synflux | ( OPEN ) MAY CATCH ALL

[The amount of time may or may not matter to a sentient object. However the hell that worked. Bakugo's not going to question Tsurumaru on that. What he's interested in is whether the guy knows his way around. Because he doesn't want to go tromping all over the damn shrine like he did in the castle.]

Then go to where you were. [There's no point in trying to hide it anymore. Bakugo's trying to find Tsurumaru. Don't you dare ask him why. He's not going to answer it.] I swear I'll bury you in the ground if you pull that goose chase shit again. We can look around after we find you.

(Glancing over at Bakugo and slowly picking himself back up, standing up straight and surveying the grounds.

If Bakugo watches carefully, he'll notice that Tsurumaru's eyes flick in certain directions first: Towards the main shrine directly ahead of them and then to a large, modern stone building near the entrance. He then checks out some of the other smaller shrines on the ground. There are several shrines on the grounds and to the side, there is also what looks like an overgrown garden with a faded red bridge in the distance. There's probably another shrine out there too.)

...

(And he chooses to head off in the direction of the gardens first,)

I've never gotten to explore like this.

(Free to wander around and check out the parts of the shrine that were beyond his line of sight,)

I want to look around first.

(And honestly? Maybe put off the final result and any decisions he might have to make for now. He isn't sure if he's ready for that just yet.)

[He is watching carefully. Tsurumaru's crafty and Bakugo doesn't believe half the things he says when certain topics come up. But he's learned to pay attention to people's faces and pick out when they're lying or hiding information. Doesn't always work, but more often than not, successful. The main shrine ahead would suggest being the optimal place to start, especially if Tsurumaru is as famous as he says. You wouldn't put something so valuable right at the front to tempt a grab and run.

If it's not in there... guess they'll go looking again. Fuck. But the area after that faded red bridge is probably second on the list to check. Because it's different from the scattered ones around the side.

Except Tsurumaru goes for the bridge and gardens first. Seriously? Bakugo's torn between wanting to find the sword at the most obvious area and following the sword spirit to make sure he doesn't get in more trouble.

Ultimately he follows after him, putting the sword out of mind for now in lieu of having a guided tour.]

How do you know this place if you were on display?

Because I could see, of course.

(He says like its the most obvious thing in the world.

And of course, as they get closer to the gardens, the dirt grounds and paths become more overgrown. They have to step over some roots and brush against the leaves of giant, wild hydrangea bushes. Among the bushes, there is movement-- fluttering wings, chirping, small animals scurrying away now that their place is being disturbed.)

I wasn't as sleepy back then. Not yet.

(He was more aware. There was more to pay attention to at the shrine when everyday, new patrons came, when there were regular festivals to look forward to, and plenty of cute children to play with whether they could see him or not.)

They usually transport important shit in boxes or wrapped in cloth! [He's confused and that's frustrating! ANSWER HIM STRAIGHT, DAMMIT!] How the hell could you see anything beyond the room you were displayed in?

[Something's not making sense here! If Tsurumaru's a sword, shouldn't his senses be limited to that physical object? Then again, who the hell knows if he can't just pop his spirit out like a ghost and float around the place? Bakugo doesn't know.

Bakugo skips the garden path entirely. A quick jump and fast explosion rockets him over the tangled path and drops him into a more cleared area of the gardens ahead of them, whereupon he turns and waits for Tsurumaru to catch up with an impatient expression.

Even with the plugsuit, he's not keen on rubbing against a bunch of plants.]

You could just cut through that shit.

I wasn't just a sword back then. I had a soul, too. I couldn't travel very far but I could observe my surroundings.

(So yeah, he was kind of like a ghost bonded to a sword. Forced to stay still most of his time, able to only move within his space.

Brushing past more bushes, he just laughs as Bakugo skips ahead,)

Why would I do that, Bakkun? (And as if to make a point, he stops so he can reach for one branch, Lifting it just slightly, his open palm cupping a wide leaf,) I want to feel what it's like.

