[OPEN w/ closed prompts] i woke up thinking about Turkish drummers

[predomination]

CHARACTERS: Urahara, assorted others, AND MAYBE EVEN YOU
DATE: January 1st-21st
WARNINGS: Urahara's particularly violent training methods. will add as stuff comes up.
SUMMARY: catch-all for January

[a collection of OPEN and CLOSED prompts for the month of January. if you would like a specific starter, feel free to PM me or catch me on plurk at quasigina]

Comments

[open | hot springs] it didn't take long- I don't know that much about Turkish drummers.

[predomination]

[Timing things from Elias's Solstice celebration exactly, by his calculations December 31st and January 1st passed without preamble and without notice. Urahara celebrates quietly alone, and makes no particular fuss about it, even though it does weigh pretty heavily on his heart to not have Yoruichi here to celebrate. That hasn't happened in a very long time. Even when things were difficult- she was traveling and he was building his life in Karakura and they lived through some trying experiences in the Living World- she found some way to make it back. After all, having birthdays during a major festival time in both Soul Society and the Living World meant that they had only one another to be certain they weren't ignored.

Well. It can't be helped.

If it makes him a bit more mischevious than usual, that also can't be helped.

He's got better things to do than occupy himself with silly phone games, but he messed around with "Magimon Go" enough to figure out the basics- and more, importantly, how he can mess around with people with it. At the moment, he's taking advantage of one such trick- having placed several "lures" around the hot springs to draw people to it, making it either impossible for anyone to have a relaxing time without anyone hovering about with their phones or otherwise embarassing people who didn't expect to find half-naked people in the middle of their fun and games.

Urahara, himself, is completely innocent, sitting on one of the docks with his pant legs rolled up and his feet in the water. He's just relaxing, okay, and if he can do that while people stammer in embarassment and sulk around, then it's just a testament to his ability to stay chill in any circumstance.]

[hedonistic]

[Predictably, a certain ginger redhead has followed the yellow brick lure road to the hotsprings, because entertainment options are unfortunately lacking in this pocket dimension of ALASTAIR's.

It's not immediately that he's realized what's going on, given that Enforcers don't exactly get relaxing hot spring vacations, but when he sees Urahara sitting there, it all clicks, not in small part because this is exactly the sort of prank he would pull.

Singsonged:]

Someone's a pervert~

[predomination]

[Urahara glances over his shoulder and looks so utterly astonished at this accusation. gasp! how dare.]

Me? [he lays a hand on his chest, hamming up the offense to an excessive degree.] That's so mean. Here I am just relaxing after a long day of working hard, and now I'm being accused of something so uncouth.

[he looks away slyly] If someone overheard that, they might get the wrong idea about me.

[open | fireworks display] but it made me think of Germany and the guy who sold me cigarettes

[predomination]

[New Year's festivities come a bit late... or possibly the time they're supposed to- he and Elias may have been wrong in their calculations, since it's difficult to pinpoint an exact calendar around here. It's all a bit more subdued than what he's used to, but he is grateful that the banquet included some traditional dishes, even if it is quite a far cry from Tessai's ozōni.

The fireworks are probably the part that's the most entertaining to him, even though the kind of nostalgic he banished almost a week ago with his projects and various other activities. It's hard to look at them and not be reminded of the Shiba family's impressive displays.

He's sprawled on the ground outside with his hands behind his head, an abandoned plate of half-eaten mochi beside him, observing the fireworks, a look of pure nostalgia on his face, as if he's looking at them and remembering something else.]

[open | library] i was thinking about all this to keep from thinking about something else

[predomination]

[Perdition's Rest had been a fairly trying time, one that ended with him relying more on brute strength than his head, which isn't how he particularly likes to do things. Without knowing what the next mission will be, he can't exactly prepare for it, so he just prepares other things, instead.

Taraxa blood samples taken from the ones that didn't survive, so he can analyze the make-up in the hopes he can create an early warning sign for any Zymandis infiltration agents that may sneak up on them again.

Some form of eyewear that will allow him to see Lucy's vectors, just because he can't bear the idea that he can't. And it might help if other worlds employ a similar type of weapon.

