A G I T Ω

Shouichi Tsugami ❝I will protect everyone’s future…no matter what! ❞ [ Affiliated with Città Alveare ] ( art credit ) body, * {cursor: url(http://cur.cursors-4u.net/people/peo-7/peo879.cur), progress !important;}

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Lentil Tabbouleh

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

The mention of food brought it to the front of his mind, nudging him with the knowledge he needed it at some point. His stomach was already ready to complain. He could stand it, but he wished Shouichi hadn’t brought it up so soon.

“We need shelter, and we need food, now.” Makoto looked a little dejected. “What do you think there is to eat in this forest?”

Feeling like they were being watched gave him the idea that there might be hostile animals around, but his survival skills weren’t up to par to make use of that kind of thing. 

“I don’t know if I could tell if a plant is poisonous or not.”

[ Ω ]—— Shouichi curls his lips. No matter where they go or look, there’s no trace of a shelter, only green and green and more green. He was never upset at the idea of seeing so much green in his life, but today he’s coming pretty much close to reaching that emotion.

      “I’m supposed to be the expert here, so let me see about that!” Elated by how is knowledge is going to be of help for the both of them, he comes to a halt and looks at the nearest tree, head tilting upwards as he looks up above and sees the top almost disappear from how tall the plant is. He frowns.

      “Guess I could try to climb this one and see if it’s got fruits up there...”

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Mushroom Tart

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

He paused with the fork in his mouth, tilting his head at Shouichi’s answer. For a split second he was nervous that garlic lurked somewhere in this cake. No, it couldn’t be.

Mouth then empty, Makoto said, “Onions and garlic? Just using them in savory baked goods is enough.” Maybe he was wrong on that. Maybe, somewhere on Earth, onions were used as a dessert. He didn’t want to think about it.

“…What did work, if those didn’t?” He proceeded with caution. He had to avoid volunteering for a hell he knew nothing about.

[ Ω ]—— “Scallions,” comes the sincere answer. “Just a little bit of scallion made the difference! That along with sweet spices and lots of sugar! I couldn’t believe my palate when I tasted it the first time! It almost exploded in my mouth, but in a good way!”

      He laughs, patting his own stomach.

      “Talking about that is making me hungry again! Please hurry up and finish before I end up stealing from your plate!”

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Lentil Tabbouleh

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

The stressful environment would wear on anyone, and Makoto was no exception. At least there were methods to feel a little less oppressed by the humidity, and the result was him carrying his suit jacket and tie over his shoulder, the top two buttons of his shirt undone. If only he’d been more prepared somehow rather than dressed up for work. His closet wasn’t really equipped for this anyway.

He dropped his free hand on Shouichi’s shoulder. The exhaustion he felt was visibly worse. Makoto couldn’t fix it, but he could try to comfort him somehow. “We aren’t alone even without whatever else is in this forest,” he said encouragingly, then slipping into something wearier. “…But I wish neither of us was here.”

Keeping a lookout hadn’t offered anything yet, but it hadn’t crushed his hope. “They said we have seven days. There must be somewhere we can rest on the way.” Otherwise the heat would kill them much faster than that time limit. It was more awful to think of Shouichi suffering through it than himself.

He offered another shoulder pat before he pulled back his hand. “I’ll find something.”

Without the G3-X, there wasn’t anything else he could do.

[ Ω ]—— The rush of optimism coming from Hikawa is a refresher Shouichi definitely needed, and he smiles gratefully, although a different kind of refreshing would also be very appreciated. Something like... a polar breeze. Open the refrigerators and let the wind in. It doesn’t matter if he’s going to have a stroke from that. He needs the cold, harsh winter wiping away all the gross sweat soaking his everything.

      Glancing at Hikawa’s current attire, however, gives him a faint rush of thoughts. Maybe staying like this a little longer is not a bad idea. Shouichi debates taking his shirt off in vague hopes Hikawa will look his way. The heat is definitely getting to his head.

