thefoundation | WEEK 4 - VENUS FLYTRAP

[And Anon likes watching him back, because of course he does; he's always liked watching people, studying their mannerisms and motives and what makes them tick, what makes them grow and thrive and become more and more interesting. Normally, he likes to take them apart, sometimes metaphorically and sometimes literally. That's what he was made for.

He's still not sure what he wants to do with Natsuno, other than to keep watching -- his expressions and the matching red of his eyes and everything else. The way red looks on him, whether it's in his face or in his hair. There's still mischief in his expression as he prepares the next flower: black.

Slowly, unhurriedly, his fingers continue running and untangling. He probably doesn't need to take this long, but it's fine.]

There's so much I've learned here, and way more I've seen. Even at the Foundation, they couldn't contain all the knowledge they were trying to lock away from me or anyone else. The multiverse is inconvenient, but the more I see, the more I think I can definitely get stronger.

[There's something indefinable in the way he says that, slow and almost wondering. It's hard to tell exactly what he thinks of it even if his words are straightforward and unadorned, but there's still that smile on his face, a little quieter now.]

[ Recovery might be a bit, because the gentle touches in his hair are really, really distracting. Unlike the braiding, there's something more intimate about them but Natsuno is doing his best not to think about it. Probably because he can't think through much at the moment, but details. ]

...Mmn. [ Affirmatively, because he agrees with everything that's been said. He should say more than that though. Ah—closing his eyes actually helps? It might just be the temporary shift in his senses which improves his focus, or it could just be that it's more relaxing like this. ]

The multiuniverse is a pain but maybe that's not a bad thing. If it was too easy, it would be easy to get lazy too. And you don't want to be stuck in one place, so you will get stronger. I'm sure of it. [ Opening his eyes again at the end, his conviction can be both seen and heard. He got out what he needed to say, and he maybe wants to see more of Anon's face too. Just maybe. He's still embarrassed and therefore still a touch pink, but that moment of respite brought him some courage (or a momentary lack of self awareness it's honestly debatable.) ]

Edited 2019-05-28 05:37 (UTC)

[He'll get to see the expression on Anon's face brighten just a little in response to his words -- it's subtle, but immediate, like Natsuno's words themselves are a piece of the puzzle. There's no overall shape to it yet; whatever is being built, that is. But Anon does turn his smile on him, and there's something satisfied in it as he finally moves towards the actual braiding part of the equation.

(He might have run out of tangles, but it was worth it for the expressions on Natsuno's face, he'd say. More practically, it makes the braiding smoother, but the braids are short enough that it's a minor problem.)]

Right. No matter what happens, no matter where you want to go... if you work hard, then there has to be a way. That goes for you, too! If we keep training, we'll have you super strong too before you know it.

[ ...yeah it was worth it for Natsuno too even if he has no idea why at this point. That's fine, because it's enough just to enjoy this good mood. It might be why he laughs at Anon's faith in his training prowess too. ]

I guess I should have fought Masao after all. [ His smile is wry. ] I'm sure he would have picked a fight with me if he saw any of this. Probably would have said something about how I was doing it for attention...

[There's something truly inexplicable about this mood, this atmosphere -- it hasn't quite changed since the gentle rhythm they established when Anon was still braiding flowers and Natsuno was braiding all kinds of things; or perhaps it's more accurate to say it shifted, but Anon still wants to stay in it.

He perks up a little at the mention of fighting whoever-that-is, because of course he does, hands pausing for the briefest moment to readjust before resuming. He's really getting good at this somehow.]

Oh. Is this Masao guy fun to fight? Does he really like it? Or does he just really not like flowers?

[He's not sure why else you'd have an issue with flower crowns or whatever, but Natsuno knows some weird people.]

[ Natsuno can't really see what's going on, but the whole braiding process does feel smoother. Not that he would have noticed at this point, but it's pretty nice anyway. ]

No, he was annoying and a moron. He used to pick fights with me all the time because he didn't like me. Said I had emotional problems or whatever when I wouldn't put up with him like everyone else did. [ A half shrug here that he stops because he doesn't wanna mess up the braiding. ]

He turned into a shiki too, but no one even noticed he was dead for a while. It was pathetic. [ His lips curl into an insidious smile with a fair measure of scorn. ]

Hmm, sounds like he's the one who really wanted attention.

