starhuevalley | [action!]

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[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?

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Delivering mail wasn't all that bad.

[He smiles as he turns to the voice.]

Better than the work on the island. But this should be better than both. Between this and the farm, there shouldn't be too much downtime.

[He thoughtlessly said that like that was a good thing even though his downtime has been pretty damn sweet recently.......]

[Yeah, no, sorry Kyousuke. At least one of them remembers downtime is a good thing. Juzo frowns, crossing his arms.]

Like hell there won't be. Don't think you're getting out of your breaks like this.

Oh...

[He sounds sheepish, realizing his misstep.]

I didn't mean it like that. Just that we shouldn't be bored.

. . . I know. Just warning you now, I'll take matters into my own hand if I have to.

[He lifts his hands, jokingly. The left one is gloved, but otherwise looks much like the other, for anyone who doesn't already know the difference.]

Oh really? And how do you plan on doing that?

[It feels a little daring, jumping so quickly from a serious answer to a playful quip, but Juzo seems to understand that there was no ill will meant. The corner of his lip tugs upward, amused.]

You want me to give away all my secrets, huh? I'm gonna surprise you instead. Aah, that's probably just encouraging you to be a workaholic if I'm gonna reward you for it, though.

[Damn, his flawless plan. At least it lightened the mood again. That tiny smile is enough to get his tail going again.]

Working under you like this, I can keep an eye on you along with this whole town.

Aah... I'll be counting on you, then.

[Watch out, it crossed from playful into genuine dere!! His smile grows fuller. (Ahh, the tail is sooo cute.)]

[Shit, he has to look away, smiling widely. His master's helplessly enamored puppy.]

Good. Because at this rate I'm gonna lose my touch for actual police work. How'm I supposed to punch criminals to death with you looking at me like that?

[His smile falters at that, and he crosses his arms, looking off to the side thoughtfully.]

Actually, I think we should avoid fatal force where possible, regardless.

. . . Aah, bad joke. Don't worry about it, I don't plan on it.

[He reaches out to stroke his good hand down one of Kyousuke's wings; his smile folds down into something small, but still genuine.]

Who knows, maybe those days are behind me. Maybe I'm a family man now.

Do you think this was the wrong job for us to take up, then?

[He wouldn't be this persistent in the insecurity if he wasn't already starting to have it outside of this conversation. He's grateful it came up, even in a sideways way.]

Look, I'm not gonna say I was good at being head of security or anything back fresh out of high school, but—when I took that job, I sure didn't take it thinking I'd ever have to kill anyone on the job. And I never did. I don't think we're gonna have to worry about going that far here, Kyousuke . . . this place is a hell of a lot more peaceful than Hope's Peak was. And if it turns out it's rotten inside, we can deal with it.

But it's not. We're fine.

[That touch, just a fond gesture a moment ago, shifts into a more comforting petting of that wing, his fingers tangling gently against the feathers.]

[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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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