Another time, another town

[doctor_dragoon]

Who: Yukio, Rin, and OPEN.
When: Thursday, May 30th
Where: Starting near the clinic and eventually ending up at the Villa.
Style: Starting in Action, but feel free to switch things up and I'll follow!
Status: Initial discovery is closed to Rin and Yukio, but interactions after that are open to all~


[Yukio scowled up at the sky for a moment, sighing heavily as he made another futile attempt to clean his glasses. It was a fruitless effort with the rest of his clothing completely soaked through, and it it didn't look like he would be finding suitable replacements any time in the near future. Not until he could figure out where he was and just what the heck was going on.

The residents of this strange place had been almost entirely unhelpful. Not just unhelpful, but almost infuriating with their incessant, empty chattering. A city under the sea? What sort of nonsense was that? The constant smell of salt water emanating from his clothing supported the theory to some extent... except for the part where it was still impossible.

The exorcist stepped to the edge of the path, leaving room for regular foot traffic as he carefully examined the odd (and let's be honest, downright impractical looking) device he'd found upon waking. His own mobile phone was soaking wet and unusable, but the locals had at least managed to inform him of his alternate option. Perhaps he could contact someone a little more cooperative.

Or maybe he should just head for the nearest door with a lock and try every key on his person until he found a destination that made sense.]

Comments

[keepsthefire]

[Things hadn't been going well at all for a certain half-demon as of late. It had been a myriad of 'one thing after another after another' and he was sick of it, as were many people who dealt with Vatheon's special brand of crap sandwiches, but like the rest there was absolutely fuck all he could do about it.

But that just served to make him more cranky in the recent weeks. It had finally all come to a head when Maka and Kid, on the same day no less up and vanished like so many before them. Rin had thought that was the end of it, and while the first day he had become a puddle of depressed teenager on the couch at the Villa, the two days following had him attempting to pull himself back up again and move on. Minus the serious lack of sleep he was getting from suddenly having half his bed vacant, he had been doing alright...

Until they returned, both of them having gone through something awful back home and worse the wear for it. They were in the clinic now, recovering and doing moderately well all things considered, but Rin was still running on very little sleep, what reserves of energy he had left, and a noticeably shorter fuse than normal.

Yukio's arrival put him right in the path of his (somehow older looking?) twin, as Rin had returned to the Villa for a change of clothes for himself, Kid and Maka as well as some food that wasn't the crap they tried to pass off as meals at the clinic, and was on his way back right at that moment.

Only in his current state - head down, hood of sweatshirt over head, tail out, sword on his shoulder along with a backpack - he wasn't exactly paying attention and instead plowed right in to Yukio's arm hard enough to make him drop the covered bento boxes he was holding.

The whole set clattered to the ground, one on the bottom shattering and spilling it's contents all over the pathway. He wheeled around, fully intent on tearing in to whoever the hell had the audacity to get in his way.]

OI! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOIN', ASSHO--ooh.... 'kio...

[Well.

Shit.]

[doctor_dragoon]

[Between his last conversation with Shura and his sudden displacement into a strange new city (the latter was far more prevalent, honestly, but the former certainly did nothing to temper his mood), Yukio's tolerance for unexpected surprises was running very, very low. He stumbled forward a step or two, unconsciously gritting his teeth for a few seconds before forcing his expression to even out. One rude person who wasn't looking where they were going was not reason enough to lose his temper.

If anything, that rude response made Yukio a bit hopeful. It wasn't like the empty words the locals he'd met so far spouted.]

Excuse me-

[He cut off quickly after turning around, peering through water-spotted classes at the hooded boy before him for a moment before some of that scowl reappeared. Hood or no hood, that sword and tail were a dead giveaway.]

Nii-san?

[keepsthefire]

... yeah.

[Rin tugged his hood down, revealing the usual mess of blue-black and a fairly tired, if not moderately surprised expression. This was a week of returns he wasn't expecting at all, and Yukio was at the very top of the 'never gonna come back' list for Rin.

He very nearly said the words 'you're back', but he knew better than to hope for the good luck he had with Maka and Kid. Chances were high Yukio wasn't going to remember anything, and he didn't want to start off the already awkward conversation with something even more confusing than his presence in the bubble was to begin with.

Which left him stumbling for a few words until he finally grabbed on to something useful.]

... you're soaked.

[Useful, but painfully obvious.]

[doctor_dragoon]

Obviously. I don't suppose you have any what's going on? If this is a prank, it isn't funny.

[Not that Yukio even knew who could be responsible for something like this. Certainly not Rin. Maybe Mephisto?]

I don't have time for this.

[He looked his brother up and down, hesitating when he realized that he didn't have to look as far down as he was used to. Was Rin... taller? Something was off. The change was small, but even a small change was plenty when dealing with two people who had literally known each other for their entire lives.]

[keepsthefire]

Yeaaaah... 'bout that...

