Make Sure Your Dinner Doesn't Bite Back!

The older man nodded and extended a hand for the younger to shake. "It's nice to meet you, Nicholas. My name is Toshinori Yagi."

A rather formal gesture for the middle of the woods.

He offered a slight smile, the look pulling up the edges of his lips.

The pair continued to walk for a while, breaths coming out in puffs of white, Toshinori burying himself slightly more into the wrap of his scarf. Yet, soon, striding nearly side by side with the younger man, blue eyes swept over the metal piece bore over the other's shoulder. Clearly weighty. Perhaps a weapon of some sort.

After a moment of consideration, Toshinori decided to ask, "Forgive an old man if it's prying, my boy, but... what is that, that you have over your shoulder?"

They'd be in trouble at some point.

The question almost caught him off guard, if it weren't the most commonly asked thing in his life. Something he'd given many answers for;

Tool for my trade. She's so full of mercy. Lets hope you don't find out. The burden I carry for idiots like you.

All varying meanings for the same thing. But now he didn't have to hide, didn't have to pretend like there was something to be afraid of. The only Legato here was his brother, the only Knives here was his best friend Nai, the two Vash's here would be happy he's using the bastion of horrors for something better...

Right?

"It's my issued weapon by my abusers." It's sudden, a quiet calm falling over the space between him as his eyes almost seem to both sharpen and gloss behind his shades.

He shifts it on instinct, the pull of a branding between his shoulders aching with every movement. A reminder of his sins, his failures, the horrors caused by his own hands, if only to protect the children of Hopeland. The weight a horror turned light.

"I'd usually claim it's filled with mercy or something equally as casual. But." He pauses, feeling on the edges of his mind memories, feeling the presence of the forest slowly encroaching in. "She's filled with endless regrets and more sins of others than my shoulders care to bear half the time." He himself remembered being incapable of holding her once, the pull to raise her so hard, but his sheer determination all but consumed him.

He wouldn't lay her down so long as she was needed.

"She was a tool for horrors I regret being forced to play a part in. Now? She's a beacon of hope. At least, she had been back home." Everyone knew the man with the giant cross, he'd spent two years wandering aimlessly, making humanity fear the symbol if they'd done horrors.

He'd spent years creating a new monster for the world to fear. The Undertaker. Someone to both fear yet admire. Someone who'd shit themselves if they knew they'd sinned, whilst the abused would rejoice in his sight.

Didn't have the impact of the Stampede, but criminals were the only ones who needed to be afraid in the end. It seemed to be the only people who knew about him.

It's odd, he actually seems kinda nice. Sure maybe at first, he seemed a bit grungy and rugged but it could've been a trick of the light. (Or maybe he just needed a coffee break.)

He stops at her question, laughing lightly. "It's grown since I've been here. I used to keep it pretty short. I also-" He hesitates a moment, trying to work out his wording.

He'd been flippant in the past and people seemed unhappy? Or perhaps surprised? He shrugs eventually, deciding it was still the easiest way.

"A scientist experimented on me when I was young. Temperature doesn't really bother me. The snow? It's bliss compared to the heat of two suns on my planet." He moves to clean the coffee machine next, careful, methodical. "The whole planet was a desert, but there was pockets of humanity and such that offered shade and the like. It wasn't the worst, but here is certainly a blessing to me." He was safe, the weather was wonderful, and he had his husband, plus his father figure couldn't properly die anymore.

The tips of his ears were burning.

He absolutely didn't want to answer that, and instead turned around to start quickly stashing away the stars he had been handed.

As soon as they were hidden, he just raised a hand in an awkward wave that probably said all that needed to be said when it came to the subject of what he had meant. There wasn't any reason for Ito to be so embarrassed if it was only a matter of thinking that the man was a cage fighter.

"Well, see you, I guess... Thanks for the star."

Despite himself, he still nabbed one of the hidden stars, slipping it into his pocket. It couldn't be that terrible to have one missing if the kid hid them all. Five would be too much, but one?

"Thanks for the compliment!" He chuckles as he finally leaves the shop he'd slipped into, opting instead to simply return home. Too much excitement for one day.

Plus he didn't want to be seen leaving with the star in case he was stopped. He found them and everyone told him to take them. If he hadn't have run into Ito, he'd have just taken them all home anyways. They had to know that.

A special item has been delivered to your home and placed in a mailbox that wasn't there yesterday. The box, and the item both have your name on them.

