maskormenacelogs | (no subject)

Entry tags:

(no subject)

WHO: Kidou, whoever else
WHERE: Anywhere
WHEN: This month
WHAT: Open ~~belated~~ log
WARNINGS: Not unless being needlessly dramatic counts

The tire
Heropa, dated to when Endou left/before swear-in

[To look around the park close to the ImPort government housing, there’s barely any signs of winter at all; some trees lost their leaves, others seem convinced it’s fall, still others never got the memo and insist on displaying green leaves in blatant defiance of seasonal change. Those out and about tend to prefer tshirts and jeans; there’s no sign of scarves, and only a few have jackets or sweaters.

All this makes the diminutive red-cloaked figure on the hill stand out all the more.

It’s a fantastic spot, rising just high enough to look out over the treetops to the housing beyond. Someone, a long time ago, planted an oak tree here. Someone else, far more recently, affixed a tire to one of its branches with rope. Next to this stands Kidou, completely still save for his cloak fluttering in the occasional breeze.

He’s been here since a little after school let out, once he confirmed that Endou wasn’t coming back. He’ll be here for a good while more, at least if he’s left to his own devices.]

Location scouting
Any city but Maurtia Falls, between feb 6-10, late afternoons

[Kidou’s got one single mission in mind. When he’s not at soccer practice or school, he’s out exploring, looking for lesser populated areas that don’t immediately scream ‘dangerous area, keep away’. You might see him wandering the street, poking his head into the occasional alley, walking down trails through parks. At one point he explores some of Heropa’s beach, keeping an eye out towards the land to check for visibility.

But mostly you’ll see him walking around abandoned lots, unused stretches of forest inbetween housing and roads, standing at the edge of ditches; anywhere that looks like people won’t immediately see. He doesn't stray too far from the Porter in any city - accessibility is important.

Of course, a middle schooler heading deliberately out into lesser traveled or forgotten areas might look a little bit suspicious. Especially the way he stops and looks around now and then, surveying the area before moving on again.]

Intense Soccer Pong, Nonah or Maurtia Falls, either after school or on a weekend.

[There aren’t training facilities like he’s used to anymore around here, but that’s no excuse to let his own skills rust; it just means he's been creative about his methods. Today’s individual practice is going to consist of beating up one specifically chosen spot of concrete wall with a soccer ball until he either misses or a half hour passes, whichever comes first.

Until then, his additional (ridiculous) challenge for himself today is this ball is never going to hit the ground. He can't waste any time that way; every motion has to be precise and exactly controlled.

He’s picked a spot to the side of an abandoned gas station, where there’s a decent amount of space to run, and a wide stretch of wall to tackle. The abandoned property has not gone unnoticed to local gangs, who have taken it upon themselves to gleefully redecorate the walls with vaguely legible scribbles and random symbols.

Kidou’s picked a spot directly in the middle of a wide loop at the end of one of those messages, and has set one goal; no matter what, hit the exact same spot. Just like all the other times, the ball hits inside the graffiti right on target, rebounding at a slight angle away from him.

He’s ready for it. As soon as Kidou’s sent the ball back, he’s rapidly calculating where it will be in a second. By the time it bounces, Kidou’s already running, and doesn’t stop as much as plant one foot firmly on the ground to let his momentum swing his body around. It conserves energy while powering his return kick, sending the ball towards the wall at a wider rebound angle.

It's almost too wide. He just barely makes it to catch the ball again this time, and then he’s running off in the opposite direction all over again, angling for a better angle this kick. And so this goes on - interrupt him? Join in? Wait until he finally is forced to call it quits and retrieves a water bottle he’d stashed against the building?]

Wildcard
[Got something else? Go for it or hit me up at

crobatman to request a starter.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[In the weeks following the restoration of power to the Porter cities, Josuke had gone back to living his life as normally as possible. Now and then the peace in Heropa was interrupted by criminals still at large and he would do what he could to see them arrested, but mostly his days were quiet and filled with the routine attending police academy demanded.

