moezama | Appointment Post

[ The knocking stops at precisely the same moment footsteps are heard creaking across the floorboard. Instead of a response, or a movement or anything, there is only silence.

Should Kazuma choose to open the door, he will found a crudely written note scrawled in... some odd kind of ink, almost too messy to be legible. The paper itself is flimsy and easily crinkles under the slightest touch, bearing the words "go back to your room" as clear as day.

From the back of the building, there's the faint sound of shattering glass. ]

[Silence. Did whomever was on the other side not hear him? Did he take too long to get to the door...? He had only just placed his hand on the door handle to open the door when he heard the sound of glass shattering.]

-!? [What the-? He shuts the front door and looks around the house for a moment. Did he just...as if instinctively, Kazuma rushes to his room first. If it's him he had to be there--how did he even find out where he lived?]

[ In retrospect, busting in through the window probably wasn't his best course of action. While Ouroboros did make things infinitely easier, the truth of the matter was... well. Now there was a draft. And he was fairly certain that he'd gotten some glass in his suit, but luckily he'd avoided anything ripping.

He admired his handiwork with brow furrowed. Hrm. Not exactly the cleanest break, but there was always next time.

And now he is in Kazuma's room. The end result was the same, either way. ]

[It is such a good thing that buildings can fix themselves in Luceti.]

T-Terumi!? [A moment later, Kazuma was standing at his door, looking flabbergasted by the mess Terumi had just caused in his room. It felt rather strange to be calling out that name again. The stutter was more or less out of uncertainty. He hasn't physically seen Terumi in the clothes he was wearing now. It must be what he normally wore in his time.] What...why did you have to break the window?

[ Ah, Kazuma. There you are. He'll straighten from where he's inspecting a piece of wood, the splintered ends being carefully maneuvered around his fingers as he drops it onto the ground. Even after a week it's hard for him to really believe that Kazuma is here, but then again this entire world is full of contradictions.

The wings on his back flutter in the breeze filtering in through the window, and when he smiles it's nowhere near as sinister as it had been the first time they'd met. He looks.. nicer. ]

Think of it as a little experiment of sorts... Kazuma. [ Hands on his hips, he lets his gaze survey the green-haired replica in front of him, though his expression betrays nothing. ] You're looking rather pale there, kiddo. Eating right? Been getting enough sleep?

[...He was considering to ask him if he'd clean up after his mess, but somehow he already can guess his answer. Or perhaps he was just hesitant of asking anything from Terumi at the moment.

Terumi suddenly expressing his concerns for him certainly threw him off for a moment...it was more like the Terumi he remembered. Was this the same person he was talking to a week ago?]

I'm-[Somehow he doesn't think his standard "I'm fine" line would pass with Terumi] ...not as well I should be.

[ That's to be expected, he supposes. Not every day you find out your entire existence is a lie. ]

That so? Huh... [ There's really nothing he can do to salvage the broken window, but if what he's read there's really no need. Taking into account Kazuma's appearance, he strides toward the kid, flips his jacket open, and ... oh. Here's an egg, all peeled and ready for you, Kazuma. ]

Here. [ The look in his eyes is knowing, more smug. It's like he already knows... ] You like them, don't you?

[Kazuma backs up slightly until he sees what Terumi pulls out of his jacket. He stares. Slowly, he closes the door behind him and comes forward. Suddenly he felt a little hungry just from seeing the egg.]

I...I do. You're really giving it to me? [...Kazuma, do you even know where it's been?]

[ It's almost like he's dealing in black market eggs-changes. He knows as well as Kazuma that there is no denying the beauty of the egg, and everyone who questions otherwise need to have their brain checked. Just the look in Kazuma's eyes tells Hazama all that he needs to know. ]

Of course. I brought it for you, after all.

Ah... [He actually puts on a small smile and happily takes the egg from him. He quietly admires it for a moment, appreciating how much care Terumi had taken to deliver this in perfect shape before eating it, practically swallowing it whole. Mmm so good...a nice hard boiled egg was now in his stomach.

And with that it seems like Terumi's act of "kindness" finally eased some of the tension between them.]

That tasted wonderful...thank you.

[ As if he would bring Kazuma anything less.

Now, time to get down to business ~~to defeat the huns~~.

During the time he'd waited before coming to Kazuma he'd done a fair bit of research on his own. Ouroboros had been procured from the nearest shop with minimal difficulty (surprising, considering who all else was here) along with the rest of his clothes. After that he'd swept by the nearest grocery store and picked up all the eggs for his own personal use. ]

How have you been, buddy?

