vaspathos

[vaspathos]

Yuuji instinctively slouched into a comfortable posture when she began to respond to the prize. He expected more excitement, more joy, but experienced an unexpected reaction. Nevertheless, he listened, reciting each word in his head. She had opened her core up to him, and he accepted, eager to retain the side she chose to share.

Memories are important to her, and unreliable.

Yuuji's eyes flickered to the instant camera that hung at her side.

That camera is meant to keep those memories safe, huh? She's smart, and really nice.

"Hm, I get you," he replied earnestly, eyes following the round, black patches of the bird's eyes until he stared at it dead on.

"I'm Itadori Yuuji--don't name it after me," he muttered, "he looks like gramps, especially with that saggy neck." Yuuji smiled, remembering when he was toddler and liked to play with grandpa's sagging neck. He wore several welts that summer.

"Gramp's name is Itadori Wasuke."

The boy's nonchalant response to her strained admission cleared her mind of the pointed sense of isolation she placed upon herself, prompted by the subtle, comforting reality that her dilemma only weighed as much as her mind. With the wailing of the electronic ambience receding to a comfortable din, she raised her face from the floor to meet the boy's gaze but found him scanning the area around them, attentive to the source of her distress. 'This boy is deeply kind,' she realized on a rush of swelling awe, and with a faint smile returning to her lips, she pushed herself off her knees to watch him work the machine.

The tedious time it took to secure the toy gave her the opportunity to not only observe how to operate the machine, but to learn about the boy. His hands in particular told her more than any words he would be willing to offer, and from his missing fingers to the calloused curves of his skin she traced the pain he weathered during his short life. But more than that, she saw the hands of a hard worker--someone whose kindness grew not in spite of hardships, but because of them.

Still lost in thought, she gently cupped the pigeon in her palm and squeezed it. "I had no memories of a place like this. The closest I could relate it to was a festival... but even that was a stretch. Still, I couldn't think about it beyond what I already knew. Same with this toy. But... instead of remembering all of this based on things that already happened, I'd like to remember it for how it is. So..." As she spoke, she kneaded the fluff back into the pigeon's neck, then held it up next to her face, its wide eyes level with the boy's.

"What's your name?"

[vaspathos]

"I've got the rest of my life to get used to it, so it'll happen." Yuuji reached down to grab the bag and led Eiden into the kitchen.

As Yuuji prepared their lunch, he asked Eiden about his life in the time he left Spirale. He checked in first with the business, then his friends, and finally probed for a relationship. Purposefully, he changed the subject from his hand. Yuuji knew Eiden wasn't ready yet to share about what happened in the final confrontation. One too many lives were lost to merely share it in passing. Yuuji wanted to share each story, each life, each victory with enough time, enough breath, enough dignity that each person deserved in the fight.

They were seated with the ramen steaming before them when he asked about boyfriends, "You look happy, big bro; is this because of someone or a new hobby?"

" Your own doing? "

Though the worry still stirs him, Yuuji's mundane complaint does elicit a laugh from him. His spirits seem up at least. And fair enough - it could have been way worse. Like a whole arm or a leg, probably way more, Eiden would wager. He did say he survived - that's what matters.

" That's good. Too bad about the maneuverability though - maybe you'll get used to it eventually? "

Yuuji's persistence rivals his own so he's pretty confident on that himself.

" I can just imagine how annoying that gets though. "

[vaspathos]

Neither the boisterous music nor her cry caught Yuuji off-guard. He rose a brow in uncertainty at her shock, yet his hands instinctively extended to support her in the chance she'd fall. He tended to her with care, focused to the shivering legs that barely kept her up. Her eyes rolled about like swirling saucers as she parsed through the onslaught of sounds.

"Oh, no big deal." He stood up straight, letting her come to terms with her environment on her own accord. In the moments he waited, he reflected upon on her words. His eyes drawn to the helpless pigeon in the glass cage. "Makes memories all the more important." When she appeared ready to endure the trilling sounds, he began the rounds.

The first two attempts were unsuccessful due to the bird's weak neck not allowing purchase. So, Yuuji changed his tactic and began bumping the bird's rotund bum with the claw tips, nudging it instead of capturing it. After a nearly an hour, and an absurd amount of money wasted, the bird inelegantly plopped into the prize hole. He rewarded himself with a tiny fist pump for victory.

"Gotta name picked out?"

