005. those countryside roads to somewhere
Apr. 8th, 2026 07:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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3kon
( weeks spent gathering non-perishables and their personal items into boxes couldn't have prepared them for what was about to happen.
it occurs in a flash, like a plant's tendril reaching out to seed a new life in something.
the sea vanishes, their epic on the high seas punctuated by a change in pressure. like when a whale breeches or dives with something inside it's mouth, it's an almost unimaginably long pause. their watery landscape transforms into an empty void, pieces of a plane that simply don't exist in the mind, and if one were to stay here, it could easily drive them mad. humans were never made to shift between realities and witness such emptiness, after all, and before takasugi can even think to figure out how shouin's soul might be contributing to this, everything tilts. the world about them flips to a new chapter filled with light, darkness, and stars, and if one blinks, it all becomes clear that everything is floating, floating without a sky to touch the pitch-black remnants of the rippling universe below, and—
a blink of the eyes next reveals that everything they've known has come to change.
the arahabaki mk. ii on the water is gone, and only rolling hills remain.
in the distance, a couple women tend to a small, cultivated field off a well-worn path, meticulously monitoring the water that'll birth life into their crop. the town is green and vulnerable under the piercing blue of the bright spring sky, with a quieter vibe compared to the larger towns that boast all the hustle and bustle of city life. a few open tea houses welcome visitors, inviting them to pause on their journey as they seek bigger opportunities in this new era of industrialization, but most importantly, as the members of 3kon might notice: some of the citizens here are sporting animal ears of various types, and no one acts like each other is worser than wear for it. )
no subject
Date: 2026-04-16 02:44 am (UTC)I'm innocent, I'm innocent! [He's so dead! Rinne is the worst for this!! He lifts an arm to shield himself. It's all instinct, really.] I had no idea what he was gonna do, I swear!
[He would never do something like that to him! ...unless Rinne asked. But he didn't do that this time!! Maybe he just won't say that part...
Niki lets out a sigh.]
He stayed back to figure out what was going on. I think he's probably planning to catch up with us with, you know... the imprint.
[Maybe. Probably. He keeps to himself the fact that Rinne was worried about him. That probably wouldn't sit well with Takasugi at all. Instead...]
For now, I think we should probably find some place for him to come back to. He said you can kill him later.
[...somehow, he thinks Takasugi's still gonna kill him!]
no subject
Date: 2026-04-16 03:19 am (UTC)still, takasugi doesn't do much more than maintain his icy smile. he could dig his claws into niki to further punctuate his point, but there's no time for that, and most importantly, he doesn't think the pain will make a difference. his grip releases, the hand retracting back to hang uselessly in the air. )
You want to sit around until the imprint tells us something? Tell me you're joking.
( it almost hisses out his mouth, the obvious distaste. )
No doing. I'll just find him and kill him now.
( he punches out a laugh at the end, but the usual amusement is hardly there.
the beat of his heart is so agonizing quick right now, that if niki weren't here, he'd probably take a fist and start slamming it against his chest. stop it. everything's fine. it won't turn out like that, with his fingers reaching for what's left of something be can't hold on to anymore, and... )
And you're coming with me, so don't just stand there looking stupid.
( the following motion comes so quick, one might miss it if they blink.
takasugi pivots on a heel to angle himself at niki's side, hoisting him up and onto the back of the horse with a throw. there's a nervous whinny from the animal at the sudden weight, followed by an understanding snort as the former commander of the kiheitai leaps on up to sit in front. he nudges his feet into its sides, stirring it forward. )
Hold on tight, Shiina-kun!
( because takasugi leans into its neck, eager to steer it back towards the inn. )
no subject
Date: 2026-04-16 05:05 am (UTC)Yet, even realizing that... Ack. Maybe he was worried about the wrong thing, he thinks. He mumbles, though it isn't too subtle:]
Rinne-kun's gonna kill me.
[But if HiMERU and Kohaku were here... This is probably what they would want, too. They would never leave Rinne alone, and together, the three of them would—
...but he still feels a little guilty about it. Even if no one else in the entire world believed in Rinne, Niki always would. But it's also true that he's worried. But also...
