[closed] come and go with me

Entry tags:

[closed] come and go with me

Who: Goku and Nia
When: January 3rd
Where: The Dagda's Temple
What: Goku's friends suck, but some of them suck less than others. He's going to go hang out with one of them.

[Sometimes, Goku reflects, you just need to get some fresh air. Things have been tense among his circle of friends since Christmas- since Ayumu's ablution, if he's honest- and while tensions have waned and heightened as time goes on, sometimes it's nice to take a break from it all. Take a walk through the trees. Visit a friend.

It's nice here, walking through the woods. You'd think by now that Goku would have poor associations with that; instead he enjoys watching the light flicker through the leaves and listening to the sounds of wildlife. Spontaneously he leaps up and grabs onto a branch, swinging back and forth before throwing himself further along the path. He grins when he lands. Still, it's not as much fun on his own, and he grins further when he sees signs of a river and a building further ahead.]

Hey, Nia! ... Oi, Nia!!

[He might have accidentally come round the back way, but he's pretty sure this is where her god's temple is supposed to be. Maybe she can't hear him?]

Nia!

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[Nia likes the outdoors.]

[Just instinctively, because it reminds her of the place, or the Titan rather, that she calls home -- even if she doesn't remember it. She just knows this peaceful area suits her better than the indoors or the tunnels, all things being equal.]

[Which means she's out, enjoying what little sun there is and thinking about what she'd want to eat (which she thought about a lot these days, thanks to shinki hunger)... when someone in the forest starts yelling her name.]

[Just yelling her name at the temple.] Oh, it's Goku.

[And yet despite the roll of her eyes, she heads that way, sticking up a hand to wave when she figures he can see her coming.]

[Well, how else is he supposed to find her? It's not like knocking on the front door would have worked; she was outside anyway. Goku grins as he catches a glimpse of silver hair and quickly jogs up to meet her.]

Hey, Nia! I found you!

[A happy end to a tumultuous quest.]

You realize how bloody lucky you are, right? If I'd been in the tunnels or even inside, you'd've been yelling yourself hoarse.

[In other words, hello. Also: today her Blade is following along with her, the large artificial-looking beast regarding Goku with mild curiosity.]

Huh? [Ah, he's already being yelled at.] Nah, it's fine, I can yell for ages just fine.

[He's so skilled. Goku peers around Nia to look at her Blade curiously. He saw it the other day, of course, but with all the people at the Meeting Hall he kind of just assumed it was yet another weird thing that hung around there. He wasn't expecting to see it here.]

Did that thing follow you here?

Huh? Oh, that's right. You haven't really met. [Nia turns to beckon the creature closer, smiling still. Goku might be an idiot, but she's in a good mood all over. And, if she's honest, not displeased to see him.]

This is my Blade. Found his Core Crystal here... in my lamp, believe it or not. Blades are weaponized lifeforms who come from Core Crystals, and awaken when a Driver resonates with them.

[Nia's smiling a lot... She looks pretty! She must be in a good mood today. That's great!

Anyway, those sure were words in a certain order put into a sentence. That's definitely what those were. Definitely words. Goku's sure they were words.]

... I don't really get any of that, but he doesn't look very sharp or anythin'. [For a "blade". Goku waves at the creature anyway.]

That's because these are his weapons. [She pats the ringblades hanging at her hip.] I use 'em, he gives me power.

[The Blade nods politely back to Goku, genial enough.]

So what brings you around?

Whaaat? [Looks incredulously at The Blade.] She doesn't let ya fight?

[So unfair! Goku shifts back and puts his hands behind his head.]

Mm, nothin' really. Haven't seen ya in a while so I wanted to come hang out! [Since their prayer together, he's been busy babysitting Gojyo. Today is Hakkai's turn or something.] I figured we could get somethin' to eat or do somethin'!

[Nia stares at him a moment, waiting for something more to his words. When it doesn't come, she leans back slightly, hand lifting to her mouth.]

You came all the way over here just to hang out with me?

Well, yeah. What else?

[Maybe he should have planned something or brought something to eat. Maybe she'd rather go on another prayer, after their last one went so well. But he doesn't see what the big deal is.]

Are ya busy with something? I don't mind waitin' if ya are.

[That --]

[She figured he needs some help with a prayer or something, maybe an ayakashi. But coming over just to spend time with her, that's...]

[Huh.]

[She lets her hand fall, and brings up a new smile, uncertain by broad.]