It wasn't an ideal lifestyle, absent of the freedoms he'd grown accustomed to in Morioh and even here when he'd first arrived, but he wasn't without opportunities to shake things up a little, either. Usually, those came in the way of meeting new people and making new friends...

...one of which Josuke hadn't heard from or seen since the blackout.

He and Kidou weren't close, but after what they'd gone through he'd hoped to at least hear from the kid once, even if it was just to say that he was alright—but there was nothing. Radio silence. And Josuke didn't know the younger boy's friends to be able to ask them to pass along a message, so he did the next best thing one day during the week after classes had ended and school had let out. He went to visit Kidou where they had met: Nonah Middle School.

Unfortunately, his timing must have been off, for none of the students who passed him in the yard even resembled the very distinguishable middle schooler who'd helped him take care of two despicable criminals. There was no one sporting those curious goggles, tied dreadlocks, or very unusual cape...

After what seemed like half an hour had passed, he decided to give up. He could come back another day, but at least while he was there in Nonah he could pay Player Select a visit—an excursion that didn't last too long. With many of the students out of school for the day, most of the machines were occupied and the look on Vanessa's face told Josuke today wasn't a day to press his luck. He played a little NBA, a few games on one of the racers, and after attempting (and failing) to tackle another zombie shooter, he called it quits and left.

The sun was near to setting by then, and Josuke's stomach was running on empty. The nearest and cheapest stop he knew of was a gas station just a couple blocks over. Josuke expected to find himself a nice hot coffee there and maybe a snack to tide him over until he got home but what he found instead was that the place had shut down since his last visit and was abandoned but for—Kidou.

He watches for a few minutes as the smaller boy launches an all out assault on the wall of the building, the soccer ball he has control of never once touching the ground before he's sending it back again towards the painted bricks. If he was holding a drink already, he might have dropped it.]

Whoa! You're really good.

Edited 2017-02-12 21:06 (UTC)

[If he could see himself, he might say he was tackling a challenge that was a bit punitively difficult after what, to him, counted as an off season. But he can't - his whole focus is narrowed only on where the ball is about to be, and therefore where he should be. How many seconds it takes to extend a kick. He's testing for excess in his form - no matter how good his reaction time, it could always be better.

He's concentrating hard enough on this exercise, he doesn't appear to be aware he's got a spectator until Josuke speaks up. The next time he reclaims the ball, he runs just a little bit farther, hitting it into the air on one knee and trapping it deftly under his foot as it falls back to the ground. If it wasn't quite as cold out as it is, he'd be close to sweating.

Kidou doesn't acknowledge the compliment verbally, but it's difficult to miss the extremely pleased smirk in reaction, especially when he looks over to the man. Yeah, he is good. ...It's nice to hear it.]

Good to see you.

[He's a bit sorry to cut his wall time short, but it's both hard and rude to try conversing while doing that. He can always go back to it later.]

You too!

[Kidou looks well enough, where much of Josuke's own injuries from the blackout are still fading. Of course, you wouldn't know it for the way he carries himself, tall and proud, and clearly happy Kidou hasn't forgotten him. Happier still to see that pleased smirk. The circumstances before hadn't allowed for much smiling, so it's nice to know that the kid's feathers weren't too ruffled by what happened...and what they'd kept from happening.]

Actually, I was hoping I'd run into you. Went looking at that school of yours but we must have just missed each other.

[Honestly, he needs to learn to plan meetings with people better. He's too used to friends with reliable schedules and people he can just drop in on. That sort of predictability doesn't come with most people you meet for the first time.]

How've you been?

[Kidou sure seemed fine. Mostly, it had been enough time between the incident and now for him to distance from it and snap his defenses back into place. You couldn't tell at all that anything had happened not that long ago, looking at his reactions now. Sure, he brushes off the question, but that's nothing unusual for him.]

Well enough.

[Kidou slides his foot under the ball and kicks it up, deftly maneuvering it safely underneath one arm. If he's being specifically sought out, there's a reason for it. Individual practice is probably over for today, but maybe there's something else interesting - or important - to take its place.

Plus, maybe they had not met under the best of circumstances, but Kidou appreciates what he's learned about this guy thus far. It really is good to see he's alright after that, and to get a chance to find out more about him. They've fought together as allies, and that goes a long way with Kidou.]