He does as Takasugi demands and wraps his arms around his waist. The horse starts to move and it's a little dizzying to him, but Niki's sure Takasugi won't fall, so he holds onto him tight. He's probably ridden a horse plenty, right? That seems like an old-time-y thing. It's always like that in the movies.]
Um... I know he kinda deserves it, but when we find him, will you go easy on him? [He feels a little silly asking. Especially when...] Or... It's kinda my fault, too. It's just so hard to argue with him when he's like that...
[But this is just the kind of person Rinne is. He's just following his heart. He doesn't think he should be punished for that.]
no subject
Date: 2026-04-16 08:31 am (UTC)but as niki begs for mercy, takasugi doesn't look back. his ears remain upright, poised to listen this way and that.
the country steed trots along paths put to memory with little resistance, the sound of hooves clopping in the silence just enough to give life to the nightmares in his imagination. they're so familiar that you'd think he'd get used to them, but he never does. in his mind, they're always there: confident men just waiting for something to gnaw on their rotting bones since they have nothing left. so it doesn't matter if he meets rinne's wishes in this instance or if he's as compliant as niki in letting things slide. after all, he wasn't brought back to life to listen to someone's orders.
very gradually now, though, they'll be back outside stone steps that lead up to a sliding door, the familiar stench of deadened desire laying down off the path. when takasugi makes to slide off their ride, he's careful to help niki down as well, leg over and down and feet to the ground. as the pulse of a bond they have with their third tickles the thin skin of his ears like a whisper on the wind, takasugi perks his head up towards the unknown.
whatever's truly behind this sliding door, ... they'll discover it together now. )
1/4 this got away from me
Date: 2026-04-18 04:57 pm (UTC)A monarch wasn't trained in espionage the way a soldier was. Diversion, infiltration — these were tactics he only read from books. Stratagems he never had the natural opportunity to apply himself. So, he created it. In his mind, he didn't have a choice. It was more humane to kill game swiftly, more just to smuggle knowledge he would have never learned, and even wiser to prevent the enemy from ever reaching your camp. He never liked the burden that came with responsibility, but if there's a need to have a sword in hand, he's more than willing to carry the weight behind it. All Niki and Takasugi want to do is party, right? Rinne, too. That's why...
From the darkness, a powdered hand reaches out him. A hand so elegant and delicate in appearance that, when it grabs him by the front of his shirt, he is shocked and stripped of all his defenses. No text nor tutor prepared him for this. The hand pulls him in.
Suddenly, the world is nothing but the cloying scent of camellia and warm orange lights.
"My, my! Look at him, dear," says the woman with a singsong lilt and fox-like smile. She twirls Rinne around and pushes him with a strength she shouldn't have. "What a fine specimen he is. You rarely see this kind around these parts now."
Her long-lashed friend catches him. "Oh, he's so much better than the last one! He looks like the ones from up north." She gives his muscular arm a squeeze — before tearing his shirt in two. "Those are so much meatier—"
"Patience." The bespectacled fox woman yanks him out of their grasp. Her stern gaze regards his face once. Her manicured hand regards his chest twice. ]
Hngh...!
[ The sound is enough to lift her brow. She hums. Her fangs shine in the dim light as her pink tongue licks the spot of milk off her palm. "He tastes like a vixen, but appears like a man..." She shoves him back at the powdered hands and long lashes. "Keep him alive. Dress him. I'll report this to Her Majesty."
"Understood."
"Got it!"
The bespectacled fox woman leaves the dressing room, and the two start dressing him up. Every effort to throw them off is met with a grip that could draw blood. ]
What the fuck is going on? Who the hell are you?
2/4
Date: 2026-04-18 05:00 pm (UTC)Heh! Depends on the kind of performing I'll be doing, ma'am. And by the looks of it, this show ain't for the kiddies...
[ "What a smart boy you are!" she says, nails digging into his cheeks as her sweet praise drips with condescension. "Her Majesty will be very pleased with you." She starts tying him up. At this point, Rinne knows better than to fight it.
"Or kill you," the long-lashed fox woman offers as she pulls on the ropes until the dig into the cleavage of his broad chest. "It's not up to us. But usually, she wants us to kill you." ]
...
'Cause I'm from the north?
3/5 i can count
Date: 2026-04-18 05:02 pm (UTC)How is he supposed to perform like this?
