crowspace | call me out v. 14.0

[It is at least a pretty field, all things considered.

Alright, third door. Let's see what particular hallway this leads into.]

[Sure enough, a school hallway. Kids run past, oblivious to Suga being there as they cheer and shout about getting to go home, while others walk a little more somberly, rolling their eyes in distaste and can be heard saying "Those jerks, they don't even seem to care about what the teachers said happened to that kid..."

And then, a teacher's voice floats down the hall halfway through a conversation with someone else; "--your fault, Sensei, you know that right? I could tell he was one of the students you were secretly the most worried about given the amount of times you made him stay after class, but I don't think anyone could have seen this coming regardless. I mean, killing his brother and then himself--"

And then, a voice that definitely sounds familiar to Suga, though perhaps a little younger, "No, I should have been able to see this coming--I mean, you saw the bruises too, didn't you? I should have done more than just keeping him after class to try talking to him, I should have gone to visit the house and--"

[And then there's a very loud thump like a fist hitting the wall, and then a sigh.]

"No, nevermind. That probably wouldn't have changed his fate either."

"... Where are you going?"

"Back to work. I've got papers to grade in the library."

And now, footsteps coming in Suga's direction, and should Suga decide to properly look around this corner to see, sure enough, it's Tsuchigomori walking this way... except that he appears to have a different human guise going on, or is simply younger in this memory due to not wearing glasses and no white in his hair.

Will Suga try to step out to intervene in this memory to say something to him before he disappears into the library around the corner here, or choose a different door with a different memory than this one to interfere with?]

[Ah. Of course it's a painful memory like this - Suga instantly knows who they're speaking of.

Suga takes a step into the hallway, raising his voice a little bit.]

Tsuchigomori-sensei.

[He stops walking when Suga suddenly steps out in front of him. The man's eyebrows raises momentarily, and then his eyes narrow in suspicion--clearly, he holds no recognition for Suga at all, confirming that this is indeed a Tsuchigomori from the past.]

We're closing down early today--I'm sure you've heard the news by now or have seen the news cameras outside. If you're here to ask about your younger sibling's grades or something, you'll need to come back another day. Go home.

[It's curt, clearly not in the mood to talk, as he makes to try to walk right past Suga and continue on his way...]

Honorable Number Seven says that the moon is nice tonight.

[...is there even an honorable number seven at this point in time...?]

[Tsuchigomori stops walking away. If Suga turns around to look, he'll see that he has frozen in place, not having turned around to face Suga upon having heard those words. It's hard to tell if he had heard those words or not given how little of a reaction he's showing...

... but before he can do anything (which, from the look of it, appears to be Tsuchigomori opening his mouth to say something), there's a sudden, grainy quality to the air around them, as if the memory is about to dissolve on a bad tv screen... or rather, as if someone had hit the pause button on said bad tv screen and the paused image is losing focus until someone can hit the play button again.

The reason why this becomes apparent is answered very quickly in the form of Hakujoudai, the orb that's been floating around Suga, suddenly coming in to slip up under Suga's shirt as if to hide out of sight of something. The something in question becomes obvious in the form of a chirpy young boy's voice that suddenly breaks the silence.]

"Foooound youuuuu!"

[The owner of the voice suddenly pops into existence in-between Suga and Tsuchigomori, grinning proudly at Suga.]

"I had a hunch that if it was his favorite human, you'd be sentimental enough to try to talk to Spider-Sensei here, and it looks like I was right! I'm so smart! Hee Hee~!"

[Oh. It's Suga's second-least favorite ghost. Suga's hand automatically goes to the hilt of his sheathed sword.]

Do you need something?

[Tsukasa quickly shakes his hands back and forth in front of him, putting on an act of fear at the idea of the sword being drawn. Tsuchigomori doesn't react to any of what's happening here--it seems that the past version of him is indeed paused in time and therefore oblivious to what's happening right now with Suga and Tsukasa.]

"Whoa, whoa, you don't need to get so violent here, Mister! I just wanna talk!! You wouldn't really attack a little boy just for wanting to do that, would you?"

[...He doesn't let go of the sword, but he doesn't draw it either.]

Talk, then.

[Tsukasa grins wider at that, which is usually never a good sign.]

"Great! So..."

[And then, Tsukasa takes on a pose of lying on his stomach while floating, kicking his feet in the air behind him. He rests his chin on his hands, looking down at Suga here as if they are gossiping at a sleepover...]

"I don't really get why you're so attached to Spider-sensei--is it just because you're "dating", or whatever that entails? I wouldn't know, my brother killed me before I got to experience that kind of thing, you see, so I can't help but be curious about you guys. I mean, I can guess already what love is from watching Amane dance around his feelings for his human assistant and all, but dating, that's a mystery! And I don't know anyone else who is actually dating anyone around here to ask this of. In fact it seems like Spider-sensei is practically the only person in this entire school who actually has someone like that right now, isn't that interesting?"