(It's his first time stepping out into this garden.)

I've never been to this part before.

(This is his home but it's his first time touring it.)

Say that next time, dammit!

[He's giving the wrong implications just by not being a little more forthcoming with his situation and nature! Which is probably what Tsurumaru wants, enjoying the little reveals of himself like some stripper at a peep show. Bastard.

At least it gives some more contextualization to the sword spirit's abilities and life. A ghost bound to an item. He wants to ask about whether Tsurumaru's master(s) knew, but the last time he asked, the guy shut down the topic quickly. Master(s) isn't a good subject, huh.]

Fine. Get tangled and snagged. [There's a difference between walking through a maintained garden and enjoying the gentle brush of leaves and petals, versus dragging through dense underbrush when said garden's been allowed to flourish and overgrow for yeas. But if Tsusumaru wants to risk getting poison oak or something... sure, go for it.]

It probably looked a lot better when you were here, huh.

(He'll live, don't worry, Bakugo. And even if takes him awhile to make his way across because he keeps getting snagged by branches and having to walk around roots and vines, he doesn't mind. It's fun. He'd never thought he'd be able to do this.)

Mhm. It's early now... but in the summer, there's usually a festival.

(He pats one of the bushes,)

You've seen hydrangea before, right, Bakkun?

[Damn. And that was his last hope. Tsurumaru dying in a tangle of vines and weeds, vanishing forever in the underbrush, never to plague him again with a fox game. Bakugo rests his hands on his hips, tapping his fingers in annoyance. Those gauntlets of his make it so that he can't fold his arms over his chest.]

Like the Hanami or something else? [Summer festivals aren't the same as spring, but they have their similarities.] Uh-huh. None in the city I grew up in though.

Maybe we can come back in the summer.

(And with another hop and a skip... he finally emerges on the other side with Bakugo.)

We could invite others, too. It would be like a festival.

(A small one, without music or special food but that's fine.)

Well, shall we continue? There should be another shrine up ahead.

(A much smaller one.)

Depends on how long they can keep this teleportation thing working.

[They had to use pieces of kaiju to power it and unless they're gonna hunt down more of those electric lizards, the power supply will shift back to the city once they're used up. If that's how it's working...

Bakugo frowns at the idea of holding a festival here.]

This place isn't suitable for a damn festival! Look at it!

[The amount of work needing to clear the space and get it functional for something like that, to say nothing of the kaiju running around. Ugh, such an optimistic guy.]

Yeah, yeah.

[He's moving forward.]

(He can't help but laugh. Yes, he can see the state of the shrine but--)

It would look better if there was a festival. It might even come to life.

(Right now, it feels so still. Like a grave, he thinks, and he leads the way across a red bridge and a creek.)

Dream about that shit after we've taken out the kaiju.

[There's no way they have the resources to set something like that up right now. Tsurumaru, always ready to throwdown some kind of party or festive gathering. No wonder this guy was a ceremonial sword...

Bakugo walks cross the bridge rather than jump it, pausing at the apex to look down in the water. His reflection, the sky, a tranquil moment in this weird life they're living.

Dream about it after, huh...]

That's a long time to go without dreaming.

(Up ahead, there's a small shrine but Tsurumaru stops to look back at Bakugo.)

... And a longer time to go without celebrating.

(Continuing on, he'll wait for Bakugo to catch up with him. )

Well, here we are.

Then we'll have to murder them all faster. [If that will indeed take care of the kaiju problem. Bakugo stops when the other man does, eyes narrowing on the shrine just past him in annoyance. Seriously? Couldn't just keep walking?]

Talk and walk at the same time, dammit! [You don't have to be dramatic to say something like that! He rests his hands on his hips while looking up at the shrine. Definitely a lot smaller, but... kind of fitting in its ancient appearance.]

So this was your out of the way bedroom.

No, I was usually at the main shrine!

(It's the furthest shrine on the ground and to be honest, he'd never really been this far. So why bring them all the way out here in the first place?)

