[It probably has something to do with his weird gravity powers Dazai had talked about, but listen, it can't be any worse than going through the weird teleporters in Tartarus. (She'll probably hate it.)]
I'm on my way to the inn he was staying in. You're still there, right?
[She has to pivot direction, but alright! Chuuya would know Dazai best, even if their relationship is still... tough for her to understand. When she arrives at the tavern, she has her naginata strapped to her back, a bag slung over her shoulder, and a serious look on her face. Should Chuuya look closely, he might be able to spot her Evoker holstered on her thigh, mostly hidden under her skirt. Usually she does a better job of concealing it, but, well, she was in a hurry. And if they're going into the forest, better to have it than not.
...This might be overkill, but she can't help but worry. She sidles up next to Chuuya and glances across at him.]
[Don't worry Kotone, most people struggle to comprehend whatever the fuck weird and concerning mindmesh Dazai and Chuuya have going on.
That being said, she'll find Chuuya standing outside the tavern, less visibly armed but carrying a bag. Some medical supplies, food, a blanket-- basic things he might need, depending on the state they find Dazai in. He's surprised by the fact the kid has a gun, but not nearly as much as someone not raised in crime life(tm) might be, at least. It's smart, just in case they run into bears or something.]
A day and a half ago, he bought a shitton of booze and disappeared who the hell knows where. But that's why we're here: to get a good idea of where he might have gone.
[He reaches out and offers Kotone his hand, quirking a brow.]
[After their trek back through it, she's decided that actually she kind of hates forests! If it hadn't been so haunted and Tartarus-like, she'd have been fine, but-
Well, that's neither here nor there. She gives him a bit of a smile, smaller than her usual bright, cheerful ones, but still going through the motions.]
Nice to meet you in person, by the way. [And without hesitation, she puts her hand in his. She doesn't really know what to expect, but tries to brace herself anyway.]
[In truth, Chuuya has a few guesses as to where Dazai might be. They all have a fair few things in common.]
Nice to meet you face to face as well, Kotone-chan. Now.. [She takes his hand, and he's assuming from the way she's braced herself that she already has a pretty good idea of what he's capable of... thanks, Dazai. Still, he feels it fair to warn her.]
I'm gonna bring us to the roof, to start with.
[That's pretty much all the warning she'll get though, as Kotone will suddenly finds herself weightless and rising, a faint reddish glow encompassing her body from where she's made contact with Chuuya. He floats up with her, quickly and neatly bringing them both up to land on the rooftop so as to get a good view.]
[Listen, she's nosy and Dazai likes to talk, it was inevitable. Even with the bracing, though, she lets out a startled squeak and grips his hand more tightly. It's not dissimilar to teleporting through Tartarus, but the weightlessness is more sustained than the brief second of the teleporter, and it feels like she'd left her stomach behind on the ground.
It's a little scary, knowing that he could drop her at any time, but she just keeps her grip tight on his hand and presses her lips tightly together so as not to let out another noise until her feet are safely on the roof. It would almost be kind of fun, under different circumstances!]
Okay, that wasn't so bad!
[Her heart is pounding, though, and she's still gripping his hand, even as she takes a step forward to look around from the roof.]
Good, 'cause you're probably gonna have to feel it again in a minute. Don't worry, I won't drop you.
[It's said with a slight tease in his tone, but he's serious: He doesn't want to drag this search out if he can help it.
His expression turns pensive as he takes in the horizon around them, mentally noting potential paths and directions Dazai could have gone. He's looking for isolation, probably someplace uncomfortable and gloomy because that's how Dazai is when he's like this. And...]
Maybe not the forest, I think. It might be too exposed for Dazai. He's the kind of guy to literally crawl into a hole or a shipping container, so...
[His gaze falls in the direction of the mountain.] There any caves out there? or even a crack in the ground will do.
[Is what she says, but she means, "I won't slow you down." She's lost friends before, and she doesn't intend to lose any again. As much as she Understands how Dazai feels... it doesn't mean she intends to just give up on him. Even still-]
The forest might be too exposed? [Dazai hey bud what the fuck. She follows his gaze to the mountain and just nods.]
Yeah, there are whole tunnels underground there, not just caves. I explored some of them a few weeks ago, not long after I arrived. It's a good place to hide from someone who can float, anyway. Wanna check it out?
[Says the guy who loves high places or loud bar fights when he's in a mood. Chuuya has no room to judge really.]
Yeah, might be a good idea. He'll at least be within walking distance, so that gives us a good search radius. You okay with just my hand again, or should I carry you? Neither is any trouble, I promise.
