[OPEN] Who let the dogs out? Woof.

[taiyoukai]

Characters: Sesshomaru, his bad temper, his worse manners and YOU!
Setting: Room 4-14, Meadow floor and around the Tower.
Format: Action, but I'll match you.
Summary: Having had a few days to adapt - for some values of the word adapt (read: stop feeling homicidal about everything ever), Sesshomaru decides it's time to explore a little and test a few theories.
Warnings: Testy inu daiyoukai with a tendency to melt things that annoy him with his poison claws. Also fluffy, angry dog in the meadow floor.

[Room 4-14]

[He hadn't much noticed the two boxes or the wreath in his trunk, when he first arrived, much more in a hurry to get out of that ridiculous suit - which was thankfully already melted and done for - and to seek out some answers, but today Sesshomaru takes the time to study them, before heading out to inspect the tower more in detail. He'd worked out most of his rage at the monsters in that perpetual night floor, but he hadn't come out with many answers over all.

So now there he is, sitting on his assigned bed - tch - arching an eyebrow at a box of his favorite flavor of pocky and a box, of all things, of dog treats. Sesshomaru did not find the joke very funny at all. It hadn't been funny when Kagome gave him them, and it wasn't funny now.

There's also a dried flower wreath on the bed, but he's not bothering to look or touch or acknowledge it, because something inside hurts a little too much when he tries to think about it.]

[Meadow floor]

[After some cursory exploration of the Tower, he decided this was the best floor on which to attempt this, and thus walked away from the staircase resolutely. A good distance away, he closed his eyes for a moment, before he opened them and began to gather his youki to transform back into his true form.]

[He succeeds, and he certainly doesn't look much like a puppy, but the size alone is infuriating. Barely eight, nine feet at the most, and certainly much smaller than he should be.

How annoying.]

[Anywhere else]

[After he's done with the meadow floor, somewhat disgusted by such a lackluster transformation and deeply infuriated by anyone who'd dare do such a thing to him, Sesshomaru stalks away towards the staircase, intent on exploring the tower more thoroughly this time.]

Comments

A little bit outside of Floor Twenty-five.

[tohko_amano]

[So far, Tohko hadn't managed to get any writing done, and she wanted to write some great lyrics for Rei. Knowing that the meadow was usually peaceful, she wandered up the steps, lost in thought, until she noticed a man with long white hair coming out of the floor. He didn't look too happy, and since Tohko was never one to turn down someone in need, she approached him.]

Sir..are you okay? You don't look so good.

[taiyoukai]

[The daiyoukai looks down at the girl, expression haughty as ever. There's still a hint of red to his eyes, however. The look he gives her is the heart and soul of dismissal.]

It is nothing you should concern yourself with.

[tohko_amano]

[Tohko, sadly, does not pick up on the look he gives her and just goes on as usual, looking a bit puzzled.]

Why not? If you tell me, I might be able to help you..even if I am a simple book girl.

[taiyoukai]

[Sesshomaru wonders, absently, why he even bothers talking with humans. Humans on average have an ability to understand simple concepts that rivals that of rocks.]

This Sesshomaru fails to see how that would be productive at all.

[tohko_amano]

[What an interesting way to refer to yourself.]

Well, it would be productive by helping you out with your problems. After all, the less problems and troubles one has in the Tower, the better they get on. At least..that's what I think.

[taiyoukai]

It is very doubtful that you could be of any help whatsoever.

[tohko_amano]

Well, unless you tell me, neither of us will know that for sure!

[taiyoukai]

Your presumptuousness is neither charming nor endearing.

[tohko_amano]

I'm not sure how I was being presumptuous..but I wasn't trying to be charming and endearing. I'm merely trying to help you out.

[taiyoukai]

And you have been told your help is inconsequential, yet you presume to know better.

[tohko_amano]

It's because quite a few people-and characters in stories-have a bad habit of turning others away when there is a problem and when they do need help. I've dealt with a few people like that, and I was usually able to help in some way. So, tell me your problem, and I'll do what I can to help. We can't tell whether I'll be useless or not unless you give me all the information.

[taiyoukai]

[...you remind him uncomfortably of his sister-in-law. This is not an entirely pleasant experience.]

Very well, what abilities do you claim as your own?

[tohko_amano]

[Not that Tohko is aware of that. This is just how she always is. However, she will smile as she answered that question.]

I am a book girl, so I have a vast knowledge of books, I know how to work the kitchens and the Network here, I know a little bit about the Tower, I am not a bad fighter, I can solve murder-mysteries, and I'm part of a relationship advice group, if you need help with that. So, tell me, do you need help with?

