locumstudentesquire | Songerein

[It's... Pretty bad. But could be worse?

The mess is, at least, not of the putrid or filthy variety. He's not COMPLETELY uncivilized. It's just cluttered, with random piles of books and papers here, empty containers of rabbit food there... Piles of laundry? In the living room? When WAS the last time he did laundry...? We just don't know.

Despite all the evidence of his habitation, though: the man himself? Nowhere to be seen.

Jugemu is here. He's flopped over and stretched out across as much of the settee as he can cover. He lifts his head and squints his eyes open very slightly when Susato first walks in, and then closes them again after twitching his nose at her in acknowledgement. His being here without Ryunosuke present isn't too unusual, but what's actually shocking is the new resident sharing the couch with him. Curled up next to him and floating an inch or two above the surface of the upholstery is a brand new baby tapir, snoozing peacefully. It doesn't react to Susato at all, apparently too deep asleep.

That's it, as far as immediate reactions to her coming inside go. No reply from Ryunosuke, no hint that he's even here... It's all rather odd. If Susato continues to poke around though, she will eventually notice that, over by the pond, there's one pile of miscellaneous clutter that looks sort of knocked out of alignment... Almost as if it were recently kicked. Or perhaps, tripped upon...?

There's a sizeable amount of water on the floor there, too. Inside the pond, the leftover lotus koi from the flower festival are going about their usual fishy business, and the three rainbow fish residents are eagerly twirling and flashing their lights at Susato in greeting. All pretty typical. The only thing out of place here, is there's an extra fish. She might not even notice it at first. It's just an unremarkable looking brown carp, lurking sleepily next to a rock by the edge of the pond that's closest to the suspicious clutter pile. One could say it maybe looks kind of dazed, if they wanted to project that sort of thing onto a fish... But that's also just how fish look a lot of the time? Sort of perpetually surprised.

...It does have some suspiciously familiar looking eyebrow shaped spots above its eyes, though.]

...Oh, my.

[ Well, it's somehow better than she expected. Susato gives a sigh, and in her mind, perhaps she is already plotting some plan of attack. There's the laundry that needs to be done, all that water (what?), the books and the clutter... The animals don't seem hungry, at least? Her eyes wander to a clock over on the wall, then toward Jugemu and the baby tapir, comfortable on the settee.

She smiles at them, walking over with careful steps to give Jugemu some strokes on the head, and maybe some belly rubs if he allows it. She does eye the tapir almost longingly as she does this, but decides not to disturb the little one's rest. ]

Well, I certainly hope you two weren't the cause of all this. [ Teasing. She knows they weren't... probably. ] Now you just stay right there while I get to work.

[ ......Wait, is this even reason she came? Apparently it is now.

Susato moves with purpose. Her eyes catch sight of the rainbow fishes' greeting as she picks up a few books on the ground on her way to the closet to grab cleaning supplies, namely a mop and bucket. Her hands are full, but she smiles in their direction regardless.

He'll be back soon, she thinks. To the fish, but mainly to herself.

After a moment, she also grabs his laundry basket, chucking all of the clothes he has strewn about, to at least get them off the floor and out of the way. (If there was any doubt—yep! They definitely need to be washed.)

Eventually, she makes her way back to the pond area to take care of all that water, and gets a better view of... you guessed it! More clutter. By this point, she's got a trash bag at the ready and is freely chucking things inside before the unremarkable brown carp catches her attention. ]

Oh! I haven't seen you before... [ Susato tilts her head. The mop is set aside for the moment, and perhaps her arms are getting tired. She is immediately struck by a sense of familiarity, looking at this fish, and she takes note of the marks above his eyes that look so much like his. ]

You sort of look like him. Is that why he chose you? [ She laughs at the idea. Not expecting any response, she... just continues. ] I wonder why he never told me.

[(Jugemu seems to be more about the ear scratches, but. Since he's already so comfortable, he will tolerate the belly rubs. Thank you very much.)

