EVENT: 4th wall

[idealism]

[Tsuzuki is a bit preoccupied. Not only is he in the bakery, but he's been lucky enough to find a deck of cards in town. Right now, he's building a large tower.]

[Be careful, just a gust of wind is enough to tear it down.]

Comments

[sweetshinigami]

[And there's Wakaba, leaned over just slightly and watching over Tsuzuki's shoulder.

She's trying to be nice here and not startle him with a sudden hello.]

[idealism]

[Wakaba is one of the few people that are good at not startling him. When she comes close enough that she brushes his wings, he stops what he's doing to turn his head to say hello.]

[Tsuzuki can't believe what he's seeing, and it's painfully obvious on his face.]

...Wakaba?

[sweetshinigami]

[Honestly, she wanted to pet the wings. They were so cute. ;w;

More important than that though, she's all smiles as she nods to that painfully obvious look.]

That's right.

[And now she points.]

The next one ought to go there, don't you think?

[idealism]

[It probably won't help that he's such an expressive person that they flutter with his mood. Tsuzuki looks up to her, holding the cards up.]

You think so?

[Hell, teamworks might just work. He sticks his tongue out in concentration and tries to do as she says.]

[sweetshinigami]

[It would probably help that concentration if Wakaba didn't seem to take his moment of distraction as the perfect time to try out petting those fluttering wings.

But you don't mind that, right?]

[rainsrespite]

[Another face Saori had insisted she contact. A friend. A good friend. Yuuna Sugasawa, Saori's chosen champion, smiled as she approached. A Japanese woman visibly in her early thirties dressed all in white, a slender umbrella holding a hidden sword in her hand. She smiles as she approaches, though she can't help but cause a bit of mischief.

A sudden, sharp gust of wind whisks through the bakery, a minor flicker of the magic she'd been lend by her patron, and cards go everywhere!]

[idealism]

[Tsuzuki feels the wind a second before it hits, and that means he gets to try in vain to save the house. He only makes it fall faster, and more of the cards end up on the floor. DAMNIT. He was so close to breaking his record, too.]

[He sits back violently, his little tantrum over.]

I was so close...

[rainsrespite]

[Yuuna walks over with a confident, easy smile and takes a seat across from the flustered Tsuzuki. She gives him an amused look as he moans.]

Saori said you were melodramatic, but over a house of cards?

/making an appearance only for you bb <3

[ombra_lira]

[What an old, nostalgic place... He had been certain he'd died, but now he was walking again, along a path he knew, but yet did not.]

[The sight of a familiar old friend through the window of the bakery provokes a tiny smile, and Sheik makes his way inside.]

Tsuzuki.

<3<3<3 YAY 1/2

[idealism]

[He'd recognize that voice anywhere. The house of cards fall, but he doesn't really pay attention to it anymore. Quickly, he turns around to see if he's imagining things or if it's really him.]

2/2

[idealism]

Sheik! You're really back?

[He doesn't wait for permission this time: he's missed him too much. Sheik is drawn into a tight embrace, while Tsuzuki tries to digest the emotional overload.]

Wait. Wait. Do you remember me?

[ombra_lira]

[He's here, but not for long. Those wings on his back that had become a familiar comfort to him are long gone. He voices no complaint at the enthusiastic embrace, moving to return it instead.]

Yes, I remember. [Although the memories are hazy at best. He's been asleep for a long time...] Why would I call your name if I didn't?

1/2

[idealism]

I don't know. I didn't think about that, to be honest.

[idealism]

[The lack of Sheik's wings is so noticeable, now that he's conditioned to associate it with health. He takes a deep breath.]

It's so good to see you again.

[ombra_lira]

Has it been long? I am afraid I cannot tell. [He's been asleep for entirely too long, it feels like. Or dead. Maybe he was dead.]

[liesoverthesea]

[There's an unfamiliar girl here with a basket of flowers. She watches the construction of the card tower and smiles.]

Oh! Keep going!

/threadjacks what

[heartsicklove]

[There is a girl touching Eileen's hand, eyes bright with expectation.]

<3

[liesoverthesea]

[Her hand is cool, but solid. Eileen turns to Tsubaki, as if unsurprised to see her despite having known a much younger girl in life. She slips her hand around hers.]

Let's get something from the bakery!

<3

[heartsicklove]

[The important thing is that she's there. It doesn't matter how long it's been since they last saw each other. Eileen always has a place in her, well, heart that no one else will be able to fill. Tsubaki grips her hand.]

Yes, let's! I saw they have eclairs. Do you want to try one with me?

Re: <3

[liesoverthesea]

[She's just as Tsubaki would remember. Hand in hand, and her other arm holding her flower basket, Eileen is all cheer.]

That would be great.

<3

[heartsicklove]

[It's perfect. Just as good and happy as she remembers. Tsubaki tugs on her hand, her grip tightening as they order their food. She knows she shouldn't, but still she asks.]

Have you been here long?

[liesoverthesea]

[Gives her a chiding look of "What kind of question is that?"]

Here? I'm always with Tsubaki-hime!

[idealism]

[Oh hai stranger. His wings puff up nervously, although when he sees the flowers he relaxes just a little. She can't be a bad person if she likes flowers, right?]

Uhm, do you want to try?

[liesoverthesea]

Aah, I don't want to mess yours up. I'm fine with watching.

[A reassuring smile, and has no comment on the wings though she definitely isn't from around here.]

[idealism]

I really don't mind.