      “I trust you better about this. You’ve got the brains! Just leave the brawls to me!” He jabs a thumb at his own chest, smirking cheekily. “I’ll protect you for sure. And when this is over, I’m gonna cook you the best dinner I can think of!”

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Ham Salad

[shouichitsugami]

chalicearrow:

“Something happened today?” Hajime returned, expression slipping back into serious. “I didn’t hear of an incident, but that does speak of your ability to handle it.” He was vaguely puzzled by the carrot comment, but just chose to ignore it.

“…But I was referring to what group you worked with where you came from. An organization called BOARD employed the Riders I knew. They were paid for it… at one point.” Another flicker of amusement crossed his face.

[ Ω ]—— “Well, I mean, pretty much everyone was unprepared for the load of customers today!” Shouichi chuckles, beaming at the other man. Soon he calms down at the following statement, sent into confusion, and scratches his hair, ruffling it up further.

      “Um... there was no organization? I’m friends with a detective who works for justice, but he’s from the police, which doesn’t make it exactly an organization, I think...”

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Lentil Tabbouleh

@makotohikawa

[ Ω ]—— On another day, in another world, he would likely prance in happiness at the idea of spending time inside so much green that extends to infinity, a tunnel with no exit where all he can see is grass, trees and small animals he can pet, other than a fertile terrain he can grow some vegetables on. The idea of perfect paradise is close to where he’s standing right now, much closer than anyone would think. On the other hand, given what led him and Hikawa there against their will, there’s very little to enjoy at this moment.

      It’s unbearably hot. Bangs sticking to his forehead, Shouichi wishes he could take a long, long shower. If only they could retrieve a map, he’d rush to the nearest river or lake and dip in with all his clothes still on him. But there’s no map, nothing to help the two of them gather their bearings, and Shouichi slowly slips into desperation, although only a single thought keeps him from wanting to slam his head against a tree until he falls unconscious.

      He’d experienced worse than this. At least he can still walk, talk, breathe on his own, and do something about his current predicament. Some dire situations had him cry, but this won’t be one of them. If he comes to hate the color green because of this, he really is no worth keeping the Agito powers! Thus he marches on, with Hikawa at his side. The presence of his ally, friend and lover is the other thing that keeps him grounded.

      “There’s no end to... this,” he huffs in annoyance, hearing both their footsteps as they step on the grass. “And I suppose we’re not alone.” What he also hears are noises that don’t come from either of them, a mysterious source constantly on their tail. He’d like to think it’s just some curious squirrel watching them. However, considering the world they are in, such possibility shouldn’t be taken for granted.

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Ham Salad

[shouichitsugami]

chalicearrow:

He tilted his head at the “our” — so that was what the mention of powers referred to. This man was liberal with information Hajime would consider sensitive on his end, which was convenient if questionable. Looking down at the table, he smiled. “A big fan.”

After another meeting in the city, Hajime doubted this rider worked with BOARD. While he had never been on the inside, another person aside from Kiryu, never mentioned, seemed unlikely. “Who do you work with? It was a form of employment where I came from.”

[ Ω ]—— “Work...?” Shouichi briefly stares at Hajime as if the man suddenly grew two more heads, unaware of his own slip-up. Then he understands that maybe he’s being asked about his current job, and looking at his hands he notices the stripe of ketchup still fresh on his hand from accidentally squeezing the bottle too much when he served a vegetable hamburger.

      “I work with many fun people! I mean, I never had a problem going side by side with people, even when they’re strangers. So any experience is fun even when the situation is kinda difficult like today.”

      “When you click with a coworker, things carrot go wrong!”

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Tomato Sauzoo

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

Makoto’s expression darkened again, lost in the implications of that, whether Shouichi intended them or not. “I’ve had meals my entire life. I’m not really unaccustomed to trying to make or eat things…”

He’d move on. He didn’t want to hear much else like that. “Living in this city, in a zoo especially, means they all endure more than usual. The treatment by some of the citizens must be dangerous.” Powers presented plenty of unusual hazards.