Reier pulled away from the glass to watch the boy's movements, then recoiled farther once the machine blared an ugly song into her ear.

"Gah!"

Fright spiked through her body followed by aftershocks of nausea, and she doubled over to grip her wobbling knees. Although similar sounds crowded the rest of the room, she hadn't considered why her machine didn't sing until now, nor how to operate it-- and suddenly, the electronic music of isolation trilled louder around her. "I don't know better," she admitted between huffs. "A lot of things changed when I wasn't looking."

[vaspathos]

Eiden's investigative eyes comforted his tired soul. He felt secured in his presence, assured that no mortal injury would beyond Eiden's ability. Yuuji knew that was only wishful thinking of a younger brother, but he held onto those feelings, finding them more convenient than pessimisms.

"The consequence was worse than the pain," he muttered. "The second one was of my own doing, so didn't bother me. I still feel them every now and then, especially when they get itchy, that's the worse."

It gives him a scare.

" ...oh. "

As he watches the hand turn a crease forms in between his eyebrows. Besides what's obvious and told Eiden can't help but notice how worn out the hand is. Calloused and fairly rough to touch. Very unlike your typical teenager's hand, very unlike his own.

Carefully he grabs the hand, to see even better himself. Like he'd find new injuries there.

" It doesn't hurt? " he asks as he looks at the stubs.

" No phantom pains or anything? "

[vaspathos]

Yuuji's eyes had missed the coveted doll a few times passing over the sea of prizes, but soon as he realized what she meant by pitiful little thing, he spotted the poorly stuff pigeon.

"Geh."

It was the way that she talked about the stuffed animal that won him over. Somehow, the pigeon reminded him of grandpa now. His heart started to ache. "You should known better than to come to an arcade broke." He's certain Megumi would have made her cry. He retrieved his phone and scanned in the correct amount to do two rounds. "Alright, give it a shot."

She canted her head in thought, wondering how many years marked the difference between being a child and whatever he claimed to be. But she dropped the consideration quickly, half in distraction and half in recognition that she wouldn't know, having skipped that chunk of her life.

Pressing her face back against the machine, she pointed her eyes down at plush pigeon with a floppy neck and an overstuffed rump. The toy looked so undesirable, it encouraged a dash of humility into her.

"It's that pitiful little thing... the type of thing nobody would take home. I guess it reminded me of something, heheh..."

[vaspathos]

The tender, brotherly touch weakened his muscles. He grew slack against Eiden, nearly drifting as if readying himself for a nap. The question forced him to stay awake, and he fluttered his eyes open. He pulled back with enough distance to provide the answer.

He procured his left hand to show Eiden the two missing digits: pinky and ring finger. "One's my own mistake," he attempted to wiggle his pinky finger, but the movement was hardly noticeable. "The other was a risk. If it didn't end well, it wouldn't have mattered-- things worked out in the end. It was a sacrifice I am happy to have made."

Yuuji rotated his wrist to show him the back of his hand. "Hard to hold things; I dropped my phone on my toe three times now." He flexed his fingers as if to show him the instability without his two end fingers.

" Whoa hey -- "

Eiden's about to warn him that he might spill the noodles but has no time nor will to do so. Not as soon as his little brother's head hits his chest. Welcome warmth spreads all over him and he lets the bag on the ground, as carefully as he's able.

" Uh-huh. "

He lays his hand on his back, not fully sure what he's talking about but ready to listen.

" Good job. Everything intact? "

[vaspathos]

The animated reaction deflated his expectations on the young woman. Geez, didn't take Megumi to be right about something for once. He sighed and scratched his head, pondering how to best respond to the questionable adult.

"I've got years on those kids." He plodded to the claw machine, head craning to find the luxurious item within the pile of stuffed animals. "What are you obsessing over?"

The sudden voice directed at her propelled her a startled bunny hop away from the claw machine, followed by her braid swinging as her head owlishly rotated toward the teen staring her down. Uncertain of what he meant, her eyes darted from the boy to the children fleeing behind him, then back to him.

"You're not scared."

[vaspathos]

The scrunched up woman fogged up the glass case of the large claw machine. Her ragged, deprived breathing warded off two potential players. Being the eldest child in the vicinity, the two boys fled behind Yuuji's legs before retreating to their mothers.

"Hey auntie, you're scaring the children," Yuuji tactlessly pointed to the sprinting children.