[She might feel more secure that way, if she needs it. Besides, if Dazai was in a bad way, they'd all be walking back.]
[That look of determination brings a small smile to his lips.] Oh, I'm sure you can handle it, but if you don't want to, you should know that's still an option.
[And sleeping? Who says Dazai isn't trying to do that. Just with alcohol and self-harm involved.
He blinks, squints at Kotone at the admission of there being a dragon just hanging around there and then... nods, letting out a huff.] That'd be a pain in the ass to deal with, but I suppose if I killed one before, I can do it again. Still, I'd rather avoid it if possible.
[And with that rather bizarre statement, he's taking Kotone's hand and sending them flying again, this time in a flying leap over houses, heading towards the mountains.]
[If she had a nickel for every time someone she talked to said they'd fought a dragon, she'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird that it's happened twice. The weight of her Evoker is reassuring just in case, but- yeah. She'd prefer not to go up against something like that without even knowing for sure if she can summon her Personas.
She's opening her mouth to agree when they're suddenly in the air again, and her words are lost behind a quiet shriek of startled excitement. It is fun, really! Just scary at the first leap. Give her a little bit to catch her breath before she can speak up again.]
Does he do this kind of thing a lot? Disappearing?
[Probably not wise to ask Chuuya about the dragon too much, since he also fought it (surprise) to save Dazai, of all things. That, and the city they both called home.
That excited shriek draws a grin out of Chuuya, because he gets it. There's something about flying through the air, unbound by gravity, that just felt right to Chuuya. Thrilling, freeing in the best way.
The bright grin fades away however at her question. Something about the way his expression twists says she hit a nerve.]
[She glances sideways at him, catching that twist to his expression and frowning a little herself with a thoughtful hum. She still doesn't fully understand everything, but some of it makes sense.]
I get it. Sometimes you need time to yourself when things are tough, but Dazai-san...
I don't really like the idea of him being alone for too long. You don't either, right?
[It's Complicated, unfortunately. Chuuya was the type of man who got very attached to the people around him, for better or worse. Dazai.... Dazai was one foot out the door no matter what he was doing, either because he was running, hiding, or trying to die.
It made him a really masochistic choice for a friend.
Good thing they weren't like that though, right? Right?
It's clear Chuuya doesn't like the question Kotone is asking, from the way tension sets about his shoulders. He lets out a huff after a moment, gluing his gaze to the horizon.]
He does stupid shit when he's alone for too long. It's a pain in the ass to deal with, that's all.
[Right! Whatever they are, they clearly aren't friends. That would be silly.
She squeezes his hand briefly again. Even with the ground rushing past beneath them, she can't miss the tension in his shoulders, so she won't push too far for now. It's only their first Social Link real meeting, after all, so it's not her place to pry too much.]
Then let's make sure he's not alone too long. He's good enough at being a pain without all of that.
[Even she thinks he's a pain sometimes... but like, affectionately.]
[They are absolutely not friends! That's why he's out here looking for Dazai, fully prepared to nurse him back to health from whatever damage he's done to himself. Chuuya gets the feeling that Kotone isn't quite buying it, but he's going to pretend otherwise for his own sanity. Most people back home know better than to ask about that topic with Chuuya, but that's more due to the matter of Double Black having a terrifying reputation for their wrath: towards both enemies and each other. A reputation neither of them have here.]
...Yeah. Y'know the kind of chaos that guy can cause when left on his own? Way too much, that's what.
[Chuuya eventually does land among the rocky ground around the foot of the mountain, taking them down slowly enough that Kotone should be able to land on her feet just fine. He'd seen some promising shadows on the ground, maybe there's a cave or chasm or something.]
[No matter what his reputation, she'll give him at least two or three more meet-ups before she starts asking more personal questions. It's part of her job as protagonist leader, even if she's not exactly leading this specific group of weirdos.
Besides, she kind of owes him at the moment. He didn't have to bring her along with him. The least she can do is spare some of his weird pride.
Kotone holds her breath as they touch down, legs a little wobbly after spending that much time in the air, but holding her own. She keeps her grip on his hand for just a few more seconds until she's certain she's stable, then finally lets go, taking a few steps forward.]
If we yell for him, do you think he'll answer? Or just hide further away?
cw alcoholism, depression, self-harm, dazai, etc from now on
(deep within a chasm, the opening too narrow, the interior too dark, is dazai. a blanket, oda's jacket, some food packaging albeit not nearly enough for someone his size, and empty bottles that at times click and clack when he moves in his sleep. the bandages need some repairing for what currently lies beneath, nothing big, nothing fatal, just a crisis that he didn't know how to deal with.
at least the jacket is calming in a way. it smells of whiskey, spicy curry, cigarette smoke, and odasaku's cologne... and blood. what a terrible twist of fate, give him the jacket with a reminder.
drunk, drunk, drunk sleep. enjoy moving through rock!)
