[Open Intro] a pirate's life for me

[captainkurusu]

I. In the Velvet Room

The sight of an Akira in a long black coat and a high-necked gray vest is no rarity around these parts, but the one currently studying the conspiracy board is different. He has gold earrings, for one thing, and his clothes have a different style: hand-sewn wool and linen, not the slick, modern leather of Metaverse garb. His casual, hands-in-pockets slouch as he studies the conspiracy board, however, should look familiar to almost anyone.

Well. Anyone who knows an Akiren, anyway.

At the sound of anyone approaching him, Captain Akira turns sharply, his right hand flying to the hilt of the cutlass hanging from his belt. Depending on who he sees, he’ll say one of the following things:

If the character approaching him is an Akiren, his eyes widen briefly in surprise. Then he puts his hands on his hips, studying his double with interest. “You look oddly familiar, somehow,” he quips. “I’m afraid I can’t place you, though.”

If the character approaching him is an Akechi, the choked syllable “Go–” escapes him before he can stop it. Then he cuts himself off, smiling in apology. “Excuse me. I mistook you for someone else.”

If the character approaching him is anyone else, he nods a polite greeting and points at the conspiracy board. “Did you write this?” he asks cheerfully. “ ‘For mine own part, it is Greek to me.’ ”

Whether the character he addresses recognizes the quote or not, Akira’s puzzled expression translates its meaning clearly: Hey. What the hell is this?

II. In Tokyo

Tokyo is the last place Akira ought to set foot in--so of course, it’s the first place he does. To his disappointment, the city beyond the door is all but unrecognizable, full of bright lights and strange buildings and marvels Akira can’t begin to puzzle out. Even so, a vague familiarity remains, an instinct leading him deeper and deeper into the urban sprawl.

Any character passing through Shibuya can find Akira just off of Center Street, standing outside the door to Untouchable with a bemused expression on his face. He runs a hand through his messy hair and sighs, turning to smile at whoever is watching him.

“This place has changed a great deal since I saw it last,” he jokes. “Then again, I was a bit preoccupied the last time I was here.”

Comments

I

[youngestdawn]

Oh!! Oh!! New Friend!! New Friend Is Big!! Aki-chan tries to approach the New Friend, but--

--ew. His nose scrunches up.

Preemptively, Aki-chan opens his notebook and scribbles down something on the page and marches right up to New Friend and shows him the page.

Are you allergic to water? You smell like it. I can show you a shower.

[captainkurusu]

The term shower is unfamiliar to Akira, but the message is clear enough. He laughs softly, crouching down to Aki-chan's level.

"No offense taken," he says gently. "Lead the way. I'd be a poor sailor if I couldn't handle getting wet."

[youngestdawn]

"Yu smel lik if a wet dog had a wet dog," he deadpans. "Thys wey."

[captainkurusu]

Akira nods very solemnly, struggling to keep a straight face, and follows. He could use a bath, certainly--and even if he couldn't, he sees no harm in humoring a child. "I'm sorry. Had I known I would be meeting new people..." He glances down at Aki-chan. "I'm Captain Kurusu. What should I call you?"

[youngestdawn]

Oh!! He forgot to introduce himself!! Immediately, Akira-kun turns around with an apologetic bow, presenting his journal to the New Person!

Hi! My name is Kurusu Akira. Call me Akira-kun or Aki-chan. I'm five six years old! I have selective mutism, which means I can't talk sometimes. Thank you for your understanding. I live in Inaba and Joker and Crow are looking after me!

[captainkurusu]

Akira reads the message, then hands the journal back with a bow of his own. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Aki-chan. It's lucky for me that you found me; I could use an experienced guide."

[youngestdawn]

Oh, there are stars in his eyes now. "I kno thing! Lesgo to...duyuh kno Amagiiinn? Gret onsen in naba...goin ther. Thru door." He points to the door. "Fowwome!"

[captainkurusu]

He gives Aki-chan a salute, thoroughly charmed. Some of the boy's speech is a little hard to parse, but the word onsen is unmistakeable...and incredibly welcome. God help me, but I could use a proper soak. This really is a stroke of luck.

"I'm afraid I don't know it." He gives Aki-chan a salute, thoroughly charmed. "I'll follow your lead, captain."

[youngestdawn]

"Frew heer!" He opens the door to Inaba, and lo and behold, it opens into a mountain path leading up to an inn. "Pwetty...an' has shoyers."

[captainkurusu]

Akira looks around with interest as they head up the path, trying to take in every detail of the brave new world in which he's found himself. It is indeed very pretty, he thinks wistfully. I wouldn't mind settling down somewhere like this, if I could.

He walks along in silence, wondering idly what Goro would say.

[youngestdawn]

"Ann' up we go..." he opens the door leading into the inn and holds it open for Captain-sensei with a bow.

[captainkurusu]

"Why, thank you kindly." Akira smiles warmly at Aki-chan and steps inside, sweeping the interior of the inn with his eyes. The building itself looks much as he expects, though some of the odds and ends on display are unfamiliar. "Do you live here?"

[youngestdawn]

"In In-aba! Back in the citie." He nods to the staff and takes them right through to the locker rooms. "Oh. Uh. Mony don' mater. Heer. Its weird." His nose scrunches. "Dunworry. We r safe."

[captainkurusu]

"I wasn't worried," says Akira. "You're my expert guide, remember? I trust you not to take me anywhere I shouldn't be."

He begins to strip as he talks, stashing his clothes and weapons into one of the lockers. Without a trace of self-consciousness, he tugs his shirt over his head, revealing a horrifying thicket of pink, raised scars--some old, some newly healed--etched across most of his bare back.

"I've never been to Inaba before. Once I'm presentable, perhaps you could show me around?"

[youngestdawn]

Aki-chan's halfway through taking off his clothes when he sees Captain's back. His eyes go wide at the scars.

"So coo," he squeaks, then folds up his shirt and gets back to taking off his clothes.

[captainkurusu]

So cool. Akira usually pretends not to notice people's reactions to his scars, but this one makes him grin. No pity, no prying questions, just earnest, childlike awe. It's not the description he would use, perhaps but he'll gladly take the praise.

Once he's fully undressed, Akira eyes the row of showers, waiting for instructions on what to do next.

[youngestdawn]

"Aaand now we go heer..." Aki-chan walks over to the showers, putting a hand on a faucet. "Turn rite 4 warm, turn lef fer col!" He demonstrates, turning the handle and causing a spray of water from the shower head to hit him dead on before turning it off. "Shempu an conditionter fer hair. Bodie Wash for bodie."

[captainkurusu]

Huh. Akira goes to another faucet and tries it out, turning the spigot back and forth a few times. At last, he settles on a comfortable temperature and gets in, letting the water just run over him for a while. Then he remembers he's supposed to be bathing and grabs the shampoo, eyeing Aki-chan to see what he's supposed to do with it. This is new to him. He's trying.