estoria | [open]

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Who: abe no "i'm so gloomy now" sousei & all of you people
When: IC: 1/21-23 || OOC: 6/17-20ish WHENEVER
Where: Various, catch him wherever suits!
What: What do you do when your partner's gone missing? Do dumb things and check on all of his adopted children, naturally.
Rating/Warning: None!

a. open - around the shopping district;

[At first, he didn't really think anything was wrong. Tenka going missing was naturally concerning, but he could've been at work, or the like. But as the day drags on and he doesn't show up, Sousei actually picks up his phone to call him.

User not Registered.

That's...that's very bad. Don't mind Sousei just standing in the middle of the sidewalk staring down at the CereVice in his hand.

At least, until he snaps back into action, turns abruptly, and starts going in the other direction. Too bad he didn't look where he was going first, hopefully his abrupt stop and equally abrupt direction change didn't cause any traffic jams.

Otherwise he can be found poking his head into shops and through alleyways and possibly even opening up and peering into trash cans. What does he think he's going to find there? Who knows. He has to give it a try, though. Even if he does look ridiculous with a trash can lid held over his head.]

b. open - gym;

[And as it drifts into the next day with still no Tenka, Sousei has to admit what he very much doesn't want to--namely that Tenka's gone, and they have no idea if he'll come back or anything. The city has only just started to run properly again after that entire ghost scare; still, it's hard to really appreciate that when it's becoming starkly obvious that everything is not quite right now.

Which is why he can be found in the gym even before his shift begins, practicing. It's good to practice. It's a good way to stay fit, and sharp, which is necessary after that entire fiasco.

Of course, he may be taking this a little too far, as the time drags on into hours and his breathing comes in short, sharp pants. He should probably take a break, but it doesn't seem like it's all too likely right now.]

c. semi-open: to tenka's close cr/people he adopted/etc;

[If Tenka knew you or was trying to take care of you or wanted to help you in some way or was even just amused by you, chances are he told Sousei. And now, as it edges into the third and four and fifth day and still no sign of Tenka coming back, he has to admit that that's probably the case. It had taken Soramaru two weeks to come back, so it isn't as though there isn't hope--but even so, he can't leave this for two weeks.

So he goes to perform his Not Fun Dad duties (which, for the record, he never signed up for). So if Tenka knew your address, he'll be awkwardly knocking on your door, or if he otherwise sees you around the city, he'll be approaching.

Awkwardly.

Sorry if you've never met him before, but he has a Duty to perform, and that duty is looking out for Tenka's gigantic swarm of adoptees and making sure they're all okay after that entire ViViD and technological fiasco.]

Excuse me.

[Don't mind him. He's just a little more Awkward than Tenka--and he's a little tired, though it's hard to tell from his face.]

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[She's seen stranger things, certainly, but the scene does raise a few questions. Of course, Sousei's allll business... so she won't beat around the bush, as much as she enjoys the pleasantries.]

Oh, no... it's nothing! I was just passing through.

[...]

If you lost something, I can help you look.

["Something".... .. ...

He knows how silly this sounds, but even so, he has to say it, because he hasn't quite given up on finding Tenka yet.]

Rather, I've lost someone. [not something.] I am looking for Kumou Tenka.

[That Partner.]

Kumou...

[She repeats the name. She hadn't considered that it'd be a "someone," but then she remembers after mulling it over for a second.]

Oh! The one you told me about, with the crab hair.

[She'll even demonstrate with her hands.]

...Yes, that's the one.

[Usually, he'd be amused a little by a demonstration like that (Tenka, your hair is stupid), but now he can't even quite muster up the willingness for that.]

Don't concern yourself with it. I already know that he has left the city.

[He was just searching to search, really--to make himself feel that maybe it wasn't futile.]

[She tried and almost succeeded. That has to count for something. Besides, she isn't so willing to give up just yet.]

But you know, it could be another weird glitch. I bet they'll get it fixed, just like everything else.

[Even if they took their sweet time...]

Either way, you shouldn't have to search all by yourself. Let me come along.

I don't intend to depend on the people in charge here.

[Never had, never will. Nor is he giving up hope just yet, even though he knows that there's...not a lot of hope around. He still can't just give up on it.]

I'll figure it out for myself. [A pause and...the slightest of hesitation, a little out of character for him.] ...And that won't be necessary.

[Not that Leia can really be surprised at that answer, but she does deflate a bit as her efforts are dashed. She's not one to give up either, though, unfortunately for him.]

Oh, come on. I've got pretty good eyes! ...Besides, I'm just going to follow you.

[Oops.]

[.......WHY.]

...Why would you do that.

[It's not really a question so much as the flattest statement ever, because...he believes her.

She's totally going to follow him around.

Oh god.]

[Hmmm. That's...a good question, but the answer is pretty simple. At least, she thinks.]

Because... I want to help?

[Yeah, that seems to be about the long and short of it.]

Is that bad?