What's up?

[Generally speaking, there are three things Crazy Diamond can't fix: anything with parts that no longer exist, Josuke's own injuries, and lives that have been lost.

But there's a fourth thing, a sort of unspoken rule that often frustrates Josuke even though he understands why things are the way that they are—and even that they're better this way.

He cannot mend broken hearts or other emotional wounds and scars. Which is why, when faced with those he knows or has reason to suspect might not be quite as well off as they would have others believe, he offers what he hopes is the next best thing: his unwavering friendship and support. And inexhaustible levels of hope and patience.]

Oh, you know...figured I should check in.

[Because that's what friends do when they haven't heard from each other, right? And Josuke at least regards Kidou as a friend now. That may or may not go both ways, but even if it doesn't, Josuke's opinion of Kidou is shining. He'd had the kid's back during the encounter at Nonah Middle School, but Kidou had really come through for him, too. And Josuke wasn't about to forget that. Not ever.]

I mean, might be nice to get a chance to talk on slightly better terms, yeah?

I have no problem with that.

[Apparently, that's Kidou for 'sure, let's hang out'. A true genius at social interaction, this one. Fortunately, his expression says more than his incredibly neutral acceptance of the idea. It wasn't through soccer, but he has the idea that he's seen through to this man's heart anyway. Anyone who stood up to evil like that... he couldn't imagine a downside to hanging out with that same guy that had fought alongside him to save the life of a helpless person. That is the kind of person Kidou would want to know.

In hindsight, it had been striking just how quickly Kidou had been accepted as a potential ally. He hadn't thought much of it at the time. There were more pressing concerns to worry about than his own safety.

Was this guy the same? He had a feeling, maybe so.

Yeah. Definitely. They should hang out. Kidou glances to the side of the building where he's stashed his school bag and a water bottle, visibly considering grabbing them in preparation for relocation.]

You have somewhere in mind? I can't imagine this is an ideal spot for such things.

Yeah, I ah...haven't been out this way in a bit. I didn't know this place shut down.

[Though he's almost glad he didn't know, because it meant having the good fortune to run into exactly who he'd been looking for earlier.]

I think there's a malt shoppe nearby? [It wasn't as cheap as the gas station had been, but what it served was considerably more filling. And you couldn't go wrong with burgers, fries, and ice cream, right?] Need help carrying anything? I got two free hands.

Here. Hold this a moment.

[Since he offered, Kidou holds his ball out to him. Sure, he could set it down, and if he was alone he would, but this way he doesn't have to think about it wandering away on him. Once it's safely entrusted, he trots over to his bag, picking it up and sliding it over his shoulder. He ends up downing a good third of his water before making sure it's firmly secured and stashing it in the left side pocket.

Then he returns, holding a hand out to reclaim his ball with a small nod of thanks. He's got it from here.]

Can't say I've been to a malt shop yet.

[Was he saying that right? It's an unfamiliar term.]

I'd be interested to try it.

[There's no hesitation as Josuke accepts the ball, but neither does he hold it perfectly still. As Kidou ventures back to the wall to grab the rest of his belongings, Josuke passes the object back and forth between his hands, a small and relaxed smile in place.]

You've really never been to one yet?

[There weren't any places like that in Morioh, but Josuke hadn't waited long to explore his options once he'd been brought to this world. America had a lot of issues, but there was a lot of neat stuff about the country and its culture, too.]

You're gonna love it.

[After he passes the soccer ball back to Kidou, he shoves his hands into his pockets and gives a nod to follow him.]

I mean, you'll love it if you don't mind American food. You tried much of it before?

[Because living in America didn't mean you had to give up eating what you were used to from home. There were plenty of imPorts who preferred to look for authentic eateries, or who prepared their own meals as opposed to eating out, and Josuke didn't blame them at all. It could sometimes help with combating the more painful pangs of nostalgia.]

Sometimes.

