chippedsoul | The Journal [Inbox]

[The entirety of Reverein is a zoo, let's be real. Animals abound.

Ryunosuke smiles apologetically.]

Um... No. No, I'm fairly sure that's all the most relevant news... Everything that immediately springs to mind, anyway.

[He pauses, then turns the rabbit so it's facing Kazuma, and holds it up a little higher.]

... Don't you want to know what his name is?

[Tread carefully. There's a mischievous glint in his eye.]

... [He looks to the rabbit, then back to Ryu] You didn't name it after me, did you?

[That guess actually throws Ryunosuke for a loop, startling him out of the cheeky aura he was just putting off.]

What? No, why would I...?

[He trails off, glancing down at the rabbit. And then he glances up at Kazuma, and then back down to the rabbit again. They DID look strangely similar; they were both wearing nearly identical unimpressed expressions, at least.]

...Actually, that... Would have been hilarious. [He'll admit it. RELUCTANTLY.] But no, that's not his name. Besides, if I were to name any kind of animal after you, it would probably be a cat. Or a snake... [a beat.] ...Or a particularly bossy kind of bird. Like a rooster.

[Well when you're smirking like that-] A rooster. [Really?] That's the best bird you could think of?

[He can kind of see why, but it's still a rooster.] Anyway, what's his name then?

[Hey, at least he didn't call you a sparrow again? Also, he's back to smirking a little, unable to completely contain how hilarious he thinks this is going to be.]

Well... His full given name-- which I will have to insist you address him by at all times-- is in fact...

[He takes a comically deep breath.]

...Jugemu Jugemu Go-Kō-no-Surikire Kaijari-suigyo no Suigyō-matsu Unrai-matsu Fūrai-matsu Kū-Neru Tokoro ni Sumu Tokoro Yaburakōji no Burakōji Paipo Paipo Paipo no Shūringan Shūringan no Gūrindai Gūrindai no Ponpokopii no Ponpokonaa no Chōkyūmei no Chōsuke.

[Recited quickly, and with perfect accuracy, natch. That is, assuming Kazuma even lets him finish saying the whole thing, and doesn't just smack him part way through.]

[Nah, Ryunosuke doesn't get a smack.

He gets doused with water instead. Sorry rabbit. Your owner is a fool.] That's not a name!

[It's ok. As a small prey animal, 'Jugemu' has much better reaction time than Ryunosuke does. He sees it coming and squirms out of Ryunosuke's arms in time to escape the splash zone, leaving his stupid human to take the full brunt. So much for loyalty.

Ryunosuke yelps and splutters, immediately trying to wipe his face off.]

Blgh-- ACK!

[...OK he probably deserved that for being an antagonistic little shit. But ALSO, you got fish-water in his mouth Kazuma, you DICK.

Ryunosuke spits a few times before he replies, laughter still in his voice:]

No, you're right... It's probably about twenty names.

Edited 2023-04-21 14:19 (UTC)

[Good. Drown in more fish water.] You're ridiculous! Even your rabbit has abandoned you. [He huffs, stomping back towards the main pond, grumbling. He cannot. Believe. He would just do that to him!! Memories of his failures from so long ago, flooding back in his mind. Ugh.]

[Jugemu really has abandoned him, because the rabbit twitches its nose and then actually hops along to follow after Kazuma. Gods only know why; maybe he feels a grumpy kinship or something.

Meanwhile, Ryunosuke finishes drying himself off as much as he can manage with the limited means available... And then he realizes Kazuma is stomping off and trails after him and his rabbit, making a contrite noise and sporting an expression that's very much adjacent to that of a kicked puppy.]

Oh come on, Kazuma, it was just a silly rakugo joke... You're not really mad, are you?

[Siiigh.] No. [Grumpy sounding he may be, but he's really not mad. Just, grumbly.]

But, to use that particular rakugo. You don't actually know what to call this rabbit, do you? [He glances down at the rabbit that has decided to follow him....he is cute.]

[Oh good, he's not really in trouble then. He drops the puppy eyes and crouches down to give the rabbit a little stroke between the ears, chuckling.]

No, I do. But it's true I had a difficult time deciding... Which is what made me think of that particular story. And I still maintain that is his full name... But you can just call him 'Jugemu' if you prefer.

I brought him along because I thought he might enjoy munching on some of the weeds in the garden.

[This poor rabbit, made to suffer by his owner's tongue twisting whims.] I may just call him Usagi. [Wow. He's not serious, probably.]

We could always use a little extra help curbing the garden. Especially with all the wildlife moving into it. [Seriously, how did they become a zoo?]

[Good question. For Ryunosuke's part, he has contributed one (1) rabbit to the zoo status of this place, and that is IT. So don't look at him!]