4-14

[silentsacrifice]

[Itachi had gathered that the beginnings of each month tended to herald newcomers, but he hadn't paid much mind to the name screen outside of his room. In fact, he'd been spending less and less time in his room, despite the toll that it took on his health, simply because last month had left him cramped up in his room as often as he could manage.

So, when he walks in to see someone sitting in a bed that he'd thought was unoccupied, it gives him pause. He stops in the doorway and regards the other man with a suspicious glare.]

...I take it you're my new roommate?

[Perfect way to break the silence.]

[taiyoukai]

[Sesshomaru took a moment to look up at the man, golden eyes impassive. He clearly didn't seem particularly impressed by Itachi's presence, and turned his attention back to the boxes in his hands.]

So it would seem.

["Roommate" was an odd word, but he remembered Kagome using it once or twice, in regards to her hopes to go to "college" which Sesshomaru was not entirely sure on the meaning of, so he usually shoved it into the "ridiculous human nonsense" mental box in his head and ceased to think about it.]

[silentsacrifice]

[Itachi's red eyes met the other man's gold, and he held his gaze for a moment before he stepped into the room. He glanced down at the boxes his new roommate held in his hands.]

I hope I'm not interrupting anything.

[He said it impassively, as if he didn't care one way or another, but there was an edge to his tone that could very nearly be called "curious." He certainly didn't look the part, though - he didn't even look Sesshoumaru's way as he stooped down by his own trunk and began to rummage through it.]

[taiyoukai]

[It's okay, Itachi, Sesshomaru is very fluent in "inexpressive bastard". It's his native tongue.

He turned his eyes back to the boxes, frown tugging at his face.]

Hardly.

[He's just trying to decide if he's going to melt those dog biscuits now or if he should wait for later.]

[silentsacrifice]

Good.

[Itachi stood, holding a stick of dango between his fingers. The administrators had been so "kind" as to give him a basket of food from his homeworld after using him in an experiment last month, and he'd treated himself to something from it every now and again.

He leaned back against the wall and twirled the stick between his fingers. His eyesight was too bad for him to make out what the labels said on the boxes the other man held, but he just slid his eyes closed softly, giving no indication that he was straining his vision.

He took a moment to chew and swallow a bite of dango, then he spoke up.]

...Itachi Uchiha.

[Might as well introduce himself properly, he thought.]

[taiyoukai]

[The smell of that dango was very, very interesting. Sesshomaru made a mental note to find out where it came from, later. Instead, he used a claw to slice through the tape holding the biscuit box closed.]

Lord Sesshomaru.

[How disgraceful, having to introduce one's self, instead of having the world already know about it. He'd done enough of that, already. And it grew no less tedious each time he had to do it.]

What do you know of this place.

[silentsacrifice]

[It didn't surprise Itachi that the Tower wasn't above imprisoning even lords. He acknowledged the introduction with a soft hum.]

Not much more than anyone else.

[He didn't bother taking another bite of dango just yet. He had a feeling he was in for a line of questioning (and he really couldn't blame Sesshomaru).]

This place is called the Tower, and as far as anyone knows, it's inescapable. I've been here for... [He looked up at the ceiling, trying to remember.] ...about six months, I believe.

[The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. His grip tightened on the dango stick, and his gaze hardened.]

[taiyoukai]

[Oh well, good thing he'd opened the biscuit box, then. There went one disgusting dog treat up in a hiss of acid. That felt so relaxing! Sesshomaru decided to open the second box, then, because there was sugar in the room and he wasn't eating it. And that is simply unacceptable.]

Would you consider that a long time, then.

[Near immortal old as butts demon lord here, sorry. He's bad with these idea of time. Excuse him while he fishes out a stick of pocky.]

[silentsacrifice]

[Itachi saw the treat dissolve into acid and took note of Sesshomaru's abilities, but he didn't look particularly impressed.]

Longer than I'd like.

[Even spending a few days in the Tower had been unbearable for him - or so he thought. The longer time went on in this place, the more restless and upset Itachi got. He'd never intended to be trapped so long, especially with important matters waiting for him at home, but he simply couldn't figure out how to get back. It was turning into quite the sore spot for him.]

[taiyoukai]

Hmmm.

[Another thoughtful sound.]

Is it duty that calls you elsewhere, then, or revulsion?

[First impressions were not good impressions, he's always known that. Never trust first impressions, they're always false. His own are rather negative, about this place. And his impressions from other people add to that, but he has only tested a very small handful of the population, and he knows better than to trust insufficient numbers.]

[silentsacrifice]

The former, for the most part.

[He cast a sour glance off to the side, tapping his heel idly against the wall behind himself.]

Though lately, it's become the latter.

[taiyoukai]

How so?

[He studies the man's movements carefully, though he pretends to be engrossed with his candy. He smells human enough, but appearances can be deceiving.]