[Well that explains why there's been a shortage of eggs when he went to the market :|]

Well...[What he really meant by that question was what he had found out, doesn't he?] I don't...really know what to say to be honest. Everything happened so quickly I...just answer me something first. Do you remember being in Luceti before?

[ Oh did you want some too, Kazuma? Sorry he gets a little hungry, you know, being you and all. ]

Being in this shithole? Oh, 'scuse me. [ He makes himself comfortable on the bed, fingers absently brushing off bits of plaster from his trousers. ] Hellhole. No, I don'. [ He gives Kazuma a critical look. He's heard things before, but... ]

Why're you asking?

There are...records of you being here previously. [...] You were responsible for causing some trouble for a number of people here. But if you don't recall then that's...that's probably a good thing.

[If he can't remember...then Kazuma doesn't have to judge him for something he didn't exactly commit?]

Edited 2012-03-01 23:15 (UTC)

[ Hm. Now that Kazuma mentioned it, he vaguely recalls something coming up once or twice. But the phrasing had been a little bit off, and had mostly concerned names he had no recollection of at all. At the time he'd pegged it off to some kind of backwards history, but since Kazuma brought it up... well, that was worth delving into. ]

Can't say I have. [ Sure sounded like something he'd do, though. ]

What sorts of bad things, Kazuma?

[He hesitates. Was he willing to tell Terumi everything, or leave details out?]

You had kidnapped someone, and caused serious injuries to another in the process. That in turned cause most of the villagers to come after you.

[...] I don't...hear a lot of good things when it comes to "Captain Hazama". I was warned about him, but you're also Terumi to me. [And last he check, Terumi didn't come up as much.] I...I still don't understand how we've managed to be the same person.

[ Yeah. That sounds like a lot of things he would do. ]

It's a long, messy history, Kazuma. The kind of story you take in small doses. [ Yeah, he's probably not going to give you the whole story now, much as he likes hearing himself talk. Sorry, kid. ]

Warned about me, huh? By who, exactly? [ He's pointedly ignoring the last bit. ]

[Shit, did he really want to name, names?] A number of people from the same world I've met here, but they're all in your time.

[...] That's what I don't understand. How have you managed to live for as long as you have? [And still look not a day older]

[ ~~That's the beauty of the egg, Kazuma. Why do you think he eats them all the time? HE HAS DISCOVERED THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, MAN~~

He has a vague inkling he knows exactly who Kazuma is talking about. Even in his world there were a small handful of do-gooders that would go out of their way to ruin his fun. Honestly, didn't people have lives? ]

That, Kazuma, is a secret. But I'll give you a hint. [ And he leans in, one hand cupped around his mouth conspiratorially. ] It's called taking care of your body. [ And boy, has he sure been taking care of his. ]

A little exercise -- [ Cue flashback to him kicking Ragna's ass atop the NOL. ] -- and good dieting -- [ There's another of him swallowing eggs whole. ] -- go a long way.

[Gdit Terumi...but he could make his own conclusion, considering what Noel had revealed to him yesterday. His head hung low as he stared at the floor.]

...Terumi, is it true then, that I'm...the reason we share the same face, is it because you used me as a vessel?

[ Huh. It looked like they were getting to the reason for his visit sooner than he'd expected. Not that he minded, really, because playing the goody-two shoes act got so boring after a while. Where did he hear this from? ]

[ Ah. Wait. His eyes lit up in recognition, and strings of the last conversation he'd had with Noel Vermillion run through his mind. So she knew...

Well. That definitely made things a lot more interesting. ]

Yes. [ He's not even going to sugarcoat it for you, Kazuma. ] It's true.

Now that you know that, what are you going to do? [ In retrospect, it's not exactly the same as getting his memories back, but it's close enough. ]

Edited 2012-03-02 22:31 (UTC)

Do...? [He looks to Terumi, puzzled.]

...Are you asking, because you think I'll turn against you? Against what I've been searching for all my life? [Rather than yell at Terumi, he calmly brings up a different question. He had a look of acceptance, rather than denial. If this was the solution to being whole again, then nothing else mattered to him. That was how he saw it. If he was a vessel, then it only made sense that Terumi had most of his memories.]

Although...I never did fully discover what the Azure was. The books here haven't been any help.

[ The smile that spreads across his face is a poor imitation of the gleeful grin deep inside him.

That's his boy.

Even if you could turn against him, Kazuma, there were always other ways to get you to see things... his way. ]

I doubt they would have been. Only a handful of people know what the Azure is.

...

You're still not going to tell me, are you? [Knowing what he knew now, was the Azure the key to form the bond between mind and vessel?]

[ He chuckles, and the pristine white wings flutter along with him. ]

It's not exactly something you can explain. Better that I show you, yeah?

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