IC INBOX | OKADA IZOU

[goei]

@Izou

manslayer

---

ABOUT ME

The strongest, most genius swordsman to ever haunt the streets of Kyoto! That's me! So you better think twice before crossing me, ya hear?

NOTE

As long as you don't get in my way I won't kill you, probably.

Message @manslayer

Comments

[goei]

Sure, but I wanna see it!

[DOES IT LOOK COOL! HE BETS IT DOES.]

1/2

[vogelfrei]

[vogelfrei]

[ After a beat of genuine bafflement, he breaks into a cat-like smile: ]

Getting really forward, are we?

[goei]

[Listen! Yeah!]

It's on yer back not dick, ain't it?

[How he can go from being flustered to extremely frank is anyones guess.]

[vogelfrei]

[ ... unfortunately, the bluntless is a lot less endearing than the blushing and stuttering. And it's getting a lot blunter of a response as well. ]

Yes, and I still don't enjoy the thought of undresssing to be looked at like an exhibit.

[goei]

[Well when he puts it like that, at least Izou has the sense to look slightly scolded.]

Okay I guess that makes sense. Sorry. I just ain't ever heard of anything like that before.

[It's certainly in line with how excited he was to see Yuri turn into a bear. Izou learns about a new cool thing and he just wants to See It Right Now.]

I think those Gollerhorn people are wrong, for the record. It's yer body ta do with what you want. Stickin' some metal in yer back so you can fly a cool robot fer the sake of fighting fer what you believe in sounds cool ta me.

[vogelfrei]

[ There's a pause that spans a little longer than is comfortable for regular conversation, but then McGillis exhales and some tension drops from his shoulders. He knows Izou did not mean to treat him like a commodity to be stared at, the extremely demanding and forward tone just hit him the wrong way for a moment. ]

I certainly don't regret getting the surgery.

[ It could have cost him his life or rendered him incapable of movement for the rest of his life, but after eliminating most of the risk the remainder had been acceptable to McGillis. ]

... maybe you'll see it eventually.

[goei]

[Izou's mind wanders indecently for a moment at the intimation that now carries after McGillis's earlier accusation, but he manages to course correct.

The perhaps very intuitive waiter picks this moment to return with the wine, which is a welcome distraction. Izou takes perhaps a slightly too big sip of his to steady himself.]

I mean, you've already seen the most embarassin' mark on me.

[His shirt collar does cover most of it, but there's a small bit of the scar that circles his neck still visible, as it was when Shadow Izou was defeated and turned back into Izou proper.]

... The wine's good. Least, it tastes good ta me.

[vogelfrei]

[ It's good that they have the wine now - McGillis isn't actually a heavy drinker at all, but he appreciates having the glass to fiddle with when this whole conversation is still largely unchartered territory.

It's evident in the way they go from easy to ridiculous to suddenly tense that this isn't something they were meant for, as people. They're not really compatible to begin with, it's just...

He takes a sip itself. ]

It is. I'm glad you like it.

[ That part is true. It would be embarrassing to fail Izou's taste in that regard.

Another pause, then a more quiet admission: ]

You know more about me than anybody ever has - and without Braphine's meddling, I would not have told you any of it. But I did and you still said you still want to know more. It's pretty demanding.

[ But he's still here. ]

[goei]

[McGillis finding random things about Izou charming while he's winning over Izou with his own ideals: We are not compatible.]

I mean, I get not wantin' people to know all the dirty truths about ya, and the weak spots.
[Obviously, he'd not have revealed all his palace told people willingly.]

I'm not gonna say that I don't think what you did was wrong, but learnin' more about you at least made it seem less like yer some big horrible villain and more like...

[Human, imperfect, fallible. Not someone who was unilaterally deserving of dying to his blade. A killer is a killer but Izou is too, so like... the simple act of killing isn't a deal breaker for him. What if Fujimaru had written him off as unworthy of her attention because of how he was on the surface?]

I dunno. Less that.

[vogelfrei]

[ Dirty truths and weak spots is about right. Giving people knowledge of his past is the same as handing them the keys to manipulate him on a silver platter. It's a good thing that Izou wears his heart and thoughts on his sleeve, at least. It makes him a little less threatening in that regard. ]

Villain is a matter of perspective, anyway. It's how I'll be remembered in my world, if I'm remembered at all.

[ Gjallarhorn is very good at erasing information, and all. ]

[goei]

[Plus, Izou very much felt the same because he is unfortunately easy to manipulate due to not being that smart and also eager for praise and affection. But then he also got Palace Therapy and is considering maybe the risk is worth it.]

Well, you ain't goin' back there anyway so who cares how yer gonna be remembered by them?
[Taking another sip of his wine.]

But y'know, even if ya died before things were resolved, if the guys you backed win in the end, people ain't gonna remember you as a villain. S'what happened to me.