[There was something different, but like the 'you're back' Rin had forced himself not to say, there wasn't an easy way to tell your twin that you were some how inexplicably two years older than he was.

There was an awkward cough from Rin, and he finally set his things down, nudging what he could of the broken bento mess out of the way with his foot, muttering something that... may have been 'wait here a sec' before he suddenly ran off without letting Yukio protest, let alone answer.

He wasn't gone long, though, returning with a stack of fluffy blue towels in one arm, and something paper in the other.]

Here. Take these, and read this.

In the Villa | OPEN

[doctor_dragoon]

[With Rin on his way back to the clinic to check on his girlfriend (something he was still processing), Yukio was left to explore the villa on his own. It felt strange to be left alone to poke around in a house he'd never been in before. It was even more strange to know that he had a room already... though it was especially odd knowing that it had once belonged to a different version of himself. On the plus side, the clothing inside fit him perfectly, so he'd swapped his soaking uniform for a more comfortable sweater and a pair of slacks.

He moved quietly through the common areas of the villa, committing important locations to memory while at the same time continuing the irritatingly slow process of working through the information that the welcome brochure had provided. And that Rin had provided...

The exorcist still wasn't convinced that this wasn't all a dream.]

[circumsutus]

[Really, Stein isn't the person to convince anyone that they're not dreaming. Between the stitches on his clothing and face and the screw in his head, he looks more like an imagined mad scientist than anything actually real.

But real he is, sitting on the sofa, reading a (somewhat water-stained) book.]

[doctor_dragoon]

[Finished with his self-guided tour for now, Yukio wandered back toward the living room. He had been told that there were about a dozen people living in the villa, but things had been oddly quiet since Rin had left to return to the clinic, so the sight of another person was a small shock. The appearance of said person... was something else altogether.

He stopped in the doorway, staring silently at the man on the couch for a moment before he reached up to adjust his glasses. He was definitely dreaming, and if he wasn't? Now he was hallucinating.]

[circumsutus]

[Hallucinating, probably. That's a common theme with people who live in the villa. Or maybe just Soul Eater characters.

Without even looking up from his book, Stein's soul perception sweeps over Yukio, prying and inquisitive.]

You can come in. I don't bite.

[doctor_dragoon]

[You can't just sit around all calm with a screw in your head, man. It's not okay.

Yukio sticks to the doorway for now, still very distracted by the hardware in Stein's skull.]

... My name is Okumura Yukio. Do you live here?

[But there's no reason to be impolite.]

[spacecase]

[Well how about


a doge

When Yukio emerges from his room he might catch sight of a girl emerging from her own room, carrying what looks to be a load of tools. Whether or not he spies her first, her ears perk up in his direction and she turns to face him. Recognition immediately dawns on her face and she grins.]

Oh! The enigmatic younger Okumura twin has returned! Welcome back!

[doctor_dragoon]

[Yukio turns at the sound of his name, eyes immediately drawn to the furry appendages on the girl's head. Not that furry appendages are all that strange considering who he's related to, but they're not exactly common where he comes from.

He does manage to tear his eyes away from those ears after a few seconds, taking a moment to actually look at the girl they're attached to. He'd known there would be people here that knew him. Knew a version of him, anyway. He smiles politely, nodding a respectful greeting.]

Hello. I'm afraid I don't know you...

[spacecase]

That's okay, we did not speak much the last time you were here! I am closer with Rin, anyway, it's the older twin effect you see.

[Whatever that means, she seems upbeat and taking the whole "not remembering" thing in stride anyway.]

I am Jade Harley! It's nice to meet you...again! I should warn you that I have a younger twin myself around here, and he is a bit of a prankster, you be sure to tell me if he causes any trouble for you, I will whack him with a newspaper!

[doctor_dragoon]

It's nice to meet you, Harley-san. [It's definitely not surprising to hear that Jade is closer to Rin. Most people are. Yukio's always been polite, but he's not exactly a social butterfly.]

Thank you. I'm sure I can handle a prank or two. [Especially considering who he's related to.]

[paladaddy]

[If Yukio thinks this is all a dream, then what he's about to see probably won't help with that.]

Oh, you made it back already. And here I thought it was going to take some time.

[doctor_dragoon]

[Rin warned him about this already, but even in this maybe-dream world it still seems crazy. Cruel, even, but he's been as thoroughly prepared for the situation as possible.

It's not even close to enough.

Yukio freezes in place, staring at his father with wide eyes. This one's fresh in, Shiro, but you're in luck. He's unarmed!]

Otousan...

[paladaddy]

[Oh good, he did not enjoy almost being shot and exploded last time.

Something about the way Yukio says that tips Shiro off. He had been warned about the loss of memories, but he hadn't experienced it yet.]

You don't remember your last time here, do you?

