aoex_dressing | AND NOW IT'S OLD MAN O'CLOCK

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AND NOW IT'S OLD MAN O'CLOCK

[ It's Yaozou's one day off.

All the boys are out. Renzou is with their young master off at school. Kinzou and Juuzou are with Mamushi on a small expedition to catch some unidentified minor demons making a fuss in a nearby village. His wife is with their remaining three children on a much-needed vacation, according to her, and Yaozou had been all too willing to volunteer himself to hold down the fort with Uwabami while they were all out.

Uwabami only just left after they'd had themselves a game of shougi and tea.

Yaozou had been inches away from settling himself down to do some much-needed weeding in his vegetable garden. Utter peace and quiet had been promised to him for at least another two days.

This. This is unacceptable.

He glances around the academy grounds with a stern eye, maintaining his composure. (Although there is a distinct twitch beneath his eye now. Buddha has it out for him. There is no other explanation than that. He must have been a murderer and a rapist and a child-killer in a past life, sent into this one purely to atone for those sons. ) ]

Demons, show yourselves!

[ Because if it's not a demon who did this to him, boy are they going to wish that they'd been born with the regenerative capabilities of one. Or possibly never born at all.

ooc note: Yaozou's taken from much prior to the Impure King incident because having him hobbling around on crutches, while badass like nothing else, seems a bit cumbersome. Also boils. ]

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[ ...crap, it's That Son. Yaozou readies his facepalming hand and turns slowly in the direction of his middle son's voice.

...

Yep, definitely Kinzou. It's almost like the further down the line his children go, the fewer worthwhile genes they inherited. There's no need to even speak of Renzou. Yaozou feels blessed whenever that boy remembers how to breathe. Buddha have mercy on their Bon, with only Renzou and Konekomaru for aides.

It's uncanny, really. How Yaozou can be the father of six living children and still be entirely uncertain whether or not the Shima name will last another generation. Ucchuṣma is going to be completely unattainable another generation or two from now, he can just see it.

...

Right, Kinzou. ]

I'd like to ask you the same thing. Aren't you supposed to be with Juuzou and Mamushi?

[ It is his father. Kinzou pauses. Wait, why is he here. Why are they here?

. . .

Oh, well. This thought process occurs in the span of a second at the most, because what does it matter. It's already happened. ]

I was with the others, but Mamushi's at the ryokan.

[ All things considered, he isn't that angry with Mamushi. However, there is something different about his father today . . . Ah, yes. It clicks, and like it's the most natural question in the universe: ]

When did you get better?

[ Kinzou. Are you trying to fight Renzou for operative role of most headache-inducing son? Because Yaozou isn't sure he can survive the competition. He isn't sure the Shima family as a whole can survive that particular brand of sibling rivalry.

Oh, he remembers the good old days. When his eldest was still alive and far outpacing his peers, when Kinzou's vacant stares were more cute than worrying and the spit bubbles he made could be considered a crowning achievement. Yaozou would give just about anything to go back to that simpler, more innocent time.

But he doesn't have that time anymore. All he has is this, and he almost wishes he still had it in him to be confused when Kinzou opens his mouth and it feels like some other language entirely comes out. ]

Why would Mamushi be at--

Better from what?

[ ...Kinzou's stupidity is reaching truly astounding heights, Yaozou is realizing just now. Kinzou's now so slow that he's out the other end and Yaozou just can't keep up with him. ]

[ Kinzou doesn't miss a beat, strange as the question is. Maybe his father's memories got hazy from the recovery. All Kinzou has to do is jostle them, then! He hasn't quite caught on yet that he and Yaozou are on different wavelengths. For all he knows, Yaozou's just a little cranky over suddenly being at school. (Are they going to school the Impure King to death?) ]

The miasma. I think it was, anyway, since you were there during the incident with the Right Eye.

[ He mostly paid attention the fact that his father was ill, and little more since that was enough to fire him up. Not to mention bubbles had been growing as of late . . . That was a little unnerving, but nothing Yaozou couldn't overcome, clearly. Still, isn't the timing of that a bit strange? Hmm. ]

What miasma? There was an incident with the Right Eye?!

[ The particular pallor to Yaozou's face right then heavily implies that he's inches away from a coronary incident. Choose your next words carefully, Kinzou. To Kinzou's credit, though, Daddy Shima here has no idea they're on different wavelengths either. For all he knows, Kinzou's been sneaking booze. Or just finally completely lost what little sense he had to begin with, possibly after getting his head beat in by Mamushi. ]

[ Uh.

Maybe something malicious is at work. A demon . . . !? But wait, let's hear him out. Kinzou raises a brow, not quite confused nor surprised, but more thinking that his father isn't in his right mind to be so taken back. Kinzou, at the very least, appears overly calm despite the words he just uttered -- because it's nothing new! It's old news!

Who'da thunk it? ]

You okay, Pops? Did you hit your head?

[ That last part is honestly out of sincere concern. ]

I'm fine! Did you hit your head?!

[ ...the resemblance is astounding at times, although show us someone willing to point that out to Yaozou and we'll show you someone who's gotten tired of living. Yaozou's about to pop an aneurysm, because if there's been an incident involving the Right Eye of the Impure King, Kinzou should be far more concerned about it than whether or not Yaozou's hit his head. ]

What happened with the Right Eye??

[ Dang, his father's high strung right now. Because Kinzou realizes the severity of the situation, breaking the news (again?) to Yaozou is bound to make things go screwy. Oh, well. He was never one to keep things from his family. Here goes. ]

Mamushi took it and revived the Impure King with one of her old teachers. You were pretty sick, but you led everyone into the fight anyway. How come you don't remember?

Have you been sticking your head in the incense closet again?!

