on the surface, but it isn't always so.

[though he can't help but smirk a bit in Koumei's direction] Dragged away from home does pretty much cover it, doesn't it?

[dishevelment]

[Cao Pi would be pleased to note that the Kou Royal Family is nothing but honest...for better and for worse.]

It does. I was quite...busy in the moments before I arrived here without any warning or reason, and the explanations provided by the Company left much to be desired.

And, while there are wonders here that don't yet exist at home, it's a dangerous place to let yourself go lax in.

[roughcut]

[At this point, it might be better to call them blunt...

Kouha thinks he knows what Mei's referring to, so he just raises an eyebrow at him before moving on.]

It'll be alright! I survived months in hostile countries with similar stuff before, you know, so I'm not gonna get lulled into feeling secure that easily.

[He shakes his head.]

Besides, I heard they can really mess with your head with magic or something! I'm not gonna trust people like that, no matter what they say.

[pure_havoc]

[Well, he can't argue with that...]

Or something, indeed. I haven't been here long enough to witness much for myself, but I have heard tales.

Either way. I'm sure you both will benefit from having a brother around. Family can be great comfort. [says the guy famous for family spats of his own. Ahem.]

[dishevelment]

Yes, family can indeed be a great comfort-- and I'm glad my brother is here.

[For that family is as loving as it is big...but that just means any internal spats amongst them are that much more devastating.]

[roughcut]

[#royalfamilyproblems]

Sucks being here, but I'm glad neither of us is alone, too.

[Sorry, Cao Pi, but you're now stuck in the middle of a mushy family moment. Kouha beams a bright smile at Koumei.]

Sure we will! And when we're better, we're better allies, too. I'll keep up my part of the work, no sweat.

[pure_havoc]

Oh? [he can't help but be a little amused, giving Koumei another one of his famous raised eyebrows as if he's in on the joke.] And which of the courtly arts are you most well-trained in, Master Kouha? Literature, music perhaps?

[dishevelment]

[...Koumei stays quiet, glancing over at Kouha as if to signal that it was his turn to speak. There was no delicate way of explaining to Cao Pi that the Kou siblings were not at all the most refined royals in the world.]

[roughcut]

[Getting that kind of rudeness flipped back on him so easily has Kouha blinking in surprise for a moment, before the irritation slips onto his face. Who does this guy think he is, questioning Kouha's princely qualifications?]

I can sword dance, if that's the sort of thing you mean.

[It totally counts!!]

[pure_havoc]

[he was teasing, but the response definitely catches his attention. Well said, tiny prince]

Can you? One blade or two?

[he's not carrying his weapon right now or he'd show off]

interrupts the tag order for a second

[roughcut]

[He nods, fiddling with his hair as he answers.]

I can do both, but I'm better with one. Don't really have any of the clothes or swords to work with here, though, or I'd show you.

[He can't do it with his his normal weapon because it's too cumbersome, but given a normal sword, he's pretty good. There's a confidence in him now that he wouldn't be able to pull of if he was lying.]

/o/

[pure_havoc]

I should like to see that, someday. The sword dance is always a popular entertainment at banquets. [he nods to the empty place at his side where he would usually carry Pure Havoc] Likewise, my pair of swords is downstairs, and I don't suppose anyone living here would enjoy if we made a mess of the apartment. Another time, then.

[dishevelment]

I will leave that to the both of you to arrange. Although....

If we were to dance with the residents here, would that not be considered a 'sword dance?'

[roughcut]

[That comment is so weird and thoughtful, it startles a laugh out of Kouha before he can throw a hand over his mouth.]

You thinking of asking them to dance? I don't think they'd want to get swung around like a real sword dance, you know, even if it's popular.

[pure_havoc]

[Cao Pi just gives him a raised eyebrow like really? That was terrible, Koumei, just terrible.]

That is, if you can even pick them up like one.

[he's seen Donut, all right, he knows some of these swords are as big as any of his father's bodyguards.]

[dishevelment]

[Alas, Cao Pi, he was sort of notorious for his weird, deadpan sort of humor.]

While Mister Doudanuki has taken it upon himself to put me through my paces after I embarrassed him at a party, I doubt there will ever come a time when he would let me hold him like a sword. On the other hand, as dance partners? I'm sure Mutsunokami, Kashuu, and Kogitsunemaru would be more than willing to oblige.

[roughcut]

I could probably pick up Imanotsurugi, at least.

[Why is he thinking about this so hard?? He's getting caught up in Mei's shenanigans now.]

But I don't think I could swing him around properly... Dancing with somebody human-shaped is way harder than that, Mei! Zihuan, back me up!