"Is that... a male fox? No way... I thought they went extinct!"
"Gyahaha, bet he's tighter than a catgirl, that one!"
Rinne grips the hem of his silk sleeves. Before anything else, he's grateful for Niki and Takasugi. If he had lived the city alone, surely, he could have known a life like this. He once begged his neighbors for food, but here, he would have learned how low one could make another grovel until one kissed the ground and their own feet. It fills him with anger. As he stands there and takes their jeers, he could almost breathe fire. Back home, they would beat him black and blue, but at least they'd never dare subject a monarch to such indignity.
... At least?
No. For someone born a mistake, all roads lead to death. If that's the case, then his mission hasn't changed. As always, there's only one path for Rinne to take. ]
4/5 cw: rinne
Date: 2026-04-18 05:04 pm (UTC)[ Then, he steps back. His blue gaze burns like foxfire. Some members in the crowd flinch.
Only Niki knows this, but Hiiro likes to brag about how many men he can take in a fight. Has he ever wondered how many men Rinne can?
It's okay. Takasugi shouldn't worry. Rinne's scared to death, but when he grins, it's because he knows in his heart that he will have done exactly what he set out to do. ]
Hey, hey... What's with that look on your faces? Don't be shy. Be a man.
First one to knock me out gets to knock me up! You want a piece of me? Then come and get it!
5/5 you can control any and all of the npcs idc
Date: 2026-04-18 05:26 pm (UTC)Tables, upturned. Snack dishes and sake bottles, spilt and broken. In the blur of the chaos, a fox man with crimson hair ducks down to make room for two sex-crazed idiots to crash into each other. ]
Gyahaha☆ Come and catch me~!
[ His hands — no, even his arms are tied as he steps over a table and traipses away. Of course!
Before that, though—
"HE'S MINE!"
A big, bearded man charges at Niki, reeking of booze and red in the face. ]
no subject
Date: 2026-04-19 06:13 am (UTC)But Takasugi isn't wrong. Maybe he should worry more. He's always struggled with that, his responses not always "typical" or appropriate for any given situation. His feelings have always been all messed up. But Niki knows that, for all that Rinne's been good at surmounting the unreasonable odds stacked against him, he isn't infallible. He whines, he cries, he bleeds... He's just as human as anyone else.
(But a certain memory comes to mind—or, rather, maybe not a specific memory but a particular sensation, a certain scent. And when he recalls it, the stench of blood so thick it almost made him sick, he starts to think he's made a huge mistake. Maybe faith and trust and luck aren't enough for anyone, not even for Rinne.)
Yet when the door slides open, the immediate and apparent signs of commotion actually completely take him off-guard, if only for just a second. And he'd be more worried about the smell of alcohol and sweat and maybe other, messier things, too, but Rinne laughs in that notoriously noisy way of his and Niki actually just feels relief. Maybe things aren't going well, but they're certainly not as bad as he was starting to believe. Thank goodness!
But the mix of surprise and relief doesn't leave much room for him to react to the sudden attack. The only thing he can think to do in that instant is hide behind Takasugi.]
P-Prez!
[Sorry? Save him!]
no subject
Date: 2026-04-19 07:40 am (UTC)and when he scrambles behind him, takasugi doesn't have time to think about much else.
not the worst he was expecting, not for their fault but more his own, everyone always rushing off to their own doom without him. if they needed him at their side, he would've rushed there in an instant. so what made their lives so much more expendable than his own, and where was a man truly meant to spill his blood for another? death is a matter that's always on takasugi's mind, the specter of his own not as fragile as the vanished snow as it clings to his bones, because for all the faith he has put into others, it had never seemed to stop them from leaving him. for all the plans he put into motion, it never seemed to do their legacy any good, either.
which is why he slams into the man that charges them the moment he also scents something familiar, and hears something that can only make his ears perk, his heart thumping so much harder for it:
the fact that amagi rinne is still alive. )
Whoa, now. I thought this was a hall for a musical performance, not a sumo match. Talk about an interesting turn!
