[open]

[glossophobia]

🧙 WHO: Rosho and anyone!
⚔️️ WHAT: a variety of things
🕒 WHEN: October
🗺️ WHERE: around Camelot
⚠️ WARNINGS: last prompt deals with death and trauma, just a heads up!

( 1. HAUNTED ART GALLERY )

a) [ Rosho likes to visit the library every once in a while, but he comes to a pause at the entrance, staring in confusion at the signage placed outside. "Haunted art gallery"? He didn't hear any news of the change. Granted its not much of a surprise considering its October, but he was under the assumption Camelot didn't have many modern Halloween-inspired traditions. Of course the entire world is based on magic. There's weird things all over.

Of course, with him simply standing there, he looks like a potential volunteer waiting for a partner to take him into the gallery. Maybe that'll be you? ]

b) [ The unfortunate truth of the matter is that Rosho hates ghosts, and he frightens very easily, so its no surprise that he's barely able to handle the art gallery. Its far too much for him! But in lieu of trying to find an escape he decides on the next best thing: its far easier to run away from scary things and avoid them as an owl.

And so if you're a participant in the haunted art gallery, you just might end up stumbling into a frantic owl that latches onto you and refuses to leave. If you happen to have animal magic, at least its behavior will make more sense as you can hear it panicking in fear:]

I wanna go home I wanna go home, I don't wanna be here anymore! Please let me leave!!

( 2. PET ADOPTION FAIR )

Would you be able to give me some help?

[ Rosho addresses anyone that might be a little less occupied than most surrounded by such an array of cute animals, and all up for adoption. Thankfully Rosho's not terribly distracted considering he's already living in a house with way too many animals (not human and very human). Instead he's decided to try to help out with searching for these lost hamsters. ]

I've asked the other animals to let me know where the hamsters are, but they're small, so an extra person would be good to have.

( 3. IN BAD SPIRITS )

[ You might be going about your business, enjoying the weather, thinking about what to make for dinner or whether you left the oven on at home. Maybe you haven't been sleeping well from having to share a bed, maybe your new pet compsognathus is driving you up the wall. Regardless of what's going on in your life, Camelot has been hectic in and of itself, so its easy to look for or even just stumble on a distraction.

That distraction happens to be an individual crouched beside a building, head in his hands, who seems to be under a lot of distress as he's visibly trembling. Maybe he just needs some time to himself, so no one can blame you for walking away. But he sure does look like he could use some help right about now. ]

Comments

2

[arf]

How about two helpers!? Hehe, these guys seem like they get along with everyone!

[ Taichi is, of course, referring to the capybara happily hanging out in his arms ]

[glossophobia]

[ You're not planning to take that capybara home are you Taichi.... ARE YOU, TAICHI.......... ]

Ah, they're so much bigger in person. [ He sort of wants to pet it. But! They have a job to do first! Rosho leans in toward the capybara. ]

Hello, I'm sorry for the bother, but would you help us look for some hamsters?

[ Maybe having a large rodent around will make small rodents gravitate towards it? He's seen plenty of videos of capybara hanging around with other animals. They really do seem like magnets for companions of various species and types. ]

[arf]

Right!? I've seen pictures but I thought they were like, maybe like poodles... look at this big fella!

[ Hewo Taichi is bringing the capybara closer to Rosho. Pls to give a smooch. ]

We'd be happy to help! Where'd they go?

[glossophobia]

[ Rosho gives a laugh. They've only just met, he can't be giving kisses to strange cabybaras! But he will give its head a nice scratch and pat. ]

Maybe if we're talking about big poodles...? The babies can be really small, but I'm pretty sure this is normal for full-grown size.

[ Taichi just what kind of perception do you have of sizes?? The capybara snuffs, eyes closing, seeming to quite like all the attention its being given. It replies to Rosho in a very slow, almost lethargic voice.

"Uh... yeah.... sure... I'll, uh... help... no problem... uh, lemme think... hamsters... yeah, I think.... I saw some... uh, near the... uh.......... um......... chickens."