Since fish don't have eyelids, the carp can't exactly blink at her or emote in certain ways... But its body language? The way its jolts and then shakes itself out, and the way its eyes woggle towards Susato when it realizes someone is there, and that it's being spoken to? It almost seems like maybe it was asleep up until a second ago. Or at least very, very zoned out.

That's definitely not the case now. It's much more alert all of a sudden, turning in a few erratic circles, checking its surroundings and then looking back up at Susato. Of course, to a human observer, this might just look like regular old fish behavior... Which will probably make it extra startling when the carp sort of shudders all over, and then there's a POP, and a splash, and suddenly there's a familiar little dragon floating in its place.

The dragon immediately lifts his head up above the surface of the water with a gasp, floundering a moment. Ryunosuke's alarmed sounding voice splutters out of the creature:]

Susato-san?!

[ It even has Ryunosuke's wide eyes! The way the carp startles comes as surprise, and she may have straightened, taking a step back, but that look of amusement doesn't leave her face just yet. Even so, there is something about him that prevents him from cooing the fish the way she wants to. Something which she will find out in... give or take, three...

Two...

One... ]

Gyaaaahh!

[ Susato lets out a short squeak, her pitch bouncing off the walls. She throws up her arms to shield herself from the splashing, and there is a brief glimpse of gauze covering the scar on her arm that has become suspiciously more scale-like, but there's no time to think about that. She can sense something happening, a churning of the molecules in her body as it emits an ethereal light.

She looks down in those seconds, and the light is so bright that it is blinding. ]

N, No, not now—

[ Yes, now.

Blink, and Susato is gone. Her pink kimono where she once stood flutters as it falls, becoming yet another piece of laundry on his floor. Since she's done this song and dance before, she at least Knows why all she can see is pink.

There is a rustling from her kimono before a set of bunny rabbit ears poke themselves out, followed by her head, body, and fluffy tail: golden and moon-coloured. ]

Oh--!

[So much chaos in such a short span of time :'T

Ryunosuke has no idea what just happened, but Susato vanishing and leaving behind a pile of clothes seems like it's PROBABLY a bad sign of some sort? He paddles over as fast as he can manage with his injury, and lifts up to put his front paws on the edge of the pond, craning his neck to peer towards the empty kimono with obvious distress--]

Susato-san? SUSATO-SAN!

[The commotion has the animals worked up, too. Susato's shout makes Jugemu hop to his feet in a flash, and now he's peering in alarm towards the spot where she was just standing, sniffing the air. The baby tapir is awake as well, and it floats upright, blinking huge eyes and letting out a squeaky little yawn.

...And then there's a bun.

Jugemu stares and thumps one of his back feet, galled and alarmed that this mystery rabbit would just SHOW UP in here UNINVITED. The tapir burbles delightedly, floating a little closer. And Ryunosuke... Can only stare, before he stammers lamely:]

Well... Erm... It, it looks like we've both picked up some new tricks then, haven't we?

[ These poor animals. Jugemu seems particularly upset, and now the tapir is awake, too. Susato feels terribly about all that; the last thing she wanted to do is cause such an upset. If only she knew how to control these transformations, it could actually be useful, but that's just something she's going to have to work on.

She hops closer to him. It has been a couple months since she has seen this form, but at least she recognizes it. Her long ears fold back against her head in embarrassment. She doesn't speak, but Ryunosuke will hear her voice as if speaking directly to him through his mind. At least she sorta figured this part out. ]

I did not mean to intrude. I, I only wanted to stop by, and, well...

[ Wait. Better make sure— ]

Can you understand me?

[The dragon's mouth falls open slightly in shock.]

Understand you...? Yes, I can, but how...?!

[How is she able to DO that? If only he could figure something like that out for when he's a fish... If he had, he wouldn't have had to change shape to talk to her, and then he probably wouldn't have startled her quite so badly!