“I’d say… a lizard suits you. A bearded dragon.” Makoto was resolute in his observation. “The spikes on creatures like that resemble Agito’s crest, don’t they?” He held his hand up to his chin thoughtfully. “I don’t know enough about them to say if they’re very clean…”

Obviously they wouldn’t be cooking, unless this sort of city enabled it.

[ Ω ]—— “Ehhhh?” Quite taken aback by the choice of association, Shouichi coils back and looks at the other with puzzlement. No matter how hard he thinks about it, his helmet looks nothing like a lizard’s feature. He’s confident that his armor is not made of scales, either. He tries to find an association, however he’s met with the void itself staring at him.

      “I always thought Agito looked like a cockroach,” he confesses while fighting the void in his head to understand the connection. “Besides, wouldn’t that Ryou guy suit a bearded dragon better? He’s green when he transforms, has even spiky hair and seems very determined even when you cut his tail off!”

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

He’d gotten past most of the flustering; his reserves and any surprises had run out. Instead, when Shouichi leaned over to kiss his cheek, Makoto tightened the hand gripping Shouichi’s and held his breath. And kept holding it. And kept holding it. He forgot breathing was a thing he needed to do, wrapped up in a startled second dimension.

By the time he spoke, Makoto was lightheaded and missed a step. “I wonder what the others would say if they knew about this,” he went with, and saying that in one breath didn’t make it much easier to get that Normal Breathing back in working order. 

His best guess was that Ryou would take the news and say he didn’t care.

[ Ω ]—— For a second, Shouichi had the impression Hikawa’s face was losing all color, which is the kind of reaction he wasn’t looking for when he came up with the kiss. Much ot his relief, Hikawa isn’t having a cardiac arrest and returns to speaking, dragging the topic somewhere they often go back to. The people from their world. He ponders about that statement for a bit.

      “Mana-chan wouldn’t mind,” he says confidently. “Sensei... I’m not sure, but regardless of what he thinks he’d want to see me happy no matter what choises I make. So I guess what they’ll say is gonna be positive stuff!”

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Mushroom Tart

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

An entire cake just for them felt a bit selfish, but there was also a pride in being the one it was meant to be shared with. Makoto definitely had the appetite to finish it before it went to waste. “Thank you,” he said, setting down the plate and returning to his seat. “I’ll be happy to continue testing what you come up with.” A change from his avoidance when they’d first met, but that had nothing to do with his confidence in the cook even then.

Without hesitation, he picked up a fork and and took a bite. His expression had been content before, but it lit up a little more now. “It is delicious. I think you could put any other chef to shame with enough effort.” For someone with moderate difficulty in any kind of cooking, someone like Shouichi always nearby was nothing less than a miracle.

“Have you ever tried making a cake with multiple vegetables?” The question was curiosity more than a desire for potential vegetable hell.

[ Ω ]—— His face not only lits up at the positive feedback on his creation, but also the question that follows perks every passionate side of him. Without holding back he slides the other chair aside and sits down, leaning forward as close to Hikawa as possible, eyes brimming with joyful light. Give him any topic regarding food and he’ll become bright like a Christmas tree.

      “Of course I did! When I worked in that pastry shop for a short time, I experimented a lot and tried stuffing as many kinds of vegetables as I could!” He pauses, lights dimming a little. “Though my first experiments weren’t so successful, but pulling onions and garlics out of the mix made them taste a little better. Ah! I can’t explain myself that well with words so I should bake one for you and give a demonstration!”

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

Makoto watched with vague optimism as Shouichi attempted to push the egg into his belt, which could already hold plenty of weaponry. Why would a small egg be too difficult? Despite the effort, Agito’s form rejected the egg, and at the crack Makoto made a sound of surprise as well.

“Ah… Well, I don’t know if what is in there is alive to begin with,” he reassured(?) Shouichi, regarding the broken egg with interest. A sigh of relief followed.  “At least it isn’t a bomb.”

They’d gotten sidetracked into Shouichi’s personal off-beat rhythm again. There were still too many potential dangerous eggs younger civilians could find. “We should keep going. You can decide what you want to do with that as we go.”

[ Ω ]—— Shouichi is devastated. Although he didn’t technically commit eggcide, the realization he’s failed his own and Hikawa’s expectations crushes him like a bug... man. Because he’s like a bugman, get it? Haha...

      No one has died, no bomb exploded, and yet the Agito can’t control the impulse to hold the cracked egg tightly in his arms, muttering apologies to the inanimate object. He sniffles, reminding himself they have a mission to complete and he shed enough tears of mourning for both the egg and his own dignity. Knowing that he doesn’t have powers as awesome as he thought they were was also pretty devastating to learn. However, Egg-chan surely wanted him to dry his tears and carry forward, so he will just do that. Heroes don’t weep for as long as he just did!

      “Okay,” he says, sweeping dramatically next to Hikawa to get back on track. “We can’t throw this away yet, can we? I’ll keep it till we find more! Then we’ll bury the poor one somewhere.”

[shouichitsugami]

➣ raisin hell

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

In an effort to avoid further mess, Makoto upped his pace in devouring the ice cream cone. Did this heat really have to melt things almost instantly?

“Crushes?” he repeated, as if he’d never heard the word before. He had, but he couldn’t possibly apply it to himself. “I was out during enough sunsets, but I don’t think I ever stopped to enjoy it.” 

“Is it something significant?”

[ Ω ]—— “Sure it is!” Shouichi looks almost offended that Hikawa doesn’t know the important significance of watching the sunset. Being a workaholic doesn’t mean he should neglect everything else. Scorched with resolve and the outside heat, Shouichi looks at Hikawa with severe firmness.

      “We’ve gotta definitely stay here and watch the sunset! I’ll make you see how important it is that you watch and learn from the experience, so you’re never gonna want to skip a sunset ever again!” He swallows the rest of the cone down, his eyes staying ridiculously serious during the process.

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Ham Salad

[shouichitsugami]

chalicearrow:

He raised an eyebrow at the man’s animated response, even before he began to speak. Hajime didn’t really mind explaining the encounter in Alpha; he’d done nothing secretive himself, and had never encountered that person again. There was no investment in keeping the masked man’s secrets.

“He had a sharply curved mask. Something like a bat.” He paused, sorting through what information might be useful, and what this man might be interested in. “The way he was armored, he might have been what my home considered a kamen rider.” An odd belt encouraged that observation. Not seeing the figure near any kind of motorcycle was the only thing that made him question it. 

[ Ω ]—— Kamen Rider? The club he took part in a couple years ago had that same name in it, and the people had similar powers to his own. Shouichi connects the dots together and assumes the guy who helped Hajime was one of his own kind, filling him with joy. Even if he’s too busy to fight nowadays, there are still those who get on the job.

      “Bat, huh? I don’t remember someone with that gimmick, but a Kamen Rider? Whoa, that’s fantastic!” Shouchi bounces in his seat, clasping his hands together. “So you also know about Kamen Riders? Does that make you one of our fans?”

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

The towel hit him when he wasn’t paying attention, potentially another show of bad luck. It being there at all was gift enough, so he peeled it off and started to vigorously dry his hair. “You… did what?” he asked Shouichi after the explanation. It sounded plausible coming from him, but reasonable? No. 

“You…” Makoto snorted and turned his head to the side. “Thank you.” He started on his back, and so far the towel was still doing its job. He’d hope it’d stay absorbent as long as it could. 

“We could try to find something harmless to eat,” he suggested. He could stand more of a bad-luck mess as long as it didn’t involve him stabbing anyone with a candy apple stick. “Unless you’ve had enough after the ice cream and have another idea.”

