isleofavalon | I'm a lover, not a fighter

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I'm a lover, not a fighter

🧙 WHO: Gokudera Hayato, Naomi Kimishima, Midoriya, Ochako, Emet-Selch, Tsuna, and close CR (basically anyone who spoke to Gokudera about this)
⚔️️ WHAT: Gokudera's collar-removal procedure!
🕒 WHEN: Early November!
🗺️ WHERE: Dr. Kimishima's Clinic
⚠️ WARNINGS: Language, blood, mentions of decapitation (I'll update if there's anything else going on)

The Day Before

Anyone looking to reach out to Gokudera before his procedure can contact him through his IC inbox or in here to wish him luck or... offer any possible last words for him if they suspect he may need them.

Gokudera's pretty certain he isn't going to die, doesn't want to, and will openly say as much with a smile in order to make himself and anyone he talks to feel better. He will spend the day before the procedure keeping to himself, trying not to alert anyone of any possible upset. He'll seem ruminative and fairly aloof and avoidant when it comes to feelings unless anyone calls him on his bullshit.

For those looking to simply talk to him about this, now would be their best chance. Gokudera has only really informed his boss of everything, and even his best friends aren't contacted. Sorry, but he's trying to keep the worrying for everyone to a minimum.

Maybe he needs to be distracted before the big day! Be the one to distract or offer a kind word! Or... not!

The Day of...

The only people allowed to be in the room of the procedure are Emet-Selch, Dr. Kimishima, Midoriya, Ochako, and Gokudera (obviously). There are people Gokudera would like to see directly after, to announce the successful removal of his collar, or if things turn out badly, would like them to know about his death. In an effort to keep the clinic free of a crowd of close friends, that lobby may only be occupied by Tsuna (or Midoriya as well if he can't get his nerves straight). The preparation for this is probably going to take longer than the procedure itself. This is the time for high nerves and lots of anxious sweating about everything.

The Procedure

Here's the plan:

- Ochako uses kinetic magic to keep the collar in place
- Gokudera uses the Mini potion to shrink himself
- Gokudera falls/shrinks out of the collar's range
- Ochako then uses her magic to move the collar into a lock-box (gotta keep other necks, fingers, wrists or whatever safe from the collar)

There's a lot that COULD go wrong but to anyone who knows Gokudera or what he's been through... this is going to go smooth because it's about time something went well for him.

The Freedom! AKA: Gokudera Independence Day (I'll see myself out)

Gokudera is roughly four inches tall and will stay that way for a few hours. He's FREE! Finally! Consider you get a text message saying the procedure was a success! He'll be celebrating later but hasn't actually planned anything out.

If you didn't get a text from him, you could have gotten a text from anyone involved. Maybe you even got sent a picture of a tiny!Gokudera with no collar around his neck. Blow his phone up with congratulation texts! Show up at the clinic (Naomi may not like that), but hey it's good news! React however you want! Just have fun!

Celebration???

Are we throwing a party? Is there something I forgot? Have a blast and I don't care how your character found out. We have fun here.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

There is but one lone chair in the center of the room Naomi has booked for the day. Around it is sparse - empty that only perhaps a few tools linger on the counter and a rolling tray is tucked beside it, a lone box waiting unopen. She wants to treat it as any procedure that might necessitate, and that means everyone aside from Gokudera is to be in scrubs and cleaned up. He gets a gown which does keep the area around the collar clear.

"Now then, those steps once again..."

It's always best to reiterate each detail of the procedure so everyone's on the same page and things move accordingly.

"Uraraka will use her magic to secure the collar. Once that's cleared, Gokudera is to be administered the potion. That should be all; however, if there's a reaction, best case scenario is Gokudera is knocked out for a few minutes and I will treat his injuries. If there's any potion remaining, we can try again. Worst case... either Eve and I have at best three minutes to attempt a final method and repair the damage, or Emet-Selch takes over."

She isn't sure how much Izuku is aware - or how aware of the whole situation Ochako is - but there it was without having to state the finer alarming details should anything go wrong. One more glance towards each individual present, Naomi comes last to Gokudera.

"Are you ready to begin?"

Gokudera had arrived at the procedure a bit later than usual without any explanation as to why. He's overall unhappy, nervous, and understanding. Those involved know about the collar, and what could happen in the worst-case scenario. He looks on at Naomi as she goes over everything, just to make sure it all goes over smoothly.

He's nodding along gently and looking at the potion in his hands.

