tabularasa_rp | ( catchall ) and i traveled the country just to get to you

i.

[ one moment he's at florence, and in the next, he's... not. the worst part is that he can't even tell what this place is, so he's just going to look like a fucking idiot stumbling from one location to another.

at some point though, he makes it into Wall Street, the smell of food enticing him. not having to pay anything is a huge boon, but as he helps himself to some street food, he kind of... wrinkles his nose at his plate.]

Ugh, I can already feel the calories clogging up my arteries...

[ little does he know that stuff like that doesn't exist in this world yet but shh. anyone who catches him whine about this will earn a hard stare from him. ]

What are you looking at? Bet you can finish this all in one bite, huh?

[ he's so irate but can you really blame him. ]

ii.

[ he's been here a while, and when he heard from some people that he can get some new shit at the beach, he wastes no time in going there - once he finds his way there, that is. this world is unwieldy as it is.

so at one point, you might find him going through various electronics and knick-knacks, his pants and sleeves all rolled up as he lugs whatever nice thing he can find into a wheelbarrow he recently got his hands on. he's hard at work here, too hard at work, that he'll be panting way too much as he struggles to pull a flat-screen TV from a rock and a hard place. he's a fucking twink too, so... give him a hand, perhaps? or at least something to drink or whatever, he's been here for hours. ]

iii.

[ it's pretty hard to ignore the vandalism and musical scores found all over this world; seriously, he knows leo's handwriting too intimately that he pretty much knows who's responsible for it even without the shitty titles. he's kind of relieved that there are signs that leo's here somewhere, but with the world being a literal melting pot, it becomes harder for izumi to find him.

so when izumi hears that familiar humming again, he turns around and tries to follow the source of that sound, his voice sounding a bit vulnerable. ]

Leo-kun...?

[ and once again, he's going to look like a fucking idiot stumbling all over, say, the ruins. or the church. anywhere your chara is usually found, really. ]

Edited 2020-09-11 09:19 (UTC)

[ me: what if they just didn't meet until memshares,

but, no. who knows how long izumi's been looking with time the blob of everything it is... and really, is chasing the ghost of leo's bullshit really new at this point? fortunately (or unfortunately) for sena, if he ever makes his way back to those scores out in the void with their creepy siren song humming, there's...

... well, there's still a voice. this time, not a directionless and distant voice, no -- the source of it is certainly easy to spot in the nothingness. here's the familiar gremlin sena's been searching for, sitting down by his music scores, humming some weirdass duet with the sound out in the distance like it's a scene in disney's fr*zen.

he stops his accompaniment with the feeling and sound of someone nearby. leo leans back a little to see who's approaching, and-- ]

Hmmm? You here to hear the pretty voi--

[ --and speaking of frozen, that sure is what leo is when he spots who's actually there. uhh, what was he saying? it's one of those few times where leo's stupid mouth isn't running non-stop, muted as he is by the sudden unexpectedness of it all. relief, homesickness and some kind of happiness blended with confusion are running him through like a sword. what the heck. ]

... Sena?

[ also he's dead. maybe he'll get literally stabbed soon. ]

[ oh, leo's definitely going to be dead meat in a matter of seconds, though right now izumi's more shocked than angry to have spotted him. the signs that he's been here will inevitably lead back to him, after all.

one step, two steps, and he's running towards leo, stooping down in front of him and... touching him all over to check if he's really flesh and bone. ]

This is you, isn't it? Leo-kun? Leo-kun.

[ can you really blame him for sounding so panicky when they're in a world like this. now don't mind if he squishes his cheeks, pinches his arm, shakes his shoulders - this is retribution, if anything. ]

Oi, say something. Scream if you have to. Leo-kun! [ stop this! ]

[ ... it is sena.

sena absolutely mcfreaking out. he's basically forcing the words out of leo with the prodding and the shaking. ]

Stoooop it! You're mixing up what's in my head even more...!

[ there's stuff in his head?

anyway. the context surrounding the words themselves might hint at some exasperation, but leo honestly doesn't sound like he means it at all. it's a half-assed bite back as some kind of way to adjust, and, the next time sena reaches over to give him some bloody abuse, leo's raising his hands to catch his... to stop this?

or maybe just to do a check of his own. ]

Calm down, Sena. Okay? It's me, so... [ mmmm. ] When'd you get here?

