( OPEN ) JUNE CATCH ALL

[cranekin]

WHO: Tsurumaru and you
WHAT: Open memshares and custom starters
WHERE: Vegas, memories of the past
WHEN: June
WARNINGS: Murder/death (including children), violence, religious themes

catch-all for the month, open to using event prompts, setting up starters, etc.
if you would like an original starter or have your own idea, hit me up yosakoi | discord: diejoubus

Comments

(OTA) MEMSHARE: SHIMOTSUKI INCIDENT

[cranekin]

Warnings: Violence, murder, child death The Shimotsuki Incident refers to an event in December 1285 when the Adachi clan was exterminated as the result of a political rivalry. The Adachi were Tsurumaru's first masters and among them was the young heir, Adachi Sadayasu. Sadayasu was only a teenager when he was killed. This memshare will be run in a choose your own adventure style where your character will take on the role of Adachi Sadayasu on a simplified/condensed version of the incident and his final day. Tsurumaru will not be physically present for most of it but your character can sense he's watching (because this is his memory). I'll be NPC'ing some other figures for you to interact with. Your character can keep their awareness and interact fairly freely within the memory within certain constraints: They cannot leave the estate and they will ultimately be killed which is when the memshare will end.

Eh? What a surprise... (A familiar voice speaks into your mind and you start to stir from your slumber,) If you sleep here, you'll catch a cold.

(A light but warm weight settles over your shoulders. It washes over you like a warm breeze. You almost want to keep sleeping. Somewhere in the distance, you hear footsteps and people calling out for... who?

The familiar voice beside you sighs and places a hand on your shoulder. It feels safe.)

Time's up. It's time to wake up, (You groan and the voice sings playfully,) Sa・da・ya・su.

(That isn't your name but you will inherently understand that right now, that is also you.

When you awaken, you find yourself resting on tatami. You sit up and rub your eyes. It's late in the morning and light spills in through the painted screen doors of the room. One of the doors is partially cracked, revealing a traditional, snowy garden outside. Everything feels quiet in that way winter days can be. The room you are in is empty but there's a lingering feeling that you are not alone. Somewhere down the hallway, you can hear footsteps and doors sliding open as servants search for the you now called "Sadayasu."

Do you explore the room or answer the servants' calls?)

[gundemn]

[ Elan recognizes the easygoing, singsong voice stirring him from sleep, but when he pushes himself off the tatami floor he sees no sign of Tsurumaru. He's been in Neo Tokyo long enough to recognize he's standing in a traditional-styled room, his surroundings antiquated. Pulling up his ocular, he attempts to dial Tsurumaru only to see it no longer functions. The irony that he's yet again become someone else isn't lost on him, but this "Sadayasu" will be ignoring his morning duties and taking his sweet time.

He glances around the quarters for anything of interest. A calendar, papers...a mirror? Anything to explain what's happening. ]

[cranekin]

(Elan can search and while he may not find what he'd originally hoped to find, there is plenty to stumble onto. There is a low desk nearby and on top of it, there is a calligraphy set. Someone has taken the time to write out short poems but among them, there are also half-written letters where someone has given up after making one too many or some particularly egregious mistake. Elan will see a date: The 17th day of the 11th month. Elan may note that despite the date, the weather outside seems more like the middle winter month.

Also in the room, there are some things set up for decoration like ceramics and scrolls. There is no mirror but he can find a polished lacquer box on one cabinet. Inside, there are some painted seashells and some crafted balls. It's a toy box. But for Elan's sake, he'll be able to catch a glimpse of his reflection on the polished wood. It's not his face. He looks much younger-- no older than 15.

However, of note, he will see in the alcove of one of the walls, there is a painted scroll of a crane on the wall and right below it... a sword that may look familiar.

Outside the room, the footsteps draw closer. Someone asks if he's inside.

Will he answer or use his last moments to check the sword?)

[gundemn]

[ Rifling through the room, he turns up what are presumably Sadayasu's belongings. He notes the date and the writings, the fancy calligraphy of a learned man ...or boy, rather. Seeing his reflection on the shine of the toy box, he raises a hand to touch his cheek, to run his hand through his hair. A humorless laugh escapes him as he sets the box down. Great to be experiencing out-of-body horror again!

Finally, he catches sight of the sword, something that actually strikes recognition in him. He crosses over to the crane painting, picks it up, and carefully unsheathes it halfway, wary of its sharpness and that he might be holding someone's spirit. ]

Tsurumaru, right? If you're there, say something.