( and while this really isn't his forte, the strength he puts behind his grip is staggering. as fleshy hands soaked in sweat make for his side, takasugi digs his feet in to reach for the man's own. the leftover strength of their transformations is nothing to sniff at, of course, which is exactly why he hardly uses it. but drawing his blade in this small space just to traumatize niki would hardly be worth it, and so...
as his claws find purchase in fabric, takasugi twists. their weight classes, totally different. he pushes with his lithe upper half, wrangling the man to send him sailing headfirst into the wall just next to them with a firm thud. )
Dosukoi! Or, wait. Maybe you're supposed to say something else at the end. Oh, well.
no subject
Date: 2026-04-19 08:17 am (UTC)Rinne had long accepted his fate. Truly, he'd planned on carrying out his duty to the end. But meeting them this soon—and even better, knowing exactly why they came—brings a smile to Rinne's face unlike any other.
From the other end of the room, he bounds towards them, weaving between the fights he started. It goes without saying that he doesn't intend to finish them.]
Kyaha! What happened to making a run for it, ya morons? Niki, I oughta have ya punished for insubordination!
[Why just Niki...
He lifts his chin, beaming with pride, and holds his tied up hands out for Takasugi. The rope is only sturdy enough for the things people tend to do in places like this.]
Free me, pwease.
[pwease 😄]
no subject
Date: 2026-04-19 09:31 am (UTC)[Niki's frown is more of a pout. It's always like this!!]
I had a feeling you'd be fine, but aren't you having a little too much fun here?
[He says that, but it's only a tease, no judgement at all. He's glad for it. It's sort of nostalgic, even—Niki hasn't seen Rinne like this since before they woke up in Karteria. Maybe the new scenery... Maybe the fact that it finally feels like they've made even just a little progress toward going home has rejuvenated his waning spirit. That, truthfully, might be even more of a relief than just seeing he's okay.
(But without saying anything, Niki does note the damage and stains on his clothes. He'll have to make sure Rinne is really fine later, once things have quieted down.)]
Thanks for the save, Prez. [While Takasugi works on freeing Rinne (or not!), Niki starts to wander toward the nearest table. It looks like this food has survived... 🤤] My short life flashed before my eyes for a second there!
[He makes it sound like they're already safe now?? Yet, despite Takasugi's blatant display of force, the uproar caused by Rinne doesn't seem to be cooling off at all. No amount of intimidation, it seems, can overtake the allurement of the sight of not one, but three handsome fox men.]
no subject
Date: 2026-04-19 12:06 pm (UTC)Morons?
( there wouldn't typically be a twang of irritation in takasugi's voice, but it's hard not to see the exact same things niki is seeing this close: the torn front beneath layers of silk, slightly damp. red lines drawing against skin, a sight that makes him itch uncomfortable to recall the last time rinne was captive. but takasugi pushes everything down, makes his voice stay even. the smile on his face, big.
so this place is really about luring in men with animalistic traits to use them as playthings? maybe even selling them, with hands shoved down robes and against thighs to get them ready? his imagination thrums against the inside of his skull. )
Not a one of these farmers looks like they've got any training, and yet we, the ones completely unbound, are the morons. Don't wiggle, Amagi-kun. And don't walk off while we're in the thick of danger, Shiina-kun, unless you want me to drag you by the collar.
( okay. he sucks at this trying-not-to-sound-bothered-thing right now.
there's the cold shing of metal, where it only takes one carefully angled swipe to cut into the thick bondage holding rinne's hands in place. while he's doing this, something comes sailing at their heads from the side. a thick glass bottle, emptied. )
no subject
Date: 2026-04-19 01:02 pm (UTC)Hey, hey, hey. You could seriously kill someone with this!
[ He shoves the man away with a kick. The longer Niki can be oblivious to the danger of this all, the better. As for Takasugi, well... ]
Niki, is he mad? Aww, Prez! Don't be mad. You looked so cool just now, protecting our Niki-kyun and everything. [ While they're chatting, Rinne grabs a guy's face and violently shoves him away before he can touch Niki, who is probably snacking on some pickled foods right now. ]
You said we needed a decoy and intel, right? Rinne-kun spent all his life tryna sneak outta his village, you know? I knew you two would have each other's backs, so I went ahead and made a diversion for ya.
When some foxy ladies grabbed me by the balls and told me to come up with a program, I went ahead and gave these guys a show. Ain't that what being an idol's all about?
