monthly catch all!

[odasaku]

WHO: Sakutarou Oda and you. Plus an added thesettingsun Shuji Tsushima in one prompt
WHERE: Dreamscapes! And beach time!
WHEN: Throughout July.
WHAT: July Catch-all!
WARNINGS: To be added as they come

1. Dreamscape

[ oda himself never seems to show much emotion when he finds someone visiting his dreams. at most, his eyes will widen if it's someone he knows-- he's not very into the idea of those he knows peering into his thoughts.

but oda will stay quiet and continue to spectate into his own dreams as you're pulled in. have fun. ]

a. [ it's raining.

even inside the bright café, the rain seems to bring down the mood of the establishment as it falls continuously. the scents of tea and coffee are strong, but not overwhelming. it's a peaceful place, in a melancholic sort of way.

but what stands out over everything else is the young teenager that speaks to a mustached, middle-aged man. on the boy's side of the coffee table are two books-- one closed, the other open. ]

Then, you write it. [ the voice is the older male's, who looks sternly at the teenager. ] That is the only way the novel can retain its completeness. Writing novels is about writing people. How people live and how they die. The way I look at it, you have that qualification.

[ the teenager looks at the mustached man with a surprised, yet empty, gaze ] Who are you?

[ what the mustached man says, nobody hears. not you nor oda. it might be the answer, or maybe it isn't. either way, the man leaves after that, leaving you and the boy alone in the coffee shop. ]

b. [ this dream is much different.

the giggle of children is the first thing you'll hear. five children rounded up and tied up in what seems to be a makeshift rope made out of a blanket. most of them giggle but the oldest, the ringleader, does not.

oda stands over him, expressionless. ]

You give up yet?

[ the answer is immediate ]

No I won't!

Then, let's have some Port Mafia-style torture. [ but before anyone thinks that it's going to be an awful dream, oda actually just...begins to tickle the boy. between tears and laughter, the boy surrenders almost immediately. the children are untied, and oda moves to the door to leave. ]

Next time we'll definitely beat you!

[ oda scoffs, lighthearted despite the lack of emotion in his expression ] I'll look forward to it.

2. Beach! (ft. thesettingsun if you'd like!)
[ with summertime finally here, oda's going to take the time to visit the beach at least three times a week.

sometimes he'll be seen actually bathing in the beach, but most of the time he's just sitting on the sand, staring at the horizon or reading. and sometimes, shuji might be there, too, if you'd like to talk to the both of them! ]

Comments

[odasaku]

That's fine.

[ he shrugs, disinterested in kei's taunts. being a shadow, being burned out by someone else, it doesn't matter to him. he's meant to live in the shadows, as any assassin would.

if he touches the light, he's sure that it'll only end up hurting him too much. ]

I'm fine, the way I am.

[livingimpaired]

No, you aren't.

[ He shakes his head, dismissive the thought as he chuckles to himself. ]

You're comfortable the way you are. There's a difference. If you were truly happy like this, you'd not seek out anything to fill your empty existence.

[ So he says as he leans back, no longer resting on his hand. He hums before sweeping his arm across the table to let books and cups go clattering onto the floor, as they may. ]

[odasaku]

[ well that's. definitely a thing that happened.

and yet, oda calmly watches the cup, plate, and two books go down on the floor with a clatter and thud. the porcelain cup and plate shatter, but luckily no coffee is spilled because it was already empty.

with just as much calmness, he reaches to pick up the books, and places them back on the table.

and then stares at kei again.]

[livingimpaired]

Now... what reason is there to return the books back to where they were?

[ He looks very much like the cat that caught the canary, as he smiles at the teenager's blank expression. ]

[odasaku]

Because they're mine.

[ well, he stole them from the house of a victim, but that is TECHNICALLY like it being his. ]

[livingimpaired]

So? What of it?

[ Excuse him as he knocks the books back off the table. ]

A shadow shouldn't be concerned about what is or isn't his, because these books too will one day fade and be rendered useless. So. Why hold them dear?

[odasaku]

[ and oda will, again, go and pick up the books.

this time, he places them on his lap. ]

Because they're interesting.

[livingimpaired]

What does that matter to a shadow?

[ His head cocks to the side as he seems almost disappointed that he can't keep knocking the books off. He thinks that if he should do so hard enough, maybe the spine will end up damaged. ]

[odasaku]

What does that matter to an intruder?

[livingimpaired]

[ He laughs: ]

Are you mad?

[odasaku]

No.

[ and he is, in fact, looking at kei with the same empty expression he's had throughout this whole conversation. ]

[livingimpaired]

Then, allow me to knock those books over a few more times, if you would.

[odasaku]

Why?

[livingimpaired]

Because it amuses me to see you say how much you don't care about this world yet cling to those books --

[ He makes a gesture to the pile that he has in his lap. ]

-- that represent people and the world in their writings.

[odasaku]

I never said that.

[ the teenager sighs, closing his eyes. he must be dealing with a really stupid person. ]

Just because I’m not qualified to write doesn’t mean that I can’t read. Anyone can. I’m not rejecting the world. I accept it as it is.

[livingimpaired]

You're not qualified to do anything.

[ He starts laughing outright. ]

You accept your shadow life where you want to achieve nothing, want nothing. So what's the point in reading anything, if it doesn't do anything to enrich or better your life?

[ A beat. ] Do you think these people want their books to be read by someone that cannot even gain anything from it?

[odasaku]

Pointless things are fine. Lots of people go about their lives doing pointless things.

[ a shrug ]

Even you, taunting me. You won't get anywhere, no matter how hard you try. That's pointless, too. But you're still doing it.

[livingimpaired]

Because I'm enjoying it.

[ His laughter continues. ]

You cannot even say you enjoy the pointless thing you are doing. [ His hand claps over his eyes. ] Between the two of us, I continue to be the one better off.

[odasaku]

I do. I enjoy reading these.

[ he glances down at the books, and nods ]

These are very good books.

[livingimpaired]

[ Well, that, at least, silences his laughter.

He breathes out a small sigh. ]

You're the most hopeless person I have ever met.

[odasaku]

[ oda tilts his head, confused. please continue and explain! ]

[livingimpaired]

[ And wait, what did he say seconds ago? He reviews his own words and looks away in annoyance. Here he promised that he would not let himself get carried away, and he got carried away. ]

It seems no matter what... I cannot help but prod you.

[odasaku]

You're just as hopeless.

[ if kei's done with his dumb scene, then oda's going to put the book he was reading back on the table, and begin to read it from where he left off, completely ignoring the other man. ]

[livingimpaired]

I suppose in may ways that I am. I learned a bit about myself in prodding you, in taking away what hope that you could have in the future.

[ So he says as he calmly looks over the cover of the book that the teenager is reading, not minding that he is being ignored. In some way, it feels like a confessional. ]

Nothing that I am proud of, of course. But I suppose that's fair. I wonder how I wake from this dream. Killing you, maybe?

[odasaku]

[ oda does the first teenage-like thing in this whole conversation. he scoffs into his book.

though he’s not smiling, the sentiment behind it is still defiant. ]

You can’t kill me.