[Closed] A cursed man, a shinigami, and a butler walk into a moon base...

[anotheryosuke]

Date & Time: Today? Something?
Location: that excessively loud and crowded Unit 190
Characters: Teshigawara Naoya (anotheryosuke), Tatsumi Seiichirou (occlusion), Walter C. Dornez (angel_of_death)
Summary: Why do Englishmen have no sense of humor??
Warnings: Probably just retribution, possible property damage, general ruckus


[Things have settled down in Unit 190, for the most part.

The roommates seem friendly enough, even if they have some definite quirks, but Naoya figures he could do worse than a tendency to float and prettily invade personal space and the occasional giant inexplicable key. Especially now that everyone's been crowded into such close quarters on the moon.

The bevy of bodyguards is a little harder to get used to -- they're not at all what he expected after meeting Tatsumi-san first, but at least they're entertaining; Naoya can usually poke his head out and there'll be something odd going down in the hallway. Though some are sneakier than others. In fact, it seems to be a half-and-half deal. Speaking of which...

Time to check which of them is on shift today--]

Hellooo?

Comments

[occlusion]

[ He was standing right by the door, leaned against the wall, in silence. There really had been nothing but quiet, and it was peaceful, in all reality. So it was all he could do not to jump a bit when the door to the room he guarded opened. His muscles just briefly tensed before relaxing. ]

Mr. Teshigawara, is there something wrong?

[angel_of_death]

[Walter was in a good mood for once. A bucket of cleaning solution in one hand, a mop in the other, and sweet, sweet revenge on his mind, he was the very picture of chipperness.

The anonymity of voice communications on the network goes both ways. Walter had been forced to find out who Naoya was before tracking him down. Likewise, Walter hadn't shown his face at all during the course of the transmission in which he met Naoya, so if the other boy hadn't been looking after his other activity-- and given the boy's laziness, there was a fair chance he hadn't-- it would all be up to who recognized whose face or voice first.

As such, when he heard the name Teshigawara spoken, Walter's gaze abruptly turned to the speaker and the person to whom he had addressed. Then, cheerfully, Walter smiled, lifting the mop slightly into the air and waving it in greeting.

This was going to be good.]

[anotheryosuke]

Nope, nothing, really -- just wanted to see who was hangin' out in the hall today.

[Usually, if it's Tsuzuki-san or one of the friendlier ones he might invite them in for a bite or hang out for a bit, but since it's Tatsumi-san...

He's all ready to go back in and not bother the bodyguard (for now) when some motion catches the corner of his eye. It's a boy, about his age, carrying cleaning supplies and waving really rather energetically. There's nobody else in the hall, so Naoya looks from the boy to Tatsumi and back again with some curiosity.]

Hey, Tatsumi-san... Somebody you know?

[occlusion]

[ Very briefly, he looked to Naoya, then frowned at the young boy with the mop and bucket. ]

I don't recognize him a bit.

[ There was no telling why a boy with cleaning supplies was waving at them like that, but it still was... off, somehow. As he looked at the boy in the hallway, his shadow quivered ever so slightly, and Tatsumi could feel something tapping him on the shoulder. --The shadows? ]

[ Off, indeed. While his stare never left that boy, Tatsumi's voice lowered almost to a whisper. ]

Get inside the room. Close the door.

[angel_of_death]

[What a shame that he'd been found out so quickly. But the fact that the person outside the door had already caught onto him didn't faze Walter in the least. Actually, he was rather amused at the situation. Few were the ones who started flinching before the show got under way.

In a way, it reminded him of his master. But his master was much more amusing in the way he showed his anxiety. With a dark sort of mirth, the English youth spoke his thoughts aloud.]

Well, that's not something that happens every day.

[anotheryosuke]

[Naoya's about to comply, no argument or anything, because he doesn't need another lecture from Tatsumi-san even if he's hiding from a boy with a mop; he hesitates a moment, though, startled when the shadows move. It's probably the first time he's seen that happen up close -- it's incredibly odd, like seeing double.

So he hears it loud and clear when the boy speaks up, and it makes his head snap around again.]

... Walter.

