May catch-all

[bakudan_bambino]

🧙 WHO: Gokudera and absolutely anyone
⚔️️ WHAT: Mid-May catch all (training and other stuff that comes up)
🕒 WHEN: Mid... May? Before the event
🗺️ WHERE: Multiple places
⚠️ WARNINGS: violence, mentions of past sexual slavery, language



A. Training Grounds

Larry is sitting out in the middle of the training field, blowing bubbles to contain lit sticks of dynamite Gokudera is throwing into the air. Gokudera has discovered he has elemental magic and is working on what he can with wind, trying to push the bubble back towards his familiar, or up safely away from them both. He’s not successfully done either, and has just been creating useless gusts. The dynamite explodes in the bubble, the bubble pops, and knocks him down. This is getting very very tiresome, and his gusts don’t seem to be getting any stronger or going where he thinks he’s aiming them.

“Fuck... why isn’t it working?” He glares and pushes himself back up.


B. The Red Spring

No new arrivals from Namimori, it seems. Gokudera had spent the day watching new arrivals climb the cliff, wondering if he’d see someone from home. The journey back had been familiar and helped somewhat to clear his mind. But he’s been looking forward to bathing in the Red Spring. He feels partially new to Avalon after his reawakening, gone for years, and his body aged and scarred, when he’d apparently never left Camelot. Anyone who recognizes Gokudera from last month or any time prior will see the difference. Those who responded to his network post will already understand. But for those who have never met him, he’s acting very much like a new arrival.

The teenager lowers into the spring, the trunks he’s wearing keep him decent, but there is nothing to hide the vivid burn scars and long tally-marks down his back. There’s a black leather half-choke collar about his neck, and occasionally, there is a glow from beneath it, against the skin of his neck that looks like it’s burned many times over. Despite the fact that there is electricity attached to his neck, he fully submerges for a moment, then surfaces and decides he’ll play with the more illusory side of his light magic.

If you are unlucky enough to be anywhere near him, he’ll walk right up and offer you his entire left arm. It’s not real. It’s a smoke bomb, a prank, but hey, as far as your character should be able to tell, he just took off his arm and is handing it to you.

“Hey can you watch this for me? Thanks.” And then he’ll be getting out of the water so his familiar can be amused.


C. Wildcard! Seriously. Do whatever.

Comments

no worries!

[bakudan_bambino]

"So you gave them plenty of warning, then? If you all figured that there would be other figures, then that means you would just have to do your best to prepare..." Gokudera doesn't think he can inform his friends about what happened to him when it holds no relevance on what they face in this world.

[whatsamada]

"Pretty much but we all knew what would happen when we decided to become Persona users." He said with a mumble or two. As much as he wanted to believe that the Dark Hour would be gone after fighting against Erebus, that wasn't the case.

Regardless, he looked at the older teen with a small smile. "But I'm sure you'll do okay with explaining it to them. I believe in you."

[bakudan_bambino]

"Mnn so just part of the job." Gokudera smiles, liking to hear how Ken has helped his friends, and then his response brings an awkward flush to Gokudera's face. He's not sure he believes in himself. But, there's no rush.

"I will at some point." For now he'll just try to gather his thoughts and the best way to approach all this.

[whatsamada]

"If you need help explaining things to them, I wouldn't mind helping out." Now that he got a closer look at Gokudera, he could tell that there was some apprehension on his end. While Ken doesn't blame him, he did wish he would tell them sooner.

"I'm kind of use to explaining things by now so helping a friend out doesn't bother me." Although, Ken had to admit, maybe he was being a little too forward to suggest that they were friends.

Because Ken sure hoped they were.

[bakudan_bambino]

"It's..." Gokudera gives a soft groan and shakes his head.

"No I would want your help, but there is so much I'm not comfortable telling them, and I won't even tell you because you're too young. It's not something you should worry about. It's inappropriate." Aside from romance, Gokudera knows better than to mention anything regarding sex.

He wouldn't even be comfortable telling an adult about what he's gone through, let alone his boss who is younger than him.

"It means a lot that you're offering, Ken." It's not too forward. It's kind.

"You're a good friend."

[whatsamada]

Ken didn't know how to respond as he just stared at Gokudera with a raised eyebrow. What kind of inappropriate things did he go through? He wasn't sure but it would be rude to ask.

"Uh...okay then? If it really is that bad then maybe you could talk to someone whom you really trust?" As difficult as it was to know that his offer was being let down, hopefully there was someone else who could help them.

Although, his thoughts were cut short as lowered his head a little. "...You really think so?" Because while they were almost the same age, it was strange to be truly befriending him.

[bakudan_bambino]

"Trust me. You don't want to know." He says and pulls out a cigarette, lighting up and taking a long drag.

"Yeah, or I need a therapist." Gokudera says and looks up at the sky, his expression peaceful before he hears Ken's question.

"Yes. I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it, Ken." He reaches a hand over and pats the boy's shoulder. They may be close to the same age, but Gokudera has been through so much time-travel his body may still be around sixteen... the rest of him is closer to eighteen.

[whatsamada]

At the same time, Ken was trying to figure out how to help him out. It was times like these he wished that he wasn't so young. Maybe then, he would be able to listen to Gokudera and solve his current dilemma.

"Maybe there's an adult you can talk to?" Otherwise, there wasn't much he could do.

Although, once he felt a pat on his shoulder, there was a slight jump from the younger of the two. He wasn't expecting that nor did he expect Gokudera to be so familiar with him!

"If you say so..." He mumbled to himself as if he wasn't sure if he should believe those words.

[bakudan_bambino]

He gives a sigh, a shrug, and doesn't really know how to answer that. He's made some mention of the past worlds he was on to Hijikata and to Nobunaga. They helped, sure, but more than anything, Gokudera knows that the root cause of his problems is in his fear taking over what he should do.

