The Old College Try

[mansbestend]

Sender: Denji
To: Everyone
Subject: i write in the book and people read this???


OK so

I had a genius idea and wanna test sumthin

someone come swing at me. one guy and one girl. kick my ass if you want.

then we go eat or whatever after. i dunno.

Comments

[stillarhino]

[This? Definitely going on Beat's list of top 10 weirdest experiences so far. And that's saying something considering the shit he's had to go through in the Reaper's Game.

Still, he can't help but feel happy that the guy got what he wanted, letting out a bit of a chuckle himself.]

Hell yeah. But it don't sound like fun if you gotta go through a beatin' just to get that going.

[mansbestend]

[Alright, but enough was enough. He shook his head and whipped his arms downward. The helmet and blades melted like a sort of thick, gloppy fluid and his arms and head remained. He tucked the pull cord back under his shirt.]

Well, I mean, every day was somethin' after me. Not here. But if a nightmare tries somethin', I've got the response.

[stillarhino]

[A nightmare, huh? Whatever exhilaration Beat felt from that workout and transformation disappeared almost instantly, replaced by a crease of his brow, mouth pressed into a thin line.]

Nightmares here ain't no joke.

[His tone was serious, his elbows leaning against his knees, legs bent in front of him. Having encountered a noctaere early on made him change his perspective about them, knowing just how powerful they could be. He'd been cocky then too, only to be humbled by his own lack of strength. His hand reaches out to his arm, rubbing at the spot where he'd been injured back then. Beat couldn't help but feel that it was worth sharing a word of advice.]

So don't think you can take one on, jus' cause you figured things out.

[mansbestend]

[He stared blankly for a moment. Ah, this guy had some past with nightmares.]

Ah... well... my job was hunting devils back home. Ain't just little ones like the cucumber devil or the... shit devil or whatever.

I mean big time bastards. Eternity, Katana... Gun...

[He shrugged, but his demeanor had gotten very fatigued all of a sudden, like someone had slapped an immense weight upon his shoulders and head.]

Anyway. Thanks for the heads up, but this place managed to gimme a place to stay, a place to eat, and a bunch of cute girls walkin' around. I'm gonna pay that back a thousand times if whatever bad guys are crawlin' around here start rearin' up.

1/2

[stillarhino]

I ain't arguin' with ya there. Jus' sayin' that it takes a lot outta ya if you gonna go up against a noctaere, aight?

[Because he gets wanting to protect people and this place too. He still had a tendency ro be reckless, but going head to head with one taught him how to dial things back as well.]

[stillarhino]

[Then, after a moment, he laughs.]

No way a cucumber devil or shit devil's real, yo.

[mansbestend]

Heh... Wasn't makin' that up. There's a devil for everything where I'm from, dude. But a cucumber devil n' shit devil ain't all that strong 'cause people don't get real scared of stuff like that. You got random people who sign up to hunt the little guys.

But people are scared of stuff like... what, snakes? Guns? The dark? There's devils for those, and they're big time. That's where I come in.

[A slow grin.]

...'Cause all devils are afraid of Chainsaw Man.

[He brushed off his shirt.]

Anyway, let's get noodles or somethin'. I think the ramen here can heal ya. Feels that way, anyway.

[stillarhino]

[To think there's a place like that somewhere sounds outrageous to Beat, even if what he has experienced himself isn't something that he could easily explain to others. But a wicked grin grows on his face.]

Tha's right. Whoever's going up 'gainst you is gonna be shittin' their pants.

[He hops back to his feet.]

Aight, I'm down for ramen. Le's book it, yo.

[mansbestend]

Fuck YEAH!

[He crossed his arms behind his head and led the way. He knew just the place and he was fuckin' starving. Miso, miso, lots of miso and a boiled egg added in. Lots of crunchy vegetables!]

This place I know goes all out, and they already know what I like too. I might be the reason they get a shit ton of customers.

[He looked up thoughtfully.]

I don't work for 'em... but there's somethin' about a person whose dreams are all about makin' good food that gives 'em extra points as a human, y'know?

sorry for the delay!

[stillarhino]

That kinda sounds like somethin' the guy who runs a curry joint back home would say. But, yo, if this place makes a mean ramen, sign me up.

[He follows along, matching Denji's pace at his side.]

Been lookin' for a new place to get food at anyways.

[mansbestend]

Nice. It's right over here.

[He raised his arm to wave and greet the person, but his vision swam swam. His step swayed, but he caught himself. He needed a moment to wait for things to right themselves.]

...Oogh... yeah, okay...

[He shook it off and moved at a jog to take a seat before he'd lost his balance completely. Don't mind him propping his forehead on a hand and leaning on the counter.]

Erhh... one miso, extra egg. Brought a friend...

[stillarhino]

[Beat wasn't able to catch the sudden shift in Denji energy levels as they walked. Once they sat down to order though, it was clear that he seemed a lot less energetic than he was just a moment ago.]

Tonkotsu if you got it.

[He says to the server as they got to make their orders. Then he shifts over to Denji, turning to face him.]

Yo, you aight there? You ain't lookin' so hot.

[mansbestend]

[The owner nodded and set right do it. In another time, Denji would have been excited to see char siu get sliced to plop onto a bowl of noodles and broth. But he could barely look at it now.

He blinked slowly, then shrugged in his response.]

Ah... yeah... The chainsaws cut me when they come out, so I lose blood pretty quick every time. I'll be okay after a little bit.

S'part of why I offer lunch after, so nobody's gotta drag my ass back to the office. ...Hey man, y'got any juice or somethin'? I'll take some juice.

[The owner went to pour some juice as well. The salt of the ramen, the sugar of the juice... he'd heard something more scientific about it helping with blood loss, but he couldn't be bothered to remember.]