[... He'd probably have more of an opinion on this if the circumstances were different. As it is, he's tired, and upset, even if he doesn't show it on his face.

So his response is...a little less put together than usual.]

I do not know. [is it bad? He couldn't say anymore.] Do what you want.

[Oh.

......Well, then, she quietly trots after him, since he no longer seems to have any objections. That was easy!]

You won't even know I'm here.

[She has to wonder where else he has left to look though, if he's already resorted to trash cans...]

[Nowhere else... he's looked everywhere, he just doesn't want to admit it.

But he'll start walking anyway. Where is he going? We just don't know.

He doesn't seem to know either.

It's a little sad and pathetic a sight, someone who usually carries themselves like they know exactly what they're doing looking...just a little lost.]

[...

......This is going well.

It really is sad to see him this way, and it's even more painful that he's so unwilling to accept help. Then there's the fact that she can't really help at all... that's the most frustrating part.]

What about the gardens?

[She sounds defeated as she suggests it; but the gardens are beautiful and calming. Maybe he could benefit from being there, even if nothing else comes of it.]

[She does sound defeated, and he glances back at her and knows she doesn't expect to find anything there. But...even so, he goes along with it, because humoring her is hardly the worst he could do.]

Very well then. We'll check the gardens. [the "again" remains unspoken, but...

Well. There's not a lot they can hope for here, is there? So he returns to walking in silence.]

[So Leia happily leads the way. There's more thick silence, but the trains happily take care of that when they reach the station; specifically the platform bound for the Residential District.

There's a vending machine...

They work again now, she realizes. So after checking behind it, she peers back at Sousei.]

Want anything while we wait?

[There are (n)ice cold drinks...]

No.

[IMMEDIATE.

And then there's a pause as he realizes that that was...really, really fast....perhaps almost alarmingly so.

a-ahem.]

...Are there drinks other than soda in them? [he had Bad Soda Experiences ok.... he's scarred.]

[Oh.

......Well. After the initial rejection, that's probably the most words he's spoken since she found him. Words that she hasn't used to try to chase her away, anyway. At this point, if there wasn't anything other than soda, she'd find something.

But she's lucky.]

Yeah, sure! There's... uh, let's see. A whole bunch of juices, like orange juice, apple juice, cranberry juice, and mixed fruits... energy drinks, iced coffee, mocha...

[......squint]

Something called vitamin water?

[...]

Oh. They have regular water, too.

[Juice is fine... he supposes. He doesn't mind it, though he's found the juices here to be way too sweet. Energy drinks, hell no, been there once, done that. Iced coffee--he actually likes coffee, but he has no idea if it's safe iced.

...the hell is vitamin water.

... ... ... OKAY.]

...Water is fine.

[Go the safe, boring path, Sousei. At least it won't explode in your face.]

[Haha. She should have guessed.

Water's good, though! So she buys one for him, and then picks out an orange juice for herself. She'll look over all the options again, head tilted as she takes the two bottles.]

What does Mr. Crabha... I mean, what does Tenka like to drink? Maybe he'll... I dunno, magically show up when he gets thirsty.

[Alcohol-- no, okay, he shakes his head simply.]

He tries something new every time we get something out of one of those.

[It's a very...Tenka thing.]

Something with a lot of sugar in it, I suppose. [but still not soda.]

[A lot of sugar...

Well, that shouldn't be hard. She considers the coffee, but instead opts to go for the mixed fruit juice when she can't pick a specific flavor. After all, when you can't decide, that's the obvious solution, right?

She turns, and the lights start to flash, indicating that the train's going to reach the platform soon. She'll hand him the water first.]

Here.

[She's not sure it's fair to burden him with the extra weight when it was her idea, though--so she'll hold on to what will hopefully be Tenka's drink, but she'll show it to him just in case he wants to take it.]

And this one'll be for him. Eventually.

[He accepts the water, and stares at the fruit juice for a long moment; he'd known she was doing it, but even so... it's such a peculiar gesture.

Ultimately, he doesn't take it, no.]

Give it to him yourself, when he returns.

[... Some sort of compromise, perhaps.]

He should thank you properly for it.

[... Yeah, she's pretty weird. She'll follow through, too, awkward though it may be; so she sets the drink in her purse for now until she can shove it in her fridge at home later.

The train comes rushing in around then.]

Okay!

[Also you're welcome... but whatever, she didn't do that to obligate any gratitude. She gestures once the train stops.]

Let's go.

[Thanks is hard okay.....so so hard. He nods simply, stepped onto the train without too much hesitation (despite how often the city manages to fuck it up) and moves aside so she can come along as well.

It's almost vaguely curiously that he finally responds.]

Why are you doing all of this?

[With the trains back to normal, it's a little crowded with people eager to use it again. She doesn't want to sit, so when she boards behind him, she'll grab onto one of the poles as she stands nearby.

Honestly, it's a fair question. It takes her some thought, and there's definitely a notable pause, before finally:]

I guess it's because I'm a do-gooder.

[No regrets.]

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