Usagi? Really? [He shakes his head, blowing past that.] Well, regardless... Yes, that was my thought as well. The only potential trade-off is that he might eat all the turnips, if we're still growing any. [A beat.] He... really likes turnips.

...Ryunosuke. He's your responsibilty. If you can't train him, then I'm afraid he can't stay around the garden or restaurant. [There's movement in the nearby bushes, maybe the sound of hissing as well. Looks like they have an audience with the snakes now.]

[Ryunosuke puts one hand on his hip and frowns.]

I’m sure he’ll be fine! And, I mean… Surely we can spare him a single turnip for all his hard work… Right?

[On the ground, Jugemu’s huge ears lift up, and his nose starts twitching with suspicion. Danger???]

Isn't eating the weeds already a meal to him...? [Is it really hardwork if the rabbit gets a meal out of eating the problem?] A turnip or two. Not the whole stock. [Control your rabbit, partner. The snakes will keep to the bushes, not really interested in going after Jugemu, yet.]

All right, enough of this rabbit nonsense. We still have fish to move.

[Yet!?!]

Alright, alright...

[Ryunosuke waves Kazuma's impatience off with an easygoing sigh. He rolls his sleeves up, and grabs the net, and gets back to work.

Part of him wonders if this might be faster-- and less stressful for the fish-- if he could just summon one of those forcefields again, like he'd done during the fight with the kapre. Maybe just scoop a bunch of water up with the fish, and hover it up to the overflow pond?

But, sadly, he hasn't been able to repeat that trick since the first time he'd done it... Much to his chagrin. So they work at it, manually, transporting koi with the nets until eventually the main pond is de-populated enough that poor Mr. Turtle isn't confined to his rock any longer. Ryunosuke pauses, sighs deep, and rubs the back of one hand across his sweating brow.]

That has to be good enough... Right?

[By the end of it all, they look like they've been in a storm, drenched head to toe.]

Yea...looks like it. Thanks. [He's just a little out of breath from all the lifting, but the fish all seem less agitated with more room to swim around. A few snakes have slipped some towels on a nearby bench for them once they were done.] There's a small fire pit over there. I can start us a fire, so we can get warmed up and dried.

[Ryunosuke is not pleased about how drenched he is at the moment, but the mention of a fire seems to cheer him considerably. That IS just about his favorite thing in the world, relaxing by an open flame.]

Sounds good to me.

[He stretches first, with both hands on his hips, leaning over backwards slowly and wincing as a sharp popping noise emanates from somewhere in his lower spine. He shakes himself out after that, moving to grab one of the towels first.]

You, know I really thought I'd be in my thirties at least, before my bones started making noises like that.

It helps not to slouch and work out. [There might have been a hint of laughter in his tone when he said that. Totally not throwing shade at Ryunosuke or anything. He picks up a towel in one hand, focuses on his other.

He could probably still make fire eventhough he's soaked right...? A few sparks appear in his hand and then eventually, a very weak flame forms. As quickly and carefully as he can, he moves the flame towards the wood in the pit.]

Where has your rabbit gone off to?

[Ryunosuke makes a dismissive groaning noise at the notion of ‘working out’. A bit of sport is one thing, but exercising just for the sake of it? Please. Think about who you’re talking to, sir.

At the question, he looks around for the rabbit, frowning uncertainly.]

…Good question. I lost track of him while we were working… [Raising his voice a bit, he calls out:] Jugemu…? Oh!

[Before he even finishes saying the name, the rabbit comes running up to the fire, sniffing curiously from a safe distance back.]

…There he is.

[Then don't complain about aches and cracking bones at a ripe age of 24.

There he is indeed, with a few snakes lurking behind him.] You're really committed to calling him that, huh...?

[The wood still hasn't caught fire, probably because the flame in his hand had gone out. A click of his tongue as he returns to focusing on making a flame.]

Huh? Of course I am. Why shouldn't I call him that?

[He's watching Kazuma try to light the fire, wondering if he should offer to help with his lightning, or if his friend would just take that as an insult to his pride...

Jugemu, meanwhile, is turning to eye the snakes warily, ears alert and nose twitching.]

You really have to ask that...? There. [Finally, he gets the fire on the wood.

Only to see it fizzle out.]

What the...damn it, the wood got soaked too. Do you know where we put the firewood?

[The snakes just be flicking their tongues innocently at dear ol' Jugemu. They're not doing anything at all. Just watching.]

[Ryunosuke sighs, managing to keep from sounding too put upon somehow.]

I'll go get some. Just a moment.

[Hmph. Jugemu is fully ready to fight those snakes if they want to start shit, but... Better to move closer to his human, he decides, just in case he needs backup.
...Except his human is walking off?!

The rabbit hops up next to Kazuma instead, hunching there and looking grumpy Ryunosuke is back in a moment with some properly dry firewood, anyway.small>

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