[ bye king ]

[ leo grabbing his hands seems to snap izumi out of it, but it does little to mitigate the bitchfest that's coming up. oh boy. ]

How should I know?! One moment I was at Florence and then all of a sudden I'm here? Whatever the fuck this place is, I mean! How do you expect me of all people to calm the hell down if I don't even know what's going on? Huh?!

[ but... yeah, he just can't tell. izumi is usually not the type to forget dates either, so the fact that time is beginning to blend together in this strange world says a lot. ]

[ yeah, okay, there we go. there's so much there, expected and unexpected, and maybe it's proof that leo's been here a bit too long if he can't quite recall how he felt when he arrived........ not that leo's a good comparison for "appropriate first responses" anyway. has he been here long? he can't even tell?

either way, maybe that was a poor choice of words. no, definitely a poor choice-- ]

I didn't mean it like that! [ literally what "calm down" means, ] I get it. You're just gonna knock yourself out going Sena on everything that's unknown around here. [ it's actually everything ] Or, umm, maybe not? Since it's not like you needa sleep anyway--

[ nope, he's still a mess. he's unintelligible and armed with the worst explanations on a good day, and this is. this is a Complicated day, or whatever the hell equivalent of a day is in this place. moment of existence?

there's too many syllables needed to say what he needs to say. ]

--Ahh, no, that was bad. What I'm saying is... I've been here a while, I... think, so lemme answer your questions and help you relax.

[ even if he won't. because they're still here, will still be here, and leo can't answer much at all so this plan is bad too.

in what world has leo ever helped izumi relax ]

[ see, the fact that leo has yet to figure out how to thoroughly calm izumi down [ apart from merely starting to exist again after being AWOL for almost a damn year ] is enough to make him a bit more hysterical. what's more-- ]

Oh, you want questions? I've got a toooon of them. First off, what the hell do you mean I don't need sleep?!

[ because you can't survive in an ever-shifting world when you're not cute, apparently. glad that his priorities hasn't changed a bit. ]

And second --[ hold on, let him just catch his fucking breath, hand shifting to clutch on leo's wrist. ] Can we go sit somewhere? I just... I'm tired.

[ not enough to pass out, but just -- the emotional turmoil he's going through right now. ]

[ ... oh, sena.

leo can settle with that last statement, moving to stand and bring his old beauty-sleep obsessed friend gently up with him.

maybe he should save answering that stuff for when they're not in the middle of the void, and sena actually has a place to rest... as much as he even can in this place. ]

... Sure. D'you mind if it's still gonna be a little bit of a walk? Ren's place is closest after the bridge. [ ... ] I'll let you know about the other stuff when we get there, unless you wanna hear about it on the way.

[ he means heavenly blanc. he thinks it's closest?

thinks. space is funny here anyway, so maybe it's not just leo's shitty sense of direction to blame........ but it's also that. he'll avoid making his uncertainty on that obvious to avoid raising izumi's blood pressure even more. ]

[ he needs the mental respite, at least. seriously, he just can't wrap his head around the concept of sleep and rest not existing in this world??? then why have apartments with beds in them in the first place?!

he nods with a sigh, letting leo lead the way. it was already a little humiliating, relying on leo for various jobs during his stay in florence, but this time it's just downright embarrassing. his pride can never recover..... probably. ]

Just give me the rundown, then elaborate when we get there. I'm not that pathetic.

[ says the guy who's clutching on his friend's wrist like a fuckin lifeline ]

[ yeah what a wuss

not that leo's judging him for that. actually, ]

Is that pathetic? I think it'd be pretty understandable to wanna hold off on that stuff when you get spirited away into a situation like this one. [ he wouldn't think less of anyone being too shaken up here. leo's a fcking weirdo so obviously he's an exception, and sena-- ] But Sena's Sena, and even a new world doesn't change that.

[ not that leo'd expect otherwise. it's horribly sappy, yes, but leo's missed him. that's just a gross, gross fact. he's gonna move on from that one real quick, his pace even as he makes his way towards the shrine bridge. ]

Now, where do I start, where do I start...? The sleep thing, I guess? What I mean by you don't need to sleep is, mm~mm, just that. Try closing your eyes and counting sheep sometime, you'll see what I mean!

[ call him a wuss mentally and he'll throttle you mentally too, moron. he's already kinda sensing it?? except not really, he's just that overly self-conscious. ]

Mm, still don't wanna try it. How am I going to pull off my twelve-step skincare routine while I'm here...