HEALING STONES 300 Emblems | USE LIMIT: 1-5 The bell above the door of Juniper’s Charms and Remedies chimes above your head. You are greeted by the smell of herbs and the cheerful bubbling of brewing concoctions as you are greeted from the front desk. Walking through the rows and shelves you find a small collection of velveteen bags no larger than the palm of your hand. Within which are five smooth grey stones.             This pouch contains five small stones that vibrate softly in your hand. It’s said that when you crush them, they’re able to heal small to medium wounds, and crushing all 5 can even save a soul from fatal damage. NOTE: This is a PERISHABLE ITEM. It can be used at any time, but only 1-5 times per purchase.

ORIGINAL EMBLEM BALANCE: 350 TRANSACTION: Free! (Hearths Rising 2024 Voucher) CURRENT EMBLEM BALANCE: 350

Blue eyes went wide as the other man pulled out a whole fist-fill of stars from a pocket. Yet... the more he listened...

This guy wasn't even playing.

The tips of his ears were pink as he finally let down the barrier under his feet and dropped the short distance to the floor. He took the stars that were offered to him, grumbling, "...I thought they closed off the shops participating in the scavenger hunt..."

Ito touched the shelf, everything slowly morphing back to how it had been before.

He knew that he owned the man an apology, but....

The boy looked away.

"Yeah, they wouldn't let you pay for them because they're for the scavenger hunt. If you find one, you get a reward. Keys, I think? Something like that." Ito looked down at the Stars in his hand and shifted slightly on his feet. Then he sighed. "I just need one so I'll hide the others again..."

"Oh." He tries hard not to show his disappointment at the stars being for something else, meaning they weren't for him to take home.

Oh well, he'll find something else instead, if he has to. A shame, he loved the shapes of them and the way they shone and glimmered. He shrugs it off, forcing himself to simply move on, but the other is still talking.

"Hmm? Eh, no need to be sorry. Competition boils the blood and makes animals out of the best of us. Though I do appreciate the acknowledgement that your response was a bit wild." He chuckles lightly, remembering when he would get into physical scraps with kids at Hopeland just to win the chance to cook that day with the adults.

Conrad. That was a name that certainly knocked some sense into him. Since his interaction with Nai and Legato the scientist had been on his mind in waves, usually during the night where little could occupy his mind with the absence of activities. Thinking of him wasn’t fun, but Nick thinks he deserves it for the crass way he’d mentioned The Eye. It bothered him too…what had gotten into him?

“Sorry. Your next drink is on me for that...fuck them.” His tone takes on a much softer air than the playful one it’d had prior, hoping that would set this interaction straighter. And that he’d know he was truly sorry. “Ain’t takin my short comment back though. Yer just like a smaller version of me!” But older. That definitely threw him off.

Once again his focus moves and settles on the punisher. The differences of it when compared to his own intrigued him. The blue accents, the difference of material, the amount of compartments it had. Assuming Nicholas wouldn’t care too much, he waltzes on over to take a better look.

“You aren’t soft for not wanting to hurt people.”

He speaks as he studies the weapon. It certainly has seen a lot of use. Tracing his finger along the gun, he felt the scrapes and dented parts. At the end of it where the bullet would expel, paint was chipped and metal was worn. Like his own. And all from situations he didn’t want to be in.

He didn't want to talk, he just wanted to leave the man hanging. But... It felt too close to abandoning, even if he had it coming. If it were anyone else nearing Her, he'd have tensed or growled at him, but he just scowls into his now empty mug.

When did he polish it off?

"Only got Her back recently. Went on the hunt looking for my dad who was kidnapped and whoever the fuck took Her gave Her back. I'm still not sure how to feel about it." On one hand, he can use it to protect people.

On the other hand, it makes his shoulders burn, a feeling that had nothing to do with the weight. Though, even without her he was a threat now too, a thought that had him hunching down almost pathetically, clearly fighting unseen demons.

"Let's try all the food, then!" he agrees. There's all kinds of food here in Arcanus, and Mo Xuanyu is pretty sure his tastebuds will be overwhelmed by the time they're done-- but he's still excited, especially about the sweets. Based on what he's read, some of them sound absolutely delightful.

He pays close attention to all those things that Nico talks about-- even though he really will try to get things for himself, he definitely still wants to get at least one gift for his love, something nice and sweet. When he thinks back to the day at the aquarium, the way Nicholas had clung onto the plush ray that Mo Xuanyu had gotten him... that's a feeling he wants to recapture no matter what.

