Winter is here, weather you like it or not

[whatsamada]

🧙 WHO: Ken Amada and you!
⚔️️ WHAT: February catch all
🕒 WHEN: All of February
🗺️ WHERE: Here there and everywhere
⚠️ WARNINGS: None at the moment, I'll add more should they come up!

A. The Libryrinth (Closed to Harry)

[All things considered, Ken wasn't sure how well this quest will turn out for the both of them. However, after how well the last quest turned out, this one shouldn't be too difficult. It wasn't all that different from the last one they did. The only thing they needed to do was to look around for some symbols and report back, right?

With a sigh, Ken was hiding under a table in a library. As he looked at Harry and his familiar, Jack Frost, he wondered how much longer he had hide in the shadows.]

You doing okay, Harry-san? You don't see the librarian nearby, do you?

B. A Tall Order

[How did Ken end up in this mess? He didn't know but that didn't stop him from looking at the 3 foot elf before crossing his arms. This quest was simple enough but at the same time? It seemed a little too simple as he wondered if there was something he didn't quite understand.

As he looked back at the chair, he mumbled to himself.]

You know, you guys are making a big deal out of nothing. Why do you feel the need to prove yourself to the South Beach Elves?

[He said before said 3 foot elves started bickering at him.]

C. Hugs all around!

[Was it just Ken's imagination or did everyone seem to be a much happier mood lately? He wasn't sure but Ken was no different. As he was out and around with his dog, Koromaru, he decided to do a couple of things to keep this positive mood up. Ever since he got shot with a Cupid's arrow, he was feeling absolutely optimistic and feeling the need to make everyone around him just as equally happy.

Should you see him around, he might either try to tempt you with free food that he made (spoilers: It's fried rice that is just decent at best), going out for a run (and he might bump into you!), or see him randomly talking to Koromaru about why dogs are better than cats.

Pick your poison.]

D. Network

UN: Koromaru

Quick question, how do you handle being homesick? I've been here for almost 2 months and I am starting to miss a couple of my friends.

What do you do when that happens?

E. Wildcard

[Surprise me! If you want to do something, feel free to ping me at rosemotifs

Comments

[whatsamada]

[Ken didn't know Minato but he seemed like someone who was trustworthy enough. Or at least, someone who always had a calm demeanor. That was why for a moment, Ken gave a small pout as he wondered just how much he could tell him. Crossing his arms, he wondered just where he should start with this.]

I'm assuming you're the leader of SEES back in your world right? I only know because I'm guessing you're the same as the leader back in my world. [Although, he wouldn't say exactly the same as she was a lot more energetic than him.]

However, my leader happened to be a girl.

[compendiem]

[ There's a slow blink in response to all of this, the loading wheel in Minato's head going but not making much headway at the implication— not even implication, the direct statement that Ken is from a different world. Not memory loss, not his Ken, but a different one altogether. ]

Your leader... Mitsuru?

[ WHO HONESTLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN LEADER she was their leader in practically everything except on the field, and only because she had to be their navigator at the beginning. Why she didn't take over again when Fuuka joined the team is beyond Minato. ]

[whatsamada]

[Well, he wasn't wrong! At the moment, Mitsuru is their Shadow Operative leader but that wasn't what he was referring to right now!]

No, it was someone else.

[He said with a small sigh. How was he going to explain this to him? It was so strange seeing someone who was suppose to be his leader and yet, he wasn't at the same time?]

And to be honest, I wonder if you're the same as her. But your personalities sure at different.

[compendiem]

[ He tries to imagine himself as a girl, but... well. It's neither easy nor hard- he just sees himself, as he is, but apparently this other leader is completely different. And this opposite personality from his is surprisingly easy to visualize, somebody with a lot of energy who easily gets along with others and is comfortable with her place in the world... ]

Will you tell me about her? If she went through the same journey as I did... and it ended in the same way... I think it'd make her really happy to be talked about and remembered. I would be.

[whatsamada]

[Ken just stared at Minato as he wondered what to say. There was a lot of things he could say about his leader but the last thing he wanted was to make him feel left out. However, if he was comfortable with it?]

She's someone who is very happy all the time. No matter who you are, she will do her best to befriend you. If she was able to befriend Aragaki-san, I'm sure that says something about her. Not only that, she was someone who knew how to be optimistic even when things got tough. She would always say something to make others smile or even try to crack a joke.