[ hopefully some products will wash up on the beach?? he's praying. he'll manifest the concept of beauty here if he has to.

anyway he matches leo's pace towards their destination, already forgetting that he's holding his wrist. it's harder for him to admit, but he does miss leo - even back home, where he'll have to go back to yumenosaki for that weird idol agency thing tenshouin was organizing or whatever. ]

But of course I wouldn't change for anything, even if this world wants me to. I'll even die trying.

[ LOOK, he would never... everyone knows the true wuss is leo........ at least izumi doesn't dip

now dramatic, on the other hand? especially when he's saying stuff like that? an entirely proper and fitting thing for leo to think, but in that good, poetic way.

nothing on the wrist holding (that's not an unpleasant thing). he looks over his shoulder to give izumi a mildly cryptic smile. ]

It's those tiiiny absolutes you don't really think about that are all messed up here! Time and space and twelve-step routines, and...

[ why is one of those even on the list. anyway, leo says this like it's not the most absurd thing in the world. he'll talk a little more, though, since that's probably a terrible place to end it. ]

... Death, too, maybe? Not that you're allowed to do that anyway. [ will knights ever stop dramatically talking about death? no? ok, ] You actually worded it pretty well there, though! Just... instead of saying the world wants us to change, it'd be better to say the world's changing for us. We got back being hungry a little bit ago, you know? That sucked!

[ yeah, THAT'S what sucks here. ]

[ gonna hand it to leo for not even flinching at the topic of death... mm, it's really because of him that izumi had become more vicious, after all. ]

You don't want to get hungry? You mean you haven't eaten at all since coming here?!

[ now you've gone and done it, leo-kun. you've activated his mom mode. izumi stops in his tracks, holds up leo's wrist and squinting to see if he's lost weight since he last saw him, then tugs at random corners of his shirt to see if it's become too baggy on him (not that he helps since leo likes wearing baggy anything -) ]

Then what the hell are we waiting for? We're heading to - wherever we're supposed to go now. Keep up with me or else.

[ because he's going to start marching towards heavenly blanc, which seems to be getting closer the more he focuses on it - all while pulling leo by the wrist. sorry king that he's like this but... you know what. don't ever be sorry. be thankful he's here for your sorry ass. ]

[ amazing. leo’s curiously concerned for a total of, like, 0.2 seconds when izumi stops… but then there’s no appropriate response to this that’s, like, not something split between amused, fond, and a little surprised?

leo expected that little pause to be on the absurdity of everything. obviously, mom’s gotta mom. and now, leo’s the one getting dragged.

what the hell. ]

Hey, hey! What’s with the role-reversal role-reversal, Sena? If you knew the name of… [ oh, fuck. actually, does he remember the name? it’s blanking on him now. he just thinks about it as “ren’s place”-- ] Heaven’s Whatchamacallit, it’d be like I was the one who crashed in suddenly…!

[ role-reversal role-reversal role-reversal, given florence…? or, whatever. leo does keep up regardless, of course, just a step or two behind. even as they’re just shortly away from the door, in a way that absolutely betrays how far away they actually were. maybe?

hmmm. but also, ]

Just getting back being hungry doesn’t mean I didn’t eat before then… I did when it was convenient and I remembered to!

[ leo tsukinaga functioning as intended

meaning: hardly ]

[ ah... leave it to him to forget the name of the place they're supposed to go. seriously, it boggles izumi's mind that leo was able to survive on his own for this long, especially in a world like this - granted that things like hunger and the need to go to the bathroom don't exist which is convenient, but izumi just can't! wrap his mind around it!! and it's driving him mad!!! ]

Hah! I'll believe it when I see it! If anything, you're lucky you came across me while you were out here vandalizing the whole place again!

[ oh, he has no idea, does he.

well, here they are in any case. heavenly blanc's name shouldn't be hard to remember, but little do they know that leo's lapse in memory is foreshadowing to what's about to come. izumi pushes leo inside the building and into a booth, grabbing a couple of menus while he's at it.

man, he's feeling pretty famished now, come to think of it. maybe he can get away with something fattier this time... hmm. ]

Quick, order something for us. You've been here before, right?

(Ren had just wrapped up helping Aerith at the shop, putting the bouquets together to the best of his ability. Surely there was no money in the void, but at least work is always something that helps keep one's mind occupied so it should come with no surprise many residents had their new occupations here.

