so a.. tengu walks.. into a swordbox???

[shakujo]

[ sometimes, the saniwa goes back to their own time, right? they can spend a few weeks at a time there, depending on how busy it is and what they're doing. well.. this time when they get back, they have someone with them. someone quite small and light.. who looks a little birdlike.. and who has wings??? no seriously he has wings. maybe he's a spirit?

he's introduced as noa, yes he's a tengu (calm down, imanotsurugi), yes he's a teenager, yes he's here to stay (for now), yes he's.. accidentally bound to the saniwa... no, neither of them are telling the story.

noa turns out to be a little shy, especially when stared at, but it doesn't take him long to warm up to people.. usually. as long as no one annoys him too badly. (he's probably about as threatening as an angry baby bird.) ]

a.
[ first meetings are important, right? and there are a lot of first meetings to have. maybe you were away when he showed up, or maybe you just haven't had time. whatever the reason, there is now a small, puffed-up bird-person in impossible geta (seriously, how do he and imanotsurugi wear them..) at your door, arms folded and wings spread to block the entrance. ]

.. It's been a pain trying to catch up with you, you know.

b.
[ as a tengu, noa's naturally inclined toward the martial arts, and thus he's already a pretty impressive fighter. still, he uses a shakujo, and in a citadel full of sword spirits, isn't that a little insulting?? i mean, come on. traditional or not, at least show some solidarity..

either way, he's in the practice hall now, running through forms. .. and that's another thing, why doesn't he ever practice with anyone? join him, maybe? jeer at him? .. watch him? that's kind of boring compared to the other two, but to each his own.. ]

c.
[ .. there's no doubt about it. noa is useless at field work. he tries, he really does, but he's almost guaranteed to accidentally pull up something that isn't ready, or get tangled in vines or weeds, or fall in the rows..

he's off to one side, now, filthy and brooding, preening his wings with single-minded intensity. it's probably actually kind of pathetic. ]

d.
[ wildcard! hit me with.. whatever?! ]

Comments

A

[newtimes]

( Damn right Mutsu was on an expedition because if there's one thing this particular sword spirit enjoys doing, it's running around on a mission. One might think he enjoys going on expeditions more than he going to the frontlines... Anyway, he's been busy! Doing things! Getting things! Leading and following the rest of his troop back and forth through time.

He doesn't mean to be rude. Really! He's just been busy and being busy makes him tired and when he's tired he just zzz...

In his defense, he was only supposed to be busy for a few days. But in a closed place the citadel, it probably only takes a day or two to meet everyone else, huh? What luck, though! Today is his first day off! And clearly, it was easy enough to find him...

Still in his room late in the morning, laying down on his stomach, an open bag of potato chips beside him, and-- Do you hear that poppy, sugary 8-bit melody? Ah, that's the sound of Konpeito Crush. Wait... Is that the saniwa's phone?!

He looks up at Noa, rather oblivious to what's going on, and blinks, )

Yeah?

( That sounds like a compliment. Is that a compliment? It's a compliment. Heh. But why have you adopted the "I'm about to scold you" position? What did he do? He's innocent. He got permission to use the saniwa's phone this time and everything. What's happening??? )

[shakujo]

[ what the heck. what even is this sword.. he looks more like a NEET right now than sakamoto's treasured blade. for a few moments, noa stares in flustered silence, already wide dark eyes going even wider.

eventually, slowly, his wings smooth out and begin to lower, expression crumpling into one of puzzlement. he's.. in the right room, isn't he? but then, honestly, have any of these spirits been what he might have expected, given their owners? ]

.. Is that the saniwa's phone? [ and then a beat, wings tucking in against his back, stiff posture relaxing by degrees. ] You are Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki-san, right..?

[newtimes]

( Why are you hating... )

Hm? ( He looks down at the game, 8-bit music still playing, game paused. ) Yeah! ... But I got his permission and everything this time!

( SO DON'T TAKE IT AWAY... But he sits up, straightening himself a bit and nods at the question. He's heard a little bit about the saniwa's new... friend. )

Mutsunokami Yoshiyuki, the sword of Sakamoto Ryoma! And ya're master's new friend, right? Uh...

( He knew the name. Give him a second. )

Noa-san!

c!

[adornmental]

[THIS POOR, PITIFUL GUY...

It's okay, though. He'll have company soon enough! A helping hand! Someone offering a towel and bottle of water to him like a truly kind citizen...! Or maybe just someone who wants an excuse to slack off and get the hell out of the fields, himself. It's already way too hot outside, okay - Kashuu needs a break.]

Here. There's some dirt on your face.

[Has Kashuu even started working yet?? He looks as impeccably clean as ever - hasn't even broken a sweat, by the look of things. Just how long has he been outside...

(Too long, that's how long. Any time out here with the vegetables is too long.)]

[shakujo]

I'm covered in dirt. [ .. is his sighed response, but he accepts both gratefully, dark eyes taking in kashuu's pristine appearance with something like amazement. seriously, does he ever even get dirty? how is it that noa, a tengu, a creature known for being light on its feet, a holy being, manages to get filthier in the fields than a sword? it's a mystery for the ages.

he rubs the towel over his face, expression grossed out when he lifts it away to find it covered in dirt. seriously, he doesn't mind hard work-- he enjoyed working alongside his foster-father and the other priests! and he never, ever complains about going with the swords on expeditions or to town or even to the front lines. but for someone so relentlessly tidy, this is disgusting.

he spreads his wings up overhead, creating a little shade for himself as he stretches his legs out. ] Did you just get out here?

[adornmental]

[Because Noa actually does work, that's how... If Kashuu spent as much time working in the fields as he did complaining about working in the fields, no one else would ever have to take a shift.]

Yeah, but you super need to get it off your face first.

[It's the first thing people notice and all! Basis aesthetics 101. His own nose wrinkles a little at the towel, but hey, it's not like he was planning on asking for it back. It's much nicer to talk to someone with a fresh face, anyway.]

Kiiinda. [what...] I got out here a while ago, but there's not really a lot of work left, y'know? I guess one of the others got around to tilling earlier.

a

[yaayaa]

[maybe naki was out. maybe he was busy. maybe he's just been too shy to say hello? either way, when noa finally catches up to him he's caught right in the middle of...well, nothing, really, but somehow he still looks guilty. why are you looking at him like that, what did he do wrong?? besides steal the handful of dried yams he's currently sharing with his fox.

...speaking of which, the fox jumps up almost immediately, trying to look proper.]

Ah, is something the matter, sir? We didn't know you were looking for us!

B (... is for bird bird bird, b-bird's the word)

[aslyfox]

[ Ha. What is that silly looking weapon doing in a rad sword-filled citadel? Even though it doesn't look an ounce worth of danger to his curious eyes, he's happy to catch the Saniwa's guest in the middle of something that is DEFINITELY fun to watch.

Kogitsunemaru's probably not hard to miss, peeking around the corner of the room before waiting for a break in the movement before casually stepping in. Foxes have to look cool, you know? ]

You look like you're having fun. [ He's not trying to sound dismissive, but... okay, he is. How can he be impressed? He's faced enemy sword spirits, musket shot, arrows, and big boulders fired from catapults. ]