ｓｅｔａ ｓｏｕｊｉｒｏｕ 「瀬田 宗次郎」 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
eversmiling) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
estoria2014-11-03 08:36 pm
eversmiling) wrote in estoria2014-11-03 08:36 pm
the mental blade cut through flesh and bone [closed]
Who: Seta Soujirou, Chizuru Yukimura, Kaoru Nagumo (eversmiling, derepressed, souredsweet)
When: After they take each other out during the event, so vaguely towards the end of it... LET'S SAY TODAY
Where: The Sanctuary
What: what do you mean we're not dead
Rating/Warning: Kaoru will throw a tantrum, so
[ Soujirou never really had any qualms with dying after he had taken Shishio's lessons to heart. All of the fear that he had felt on that rainy night had disappeared like teardrops in the rain, so had been satisfied with the idea that when his time came, that was the natural path his life would take. His only hope is that it would be in an exciting fight, and for that much, his wishes had been fulfilled.
So more than anything, what surprises and upsets him is waking up again.
It's not supposed to be possible, after all. He had been weak, so he had died. He had killed others, so he was strong. It was the hard truth of the matter, and yet, what could it possibly mean for him to be returning to consciousness once again? He can still remember that vicious pain as Kaoru's sword cut deeply enough into his chest to kill him, and the smile he had given in response. He sits up where he had been laying, and is further surprised to find a little lantern still in his hand, and automatically, he slips it on his own neck and tucks it into his bloodsoaked and torn shirt right next to his own. ]
How...?
[ He murmurs it softly, almost absently as he continues to check himself over, because it simply doesn't make sense. He shouldn't be here right now, and yet... And yet—?
The thought breaks off as he scans the room, much to his quiet relief, because he realizes he doesn't have time to focus on that at the moment. He can meditate on what that means later, but for now, his eyes have fallen upon two people. And he imagines they won't be happy to see him. ]
eversmiling, derepressed, souredsweet)When: After they take each other out during the event, so vaguely towards the end of it... LET'S SAY TODAY
Where: The Sanctuary
What: what do you mean we're not dead
Rating/Warning: Kaoru will throw a tantrum, so
[ Soujirou never really had any qualms with dying after he had taken Shishio's lessons to heart. All of the fear that he had felt on that rainy night had disappeared like teardrops in the rain, so had been satisfied with the idea that when his time came, that was the natural path his life would take. His only hope is that it would be in an exciting fight, and for that much, his wishes had been fulfilled.
So more than anything, what surprises and upsets him is waking up again.
It's not supposed to be possible, after all. He had been weak, so he had died. He had killed others, so he was strong. It was the hard truth of the matter, and yet, what could it possibly mean for him to be returning to consciousness once again? He can still remember that vicious pain as Kaoru's sword cut deeply enough into his chest to kill him, and the smile he had given in response. He sits up where he had been laying, and is further surprised to find a little lantern still in his hand, and automatically, he slips it on his own neck and tucks it into his bloodsoaked and torn shirt right next to his own. ]
How...?
[ He murmurs it softly, almost absently as he continues to check himself over, because it simply doesn't make sense. He shouldn't be here right now, and yet... And yet—?
The thought breaks off as he scans the room, much to his quiet relief, because he realizes he doesn't have time to focus on that at the moment. He can meditate on what that means later, but for now, his eyes have fallen upon two people. And he imagines they won't be happy to see him. ]
no subject
Where his concern does fall is Chizuru - who should also, by the city's logic, be alive. Waking up post-mortem with an adrenaline rush probably isn't the healthiest way to go about things but that's where the chips fall, and Kaoru is scrambling to her side in an instant. Daitsuren is still gripped tightly in one hand; it's only set to the side once he's kneeling by Chizuru and even then is placed closely enough to grab again with ease - always on guard.
Once both hands are free, he's reaching forward. The elegance and pitch of his voice have been lost in his panic as his hands brush over her cheeks, eyes darting and wide and wild.]
Chizuru—?! Chizuru, wake up!