@bemawed

[vaspathos]

[text: big bro] 👍

During the lull, Yuuji tidied up the house as he fabricated the six-month separation. In the mundane chores and routine movements, he reflected on his most recent memories. Everything had settled after Ryomen-Sukuna's defeat, and his main focus shifted to surviving each mission and graduating.

The pressure shifted in the living room as the front door fell closed. Yuuji's anxious smile turned soft. It hit him then, Eiden was his last living relative. He dropped his chores immediately and ran to the door. Not concerned with the ramen, he launched himself against Eiden's chest and squeezed him. Yuuji hid his face against his big brother, savoring the precious moment.

"I made it," his voice muffled against Eiden's chest, "I survived."

[txt] noods ....sure haha [txt] i wont take too long but the trips take a while so wait up there

And that's what goes on - queuing for the 'noods' takes it's own time so do the trains but eventually he arrives there with the foods and all, more excited than a long sit allows.

As soon as Eiden enters his mouth opens to announce himself, kicking off his shoes as he does:

" Heyaa~~ Any hungry little brothers home? "

[vaspathos]

[text: big bro ] noods

Spirale's ramen cannot be beat, must be something in the water.

[txt] nah ill be there a in flash! ᯓ\(>◡<)／im @ golden now but [txt] should i pick out something on the way?!

[vaspathos]

[text: big bro ] wwww

[text: big bro ] home

[text: big bro ] can go to ur shop.

[text: big bro ] where meet?

[ text: big bro ] 👋

[text: big bro ] not dead

@kleinstar

[vaspathos]

[ text: big bro ] 👋

[text: big bro ] not dead

@kleinstar

[vaspathos]

Back here, huh?

Somehow, being back here without the crippling fear of losing his best friends made it easier to breathe.

"Oh, crap, I gotta tell big bro I'm safe."

[vaspathos]

The dawn choir awoke Yuuji from his incoherent dream. He opened his crusty eyes to the warm, morning light pouring into his room. Phone still clutched in his hand, muscles taut from the victory of pulling the bustiest lady from the hit gacha game Destiny: Majestic Command. Just as Megumi's good morning message arrived, his phone fade into obscurity as the battery faded away.

Yuuji sluggishly rotated his normal morning routine of brush, wash, style, and dress. Each motion slower than the last. Moments before he realized he could eat breakfast, unknown energy poured out from his inner well, and he rambunctiously ran down the stairs, dodging his lethargic grandpa as he hopped down the final staircase.

"Morning, gramps!"

He beat his grandpa to the kitchen, and conquered the fridge. Yuuji shoved his hand in between the multiple glass containers of leftovers to claim the last milk tea from the package. He left behind the cardboard, assured grandpa would clean out the fridge after work, and made a grab for the bread. He pushed aside grandpa's labeled "DON'T TOUCH YOU BRATS!" pickled plums and grabbed the bread's bundled plastic. The view of the fridge suddenly left his vision as he stumbled awkwardly to the side. He blinked and looked to his left, seeing his older twin brother (by eight hours) claiming his spot.

"HEY! I was here first!" Yuuji rioted, waving the bread and milk tea above his head. His shoulder rammed into his twin's side, and to no avail, the older twin did not budge. "Get-- out-- of-- my-- WAY!"

His slipper lost traction and he collapsed to the floor, slipper thrown up into the air and plopped upright upon Grandpa's head.

ㅤHe awoke to the sound of Gramps coughing first.

Drawn out of his thin sleep, he opened his eyes to sheer light filtering into his bedroom, indicating to him that his alarm would ring soon. But no motivation stirred in his limbs, his face merely souring as the muffled, guttural hacking continued rooms away. Scowling up at the ceiling, he waited until the first chime sounded from his phone, slapped his finger on the stop button and abruptly threw himself out of bed to dress himself.

By the time he plodded downstairs, Gramps' sickly racket quieted to the too-normal sound of his newspaper rustling over his morning coffee and the too-exaggerated clattering of Yuuji pilfering the fridge for his breakfast. Rounding the corner to the kitchen, he avoided looking at Gramps and instead targeted his younger twin, grabbing him roughly by the shoulder and pushing him out of the way.

"Move it, brat."

@vaspathos / crew call

[vaspathos]

Please note that this does not begin until Friday, December 20th at 12:00:01am EST. No starters can be made before that point. This is just an information post for preparation's sake!