An object capable of storing reiatsu to be drawn upon under the right circumstances.

Something capable of analyzing the properties of the mist.

And that's on top of all the time he spends in the library, researching everything he can. There's been times when he's just forgotten to eat or sleep, because he's been so wrapped up in working. In fact, it's bad enough that while in the library, he's actively faceplanted onto the book he's been poring over and snoring lightly.

Probably better to wake him up before one of the librarians does.]

does this one i guess (nottalking)

[assent]

[ Sonia had a similar idea in mind, but also as a means to keep her occupied now everything isn't going up in flames. She's used the training centre, she's stayed in her room, she's gone outside... but really this is the room that most feels like home. It's quiet, and the smell of books is familiar. Back when she was studying her languages, studying politics, law, economics and medicine, she had stayed in the family library. This is no different.

Seeing him flopped out across the desk has her pause on the way, books in her arms. She steps over, understanding all too well what the librarians might do if he's caught like this. She isn't harsh in the way she moves, placing her books onto the table by sliding them onto it, nice and quiet. She takes the opposite seat, opening the top book as she watches him quietly. It probably would seem really weird, but she knows it might be some of the little sleep he'll get anytime soon.

Instead, she takes the bottom book from her pile, careful with it, and props it up to block the librarians from the both of them. She pulls out paper then, making it seem like they're working on something together.

Hopefully his snoring isn't loud enough to attract the librarian over--but it might be a surprise when he eventually wakes up to find her sat there studying a medical book. ]

he's just so much more innocent when he's... not awake.

[predomination]

[it doesn't take long for him to stir- the fact that he can fall asleep anywhere is countered by the fact that he's a very light sleeper, usually jumping at any small movement.

...usually.

the fact that it takes him a few minutes after Sonia has shifted some things around is a testament to how exhausted he is. he makes an undignified noise as he starts awake and lifts a hand to rub at his face, knocking his hat askew.] Hmm?

[he blinks blearily, eyes wandering to the new books (did he stack them like that?) until he finally finds Sonia.] Sonia-san...? [he yawns.] Was I out long?

[time has no meaning when you're running on nothing but power naps and black coffee for the last 72 hours.]

[digiorno]

[It'd probably surprise most of the people he's met here how much time Giorno spends in the library. That's deliberate, of course. He doesn't want to seem smart--or if he does, he wants to seem streetsmart only. Shallow to civilians, knife-sharp to people like the Crows, and to Urahara . . .]

[Well, he doesn't know what he wants to be to Urahara. He isn't expecting to run into him in the library today, so he's not prepared. He's got a small stack of biology and related textbooks tucked up under his arm today, on the way to his favorite table in the corner, when he sees Urahara snoring and drooling a little on his book. Gross.]

[He pauses for a moment, weighing his options. Then he strolls over, snags Urahara's hat, flips it onto his head, and dumps his books on the table with a loud thunk.]

Buon giorno. What are you reading?

[THE INSIDE OF HIS EYELIDS GIORNO GIOVANNA]

[predomination]

[it's really the grace of exhaustion that while Urahara does start awake when his hat is removed, his attempts to actually grab it back before he's fully gotten his head off the table are met with him snatching dead air.

it does prove one point- this weird bastard has insane reflexes.

the rest of him is more sluggish and less on point. he lifts his head up, realizes there's a sheet of paper crowded with his chickenscratch penmanship stuck to his face (the ink on which is smearing- because drool- and staining his chin a bit), as if to prove he can definitely look more like a homeless hot mess if he tries hard enough.

he blinks a few times, mildly irritated- though whether that's because he's been woken up or because GIRONO IS JUST WEARING HIS HAT LIKE IT'S NO BIG DEAL is not clear- and slowly begins to register the question.

and he has to look down to check what the hell he was reading. after awhile, he just sort of got curious about things, and went a little overvoard.] Apparently, the cultural practices surrounding death in the... [squinting at the title] ...Something or other Nebula. How do you pronounce something with that many X'es?

mom mode activate

[ex_adept136]

[Somebody is doing a fine job of reminding him of Sieglinde here, and when Haise first spots Urahara snoozing away, he actually turns on his heel and leaves. This might come across as a strange reaction to any onlookers present, but given ten minutes, Haise returns juggling two mugs and a plate. It's something he's apparently accustomed to, having no difficulty transporting these items to where Urahara remains stationed.

