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

1b

[thesettingsun]

[Shuji observes this scene from a vantage point on top of the bunk bed. Whether it's a dream or a memory or both, it's adorable.

Before Oda can leave, Shuji speaks up, singsong.]

I know Odasaku's weakness~

[odasaku]

[ both oda and the children's attentions turn toward's shuji's presence. the kids huddle together, unsure of this stranger.

oda, on the other hand, looks reasonably calm, although his hand reaches underneath his coat. first, he has to determine if this person is foe or friend. ]

How did you get h-- What's his weakness!?

[ it's the oldest child that cuts oda off. he looks unsure of the stranger, but he won't pass a chance to defeat oda when it's right there...on his bed? ]

[thesettingsun]

[Being suspicious of a stranger on your bed is generally a good idea, but the oldest child has his priorities in the right place.]

It's hugs. Hug him and he's totally disarmed.

1a

[livingimpaired]

I like that look that you have in your eyes.

[ Kei announces his presence in the worst way possible. Why wouldn't he? He still wonders if he should be anywhere close to Oda after -- his gaze drifts away. He decides to takes his seat opposite of the young teenager, crossing his legs as he chuckles at the empty stare. ]

It's the look of someone who does not yet know their own greed.

[odasaku]

Haah?! What kind of dumb weakness is that?!

[ the oldest child is still suspicious of shuji, and the advice is too strange to accept so easily.

oda continues to watch, his gaze fixed on shuji. the child continues to question him, though. ]

How do you know that anyways?!

uses adult oda icons because i dont fear god

[odasaku]

[ as a trained assassin, odasaku quickly straightens up in alertness as soon as kei makes his presence known. his gaze narrows and his hands lower to his lap, settling on top of the guns.

when he speaks, his voice is raspy, quiet; he doesn’t talk much, it seems. ]

What do you want?

[livingimpaired]

I suppose to have a chat.

[ He holds his hand out to the side, like he is gesturing to the various options that he has available to him. Like the two of them are on some game show. Chuckling to himself, he closes his eyes as he takes in the atmosphere. It has such a comfortable feeling to it. ]

I did not think that you could even remember anything that feels this way.

[odasaku]

[ the teenager looks at kei, and then down at his open book, as if considering the options in front of him. he recognizes that there’s something wrong with this man, that he shouldn’t be trusted. the fact that he talks as if they’ve met before puts him off even more.

he stays silent, but continues to stare blankly at kei, as if expecting him to continue. ]

[livingimpaired]

That sort of stare. You don't know me?

[ He props his elbow on the table, resting his chin on his hand as he carefully watches the teenager's face. His gaze drops down to the book and he smiles at how it appears to be something fond. ]

Well, then, might I give you advice on how to know people?

[thesettingsun]

I have psychic powers.

[It's more plausible than the real explanation, and certainly a lot quicker.]

[odasaku]

I don't.

[ why would he? there's no kei shigaraki in the memories of 'sakunosuke oda'. the teenager follows the older male's gaze. it's never good when someone knows him but he doesn't know them.

the hand on the guns on his lap shifts. if it comes to, he will not hesitate to shoot kei in the middle of the café. it'll be sad, considering this one is his favorite, but he can always find another one.

he'd rather not do it, though. so he shrugs. he doesn't care if kei advises him or not. ]

[livingimpaired]

In a way, that gives me mixed feelings. But I don't feel anjoy joy from it.

[ He certainly notices that he keeps fidgeting and wonders what that happens to be about. Well, a strange man did come to sit down at his table and talk about quite a variety of things. ]

Anyway, you're very sharp and very good at seeing through the masks that people wear. The way to know people is to observe them, and interact with them. To find and care about them in some small, meaningless way. In doing so, you'll come to know them and be able to write a great variety of stories.

[ A chuckle. ] And find in them, yourself.

1b

[strawberrypunch]

[He actually stands back to watch for the majority of it - the kids really seem unconcerned about the threat of torture, and with good reason, it turns out.]

...They look happy.

[Those giggles they can't hold back.]

[odasaku]

That's a dumb reason! [ the small girl laughs, and pipes up as well ] Yeah, we would never believe that!

[ still unsure of whether this person is friend or foe, odasaku sighs. ]

Leave the man alone, kids. [ he looks up at shuji ] We have to....talk.

[odasaku]

You heard him.