[Despite how happy he was talking her, there was a hint of melancholy behind his voice.]

It's funny, even thinking about her now is making me smile. Just a little.

[compendiem]

[ Just hearing about her is making him smile, despite not knowing her at all. He's glad, though, that she was able to make Shinjiro comfortable in the way that he couldn't, that his team had somebody to keep their morale up and to encourage them in the way he never managed to find the words, that they were a team that smiled and laughed together while his team...

Not for the first time, he thinks his team could have been much better if he weren't him. But he is, and he did his best, and in the end, weren't they all calling his name just the same? They both gave it their all, and that's nothing to be upset about. ]

She sounds like a wonderful person... If it's her, if that's how she's remembered... she'll find rest.

[ Not just in knowing that her friends and her city and her world are all safe and sound, but as a person who brings so much life into the world with each person that she touches, Erebus doesn't stand a chance. ]

[whatsamada]

[For a moment, Ken wanted to say if he was being rude. It didn't seem fair that he was talking about his leader and not him. He wondered if it was awkward just hearing about another world where he wasn't in. However, seeing Minato smile was all that he needed to see that he was fine with that.

However, Ken gave a small pout as he momentarily looked to the ground. As he pondered what to say next, he had to remember it was the same for Minato too.]

I hope so and the same goes for you too. I hope that you'll find some rest yourself.

[Was that a little too blunt to someone he just yet?]

[compendiem]

[ That takes him somewhat by surprise, and he wonders why before realizing it's because the sentiment isn't something he's ever had displayed directly to his face. "You did well. Get some rest." Not "You can do better. Try harder next time." ]

I'll be fine. No more school. I'm gonna sleep a lot.

[ He finally finally finally gets to indulge in sleep... physical rest is good enough for him, he can find pleasure in that much. ]

[whatsamada]

Just don't sleep too much where I'm going to worry about you.

[Ken said before giving him a slight frown. If he was going to sleep a lot, it would make him all the more worried he would end up dying again too.]

Please don't tell me I need to set an alarm for you.

[compendiem]

Wha- no. I don't get to sleep in...?

[ He saved the world, Ken! Why can't he sleep in and wake past noon every day? Or better yet, treat each day like Sunday where he does get up at noon, turn on the tv to buy things he doesn't need from Tanaka's home shopping channel, and then go back to bed. ]

[whatsamada]

No it's...

[How can he bring the topic up without sounding morbid? As he gave a small hum, he wondered just what to say back to him.]

It's that I want you to wake up and experience what this world has to offer for you? [Is that the angle he was going with?]

[compendiem]

[ "Wake up," as if he's been asleep this entire time... which he can't well deny, seeing how he lived most of his life as a zombie, just letting life pull him from place to place, reacting instead of acting, comfortable with where he is and what he has and never seeking much more outside of it.

He looks up at the sky, as if it holds all the answers, but all he's greeted with is pale blue, with grey clouds. Really, not all that different from living in the city. ]

...to live life to the fullest instead of being so quick to give up, huh. [ even if there's always that little part of him that wants to give up ]

You're right, though. I dunno how much time I'm going to have here. Once the worlds start moving again, I can't... I can't stay.

[ Not here. Not there, either. He's still got a job to do, one that binds him to duty for all eternity. ]

[whatsamada]

[That's when Ken didn't say anything at first. He did have a duty to be a seal for his world and he didn't know how much longer Minato had here. While the worlds have been frozen, he didn't know ho much longer that would last.

It was a sobering thing to think about but wasn't it more important that Ken spends his time with him?]

I know and that's why I want you to spend all the time here while you can. [He said before giving his hand out to him.]

Do you want me to show you around here and see what this place has to offer? I think it's the least I could do when you just arrived here!

[compendiem]

Mm, yeah. I'd like that. The last town had a hot springs and I almost didn't want to leave. Gonna be hard to top that.

[ He likely would have stayed at the Red Springs forever if the caravans weren't moving on without him... but he could always go back. He goes on a grand tour with Ken and is mostly only interested about the restaurants and where the hotel is that he can find himself a proper bed and zzzz for the next 14 hours straight. ]