This is a story about you, said the man on the radio

[theskyaccepts]

WHO: Tsuna (theskyaccepts) & you
WHAT:Checking out some art or general city things
WHERE: Art Gallery and around town
WHEN: Throughout December
WARNINGS: n/a, will adjust as necessary




[A - A Study of Tsunayoshi]

[Really, by this point, Tsuna knows better. Knows enough to stop wandering around the newly opened areas of the city. It's rarely led to anything good. Like now, in the midst of an exhibit, surrounded by artwork that he knows represents him. It's weird, and he shouldn't have come here. But he also doesn't feel compelled to leave.]

i - The Cast

[The first wall shows a selection of portraits. Eight in total. They're slightly odd paintings, as a change in perspective might reveal something else about the image.

The Sky - A portrait of Tsuna, though he looks a little worn and beaten down. Like he's been in a fight or had break one up. A small lion with a bright orange mane sits on his lap. The frame is orange.

The Tutor - Is that a baby in a suit? It sure looks like it, but he stands confident and suave in a weird way. There's a green chameleon on his hat and a yellow soother around his neck. He casts a long shadow, almost an adult's shadow. But another perspective shows an intense looking adult wearing the same outfit, but without the soother. He casts the shadow of a child.

The Storm - An intense looking boy with silver hair glares at the gallery goer. A cat with leopard spots sits on his lap, glaring with the same intensity. Dynamite seems strewn about the room. The portrait is in a red frame.

The Rain - This portrait shows a friendly looking boy holding a baseball bat and playing with a dog and a sparrow. From other perspective, the boy is holing a katana, but maintains the friendly expression. The frame is blue.

The Sun - It's a unique portrait, showing a young man with white hair enthusiastically boxing with a kangaroo. The frame is yellow.

The Lightning - There is a young boy, similar in age to the Tutor, sitting atop a large bull. he wears a onesie with a spotted cow pattern, and has a large afro of black hair, with a pair of horns sticking out. But if you look at it from the other side, the boy is now standing beside the bull, and he looks older, about the same age as Tsuna, his hair wavy and quite handsome. The frame is green.

The Cloud - A unique portrait in that the focus appears to be a hedgehog, but in the distance is a young man in a school uniform. You cannot see his face but he wields a pair of tonfa. The frame is purple.

The Mist - The final portrait shows two people holding a trident, upon which rests an owl. One of the figures is female and the other male. The frame is indigo.]

ii - Ancestry

[There is a large painting. Tsuna is depicted in the middle. He is looking towards a man in the left of the painting, who is tall, with blonde hair and dressed like a construction worker. Behind Tsuna stands a man who looks similar to him, also with blonde hair and a kind but intense expression. There is an orange flame in the center of his forehead. Tsuna seems caught between the two.

In front of the painting are eight sculptures, each in their own glass case. They seem to be weapons. it starts with a pair of gloves, then a small intense sculpture of fire, a knife with a gold hilt, a fork, a Jur knuckle duster, a silver boomerang, a pair of guns, a crossbow, a sceptre, and then another pair of gloves.]

iii - Battle

[There are two large murals.

The first a normal looking middle school at night. In the courtyard of the school, it looks like a sumo ring has been set up and there are figures gathered around it. Some of them might look familiar if you were looking at the earlier portraits. Above, in the sky, a lion wreathed in orange flames squares off against a white liger.

In the second mural, there is an intense use of orange and blue as the background, while the lion from before faces off against a large white dragon. And in the midst of this clash is a young girl.]

iv - the future

[Once again, there are two paintings.

The first depicts an image from behind. The furthest away from the camera is Tsuna, with the others from the earlier potraits walking behind him, along with a few others. Four girls, a young boy. It is a painting that draws on feelings of hope and optimism. Like they are walking towards a bright future.

The second painting depicts the same scene, but Tsuna is gone.]

[B - Lonely Holiday]

[If you don't run into Tsuna at the Art Gallery, you can find him around town in his usual haunts. He's got a little routine for getting groceries and things, and often stops by the playground near his apartment building to think and maybe to mope a little bit. But mostly, he can be found in his apartment, playing video games and reading manga, and if he needs to, he ventures back to the media store for more.

He's a little burnt out on weirdness and kind of homesick. Christmas isn't the biggest deal but he misses his family a lot. Especially after the Art Gallery.

Basically here for all your wildcard needs.

Additional plotting can be done at urbaninja or PM]

Comments

a.i. the sky

[excaliburden]

[Altria should know better. She's already wandered into here once, and really, she's not the sort of person who wants to face her past enough to go back. But... some of the art is lovely, in a sad sort of way, and eventually, when she's sure she'll be alone, she goes back.

This painting catches her eye, and she hesitates, peering up at it with her head tilted to one side as she examines it.

He seems young--and yet he's been fighting so hard. ... How exhausting that must be, she can't help but think.]

[theskyaccepts]

[She wouldn't be wrong.

The mantle that has been placed on his shoulders is a heavy burden. One that he's had to grow into but that is still an ongoing process. He's been standing off to the side, mostly trying not to be noticed when his face is everywhere but eventually, he makes his way over.]

I don't know how this whole thing even happened, but I kinda wish they'd picked a better picture of me.

[excaliburden]

... Oh!

[Oops. There he is, and she was just standing here, staring at one of the paintings from his past.]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. Oh, but I don't think it's a bad painting at all.

[theskyaccepts]

No it's fine.

[He feels a little compelled to speak, is all. And well, it feels a little weird to not be present, now that there are people in his gallery. Makes it seems like he's eavesdropping or something.