[ The taller Rinne tugs on Takasugi's sleeve and sways it from side to side. Look at his adorable smile! Please forget that he used a notoriously difficult and dangerous move to incapacitate you. ]
no subject
Date: 2026-04-19 04:25 pm (UTC)in the midst of smashing plates and grown men meeting the floor to no avail, takasugi can hardly hide the inappropriate delight at his sleeve being played with. quit it. this isn't the time for all that, he wants to say. but instead, his brow simply furrows like a child who's about to ask to be tossed into the air once more for entertainment. )
... What. So I can't be worried on your behalf? Because I was, actually. A whole lot. No doubt Shiina-kun felt the same way. If being an idol means you always have to carry our burdens alone to flip them on their head for us, then I'm going to redefine it from the ground up.
( his anger is diffusing in real-time... and so easily. and while it's true that takasugi likes to have a good time and be surprised, this is too close to the open wound that always pulses whenever someone's after their neck. his tail sweeps across the floor, thwacking straight into an on-comer's face as he glances away in embarrassment. )
no subject
Date: 2026-04-20 02:35 am (UTC)[But Niki says this casually, more concerned with savoring the flavors than whatever violence is going on around him. It is a little scary, but with the other two around, he's basically never felt safer.]
I wasn't really worried until Prez started getting worried, but Rinne-kun's over here looking as tasty as a horse. [Niki licks his finger and thumb as he speaks. He's not trying to throw Takasugi under the bus, though. In fact...] But what happened? I thought we were gonna kill him, Prez.
[Obviously, he doesn't want Rinne to get in trouble or anything, but he thinks Takasugi does have a good point. For as much as Niki trusts him, he still wishes Rinne wouldn't run off on his own all the time, using himself as bait as if it doesn't matter to anyone else what happens to him. Niki believed he would be okay... but that doesn't mean he doesn't still worry.]
Man, these pickled veggies are heaven! I missed authentic Japanese flavors like you wouldn't believe!
[Not to distract from the killing or worrying or anything. He's just in a really good mood!]
no subject
Date: 2026-04-20 06:15 am (UTC)[He's not usually this kind. But when he sees Niki smile in a way he hasn't seen in a while, how could he be mean? Rinne can only smile back with fondness.]
But killing tasty ol' me? That's kinda harsh. What happened to failing my ass and slapping me on the wrist?
Look Prez, let's flirt later. We gotta find those foxes.
no subject
Date: 2026-04-20 06:48 am (UTC)( liar? he pointedly doesn't look niki's way while saying this. )
But, find them, instead of make a quit exit? That's just crazy enough at the moment to be a sound idea. Then I can exact some proper punishment for whatever you don't have time to explain. The easiest way to snuff out a fox, of course, would be a fun method I'm fairly familiar with, only we'd have to exit the building to avoid scorching our tails any in the process.
( he curves the blade still in hand while being vague, gesturing it out towards the crowd as if to prove that he's still paying attention. a couple men reach for their weapons. their steel doesn't quite gleam the same. )
Surely that won't be a problem, though... as long as you don't make a point of knocking me out again. I bet it's going to bruise, that.
1/2
Date: 2026-04-20 07:54 am (UTC)[He shakes his head in mock exasperation. That's the only explanation for why Takasugi gives in so easily. Niki knows how this goes! He's been bullied since they met!
At the same time, though... It's actually pretty cute. Because that's just the kind of person Rinne really is—he's someone who knows how to ease people's hearts. He knows how to make you melt. It's honestly not even a little surprising that even someone like Takasugi Shinsaku would find himself weak to him.]
no subject
Date: 2026-04-20 07:54 am (UTC)Jeez, it's all alcohol...
[But he needs something to wash his snack down with, so he downs the small cup in one go despite his complaint. It's not like he's going to feel it, anyway.]
Is it a good idea? Haven't we caused enough trouble already?
no subject
Date: 2026-04-20 10:42 am (UTC)If they didn't want trouble, they shoulda thought about that before throwing us to the wolves!
[And yeah. He is bullying Takasugi. But is it bullying if Takasugi likes it?
Suddenly, they're surrounded by the dozens now. In the gaze of each angry farmer glows a small flame, a pink petal of fire dancing along to someone else's whim. Whoever is controlling them isn't the man who first charmed them.