What a chill big guy. ]

It says it saw some near the chickens, so we should try looking there first.

[arf]

That's true.. hehe, I've only ever met toypoos, I guess!

[ He's never thought too hard about how big a capybara is ok. ]

You can understand it!? I've never met someone personally with animal magic before! A rare encounter!

[ Ok that's not even remotely true but the people he does know haven't talked about their magic with him. But ok find chickens!!! Taichi starts looking around for chickens, then runs after them with the big capybara in his arms still?? ]

3

[groundzeroes]

[Rei almost doesn't see Rosho at first. He's across the street, exiting a grocer's he'd ducked into for lunch; Rosho's crouched form is extra-small from that distance, barely visible around the building corner. Still, that hair color is distinctive, and Rei has been trained to seek it out over their year and some of working together.

It's lucky Rosho is looking down, or he would have seen the speed at which Rei ran to him.]

Rosho. [He kneels in front of his trembling teammate, gaze serious and appraising. Is he injured? Cursed? Traumatized? He has to check.] Rosho.

[glossophobia]

[ Rosho startles immediately at the call of his name, but at least he recognizes the voice enough to not lash out in fear. He sniffles as he tries to fight back the tears rimming his eyes but he can't stop trembling. This is so embarrassing, having Rei find him like this... ]

Rei, I, 'm sorry, I— [ He pushes his glasses up and rubs at his eyes. ]

He came back, that thing came back, I heard about it, and— and I, I just, got r-really scared...

[groundzeroes]

[Rei looks beyond Rosho's personhood at first, listening to his words only enough to analyze. There's no visible injuries. No curse inflicted. His eyes are clear, if wet. He's breathing hard, and a little pale, but his pallor is still healthy. He might be having a panic attack, but he won't drop.

Crouched like that, sobbing, he looks like...

He looks like a scared child.

...

Rei sighs.]

That thing, huh. [Rosho's babbling isn't too descriptive, but Rei can grasp the basic meaning. There's no mocking emotion in Rei's voice, but it's not particularly comforting either; just contemplative.] You read the quest board?

[glossophobia]

[ There's only a nod of his head. Somehow, he feels like if he says the name, it'll bring that creature here to harm them. Its that blind naivete he's used to having. The sort of belief in things coming out of the dark just by calling for them, just like a child would think. He doesn't know why he grew up so gullible. Maybe its because he grew up to trust his parents in everything they said, everything they wanted, and some things meant as jokes and pranks were impossible to be seen as nothing but true.

But this, this Rosho knows for a fact is real. A monster without a head coming after people to take their lives. He remembers it. He remembers what it can do, and he never wants to see it ever again. ]

'cause I, wanna help around. Sometimes. Ya know? On the board, it said it. That the thing is... k-killing people. Wh-what if, it still remembers what I did? If its around...

[ It could be absolutely anywhere and the thought terrifies him. ]

I... I see ghosts, remember? There, there's more than before, and I saw one without... w-without, a h-head.

[groundzeroes]

[...oh, rosho.]

...C'mere. Let's get you out of the street.

[The hand Rei puts on Rosho's elbow to help him up is firm but kind. Rosho.... Let's go home.]

1A

[natsupiko]

[Rosho sure does look like a lone volunteer just waiting for someone to sweep him into the gallery. So Kazunari does just that.

Surprise! He comes up from behind and hooks their arms together.] Hey, hey ~ do you need a partner, bud?? I can go with you!

[He'd been wanting to traverse the "Haunted art gallery" himself so this really works out.] We aint afraid of no ghosts! Let's goooooo!

[glossophobia]

W-wait! I wasn't—

[ Needless to say Kazunari starts hauling away a very resistant partner as Rosho's hesitation bubbles up immediately. ]

Its not really haunted, r-right? Its just like, its just called that for the season, yeah?

[natsupiko]

Hmmm, probably?