[Soujirou will have to wait a little bit for Kaoru's attention to swivel in his direction BUT IT UNDOUBTEDLY WILL, and then the panic will be able to subside for even just a short while. Long enough for Kaoru to go "hm, one murder is not enough", probably. Good thing he found Chizuru first...]
no subject
Her eyes fly open and she jerks awake, wincing at the soreness of her chest and her side and bringing up a hand to desperately bat Kaoru's hands away - she's not yet aware of who was calling her, of where they are, of any of this; all she knows is there's someone there and he is far, far too close for comfort.
It is only a moment later, as she's taking a deep, ragged breath, that she gets a good look at him.]
Kaoru-san..? [They're alive. But... They'd died. Or she'd died. Unless he hadn't? Unless he'd carried her away to safety, gotten her treatment of some kind -
No, she'd died. This is just like Zelien, then...? She's trembling as she looks from him to their surroundings, and then she flinches instinctively when she spots Soujirou a little ways away.] Ah—! [She isn't displeased to see him so much as she is absolutely terrified.]
no subject
So it was a joke after all, huh?
[ Which also implies that Soujirou hadn't exactly been taking the ultimate promise seriously in itself, but... He had been telling the truth to say that even for a slight chance to return to Shishio, he would take it. He sits up straighter, then starts to pat himself down for injuries, yet finds none other than soreness. ]
You fight really well, Nagumo-san! I was surprised... You could be a member of the Juppongatana with skill like that.
no subject
Her reaction has him casting a sharp glance over, though; it isn't surprising to see Soujirou there, exactly. As logic follows, if both of them had woken up here, this place would also naturally be his destination. There's something jarring about it nonetheless, but where Chizuru is fearful, Kaoru just seems to be hit by all that spite and anger he had been keeping under lock earlier. Everything seems like mockery to him. "You fight well", surely. "It was a joke" - he's insulted.
The hand that had been reaching for Chizuru is immediately darting to the side instead, keen on picking up Daitsuren again. He can already tell that something is wrong with how sluggish his movements are, but that's a secondary concern.]
You—! How dare you, how dare you! And for a damned joke?! I'll kill you!
[hi my name's kaoru and i don't get over things ever]
no subject
[The nice thing about having been raised human is that Chizuru is used to doing things at a human speed. So while Kaoru notices a certain amount of sluggishness, Chizuru just doesn't, because she isn't usually able to do things faster.
She's still pretty quick to reach forward and grab for his hands when he starts to go for Daitsuren, though. There are tears in her eyes as she pleads with him.]
Please, no more killing... hasn't there been enough of that already?
no subject
...Huh. Nagumo-san, you are a man, aren't you?
[ He had suspected it, though not until they fought. Not being familiar with demons, it seemed to him that the only logical explanation for that strength was that Kaoru's appearance wasn't quite truthful. Soujirou hardly seems bothered by it, though, just more commenting idly on the matter, because, well. You're not the first crossdressing powerhouse fighter he's met, Kaoru... ]
no subject
Enough? How can you say it's enough—?! You died! [As if she needs the reminder. His voice is rising and it seems like he might reach for Daitsuren again anyway, or at least try, but Soujirou's question snaps him out of it at least a little.
—Ah.
That's right. He's in public, isn't he? He's never had much luck with his temper, all things considered. Once it slips, it's difficult for him to reel it back in - or to even think clearly enough to realize he should do so. Most of the time, situations where he loses his temper are unsalvageable anyway, so there's no point in trying to censor himself.
But this is different. Chizuru is right here. A large number of the Shinsengumi are, too, and most of them know by now that he's a concern. He doesn't know how long he's going to be stuck here, but he does know that life will be very difficult for him if every ugly aspect about him is out in the open. It's enough to shock him back into some semblance of sensibility, but he's still struggling very hard to contain his spitefulness and his fingers itch for the hilt of his blade. Soujirou's question won't get an answer; he doesn't trust himself to open his mouth yet without spitting out venom.]
no subject
I know... I know I did, and I don't— There's been too much bloodshed... please.
[She's frightened. People who are trapped here turning on each other, killing each other - that's exactly what those strange clown creatures want, she thinks. Honestly, just thinking about it makes her ill. The game - COMPASS's experiments - Kaoru's blade through her chest - that buglike creature's scalpel peeling away her skin -
She's so, so tired of people suffering on their captors' whims. There are a few moments where she really looks like she might be sick, but luckily, Soujirou provides a distraction.]
...eh?
