The Party is Over

✧ “Okay. You can do this, Amity. Luz does it all the time, and you’re trying to be more sociable, right? Make more friends? How hard could it be? Not that hard… Right?” Giving herself this little pep talk, Amity didn’t sound very confident in herself. But she was going to go through with it! She’d set her mind to it!

“Umm… Free hugs?”

Free...hug? Should he trust it...? It’ll be fine, he thinks. Hyakkimaru has little concept of social etiquette, and hugs are a nice thing he keeps seeing others do. Her soul, too, is a nice color, even though it fluctuates. 

“(Ok.)” 

Despite his rather rough exterior, the hug he offers is warm, and gentle...

It isn’t until the rain becomes a downpour that Girl stops playing in the puddles and such and starts jogging for cover. It takes the small child a moment, but she’s eventually under shelter. Oof, she’s soak and wet, but she doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. She IS just a tad bit cold though. 

Rain, rain go away, come again some other day. 

She sings under her breath, swaying left to right. As much as she loves the rain…It’s heavy rain that she isn’t a fan of. That’s when it stops being fun to play in the rain for her. 

“……..”

Someone is watching me. 

It’s the feeling of mild nervousness that has her quickly looking up, only to spot the man standing next to her. Mm, something is wrong, but she’s not entirely sure what it is. 

“Are….Are you okay?”

The vague shape of horns, the turn of her tail. The humming, however, is that of a child’s, as well as the shape. And her concern sounds genuine. 

He stares down to her, and wonders...In such crowded places, someone her height might have an advantage in seeing others of a similar constitution. Dororo would likely stay away from someone like this, for safety. 

Or...throw rocks at them. 

Hyakkimaru is desperate enough to ask regardless, holding a palm a little lower than his waist to denote the height he describes; 

Though the boy doesn’t move, the quiet words that left him were enough to tell Watanuki that he was accepting his offer; smiling ever so slightly in his direction. The fact that he received a response at all was a great relief to the shopkeeper, though there was still the matter of getting to that spot he was thinking about.. would he be able to lower the shields from his ears on his own? Or perhaps the boy needed some gentle coaxing out from them..

Remaining in his kneeling position, Watanuki extended his palm out towards the other; offering his hand for something to hold on to. Whether Hyakkimaru chose to just to aid him in standing again, or to keep it in his grasp until they arrived at their destination, Watanuki couldn’t be sure.

Regardless, he wouldn’t mind either way.

“Here,” his fingers remained outstretched, patiently awaiting Hyakkimaru’s decision. “I’ll lead us there.”

As Hyakkimaru recognizes the shape of a hand outstretched, reluctant fingers of wood wrapped in tattered cloth hold on. A place free of noise was worth a few seconds to stand up. 

With feet even on the ground, he positions himself behind the stranger, hands covering both ears once again. While he was beginning to get used to the sounds, it still didn’t absolve it from being unpleasant noise. 

There are so many moving souls, and though none would be shaped like this one--or had a flame colored the same way, for that matter--he remains close behind him, for fear of losing him to the crowd. 

It’s a strange compromise, being close enough that the top of his head almost touches the other’s back. Intending on staying close, watching his feet from behind. 

It’s the gentle sounds of a wind chime that entices Hyakkimaru to stop his constant wandering. Sitting by for a while, as the spring breeze guides the metal pieces to collide with each other. The colorful pieces of glass it’s decorated with make the porch glitter with speckles of rainbow, illuminating even the tattered black of his robe. The scent of potted flowers carry over the breeze.

Despite the comfort and beauty Hyakkimaru is surrounded by, his body gives in to it’s soreness and sadness. Leaning deep against the wall he sits against, head hung low. He has gotten no closer to finding Dororo, and the longer spent without them, the heavier his mood becomes. 

Dark clouds are beginning to move in the skies, and gradually, there’s a downpour. So caught up in the change of smells and sound and vibrations, he does not seem to notice the small company that takes shelter next to him at first.

When he finally does, the tip tap of her shoes on the wood, he seems fixated on her. 

Her fingers flexed, closing gently before opening again. Deep breaths were drawn in, then slowly released. The fields surrounding the spiraling cliff of Anne’s home ward of Fibonacci were pretty devoid of people, so they were the perfect place for something like this. A final breath, thoughts focused inward on feelings of the past, and…

“AaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” She shifted into a low, wide stance, fists clenched tight, and gave a long shout like she were charging up energy in an old anime. It wasn’t inaccurate- she knew some fraction of that weird blue power she’d used in the throne room was still within, but she’d only used it that one time by total accident. This was the only way she could think to try and do it again. She just had to try and focus her anger, right? “HooooooOOOOAAAAHHHH!!! YAAAAAAAAaah crud.”

Someone was there now. She felt totally ridiculous trying this sort of practice when people are around.

“Uhhhh…hey! Just…warming up! For my Muay Thai practice. Gotta get all that excess energy out there to really focus on what’s left, you know?”

A perfectly crafted lie. Nice one, Boonchuy.

@hundreddemoncircle​ liked x for a starter!

Fibbonacci was the hardest for Hyakkimaru to navigate; nothing living to follow the shape of aside from human beings, and none were eager to help such an out of place individual.

Eventually, he’s completely lost, feeling his way around and clinging to the few objects that aren’t horribly artificial. 

It’s a while before he hears someone yelling, confused as whether it is the sound of battle or a sound of distress. There’s a rushed pace, the slapping of bare feet and the rhythmic clunk of his wooden prosthetic is obvious on such hard ground--making it easy to hear him coming. 

There’s no-one else here but her. Warming up...? So, she’s okay? Maybe. 

What is...

