830/The Cat and the Navigator King

The Cat and the Navigator King
Date of Scene:	09 January 2016
Location:	Pikarigaoka - Seiyou Public School
Synopsis:	Ikuto finds himself where all stray cats do eventually-- Seiyou's observatory and planetarium. Tsukasa is there too, and Ikuto is surprisingly frank with him.
Thanks to:	Mint Chip for emitting Tsukasa
Cast of Characters:	37, Ikuto Tsukiyomi

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Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
It really is weird. Whenever anybody's lost, physically or emotionally, the observatory at Seiyou calls people to it. When you're at your wits' end? You can expect to find yourself in Seiyou's observatory at some point in your time. So really, the fact that Ikuto's ended up here probably isn't a surprise. After what happened last night, it was only a matter of time. At least he's still alive to end up here, there's that.

Ugh. It's all just so messy. He ended up outing one of Mikoto's safehouses, definitely a bad thing, and he'd upset Tadase really badly. On the up side, Tadase seems pretty well convinced he's beyond hope. So there's one less thing he has to worry about. Now he just has to convince Amu of that. And hell, while he's convincing, try to convince Mikoto of that too. He's gotten her in a fair amount of trouble.

Ikuto is reclining in one of the observatory's seats, staring up at the ceiling, arms folded across his middle, pretending to not have as much turmoil going on as there really is. He'd have his arms behind his head, but his chest is still hurting from that wound that Alejo healed. Still, he's more relaxed here than he's been in a while. This is a truly safe place, his posture shows it-- it's not that pseudo-relaxed cat resting but it ready to jump posture either. It's truly relaxed.

Yoru is reclining in the air next to Ikuto, handpaws behind his head, also staring at the ceiling. While Ikuto has a pensive, thoughtful look on his face, Yoru has a feline smile as he stares at the star-patterns on the ceiling. He just seems happy to be in the moment. He may also be near falling asleep. Which, while hilarious, is also telling of Ikuto's mental state in this place.

Mint Chip (37) has posed:
Unlike many who enter the observatory, Tsukasa Amagawa always seems to flow through it like water, never making a sound or being observed until he wants to be. It may just be a quirk of this place. It also helps him to try to help those who find themselves here.

So it's probably a surprise when he comes up from behind Ikuto and casually settles himself in the chair directly next to him.

For a moment he just looks at Ikuto expectantly, with a sly grin on his face. "You must be lost, alley cat." he says, with a sort of kind quietness only he can muster to such a degree. "If not physically, than perhaps more."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
A surprise, yes. But Ikuto doesn't jump, like he normally would. Another particular quirk of this place, perhaps. If anyone else had done that, he'd have probably been startled. With Tsukasa it's all right though. He merely turns his head to regard the man with a raised eyebrow. "...Don't know what'd make you say that," he replies. Never let it be said that Ikuto gave up anything willingly. Even when all evidence points to it. Stubborn cat.

Yoru, on the other hand, greets Tsukasa with a big, silly grin, and goes to perch on the blond man's shoulder. Ikuto doesn't protest this move; he trusts Tsukasa. "Hi!" the feline Chara proclaims. "I see you're still hanging around this old place-nya."

Mint Chip (37) has posed:
Tsukasa smiles a bit. There's absolutly nothing cold or cruel or the least bit dangerous in this man's face, in his look, in his mannerisms. "Because you're here." he says, simply. "Or are you going to try to convince me you're starting a new and completly random habit of showing up at observatories when schools aren't even in session?" he adds.

"Also, I know. And you know. Are you so convinced that the asnwer to all of your problems lies in locking them in that treasure chest at the bottom of your heart's stormy sea?"

He reaches over to Yoru, turns his hand over, and there's a fish snack in it. "It's good to see you, Yoru." he says, softly.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto smirks. It's not that typical 'rawr lookit me I'm evul' smirk. It's just he can't smile properly. There's something wrong with his face or something, and every time he tries to smile, it's lopsided. No really, it's a teasing smirk. It fades after a moment, though, leaving the pensive look still there. "They don't need to be aired like dirty laundry," he replies. "Especially not where they can slap someone in the face."

Yoru is pouncing on that fish treat wit a happy 'nya!'. Ikuto raises a brow. A bit of mirth coming back into his voice, Ikuto asks, "When did you start carrying fish on you?" Yeah, he has to tease a little. Mainly because he knows perfectly well where they came from. Tsukasa's weird like that. Not that it's a bad thing. But Ikuto's always been kind of an ass.

Mint Chip (37) has posed:
"If you don't air them to someone they're just going to get worse down there. You should look at yourself... the way I see you, Ikuto Tsukiyomi. Through the eyes of someone who's known you since you were little. But then, I suppose, you'd be able to see how Tadase sees you too, wouldn't you." he says, almost musing.

"Even the alley cat needs a pack. You're not as independent as you pretend to be." he adds, laying that one out there boldly, without cryptic comments.

But then it's right back to metaphor and flash. "And you're running out of places to store all those chests. Soon someone is going to find them. It's going to happen. You should, at least, make sure it happens on your terms, safely. Or someone is liable to turn all the darkness you're storing in your heart against you."

Tsukasa smiles at Yoru. "I only carry cat treats when I am about to encounter a cat who could need treats." Another treat appears and he winks, and leans in and whispers to Yoru. "Keep taking care of him, little cat."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"I know how he sees me," Ikuto replies. "He said as much last night. That's the way he needs to see me. There's too much at stake for me to worry about myself." Yes, he feels comfortable admitting to Tsukasa he's not the horrible person Tadase thinks he is. Because Tsukasa knows the truth anyway. Between Ikuto being kidnapped from Tsukasa's place and this weird psychic-ness he's got going, of course he does.

