Open: Liangyu's Request, Getting in Trouble Around Town, and Training

[totallysane]

Who: Mikado Ryuugamne and You!
What: Catch-all log for interactions with Mikado, both mission and otherwise. Anyone is welcome!
When: Variable! Current-ish, if you need a specific date, name one in your thread.
Where: Around town. I'll toss up a couple setting options, so just choose one.
Rating: PG, one would think.



1) Liangyu's Request

Mikado's excitement throughout the entire "mission" was quite apparent: in fact, he's practically bouncing before, during, and after Liangy's talk. He doesn't bother trying to hide how excited he is about it, despite the fact that people might think him nerdy. He does want to learn as much as possible about the world he's in, and he also enjoys just learning anything he can.

After the talk, he can be found sitting down outside, already poring over the book he was given, his eyes wide and his entire attention on it. Feel free to approach him, call him a nerd, pick on him, or even nerd-gasm with him about how exciting learning about culture is!


2) Exercise time

Despite arriving injured and continually being banged up since then, Mikado is constantly training. Not just inside the fighter's guild, but outside it as well. He's determined to become a better fighter, but that requires more than just learning to use a weapon. He's never had good stamina, and now he's determined to work on that.

This is why he can be found around town, anywhere he can find space that isn't crowded. It's kind of a funny sight: the boy runs for a few steps, then walks for a few, then starts jogging again in a dogged attempt to keep moving. Approach him with training tips, laughter, or sympathy for his pain!

Comments

[totallysane]

"You should probably not get involved..."

Mikado says the words automatically, even though it isn't necessarily the best idea for him. He doesn't want someone else getting hurt just because he's poked his nose in where it doesn't belong, and he doesn't know if the newcomer is any better prepared to deal with a fight than he is.

Still, he finds himself stepping toward the stranger, though he isn't sure if his goal is to be protected or to protect the other.

The two men don't seem terribly impressed either. The larger of the two takes a step forward just as Mikado steps back. "The trouble is children who can't mind their business."

[hasavision]

He almost brings up his left arm to show his Highlander's band out of habit, but stops himself just in time. Instead, he keeps his voice level:

"Actually, it is my business. I'm part of the Seven Titans; I don't want to see any trouble around here, and I'm sure none of my companions want to hear about this, either."

Internally, he's trying to remain calm, to not let his hand sneak up to the hilt of his Brave's Sword - although it's quite visible already, hanging at his side as always. If it comes to it, he can draw it quickly enough, but he's not about to start anything on his own.

[totallysane]

"Some brat like you isn't-" starts the man who had spoken before, but the other one tilts his head, eyeing the sword the boy is carrying. He seems to obviously be reconsidering the situation now, and takes a step back, as if to say he isn't interested in any further trouble.

Mikado figures that is about the best chance they are going to get, and offers a small polite bow in the man's direction.

"It looks like it'd be best for everyone just to go their separate ways in that case, don't you think?"

He uses the movement to take another step closer to his rescuer, though he is trying to be subtle about it.

[OOC: I am failing at NPCs right now, so feel free to do something with them if you want.]

[hasavision]

((Got it!))

Wataru gives a confident smile. "Thanks for being so cooperative. Great citizens like you make our work a lot easier."

He reaches a hand out to grab Mikado's, holding on tightly to make sure he doesn't try to make a break for it. And given he's gotten used to swinging a sword around in Vision as of late, it's a pretty tough grip. "Of course, I'll give this guy a... talk about it, too."

Although the men are still clearly annoyed, the promise of Mikado getting some kind of punishment does seem to satisfy them somewhat. Before they can ponder over whether or not they still want to administer it themselves, Wataru takes the opportunity to drag the teen out, his voice harsh. "Alright, c'mon!"

[totallysane]

Mikado doesn't think that he's actually in trouble. He could be wrong about that, of course, and he's going to be careful either way. Still, he's fairly certain that if he's going to get a talk at all, it will be literally that and not the implied beating or punishment.

Still, his expression is rather serious and a little stressed out as he's dragged out. He make a show of muttering about it, though there's nothing really intelligible the sounds, at first.

After a moment, once he thinks they're out of earshot, he draws in a deep breath and says, "Ahhhh I need to learn to mind my own business..."

[hasavision]

"No kidding! I thought those guys were really going to attack you!" He keeps his voice low, and only barely turns to Mikado as he continues walking. Yeah, he's probably not in for even a talk at this rate. "Just what did you do?"

[totallysane]

"Ah, well..."

Mikado is quite embarrassed about it, really. "They were arguing about something very stupid involving a financial error, and I figured I'd help. I mean, because obviously they were both wrong about it, and not having any luck figuring it out. And I was walking behind them and just... piped up before I realized it."

He laughs, a little awkwardly.

"If I'd thought about it, I would have held my tongue, but I just wasn't thinking. I forget sometimes I'm not at home, where... I know a lot more people."

[hasavision]

Wataru just shakes his head. "You should probably get used to it quickly. It might be tough at first, but things are a lot different here than what you're used to. If you don't adjust fast, you could get in some serious trouble."

The way he talks about it, he... seems to have had experience with this sort of thing.

Wataru turns a corner abruptly, but releases Mikado's hand now that they're on a different street. "I think... this should probably be far enough."

[totallysane]

"Thank you," Mikado says, quietly. He's both grateful for the concern and for the rescue, really. He isn't sure what to say about his situation, or what he was doing at home that makes him want to be involved in things that are out of his league, so he winds up not saying anything at all, at first.