You've got the cause reversed - we're dating because we're attached.

[Sigh. He really doesn't have time for this...]

Couldn't you ask Yako about this kind of thing?

"I would, but she's been avoiding me! So does Sensei for that matter... I guess my brother might have told them not to talk to me even once they stopped being the School Wonders to mess around with, which is pretty mean of him, but... it's okay, I can forgive him for that.

So, that just leaves you as the only person I can ask about it. And you still haven't told me why you like him!"

[...That's probably a harmless question, if any question from Tsukasa can be considered harmless.]

He cares about people. He tries to hide it with his grumpy exterior, but he does everything he can to look after the people in his charge. That's my favorite part of him.

"Hmm, hmm! I see..."

[Tsukasa nods along with this, before he speaks.]

"Is that also part of why you're here? To return the favor from all the things he does to look after you and my brother and everyone else around him?"

No. It's not about favors - I'm just worried and I want to keep him safe. That's what you do for people you care about.

Are you the reason he hasn't come back yet?

[Tsukasa blinks at that, before he proceeds to hover away at a further distance as if anticipating that no matter what answer he gives, it would be best to not be within immediate striking distance of Suga's sword.]

"Let's say I was... hypothetically, of course. What would you do, if that was the case?"

[Probably for the best.]

I don't want to fight you. I just want to make sure he's safe. So in exchange for me having talked to you, please let him go home.

Edited 2021-08-31 06:54 (UTC)

"Is that a wish you would like granted? For him to come back to you safely?"

[Ah, there it is. This is likely what Tsukasa has been angling for this entire time, given that he exists as a wish-granting spirit.]

"That seems kind of boring though, and is a rather short-lived request to make here really. Given that the two of you are going to end up separated in a few years or so, what with your short human lifespan. Are you sure there's not something else here that you want in regards to Spider-sensei, while you've got the opportunity to ask of it now?"

It's not a wish. And I don't have any wishes that I'd ask you to grant.

[He wouldn't even ask a wish of Hanako - definitely not Tsukasa.]

I'll find him on my own if I have to.

"Aww, you're no fun... here I am, willing to make it so that you two could be all lovey-dovey and stay together forever and ever... but you've gotta be so suspicious of me... it really hurts my feelings..."

[And yet, he's still smiling, so his feelings are probably not that hurt by the distrust here. He then floats over until he's hovering right next to past Tsuchigomori that's still frozen in time.]

"I was the one who helped start the rumor that caused this place to act today, but I will tell you this: I'm not the reason he hasn't come back just yet. It's pretty rude you know, accusing me of something that's your fault..."

[And before Suga can ask Tsukasa to clarify why he's saying it's somehow Suga's fault that Tsuchigomori didn't come back yet, he then suddenly leans over and begins quickly whispering something into past Tsuchigomori's ear that Suga won't be able to quite overhear, before retreating back again if and when it looks like Suga is about to try to shoo him away as he laughs loudly.]

"There, that should make things interesting~~!"

[Suga's eyes go wide. He didn't do anything - he knows better than to let what a malicious child spirits says get to him, but-

The sword is definitely out now, and Suga's grip on it is bone-white.]

Get away from him.

"Fine, but only because I don't have any further need to be here."

[Tsukasa starts to float away, as if making to leave, but then he stops and turns to face Suga again--]

"Oh, before I forget... dear brother, I know you're listening here too, so would you like a helpful tip, from one family member to another?"

[There's a pause, and then Hakujoudai, from where it had been hiding by Suga, cautiously emerges to float in open view again as a sign that Hanako is indeed listening in on this conversation in some manner, as Tsukasa speaks.]

"Next time you want to eliminate a problem of this particular nature, do it yourself instead of getting others to do it for you. It makes you look bad as their so-called "leader"... but luckily for you, I'm generous enough to pitch in a hand here. If this ends well, you'll get your Sensei back, but who's to say if this will meet within your expectations here..."

[And with that cryptic comment, Tsukasa finally vanishes, and time seems to move again. Kids walking by, noise from a ball bouncing against a wall outside near the window... and Tsuchigomori of the past has begun walking away again making for the library, without looking back at Suga here yet...]

Edited 2021-08-31 23:03 (UTC)

[Ah. He hates this. He should leave the way he came, try a different door, but, but... Knowing that Tsukasa's interfered with Tsuchi in some way...

He looks down at Hakujoudai and whispers.]

Should I go after him?

("... I don't know.")

[Comes the small voice of Hanako after a moment. He sounds bothered, but then, he always tends to get like this whenever his brother is involved or after having to speak to Tsukasa at all, so that's no surprise.]

("Once he goes through the library door, attempting to go through it yourself will probably throw you right back outside of this memory, and you'll have to try looking for him again somewhere else. If you're gonna talk to him again, it would have to be before that, or we'll just try again in a different memory.")

Edited 2021-08-31 23:22 (UTC)

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