Day 88:: Can you hear me, I know I'm just a whisper...

[bastionpc]

Who: Everyone!
Status: Open
When: Day 88
Where: The Bastion
What: NPC and PC mingling
Format: Action
Warnings: None

[The excitement of the day before moves in to the quiet of the day after in the Bastion. It's fairly calm after all that, and the two new arrivals have been mostly healed. Current residents will find the once-armored woman bandaged still but in surprisingly good spirits, and the male with the guitar skittish and likely to jump at the smallest thing.

This would be a good point to talk to them, other NPCs or even your fellow NPCs.]

Comments

[yinyangfox]

I beg your pardon? I happen to be Grade A prime meat cuts right now, boyo. [ He barks with feigned indignity.]
Anyways, my hands are off, don't get your panties in a twist. Geez. I came all the way out here against the boss' wishes to check on you, pretty specifically. [ The shikigami pouts dramatically. ]
You know I can feel guilt. And I have other feelings, too. Judging me because I use a paper effigy to materialize on this plane is cruel. You oughta be ashamed of yourself. That's like judging a cripple for using a prosthetic limb. Or if I gave you guff for wearing glasses. Its just a way to live like other people.
Besides, you should be grateful to this "paper man" for being able to show up and save your squirrely ass. You could be back there, covered in horrible goo and victim of the Squirts and other undesirables of the Skyway.

[bastionpc]

I--... w-well you see--... I--...

[Well now he just looks like a kicked puppy. Nice going, Taisan.]

I'm sorry but-- you shouldn't frighten people like that! I'm having a hard enough time as it is.

[yinyangfox]

[ He shrugs, flicking a hand dismissively. ] You and everyone else. You're older than a good handful of people here. You think the kids weren't uprooted? That they aren't having a hard time? You're a grown man, so suck it up and start internalizing, or you'll be a wreck forever. Besides, I don't think you'll be going out onto the Skyway much; you don't look like the active combat type. So you won't have a whole lot of ways to destress and take out that frustration. Which means you're gonna be a total mess if you don't just tell yourself "Hey, shit went kaput. I'm here though. Better do my best."

[ He clears his throat, leaning in a little closer and wagging a brow. ] But by all means, keep being mean to me. I like it when people play hard to get. Makes the success all the sweeter down the line. [ He drawls with a widening grin, clapping Kelly on the shoulder before grabbing his hand up and pressing his lips to the man's knuckles. ]

The name is Taisan, by the way. Be sure to get the pronunciation down for when you're shouting for my help or just wanna let everyone know who you're having a good time with.

[bastionpc]

[Sorry, Taisan, that was a lot of words for some one who is still more or less in shock. His mouth works a few times, but he only seems to make a noise when his knuckles are kissed. And it's not much of a noise, either. Just sort of a... sputter.

He pulled his hand back, attempting to glare at Taisan but... failing and looking more like a worried dog.]

I think I'm allowed to handle things however I want to, mate. I'm not hurting anyone by being upset that my entire world is gone. I'd be bleeding mad if I wasn't!

[yinyangfox]

I'm not upset. I'm elated. No more slavery, no more stuffy clothes, no more bowing and scraping. But then, I had nothing to lose. I a lot of others had a lot to lose. I can respect that.

[ He sniffs, scratches the side of his nose and eventually rolls his eyes with a sigh. ]

Alright look. let's start over. We obviously got off on the wrong foot so... Hi. My name is Taisan. Pleasure to meet you. I live over there. [ He points across the Bastion at the silhouette of Seimei's house. ] With a stuffy Japanese magician. I'm his servant. He carried your lady friend, and I carried you. Sorry about the love-tap but...I really didn't have time to explain.

And you're Kelly - the cute Brit with the hair like baby chickens.
So, now that's out of the way. You gonna make it? You look like the frayed ends and fainting couches type of guy. You need a cup of tea? That's how you guys deal with a crisis, yeah? Not unlike the Japanese. Though we have more rules. Pointing the spout and who and how to serve and all. I'll forgo any ceremony and just get you a cup. Am I talking too fast for you? You look a little...uh... [ He gestures around his head with both hands, suggesting Kelly wasn't processing well. ]

[bastionpc]

[Kelly scowled at Taisan for a good minute even after he stopped speaking, a look on his face that suggested he was close to simply walking away from this conversation.

He decided to at least try and be civil, though, as much as he had the inclination to be rude out of sheer frustration with everything.]

You're a mite fast, mate. I suppose I'll survive. I imagine I have very little choice in the matter now, don't I?

[yinyangfox]

[ The shikigami shrugs, lips pursing to one side as he raises both hands and takes a step back for emphasis. ]
Sure you do. You could tell me to screw off. I have a feelin' I'm gonna get that a lot. People around here are all too on edge or just really bitter. I don't have those problems. I know what happens next, and I'm glad to have a little freedom. Once upon a time I wouldn't even be able to talk to you without permission and ritual. So...your call "mate". You can tell me to bugger off, as you might say. I'll understand. Honestly I just felt bad for socking you.

[bastionpc]

I meant regarding the surviving part. I'm not pushing daisies yet. Of course I've got a choice about telling you to bugger off, if I want, but I'm not going to because mum didn't raise a rude lad, no matter how bothered I am.

[yinyangfox]

If I really bother you, just say so. I'm better than people give me credit for about not really pushing it.

Anyways, yeah, you've got a choice about surviving. Everyone has a choice to live and die when and where they want, provided they aren't already dying and there is somewhere else to live.

[ He stretches his arms overhead, yawning and bearing abnormally sharp teeth in the process. Not quite human, not quite anything else readily known. Just Taisan - one of a kind, which didn't mean much in a place like the Bastion. ]

If it gets too hard, there's always the Skyway cliffs. Its a grim outlook, but the alternative might not seem better to some people. You just have to find a reason to live. Sometimes its as easy as making new friends and connections. Heck, some people seem to be finding romance, and taht's usually enough to make anyone want to live. Boss Foxface has this little kid he likes. Then there's that loud-mouth half-demon girl. She's got it bad for the guy with the funky hair. And so far as friends go, its pretty easy to forget racial stigma when you might be the only one left. As far as I know, you're the only Brit. You might always be the only person from where you originate. Heck, even Foxface is only from one type of Japan. Everyone else is from entirely different layers of the universe. Time and space. All that stuff that even goes over my head sometimes, and I freakin' live it.

[bastionpc]

... you're a brash one, but I've dealt with worse.

[You pass, Taisan. Barely.]

I'm not going to off myself. That's just ridiculous. If I survived the end of the world it would be... I don't know. Redundant or something. That's--

wait. Demon?