seasonality ✦ tsuyukusa

[commandertoolbelt]

Comments

[commandertoolbelt]

Yep. It's all celestial bronze, which is like a special metal that the gods use. It's one of the only materials that can kill monsters or anything magical, so it makes sense for him because he was originally designed to help protect the camp where we met.

[branches]

[Perks up.]

So he's a guardian?
[He's like me!!]

[commandertoolbelt]

Yeah, kind of. Just made out of bronze instead of wood.

[branches]

I'm not made out of wood, Leo. Only my tree is, and that's gone now.

[commandertoolbelt]

[ . . .

leo pokes him once or twice. ]

Well, look at that. Guess you're flesh and blood like the rest of us, when you aren't a bird.

[branches]

[SQUINTS]

Do you think birds aren't also flesh and blood, Leo?

[commandertoolbelt]

Those antlers of yours looked pretty solid. You sure those weren't made of wood?

[branches]

Well those maybe, but the rest of me isn't made of wood!

[commandertoolbelt]

[ he laughs. ]

Alright, whatever you say. I like you better like this though - without the feathers.

[ it's weird for a human :/ ]

[branches]

[He remembers how Leo called him cute and turns red. Time to get out the bottle of sake as a distraction.]

Did you still want to try this?

[commandertoolbelt]

[ cute. ]

Why not? It's not like we have anything important to do today.

[ WE ARE STILL WAITING ON BEAR KEYS. ]

You called it sake, right?

[branches]

[Nods!]

I don't know what people make alcohol out of elsewhere, but sake is made from rice.
[He pours some in a little cup and hands it to Leo.]

[commandertoolbelt]

Well, it's kind of illegal for me to have the stuff back home, so I wouldn't know that, either.

[ taking the cup! at the first sip, he makes a face, but after a moment of consideration, he nods. ]

It's... not bad. This is what you like?

[branches]

[He nods! This is canonically Tsuyukusa's favorite food.]

I don't get this whole illegal stuff. Why should someone else make rules about what people can and can't drink?

[commandertoolbelt]

Maybe because it's not always used safely, or whatever? I don't know, I don't pay attention to those infomercials.

Seems like a bit of an acquired taste, but it explains why you don't like sweets, I guess.

[branches]

Yeah. Something like this is plenty sweet enough if you ask me.
[And sake is like... barely sweet.]

... I guess not everyone has parents or whoever who'll make sure they don't do anything stupid. Even after Byakuroku died... if I did something stupid Bon would always be there to fix things.

[commandertoolbelt]

[ it's not even that sweet. ]

I'm proof of that one. Hephaestus might be alive, but I wouldn't ever call him a father figure, and the whole reason the cops hated me is because I kept running from the foster homes they put me in.

Anyway, it's not bad. I kind of like it.

[branches]

Yeah? I'm glad I saved some for you to try, then.
[He really is pleased! A simple tree of simple pleasures.]

But... [No, he won't pity Leo over what was in the past.] I'm glad you have people you can rely on now.

[commandertoolbelt]

[ leo nudges him with a grin. ]

Getting all sappy on me now? [ get it? ] I'm glad too, though - for both of us.

[branches]

[ELBOWS HIM!!! YOU AND YOUR PUNS!!!]

So we have to win. For the friends we made here and the ones at home. So you can go back and finish fixing Festus and that prophecy.

[commandertoolbelt]

We will. You can count on it. The second that door's unlocked, we're out of here.

[ except not because of plot reasons but still ]

I want to see where you're from once we're done, though. I guess - not Amatsuki, but everything else, at least.

[branches]

I mean, sure. It's not like... I'll have much to show you. I don't know anything about Higan besides what I've learned here.

[commandertoolbelt]

It's still where you're from, and your family's going to be there, right? So it counts.

[branches]

I guess so. Or well, Bon's human self and I guess Hashita was Utsubushi and he'll be there too.

... And Lili.
[Frowning.]

[commandertoolbelt]

They still count!

Who's Lili, though? You never mentioned that one.