paradisa | 002 :: Written

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ukitake juushirou

002 :: Written

Hello? I have been reading some of this book, and I think I understand a bit more of how it works.

Since it appears I may be staying a while, I would like to introduce myself. I am Ukitake Juushirou, and I am pleased to meet you all. I hope to have the good fortune to meet some of you in person as well.

[He stops here a moment, as if to consider what else he should write.]

I have noticed a lot of children and youth here. Is anyone responsible for their well-being?

Things in this journal always seem so lively, so hopefully some of you will be getting back to me shortly.

[short pause]

...or else I have just written something very silly!

Father Abel,

Please forgive me for not getting back to you sooner. As you can imagine, I've been spending some time adjusting, and looking for a way back to my own world.

You had mentioned that there was more to tell me about this place, and I think it would be good if I listened. Perhaps we should meet again soon.

-Ukitake Juushirou.

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[He checks down both sides of the hallway before spotting the other man, giving him a bit of a wave. He's in a much better mood than the day he first arrived.]

Hello Father~!

[Abel blinks as he's addressed, before chuckling and returning the wave as he heads in his direction.]

Hey, hey... there you are! How has life here been treating you so far?

Since I arrived, I would say my only problem is that I am here. Otherwise things are quite lovely.

[He glances at his nameplate before opening the door to his room. It's furnished almost exactly as all new rooms are, with the small addition of a sink and a tea kettle.]

[nodding, he pokes his head in curiously before stepping properly inside after him.]

Mm, it takes some time to get used to, but... Paradisa life is mostly mundane from the day-to-day. If... you could consider living in a sentient magic castle mundane, I guess, h-haha... [welp.]

That would be the catch, I suppose.

[He closes the door behind them, then works on making the tea, so that they could get down to business.]

This area only showed up this morning. I think I was half asleep, still. I must have wanted tea rather badly...

[hahaha... the mental image is rather amusing (and, frankly... kind of cute SO WHAT HE CAN THINK IT'S CUTE); he chuckles to himself.]

You know the saying, 'be careful what you wish for?' That goes double now you're here.

I suppose I should have known better.

[Gestures to a seat at the desk, and waits for the electric kettle to boil.]

Please, sit. From the sound of it, there's much I must hear about.

[DUN DUN DUNNN... Abel hesitates just briefly before obliging, taking a seat where offered and leaning elbows on knees. he looks a little more... sober, as he plucks his glasses off his face to look at him.]

It's true. I'm not sure how much you've been told, but... Paradisa isn't simply an elaborate prison, or some pretty magic get away. There's much more than meets the eye, and a great deal of it... is not pleasant.

I could tell there was more than meets the eye the moment I stepped foot here... the question is, what is hiding from view.

[He makes two cups of green tea and lets them cool on the counter for a moment. Then, sensing the hesitation, he says,]

...If you knew me at all as you claim, you know I sometimes deal with unpleasant things in my... line of work, you might call it. Don't be afraid to tell me. I must know, if I'm to have any hope of getting us out of this place.

[When was it that his concerned expanded to the collective 'us' in this place, he wondered... but... all the others here didn't deserve it either.]

['at all as you claim.' he wonders if he doubts him? he wouldn't blame him for being skeptical of strangers claiming being friends with him for years in a place as outrageous as this, but it still... well, hurts. once upon a time, this was the man who said he was like a 'son,' when Abel full well understood the connotations of what that meant.

not that this man knows any of that at all. it's quite the catch-22.

Abel busies himself wiping lenses clean of a whole lot of nothing.]

I'm going to be blunt and frank, if only because I know you're capable of handling everything I have to tell you. But... any hesitation I might have doesn't come from reluctance in giving you all the truth, but instead -- it's just...

[he pauses, before giving a little noise of -- well, frustration, a slightly apologetic smile at his lips.]

I was never quite as strong a man as you. Some of it is ugly, and things I rather wish I'd forgotten. [he's glad you have.] But I don't want you to mistake it for anything but what it is, Ukitake.

[He hands the man a teacup - he looked like he could use some tea - then takes his own and sits at the edge of his over-indulgent bed. He frowns slightly.]

Everyone is strong in their own way, Father. Sometimes, it takes some of us longer than others to realize that. ...but for what it's worth, I'm sorry I must make you relive some pain.

[He takes a sip of tea, then continues.]

What kinds of things might I mistake for another?

[he takes the tea gratefully -- as ever, happy to greedily partake in his friend's brew, settling it in his lap for now.]

...The incident you mentioned... regarding demons invading the castle. Things like this have become less frequent occurrences, but... they need mentioning.

[he has a quiet frown at his brow. it's not a happy subject, after all.]