[vogelfrei]

[ There's a longer pause here and he doesn't even use 'taking a break to drink' as an excuse. He's just staring gloomily into his wine. ]

They were backing me, not vice versa.

[ You're looking at the sole instigator here. ]

And I assume most of them are dead at this point. Rustal Elion would want to make an example of the few remaining.

[goei]

[We're talking about Mika and his crew right. McGillis don't know how thats the main characters.]

Tch, you aughta have more faith in the people who supported you. It ain't like the sonno-joi looked like the easy victors on paper at first, but that just meant the guys in power in the capitol underestimated us. And look how that turned out.

[Stop being so gloomy and just assume the best.]

[vogelfrei]

[ That's the main characters and their mistake was supporting McGillis so they all died horrible deaths :D

Izou's optimism makes McGillis laugh shortly, though it's not exactly a laugh of hope. ]

Last I checked, they were running for their lives. But if they really pulled off a miracle after all that...

[ Then they wouldn't have known what to do with it, because McGillis was the one with the reform plans and they were just the brawn. Maybe it's good that their food arrives to McGillis doesn't have to elaborate on that. ]

[goei]

[Me learning that IBO has a bad end I hate it here.

But yeah, thank god for the food because Izou sure doesn't know what to say to that. He also doesn't know the fork twirling technique to eat spaghetti so he slurps it up and gets sauce all over his shirt. You asked this man on a date, McGillis.]

Why do they gotta make the sauce so messy, aah...

[His SHIRT...]

[vogelfrei]

[ McGillis spends... a good moment just watching that in silence. He's not even eating anymore, he's just watching mesmerized. It's... Well, he remembers not knowing how it works. He remembers having to be taught cutlery and everything from scratch, too. Just... ]

There's a trick to it, you know.

[ Okay, there. He managed to say that without smiling too hard. ]

[goei]

[McGillis my guy you are so cooked. You are into this loser it's over. Izou looks up at him, more spaghetti dangling on his fork]

Huh? What is it?

[He's just eating it how he'd eat Japanese style noodles.]

[vogelfrei]

[ Which is a fair assumption to make! McGillis can't judge - Izou is from a different time, different cultural sphere, and different background altogether. But... goodness. ]

Yes, look here. You take the fork and spoon like this and...

[ Lucky that they both ordered pasta so he can easily demonstrate the matter. ]

... then you swirl it so it's tightly wrapped around the fork.

[ There's nothing condescending about this explanation either, he's just explaining gently like he's sharing a secret tip. ]

[goei]

[Which is good since Izou is extra sensitive to being condescended to. He just watches patiently and then straightens up because aha, that makes sense!!

And then he... mimics the motion perfectly because it's funny to me to apply his ability to copy perfectly in this situation. Pasta achieved!!!]

That's way easier! Now I can concentrate on the flavor.

[He's very pleased.]

Kinda funny the key's usin' yer spoon ta help since that's how ya deal with eatin' ramen too. You use yer spoon fer yer broth and yer chopsticks fer the noodles.

[vogelfrei]

[ Pasta achieved!! See, this is why McGillis thinks Izou should be a bit more confident that he could My Fair Lady himself if he applied himself. ]

Looks like some combinations are just so efficient, they keep being invented over and over again.

[ Cultural exchange is happening! The vibe of this date truly shifts every five minutes, but it's not unpleasant. Izou will notice that McGillis does indeed eat like a lot more hastily than one would expect from him. It's all flawless tablemanners at least. ]

[goei]

[Yeah but then if he started acting dignified and talking normally he'd be just the same as Ryouma!!! Can't have that!!! Especially after he bullied Ryouma for doing it!!!]

Mm. But then, with Ramen, Soba, Udon, or whatever else, yer supposed ta slurp'em up. Means they're tasty, y'know?

[Truly. Rich cultural exchange. He does notice, but decides not to say something about it, at least not right this moment.]

[vogelfrei]

Really?

[ He's had Japanese noodles before, but not in authentic cultural company so he ate that very carefully and with some confusion. ]

That would take some getting used to for me - I've spent so long training myself out of any kind of noise at the table.

[ Absolutely did not happen naturally, since tiny McGillis was like a feral hound unleashed upon any dinner. ]

[goei]

Mm. Easy way ta let the chef know he did a good job! But I mean, white people got all sorts of different rules about food. Apparently pickin' up yer bowl's rude fer you all too?

[Which like, How else are you supposed to eat your rice???]

S'gotta be tough havin' ta learn a bunch of fancy rules when yer used ta just taking whatever you can get. Doesn't stop me from wantin' ta see how you handle yerself around chopsticks, though.

[Teasing, a little.]

[vogelfrei]

Tough luck for you, but I've used them before.

[ Not a lot. But enough to not totally make a fool out of himself, he'd think! ]

Of course, you are still free to scrutinize my abilities. Next time.

[ The mysterious second date that has been previously alluded to and that McGillis is now making the executive decision to speak into concrete existence. ]