If anything, he's had quite a lot of experience with busy bees who seem to neglect themselves. In some respects he isn't a whole lot better, but he's not given to think about that as he settles a mug and a plate in front of the other man...once he finds some open space on the table, anyhow.

The scent of coffee might or might not wake him, but in either case, Haise settles in a vacant seat with the remaining mug to wait and ensure Urahara isn't working himself too hard.

He's seen Sieglinde in a similar state too many times to do anything less]

[predomination]

[oh it wakes him all right, this being the kind of thing that Tessai (or Ururu) would usually do when he's gotten into one of these Moods and shut himself in the lab, only to wander out and end up asleep half underneath the kotatsu.

the floor under the kotatsu in his sitting room is arguably more comfortable than this table, so it doesn't take long for him to stir and start fumbling for the coffee a second or two before it registers that he's not at home, Tessai didn't bring him the coffee, and he's staring at Haise right now.]

Sasaki-san...? [he looks down at the coffe, smirks, and takes a sip.] You're spoiling me so you can scold me later, is that it?

[CLOSED | JIN] isn't that just what secret police are all about?

[predomination]

[When Urahara calls Jin to meet him, he doesn't instruct them to meet in the training center, which is probably a surprise in, itself, instead he insists on the deserted village, now dead and lifeless again.

He has his reasons. Most of them are that he has less chance of breaking something important if they do it out here.

Once Jin arrives, he paces back and forth in front of him, tapping his cane against his shoulder.]

The first thing we should get out of the way is what exactly you plan to take from this.

i forgot about this toplevel chris forgive me

[pummelling]

[Jin remembers the spiritual pressure in that cane that'd bowled him over as if he were nothing; he stands tall, firm, following Urahara with his eyes.]

Everything I can.

[The Kurosaki school of 'I want to get stronger' probably won't fly by Urahara, even if it is the truth.]

i forgive u

[predomination]

[no, it doesn't really fly. the trick of teaching is to approach things through why the person fights and pushing them by teaching them in a way that's diametrically opposed. if they fight to protect, you come at them with all you have to show them that fighting to protect will end your life faster and then who will protect their loved ones? if they fight be honor, you present them with the understanding that most opponents will not be honorable. if they fight for pride, you humble them.

if they can't maintain their convictions in the face of an onslaught that opposes everything they believe in, then they simply aren't capable of following through.]

Perhaps I should rephrase this- what exactly are you fighting for, Jin-san? When you notch your bow and let your arrows fly, what are you thinking about?

[CLOSED | REY] with the weight of approaching dawn

[predomination]

[Like Jin, when Rey is called for her training, it's not to the training center, but for her, he has a much different reason to bring her to the deserted village, and it becomes clear when instead of beginning on the empty streets, he leads her into one of the broken down homes, sits her down, and lays out the situation.]

I don't know how different the Force works from what I'm used to, but this place has the highest concentration of reishi in Oska, which means it might weigh more heavily on your senses than anywhere else, too.

[he leans back, sitting cross-legged in front of her.] So this is the place we'll begin.

[forcevisions]

You know about as much as I do, then.

[ She's going into this blind. But something has to be better than nothing. She settles down onto the floor in front of Urahara, taking care to mirror the way he crosses his legs as though that detail might somehow be significant. ]

[predomination]

The good news is you have a lot of raw talent- it helps, even if that alone will stop being enough after awhile.

[he's not willing to sugarcoat that- he might not be an ideal teacher, but he can give her more to work with than just letting her run about swinging that lightsaber and using that power of hers like it's a plaything.]

Do you feel anything significant about this place?

[this dried up husk of a world. that's why it's covered up in reishi, the dust left over from the transition from life to death and back again. it doesn't vanish when there's nothing left, it just settles on everything to remind those who know it's there that once there was life here, and one day there will be again. the cycle will continue in this and in all worlds, so long as they're still able to function.]