[Is it time to be terrible people together again, even as Anon starts threading the black flower into Natsuno's hair, even as he laughs back with a merciless sort of condescension towards this fellow he's never met nor heard of before in his life.

He always enjoys hearing about fights and those who pick them, but--]

So you never bothered fighting him because he wasn't worth fighting. If it's that bad, then you can tell pretty easy so you don't waste your time. By the time I entered the tournament back home, most people like that had been crushed already.

They never were meant to get very far, anyway.

I'm selfish but he was worse. And he was louder about it, so yeah [ That's Natsuno's takeaway from it all, apparently. Be who you are but don't be annoying about it. He leans back a bit in response to the agreement, part relaxing and part something like camaraderie. That's not quite the right word, but self awareness is weeks away. ]

They weren't. I guess it was ironic that he rose up instead of some of the others, but maybe he deserved two pitiful deaths or something. [ Actually, he remembers he never asked- ] Did the losers in the tournament die? Or did the refs just need to sweep them off the floor to the hospital?

Edited 2019-05-29 19:02 (UTC)

There's nothing wrong with being selfish, but no matter what, you have to be strong enough to stand on your own. Those who can't do that are always the loud ones and the ones who complain the most. They struggle and they struggle, just like bugs on the floor.

[As always, his philosophy is perfectly fine with selfishness and self-interest: might always makes right, even if his ideas about strength have slowly expanded and become more well-rounded lately. Perhaps just a little. The multiverse really is big, after all, and he has reasons now to want to get to know it. And sometimes he just goes back to dismissing weaklings when they deserve it.

There's another little laugh, dark and just a bit mocking.]

Mmm, a lot of them had to be mopped up, especially in later rounds. Usually, a fight would be stopped or ended before anybody was killed, but there were other ways. I never bothered to check the earliest rounds, but if a fighter was really stupid and used their power on somebody not in the tournament too many times, they could be erased.

They'd have to be really, really dumb, though.

Masao was a leech. [ Just clarifying, cause it suits him perfectly. That's a bit of an insult to leeches looks wise, but oh well. ]

That's how Sotoba was in the end. There was blood everywhere... [ Longingly and licking his lips, the thought is more tantalizing now than it was back then. Natsuno's changed too, and become more open with his views. Whether that's a good or a bad thing is likely a different of perspective. ]

Hmn? What a strict rule, but I guess it does take a really stupid person to break it then.

Ooh. I know those, they're those squashy things with no arms or legs or anything and they suck blood.

[He sounds very proud of himself for knowing what a leech is.....]

But it sounds like Sotoba was almost more fun to watch than the tournament when it really got going...

[They didn't exactly get free reign to go after and crush tournament competitors, after all -- at least he didn't. It was very rude. Sometimes your resident large murderdog just wants to play with the other pups, but in a more deadly way. ☆ There's a quick blink or two when his gaze gets caught on Natsuno's mouth there, an idle thought about whether his fangs are out, before the nearly-complete braid claims his attention again.

He stares at it for a moment before resuming.]

And... it's because the Celestials were in charge of things. They really like putting in all kinds of rules and controls and making things pretty boring, at the end of the day. I guess they just didn't want any of the competitors going after humans while they were having the earlier rounds down there. [a bemused shake of the head here] I mean, all the competitors were meant to be human in the first place, but it's not like the Celestials were going to follow all their own rules, either.

[Interdimensional politics sure are something.]

Right, they're weak and gross. [ Leeches are usually full of blood though, which doesn't do him any favors when he's successfully side tracked himself like this. He spaces out for just a moment, then tips his head to the side to look at Anon as best he can without pulling the braid. From this angle it's clear his fangs are out; it's a few more days until he gets to eat again so he's hungry. ]

You would have had fun. There were no rules or laws by that point, and anyone who tried to argue otherwise got the Shiki treatment of being pounded with a mallet. We even had a couple of villagers who tried to play both sides and they wound up being mobbed to death. [ It was a mess, but he sounds fond of it all. ]

The celestials sound like a real pain...if they were going to do whatever they wanted they should have just let everyone else do it too.