[While Kidou aims to spend as little money on food as possible, he's also a little too health conscious to brave most of the cheap instant mystery meals around, so he ends up only occasionally eating what counts as American food. He's really not a picky person, though. Both his upbringing and his nature lend towards him being willing to eat

When indicated, Kidou'll fall into step beside Josuke, just a half step to the side and behind.]

I don't mind that kind of thing.

[There's definitely a pause in Josuke's step as they start away from the gas station and he notices Kidou isn't keeping directly beside him, but rather than grill the kid about it right there on the sidewalk, he chooses to let it slide. After all, there's no harm in letting him trail behind a little, although it's certainly a behavior he's unaccustomed to. Even back home in Morioh his friends were more relaxed than this.

Fortunately, the malt shoppe isn't as far away as he thought and so Kidou isn't left to wander behind for too long. They've only time to engage in a little small talk about soccer before they finally arrive at their destination: a quaint stop on a downtown corner, its large windows decorated with hand-painted ice cream floats, fries, and burgers so tall they appear more like towers than treats to stuff one's face with.

The interior of the shop is just as eye-catching, with candy apple red seating, neon signs hanging from the ceiling and walls, a bold checkered floor polished to a shine, and a few different booths modeled to look after vintage cars. Josuke shows an open fondness for the Chevrolet Corvette in the corner detailed with a metallic paint that seems to shift depending on the amount of sun pouring in through the window next to it.

When they sit and a young woman whose name tag reads Patty comes over to greet them and take their orders, Josuke wastes no time telling Kidou to order whatever he wants...while ordering half the menu himself: a basket of onion rings, a large chocolate shake, a plate of sliders (extra cheese and bacon) with a side of extra crispy battered fries, a small salad (he claims at this point to be watching his figure, a comment which earns an amused laugh from their waitress) and some deep fried pickles and cheesy jalapenos. He's not even growing anymore, he literally has no excuse...and yet he'll probably manage to pack most of that away, if not all of it. Somehow.]

[As they near their destination, Kidou grows quiet, taking it all in while trying to bite back a bemused expression. From the bright colors, to the tacky decorations on the windows, the place wouldn't feel all that out of place in a faire or carnival. By his own admittance, he's never been somewhere like this, so he can't say if that's normal or not. For all he knows, this is just what a malt shoppe is like.

When it comes to order, he ends up turning that quizzical stare briefly to Josuke. It only lasts until he jokes about it, though; by then, the surprise has worn off and he goes back to looking at the menu to hide an amused smile of his own. By the time the waitress turns to Kidou, he doesn't order right away. Instead, he asks her what she likes here, and picks one of the options she suggested - one of the hamburgers, to add to the variety on the table - and water. Not even a shake. By comparison, Kidou's downright boring.

Patty jokingly asks him if he's sure that'll be enough, to which he says yes, he'd be too concerned about fitting it all on the table. Laughing, the waitress leaves and Kidou turns his attention back to Josuke.]

Interesting place.

[Leaning back in his seat, Josuke grabs at a packet of ketchup from a small basket on the table and idly passes it back and forth between his hands. Despite Morioh not having places like this, he seems quite at ease in the setting. But two years to acclimate to America and an open minded approach to most things are to thank for that.]

Yeah, it's not bad here, huh?

[Odd, but in a comfortable sort of way.]

There's a similar place in Maurtia Falls, not as flashy but I go there more often. Can't really say why, though. Shopping's better here, and there's the arcades.

[Grinning a little as he looks up at Kidou...Josuke then flicks the packet of ketchup in his direction across the smooth surface of the tabletop.]

[Seemingly determined to win this year's 'most boring teenager' award, Kidou stops the ketchup packet with a hand only when it threatens to slide off the table entirely.
Interesting. That's the main word for this. Who would voluntarily go to Maurtia Falls? That alone could say volumes more about the kind of man who's sitting across from him.]

If Maurtia Falls is somewhere you have other reasons to be, it would make sense.

[He then picks up the ketchup and returns it to its spot in the basket.

This is a teenager, in theory.]

[Unable to say he expected differently, Josuke just chuckles and shakes his head when Kidou refuses to return fire. The ketchup pack is returned to where it belongs and they're back to square one.

Well, almost.]