He rests his chin on the stone wall of the pond, huffing out a little breath and starting over...]

...You're not intruding. You're always welcome here. And, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to cause you such alarm. [He smiles ruefully.] Actually, I was trying to avoid that... I figured it would be less jarring if I switched animal shapes, instead of jumping straight back into being human.

[Also, 'upset' might be a bit of a strong word, at least in the baby tapir's case. It sees bunsato and coos in delight, immediately floating its way over to try cuddling up to this fluffy new friend... That means she's going to get a curious pat on the head with its little trunk.]

Well—

[ ...Interesting. Since he seems to control the transformations so well, perhaps he can give her some pointers. Before she can suggest the idea (and she really was about to), the baby closes in on her, brushing against her ears as the little trunk comes down against her head. It is such an adorable gesture that she can't help but let out a chuckle, and...

Maybe it's a little ticklish, too? Is she imagining it?

From a distance, Jugemu looks jealous, especially once the baby tapir seems to settle atop Bunsato's head. Will he hide somewhere, or will he come over and directly engage? Susato, despite being adept at reading minds, can't tell, but it does cause her laughter to slowly peter out.

She clears her throat. ]

Well. [ Honestly, it's jarring either way, and she might've preferred he just turned back into himself for one big surprise, rather than two. But she's not going to tell him that now. ] At least one of us can manage to do so at will... I thought the fish looked suspiciously like you.

[Ryunosuke opens his mouth, and then stops part way, furrowing his brow in apparent consternation. Doesn't that go both ways? Does that also mean he looks like a fish...?]

...I'm not sure if I should be offended by that or not.

[(He is 100% just teasing her.)]

[ Perhaps the teasing would have worked had she not known him so well by this point. Still, it really does look like it worked for a second: her mouth is parted, and she looks ready to apologize, but then the baby tapir starts to coo. The tapir fidgets and ends up folding one of her ears down as it settles, leaving one of them perked up.

Susato's eyes can be seen looking upward intently, as if listening to the baby. No matter what was said... ]

Why, yes, I agree!

[ ...With what??? Did she mean offense?! Who knows. Susato is amused. The little one is keeping her in a good mood. (She'll probably make a good mother, eventually.) ]

Either way, I can't finish what I've started like this... I hate to leave things half-finished, but I suppose it can't be helped. [ No...more distractions. ]

[He cocks his head slightly at the apparent 'conversation' she's having with the little tapir. Those two seem to be getting along rather swimmingly...

As for her big concern:]

It's alright! Really, you didn't need to start cleaning up around here... [He hoists himself out of the pond, hobbling on his bad front leg and bringing more water out onto the floor with him. Can't be helped.]I mean... Aren't you recovering from your own injuries too? You should focus on your own well-being first!

[ ......Rude. Between the two of them, Susato is the lecturer for sure, and somehow she hears a lot of herself in that little outburst. She doesn't notice the way the tapir starts playfully nibbling on her ear as they converse. ]

I, It... It is nothing so severe as that. I am fine.

[ She has had plenty of time to recover—something a journey she mostly took on her own, at least until somewhat recently. It is easier to hide her little microexpressions as a rabbit, at least. That vague answer hangs in the air before she finally adds, ]

More importantly, how have you been recovering?

[A Look flits across the dragon's features that suggests he's a little bit bothered by the phrasing that implies his recovery is somehow more important than hers, but. He decides he's not going to quibble over it, settling for just a small little huff instead.]

Ah. Rather well, actually... Thank you. [He hesitates a second.] Kazuma... Hasn't said a word to me since it happened, though...

[ Oh. Ah... She recognizes that look. It makes her feel almost scolded, slightly reminiscent of when he found her at the Port of Dover, ready to give up law. She is rather glad he takes the thought no further, which is amusing considering how handily she can win arguments against him.

The mention of Kazuma, of course, takes care of steering them away from the topic completely.