Still, Mo Xuanyu feels a little excited himself. They're just starting to build a life with each other, and now they can get things to fill up that life with...

Hopefully.

The question felt less like a question when he met the other's eyes, following his gesture to see the shop. It did look interesting, some things he could mentally note what they probably were.

"Store one of many? We can go halves on everything so we can try more things, deal?" He grins, pulling his love along to the shop.

Things like this, the sweet simple life, no cross weighing him down, no crushing weight of pain and guilt, of shame and fear- nothing. Just a warmth, a sense of joy and hope.

「私が来た!」– The blonde man listened quietly as the young man spoke and explained, saying things that were beyond the years that Toshinori assumed he had.

"I may not know your situation before coming here, however, those are certainly wise words, young man." Where he had come from though... In his case at least... "But I'm afraid that my situation is perhaps more complicated than simply losing a power or an item or two. I....left behind many young students who may still need guidance."

Of course, he wasn't the only person who came here from a complicated situation. Toshinori knew that. Even so...

His brows furrowed as he spoke, grip tightening slightly more on the axe and his knuckles creaking. Frustration clouded the frail-looking mans face. A grimace formed on his lips.

Stain's words replayed back to him in his head - 'The man known as All Might knew no other way to live his life than dedicating every fiber of his being to others. No matter how undignified the struggle, we must continue the work he started so long as we draw breath.'

Aizawa had said it himself, as well - 'You're a workaholic. You held up this country almost single-handedly for decades, it has to be hard coming down from that sort of high. There's still something you can do, though. You can continue living here. Enjoy your life. A lot of people will be spurred on just by that."

But even so... he felt as though he had fallen somehow. Crashed down from on high to... what?

What was he now? Struggling in the mud and dirt to chase after the boy who once chased after him. That young man who had already long outgrown him.

As for taking that chance to figure himself out and learn his new place or purpose - It still felt hollow. It had only been eight months since he had lost One for All. In that time the entire world fell apart. The moment he ceased his Hero activities everything had snapped and frayed.

Toshinori felt his lips tremble as he thought about it. But he steeled himself. He drew himself up somewhat straighter. Taller. Right. Frustration and self pity would get him nowhere. He had to keep moving forward. Even if it wasn't an ideal situation, he would make a living here for the time being.

...He would do what he could for now. Just as that boy had always done.

Toshinori watched the black haired young man go on ahead while he simply stood there. Long strides got him caught up to the younger man quickly. Blue eyes were set ahead.

Like his 'mom'.

He jolts from his thoughts as the other moved to catch up, eyes flicking up to the tall string bean. There it was, that spark up from the man fighting unheard demons, more evidence he was something bigger than just a professor. Just like Nicholas was more than just a monster.

He blinks, a little taken aback before chuckling. Maybe he talked too much again and the other god lost, but he shrugs the metal on his shoulder.

"Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Turning thirty in the new year, married with a pup and just trying to be better than the monsters that made me. And yourself? I'd rather not disrespect you all the time by calling you bean stalk." He would still call the other nicknames, it's his thing. A sign he cares and decided you're part of his pack.

Oh, the bee. Hmm.

"Never tried that, but it could taste like complete ass and gasoline mixed together. You'd think it'd be sweet with a bee, though..."

Again, the thought of a free couple of drinks improves anyone's mood.

Without hesitating, he goes to retrieve said magazine from the Punisher's pocket, quickly flicking through it. The pictures are so pretty, the cakes almost too pretty to think of eating them. But anything he makes will obviously be delicious and gorgeous, because he would not accept it being otherwise.

"Red? All of these are white. But red... red velvet is lovely, or the cake can be dyed. The icing, obviously. The details a different color..." He's all but muttering to himself now, flipping through pictures and considering what kinds of cake he could make, planning on going home and looking things up immediately.

He never understood the white, he guessed it was because he heard silk from silk moths was a pure white untouched by dye. Still, the wolf thought it was stupid, basic and plain. He thinks it over, swaying.

"I like caramel. And white chocolate." He needed to triple check with Xuanyu, they were still new to one another, so he'd have to ask. "Xuanyu is still new to good food. Isolated as a kid, not given the nice things kind of vibe, despite a rich father." He rolled his eyes at that.

He missed the man already, being so far - working - from him always ached. He's smiling, eyes soft and sweet as he looked at his work.