It's not all bad there, you know. Sure, it's got more than its fair share of problems, but there's a couple bright spots here or there if you know where to look. Unusual places to shop, old architecture...I got some fond memories of the place.

[Drumming his fingers atop the table, he looks at Kidou.]

I guess not everyone can say that, though.

[And even in his case, it's not as though he's been there recently to do anything fun besides accompany Hazel on a few shopping excursions. Mostly, Maurtia Falls is a place he goes to be alone with the past. With memories of people come and gone, and adventures he misses having which have also faded into a dull ache.]

Yeah.

[Kidou doesn't elaborate or let that sentence linger too long. Folding his arms, he lets a few seconds pass, arranging the topic change in his mind before he jumps to it. Small talk doesn't seem to be a skill Kidou's ever picked up or even tried to learn.]

I've been wondering a few things. About that power of yours, specifically.

[Before Josuke can reply, Patty returns with their drinks and a promise that Kidou's food will be ready soon. Josuke's, on the other hand, will likely take a little longer and require being served in portions. The appetizers will be ready the soonest.

She doesn't stay to chat after that, not as a young couple enter and she spins around to go and promptly greet them, by which point Josuke's already fiddling with the straw in his shake and watching Kidou. Sharply.]

You really saw it, huh? Not everyone can.

[Which means that Kidou likely has a power very similar to his own, or similar enough by this world's standards. If he didn't already trust Kidou, he'd be suspicious about anyone asking about his power without him offering the information first, but after what they went through, well...]

I guess I owe you an explanation after everything. So...what do you wanna know?

[There's no reply, but a small nod of confirmation at the initial question. Whatever that was, he definitely saw it. Kidou looks generally as thoughtful and serious as ever, eyebrows creasing a little more as he reaches for his water, taking his time to tilt some of the cold - what was with America's obsession with ice - water into his mouth bit by bit.

How to phrase all the things he wants to know? 'What is it' seems too nebulous. 'How can it serve multiple purposes' or anything along that nature was eating at him, but it too closely described his own hissatsu. Clearly, that was too narrow a mindset to use when approaching this.]

What does it do, exactly?

[Josuke raises a brow.]

What, you couldn't tell?

[Ordinarily he'd make a joke about those goggles the kid wears obstructing his vision, but something about Kidou's serious air must be infectious because he refrains.]

The short version is that it fixes things, but it's a little bit more complicated in that there's very specific rules to follow.

[To save Kidou the trouble of asking, he volunteers the answer to the next question himself. He's told enough people by now that it's not a secret, but... Well, there is someone he doesn't want to know his limitations. Which means he'll have to make a request afterwards.]

We call it a Stand back home, and my nephew named mine Crazy Diamond. It's fast, it's strong, and mine can fix just about anything that's broken, but it can't restore something that's been erased from this world, it can't be used to 'fix' my own injuries, and I can't use it to bring people back from the dead. None of this is a secret, but...if you're gonna tell anyone, I'm gonna ask you to run it by me first. Can you do that?

[It's a little late asking that now, but apparently Josuke has that much confidence in the kid's ability to hold his tongue.]

[Fix anything that's broken. That nicely fits everything he saw it do, except for the time it stopped him. Curious, that. The 'fast and strong' part of this hints at a lot he's already seen - it can act in other capacities. Back home, if there was somehow a hissatsu that could 'fix' something, that would be all it did. It fascinates him to no end to consider something that's not quite so limited.

Strange to think of hissatsu as limited. He never had before, not as a whole group. And it'd seemed to him that all powers were similar - they did one thing, specifically.

Kidou simply nods his head at the question, though he looks a little surprised by it. That wasn't his to share, so why would he?]

Of course.

[It was far more than Kidou would allow anyone to do with his powers, in general. What he did, he wanted full control over people knowing or not knowing.]

Why can't everyone see it?

[If Kidou thinks about it long enough, he'll realize Josuke had to ask for a very simple reason. Of all the powers in the world that exist, there's one type that should be shared with other people: those that can be used to restore.

