starhuevalley | [action!]

[Wherever you may be—at home on your farm, out and about in town, exploring the wildlife, or perhaps even wandering through the more dangerous areas—someone has come to approach you, seemingly patrolling the area with a confident stride.]

Excuse me. I wanted to inform you that I have assumed the position of Sheriff. My name is Munakata, first name Kyousuke, and I can be contacted under that name at any time if you have issues that require police intervention. If you are capable of taking care of yourself I encourage you to apply for a position under me. We could use greater numbers to enforce order.

[Kyousuke himself is white-haired and imposing, with large snowy owl wings on his back and feathers covering the area where his right eye should be, like so. He is visibly carrying a sword, with another one tucked hidden in his coat in a compact state. He doesn't give off the impression that he's going to be a very easygoing Sheriff... but at least if you're in danger, that might be reassuring?]

Do you have any further questions or suggestions?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He sighs, and presses the wing back into his hand. He has a passing thought of how he could use a wing massage, whatever that would be.]

I think there are many people who come from turbulent pasts. They are as wary of the abuse of authority as I am, and are in the position to be more fearful of it. I don't want to depend on blind faith that things will be peaceful. I need to confront... what I could have done differently.

. . . Yeah. I'm not gonna argue that. Me too, honestly. Hey, Kyousuke—I trust you.

[His expression shifts, just for Kyousuke, into something open and adoring, his hand stroking up and down the edge of that wing with a special tenderness he shows few people.]

[He stares at Juzo, his brain expanding the context greater and greater until the gravity of the trust is like a physical force, and he's forced to duck his head.]

...That means a lot to me.

[Given how raw he suddenly looks, that sounds like an incredible understatement.]

[Ahhh. It's not like it's a surprise it had an effect; Maera had meant for it to, or at least for it to carry the depth of meaning it implies. It's a thing he's wanted Kyousuke to know and internalize. But seeing it happen is still emotional for him, too. He reaches out and tucks a little hair behind Kyousuke's ear, but then backs off of that, after having that moment.]

Aah. The locals will too. We've got all the time in the world.

[He nods, and then straightens back up. He's not completely composed now, but he's making an effort.]

Thank you... Yes. You're right. This position isn't even my main priority. I shall do my best with it, but there's no point in getting overinvested. There's no great loss even if it happens that I am not suitable for the position. That healthy level of detachment will free me from making any decisions out of desperation—and that clearheadedness can only be an asset.

[Of course if trouble starts brewing in the area and then other people aren't handling it the way he thinks is effective then he'll reevaluate this position, but, he's not there yet!!]

Don't think you're gonna get invested, huh? . . . Do you miss Arden Grove?

[He falls back so the two of them can get going on their beat again. Not too far back, though. He's still hovering close, within easy touching range.]

[He folds his wings up more tightly, trying to shrink his bubble down so Juzo can come closer if he wants. He's not making the gesture to touch him himself, though.]

I wouldn't say that—though I'm somewhat restless about the rural setting here. We'll be able to take trips later for as much as I do miss it.

Arden Grove had a culture I couldn't identify with. We were true immigrants in a foreign land. I think what will happen here is the creation of a new sense of culture between people who share our priorities. And simply consider the difference in attitudes between your doing low-level paperwork for the police in Arden Grove, and the locals here ceding control of the increased population to us immigrants. They are willing to afford us respect immediately, rather than rationing their respect based on superficial qualities that we have no cultural understanding of.

[Well, he's going to take that invitation, bumping lightly against his side. The answer is more thoughtful than Juzo expected. He has to stop and really turn that over in his head, thinking about the situation in ways he's only so far addressed instinctively and internally.]

I should've expected that kind of answer from you. . . . In a good way. You've had this on your mind.

You're right . . . If there's any kind of culture here, it's just people like us making our own. We had things in common with the other immigrants in Arden Grove, but most of them took off. Here we're back with people in our same position again. Sounds like there's more universes jerking people around than I ever thought.

[Kyousuke isn't quite smiling as he looks over, but there's fondness in his eye.]

Ultimately I'm fine anywhere as long as I'm with the people I love, but I do still take our future seriously. And I think there are others here with the same philosophy. If we can make it so that we have a choice beyond the whims of uncontrollable fate, I want us to be able to make that informed choice.

I suppose it only makes sense there are a great number of us... If it happened once or twice, there's no reason to assume it stops there.

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