[There's something familiar about her, but he can't pinpoint what. After so many years as a shinigami, the faces begin to blur together, and he's not too happy about that. Maybe she actually is just a stranger with a trait that reminds him of someone he knew.]

....Are those flowers?

[liesoverthesea]

Would you like to buy one? They're fresh!

[She presents him with a pale pink rose.]

Maybe a rose for someone you love?

[idealism]

Err, do you have something besides roses?

[liesoverthesea]

Hee hee, is a rose a little too much? I have carnations, posies, daisies, and camellias!

[idealism]

I've had some bad experiences with roses. The daises sound very nice!

[liesoverthesea]

The symbol for innocence and loyal love. A nice choice!

[She offers him a white daisy. Behind the light, sweet smell of the flower there's also the faintest note of something else - the scent of rot.]

[the_mighty_foot]

[Hopefully, getting a sudden bump to the leg by a small, furry, purring something or other doesn't count as a gust of wind...]

[idealism]

[It doesn't, although it snaps him out of his concentration. Tsuzuki abandons his cards, trying instead to look under the table. What he sees makes his chest feel lighter, torn between disbelief and joy. Home wasn't really home after she had left.]

Foot? C'mere.

[the_mighty_foot]

Merk!

[The purring starts up as soon as he acknowledges her, and she'll make her way over, head-bonking the first body part some comes in contact with.]

Hello, my friend.

[idealism]

It's really you!

[Beyond thrilled, he gently picks Foot up to give her a proper hug.]

How did you find your way back?

[the_mighty_foot]

[She'll ramp up the purr, leaning into the attention and bonking the underside of his chin next.]

I do not know. I was napping in a sunbeam at home, and I awoke in the village square with many, many others.

[winds_voice]

... [Eley may or may not be watching him from a short distance away as he gradually builds the tower and seems very close to finishing. That is until the Spirit sends a tiny stray gust of wind his way, enough to make the cards quiver and fall.

HE DID NOTHING.]

[idealism]

[OH NO. The house trembles from the wind, but due to luck it doesn't topple. Tsuzuki, who had frozen up in alarm when it looked like the house was going to fall, finally relaxes with a sigh.]

[But unfortunately, that sigh is enough. With no warning, the cards fall over. Tsuzuki slaps his forehead.]

Damn.

[winds_voice]

[If he was one to laugh, he might have done having just seen what Tsuzuki did to himself. Instead he silently shook his head and approached him.]

It seems you did not need my interference to blow it down after all. It seemed like an unusually sturdy structure...

[idealism]

[Well, there's no use crying over spilled milk. Tsuzuki scratches his neck, feeling awfully sheepish. So it's time to try to distract him.]

Aheh. Yeah. Hi, Eley. Looking for something to eat?

[winds_voice]

...I only came here to test the tower you were building. I would not object to food however.

[It did always smell appealing in the bakery and since he'd started trying new things he found it hard to resist the lure of food.]

[idealism]

Test my tower? [He raises a brow. For a second it sounds like Eleytheria is teasing him. Tsuzuki does the equivalent of a mental shrug and walks up to the counter.]

Have you had lunch yet?

[winds_voice]

[Teasing, him? Maybe a little... though he wouldn't admit that since he's likely unaware of what he's doing in the first place. He looks mildly uncomfortable as Tsuzuki looks at him like that but since he's changing the subject, he'll let it slide~]

Ah... no. I do not usually keep to regular meals.

[Perhaps he should. Would it make his body stronger for it?]

[idealism]

[It's new, but it's not a necessarily bad thing. It's just that not a lot of people tease him here.]

You should! Don't you get hungry?

[He orders some food for them, adding piping hot tea to their order as well. The bakery has good tea.]

[winds_voice]

I cannot say I have noticed... I have never needed to eat before, though it is not impossible for me if given a more... solid form.

[Perhaps being human was new to him but he could still eat as a dragon if he really wanted to.]

Still I am interested in trying more of what the world has to offer. If it will benefit me in some way then... there is no reason not to.

[Since Tsuzuki's gone through all the trouble of ordering some for them both he can't exactly turn it down now anyway. So he'll take a seat, picking up one of the cards and looking it over as they wait.]

[idealism]

In that case I can show you the best kind of food. You'll appreciate it more if the food taste good, I think.
[Smiling hopefully, he puts their plates down in front of them. Since it's free, he chose delicious but easy courses: baguettes with cheese and grilled chicken with a small salad, and a bowl of strawberries covered in cream and chocolate sauce. It's enough to make him hungry.]

Which card are you looking at?

[winds_voice]

[The smell was what always caught the Spirit's attention at first. Just the scent alone made him wonder about its source. He couldn't deny that the food placed in front of them definitely looked appealing.

But... where did he start?

Well first of all he better answer Tsuzuki's question. For no real reason he happened to pick up the ace of hearts. He places it back on the table so he can see.]

Is there some meaning behind my choice?

[heartsicklove]

[Tsubaki doesn't approach Tsuzuki immediately. She remembers him from the boat, but she is far more interested in finding his partner. Eventually she comes to the table and sits down on the opposite side.]

Excuse me?

[idealism]

[He remembers Muraki's little patient, the girl who Hisoka had protected while they were on the ship. He gets to his feet to greet her like a proper gentleman.]

[Tsuzuki reminds himself that she's just as much a victim of Muraki as Hisoka is. Perhaps she doesn't even remember what happened on the ship.]

Miss Tsubaki! Won't you sit down?