[Let's say Yasusada was distracted spraying himself in the eyeballs with shampoo and that's why he didn't hunt down Tonbo immediately
BUT ANYWAY here he is!! Dressed like normal again, save for his missing armor--the scrunchie is still in his hair, too, because he can't be bothered to take it down again. He's been wandering around, trying all the doors just to see what opens, so HERE HE IS at fish cabin, trying the doorknob. KNOCK KNOCK BUDDY]
ANYWAYS, HI. HELLO. Tonbo's here in his internal affairs robes, blinking surprised eyes at his fellow sword when he answers the (surprisingly empty! wow!) cabin door ]
[Yasusada looks--oddly startled to see him, his eyes darting over Tonbokiri's face, like he might be able to recognize something off. He, of course, finds nothing, but that doesn't put him at ease.]
[Well, inside he goes. Once Tonbokiri closes the door and turns around, though, his hand goes to the hilt of his sword, ready. He doesn't draw it, though, and he doesn't seem tense, or frightened.]
Tonbokiri-san, the demons... are they still bothering you? Can I... [Help, he wants to say, but the only way he knows how to help is. Well.]
[ he looks rather calm for someone who's probably seconds away from being cut down ]
I am no longer possessed by said demons. Becoming one however [ and boy, isn't that a sour thing to acknowledge. ] ... The three confirmed we will be unaffected here.
[ the smile that tries to form certainly fails entirely ]
For now, we can only wait and see what time will bring.
[The thing about Yasusada is this--he knows, on some level, when he's being intentionally obtuse. A person can't avoid certain truths the way he does without being deliberate about it, to some degree. But if it's something that he wants to hear, something that he truly wishes to believe, then he can ignore the awareness of his own naivete, in favor of the kinder truth.
So he nods, lowering his sword and looking no small degree of relieved.]
...If something does happen, what would you like us to do?
[He's pretty sure he already knows the answer, but still.]
[ there's no question about it. the who and how's he'll leave up to him- for he's certain it won't be an easy task regardless. but then... he pauses, glancing away. ]
And... perhaps, tell Nikkari I'm sorry.
[ until he finds out they're all from different citadels, haha! ]
[Fortunately, Yasusada just nods; he's too concerned with the situation at large to question any sort of last requests.
He visibly hesitates, then, looking oddly uncomfortable.]
Tonbokiri-san? [There's really no nice way to say this, huh. He'll understand, though, right?] It's not that I'm unhappy to see you, but... why isn't Izuminokami here, too?
[ honestly, he's surprised no one hasn't asked this already. he shrugs though because even he doesn't know ]
I could not say. [ he's... a little (a lot) guilty that only he's here to rep the thot swords ] There's nothing I did differently than the others yet I am here while they are not.
[ He's?? So Sad?? Nikkari isn't here??? (but he also got to home at least and therefore is safer than them all right now-)]
[Yasusada likes bullying Kanesada as much as the next Okitagumi, but he's not so tsun that he can't admit he's sad, too. It's nicer than Yasusada expected, being around other swords again, but Yasusada is a Shinsengumi to the core--as much comfort as it brings him to see familiar faces, it's never going to be the same.
Denial is one of his strongest skills, though, so he straights up, looking determined.]
...Master must've found them quickly. [It's the theory he's been clinging to, after what Wei Wuxian told him.] Yuki-kun said that it's an accident we're here, so the others must be home already.
[Yuki-kun is Winter Wizard because yams is dumb and liked his last game's NPCs. But, oh--he brightens up again, with an idea.]
Maybe you can ask Tsurumaru-san? He said he came from home, so he must know.
[ he pits a hand on his chin while i tiredly try to remember bakuten details. ]
You, Kashuu Kiyomitsu, Nagasone Kotetsu, Hachitsuka Kotetsu, Izuminokami Kanesada and Horikawa Kunihiro went on a mission..... two years ago now? None of you talked about it much so I could not say what happened.
It was our second trip to Ikedaya, so maybe we went again with Hachisuka-san, but... [That's still a weird team?? Yasu doesn't understand Bakuten wow] Mutsunokami was definitely there. He started fighting with Nagasone-san right away.
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