"I'd like spider lilies on it somehow. Maybe some gold leafing? Or edible gold spray paint?" He feels hope now that he wasn't the only one working on things, feeling less... Strained. "I'm thinking the definition of 'decadence'. He deserves to be pampered with everything the world has to offer. It's.... Why I wanted to ask you. I don't trust anyone else with decadent food." Not even Astarion, despite the wonders he can make.

The Wanderer, of course, is the former-- and just based off of what little he knows, his former housemate seems to be the latter.

It's a little ironic that their paths crossed now for the first time.

"Good-- then we understand each other."

The puppet isn't here to make friends.

That had been what his last trip was for-- this one was a little more personal. Of course, the appearance of another person here might put a wrench in his plans... other than Nicholas, though, the cove seems fairly empty.

Well.

Aside from the moving shadows.

It turned out they'd trailed him here after all. That's all they've been doing. tailing just behind him, probably using some kind of concealment technology or magic, flickering in and out of the edges of his senses. It was infuriating.

He'd hoped he was just being paranoid. But if there's a place to deal with this... then here was as good as any. Better than the city at least-- he could handle himself perfectly well, but just in case something did go wrong, he'd rather not have his "death" end up flattening a city block again. Once was more than enough.

First, though, figuring out what they want is long overdue-- and for that, he needs to let them get close without them knowing that he already knows they're here. So, he meanders along the pathway, pausing here and there to gaze at the scenery, bending down to examine some stone here, some moss over there... all the while listening for any sound of footsteps.

The movement is fast. The massive cross turned, twisting to be used like a war hammer, ramming into the person's side and throwing them back. Something cracked, but they were alive.

Fingers flick the clasp, cloth swirling around them, twisting to arch into a bundle at his feet. The cross gleamed in the falling snow, the end panels snapping open to reveal a barrel. The rest of them hesitated, eyes growing wide with horror as he stared coldly.

"It's the Undertaker!" One hissed in panic, scrambling to rush back without him ever pulling the trigger.

He grunts at that, disengaging the weapon and throwing it over his shoulder, clipping the ball to his hip and slipped a new cigarette between his lips.

"What a pain. Sonare again." he groans, looking to the person still alive, trying to crawl off. "Hey! Where the hell you think you're going? My pal here might have questions as to why you tried to jump him." He snapped, watching them recoil but relent in the snow.

The more she hears about this place and people's experience with it, the lower her hopes plummet. Stuck here.. Not forever.. right? That's impossible. She can't stay here forever! This caused a slight upward of alarm. What about back at home?! Surely, people would question why she's gone! Surely, people would worry!

Would they really? On such a pathetic creature like yourself?

She shakes her head. No, shut up! She's not going to give up so easily! There's other people- er, echoes that are trying to leave as well. She won't give up. Maybe, she could find those people, then find a way back.

"Lived on a massive desert planet. The closest we got to those lights was bug swarms. Zazie's tiny frames always liked to migrate every other lunar cycle." He almost missed the twerp swarm.

He then focuses, having noted the small meltdown she smothered, noting not to talk about being stuck here. Maybe offering some kind of hope?

Ito gripped the top of the shelf as he stared down at the guy on the other side. The guy looked like kind of an asshole. And what was up with the homeless look?

He blinked at him as he spoke, unaware of the miscommunication that was currently happening. Besides, shouldn't some of these shops be shut down to the general public if there was a scavenger hunt happening - at least the ones participating in the hunt?

Ito might have just left it be but -

Kid? Twerp?

The young man smacked his hand down on top of the display. Almost immediately, the shelf of items began to morph and shift into something entirely unlike what it had been - reconstructed, at least partially, into an archway. As if going around was too much work for Ito.

He nearly swung through the opening creating another invisible platform for himself as he went, seemingly floating in the air. He put his hand on his hips as if that would help the case that he wasn't a child.

"Almost doesn't make you twenty, kid." He then pauses, brows pinching. "A star?" He sounded lost for a moment, then perked up.

He reaches into his pocket, the vase tucked on his hip to produce five of the small shining stars.

"These things? I tried to buy them from the vendors because I thought they'd be nice in my home. they just kept telling me to hold onto them for something and refused to let me pay. Even when I left it on the counter they insisted I take them." He shrugs, holding out the hand to offer it to him.

"Apparently you know what to do with them. When you're done with them, I'd like them back if we're allowed." he drops them on the platform at the other's feet before setting the vase down. "If you don't mind returning all of this back to normal for the vendor, I'd like to put the vase back where it was." Gone was the bite, clearly deciding whatever they were barking about didn't matter.