Her ears fold, and the baby tapir soon grows bored and restless as the conversation turns more serious. Perhaps it will find Jugemu more entertaining. ]

I am not surprised. He is still...

[ "my Kazuma-sama." ]

......You are not the only one he avoids. But I know he worries about you as much as I do.

Edited (ICON sorry) 2023-07-06 03:16 (UTC)

[Without really meaning to, he snorts in an uncharitable way, before his expression immediately softens in regret.]

...Sorry. I know he does. It's just... Well, I'm worried about him too.

[He turns his eyes in the direction of the treehouse next door, as if he can see through the multiple solid wood walls in between and land his huffy disapproval straight on their friend.]

I'm guessing he is probably holed up somewhere, blaming himself for everything that happened when he really shouldn't. Am I right?

[ Is he right? In truth, Susato can't confirm that with her own eyes. She still sees him during the day, keeping busy with repairs and other such heavy-lifting. He will even respond, but it is nothing like before. Curt, almost hurried responses, never inviting more conversation than necessary.

And at some point—

At some point, he is always able to make himself scarce. ]

...Hold on. Perhaps I can transform back before we continue.

Can you— [ leave—no ] Can you turn around for a moment...?

[At first, the dragon cocks its head to one side, not quite following her meaning. Then he remembers that's a discarded kimono the rabbit is sitting on there, and he gives a little jolt, putting it together at last.]

OH! Yes! I'm terribly sorry, let me just--

[Hobbling, he turns around hastily. But behind him is the fish pond and... Oh no. What if he catches something inadvertently in the reflection? Think Naruhodo, think!

...Panicking, he sticks his head in the pond. She can just... Nudge him, when she's done.]

[ ..........................CAN HE EVEN BREATHE LIKE THAT. Certainly there are aquatic dragons, but like—

Lord, don't think about that, Susato. It's all the more reason she shouldn't linger, so with a shake of her little head and some pawing at her face (she was probably trying to do the double face-slap), she will close her eyes and try to remember how she did this the first time.

...

......Just relax and don't overthink it. ]

[ Well, it feels like the first time. She never heard a dramatic poof, but as she stands there, gasping, she realizes there's no time to wonder or be impressed. She scurries, putting her kimono back on at a break-neck pace, and it probably looks a little less than perfect when she pulls his head out of the water, maybe in a slight panic. ]

N, Naruhodo-san!

[ When he looks at her, he will still see a pair of bunny ears lingering atop her head. ]

...Um, why didn't you just take the form of the fish again...?

[He's definitely an aquatic dragon, but he also doesn't have any visible gills in this shape so... Her concern is probably pretty justified!

He doesn't gasp for breath like he was holding it when he's pulled out of there, though. Held upright at the mane, like a scruffed cat. Nonplussed by both the situation and the question, he blinks at her a few times, eyes darting quizzically to the ears and then back to her face.]

Um, well... I don't actually particularly enjoy being the fish, is the thing? [Bad associations! He's kind of distracted from explaining further though, his eyes going back up to the ears again. His snout crinkles, like he's trying to stifle a laugh.] Erm, Susato-san... You, you have...

[He gestures a paw at his own pointed ears, which he flicks and holds straight up like a rabbit's for illustrative purposes.]

[ He honestly could have fooled Susato, with how peaceful he looked before... but she won't question it. Rather, the fact that he appears to be stifling some laughter there is sufficient to completely pull her mind from the subject.

She drops him immediately like a rock (sorry), gasping as her gaze tilts up toward her hand, her hands scrambling in a panic. You'd think he just told her he saw a huge bug there.

...But no, there is only softness. She is.. relieved? ]

Oh...

[ Yet no matter how many times she rubs them down, they pop back up again ~~like daisies~~. She gives up after a few tries. ]

Um. That hasn't happened before, honest.

[ .........Anyway. Gosh, what was she saying? ]

Probably makes the most sense that she'd show up long before Kaz did, yea

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1/3.........smh

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