[ Or in harsher words, are you high out of your goddamn skull, Kinzou? It has to be all those bleach chemicals. Yaozou's going to shave your fool head bald and make you grow your hair back in its natural color if this is how it's going to be, son. ]

I'm not sick! And I sure as hell don't remember leading a charge against the Impure King! Mamushi'd bite your head off to hear you talking about her like that!

[ He hasn't done the incense thing in years and he's reminded of the time Mamushi did actually try to do more or less that by summoning Naaga. Oops.

At any rate, Kinzou feels like this conversation has taken a very odd, very sharp, very wrong turn somewhere. Clearly, the best solution is to raise his volume, too, though it lacks anger of any sort. He's only being louder for the sake of being louder. ]

But you were, and Mamushi knows it, too! We were doing some heat sterilization when I wound up here!

[ Maybe he should have tried clearing up what he already said instead of throwing more variables in there, but. Eh. Everything should wrap up nicely in the end. ]

[ That causes Yaozou to blanch slightly and give Kinzou a somewhat incredulous stare. His fourth son was a decent Exorcist in his own right, but that didn't necessarily make the boy smart. In fact, Yaozou can't remember the last time he caught his boy with something that had pages that didn't also have naked women on the pages. So for Kinzou to be using words like 'heat sterilization' and to even know off the top of his head that the Impure King would be weak to fire--

There had to be a situation at hand. ]

Lower your voice! [ Of course now Yaozou is shouting right back. This is just how things work in the Shima household. ]

--Kinzou, do you remember that mission you went on with Juuzou and Mamushi? Your mother went on vacation around the same time.

[ Kinzou promptly shuts up and lowers his volume when he speaks back up, creasing his brows and racking his brain for the time his father is talking about. He remembers numerous missions with Juuzou and Mamushi, and counting the occasions his mother went on vacation . . .

It clicks, though the implications behind the question have yet to reach him. ]

Oh, that? That was months ago.

Months--

[ Though he'd suspected something along those lines, that still doesn't fully prepare Yaozou for the idea that either he's been in a coma for the last few months or something extremely powerful is afoot here. ]

That's the last thing I remember, Kinzou. You all being out, and me going to tend my garden. Then I opened my eyes and was here.

[ Kinzou stares, taking the words in slowly. That doesn't make sense, because time doesn't pass by that fast with one blink and Yaozou's been active as ever in those months in-between. A pregnant pause, then he asks in a grave tone. ]

Are you senile?

[ There's an equal pause on Yaozou's part before--

Suddenly there's a fist in Kinzou's face. On the cheek, though. Wouldn't want to break the kid's pretty nose-- That face is about all Kinzou has going for him in life. ]

What did you just say to me?!

[ Kinzou sticks one foot one behind him to maintain his balance as he's unexpectedly struck in the face. Ow. Bent at an angle awkward from the force of the punch, he springs back into place, largely ignoring the red spot on his cheek. ]

That hurt, Pops! And isn't that what it's called!?

NO!

--I mean yes! I mean-- I AM NOT SENILE!

[ That familiar vein in Yaozou's forehead is throbbing and he brings a hand up to try to soothe it before he bursts an artery and has an aneurysm. ]

Look around you! If we've been summoned to True Cross Academy somehow, don't you think whoever's responsible might also be strong enough to be snatching people from different times?!

[ Like the obedient son that he is, Kinzou takes a second to look around, turning his head both ways in an almost exaggerated fashion. He comes right back to Yaozou when he hears the rest of the short lecture. ]

You mean you're just from the past and didn't forget anything? There's an actual power to do something like that?

[ THIS IS NEWS. ]

There is no comprehensive list of powers that exist, Kinzou!

For all we know this could be a new class of demon-- Would it kill you to use your head once in a while?!

[ Now Yaozou's entire face has gone red, but Kinzou tends to have that general effect on him. It's all he can do not to reach out and shake the boy, but Yaozou has the distinct feeling that shaking Kinzou will only serve to make matters worse. ]

[ Indeed, the occurrence is such a common enough one that Kinzou isn't too alarmed by the redness of his father's face; as well, the words of exasperation fall on deaf ears for their redundancy. However, the mention of demons straightens him right up. He grins. ]

Then there has to be a dangerous demon on the prowl. I'll exorcise it!

[ Son. There are some people who make a decent living out of being barely functional morons.

Those people generally do very simple jobs, possibly involving making sure all the labels are facing out at a supermarket or stacking boxes in a warehouse. Those people more or less are thus able to live perfectly normal lives, which can be exactly as fulfilling as the lives of their intellectual superiors.

You are not one of those people. You are an Exorcist, a job which involves being quick on your feet and able to adapt to highly volatile situations. You are, furthermore, from a family of Arias, a discipline which requires constant mental training and memorization of passages out of religious texts, as well as wield full command of an extensive mental index of these religious texts to summon the relevant text upon a moment's notice where a single hesitation, pause, or blink of an eye will result in your bloody and gruesome death.

'There is a dangerous demon on the prowl. I'll exorcise it,' really doesn't begin to cover what needs to be done here, and your father is exceptionally worried about being down to two Exorcist sons right about now. ]

...Kinzou.

Come here.

[ See this bush? He's about to tie you to this bush. ]

[ ?

Ever the (largely) obedient son, Kinzou steps forward towards his father. It's a rather random demand, but who's he to doubt Yaozou? Totally clueless of what his father is actually more or else thinking, he flashes Yaozou an innocent look. Maybe he needs a weapon. Kinzou has his k'rik; he can hand it over! ]

Yeah?

[ What up, Pops.

Nope, he sees no bush. ]

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AND NOW IT'S OLD MAN O'CLOCK

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