"I'm administering the potion myself. It's got to be done with intent, and I won't be getting it anywhere except my own body."

"Ochako, I'll need you to keep the collar perfectly still. It may try to constrict. If it does, don't try to stop it. Communicating will be key." He has no idea how much resistance she'll feel if it does try to constrict, but if he's shrinking while it moves, that will make everything so much more dangerous.

He looks to Naomi and gives a gentle nod, palms sweaty, heartbeat hammering through him. Gokudera is understandably nervous, but--

"Yeah."

--he's never been more ready.

[The Day of]

[Tsuna sits in the lobby in a chair off to the side. It's obvious to anyone that he's nervous. He's tense, anyone can see that. In his lap he clutches a small homemade charm, tightly, almost to the point of his knuckles turning white. It's the charm that Kyoko-chan made him, made them, before the Ring battles. He knows that safety and protection are woven into the charm, not just from him but from his friends, his Family. And he can only hope that those feelings are making it to Gokudera.

Because hope is all he has right now. Otherwise he's nervous, scared even. Because it's Gokudera. His best friend, his first friend, his right hand, his Storm. This is something that goes beyond Tsuna is a lot of ways and he honestly feels powerless. He can't help so he has to trust those that Gokudera has chosen to help.

please be alright, please be alright, please be alright

He's so focused on the mantra mentally that he doesn't realize that he's started vocalizing it, quietly, to himself.]

Please be alright, please be alright, please be alright...

After all is said and done [closed to Gokudera.]

[With everything said and done and Gokudera okay, Tsuna can finally relax. Or maybe relax isn't the right word. He can become less tense. He spends most of the post procedure hovering around Gokudera's bed, wanting to be helpful but not entirely sure what the best thing for him to do is.

Finally, once things have quieted down and it's just them, Tsuna slumps into a chair by the bed.]

Do you need anything, Gokudera-kun?

[Like wearing a hospital gown while undergoing a procedure that was literally just him shrinking, being in a bed after the fact feels more like a formality. His vitals don't need to be monitored, and the collar is off. He has the smallest concern about having some kind of implant in his neck that could self-destruct, but he's only ever felt pain because of what the collar did. With it currently locked up and no longer around his neck, he feels fine. Relief. He hasn't felt this much relief in a very long time.

And he's tiny, which isn't exactly a new experience for him. He's no chibi, like back home when the ten-year bazooka malfunctioned and made him small. He's got his regular proportions, but being on a pillow feels like being on the world's largest bed. He gets right up and walks over to the edge of the bed, peering over it.

That's a long way down.]

Heh-!

[He looks up with a smile and sits down, folding his legs up and shaking his head.]

I still have a lot of adrenaline from the procedure!

You look tired, Tenth. You want to lay down next to me?

[There's like... an entire bed. Gokudera will just occupy a space as big as Tsuna's hand, and that's if he spreads his arms and legs out like a little starfish.]

It seems to be like any other day for Harry as he is busy making cups of coffee at Helleste Cafe: the sound of the steam hissing from the kettles and coffee machines, the smell of freshly baked goods, the beautiful fall colors in the leaves inside the cafe while they slowly fall from the tree branches.

Rose is currently taking a nap on top of the deli food display after she exhausted herself in running all over the cafe floors out of excitement, the little Pygmy Puff looks like a pink fluffy cushion with her curled into a ball position. The young man is also looking through the customer orders to see if he hasn’t forgotten any as he goes about with his barista duties.

[Hijikata didn't know when exactly Gokudera would get his collar removed, only that it'd be in early November, and they already agreed to meet up (presumably with Gokudera as a ghost) if he didn't hear from him by mid-November, so he doesn't reach out to him before the procedure. As such the text message comes as a happy surprise.]

Congratulations! Good work from everybody involved!

[He doesn't expect to hear back from him right away - it's probably hard to type while he's so tiny, if it's not someone else doing it for him -, but maybe Gokudera will text or call him once he's back to his usual size, and sooner or later Hijikata will definitely want to have a drink with him or something. Finally something went well for this unlucky boy!]

[The fact that Gokudera can have so much energy after such a procedure brings a lot of relief to Tsuna, along with the fact that there don't seem to be any adverse effects.

But he is tired, exhausted even. He spent most of the day tense and worried.]

If that's okay...you're the one who's supposed to be recovering.

[Izuku is up early and at them the day of the event. He is there when people start gathering and there when the time rolls around. Sweating through his shirt the entire time. It is nerve-wrecking to know that today is the day that they could save a life and that it's going to be an extremely dangerous save.