[Well, that's not reassuring in the slightest. The switch from library to haunted gallery seemed to happen overnight: which could have been the work of some very dedicated residents. But Avalon being Avalon is what makes Kazunari doubtful.

He keeps his arm locked with Rosho's. At the very least, he will not be leaving his side!] Y'know what they say about animals sometimes, right? They're more afraid of us than we are of them. So maybe it's the same thing with ghosts!

[glossophobia]

You cant just compare something that's living with something that isn't!

[ It also makes him want to correct Kazunari because he has in fact met some animal ghosts back when he was living in the Inn, and trust him, they weren't always that afraid of approaching people. The ghost cats were just as mischievous as regular cats.

But he's found a dilemma now. This person seems younger than him, he's not sure by how much, but he definitely seems young. And he looks eager to go into the art gallery. He can't let him go all by himself, can he?

God. The power the youth has over him. ]

I'm... I'd really, rather not but... hopefully its not actually haunted. Maybe the art is just. Kind of creepy.

[natsupiko]

A ghost is something that used to be living, though? [Poor, poor Rosho. Wait until he learns that this moron is not all that younger than him. They're only six years apart. Kazunari is a whole ass adult.

And this whole ass adult grins wide, all teeth.] That's the spirit! No pun intended l-o-l.

[Guess they're heading in now?? And the art sure is creepy.]

1b

[plenilunium]

[Rosho's scared of ghosts, Jyushi's scared of ghosts, and this is a horrible formula for the both of them. Sure, Jyushi has death magic but it's a horrible time for both of them still. Jyushi is already a mess when there's suddenly an owl flying right at him.

And then Jyushi's wailing, loud enough that an ears in a mile's radius would probably start to bleed.]

I'm sorry don't attack me!

[glossophobia]

[ Okay, maybe flying in this particular direction wasn't the best idea, because the screeching nearly shatters his poor eardrums. Owls have really good hearing. He thinks he might be deaf now. Nearly tumbling to the ground from the disorientation, Rosho swoops back up high into the air in order to get a better look at who he's stumbled into. ]

—Jyushi? Jyushi!

[ He flutters down to try to land on him. ]

[plenilunium]

[If Jyushi wasn't absolutely losing it and paid any attention then he'd realize he could recognize that voice.

But all he's understanding is that there's an owl trying to land on him. Don't they kill to eat? What if it's attacking?

Covering his hair, because clearly that's the most important, he cries:] I'm sorry, Owl-san! I don't know what I did but I'm sorry!

[If only he would stop screaming.]

[glossophobia]

[ Oh no, he's making him upset! That's the last thing Rosho wants to do right now. His fear quickly dissipates and shifts to concern as he lets himself land on the ground with a little bit of a stumble and a fwump onto his chest. Being a bird still takes some getting used to. Once he's on his (bird) feet Rosho closes his wings so he doesn't look so imposing and looks up at Jyushi from the floor. ]

You didn't do anything wrong, I'm sorry for startling you. It's me, Rosho, please calm down!

[plenilunium]

[Lucky for Jyushi, as soon as he hears his name then he's no longer screaming.]

R-Rosho-san? You're an owl? [He's getting on his knees so he can be on his level.] Was it against your will? An owl is so fitting for you, though!

wildcard or how do you handle 40 teenagers, he's done after one

[roppou]

[The message was short and too the point.

Are you free to talk?

Quickly clarified that this had to do with Jyushi. He'd prefer to discuss it in person but left the rest of the schedule and details to Rosho.

Which brings them to the here and now. A cafe near, the main branch of the library, with an appropriately erudite polish to it. Not too large, nor too small which makes it an easy task to find a quiet corner to disappear into. He has no complaints about the quality of the pour over either, even if it's a bit late in the afternoon for coffee.

Not that any of that matters in the face of the matter at hand.]

