dear_mun | homeless/muse is now 31, time to poke fun

Thirty-one isn't old.

[Don't mind this drunk sword.]

[He will mind, a bit, making a face until he recalls he's not in his subway, so... it's not so shameful or inappropriate for the setting (... as far as this place passes for one), he'll nod appreciatively.]

Finally, someone who understands. It's not that old at all.

It must seem that way to her because she's younger and so are the others she has—

Ah, if you'll forgive my asking, are you a soldier of some sort?

[The gauntlets contrast strangely with the schoolboyish cut of his clothes, but is that a crest on his lapel? It's quite flashy and strange and he does admire flashy and strange! But it also has him somewhat distracted.] It's rare that someone your age understands that anyone older than 25 isn't necessarily an old fogey...

[Here, assuming, of course, that Fudou is younger than him. Surprise him.]

[Hey he doesn't judge you on how you cope with a horrific past.]

Soldier? I'm too useless to be something as cool as that.

[He took another sip of his barely alcoholic sweet sake. He was a crazy light weight. Even after who knows how long of drinking, he still couldn't hold his liquor.] My age? Hey! Are you callin me a kid? I'm hundreds of years old!

[He's old enough to be your great great great grandpa. But that's gross so he'll pretend hundreds of years is not old.

[He's only judging because he runs a subway! Drunks are anathema. Terrible nuisances in his field of work. ~~Please don't be a groper.~~

Also, that sweet sake smells like something a ten year old would sip at flower-viewing in his world. It only adds to the childish image, unfortunately.

He frowns at that reply. A degree of self-debasement is polite, but this is... excessive.]

You are not. Perhaps you aren't suited to such a thing, but—

[Before he could go on, trying to impart some admonition against such negativity, he's practically floored by the defensive claims!]

Y-you're what?

Sorry, I didn't— I had no way of knowing...!

[Reeling back, a flash of white, then, an odd monster fills his vision, with wide, perfectly round, staring yellow eyes and a wide, stitched-shut smile. Its body was purple, burning with ghostly fire not unlike a hitodama, its shape somewhere between chandelier and balloon.] SHAN! [Meet Chandela.]

[Okay rude. Are you tryin to call him a ten year old groper? He doesn't even look ten! He stares at the taller man with a confused look when he said he wasn't useless. Here he is calling him a drunk child and now he says that he's not useless!

How strange.]

Yeah! I was Nobunaga's beloved sword~ He used to sing and dance about me...

[Too bad Yukimitsu couldn't praise and love him in life.

What. In Kami-sama's name is that?]

?!

[Certainly not! Except for the drunk part, but that is a self-evident fact.

As if it were merely a balloon, he caught Chandela by either side and carried it out of the way. Chandela is still smiling cheerfully, flames streaking the air in wisps until it settled at his side and he let the Pokemon go.]

... my partner, Chandela. It's alright, it must've mistaken you for a threat... which you are not, to ourselves, I hope?

Shan! [It confirms cheerfully, in a high, girlish voice.]

So, you were a sword? [He does not seem as surprised by this as he ought to be, only lifting (oddly hairless) brows briefly, as if it were a semi-rare occupation, before clasping his hands behind his back.]

As a sword, surely, you must've partaken in battle. A great many battles, if you were so cherished. Why do you not walk with pride, then? ... do you have reason to doubt his words?

[Is it the human form that makes him so despondent? Regardless, Nobori will wait to receive more answers first, before deciding how to go about advising this one.]

Wha-What is that?!

[What he does in his retirement is his own business buddy.

But that doesn't change that there is a bizarre creature that has come from nowhere and currently staring at him with it's creepy beady yellow eyes. He remained at a large distance away from them, eying the creature warily.

How can such a thing even exist? Was it a demon?]

And look at me now, useless. Just a useless sword who can't do anything right and a dead master.

[Chandela, amused by the staring and fearful reaction, twirls a bit, spinning a ghastly stream flames around itself, before peering coyly over the gathered flames on its metallic arms drawn-up. The flames gave a foreboding feeling, somehow, despite the playfully teasing manner of the creature...]

You are not useless.

[This time, he speaks more firmly, grey eyes narrowing. His voice is low, quiet, but strong.]

Your experiences did not cease to exist.

What you have learned can never be wasted. Even if you can no longer fight, you can pass on your lessons.

