Eeh... like a year-ish of actual trainin', a year just doin' whatever I could in that other place.
[Sorry, that's probably not very helpful.]
He was actually my dad's familiar before he died. He was a guardian for silk weavers for like a hundred somethin' years but when the place got torn down he got picked up by my dad. He likes to sit on my head.
[ There's a good look on him, some spirit. Not too helpful a description regarding his swordsmanship, but some things are better experienced in gauging, she thinks. Pauses a second. Is she considering that? She taps her pointer and middle against her temple, not quite shifting her cheek in her palm as she continues listening.
[ What would that be? Something that can sit on his head, that doesn't sound like a dog. It doesn't sound like a dog at all. There's plenty of things that might sit on someone's head. Even tiny tree spirits can, but she doesn't imagine they'd be that sort of guardian. That Kuro was his dad's, that's something that sees her pause, but she can't quite help but ask. ]
[ If it looks like some of the color is draining out of her face, that's because it is. A cat? Of course it's a cat. It had to be a cat. Why's it always cats? They're so -- so -- she can't quite finish the thought. The hair at the back of her neck is literally standing on end. Did she just swallow? Quietly. ]
Ah.
[ Yes, "ah". Very eloquent, Setsura. Very dignified, a real confident response. ]
It takes a good measure of self-control not to jerk the phone back as far from her face as possible as though he might come through the screen and pounce on her. No, she keeps it together, slow her heart rate because the way he's looking at her is -- it's making her nervous. It makes her want force the wings she can't and immediately take to a tree and that look suggests he knows it.
He's not, right? He can't be. ]
You mean besides the fact that the majority of them are arrogant little furballs who think they can do whatever they please like some kind of insufferably fuzzy loose cannon?
[ She watches him for a moment, then quietly folds her arms under her chest, the image shifting a bit for the turn of the camera before she focuses it on herself again. Pull it together? She's pulled it together with that laughter of his, head tilted up and eyes away because there's nothing funny about this... or that clinging nervousness she's shoved down, down, down, her wondering.
He's not a cat, right? He's messing with her. More importantly -- ]
Who said anything about me being in danger? You're a thousand years too early for something like that, you know.
[ Even if he was a cat, she's survived seventy-three, almost seventy- four years against the feline menace and thrived in the face of all manner of beings, not that she goes around broadcasting that for all that it might be inferred from the blade she keep at her side. That name gives her pause, though. ]
Mephisto? [ More importantly -- ] That's how people wind up showing up, you know. Speak of the devil and he appears. You trying to curse me?
[ But that reaction is about as obvious as hers was as unintentional as that was. She needs to be more careful about that. Carelessness is its own kind of demon. ]
You're the one who likes like he wants to bolt right now. So, who's this Mephisto person?
He's uh. He's a lotta things. Demon King of Time, Headmaster of True Cross Academy... basically my guardian, though I doubt he takes that seriously at all.
[A beat, then, with some vitrol-]
A fuckin' clown who makes my life more difficult than it needs to be.
[ Setsura blinks. Did he just say...? Of course he did. If she trusts nothing else in this world or any other, she trusts her hearing. Still, it sounds strange, very unusual to her. If her cheek wasn't already in her palm, it would be now. In Okumura's world, a demon king of Time -- yes, "a" because she doubts demons from any realm would absolutely settle on a single entity among them as being the sole holder of such a prestigious title -- and is Time his dominion? it sounds like an official title, but that name with it doesn't sound right -- heads an institution of learning for exorcists and is the guardian of a half-demon training to become an exorcist. That's --
No, that's strange, unusual if she compares it to things in her own world. Crosses are usually associated with certain faiths that are typically staunchly against demonic anything and zealous about it. But given what Rin's told her, what he had to state when they first met, then he came to be under this Mephisto's guardianship after... something difficult. She doesn't want to assume too much, but the way he's talking about that person, there's clearly issues, not that she would expect being under the guardianship of a person like that to be any sort of easy thing.
Why, even? She's missing things, she knows it, and it stirs up her curiosity finely, but not so finely as to forget Okumura's tone, the way he's speaking about all this. ]
It sounds like he likes to play around a lot.