[Wait. Smiling Walter. The moment he registers that little association, a definite chill goes down his spine. He's pretty sure this is the same feeling as when Kazami or Akazawa smile at him.

And Collette hasn't mentioned anything. Which means...]

Ah. Um, good luck, Tatsumi-san!

[Cue Naoya disappearing back into the room. He can't quite help himself, though; he keeps the door open a crack, spying on the proceedings with some trepidation. Just how dead is he?]

[OOC: Feel free to skip me for a couple of turns!]

[occlusion]

[ Good thing that Naoya obeyed orders well enough. But--was that nervousness? His charge had more than just his orders compelling him to retreat to safety. And, for the life of him, Tatsumi could not figure out just why a boy with a mop and cleaning supplies would pose as such a threat. All the same, it was a gut feeling that something was off. The shadow behind him quivered again, hesitant to move into action but vibrating with action. ]

Do you have business with Mr. Teshigawara?

[angel_of_death]

[Such a wonderful thing, the translation ability of those tablet devices. There's a bit of a delay, but it's a far step above having to pull out a translation dictionary.]

That's exactly right! You see, since he's so lacking in regards to navigation skills and work ethic, I volunteered him to help me clean this hall.

[With the arm in which he bore the mop, Walter made a grand sweeping gesture indicating the entire hallway. But despite how pleased he looked, Walter felt spiteful towards the boy on the other side of the door-- an ill will which made itself known in the darkness of his smile, the almost looming posture of his small form, and the venom laced into his next words.]

Let's call it penance for trying to direct me to a fake charity.

[occlusion]

[ Powerful emotion behind those words. He could practically feel the spit flying from the mouth. Navigation skills and work ethic... Tatsumi was definitely going to have a talk with Naoya later about this. It was obvious this boy had been provoked, but he wasn't sure to what degree. Or what it was that he intended to do--it was clear already that his brand of volunteering wasn't going to be much in the way of co-operation. ]

And does your definition of penance include harm to him? Because I won't allow that.

[angel_of_death]

It doesn't matter what you will or won’t allow. There's an easy way and a hard way to this. The easy way is if he comes out, all on his own, does the work and says "I’m sorry". The hard way involves me going through you, and taking out any frustration I have from the extra trouble out on him.

[ Given their proximity and how long Walter had lingered already, the scent of the bleach Walter carried would already be making its way into the air around the door to Unit 190. Lifting up the bucket of he continued.]

And that splendid suit of yours.

[Yes, he just threatened Tatsumi's suit with a bleach bath.]

[occlusion]

[ The stringent smell of bleach was hard to ignore. Tatsumi looked right at that bucket before looking right up to this--Walter, he had been called. The threat of force alone was almost disproportionate, but this situation.... He shot a sour look back, and the movement of the shadows behind him became much more pronounced. ]

I don't take kindly to threats. Your temper isn't going to do you any good. Perhaps you should come back once you have cleared your head.

[angel_of_death]

[If there was one thing Walter didn't like, it was being talked down to by high and mighty adults. It didn't matter that the shadows of this particular high and mighty adult were moving; his partner could do the very same sort of trick with his shadows, and then some.

Nevertheless, Walter's mood shifted, all traces of humour vanishing as his features hardened into a stormy countenance.]

What will it be, kid. Seras told me you were nice. That I should go easy on you. Am I going to have to tell her someone got hurt because you were too much of a coward to own up to your little prank?

[anotheryosuke]

[Naoya only hears the trashtalking in snatches as he dithers around just inside the door, peering nervously over his shoulder into the room and wondering if-- well, the most obvious hiding place is his bike, and he doesn't think Walter would bother to look in the tiny trunk for him.

It's as good a place as any, especially given things are starting to escalate outside. He's pretty well-versed in how things'll go if he shows his face right now -- Walter's tone is that familiar. They're on the moon, though, which probably makes things worse somehow.

He can't quite help himself, though, when a word finally catches his ear. He pops out a bit, only his eyes visible and wary under his mop of hair.]

Eh, you know Seras? [Oh man, she probably ratted him out. She seemed like such a cool vampire chick, too.] I mean, sure, I'll own up to stuff! It was just a little prank, we were thinking of establishing a charity anyway.