And Josuke isn't opposed at all to anyone knowing he can heal their injuries, or the injuries of their friends and family. He's had people come to him before to do just that. He's unfused an arrow from Annie Leonhart's midsection, and healed up a vicious shoulder wound that Ken Amada had. Being able to do this for people is something he's grateful he can do. But the limitations of his abilities are something that can hurt him if they fall into the wrong hands.]

To be honest, I don't really know. But back home, only other Stand users could see them. That's just how it is.

[Meaning it wasn't a gamble when Josuke called upon Crazy Diamond to fight those thugs at the school. They weren't imPorts and he knew they wouldn't be able to see his Stand. But it had been a risk in Kidou's presence.]

I guess it's different here, but not even every imPort can see it, either. Usually, it's just those who've got a power that's pretty close in nature. They can see spiritual energies or control them or something.

[Needless to say, just the fact that Kidou could see the Stand has told Josuke a little about the kind of power he possesses.]

Spiritual energies, huh?

[Kidou allows himself a secretive smile, mulling that over.

There's only one thing that could possibly describe. Hissatsu was part of the one who made it, to a large degree. It came from them, or from something very close to them. It was always personal, and.. well... he couldn't say it wasn't spiritual. You could see someone's soul through their plays. By sharing hissatsu with someone, you linked them to you. They became a part of you as you became a part of them.

But that does mean that Higashikata has a clue about him, too. Not much of one, all told. From the lack of focus on soccer in the world, and how little anyone ever understood back when he still tried to explain this... he doubts it'd be ever guessable.

He'll give one more non-hint hint out, just because he can't resist the comment.]

Interesting way to phrase it.

Oh yeah?

[His smile is faint, and quickly hidden as he takes a drink from his shake to process that remark. It's confirmation of a sort, but just barely. Kidou has a power that works on a similar level to his own, and that's all that it means. What that power can do...he has no way of telling. Just like he'd never be able to tell what someone else's Stand could do unless they showed him or told him. The possibilities are simply limitless.]

I'm not really sure how else to describe it. A Stand is...a physical manifestation of someone's fighting potential. But it's also unique to the Stand user, too.

[Or at least, it is in the case of most people. Dio Brando had been able to use Hermit Purple...and now, thanks to the Porter, Jonathan also possessed the ability to use The World. To say the least, the rules had been complicated. But maybe they were more like guidelines all along, anyway?]

It's a little like fighting with everything that you are, I guess. All your inner strength, and your desires. My nephew said mine... [He shakes his head with a small laugh.] ...he said mine reflects a gentle nature or something like that.

Cheesy, huh?

[Yeah, he can't deny it. He loves that about his Stand.]

[As Josuke describes this further, Kidou firmly links them in his mind. He could have explained hissatsu with that same description, perhaps substituting 'fighting' for 'soccer' - a long time ago, when he was absolutely desperate to find someone who could understand true soccer, he had taken the risk and done just that on the network. Although he stopped short at explaining just what he could do, he'd given plenty of people an overview. By now, he's turned secretive over it.

It truly was not a surprise at all that he'd been thought of as similar enough to see it. And Kidou couldn't argue that not everyone could. He'd intuited that back during the fight, staring ahead instead of watching what Higashikata's Stand did.

It made sense despite being cheesy, but that doesn't mean Kidou's not going to give him a hard time for it.]

Definitely cheesy. ...Despite that quality, it's interesting to me. If I understand this correctly -[if this is really all about fighting] - yours being like that would make you an outlier, wouldn't it?

[There's uses for someone being unexpected.]

[That offhand remark earns Kidou a quiet bark of laughter and a sheepish shake of Josuke's head. To think some middle schooler could have such a smart mouth.]

I don't know that I'm really any kind of outlier, though. There are other Stands with abilities that can heal, they just work in ways that are radically different from Crazy Diamond. And all Stand powers can be used to fight in some way if the user's creative enough to think of ways to apply and reapply them to different situations.

[He taps his chin thoughtfully, and then adds...]

Although, I guess I'm the only one I've met who can fix stuff other than people. It's really come in handy more times than I can count. But...why's that interesting?

[Of all the things to be interested in, the kid focuses on that? It's curious to say the least.]