[ Has she missed that he means a literal clown? Possibly. ]
[Rin can tell some wheels are turning pretty hard in her head by her expression alone, but all he gives for it is a frown. If she had questions she would be asking them.
He's not a literal clown anyway, just dresses like one and makes Rin's life hell in other ways.]
[ It's a soft statement and she's cognizant of that, but that's all she gives. Wonders if she should press this today. She finally drops her palm from her cheek, though. It looks like someone's finally remembered what she was up to and she's moving to look through some notebooks. Hmm. ]
You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I'll admit I'm surprised. It sounds like you lead quite an interesting life, Okumura-kun.
[If she wants to ask about Mephisto directly, he can answer what he's able to, but with the stipulation that he is still very much a dumbass who doesn't know nearly as much as he should.]
Not... really? I mean, I didn't. Before Dad died. It wasn't a great life and people were assholes to me for stupid reasons when I was younger, but I was still... human.
[ She keeps moving around, but his words do give her a moment of mental pause. Strike a bit of a chord that she's careful to mind, but that curiosity of hers is stirred that much more finely by his wording. It's too deliberate, stark. She wants to know, so she'll ask. ]
[He holds up a finger and moves off screen for a moment, returning with something in his hand.
He lifts the blue sheathed sword horizontally, tassels hanging from the scabbard.]
My heart - my demon heart - is sealed in here. It was sealed when I was a baby. Dad-- ... Shiro Fujimoto raised me like I was human. I still had problems bein' too strong for my own good and havin' a bad temper, but to everyone around me I was just a really angry kid.
The seal started to fail when I was about fifteen.
[He lowered it then, resting it out of view on his lap.]
That's when Dad died. I... tried to save him and pulled the sword even though he told me not to. I'm still half human, but the other half came out that day.
[Hence the tail and other traits, plus his powers.]
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-07 04:47 am (UTC)[Rin grins, flashing a fang with it.]
Eeh... like a year-ish of actual trainin', a year just doin' whatever I could in that other place.
[Sorry, that's probably not very helpful.]
He was actually my dad's familiar before he died. He was a guardian for silk weavers for like a hundred somethin' years but when the place got torn down he got picked up by my dad. He likes to sit on my head.
1/2
Date: 2019-12-07 12:08 pm (UTC)His dad's familiar, hm? Ah -- ]
2/2
Date: 2019-12-07 12:13 pm (UTC)[ What would that be? Something that can sit on his head, that doesn't sound like a dog. It doesn't sound like a dog at all. There's plenty of things that might sit on someone's head. Even tiny tree spirits can, but she doesn't imagine they'd be that sort of guardian. That Kuro was his dad's, that's something that sees her pause, but she can't quite help but ask. ]
What kind of familiar is that?
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-08 07:50 am (UTC)[He would keep the silkworms safe from other creatures.]
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-08 07:58 am (UTC)Ah.
[ Yes, "ah". Very eloquent, Setsura. Very dignified, a real confident response. ]
And he likes to sit on your head. [ That's... ]
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-08 07:59 am (UTC)Eehh? Wass'at? Somethin' wrong with cats?
[He noticed.
He's a dumb boy, but she basically broadcast that reaction loud and clear to him.
He's grinning at her toothily, his fangs not too dissimilar from a feline's, and his fluffy tail also close to one.]
1/2
Date: 2019-12-08 08:12 am (UTC)2/2
Date: 2019-12-08 08:16 am (UTC)It takes a good measure of self-control not to jerk the phone back as far from her face as possible as though he might come through the screen and pounce on her. No, she keeps it together, slow her heart rate because the way he's looking at her is -- it's making her nervous. It makes her want force the wings she can't and immediately take to a tree and that look suggests he knows it.
He's not, right? He can't be. ]
You mean besides the fact that the majority of them are arrogant little furballs who think they can do whatever they please like some kind of insufferably fuzzy loose cannon?
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-08 09:25 pm (UTC)He's not sure why it's so damn funny to him but it is and he damn near falls over with how hard he's laughing.]
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-08 09:50 pm (UTC)He's not a cat, right? He's messing with her. More importantly -- ]
Are you done?
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-08 10:37 pm (UTC)But he's not actually a cat, no. Whatever traits he does have are only loosely related to any real world animals.