Sometimes, the castle and the area around it can... change, without warning. It usually happens at midnight when it does -- and our surroundings resemble worlds belonging to other residents or periods in time. During that one, the castle town and Cair Paradisa were sieged nightly by demons. For that week, it was something out of a nightmare. But... we were turned against our friends and family the last day. Some of them were 'possessed,' and until dawn, we had to survive against each other as well as the monsters beating down the doors.

[my the surface of your tea looks terribly interesting. yes. very interesting indeed.]

Not only that, but... people were driven to do terrible things to each other -- sacrifice those they loved most for power, after being driven to the edge of madness. Things like that... these are little more than 'games' the forces responsible for us being here deign to play. All we can do is survive and persevere.

[Ukitake listens, quietly and carefully while Abel was speaking. He looks thoughtful, and has his teeth clenched a bit tightly. He's quiet for a few moment after Abel finishes.]

...Games of that nature are not... games at all.

[He notices the other man's interest in the tea cup, but doesn't mention it. It made him concerned however.]

Were you forced to kill me, Abel?

[The title was dropped for the moment. He didn't want to cause the other man any undue stress.]

[--well, it's a good thing that he wasn't drinking because he'd be choking on it, right about now alskjdgsdf... his eyes snap up to meet the Shinigami's in shock. wh... what?!]

N... no! No, I--

[he sets the cup down so he won't fumble it, before gesturing a plaintive denial.]

--No. You and I both... made it through alive and in one piece.

[He's almost ready to grab the cup from him, since his hands look unsteady, but is glad that he placed it on the table. After that he tries not to look sheepish - automatically his mind jumped to the worst thing he could think of - a comrade killing a comrade, and he swallows hard to get the taste of 'Kaien' out of his mouth.]

I'm sorry... I should let you tell me what happened rather than taking guesses.

[Lord Juu don't do that to him slkdjf... he still looks disturbed and more than slightly uneasy. honestly, it was the prospect that he thought he might've killed him that pinged old fears and insecurities rather than anything else.]

It's... alright.

[g... ghnn. he puts a small smile at his lips, trying to swallow the disruption to his calm.]

...There have been several incidents since then. The worst of which would be in spring of this past year... a creature known as 'Slenderman' started abducting children around the castle. They were picked off, one by one -- kidnapped into a dimension tied to a tree we were eventually able to use to get to them and free them, but... they were very shaken up. Luckily, none of them were seriously hurt.

[Ukitake clenches his fist unconsciously. Children had been the target of one of these instances? It was unforgivable and only made him more determined to do his best to fix what he could about the situation.]

I see...

[He hesitates.]

Were there any other incidents of this nature? ...or do they change?

Each year, there's about one incident a month -- though not all as large or as... terrible as those. Some are even... kind? Pleasant... trips to different cities in different worlds, or... harmless pranks and games.

[This information doesn't seem to sooth him - people were being toyed with, no matter what was going on. He sighs.]

...I see. I shall heed your warning about these... instances. Is there anything else I should know about them?

[He'd momentarily forgotten about the tea, but now that it was getting cold and he was distracted, he takes a bigger sip than he had intended, which leaves him spluttering and coughing uncomfortably. Damn it...]

[he had opened his mouth to reply, but-- that sound has him flinching SCREAM--]

--Ah-- are you-- alright? S-- sorry, I-- [didn't mean to stress you out ahhh AHHH]

[It takes him a moment to catch his breath, though he's unconsciously clutching the right side of his chest where that arrancar had injured him... internally, it still wasn't fully healed.]

...I'm fine. [a breath] ...that was my fault. You'd think I would know how to drink tea by now.

[He look Abel over while he tries to even out his breathing.]

I take it you know about... that?

[You know. That minor inconvenience thing.]

[...the furrow of a sincere concern should be answer enough, but if it wasn't... the slight nod of his head, is.]

...Yes.

[Finally breathing normally and relatively free of pain, he relaxes again, though he'd splashed some tea on himself.]

Well... I would tell you to not waste your time worrying about me, but unfortunately you look as if that's impossible. It seems this other me has ruined that for me.

[A wry smile]

All we can do is move on.

[small, careful sigh.]

So... next order of business?

[as ever... talking about such serious matters like it's of no importance ;(

he finds himself sliding his glasses back onto his face, like... some reminder of the facade that usually accompanies it. trying not to worry too much... it's difficult when this time around, he can feel the wrongness emanating from his friend like... a blight on his person. a source of sickness, of pain and wrongness.]

...If anything should happen, your journal is the key. It's your lifeline to the rest of us and a way to get in touch instantly, alright?

In a time of crisis, your best bet is to get in touch with the Peace Patrol. They're usually heralding the efforts to protect the innocents. [and he knows that's where your interest will lie when things get hairy.]

action! :D

FOREVER. <:

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