"There are a few I have."

Gokudera chuckles at the jump Ken gives. "What was that? You've been very supportive of me, so why be so jumpy?"

[whatsamada]

Ken didn't know how to respond back at first. There were a lot of different ideas of what he could say but he eventually gave a small sigh. It was better to be honest and say what was on his mind, right?

"It's not that I'm jumpy, it's more..." He said before trailing off a little. "That I never really had friends closer to my age before? So it's strange to hear you think of me as a friend."

[bakudan_bambino]

Gokudera looks on at Ken, considering him, weighing what he can and can't share with him. Maybe if he explains the way Amoi limited him... but first.

"Ken, how old are you? I may have asked you that before, but I'm older now. I've time traveled as well as gone to two different worlds." Not too terribly old, or visibly, anyways. Gokudera is closer to eighteen at least, even if time doesn't move in Avalon. He keeps track of it the same.

[whatsamada]

"I'm about to be fourteen soon." He said with a small sigh. As much as he knew he wanted to live his life as a kid, it was a struggle when this world was making it difficult for him. "What about you? Just how old are you?"

Even with Gokudera traveling to various different worlds, he still wasn't too sure just old he might be.

[bakudan_bambino]

"Seventeen? I think... I'm not sure. I was fifteen when I met my boss, and then we had what felt like a year of peace where the family was being established... and then, traveling ten years into the future, and the two worlds I was in before this one. I'm sure I'm somewhere around seventeen years old, now."

Plus with the first world being so focused on something he's sure he wasn't too ready for (not even having given away his first kiss and then being on a sex-crazy planet), it's been like his maturity has been thrust on him forcefully. He needs more opportunity to live with and embrace some of his more childlike innocence.

[whatsamada]

Meanwhile, here Ken was listening to him and wondering what to say back. He was closer in age with him compared to his teammates and yet, it was a little difficult to figure out how to make Gokudera feel better. With a small hum, he looked to the side before giving a small frown.

"I can see why you would have trouble trying to explain it to others. I'm just listening to this and I'm kind of struggling to figure out what to do." As he crossed his arms, he wondered what his leaders would do. "I guess the better way to say this is do you feel seventeen?"

That is what they would say, right?

[bakudan_bambino]

Gokudera isn't sure how to feel better, but he's not expecting Ken to do so. It's just that he realizes he needs time to figure it out, that he needs to be careful in how he tells his friends what's happened to him without being too graphic, or making them uncomfortable.

"That's understandable." He says with a soft hum and nod.

"Yes. Or older than that. I've been through a lot more than most adults. I wish I could be a kid again." Maybe not be as stupid as he was when he was a child, but he knows he'll never get those years back, or to change what happened to his parents and his sister.

"But I suppose if I do thinks most people my age would do, it will make things better."

[whatsamada]

All Ken could do was sink his head lower into his shoulders. While there was nothing wrong with admitting that he should act like someone his age, it was another that he just couldn't bring himself to stick with it for long. Everyone around him was so much more mature and cooler than him, it would only be natural he could want to be the same.

That's why Ken couldn't help but relate to Gokudera's issues.

"I guess maybe hanging out with people your age would help? Or maybe play some video games or get a job would help?" He said before scratching the side of his face. "To be honest, I'm not even sure what seventeen year olds are suppose to do. I'm having trouble knowing what fourteen year olds do!"

[bakudan_bambino]

"I actually have a job. Well... two."

Gokudera looks over at the other boy and gives him a grin. "Go to school! Honestly, I should as well. I need to get into the habit of walking my boss to school anyways, and if it helps my magic, then maybe we can all go home sooner or something."

[whatsamada]

In response, Ken just raised an eyebrow at him.

"Wait, you didn't finish school? Then I don't see why you shouldn't because it'll help you out!" Although, there was a hint of shock behind his voice. He just hoped that his leader didn't find out that someone this young didn't finish their education.

[bakudan_bambino]

"No. I'm an older teenager, but still a teenager. It wasn't even my last year when I left." He still has one more year/story arc to go at least.

"Well... I can go to elemental magic classes with my boss, but as far as light magic goes, I think it might be a waste of time for me to take lessons on that." WRONG, GOKUDERA. WRONG.

[whatsamada]

"Why do you say that? I think it would be interesting to give it a try." But on that note, there was a small pause on his end before he gave a mumble or two.

For a moment, he wondered if he should say anything but he might as well say it, right? "Although, just don't let my leader know. I don't think she would be happy to know that there are teenagers who didn't go to school."

[bakudan_bambino]

"Because it would be redundant. Everyone learns differently, and I've done extensive reading on light magic. I'm fairly confident I don't need to go to classes for it, and I don't know anyone there, so why bother?" He could have a lot of fun, though.

"I don't even know who your leader is and it's not her business whether I go to school or not."

[whatsamada]

"Probably not but it's just something she wouldn't be happy about." He said before trailing off a little. While he thinks that they would get along, he just hoped she would never find out.

"Let's just say she's takes education very seriously."

[bakudan_bambino]

"What's her name?" So that he can actively avoid her. Gokudera isn't interested in a leader-type looking down on him. He's already enough of a delinquent.

"Does she work for the school or something?"

[whatsamada]

"No but let's just say that she can be a little intense." Especially if what Akihiko had said was true about her executions. That was why he looked downward before giving a small frown.

"But her name is Mitsuru. She's not a bad person but just don't get her mad." Pause. "You will regret it."

[bakudan_bambino]

"Mitsuru..." He tries it out, and no, doesn't sound or feel familiar.

"I think I might like to meet her. I make a lot of people mad though. Is she an Elite or a mong- ah" He shakes his head. "Is she uh... violent?" Not like he isn't used to that.