He sees Izumi and he doesn't recognize him, but he recognizes the name he's calling for.)

Are you a friend of Leo's? I can help you find him.

[ izumi whirls around and - raises an eyebrow. no, he doesn't recognize this guy from adam at all. that much is certain. but while he should be appreciative that someone's nice enough to help him, the way this guy's addressing leo is pissing him off, ngl. ]

Oi, who are you calling him without an honorific, huh? Show some respect.

[ welp, now aren't they off to a good start. ]

(He's taken aback for a second, blinking at the other as he had wasn't expecting such strong reaction... Last time Ren called Leo "Leo-kun", he looked a little sad and froze, so he refrains.

Either way, Ren shrugs.)

I'm someone who can help you navigate here.

Can you even find your way through this place? I don't even know if GPS can even work here, since it died when I got here.

[ HUFFS. he seems to have calmed down a bit - at the very least he's not hallucinating that leo might be here. ]

You get used to it. (There are landmarks after all! Distance is a little complicated, but surely you can remember where each thing is if you pay attention. There aren't too many places anyways.)

We may have to search a few spots, though.

Hah, don't I know it. Hunting that idiot down's practically a part of my job description. [ when it's not tsukasa's turn, that is. ] When I find him, I swear...

[ okay, izumi. inhale, exhale. stressing out is bad for his skin, even when getting blemishes and the like isn't a thing in this world yet. when he addresses ren, it's with that diva air that he's managed to bring with him in this world. ]

Anyway, who might you be?

Ren Amamiya. You? (Politely in tone, but he does take the opportunity to look at the newcomer with a little more attention. He seems to be Leo's age and scanning appearance... Maybe an idol as well?)

He has some favorite spots. Shouldn't be too hard.

Hah, doubt it. This world is just as unpredictable as he is.

[ smh. but at least he's not too grumpy anymore? especially when this guy just graciously offered some assistance.

anyway he cants his head over at ren. it's not apparent that he's an idol at first glance, but the way izumi carries himself should let ren know that he's not just some idol. then again, neither is leo. ]

Izumi Sena.

School friend? (He assumes, but just because that's the extent of his knowledge about Leo. He has never told him about childhood friends or family, so that's what he has.

They enter Heavenly Blanc shortly after, Ren's eyes scanning the place to find it empty. There's still upstairs.)

Unitmates. He has told you that he's an idol, right? All that vandalism that he does all over this world isn't just for show, you know.

[ he's an idiot, but the stuff he makes is top-notch. he's a living contradiction that way.

but Finally, some respite. izumi wastes no time in grabbing a counter seat, eyes roving all over the interior. hm, not bad. ]

(Ren was expecting them to keep moving, but it would be for Izumi to rest a little, perhaps get his questions in order. The Void is a lot to take in and maybe if they wait a bit, Leo himself might come to them.)

I've heard him sing and seen him compose.

(Ren informs before he takes the apron and goes behind the bar, looking at the blends to try and figure out what would someone like Izumi like most. If coffee is on the table, that is.)

Edited 2020-09-22 12:32 (UTC)

[ izumi's a bougie, finicky guy - just get him the richest blend you have and he won't complain... much. ]

That's it? Ugh, I knew he wasn't practicing this whole time...

[ he's a whole new world, izumi, what do you expect ]

But yeah, he is an idol - even if it's not so obvious with how he acts most of the time. He used to be our King, for one.

Edited 2020-09-24 11:50 (UTC)

He might have been. I wouldn't know.

(Ren is not with Leo all the time, who knows what he could be doing while Ren works?

He settles on Panama Esmeralda Geisha, a rather limited blend. Izumi looks like he enjoys the best of what life has to offer, therefore...)

King? Like a leader?

[ he wouldn't count on it. leo is famous for ditching practices all the time. the only reason why he was able to graduate was because he's a freaking genius who didn't need to study much. ]

Yep. That's kind of our unit's thing. We Knights follow the King's orders and serve our audience with exactly what they want to see from us.

[ namely, fanservice...... through being knights. you can imagine how much the fanbase would eat that up. ]

But he's given up the crown now, which is for the best. Last I saw him was at Florence, so maybe I thought he got lost again. Can't believe it's real this time.

(Finally, Ren sets a hot cup of coffee in front of Izumi before pouring one of his own. All the blends in LeBlanc are carefully chosen and all of the highest quality, but this one has such exceptional taste that Ren can't help but to happily hum.