[Guess who, uh, didn't know her twin was her brother. That's right, it's Chizuru! Soujirou's question shocks her into loosening her grip on Kaoru's hands and blinking the tears out of her eyes in confusion; she is left floundering for a moment or two, before she tightens her hold on them again and leans forward a little. This is something else to focus on, at least, and perhaps unfairly to him she latches onto it immediately.]
Kaoru-san... is that true?
no subject
[ He actually looks a little embarrassed, since of anyone, he really figured that Chizuru would know, but... He's also perceptive, so he can pick up on the implication that she didn't quickly, and likely much to Kaoru's annoyance, though he won't say anything about it now. He waves his hands lightly as if to dismiss it. ]
Ah, I'm sorry, in that case!
no subject
Shut up. ["JUST THE SOUND OF YOUR VOICE MAKES ME WANT TO GOUGE OUT YOUR EYES" but no, Kaoru can't say something like that so it will just remain a part of his perpetually running internal monologue. He still thinks Soujirou is doing this entirely on purpose, too, so how irate he is is practically palpable. He leans away from Chizuru a little at the same time that he shifts his own hands so that he's holding hers back in a grip that's probably a little too tight for comfort.
At the very least, it seems like none of his ire is directed at her.]
Whatever your aim is, I won't let this go so easily. [ie stop trying to distract them all from murder!! Chizuru's just getting ignored in the meantime, apparently...]
no subject
Her expression shifts from "confused and curious" to "slightly put-out" to "annoyed" in the time it takes Soujirou to ask if that was a secret and for Kaoru to respond. His grip is definitely too tight, and she's not especially fond of the way he ignores her in order to grumble at Soujirou.
So she squeezes his hands once before tugging on them to try and get his attention.]
Stop making threats and answer the question!
[She just got her ass murdered it's been a long day, okay]
no subject
[ Soujirou just looks a little confused, since as far as he's concerned, he had stated his aims quite clearly. Kaoru is just overcomplicating Soujirou as a whole, because his whole motivation really was just trusting what CERES told them and working how he could to return home.
...But he's also not stupid. He won't repeat that, since it would draw attention to the fact that there are two lanterns hidden under his shirt, and there would be three if someone hadn't rudely stomped on the third. So he just falls silent instead, since he'll let family matters come first. ]
no subject
So Chizuru is shot an irate glance, but that's about it for the time being. He can only keep his irritation on one target for so long...]
Don't insult me by playing dumb.
[HE'S ON TO YOU, SHITHEAD.]
no subject
Chizuru's got an expression like she would totally stomp her foot if she were standing up instead of sitting up, but she's not standing because Kaoru had rushed over to her before she was even awake.
And now it seems like he's trying to pick (another) fight with Soujirou...]
Big brother! [She wants to see if that gets a reaction, at least, since he's ignoring her like a jerk. Wow! What does she have to do to make him talk to her, keel over and die again so he can monologue over her corpse?] This isn't the time or place to be fighting with him...!
no subject
I'm not playing dumb, Nagumo-san. I already told you what my aims were.
[ He'll at least concede that, then nods towards Chizuru. ]
But you have more to discuss than me, it seems like? I just assumed you were like Kamatari-san, so I thought she knew...
no subject
After another second of trying and failing to come up with something to say that isn't just a maelstrom of shittery, Kaoru snatches his hands back from Chizuru's grasp quite suddenly. He reaches for Daitsuren again, but it seems like he has no plan on starting a fight now, pushing himself up into a standing position instead.]
I don't think that we have anything to discuss right now. Any of us.
[Which he means in a "later, maybe when we're not out in the open" sort of way but it may well come off as avoidant, because it is, in part. He doesn't want to risk really losing his temper.]
no subject
[She pushes herself up after him, looking very much like she is 100% fed up with all of this, because she is. They're probably somewhere safe now, considering she doesn't see any of the clowns around, but...]
...do you still have your lantern, at least?
[Because dang it don't try going anywhere without it... She looks down and notices that hers is missing and that miiiiight be a problem, maybe. And then she glances over at Soujirou to see if she can spot his...]
This is still a really dangerous situation...
no subject
Well, I won't keep you, at least. I think I'll stay here for now, though.