[ It feels weird talking to a sword but not weirder than being stuck in a worm-induced hallucination. And yes, he hears that knocking on the door, give him a second! ]

[hitokiller]

( i love history

and he could keep sleeping, drifting off into nothing if he could, but an assassin like himself could still sense presences rooms away. that alone startles him into action, his... this self of his that vaguely seems to be someone important for some reason.

bare feet glide across tatami, izou not answering their calls.

➡ explore the room )

[cranekin]

(When Izou awakens, he will find himself in a study of some sort. The room feels cold and the air feels perfectly calm and still. If the fine silk robes don't give it away, then the room will certainly reveal he's in a place of high standing. There are painted scrolls and fine decorations such as lacquer boxes and fine porcelain plates and vases on display. The family that owns this place must be quite wealthy and important.

There is a low table nearby with an ink and brush set along with sheets of paper. Among the scattered poems and letters, he may catch a date written on one of the papers:
)
Koan 8. November 17.
(In modern terms, the date is December 21st, 1285. The Kamakura period.

For Izou, however, the most notable thing may be the tachi sword resting in the alcove. White nacre with black lacquer and gold settings, perfectly polished and looking almost as good as new. It looks more like a display sword than one that would really be used for battle but Izou may know better. Maybe he even recalls seeing that exact same sword used in battle before...

Hanging over it is a painted scroll of a single crane that seems to watch Izou from across the room.

Outside the room, the servants draw closer as they search each room leading to this one. They call out for "Sadayasu."

Will Izou answer their call or approach the sword?)

[hitokiller]

( he's keen enough to catch on to the ominous feeling that he doesn't belong here, beyond the forward-leaning dread of his body and straight to his soul. a low-borne man from the countryside like himself didn't stop or stay in a quarters this luxurious, the make of everything familiar to him despite it. that doesn't deter izou from exploring, though, his understanding of where this might be and his knowledge of what traveling through someone's core is like as a servant bolstering his confidence enough.

the soft sound of static crackles in his ear, and izou glances over the date with a straight-face.

he'd never cared much for school or his own history, really, but... this sure was a hell of a while ago.

the familiar glint of that sheathed blade catches his eye... and izou ➜ reaches for it. )

(OTA) MEMSHARE: SHIMABARA REBELLION

[cranekin]

Warnings: Violence, murder, religious themes The Shimabara Rebellion took place between December 1637 and April 1638. During the Tokugawa Shogunate, it was illegal to practice Christianity. A 17 year old boy named Amakusa Shiro led an army of Catholic and ronin peasants against the shogunate in Shimabara (modern day Nagasaki). Against odds, they managed to take an enemy stronghold but their resources ran out and they had nowhere to run. All 37,000 died except for one traitor. Tsurumaru is a time traveler tasked with protecting history from enemies who want to change it. Canonly, he led a unit of mostly new spirits to Shimabara. Tsurumaru impersonated Amakusa Shiro and used his charisma and historical knowledge to gather an army. He promised them a world where they would be loved and accepted... and then led them to their fated deaths. Since most of his unit was newbies, Tsurumaru hid the mission's goal from them so he could carry the burden for himself. This memshare will be more like a regular thread but have some choose your own adventure style moments to help guide your character a bit. Your character will take on the role of one of Tsurumaru's canon allies who does not know the mission's final goal yet (but they can figure it out). Tsurumaru will be present in this memory so you'll be engaging with him! Your character can keep their awareness and interact fairly freely within the memory within one main constraint: They cannot save the army.

(The air is humid and smells of salt. The castle is a mess as women, children, elderly, and other soldiers crowd the halls and rooms. Some sit on the floor, exhausted and hungry while others nurse wounds they had gained from battle. Those who are able check on others, trying to tend to the injured and offering words of prayer and encouragement. However, there is barely any food to offer and even less to drink.

One of the younger soldiers- if you can even call them that- asks you if you have anything to eat. They are trying to gather up enough for the children and elderly to eat. You know you have a little bit of millet rice and some pickled plums that were given to you earlier. You are also hungry but as a kami, you are stronger than these humans. You don't need as much.

Not long after, a familiar voice whines,)

Aaah! That one was forever!

