Cloud Of Unknowing (Toya Setsuno Character Piece)
Here’s a roleplay audition I made for the best bird boy! He deserves all the content and love in the world, and I’m happy to try to contribute! I hope you enjoy!
‘https://open.spotify.com/track/0NDOVMOT6ah2k6HuXLrq5x?si=ms6utsQ0RDCMje6qO0K_KA (I recommend listening to this while reading!!)
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‘Sittin’ around, waitin’ to be kidnapped. This is the best day ever.’
The sarcastic thought passed through Toya Setsuno’s mind as he stood propped up against an alleyway wall. The mission was relatively simple. Act as the bait. Quote unquote, “get kidnapped”, so a surprise strike could be garnered. Why some low-level gang decided to go against the Hassaikai was beyond Setsuno. Why he had to serve as the bait was even farther on that spectrum.
‘Why would they even want to kidnap one of us, anyway?’ He questioned, eyebrows furrowed as he looked back to the entrance of the alley for potential enemies waiting to ambush. Questioning Overhaul on the matter once did not gain a result, and Setsuno didn’t want to push it or aggravate the Boss. “I owe him that, at the very least.”
Letting out a sigh, he slid a hand into his jeans pocket and looked up at the dark sky. ‘Chronostasis said their supposed “secret plan” was to catch one of us off guard here at one o’clock…’ He thought again, pulling out his phone and checking the time. ‘12:27 a.m…’
Putting his phone back into his pocket, he looked up at the sky set between the two buildings of the alleyway. The crescent moon was out, a sight Toya might have appreciated if he wasn’t bored out of his mind. “Okay, remind me why I had to be both early and the target.” He said to himself with another exasperated sigh, adjusting his mask.
‘No, ya’ already know the answer to the latter.’ He thought, knowing how most of the other Expendables had a thing against the uncleanliness that was the cities alleys. And you couldn’t catch any of the self-respecting higher-ups in the gang dead there. ‘’Pretty sure the Boss would bathe in Clorox after even getting a glimpse of this place.’ He thought as he kicked at an empty beer bottle lying at his feet.
Toya watched as it slowly rolled down the alley, stopping promptly at a crate tipped on its side. He wouldn’t deny the surprise he felt as two eyes peeked out of it, looking to the bottle and then to him. And before he knew it, out crawled a filthy black alleycat.
“Oh…” Setsuno said lowly, now feeling like a prick for potentially waking it. “Sorry, lil’ guy.” He said to it unconsciously, watching as it started to stalk towards him. Crouching down, he put out a hand to pet the feline, not expecting it to be receptive due to their nature. Alleycats are usually abandoned, hurt, and timid creatures at heart. Toya would be lying if he said he didn’t have a soft spot for the species.
When the cat allowed him to pet it's head, he let out a small noise of surprise, followed by him lightly smiling under his mask. “Y’know...most animals hate me.” He said to the critter in a quiet voice, knowing it couldn’t reply. All it did was let out a content purr as Toya gave in a gentle pat.
“In some ways, you and I aren’t too different…” he trailed off, noting the cat's multiple scars and swollen eye. “You must’ve been through hell, huh? Just to be abandoned here.” He said sadly, looking back at the crate the feline came from. “Abandoned...lonely...broken...not even able to put a stop to it. Just expected to recover, like a piece of you wasn’t just savagely ripped away.”
Thinking about the katana he had slung across his back, a thought crossed his mind for a split second. ‘Y’know...I could stop your suffering.’ He thought, conflicted about his sense of mercy. However, he quickly shook the thought out of his mind. “Nah...there’s hope for ya’, I know it. You’ll find your purpose, you’re not a waste.” He said out loud, running his free hand through his blonde locks. ‘That’s somethin’ that separates us, I guess.’
He looked back down at the critter with a troubled face. “Y’know, if the Boss wasn't such a stickler for cleanliness, I’d be tempted to take ya’ in.” He said as gently as possible, looking down at his hand he had petted with. It was now covered with filth, presumably from the feral animal. Wiping his hand on his jeans without a care as he knew he’d alright have to sanitize himself for even being there, he petted the creature one last time.
“For now, you should really get back…” He trailed off, looking to the entrance of the alley and back again. ‘If the altercation is gonna go as I think it will, the last thing I’d want is for ya’ to get involved.’ He thought, picking up the cat and taking it back to its crate. Setting it down gently, he sighed. “I’m sorry, lil’ guy. Ya’ deserve better.” He said, taking off the jacket he had been wearing over his normal dress shirt and placing it in the crate to serve as a blanket.
“Good luck…” He said sadly, petting the gentle creature on the head one last time before walking back to his post. Upon returning, his mind only continued to fill with thoughts. Like dark storm clouds, the thoughts came, casting a haze of self-doubt and questioning upon the young man. The simple comparison of himself to the feline with a hopeful future made him cast himself back to a place of doubt.
“No, no, no...stop.” He said to himself, gently slapping himself on the head. “These thoughts won’t get ya anywhere. Except back to that place…” He said lowly, remembering the time of his life where the thoughts had taken over him completely. Where it truly seemed as if there was nowhere to go to escape from the thoughts. And the only way to be free from them…
“-Dumbass, what are you doing?” He said again, managing to clear most of the thoughts for the time being. “You know what you are and what your purpose is now. You’re a pawn, so he can advance…” His voice trailed off as he looked back up at a cloud that now obscured his view of the moon.
‘Yeah, all that matters now is that I’m a good pawn. So I still have something to live for…’ He thought again, eyes welling up with tears. Desperately shutting them in effort to stop it, he unsheathed the blade from off his back.
“And that starts with me fulfilling the mission.” He said, looking at his blade intently. ‘And by not letting your head cloud up with those thoughts, idiot. By not returning to that cloud of unknowing…’ His thoughts trailed as he let out an uneasy sigh. Looking blankly at the night sky, Toya stood, waiting for the plan to take motion.
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