It wasn't some crazy bitch going after what he wanted and would be stalking him to cause more fights - like the last damn shop - so he felt no threat despite the power display.

Yet another bar. Since the man had arrived in these foreign lands he’d frequented them as much as he had on Gunsmoke. Perhaps a little more than he had back home.

Coming back to life and being forced to come to terms with his death and the people that were t blame for it wasn’t an easy task. Smoking and other activities could only occupy the mind for so long until life led you back into your same old habits. It hadn’t gotten so bad to the point he was day drinking, but give it about a week or so…

He had all he needed and yet nothing he truly wanted. All the money he could ask for but given by the hands of someone he could never trust, no matter the displayed kindness.

But no strength. No Meryl. No Milly. No Vash.

The only familiarity he’d managed to find is the stars that only came out at night and the alcohol the man at the counter would pour at his word. So, that’s were he found himself. Walking into the Waystone tavern to drown away the thought that wouldn’t go away. That’s until he saw

“The Punisher?”

It was without a doubt one. And not his, obviously. So that just mean; THAT was the other one of him? The guy he’d been trying to refuse to acknowledge? That puny little man sat at the corner? He has to force himself to hold back a laugh. He was beginning to think he wouldn’t even need that alcohol with how this visit was going. This was entertainment enough.

He knew that note, the lilt of the voice. Shock that something so familiar, ripped from you, laid in this weird world. Black flicked down from where he'd tipped his head back to grind his jaw about idiot blondes. His head drops down, fringe falling about his face, the rest tied up lazily.

Great. Another him, and more of a jackass. The mentioning of the eye had him visibly recoiling, curling his lip to flash his canines.

"Twenty nine. Almost thirty." He sipped his drink again, eyes behind his much darker shades trailing the figure. Tall, lanky, broad shouldered, lean.

He was hardly in a better form than Nicholas.

"Tch, Conrad's a fucking moron making a bean pole wave the Punisher around. How you stayed upright with Her is beyond me." Two can play the game of mentioning trauma at one another.

Though even he winces at it, paling slightly before sighing.

"Look, I don't use it to kill, hell I don't even hurt people if I can avoid it. So lay off." He snaps, looking away as his jaw ground. "Call me soft I don't care. At least I'm not a weapon anymore." A monster, for sure, especially seeing those beautiful blues fade, but he wasn't a weapon.

Your experiences have led you to deeper ties in this world. Young Echo, may you cherish them well.

Congrats! Your muse, NICHOLAS D. WOLFWOOD has ranked up to Ardent Rank! You now have the following benefits:

Access to Tier 2 of the Marketplace

200 emblems per Activity Check

All other benefits are listed on the RANKS PAGE.

It's been a long time now since he was that man.

He can't stop the snort when Nicholas claims his role will be to stand there and keep him from braining himself on the floor if he faints. What a ridiculous notion. Wolfwood, passing out in his wedding? Absurd. Though, if he did, Legato is quite sure he could easily revive him. With or without catching him from a fall.

"If you were to attempt to run, I'd have simply mocked your bravery until you came crawling back out of pure shame," the psychic smirks as he sets to his own tasks with comfortable ease. It's nice even, working alongside Nicholas in the process of creating something delicious, something that, if one thinks about it hard enough, is a thing of life. What being can survive without food, in the end? The once right hand of a vengeful angel and the punishing assassin of the sect of murderers who worshiped the angel, comfortably creating meals together in the warmth of a lively kitchen. Absurd. And fitting.

Of course, then Nicholas brings up food for the wedding, cake even, and he has every ounce of Legato's attention. Gold eyes wide and bright with delight, ideas very clearly already zipping around behind them.

"I think it's multi tiered... Each tends to be a different flavor. Xuanyu is Chinese I think? I'd have to run any menu by him before we finalize it. Maybe some tastings?" He throws a warm towel over the dough for it to rest, turning next to mixing the meats for their burgers.

It was a lot to take on, and honestly having any kind of help would be a dream. He'd been struggling thus far trying to sort it all out.

"I'm gonna ask Badou to help with the drinks menu, I think. I'll mostly be making it but he'll learn how so he can mix on the night. Or Astarion will mix, I dunno." He frowns as he makes the balls for patties. "The cakes, multi tiered, many people make pretty flowers and decals and stuff on them... At least, that's what my magazine looked like."

He kicks his foot to his back, resting by the base of the Punisher in the corner. "Outside pocket in the front." Where he motions is a wedding magazine, mostly the cakes and meals often presented in common cultures.