[ Because he's hungry, actually, but he's smart enough to not say that... ]
no subject
He pivots on his heel, staring Soujirou down with a look that spans disgust and ire. He may want to stay because he's hungry but Kaoru interprets it as him wanting to get away with taking his damn lantern easily. Just look at that smile, wow, a smile only a shithead would wear for diabolical reasons!!]
Ah... It would be more dangerous outside, wouldn't it? Traveling in the dark without a light is not advisable...
[The tiny part of himself that is 5% sensible tells him not to step into a pose of offense when he already knows something is wrong with his body, but his hand rests on the hilt of his sword, regardless.]
no subject
Chizuru glances nervously between the two of them. She had kind of, sort of been skewered before Soujirou had taken Kaoru's lantern, so she doesn't know for sure, but the way her brother is looking at him definitely makes it look as if he managed to steal it in the end.
And since she had tried to give her lantern to Kaoru before she died - it's the last thing she remembers - she assumes he must have both of their lanterns. She turns to Soujirou, and her expression is imploring.]
Um... please, can we have them back? Both of them.
[She has no clue that Kaoru crushed her lantern underfoot.]
no subject
[ He admits that simply, since he's still a little salty that Kaoru is so petty, but... It also means that Soujirou isn't exactly going to be nice about the topic either. His smile is ever present, but even though Chizuru is the one that asked the question, his gaze is on Kaoru. ]
But no, I won't. I'm sorry, Nagumo-san, but I won it in the end. You can fight me again if you want it back, though.
[ Kaoru has been imagining a lot of Soujirou's shitheadness, but this time, it's actually there, at least. ]
no subject
In the exact opposite of his nerd friend, though, his own gaze shifts so that he's entirely focused on Chizuru, instead.]
I couldn't bear to see you die for something so useless... If my precious little sister couldn't exist in this world, then I wouldn't allow what that person saw as more valuable to continue existing, either. [Which also implies he wasn't sure that he'd live long enough to just take it and run, but... he wasn't... and he'd rather act on the assumption that he'd lose than let his arrogance get Chizuru's lantern stolen.
His voice and expression have both become a little softer now, too, and the hand that had been resting on the hilt of his blade rises and sweeps toward Chizuru in a delicate gesture that seems at odds with his temper. He's still mad, though... more angry than before.....]
It would be too dangerous for you to go outside like this, so I'll stay with you. I wonder if someone twice-dead would remain that way...? [SOUJIROU.]
no subject
Chizuru's gaze lingers on Soujirou for a moment or two, trying to figure out if he's telling the truth or not - but then Kaoru confirms it, and she turns toward him, her own expression somewhat conflicted at what she hears. That's definitely one way of handling things, but there is a small part of her that thinks that maybe if he'd just started running immediately he could have gotten away.
But he didn't, and now all three of them are dead. How unfortunate.]
Kaoru-san... I didn't want you to die either, though.
[It's not chiding, though - it's not a reprimand. Her voice is a little too soft for that. But then she tenses up a little when he poses his question and she glances between the two of them again, holding up her hands in what she hopes is a placating gesture.]
Um, there's still a lot about this place that we don't understand even if we have been here for some time now, so I really think we should try to avoid fighting if we can. [SHE IS ADDRESSING BOTH OF THEM HERE...] Whether it's those clowns or CERES or both of them that have brought this about, shouldn't we be focusing on helping each other escape from their control instead of fighting each other?
no subject
Hmm, well, I don't mind not fighting if Nagumo-san doesn't mind— [ Nagumo-san does mind, and in fact, wants to supermurder you, Soujirou... ]
But you're wrong. Helping each other in a situation like this is a bad idea. If it's lives at stake, then it's pretty simple. The strong will live. [ His hand moves to hover over where Kaoru's sword had hit him, though, and he hums thoughtfully before pushing that thought away. ]
But escaping isn't a bad idea! And I guess working together is probably the best way to do that part... [ Which sounds contradictory, but for Soujirou, it's very simple. When you fight someone, you're in it to win it, but fighting against something larger simply needed more people. ]
no subject
There's seemingly no reaction from him when she says that - I didn't want you to die - though his hand comes forward further when she raises her own in that placating gesture. His fingers touch her palm in a brief, fleeting gesture, because he is 99% sure he'd try to supermurder Soujirou if he didn't have that distraction... NAGUMO-SAN DOES INDEED MIND but Nagumo-san will just focus on being a verbal shithead instead of a stabbing one.]