Ren will not pretend to know or care much about idols, so he barely gets much of a reaction. A great number of his friends could easily fall into the celebrity category, and yet, Ren was never one to fanboy over it aside from encouragement. They're just his friends and the same applies to Leo, and now Izumi.)

What do you mean?

That he got abducted for real, this time. He claimed that he was taken away by aliens back then, you know?

[ an alien that turned out to be a huge force of nature himself, but... long story. izumi doubts that ren would be too interested in the nitty gritty of his relationship with leo anyway.

he picks up the cup of coffee, blowing gently on it before taking a sip. his eyes widen at the rich flavor, and he clears his throat once putting it down. ]

...Well. At least you seem to know what you're doing with the place.

How long have you known each other?

(Mostly curious, but either way, Ren stretches his arms and takes the time to enjoy his coffee.

He's glad he got it right, his little clenched fist celebration in place.)

Thanks.

First year in high school. I wasn't really interested in him at first, but the guy can be pretty persistent and annoying about it. Even now.

(That checks out. A mix between admirable and annoying, but he tends to the first when it comes to Leo.

After all, it was this insistence that got Ren to talk to him in the first place. Congratulations, Leo!)

If he doesn't show by the time you're done, I'll give you a tour of the places he stays most.

[Since much of his time had been dedicated towards making a safer more efficient route to get to Wall Market, it wasn't unusual for Kaiba to drop in on it occasionally. Scoff as he might about taking breaks and having to find sustenance it was an inevitable truth.

Hearing the disparaging remarks, he gives the unfamiliar face a hard stare]

You can just shove that thought to the furthest recesses of your mind... because I'm not dealing with it.

[Referring to the portion about the calories. Next the kid would be introducing the concept of blood pressure and all the extra coffee Kaiba's been drinking would lead to heart failure. Just- DON'T.]

... And no, I couldn't. I'm not an animal.

Hah? You responded, so obviously you're gonna have to deal with it now. If not now, then at some point.

[ izumi that's not how it works. obviously no one's oriented him in how this world works. ]

Look, I'm just saying that they should at least offer something else? Ugh, is there really nothing else to eat in this world?

[Kaiba doesn't dignify that with a response just to prove that he doesn't have to deal with anything not of his own choosing. ~~That's not how things work either, but that's how they work in his own mind.~~]

It's better than the nothing it started out with.

[Though he could agree on some level that Market Street needed more variety, he didn't feel like it]

There's always the mushrooms if gathering them isn't too much exertion for you...

[Ie. You look like a lightweight, and you sound like an entitled brat.]

[ well yes, he is a lightweight. and it's natural to be entitled in a world where it seems to give you free food and shelter with no consequences?

izumi is pursing his lips, though. ugh, the last thing he needs is more work - he's already exerted more than enough trying to make his little apartment a bit more livable... ]

Mm, I'll pass on the mushrooms, thanks. But does that mean we're free to cook in one of these stalls?

[ he just can't wrap his head around it?? can you tell he's very new here ]

[There was some logic in that, however Kaiba was traditionally a workaholic so he wouldn't have been able to relate. The ease of this place, was more of an insult to him.

It was likely for the best that this portion hadn't been said out loud either, though the apartments were well below his standards. ~~Whose the entitled one now?~~]

Good because I wasn't offering to fetch them. [If that had been the assumption] Knock yourself out. The stalls appeared on their own and no one's claimed ownership- then again even if they had it would be easy to dispute it.

[What are legalities here]

[ so everything really is free estate here. while that's fine and dandy and all, izumi's just not used to it. he's a workaholic himself, though he doesn't want to literally start sweating if he can help it... ]

Well, isn't that freaky. Wonder where all the spoiled food will go, then.

[ probably set aside for the stranger creatures he's seen around. brr. ]

Anyway, thanks. I'll take over from here.

[ with a nod, he takes his position at the grill and starts putting in his preferred meat - chicken, some strips of bacon - then moves to the other counter to set up other ingredients. condiments here, some lettuce there, some cheese would be good, stuff like that... his brows are still furrowed, but it's mostly because he's focusing more on cooking than anything.

the food's starting to smell even better from here with human intervention, come to think of it. ]

Edited 2020-09-22 10:08 (UTC)

( catchall ) and i traveled the country just to get to you

general;

iii.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

iii

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

I. Because I have to!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(frozen comment) EVENT;