I appreciate this on such short notice. I hope you weren't inconvenienced. [Courteous--more so than Rosho has likely ever seen. Businesslike. Nothing in his demeanor that gives him away except that it's perhaps a bit too formal.]

welcome hitoya to parenting: 101

[glossophobia]

[ Of all the people Rosho could expect to be contacting him, this name certainly wasn't anywhere near the top of the list. His feelings about Hitoya are a bit more in the gray area but as far as he's concerned, ignoring rough beginnings, he doesn't seem like a bad person. Jyushi thinks highly of him and so its difficult to hold a grudge in regards to past... messy experiences. Though that doesn't exactly explain why he's talking to him in the first place. And he's so formal too. It almost would make Rosho a little stiff in nervousness if he hadn't ordered himself a slice of apple cinnamon pie to go with his coffee.

He's pretty eager to try it but has to pause when Hitoya finally addresses him after they've sat down. Oh right, they came here for a reason, not just so he could eat sweets... ]

Not at all. My schedule's gotten a little lighter with recent changes at the school. Course hours have changed with whats going on with the refugees around the city.

[ What does Hitoya even do around here, he wonders, like for work...... wait that's off topic. He still has no idea why he's here. Should he ask? Should he not ask?

Lawyers are kind of scary.

You know what he's just going to take off a piece of this slice of pie and let Hitoya get to that part first. ]

[roppou]

[Likewise, Jyushi holds Roshi in such esteem that Hitoya couldn't think of anyone better to consult with now. The job description certainly fit. He thinks back on those conversations about Rosho's students, both here and in Osaka. The way his eyes softened, voice pitched up with emotion, belying his genuine care for their wellbeing. They may not always see eye to eye but Hitoya thinks he can understand that, in some small way through the work he's done.

But it's more than that. After almost five years, Jyushi means just a bit more than that. Doesn't he?

Whether Rosho realizes it or not, he offers Hitoya an easy way out. It isn't like the lawyer to arrive anything less than ruthlessly overprepared but here he is. Hands empty. Without a plan. More or less the inert state he's found himself in since things were left on such a sour note a couple days ago.]

Hmmm. [He sips at his coffee without really tasting it, thinking of the situation Rosho describes and how it's put further strain on the housing situation in the city as well. Then chooses not to take the bait.]

Jyushi and I had a fight.

[This is supposed to get easier once he starts right? But nope. Each word compounds to feel more awkward than the last.]

I mean I've had to scold him here and there when he gets too, yanno... [Gestures--you know the one.] It's never been a problem. I always knew how to handle him.

[But this time it's different.]

[glossophobia]

[ Rosho actually pauses before he can take another bite. He didn't exactly expect for Hitoya to be so straight-forward about why he brought him here, but also, he's sort of admittedly surprised that he and Jyushi got into a fight. ]

You're sure it was a fight? He thinks so highly of you, I wouldn't assume that he'd get into any arguments with you about much of anything.

[ Jyushi seems to take hero worship to another level in regards to how he speaks about Hitoya. ]

But all sorts of people can have their differences... and, well, Jyushi's definitely very different. My guess is that you're looking for advice on how to smooth things over, yeah?

[ Hopefully he has some advice to give, depending on what the problem is, but now he's starting to realize that he thinks he knows why Rosho came to him. After all, he knows how to deal with kids, and while Jyushi isn't exactly a child he's still much younger than Hitoya. ]

[roppou]

[Everything that Rosho says is something that he's already considered. Jyushi can make nuisance of himself just by opening his mouth. Under any other circumstances, Hitoya would certainly welcome the respite from his typical penchant for pontification. But... that's always been his own ire and his own clemency granted freely.]

Somewhere between him declaring I was "not his dad" and disappearing for two days, it became pretty clear.

[He really wouldn't be here if he weren't certain beyond reasonable doubt.]

I just figured if anyone's an expert on emotional teenagers it'd be you. Besides, he trusts you. [Sure, Rosho knows kids. But he also knows Jyushi. And he's got to assume they can find some common ground in wanting the best for him.]