[ Ω ]—— “The ice cream made me full, actually.” Shouichi mumbles, rubbing his chin in thought. What else is there to do here other than eating and playing games? “How about we just, walk around and look at things until you feel better? Even though bad luck won’t give you up, you’ve gotta stay positive!”

      “Look at all these colors! Everyone’s happy here! Let that absorb you and try to cheer up! Moreover, remember that I’m with you.” He gives Hikawa a heartfelt hug, ignoring the soaked clothes and how he’s interrupting the drying process.

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Freaky Fried Daikon

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

“R—Right.” He took a deep breath, letting go of some of the tension. He didn’t have the time or energy to worry about how this had worked. If he ever did, it would be after this fight. A fight… as Agito.

There were things he knew from seeing Agito fight, but the instinct didn’t extend to easily guiding him to everything at his disposal. The way Makoto fought as the G3-X was clear as a cloudless day, but the focus of each was different. Agito didn’t utilize an assortment of guns. It looked like he had to just approach and wing it—so that’s what he did.

“Please guide me,” he said hurriedly to Shouichi with a bow of his head. Even in the case of knowing every challenge ahead, he preferred working with others. Now he had very little idea what he was up against. He charged in anyway, knocking the cobra man away from the three to begin.

“Leave this family alone, or I will have to do what is necessary to stop you,” he said to the figure. There was a hissing laughter in response.

“Those are my children,” answered the cobra. “If I can’t have them, I will take them.”

Cryptic as the answer was, it was clear the figure presented a danger to everyone in the area. Before the cobra could launch himself forward, Makoto lashed out with a punch to his face.

[ Ω ]—— Shouichi inhales deeply, standing a distance behind his fighting partner. The cobra is obviously off his hingers and words have no meaning, especially when the other party is endangering the lives of harmless people. If only he could step closer and reach the family, he would act as a shield while the fight raged on. However the monster is still too close to them, and now only a human, Shouichi could get blown away with a single punch. He’s not afraid for his own life, but there’s something sad about letting himself get killed while wearing someone else’s skin, especially if it’s that of a friend.

      He sees Hikawa throw a punch, and already spots several mistakes behind that single action, but he’s not here to act as a coach either. As the real Agito, he has to guide Hikawa to the correct direction.

      “Try to put all of yourself into those hits!” Shouichi shouts. “Don’t punch or kick like you’re used to. Let the power from the armor help you, and think about causing as much damage as possible! Synch yourself with Agito...” He pauses, briefly unsure. No one ever told him how to fight at all, actually, he just relied on his own instincts. “Or... something like that. Just trust the armor and try to do as I say!”

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Mushroom Tart

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

Makoto did as instructed. Today, the dining room felt brighter and warmer around him. Even if he took it for granted at times, it was difficult to forget he had more than he could’ve imagined a few years before. He had to keep working to deserve it, even on a day to celebrate it all.

He waited with interest as Shouichi set down the cake and paused. A carrot cake was revealed. While it wasn’t easy to expect, it was a thoughtful choice that reminded him of one of their first outings together. “Ah. I didn’t guess carrot at all,” he admitted with a bashful smile. “Did you try to make it like the one at the ball last year?”

Standing, Makoto gathered a plate before wiggling out a piece of cake with the steel server. “I would have guessed tomato, but I’m glad you decided on this.”

[ Ω ]—— A light blush sprinkles his cheeks at the question. Shouichi stands, fiddling with his apron while watching Hikawa pick a slice of cake. “The one at the ball was delicious, so I had to make this one super delicious to top it!” He bounces on the balls of his feet, excited due to being confident in his skills.

      “Tomato could’ve been great, but I really wanted to do something that reminded us of our first outing together! The ball happened a few days after we became an item, so...”

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Ham Salad

[shouichitsugami]

chalicearrow:

Hajime tilted his head at the quick switch, able to interpret it as both a mistake of words and a slip of something deeper. It wasn’t his place to press a stranger, so he left it as the first. “At least this place appreciates you, even if you may be overworked.” He could hope for better for this man, though.

