[open]

[holeful]

⌛ Who: Fukuda and YOU
⌛ What: Various (general catchall, come meet the hole man)
⌛ When: Early April??? generally
⌛ Where: Various areas in Nihonbashi
⌛ Warnings: None yet but will add if needed


[Library]
[Fukuda's been wandering a little, but as soon as he found the library he nested in, with a whole litany of new books to read! The library of another world!!! Also it's easy to avoid other people that way! You might simply find him tucked away in a corner with a pile of books, non-fiction and novels alike.

Or! You might happen to reach for the same book at the same time because who doesn't like a meet cute? He'll startle like he didn't notice you, and shrink away.]

Ah, sorry, go ahead and take it.


[Look at this weird dog.]
[When he's not hermiting it up, he will wander outside a bit, though he seems to avoid busier areas. One day he's crouched in one of the gardens around town, watching one of those bigass slugs sludge around. He remarks to no one in particular;]

What did you eat to get so big, huh?
[He's charmed by this huge weird animal.]


[Wildcard]
[If you have a specific idea, hit me up! Or if you just want to run into him somewhere else? I am down for whatever. He might be puttering around the NRL doing whatever work they want to give him, or maybe drinking in the corner of a bar trying to avoid attention. Wherever he is, he's being an awkward, sad looking tall sprig of a man with a hole in his head.]

Comments

[protectorofsmiles]

[Alas, Genbu does not hear the man speak to the slug. While he can hear, his broken horns prevent him from processing sleech unless he's focused on the source. He does, however, notice the slug this man was talking to.]

Oh hey! Tree slugs! Didn't know they had 'em in Nipp-UWAAH!!

[Aaaand he notices the other man.]

Oh you're that guy...

[holeful]

[He is!! Startled by the yelling??? But he settles down quickly into mild confusion.]

What guy?

[DID HE FORGET?]

[protectorofsmiles]

Uh...I called ya a ghost and there was a really angry woman?

[Genbu scratches his head.]

But uh...hey, I'm actually glad I found ya. I've been thinking about what I said earlier and I should apologize. It was really insensitive of me to--


Oi oi, I'm not a tree!

[The slug is climbing him???]

[holeful]

[He just watches the slug.... look at him go... Guess he's not going to help???]

Oh. That's what you meant?
[EXPLAINS WHY THERE WAS NO GHOST WHEN HE TURNED AROUND!!!]

I mean, being a ghost would be kind of cool... but I didn't think I was that pale? So mostly I'm confused.

Library

[beautyhidesthebeast]

[Karma is still warming up to this place, and he never thought he'd be so grateful to see so many books, honestly. He'd been satisfied to hide away from books (and responsibilities) back home. But now... well, it's a new place. Maybe he could learn a little about it.

In his appreciation of beauty, and an effort to fit in just a little bit more, he had managed to get his hands on a lovely outfit that he was sporting today, keeping his signature gold rose in his hair. Playing the part to stay a girl.

He reached for one of the books, when a hand reached out and then shrunk back. Karma looks at Fukuda for a moment, and when he does speak, his voice is feminine, completing his disguise.]

It's alright, I suppose I didn't need it.

[Which, he didn't. There are plenty more available.

A further look and Karma notices what looks like a large burn on the man's face, as well as a hole. Which... it doesn't seem to be bleeding, so... that's good? It must have already been treated, he figures. Whatever this man's narrow brush of death was, he's clearly still alive.]

Why don't you go ahead and take it?

[holeful]

[Fukuda, for his part, does a double take, mostly at Karma's face? Those eyes and that hair... he's only been here for a few days and it's been mostly uneventful besides for his encounters with Grell, a woman who clearly knows him so well, and is furious with him for barely recognizing her. The familiar colors, so unusual to his eyes, seem a bit on the nose.

His gaze lingers for longer than is probably socially acceptable, before he seems to actually key into what's been said, and he laughs sheepishly.]

Ah, are you sure?
[I'm just going to say it's a Poirot novel.]

I don't really need this one in particular either, is all...

[beautyhidesthebeast]

[Karma's used to the double-takes, and mentally clicks his tongue in disapproval, unaware of his resemblance of another and instead assumes it to become an inevitable invite to be courted.

That sheepish laugh doesn't really help his case.

But he's not being flirted with yet. So Karma forces himself to have something of a smile. He has to be charming, after all. It wouldn't do for a lady to cause a scene when nothing has happened yet.]

Of course I'm sure, it's all yours. I can always get it another time if I need it.

[holeful]

[Karma is giving Fukuda entirely too much credit, initiative-wise.]

Mm.
[He hesitates another moment, but then does take the book.]

If you like this sort of novel, I could recommend another one you might like?

weird dog

[casaposa]

The vegetation I assume. What else would slugs eat?

[He doesn't know a damn thing about them. They're grotesque and huge-that's the extent of his knowledge. All he cares about is how far away they stay from his personal bubble. That's not the issue here-

This rando is this current 'problem'. A bizarre man with a hole in his skull-an injury that looks far from healed and-

Well he's not worried. He doesn't care, but he now that he's stumbled on this scene, he might as well gauge it. The guy may need to find his way to a hospital and there's no sense in him dying helplessly in a gutter, just because he doesn't know where to go.]

[holeful]

Haha, I mean, it's a rhetorical question, really. The slugs in my world don't get nearly this big.

[He turns his head to look at Caesar, and perhaps give the man a better look at the hole. It? Doesn't seem to be actively bleeding or anything? And he's perfectly coherent and able to move around, it seems.]