(Tsurumaru leaves a room, stretching his arms up high. He's just come out of a war meeting but he's all smiles and seems well. He always does. Cheerfully, he throws an arm over your shoulders,)

Things are looking pretty bad, huh? At this rate... (He smiles confidently,) We probably won't last more than a few days!

(Why is he so excited about this? Why are these people suffering like this?

Surely, with your own strength, the strength of your allies, and Tsurumaru, you could turn the tide and defeat the shogun's army. Isn't Tsurumaru supposed to be one of the strongest and most reliable spirits in master's army?)

[shiroize]

[ the memory feels... strange. the sensation of hunger is not one that saber's too aware of anymore, but they can feel it trickling into the sides, like a phantom feeling.

the architecture seems all too similar to the edo that they had come from, before this place, the edo of the waxing moon ritual. did this happen before? or after?

they wonder idly what iori would have thought of this situation. the thought stings like a sword through their heart. gulping down that emotion, they turn around to face tsurumaru with a neutral expression. ]

Is there truly nothing that can be done? With our strength, there is nothing that could stop us. No army would resist our combined powers.

[cranekin]

(Looking down the halls, surveying their numbers, and looking away as if to consider even more unseen numbers to add...)

37,000 people... when we're all gathered in this castle, our numbers feel great.

(All packed inside in a single closed space with no where else to go. They're like fish in a net, he thinks.)

But out there, I've heard the shogun has nearly 200,000 on his side! What odds!

[shiroize]

[ the shogun. now that's a figure that saber has heard of but never met. once again, this new(?) ruler of japan seems to be good at nothing but causing problems. how...expected, actually.

but this doesn't seem to deter them, as they reply back with hesitation. ]

So our numbers are low and they are weak. Then why not perform a stealth mission, the two of us? If we were to kill the shogun, then those 200,000 would be nothing more than a headless beast. Much easier for us to defeat.

[ they loathe being used like this, like a sword for someone else to swing. however, that is what comes to saber like instinct after a lifetime of being the emperor's—their father's— weapon. assassination is no big deal to them; they could do it with their eyes closed. ]

( closed ) for denji

[cranekin]

cw: alcohol, underaged drinking

(After returning to the city, the air feels different. It's like the city has barely changed but their entire entourage has. Between the ones who have preferred to keep to themselves or hidden away with their trusted friends and the ones who seem to be trying on as usual, the air feels a little tense.

Tsurumaru in particular had been among the ones hit rather hard. Prone to staring out into the desert, wandering off, and occasionally just seeming a little calmer these days... it's nice to see him recovering. Or at least, trying to. He can be found at one of the hotel casino bars. The floor is loud and noisy and the lights are flashy. There are plenty of distractions here. And maybe that's the point.

When he sees Denji, he waves a hand to call him over and holds up one of the drink menus,)

Have you tried any of these yet?

(Back in his day... there was no legal drinking age.)

[nutkick]

[ denji was one of those unfortunate souls who took a major hit, and with it— came a lot of issues that he's unwilling to poison his mind with any further. he'd been stressing and moping for days now, and it's getting tiresome. he's craving a break, in any shape or form. so, when tsuru called him over, he was more than eager to comply, dragging a chair and joining him.

when he's offered the menu of alcoholic drinks, denji paused — looking a bit startled. he then smirked, flashing those sharp teeth. ]

... You're messing with me, right?

[cranekin]

Not yet.

(That's a promise, not a threat. But if anything is wrong with this, he seems... quite oblivious. It's just a few drinks and after having tried a few himself since he'd arrived in this world, he knows these aren't very strong. Not like some of the liquors he's had in the past. )

Which one do you like?

(It's his treat.)

[nutkick]

[ felt kinda like a threat, but denji was happy to dismiss it. he's still a bit skeptical, considering how this guy and aki seemed to share the same parental style — it might be a trap. hmm, he takes the menu anyway. ]

Aki is going to kill us both. You know that, right?

[ he thinks over the wild variety, depending on the picture over the ingredients and names. he then points at the 'champagne'. ]

Let's start with that!

( closed ) for aki

[cranekin]

(Even after leaving the desert, it was clear he would need more time to recover. Prone to staring out in the direction of the desert and trying to wander off as if chasing some sort of phantom only he can see or hear, it takes a while for things to get back to "normal."

Or at least, as normal as things can be.