Rinne steps closer and behind Takasugi, shoulder to shoulder and glass bottle in tow.]
... Prez. I promise I'll be good, so clear a path for us and make this interesting. The sword you got me's still back in their dressing room, y'know?
no subject
Date: 2026-04-20 03:36 pm (UTC)good. that's exactly what he wants to feel, the corners of his lips twitching until they bloom into a smile he can't seem to hold down any longer. if there's anything he still needs to despair about, then he'll excise it from himself later, alone. for now, he just needs to join in on the fun with two younger foxes and uplift them with a breeze of his own. being an idol should be about making their own fun, right?
he tilts his head up pointedly, knocking the back of his head gently against rinne's. )
Of all the heroes who've ever existed, you couldn't have asked a better one to fulfill your wishes, Amagi-kun.
( out of mercy for their eyes, takasugi opts to playfully jab his way through the crowd, nudging their wrists and chests hard with the butt of his sword. it's almost a little too wasteful when he could easily be making clean cuts, especially with his usual sword style, but it works. it works and it keeps them from seeing too much.
a man that moves like lightning doesn't need to do much more than follow the beating heart of his practiced moves, takasugi stepping back with his right to lunge with his left, and if his body is bothering him, he doesn't show it. he won't ever try to show it. he carves a wide arch in the surrounding men as asked, and then, nimbly hops up onto a nearby table with a laugh as his red, bushy tail helps him keep balance. )
Eyes up here, gentlemen. Why not have a glimpse under this hakama of mine and find out if this tail is the real deal?
( in one swift motion, takasugi pulls free the tie keeping his hair bunched up in soft spirals. it comes tumbling down his shoulders, his back, a river of pink at his fingertips. as his steps shift, every groping hand reaching for his ankles in their dance like rhythm only to get punted away, his laughter rises like the flame on a candle.)
Hahaha! This is almost like my very own Dan-no-Ura!
( a step on the head here, a step on the head there.
as he flings his sword about above his head like a crazy man, what's left of the farmers starts to disperse. beyond them and the stunned bodies on the floor, a clear path leads on up to the stage above, where a woman who'd been watching all the while pops back behind two folds of a noren curtain. )
no subject
Date: 2026-04-21 03:24 am (UTC)[Niki huffs dramatically. Still... With Takasugi here, their survival rate has increased significantly, so if there's ever a time to be a little reckless, it's definitely probably now. He really would rather leave, but if the other two are moving forward, Niki would be an even bigger fool to stay behind. This place is way too dangerous!
So while Takasugi works to make room for them, Niki follows after Rinne. He's careful to try and keep a little distance there so he doesn't get in his way, but he also makes a point to stay close enough in case he needs to reach for him for any reason. (Not for his own sake. He'll be okay. But in case Rinne starts feeling a little reckless again, or if anyone tries to touch him again, or...) Occasionally, a straggler will get a little too close, but they don't move with the precision that Takasugi or Rinne do, so Niki doesn't worry too much. Rinne and Niki are quicker, and whatever remains of the crowd takes care of itself, often drunkenly(?) tripping over themselves or the furniture before they can even reach them. It's the woman who retreats behind the curtain that concerns him a little more. He only catches a glimpse of her, but he could tell that she's been watching.]
That's not where we're going, is it? Please tell me it's not.
[He's not sure why, but that feels like bad news!]
no subject
Date: 2026-04-21 04:55 am (UTC)[As Takasugi gleefully clears the way, hair dancing in the air as if his spirit was burning with life, Rinne grabs Niki by the hand and runs, following closely behind. He never would have had adventures like these if they never left that city!
If he never left Karteria... he would have never seen Takasugi and Niki look so healthy.
The sea of angry mobs parts for the trio as they make their way to the stage.]
There's only one way an idol can go, Niki. But it looks like we were just the opening act! That lady up there? I bet she's the real star of the show.
[He waves his empty bottle in the air.]
Show's pretty mid, though!
[The woman doesn't deign him with an answer. Instead, out onto the stage, she takes one step. The audience, utterly captivated by her magic, rises back to their feet like clockwork and wordlessly falls into order.]
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