Then he gives another awkward little laugh. "So you're part of the Seven Titans? That must be really interesting. I guess you'll get to do a lot of helping people, won't you?"

[hasavision]

"Well, yeah. It's kind of what I'm used to doing, though." He gives a small, wry smile. They weren't exactly like the Highlanders, but it was close enough that he didn't have a very hard time making the switch. Of course, he also wasn't entirely a fully-fledged member at this point, but...

"What about you? Did you join a guild, too?" He looks over Mikado's clothes, trying to identify them.

[totallysane]

"Ahh..."

This is the hard part, in a way. Mikado doesn't want to be judged or laughed at. He could probably lie about his guild, but that seems like a good way to get killed if he's found out, and not a good way to make friends or allies. It makes him miss being at home and being part of the only gang that didn't wear colors, where no one ever knew who was a member.

He doesn't look up as he speaks.

"Well, actually, I joined the Ugly Jackal."

He still can't say the name of the fighter's guild without a chuckle. It's just a silly name, he thinks. Then again, he named a gang at home after 'doing nothing', so maybe he shouldn't talk.

[hasavision]

He blinks a couple of times. The Ugly Jackal... wasn't that--

"You mean... the fighters' guild?"

He's aware that his jaw has dropped open, but he can't quite bring himself to shut his mouth again. This guy had joined up with the fighters? But he's so...

So... not fighter material. Is this guy really going to be okay?

[totallysane]

"I know what it sounds like," Mikado says quickly. He does, after all. It's not like he has some romanticized view of himself as some kind of super-masculine warrior type. He shrugs his thin shoulders, offered a shy smile.

"It was like that at home too. I was involved in things I probably shouldn't have been, and got in over my head and got hurt. But I don't want to just avoid the issue, so I thought instead I would train to get stronger."

The reason why it was the fighters instead of the warriors is a little more complicated, but he's hoping not to be asked about that.

[hasavision]

"You got hurt back then, but you're still going to join the Jackals...?"

He's... really wondering if this is a good idea.

"Well, training will probably help and all, but... What exactly were you getting involved in?"

[totallysane]

"Ah, that's..."

Should he really tell a stranger something like that? Back home his place in the Dollars is a secret, though Shizuo had known that he was a member to approach him. Then again, so had a few other people. They just hadn't known who exactly he was, except for Aoba and Izaya.

Mikado sighs, his expression thoughtful, and finally gives in.

"A gang war."

[hasavision]

...

"A what."

This guy? In a gang war? Really? They had the same definition of "gang war" here, right? Well, no matter what, those words should still mean pretty much the same thing...

...

And yet, it's not making the slightest bit more sense to Wataru.

[totallysane]

"Ah, I didn't start it on purpose. Or really start it at all, I guess, though it was my actions that caused it to escalate the way it did, so I had to take responsibility."

Mikado is already realizing that he probably shouldn't have said anything, but there's no point in lying about it here. He flushes and shifts from one foot to the other awkwardly.

"At home, right before coming here, I decided that course of action I had to take to end that war, so since I'm here instead, I should at least become stronger in preparation for that. That's what I decided."

[hasavision]

Wataru listens, his expression changing from baffled to a more thoughtful look. Well, when he puts it like that, it sounds like Mikado's on the right track at least.

"I can see where you're coming from if it's like that. Fighting isn't really as glamorous as the movies or games, but sometimes you just have no other choice." It was something he'd reluctantly had to learn while on his journey, after all.

[totallysane]

Mikado laughs a little awkwardly, a blush coming to his cheeks.

"I didn't realize that at first. When I first came to the city and saw violence firsthand, it wasn't anything like what I had expected. There's no glamour at all in it, and it's dirty and scary and ugly. I barely managed to stand my ground at all. Did you feel that way, the first time you encountered violence?"

It seems obvious the other boy has, after all.

[hasavision]

"Definitely. Normally it's no problem to walk through a creepy cave in a video game, but when you have to do it in real life..." He shudders a bit at the thought. "Skeletons are way scarier in person. Especially when you don't even know the first thing about how to fight back."

He'd been incredibly lucky that the Brave's Sword had its own way of helping him out with that.

[totallysane]

"SKELETONS?"

Mikado's eyes go very wide at that. Of course, at first he's just thinking skeletons like he's seen in museums, regular old dead people. That's kind of weird, but not really scary. But then the boy says he was fighting them, and that's just... "You mean like UNDEAD ONES?"

He shakes his head, suddenly quite grateful. "I-I only had to deal with gangsters. Well, and a fairy, but she was on my side mostly, so..."

[hasavision]

Wataru nods, looking rather unhappy at the thought. "There was this old priest who got together a cult of followers, and... Well, let's just say the followers still had to work for him even after he'd died." He shakes his head sadly.

"But wait... You saw a fairy? A real one? Even I've never gotten to do that!"

[totallysane]

"I did! She's a dullahan, and she's really nice." He's very excited to get to talk about his friend. "She rides a motorcycle instead of a coach most of the time, but he can still turn into a coach when he wants to, I've seen it! And she can spread her shadow everywhere, and do all kinds of amazing things..."

He pauses. "But her story is a little sad too. She can't find her head. I was trying to help her, but the girl we thought had it... didn't. So I'm not sure if she'll find it. At least she has her freedom though... I can't imagine having to work for someone even after you died. So you were setting them free, right?"