estoria | ( OPEN )

#beadgate

( It's a completely normal day and all is totally quiet in Sword Haus today until Mutsu comes home. Now, you're probably thinking this isn't anything unusual because Mutsu is loud and you might think he's always causing trouble where ever he goes but this time it's completely not his fault. It' snot his fault!

The front door opens and there's a loud clatter of a lot of somethings hitting the ground and rolling around. It souds a lot like marbles but multiple one marble by five thousand and this is what it sounds like in the apartment. His regain has kicked in and about 5,000 beads are falling onto Mutsu and rolling all over the floor with him screaming, )

What the he-- aaaah!

( This wasn't his fault!!!! )

Wildcard

come at me

[Kashuu's just in his room, minding his own business, when SOMEONE has to bring calamity into the apartment!! Incredible.

That is, as soon as he hears the melodious sound of 5000 beads hitting the floor, Kashuu's busting out the door with Great Concern because that's a loudass noise and also a weird one?! But it's only Mutsu...

Mutsu and a small marble store.]

What did you do—?! What are those!!

[Alas, he hasn't hit Marble Hell yet, himself...]

[Naki was lying on the couch, playing a cute rhythm game on his Cerevice, when--well that huge crash was shocking enough his fox fell off the back of the couch. Scrambling to his feet!? And slipping on beads, as Naki peeks over the couch back.]

M-Mutsunokami-dono, what--what is this!?

[It's really strange to be back, because it feels so very different. The first time, he'd felt as if he's been torn away from his purpose, suddenly rudderless among strangers. Even the second time, coming from Osaka castle and knowing he had friends here, he'd still been taken against his will, and in his mind he'd still been desperately clinging to his place among the Shinsengumi.

This time, he's already made a decision of his own to leave them, for the sake of surviving another day, another second; another heartbeat, another breath. And more so, for the sake of arms around his frail body, for hot tears, for the voice that called him "little brother" and the one that brokenly pleaded, "don't leave me behind"... He'd left the Shinsengumi.

And here he is. Surviving. Breathing. Far away and outside of time, it's true, but it's something. He's at peace. And he'll be getting used to being back in a number of ways:

a. Dragging a futon back into Kashuu's and Yamato's room. He sounds like he might bust a lung. Help this nerd.

b. Raiding the kitchen for supplies and starting to make castella cake. At least he has a chair standing there so he can sit down and have a rest at regular intervals.

c. Taking it easy! For real. Drinking tea, curled up under a lot of blankets in the sofa, and either playing video games or watching movies. Sorry about the near-constant sound of coughing, even in the middle of the night. He has troubles sleeping whenever his lungs are acting up.

Bother him!]

[--Times like these make Koumei wonder if he should, perhaps, find a better place to take a nap. Hair a disheveled mess of knots and curls, button up shirt disarrayed, and an owlish look in his eyes, Koumei poked his head out in the hallway...

and stared.]

Mister Mutsunokami. It seems we have a hailstorm inside the building.

[Nevermind that these were obviously beads. Koumei held his feathered fan over his head, as if to protect himself, as he stooped to gingerly pick one up.

This seemed to be a trick from the Company. The tiny little bead could very well explode.]

A

[...Somehow or another, there seemed to be a new addition to the small apartment that he resided in with his brother, the foxes, and Doudanuki. Another fox-- a third one, and this time one that seemed to be more akin to an actual fox than either Kogitsunemaru or Nakigitsune.

How curious.

Thus it was that one quiet afternoon Koumei was discreetly tidying the place up and making a few phone calls to various establishments in town, ordering food that was simple and homey to be ready for a specific time that evening. Tofu was requested for the sake of Naki and Kogi, noodles, meat and seafood were also part of the menu, and dessert was some sweet potato and fig rice dumplings that he had a feeling Kouha would love-- along with a small castella cake that he knew some of the Swords were partial to.

The reason?

A small 'family dinner' for the people in their little den, of course.

