005. those countryside roads to somewhere

[takasugi]

( 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. )

Comments

[hanabee]

[He picks up another cup on the table and sniffs that one, too. This time, he frowns for real.]

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?

[hanikamu]

[Niki...!? Rinne doesn't hide his surprise, but there's no time to berate him for anything just yet. Instead, he grins. Niki's right. They might be in a bind right now, but Rinne's feeling better than ever!]

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?

[takasugi]

( he'll keep purposefully quiet on the bit about being bullied, too. after all, it's true. he's willfully fallen victim to playful bits that make his body fill to blushing with the scent of summer, the eager parts of takasugi adapting well to being teased so long as it means he gets more attention. putting that aside, though, there's only so much he can gripe without wasting their time. what little space they have is starting to close in on them. but as their shoulders brush, and niki gives a warning, and rinne assures him that he won't put himself in harm's way needlessly where takasugi would gladly do it himself, he once again feels a welcome something that he hasn't experienced in ages since the academy: the surprising joy in the unknown and in achieving it together.

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. )

[hanabee]

Okay, but normally, you run away from the wolves, not toward them. This is not getting us any closer to food.

[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!]

[hanikamu]

Kyahaha!

[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.]

[takasugi]

There's only one thing for it, then.

( onto the stage, takasugi lands with a thump. instead of his blade, the great swing of the shamisen attends him in his grip.

pointed straight towards the mysterious woman, by the way, where she's unable to hide the ears flattened back and styled into her done-up sokugami hairstyle any longer. they're a deeper red, almost brown as they unfurl. and while her eyes cautiously follow his every moment, takasugi simply taps a claw against the length of the wood. )

Regardless of what your true intentions were with my cute subordinate and whoever else is running this whole event, let's stick to what we agreed on earlier and continue, albeit with a few new conditions. The conditions being, of course, that you’ll ease up on these farmers, and we’ll get a few hours without being followed after we leave, especially after we’ve put on a good show for you. Oh. And forget about tonight’s arrangements; I think I've seen quite enough to put me off from wanting to lay my head down for even a second. Do they have a ratings system in this era yet? Because I'd totally be giving you one star right now. Anyway. Free the crowd and let's get this place jumping, and don't try anything strange. These men deserve the chance to hear the raw power of an idol with a clear mind.

( another tap on the long span of the shamisen, the knife shine in his eyes bright. )

Subdue the enemy without fighting is one of the first tenants of a popular strategist, by the way. I'm not sure where your colleagues went, but it seems they left you in over your head.

[hanabee]

[Here Niki was, worried that he might cause more trouble for the others than not, and then Rinne takes his hand anyway, like it was the easiest thing in the world to do. Like he doesn't have so many other things to worry about right now... At times like these, Niki's sure it isn't the imprint that makes him feel the way he does.

See? This is exactly what he means. Rinne's the kind of person who, with one small gesture, makes you feel like you're glad that you're still alive.

He wonders if Takasugi feels that way, too, when he lands on the stage like that, full of an impossible amount of energy, when he speaks to the crowd like he's the one that controls it.]

Whoa, Prez is getting really into this, huh~.

[Niki's never seen him do so much damage before, but he's already well-aware that he could do so much more. He's sure Takasugi could kill everyone here if he wanted to. There was no reason it had to come down to singing. But since it seems like it is...]

I don't think this is "being thrown to the wolves." I'm pretty sure this is offering ourselves up on a silver platter.

[He doesn't know if this is a good idea. Frankly, it seems like kind of a bad one! But it seems like there might be something special about them, and if that's the case... Well, that isn't always a bad thing, is it? Sometimes, being different is a thing you can use to your advantage.

So he tugs on Rinne's hand, gently, just a little.]

I guess we should go up there and join him.

[That's probably what Rinne would want to do, he thinks. And, at this point, they're all in this together, so Niki's more than okay with that despite everything.]