He catches his breath, brushing a tear from his eye.]
Y-yeah... I'm done...
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-08 11:00 pm (UTC)[ She leans slightly forward. ]
There's nothing you maybe want to tell me?
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-13 08:40 pm (UTC)I'm not a cat, if that's what you mean. I can't shapeshift like Mephisto either, so you're safe. And Kuro ain't here. Don't expect him to show up.
[Though boy, would he love all the attention he could possibly get.]
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-13 10:40 pm (UTC)[ Even if he was a cat, she's survived seventy-three, almost seventy- four years against the feline menace and thrived in the face of all manner of beings, not that she goes around broadcasting that for all that it might be inferred from the blade she keep at her side. That name gives her pause, though. ]
Mephisto? [ More importantly -- ] That's how people wind up showing up, you know. Speak of the devil and he appears. You trying to curse me?
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-14 05:50 am (UTC)[She may have survived but that didn't make her reactions any less obvious.]
Uuugh. Don't say it like that.
[Speaking of obvious reactions - Rin is suddering visibly.]
Mephisto showin' up would be way more of a curse on me.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-14 06:47 am (UTC)[ But that reaction is about as obvious as hers was as unintentional as that was. She needs to be more careful about that. Carelessness is its own kind of demon. ]
You're the one who likes like he wants to bolt right now. So, who's this Mephisto person?
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-14 07:23 am (UTC)[About that...]
He's uh. He's a lotta things. Demon King of Time, Headmaster of True Cross Academy... basically my guardian, though I doubt he takes that seriously at all.
[A beat, then, with some vitrol-]
A fuckin' clown who makes my life more difficult than it needs to be.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-14 08:06 am (UTC)No, that's strange, unusual if she compares it to things in her own world. Crosses are usually associated with certain faiths that are typically staunchly against demonic anything and zealous about it. But given what Rin's told her, what he had to state when they first met, then he came to be under this Mephisto's guardianship after... something difficult. She doesn't want to assume too much, but the way he's talking about that person, there's clearly issues, not that she would expect being under the guardianship of a person like that to be any sort of easy thing.
Why, even? She's missing things, she knows it, and it stirs up her curiosity finely, but not so finely as to forget Okumura's tone, the way he's speaking about all this. ]
It sounds like he likes to play around a lot.
[ Has she missed that he means a literal clown? Possibly. ]
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-15 12:20 am (UTC)He's not a literal clown anyway, just dresses like one and makes Rin's life hell in other ways.]
If that's what you wanna call it...
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-15 12:46 am (UTC)[ But that's not exactly her priority at the moment. That expression on his face -- ]
Do you want to talk about it?
[ He'd said the guy makes his life more difficult than it should be, after all. ]
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-15 04:34 am (UTC)Does he want to talk about Mephisto?
Eh...]
There's not much to say? I didn't really get a say in who was gonna be my guardian after Dad died...
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-15 05:17 am (UTC)[ It's a soft statement and she's cognizant of that, but that's all she gives. Wonders if she should press this today. She finally drops her palm from her cheek, though. It looks like someone's finally remembered what she was up to and she's moving to look through some notebooks. Hmm. ]
You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I'll admit I'm surprised. It sounds like you lead quite an interesting life, Okumura-kun.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-15 05:33 am (UTC)Not... really? I mean, I didn't. Before Dad died. It wasn't a great life and people were assholes to me for stupid reasons when I was younger, but I was still... human.
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-15 05:54 am (UTC)What do you mean "still human"?
(no subject)
Date: 2019-12-15 06:05 am (UTC)He lifts the blue sheathed sword horizontally, tassels hanging from the scabbard.]
My heart - my demon heart - is sealed in here. It was sealed when I was a baby. Dad-- ... Shiro Fujimoto raised me like I was human. I still had problems bein' too strong for my own good and havin' a bad temper, but to everyone around me I was just a really angry kid.
The seal started to fail when I was about fifteen.
[He lowered it then, resting it out of view on his lap.]
That's when Dad died. I... tried to save him and pulled the sword even though he told me not to. I'm still half human, but the other half came out that day.
[Hence the tail and other traits, plus his powers.]
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