Your master died and you did not follow. There must have been a reason. Perhaps you were meant to pass on what you have learned, through this body. [He caught hold of his arm.]

You needn't be able to fight to pass on the lessons you learned. This form you have now, is it not easier to communicate in? If you are unused to it, it is no surprise that you will face difficulties. That you will not be as skilled or successful as you once were. But that is no matter, so long as you remain running along these tracks, without stopping— just like that, you will grow stronger. More capable. You may even become another's master, yourself.

I will say to you what I often say to my challengers, as Subway Master, I can assure of you of this— there is no terminal called End in your life.

[He was not about to deal with that thing. What if it tried to melt him? He had already been burned once, he was not about to let it happen again.

Once more his fears were cut off by the other's strong and firm voice.]

How can someone as young as you understand what it's like for me?! Every human I meet ends up shriveling up and dying! Or being passed around or having to be reforged! [Or dying because of him. Nobunaga wasn't perfect, he used him to kill innocent people as well as his foes.]

[The wariness he had about his partner and the way he pointedly ignored it, while it would be irritating under normal circumstances, here, Nobori found pleasantly reassuring. He waved Chandela over and tapped a red-white sphere to return it.

So this one has no desire to die to follow his master, at least not by fire.]

You're right. I am young and inexperienced, certainly when compared to you. I may be crossing my boundaries in saying this, but I cannot allow it. I cannot turn a blind eye to this level of disrespect, when it is clear you deserve better. Sir...? [He questioned, encouraging him to identify himself, but the rest of the sword's words are very telling...]

That is a sad fate...

What is it that you wish to do now?

Is "useless" the route you've chosen to escape this cycle? You might not be passed around in this state, but is living this way meaningful? Are you really alright with existing this way?

[Yukimitsu sighed in relief when the unsettling being vanished, he thought for sure that it was going to kill him if he in any way interacted with it.]

How can I deserve better? No one uses swords any more... All we're good for now is to sit around 'n look pretty.... My name is Fudou Yukimitsu.

[Though he was sure that the other would grow sick of him too.]

Ha? What's wrong what I'm doin now? [A lot of things but shhh.]

I dunno, look around for a Saniwa I guess..

A fine name, Fudou-sama.

Come, now. That isn't true.

It's not the way that it was, there are no wars waged where warriors tear each other apart with swords, it's true, but swordplay remains an art form. Many practice it still. If you would like to teach younger generations, you could. They are no longer battles to the death and you are worn already, so you are less likely to be damaged. You could be wielded by many, in such a training facility, if you'd rather not become attached...

Edited 2016-04-13 05:01 (UTC)

However, if you still wish to find a master, I am certain a great many would be honoured to have you.

[He may or may not be insinuating his own interest.]

This station is removed from both our lines. It connects many routes that would otherwise never cross or run parallel. Without it, we could never meet. Because of it, this miracle exists.

Another of this station's gifts is that we might never die. Even if we die elsewhere, we will continue to run along these tracks forever... or as long as we are destined too. We needn't grow old or die. If you found your old master, ageless and deathless, here, would you rejoin him?

... switching gears, what business might you have with a Saniwa?

[Yes, now he's finished!]

I'm a 'collectable' now, no one would want to use me like I was used before.

[In fact he's pretty sure some people would say he belongs in a museum. Nobunaga naturally was very famous and beloved in Japan, anyone who didn't like Nobunaga was a fool and wrong.]

Yeah right, who would want a 'collectable' sword? [Collectable swords sound like a big joke. He was someone's most beloved sword once! The man who almost united all of Japan, he was praised and loved by a man so strong and ruthless that few dared to defy him. And in the end he couldn't even protect him.]

Without question. But....[Would Nobunaga even like him in this form? What if Nobunaga didn't? What would he do then?]

That does sound quite unfortunate... by seeking to preserve you, they would forbid you from your purpose. It'd be maddening, even.

[Nobori, that's not helping. But an unchallenging, stifling, protected life sounds so unappealing!] Hmm, you might have to travel far, to where no one recognizes your master's name or what you are.

[Oh, but why did he trail off there?]

But?

Nothing.

[Yukimitsu shook his head so vigorously that he stumbled a little in his drunken state. He didn't want to think about it. The idea of Nobunaga possibly loving him less in this form was too much to bear.]

Nobunaga-sama is known world wide, everyone will know.