[He just hopes she won't regret coming along later, because he can't carry Dazai back and use his ability, and well. He's not leaving Dazai behind.
He gives her a pleased smile when she gets her feet under her without much fuss, but the scoff that follows at her question is answer enough.]
Dazai is hard to find if he doesn't want to be found, so I doubt he'll call out. We've just got to hope he's being sloppy about it since he's probably drunk.
['Sloppy' is certainly an accurate word for it. Is that clinking glass he hears? Somewhere...]
[It's been almost two months since they'd had to climb up more than two hundred floors of Tartarus and a month since she felt such a bone-deep exhaustion that she could barely make it out of bed for school every day, but she's not afraid of a little walk. If she didn't know that Chuuya can't use his powers while touching Dazai, she'd even recommend that he take Dazai back and leave her to make her own way back. No, they're all walking back if they find him; or at least, she'll be walking back. She hopes Dazai isn't in a state where he can't walk on his own, whatever that might be.
She wrinkles her nose at the idea that he might be drunk. It's not that she's unfamiliar with spending time with drunks -- Mutatsu had been drunk enough to mistake her for his son once, which she still isn't sure if that's insulting or not -- but it's the idea that he can be annoying enough sober that the prospect of dealing with him drunk does sound like, well, as Chuuya put it -- a pain in the ass.
The sound whips her head around, her hand going back to her naginata in a half-reflexive gesture before she catches herself and forces herself to relax and leave the weapon where it is on her back. Maybe it's just the residual wariness that they'd be going into the forest that has her on-edge, but she doesn't like it.]
Yeah. C'mon, let's check it out.
[Could be nothing related to Dazai, but! They'll never know unless they look.]
(fun dazai trivia. with sleep as light as a feather, the man can only sleep in absolute darkness. it's no surprise that the place he's chosen is one that no ray of sun can come in, there's a lantern somewhere -- it's not so different from when he was a teenager, in that shipping container, in the middle of a place that not even bacteria would like to live in.
it felt homely, to say the least. the drunkness does help the lack of awareness on his surroundings, a way to keep him asleep, and in the stretch he does in his slumber, he kicks a few bottles, a blessing he doesn't awake from it. click, clack, shatter, whatever.)
[Honestly, a normal person would probably ask a lot of questions about how prepared Kotone is to fight something. Luckily, neither Dazai or Chuuya are normal people. If anything, the caution is perfectly understandable, in Chuuya's mind.
He nods to Kotone before heading off in the direction of the noise, and the sound of what is unmistakably shattering glass just confirms it. someone is up here, someone probably being a stupid idiot with glass bottles, and his pace picks up as he follows the sound.
He doesn't even hesitate to make his way over to the opening, squinting into the darkness with a scowl.]
(yeah, ok. that voice means he's in trouble. deep trouble, and the echoing is not helping. it wakes him up faster than any shattering glass could, and he wakes up with a little drunken hiccup, almost cute, really, if it wasn't the everything of it.
yet, no action towards really moving, he's just turning to the other side, fixing oda's jacket on top of him and mumbling as his face hides into the blankets.)
You're too early. Your Double Black senses should start tingling later. Shoo... Shoozzzzz... I can't believe I'll have to find another chasm...zzZzzzz... I want my container... Chuuya, get me my container? The chemicals too... Zzzzz...
(HE DEFINITELY HASN'T NOTICED KOTONE YET. when he does, he'll be very sad she'll see him in his shirt and shorts pj. damn, his street cred.
the blood from his arms and legs is fine, though. kind of expected?)
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[It probably has something to do with his weird gravity powers Dazai had talked about, but listen, it can't be any worse than going through the weird teleporters in Tartarus. (She'll probably hate it.)]
I'm on my way to the inn he was staying in. You're still there, right?
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[Also, he'd already left there, and would really rather she not see the bloodstain he'd found in their room. But mostly because--]
Knowing Dazai, he's going to be hiding out somewhere he can still reach alcohol, so that should be the center of our search radius.
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[She has to pivot direction, but alright! Chuuya would know Dazai best, even if their relationship is still... tough for her to understand. When she arrives at the tavern, she has her naginata strapped to her back, a bag slung over her shoulder, and a serious look on her face. Should Chuuya look closely, he might be able to spot her Evoker holstered on her thigh, mostly hidden under her skirt. Usually she does a better job of concealing it, but, well, she was in a hurry. And if they're going into the forest, better to have it than not.