[CLOSED | OLIVIA] and the high vault of heaven looks far away and cold

[predomination]

[As his one student he isn't training in combat, Olivia gets a much more relaxing environment to train in- specifically, the squidge park, which is probably more about Urahara wanting to play with the squidges for a bit before they got started.

When she arrives, he has larval squidges cuddling up to him, while he plays upsy-daisy with a particularly brave little one who doesn't seem to mind the great height as much as its brothers and sisters. ] Good afternoon, Olivia-san~

[winces]

[ the sight of the wriggling larva tugs a little painfully at her chest, evoking a not-distant-enough memory that she is yet able to shake. it's why she takes care to keep her eyes trained on the man himself, especially as she draws closer, her arms laced at her back in what might have been a very casual stance, were it not for the slight tension pinching between her shoulders.

still, when she greets him, there is an unmistakably bright smile on her face. genuine, too. ]

Good afternoon, Mr. Urahara... [ she pauses, tongue hanging heavy on something on the silence. ]

I'm truly sorry to have wasted your time like this, but I'm afraid I will no longer be needing your services.

[predomination]

Hm? [Urahara lowers the squidge he was playing with and genty shoos it and its brothers and sisters off to go to play while he remains sitting and looks up at Olivia.]

Well, that's nothing to apologize for... [he has plenty to do, but he generally multitasks anyway, hence why he's out here in the squidge park, instead of meeting her somewhere more appropriate.] You're a fast learner. I didn't think it would take too long for you to get the hang of it.

[CLOSED | NYUU] there's a howling in the factory yard, there's a pounding in my head.

[predomination]

[he promised Nyuu (and Lucy) that he would work towards finding a way for the two of them to control their transformations at best and a way to communicate with each other at the very least. the first one seems a bit difficult to reach right now, but the second is almost too simple if he can apply a discipline taught to all Shinigami to Nyuu.

Benihime is in shikai when Nyuu arrives at the designated meeting place in the courtyard to find him sitting with his legs crossed and his sword in his lap. It's a cold day, though he doesn't seem to mind- if anything it might help the focusing they need to do.] Are you ready to try this?

[scarredhorns]

[The squidge park wasn't far from the courtyard, so after spending some time with one of the babies that had grown particularly attached to her, Nyuu arrived without tardy.

Inspired by how pretty her hair looked during the Winter Ball, she decided to wear it up more often, plus it would help keep her long hair out of her face. Today, she was sporting a braid that was being held together at the bottom by one of the rainbow hair ribbons she'd received.]

What is that sword for? [She spares it an uneasy glance.]

[predomination]

She's here to be an example. [matter-of-factly, as if all people refer to their blades by gender.] When I said I had a unique perspective on your situation, this is what I meant. It's a bit different with me, of course, but if I can speak to her, then I think can teach you and Lucy-san to communicate as well.

[he holds up the sword and plants the slanted end of her blade into the ground in front of him.] This is Benihime. Just as you and Lucy-san are one, she and I are one... The difference is she can't simply "take over."

[CLOSED | STILES] get up, jonah. it's your time to be born.

[predomination]

[as promised, the next day, Urahara is waiting in the village, leaning against one of the derelict buildings with his cane dangling off one wrist. he picks up on Stiles' approach before he says anything (strange, because he didn't seem to be paying attention) and meets him halfway.]

You really must be eager. Most kids your age are always dragging their feet.

[figureitout]

[ if there's one thing Stiles is self-trained at, it is the art of observation — he'd honed his skills without even realizing, until his awareness grew. when it did, it only made him look more carefully, trusting his instincts that had proved right so many times before, making notes and charts when his mind failed him.

even now, his eyes narrow slightly as Urahara turns towards him (and unless his hearing is exceptional, there's no way he was heard, not with the snow dampening all sounds), but he makes no comment; instead, he shrugs. ]

Yeah, well, most kids my age don't actively ask people to train them, either. [ wouldn't that have been the most impolite thing you could think of, asking him to spare the time and energy to train him and then not even show up on time? ]

... also, dude, I'm like, this close to eighteen. [ NOT A KID??? thank u ]