Closed

[not_mafia]

Who: Once-ler, Tsuna, and an unconscious Ino
What: Two of Ino's friends are worried over her and end up running into each other
When: Today
Where: Clinic
Rating: PG

Tsuna had awoken in his room in the castle feeling disoriented and groggy. When he'd realized where he was, he quickly checked the journal to see if Zelos had returned as well, and sure enough, there he was, ranting away. And after getting into a conversation with him, he quickly remembered Ino's condition, and went straight down to the clinic to check on her.

He goes to her room and opens the door.

"Ino?"

But he finds someone else there, too. Someone he wasn't expecting.

"O-once-ler?"

Comments

[not_mafia]

"A farmboy? Really?"

What kind of farmboy wears clothes like that???

[whichwayyoulean]

The Once-ler glances down to his suit, his very flash, very expensive suit.

"I'm a farmboy who made it."

[not_mafia]

Some sort of food company...??

Oh wait! He vaguely remembers Once-ler trying to market something during the family reunion.

"Making that, um... what was it called? Threads...?"

[whichwayyoulean]

The Once-ler stills for a moment, damnit Tsuna why do you have such a good memory. His brow furrows, focusing on Ino instead, his hand going to the Thneed always around his neck, his mark of guilt.

"Yeah. The Thneeds."

[not_mafia]

He notices the change in demeanor and starts a bit.

"Um... did I say something wrong?"

[whichwayyoulean]

The Once-ler remains in his own thoughts for a moment more, before realising that Tsuna's addressing him. He clears his throat, sitting up.

"No...it's fine. Really. Long story."

[not_mafia]

How strange. You'd think a person would be proud of his success story.

"Well, alright."

He falls into silence for a few moments. What were they talking about.

"Oh, right, Crowley-san. Yeah, he said he's a demon, but he just looks like a normal guy, really. Well... except for the fact he can turn into a snake and make stuff disappear."

[whichwayyoulean]

He looks glad for the subject change, to move away from the story of HIM onto something else entirely.

"A while ago that would have freaked me out," he admits. "But now? Well, that's just another average resident in Paradisa, right?"

[not_mafia]

"Eh... I guess that's true." Tsuna rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Some of the stuff he said was pretty wild, though."

[whichwayyoulean]

"Most of the things I hear form people are pretty wild," he shrugs. "I guess my world is just boring compared to the others."

He pauses.

"Okay maybe not boring, but less, I don't know? Dangerous? Yeah, dangerous. That's a good term."

[not_mafia]

"It does seem like a lot of people have come from dangerous worlds, doesn't it?" Tsuna comments, and his eyes soften a little as he looks at Ino, who had a few miscellaneous bruises and cuts that had appeared on her body while she was asleep.

"I wonder if we'll be able to figure out the secret to this castle one day."

[whichwayyoulean]

His own fell to Ino, and the wounds with no explanation yet. It was scaring him, honestly. What if she ended up with one she couldn't heal from? What if, whatever it was she was dealing with back home killed her? It was on his mind a lot, and he just wished she'd wake up soon, that she'd be fine.

"...Yeah they do," he murmurs, before shrugging. "I doubt it. Whenever we find the answer to anything, we just unearth more questions."

[not_mafia]

"I think that's how it works for a lot of things," Tsuna says, his eyes narrowing with determination. "But that doesn't mean we should stop trying. Or that we'll never find a way."

[whichwayyoulean]

The Once-ler gives a short, bitter laugh.

"How do you guys do it?" he asks. "Just keep finding hope that things will turn out alright, even when the odds show that they almost never will."