But if I wanted to hide something where others wouldn't find it... this would be the place.

(Some where more out of the way, a little more unassuming. But before he does anything else, he'll step to the shrine and clap his hands, bow, and hold his hands together in prayer.)

Then why'd you bring us here?!

[Bakugo gestures to the shrine in front of them with an exasperated expression. They could've gone straight to the source, unless Tsurumaru has some idea of being secretly spirited away to this off-beat shrine for some kind of hidden compartment. It'd better be something like that...

At least the sword has an acceptable answer, even if Bakugo growls about it. He waits for Tsurumaru to have his moment of respect, standing with his hands on his hips for a little bit. Never really one for traditional ceremonies and stuff, Bakugo isn't superstitious or spiritual, but he'll still ring the temple bell and put wishes on the tree at New Years.]

Does this place have some kind of underground entrance?

(He isn't going to answer, at least, not right away. He's going to focus on his prayer and when he's finished he bows once more before speaking to Bakugo again,)

Because I wanted to come see it, of course. (And he reaches out, placing his hand on the closed doors of the shrine,) Isn't it natural to say hello to your old friends when you revisit your old home?

(It's the same as going back to your hometown and catching up with your old high school friends as far as he's concerned.)

And this isn't that sort of shrine. (There's no underground entrance.) It's too boring for that.

[Of course he's not. Bakugo asked in half rhetorical frustration anyway! Interrupting his prayer to drag an answer out of him is a level of rudeness the blonde won't levy at Tsurumaru. Mostly because he thinks it's sincere and not some cheeky attempt to avoid answering the question...]

Tch. [Bakugo wanted to go to Tsurumaru's resting place, but turns out this was just a temporary one. The odds of the sword still being in such a distant shrine are vanishing fast. They weren't very good odds in the first place. Tiny odds.]

You have any here? [Boots grit against old gravel, cushioned by the grass and moss growing within it as he scopes out the shrine with a circling view. Bakugo knocks the back of his knuckles against one corner, testing the sturdiness of the wood after all this time. Could there be other swords in here?]

You can't sense other pieces, right? [That'd be too stupidly useful to not have been mentioned earlier.]

...

(Without opening the shrine, he shakes his head,)

It's the wrong thing.

(He can sense something within but it's the wrong metal. He could explain this to Bakugo but its such a curious ability of his, he wonders if it's really worth bringing up.)

Only regular offerings.

(Opening his eyes,)

We'll have to bring back something new next time... There are six shrines on the grounds. The last five are together.

(It's back to the main shrine...)

It's harder to tell what's inside those.

[Bakugo believes him without needing to check. Even if Tsurumaru annoys the shit out of him, his power and abilities haven't been lies. What of them he knows. Truth be told, the guy would be interested in the explanation, since he's a closeted nerd who won't admit he really likes learning about other people's powers.

The ones that aren't lame at least... He gets to decide on lame though. Brat.]

Che! All the way out here for nothing. [Disappointed, he at least peeks through the doors to scan around, but backs off and leaves it along.] Six shrines? Are they each for different things?

[Why head back to the main shrine if there are five other places to search?]

It was a good walk.

(And as far as he's concerned, that's much more than nothing. He learned a lot for himself, too.)

Mhm. Each for a different kami. We'll pass half of them on our way back to the main shrine.

(Because there are two on either side of the main one they would have seen when they first arrived. Sure, they're smaller, but they're worth checking out.)

You were dragging through bushes! [Bakugo could've blasted his way out here and checked it over in a minute rather than have Tsurumaru take his time. Ugh... But he can't deny the guy had a reason for paying respects and checking the shrine in person. If it really was a part of his "home" while being here.]

But none of them were used to house other swords? [Assuming, given what Tsurumaru said about this one.]

I used to stay at the main one.

(............ The very first big shrine they all walked past. The one that is so big, they can already see it on their way back now.)

Then why the hell are we checking the other five?

[They should be investigating the larger one if there's a chance Tsusumaru's sword is still here.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject