Exeunt, persued by a crocodile

[oldmantiger]

So, there's a giant crocodile on the loose, and no one told Kotetsu. Admittedly, no one told Kotetsu he was going to be brought to a mysterious castle, either. So this hasn't been a good day all around, and it still hasn't even been the worst day of the last week. 

Anyone outside the castle that evening likely won't be able to miss him. Kotetsu crashes out through an upper window of the castle, and the sound of shattering glass is soon joined by the sound of a wild yell that only sounds a little terrified.

His first thought, even as he fires his grapnel at the wall, is Bunny will catch me. His second thought is a grim No he won't. Bunny isn't here. Kotetsu doesn't know quite where he is, either, but it's obviously very far from home. And if there's one place Bunny deserves to be, it's home.

The grapnel catches, leaving him suspended twenty feet off the ground. Trying to ignore the assorted twinges of pain from...well, everywhere, really, from injuries old and new, Kotetsu takes the chance to take a look around. What he sees is not encouraging, and only confirms his earlier suspicions. This definitely isn't anywhere in Sternbild that he's ever seen. It almost looks like the countryside around his family's house...but Kotetsu knows he would have remembered a castle like this against the horizon.

A very, very disconcerting thought occurs to him, and the former hero groans aloud. Oh, boy. He just got done dealing with pretty much everyone he knew having their memory messed with solely for the sake of making his life miserable. He was not exactly interested in experiencing that kind of violation for himself. 

Let's see...his name is Kotetsu T. Kaburagi. He has a daughter named Kaede, a mother named Anju, a brother named Muramasa, a partner named Barnaby...

As he runs through this mental checklist, Kotetsu swings himself over until he can brace his feet against the wall. From there, he starts to carefully rappel down the remaining distance between him and the ground. Once he's there...well, he might just need to sit down for a while. A long while, sitting safely in the shade of the castle wall. Anyone passing by will be able to plainly see that he looks kind of a mess - cut up along his back and side from the glass, dealing with some kind of old chest wound, and definitely bruised from getting knocked around by aforementioned giant crocodile.

It hasn't been a good week. 

Comments

[lostinmyway]

Grune was having a very nice stroll outside in the moonlight when suddenly--oh, my. Someone is breaking glass again. And they don't sound very happy.

She looks up to find a dark figure hanging from the castle wall. As she watches, they slowly begin climbing down. She should go see if they're all right.

It takes her a little while to find where the person landed. The path around the castle wall isn't clear, and there are so many beautiful flowers to look at. But she does still find them, sitting on the ground.

When she finally seems them clearly, she gasps.

"Kotetsu?"

[oldmantiger]

Kotetsu definitely hears the footsteps coming a while before their owner is visible. He braces himself, but otherwise takes no immediate action besides getting comfortable and catching his breath. He hasn't really had the chance to do that in a while. His retirement was supposed to afford that opportunity, but his retirement has clearly been put on hold.

Anyway, the approaching footsteps definitely sound human. And, sure enough, a woman decidedly lacking in scales appears through the trees. And she...seems to recognize him?

Unlike Barnaby, Kotetsu doesn't see this as an immediate cause for alarm - despite his own reservations about Maverick. After all, he was in the hero business for a long time, and he knows he still had some fans before Maverick came along and messed everything up. Besides, he did recently make the most public possible declaration about his civilian identity, so...that whole plan kind of fell through in the end.

So, groaning a little, he just tries to sit up a bit straighter, and he waves at her.

"Hey, uh...miss? Sorry, I think I'm a little lost."

[lostinmyway]

Grune waves back, because it's polite, and then she lightly runs the rest of the way to him, kneels down, and gives him as careful of a hug as she can.

"Oh, I'm so glad to see you!"

[oldmantiger]

This is...okay. This is somewhat more unexpected. Kotetsu is well past the age where he expects to get hugs from strange if cute women. If he was ever at that age. Even if they might be fans. Still, his mother raised him to be polite. And maybe she's just this excited to see him because there's a giant crocodile on the loose and she needs help. So even if he makes a startled sort of noise when she hugs him, he half-returns that hug the best he can.

"H-Hey, it's...really good to see you, too?" He can't quite manage to not sound uncertain about that. "And, uh...I think I'm bleeding on you. Sorry about that."

[lostinmyway]

She looks down automatically, but right away she returns her gaze to him.

"Oh, that's all right. Why don't we go to the kitchen to get you cleaned up?"

[oldmantiger]

Well, at least she doesn't seem offended. And getting himself cleaned up...at least seems like a good precursor step to figuring out what the heck is going on around here.

"Sure. That'd be great." He musters up a reassuring sort of smile, before trying to get to his feet - a little more laboriously than he might have had to, before. "Thanks. And listen, while we're at it - you know my name, but I don't think I caught yours'."

[lostinmyway]

She doesn't mean to, but--her smile drops a little before she can catch it.

"Oh, dear, you don't remember either?"

Then she notices he's having trouble standing, and so she gets up and holds out her hand for him. "It's all right. My name is Grune. It's very nice to meet you again, Kotetsu."

[dustless]

Someone rappelling down the wall is pretty eye-catching. Frisk sees him coming down from afar and races to meet him at the bottom, though they don't quite make it before he's settled on the ground.

Here is a child, eyeing him critically, tapping their foot against the ground. 'Nother new person, also super beat up.

So, naturally, they ask: "Met the crocodile guy?"

[oldmantiger]

By the time Frisk makes their way over to him, Kotetsu has managed to fish his cell phone out of his pocket and is rather agitatedly going through his contacts list. No one is picking up. Granted, it doesn't look like he has many bars out here, but someone should be picking up.

New footsteps. Smaller footsteps? So when Kotetsu looks up again, it's not entirely a surprise to see a child standing there. It's slightly more surprising that they seem so calm at the sight of him. But at first, he just thinks, in the distant sort of way of the badly disoriented, oh look, there are kids here, too.

He nods in confirmation. "Met the crocodile guy."

...and in the next second, that thought becomes a rather panicked oh god, there are kids here, too. The panic rather visibly shows on his face for a moment before he can shove it aside. There's a giant crocodile on the loose, and there are kids around. Why hasn't someone done something about this? How far from home is he that news like that never reached Hero TV?

Well, he's here now. Kotetsu puts on a confident sort of expression - well-practiced after having seen a lot of use on the job - and hastens on: "Don't worry about it, though. I just need a minute to catch my breath, then I'll be ready to go back up there for round two. I'll have him out of there in no time."

[dustless]

That fear was one-hundred-percent caught. Why, though? They can't be entirely sure, they've only just met this person.

And whether or not the confidence he plastered on is fake or not--that doesn't matter too much, honestly. They let their forehead wrinkle a little bit, glancing up at the wall he'd just made his way down, back to him and his cuts and bruises. "That's probably a bad idea. You should..." They flick their fingers at the general state of his body. "'Least clean up and stuff. In the fountains."

[oldmantiger]

This child continues to look decidedly unimpressed with him. Story of his life. Oh, well - he finally got Kaede to think he was cool. No point getting greedy.

Kotetsu takes another look at himself when Frisk indicates his injuries, as though he'd forgotten they were there. And he makes a face as he yet again takes in the full extent of the situation. He just got changed back into real clothes again. But at last, heaving a put-upon sigh, he concedes the immediate point: "...yeah, probably." At the least, he knows it's probably a bad idea to leave a blood trail. Or else the crocodile will...be able to sniff him out? Can crocodiles do that?

Either way, he starts trying to get to his feet. "In the fountains, though? Don't people kind of, I don't know, use those?"

[dustless]

They almost turn around to start leading him, but second-guess that when he starts getting up. He's human, the crocodile creature--is a lot stronger than human. (It seems wrong to call him monster. Insult to family.) Instead, they step forward and offer their hand. Frisk's tougher than they look, they're certain he won't pull them down easily.

"I guess? They look pretty, and people sit on the sides of them a lot, but it's the best way to get water and stuff that's clean." Cleaner than the little ponds and streams through the place, anyway, and more reliable than hunting through the castle for antiseptic.

[oldmantiger]

He looks faintly surprised at the offered hand. But then, with a mental shrug, he accepts the help - he's already a mess, so what does it matter? He still a little harder than he needs to in order to not pull them down, before realizing that they are a lot sturdier than they look. And so with Frisk's assistance, Kotetsu is back on his feet in short order, dusting himself off. "Thanks, kid."

He got a pretty good look at the place when he was climbing down, and when he first jumped. If he closes his eyes and concentrates, Kotetsu is pretty sure he can picture the fountains they must be talking about.

Of course, while he's thinking, he's also listening, and what he's hearing is concerning. "You don't have, like...sinks and stuff?" Then again, maybe it's not a good idea to go back inside right now. He starts off towards the fountains, glancing back only to make sure Frisk follows. Crocodiles and strangely calm children and women he's never met who remember him and fountains. "What kind of a place is this, anyway?"

[ojisankink]

Shattering glass is a sound that Barnaby has come to expect means danger, so even though he was calmly walking moments before, he tenses up as soon as he hears that sound, followed by a yell.

Decades of training means he can pinpoint the location of the sound. About 20 feet above him, and 15 feet to the right... his head swivels up to meet his mental calculations, and he finds a man suspended from a cord, dangling by the wall, kicking his feet and basically making a fuss just like...

"Kotetsu?"

He's here. He knew that stupid old man wouldn't leave him alone. He, rather selfishly, he knows, feels thrilled to see such a familiar face. But if anyone can find a way out of here, it's them, right? They make a good team.

Even if Barnaby doesn't have his hero suit, he's not one to miss out on a bridal carry opportunity. As Kotetsu rappels down, he'll find that he doesn't reach the ground, but instead a pair of outstretched arms, ready to catch him as always.

"What kind of trouble did you get into this time?"

What, no welcome? No 'glad to see you?' Apparently not.

[oldmantiger]

Sometimes Kotetsu wonders what it says about the trajectory of his life that Bunny will catch me is something he not only often expects to be true, but so often is true. He very resolutely does not look around, instead focusing on making his way down instead. But as he sees the grass below drawing nearer and nearer, as he's just considering just letting go and dropping the rest of the way, he feels a presence drawing near. He feels a pair of familiar arms reach out. And Barnaby will be able to hear Kotetsu gasp in happy relief.

He doesn't need to look around to see who it is. He does anyway, and his face damn near lights up with recognition.

"Bunny!"

From there, Kotetsu doesn't hesitate to detach his grappling hook and let his old partner catch him. And the second Kotetsu is back on his feet, Barnaby will find himself yet again the recipient of quite an enthusiastic hug, injuries be damned. In the back of his mind, Kotetsu reflects on how he just might get the other man used to them, at this rate. "To the rescue, as always! I knew you wouldn't leave me to get eaten!"

[ojisankink]

It probably says something gay good that it's such a common thread. It's not exactly something Barnaby approves of, that Kotetsu gets in trouble so often that catching him has become such a regular occurrence, but he will admit he's glad his partner can rely on him. Even he can't resist a sappy grin when Kotetsu releases the hook and falls straight into his arms, eyes bright and happy.

He can't help it. Even being separated from Kotetsu a few weeks was torture. It's good to have his partner-his friend, now that they're retired-back.

He sets Kotetsu down, already bracing himself for the barrage of teasing they usually fall into, but instead he finds he should have prepared for something completely different. As usual, Barnaby isn't the best hugger. He stiffens up, he hardly breathes, he doesn't know where to put his hands. But he tries anyways, wrapping his arms back around Kotetsu and trying to let himself relax...

Something that turns out to be impossible when Kotetsu keeps speaking.

"Eaten? Kotetsu, what are you talking about?" He risks a look at the window.

[oldmantiger]

Barnaby really isn't the best hugger. But that's okay - Kotetsu appreciates now just how few opportunities he would have had to practice. It's just gratifying beyond words that he can feel his friend trying to figure it out. To know that they're at a point with each other where Barnaby feels safe in trying. So Kotetsu takes pity and doesn't hold on too long. Besides, even he can see that there's business to discuss.

He lets go and steps back a pace, the better to tell the story. Such as it is.

"So, um...there was this big lizard. Alligator. Crocodile. Thing. In the library. He was really not happy to see me. I mean, I wasn't all that happy to be seen. So he tried to eat me. And I jumped out the window." Being Kotetsu, he mimes the events of the preceding battle and resulting escape quite emphatically, even making a little "whoosh" sound when he mimes the leap he'd just taken.

"And..." As though only just realizing it now that his story is done, Kotetsu feels around the top of his bare head, and frowns. "...I think he took my hat!" Or maybe just knocked it off in the fight. Either way, it's just one thing on top of another.

...being a hero leads to saying some weird sentences sometimes.

[ojisankink]

He isn't good at all, but at least he tries. Kotetsu will probably keep hugging him until he gets used to it, and though the idea slightly annoys Barnaby, it makes him slightly happy as well. He does back up when Kotetsu breaks away, arms folded as he listens carefully.

Even though Kotetsu is explaining the situation in the most childish way possible, Barnaby can tell this is bad. He knows by now Kotetsu tries to laugh off things that honestly make him panic. And he has every reason to panic if there's some sort of crocodile monster in the castle. Barnaby can feel his powers itching to be activated, anger boiling up inside of him. Kotetsu's safety has always been his top priority, and when he can't accomplish that, he gets so frustrated...

"How badly are you hurt? Will you be alright if I go fight him?" The safety of the people here depends on that crocodile being taken out, but Barnaby can't just leave his partner alone if he's in serious trouble.

He assumes Kotetsu already tried to use his powers.

[oldmantiger]

It's not even that Kotetsu is deliberately trying to downplay what's happened to him. It's just that it all sounds so...ridiculous when he says it out loud. He fought a giant crocodile! In a library! In a castle! And then he jumped out the window. If he tried to tell this story at the bar, Antonio would cut him off and make him go home to sleep off the buzz. Rationally, Kotetsu knows he could have died. But after the day he's had, it's becoming increasingly hard to take certain things seriously.

The look on Barnaby's face helps sober him up, though. The worry in his friend's expression is impossible to miss. Kotetsu settles a little, and replies with a nod and his best reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, Bunny. C'mon, the guy packed a punch. But after H-01, you should know I'm not that easy to get rid of." If he wasn't still unsteady on his feet from fighting H-01 - and Bunny, and all the other heroes, multiple times over - Kotetsu knows he could have packed a punch right back.

He wants to insist that Barnaby wait, until Kotetsu has recovered his powers and can go with him to help. It's not consideration for his injuries that stops him, just the fact that this is - from his perspective - an immediate crisis. Croc is inside and possibly hurting other people now. If Barnaby can do something about that, he needs to. Now is not the time to stand on pride.

"I'll wait here for you, okay? Right here. Promise."

do you want kotetsu to be able to hear the demoncat or just hear meowing im down for either

[forhissake]

Kuro is blissfully unaware of a rampaging crocodile. Well, blissfully without interaction, as the case may be. He can sense the beast, and knows it's trouble, so he's avoiding it very handily.

He's apparently not doing so good a job avoiding it's victims, though. He's wandering the outside of the castle, looking for an ideal place for a cat nap, when he finds Kotetsu. He looks and smells like crap, and despite himself Kuro is concerned. He doesn't approach in a hurry even so, he is a cat after all, but when he's within range he meows curiously and peers up at Kotetsu's face.

Blinks. Lifts a paw and touches his leg with it.

Let's let him hear the demoncat.

[oldmantiger]

By that point, Kotetsu is waiting rather anxiously for Bunny to come back from his attempts at fighting Croc. For lack of anything better to do, he's trying to catch a nap, leaning there against the wall of the castle. Which means he entirely fails to notice Kuro drawing near. Even the slight act of having a paw tapped against his leg makes him start awake with a gasp of surprise. He looks around, looks down...and then his expression lights up at the sight of the cat there. Kotetsu has always been fond of cats, though it's rare that they return the sentiment.

"Hey, little guy!"

He holds out his hand for the cat to sniff, already chattering away a little. "How's it going? Man, it's a good thing you found me. There are some pretty dangerous guys on the loose around here." Croc put probably gulp up this little cat without even noticing.

Meanwhile, it takes him a full ten seconds before he notices the two tails, and then Kotetsu does hesitate. A...bake-neko? He actually is quite familiar with legends of cats with two tails. He's just not entirely sure what to do, suddenly confronted with one.

excellent chatty cat buddies here we come

[forhissake]

Kuro starts when Kotetsu does, from a natural reactive jumpiness. He didn't mean to take the man by surprise! Kotetsu must just not be very observant. Any bristling that may have started in his hackles relaxes easily when the man greets him so cheerfully. Kuro already has a read on him, but gives his hand a sniff for good measure before bumping his horned head against it.

"Hello!"

He loves chatty humans they're so much more amusing, even if they usually can't understand him back. It makes it extra charming when they talk to him, really. "I know. You smell like you ran into one of them. That's probably why you look like crap." He doesn't mean it rudely, he's just being blunt.

Then he notices Kotetsu staring at his tails and he seems to preen, swishing them a little more to show them off and licking proudly at a paw.

[oldmantiger]

...talking cat.

...talking two-tailed cat.

...talking two-tailed cat after he just jumped out a window to escape a giant crocodile man.

What even is his life?

Kotetsu just...stares for a long second. "Um..."

And then he still goes back to petting the two-tailed demon cat. Because why not? He certainly doesn't want to make it mad. For lack of anything better to do, he laughs a little shakily and tries for a joke. "Nah, I just usually look like crap."

[forhissake]

Having fun yet, Kotetsu?

At least this talking two-tailed cat is friendly. He giggles at the dumb look on Kotetsu's face as he stares. Kuro knows, he's an amazing piece of work.

He's distracted from his preening with pets, though, and starts to purr. He's pretty easy to keep chill, just don't say anything bad about his master or his master's sons, and you're golden.

"You must be bad at staying out of trouble then." Helpful.

[oldmantiger]

This still isn't the worst day of his life. Especially since this talking two-tailed cat is friendly. In fact, when Kuro starts to purr, and since he still seems to be so comfortable with the pets, Kotetsu is just going to risk picking the fluffball up and depositing him in his lap instead. There, the petting will resume. Kotetsu himself isn't planning on going anywhere for a bit, after all.

Even so, he harrumphs, offended, at Kuro's words. "Honestly, you sound like my partner. How am I supposed to stay out of trouble if it keeps sneaking up on me?"