When he spots Tsuna he's quick to come over with a concerned smile.]

Sawada-kun...! Are you doing okay?

[It's not surprising to see the boy looking extremely worried. Izuku is too. But they have to hang in there! Do there best! Good luck! Plus Ultra! And every other saying in the book.]

Recovering?! I'm fine! I'm just small, Tenth! Now that the collar isn't on, I feel like a brand new person! I'm even more capable of being the best right-hand man now than ever before!

[Gokudera reaches out, wanting to take his boss's hand, or a finger and invite him onto the bed. The tiny bomber is all smiles. Suffering that collar regularly hurting him was exhausting, but now... No more pain or sudden uninvited sensations. No more burning or struggling to breathe. He's so excited to be free now that he can't bother sleeping!

But if Tsuna were to sleep and Gokudera were to snuggle up close to him, he probably couldn't stay awake.]

He hangs back a little from the others, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. He is confident enough in his potion working so his presence here is largely to observe whether the rest of the plan goes well - and perhaps to mitigate should it go otherwise. He isn't sure if he's the only Death mage present.

It's surprising to see that he recognises most of those present save for the doctor. Izuku and the brown-haired girl whom he crossed paths with earlier are here to assist. He isn't one for small talk, but...if they approach, he is hardly going to rebuff them.

Gokudera, at least, gets a brief nod of acknowledgement. "Nervous?"

i. The Day Of

[It's now or never. Ochako had attempted to go to bed early the night prior, anticipating she'd be restless and get little sleep, and...well, she was right on the nose. A lot of tension, anxiety, and restlessness kept her awake for a major part of the evening, pervasive thoughts and fears slinking around in her head to keep her from getting the rest she needs. Thankfully, the night took pity on her and she was able to get a few hours, truly waking herself up with some strong, black tea and a cool shower before she heads out.

There's a lot of people she doesn't know here, so mostly she keeps to herself to sticks by Izuku's side for the comfort he provides. A lot of this is riding on mixed participation by multiple parties, so if even one person falters, it could spell a fatal failure on their part. And when the stakes are so high, that kind of failure isn't an option. A Hero who saves... That's been her goal from the start - become a good Rescue Hero, and help those in need, who can't help themselves. It's time to put that resolve into practice.

But man...the fear and nervousness is etched right into her face.]

ii. The Procedure

[It's all come down to this. After shaking off the nerves involved, and really steeling her resolve (and maybe using a few meditative breathing exercises she learned from Gunhead's agency), Ochako is ready to start when bid to. It's not a difficult thing she has to do, really, but it requires a steady hand, and hers right now are shaking. Her stomach feels like it's trying to churn butter and Ochako knows she can't let her nausea get the better of her this time around. It'll be okay...it'll be okay... This is what Heroes do, they can't back down. They can't give up. They go beyond limitations--]

...Plus Ultra.

[It's a breathy whisper to herself, a flexing of her fingers before she's concentrating on the task at hand, fingertips glowing pink as she focuses all her magic on keeping the collar around Gokudera's neck stationary long enough for him to shrink out of it. From there it's a game of hot potato to toss it into a lock-box where no one else can get caged into it.

Right. It's time to begin.]

Edited 2021-11-06 18:15 (UTC)

Gokudera regularly swings by the cafe. It's usually where he'll meet new people, and provides a sense of normalcy and routine. The boy makes his way to the side of the counter while he waits for a cappuccino order he put in.

While he waits, he leans by the deli case, trying to stay out of the way of other patrons placing orders, or anyone in a hurry to pick up their food.

[The phone is propped up, and Gokudera is able to use his light magic to create steps towards it as it is leaned on a side table. He's having to smack on the device to click buttons, walking around it. It's an interesting exercise to respond through text.]

Thank u 4 ur support

[There is an icon that indicates he's typing for a long while, but Gokudera is not going to just let messages like this go without response.]

The collar is locked up My head is still on

While he is going through and getting the orders to their respective customers as he usually does, he notices that Gokudera is leaning by the deli case and he seems to be waiting for something while avoiding the other patrons.

Noticing that he has the white-haired teen’s order for a cappuccino in his hands next, he goes right away in making the cappuccino, hardly making a sound, and immediately brings the drink to Gokudera at the deli case.

“Here you go, here’s the cappuccino you’ve ordered,” he informs him while handing him the takeout cup of cappuccino.

