when the bubblegum pops

[sisters]

Who: Rantarou Amami & you
What: September catch-all
When: September & some backdates
Where: Various locations
Warnings: TBA

---

01.) the world lights at your smile
•　open — 08/27-31, around the school

( it's true that, the morning after he opens his eyes in the courtyard once more, amami doesn't waste any time on checking up on the people he feels like he needs to speak to. at the same time, it's a pretty short list, and half of them are gone. how much of a difference does it really make if he comes back one week or the next anyway? if he doesn't go out of his way to find someone though, it's still entirely possible to see him around the school — borrowing a sketchbook from the art room, taking some notes in the music room, or moving what seems to be an obscene amount of money into his locker. noticing the presence of anyone he hasn't seen in a while, he'll offer a wave and a warm smile in the midst of whatever he's doing.

on the 27th in particular, he can be found rummaging through a locker that some might recognize is clearly not his. the first twenty minutes or so are spent haphazardly scribbling notes down from a series of stickies pinned up against the locker door. the remainder of the time is spent picking out belongings from the locker one-by-one to take a look at before he decides whether he should drop them into a backpack that's half-slung over his shoulder. to his credit, he doesn't seem to be interested in too much of it, putting the majority back in after a cursory glance, but it's entirely possible that it could stand out to someone familiar with locker 097. )

02.) and shines at the sound of your laugh
•　open — anywhere, any time

( have an idea? feel free to throw anything else my way, or if you're unsure, you can hit me up via pm or at kagehira! )

Comments

[filialdeception]

...I believe that's reasonable.

[ Meng Yao has admittedly been doing the same. For a time he'd been uncertain on what actions to take, beyond getting his bearings—but that too was difficult due to combating a massive amount of disappoint.

And now, here he is. ]

I considered that. The first thing that comes to mind for the reason of that is if he were attacked at all while he was in his normal form, and it left him that way. I'd say that it'd simply another product of the failed binding, but if that was the case, correcting it should have at least "set it right" on more than just a spiritual level.

But, in any case, you're right about that. The last thing we need is more of the same repeating, and though I suspect that we've done well to correct the mistake so to speak, it's never a bad idea to be certain.

[ And here's where he's going to start to consider teaching Amami things...though the thought's liable to return more seriously than an idle thought later on, it's at this time that it floats through his head. It's an unavoidable one nonetheless if the other intends to accompany him on excursions like this. ]

[sisters]

Yeah, I've got faith in you guys. You seemed to know what you were doing, but it's good to cross it off the list anyway.

( if he didn't figure they would be fine, he probably wouldn't have wandered off in the middle of everything.

anyhow, it's definitely interesting food for thought — the idea of some kind of sealing causing that change, and the implication that it could be damage as much spiritual as it looks physical. he'll bring a hand up to his chin, considering the suggestion for a few moments... well, he supposes if it's only in part, it should be fine. meng yao may have a better idea of what all of this could mean than amami can figure out on his own. )

As for what happened to him, it had to have been after the school was founded — I think we can be pretty certain about that.

( sometimes twenty days turns up some pretty interesting info. who'd have thought? anyway— )

Before, he didn't used to wear that mask. His eyes were fine, and he seemed happier... I'm sure you can see why I'm stuck on this, yeah?

( actually, putting it into words now, meng yao's suggestion does bring him to have some Thoughts... )

[filialdeception]

[ Meng Yao tries to keep a smile from coming onto his face but it doesn't exactly work out very well at the praise. Though it fades away into a considering expression soon enough, especially with what he manages to follow up with. ]

Because he was a teacher at what appeared to be that older building, you mean?

[ He quietly goes over what occurred in the night they had ventured out on that mission together. Every single little detail, every sound, every moment—it's something he found himself habitually going over even before their reunion. The question gives him pause, however, as he considered the possibilities. ]

I assume you are due to how he is now, correct? With the predicament he's been in that he has to keep his other self under a binding spell, one would believe that in the past it'd be different. That he'd be having the same struggle and it'd be taking its toll even before he'd even have had the chance for anyone to attempt the binding at all. But the reverse is true—at some point, the binding ritual was attempted, and he ended up as this.