[... he's swaying again! Nobori spends a good moment simply staring, unsure of what to do, before he decides to grab his shoulder— hopefully, it isn't too late... he'd done so well avoiding awkward situations!] Careful. It wouldn't be good if you fell.

... ah, but not all worlds are the same. He might not exist at all, in some worlds.

I have met a deity in charge of judging the souls of the dead, a woman from another version of my home where the war ended differently, a vampire, a police officer from a world where humans have elemental powers like our Pokemon...

[And that's just off the top of his head!]

Different worlds, different histories, you and your master might not be known at all, depending on who you meet.

[Scared the drunk ten year old groper is going to strike huh? Well too late. He's flat on his face, congratulations Nobori, you have taken down the drunk ten year old groper.

He laid there for a moment before his head shot up at the mention that Nobunaga didn't exist in other worlds. How can anyone live without knowing of Nobunaga-sama?!]

WHAT?!

[N-no, that's not it! Nobori is just... terribly awkward, encouraging speeches aside. He also watched kids push a heavy steel door and crash onto train tracks without helping, hia reaction time for this sort of thing is slow...

He winces at the sound, then, kneeled down beside him to awkwardly offer a hand to help him up, the other on his shoulder. Why? A comforting gesture? He has no idea why he did that either.]

... don't shout, please.

Yes. There are worlds he never even existed in, I'm sure.

[Perhaps he shouldn't have told him, the sword seemed intensely loyal and loving...] Forgive me, I was unaware. Of the strength of your bond...

Edited 2016-04-15 01:26 (UTC)

That... just means I have to spread the word of how great Nobunaga-sama is!

[He clumsily took his hand and tried to pull himself up before falling on him. He quickly pulled away from him and got up to dust himself.

He gazed down at him and offered his hand to help him up.]

Most swords have a very strong bond with their first owners.

[The fall earns a mixture of shock and embarrassment, certainly not expecting to wind up quite literally floored and with a perfect stranger (er, sword... this form is not without its disadvantages, otherwise, he'd be dead!), but Nobori quickly clears his throat, brushing off his clothes with a hand, the other accepting Fudou's offered hand, although he looks quite pointedly away, trying to ignore the embarrassing little predicament entirely.] ... thank you.

[Well, it would've been rude to say nothing at all! Once he's back on his feet, he can proceed more naturally. Which is to say, assume his usually extremely rigid and overly-straight posture.]

... I see! So, rather like a Pokemon and its trainer. That must be a very strong bond indeed.

[He makes a brief, thoughtful sound, then, throws out an arm, pointing at some nondescript point in the distance.] Then, depart!

Now that you have a destination in mind, depart! You will map out your own route from here.

Age is just a number, monsieur! Why, life is barely beginning at 30! You shouldn't listen to your writer; they just like to tease.

Edited 2016-04-12 20:48 (UTC)

Y-you really think so? [He sounds hopeful, in a bit of a strained sort of way. Did the teasing really get to him that much, despite his indignation?]

You're right, most likely... she has been housing children, mostly, as of late. That must be why she felt it a fitting joke...

[Trailing off, still a bit awkward. How to save this conversation?] ... er, um, they say that at thirty, one stands firm. Do you feel you've found the route you wish to continue along, at my age?

homeless/muse is now 31, time to poke fun

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Drunk shota looking soldier who is a actually an anceint sword, bet that's a first.

well, it'd be a real challenge to find competition there!

And then you get tagged by all the swords ever xD

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I just realized how horrifying pokemon must be to outsiders

aha, yes... and this one in particular burns up souls as fuel!

Better than the one made out of dead children's soul

... one will appear in the show soon, maybe I'll play it and toss it at Fudou :D;;;

Fudou will nope the hell out of there 8D;;;;

1/2;it'd be funny~~~ aaand I apologize for Nobori's long-winded speeches

2/2; somebody shut him up

He just has a lot on his mind okay

a couple of hundred years worth, yeah! ... sorry for the delay o/

There's a pokemon character whose a 100 years old?

OOPS, I forgot the subject and thought we were talking about Fudou-- not human ones, no! ^o^;;;

Nobori you're speaking of world Yukimitsu does not wish to live in.

This sword is terribly attached, isn't it...?

Actually, all the swords are incredibly attached to their owners.

poor things! ... -crawls out from under an exam and courses- Sorry for poofing for like ten days ^^;

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Sorry for the delay and oh wow, never saw a Xeroxic before!