The explanation of the monsters was unsettling. He wasn’t worried for his own safety, but that meant more chances to find people in danger. He wished they could be safe for their own sake. “I’ve met the monsters in Alpha, but none of the others. Unless you count… that time.” The stranger made it sound more like different monsters appeared on different days of the week, rather than the particularly unusual experiment.

“I arrived in a labyrinth. We were forced to confront a Minotaur before we were able to escape. The most I was able to do was distract it.” The memory was poignant, but he was able to speak on it without faltering. The upsides of feeling dead inside.

“I also encountered a masked man in Alpha when we were attempting to protect a few children from the Pariah. His strength made the difference.” 

[ Ω ]—— His lips round up in a genuinely surprised circle, then he lets out a whistle. Much to his chagrin, he listens to the guy who had gone through so much. Shouichi feels a pang of guilt at the fact he’s trying so hard to find normality in this abnormal situation as a prisoner and guinea pig, but so many people suffered death and other atrocities and he wasn’t able to stop it. All he can offer is food for them to eat should they consider coming to this restaurant, but even then, fighting as Agito wherever his help is needed is much more useful, it’d make a larger difference.

      He wipes the frown off his face and claps his hands together.

      “That was really tough on you! But you have me curious about the masked man.” It sure wasn’t him, because he doesn’t remember saving him and the children from monsters before, so it must be some other hero he’d like to meet and shake hands with. “What did he look like?”

[shouichitsugami]

➣ Freaky Fried Daikon

[shouichitsugami]

makotohikawa:

Shouichi’s confirmation that they were almost entirely out of luck was not a comfort, but also coincided with the slow elevator doors opening wide enough for them to pass through. Makoto bolted out, slamming shoulders with a man waiting outside, but only yelled “I’m sorry!” without looking back. He didn’t know what he could do in this case, but when had being under-prepared ever stopped him from trying to protect others?

He followed the traces of the earlier instinct to its source. Winding up grinding to a halt out in front of a large bank, he heard screaming coming from the decorative greenery between it and the street. A large figure walked slowly through it, human until what should have been their shoulders curved up into the hood and face of a cobra. They seemed to hold no interest in getting to the bank itself; instead, it was focused on a couple of children and the mother running back to their side.

Makoto felt the unusual push to fight again, but it didn’t tell him how. Taking the initiative on his own, he decided to try what Shouichi had failed at. He didn’t even need the instinct’s guide; he’d watched Shouichi—and, embarrassingly, tried it in the mirror a few times near the end of their fight against the Unknown—enough to perform the movements himself. He crossed his hands down to his left, threw his right hand back into a fist, and felt a new weight over his hips.

Properly carried away, Makoto yelled, “Transform!” and pressed his hands down on the Alter Ring’s switches. In a flash of light, Agito stood in his place.

Regal as he was at first, he disconnected with the focused mindset and looked down at his hands. Stumbling back, he raised them up closer. “Why?!”

Why now, why this, why me, and more.

[ Ω ]—— Surprise paints Shouichi’s features, or rather, those of the man who’s now transforming in front of him. He hoped, and even expected, that Hikawa would be able to become Agito with some effort, but nothing prepared him to witness those moves that mimic his own right to the last swing of hands and arms. Had Hikawa actually paid attention to him so much that he learned the moves by heart? It might be whatever is messing with their minds and bodies that instilled those informations in Hikawa’s head. But somehow, Shouichi wishes that’s not the case.

      Surely, it’s no time to ask him outright, as he’s about to face a monster wrecking havoc in their proximity. He shakes his head, clearing those thoughts and frowning as he’s now pretty useless with no G3-X armor to back his partner up. But somehow, he’s not panicking as much as he should. Is this what they call having a cool head like a detective’s?

      “Hikawa-san,” he speaks firmly as he grabs the now transformed Agito by his shoulders. “Please calm down. If you’re confused on how to bring Agito’s potential, I’ll guide you. We have to defeat that bad guy before they cause harm to those innoncents!”