We previously teased that we'd be doing something different for the December event, and this is it! Because everyone is busy with the holidays and there are likely event reruns some members would like to do but can't since they never win the polls, we decided to try a period where you can choose whichever event you'd like to write during the three week event period. We're posting this in advance so you can think about what you'd like to pick!

There are, of course, some rules and caveats for this:

Most events are available to be chosen but not all of them. This is because some of the staff who wrote those events are no longer with us. You can find a list of eligible events at the bottom of this post!

You must choose a single event to receive event participation with on any single blog. You're more than welcome to thread with others doing other events so that they have people to write with, but you can only claim participation for a single event during this period!

There is a flat reward of a free unlock for everyone who participates regardless of whether or not the event you pick gives an unlock. This is so everyone receives an unlock regardless of the event chosen. Picking one that gives an unlock will not give you two, you will still only receive the single unlock. You must write at least 300 IC words for your chosen event to be eligible to claim the unlock.

The usual rules on the EVENT RERUN GUIDE still apply! Your character will see the city in the state that it was in during that event, and will believe everyone is going through the same thing.

A more complete post will be made on Friday with any questions that have been asked in the interim. So if you have any questions about how things work, please send them to the masterlist (not the Discord server) before Friday!

Below you can find a list of eligible events along with links to their information posts:

COVET

SUBVERSION (PT1 + PT2)

THE FANTASIA WAR (PT1 + PT2)

DREAMSCAPE

EMPATHEOREM

CUPID SHUFFLE

SECURITY BREACH (PT1 + PT2)

SHORE

MASKERADE FESTIVAL

SHINE BRIGHT

OPTIMIZATION

CANVAS (PT1 + PT2)

LATESUMMER NIGHT'S SOIREE

MISTIFIED

CREW CALL

SUBSISTENCE (PT1 + PT2)

A CROCUS AMONG US

DOWN YOU GO

FRAGMEMORIA (PT1 + PT2)

THE CHALLENGER'S PATH

DATA CORRUPT (PT1 + PT2)

HOMECOMING (PT1 + PT2)

SPIRALE GAMES

ENDLESS AURORA

PHANTASM AMALGAM (PT1 + PT2)

COLOUR THEORY (MID-EVENT UPDATE)

ALTERNATIVE ALLEGORY

[vaspathos]

Eiden's explanation snapped the puzzle pieces together, though the picture failed to match Yuuji's ideals. He frowned, dropping his chin to his chest, his forehead resting upon the fourth crate.

"They are incapable to decide when and how they die," he muttered.

Seemingly, he bounced back with his brother's shocked exclamation. "Get swol, bro," he casually replied and entered the kitchen. He placed the crates in their required location before he picked up an unclaimed apron, tossing it to Eiden's hands.

"In the end, the why's don't matter. Just what we can do to help them, right?"

" Ohhh, I'd like to see that! Then I could brag about my lil bro carrying the torch... " Eiden laughs.

" But hm, I guess it'd be because they already lived here to begin with.... right? "

They died, unlike the kidnapped once. He hums in thought - thinking about it though he was also unable to shake the strange feeling talking to them sometimes. It's more of an idea than a concrete though. He understood where Yuuji was coming from, he just felt discomfort over it.

" ....Stars just brought us here. I mean, those guys... don't get resurrected so like ...what about us? "

He pauses, volume rising in an instant as he turns to Yuuji:

" Hey!!! The crate!!!

[vaspathos]

Yuuji's eyes trailed after the crate as it reaches it destination upon the floor. He stole a glance to his brother whose eyes became distracted by a middle-aged man. Yuuji took the opportunity to stack the fourth crate upon his tower, standing to his full height.

"I've been thinking about a lot of things lately. Sorta like I've been given the Olympic torch," he spoke, imagining himself running through the streets of Tokyo with the lit torch in hand. "If they aren't kidnapped and this is their home world, why aren't they cared enough by the Stars? Why do we matter more?"

" I'm fine! I came here to help too y'know!"

Eiden's stubborn but certainly plenty more out of breath than his little brother. He's putting some energy into it but by the door he has let the crate down to give himself a breather. Yuuji's making it look so easy.

He faintly recalls it's not the first time someone talks to him about this sort of him.

" Well, these people aren't grant money by mystical entities that kidnapped them here ", he notes, glancing by an older man, probably 20 years his age that passes by.

" ....what made you think that? "