[There's a hum of acknowledgment, a mischievous side-glance because Anon knows that with all the talk of blood and everything and that peek of fangs, Natsuno's getting all distracted too. There's a cheeky half-grin as he ties off the braid with a satisfied little motion.]

That sounds even more fun than the Game here -- I mean, there probably weren't all that many strong opponents, but it's been a while since I've gotten to stretch my legs. I wouldn't even need a mallet or anything... No waiting, or arguing, or sides or anything. Just survival!

[He really does sound like he's cheering?? It's truly all a mess. Some days you just miss getting to really punch things. He's had so much self-control here, y'all.]

Well, that's Celestials for you. They've always been sneakier, and they like pretending they're so above it all, but really they play just as dirty as everybody else. It's why Father was really, really good at pretending to be one.

[ He huffs, amused. ]

A mallet would be overkill for you. None of them were really strong though...except this big jiisan who used to own the liquor store. He didn't need a mallet either, and he was well over 180 cm tall and like an old cranky bear. Heard he even killed his own son and everything.

[ For as much as he hates Sotoba, he kinda sounds like he agrees with Anon here. Superficially at least, because if he really thought about it, the company here is much better. Way, way, better.

Mmn, feeling out the newly done braids and trying not to think too hard. ]

That's the kind of person your dad is? [ It's another topic they've skirted and talked about, but not directly. ]

Heheh, remind me to show you the Sacred Weapons when I can. 'Cause they're way more fun than a mallet. But come to think of it... I've totally wanted to meet a bear since I got to the island. I think Joey said that they eat fish and make sushi, but I don't know if they kill their sons.

[We don't know if this is slandering bears, sushi, the jiisan or Joey at this point, but somebody definitely had their reputation messed with somewhere in that katamari of deeply confused speculation. Anon definitively perked up a little at the idea of bear-jiisans, though.

He quiets down a little just to watch Natsuno and his braids. It's more than a little tempting to just keep going -- judging by the other times they've hung out, they could probably keep going until Natsuno really does have a headful of both braids and flowers.

But he likes the way things are now too, the simple braids and the ridiculous boa. He misses having something to do with his hands, but there are other distractions to think over.]

Mmm, I would say most of the Protectorate is pretty good at it. Knowing how to play the Celestial game, and use what people want against them, and get power by any means necessary, and all of that! Father's spent a lot of time with Celestials, though, so I'd say he's one of the best.

...make sushi? [ Laughing here, it's a great distraction from the braids even as they sway in his hair as a result. ]

Bears catch fish, but they definitely don't make sushi at all. I don't know if they kill their sons, either though. [ He's settled a little just thinking of this whole bearscapade, but he slides back into a more level tone to address the Celestials. ]

Sounds like a bunch of dealing with people and politics...it makes sense that he's one of the best at it even if he's an Infernal.

Ehhh, then Joey definitely didn't know as much about bears as she thought she did! If they don't kill their sons they should at least know how to use fish properly.

[Anon snickers back happily; he doesn't seem especially invested in the idea of sushi or filicide one way or the other -- by now he's got a whole spread of different foods that he wants to try and no fresh fish for the moment to whet his appetite -- but it tickles him just as much as everything else.

He watches the braids, still, just as much as he's watching Natsuno's expression. Everything is pretty distracting.]

Definitely. That's probably why he got that mission and all. There's all kinds of political things between Infernal clans too, I think, but nothing gets to the level it's gotten to with the Celestials. I don't think they have anything better to do.

[Peacetime breeds political posturing, the usual.]

Remind me to show you a bear after you show me a Celestial Weapon. [ It's not really a trade perse because Natsuno is curious about the weapons regardless, but it's the least he can offer in return. It should be a good time, if the lingering upturn of his lips is any indication.

Pausing here to stretch, all the flowers in his boa and in his hair bristle like feathers from the exaggerated motions. He settles quickly after, turning his head to look at Anon directly. ]

...adult's in every world really are boring. No wonder you didn't really want anything to do with it.

I bet you I could totally fight a bear with a Celestial Weapon.

