BEHOLD, THE EMO CAVE

[chalicejoker]

So it wasn't unheard of for the Cursed Knight to go out looking for trouble questing for new challenges to overcome. Several of the townspeople had figured this out. And why, when one of them mentioned that there was a cave with the strongest enemy Hajime could or would ever face, Hajime went charging off in there...

...and then got stuck because turns out the cave fed off of dark emotions and was some sort of test, and it's not like Hajime was great at dealing with that by himself.

Comments

[chalicejoker]

Ryo was flailing around and bouncing up and down now that he'd found not one, but two grown-ups who could help. "Hajime got swallowed up by big scary cave! Needs help!"

[triggerhappytraitor]

There's a small twitch of annoyance as I-- Jack shows up, and Tachibana does his damndest to not look at the man with Isaka's face and memories, focusing instead on Ryo.

... and then letting out a quiet curse. Goddamnit, Hajime...!

"Where?" he asked, quickly pulling off his work apron and scribbling Sayoko a quick note.

Garren, curious as to the noise, peeked in from the other room before rushing over, seeing everyone's distress.

[fusionjack]

"A cave?" Jack wants to be doubtful at the danger of this, and he looks doubtful... but he knows that this place is full of tricks and traps and unexpected things. "What's so scary about it?" He's not doubting, he's.. trying to get an answer out of Ryo, that's all.

He's just going to carefully side-step towards Ryo, and away from Tachibana.

[chalicejoker]

"Is scary broody cave! Hajime can't get out and was supposed to go fight something really bad in there!" Ryo hopped over to Garren. "Is very very dark and lot of bad energy coming out of it!"

[triggerhappytraitor]

Garren gasped, putting his hands up over his mask before mimicking his Slammer's transformation pose and nodding empathetically.

Tachibana nodded in agreement, keeping his inner monologue about Hajime's idiotic penchant for charging in headfirst without even letting anyone else know what he was going to do to himself. "We'll get him out, don't worry," he assured. "Show us the way?"

[fusionjack]

"...alright then." That is terribly unspecific, but what better way to get the specifics than to come along to help haul his cousin on out? He narrows his eyes and adjusts the collar of his cloak. "We'll all get him out. I'm coming, too."

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana glanced over, eyes narrowed. "The hell can you even do?"

It's a pointed, if guarded question.

[fusionjack]

Tachibana gets himself a pointed look in return. "I can fight, can't I?" He's quite sure that he can. He's even done it a little!

[triggerhappytraitor]

Tachibana was still and silent a long moment, fists clenched tight at his side, before he turned, stalking outside. With a dramatic motion, he transformed into Galen's form. "Ryo, Garren, climb on," he all but ordered, not giving Jack a second glance.

[chalicejoker]

Ryo bounded up onto Tachibana's back as instructed. "We have to hurry! Go fast!"

He waved at Jack. "Is just to the south of here! That way!" He was pointing to the west.