Drop-ins were welcome too. Koumei made sure there was extra portions just in case...and some sake stowed away in the kitchen

B

[Anyone who knew Koumei would quickly come to learn one thing: he didn't get out much. The times he did were for very simple little things, as socializing wasn't something he preferred to do when left to his own devices.

His comings and goings to and from the library with piles of books in his arms, and the strange attention he was paying to Fishy, were hard to miss. The books clearly were about aquatic life...but why did he even care about fish in the first place?]

C

[Naptime! A chronic insomniac, sleep tended to come for Koumei at odd times, leaving him liable to fall asleep anywhere and on anything.

Whether he was really asleep or not could be debated, but the details didn't matter. There was a napping Koumei, somewhere that would be inconvenient for other folks.]

Edited 2016-06-01 21:47 (UTC)

[ ... there's a coughing pile of blankets and he's a little confused, so naturally it's time to do some real hardcore investigative work. Then again, it's Kogitsunemaru--- the foxiest of grandpas, so this is really comprised of him approaching and prodding at Souji through the stacks. ]

... hello? Anyone in there?

[ And guess who's bringing home the tofu?

Kogitsunemaru couldn't have been more excited to hear Koumei's order come through on the phone, though he wasn't the one to take it. It was another worker, one that also took care of packing it up for the little fox to take home with him from the restaurant--- because Kogi still couldn't be trusted with aburaage. Not allowed, banned, barred from the delicious flavor and texture while working.

STILL! Nothing could stop him from taking it to the apartment for the shared dinner. ]

Here you go, Koumei.

[ It's a paper bag with the wrapped tofu in it. Kogi didn't even steal any! Where is the praise he deserves... ]

[She'd already met a couple swords, and Cao Pi had been interested in introducing her to the group as well, so it's only natural she show up to say hi at some point.

Kaguya, immortal mystic of Tale of the Bamboo Cutter fame had never felt a greater collection of Tsukumogami; until this city, she had never had the pleasure of meeting one. She was fascinated, but mostly she just enjoyed that mere proximity to the apartments made her feel a little like she was in the mystic realm again.

Just walking in was rude, surely, but the door was unlocked and no one had answered her timid knock (probably because no one could hear it jesus). So have a ornately dressed Mystic that looks like she stepped out of a Heian-era portrait or something loitering around the entryway, wide-eyed and looking a little lost. Nervously she twists her sakaki wand in her hands and looks around; maybe she should just...leave.... and try again another day??]

Thank you kindly, Mister Kogi. [Koumei said with a smile, gesturing to a place on the table where the Small Fox could place the tofu. He knew how fond Kogi was of the dish, and was quite proud of him for bringing it all home in one piece.]

It was very helpful of you to bring it back with you, and it probably saved your coworkers some frustration. I can't imagine what they must think of us everytime they recieve a call...

[He trailed, imagining the sort of crazy reputation they must have with the various establishments in the city. The one thing they all could agree upon was that the swords were passionate.

Whatever that meant.]

[ Kogitsunemaru is immediately up and off the couch, standing up and heading directly toward the clattering sound of beads. He's more concerned than anything, whatever that noise is reminds him of trouble. Nothing should sound that much, or that many times, and...

... he steps on the avalanche of beads and goes immediately down, back first, landing on a carpet of tiny, hard orbs.

It feels as bad as he looks. ]

Of course. It's very convenient when the place I work is the one that also supplies the food, so I'm glad to do this for all of us.

[ Kogi is all smiles, even as he places the tasty treat down onto the table. Tofu being one of his favorite foods, he's tempted to tear open that bag and start snacking right away but it IS a party for everyone. Not just him, but for all of the foxes, friends, and family. ]

Mm! Well, as long as they never have an idea of who is calling, it tends to be better. They aren't as rude when it's an unfamiliar voice. Yours is quite new to them, but someone like Nakigitsune or his tiny fox are certainly recognizable now.