Are you used to slugs this size?

[casaposa]

Not at all. The slugs in my world were small and unnoticeable outside of being a gardener's pest.

[That sure is a gigantic hole on the side of his head. It's not a trick of the light or a scar from the past-it looks new. Looks painful. The man isn't acting out of the norm though-outside of his slug concerns.]

But anything that minds its own business is a blessing in itself. We aren't always so lucky.

[They COULD have mini Gojira's running around and those Tickle MeHeHe's are an abomination of nature. Giant slugs? Whatever. They can just throw salt on them.]

[holeful]

[Well. It's not ESPECIALLY new. But it sure is a hole and it sure does go entirely through his head. If you look at him from the right angle you can see clear through it.]

Mm. There's some interesting but troublesome wildlife around, isn't there? I've only had one encounter myself but I read about others... Still, it's a bit cool, don't you think?
[You know. The dangerous monsters.]

BOOKS

[doommate]

[Ares in a library? It's more likely than you think! He appears in a mortal guise, wearing a crimson cloak and jacket of a more militaristic fashion. He figures he ought to quench his thirst for bloodshed in other ways while the temporal loop leaves him stuck here.

And so, he pulls out the book detailing different ayakashi and yokai that they'd been reaching for. Perhaps he will find some formidable ones!]

You too are curious of the creatures here?

[holeful]

[Well... he's still pretty striking, to Fukuda!! But he is simply looking respectfully.]

Ah, well, I suppose so? I mean, I know a little about yokai, but they're more like mythical creatures in my world? So I'm curious in how the genuine article compares.

[doommate]

Beasts such as these make for worthy hunting targets. These ones are quite different from the creatures I'm familiar with, however.

[Alas. No manticore venom or harpy feathers for him to craft his trinkets with. He will just have to see what's available.]

I have heard there is a tribe of warriors here who've become quite proficient in this deadly work. Do you happen to know of them?

[holeful]

Oh... No, I was more interested in it from a scientific perspective. I don't really know anything about hunting them?

[Shifting awkwardly on his feet!]
And I've only been here for a week, so... I could really only guess at what a group like that might be like, based on my understanding of historical Japan, but this is always a bit different.

Weird Dog

[chichichi]

[ Perched in the cherry tree above stranger and slug is a certain black haired, feather headed brunette with her mouth agape and set to receive a rather large pair of takoyaki she's been so excited for since she made her purchase at that one food stall. His question? Let's just call that a case of unfortunate timing that sees her pause and perk, the feathers in her hair raising slightly as she drops her gaze to ask -- ]

Who are you calling big?

[ Because he isn't calling her big, she's... fairly certain of that. Surely he wouldn't dare. ]

[holeful]

[He's startled! He did not realize anyone else was here. Certainly not a pretty lady?? He also does not realize that she thinks he was talking about her, though, so even though he's a bit caught off guard, his answer is forthright;]

Ah, the slug?
[He points at it as if she somehow couldn't notice the giant animal on her own.]

[chichichi]

[ Deep violet eyes don't quite slide to the slug immediately. She's masterful at making use of her peripheral in picking out details and there's one glaring physical detail about this man she'd wager tends to earn him stares, but he doesn't appear to be in pain or otherwise distraught and -- isn't this Grell's person? It is and her eyes are slowly sliding from him to the giant slug, then slowly back. ]

Were you expecting it to talk back?

[ She's just going to completely avoid indicating that she at any point thought he was calling her big, which has nothing to do with how much festival food she's been eating or the takoyaki still poised to be stuffed in her mouth. ]

Wildcard so I can torment him

[vapelife]

[Fukuda were you trying to shy away from people?? In a bar?? Well think again!!! That doesn't happen when Dionysus is around, and Fukuda is like a beacon for him since he always picks the most sadsack looking one in the building when he arrives.]

[And boy does he arrive, mane of curls in a bun that would fall apart if not for the vines, his purple yukata barely closed, and his arms full of three drinks already. He slides into a seat next to Fukuda, then sets his drinks down on his table, clearly intent on staying.]

Hey, friend, whacha drinking there?

[holeful]

[Honestly Fukuda is dazzled by the sudden and dramatic appearance of this hot man? So he actually just stares at Dio for a long moment before even realizing he's been asked a question?]

Ah, just beer, I think?
[Does he think. Is he capable of thinking right now.]

[vapelife]

Oh yeah, man? Beer? May I?

[He doesn't even wait for Fukuda to answer before he picks up his drink and takes a swing. an indirect kiss]

Ah, not too bad! Not too bad! Here, try one of mine.

[All three get pushed at him.]

LATER APRIL, in Kyoto

[holeful]

[One evening, Fukuda manages to catch sight of Grell, her hair making her hard to mistake for anyone else. Fukuda's mostly stuck to his usual preferred style of dress, though he's gotten himself a haori coat, navy with a simple pattern.

He trots up and gently tugs on Grell's sleeve.]

Miss Grell, could I bother you for your company a little while?

[brightred]

[Grell is all in red and black, and she's learned how to wear a kimono so she's doing that, careful with the arrangement of layers and neckline. Her hair is in a careful braided updo, a little dated (but perfect for the 1880s), and she's wearing those boots of hers, so she stands out like a beacon in the crowd.

She frowns, slightly, looking at Fukuda.]

Mr. Fukuda. How nice to see you. [She is still not smiling.]

[holeful]

[He frowns a little. She called him Tamotsu before...]

Aah... you look beautiful tonight.
[It just is the first thing that strikes him to say.]