...This might be overkill, but she can't help but worry. She sidles up next to Chuuya and glances across at him.]
I'm guessing nobody saw him here?
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That being said, she'll find Chuuya standing outside the tavern, less visibly armed but carrying a bag. Some medical supplies, food, a blanket-- basic things he might need, depending on the state they find Dazai in. He's surprised by the fact the kid has a gun, but not nearly as much as someone not raised in crime life(tm) might be, at least. It's smart, just in case they run into bears or something.]
A day and a half ago, he bought a shitton of booze and disappeared who the hell knows where. But that's why we're here: to get a good idea of where he might have gone.
[He reaches out and offers Kotone his hand, quirking a brow.]
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[After their trek back through it, she's decided that actually she kind of hates forests! If it hadn't been so haunted and Tartarus-like, she'd have been fine, but-
Well, that's neither here nor there. She gives him a bit of a smile, smaller than her usual bright, cheerful ones, but still going through the motions.]
Nice to meet you in person, by the way. [And without hesitation, she puts her hand in his. She doesn't really know what to expect, but tries to brace herself anyway.]
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Nice to meet you face to face as well, Kotone-chan. Now.. [She takes his hand, and he's assuming from the way she's braced herself that she already has a pretty good idea of what he's capable of... thanks, Dazai. Still, he feels it fair to warn her.]
I'm gonna bring us to the roof, to start with.
[That's pretty much all the warning she'll get though, as Kotone will suddenly finds herself weightless and rising, a faint reddish glow encompassing her body from where she's made contact with Chuuya. He floats up with her, quickly and neatly bringing them both up to land on the rooftop so as to get a good view.]
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It's a little scary, knowing that he could drop her at any time, but she just keeps her grip tight on his hand and presses her lips tightly together so as not to let out another noise until her feet are safely on the roof. It would almost be kind of fun, under different circumstances!]
Okay, that wasn't so bad!
[Her heart is pounding, though, and she's still gripping his hand, even as she takes a step forward to look around from the roof.]
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[It's said with a slight tease in his tone, but he's serious: He doesn't want to drag this search out if he can help it.
His expression turns pensive as he takes in the horizon around them, mentally noting potential paths and directions Dazai could have gone. He's looking for isolation, probably someplace uncomfortable and gloomy because that's how Dazai is when he's like this. And...]
Maybe not the forest, I think. It might be too exposed for Dazai. He's the kind of guy to literally crawl into a hole or a shipping container, so...
[His gaze falls in the direction of the mountain.] There any caves out there? or even a crack in the ground will do.
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[Is what she says, but she means, "I won't slow you down." She's lost friends before, and she doesn't intend to lose any again. As much as she Understands how Dazai feels... it doesn't mean she intends to just give up on him. Even still-]
The forest might be too exposed? [Dazai hey bud what the fuck. She follows his gaze to the mountain and just nods.]
Yeah, there are whole tunnels underground there, not just caves. I explored some of them a few weeks ago, not long after I arrived. It's a good place to hide from someone who can float, anyway. Wanna check it out?
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[Says the guy who loves high places or loud bar fights when he's in a mood. Chuuya has no room to judge really.]
Yeah, might be a good idea. He'll at least be within walking distance, so that gives us a good search radius. You okay with just my hand again, or should I carry you? Neither is any trouble, I promise.
[She might feel more secure that way, if she needs it. Besides, if Dazai was in a bad way, they'd all be walking back.]
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Just your hand is fine. I mean it, I'll be okay. Let's go.
[She squeezes his hand as if in reassurance before taking a deep breath and lifting her chin in some kind of defiance. Oh, wait, right-]
I was told there's maybe a dragon in the tunnels, too, so...
[That's good to know.]
CW: mention of self-harm
[And sleeping? Who says Dazai isn't trying to do that. Just with alcohol and self-harm involved.
He blinks, squints at Kotone at the admission of there being a dragon just hanging around there and then... nods, letting out a huff.] That'd be a pain in the ass to deal with, but I suppose if I killed one before, I can do it again. Still, I'd rather avoid it if possible.
[And with that rather bizarre statement, he's taking Kotone's hand and sending them flying again, this time in a flying leap over houses, heading towards the mountains.]
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She's opening her mouth to agree when they're suddenly in the air again, and her words are lost behind a quiet shriek of startled excitement. It is fun, really! Just scary at the first leap. Give her a little bit to catch her breath before she can speak up again.]
Does he do this kind of thing a lot? Disappearing?