[diehardreaper]

[ Ronald can tell from a mile away who it is. He just knows. After all, when you study someone with that matter of intensity, you tend to remember the little things, the tiny details that set them apart from the rest of humanity. From their walk, the way they slouch a bit, even the way one fidgets you tend to commit to memory. He'd spent his time trying to pick apart anything familiar from the influx of newbies that came, hoping against hope that the coral would give him a second chance. He screwed up, he knows but that was a bit unfair, taking the boy without even giving this reaper a chance to make amends.

Maybe the Lamufao does grant prayers.

He's sure it's no dream or curse. But no, he reminds himself. Last time, he came on too strongly. Shiro was right. Yukio was the kind who needed space and time. Tactics that left the ladies of the General Affairs department swooning wouldn't work on him. He won't make the same mistake twice.

Maybe it was kind of like trying to tame a wild animal: approach too fast, they run away. They bite.

Time to take it slow. ]

Mister Okumura?

[ Exhale. ]

M'name's Ronald. Ronald Knox of London's Grim Reaper Dispatch Department. I'm certain I've got some credential to show you about my person if you want it but I'm certain you've a few questions about where you are.

[ Wait, that sounds odd. ]

Y.. you're not dead though, just putting that out there. S'just we were mates when you were here last and you've been here before. Twice, really. Prolly don't remember.

[ Wait, that sounds even odder. Too late now though. You dun goof'd. Time to cross your fingers and hope for the best. ]

[doctor_dragoon]

[Yukio's day had been... interesting so far. A new world under the sea, a twin brother now almost two years older than him, polygamous relationships and a deceased father that was now miraculously alive. To say that it was a lot to take in was one hell of an understatement. By the end of it all, the exorcist had needed nothing more than to get away. To process. Maybe find a way to force himself to wake up.

So Yukio'd ended up back in plaza he'd woken up in, staring up at the bubble that made life in Vatheon possible. He turns at the sound of his name, blinking in confusion as the stranger rather awkwardly introduces himself. Friends with a grim reaper?

So much for time to process.]

Ah... It's good to know I'm not dead, though I'm not entirely convinced that this isn't all a dream.

[He smiles, but it's the sort of smile that habitually polite people wear when they're hiding something. Or when they're trying very hard to keep it together in a world that makes no sense.]

At any rate, it's nice to meet you, Knox-san.

[diehardreaper]

[ "For the third time." he can't help but mentally add to the end of Yukio's sentence. But there's a laugh from that. ]

Ron's enough. S'just a bit too formal and no one really calls me Knox unless they're my boss or I'm in a spot of trouble.

[ But he has to admit, this felt good... this "starting over" bit. Maybe the advice he got from Shiro can be put to good use at the very least. So, no. Tactics from General Affairs is not going to work. Save the flowers for next year.

Maybe his birthday. ]

Anyroad, if you've got questions, I'd be more'n happy to answer them. Wager you've been to the Villa at the very least.

[doctor_dragoon]

I have. [Though it is a little unsettling to know he'll be staying in a room where two previous versions of himself once slept. Speaking of which...]

If we were friends... how long was I here before? Most of the people I've met seem to expect me to remember.

[And part of him does feel a little bad about that. And sort of angry, too. He's only just met these people and he's already disappointing them.]

[pierrotdemonique]

[ So this dog. This dog has been watching you fussing with your keys. He's caught between watching and waiting for that sweet moment when Yukio finally snaps in frustration or putting one up over him and placing the boy out of his misery.

He chooses option B.

So his stubby little terrier legs pad him right over as he scrambles to climb onto a nearby ledge and sit there, half wondering if he's too preoccupied with those keys to notice. Time to speak up. ]

I doubt you'll find one that works the way it should. Infuriating isn't it?

[doctor_dragoon]

[Were Yukio aware of option A, he'd be grateful.

The exorcist starts at the sound of that familiar doggy voice, turning on the spot to focus on the droopy-eyed little terrier.]

Sir Pheles.

[Well, this is a surprise. Not that Yukio should be terribly surprised at Mephisto randomly turning up now and then. It's just what he does.]

... I suppose there's not much point in trying the rest, is there?

[pierrotdemonique]

[ Option A would be being watched by a dog. Would you really prefer that? ]

Not even the Infinity Key seems to have any effect in this place.

[ He's still bitter toward the coral for sealing his awesome powers but this isn't a time to gripe toward a giant chunk of underwater rock. Instead, he approaches and holds out another key. This one's clearly new. ]

You might have better luck using this.

[ Should Yukio try that key, he would find it leads out of one of the closets in the Villa. Guess how someone's been getting to and fro his personal estate to troll his "family"? ]

[doctor_dragoon]

[Nope. Nope nope nope. Yukio reaches out to take the key, looking it over slowly.]

So even you're trapped here...

[Not trying to rub it in, really. Not when he's stuck here too, but he figures that if anyone was going to find a way out, it would be Mephisto.]