[No they weren't, but the idea's not such a bad one, right? Technically, thinking about it counts.]

... I'm not comin' out until you put away the mop, though.

[angel_of_death]

[Well, it was about time. And not a moment too soon, because the way things were going, Walter's temperament had been about to take a turn for the genuinely violent. Luckily, the admission had calmed him to a degree.]

The mop's for you, kid. I was serious about cleaning this hall. But if you're too scared to come and take it, I could always hand it over to your stuffy little bodyguard.

[occlusion]

[ Tatsumi sighed, looking between the two boys--yes, boys, much younger and rash as they were. ]

Was all of this really necessary?

[ Finally, he settled his stare on Naoya almost out of exasperation. ]

If this is all that this was about.... [ Another sigh, and he pushed back his glasses. The shadows calmed themselves, and it almost looked like they never moved in the first place. ] I will oversee you while you do your chore.

[ Honestly, kids these days. ]

[anotheryosuke]

It's probably not necessary.

[It's a wry sort of mutter, not quite answer, as, not having run into any of the expected explosions, Naoya sidles out the door a little more. He still doesn't step over Tatsumi's shadow(s?) though.

He didn't really envision having the bodyguard here or caught up in this sort of thing, but it's actually a bit of a windfall. Maybe they've gotten all of their aggression out of the way and have none left for him...? A guy can dream.

He holds out a hand cautiously for the mop.]

Sorry for the delay!

[angel_of_death]

[As much calmer as he was, Walter had yet to entirely vent his frustration-- by a long shot. Slights to his pride were not the sort of things that Walter easily forgave and forgot, and although the prankster in front of him finally appeared to be consenting to the work, Walter can see no remorse in either him or his bodyguard. And as mature as he could be at times, the butler was not above holding a few small grudges here and there.]

Unless you're just that much of an idiot. That's not going to be a problem, though. Is it?

[With a rough jerk, Walter tossed the mop the other boy's way. Hopefully he had enough sense to catch it, or else things were going to get very interesting very quickly.]

no problem!

[occlusion]

[ Before even Naoya could react, a shadowy tendril reached out and promptly caught the thrown mop. Tatsumi looked over at the tendril with a slight look of suspicion before turning to this Walter. ]

There will be no problems under my watch.

[ And he only hoped that both of them knew the implications extended to both of them. ]

\o\

[anotheryosuke]

[Naoya does jump backwards and nearly collide with the closed door when the mop is suddenly thrust at him. The fact that the shadow catches it for him is... actually kind of funny, if this were at all a funny situation. (Okay, so maybe in a few years, with a few hundred thousand miles between him and the moon, it might be a story to laugh over.)

Ah, thanks, shadow-san!

[He can't resist giving the tendril a curious pat before taking the mop agreeably enough. To tell the truth, he knows things could probably have gone much worse -- it's why he's spent so much time generally being a good boy and keeping his head down. Mostly.

But what's a teenager to do when stuck on a moon base after a few bouts of drama and trauma? He peers down the hallway -- okay, so it's a lot longer than the classroom, but not quite as wide. There's definitely something funny about having to do a classroom chore on the moon.

Smiling would probably be taken badly at the moment, though. He doesn't feel that much like smiling anyway.]

Okay, calm down, calm down, I'll do your cleaning for you! That's enough of a sorry, right?

[Still, he sidles the long way around into the hallway, going around Tatsumi so the man is between him and Walter. Just in case. Then he looks expectantly between the shadow tendril and the bucket. He sort of needs that, too!]

[angel_of_death]

[Walter's reaction to the shadow's strong movement was remarkably muted, the only thing giving away his interest being the slight arch of his brow; he had seen such movement and tangibility of shadows before.

His attention soon returned to Naoya, noting how the other boy seemed intent on having something between them-- how his glance seemed to drift back to the shadow after looking at the bucket in Walter's hand. If Walter were to guess, it looked as though the boy expected the shadow to intercept the bucket as well!

The observation was quickly followed by a sharp exhale of amusement. Walter wasn't about to repeat the same action and just hand Naoya a predictable out to dealing with him. Instead of passing it over, Walter elected to simply start walking, heading for one end of the hallway.]

Follow me. The sooner we get this done the better.