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That excited shriek draws a grin out of Chuuya, because he gets it. There's something about flying through the air, unbound by gravity, that just felt right to Chuuya. Thrilling, freeing in the best way.
The bright grin fades away however at her question. Something about the way his expression twists says she hit a nerve.]
...Yeah, he does.
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I get it. Sometimes you need time to yourself when things are tough, but Dazai-san...
I don't really like the idea of him being alone for too long. You don't either, right?
[That's why they're doing this, after all.]
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It made him a really masochistic choice for a friend.
Good thing they weren't like that though, right? Right?
It's clear Chuuya doesn't like the question Kotone is asking, from the way tension sets about his shoulders. He lets out a huff after a moment, gluing his gaze to the horizon.]
He does stupid shit when he's alone for too long. It's a pain in the ass to deal with, that's all.
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She squeezes his hand briefly again. Even with the ground rushing past beneath them, she can't miss the tension in his shoulders, so she won't push too far for now. It's only their first
Social Linkreal meeting, after all, so it's not her place to pry too much.]Then let's make sure he's not alone too long. He's good enough at being a pain without all of that.
[Even she thinks he's a pain sometimes... but like, affectionately.]
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...Yeah. Y'know the kind of chaos that guy can cause when left on his own? Way too much, that's what.
[Chuuya eventually does land among the rocky ground around the foot of the mountain, taking them down slowly enough that Kotone should be able to land on her feet just fine. He'd seen some promising shadows on the ground, maybe there's a cave or chasm or something.]
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protagonistleader, even if she's not exactly leading this specific group of weirdos.Besides, she kind of owes him at the moment. He didn't have to bring her along with him. The least she can do is spare some of his weird pride.
Kotone holds her breath as they touch down, legs a little wobbly after spending that much time in the air, but holding her own. She keeps her grip on his hand for just a few more seconds until she's certain she's stable, then finally lets go, taking a few steps forward.]
If we yell for him, do you think he'll answer? Or just hide further away?
cw alcoholism, depression, self-harm, dazai, etc from now on
at least the jacket is calming in a way. it smells of whiskey, spicy curry, cigarette smoke, and odasaku's cologne... and blood. what a terrible twist of fate, give him the jacket with a reminder.
drunk, drunk, drunk sleep. enjoy moving through rock!)
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He gives her a pleased smile when she gets her feet under her without much fuss, but the scoff that follows at her question is answer enough.]
Dazai is hard to find if he doesn't want to be found, so I doubt he'll call out. We've just got to hope he's being sloppy about it since he's probably drunk.
['Sloppy' is certainly an accurate word for it. Is that clinking glass he hears? Somewhere...]
Hey, that opening over there. Yha hear something?
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She wrinkles her nose at the idea that he might be drunk. It's not that she's unfamiliar with spending time with drunks -- Mutatsu had been drunk enough to mistake her for his son once, which she still isn't sure if that's insulting or not -- but it's the idea that he can be annoying enough sober that the prospect of dealing with him drunk does sound like, well, as Chuuya put it -- a pain in the ass.
The sound whips her head around, her hand going back to her naginata in a half-reflexive gesture before she catches herself and forces herself to relax and leave the weapon where it is on her back. Maybe it's just the residual wariness that they'd be going into the forest that has her on-edge, but she doesn't like it.]
Yeah. C'mon, let's check it out.
[Could be nothing related to Dazai, but! They'll never know unless they look.]
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it felt homely, to say the least. the drunkness does help the lack of awareness on his surroundings, a way to keep him asleep, and in the stretch he does in his slumber, he kicks a few bottles, a blessing he doesn't awake from it. click, clack, shatter, whatever.)
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He nods to Kotone before heading off in the direction of the noise, and the sound of what is unmistakably shattering glass just confirms it. someone is up here, someone probably being a stupid idiot with glass bottles, and his pace picks up as he follows the sound.
He doesn't even hesitate to make his way over to the opening, squinting into the darkness with a scowl.]
Yeah, I smell booze in here. Oi, Dazai!!!
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yet, no action towards really moving, he's just turning to the other side, fixing oda's jacket on top of him and mumbling as his face hides into the blankets.)
You're too early. Your Double Black senses should start tingling later. Shoo... Shoozzzzz... I can't believe I'll have to find another chasm...zzZzzzz... I want my container... Chuuya, get me my container? The chemicals too... Zzzzz...
(HE DEFINITELY HASN'T NOTICED KOTONE YET. when he does, he'll be very sad she'll see him in his shirt and shorts pj. damn, his street cred.
the blood from his arms and legs is fine, though. kind of expected?)
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