[ the boy's gaze drops to the books on the table, before shaking his head with a sigh. that can't be right, what this person is saying. after all, he's nothing more than a hitman. there's no need to read through people or to care about them in any sort of way.

but it seems that the mustached man's words had some impact on the young odasaku. before, he would have refuted quickly, without any sort of emotion. but now he wavers, his mind wondering just for a second-- is there truth in that man's words? ]

Writing...I'm not qualified for that.

[livingimpaired]

I did.

[ He makes a thoughtful sound in the back of his throat. His gaze becomes unfocused as he thinks of the older Oda -- and the man with his writing. Kei feels himself about ready to smile and chokes it back. His lips form into a forced frown as he closes his eyes. ]

You are. You probably are more qualified than anyone else, because you have an emptiness inside you that needs to be filled with something. Why not fill it with words that could mean something to others?

[odasaku]

[ tatsuma's voice alerts both dream oda's and the children's attention towards him. oda looks calm on the surface, but the children look quite curious to see someone unknown. ]

Odasaku! Is that a friend of yours?!

[ oda doesn't answer immediately, giving tatsuma a once-over before nodding slowly. ]

Yeah. Go back to your room so I can talk to him.

[ the kids run back in the room, closing the door with a loud sound. it's then odasaku turns to tatsuma, his expression one of concern. ]

Who are you?

[odasaku]

He said it himself. To write novels is to write about people.

[ the sigh that escapes his lips is full of weariness, as if the person kei's talking to is not a fourteen year old teenager but an old man who has seen too much. he is as empty as this man says, but he doesn't mind. he probably doesn't know how to mind in the first place.

this emptiness is all he has known. ]

A killer is not qualified to write about people.

1b

[me_matey]

-Oh no. It's super cute. This is super goddamn cute! Satsuki is practically gasping and wiggling at the sight. No, it can't be contained, this kind of thing can't be contained at all! So who could blame her, indulging in the warmth of this dream, and dashing in to give the kid some back-up against his tickle assailant, jutting her fingers into his ribs and jittering them back and forth.-

[livingimpaired]

He also said that you had the qualifications.

[ He decides to point that out as he smiles into the heel of his hand. His words are partially muffled and he chuckles to himself. This Oda from another world, another memory, is just as entertaining as the one that he knows. Here he was worried that he would find nothing of interest in a younger version of the man. ]

Your self-depreciation is just as bad as ever, I see, but you want to write, don't you? If you want it, then you have to work towards it.

[thesettingsun]

You'll understand the power of hugs when you're older.

[But Shuji obliges Oda, hopping down from the bunk bed and stepping outside so that Oda can 'talk' to him.]

[odasaku]

He knew nothing about me.

[ however, oda himself doesn't believe his own words entirely. there was something about that man, as if he had been staring through his soul, seeing much further than he could ever.

...no. how ridiculous.

either way, that person's presence was much more wanted than this one. oda can hear the chuckle, as faint as it may have been. he doesn't react, though. ]

Dreams can't be changed. [ aware of the situation, the younger oda sighs, moving his hand away from the gun and towards the book in order to begin reading it from when he left off. ] He's just as much of a killer as I am, even if he doesn't remember it.

[livingimpaired]

[ He really wants to laugh. The younger Oda also has no dreams or ambitions. It reminds him of how he was when he was a child. Only the realization that he was empty made him decide to cease caring about people. ]

All he may be doing is ruining his own happiness. [ Another chuckle. ] Indeed, anything I do won't be able to change much for you. But I certainly would like you to have some ambition. [ Like maybe he should kick the chair out.

He laughs at the idea. ] After all, you're much more interesting when you desire something.

[odasaku]

Interesting?

[ oda doesn’t understand. even if it’s obvious that this man speaks of the owner of this dream, the teenager still parrots back the adjective as if it was unknown to him. ]

Ambitions... they bring trouble. Pain. Death, sometimes. [ he shakes his head ] I don’t want to deal with that outside of my jobs.

[livingimpaired]

Indeed.

[ He nods into his own hand. Oda is much more interesting when he desires something. Like the desires to hold onto the peace of his world, desires to protect something or someone. There are brief sparks of life that make him interesting and fill that emptiness inside of him with -- ]

Indeed, they bring trouble, but that's the point of ambition. You'll have to want something if you want to write. You'll have to have the ambition to create. If not, you're little more than a shadow that exists in this world to eventually have someone brighter burn you out.