[sisters]

I guess that's one way it could've happened, I'm just not sure how it all adds up. ( he's definitely trying to do the math though. )

If he was able to live there peacefully before, without any disfigurements, what could have changed that caused him to need to be bound? He said that was his true nature, but when you're on this side of the school, he still seems to be the same person as he was at that time — before whatever caused those injuries.

( and from the certainty with which he speaks, it's not about "believing" the past was different; it's about knowing. hmm... talking it out though, he's coming to the conclusion that meng yao's the right person to be bouncing these ideas off of. he helps build on them, giving them serious thought, and it helps amami to work out the possibilities too. maybe he'll suggest his idea. yeah. coming to this conclusion, amami'll point his finger, because he's making a point. haha........ )

I do think a spiritual injury is on the right track though. Actually, there's something I was told a while back: that supernatural entities, they can be changed and distorted and harmed by the way people perceive them. I'm wondering if something like that could be a possibility.

( trap people's souls in your tree, and their resentment turns you into a monster, or something...? )

[filialdeception]

[ It's something he's wondered about, though it's not something he's ever discussed with anybody until now. ]

It is true that spirits can be affected by changes in the environment, or other people's perception of them. Particularly elements that can bring forth resentful energy, which can be a major factor in the difference between them remaining relatively harmless or turning into a monster of some sort.

So, it's entirely possible that could've been enough to induce a change, even if Kazuki was already particularly dangerous. Even someone thinking that spirit is a threat of some kind and that building may be enough, depending on how many believe it, and the strength of that fear which would eventually give way into some sort of resentment.

[ In his experience, though? If someone already feels that type of resentment and it's strong enough, it may even spur them into action. ]

[sisters]

So it really could be something like that...

( he was taking a shot in the dark based on something that was mentioned to him in passing, but meng yao's confirmation gives him more confidence in the idea, even if he can't necessarily say it's certain yet. he nods along with the explanation, serious and attentive as he catalogues the information away for later. )

It'd explain the disconnect, don't you think? Between the Kazuki-san who's willing to speak with us, and wanted to keep the boundary intact so that he couldn't harm us... And the Kazuki-san who was immediately out for blood as soon as we were sent to the other side with Hanako-kun and the others. If it wasn't his choice, or something that he inherently was, but something he was turned into by others, that might make more sense.

( maybe? he still has no clue what he's talking about here. )

Based on that tree we saw, too. It isn't like there aren't any people who might have a grudge against the person who tends that tree, right?

[filialdeception]

[ It's a start, and sometimes that is all that they need.

Meng Yao is quiet for a moment, nodding at the other male's conclusions, and then finally, once he's certain the other is finished, he'll continue speaking once more with the intention of expounding upon this theory, and answering the question. ]

In the end, it really could be something like that. It could have made him lose inhibitions in such a wild way.

While I have always believed that his true nature is that of what he said, there truly did seem to be some sort of dichotomy present. Kazuki has presented himself as painfully honest and judgmental of himself first above all others; I couldn't help but think that there was more to that narrative than he presented. Of course, it could truly be as he said it was.

However, we do know for a fact that he was happier at one time and hadn't even been bound then. Knowing this opens up the likelihood that there's something more to it in general. The question is how willing will he be able to accept that idea himself? And how will we pursue it beyond asking him the right questions? We'll have to consider the right phrasing if we're able to glimpse more into that matter.

As for him being targeted of that resentment because he's the gardener of that...tree, I'm not certain. I suppose it depends on when he started doing that as well, but I can see it as another avenue for people developing resentment towards him.

[sisters]

Yeah... There's a lot more to figure out, and you're right that we'll need a plan on how to figure this out from him, and what it'll mean for us putting things together in a general sense.

( because, as much as kazuki is a person too, he's also a piece of the puzzle here... someone who can help them figure out this place and why they're here on a better level than he imagines any of the students could. he closes his eyes like he's thinking hard, and glances away after, as he tries to work things out aloud. )

As for the tree, I'm sure it was pretty early on. I don't know if it served the same purpose, but it's probably safe to say that it's connected to the beginning of the school. He planted it together with his first graduating class after all, so... maybe it's related to graduation somehow.

...

( glancing up, he offers a smile here, looking a bit sheepish. )

But that's just a guess. We'll really need more info if we want to work anything out for certain.