There are check ups. The LILITH doctors check whatever vitals or data they need to see and they ask him questions. They give instructions like to rest and to do little things to keep him more grounded and then they tell him to come back again. It's as he's leaving one of those checkups that he sees someone familiar in the lobby of the hotel LILITH has turned into a makeshift health center and he hesitates.

Things have been... different since the desert. Once he'd regained enough clarity to notice, it was impossible not to feel. He recalls enough to know what he'd said and done but he still wonders if he's missing something. If he checks his memory, he can't recall anything from the desert that might have made things worse.

(Unknown to him, the additional thing is from before they arrived here at all.)

He isn't sure. And maybe it's better like this, that dark voice inside him says. Wasn't he getting a little too comfortable before? This is the perfect way to re-establish distance. )

...

(But when he watches Aki now... something seems wrong with him and as much of a coward as he can be... he isn't heartless. He can't leave someone who looks like they might be in trouble. So he approaches and calls out as lightly and normally as he can,)

Yo, Aki-kun.

[lifeprice]

[ Things have been difficult, the last few days.

Aki wasn't ever the kind of person to truly let his softer heart rule him, trying his best to be logical, but things changed. Things happened, because he let Denji into his heart; his gut became a heart instinct rather than one that could be ruled by what is the best outcome, and now he's dug himself a hole because his desire to be around someone he cares about has bitten him.

He does what he thinks is right because he's a good person, deep down, but this is pure selfishness.

Watching Tsurumaru get taken care of has given him less of a burden, certainly, but he wants to do that - wants to be the one to take care of him again, to make sure that he is safe, that he is taken care of, that he can do all he can to ensure his happiness. The fact that his heart is stinging from the remnants of his wandering into the desert and the whispered words doesn't matter to him, not when he's faced worse.

The real problem is that he's getting tugged and pulled into memories, here and there, and he feels as if he might break from the inside out.

Tsurumaru's voice breaks him from his thoughts, and he jumps a little, gazing down at him with a breathless little sound. He's not sure what he should be saying, not when he has the instinct to reach out and hold on to Tsurumaru's hand and hold him close, to let himself lean into that tender, familiar embrace, his eyes closing for a moment.

His head hurts, he has a headache, his eye is throbbing... It's all a little too much. ]

Are you feeling better?

[cranekin]

(Ah, there it is. That distance that has some how crept between them recently.

It's like losing someone but that someone is still here. It's like some sort of cruel tease and even when he tries to steel his heart... well, he's still human. It still aches, even when he expects. Even when he tries to subdue it. He doesn't get it. It's not like he's known Aki for very long. They may have had something but it's not like it was like...

(The dark that follows the light.)
(The crescent moon in the sky.)
(The quiet of a grave.)

It wasn't like that. But it was something, right?

Still, he holds his head up high and holds his arms out at his side,)

Mhm. (He nods,) But they won't let me go out.

(Not back to the desert. Not until they're sure. Something, something, his health checks reveal a level of stress and irregular sleep patterns or whatever they're checking for.)

I'm so bored... I might sneak out.

(He's half serious. He wants to joke. Lighten the air. Let things return to normal.)

...

(But he knows Aki well enough. He can see the way his face seems to twist even when he's keeping it together. He tilts his head and leans in, looking up at Aki from his new angle as if it'll help him see better,)

And you?

[lifeprice]

[ Normally, Aki is able to confess his feelings easily enough, able to say what's on his mind - usually when he lends himself to anger, bursts of irritation that slam into him before he can snap it down. This kind of heartbreak is a little different, because he tends to try and keep that to himself as much as possible. It's not normal for him to share that kind of guilt and hurt, because he's been alone for so long.

The only person he had to trust was Himeno, and that was a little different too.

Looking at Tsurumaru, he feels a sense of utter longing. He wants to reach out and touch him, and his metallic fingers flex for a moment before he breathes out and steps forward, head tilted, body aching and feeling like he might end up collapsing under the weight of his own feelings. ]

If you need to go out, I'll go with you.

[ Lifting his hand, without thinking about it, Aki reaches out and presses his fingers against Tsurumaru's cheeks - and then it's all different.

The memory slides around them like a burst of heat, then cold air. It's not the overheated warmth of the Las Vegas desert any more, it's the chill of winter, deep down to the bones. Tsurumaru might hear the sound of Aki behind him, but's much, much younger than the man he knows, a childishness that comes with a snowball flying by him.

You're so annoying! I said, cut it out!