Gokudera would have assumed that Naomi and Emet-Selch had a conversation about what they might do as Death mages should that magic be necessary. He's not been thinking about his death so much, trying to stay positive as he'd been encouraged for his own benefit.

"Oh... yeah. Can't help it. But at least I know what it's like," to be dead, he means.

"Thanks."

Gokudera accepts the drink and takes a small sip of it before releasing a relaxed sigh. Smoke flows out of his mouth and then he's turning his head away, gently coughing, excusing himself, then going to sit down at a small, unoccupied table.

Well, that’s another customer order fulfilled, though Harry notices that Gokudera is unusually quiet today, but he’s not sure of what’s on his mind right now: he is no cognitive mage, so he couldn’t read his mind at all.

Besides, Harry does have plenty of cafe patrons to deal with and nobody likes a cafe barista who just stands there doing nothing, so he quietly returns to work, though the thought of Gokudera quietly sitting alone didn’t leave him alone while he is busy making brown sugar lattes for some of the customers.

Rose soon wakes up from her nap when she notices Gokudera sitting alone at the table. She gets so worried that she begins to squeak to her master, squeaking (rather loudly, though not in Mandrake levels of loudness) to him that he should try to help the guy out. But he is not in the mood to talk to the cafe patrons right now, he has orders to fulfill.

Gokudera is mid-sip when he hears Rose start frantically squeaking. At first, he ignores it, but when no one tries to quiet the creature, he’s up, standing behind Rose (nearly looming), and asking another barista to get him a pastry from the case.

He looks down at Rose, scoots the party aside on its plate, and gestures a palm, leaving it open.

“Want to share some?”

Oh yes, a yummy treat! Rose loves to eat sweets, pasteries included, that she is more than happy to munch the pastry to her heart’s content. Her now happy squeaks do eventually gain Harry’s attention, causing him to drop whatever he was doing and see Rose now no longer bothering anybody with her loud squeaking.

And that’s when he soon sees that Gokudera had managed to get her to be quiet with the pastry offering. He really does feel sorry that he didn’t immediately try to keep her from squeaking so loud in public.

“Apologies in advance if Rose is a little loud at times, she can get a little frantic sometimes,” Harry apologizes to him.

Gokudera carefully carries Rose and the pastry to the table where his cappuccino is resting.

He gives Harry a curious look, then frowns before clicking his tongue and taking his seat.

The look he’d been wearing fades to gentle affection as Rose seems to enjoy the treat. He sighs and wonders what will happen to his leopard at home should the procedure be unsuccessful.

“I like the company,” he says softly, then to Rose, “Thank you.”

Rose happily squeaks before she digs into the pastry, happily munching on it to her heart’s content. Harry meanwhile just simply watches from afar, not even trying to say a word. At least he’s enjoying some company with Rose, that’s for sure.

He couldn’t help but to smile for his little Pygmy Puff making a friend and having a snack right now. That should keep her very busy until he hands over his shift to the next barista.

Oh well, it’s back to work he goes as he returns to getting food and drink orders to the other cafe patrons once again. He can’t keep the other customers to grow impatient with him not getting their orders done for too long.

[Tsuna looks up suddenly, drawn out of his mantra with a jolt at Izuku's addressing him. He smiles weakly.]

Oh, Midoriya-kun...yeah, I'm...managing.

[It's the best word he's got, since it's pretty obvious that he's not completely okay.]

Just worried...

[It's weird, looking down at Gokudera like this. But he can't help but smile at Gokudera's enthusiasm. Maybe all of Tsuna's energy made it to him.]

You really feel that much better? That's great!

I'm really glad.

But if you're really okay with me taking the bed...I just might.

It's nice because it seems Rose doesn't talk, and is fairly calm, peaceful company. Gokudera just feels a bit better paying attention to her when he felt the creature was being ignored. He has no idea why she was squeaking so much, but it feels good to help.

"Is this what you were so upset about?" The silver-haired teen asks Rose gently.

I do. I was worried... every day about how this would go. The fact that it went better than expected...

[Gokudera gives an honest smile and nod before moving out of the way. His magic still works, and he creates a short sort of light bridge to get on the side table, motioning for his boss to take the bed.]

It's a lot of relief.

Go ahead. Just don't be alarmed if you wake up and I'm sleeping there with you, okay? I could be shrunk for a few more hours still.

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I'm a lover, not a fighter

The Day of...

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after all is said and done

The Day Before

The Freedom!

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The day of... (open to anyone present)

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