[Why. Poor Joey tried so hard to prevent him from fighting a bear on a whim and yet here he is. The bears don't deserve this. Anon leans forward with a brighter edge to his grin, all happy anticipation and jittery long limbs. Between them they have enough flowers to start a greenhouse, and that's probably what the dining room smells like by now, green and fragrant and messy.

All the flowers catch his eye in their riot of color but he meets Natsuno's gaze easily. It's still that particular color that has the most draw here, at the end of the day.]

Everyone, in every world. The adults more than most, but... [a little huff, even though it doesn't seem to sour his mood any at the moment; it's just a part of the regular dragging session when you get down to it] Yeah. There's so many things that are way better and bigger to see.

I didn't ever really care about those games of power, but it'd be fun to see their faces once I grow way, way beyond all of that.

[ Humming mischievously. ]

I bet you I could get a bear to catch us all the fish we need for sushi. And then I'll get a chef to actually make it for us. [ What did he even just promise here. ]

Don't grow too tall. [ Smirking and leaning forward to match, full of ridiculous bravado, and completely oblivious to the braids, flowers, and everything else. Or maybe he has noticed and he just doesn't care, because they'll do what they want no matter how ridiculous, illogical, iconoclastic, or sheer chaotic it is ] It would be a pain to keep up with you if you did, but I'll do my best anyway.

[He looks both intrigued and delighted by this development??]

What are you going to do, scare the bear into it?!

[Anon has no idea what Natsuno just promised either, unless he's planning to take on both the bear and the chef with his vampire powers™ or something, but he's certainly looking forward to finding out. Because he really still hasn't had sushi here, even if they've probably had seafood for every other meal.

Either way, mischievous Natsuno and bold Natsuno are both really fun and there's no way he's going to back down or slow down with either, so this is just an accelerating train here. Both of them are probably going to enjoy the wreck at this rate.

For now, he laughs and stretches himself out partly because he's been sitting for a while and partly just to be silly.]

Ah, if I grow much taller I'm going to start hitting doorways, huh? It might be dangerous if you keep up!

[He is not being serious about any of this at all but for some reason there's still a teasing sort of challenge to that. What are they doing.]

It's a secret. [ Is it, or does he actually have no idea how he's going to pull this off.

He may have also brought a finger to his mouth in the universal "shh" motion, but it also may have been an optical illusion. ]

I'm tenacious, I'll be fine. Besides growing taller was one of my truths, hmn?

[ Intense mystery continues, but he's probably being silly at this point too. Probably. ]

[That definitely gets a laugh, silly and conspiratorial, even if he has no clue what they're conspiring about other than possibly using their common animal-alarming natures at some point to do terrible things (yet again, as always). Anon has no idea, but he mimics the motion with careless ease and a little wink.

Whatever it is, he's looking forward to it. And he's used to having things and people to look forward to, because that's how life works; but there's something a little different here, in a good way. There are a lot of things different here, even if he only knows how to name some of them so far.]

I remember! [he sounds like he's holding back laughter here, or like he's about to say something both dumb and outrageous, and well--] If you grow taller than me just because you're tenacious, you might even be able to grow to bear size?

[That's totally the secret. (no)]

[ That wink gets the stupidest grin out of Natsuno yet, his head tilting to the side, braids and flowers shifting in a kaleidoscope of colors. ]

Hmn, I think I'm taller than some bears already. [ He looks Anon over, a smile still playing at his lips. ] We might be good just as we are.

[ The answer to what they're doing is flirting. Or being dumb. Or both, actually. ]

[It's an image he's going to remember for a while: the grin and the flowers that resonate with something in him like a ringing bell struck just right. He can tell that even through the deliberate and unthinking way they're barreling forward with no destination, or every destination.

Anon lets it all settle, lets his own smile and momentum carry them forward. Truly the dumbest flirting is when no one involved knows what the hell is going on.]

I think I'd want to meet those bears sometime. [there's something sly there, whether it's actually teasing or whether he just wants to meet bears is up for debate] But I think I'd be fine with staying like this, too.

[It's true in a way that threads all through where they are now, even if he isn't trying for it. He isn't trying to hide it, either, because why would he?

They might be mostly out of flowery things to do, but there are other things that never run out.]

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