[ Because he's asked them to make a few calls on his behalf. ]

So. We have a new roommate, yes?

[NO VISITING ANOTHER DAY, because now she's been Spotted™... Kashuu, who was on his way through the kitchen to pick up a snack, immediately brightens up when he sees her and trots over her way.]

Hey! Did you come to say hi?

[Apparently he's used to people just showing up, since he doesn't seem surprised or offended by her sudden appearance at all... It happens!

He also holds the plate in his hand out toward her, which has a small array of chestnut wagashi on it.]

Want one?

[He's gotta know...

He's gotta know.

As one of the two swords originally responsible for dragging Fishy into their homes in the first place, Kashuu feels kind of guilty that it's still around terrorizing some of them. Naturally he notices the uptick in curiosity about alien aquatic life there, so one day, when Koumei's passing through with more books, he'll just come out with it and ask:]

Are you gonna cook it?

[Everyone wants to eat Fishy.]

[Koumei chuckled as he returned to work, making sure that there were enough disposable chopsticks around that no one would need to worry about too much clean up later. One of the boons of this city was the sheer amount of tools that could be thrown away when they were no longer needed-- it saved quite a bit of time and frustration for those who were unused to such a complicated way of life.]

I imagine that anyone in these apartments would be quite familiar to most people by now. Besides Mister Haru, none of us are very adept at cooking.

[Rice and sweet potatoes didn't count. Nope.]

But yes, it seems we do have a new roommate. Was it Nakigitsune's doing, if not your own?

[To be honest, he had no idea where this fox had come from.]

Please. I can't imagine that beast would taste at all decent.

[Not that he hadn't considered it, but he much preferred his seafood to be smoked and boneless. Squid was godly amongst seafood and, while Koumei still preferred fish over beef, nothing could possibly top the wonder of a finely prepared, multi legged, boneless wonder.

He looked up from his reading and regarded Kashuu unwaveringly, wondering what the man was thinking. While Kashuu might be partly responsible for Fishy's existance in their home, Koumei himself was partly to blame for how it ended up in Doudanuki's room.

He was merely taking responsibility.]

I'm trying to figure out the beast's natural habits, so we can maybe quell it's rage and channel it into something less volitile.

[Like having a Guard Fishy. Because that was a good idea.]

[That also seems to be the number one reason why people don't go through with eating Fishy, too. No one wants to take a chance on an alien...

Also, it could be poisonous! Danger everywhere!!]

Eh... What, like make it a better tank so it stops wanting to eat everyone who walks in front of it?

[And anything that's dropped inside?? He knows at least one pair of his shoes has been lost to Fishy's bowels...]

[ Some stomping can be heard on the other side of the wall and then a door slamming. Before you know it, Hakata is standing in Mutsu with a bright smile. ]

Eh, was that sound of coins?!

[ Except well, his face falls when he sees they were just beads A LOT OF BEADS. But not money. ]

What did you get all this Mutsunokami-san? Did you go gambling? [ Pachinko?? ]

Edited (beads not marbles self ) 2016-06-04 09:39 (UTC)

[The bundle stirs slightly, and a thin white hand is extended. Some sort of spirit??? No, it's just an ordinary hand flailing about in an attempt to shove the mound of blankets aside enough so Souji can actually see Kogi. Once he does, he offers him a slightly tired smile, attempting to sit up a bit more properly. In the background, some obscure tv series plays on.]

Just me. [A small frown, and he adds:] I hope I didn't disturb you?

[ My, my! Now this is a face he hasn't seen in awhile, Mikazuki is happy to see it though less happy to see him attempting to drag a futon by himself. Especially so when he sounds like he might die if he's left alone to do it -- so the other will find a pair of gloved elegant hands supporting the other end of the futon. ]

It's been some time, ah...I called you "Senpai" before, didn't I? [ He's still quite fond of that. ] If you don't mind an old man's help, let's quickly set this down in your usual room?