Oh hey another treat! Yoru pounces on this one too-- when offered, mind. Yoru actually has some semblance of manners around Tsukasa. And he nods to Tsukasa's request. "I will-nya!" he promises, words muffled as he's mid-devouring of the treat. Nom nom nom~!

Mint Chip (37) has posed:
Tsukasa leans forward. He's honest, too - in his own way of sometimes cryptic comments that Ikuto still knows the truth of. "You need to think about something, Ikuto Tsukiyomi." he says, blatantly. "You're not an island. You've already touched the hearts of people. Once you've done that, you can't take it back. You don't want to hurt him."

"But if you thought everything you were doing was so right... you wouldn't have found your way here to talk to me, would you?"

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto counters, "You know I can't just leave." They might hurt Utau, after all. At this point Ikuto wouldn't put anything past them. Reflexively he raises his arms to fold his hands behind his head, though he stops about halfway through the movement to wince slightly, and put his arms back down.

As if it didn't happen, Ikuto continues, "Tadase doesn't need to be involved in that. Neither does anyone else. I don't want Easter getting their hooks into anyone else. Better his feelings get hurt than that."

Besides, if Tadase thinks he's just an evil cat and isn't the same person he was back then, he'll be less upset when the inevitable happens...

Mint Chip (37) has posed:
Tsukasa nods, and a moment of sadness crosses his features. "I know you can't, Ikuto-san." he says. Walking that fine line of playing his part in the role - not a director, just an advisor.

"You know, he's already involved. And I think he'd be involved without you, too. Easter isn't just having you do bad things. Easter is using you as one of many tools. I don't think you can keep any of them out of this."

"Anymore than you can keep yourself out of it." he says, leaning back.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto listens to Tsukasa's voice, remaining silent, staring up at the ceiling. His eyes trace the patterns in the stars on ceiling, finding a constellation here, another there. "I know," he replies. "But one of those 'many tools' is my sister. And I don't think they're above breaking their 'tools'."

He goes quiet for a few moments. "...I just have to make him believe it," he says, under his breath. Tadase, he means. Ikuto needs to make Tadase believe he's changed, and really is evil. Otherwise he's eventually going to try to storm Easter to get Ikuto loose. "He's stupidly heroic. I don't want him getting himself killed trying to save me."

'My worthless hide' is not said, but the tone implies it.

Mint Chip (37) has posed:
Tsukasa sighs. Somewhere in him, he knew, of course, that he was just as much a gear in this machine, a part of the puzzle. Even with the path laid out before him all he could do was nudge. Not force.

"If you push harder, so will he. You know what he's capable of." And then, in a smaller voice. "And you know what he's not capable of."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"Exactly. He's not capable of leaving an issue like this alone," Ikuto replies. "My hands are tied. I can't let Easter hurt him."

Though a voice inside him points out that Ikuto himself might have hurt Tadase more than Easter could. And he frowns, viciously pushing that voice aside in his head with the counterpoint that at least Tadase's still alive. Easter could make that not be true all too easily.

Mint Chip (37) has posed:
Tsukasa sighs. In many ways Ikuto's hands are tied by Ikuto's own bonds. He tries one last comment. "Ikuto Tsukiyomi, how will you save anyone else if you cannot save yourself?" he asks. Then, after a long pause. "Easter hurts Tadase Hotori THROUGH hurting Ikuto Tsukiyomi."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
"Because that first part isn't important," Ikuto replies. "I'm only worried about them. I don't care what Easter does to me." Again he goes quiet, tilting his head up to see the stars on the ceiling.

"...I was trying for a long time to make people hate Easter enough to come after them on their own," Ikuto muses. "That doesn't seem to have worked. So I have to do it myself. But I can't just take Easter down immediately. I'll have to go deeper to get where I can do anything. Easter won't trust me unless I at least act like I'm trying to be good."

He pauses, shuts his eyes, and tilts his head down. "...It's going to hurt a lot of people that don't need to be hurt. Including Tadase." And Mikoto. "But this is the only thing I can do." There might not be anything left of him when it's done, true. But that won't really matter.

Mint Chip (37) has posed:
Tsukasa leans back. Ikuto's stubbornness can outlast even his patience. But if it didn't, he wouldn't see the long roads ahead he's seen. So instead he just looks at Ikuto as he stands up. "Be careful." he says - he pleads. "The path you're walking is the dangerous one - for you, for other people. I cannot tell you which way to go, but please, for the sake of others if not yourself - be on your guard."

Ikuto Tsukiyomi has posed:
Ikuto opens one eye as he notices the movement. He focuses that one eye's gaze on Tsukasa as he speaks. Then he opens the other eye... and actually smiles. It's a small smile, but it's there. "I'd rather walk it than have Tadase walk it," he says quietly. He seems at peace with that, his voice soft and almost content.

But more serious business. "If he knew just how deep in this I am, how deep Utau was, you know what he'd do," he says. "And Tadase has a way of bringing others to his side-- he'd bring others along. It'd just end with him and whoever he brought along either dead or in the same spot I am. I know you don't want that any more than I do."

Still, he nods. "That's the plan," he says. Regarding being careful. Though he sighs. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry things are turning out like this." His eyes close again. He's not asleep. But he wants to enjoy the few moments more of peace that he can squeeze out of this before he has to go back to craziness.