[open] a real nightmare

[no_kyouken]

Who ⬤ Majima (Shuten) & Open
What ⬤ May Substories, etc
Content Warnings ⬤ Cross dress, violence, alcohol, probably smut somewhere.

Prompts in comments, wildcard me with anything else you want. You can catch me in the discord or DM me at itsabee#1072. CR meme comment Network post Feel free to double up prompts, I will tag you however many times you want. majima 🎶 goromi 🎶

Comments

[starshepard]

[ Azem rather likes Majima (and Goromi) as well. But it's rare that Azem doesn't like someone. If there's one ability this place couldn't take from them it's their ability to endear themselves to others and make new (useful) friends.

The moment Azem sees Majima they wave and pick up their pace. They stand out a bit more now that they've begun experimenting with bold colors and patterns. In truth, they look as if they dressed themself in the dark. ]

Well, you did invite me!

[no_kyouken]

[ Oh boy. That sure is an outfit. Really not dispelling that 'alien' thing, is she. Majima's not going to say a fucking thing, but maybe Goromi will ask her out shopping next time. ]

Yeah, yeah. C'mon, there's a big bookstore a couple blocks down.

[starshepard]

[ Azem might be going a little crazy with colors and patterns now that they aren't confined to just a black robe. But they also won't say no if someone wants to try and help them. ]

I've always found books a little funny. We have them back home but we also store most of our information on crystals. It made me wonder why we had books when we also had another method for storage, one that could be more immersive at that.

[no_kyouken]

Japan loves paper.

[ What can he say. But also, that means that the bookstore is a thing of beauty. Clean and brightly lit with wall-to-wall books, their spines many different colors. ]

[starshepard]

I suppose my people do too. Though I will admit there is something nice about holding a book in your hand.

[ The Amaurotines for certain love their paperwork to boot. ]

[no_kyouken]

[ He has to smile self-effacingly, ]

Ain't much of a reader.

[ A large number of yakuza are middle school drop outs, Majima definitely among them. School really loses its luster when your home life is trash and you know your life is going to go nowhere. ]

[starshepard]

I suppose not everyone is. I'm oft surrounded by academics back home, so it's only natural we do a lot of reading.

[ At least in Amaurot. When they're traveling it's a different story. If they aren't alone they're surrounded by all sorts. ]

[no_kyouken]

[ He picks his way through some narrow paths around the tightly-packed bookshelves, making his way over to the stacks of workbooks for language practice. Shit, kanji is so difficult people study that well into their adulthood. The workbook industry is ever churning. He picks one up to look at, offering it to her curiously. With each individual letter broken down and nothing to be translate, it's pretty easy to focus on. ]

Think that'll work?

[starshepard]

[ Azem lags behind somewhat. Stopping to check out a book here or there that catches their attention. ]

Hmm? [ They take the book and look it over, flipping through it a bit before nodding. ] I think it should for a start.

Anything else you might suggest?

[no_kyouken]

Yeah, couple things...

[ There are three sets of flashcards. Katakana, Hiragana, and then a beginner set of Kanji. A regular dictionary and then one specific to Kanji. And finally, some manga to practice it all on... he pulls out a big anthology volume; some magazine's monthly assembly of teen titles. ]

Should do it.

[ He collects all the items together, ]

Lemme get 'em for ya.

[ Since this was his stupid idea. ]

[starshepard]

[ Azem looks a little taken aback by everything then laughs. ] Reminds me a bit of my school years.

[ How long ago had that been now? A lifetime ago for any mortal in this place. ]

If you insist. [ They probably have the money, not that they understand the value of it. ]

[no_kyouken]

It'll keep ya for a good long while.

[ They're surrounded by people speaking the language, so it seems like the key is to just start building up a vocabulary where she actually recognizes the word spoken without even needing the translation. Actual conversation flow should come with plain old immersion.

Majima wouldn't put it quite so eloquently, but that's the general flow of his assumptions. ]

Gift from me.

[ He only has the one eye, he cannot wink but the suggestion is there as he hands over the money. ]

Better spendin' it on you than th'snake drinkin' it.

[starshepard]

We'll see.

[ Learning a new language hasn't really been something Azem has tried before. It had never been necessary, so they don't know how long it might take them. If anything, they're likely underestimating the time. ]

Aw, thank you. It's rare I receive a gift for no real reason.

[ Usually, gifts were given because Azem had done something to help someone or saved a village or what have you. ]

[no_kyouken]

[ He glances curiously, wondering how much to read in to that. ]

Ain't that what friends do?

[starshepard]

I suppose so.

[ Azem responds with a shrug. They were often the one giving out gifts back home, but that was because they were always traveling. They always came across something that made them think of their friends and just had to take it back to them. ]

Anyroad, thanks again for this.

[no_kyouken]

[ Anyroad? He's going to take that as an alien thing, actually thanks. But it does make him smile faintly. ]

Yeah, no problem. What do ya wanna get t'eat?

[ He offers over the bag of books. ]

[starshepard]

[ As if 'anyroad' is the strangest thing Azem has ever said, please Majima. ]

I'm good with anything.

[no_kyouken]

Takoyaki it is then.

[ It's his favorite, there's no escape when you leave the choice up to him. He offers out his arm to them with a smile. ]

[starshepard]

[ They take his arm and let him lead the way. ]

Oh, is that those little balls? [ Azem, you just described so many different street foods with that question. ]

[no_kyouken]

Octopus, tako.

[ Vocabulary lesson number 1. ]

Yaki tells ya how it's cooked. It's 'to grill', on a griddle. Famous in th'town I came from in Japan.

[ So he acquired something of a taste for it in Sotenbori. ]

[starshepard]

[ Azem hums and bobs their head in a nod. ] I see.

So would you say it's one of your favorite foods?

[no_kyouken]

[ He smiles, cheerful with this topic of conversation and the company. ]

Yeah. Takoyaki cures any bad day. Sometimes ya just need t'sit an' enjoy some street food.

[ His pleasures are generally pretty simple. He doesn't ask for much, not when all of his days were equally bleak. He's improved a lot in Jigoku-cho, they wouldn't recognize how he used to be. ]

[starshepard]

I see. Well, I'll certainly be glad to eat some with you.

[ The obvious question might be to ask how often he has a bad day, but Azem doesn't want to push that kind of subject. Why harsh the good vibes? ]