No, I'm not busy with anything. If I say we can go get food, that's the magic phrase, isn't it?

[Her new smile looks kind of weird. Not bad, but weird. But that's fine; people are weird a lot of the time, in Goku's experience. He's used to letting it be. Nia doesn't seem unhappy, after all.]

Yeah! [Goku grins and practically jumps at the suggestion.] I'm hungry! Let's go eat!

That's what I expected.

[No. She's not unhappy. Confused, puzzled, but not unhappy. It's -- it's nice to have a friend. Even if she's not sure he really would be a friend if he knew...]

[But. Anyway. A little of her sass and confidence comes back as she puts a hand on her hip, leaning slightly to make a 'well?' gesture at him.] You're the god, you're the one who can take us somewhere. Where're we off to?

[Goku blinks.] What, don't your legs work? You can walk, right?

[He's still not super confident in his teleportation. Especially when he has no clue where they're going.]

Um, it's cold out... So let's go somewhere we can eat something warm!

[Eyerolling is such a natural expression on Nia.]

Not down to the Near Shore I can't! [Isn't that where they'd go, after all? She can hit the shrine and go down, but that's no good for him, is it?] But I can get behind a nice hot meal.

It's not like it's any different for me...

[If he tries to teleport straight to the Near Shore from here, they'll both regret it pretty quick.]

Come on, let's just walk to a shrine and go down. I want something like sukiyaki or shabu shabu!

I don't get you. How can you have that power and not get real good at it, real quick? If I could just go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted...

[She trails off, because she isn't certain where she'd go. The real power of it isn't getting somewhere. It's getting away.]

Ugh, never mind. Shizuo won't mind if we use his shrine, I'm sure. C'mon.

[She turns to head back up to the temple, trusting Goku will be right alongside in a moment.]

I'm pretty fast anyway, so I don't need it much when I'm fighting. I'd rather just jump and run around.

[Teleporting takes too much focus when he'd rather spend that energy on other things. Goku follows one step behind Nia happily.]

And any other time it's not like it's a big deal to just walk. I've tried it a buncha times and it's been okay, but I don't think it's a good idea to go too far in one go, y'know? And it's not like I know where we're going anyway.

Down to the Near Shore, explore from there. Not too difficult. [A nice little train they make, with her Blade trailing two steps behind and one to the right of Goku, back up to the doors of the Dagda's temple proper.] It's not a bad place to visit. A bit busy, a bit crowded. Should be quieter with their holidays over, though.

Or maybe there'll be a festival on with lotsa food all around!

[He hasn't heard of any happening right now, but a monkey can dream. Goku jogs to get a step ahead of Nia and grin at her.]

You don't like crowds, Nia? Or you do? Hey, does that Blade wanna come eat with us?

'Course he's coming. He's my partner here, isn't he? [Common Blades may not have a lot of personality, but they still have needs, and deserve respect. And food.]

And no, I'm not much for crowds. Don't ask me why, I don't remember.

[Goku grins at the Blade too then. The more the merrier!]

Y'don't need a reason not to like something. You might just not like 'em. [It doesn't have to be because of some specific trauma or anything.] I don't mind crowds and I like having people around but sometimes it's nice when there's just a couple of people! And sometimes it's bad when there's lots of people being really noisy.

[That might sound hypocritical, coming from the noisy monkey, but it can be stressful when there's too many people crowded around and yelling.]

Anyway, we can find somewhere quiet, I bet!

You seem like you can be at home anywhere. So easygoing. [Nia shakes her head like she's trying to disapprove, but neither her voice nor her smile hide the truth. She envies him a little.]

[Into the temple they head!]

Hmm. Ya think? [Goku pauses, letting Nia overtake him again.] ... I dunno about "home", really, but I guess I don't really care about "where" I am.

[So long as the people he cares about are nearby, it's fine. There's never really been a place he was particularly attached to. Goku shakes his head to get rid of that thought, jumping over the temple threshold to burn off some excess energy. Childishly, he slaps the top of the doorframe as he does. The excessive movement jostles his pockets; a couple of coins, a weird shaped rock and a pair of oversized glasses fall out, hitting the floor at the same time as his feet.]

Ah, whoops- [He never empties his pockets, so he forgot he had stuff shoved in there...]

Are you a pinata now? Because if so, I'd love to play.

[She doesn't know whether she likes Goku for not rising to that sort of bait, or if she's disappointed. Either way, Nia turns, dropping down to help scoop up all the stuff.]

You carry around some weird stuff.

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