Hitting a smaller figure, who throws a snowball right back, and they play together. Two brothers playing in the snow as if there's nothing wrong, as if nothing could ever be wrong. Eventually, Taiyo complains, hands flexing because of his chill, and Aki sighs as he steps forward.

If you catch a cold, I'll be the one in trouble. Playing catch should keep your hands warmer. Go and get our gloves from the house.

Taiyo runs to the house. He turns, and he waves, and Aki smiles. It seems like a normal, happy scene, two brothers together in the chill of winter.

Then the Gun Devil passes over Japan, and the house is gone, and there is only Aki, staring at the remains of everything he's ever loved, unable to react with anything except pure horror and pain on his face. ]

( closed ) for gojo

[cranekin]

(In one of the underground shopping centers, there is a cake vending machine that is designed like a slot machine. It only sells one type of cake from some celebrity chef's bakery but it also comes with a gimmick. One only has to pay with their kryptos and pull the lever to receive their cake and if you're lucky, you might even get a second for free!

When Tsurumaru pulls the lever, the very end of his kimono's sleeve gets caught in the gear. He tries to pull loose but it won't let him go so when he tries to pull the lever again, it locks without payment. When he tries to pay again to pull the lever, his sleeve just becomes even more caught.

In the end, he can be found trapped by the machine with 2 sealed slices of cake in the vending machine tray. When he sees Gojo, his face turns bright red and he says quickly,)

Don't say anything.

[rikugan]

[ do you even remember who you're talking to, tsuru-chan? gojo can Perceive you.

it wasn't a coincidence that he just randomly showed up here in the nick of time to catch him in a rough spot. he saw his energy a mile away and now he is being rewarded for having the consideration to come by for a quick hi. shifting his gaze between the trapped tsuru and the two cakes on the tray, gojo crouches down in front of the vending machine, an oh so pleasant smile on his face. ] Say what, Tsuru-chan? [ don't mind him, he is just going to pick up those two cakes. ]

You sound like I'm gonna mention how this is the first time I've ever seen someone get caught by a lever. [ what yummy little cakes though! looking between the two in his hands, he stacks one on top of the other as he pops the container of one open. ] Or how you should probably just give up on yankin' yourself free 'cause it looks like the vendin' machine is 'bout to swallow you whole.

[cranekin]

(When Gojo comes closer, he almost thinks he's going to help. Almost. And then he goes for the cakes instead and his jaw drops. Pale cheeks start to glow pink and he snaps,)

I told you not to say anything!

(And he yanks at his sleeve... nothing happens.)

( closed ) for aki

[cranekin]

(After the kaiju has fallen, there are recovery efforts that need to begin. There's the hole they'll have to address and all of the dirty work that comes with clean up. It's the end of the day. The sun is beginning to set on the city and it's time for the outsiders to have some relief.

As the other LILITH agents step in to take over the cleanup and taking are of survivors, the outsiders can begin to turn in, wash up, and finally get some rest. Changing out of his uniform, washing off, and switching into fresh, clean clothes does wonders and Tsurumaru is back out and fluttering around and check on the others. Morale is important and he's happy to provide it with little surprises... jumping out from behind corners, placing cold water bottles against their necks, or in Aki's case...

... Just jumping and tackling from behind,)

Surprise!

[lifeprice]

[ Aki is glad to see it’s all over. The darkness is almost a relief, letting himself relax into something almost like peace with the knowledge his dreams won’t be haunted by memories. He’ll still think of Taiyo and his parents, he’ll still think of Power and Denji, but it’ll be with a soft, sweet nostalgia rather than agonising pain.

He’s considering returning to his room, showering and crawling into bed when there are arms wrapping around him, and a familiar voice. Fondness fills him immediately, his fingers lifting to find Tsuru’s and holding them gently.

Ever since his confession, he’s felt more at ease. A little more comfortable. Tsurumaru knows how Aki feels now, so why hide it? ]

You surprised me. [ Turning his head, he smiles. ] It’s good to see you, Tsuru.

[cranekin]

("You surprised me."

Ah, it's exactly what he wants to hear and he holds his chin up a little higher. He's proud of himself and it puts him in a good mood. Fingers curling slightly in Aki's, he leans from behind, even if it means standing a little on his toes.

When Aki turns, Tsurumaru's face is there to meet him and he grins back, eyes bright with playful mischief. He leans in, nuzzling his face against Aki's,)

Are you on break too? Or are you going to go back out?