What a cruel thing to say... A person with such ideals can't be trusted to keep their word when they claim that they'll work with others. [But Soujirou only gets a brief backwards glance at that; his attention largely remains on Chizuru.]
If my little sister wants to avoid fighting, then I won't be the cause of undue stress. Still— Please don't put too much faith in combined efforts just yet if this is the most you have to work with. I'll worry a lot about you if you do such reckless things...
1/2
[Whoops, Soujirou has gotten Chizuru's full attention for a moment; she's got a look on her face like she very much disagrees with what he's said, and her voice is a little sharper than it usually is.]
"The strong will live, the weak will die"... but you're overlooking the fact that by helping each other we can all become stronger. The people you think of as weak simply not have had the chance to build up their strength yet. And being able to take a life... that's not the only sort of strength there is.
[This is clearly something she feels very strongly about.]
There are all sorts of strength. The strength to spare a life even when you desperately want someone gone, because it's for the greater good... the strength to stay by someone's side even if it means you're giving up other things that could make you happy... the strength to support someone even when they treat you badly. Those all take a different kind of strength than the kind you need to skewer someone on your blade. It isn't so simple.
Working together helps us to find the different kinds of strength in all of us.
2/2
I'll be careful, Kaoru-san. But I really, truly believe that there's a better way than giving in to what those clowns want and fighting each other. They're trying to make us suspicious of each other... If it wasn't for their temptation, it would have been safe for us to run into him, right? [She nods at Soujirou.] He hasn't hurt either of us up until now.
So what happened... it isn't because of him. It's because of them.
[yeah, he has every reason to be worried.]
no subject
Though his posture had been relaxed and at ease before this, his hand moves to his sword, and though he just rests his palm on the hilt of the blade, it's enough. ]
You're wrong.
[ He states simply, but he's definitely ignoring Kaoru by now, since he doesn't so much as glances his way or fall for the obvious, passive-aggressive baiting. ]
Those things aren't strength at all. They're just ideals. The only strength that's real is the kind you use to take someone's life. If you can't even defend your own life, then you deserve to die. That's the way of the world, because otherwise, no one would die for no real reason, wouldn't they? The strong would protect the weak. But that's not how it works.
[ Soujirou shrugs, but it's strange how that smile is still there without faltering. He might be more upset if Chizuru had been a threat to him, but as he sees it, she's just naive. ]
The food for the strong is the flesh of the weak. That's even what this game is about, right?
no subject
So he watches Soujirou in the same way that he does with anyone that he wants to learn things from. He recognizes the gesture of aggression, the hyper-focused attention, the words. It's something he's thought before - the strong don't protect the weak, the strong prey on the weak - because if the world worked in the way Chizuru thinks it does, then he wouldn't have had to claw his way out of that clan on his own. Her beliefs are pretty, but fundamentally untrue. The world is a disgusting place where the vicious and cruel reap the benefits while the weak suffer unaided, nothing to look forward to but being stamped out.
When he speaks again, it's in a softer, more gentle way, because he feels in better control of himself. Though he sees no flaw in Soujirou's reasoning, he also understands people well enough to know that most would disagree. Chizuru definitely would.]
Someone like that will be tempted by anything. Even in a bad situation where working together is the only answer, aren't there always the ones who will side against you because they believe it to be the easiest escape? I've heard many stories like that from times of war, and I'm certain you also have. [His gaze drops to the floor, brow creased.]
...You say those masked men and their offer are to blame here, and not this person's inability to control himself, but... those men could be replaced with anything. The temptation of going home could be replaced with anything.
[But hE KNOWS HIS DUMB SISTER and knows he should find an out before she otome protagonists herself to death. Since "I'm worried about you" is directed at her and therefore more likely to be ignored since it leans on perceived self-interest, Kaoru shifts his angle a little, baiting the exit so that she might think of it as doing something for him instead. His head lowers, face hidden and voice even softer.]
That's scary, isn't it...? It scares me. I would die again if it would keep you safe and I can't forgive anyone who would put you into a situation where your life might be lost, I won't— But I don't want to see any lives lost to a person who can't value their worth. I don't want to fight anymore, especially if it isn't what you want, but such a person will surely find reason again...