[ If she was planning on leaving it's Too Late. Mikazuki spots the familiar face and hurries on over! He enjoyed Kaguya's company quite a bit and is happy to see her! If that's not obvious by the present smile on this old sword. He'd take her hands even if not for the wand in her grasp. ] My Lady, Kaguya! Aha, it's truly a pleasure to meet you again.

I hope you had no trouble finding it? [ It's probably noisy enough to find from nearby -- ] If no one has yet, shall I give you the grand tour?

a - sebastian the mountain

[ So it's probably nothing that strange that Kashuu would invite in strange new people, but having this one actually living with the swords is probably a little surprise. However, considering Kashuu has explained Sebastian's presence as being an old, lonely spirit that definitely needs some friends. And being offered a place to stay by Haru, well. Sebastian is essentially far too polite to turn it down. That, and he really has no reason to do so.

Still, it's not so bad having this new "spirit" around. After all, there are two things he very clearly enjoys, and that's—

i. —Cooking. It's definitely a hobby of his, but as a demon that feeds upon souls, well, he doesn't exactly need to cook for himself. After working in the Phantomhive household for the past year or two, he's come to enjoy cooking quite a bit. So finally, with people to cook for, Sebastian is more than happy to indulge. It's probably dinner time when you're likely to see Sebastian busily (and quite happily) working away in the kitchen. You can come sabotage, steal a bite, or just ask what kind of definitely Western dish he's making.

ii. —Cleaning. Anywhere there's a mess (or even if there's just dust), you're likely to find Sebastian dutifully taking care of things. Have you exploded any microwaves lately? Made an interesting mess? Sebastian is here to help.

wildcard

[ come make fun of your weird new tenant... kashuu makes weird friends... I might also add another prompt once the interlude thread I'm in is done, so stay tuned?! ]

I did not mean to intrude. [Is her automatic apology. To be honest, she almost didn't recognize Kashuu you know, with his clothes not being made up of towels and all, but she smiles in delight when she realizes.

The offer of sweets gets a surprised look and she hesitates a moment before reaching out to take one.] Is it alright...? [But clearly it must be if he's offering-- he wouldn't give her things that weren't his to give, right?? She nibbles on it and lights up in delight.]

Thank you very much, Lord Kiyomitsu. [Im sorry did you tell her not to call you that bc there she go...] I hope I ma not disturbing the household by showing up unannounced. Lord Cao Pi informed me you lived above, and I wished to see everyone.

I live below you, so it was no trouble. Lord Cao Pi directed me here as well. [She smiles warmly, pleased beyond words to see him again.]

It is truly wonderful to see you again. I would love a tour, if it will not disturb the other residents. It seems to be a very lively group here; it feels a little like home. [Her smile turns wistful, nostalgic-- she really did miss both the Mystic Realm and the noisy army]

[Something smells sweet and delicious. After probably being scolded by either of his swords and/or Haru about taking it easy and leaving cooking experiments to other people, Souji has mostly stayed out of the kitchens... but no one said anything about watching someone cook, right? And tuberculosis might be pretty bad for your appetite, but sweets is a completely different matter. He can always manage to eat those, somehow - sheer stubbornness, most likely.

So Sebastian will find analarmingly skinny little waif of a man watching him raptly from the entrance to the kitchen. His expression is one of unashamedly childish curiosity and enthusiasm as he cranes his head slightly to try to catch a glimpse of what's being made, and whenever Sebastian notices him he'll offer a bright smile and a wave.]

Hello there. You're a new face. Did Haru-kun adopt you too. [That's one way of putting it.]

Edited (COOK not cool... sorry Sebastian is a nerd) 2016-06-02 16:17 (UTC)

( OPEN )

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BEADGATE

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After intro log and onwards, OTA

#BEADGATE

After the Intro Log + Throughout the Month

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A

Some time inbetween end of intro and interlude

A

the beadpocalypse...

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B

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B

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beadgates

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a!

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tmw kashuu befriends a mountain(???) (before the interlude)

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i.