Obscure character, GO!

[underthepines]

Mundane-san, I admire your dedication to scholarship in this instance, but truly, it's not necessary. I've done my part - the future is in their hands, now.

Comments

[underthepines]

[He turns, surprised - which softens into a smile when he sees who it is.]

Katsura-kun.

[kidzura]

Waah! It is as sensei taught -- once I stopped looking for sensei, I found him! When I was looking, I found lots of other things.

[he holds up a small mouse]

[it is dressed in a dark purple waistcoat and speaking in Old English, perfectly non-understandable to both of them]

[it is gnawing industriously on his thumb, which Katsura does not seem to notice, in his excitement]

[in a perfectly serious tone]

Sensei, I think we might have come to a very strange place. But I'll protect you.

[underthepines]

[He manages to stifle his laughter - it would hurt his pupil's pride, really. Though the mouse is rather odd.]

I do believe we may have. Thank you, Katsura-kun.

[kidzura]

[nods, and his thumb begins to lackadaisically bleed from the gnawing]

Should we search for the others, sensei? It's a difficult kind of situation... when one is lost, one is supposed to stay in one place... but they are also lost, and if neither of us move, it would be like a stalemate of safety!

[Katsura of course being quite knowledgeable on the topic of getting lost; not often was a trip anywhere outside the terakoya not accompanied by an hour-long search for the curious boy]

So, I think it might be wisest to move -- but if they also move, we may continue to miss one another... a troublesome notion, but perhaps if we left a trail!

[kidzura]

But what is the most effective trail? Marks on trees and stone pyramids... they aren't reliable. It's fully possible that a bird or a badger could do those kinds of things. We don't want them to find badgers, we want them to find us...

[kidzura]

The best kind of trail would be noticeable, like a bad fart just before bedtime.

[kidzura]

But that is the kind of trail people run away from, which is counterproductive to a party reunion...

[kidzura]

Sensei! The best trail would be a trail is not only noticeable, but also draws people to it! Like a trail of sweet dumplings, or a trail of shiny P*kem*n cards!

[underthepines]

[He laughs]

That might attract other followers. But we could write our names in the dirt, maybe.

[kidzura]

Sensei... what kind of person looks at the dirt when they're looking for someone?

[said like REALLY, YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS...]

[kidzura]

The others would blaze a trail straight ahead, looking bravely into the unknown.


And Gintoki would be looking for dango.