“(Muay Thai...?)”

The soul of this one is bright. It draws him closer, but not too close. She might scream again.

starter - @hundreddemoncircle​ 

When she just got returned to this place once again, her Zanpakuto’s hilt is on her hands but it trembles her because she is afraid of close-range combat. Supposed to head to her new home, she felt like she was stalked and like, being read on like a book.

Nanao already knew she doesn’t have any Kido or Hado spells to use that not even the Shikai of Shinken Hakkyoken will save her. 

“W-Who’s there? I-I’m not afraid to use my sword if you dare get close to me!” She drew her sword as the sheath dropped that picked immediately.

Hyakkimaru is used to the caution of others--if not outright ignored as he passed through towns on his hunt for demons. As time passed, as he regained parts of himself, his appearance would become less and less off-putting, and more recognizable as human. 

He was curious, to see a faded spirit walking about. It was typically a sign of a lingering curse or a soul troubled by wrongdoing. 

Hyakkimaru steps slow to a halt, looking about for anything else. No one else is there except for the two of them. 

“(...)” 

Frogs are edible, right? Dororo would usually cook things, but, Hyakkimaru’s eaten raw fish and been fine on his own before. 

@hundreddemoncircle​

“…this place certainly is odd.” Between the giant hole he found himself next to, along with the various buildings that looked nothing like his home, this place was certainly not the Boiling Isles.

Could this have been the human world he heard others spoke of?

Odder yet, was the half-marionette-like boy staring right into his soul. So many people had such bizarre colors. This one was similar to another man he’s met, only telling the difference by the voice and the size. 

There’s enough silence that the Nightmare Knight understands what will happen next. He sighs, but it is neither party’s fault that there is a disconnect. He’ll simply have to try harder next time.

“I can see this is important to you. Hand me the stone, if you please.”

“I need to be holding it, I cannot do this otherwise. You can climb into my hand if you wish to keep in contact with it.”

“(...)”

Hyakkimaru doesn’t trust being in the palm of his hand, so instead, he carefully places the pieces inside. Keeping his hands over it like one would prevent a frog from leaping out from beneath your fingers.

It did not matter how small, to Hyakkimaru. 

Nothing so limiting, little one.

The cosmos are simply my element. It is where I do my best work.

But of this sky? There is a sun, a moon, and stars. It is only as real as you let it be.

‘Nothing so limiting’...? What is he? 

An Eclipse?

“W—It’s normal? That doesn’t look normal.” 

WHAT IS GOING ON!?

“(Eclipse. Normal?)” 

Oh that is an eclipse. It is a celestial event, usually, but the island has many of them, acting as a signifier for incoming and outgoing parties.

Look, even I can move it.

Eclipse, no eclipse. It is just that easy, if you can reach it.

You are rather short, though.

How does he move it...? Is he...

“(Are you, a god?)” 

“(What is that?)” 

    As Hyakkimaru takes his seat, Fifteen rolls his head away and grunts, annoyed. He’s not one to flinch, and there’s a decent chance he’s fresh to Spirale—to social etiquette, at the least—and he’s a child, so Fifteen’s not having to restrain any violent urges, here. He still hates this.

[ Get away from me. ]

“What? You want something from me? Say so.“

    Begrudgingly, he tilts his head partway back, now glaring back at the demon slayer over his shoulder. It could be that he couldn’t speak, or didn’t know how. Anything was up in the air about Spiralian captives. For all Fifteen knew, this was the part where the other would start talking about lost memories.

The other’s soul...orange, red, faint, white. It wasn’t until now that Hyakkimaru realizes it’s changing colors. Observing others further down the car, a few souls fluctuate the same way. In all sorts of colors. 

He doesn’t understand why it’s happening, so a hand rests on the opposite wrist, just in case. There’s no sensed danger...and with a barely-moving face like his own, such body language can read as simple anxiety, rather than preparation. 

Hyakkimaru turns his head forward as he sits upright, finding the angle made him dizzy.  

“(What is this? Moving...?)” 

He looks down, between the stone, to the boy’s dull eyes. There is something he feels like he is misunderstanding. So, he blinks a few times, and sighs. Maybe he should try this a different way.

“Everyone’s souls do not lessen. There is a lot of soul, to everyone. This little bit,” He nudges against the puzzle with a finger, “Is only that. A little bit. You are not missing it. It is yours, and it cannot be taken.”

He waits a moment, for a reply. Maybe the little one needs to think it over.

“I can free it, if it truly bothers you. The stone will be lost.”

The words of the other almost seem discarded. In one ear, out of the other--in reality, it’s stored for later, something to reflect on at another time. Despite hardship and combat prowess against the inhuman, Hyakkimaru is still a child. 

He further repeats his desire, stubborn. Finally finding the words to how he feels about it. 

“(Stone, can be taken. Like my body.)” 

Even if it’s just a small piece...

The Nightmare Knight is sat atop a hill. His eyes are closed. He is listening, at every sound, all across the island. Each one, no matter how minute. Within his mind, he is thinking, questions and answers floating about in blurry fashion. He cannot tell what it is he is currently troubled by. Introspection usually brings up one issue, but he’s feeling rather fine lately.

Then, some soft steps. That little mumbled-out grumble. His eyes open, and find no reflection.

“… You seem agitated. Is something wrong?”

He is holding the orb, very tightly and close. “You are worried about your soul? Am I right?”

Hyakkimaru has very few words he understands the meaning of. While he’s sensitive and knowing to the intentions of others, expressing his own feelings was difficult. Especially in a language everyone else was born with.

There was never a need to complicate things. 

Nothing was so complex until the past few months. 

“(Soul is mine--a part of me.)”