week 3; lenka

[paook]

[ miki, at the moment, is searching out lenka in shibuya in early days of week 3. in her arms she cradles her dear chickenpig, who frankly walks way too slowly. though she won't call out for him, she doesn't think he can be THAT hard to find... given how distinct he is. ]

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[soylentprotag]

Miki.

[In fact, Lenka's found her before she finds him -- he's fleetfooted enough to run rings around the little section of city they usually get corralled into, and is usually doing just that, albeit at a more sedate pace. It's a good thing his general personality is calmer, else he'd be going truly stircrazy with the amount of energy a creature of his scale has.

He's just a little twitchy sometimes instead, like now, while he peers at his companion and her smaller companion.]

... You brought the Noise with you.

[... He still thinks it's a Noise.]

[paook]

[ she hears him coming, but only just before he arrives, and it makes her stop in her tracks instantly. for a moment she thought... well, no, it isn't the right time for that is it? only monday and it's daylight. everything has been putting her on edge lately, but lenka is oddly a comforting presence. or maybe not so oddly after all. ]

It's not a Noise. It's a demon. [ that's what she's sticking with and no one can tell her otherwise. ] Having a good run?

[soylentprotag]

... There are demons like this?

[Why is he taking that seriously.

To be fair, the petshop owner seemed like more of an oddball than your average featureless shadow shopowners, and on top of that this... animal... is almost stranger than their resident Chuchu. It could be a demon for all he knows. Or a Noise. Both? Nah.

He can't quite resist lowering his nose to poke at the tiny thing.]

It would be a better run if I had more room. But there are enough buildings.

[He might just spend part of his rounds going up and down buildings. He does try not to leave claw marks, though. Once was enough....]

[paook]

[ the chickglet recoils from him for a moment, backing further into miki's arms, but without anywhere to go it takes the poke and remains still. ]

I know that feeling. I used to climb buildings with my body. It was freeing. [ she huffs, knowing she's too reminiscent when she talks to him. ] You can always just keep running around the same area. That's what track runners do. Just run the same land every day, over and over.

[soylentprotag]

[Oh. He almost forgot that the creature might be afraid of him -- the last chickglet he'd met had been so chill it had barely acknowledged his existence. Lenka backs up a bit; hopefully he hasn't petrified the poor thing too much.

He'll just watch it be round and weird from afar for now...]

Yes. It's like jogging, but with an obstacle course. It helps with my psych too.

[The idea of an Aragami jogging is funny in the first place -- they're predators through and through, after all. But getting moving makes it easier to focus, whether on controlling his psych or on their situation or on the demands of navigating life as a horrorcat in Shibuya.

He does pick up on the note of wistfulness in Miki's voice. Come to think of it...]

I don't think I ever asked. Do you look different as a demon?

[paook]

A huge spider. [ She smirks. ] Almost the same size you are. I was able to run faster with more legs, and climb even tall buildings. It was liberating, and I miss it every day.

[soylentprotag]

Oh. Yes, you'd be a climber.

[He sounds just a little startled -- somehow he hadn't thought of a spider demon form but then again, why not? Especially if she's calling the chickglet creature a demon. Maybe demons and Aragami are even more alike than previously anticipated... There's a small pause where he tries to slink closer again to see if the chickglet has gotten used to having him loom.]

... I like high places, too. It makes it easier to think. It's safer.

[It might not be entirely safer here, but the feeling of safety is still there, psychologically. He thinks about it for a moment longer, then:]

If you ever want to see the city from above... You can come with me.

[She wouldn't be the first one to join him at the skyline.]

[paook]

[ the chickglet recoils, but only slightly, and then hesitantly sticks out its snout to sniff him. he's less put-off now at least ]

--Are you sure? It'd be such a great sight to see... only if you're really ok with it though. I'll do my best to hang on.

[ the only time she ever carried someone was miki and... and it didn't go well, for either of them. ]

[soylentprotag]

[... Lenka holds perfectly still when the chickglet moves towards him, letting it sniff to its little heart's content. He's maybe bonding! With a demon!! (Two demons!!) He's not going to even blink until the chickglet is done.

Then he moves away to give a little huff because breathing.]

Sure. I like sharing it. I can carry Mary on my back, so...

[Hey, if an excitable little kid can stay put with all the handholds up there, he's going to be optimistic about this.]

[paook]

[ at his agreement, miki grins wide and excited. a chance to be back up in the air again. to feel like herself, and not the human she abandoned. ]

Ok, let's do it then! I'm pretty light, promise!

[ and, if there's no objections, she'll walk around and slowly start climbing up lenka to get on his back. she huddles akira the chickglet close to her chest by one arm until both are situated. ]

[soylentprotag]

[Miki, please. With a few exceptions, everyone here is like a feather to him. It's actually kind of weird to feel pretty much nothing on your back when you know someone's up there; so Lenka keeps up the conversation while she gets herself situated and he scouts out a good building or two to go climbing.]

Let me know when you're ready. [he'll just stay crouched low enough that it's easier to get up there] And if you want, we can go pretty high. It's... something, seeing the whole city.

[It's impossible to see all of Tokyo, of course, but all of Shibuya? The good thing is that the pesky weekly walls don't block the view.]

[paook]

It must be. [ and she's excited, she can't even properly hide in her voice. the anticipation... ] Ok, lets reach the tops Lenka! Let's see it together!

[soylentprotag]

[Miki, that's cute...

It's really not just the scenery that he enjoys sharing -- invariably, everyone gets at least a little excited about the idea of getting to high places. It takes a little of the weight off for both parties, ironically. Lenka lowers his head in acknowledgment, coiling up to spring.]

Yes. Let's go.

[Then he starts jumping: he does do some climbing here and there, but he uses the buildings themselves more, the smaller ones as springboards and zigzagging between higher ones that are close enough together. He'll pick up the pace once he's sure Miki's got her bearings. Center Street Entrance might have some of the highest roofs, so that's eventually where they'll end up.

So many parts of Shibuya look so small from here, including the shadow people. Right there, but untouchable.]

Here.

[She's free to stay up there and use him as an extra viewing boost, or hang out on the roof with him.]