He laughs.]

It feels a little weird to say thank you when I didn't make it or anything, but that's nice to hear.

I think I just look a little tired in it.

[But then, that's kind of normal.]

[excaliburden]

You do...

[She can't argue that. He does look tired--tired and beaten down, but nonetheless like he hasn't given up at all.]

... Mm, but it looks like you've just weathered something difficult. And I think there's something impressive about that!

[theskyaccepts]

[She's not wrong about that. That's his life now, for better or worse.]

Probably not too far off.

[He indicates the other paintings.]

My friends are kind of a handle. If anything, I was probably trying to wrangle them.

[excaliburden]

[She looks at the portrait, and then back at him, and blinks.]

... Oh. I thought maybe you were fighting off an enemy or a rival. You were wrangling your friends?

[theskyaccepts]

I mean, it could just as easily be that, or both.

[The way he says it, he's not really bothered. If anything, he sounds very fond of them.]

I guess I just associate that look with my friends more.

[excaliburden]

[Huhhhh...]

They must be really, really rowdy, huh?

B

[miyagimagic]

[ Daniel definitely isn't one to check out the art gallery - but the media store is a different story. He can't help but return there a few times to check out even more of the things that are available there, especially when it's been so long since he's properly held a book or watched a movie after getting stuck in this place.

And seeing familiar faces there? Well, it's just a nice bonus.

Hence the smile the man flashes when he spots Tsuna in there too. ]

Hey! [ It's a fairly energetic, friendly greeting. ] So you've already found this place too, huh?

[theskyaccepts]

[Tsuna nods, smiling a little awkwardly.]

Yeah. Kinda feel like I've been living in here a bit. They got a lot of options.

[miyagimagic]

Yeah?

[ Daniel replies after Tsuna voices that last part, moving a little closer towards the other with a smile on his face. ]

What have you been looking at in particular? [ What does today's youth find hip.. ]

[theskyaccepts]

Uh, well...

[He glances at his basket.]

There's been some good comic books that I've found. And the video games are alright, in a retro sort of way.

[miyagimagic]

[ The answer is no surprise. Yes, of course Tsuna would love comic books and video games. Of course he'd go for those over the actual books here.

He's a teenage boy, after all. ]

A retro sort of way? [ Daniel can let everything else slide, his own son making it very clear that sometimes getting a teenager to read a book is just impossible..

But he can't let this one go. ]

You're going to make me feel really old at this rate. Do you know how many games like those I played when I was your age?

[theskyaccepts]

I'm gonna guess a lot? More than you should have?

[Because he's probably the same way.]

I said retro though, not bad.

[miyagimagic]

[ He lets out a huff - not quite one of laughter, but it's close to it. ]

Yeah, but you know what else people mean when they say retro? They mean old.

[ And Daniel clearly isn't old. Never mind the fact that he's in his fifties. H-He's still spry, okay! He's still hip with the kids! ]

You wouldn't call me old, right? [ What a delicate question to ask someone, Daniel.. Even if it's with a smile on your face.. ]

[theskyaccepts]

[Tsuna is immediately suspicious. He's been in this position before and he knows where it leads. He's got to choose his words carefully if he doesn't want his foot ending up in his mouth.]

Well, no! Of course not!

I don't mean that at all!

I just...I don't what else you would call games like this!

B

[blackabyss]

[Fumikage knows how difficult it is, not being home for the holidays. The only difference is that he has friends here with him, friends from his home. As for Tsuna... well, he's not exactly a social butterfly, but he is perceptive of those around him. And he notices how tired and burnt out Tsuna looks.]

[Which is why, one day, Tsuna will get a knock on his apartment door.]

[theskyaccepts]

[Having not been expecting anyone, Tsuna comes to the door with a bit of surprise. He looks a little tired, but the kind of tired that comes with playing too many video games. But he does his best to stand up a little straighter and look presentable.]

Uh, Tokoyami-kun. Hi?

[blackabyss]

Good evening, Tsuna-san.

[He's holding a couple bags in his hands, which are held at his sides as he nods politely, if a little solemn-looking.]

I was wondering if you were seeking companionship in this land of darkness and solitude.

[...what?]

[theskyaccepts]

[It takes a little bit for Tsuna to parse out a meaning, but eventually understanding dawns on him.]

Did you...want to hang out?

[He has kind of been a bit anti-social, so he moves to the side to let Tokoyami in.]

Sure. I'd like that.

[blackabyss]

Very good.

[He'll nod to Tsuna as he enters the apartment, casting a glance around.]

I apologize for intruding unexpectedly, but revelries in the night are seldom planned affairs.

[From behind him, Dark Shadow pipes up.]

We brought snacks!

[theskyaccepts]

It's fine. I'm just sorry for the mess.

[He really hasn't cleaned up much since his video game binge. So there's boxes strewn about and dishes piling up in the sink. The TV is on, the screen stuck on "pause" and playing the familiar strains of background music. There's also a few piles of manga and comic books.]

But that's great! Thank you.

[blackabyss]

It's quite alright.

[Fumikage notices the boxes, dishes, and piles of books, which is just more signs of Tsuna's state of mind. He puts the bags of snacks on the nearby table before turning to Tsuna.]

If you need, we can help you in tidying up.

[theskyaccepts]

[Tsuna looks around the room, before smiling a little sheepishly.]

Yeah, I guess I should probably do that. I haven't really...been in a mood to do that.

At least I should get rid of the boxes.